What are the students

Brittany a great Listener, She always has a positive attitude, she looks at you when your speaking, gives gestures, and acknowledges you while your speaking. She's always alert and respectfully to questions In a conversation. She offers feedback and she's great at making constructive correctly sound â€Å"nice†. 2. What are the student's 3 (three) major â€Å"communication weaknesses? † Brittany Really doesn't have any weaknesses when it comes to communication, but if there is a problem in our allegations she will rather text then talk.I find that a minor weakness, because our generation would rather talk than work issues out in person. Questions to be answered by you the student 1 . How did this activity help you with your communication strengths and weakness? This activity gave positive and negative opinions on my communication skills and they were very beneficial. One thing I can say is when I communicate with family and friends set aside from having to communicate a t work or In class I would rather text then talk on the phone or In person and maybe that has become a weakness when It moms to my communication skills.Other than that I am comfortable with his opinions on my strengths when it comes to communication. 2. Did this actively bring to surface some issues you should be concerned about? Yes, this activity did bring to surface some issues, only because like I said in my other response I'll text before I actually pick up the phone, or ill text if there's a situation I want to discuss with my significant other. My overall approach will be less testing, and Just start communication with certain people more in person. What are the students By Brittanyhackett2010 .What are the student's 3 (three) major â€Å"communication strengths? † Britain's a alert and responsibility to questions in a conversation. She offers feedback and she's great at making constructive criticism sound â€Å"nice†. 2. What are the student's 3 friends set asi de from having to communicate at work or in class I would rather text then talk on the phone or in person and maybe that has become a weakness when it comes to my communication skills. Other than that I am comfortable with his opinions on my strengths when it comes to communication.

Far From The Madding Crowd Essay

This inconsiderate act lead Boldwood to believe that Bathsheba wanted marriage with him. As we found out Boldwood is very ignorant to love and because he is a very sensitive character falls into a false sense of security because of Bathsheba’s prank. In chapter 23 it looked as if marriage was inevitable because Bathsheba promises to marry Boldwood when he returns. â€Å"I shall be able to promise to be your wife† Boldwood is delighted that he has the opportunity to enter into a marriage with Bathsheba. â€Å"It is enough; I don’t ask more. I can wait on those dear words†. The level of attraction is neither physical, physiological nor emotional, the only level of attraction is Bellwood’s intellect and social status. In chapter 53 Boldwood proves his love and obsession when Troy returns to the scene. Boldwood is fully aware of the threat Troy will impose and therefore shoots him. From the beginning we can tell that nothing will ever amount between their relationship as the emotion felt by Boldwood isn’t reciprocated. Boldwood feels for Bathsheba on all five levels of attraction physical, intellectual, social, psychological and emotional. Within the Bathsheba Boldwood relationship Hardy is trying to promote the fact that for a relationship to be a success there must be an equal level of attraction. Hardy believes that it is great to be in love but it is a lot better to be loved. The second mistake, probably Bathsheba’s biggest mistake was Sgt. Frank Troy. He is the charming soldier who meets Bathsheba in a romantic twilight on the plantation. Hardy doesn’t let us live in this dream world for long because he reveals the true identity of Troy. Troy impresses men, lies to women and misuses his intelligence and power in flirtation and deceit. We are also made aware of one of Troy’s previous relationships with one Fanny Robin. Troy and Fanny had much like the relationship as Bathsheba and troy because she is wooed at first by his charm then finds out what he is truly like. Troy ignores Fanny as she becomes ill and is very poor because of what he had done. However in the Chapter appropriately named ‘Fanny’s revenge’ they examine the dead body and Fanny Robin and it is revealed she was pregnant with Troy’s baby. Troy is devastated and kisses the corpse in front of Bathsheba. Troy’s true love was Fanny not Bathsheba. Bathsheba is attracted to Troy almost straight away even when she finds out what he is really like. However she turns a blind eye to this because she has already fallen in love with him. With this ideal Hardy is trying to promote the idea that love is blind. In the early stages of their relationship troy comes across as a very loving and caring husband who treats Bathsheba like a queen however as a reader we know this is far from the truth. The pinnacle of his ‘boyish charm’ is within chapter 28, in this chapter Troy exhilarates Bathsheba as he does a sword practise from now on in Troy dominates the relationship and this is where the deceit begins. â€Å"But how could you chop off a curl of my hair with a sword that has no edge? † â€Å"No edge! This sword will shave like a razor. Look here† The scene is very symbolic because Bathsheba is led to believe the sword is blunt although Troy knows it is extremely sharp. The symbolism is that troy is the sword and Bathsheba is nai ve to see that Troy is a sharp edge himself and can do a lot of harm. Bathsheba’s love increases for Troy as the novel progresses until the very last point where Troy is shot and Oak and Bathsheba marry. The relationship begins to diminish as Troy begins to gamble and treat Bathsheba inadequately however she persists to take it. Hardy is trying to promote and empathise with hundreds upon thousands of men and women who become confused and distraught in love and that it takes ‘two to tango’. Troy possesses many of the levels of attraction however due to his nature and mannerisms they hinder him. We are told he is handsome, we discover he is intelligent however uses it to his own advantage, he is also well known and more importantly respected in Weatherbury, he charms women and then he manipulates them once he has won them over emotionally and he will also say one thing and for it to have another meaning this shows he is very conniving. I believe Hardy has incorporated a character like Troy to try and prove than some mistakes are greater than others and in love there is a tendency for it to go wrong more than once and that there, as there are for a attraction, different levels of love and sometimes it can be perceived wrongly. Gabriel Oak, probably the most complex character in the novel when it comes down to love because of his simplistic character in all other aspects of the novel. The name has a biblical reference to God our father’s most trusted angel Gabriel. The angel the Gabriel had the very important to tell the Virgin Mary that she was to bare the Son of God. There is also an association with the natural world with the link with the Oak tree, strong, sturdy and reliable. Oak is a very modest and courageous man at times risking his life to help his sheep and risking his heart to be loved. This in my opinion is Hardy showing that you must risk many things for love to prevail. Oak is the third love of Bathsheba and her final husband. Gabriel’s relationship begins at full pace when in the early chapters of the book when he comes to her with a lamb and a marriage proposal. The lamb is a symbol of new beginnings and such to show the first stages of Oak and Bathsheba’s relationship and eventually the lamb will bloom into a full grown and happy sheep reflecting on the outcome of Oak and Bathsheba’s relationship.

Analysis of Tyrells Potatio Chips business

Analysis of Tyrells Potatio Chips business The team of the Tyrrell potato chips is very passionate about growing potatoes and turning them into delicious chips. Having travelled the world in the last nineties in search of the perfect potato chips production method and equipments. Therefore later on the equipment and methods were brought to Tyrrell’s court farm and launched a product that would be Britain’s best loved â€Å"premium† snack product. The main objective of the Tyrrell’s potato chips was to get closer to the customers. Therefore as a result Tyrrell potato chips developed a more sophisticated chip. He mainly cut the potatoes thicker so that it retained more potato flavor. Due to this the final product was very different from other products and therefore the customers were happy to pay a premium price for a superior quality and a better tasting product. Since the launch of Tyrrell potato chips in 2002, it has built over 4000 customers. They include independent retail customers and many pr estigious food retailers. Therefore Will Chase continues to evolve his dream and remain devoted to develop the Tyrrell’s brand using his Herefordshire farm. What advice would you offer Will Chase, the owner of â€Å"Tyrrell’s chips†, as to how to develop and grow its customer base amongst customers from higher social grades, without either changing or losing the perception of its product coming from a Herefordshire farmer. With reference to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_base 2010 11:30am customer base is defined as: The customer base is the group of customer and/or consumers that a business serves. In the most situations, a large part of this group is made up of repeat customers with a high ratio of purchase over time. These customers are the main source of consumer spending. In many cases, the customer base is considered the business’s target market, where customer behaviors are well understood through market research or past experience. All act ions the company takes would be through consideration of its customer base. Companies with a customer base consisting mainly of large companies may increase their customer base by pursuing small and mid-size companies Businesses in war zones may temporarily expand their customer base to include military personnel, but ongoing violence can drive away a local customer base. The advice offered by me to Will Chase will be based on three main points i.e.: Maintaining company’s image Customer relationship management (CRM) Emphasis on core benefits of unique selling proposition (USP) Maintaining company’s image means that whatever action is taken by the members of the company it should make sure it gives a rise to the company’s name and not a fall. The company’s image can be maintained by considering the 4p’s of marketing, the 4p’s of marketing are as follows: product, price, place and promotion. Customer relationship management (CRM) is the overal l process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction. Unique selling proposition (USP) is a marketing concept that was first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern among successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. It states that such campaigns made unique propositions to the customer and that this convinced them to switch brands. The term was invented by Rosser Reeves of Ted Bates & Company. Today the term is used in other fields or just casually to refer to any aspect of an. object that differentiates it from similar objects

Keynesian Stabilization Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Keynesian Stabilization Policy - Essay Example John Maynard Keynes grew up in and attended Cambridge. He was a prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group, which was a literary group in London which, among other things, espoused socialist and interventionist solutions to economic and social problems. Keynes' experience during and after World War II in the Treasury helped to form his ideas about pricing, demand and monetary policy. He predicted the hyperinflation in Germany as a result of the unrealistic demands of the Versailles Treaty of 1919. Keynes supported the theory of "pump priming" during the depression of the 1930's, which was formalized in his magnum opus of 1936, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (Keynes). One can view Keynes' formative years as a response to the realities of post-war Europe, a stagnating English economy, and subsequent Depression throughout the world. He saw that government's relatively small role in the economy could be increased if governments overcame their short-term resistance to increasing debt in peacetime. He saw the Great Depression reduce overall output in the world by 50% from 1929 to 1932 (Sachs). Contrary to subsequent accounts, the 1920's was not a period of uninterrupted prosperity in Europe. Sustained growth started only in 1925, and was cut short four years later. According to Kindleberger: Recovery from the First World War was hindered in Europe by the loss of the cream of its youth and the relative setback to its position owing to the stimulus to economic growth in the dominions, Japan and the United States2. Thus Keynes' entire adult career saw only a short period of nearly full employment, preceded and followed by periods of stagflation and outright depression. The respective governments' response to the economies' poor performance was fiscal restraint which, in Keynes' view, was clearly not working. The Fundamentals of Classic Keynesian Theory Keynes claimed that demand buoyed economies. Central to his theory was that demand from both the private and the public sector was essentially the same. To the extent that the private sector did not provide demand, the public sector could increase demand in order to keep the economy humming. Keynes felt that inflation was not a major problem unless the economy approached "full" employment, which was a much higher number than attributed by most economists at the time. Keynes' theories included three basic tenets: 1. Aggregate demand is composed of government and private demand. Both stimulate the economy when they increase. Aggregate demand is not inflationary unless it increases at a time when the economy is fully-employed. 2. Changes in demand do not affect prices, at least in the short term. Their main effect is on output and employment. Prices do not change readily-particularly in the case of wages-to accommodate demand. 3. Since wages respond slowly (both up and down), unemployment acts as a "balancing" mechanism. That

Macroeconomics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Macroeconomics - Coursework Example Upon shifting the curve W, the new equilibrium point will likely be at R. This is an indication of injection of income into the market cycle by either the households or the government through various spending activities. An excess in the withdrawals more than the injections will imply that there shall be less investments. Consequently, an excess in the withdrawals implies that households are saving some of their income and not spending it; thus, leading to a reduction in the circular flow of income (Carlin & Soskice, 2006). An increase in the government spending would imply increase in injections that would result in an upward shift by UT. Equilibrium will now be attained at point U being the point where the new injections curve will intersect with the withdrawals curve (Carlin & Soskice, 2006). As a result, there will be a rise in the national income by an amount of BC denoted by J’. a. Find data for nominal GDP at US dollar current prices with a base year of your choice and calculate real GDP for Australia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Japan, UK, and USA from 2005 to 2014. Present the data on a

Number Our Days Barbara Myerhoff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Number Our Days Barbara Myerhoff - Essay Example Her study consists of an ethnographic view of aging in one segment of American society. She shows how these people address issues of aging that all people must eventually face. The group Meyerhof studied was primarily made up of Eastern European Jews that immigrated to the United States prior to the Holocaust. They spoke mostly Yiddish and Hebrew but also could speak English. The group consisted of many elderly struggling to hang on to their independence. The Senior Center provided the support needed for some to remain independent. They ate kosher hot meals at the center and met with friends to discuss whatever caught their interest at the time. The center provided a gathering and socialization point for the group. The elderly Jewish population studied may have been functioning based upon 'activity theory'. They were happy so long as they remained active and independent. 'Activity Theory' (Havighurst and Friedman) predicts that the elderly are satisfied with life when they hang on to their adult roles in life. The theory also predicts that the most active people are the most satisfied people. According to 'activity theory' to maintain health the elderly need to be actively involved in adult activities of living life, should eat their meals together as a community, and should stay away from activities that would make one lonely. The activities that are included don't necessarily mean that the elderly need to be with other people all the time but that they remain actively taking care of themselves by shopping, keeping appointments, and doing other self-care activities that any adult would be expected to do. In her book Meyerhof described how two elderly women walked slowly along balancing so as not to fall. A fall for them would most probably result in a broken hip and their being shipped off to an old folk's home. Their loss of independence would mean the loss of their satisfaction with life. Removal from their little society in Venice Beach would have been devastating to anyone in this group. The group studied no longer actively contributed to greater society but added considerably to the group they were a part of. They looked forward to their daily interactions with other group members. A view of where these people fit into greater society would show them as disengaging from one role and undertaking another. Meyerhof was interested in how these older folks survived. What was it that kept them going Heschel gave his answer as ""I'll tell you how I survive, but you won't like it....The word is 'pain.' Pain is the avenue to getting a soul, getting quality from yourself. This is how you get a life that's really on the essence." He went on to describe how when you are in the business of living you take pain and ignore it. ""So when the pain comes, I am patient. I shut up, active silence; I bear it... ". He went on further to explain to Meyerhof how acceptance of pain rather than medicating oneself (with a tranquilizer) was living. It was his decision to put pain in perspective and get on with the business of living. One of Meyerhof's great discoveries was that rituals or traditions played a big part in surviving day to day and

Benefits of the Ctrip Idea in the Future Life Case Study - 35

Benefits of the Ctrip Idea in the Future Life - Case Study Example Decision making will be easier for the traveling agencies due to the classifications of travelers (Mohinder, 2009). Â  This classification will be beneficial to the agencies in that they will be able to make decisions based on the ability of their clients and consequently treat a client fairly and thus increasing their customer base (David & Nancy, 2012). Â  This exhibit according to the case idea demonstrates the customer base beginning from 2007 when a new CEO is hired. Considering the vertical axis as the customer base in hundreds of thousands and the horizontal axis as the years moving forward, it illustrates that in the year 2007 the customer base was at 600,000. The figure increases to 800,000 customers in 2011 resulting from the acquisition of 16 percent by Tencent Company. This figure is predicted to rise in 2017 due to the recommendations made and the figure is projected to be at one million customers. This means the customer base in the projected future life will increase accordingly (Mohinder, 2009). Â  Considering exhibit 5, the case idea recommends that the increase in the customer base through the methods stated earlier will lead to increase in the profits due to increase in the travel activities above.

Immigrant Parental Involvement in Education Research Paper

Immigrant Parental Involvement in Education - Research Paper Example All these among others are evidence of how school systems in Canada devalue immigrant parents. The culture held by Canadians in most cases tend to conflict with the culture of immigrant parents. In most cases, immigrant parents come in with different cultures which in most cases they greatly embrace and appear less reluctant parting with them. According to Brake (1997), acculturation theory supports the idea that immigrants tend to hold tightly unto the values of their cultures. On the other hand, the migrants avoid cross cultural contacts due to their ability to aggravate anxiety and uncertainty. This therefore plays a major role in creation of cultural incompetence which greatly limits parental involvement in contexts that are increasingly important to their children, including school and the expanding extra familial social world (Duncan, 2008). The study also portrayed that there were several barriers which limited immigrant parents from minority groups and those with less education to fully participate in their children's schooling. This is mainly due to the fact that they felt uncomfortable in an institutional setting and also held the notion that they were not very resourceful in their children's education. ... Additionally, immigrant parents with lower educational backgrounds and income were less likely to volunteer in school activities such as parent interviews. This played a role in creating a disconnection between the parents and their school children. Vickshard (1999) indicates that parent's socio economic status has a positive association with their involvement in school. On the other hand, parents with higher educational attainment are more likely to be involved in the school affairs of their children. The teachers were also more likely to stereotype minority immigrant parents based on their schooling experiences, history and culture. George (2000), states that, the teachers should not at any point discriminate any student or parent based on his or her culture, gender, status, religion or race. Therefore, Canadian teachers should change their negative perception towards immigrant parents and instead focus on embracing them despite their shortcomings. The study also indicated that lan guage barrier was also a major disadvantage and inhibitor to the parental involvement of immigrant parents. Most immigrant parents were not well placed in terms of communicating in English and therefore communication barrier grew out of it. As a result, it prompted less parental involvement in their children's schooling. According to Janice (1999), language is an important requirement which normally facilitates communication, as well as increasing one's confidence (Allan, 2005). For instance, if the immigrant parents in Canada were familiar with all the languages used in the country, it would therefore have been easier for them to communicate and thus uplifting their confidence. Consequently, their involvement in their children's schooling affairs would also increase.

Statistical regression Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statistical regression - Statistics Project Example s sustainable development through the prospering of economy is the key ideology of the United States because sustainable development is the road map to justify the economical growth. This means poverty issues, minimum wage rate and new employment would be the key factors to determine the prosperity of lifestyle of the population for any nation in the long run (Corsetti et al, 2011). The decay of economic growth in the United States has been believed to be of a product of different factors like unemployment rate, consumer price index and inflation control. The economical theory of any healthy market is to keep the flow of capital in the market and it would get stagnated or decline with reduced household disposable income, increased consumer price index and decreased wage rates and employee compensation(Corsetti et al, 2011). The various factors may be reviewed as under: i. GDP & Consumption: Gross Domestic product specifies the market value of the total accepted and recognized final commodities produced over a given time. It represents government spending, exports and consumption. Consumption the largest component of GDP includes the private or household expenditure on goods and private investments also. Investments indicate how the industries invest on manpower and machinery which might act to reduce unemployment and encourage cash flow and production. Increased household expenditure also means that people have the buying power and are maintaining that in spite of inflation. ii. Inflation & Wage rates: refers to the general price of the commodities and services in an economy over time. This means when inflation raises purchasing power of unit money will fall and unless the wage rate increases it will be difficult to purchase the same service over time(Corsetti et al, 2011)( Devereux et al, 2003). Econometric and Social analysis are done by time series data points. Time series is an array of data points which are measured at uniform time intervals to calculate

Module 4 Case Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Module 4 Case Assignment - Coursework Example e products of the company include basic food products as well as premium services like cooking recipes, labels and cooking lessons to the target and potential customer groups of the company. The outputs of the Whole Foods Market can be measured in terms of the revenues, goods and services, community impacts, job creation, shareholder value creation and service or policy outcomes. In this respect, the company shows high levels of efficiency and congruence. Additionally, the performances and the behaviors of the different departments, teams and business units of the company seem to be much effective in terms of maintaining standard, compliance and congruency. The main goals of the Whole Foods Market Company are to provide high quality and standard organic food to the target customer group in the market. Additionally, the quality of the food products marketed and sold by Whole Foods Market and the high level of social responsibility shown by the company add to the effectiveness of the company at the organizational level or topmost level of evaluation as per the Nadler and Tushman’s Congruence model. The main goal of Whole Food Markets as a leading organization in its industry of operation is to perform in a competitive, consistent and sustainable manner so that it can maintain its financial profitability and strong brand reputation in the markets of operation he outputs of the company seem to be sufficient in satisfying the corporate and strategic objectives set in the company. The Whole Foods Market is one of the leading organic food retailers and supermarkets in the world. The main mission of eh company is to promote the strength s of the organization and its individual entities by ensuring the delivery of high quality of products and services. Also, the company aspires to enhance the business to become the leading food retailer in the community as measured from the perspective of corporate social responsibility. The Whole Food Market is ranked 12th in the social

Events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 Essay Example for Free

Events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 Essay Ultimately, the events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 played a major role in contributing to the outbreak of world war 2 as it ended the appeasement policy and led to Britain’s realization that war was the only solution. However, the nazi soviet pact is also a factor as it gave germany the confidence to invade Poland, a move that guaranteed war. After the anschluss, Czechoslovakia was next on hitler’s list of expansion. The Czech government felt threatened, and sought support from Britain and france should Hitler invade Czechoslovakia, and both Britain and france felt bound to help them. On 15 september 1938, Hitler told chamberlain that he would risk war to bring the Sudeten germans into germany. Chamberlain found his demands reasonable, and decided that areas in which more than half the population was germans should be handed over to Hitler. However on 22 sep Hitler stepped his demands and asked for the whole of Sudetenland. Originally, chamberlain rejected his demands. Eventually, in an attempt to avoid war, he, along with Mussolini and the prime minister of france decided that Sudetenland would be given to germany. This was known as the munich agreement (29 sep). Czechoslovakia was not consulted, and it had felt betrayed. Following that, Hitler then assured chamberlain that he had no further claims in Europe. However, in march 1939, Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia, showing that he could not be trusted. Following that, Britain and france both abandoned the appeasement policy and announced that it would declare war on germany in event that Hitler invaded Poland. However, the nazi soviet pact was also an extremely important factor as it enabled Hitler to avoid a two frontwar, and allowed him to continue to provoke the western countries as stalin now secured his eastern border. Hence, Hitler could now channel all his resources to fighting the western front. Hitler learnt 2 important lessons from the First World War. Firstly, the importance of the involvement of Russia if a Slavic nation was attacked and next the strain of having to fight a war on two fronts. Therefore, the nazi soviet pact was signed on 23 august 1939 where communist Russia agreed to remain neutral if Poland was attacked. It also contained a secret protocol whereby germany and Russia agreed to carve up Poland between them, with germany getting the western parts and Russia getting the eastern parts along with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. With this, Hitler felt assured and proceeded to attack Poland, which unleashed the second world war. In analysis, the events in Czechoslovakia played an extremely significant role in contributing to the outbreak of war in 1939 as compared to the signing of the nazi soviet pact. The events in Czechoslovakia had laid the foundation for the outbreak of war, and it was after the invasion of Czech that led to Britain’s realization that hitler’s aims went way further than merely just redressing the wrongs of the Treaty of Versailles. It showed that Hitler aimed to dominate central Eastern Europe and British knew that war was the only solution in stopping him. Furthermore, the invasion of Czechoslovakia was so unjust that it gave Britain the high moral ground to â€Å"defend the right† without regard to self-interest. This was the point when Britain and France announced that they would declare war on Hitler were he to invade Poland. Although the nazi soviet pact did play a small role, it merely acted as the trigger for the invasion of Poland. Hitler’s invasion of Poland was inevitable, and the pact merely sped up the process. Rather, the decision of Britain and france to abandon appeasement and to defend Poland was made after the events in Czechoslovakia is 1938-1939, thus making it more crucial.

Instructor Graded Assignment Essay Example for Free

Instructor Graded Assignment Essay Equations In this and future Instructor Graded Assignments you will be asked to use the answers you found in the Unit 1 Assignment. Note: For these questions you need to cite a reliable source for information, which means you cannot use sites like Wikipedia, Ask.com ®, and Yahoo ® answers. If you do use those sites the instructor may award 0 points for your response. The Assignment problems must have the work shown at all times. The steps for solving the problems must be explained. Failure to do so could result in your submission being given a 0. If you have any questions about how much work to show, please contact your instructor. Assignments must be submitted as a Microsoft Word ® document and uploaded to the Dropbox for Unit 2. Type all answers directly in this Assignment below the question it applies to. All Assignments are due by Tuesday at 11:59 PM ET of the assigned Unit. Finding the National Average Price for Gas These first few questions will require you to use the internet to search for the national average price for gas. Remember to use a scholarly site for information. List the website(s) you visited here: http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=287t=10(2 points): What was the average price of a gallon of gas 1 year from when your business math class started? I am confused with this question; my class began in August 2014 so 1 year from then will be 2015 so I have to go to the projected gasoline prices which for a gallon of gasoline are projected to be $ 3.38 as compared to $ 3.48 in 2014 down 10 cents a gallon. (5 points): You have $50 on hand and need to buy gas. How many gallons of gas can you buy (using the value you reported in Question 1.) @ $ 3.38 per gal. I would be able to purchase 14 gallons for $ 47.32 leaving $ 2.68 from the original $ 50.00. $ 3.38 x 14 = $ 47.32. 3. (5 points): If gas prices were to drop 10% from the current price, how much would a gallon of gas cost now? Current price per gallon of gasoline is $ 3.50 so a gallon would drop from 3.50 to $ 3.15 per gallon a drop of 35 cents per gallon which is 10% of $3.50. 4. (5 points): Using the average for 1 year ago, and the average for 6 months ago, calculate the  percent increase or decrease in the price of a gallon of gas over that 6 month time span. The average price per gallon of gasoline in the U.S 6 months ago May, 2014 was$ 3.66, the average price 1 year ago Oct. 2013 was $ 3.27, = ((3.66 3.27) / |3.27|) * 100 = (0.39 / 3.27) * 100 = 0.119266 * 100 = 11.9266% change = 11.9266% increase Finding the National Average for Food for One Person Questions 5, 6, and 7 will require you to search for the national average for food for one person. Remember to use a scholarly site for information. List the website(s) you visited here: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/CostofFoodAug2014.pdf5. (3 points): What was the national average for food for a month for one person, one year ago from the date the class started? Use the average for a 35-year-old male, and if multiple figures are given for that gender and age, use the highest number. $364.90 6. (5 points): If this person lives in a state with a 7% sales tax on all food purchases, how much will they need to spend on food for one year? $4,685.28 7% of 364.90 = 25.54 + 364.90 = 390.44 x 12 = $4,685.28  7. (5 points): Create an equation you could use to calculate the cost one person spends on food for a year (assume no tax on the food), using this site. Your equation must work for any age range, and any gender now. I went with the highest (liberal) cost for a single person per month which is $373.10 per month 373.10 x 12 = $ 4472.20 for one year’s food supply cost, I hope I understood this question correctly. Essay Question (15 points) 8. Using the internet, find a website where a linear equation is used. Using that website as a source, write a  ¾ 1 page essay response in which you discuss how the equation was used, if it was used correctly, and what solutions to the equation mean (in other words, why are you using the equation in the first place? What is the solution supposed to tell you once you find it). Requirements for essay Write your essay in this document – do not save it in a separate file. You must clearly state your position with well-structured paragraphs using  proper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. This is not an â€Å"opinion† question – you must offer evidence to support your position, using properly cited sources. Your answer must be between  ¾-1 page in length. You must cite and reference at least one source (book, website, periodical) using APA format. The required website counts as one source. You may submit your Assignments to the Math Center for review. Tutors will not grade or correct the Assignment, but they will provide guidance for improvement. Tutors will not, however, help you find web sites for the Assignment. Be sure to submit Assignments early enough to receive feedback and make corrections before the Assignment due date (24 hour turn-around times Monday-Thursday and 48 hour turn-around times on weekends are typical). Email Assignments to: [emailprotected] Please put â€Å"MM255 Assignment Review† in the subject line of the message. Thomas Doyle Unit 2 assignment Essay MM255 Business Math and Statistical Measures If youve ever doubled a favorite recipe, youve applied a linear equation. If one cake equals 1/2 cup of butter, 2 cups of flour, 3/4 tsp. of baking powder, three eggs and 1 cup of sugar and milk, then two cakes equal 1 cup of butter, 4 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder, six eggs and 2 cups of sugar and milk. To get twice the output, you put in twice the input. You might not have known you were using a linear equation, but thats exactly what you did. http://classroom.synonym.com/real-life-functions-linear-equations-2608.htmlI use linear equations when I do my payroll, for example, If my foreman Chris works 2 hours at the rate of 20.00$ per hour, X = the number of hours worked and y equals the hourly rate so Y = 20x or 40.00$. I did not realize there were so many linear and nonlinear equations used in everyday life situations, they were always there I just never saw them for what they were. I use linear equations in the first example in order to increase the output and in the second to figure the correct payroll amount and these are the exact results I achieved.

Gender Differences: American and Chinese Culture

Gender Differences: American and Chinese Culture In the 21st century, a number of significant sociopolitical and technological changes have been witnessed, which have made the world a global village which is getting smaller by the day. The technological feasibility that has enabled the mass media to bring events and news across the world to schools, businesses and homes almost as soon as they occur has narrowed down the distance barriers between people, cultures and societies, such that the world is fast becoming one giant melting pot of cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistic and racial diversities. However, these changes have also resulted in the increase in international tensions between countries world wide, due to the increased interaction. The most significant of these tensions have been witnessed in the past between the United States and Northern Ireland, Eastern Europe and most recently, the Middle East. Thus in light of these developments, the need to develop competent and effective intercultural communication cannot be ov eremphasized. It is indeed a fact that such conflicts are usually of political origin, but are primarily caused by religious and ethnic differences that form barriers to effective communication. The term intercultural communication is sometimes used interchangeably with cross-cultural communication; and it is simply the engagement of concerted efforts at understanding how people who hail form different cultures perceive, act and communicate in their native environment. Intercultural communication plays important roles in fostering understanding in the case of communication between countries in the global platform. (Griffin, 2000). The focus of this paper will therefore be to demonstrate an example of poor intercultural communication between North Americans and Asians and how it affects the effectiveness of communication between the two cultures. Which are long term such as prospecting for oil or minerals; The Process Culture, which is seen in organizations that have little or lack of feedback altogether and the members of the organization maintain a strict focus on the procedures of executing and achieving targets, and is most evident in bureaucracies, with the main advantage of achieving consistency in results which is necessary in sectors like the public service and this fact effectively serves to undermine the massive red tape and overly cautious nature of these cultures. (Deal Kennedy, 1982). Edgar Schein has however come up with a method of classifying organizational culture, which is more in line with the present organizational set up. He defines organizational culture as the patterns of basic assumptions that are shared within a groups and that were learned in the during the solving of the problems of internal integration and external adaptation by the group, and which have produced reliable results that can be considered valid and have consequentially been taught to new embers as the correct way to feel, think and perceive when attempting to solve such problems. It will be important to outline the importance of intercultural communication in an organizational setting, before the importance of the impact of ineffectiveness of intercultural communication between two different cultures can be fully highlighted. Schein (2005) expounds that culture is the toughest attribute of an organization in view of change, and surpasses all other attributes of the organization such as the physical attributes, services and products, leadership, and founders. Schein states that the deepest cognitive level of the culture of an organization is where tacit assumptions exist. He expounds that these are the unseen cultural elements that are not easily identifiable in interactions between members of an organization on a daily basis. These elements of an organizations culture are often regarded as a taboo to question or discuss. (Schein, 2005). Organizational culture has various roles in the process of change in an organization. A number of methodologies have been proposed to elucidate this role, which include Burman Evans(2008) view that culture is more relate d to leadership than management .They elaborate that when an organization has the principle focus of transforming its culture, recognition has to be accorded to the fact that this project is long term. This is because achieving change in the culture of an organization ids a difficult endeavor that requires the allowing of employees to take adequate time to get used to the new strategies within the organization. Thus the stronger the culture of an organization, the more difficult it becomes to achieve the change. The six guidelines to achieving organizational change, as given by CummingsWorley(2005), are (i) The formulation of a strategic and clear vision,( Cummings Worley,2005, pg.490),(ii) display of commitment at top managerial levels( Cumming Worley, 2005, pg. 490),(iii) modeling of the change in culture at the top managerial levels( Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491), (iv) organizational modification to aid change (Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491) , (v) selection and socialization of terminate deviants and newcomers (Cummings Worley, 2005, pg.491) and(vi) development of legal and ethical sensitivity( Cummings Worley,2005, pg.491).In regard to the design of a model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity in an organization, Taylor Cox, Jr. (2001) gives three types of organizations which adopt a particularly focused approach in regard to development of cultural diversity in the workplace environment. She outlines the monolithic, the plural and the multicultural organizations in t he journal, The Multicultural Organization. The three types of organizations, according to Cox, are distinguished by their level of structural integration, which Cox defines as the presence of employees from different cultural groups in one organization, with the monolithic organization having minimal structural integration. Cox goes further to outline that monolithic organizations in the United States are usually represented by a majority of white male employees with few women and yet fewer individuals who hail from minority racial backgrounds in the managerial jobs in an organization. The plural organization, however, has an improved level of structural organization, having a heterogeneous workforce which includes people from different cultural backgrounds, other than just one dominant group from a particular ethnic background. The multicultural organization however displays the highest levels of workplace diversity, because it not only contains an evenly balanced workforce in ter ms of cultural diversity, but it also has an awareness of and utilization of its culturally diverse workforce for the benefits of the organization. Having sufficiently defined workplace diversity, it becomes paramount to outline its advantages to an organization and therefore point out why organizations should strive to achieve a cultural diverse workforce. Thus in order to implement these analytical results in a cultural diversity training program, it is imperative to outline that people have a higher degree of inclination to do business with organizations that employ a staff that they can relate to either socially, culturally or ethnically. Therefore, the ways in which a cultural diversity program can be implemented in organizations includes the methods that can be employed by organizations in ensuring that they end up with a culturally diverse workforce. Some of these methods are therefore outlined below. Recruitment Post-Hiring Job Placement Recruitment is basically networking with organizations to build strong relationships that go beyond just business relationships. For an organization to achieve workplace diversity, it has to have a well established method of recruitment of diverse talent across the area in which it operates, in most cases the native country or the region in general, but not just in a secluded locality. Most companies recruit through universities and colleges. Others opt to attend regional and local jib fairs , for example, the UNITY conference, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) an the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications( NAMIC). Serious companies that have a high likelihood of employing a diverse workforce have strategic partnerships with these channels for diversity recruitment that aid them in the hiring of staff with diverse backgrounds, styles, skills, etc.( Fine 2000). Research has also revealed that companies which make heavy use of electronic postings for job vacancies have a high likelihood of having a diverse workforce. Thus the seriousness of companies in the utilization of electronic postings to recruit employees can reveal the extent of diversity that the company has in its staff. Very serious companies have Associate Referral Bonus Programs through which they give cash incentives to employees who refer job seekers to the company, and thus have a high chance of having a diverse workforce. Building Partnerships with Organizations the Community Companies have to recognize that to achieve competitiveness in a global economy; they have to forge relationships with other organizations and community members who have the common interest of promoting diversity. With the growth of the nation in terms of social, racial, ethnic and cultural diversity, organizations have to adapt in this environment and acquire an advanced level of understanding of the need to attain diversity in its workforce. Thus companies have to be actively involved in both local and national associations if they are to identify diverse talent pools from which they can benefit. The companies can also create innovative partnerships with institutions of higher learning so that they attract and increase the number of qualified minority employees in their workforce. In this manner, when they are job vacancies the institutions of higher learning are the first to know, and qualified students have a high chance of being employed by the company, with no predetermined cultural, ethnic or social inclination being a dominant factor in the recruitment process, thus effectively increasing the chances of the company ending up with a diverse workforce. Companies also need to organize outreach luncheons where the members of the community can interact directly with the human resources department representatives. In this manner, a broadcast recruitment process can be extended to the immediate community where the company operates, so that any talent that may benefit the company is obtained, and therefore e increasing the diversity of the workforce. The company can also use local business resource groups in order to solicit for the recruitment of a diverse workforce from the local community. (Cox 2001). Mentoring: Internally Externally Companies can form voluntary mentoring programs, which may operate either formally or informally. These mentoring programs can be established both within the company and in the surrounding community. The programs can be used in helping to assimilate new employees into the company culture, as well as to groom the future leaders of the company. In this manner, the chances of the company losing employees from diverse backgrounds due to their inability to fit into the company culture is significantly reduced, thereby fostering the development of a diverse workforce.(Cox 2001). Given the benefits of having a culturally diverse workforce, organizations should strive to attain workplace diversity, and in light of the disadvantages it may create if not properly managed, make it their priority to seek beneficial ways of managing a culturally diverse workforce In regard to diversity in business, the underlying theory outlines that in a global market place environment, a business, company, form or institution that benefits from the services of a diverse work force is in a better position to understand the demographic factors in the market place environment in which the business operates , and is therefore better placed to exploit its full potential in that environment, than a business which has limited diversity in its workforce. A diverse work force generally consists of employees, both male and female, who are of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as of different generations. (Fine 2000). Workplace diversity has also been stated as having the potential to improve productivity, employee satisfaction and retention at the workplace. In this regard, it is usually referred to as inclusion, and it deals with how an organization can utilize its diversities for its general improvement. (Fine 2000). Research has also established that despite a diverse workforce, the management of the company also needs to make concerted efforts at exploiting that breadth of wealth in terms of experience and knowledge inherent in the diverse workforce in order to convert this wealth in to monetary benefits to the company. Otherwise, a company with a diverse workforce will just fair as well as one which has a less diverse workforce. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to design an informed and well researched model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity, and to further elaborate on how these results can be implemented in a cultural diversity training program. Workplace diversity can generally be defined as the extent of cultural mix in an organization; Cultural mix/ diversity includes the different ways through which employees in a workplace environment share a unique identity as a group, including the identity associated with the diversity of race, ethnic age , gender and sexual orientation. The culture of an organization is a determinant of it cultural diversity. (Fine 2000). However, workplace diversity in most senses brings many benefits to an organization. However, C.L Walck (1995) states that there are serious problems that arise from an organization inculcating workplace diversity into its culture, and therefore the responsibility of managing workplace diversity as a resource in an organizations workforce in order to fully exploit its potential to improve an organizations overall performance falls on the organizations management. In the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, C.L. Walck (1995) states that managing workplace diversit y implies the negotiation of interaction among groups which display different cultural backgrounds, and also contriving to foster understanding and cooperation in a culturally diverse environment. In regard to the design of a model with methods and procedures for analyzing diversity in an organization, Taylor Cox, Jr. (2001) gives three types of organizations which adopt a particularly focused approach in regard to development of cultural diversity in the workplace environment. She outlines the monolithic, the plural and the multicultural organizations in the journal, The Multicultural Organization. The three types of organizations, according to Cox, are distinguished by their level of structural integration, which Cox defines as the presence of employees from different cultural groups in one organization, with the monolithic organization having minimal structural integration. Cox goes further to outline that monolithic organizations in the United States are usually represented by a majority of white male employees with few women and yet fewer individuals who hail from minority racial backgrounds in the managerial jobs in an organization. The plural organization, however, has an improved level of structural organization, having a heterogeneous workforce which includes people from different cultural backgrounds, other than just one dominant group from a particular ethnic background. The multicultural organization however displays the highest levels of workplace diversity, because it not only contains an evenly balanced workforce in terms of cultural diversity, but it also has an awareness of and utilization of its culturally diverse workforce for the benefits of the organization. Having sufficiently defined workplace diversity, it becomes paramount to outline its advantages to an organization and therefore point out why organizations should strive to achieve a cultural diverse workforce. An international incident that posed potentially dangerous consequences across the world was witnessed some years back between the United Sates and China; with its primary cause being poor intercultural communication between the two countries. The incident was initiated on the 1st of April, 2001 by the collision of a surveillance plane belonging to the U.S navy with a fighter jet belonging to the Chinese. The collision occurred over the South China Sea, which is considered an international air space. The EP-3 surveillance and electronic warfare U.S. plane was extensively damaged, but due to the skillfulness of there, they managed to safely land the plane at an airbase in China. The Chinese military later declared their fighter jet and its pilot missing, and proceeded to detain the crew members of the U.S. plane; who were 24 in number. The two countries were later unable to reach a consensus on the cause of the collision and resolved to blame each other. In the days that followed, U.S and Chinese officials held a series of contentious negotiations to resolve the incident, with the U.S. officials trying to negotiate the release of the crew, and the Chinese officials demanding an acceptance of liability and a formal apology for the incident from the U.S. The U.S. flatly refused to yield to this demand and blamed the incident on the Chinese pilot. Pressure was meanwhile mounting on the then U.S. President, George Bush to secure the immediate release of the detained U.S crew. In the face of mounting pressure, the then Secretary of State, Colin Powell, issued a statement on April 4 expressing regret over the incident and the subsequent disappearance of the Chinese fighter jet and its pilot. The Chinese officials acknowledged the good faith in which the statement was issued, but simply summed it up as a move in the right direction and issued fresh demands for an apology. On April 8, Colin Powell and the then U.S vice president, Dick Cheney, issued a statement expressing sorrow at the disappearance of the Chinese pilot, but dismissed Chinas demands for an apology. On the same day, they wrote a sympathy letter to the wife of the pilot. Once again, the Chinese rejected these efforts and reiterated their demands for an apology. On April 10, the U.S. officials appeared to have been pushed to the corner and issued a statement declaring that President Bush was willing to write a letter of regret over the incident to the Chinese and an issue an adjoining statement admitting the unpermitted landing of the U.S. plane in Chinese territory. Nevertheless, the Chinese did not burge and still demanded an apology. Eventually, on April 11, the United States wrote a letter to the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs specifically asking him to convey to the Chinese people and to the family of pilot Wang Wei that we are very sorry for their loss. The later further stated that We are very sorry the entering of Chinas airspace and the landing did not have verbal clearance. However, the actual word apology was not anywhere to be seen in the letter. But the Chinese official who were charged with communicating the contents of the letter to the Chinese people chose to translate the words very sorry, which appeared twice in the letter, to shenbiao qianyi , A Chinese statement that implies a deep apologetic expression and is only used when one is accepting liability for wrong doing and its consequences. Based solely on the translation of this letter, the Chinese released the U.S. crew. One thing that clearly emerged from this incident is that it was a matter of what the U.S. chose to say and what the Chinese chose to hear that ended this impasse. This matter was resolved by the exploitation of the loss of meaning inherent in translation from one language to another by the United States officials who were involved in the negotiations. Bates Gill, the North East Asian Policy Studies director at Brookings Institution states that U.S.negotiators have in the past exploited the use of such words as acknowledge which upon translation stand for to recognize or admit, so that the Chinese can take such words to mean an admission of guilt, when this is not really the case. (Griffin, 2000). There are several cultural differences between the Chinese an Americans, which has necessitate the need to develop a meaningful intercultural communication network so as to foster understanding between these two countries with the ultimate aim of creating a better relationship between the two countries. The benefits of an effective intercultural communication network include, but are not limited to creation of healthier communities, reduced friction and conflict, improved international, regional and local commerce and increased tolerance which results into personal growth. (Griffin, 2000). The cultural differences between the two countries that necessitates the employment of effective intercultural communication networks. Some differences particularly in the societal and institutional organization of American and Chinese societies that significantly played a role in the development of the highlighted incident to the stated proportions include; ethnic culture, whereby the Chinese are generally a reclusive people, preferring to mind their own business and center their cultural values in building of healthy relationships with each other at individual level. They keep to themselves and isolate strangers, while Americans are individualistic and do not believe in strong cultural ties and generally operate under an attitude of saving the world and thus meddle in all affairs unfolding around them. In terms of source of trust, the Chinese believe in trusting the people who surround them and dread losing credibility as a result of failure to live up to oral agreements. The Ameri cans on the other hand, belie in trusting the terms of the contractual agreement and not the people they deal with. Their only fear is getting into legal hassles as a result of contravening the contract, and show little respect for oral agreements. (Griffin, 2000). In terms of business culture, the Chinese are genially clumsy in their communication and operate with quietness and reservation when doing business. The Americans are the exact opposite; being effective and eloquent communicators who are in most senses very outspoken. In regard to the style of negotiation, the Chinese make group decisions, but the final decision lies with the boss. Americans believe in the giving of more individual authority to the stake holders, with the decision making process evenly distributed among the major players. When it comes to dealing with business counterparts, the Chinese are courteous and deal with their clients at a personal level, such that if there is a breach of contract then arising issues are taken up strongly, with the bad experiences being committed to long term memory. Americans, on the other hand, keep it strictly business, and adopt a matter-of-factly approach. They are also always willing to negotiate with the enemy so long as there is something to gain. (Griffin,2000).Finally, the Chinese exhibit a serious weakness in the ability to make quick decisions in the heat of the moment, while their American counterparts have a strong sense of resolving serious issues as they present themselves. (Griffin, 2000). Being that the negotiations for the release of the detained U.S. crew was taking place between officials representing two countries, it was very necessary that careful and appropriate diplomatic approaches be employed, lest the situation get out of hand. Therefore the choice to use letters to communicate official positions presented an appropriate communications device. Letters, as communication devices, are effective in that in they leave no room for ambiguity and contention. They are also formal and can be easily stored and retrieved fro reference in case a clarification is required. An appropriate communication theory that was at play in these negotiations was the stand point theory which outlines that knowledge, communication behaviors and individual experiences are largely under the influence of the social groups to which they belong. (Gudykunst, 2003).This is because by carefully exploiting the loss in meaning due to translation of words from one social setting to another, the United States officials who negotiated the release of the U.S. crew managed to establish a delicate balance between yielding into the demands of the Chinese, and maintaining the sovereignty of the United States through avoiding being arm-twisted into issuing a public apology to China. Had this issue not been resolved amicably, the situation could have rapidly degenerated to unimaginable proportions. This is an example of how effective intercultural communication can play important roles in achievement and maintenance of good diplomatic relations in the face of a potential crisis. References. Burman, R. Evans, A.J. (2008) Target Zero: A Culture of safety, Defence Aviation Safety Centre Journal, 34 (2), 22-27. Retrieved, 10 March, 2010, fromhttp://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/849892B2D6D24DFDB5BD9A4F288A9B18/0/DASCJournal2008.pdf Charles, W.L. Gareth, R.J.(2001). Strategic Management. New York: Houghton Mifflin. Cox, Jr., Taylor (2001). The Multicultural Organization. Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 34-47. Cummings, Thomas G. Worley, Christopher G. (2005), Organization Development and Change. New York: Thomson South-Western. Deal T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982) Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life. Massachusetts: Penguin Books. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2007). Organizational Behaviour: an Introductory Text. Michigan: Prentice Hall. Montana, P., and Charnov, B. (2008). Management. New York: Hauppauge. Schein, E.H. (2005). Organizational Culture and Leadership. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass. Fine, Marlene G.(2000). Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: The State of the Field. Journal of Business Communication, 33(4), 485-502. Griffin, E. (2000). A First Look at Communication Theory. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Gudykunst, William B. (2003), Intercultural Communication Theories, in: Gudykunst, William B (ed.), Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Communication, 1(3), 167-189. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2007). Organizational Behaviour: an Introductory Text. Michigan: Prentice Hall. Montana, P., and Charnov, B. (2008). Management. New York: Hauppauge. Walck, C.L. (1995). Editors introduction: Diverse approaches to managing diversity. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 3(1), 119-123. The Movie: The Devils Advocate The Movie: The Devils Advocate I had a chance to watch the movie The Devils Advocate that was directed by Taylor Hackford and released in 1997. This movie is one of the best films that have some deep theology over the doctrine of God and the philosophical problem of evil. In fact, the problem of evil has been discussed over the long centuries, and the debate still rages on today. After watching the show I really got thinking whether I am on a right way in my life and reconsider my life priorities. Basically, the film is about the law company run by John Milton who represents the Satan. I believe that the author chooses the lawyers as the main characters intentionally because they have this power to judge the others and decide on the lives of the accused. The show reveals different kinds of issues that all humans from different parts of the world struggle. Also, the movie proves how sin leads to falling and destroys the human life. The most interesting thing is that in the show it is presented as the Satans plan. However, there are certain moments where it is obvious that the humans have a choice and go for sinful one. What is so dangerous about the humans? Why are we always destroying ourselves and the world around us? The answer cannot be simple explained by the original sin and human weakness. Actually, the reason is the loss of ethics and concerns for the others. People obsessed with vanity, greed, lust and the list can be continued. The reason is that they merely violate the Ten Commandments written in the Old Testament, or put it differently, Gods law. The illustration of vanity is an episode when John Milton asks whether it would not be better to take care of wife and give up one case. Kevin Lomax responds that You know what scares me? I quit the case, she gets better and I hate her for it. I dont want to resent her, John, Ive got a winner here. Ive got to nail this fucker down, do it fast, and put it behind me. Just get it done. Then put all my energy into her ( The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes, n.d.). It is worth to admit that this choice is the significant moment that led to the ruin of Kevins family and life. Therefore, this passage highlights basic, fundamental beliefs at play. This is a great example of how fast the humans get possessed with power and exchange biblical moral beliefs to follow fleeting sinful desires. It seems that with each step we take away from these beliefs, we each step become closer to true evil. The strongest point in the show is presented by Kevin Lomax who asks, Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven, is that it?( The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes, n.d.). Then, John Milton responds, Why not? Im here on the ground with my nose in it since the whole thing began. Ive nurtured every sensation mans been inspired to have. I cared about what he wanted and I never judged him. Why? Because I never rejected him. In spite of all his imperfections, Im a fan of man! Im a humanist. Maybe the last humanist. (The Devils Advocate (1997) Memorable quotes., n.d.). This approaches to the doctrine of God. I mean that God has integrity; he is truthful. God is concerned for the welfare of those whom He loves for their best interest. God has unconditional love and unselfish interest in us for our sake. As in the Bible John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. In contrast, Satan always hated the humans from the existence. The problem of evil challenges Christian faith, but we should not forget that the Lord promises us the blessing in our life, and all we need just obey and be faithful to God. Even though all people are sinners as we are born with it, God is generous to us because in his plan he gives us a chance for redemption and salvation. I remember from the class lectures that, according to Augustinian theodicy, there is no evil but the lack of good. God created us as good beings in His image. However, we have a free will, and we have to make the choices that will define our life, our surrounding, our ethics, our relationships, and our faith. When the humans put themselves over the Creator, we separate from God even if He loves us. I see that in the choice that God gives us we have to take responsibility for our actions. As a matter of fact, this responsibility is repentance. What worldview is assumed in the show? The show The Devils Advocate paints a clear picture of different worldviews with its consequences. Some have faith in the government or in a hope for world peace. Others have faith in their money, their education or their employment; however, it can all let them down. Our health can fail, we can lose our job, and we can end a meaningful relationship with someone we care about. In contrast, I am convinced that all of those things are temporal, and they can be changed. I am a believer, and I agree that only Christian worldview produces a way of living that is fruitful and creative. There is no doubt that the Christian faith makes sense in this world that has lost its moral. I believe that the truth is absolute, and it can only be understood by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We all live by faith. To sum up, I have to say that I really enjoyed the movie because it made me to think what is really destroying our world, and what our part in creating better future is. We should start from the choices we make every day. Gods will do not have power unless we allow evil to seep in our hearts.

MIS :: Electronic information

Electronic information is essential to the achievement of government organizational objectives. Its reliability, integrity, and availability are significant concerns in most audits. The use of computer networks, particularly the Internet, is revolutionizing the way government conducts business. While the benefits have been enormous and vast amounts of information are now literally at our fingertips, these interconnections also pose significant risks to computer systems, information, and to the critical operations and infrastructures they support. Infrastructure elements such as telecommunications, power distribution, national defense, law enforcement, and government and emergency services are subject to these risks. The same factors that benefit operationsÂâ€"speed and accessibilityÂâ€"if not properly controlled, can leave them vulnerable to fraud, sabotage, and malicious or mischievous acts. In addition, natural disasters and inadvertent errors by authorized computer users can have devastating consequences if information resources are poorly protected. Recent publicized disruptions caused by virus, worm, and denial of service attacks on both commercial and governmental Web sites illustrate the potential for damage. Computer security is of increasing importance to all levels of government in minimizing the risk of malicious attacks from individuals and groups. These risks include the fraudulent loss or misuse of government resources, unauthorized access to release of sensitive information such as tax and medical records, disruption of critical operations through viruses or hacker attacks, and modification or destruction of data. The risk that information attacks will threaten vital national interests increases with the following developments in information technology: • Monies are increasingly transferred electronically between and among governmental agencies, commercial enterprises, and individuals. • Governments are rapidly expanding their use of electronic commerce. • National defense and intelligence communities increasingly rely on commercially available information technology. • Public utilities and telecommunications increasingly rely on computer systems to manage everyday operations. • More and more sensitive economic and commercial information is exchanged electronically. • Computer systems are rapidly increasing in complexity and interconnectivity. • Easy-to-use hacker tools are readily available, and hacker activity is increasing. • Paper supporting documents are being reduced or eliminated. Each of these factors significantly increases the need for ensuring the privacy, security, and availability of state and local government systems. Although as many as 80 percent of security breaches are probably never reported, the number of reported incidents is growing dramatically. For example, the number of incidents handled by Carnegie-Mellon University's CERT Coordination Center1 has multiplied over 86 times since 1990,2 rising from 252 in 1990 to 21,756 in 2000. Further, the Center has handled over 34,000 incidents during the first three quarters of 2001. Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that its case load of

What Did You Buy Into Today? Essay -- Advertising Media Papers

What Did You Buy Into Today? Take a look at your shoes. Check the breast of the shirt you are wearing. Don’t forget the ass of your pants. What about the food you ate for lunch or the computer you typed your paper on? There is no denying that we are living in a brand name life. People have become consumers whether they’ve wanted to or not. It is impossible to walk through life without being bombarded by image after image of a branded identity. From Nike to McDonald’s, Apple to Evian, the â€Å"brand† has worked its way into consumer consciousness on a level that has not been seen in the past. Humans strive for individuality, so how did we so willingly give ourselves over to the brands that now consume us? A common misconception about branding is that branding and advertising are both one in the same. This, however, is not the case. Advertising is only one key component that a company uses to create their own branded image; an image that encompasses everything the company wants the public to know about the meaning of its products. Advertising is just an outlet to get that message across. â€Å"Branding† is a by-product of a society that has too many similar products, a natural occurrence in a free-market capitalist country. The goal of branding is to separate one similar product from another by altering the way that a consumer feels about a certain product at a sub-conscious level. For instance, a marketing campaign common to almost all of us tries to create a distinction in our mind between Coke and Pepsi. To do this, brand makers will work to infiltrate their target market and create an image for the product that closely resembles the image of the target market, thus burning i n the idea that their product is an important aspect of so... ...Nike swoosh being altered to resemble a gun shooting the high soaring basketball player. The results are quick and effective, and spread to others outside your immediate sphere of influence. The more you expose the underlying meaning of the ads around us the more people will think about all the ads and marketing pushes that coincide with their life. It’s time to once again reclaim your life as your own. Question the images put before you. Urge others to do the same. Support independent retail outlets and companies that still produce the products that they are selling to you. If you must buy branded products, purchase them second hand. If there’s a mass exodus away from the cash registers of these branded pseudo companies then the tides will change and we’ll see our lives return to us as they once stood, uninterrupted and full with a passion for living once again.

The Deadly Ebola Virus :: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (Ebola HF)

"The only sound is a choking in his throat as he continues to vomit while unconscious. Then comes a sound like a bed sheet being torn in half, which is the sound of his bowels opening at the sphincter and venting blood. The blood is mixed with his intestinal lining. He has sloughed off his gut. The lining of his intestines have come off and are being expelled along with huge amounts of blood" (Preston 17). Ebola hemorrhagic fever is probably the most publicized virus since AIDS. And for a good reason too. People "crashing out," vomiting their organs, bleeding all over the place, it certainly catches one's attention. Richard Preston's The Hot Zone, Robin Cook's Outbreak and miscellaneous exposà ©s on television have alerted the public to what was once considered a minor problem. Ebola is extremely dangerous and much study is being devoted to it so it does not become a major threat to the human race. "Ebola is one of the most pathogenic viruses known to science, causing death in 50%- 90% of all clinically ill cases." It is known for its sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat that is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, organ disfunction and internal and external bleeding. It can be in the body 2 to 21 days before any symptoms can be noticed. There is no vaccine and scientists do not know where it originated. Ebola is transmitted by contact with blood, secretions, organs or semen of infected persons. It was first identified in Sudan and Zaire in 1976 (World 1996). There are four known varieties of Ebola; Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Reston and Ebola Tai. Zaire, Sudan and Tai cause illness in humans and primates unlike Reston that affects primates only. What makes them different from each other is not their shape, for that is quite similar, but their gene structure. Ebola Zaire and Ebola Sudan were first isolated in 1976 at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, Porton Down in England and the Institute for Tropical Diseases in Antwerp, Belgium. Years later, Ebola Zaire and Ebola Sudan were found to be different strains by Dr. Joseph McCormick of the CDC. In 1989, Dr. Peter Jahrling of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) identified the Reston strain. Ebola Tai was identified in 1995 by Dr. Bernard LeGuenno of Institute Pasteur in Paris.

Hamptonshire Express: Problems 1-3 Essay

Problem #1 A. How many newspapers should Sheen stock? Use the simulation in the spreadsheet â€Å"Hamptonshire Express: Problem #1† to identify the optimal stocking quantity. What is the profit at this stocking quantity? Optimal Stocking Quantity: 584 Expected profit at Optimal Stocking Quantity: $331.43 B. Verify that the value derived in part (a) is consistent with the optimal stocking quantity in the Newsvendor model = mean = 500 = Standard Deviation = 100 = Overage Cost = $0.20†$0 = $0.20 = Shortage Cost = $0.20†$1.00 = †$0.80 = 1†.8 = .2 ïÆ'   corresponding z†value = .84 . âˆâ€" Problem #2 A. How many hours should Sheen invest daily in the creation of the profile section? The optimal amount of hours Sheen should invest results in optimal profit/day at: 4 hours With optimal stocking quantity: 685 And expected profit/day: $371.33 B. What explains Sheen’s choice of effort level h? Since the marginal cost of her effort is $10/hour and the marginal benefit of her effort is equal to: 8 * 50 = 10 ïÆ'   h = 4 2√ The hours invested will be optimized when marginal cost = marginal benefit, in this case h = 4. C. Compare the optimal profit under this scenario with the optimal profit derived in Problem #1. Optimal Profit in #1 = $331.43 @ 584 units = $0.5675/unit Optimal Profit in #2 = $371.33 @ 685 units = $0.5421/unit Although the optimal profit is increased from scenario 1 to scenario 2 by $39.90 the per unit profit is down by 0.0254/unit produced, however since overall profit is up, the added hours invested is still optimal. Problem #3 A. Assuming h=4 what would Armentrout’s stocking quantity be? Armentrout’s optimal stocking quantity is 516 B. Why does the optimal stocking quantity differ from the optimal stocking quantity identify in Problem #2? Is the result here consistent with the newsvendor formula? The optimal stocking quantities differ because there is a new player involved and new costs associated with overages and shortages. These results are still consistent with the newsvendor formula since the new model looks like: = mean = 600 = Standard Deviation = 100 = Overage Cost = $0.80 = Shortage Cost = $1.00†$0.80 = $0.20 = 1†.8 = .2 ïÆ'   corresponding z†value = †.85 . âˆâ€" C. Now try varying h†¦ How does her optimal effort in this question differ from the answer in question 2? Why? In Question 2, Sheen’s profit is maximized at optimal effort = 4. In Question 3, Sheen’s profit is optimal when h = 2 because her profits are being shared with Armentrout and the amount of hours Sheen invests determines the amount of copies that Armentrout will purchase depending on his demand. D. How would changing the transfer price from the current value of $0.80 per newspaper impact Sheen’s effort level and Armentrout’s stocking decision? Transfer Price Increase from $0.80 to $0.90 = Sheen’s Effort = 2.25 to 3.063 Armentrout’s Stocking Decision = 491 to 459 Sheen’s incentivized to put in more effort and therefore reap more profit but Armentrout’s stock will decline and make less profit if transfer price is increased. Transfer Price Decrease from $0.80 to $0.70 = Sheen’s Effort = 2.25 to 1.563 Armentrout’s Stocking Decision = 491 to 510 If the transfer price is decreased, Sheen’s incentivized to put in less effort because she is making less profit and Armentrout’s stock will increase since his costs are lower allowing him to make a higher profit. E. What conclusion can you draw about stocking and effort levels in a differentiated channel vis†Ãƒ  Ã¢â‚¬  vis an integrated firm that manufactures and retails its product? Stocking and effort levels are optimized throughout the chain in an integrated firm that manufactures and retails it’s products because there is a direct benefit and because incentives are aligned between manufacturing and retailing. They want to put forth the optimal effort to produce the maximum amount of units that will optimize profits. Optimal Profit in Problem #2 @ h=4: $371.33 @ 685 Units with fill rate 98% In a differentiated firm when there is an added level, in this case a level to retail, the manufacturing and retailing parties do not share the same goals, therefore stocking and effort levels are not optimized. Supplier only wants to produce as much as retail will buy at the minimum effort level and retail only wants to buy as much as will make them an optimal profit, I because stocking excess will incur losses. Optimal Profit in Problem #3 @ h=4 @ 516 Units with fill rate of only 86%

A Fledgling’s Masterpeice Essay

Citizen Kane is widely hailed as the â€Å"great American film† and with good reason. From its complex narrative structure to pioneering photography to its incredibly rich use of sound, Welles’ 1941 picture remains one of the most innovative movies ever to come out of a Hollywood studio. Even Today Citizen Kane stands out as one of the great films of all time. Unfolding almost entirely in flashback, Welles’s masterpiece presents various perspectives on the oversized life of the recently deceased Charles Foster Kane. Through the reminiscences of friends, family, and coworkers, the film moves from Kane’s childhood to his rambunctious adolescence, from the heights of his success to the depths of his isolation. All the while there is a search for clues to Kane’s mysterious last word: â€Å"Rosebud.† The puzzling phrase drives the tale, but ultimately it is only a means of exploring the film’s real theme: the impossibility of truly understanding any human being. In the film Kane (Orson Welles, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay) is separated from his parents as a child and made heir to an enormous fortune. Coming of age, he decides to run a newspaper, sensationalizing the news and considering himself to be the voice of the people. With ambitions beyond publishing, he runs for New York Governor, and later promotes the singing career of his second wife Susan. He also builds Xanadu, an extravagant palace that is never finished. These various ambitions fail, and Kane dies a wealthy but spiritually broken man. When William Randolph Hearst (multimillionaire and media tycoon) got wind of what 25-year-old Orson Welles was creating at RKO’s film studio, he feared his life was the inspiration for the main character. In response Hearst and his newspapers employed all their influence to try and stop Citizen Kane’s 1941 release. John O’Hara of Newsweek addresses just this controversy in his review of Citizen Kane. He begins by stating that Citizen Kane is the finest film that  he has ever seen and that Orson Welles is the greatest actor ever. This is a bold statement to make at the time because it was printed before the film was released and before any kind of public consensus could be made. O’Hara’s observation would turn out to be somewhat true. His reasons for promoting Citizen Kane are no more than pure enthusiasm and support for a film that impressed him greatly. He states that his intension is to make you want to see the picture that he believes to be â€Å"as good a picture as was ever made†. (O’Hara 60) O’Hara seems to be more of an excited fan than a film critic. His unbridled enthusiasm is evident in every sentence of his review. He appears to be an admirer of Orson Welles’ just as much as the movie itself. He states that Citizen Kane lacks nothing. Later in the article, as if to be reassuring, he says that â€Å"aside from what it does lack Citizen Kane has Orson Welles†. He compares Welles to artists like F. Scott Fitzgerald who had gone unrecognized until after his death. He ends his article with the statement that there has never been a better actor than Orson Welles and then repeats that very statement. (O’Hara 60) The controversy surrounding Citizen Kane and W. R. Hearst is also addressed by Bosely Crowther of the New York Times. He says that â€Å"suppression of this film would be a crime†. But unlike O’Hara, Crowther seems a little more critical of the film. He says that Welles’ abundance of imagery is so great that it sometimes gets in the way of his logic. He also claims that the film â€Å"fails to provide a clear picture of the character and motive behind the man whom the whole film revolves†.(Crowther 5) Aside from the few critical points, Crowther was very complimentary towards Citizen Kane. He comments on the excellent direction of Mr. Welles and the sure and penetrating performances of the entire cast.Crother feels that Citizen Kane is one of the most realistic takes on the cinema to date. He describes it as cynical, ironic, oppressive, and realistic. â€Å"Citizen Kane has more vitality than fifteen other films we could name†. (Crowther5) The New Yorker’s John Marsh also is very complimentary of Citizen Kane, but  for much more technical reasons. He addresses the many aspects of the film that set it apart from all others. â€Å"Since movies hitherto have commenced with a cast list and a vast directory of credits, we are promptly jolted out of our seats when Citizen Kane ignores this convention and slides at once into the film.† He believes that this formal difference is revolutionary enough to establish Welles’ independence from convention. â€Å"This independence, like fresh air, sweeps on and on through the movie.†(Marsh 79) Marsh also comments on Welles’ method of storytelling with the use of repetition and flashing scenes. â€Å"With a few breakfast scenes, the progress of a marriage is shown as specifically as if we had read the wife’s diary. To Marsh something new has come to the movie world at last. He believes that the film’s triumphant quality is that although Kane is presented as a villainous miser, the human touch is not lost. Sympathy for the preposterous Mr. Kane survives. All three of these writers share a similar opinion about Citizen Kane. Individually they each appreciate different aspects of the film. John O’Hara is intoxicated with the performance of Orson Welles, both in front and behind the camera. Bosely Crowther discusses the reality of the film itself. John Marsh believes that it’s unconventional approach is what will set Citizen Kane apart from other movies in the future. Although each writer praises different aspects of the movie they all agree that Citizen Kane is a film that will drastically alter the film making processfrom now on.

Limitations of Machines Essay

What is 9,999,999 times 9,999,999? You would not be able to enter that in your calculator, because your calculator has limitations on what it can accomplish, as do all machines. A machine must have boundaries. If these boundaries were ever breached machine could become alive. From the wise mouth of Elbert Hubbard, â€Å"One machine can do the work of fifty men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.† A machine will never exceed the potential of an outstanding individual. No matter how complex or advanced the technology it will never best a genuine- unique man. The use of machines has and should always be tools. Once the machine becomes more useful than the creator it stops being a tool and thus breaks it s natural limits. This has never happened before because machines lack a specific trait that every living thing has. That trait, the undeniable ability is called a free will. Without free will even us humans would never be able to surpass are limits. The choices you can make are what separates you from a living being and machine. It is because they stay chained to one path is the reason why a machine’s abilities will never exceed a human’s potential. Think about why machines were first built. It’s not because they were needed, rather it is because they were convenient. Technology was created to quickly do the average man’s work. You cannot build a machine that does your normal job without first knowing how accomplish it without the use of a machine. This proves machines were built out of curiosity, rather than out of necessity. The earliest machines were built to function to a certain limit. Without that restraint machines would cease to be exactly what they are. A machine is a tool that can execute at an almost perfect accuracy. Machines only accomplish this feet, because they operate within their own area or limitations. A machine without limitations will not function affectively and accurately. It will cease to be, and its identity of a machine will dissipate. Scientists have pondered making a machine without boundaries or restrictions. They wish to build something like humans called, â€Å"Artificial intelligence.† It will have feelings and free will. It will be able to make unreasonable decisions based on instinct, but its instinct could lead it to making the wrong choices. Some fear if artificial intelligence was ever created, mankind would fall. Technology should never pass a certain extremity, because we would lose the sight of those extraordinary men. When thinking back about what Elbert Hubbard said, I strongly believe machines were built to share the abilities of those unique extraordinary men. Machines are built to answer what has already been solved by man. They are built to make life less difficult throughout day. The machine is meant to be as useful as the inventor created it to be. No more no less, because a machine without limits is it really a machine.

Brazil vs. Costa Rica Essay

With the growing global concern for the environment, new products, industries, and sustainable practices have emerged across a number of industries. The industry of tourism on an international and domestic scale is no different. Over the past few decades, the global tourism industry has witnessed an immense increase in travel based on environmentally sound practices, devised to be sustainable . Travellers are becoming increasingly interested in natural environments, cultures, and adventures. For this new market segment activities such as wilderness viewing, wildlife observation and hiking/trekking opportunities have become more popular to a wider base of customers within the tourism and travel industry . This new form of tourism, also known as ecotourism, has also become an integral part of a number of country’s environmental and economic practices . According to Rual Goueva in his article Managing the Ecotourism Industry in Latin America:Challenges and Opportunities, ecotourism is a specific kind of tourism that â€Å"fosters, promotes, and acts as a catalyst for environmental protection †. It is in his view that ecotourism strategies must pay a great deal of attention to the following: (1) economic development, (2) environmental protection, (3) cultural protection, (4) social development and, (5) political development. As a more sustainable form of tourism, ecotourism offers an alternative and highly effective means for developing and developed economies to blend their economies into the global economy and often â€Å"provides incentives to establish sustainable development strategies †. In summary, ecotourism should concentrate on efforts to maximize the benefits of tourism while minimizing the environmental, economic, political, social, and cultural impacts of tourism. Additionally, policies have to be devised to optimize the allocation of resources from ecoturism revenues to preserve and sustain the resource base. It is, however, important to note the lack of a homogeneous definition of eco-tourism activities within the tourism industry and thus difficult to assess its impacts. Under their functional definition, the World Tourism Organization/OMT concluded in 1998 that ecotourism represents about 2 to 4 percent of total global tourism. However, this percentage is estimated to be much larger as the industry has grown almost exponentially in the past few years and the share of ecotourism broadly defined as tourists that travel to observe and enjoy nature has been expanding steadily during the last decade. Another source with a similar functional definition, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES), estimated that ecotourism is expanding by 20% annually, compared with 7% expansion for the tourism industry as a whole. The specific segment of ecotourism generated around USD 154 billion in revenues for the year 2000 . Continuing, TIES also estimates that between 40%-60% of travel around the world is nature-related and that between 20%-40% of tourists are specifically wildlife related tourists . Furthermore, it should be noted that this segment of tourism can have profound affects on a nation’s economy. It has been noted that ecotourism is primarily led by supply side economics rather than demand. In other words, the quality of the ecotourism experience is positively correlated to the level of environmental protection the local ecosystem enjoys. Ecotourism is therefore classified as a normal good or service. Additionally, it is critical that eco-ventures pay specific attention to the level of environmental disturbance and disruption that ecological and social systems can sustain . As it has been noted, any level of interaction and/or intervention with a local ecosystem may have environmental impacts, which must be minimized in order to preserve the nature being enjoyed via ecotourism . As the effects of tourism within natural and/or preserved areas can hinder or help a specific ecosystem, many policy makers around the world are paying much more attention to the regulation of natural areas. Several countries that are trying to find a compromise between economic development and environmental protection are becoming the leaders in Ecotourism. Countries that are rich in natural resources but that are not yet implementing sustainable development strategies are being encouraged to promote activities such as ecotourism . Ecotourism must be approached as a part of a number of initiatives to protect local ecosystems. At the macro level, a nation pursuing ecotourism should include as many federal, state, and local agencies as possible. It has also been noted that ecotourism must be a part of the country overall economic development and growth as well . This paper was intented to examine the economic, environmental and social aspects of two countries currently participating in the industry of ecotourism, Costa Rica and Brazil. However before an analysis can begin, it is necessary to review the formation of ecotourim in each country and examine how, when, and why ecotourism came about. Costa Rica is known as country with rich and robust biodiversity. However, in the past few decades, it has experienced an increase in amount of deforestation within the country . Like a number of developing countries, such as Brazil, Costa Rica has been steadily loosing its lush forests to agricultural uses. Between 1950 and 1990, it was estimated that the country lost about half of its total forest cover due to agricultural development . Furthermore, b the early to mid 1990s, only about 6 percent of the country’s land area (not including parks and nationally recognized protected areas) remained in intact primary forest . However, this rapid decline in forest covering has slowed in recent years with the growth of an internationally renowned national park system; which has preserved over 10 percent of the country’s total primary forests . As of today, Costa Rica has secured land throughout the country for over 25 national parks, reserves, and wildlife refuges for endangered species (as shown in Figure 1. 1, adopted from SOURCE). Along with the government’s formal protection of the land, ecotourism has been said to hinder the rate of deforestation as well. Ecotourism in Costa Rica began in the mid-1980s as a way to stop the deforestation and to generate needed foreign exchange for the economy. Tourism in general in Costa Rica has been one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy. In 1992 tourism earnings totaled $421 million, making it the second largest foreign exchange earner after bananas. Moreover, ecotourism has been rapidly expanding as well accounting for 36 percent of net tourism earnings in 1989. In sum, according to Stacy Small, Production Editor of Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine, â€Å"Costa Rica’s tourism industry has been increasing in size for many years now, and one reason for this upsurge is the appeal of and demand for ecotourism† . Costa Rica has been promoting and expanding its ecotourism industry. The Environmental Secretariat and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute have become largely responsible for the development and coordination of ecotourism policies in the country . Due to a high level of governmental involvement and the formation of societal institutions such as The Environmental Secretariat, Costa Rica has become the primary example of country in Latin America with a successful ecotourism industry. Their rich ecosystem, accounting for an outstanding 5% of the world’s biodiversity, offers the country a natural competitive advantage in the industry . Additionally, ecotourism has become the main motivation for tourists within the country. In the early 1980s, an estimated 370,000 tourists traveled to the country of Costa Rica. By 2002, about 1. 1 million tourists arrived in Costa Rica, with the vast majority, 830,000 people, being ecotourists or individuals participating in nature related travel . The ectourism sector of Costa Rica has become quite diverse, from bird watching to volcano climbing and kayaking. To date, Costa Rica has approximately 25% of its territory under governmental protection, 1. million hectares, with 12% of its territory composed of national parks and privately owned reserves . It should also be noted that the private reserves of Costa Rica utilized for ecotourism are the areas that develop and generate the most income. Take for example the Monteverde Biological Preserve, the habitat of the exotic golden toad, has become famous worldwide and is internationally recognized as one of the best areas of ecotourism in Latin America. Over the last two decades, the Monteverde reserve has earned more income than all other national parks combined with its main source of financing coming from admission fees and grants . Rara Avis is another private reserve that has turned to ecotourism. Rara Avis was opened in 1983, and contains 3,000 acres of primary and secondary forest. It borders on the Braulio Cariilo National Park and the Zona Protetora La Selva, a research station. Private banks financed Rara Avis, and it was the first of its kind in the country. Rara Avis has shown that ecotourism can become a profitable way to manage tropical forest resources. However, in more recent years, Costa Rica has witnessed detrimental side effects of overcrowding in its forest reserves as a result of increased ecotourism. Take for instance the increasingly popular Manuel Antonio Park. Heavy interest in this area has led developers to overbuild, which has threatened the diverse monkey population and other wildlife in the park. On the other hand, ecotourism has been a successful strategy for Cost Rica. Due to its consistency in approach, Costa Rica has successfully promoted an environmentally sound ecotourism industry over the past few decades. Additionally, ecotourism has had an inclusive macroeconomic strategy that benefits local communities, generates jobs as well as revenues, and has inspired further research in the areas of ecology and biodiversity. As a whole, Costa Rica offers a panoramic and pristine view of exactly how ecotourism can benefit a soceity, local communities, and the environment. Beginning of ecotourism in Brazil Ecotourism was first introduced in Brazil, on the governamental level, in 1985, when the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (Embratur) started its Ecological Tourism project. The first intention to put things in order was made in 1987 by creating the National Technical Commission, consisting of experts from both the Brazilian Institute for the Enviroment and Renovable Natural Resources (Ibama) and Embratur. The main goal of the commission was to monitor the Ecological Tourism project, as a reaction on ecotourism observed at that time, which was little organized and not at all sustainable. Although, the efforts made by govermnent were not sufficient to end with barriers between theory and practice of ecotourism. The principal problem was the lack of a unified concept of a segment, i. e. no existing criteria, regulation and incentives that would direct firms and investors and the government itself to promote and use effectively the natural assets of a country, and to protect them at the same time. As a consequence, the ecotourism in Brazil used to be an activity without any mark of order and very confused, where the main objective was to generate a profit, totally ignoring its other aspects, like socioeconomic and environmental benefits for the country. The brazilian ecotourism in the late 80s and early 90s was more likely the regular tourism which used the ecologic aspect just to sell better. Environmental experts referred to it as an â€Å"eco-opportunismâ€Å". Creating legal framework for ecotourism In 1994, a workgroup of experts of all ministries involved (Ministry of Environment, Imdustry, Commerce and Tourism) met in Goias Velho, Goias, to create a document â€Å"Directives for National Ecotourism Policyâ€Å". With this document, they set a legal framework for ecotourism in Brazil, which was defined: Ecotourism is a segment of tourism activity which uses, in a sustainable way, natural and cultural assets, incentives their conservation and looks for a creation of an ervironmental consciousness throught the interpretation of an environment and promoting the welfare of communities involved at the same time. This definition and all the other directives were created with favourable to a profitable tourism connected to environmental and cultural peculiarities of Brazil. The effort was made to assure growth of this particular branch of tourism all over Brazil, with the following criteria what ecotourism should do: -Provide better life conditions for communities in the areas of ecotourism. -Promote valuation of the environment -Create wealth and promote employment To make an opportunity to learn about natural and cultural assets in order to promote knowledge of new generations. Another important decision was made at the meeting – the government should start to cooperate with various NGOs and, together, educate prospective employers in the sector of ecotourism. The opinions of NGOs were often accepted by government in the process of building adequate infrastructure to promote sustainable growth of ecotourism in Brazil. Setting the principles Last but not least, the main concerns regarding ecotourism in Brazil were defined and published as a list of actions recommended to promote the sector in the whole country. : 1. Regulation of ecotourism – The necessity of its own legal framework, harmonized with both state and federal laws. 2. Institutional Interaction – Intensification of exchanging information and experience between governamental institutions and private sector. 3. Human Resources Creation – Education and training of personnel to work in an area of ecotourism. 4. Quality control – Creation of tools for observation, evaluation and improvement of ecotourism including both public and private sector. 5. Distribution of information – Creation of a database with the access for all national and various international institutions involved, including indicators monitoring the evolution of ecotourism. 6. Incentives to develop ecotourism – Promotion and stimulation of economic activity in the sector together with infrastructure in order to provide high quality services, especially in priority ecotourism destinations. . Information for tourists – providing the tourists knowledge about the destination they visit to make them respect the local environment. 8. Participation of communities – Make people living in major ecotourism destinations participate in the sector and modify their lifestyle to increase sustainability of the area. With the help of mentioned governamental regulation and cooperation between state instituti ons and many NGOs, the ecotourism grew by 15 % a year until 2000, while the tourism as a whole only grew 3 % anually. There were created ecotourism destinations in all brazilian states and the rigorous control has contributed to a sustainability of the sector and to protection of natural assets of Brazil. Costa Rica – Present part The tourism boom in Costa Rica began in 1987 (Crist Inman, 1997) with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1 million in 1999, to 1. 9 million foreign visitors in 2007, allowing the country to earn US $1. 9 billion in that year (World Tourism Barometer, 2008). By 2002, about 1. 1 million tourists arrived in Costa Rica, with about 830,000 of them being ecotourists (Saenz, 2001). Thus, tourism in Costa Rica has since 1999 been one of Costa Rica’s most important industries exemplified by the fact that it earns more foreign exchange than traditional commodities such as pineapples, banana and coffee combined (Departamento de Estadisticas ICT (2006) (need statistics on that ). In 2001, ecotourism accounted for an annual growth rate of 20-30 percent (Dasenbruck, 2001). Today, being the nation’s principal industry, ecotourism contributes an estimated US $825mn to the economy annually as well as a 19 % increase in the number of tourists visiting in 2005 (â€Å"Ecotourism can be good business! , 2006). Economic impact The Travel ; Tourism industry in Costa Rica encompasses transport, accommodation, catering, recreation and services for visitors. Below are presented some macroeconomic indicators in relation to the industry. GDP The Travel ;Tourism industry is expected to contribute directly 5. 3% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 (CRC778. 8 bn or US$1,466. 2 mn), rising in nominal terms to CRC2,005. 5 bn or US$2,639. 2 mn (5. 8% of total) by 2018. Additionally, according to WTTC the real growth of T;T in Costa Rica is forecasted to see a real rise of 1,2 % (US$ 3,769) in the economy GDP in 2008. Moreover, real GDP growth is expected to grow at an average of 4,7 % per annum over the coming 10 years. Employment The T;T economy contribution to employment is expected to rise from 258. 000 jobs in 2008, which represents 13,1 % of total employment, or 1 in every 7. 6 jobs to 359. 000 representing 14,4 % of total employment or 1 in every 6. 9 jobs by 2018 (WTTC, 2008). Visitor exports Export earnings from international and visitors are expected to generate 17,1 % of total exports (US $ 2,270,8 mn) in 2008 growing, in nominal terms, to 16,8 % (US$ 4,369,3 mn) of total exports in 2018 (WTTC, 2008). Investment Travel ; Tourism Capital Investment is estimated at CRC515. 0 bn, US$969. 5 mn or 15. 1 % of total investment in year 2008. By 2018, this should reach CRC1,225. 1 bn, US$1,612. 2 mn or 15. 6 % of total (WTTC, 2008). Foreign investment has had a major role to play in the development of the Costa Rican ecotourism industry. It was both politically and financially supported by the IMF, The World Bank and USAID. For instance, in 2001 the World Bank approved a US $40 mn loan of which most of it focused on ecotourism (Dasenbruck, 2001). Given that Costa Rica has a solid credit rating with international lenders along with international support from the abovementioned institutions gives the country a degree of financial stability in handling substantial costs in the development of the ecotourism industry. Government Government Travel ; Tourism operating expenditures in Costa Rica in 2008 are expected to total CRC122. 9 bn (US$231. 3 mn), or 6. 2% of total government spending. In 2018, this spending is forecast to total CRC396. 1 bn (US$521. 3 mn), or a 6. 4% share (WTTC, 2008). I’ll add more here about government institutions and initiatives, laws, regulations†¦. Ecotourism and the environment Behind ecotourism lies the idea of preserving a nation’s natural resources while profiting from them (Dasenbruck, 2001). Similarly to Brazil, ecotourism is overall considered to be beneficial to the environment compared to conventional forms of tourism e. g. mass tourism, exemplified by Cancun in Mexico with 4,000 room hotel resorts. One of the reasons that ecotourism in Costa Rica enjoys such high importance economically is because there exists a strong environmental lobby based in the â€Å"green industry† (Dasenbruck, 2001. This lobby recognizes the long-term benefits of aintaining an environmentally friendly image and therefore it supports most of the government’s conservation initiatives. Some, however, argue that ecotourism is an oxymoron, since travel at its base is detrimental to the environment. Airplane fossil fuels and the pollution coming from jet airplanes are used as examples of evidence, that international travel and environmental protection are mutually exclusive by nature (Dasenbruck, 2002). Ecotourism in Brazil Current Growth Brazilian ecotourism began to grow exponentially after the country woke up to its eco-potential during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Still, ecotourism in Brazil continues to grow at a rapid pace. While the tourism industry overall grows at a rate of 3% annually, ecotourism is up by 15%. Other areas such as the city of Bonito are experiencing bigger growths of 20-30%. (Planeta) Furthermore, it is estimated that by the year 2010, ecotourism could make up as much as 50% of the travel industry according to Dorival Bruni, president of the non-profit Biosphere society. Considering that one of the largest ecotourism destinations in the world is the Amazon, this estimate is considerably probable. It is estimated by the World Tourism Organization that ecotourism may represent 2-4% of the world’s tourism. In 2000, ecotourism accounted for 10% of Brazilian tourism revenues (Bioesfera, 2001). The next three economic markers show Brazil’s travel and tourism industry’s contribution toward total GDP, employment, and exports. GDP The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) research findings reported that the Travel & Tourism industry is expected to contribute directly 2. 5% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 BRL 70. 6 or US$36. 1bn), rising in nominal terms to BRL157. bn or US$53. 2bn(2. 6% of total) by 2018 (WTTC). Employment Brazil’s Travel & Tourism Economy employment is estimated at 5,500,000 jobs in 2008, 5. 9% of total employment, or 1 in every 16. 9 jobs. By 2018, this should total 7,634,000 jobs, 6. 6% of total employment, or 1 in every 15. 2 jobs (WTTC). Exports Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to gener ate 5. 9% of total exports (BRL22. 5 bn or US$11. 5 bn) in 2008, growing (nominal terms) to BRL65. 4 bn or US$22. 1 bn (5. 4% of total) in 2018 (WTTC). Ecotourism and the environment One of the core benefits of ecotourism is the sustainability of the environment thus; ecotourism is an economically productive way to protect Brazil’s natural wonders. Consequently, Brazil’s continued growth of ecotourism is also generating a positive social impact. Local skilled and semi-skilled populations are benefiting the most from this current growth. According to Joao Mireilles Filho, president of the Peabiru Ecotourism Institute and of the Brazilian Ecotourism Institute (IEB), one of the most visited regions in Brazil for ecotourism is the Pantanal region, which is a vast series of wetlands in the upper Paraguay River Basin. The capital of this region, a town called Bonito is the main launching spot for ecotourists. Socially, Bonito accounts for about 2,000 jobs in the sector out of a population of less than 20,000 people. (Planeta) Investments As ecotourism continues to grow, it will provide investment opportunities for private and foreign investors who see the value in this industry. One region of such potential is The Ribeira de Iguape River, one of the most important rivers in the Brazilian southeastern state of Sao Paulo. The Ribeira de Iguape Valley is known for its complex geology and natural riches with a number of limestone caves and important mineral resources. Currently it is still characterized by poverty and underdevelopment however; ecotourism in the region has now a US$ 15 million financing – US$ 9 million from the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) and US$ 6 million from the government of Sao Paulo for improvement in infra-structure, training and organization. The Monetary International Fund (MIF) provided a $1. 7 million grant to improve the quality and competitiveness of small to medium sized enterprises in the tourist sector. By the year 2010, more than 5,000 firms are in the tourist sector are expected to pursue certification. It is estimated that ecotourism will receive a considerable amount of this grant. (IDB) In February 2006, the IDB approved a loan of $9 million toward improvements in infrastructure, including highways and productive systems in the Atlantic Forest region of the state of Sao Paolo. This project will benefit six parks which will benefit by retaining their visitors and acquiring financial sustainability while protecting their natural wonders. Opportunities One of the biggest areas of opportunity for Brazil is the Amazon region. This region is home to some 20 million people and is known for the biological diversity of its ecosystem and the great diversity of flora and fauna. It has the potential to become one of the largest ecotourism attractions in the world. As a matter of fact, it is 98 times larger than Costa Rica. Unfortunately in 2000 it only earned US400 million in exports which is less than half of Costa Rica’s total revenues during that time. This equates to a meager . 05% of the world’s ecotourism revenues in 2000. One of the biggest challenges facing this region is the lack of infrastructure such as energy power, communication, and transportation. The government taken some steps to ameliorate the situation by launching PROECOTUR (The Program of Development of Eco-Tourism in the Amazon) with the help of the IDB to develop and improve the infrastructure of selected areas in the region. It includes surveying best practices for ecotourism, financing ecotourism projects, developing tourist infrastructure, and assisting investors with technological and financial aid (SCA). Since deforestation has already affected large areas of the Amazon, Proecotur should bring more visitors to the region as well as sustainable revenue. Another project launched was the Poles project by the tourist and travel agency Embrateur in conjunction with the Ecotourism institute in an effort to establish guidelines for the development of ecotourism poles around the country. Brazil vs. Costa Rica Ecotourism in Brazil is still underdeveloped especially in the Amazon region which has tremendous upward potential in terms of providing a greater source of income on both a local and a national level for the Brazilian economy. In exploring various economic, political, and social factors that influence the ability of these countries to expand their ecotourism market, Costa seems to have the better position. In terms of GDP contribution relative to each country’s national economy, Costa Rica 13. 5% doubles Brazil’s 6. 2% indicating that there is significant room for growth for Brazil due to its tremendous size. Consequently, Costa Rica’s employment as well as exports are also incrementally higher at 13. 1% vs. 5. 9% and 17. 1% and 5. 9% respectively. On the other hand, Brazil has a much higher potential in terms of growth largely due to its untapped Amazon region. In terms of Real Growth, Brazil’s future looks bright. In 2008, Brazil is forecast to see Real Growth of 6. 7% in terms of Direct Industry GDP. Nominally, this represents an increase of US$36bn. With regards to Direct Industry Employment, an increase of 6. 4% is expected which means an additional 2,279,000 jobs will be generated. In contrast, Costa Rica is expected to see a Real Growth of -1. 5% in terms of Direct Industry GDP (in nominal terms US$1,466,000mn) and -3. 9% decrease in Direct Industry Employment. Brazil will be able to handle such growth but will need to have a collaborative effort nationally if they want to sustain their current growth. The government certainly plays an important role in the development of ecotourism in Brazil. They must provide the overall policy environment to permit development to proceed along an orderly path, and should welcome the involvement of other sectors. Furthermore, there is a need to teach policy makers the importance of ecotourism as a viable financial profit sanctuary so that policies reflect social and environmental concerns as well as market realities. Next, effective certification programs should be implemented to ensure adequate information of products and services is given to the public. Educating consumers and raising awareness on the importance to protect the national environment should stimulate demand for socially and environmentally friendly products that ecotourism provides. Lastly, significant improvement of Brazil’s logistic resources such as roads, electric power and infrastructure in the Amazon region will be quintessential for the sustainability of Brazil’s ecotourism industry.