Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle

Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle against the British Empire was a result of the political situation in India. Prior to World War II, the world has witnessed the rise of the Soviet Union in terms of political and military power. We also saw the rise of popular national liberation movements across the colonized world. In most colonies, the way of gaining independence from Western colonialism has been through the waging of armed revolutions, such as the struggle of the Chinese and the Malaysians, led by Mao Tsetung and Sukarno, respectively. However, such a type of struggle for Indian independence was essentially difficult in Indian society where a strict and clearly defined caste system was in place. The caste system hindered the creation of unity of Indians as a united people while transcending class divisions. More so, divisions between the ranks of the Indian people became more pronounced as fighting between rightist Hindu fundamentalists and left-wing communists never stopped, with both espousing violent means of securing Indian independence. All of these confused the majority of a people who continued to wallow in poverty and desolation. In all of these, Mahatma Gandhi emerged to present an alternative viewpoint, a seeming middle-ground between the pro-people radicalism of the left and the religious conservatism of the right. Related article: Favoring Pragmatism Over Principle It was founded on the principle of non-violent struggle. It dismantled all previous ideas that political power comes from the barrel of a gun. Gandhi turned the idea of revolution on its head and succeeded in doing so. While a major factor for their triumph was the waning power of the British empire after World War II, their struggle through non-violent means inspired other civil libertarians the world over to give peace and non-violent struggle a chance prior to the taking of arms. As can be seen from above, Mahatma Gandhi was clearly faced with almost immense tasks, particularly leading the Indian people in the path to independence, despite the power of the British Empire and the ethnic tensions evident in Indian society. At a time when almost the entire colonial peoples of the world were engaged in armed struggle, Gandhi decisively implemented his idea of non-violent struggle to force the British Empire to recognize their demands for sovereignty and independence. He utilized creative forms of protest, such as the non-payment of taxes, peaceful marches to the sea, even if these actions were met with brutal force by British security forces. One of the great things about Gandhi was his ability to present his vision of a free and independent India to the masses in very simple terms which could be clearly understood and grasped. More so, he fully understood that Indian culture was still basically rooted in Hinduism. He believed that the application of foreign theories such as Marxism and nationalism might isolate the independence movement from the vast majority of the people. He was also a very simple man, who embraced the entire cross-section of Indian society, even the so-called untouchables, to the extent of earning the ire of the elite Brahmin caste. As such, his own person was a concrete mobilizing force to move the Indian people into action and determine their destiny. On the other hand, a minor weakness of his leadership was the seeming personality cult that ensued even years after his death. This is shown by the absence of second-liners to continue his work in building a just and peaceful Indian society. While all the mass actions were joined by Indians from different castes, the focus was always primarily on Gandhi’s thoughts and decisions. Such a personality-based leadership, while effective in inspiring people into action, cannot work in the long-term insofar as empowering the people and sustaining the gains of Indian independence. This is due to the lack of a concrete organizational structure to effectively implement the ideas of Gandhi. Lastly, Mahatma seemed to favor speaking in very mystical and vague language, which tends to confuse his followers as to the exact meaning of what he wants to articulate. Nonetheless, his leadership style was still very effective in mobilizing almost a billion people to demand their independence from the British Empire. Being a charismatic leader, he used his gift of astute yet mystical articulation to convince all sectors of Indian society about the necessity of seeking independence. The clearness of vision and objectives, and the creativity of his means of action of pursuit of these goals, were also indispensable factors of his success in leadership. More so, his propensity for personal sacrifice, at the cost of his life and liberty, in pursuit of his goals are very high on the list of his outstanding leadership qualities. Years of imprisonment and the beatings he received from the British security forces did not deter him from continuing his leadership. This is a crucial part of his leadership style, especially when not many leaders in the world are prepared to do sacrifices like such. Usually, leaders are hidden above their ivory towers and palaces, to the extent of alienating themselves from the people they serve. Gandhi, however, was different, as he was like the common everyman, save that it was his leadership of commitment and sacrifice that helped his people achieve independence. In terms of my own personal leadership style, I accede to the leadership traits of Gandhi, in terms of his clarity of vision and propensity for sacrifice. In any organization, these are very fundamental because these will determine how the followers will appreciate their role in the organization. If the vision and goals are clear, the followers can quantitatively measure, in a given amount of time, the progress of the organization and their individual development as well, relative to the vision and objectives. It ensures that the organization does not operate in limbo, without any purpose or necessity of existence. Gandhi’s propensity for sacrifice can also be incorporated in my leadership style. It is important for followers to see and realize that the leader himself is willing to lay himself on the line in pursuit of the vision and goals of the organization. Such a leadership trait reassures the followers that the leader is serious about the success and development of the organization and dismantles notions that the leader’s only interest is to make his people follow orders and deliver results. However, my leadership style differs with Gandhi insofar as adopting a pragmatic and realistic view on plans and actions. I would accede more, in this regard, to the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, instead of the Gandhian mode of relying heavily on a notion of non-violence in the face of difficult odds, as I still contend that the success of Gandhi and his movement was also based on external factors (e.g. British losses after World War II) than his non-violence alone. I even surmise that without the world wars and the decline of the British Empire, his non-violent movement would never have been successful. Nonetheless, the above mentioned leadership traits of Gandhi are included in my notion of the ideal leader – clarity of vision and goals, and propensity for sacrifice. In analyzing situations and challenges, and making decisions, it must include the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, without, of course, prejudicing the principles and objectives inherent in the organization. A leader must always seek to create candor and camaraderie among his followers, to drive home the point that no unseen barrier exists between them. More importantly, the leader must always seek ways of empowering his people and training new second liners, based on the idea that leaders, no matter how great they are, will always have to step down and be replaced by new blood. If possible, the leader must shun micro-managing the affairs of the organization, especially when competent persons have been assigned to ensure the success of projects and goals. However, while being democratic and consultative as possible, the leader must exercise full control of the more important decisions of the organization, based on the notion that his experience and vision will always be beneficial for the future of the organization. Works Cited: 1. Gandhi, M. (1962). Essential Gandhi. Edited by Louis Fischer. New York: Vintage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Books.

Baderman Island Family Vacations Essay

Baderman Island Family Vacations: Advertising, Creative, and Media Strategies Advertising not only works but is often unmatched in its capacity to reach major audiences, build brand awareness and personality, as well as stimulate curiosity and desire. But, more than ever, companies today [in this very competitive environment] need the right creative messages and media choices in an effort to break through the â€Å"noise† in order to get noticed, and therefore, remembered. This paper will outline Baderman Island’s Family Vacations advertising plan, further expanding on creative decisions and effective media strategies in an effort to increase market share. Baderman Island – Family Vacations Analysis Family getaways are one of the top reasons that guests stay at Baderman Island, regardless of whether the stay is a seven day excursion or a weekend family reunion. With so many activities to choose from such as: boat rentals, water skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, tennis, golf, five secluded beaches, Oasis Spa, and gallery touring there is truly something for everyone in the family to enjoy, not to mention all the activities on the island are appropriate for visitors of all ages. The many unique selling points of Baderman Island Family Vacations consist of the island being self contained, all-inclusive, hosting an array of restaurants, three different hotels, and unlimited activities to entertain and relax all guests. Currently, the marketing situation consists of a website that is an excellent tool for attracting guests and showing them all the perks of the island through pictures and blogs. The blog is a new advancement to the website, but should prove to attract positively more guests through the testimonials of previous visitors. Target Audience The target audience for Baderman Island is the typical â€Å"family vacationers† who are looking for a resort that offers a variety of activities without having to leave the premises. These families will consist of parents with at least one child. The target family will be the family who consists of two adults within the household with at â€Å"least† 2-3 children to help maximize profits. All races, ethnicities and cultures are welcome. The target market will be an adult who enjoy warm weather vacations with family, spending quality time with each other enjoying activities and who have a love for the beach and fine art. The target audience will also consist of consumers who fall within the lower to middle class and above demographics searching for a family destination that does not require leaving the United States (U.  S. ). Not all families can afford the cost of securing passports and expensive air travel to the Caribbean. Creative Strategies A creative strategy is important to the overall execution of an advertising campaign. Team C will use a â€Å"positioning† approach as its creative strategy. In this approach Baderman Island will be clearly defined as the number one â€Å"all inclusive† destination for family travel. Brand image approach will also be incorporated into the strategy. This will help consumers correlate the Baderman Island brand as a top notch, high quality destination. This approach will be accomplish by using an easy to remember slogan, such as â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† as well as further using the ever popular slogan, â€Å"Relax, Enjoy, Indulge. † Increased emphasis will be placed on marketing the concept that Baderman Island is a unique destination specializing in family activities. This will enable Baderman Island to distinguish themselves from other competitive resorts in the marketplace. All creative advertisement associated with the resort will be colorful and eye catching; it will feature pictures that depict happy families vacationing and spending time together, further providing a visual of what family vacationing could be for the potential customer. On radio spots sound bites will be used of customer testimonials of how happy they were when they vacationed on the island. TV ads will also depict families enjoying themselves on the beach, playing golf, in the spa, visiting the museums and art galleries, and participating in the many sports activities offered on the island. The television ads will also highlight the many pricing plans and payment options where applicable. Positioning Statement Baderman Island’s positioning concept will explain that Baderman Island Family Vacations is for vacationers with families who are seeking a luxury resort â€Å"experience† to reenergize from their busy lives and reconnect with family and friends, and that Baderman Island Family Resorts is one of the most luxurious destinations in the world. The island offers four star accommodations that highlight a world-class spa featuring a full range of treatments designed around the resort’s natural springs, sophisticated purpose-designed meeting facilities, and an assortment of other amenities all delivered with a high level of personalized service (University of Phoenix, 2008). All of this is made available on this self-contained, all-inclusive resort island that is surrounded by the beautiful Kelsey River. Golfing, fishing, spa facilities, museum excursions and a beautiful beach are all available to vacationers of this island. Message Platform Baderman’s message platform is to develop Baderman’s brand and when potential guest see the logo, they will envision the beautiful crystal clear waters, which symbolizes peacefulness as well as relaxation. Presently, Baderman Island is expanding the brand on the 1,600 acres of land they own. 750 acres are operational. See map below. (University of Phoenix, 2008). In an effort to increase brand recognition Baderman Island will rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing. The expectation will be that satisfied guest will continuously sell the brand for the resort while Baderman Island continues to make capital improvements. Once the Baderman Island’s guest vacation experience is over and they leave, the hope is that they will tell their friends about the wonderful experience during their stay. Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most effective advertising vehicles when feedback is 100% positive. Baderman Island will strive to be the number one vacationing spot. Baderman Island will be well known for the following attributes: Owning an island, which exclusively promotes their brand, and having facilities that offer excellent customer service. Baderman Island makes a point of listening to guests who have enjoyed previous stays and will continue to develop innovative ideas that include customer feedback on how to improve future stays. Media Strategies and Objectives Print media is one of the most efficient ways to reach potential customers. For example, magazines are a medium that has a number of special-interest publications segments that can reach Baderman target audience (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009). As a result, print ads, billboards, and brochures will be Baderman Island’s priority media vehicles of choice. Baderman Island will also use a number of advertising campaigns which will run a variation of television commercials, all emphasizing family fun. An additional strategy that Baderman will use in order to develop a relationship with potential guests is through the use of [developing] creative brochures which will assist with enticing guest towards booking a vacation on Baderman’s Island property. After all, they are inquiring about Baderman’s vacationing experience, so brochures will bring Baderman’s Island Vacations upfront and personal to future guest. Guests will be able to look at full color ads while reading a wealth of information regarding services, pricing plans, recreation packages, spa schedules and a host of activities used to keep children occupied during the day. The objective is to have future guest pick-up and carry brochures with them so they can view the material at their leisure and share it with family and friends. Baderman will capitalize on the idea that the brochure is portable which gives the upper hand rather then relying on guest to remember a 60 second commercial. Lastly, radio air time will also be explored as a media option. There are seven times as many radio stations as television stations in the U. S. (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009) therefore; this is a medium that Baderman will seek to explore with the assistance of a limited-service agency. Strategy RationaleThe rationale behind the creative strategies and campaign message is to ensure that Baderman Island Vacations stands out over the competition. Creating the easy to remember message of â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† will capture the image of Balderman Island at its fullest. In addition, using vibrant colors within ads and â€Å"real† people will not only be an eye catcher, but also illustrates the fun side of Balderman Island. Using photos of smiling and happy families doing fun activities together as part of advertisement features will say it all. Baderman Island will use similar stock photos in all advertisements. By placing the emphasis on â€Å"family† the brand image that Baderman Island will be known for will be something that both existing and potential customers will relate too. The resort will also seek to create a feeling of nostalgia where people who see the billboards, magazines, website, or hear radio advertisements will wish and want to experience what Baderman Island offers. An addition strategy will be to choose air time during busy traffic hours to advertise services. What better time to dream being somewhere else than when a person is stuck in a traffic jam. As a family resort, Baderman Island believes in getting and giving the best. As customers, Baderman personnel staff expects the best on both products and services from providers, and it is only right that the resort gives the same respect, treatment and consideration to their customers. Baderman Island stands on the priority objective of treating customers â€Å"just like family. †Supportive ResourcesAlthough many companies have opted towards using outside advertising agencies exclusively for assistance with creative ideas, Balderman Island prefers to do it themselves. Baderman Island’s in-house creative teams provide a range of services depending on the resorts needs and are familiar with the resorts rich history and many products and services. The in-house team is also better equipped to handle adhoc problems regarding advertisements within a timely manner. Keeping creative development in-house will provide the resort more control with lower risks of having proprietary confidential information leaking into the wrong hands, also keeping in mind that external agencies have other clients to assist. In addition to risk management, in-house creative resources for creative support make it easier to coordinate and have a more â€Å"personal† touch with the service versus an outside agency. In addition to in-house support Baderman Island will seek advice from limited-services agencies which specializes in one aspect of creative process; usually providing creative production work or the purchase of media space (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2008). A limited-services agency will be used in order to coordinate radio air time and in some instances magazine space. ConclusionAs stated earlier, Baderman Island Family Vacations is striving to continue to compete in a very competitive environment. With the consistent advertising message, â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Baderman will further expand on that message by building upon a media strategy that emphasis family, fun, relationships, and value. Therefore, a media strategy that focuses on â€Å"awareness advertising,† where the attempts to build Baderman Island’s image and familiarity with the resort brand and excellent services will be their ticket towards marketing success. Baderman Island is confident that by using multi-media vehicles of print ads, billboards, brochures, television commercials, and radio spots their target audience will be effectively reached. Six months post campaign launch, Baderman will evaluate their advertising effectiveness through monitoring and post-evaluation tools and re-evaluate their marketing plan accordingly based on results.

Career Guidance

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE A COUNTRY'S STANDARD OF LIVING? Judy Newsome Purpose: Students will examine geographic information to make inferences about the factors that influence a country's economic development and standard of living. Objectives: The student will be able to: 1. analyze information on a map to generalize a country's economic status. 2. compare geographic information and develop hypotheses about the economic development and standard of living in various countries. 3. examine geographic information to test hypotheses. 4. make inferences about other factors that influence the economic development/ standard of living of a country.Standards: 1,11,15,16 Skills: 1,2,4,5 Materials: Maps showing resources Map of Africa Chart showing per capita GNP Pictures to stimulate discussion Procedures: PREPARATION: 1. Label 10 x 13 size envelopes (3 per group) as follows: Group 1 Envelope A Group 1 Envelope B Group 1 Envelope C. Repeat for groups 2 – 7. 2. Copy the attached copy of th e seven individual countries seven times and make a transparency of it. Cut out the seven map keys and one copy of each individual country. Attach one country and the map key to half a sheet of construction paper and laminate if possible.Place country A in Envelope A for Group 1, country B in Envelope A for Group 2, etc. 3. Make seven copies of a blackline map of Africa and seven copies of a chart showing per capita GNP figures for Africa. Mount the map and the chart on construction paper and also laminate, if possible. Place a copy of the map and the chart in Envelope B for each group. 4. Find pictures to represent the various factors to be discussed (as many as possible). You would need seven pictures to represent each factor (one for each group) or seven copies. Mount these on construction paper and laminate.Place pictures in Envelope C for each group. 71 GROUPS: Divide the class into groups (up to 7). QUESTION: Ask: When you hear the term standard of living, what does it mean to you? After the Discussion, which should include the definition of standard of living (see definitions), explain that the first factor that influences a country's standard of living is the material wealth as evidenced by a country's natural resources and agricultural products. BRAINSTORM: Distribute the 3 envelopes to each group but ask them not to open any of them until they are asked to do so.Tell them that Envelope A contains the map of an individual country and the map key. All names have been removed so that they will not be able to bring any prior knowledge to this activity. Have them open Envelope A and examine the map and the key. List the resources and products shown and then brainstorm about what can be done with those resources and products and how to obtain anything they need but don't have. (approximately 5 minutes) MAKE COMPARISONS: Show transparencies of all seven countries. Let each group report. Write their finding on the transparency beside the appropriate country or on the chalkboard.HYPOTHESIZE: Based on the brainstorming, which country is wealthiest? Rate them from 1 to (varies). (Depends on number of groups used). Write the ratings on the transparency. INTRODUCE VOCABULARY: Explain that the reason you examined the resources and products of each country first is that a country's resources and products influence the material wealth and therefore the economic development and standard of living of a country. One measure of a country's standard of living is per capita GNP. Define per capita GNP. (See definitions) EXAMINE MAP AND CHART: Tell your groups to open Envelope B.Compare the map of Africa and identify the particular country they were working with. They should raise their hands and tell you so you can mark it on the transparency as soon as they find it. Then ask them to look up their country's per capita GNP and add it to the information already on the transparency. Now check your hypotheses. How do the countries really rate? If all is well, you should have them rated incorrectly so you can point out that there are other factors that playa part. (See introduction. ) EXAMINE PICTURES: In Envelope C, which may be opened now, you will find pictures related to a country's standard of living.Take about 2 minutes to identify the factor each picture represents. Put a list on the overhead and tell your groups that they are now going to draw some conclusions about these factors and how they influence a country's standard of living. (If you made copies of pictures you may want to put the originals up in the room and/or make transparencies of them). 72 DRAW CONCLUSIONS: Have groups discuss and come to some conclusions about how each of the factors influence a country's economic development/standard of living. Then ask about any other factors they can think of. See attached list as a hint but there may be others). VOCABULARY: Economic systems – the approach or technique that a country uses to deal with scarcity and ach ieve its economic goals. Standard of Living -ca measure of the amount of good and services an individual or group considers essential to well-being. GNP or gross national product – a measure of the value of all the good and services produced by a nation in a given time period, usually one year. Per capita GNP – GNP is divided by the population. The amount of money per person the people of a country or in a certain region earn.Life expectancy – the average number of years people can be expected to live. Literacy rate – the ratio of the number of people in a population who can read and write of the total number of persons in a population. Birth rate – the ratio of the number of live births during one year to the total population, expressed as the number of births per year per 1000 population. Death rate (mortality rate) – the ratio of the number of deaths during one year to the total population, expressed as the number of deaths per year per 1 000 population.Infant mortality rate – the ratio consisting of the annual number of deaths of infants not over one year old to the total number of live births during that year. Infrastructure – the basic structure of services, installations, and facilities needed to support industrial, and other economic development; included are transport and communications, along with water, power, and other public utilities. Natural increase – the number of births in a country minus the number of deaths Population growth rate – natural increase plus migration into a country minus migration out ofa country. o FACTORS INTRODUCED IN PICTURES: . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Water (affects the economic and agricultural development) Sanitation (affects health and life expectancy) Health care (affects life expectancy, infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate) Population growth (natural increase and population growth rate) Nutrition (affects health and life expectancy) Education (affec ts literacy rate) SOME OTHER POSSIBLE FACTORS: 1. War 2. Infrastructure 3. Political instability 4. Environment/topography 73 o L I o I I iii , I 200 400 600 ! , , 800 Miles I I 400 800 Kilometers 74 Activity 2 † 1 V' ~ cattle Coal Cocoa Coffee .. /Itt:; ?'Diamonds FISh Gold . Grapes Iron Ore · c:::J e P8Irn Oil Peanuts RIce Sheep e .! i't .0 a ~. ~ Com Cotton Copper Oat.. I 1 †¢ † ~ dfI Lumber Oil Other City IA , †¢ Tea Tobacco Identify each country based on shape and resources Note: Shapes are accurate but country size is not to scale Wheat Capital 75 Western Sahara Tunisia Sudan Libya · Morocco Egypt N. AFRICA Algeria 0. 25 9. 619 29. 49 . 5. 114 28. 778 68. 344 31. 471 173 Population mid ·2000 (millions) 2. 86 1. 58 2. 16 1. 69 2. 48 1. 98 2. 36 2 Natural Increase (annual %) 24 44 32 41 28 35 29 34 â€Å"Doubling Time† in years 150 35 69. 5 37 33. 3 52. 44 51 Infant Mortality Rate 0 B C B B B B Data Availability Code 61 N/A 27 54 86 44 49 46 Pe rcent Urban 47 69 51 69 75 65 69 64 Life Expectancy at Birth, Total 35 N/A 43 34 40 37 39 38 Percent of Population of Age < 15 2060 N/A 290 1240 1290 nla 1550 1200 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD Population mid ·2000 (millions) Natural Increase (annual %) â€Å"Doubling Time† in years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent Urban Life Expectancy at Birth, Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USO Guinea Ghana Burk. Faso Cape Verele Cote d'lvoirE Gambia W. AFRICA Benin 19. 534 1. 05 15. 98 0. 401 11. 946 6. 396 234. 456 2. 4 2. 41 2. 19 2. 82 2. 94 2. 83 2. 8 29 29 32 25 24 24 25 56. 2 130 76. 9 112. 2 105. 3 93. 9 89 C C B B C B B 37 37 46 44 15 38 35 58 45 47 68 47 50 51 3 3 3 3 6 3 3 340 390 700 240 1200 380 340 7. 466 2. 38 29 98 ~ 26 45 3 530 N. AFRICA Population mid ·2000 (millions) Continued Natural Increase (annual %) â€Å"Doubling Time† in years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent Urban Life Expectancy at Birth , Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USO Nigeria Senegal Mali Mauritania Niger Liberia G. Bissau 10. 076 11. 234 2. 7 123. 338 3. 164 1. 213 2. 97 3. 23 3. 1 2. 72 2. 84 2. 22 25 23 21 22 24 31 123. 1 139. 1 122. 5 92 77. 2 130 C C C C C C C 45 26 54 17 22 36 50 53 54 41 45 52 4 4 3 2 4 3 410 200 160 N/A 250 300 ————— 9. 481 2. 79 25 67. 7 41 52 3 520 â€Å"†'–‘—–~-~~————————————– Congo, Oem. Equatorial Guinea Congo Cameroon Cen. Af. Rep Chad MID ·AFRICA Angola 0. 453 51. 965 2. 831 3. 513 7. 977 15. 422 Population mld ·2000 (millions) 96. 425 12. 878 2. 4S 2. 4 3. 19 3. 29 Natural Increase (annual %) 2. 58  ·2. 03 2. 96 3 28 29 22 21 â€Å"Doubling Time† in years 34 27 23 23 108. 108 108. 6 109. 8 Infant Mortality Rate 96. 7 125 77 106 C 0 C B C Data Availability Code C 0 41 29 37 Perce nt Urban 44 39 22 32 32 48 49 50 Life Expectancy at Birth, Total 48 55 45 47 49 43 48 43 Percent of Population of Age < 15 44 43 44 46 48 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD 680 110 610 300 230 1110 320 380 Namibia South Africa MID_AFRICA Gabon Sao Tome S. AFRICA Botswana Lesotho 2. 143 1. 771 Population mid ·2000 (millions) 0. 16 49. 915 1. 576 continued 1. 226 2. 07 1. 667 Natural Increase (annual %) 3. 4 1. 3 1. 55 2. 16 33 45 42 â€Å"Doubling Time† in years 20 52 32 84. 5 68. 3 57. 50. 8 51 Infant Mortality Rate 87 C B B Data Availability Code C C B Percent Urban 16 49 73 44 42 27 Life Expectancy at Birth, Total 53 64 54 44 46 52 Percent of Population of Age < 15 47 41 35 41 44 39 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD 270 570 4170 3100 3070 1940 I 43. 421 1. 27 55 45. 4 i 45 551 34 3310 (:: S. AFRICA  ·Populatlon mld ·2000 (millions) continued Natural Increase (annual %) â€Å"Doubling Time† in years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent- Urban Life Expectancy at Bir th, Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD Swaziland 1. 004 1. 5 37 107. 7 C 22 38 47  ·1400 —- ——— N. AFRICA Population mid-2000 (millions) continued Natural Increase (annual %) â€Å"Doubling Time† in years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent Urban Life Expectancy at Birth, Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD Sierra Leone Togo E. AFRICA Burundi Comoros Djibouti Eritrea 5. 019 246. 235 0. 578 0. 638 5. 233 6. 054 2. 78 2. 64 3. 07 2. 4 2. 28 2. 49 23 25 26 29 28 30 79. 7 157 102 74. 8 77. 3 115 C C B 0 C C 31 37 20 29 8 83 49 45 46 59 48 47 . 48 3 45 42 3 41 370 N/A 140 3~0 140 4. 14~ 2. 9~ 2~ 1. S 1e 55 43 200 Population mid-2000 . (millions) Natural Increase (annual %) â€Å"Doubling Time† In years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent Urban Life Expectancy at Birth, Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD E. AFRICA continued Madagascar Malawi Mauritus Mozambique Reunion Kenya Ethiopia 30. 34 14. 858 1. 189 19. 105 10. 385 64. 117 2. 105 2. 943 2. 19 2. 4 1. 91 ‘1. 05 33 29 24 36 66 32 73. 7 96. 3 126. 8 19. 4 133. 9 116 B C A B B C B 20 43 28 15 22 20 49 46 52 39 70 40 N/A 46 45 26 45 46 46 350 260 100 3730 210 210 N/A 0. 716 1. 1 49 9 73 30. ~ E. AFRICA Population mld-2000 (millions) continued Natural Increase (annual %) I†Doubling Time† in years Infant Mortality Rate Data Availability Code Percent Urban Life Expectancy at Birth, Total Percent of Population of Age < 15 GNP Per Capita, 1998 USD Seychelles Somalia Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe 0. 082 7. 229 7. 253 35. 306 23. 318 9. 582 2. 29 1. 07 2. 87 2. 86 2. 88 1. 96 65 30 24 24 24 35 120. 9 8. 5 125. 8 98. 8 81. 3 109 0 0 B C B B B 5 59 24 20 15 38 39 N/A 46 53 42 37 28 45 44 49 45 45 6420 N/A 230 220 310 330 11. 343 1 69 80 32 40 44 620

Understanding consumer behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Understanding consumer behavior - Assignment Example The service provided by concerned hotel is the most crucial factor for retaining customers’ loyalty and increase overall visits. For the success of the service industry, it is essential to offer the products and/or services according to the needs of the customers. Moreover, in order to face the increased completion in the hotel industry, it is necessary to examine the pattern of consumer behavior (Rani 52-61). Behavior of an individual is influenced by a number of factors including culture, social group, family members and other factors. A proper identification of the factors that are likely to influence the behavior of the customers enables the marketers to develop appropriate strategy for the development of the hotel business. The main aim of the hotel industry is to fulfill the needs of the customers and the studying consumer behavior facilitates the development of best products as well as offering unique services. Another factor that is most crucial and is likely to affect the buying decision is the prices of the products. The buying decision of the customers is linked with the price factor. Therefore, for this purpose of examining consumer behavior, it is likely to identify the preferable price of services offered. In addition to this, analyzing consumer behavior enables the marketers to identify the most suitable promotion method that has the potential to attract the potential custo mers as well as retain the existing ones (Rani 52-61). Consumers’ needs, motivation and values. Motivation is one of the important factors that are likely to influence consumer behavior, which in turn affects the purchase decision. Motivation enables an individual to undertake certain measure that has the potential to satisfy the needs and wants. In the context of consumer behavior, analyzing the motivation factors of the individuals is likely to be beneficial in attaining competitive advantage as compared to other hotels operating in the area. For

Reading Assingment and Answer the Questions Article

Reading Assingment and Answer the Questions - Article Example Please include in your discussion the effects of the following: the lifting of interest rate caps; the permitting of bank investments in commercial real estate; the role played by net worth (owners’ equity), or capital- especially the inclusion of "goodwill" as part of a banks net worth. It was a situation of too little, too late. The restrictions of commodities were let loose but too late. By this time almost 50% of banks were insolvent and were having a net worth that was negative. There was duration of risk in the rising interest rates that led to both income and balance sheet problems. During the time of deregulation, banks did not make profits as a result of excess regulation as deregulation process was slow. Banks resorted to riskier high returning loans to reinstate profitability. In most cases, this worsened the situation. S and Ls ultimately had up to forty percent of its assets in real estate, 10% in direct investments and junk bonds and 30% in lending consumers. After excessive regulation, it got itself into problems by expanding finance and credit areas where there were no background, experience or expertise. What effect did government insurance of deposits for up to $100,000 have on depositors and banks? Does it seem fair to you that banks making risky, speculative investments paid the same deposit insurance premiums as those making safer, more conservative loans? Moreover, brokers and depositors exploited how to manipulate the 100000 dollars limit using brokered deposits. If one had 10 million for investments in banks, he would be insured to an optimum of 100000 dollars. Therefore, a broker would break the amount into a hundred investments if hundred thousand dollars each and will buy $100000 100 CDs with 100 banks. This limit would be 100000 dollars for each account and not each depositor. Consequently, very rich individuals get insured using the tax payers’ money. Riskier speculations in

Give a history of the Catholic church on the death penalty and note Research Paper

Give a history of the Catholic church on the death penalty and note how it has changed over time - Research Paper Example What amount or kind of punishment is publicly justifiable and can make it principle and standard is a question rising in the minds of many people. It is only principle that can definitely assign both the quantity and quality of a just penalty. A crime deserves punishment but the punishment given depends on the gravity of the crime. Many people have mixed reviews on death penalty and most of them are against this kind of punishment. Death penalty abolishment has it s roots in the liberal utilitarian government and humanistic ideas spawned by the enlightenment in Europe at the end of eighteenth century. Utilitarian believed that punishment should not be worse than crime and hence was against death penalty. Same is the case with Catholic Church as Bible preached killing as a sin. Jesus was against death penalty and so was Pope John Paul. U.S. Catholic bishops were against death penalty and reminded the fellow Christians to remember the teaching of Christ and condemn death penalty. The C oncept of Death Penalty Death penalty is of ancient origin. Death penalty otherwise known as capital punishment has its meaning derived from Latin word â€Å"head punishment†. Capital punishment is a procedure where in beheading is done to the criminal as a method of execution. The death penalty has its origin in England and was transported to American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. The death penalty has existed in American soil for almost four centuries and has given way to 20,000 executions. The capital crime in those days were quiet long and the proportion of offenders actually executed were uncertain.Untill the end of 18th century there was no opposition to death penalty in America. The death penalty is the oldest form of punishment known to human kind. Death penalty existed even before criminal law was formulated and when aristocratic rule existed. Death penalty was a common practice in England during the time of writing constitution. According to death pen alty the criminal is killed by being shot, hung or beheading. However most of the states in America preferred to execute the criminals by hanging. According to (Dunehew)â€Å"In 1972, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down every state death penalty statute in the nation, it was declared to be â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment† and a violation of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution†. Death penalty gives importance to human life and punishes people who take life of others. Murdering someone is against the law of God and it can be compensated only by giving hard punishment to the guilty. History of Death Penalty During seventeenth and eighteenth century, the English colonist implemented death penalty as punishment for various crimes which might look shocking today. It was given for crimes like treason, rape, burglary, manslaughter, robbery, counterfeiting, theft and arson. All these became capital crime in American colonies as well. The colonial American considered theft as same as murder and all were counted in the same hierarchy and given capital punishment. In that century, life was cheap and times were rude. The people of seventeenth century were greatly influenced by political and religious views and did not think independently. Colonial Americans were not blindly following death penalty but understood the reason and purpose it served. The North American colonial law was variant from English law as it was more lenient than the latter. In England, murder and rape was given

The Pursuit of Happyness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Pursuit of Happyness - Essay Example With a tag-line, â€Å" How much can you know about yourself if you have never been in a fight?† [1] , the movie, through the character of played by Norton, thoroughly convinces us that even we are living a dead and a boring life like him. And getting into a ‘fight’ is the only way we can be alive again. The movie tells a story of an insurance agent suffering from insomnia who feels that he is the most miserable person on the earth. His doctor asks him to visit the support group of different disease to know that there are more miserable people than him. He starts feeling better by looking at them and feels little alive. But his life becomes hell when girl called Marla enters his life, as even she is a faker like him and this makes him feel exposed. Norton is shown to be a victim of a civilized and commercialized society. His drives are suppressed and his life becomes boring and dead. One day, when thinking if his life would have been different if he was a different person, a man called Tyler enters his life and from that moment Jack’s life changes completely. The movie is a commentary by an insurance agent who tells his story. The scenes and the people that he talks about are shot in such a way that we actually feel the boredom and the depression of his life. His office, his routine, his travels and his visits to the support groups are described in such a robotic and dull manner that it makes us believe how miserable he is. It shows how the external things like brands, products, corporate houses, career and artificialness in relationships have made our life dead. Through Norton’s character, we experience the deadness of our life. The

Traditional Health Care (Culture Care) Practices Research Paper

Traditional Health Care (Culture Care) Practices - Research Paper Example Figures from the 2009 World Religious survey shows that 50.4% of Nigeria's population are Muslims, 48.2% are Christian (15% Protestant, 13.7% Catholic, and 19.6% other Christian), and followers of other religions are 1.4% (BBC News, 2007). These figures notwithstanding, it is evident that Nigerian, Muslims or Christians, have widespread belief in traditional African religious practices (BBC News, 2007). In fact, this belief system has a bearing on the way health and illness is perceived and treated in Nigeria. The richness and variety of Nigeria diet is well known. Different spices and herbs are used in the preparation of soups and sauces and this dominated by meat and/or fish. The use of spices and herbs in food is believed to prevent illnesses such as malaria. With a dysfunctional educational system, only 68% of the population is literate with the rate for men (75.7%) is higher than that for women (60.6%). A country ravaged by poverty and corruption, it has a very low gross domesti c product (GDP); however, it is considered a lower middle income country by the World Bank (World Bank, 2011). The low literacy rate and the very low GDP affect people’s perception of illness and access to medical facilities, respectively. The Nigerian society, like the rest of Africa and in most developing countries has a male-centered and male dominated culture (U.S. Department of State, 2009). This affects the way women are treated and regarded. Most often sick women such as widows and those without children are accused of witchcraft and molested. Definition and Traditional beliefs of Health and Illness in Nigeria Nigerians regards health as multidimensional and not merely the absence of disease. Health is regarded as the attainment of physical, mental, emotional and social well being (WHO, 2005). This definition, which concord with the World Health Organization’s definition, is not a trademark of Nigerian philosophy of good health but the traditional belief of most ancient civilizations. Illness, on the other hand is disharmony either in the physical, mental, emotional and social state of an individual. Thus it is common among Nigerian to view immoral and erratic behavior as a disease. Furthermore, traditional medicine in Nigeria attributes illnesses to spiritual imbalance. Such imbalance could be self-inflicted or the handiwork of the enemies. Thus illnesses, according to traditional medicine in Nigeria, have their origin in the spiritual world Traditional Methods of Maintaining, Protecting and Restoration of Health in Nigeria The traditional method of maintaining, protecting and restoring health in Nigeria is linked with the African Traditional Religion (ATR). This method is the sum total of practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to diagnose, prevent an d eliminate of physical, mental, or societal imbalance, and rely exclusively on practical experience and observation handed down from generation to generation, whether verbally or in writing (WHO, 2005). The knowledge and practices form part of ATR. As mentioned above, traditionally, Nigerians linked all

Child Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Child Abuse - Essay Example More importantly, the involvement of parents in their children’s healing process and reduction of violent risks are also examined closely. Through qualitative evaluation, outcomes of case study includes realization that both parties, the violated children and abusive parents, need to be critically assessed and, educated and treated, for risks of future physical abused to be eliminated. Moreover, the role of nurses in the whole process of care is vital in bridging gaps between perpetrators and victims of violence. In conclusion, children are not the only groups that need to be subjected to intense nursing assessment and management; the perpetrators (parents) are also included in the overall plan of nursing care in order to improve the rampant status of physical abuse in children. ... Child abuse is a collective term frequently seen in community households. This is generally a form of maltreatment in vulnerable groups, such as young children and elderly individuals. As explained by Giardino and Giardino (2010), specific in most abuse is the â€Å"presence of an injury...(contracted) at the hands of his or her caregiver† (p. 1). In an abusive family, the parents are pointed out as culprits in the scene (Humphreys & Campbell, 2010). Hence, it is safe to say that during child abuse, their supposed protectors are the ones inflicting both physical and physiologic damage. In the advent of clinical and mental interventions, American Psychiatric Society (2004) emphasized that clinical priority in this is mainly centered on the victims. Yet, as this is also a family dispute, the involvement of the perpetrators in the holistic therapy is deemed important in the clinical setting. For this reason, the case presentation will focus on a thorough assessment in identifying the presence of abuse, as well as related nursing interventions targeting resolutions in the conditions surrounding child victims and their perpetrators. Basic Assessment Measures in Physical Abuse Child abuse is a difficult case to prove. The first step towards the process of keeping victims safe is â€Å"detection and identification,† a recognition that such incidents can happen in the community (Videbeck, 2010, p. 187). Hence, nurses involved in direct care of clients need to maintain an open mind and critical attitude in order to aptly identify risk factors increasing the likelihood of children suffering from physical abuse. In the nursing process of uncovering the truth, White (2004) suggests inclusion of both subjective and objective data

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 95

Essay Example Nor is there anyone equal to Him† (Surah Ikhlas cited in â€Å"112- Surah Al Ikhlas†). This Surah overtly explains the superiority of Allah in all ways. It is revealed that nobody gave birth to Allah nor has Allah any son of daughter, which clearly refutes the claim that the Christ is God’s son, and this is what lays the basis of difference in the Christian and the Muslim perspective of God Almighty. It has been declared that nobody is equal to Allah in any respect, which essentially obviates the need for any gods or goddesses. This is why Muslims believe in no gods and goddesses but one God who is Allah. â€Å"Accurately knowing Allah is the pillar whereupon Islam in its entirety hinges† (Al-Jibouri). Since Allah is the supreme power, He can handle everything himself and does not require any other god or goddess to help Him in His matters, nor is there any god or goddess because Allah did not make any. However, Allah made angels that carry out His orders and do as He directs them. The concept of God in Islam requires the Muslims to believe in only one God i.e. Allah as the one with the supreme power, believe in His angels, His holy books including the books that he sent before Quran via other prophets, belief in the prophets, and the Day of Judgment. The belief in Allah obliges the Muslims to live the life the way Allah has instructed through Quran as well as the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). Any Muslim who thinks that there is anybody in addition to Allah who feeds him or gives him all the blessings of life does Shirk. The essence of being a true follower in Islam is acquiring peace by submitting one’s will to Allah. Muslim faith says that man on Earth is Allah’s messenger. Before, Allah sent thousands of prophets to carry his message to the people, but the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was the last Prophet. After him, it is the responsibility of every believer to spread the light of Islam to the non-believers so that the message

American Writers Essay Example for Free

American Writers Essay List of American Novels for Research Project English 11H Historical/War Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane Killer Angels, Michael Shaara A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier My Brother Sam is Dead, JL Collier African-American Beloved, Toni Morrison (mature themes) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou Native Son, James Baldwin The Color Purple, Alice Walker (mature themes) Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston Malcom X (autobiography- lengthy) A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest Gaines. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Ernest Gaines Go Tell it on the Mountain, James Baldwin Black Boy, Richard Wright (memoir) Dystopian/Futuristic/Science Fiction Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut Catch-22, Joseph Heller The Giver, Lois Lowry Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury Realism/Naturalism/Regionalism The Call of the Wild, Jack London White Fang, Jack London O’Pioneers, Willa Cather My Antonia, Willa Cather Maggie, Girl of the Streets, Stephen Crane The Jungle, Upton Sinclair Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain Miscellaneous Modern/Contemporary novels The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd. The Natural, Bernard Malamud (baseball; Jewish myth) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey (set in a mental asylum) House on Mango Street, Sandy Cisneros Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (Chinese-American culture) The Help, Kathryn Stockett (set in 1960s; about African-American maids in the South) Shoeless Joe, WP Kinsella (baseball) Franny and Zooey, by JD Salinger (from 1950’s; If you have an interest in world philosophy or eastern religion, you’d probably like this. ) The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath (mature themes) Research Novel Lottery Preparation. Native American Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, Sherman Alexie Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko Quest/Journey On the Road, Jack Kerouac The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway The Road, Cormac McCarthy Dark Romanticism The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne (set in Puritan New England; challenging) ark Roma nticis m he Scarlet Letter For our project, you will read one of the books on this list and (later) research the reasons this has become a significant member of the American literary canon. (What literary elements make it unique or powerful? What impact has this work had on our history or way of thinking? ) During our next class, we will conduct a lottery so that each student has a different title. To help insure that you end up with a title that you will enjoy, please spend 20-30 minutes choosing 4 titles from the list that you will be pleased to read and research. You ARE NOT allowed to read any book that you have previously read. I strongly suggest you do some Internet searches on various titles to examine what those books are all about, and to determine if their content might appeal to you. You also need to make sure ahead of time that your choices are okay with your parents. Remember, we will draw names and choose titles, so it’s highly likely you won’t get your first choice. You may, in fact, want to come up with more than four choices! Four top choices: 1_________________________________________________________________________ 2_________________________________________________________________________ 3_________________________________________________________________________ 4_________________________________________________________________________ Please see side two for list of titles?

Comparing coverage in the independent Essay Example for Free

Comparing coverage in the independent Essay This analysis contrasts and compares a broadsheet and a tabloid newspaper. I chose to compare The Independent with The Mirror. The analysis involves a general comparison, and also a more detailed evaluation of one news item that appears in both papers. If we examine the front cover of each paper to begin with, we notice that there are differences. The title of The Mirror is around 1/10th of the page, whilst The Independent title is approximately 1/16th. The font used for The Mirror is relatively modern in appearance, using sentence case with black outline and white fill. In comparison, the font for The Independent is more traditional, using black bold capital letters. The title also contains the logo on the left hand side. The price for The Mirror is 32p and this is presented in bold text at the bottom right hand corner of the title. The price for The Independent is also found in this location, however the text used is extremely small and the cost for this paper is 50p. The difference in price could suggest that each paper is aimed at a specific audience. This suggests that a paper like The Independent maybe targeting a more professional consumer, in a higher pay band. Another difference is in the placement of the bar code, in The Mirror it is found on the back page, whereas in The Independent it can be found near the bottom right hand corner, of the front page. This shows that The Independent is a larger paper and has enough room to put the bar code on the front page, it does not add or subtract from the news articles. Layout is important in any newspaper, the front page is the first impression the audience gets. The majority of newspapers attract their audience through a lead story. The Mirror has only one main story on the front page. The headline is presented in large capital text, with a slightly more explanatory sentence underneath. This takes up just under one half of the page, and in terms of story detail, there is only a small area comprising five paragraphs. Readers are told to turn to page 4 to continue reading. The other half of the front page is made up of a photograph that reflects the main storyline. Exactly the same photograph is found on the front page of The Independent, however it takes up around one quarter of the cover page. The story is summarised in one sentence beneath the photograph, and the readers are referred to page 8 to continue reading. In addition to this main story, The Independent provides significant discussion relating to four further main stories. In fact, there is a great deal of text used for each of the stories; hence the reader is immediately faced with a lot of reading material. It is worth noting that The Independent also has several other features on the front cover, that are not found in The Mirror. These include, a coloured advert that is found at the bottom of the page, and takes up around 1/7th of the front cover. At the very top of the page, the paper advertises a specific article, and attracts the reader by presenting three questions and also shows a picture of the writer who is going to comment on the issues. The other feature is a small summary of Todays Weather that includes some text and a representative image. Faced with the two papers, The Independent appears to be aimed at a more intellectual audience, the sheer volume would put a less intellectual audience off reading. The Mirror appears to be more simplistic and the story is shorter in length and is also told through the images. Another reason for buying The Mirror could be that the audience wish to absorb the main news in brief whilst in transit. The number of pages in The Mirror totals 64, whereas The Independent has 30. However, The Independent provides two additional supplements, and is also twice the size of The Mirror. The Mirror basically aims to entertain the readers. In contrast, The Independent is essentially an educational paper. This key difference can be seen when looking at the overall content of the papers as follows. A whole range of entertainment features can be found in The Mirror. These include cartoons, quizzes and word search. Additionally, the paper has adverts on almost every page, and there are many photographs including glamorous and fun photographs. A whole page is dedicated to horoscopes and the paper offers 9 sports pages. The paper provides very few articles on serious current events, and concentrates more on gossip type news. The content of The Independent is very different. The paper comprises news and discussion of world events, along with a range of articles that focus on such things as education, the environment, politics and economics. There is a lot of business information such as stocks and shares, exchange rates and interest rates. In contrast to The Mirror, there are only 5 sports pages, and there is only one crossword, found in one of the supplements rather than the main paper. The target audience for The Mirror is working class, and people who are not interested in intellectual debate. This contrasts with The Independent as this broadsheet paper clearly aims to attract readers from a higher social class including people from the business and academic world. Apart from the content as previously discussed, there are several other points, which clearly show that the papers are aiming to attract different types of readers. The papers use a different style of language to attract their audience. The Mirror uses casual terms, colloquialisms and even slang UK reels as Yanks stay put. It uses word play stop this sick compensation agrichculture, and alliteration Rape Rampage and Dyer Disgrace Four sizzled soccer stars sent home. The storylines aim to shock the readers Saw suicide husband moves in with lover, and the language is often someones opinion unfair, Mr Blair. However, The Independent tends to use formal language and presents facts rather than opinions, for example Blair clocks up 40,000 miles on his travels. It gives figures and statistics to back up the stories visits to Britain slumped by 17% in the last month, almost 70,000 fewer tourists visited, according to the Office of National statistics. Much of the political debate provides ministerial quotes Duncan Smith: Health service is deteriorating. Looking specifically at the chosen article with the aim of exploring the differences between the two papers, the story relates to current world events associated with the terrorist situation and with problems that have occurred with Concorde in the past. As an outcome of the terrorist attacks, many people have been afraid to fly and the story focuss on the fact that the Concorde Alpha Echo, had its first commercial flight from Heathrow to New York since being grounded in August last year. The story features as the only main story on the front page of The Mirror, and is featured alongside four other main front page stories in The Independent. As mentioned previously the photograph on both front pages is exactly the same, and shows Concorde about to take off. The image compounds the story, and in some ways tells the tale without any words. The title for the story on the front page of The Mirror is COWARDS, and appears in large font. However, The Independent simply presents a sentence PUT IN SENTENCE FROM PAPER HERE! , which provides a brief factual summary about the flight, take off. This is found underneath the photograph. Immediately one can see that the title in The Mirror is judgemental and confrontational, whereas the term used in the The Independent is more objective. The Mirror introduced the story as an EXCLUSIVE and stated Hollywood stars too scared to fly were branded gutless cowards, by British Airways boss. This reinforces the negative and opinionated mood of the article as already established in the headline. In contrast the opening sentence in The Independent was much more positive, stating that Sting the pop star was amongst the 90 VIPs who joined the flight. This once more shows the upbeat approach used, which contrasts with the more antagonistic approach used by The Mirror. The description of the food and drink in The Mirror inferred that the stars were indulging in unnecessary expensive items Some more vintage Krug, Mr. Morgan? . Whereas The Independent played this down and introduced some humour into the article with the dignitaries toasted the rehabilitation of the Concorde with vintage Krug champagne and Maine Lobster albeit eaten with plastic cutlery. Another difference can be seen in the descriptive language used by the papers. The Mirror describes the take off using an analogy associated with thrill rides Take off is like something on an Alton Towers ride. The Independent uses much more creative style it is just so aesthetically pleasing, such direction and poise. The Mirror also describes New York in terms that aim to shock, and uses emotive language to do this anthrax-ravaged, terrorist torn New York, whereas The Independent focuss more on such emotions as patriotism. Another example of the more down to earth colloquial terms used by The Mirror is where the writer discusses safety, and this is presented as I was frisked more thoroughly than I have ever been frisked before, the message being driven home by using the word frisked twice. The Independent talks more in terms of safety checks and the grim reality of terrorism, rather than using the more tactile description used in The Mirror. In conclusion, the two papers contrast significantly. Whilst to some extent they cover the same main stories, the presentation, the language, the descriptions and the way in which the stories are told use totally contrasting techniques and styles. This aims to suit the audiences for which the papers are written.

Expression of TDP43 in Development of ALS Model Zebrafish

Expression of TDP43 in Development of ALS Model Zebrafish Change in expression of TDP43 in various organs during development of ALS model zebrafish. Anuj Dhoj Raut Introduction Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the devastating motor neuron disease that is characterized by progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neuron that control voluntary movement of body. The degeneration of the neurons seen in ALS result in muscle weakness, spasticity and atrophy of both cranial and spinal nerves muscle groups. Since there is often respiratory muscle involvement, aspiration pneumonia is the most common cause of death for the patients with ALS. At present, ALS is invariably fatal disease with no absolute cure and patients usually die within 3-5 years after the clinical onset of symptoms. The mean age of onset of ALS is between 55 and 65 years with slightly more prevalence in male (Male: Female ratio ~ 1.5:1) (1). Even though, incidence rate of ALS are different in different countries of the world, globally average annual incident rate is between 1.5 and 2.5 per 100,000 populations. There has been an increase in death rate of ALS and current internatio nal death rates for ALS have be close to 1 per 100,000 population per year(1). Currently, riluzole, an inhibitor of glutamate release, is the only disease modifying treatment available for the disease and can extends life only for couple of months (2,3). The etiology of ALS is currently unknown. However, approximately 10% of ALS patients have family history for ALS (Familial ALS;FALS) and remaining 90% of case occur sporadically (Sporadic ALS; SALS)(4). Although definitive evidence for environmental factor that cause ALS has remain mostly unknown, the evidence of genetic alternation that cause ALS has been increasing. Till date, only known cause of ALS is mutation in the gene. Mutations in more than 13 different types of genes have already been identified that can cause FALS. FALS is often a Mendelian inheritance with high penetrance, although most cases are autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, autosomal recessive pedigrees have also been reported (5,6). Even though, FALS are cause due to genetic alternation, FALS are indistinguishable from SALS form histopathological perspective and both the types’ presents with similar sign and symptoms, thus suggesting common intra-cellular processes that lead to the disease symptoms. Among those 13 different types of gene mutation that causes FALS, mutation in Transactive response DNA binding Protein 43kDa (TDP-43) gene is seen in approximately 4% of FALS and 2% of SALS (7). Transactive response DNA binding protein 43kDa (TDP-43) is a DNA/RNA-binding protein encode by the TARDBP gene on chromosome 1. TDP-43 is an ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein capable of shutting between the nucleus and cytoplasm (8). TDP43 is present in almost all the tissue of a body and have different roles in different tissues (9). Although the precise cellular function of TDP-43 is unknown, TDP-43 has been implicated in regulating of gene transcription (9),alternative exon splicing (10) and mRNA stability (11). Under normal physiological conditions, TDP-43 resides predominantly in the nucleus where it involved in gene expression. But, in abnormal pathological conditions such as ALS, TDP-43 is mislocalized in the cytoplasm as inclusions body (12,13) . Analysis of TDP-43 in the brain and spinal cord of ALS patients reveled that TDP-43 is pathologically modified and redistribution to the cytoplasm, which is accompanied by loss of normal nuclear function and a toxic gain-of-function in the cytoplasm (14,15). The mislocalization of TDP-43 into cytoplasm is believed to be cause of neuron loss in ALS patients. Moreover, TDP-43 positive inclusions are also found either independent or partially colocalize with the other characteristic inclusion, such as tau, ÃŽ ±-synuclei, ÃŽ ²-amyloid and polyglutamines, which are found in other neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease, Pick disease and Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, TDP-43 positive cytoplasmic inclusion are found in almost all ALS patient along with other neurodegenerative disease (16). Although evidence suggest that there is a definitive association between ALS and TDP-43, above observations make it confusing to whether TDP-43 pathology is causative or a secondary response in this disease. Studies done to unravel if TDP-43 is pathology or secondary response to ALS have come with conflicting result. Moreover, the present of TDP-43 in inclusion body of another neurodegenerative has been a mystery. The precise role of TDP-43 in ALS and other neurodegenerative disease is not well known and needs further evaluation. Study, in the mouse has shown that TDP-43 protein is essential for normal prenatal development. Homozygous loss of TDP-43 in mouse cause early embryo death. But, in heterozygous loss TDP-43 mouse, the TDP-43 protein levels were nearly normal suggesting an auto-regulatory mechanism controlling this protein levels(17,18). Moreover, research on mRNA expression levels of TDP-43 protein in various tissues has shown that TDP-43 plays different roles in different tissue(9). Furthermore, about 40 different mutant in TDP-43 have already been identified so far that is associated with ALS (10). But all this various types of mutations in TDP43 have only affected motor nerve of spinal cord and brain. At the same time, mutation and/or overexpression of TDP-43 has not cause any pathology alternation in other cells and tissue of the body or has been found to be associated with diseases of other organ system. A protein that is so vital for a development of organisms that it’s absent cause deat h, but when there is mutation in its gene has only abnormalities in nervous system and that abnormalities are evidence after mid-life is yet to be understood. Moreover, within the nervous system mutation in TDP-43 seems to affect only motor neuron and at the same time spares other neuron such as sensory, autonomic nervous system. And this preference to the motor neuron by mutant TDP-43 is even seen till the late stage of the disease. Physiological roles of TDP-43 and early cellular pathogenic effects caused by disease associated mutations in differentiated neurons is yet to be fully understand. Causative link between TDP-43 positive inclusion and ALS can be well established, if nuclear to cytoplasmic expression of mutant TDP-43 could be study in vivo and in real time. And at the same time, will also be able to understand if TDP-43 pathology is causative or a secondary response to ALS and other neurodegenerative disease. Transgenic rodent models of ALS have been extremely valuable in providing some insight into biological mechanisms underlying ALS. But, due to difficulty in conducting in vivo real time study with rodent, change in intra cellular expression of TDP-43 has not being well understand. The zebrafish has recently emerged as powerful genetic model system for studying ALS. External development and transparency make it great tool to study the development stages of almost all the organ. External development of its eggs allows easy observation and manipulation of early development process. And, transparency makes is a powerful tool to observe the change at cellular level by using fluorescent reporters. With the help of fluorescent reporter, specific cell type and protein expression within those cells can be easily identify and study in vivo and in real time in zebrafish. In addition, zebrafish is a vertebrate and their nervous system is highly conserved with higher vertebrates including humans a nd many pertinent feature of the nervous system start to develop within 1 day of development. Moreover, genetic manipulations are comparatively easy in zebrafish. Therefore, zebrafish is a great model system to study the association of TDP-43 and ALS. In this study, I am trying to understand the change in expression of mutant and overexpressed TDP-43 protein in different tissue of zebrafish. At the same time also will be evaluating the change in expressions of TDP-43 as the zebrafish grow from embryo to adult. I will then compare the change in level of TDP-43 from asymptomatic stage of ALS zebrafish to that of symptomatic stage of ALS zebrafish. In order to conduct this experiment, transgenic zebrafish with human mutant TDP-43 will be created by genetic engineering. Human mutant TDP-43 will be fused with green florescent protein (GFP) before creating transgenic zebrafish. By combining human mutant TDP-43 with GFP will allow easy visualization of TDP-43 protein in zebrafish. Then, image of the fluorescent labeled TDP-43 at different stage of development of zebrafish period will be capture with fluorescent microscope. References 1.Logroscino, G., Traynor, B., Hardiman, O., Couratier, P., Mitchell, J., Swingler, R., and Beghi, E. (2008) Descriptive epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new evidence and unsolved issues. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery Psychiatry 79, 6-11 2.Bensimon, G., Lacomblez, L., and Meininger, V. (1994) A controlled trial of riluzole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS/Riluzole Study Group. The New England journal of medicine 330, 585-591 3.Miller, R., Mitchell, J., Lyon, M., and Moore, D. (2007) Riluzole for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 1 4.Pasinelli, P., and Brown, R. H. (2006) Molecular biology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: insights from genetics. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 7, 710-723 5.Mulder, D. W., Kurland, L. T., Offord, K. P., and Beard, C. M. (1986) Familial adult motor neuron disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology 36, 511-517 6.Gros-Louis, F., Gaspar, C., and Rouleau, G. A. (2006) Genetics of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochimica et biophysica acta 1762, 956-972 7.Corrado, L., Ratti, A., Gellera, C., Buratti, E., Castellotti, B., Carlomagno, Y., Ticozzi, N., Mazzini, L., Testa, L., and Taroni, F. (2009) High frequency of TARDBP gene mutations in Italian patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Human mutation 30, 688-694 8.Winton, M. J., Igaz, L. M., Wong, M. M., Kwong, L. K., Trojanowski, J. Q., and Lee, V. M.-Y. (2008) Disturbance of nuclear and cytoplasmic TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) induces disease-like redistribution, sequestration, and aggregate formation. Journal of Biological Chemistry 283, 13302-13309 9.Ou, S., Wu, F., Harrich, D., Garcà ­a-Martà ­nez, L. F., and Gaynor, R. B. (1995) Cloning and characterization of a novel cellular protein, TDP-43, that binds to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 TAR DNA sequence motifs. Journal of virology 69, 3584-3596 10.Lagier-Tourenne, C., Polymenidou, M., and Cleveland, D. W. (2010) TDP-43 and FUS/TLS: emerging roles in RNA processing and neurodegeneration. Human molecular genetics 19, R46-R64 11.Strong, M. J., Volkening, K., Hammond, R., Yang, W., Strong, W., Leystra-Lantz, C., and Shoesmith, C. (2007) TDP43 is a human low molecular weight neurofilament ( h NFL) mRNA-binding protein. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 35, 320-327 12.Arai, T., Hasegawa, M., Akiyama, H., Ikeda, K., Nonaka, T., Mori, H., Mann, D., Tsuchiya, K., Yoshida, M., and Hashizume, Y. (2006) TDP-43 is a component of ubiquitin-positive tau-negative inclusions in frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 351, 602-611 13.Mackenzie, I. R. (2007) The neuropathology of FTD associated with ALS. Alzheimer Disease Associated Disorders 21, S44-S49 14.Kabashi, E., Lin, L., Tradewell, M. L., Dion, P. A., Bercier, V., Bourgouin, P., Rochefort, D., Hadj, S. B., Durham, H. D., and Velde, C. V. (2010) Gain and loss of function of ALS-related mutations of TARDBP (TDP-43) cause motor deficits in vivo. Human molecular genetics 19, 671-683 15.Neumann, M. (2009) Molecular neuropathology of TDP-43 proteinopathies. International journal of molecular sciences 10, 232-246 16.Da Cruz, S., and Cleveland, D. W. (2011) Understanding the role of TDP-43 and FUS/TLS in ALS and beyond. Current opinion in neurobiology 21, 904-919 17.Kraemer, B. C., Schuck, T., Wheeler, J. M., Robinson, L. C., Trojanowski, J. Q., Lee, V. M., and Schellenberg, G. D. (2010) Loss of murine TDP-43 disrupts motor function and plays an essential role in embryogenesis. Acta neuropathologica 119, 409-419 18.Sephton, C. F., Good, S. K., Atkin, S., Dewey, C. M., Mayer, P., Herz, J., and Yu, G. (2010) TDP-43 is a developmentally regulated protein essential for early embryonic development. Journal of Biological Chemistry 285, 6826-6834

Essay --

Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp, an American dancer and choreographer, was born on July 1, 1941 in Portland, Oregon. When Twyla was a child her and her parents moved to Southern California and the family opened a drive-in movie theater the Twyla worked at from the age of eight. Twyla began taking piano lessons at the age of two and dance lessons at the age of four. Twyla’s mother wanted her daughter to be accomplished in many fields so she enrolled her daughter in various arts and other classes such as French, German, and shorthand. Soon after beginning her dance lessons Twyla developed a deep interest in all the types of dance available to her. Twyla attended Pacific High School in San Bernardino, California and studied at the Vera Lynn school of Dance. After High school Twyla left home to attend Pomona College and later transferred to Bernard College in New York City where she studied art history. Twyla later found she had an intense passion in dance so she took dance classes off campus and be gan to study at the American Ballet Theater School where she studied with many great dancers and...

ELIZABETH AS AN EXAMPLE OF ART CINEMA :: essays research papers

Bordwell and Thompson define the art film as "a film which, while made under commercial circumstances take an approach to form and style influenced by "high art" which offers an alternative to mainstream entertainment" (1). Like avant-garde film making, this style offer the audience with a movie that takes glory in cinemas stance as a modern art form, for art house films are not just intended to be entertaining, they are designed to be imaginative. Shekhar Kapur's 1998 film 'Elizabeth' presents us with a contemporary art film. Although it does offer entertainment through a fascinating narrative, the film as a whole is presented in a creative way, owing to the auteurish vision of Kapur. Indeed, as the film is arguably British, abroad 'Elizabeth' by definition becomes as 'art film', since Bordwell and Thompson also define the term 'art house' as a phrase "used by the U.S film industry to describe imported films of interest to upper -middle class, educated audiences" (2). In America, 'Elizabeth' was packaged solely as an 'art film', or at least an 'art' interpretation of the British Heritage thriller film. This labelling is of course debatable and by comparing the fundamental ideas regarding art films to 'Elizabeth', one can access the validity of its claim to being 'cinematic art'. The characteristics of an 'art cinema' film are best outlined in David Bordwell's article 'The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice' and this text will form the basis of my assessment of 'Elizabeth'. Bordwell suggests that "art cinema defines itself explicitly against the classical narrative" (3), yet 'Elizabeth' is clearly conventional in narrative style. Film analyst Wendy Ide, even suggests that 'Elizabeth' follows the tradition three act narrative set-up precisely, with climaxes at the end of each act. As proof she suggests that Queen Mary's death is the climatic resolution to the first act, "which takes place exactly 30 minutes into the film" following the traditions of narrative ideals (4). Bordwell, goes on to also suggest that the "cause effect linkage of events" is "tenuous in the art film" (5), yet this narrative technique is used continually to advance 'Elizabeth's' narrative. For example, 40 minutes into the film, the royal court debate the danger of an impending "French attack" (6). Queen Elizabeth resolves to send an army, prompting a new narrative strand. The result of this (cause) is shown almost immediately (42 mi nutes into the film) for in a graphic scene the audience comes to realise that English army has been defeated; the resolution to this specific narrative strand has been provided.

Sophocles Antigone - Antigone as Bad Citizen :: Antigone essays

Antigone – The Bad Citizen    Being a good citizen often involves doing something out of the ordinary to help others. Sometimes, that involves going against the will of others to do what the good citizen might think is best. Although this is traditionally the case, the biggest factor in being a good citizen is great respect for the nation in which one lives. If one wants to be a good citizen, he or she might go out of his or her way to help others, however, must do so within the rules of the nation. In the Greek Drama by Sophocles, entitled Antigone, the hero, Antigone, shows, what I would call, bad citizenship. How is this? Why is she being a bad citizen? The setting of the drama is in a fictional kingdom known of as Thebes. This kingdom is basically run by a set of rules and laws. Whether they are necessary or not, these rules must be obeyed. In Thebes, one of the rules states that Antigone's brother is not allowed to due a respectable death and therefor, will not have a proper funeral. Antigone is torn apart by this. Her brother whom she loved very much will not be able to have a respectable funeral. She explains in the drama how much she disagrees with the rules of the land. Because of this disapproval toward the law, she takes it upon herself to remove the corps of her brother from it's assigned post so she can do whatever she wants with it. She has broken the law. Although what she is has done is the right thing to do in her mind, the law states that it is not allowed. Throughout the drama, she consults her sister, Ismene, about whether or not she feels though she should commit this crime or not. Ismene makes it clear that she sh ould not and attempts to discourage her sister from doing what she did. Contrary to the advice of her sister, Antigone does indeed commit this crime for she feels that it is what a good person would do. To the average American, Antigone's actions might be considered the right thing to do.

Links Between Hr Strategy/Policy and National/Organizational Culture

2. Explain the links between HR strategy/policy and national/organizational culture. Recent research suggests that the management of human resources has become increasingly important for business success. Employees are said to be one of the most valuable assets to an organization; as a result the effective management of these employees is essential. Management literature has had a tendency to associate human resource management (HRM) with firm performance. It is this link which has been the underlying cause for the abundance of research regarding HRM practices and their effects on a firm.However, there is a substantial debate within the literature that argues that HRM practices do not directly impact organizational performance (Boxall & Purcell, 2000), with claims that there is a missing link between the two. In regards to this ‘black box’ the concept of organizational culture has emerged. It is said that organizational culture is manifested in the behavior of its employ ees (Ngo & Loi, 2008), and is entrenched in the everyday working lives of cultural members (Martin, 2004).Culture is claimed to affect employee’s job attitudes, efficiency and productivity (Mahal, 2009), and can impact the ability to carry out an organizations plans and meet strategic goals (Chan, Shaffer & Snape, 2004). With these assertions, organizational culture could in fact influence a firm’s productivity and their overall performance. This paper examines the relationship between HRM, organizational culture and firm performance. The next section of this paper defines and explains the organizational culture concept.I then investigate the relationship between HRM and organizational culture by exploring the overarching themes which emerge from the literature regarding this link. Finally, I explore the relationship between HRM, organizational culture and firm performance. The Link between HRM and Organizational Culture Previous literature has identified and focused a round two common sources of organizational culture: (1) founders of the organization, and (2) national culture. Barney (1986) claimed that firms are historically bound. In line with Schein (2004) he argued that a firm’s culture reflects the unique personality of its founders.Along with these unique personalities a number of scholars have alleged that culture originates in the values and assumptions articulated by top management, which in turn, play an important role in shaping cultural views and employee’s behaviours (Chew & Sharma, 2005; Mahal, 2009). These values are then reinforced in a number of ways. Smircich (1983) articulated that top managers mould organizational cultures, and thus the values and beliefs held by employees, to suit their strategic ends; in turn the corporate culture should reflect the vision of the firm (Ngo & Loi, 2008).Values are also reiterated in hiring employees with similar priorities to top management as well as thoroughly socializing new employees to elicit those desired behaviours (Martin, 2004). Furthermore, national culture plays a prevailing role in shaping organizational culture. National culture refers to the culture specific to a national group (Chew & Sharma, 2005), and is entrenched deeply within individual’s everyday lives. These ingrained values will subconsciously affect how management practices are both carried out and received in an organization, and therefore how employee’s will behave within the firm (Chew & Sharma, 2005).Consequently, acompany’s culture is said to be linked to the founders of the organization and the values which they demonstrate, as well as the National culture in which the organization was first founded. A third relationship has begun to emerge out of management literature. There have been claims by a number of scholars (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004; Cabrera & Bonache, 1999; Lau & Ngo, 2004; Wilkins,1984) that organizational culture is related to HRM and the human r esource practices which are implemented by the organization.HRM has become an increasingly important activity within an organization. Its function is to attract, develop, motivate and retain employee’s who ensure the effective functioning of the organization (Jackson & Schuler, 1995). Relatively little is known about the link between organizational culture and HRM, as few empirical studies testing this relationship have been conducted (Platonova, 2005). However, a few overarching themes emerge from the literature regarding this HRM-culture relationship. HRM Practices Influence Organizational CultureWithin the HRM-organizational culture link lays a belief that firm’s HRM practices will motivate employees to adopt certain attitudes and behaviours, and will therefore elicit a certain corporate culture (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004; Cabrera & Bonache, 1999; Chow & Liu, 2009; Lau & Ngo, 2004; Ngo & Loi, 2008; Wilkins, 1984). One of the earliest views on this HRM-organizational cul ture link was from Peters (1978), who suggested that management systems (e. g. HRM systems) could be thought of as mechanisms to transmit values and beliefs of the organization which, as a result, help to shape its character.With organizational culture comprising a range of social phenomena there are certain situations in which organizational norms are not the result of shared values among employees; rather, they are determined by the rules and practices an organization implements (Cabrera & Bonache, 1999). Tichy (1983) thought that the way in which HRM systems are designed can communicate important and useful information about the organizations culture to employees. Schwartz & Davis (1981) also argued that HR practices provide information to employees.They convey standardized information to employees about expected patterns of activity and acceptable behaviours which allow the firm to achieve its objective. Lewicki (1981) argues that HRM practices answer three questions for employe es, providing information to staff about the acceptable behaviours: (1) what does the organization expect from its employees? (2) What kind of behaviour does the organization reward? And (3) what are the dos and don’ts of proper social conduct within the system? (p. 8). Ulrich (1984) iterates this view using an example of socialization programs.Her belief is that socialization and induction programs play a significant role in transmitting corporate culture to individuals entering into the organization. They ensure that acceptable behaviours and cultural norms are passed down to new employees, thus keeping organizational culture consistent. It is through this shared information as well as the experiences of employees that behavioural norms are established, thus becoming the means through which culture is created and sustained within the firm.Building on the HRM-organizational culture link, Ulrich (1984) advocates that procedures and practices implemented by HR executives becom e rituals within the company. Ulrich deems rituals to be customary and repeated actions within a firm. They take on a meaning within the organization. As we identified earlier, rituals are a symbolic tool in which values are manifested. These rituals, which include evaluation and reward procedures, help guide the behaviour of employee’s as they establish boundaries and behavioural norms within the firm.Wilkins (1984) asserts a different view; that HR systems can create career paths for employees as well as groupings of people who remain in the firm for a long enough time for a company culture to form. This outlook suggests that firms can implement HR practices that foster job security and internal career development in order to keep turnover low, and maintain those social phenomena that comprise organizational culture (values, beliefs, norms, assumptions) within the organization, and therefore forming a strong organizational culture.While a number of scholars claim that HRM p ractices lead to organizational culture, few studies have been conducted on the relationship. Lau and Ngo (2004) studied 332 firms HR and organizational development practices in Hong Kong. The board purpose of this study was to explore the link between culture, HR systems and outcomes. The research found that HR practices which emphasize training, performance based reward as well as team development help to create an organizational culture that promotes innovation.Organizational culture was said to play a mediation role between the HR system and the firm’s outcomes. That is, the HR practices implemented by the firm had an effect on the organizational culture, which in turn had a direct impact on employee’s behaviours and outcomes. This study demonstrated that a company’s culture was significant in affecting employee’s outcomes; regardless, the culture needs to be supported by an HR system that elicits those behaviours needed to achieve the desired outcome s.High Commitment Management Practices Influence Organizational Cultures Following on from the view that human resource practices can influence employee’s behaviour is an argument that only certain practices will be beneficial to an organization’s culture. Corporate culture will only be an advantage when it is seen as appropriate in order to achieve a certain objective or organizational goal (Chow & Liu, 2009); not all practices will elicit an appropriate culture.High Commitment Management (HCM), or best practice, is a theory that has outlined a number of HRM practices which are believed to help a firm achieve competitive success from its workforce (Pfeffer, 1995). It is a common held belief within the literature that â€Å"systems of high commitment HR practices increase organizational effectiveness by creating conditions where employees become highly involved in the organization and work hard to accomplish the organization’s goals (Whitener, 2001, p. 516).Pfe ffer (1998), the founder of best practice, believed that there were seven core practices which characterized the most successful organizations: employment security; selective hiring of new personnel; self managed teams; high compensation contingent on organizational performance; extensive training; reduced status distinction and barriers; and extensive sharing of information throughout the organization. When implemented these practices would lead to high levels of job satisfaction, retention and motivation of employee’s, which in turn influence a firm’s effectiveness and performance.It is thought that these HCM practices shape work force attitudes and values by framing employee’s perceptions of what the organization is like and help to influence their relationship with the organization. Employee behaviours and attitudes are said to reflect their perceptions and expectations about the organization; their behaviours respond to the treatment they receive from the f irm (Whitener, 2001). Accordingly, HCM practices are said to act as a culture embedding mechanism (Hartog & Verburg, 2004), playing an important role in reinforcing certain behaviours within employees and therefore shaping corporate culture.Kerr & Slocum (1987) demonstrate this relationship. They state that some organizations have cultures emphasizing the value of teamwork and security. These values foster loyalty to the organization and give employees a long term commitment. They iterate that other organizations consist of cultures which emphasize personal initiative and individual rewards. These values reinforce norms where organizational members do not promise loyalty and where the company does not provide job security. These authors point out that the practices, specifically HCM practices implemented by an organization, bring out certain behaviours from employees.For that reason, a firm can manipulate its culture by implementing practices which foster the behaviours they want to achieve from employees, and those behaviours that will help the company achieve their strategic goals. A small number of studies have been conducted exploring the relationship between certain best practices and organizational culture. In her study of 170 individuals views on compensation systems, Kuhn (2009) found that a bonus being rewarded on the basis of individual outcomes, compared to team or organizational performance led to the organizational culture being regarded as relatively more individualistic.Sheridan’s (1992) longitudinal study of 904 college graduates hired in six public accounting firms found that the firm’s organizational culture had a significant effect of the retention rates of these employees. Those firms that had a culture fostering the interpersonal relationship values of teams and respect for people stayed 14 months longer than those hired in firms whose culture emphasized the work task values of detail and stability. These two examples, in whi ch both show the implementation of HCM or best practice, illustrate that organizational culture is contingent upon the HRM practices implemented.Practices will elicit different behaviours from employees. In addition claims are made that these behaviours will facilitate or hinder performance and efficiency within a company. Strategy Shapes HRM Practices which in turn Shape Organizational Culture In accordance with the view that HRM/HCM practices influence organizational culture, employee’s behaviours are said to be indirectly affected through a company’s strategy (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004; Chow & Liu, 2009).The term Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has emerged within recent management literature to cover the relationship between a firm’s strategy and their HRM system. This perspective of HRM is commonly seen as comprising integrated functions which are linked to organizational strategy (Macky, 2008). The guiding logic behind this view is that a firmâ€℠¢s human resource practices must, â€Å"develop employees’ skills, knowledge and motivation such that employees behave in ways that are instrumental to the implementation of a particular strategy† (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004, p. 05). Given a certain strategic goal, a set of HRM practices should be implemented to help the organization attain these goals. Different business strategies will therefore require the implementation of a varied set of HRM practices in order to elicit certain behaviours from employees’. Attention should be paid to designing an HR system that is best able to link the desired culture and business strategy. For innovation-oriented firms, HR must implement innovation-enhancing practices to obtain the desired behaviours associated with innovation (Lau & Ngo, 2004).With strategy affecting HRM practices, culture is indirectly affected. This culture will be an asset for an organization if it encourages the behaviours that support the organizations int ended strategy (Cabrera & Bonache, 1999). Organizational Cultures Influence HRM Practices There is a belief, held by a small number of scholars, which challenges the previous, more widely accepted view that HRM practices (and HCM practices) influence organizational culture. While this view appears within some industrial psychology literature, it is a less common perspective among management scholars.These scholars find that prominent core values within an organizational culture have a strong influence on management practices and in shaping HRM systems (Ferris et al. , 1998; Aycan, Kanungo, & Sinha, 1999). This view asserts that firstly values and other social phenomena form within the organization, while HRM practices occur because of the organizational culture already entrenched within the firm. The social context model, developed by Ferris et al. (1998) claims that the attitudes, beliefs, and values which make up the corporate culture drive the development of HRM policies, practic es, and systems.These scholars profess that a well-defined culture within a firm should drive the development of consistent HRM policies, as employees values are reflected in the formation of these policies. Furthermore, these policies should drive the design of a set of mutually supporting and integrated HRM practices which form a cooperative system. Bowen and Ostroff (2004) expand on this view. They allege that organizational assumptions and values shape HRM practices, which, in turn reinforce cultural norms and routines which shape individuals performance. Aycan et al. (1999) as well as Aycan et al. (2000) advocate the model of culture fit.This model contends that managers implement HRM practices based of their assumption about the nature and behaviour of employees. There needs to be a rationale behind the practices which HR implements; they do not evolve within a vacuum. For this reason HR practices are there to reinforce the values, behaviours and assumptions which already exis t within the organization, and to further develop these social phenomena. The Link between HRM, Organizational Culture and Performance Scholars have long asserted that the way in which an organization manages its employees can influence its performance (Delaney & Huselid, 1996).HRM is therefore an organizational issue which firms cannot afford to ignore. Much of previous HRM and organizational culture literature is based on this assertion that human resource practices and corporate culture are linked to organizational performance (Platonova, 2005). The underlying assumption of the link between HRM, organizational culture and performance is that HRM practices lead to employee knowledge, skills, and abilities, which in turn are said to influence firm performance at the collective level (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004).While a small number of empirical studies have tested the relationship between HRM and organizational culture a copious amount of research exists on the HRM-firm performance link . In addition, a number of empirical studies have also focused on the organizational culture-performance relationship. The relationship between comprehensive sets of HR practices and firm performance has been frequently demonstrated within the literature. Becker and Gerhart (1996) explain that HR decisions can influence organizational performance through increased efficiency or revenue growth.Barney (1986) notes that increased firm performance is often attributed to higher profitability, while Bowen and Ostroff (2004) argue that increased motivation from employees leads to higher firm performance. A large number of empirical studies have been conducted on the relationship between HRM practices and firm profitability. Pfeffer (1995) identified a certain set of best practices which companies can implement to manage their employees. He argues that these practices are universal in nature, and will have a positive effect on organizational performance.The implementation of HRM practices c an contribute to firm performance by motivating employees to adopt desired attitudes and behaviours. They tend to unify people around shared goals which will shape and guide employee behaviour. In addition HCM practices are said to create an internal atmosphere where employees become highly involved in the organization and work hard to accomplish goals the firm sets. In his study of steel minimills, Arthur (1994) found that reward systems provided considerable motivation for employees, which in turn contributed to an increase in productivity.His study also found that higher rewards contribute to a decrease in turnover among staff. Merit or incentive pay systems provide rewards for meeting specific goals; in turn employees will be motivated to achieve these goals (Delaney & Huselid, 1996). Koch and McGrath (1996) found that investment in recruitment and selection procedures was positively related to labour productivity. Their findings suggest that labour productivity is related to th ose proactive firms, those firms who plan for their future labour needs, and those that make investments in getting the ‘right’ people for the job.In addition a number of claims have been made alleging that HRM practices can influence performance by impacting employees’ knowledge, skills and abilities. Practices fostering extensive training can be considered a source of competitive advantage, as they involve keeping employee’s skills and knowledge up to date. Training is said to have a positive impact on performance (Delaney & Huselid, 1996) by impacting dimensions such as product quality. In their study of 590 firms, Delaney and Huselid (1996) found positive associations between practices such as training and firm performance measures.Pfeffer (1998) also conveys a link between training of employee’s and profits. Some scholars assert that HRM practices will lead to increased performance when there is a high level of fit between the practices and the organization’s strategy. This is commonly known as the configurational perspective of SHRM. This perspective maintains that an organization should implement HRM practices that are congruent with the firm’s strategy, and are consistent with one another. Two practices can work together to enhance each other’s effectiveness; consequently a powerful connection is formed (Delery, 1998).The implementation of firm specific training programs combined with highly selective staffing practices can work together to generate a talented pool of employees with high productivity. It is therefore thought that HR practices which complement each other and the firm’s strategy will have a positive effect on organizational performance (Lengnick- Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, & Drake, 2009). Overall, there is a strong view in the literature that certain HRM practices lead to increased organizational performance.However, studies on this relationship often differ as to the exten t a practice is likely to be positively or negatively related to performance (Becker & Gerhart, 1996). Some scholars also express concern regarding the causality between this relationship; do empirical studies actually prove that HRM practices cause increased performance? It has been said that HRM practices are not the only factor which could affect a firm’s performance; many other organizational and environment factors could in fact be attributed to performance (Boxall & Purcell, 2000).Barney (1986) developed the Resource Based View of the firm (RBV). He argued that certain organizational resources and capabilities can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage for the firm, and therefore can increase organizational performance through superior financial performance. Barney (1986) affirmed that a firm’s organizational culture can in fact be one of these resources. However, he asserts that not just any culture will lead to a competitive advantage; corporate culture mu st be valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable, and be of value to the entire organization.If a company’s organizational culture meets these four criteria it has a better opportunity to be a source of sustained competitive advantage. In addition an appropriate HRM system can create and develop organizational capabilities which themselves become sources of competitive advantage (Lau & Ngo, 2004). For example, one of America’s most successful retailers, Nordstrom, attributes their success to its culture of customer service. This culture is seen as a unique, valuable and hard to imitate resource and has become a source of competitive advantage for the company (Carmeli & Tishler, 2004).Since organizational cultures and HRM systems can be a valuable resource for companies they have a key role to play in the firm performance link. Conclusion This paper has focused around the concept of organizational culture. It has primarily explored the relationship and different views between HRM and culture. While a number of challenging views exist in regards to the HRM- culture link, it is commonly found that HRM practices influence organizational culture, by providing information to employee’s that impacts their assumptions, values and attitudes.In addition, certain HCM practices are said to shape work force attitudes by framing employee’s perceptions about the organization; in turn leading to higher levels of job satisfaction, retention and motivation; all of which influence a firm’s performance. Furthermore, an organization’s strategy has been alleged to influence corporate culture indirectly through the implementation of HRM practices that help the organization attain their goals. Organizational culture has been considered a valuable resource for companies and could in fact lead to a competitive advantage for the firm.While HRM has been argued to affect organizational culture, and in turn lead to firm performance we need to be wary of arguing that current evidence proves this relationship. There could, and probably are, a number of other organizational elements that provide a link between HRM and firm performance. More studies regarding the organizational culture and performance link need to be conducted before we can deduce this causality relationship. In saying this, organizational culture has been shown to be an important aspect of a firm, as it can, and does affect employee’s behaviours, motivation and value.