Monday, September 30, 2019

Caltex in South Africa Essay

A South African Investment American oil companies Texaco and SoCal (Caltex) were refining oil in South Africa. They planned to expand their refining capacity. However there was numerous discrimination issues pertaining to the status and treatment of the black citizens. At the time, the South African government maintained an apartheid system of governing their nation. Caltex was under scrutiny by American political parties and its stockholders for the way African workers were treated. Whites ruled South Africa’s apartheid government, blacks could not vote, and had no political rights. They also had little freedom, were forced to live in segregated areas and were paid a low salary compared to whites. They were not allowed to own their own land or homes. (Velasquez 2006 pg. 59). By Caltex doing business in South Africa, their long-term intent was to eventually change the apartheid government to a more equality based one, such as that of the American government. From a business standpoint, the benefits of Caltex being in South Africa outweighed the issues of violating human rights and moral ethics. Caltex assumed that if they pulled out of South Africa it would be a detriment to the African government and economy. By Caltex doing business there, they offered jobs to the poor and needy, they would also increase the economic and political growth. Even though the African government was harsh and unfair to the black people, Caltex presumed they would influence them in a positive way. If Caltex were to pull out of South Africa the effects would be more detrimental to the government and people. The poor and middle-class would no longer have jobs and the blacks would be forced to live on the streets rather than the segregated communities they currently lived in. Caltex claimed they complied with the Code of Conduct established by Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan. The code incorporated six principles that corporations were to abide by. The principles were based on equality and fairness for all workers, non-segregation for all races and equal pay for equal work. The principles also included training and education that would provide promotions of blacks and non-whites into supervisory and secretarial positions. By improving and educating the people, the improvement of their lives would be exponentially greater. (Smith 1977 pg. 59-60) Caltex’s decision to stay in South Africa was fueled by its desire to influence and ultimately change the racist government. They lead by example by applying the six principles to their own corporation. Caltex hired black workers and valued the relationships they had established with them. (Velasquez 2006 pg. 58). They also emphasized the care of all races. This act is known as â€Å"ethics of care† and being concerned for the well being of others. (Velasquez 2006 pg. 60). If Caltex were to pull their business out of South Africa the blacks would be the affected the most. Therefore Caltex strived to convince the South African government and stockholders of the benefits of doing business there. As a stockholder an individual could assume that (1) Caltex should in fact leave South Africa due to the injustices and inequality of the citizens. Caltex treated their workers fairly, however they had no control over the way the government treated the blacks when they were not working. Oftentimes they were imprisoned and killed for a variety of reasons. (2) Although Caltex played a role in liberating the citizens of South Africa, they also played a monetary role in supporting the government by selling oil to the African government and military. This in turn supported the utilitarian apartheid system of governing the citizens. (3) Asking Caltex to support the Tutu rules does not resolve the issue of the government. Caltex provided jobs and equal pay however after hours the police and government subjected the blacks to abuse. According to Tutu’s beliefs the racist regime of the South African Government needed to be eradicated other wise companies are just â€Å"Attempting to polish my chains and make them more comfortable. † (Velasquez 2006 pg. 59). Caltex helped the blacks to have better working conditions, pay and housing. However the apartheid government had the ultimate control. The importance of American companies doing business in South Africa grew. Attempts at resolving issues between citizens, government, companies and shareholders grew. Several resolutions were proposed however some were defeated. Stockholders of Caltex defended the principal of equal liberty â€Å"The claim that each citizen’s liberties must be protected from invasion by others and must be equal to those of others. † (Velasquez 2006 pg. 96). Caltex provided wealth to South Africa and its citizens however when the situation turned for the worse they should have withdrew their business. They helped the country and the government in a monetary way, which in turn helped and also hindered its citizens. Caltex used the difference principal in the claim that a productive society will incorporate inequalities, by improving the most needy members of society, which were the blacks. (Velasquez 2006 pg. 97). The resolution indicated that the South African government was to take action of dismantling the apartheid and the influx of control laws. When this did not take place, the American companies were to start the process of withdrawing their business from South Africa. Several attempts to rectify the issues went unresolved. Even though there was a high vote from shareholders the problems worsened. Companies are not solely responsible for a high return on investors’ money. Although they want the best for their clients they do not control nor time the markets. Managers constantly have to make choices between comparative alternatives and the governing of state and federal laws. Their purpose is to make money for their clients and for the business. Often times they have to choose the best rate of return for the stockholder. The rate of return is the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment. This determines how well a stock is doing and if shareholders want to either buy more stock or sell. Managers are required by law to document and monitor their investment process. All mangers must comply with SEC regulations, investment policies and guidelines. They are also obligated to comply with bank policies and private companies.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Ethernet as a Network Topology

Ethernet is the most widely used network topology. You can choose between bus and star topologies, and coaxial, twisted-pair, or fiber optic cabling. But with the right connective equipment, multiple Ethernet-based LANs (local area networks) can be linked together no matter which topology and/or cabling system they use. In fact, with the right equipment and software, even Token Ring, Apple Talk, and wireless LANs can be connected to Ethernet. The access method Ethernet uses is CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection). In this method, multiple workstation access a transmission medium (Multiple Access) by listening until no signals are detected (Carrier Sense). Then they transmit and check to see if more than one signal is present (Collision Detection). Each station attempts to transmit when it â€Å"believes† the network is free. If there is a collision, each station attempts to retransmit after a preset delay, which is different for each workstation. Collision detection is an essential part of the CSMA/CD access method. Each transmitting workstation needs to be able to detect that simultaneous (and therefore data-corrupting) transmission has taken place. If a collision is detected, a â€Å"jam† signal is propagated to all nodes. Each station that detects the Collision will wait some period of time and then try again. The two possible topologies for Ethernet are bus and star. The bus is the simplest (and the traditional) topology. Standard Ethernet (10BASE5) and Thin Ethernet (1OBASE2), both based on coaxial cable systems, use the bus. Twisted-Pair Ethernet (10BASE-T), based on unshielded twisted pair, and Fiberoptic Ethernet (FOIRL and 10BASE-FL), based on fiberoptic cable, use the star. In the following document we will try to explain what switched, Fast and Gigabit Ethernet are and make comparison of these three. LAN segments can be interconnected using bridges or routers. This works well when the traffic between segments is not high, but the interconnecting devices can become bottlenecks as the inter-segment traffic increases. Until recently, there were few ways to alleviate this problem. Now, however, a new class of interconnect products has emerged that can boost bandwidth on overburdened, traditional LANs while working with conventional cabling and adapters. These are known as LAN switches and are available for Ethernet, token ring, and FDDI. Switching technology is increasing the efficiency and speed of networks. This technology is making current systems more powerful, while at the same time facilitating the migration to faster networks. Understanding this technology is important; only then can we design and implement switched networks from the ground up. Switching directs network traffic in a very efficient manner – it sends information directly from the port of origin to only its destination port. Switching increases network performance, enhances flexibility and eases moves, adds and changes. Switching establishes a direct line of communication between two ports and maintains multiple simultaneous links between various ports. It proficiently manages network traffic by reducing media sharing – traffic is contained to the segment for which it is destined, be it a server, power user or workgroup. It is a cost-effective technique for increasing the overall network throughput and reducing congestion on a 10-Mbps network. Other than the addition of the switching hub, the Ethernet network remains the same the same network interface cards, the same client software, the same LAN cabling. There are three basic types of switches on the market at this time. They all perform the same basic function of dividing a large network into smaller sub-networks, however the manner in which they work internally is different. The types are known as Store and Forward, Cut Through, and Hybrid. A description of each type is shown below: A Store and Forward switch operates much as its name implies; first it stores each incoming frame in a buffer, checks it for errors, and if the frame is good it then forwards it to its destination port. A Cut Through switch operates differently than a Store and Forward type. In a Cut Through switch, the switch begins forwarding the frame immediately upon recieving the Destination Address. A Hybrid switch is an attempt to get the best of both Store and Forward switches and Cut Through switches. A Hybrid switch normally operates in Cut Through mode, but constantly monitors the rate at which invalid or damaged frames are forwarded. Designing A Switched Ethernet Network Designing a switched Ethernet network is actually a fairly straightforward process. The first step is to evaluate the traffic flow through you expect each user or group of users to generate. Analysis of the network will most likely find that you have a large number of users who are not going to place a heavy load on the network, and a smaller number of users who will place a large load on the network. We now group the Undemanding Users together on a hub and connect each hub to a switch port. Our more demanding users will usually be either directly connected to the switch, or if they are on hubs, fewer of them will be sharing each switch port than on the Undemanding User portion. One point which should be kept in mind regarding the design of a switched network is that traffic patterns vary by user and time. Therefore, just taking a â€Å"snapshot† of network usage patterns may lead to the wrong conclusions and result in a design, which is not optimal. It is always advisable to monitor usage patterns over a period of several days to a week to decide how to allocate network bandwidth optimally. Also, in almost all cases, a process of trial and error may be required to fully optimize the design.  · It is most important to get a switch that doesn't drop frames.  · Latency is a concern, but take it with a grain of salt. It will not make that much of a difference.  · Deciding between cut-through and store-and-forward depends on the application. Time-sensitive applications may need the former.  · Multimedia stations need dedicated switched ports.  · Most switch implementations consist of a switch with many stations (demand) and few servers (resources). It is best to keep a 1:1 ratio between demand and resource. Or, as mentioned earlier, increase the number of access pipes to the resource. (i.e., multiple lines into one server)  · Baseline your network prior to installing switches to determine the percentage of bad frames that already exist on the network.  · RMON (Remote Monitor) capability embedded in switch ports is may be costly, but it may save time and money in the long run.  · Certain switches support a flow control mechanism known as â€Å"back pressure.† This spoofs collision detection circuitry into thinking there is a collision and subsequently shifting to a back-off algorithm. This throttles back the sending station from transmitting any further data until the back-off process is complete. Switches with this feature need to be placed into the network carefully. What is 100baseT and Why is It Important? 100baseT, also known as Fast Ethernet, is simply a new version of Ethernet that runs at 100 million bits per second, which is ten times the speed of the existing Ethernet standard. 100baseT is becoming very popular because networks need more bandwidth due to more users and to demanding applications like graphics and networked databases. In fact, for many applications, standard Ethernet is simply too slow. For this reason, most experts believe that 100baseT will eclipse Ethernet as the dominant standard for Local Area Networks (LANs) during the next few years. A major advantage of all variants of 100baseT is software compatibility with standard Ethernet. This means that virtually all existing operating systems and application programs can take advantage of 100baseT capabilities without modification. One way fast Ethernet helps network managers make incremental upgrades at relatively low cost is by supporting most wiring and cabling media. The 100-Mbit/s specification can run over the Category 3 and Category 5 wiring already in place. It also runs over fiber optic cabling already installed. Fast Ethernet offers three media options: 100Base-T4 for half-duplex operation on four pairs of Category 3 UTP (unshielded twisted pair) or Category 5 UTP, 100Base-TX for half- or full-duplex operation on two pairs of data-grade Category 5 UTP or STP (shielded twisted pair), and 100Base-FX for half- or full-duplex transmission over fiber optic cable (the specification should be completed by year's end). As with other high-speed LAN technologies, fast Ethernet operates most efficiently on higher-grade media, such as Category 5 cabling or fiber. For Category 3-based installations, the 100Base-T4 media option uses four pairs of Category 3 UTP cabling. Data is transmitted on three pairs of wires, utilizing standard 8B/6T coding, which allows a lower signal frequency and decreases electromagnetic emissions. However, because the 100Base-T 4 standard uses the three pairs of wires for both transmission and reception, a 100Base-T4 network cannot accommodate full-duplex operation, which requires simultaneous dedication of wire pairs to transmission and reception. Work is still in progress on 100Base-FX fast Ethernet over fiber, but trials show it to be stable and capable of sustained 100-Mbit/s throughput at distances over 100 meters. Essentially, as a second means of transmitting data over fiber, 100Base-FX will be an alternative to FDDI. Moreover, because it will support full-duplex operation, 100Base-FX has the potential to become a significant backbone technology. 100BASE-T Fast Ethernet represents the best choice for customers interested in high speed networking for many reasons. There are 40 million 10 Mbps (Mega-bit per second) Ethernet users in the world today. 100BASE-T technology has evolved from this 10 Mbps world. By keeping the essential characteristics of the Ethernet technology (known as CSMA/CD) unchanged in the 100Mbit world, customers and installers can benefit from the body of Ethernet expertise developed over the years. The Ethernet industry expects that 100BASE-T will offer ten times the performance for twice the price of 10BASE-T. This improvement is made possible by advances in integrated circuit chip technology. As chips get smaller, they run faster, use less energy and are cheaper to produce. Early Ethernet controllers were made in 1.2 micron chips. State-of-the-art technology uses 0.45 micron chips. This represents an almost eight-fold reduction in chip size. 100BASE-T technology offers unparalleled ease of migration. You can decide how fast to upgrade, in what steps and stages, without massive â€Å"fork-lift† upgrades. Most 100BASE-T network cards will run as 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T cards. You will be able to buy cards now and run them at 10BASE-T speeds. Later when you are ready to upgrade to 100BASE-T you will not need to change your network cards. 100BASE-T is widely supported by many different companies. These include networking, systems, semiconductor, computer, integrator and research companies. Many of these companies have been supporting the industry effort through the Fast Ethernet Alliance. Wide support is essential for network users, ensuring a ready supply of interoperable products at competitive prices. The transmission systems of the 100BASE-T standard have high data integrity. It was shown that if 100 million 100BASE-T networks were run at maximum speed it would take over a billion times the age of the universe before there would be an undetected error. These error rates are significantly better than for 10BASE-T, Token Ring and FDDI. Recently, PC LAN adapter card manufacturers like 3Com and SMC have made very aggressive moves to further accelerate the adoption of 100baseT by pricing their 100baseTX products at only a slight premium compared to their standard Ethernet products. For example, a 3Com 100baseTX card is priced at $149, compared to $129 for their Ethernet card. Because virtually all 100baseTX cards also support 10baseT, this means that customers are being encouraged to buy the 100baseT capability even if they don't need it today. In other words, you can buy the 100baseTX card today and use it on your existing 10baseT network; when you upgrade your network to 100baseTX, you won't have to throw away your adapter cards. By all accounts, this strategy has been very successful. Gigabit Ethernet is an extension of the highly successful 10Mbps (10Base-T) Ethernet and 100Mbps (100Base-T) Fast Ethernet standards for network connectivity. IEEE has given approval to the Gigabit Ethernet project as the IEEE 802.3z Task Force. Gigabit Ethernet is fully compatible with the huge installed base of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet nodes. The original Ethernet specification was defined by the frame format and support for CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) protocol, full duplex, flow control, and management objects as defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard. Gigabit Ethernet will employ all of these specifications. In short, Gigabit Ethernet is the same Ethernet that managers already know and use, but 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet and 100 times faster than Ethernet. It also supports additional features that accommodate today's bandwidth-hungry applications and match the increasing power of the server and desktop. To support increasing bandwidth needs, Gigabit Ethernet incorporates enhancements that enable fast optical fiber connections at the physical layer of the network. It provides a tenfold increase in MAC (Media Access Control) layer data rates to support video conferencing, complex imaging and other data-intensive applications. Gigabit Ethernet compatibility with Ethernet preserves investments in administrator expertise and support staff training, while taking advantage of user familiarity. There is no need to purchase additional protocol stacks or invest in new middleware. Just as 100Mbps Fast Ethernet provided a low-cost, incremental migration from 10Mbps Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet will provide the next logical migration to 1000Mbps bandwidth. This section discusses the various topologies in which Gigabit Ethernet may be used. Gigabit Ethernet is essentially a â€Å"campus technology†, that is , for use as a backbone in a campus-wide network. It will be used between routers, switches and hubs. It can also be used to connect servers, server farms (a number of server machines bundled together), and powerful workstations. Essentially, four types of hardware are needed to upgrade an exiting Ethernet/Fast Ethernet network to Gigabit Ethernet :  · Gigabit Ethernet Network Interface Cards (NICs)  · Aggregating switches that connect a number of Fast Ethernet segments to Gigabit Ethernet  · Gigabit Ethernet repeaters ( or Buffered Distributors) The five most likely upgrade scenarios are given below : 1.Upgrading server-switch connections Most networks have centralized file servers and compute servers A server gets requests from a large number of clients. Therefore, it needs more bandwidth. Connecting servers to switches with Gigabit Ethernet will help achieve high speed access to servers. . This is perhaps the simplest way of taking advantage of Gigabit Ethernet. 2.Upgrading switch-switch connections Another simple upgrade involves upgrading links between Fast Ethernet switches to Gigabit Ethernet links between 100/1000 Mbps switches. 3.Upgrading a Fast Ethernet backbone A Fast Ethernet backbone switch aggregates multiple 10/100 Mbps switches. It can be upgraded to a Gigabit Ethernet switch which supports multiple 100/1000 Mbps switches as well as routers and hubs which have Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Once the backbone has been upgraded, high performance servers can be connected directly to the backbone. This will substantially increase throughput for applications which require high bandwidth. 4.Upgrading High Performance Workstations As workstations get more and more powerful, higher bandwidth network connections are required for the workstations. Current high-end PCs have buses which can pump out more than 1000 Mbps. Gigabit Ethernet can be used to connect such high speed machines. Gigabit Ethernet will be an ideal solution for many of the networking challenges confronting MIS departments today. With businesses implementing more powerful technologies like super-fast servers and data-intensive applications such as video streaming, videoconferencing, or high-speed file backups, the new Gigabit Ethernet standard will go a long way toward adding significant bandwidth at reasonable costs. The following explains some of the key advantages Gigabit Ethernet will provide. Gigabit Ethernet will offer a dramatic increase (as much as a hundredfold) in pure bandwidth to help organizations meet the challenges of overburdened or growing network infrastructures. Gigabit throughput will greatly relieve pressures on LAN backbones while providing both the scalability and speed users need to run data-intensive applications productively. When gigabit data rates become available, firms will be able to greatly expedite large file transfers between servers and other devices. Mirroring the price and performance benefits that Fast Ethernet brought to Ethernet networking, Gigabit Ethernet will offer ten times greater performance than today†s Fast Ethernet at two to three times the cost. The working groups are selecting technologies, such as the Fibre Channel physical layer for fiber, with these specific cost targets in mind. Gigabit Ethernet will maintain the 802.3 and Ethernet standard frame format, as well as 802.3 managed object specifications. As a result, organizations can easily upgrade to gigabit speeds while preserving existing applications; operating systems; protocols such as IP, IPX, and AppleTalk; and network management platforms and tools. Managing Gigabit Ethernet networks upgraded from Fast Ethernet backbones will be simple and easy because the new technology requires no learning curve or training for MIS staffs. By offering backward compatibility with existing 10/100 Ethernet standards, Gigabit Ethernet will provide the same outstanding investment protection that Fast Ethernet offered. When upgrading to gigabit performance, companies will maintain existing wiring, operating systems, protocols, drivers, and desktop applications. No training is required for users or network managers, and network management tools and applications will remain intact. Administrators will be able to keep existing tried-and-tested hardware, software, and management practices while providing-with minimal risk and cost-the networking functionality and performance their organizations require. Gigabit Ethernet is the third generation Ethernet technology offering a speed of 1000 Mbps. It is fully compatible with existing Ethernets, and promises to offer seamless migration to higher speeds. Existing networks will be able to upgrade their performance without having to change existing wiring, protocols or applications. Gigabit Ethernet is expected to give existing high speed technologies such as ATM and FDDI a run for their money. The IEEE is working on a standard for Gigabit Ethernet, which is expected to be out by the beginning of 1998. A standard for using Gigabit Ethernet on twisted pair cable is expected by 1999.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Analysing the effect of long working hours in Hong Kong's clothing Research Paper

Analysing the effect of long working hours in Hong Kong's clothing retail industry - Research Paper Example This paper will examine the current state of the work of employees in the clothing industry and will show how this is currently affecting those who are subjected to long working hours and the inability to take off more time for family. There will also be an association with how the longer working hours change the effectiveness of the organization and the ability to create sustainable development because of individual complexities from the longer working hours. 1.1 Statement Problem and Rationale The problem with long working hours in Hong Kong is now considered at an epidemic level, specifically among the apparel industry. The demands that are a part of the competition have created the specific problems with the industry because of the amount of competition and the need to remain a priority among Western demands. This is combined with the long working hours becoming socially and culturally accepted to stimulate the economy without having political recourse or labor intensive laws tha t change the main attributes within the industry. The working hours are intertwined with the individual, family, organization and overall apparel industry, making the issue complex with finding policies and standards among a culture. The physical and mental health of employees is first affected. However, the long working hours often don’t change because the inability to produce in a highly competitive environment may become detrimental. The image, reputation and the high performance levels expected then begin to affect the company. This complexity makes it difficult to carry through with specific standards and policies that would demand ethics sand the reaction within the culture provides several problems that are a part of the long hours. The need to alter the standards and understand the detrimental effects of longer working hours is one that is intertwined with the individual outcomes, family problems and the corporate changes that don’t provide the correct affiliat ion with building into the economy with ethical considerations in mind first. Understanding how each area is affected by the longer working hours and what this leads to can then help those working in the fashion industry to begin to change ethical standards and find different alternatives to compete with human resources. 1.2 Investigative Questions The problem with the working industry is one which is defined specifically by the inability to change the needs of employees who are expected to work long hours. The investigative questions asked in this study include: 1. What are the impacts of long working hours on individuals and families in the Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 2. What are the main influences of the long working hours on organizations in the Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 3. What measures can be taken to prevent and relieve negative effects of LWH in Hong Kong clothing retail industry? 2.0 Literature Review The problem with long working hours is one that begins by impacting the individual then moves into the associations with the organization. While higher amounts of productivity are expected with longer working hours, there is also the impact that is made on the organization that

Friday, September 27, 2019

Managing Human Resouces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Human Resouces - Essay Example ty, than the last one is Personal Objective, it is assumed to be the core purpose of HR and that is to assist employees in reaching their own goals and helping and assuring their contribution in the success of the organization it self. Lets move onto few more important steps of HR. "To raise productive efficiency and to improve the physical and mental conditions under which people work. The two goals are related in the sense that better working conditions may raise productivity, but this does not always happen. The emphasis differs among countries and among enterprises. Quality circles, for example, are designed primarily to raise productivity, while safety and health measures may be directed toward improving the working environment, even at the expense of output"(Galenson, 47: 1991). The most important thing to do in life is "Work" and one cannot do any such work in a long term, which is affecting the personal issues, it can be very difficult for someone to actually work an entire life with in same circumstances which are making life even more terrible rather than fulfilling the needs of that individual, the stress is inevitable in the lives of each and every one of us and just simply cannot move out of it though there are numerous ways through which we can reduce stress in life, it is all about managing and brining a balance in life and work, if the balance can be found than it would involuntarily bring stress under control. According to Cooper in 1999, "there is a considerable amount of activity in the field of stress Management, it is disproportionally concentrated on reducing the effects of stress, rather than reducing the presence of stressors at work"(p. 1). It is important to know the relationship between the work and stress, how could some one work effectively if he/she knows that in coming weak he/she would be fired How could someone work effectively if someone after knowing that in the next 48 hours he/she would have to work continuously because of some sudden problem We all simply can understand the basics required to live a healthy life. The stress and work has a direct relation with each other, the stress created by work is usually based on three characteristics of human nature, couple of them has been discussed but they are more formally known as Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, these points are the results of previous redundancies or the happening things around such as change in company policies and change in the organization's culture, in the modern days Human Resources have gained more

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Failed states should be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council Essay

Failed states should be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council. Discuss - Essay Example Factors like government stability and social peace are taken into consideration for deciding the status of a state, whether it is failed or not. Current paper presents the context of failed state focusing on the following issue: should failed states be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council. The role of the above Council is reviewed and evaluated, especially in regard to the interaction of the Council with the failed states worldwide. It is made clear that the Trusteeship Council could play such role but under certain terms: that the national identity and the control over the national territory will not be threatened. 2. Failed states and the Trusteeship Council 2.1 Failed states - characteristics In order to understand the potential need of failed states to be set under the care of the Trusteeship Council it would be necessary to explain primarily the characteristics of these states. In the literature the failure of states has been extensively explored. According to Harpviken , Enjolras and Sivesind (2010) a state can be characterized as failed only if certain terms are met. Reference is made, for example, to the view of Zartman (1995) who noted that a state is considered as failed ‘when the basic functions of the state are no longer performed’ (Zartman 1995 in Harpviken, Enjolras and Sivesind 2010, p.29). A state can be also characterized as failed if ‘it has not been able to establish the features associated with statehood’ (Harpviken, Enjolras and Sivesind 2010, p.29). In other words, a state can be failed either since its beginning, if it has not managed to implement the functions required for building its identity as a state, or at a later point of time, when its functions, which have been successful implemented, become inactive. This means that for all states no guarantee can exist in regard to their success or failure. Of course, as long as a state is carefully structure and its functions are closely monitored it is quite difficult for the particular state to become a failed state. From another point of view, Rotberg (2010) noted that failed states are characterized by ‘the collapse of government’ (Rotberg 2010, p.43), as this collapse can have many consequences, such as social disorder, threats against human rights, lack of necessary food and so on (Rotberg 2010, p.43). In other words, states can be characterized as failed not only because of the status of their functions but also of the status of their politics. Naude, Santos-Paulino and McGillivray (2011) claim that failed states tend to face specific problems, such as ‘weak governance and unequal distribution of goods and wealth’ (Naude, Santos-Paulino and McGillivray (2001, p.44). On the other hand, there are states that have no government due to the lack of necessary majority of voters, as for example in the case of Belgium; also, these states continue to operate with no problem being in a pre-election period for quit e a long period of time. This means that the view of Rotberg, as presented above, that the collapse of government results necessarily to the failure of a state, is not verified. Akpinarli (2009) argues that problematic states can be categorized as follows: failed and failing, a distinction also accepted by Herdegen (Akpinarli 2009, p.97). It is explained that the criteria used by each research for describing the status of a state that faces a series of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Reflective Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflective Memo - Essay Example This is why English 102 came to me as a joy as I learnt to write the various types of writing. One of the most interesting things I have learnt is writing a research proposal. I consider this very important because it will be of great use in my future academics as well as after college. I learnt the process of putting together a compelling research proposal which will easily get approval. I really hope this will help me in writing better papers in the future and that is will contribute to a productive academic life.. Learning to write a research proposal was probably one of the most interesting things which were very enlightening to me. I learnt that writing a research proposal is a process of expressing oneself and letting the public understand what is important about a certain research project. English 102 was also important in learning how to write an argumentative essay. I was able to learn how to write an effective and compelling argumentative essay, and I believe these skills will be important in especially after my days in college. I believe that the ability to achieve in life is based on one’s ability to look at issues and be able to convince people to see one’s point of view. English 102 was therefore a very important class because I leant how to write an argumentative essay, and this is a skill I believe will be important for me in my career later. This is especially because I am an idea person, and in most cases I find my position where i need to convince people why my point of view is important and probably best. Apart from argumentative writing, this class important in learning other important issues in written communication. I definitely consider myself a better communicator especially where written communication is concerned. Learning how to writ e evaluative essays for various artefacts such as movies sand other productions was interesting for me and I believe that it is helped with my analytical skills. Above everything else,

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Single-sex education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Single-sex education - Research Paper Example ts have the right to get a good education, the readers can identify the advantages and disadvantages of each system to develop the current education system. Single-sex or gender-separate education relates to education that involves members of the same sex attending the same classes. This may occur in elementary, secondary schools or even in higher education. This is in contrast to the more conventional coeducation style of education where students of both sexes attend the same classes and schools. This single-sex education has been used in so many countries where it is considered as an appropriate style from the view of religion, or cultural tradition. Also, it was a worldwide style of education before the nineteenth century (Wikipedia, n.d.). According to The New York Times magazine, the number of single-sex schools had increased to forty-nine in 2008. In 1995, this number was only two in the whole United States (Silva, 2008). Each student has the right to get better educated and the solution is to have a coeducation system which offers single-sex classrooms to approach the advantages of both. Title IX was the first law that seemed to support the learning of both boys and girls together. It stated that boys and girls should be educated equally and together. Nevertheless, in 2006, the Department of Education removed these boundaries that only supposed on single-sex education. Since then, single-sex schools and classes was split across the country(Stanberry, n.b.). The change to Title IX to allow single-sex education in public schooling provided more choices in the public schools. Parents from then on have variety of options in the public schools for their children’s education. For example, Prestige Academy was going to open in 2008 in Wilmington, America for boys’ only public charter school. This was an important step to help black and Latino boys that come from low-income, and scored lower than the average score in most of the school’s requested goals

Monday, September 23, 2019

Transcendentalim and Walden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transcendentalim and Walden - Essay Example int hum of a mosquito making its invisible and unimaginable tour through my apartment at earliest dawn, when I was sitting with door and windows open, as I could be by any trumpet that ever sang of fame. It was Homer’s requiem; itself and Iliad and Odyssey in the air, singing its own wrath and wanderings. There was something cosmical about it; a standing advertisement, till forbidden, of the everlasting vigor and fertility of the world. The morning which is the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour. Then there is least somnolence in us; and for an hour, at least, some part of us awakes which slumbers all the rest of the day and night. Little is to be expected of that day, if it can be called a day, to which we are not awakened by our Genius, but by the mechanical nudgings of some servitor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Thoreau 140). According to Walden, Henry David Thoreau’s Walden is a manuscript of self-reliance, a social experiment that reflects upon simple living in natural surroundings. The book employs elements of transcendentalism, an idealistic philosophical movement developed by Immanuel Kant that is based on the idea that to understand life, one must enter an intuitive process of personal introspection. This paper employs close reading techniques to show how elements of transcendentalism are exemplified in the excerpt. The paper also discusses figures of speech, diction, tone, and the general use of words in Thoreau’s Walden, to explain their effectiveness in relaying Thoreau’s message of simple living. Spiritual awakening, simplicity, individualism, and being one with nature are some of the elements of transcendentalism that unshackle human beings from the traditional ideologies of conformity and materialism. Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that champions for self-independence and self-reliance of the individual in society. It was developed by transcendentalists in the early 1820s and 1830s. Transcendentalism is exemplified by various

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Journey by Anne Cameron Essay Example for Free

The Journey by Anne Cameron Essay Canadian writer Anne Cameron (1938- ) was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and raised in Vancouver. She started writing television and theatre scripts and then started publishing novels, including numerous childrens books, stories and poetry. She has published more than thirty books. Among the first novels which she published is â€Å"The Journey† (1982). The main story of this book is the life of two women in the 1800s, under a â€Å"western feminist† standpoint, crossing the Canadian frontier looking for their home. The central characters are Anne, a fourteen year old girl, and Sarah who is a prostitute. Both of them have had hard moments before their runaway; Anne was abused by her drunkard uncle and Sarah was humiliated by a killer sheriff and his group. After Anne escapes she teams up with Sarah and their trip together starts. The novel pictures their journey through the Canadian west, giving detailed information about the landscapes or characters feelings, with particular situations and contrasts like Chinese railroad workers cottages with amazing corridors of Belle’s brothel. They end in the Pacific Coast where they have to finally face with their own past, under optimistic view. The dissimilarity between the two characters is an interesting contrast; Anne was a pure innocent girl and Sarah a prostitute, a rather unusual duo. Cameron approaches the characters’ sexuality in a very particular way. Sarah has a gratifying relationship with a man and then she feels the same with a woman, introducing some doubt about whether she prefers women in general or Anne in particular. The author has said that she thinks of â€Å"pan-sexuality†, preferring not to wonder about a particular person sexual interest. Long before of â€Å"Thelma and Louise† or â€Å"Brokeback Mountain† films, this novel, in a different way, mix up these films topic; in a story about humanity and women in particular, who overcome life’s intricacy, giving significance for their special role in society.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Review of Related Literature Essay Example for Free

Review of Related Literature Essay As clubbing became more interactive, technologies became more fashionable and innovative. There are many new installations were built to sustain the needs of interactive clubs. In these present times, latest equipments for sounds, designs, and lights are the most popular accessories in different interactive bars. According to Emmanuelle Waeckerle (2004), VINST is a video installation and interactive sound performance enabling real-time control of both sonic and visual representation of my voice – thus creating an extraordinary fusion of human body sound and video. This equipment is different because it is a sensitive vocal instrument to the reaction of the body. The sensitivity of this equipment will base on the movement of the body. If VINST is touched in a light manner, the sound are pure tones and when you touch VINST more, you tend to laugh and tickle but when you touch it harder, it will generate pain, but are also pleasurable sounds it creates while having this kind of feeling. LCI also offers interactive technologies for interactive clubs. One of their products is the Interactive Video that can be used in different parts of the clubs such as walls and floors. These interactive video were designed with different themes to match the ambiance, lights, and designs of the club. In this sense, interactive videos designed by LCI bring more life and fun to the clubs and to the customers as well. Human locator would also be a big impact to attract customers. According to the Freeset, the designer of this human locator, when a certain person or people passes through the human locator, it will track the movement of the person and while it locates the movement, the locator will act as a wave and move like the movement of the person. There are also different kinds of tables that can be use to attract more customers that will match their personality. These tables were invented to make the customers comfortable and enjoy while staying at the club. One of these tables is the table called reactable – a table that has tangible electronic musical instruments that would let people releases their love of music. According to TODO, the curators and organizers of 2007 BIP, â€Å"technology shower creates and designs. † Through this statement, they like to say that technology brings life and enjoyment to the consumers and the producers. In this article of TODO where electro wave was featured, the biggest free music festival in Italy, shares their knowledge and talent towards interactive installations for clubs that would help the clubs and its customers enjoy the time they spent there and make it more memorable and comfortable place to set the party. Some of its featured installations are Face2Face2Face, Oneword, and Are You Here? These installation were mobile all installations to locate different people and different places that have interactive clubbing. These kinds of interactive equipments brought life to interactive clubbing. Articles coming from different interactive installation professional, we can see that interactive clubbing continue to rise due to its demands. Customers would prefer interactive clubs than ordinary clubs to make their nightlife more innovative and creative. Facilities, equipments, and installations for interactive clubs will bring profit for the owners and enjoyment to the customers. Methodology Since this research involves an evolution of a particular existent activity which is clubbing, it is important to conduct a research and background study of the research conducted before regarding such topic. The methodologies involved in this paper also constituted an analysis of the existing club spots regarding the nature of these clubs, the equipments being used and the concepts that served as their foundation for success. Interviews are essential in this research in order to gather necessary information regarding the other existing traditional and interactive clubs. The interviewees include managers from different traditional and contemporary clubs and existent interactive club. The questions that were distributed to the managers comprised of the following? 1. When did the club found? 2. How long has it been active? 3. What were the major equipments being used in the club? 4. What are the most requested or most frequent activities by costumers? 5. Who are the most frequent costumers? 6. If there are any, what were the common suggestions of the costumers for the club? 7. How do you keep your costumers? 8. What were the technological enhancements that the club had undergone? 9. What were the installations that the club recently had? 10. What other enhancement would you want to install in your club? The total number of respondents is 50 managers for the United Kingdom clubs. Most of the respondents are managers of clubs that had operated and remained successful for at least six to ten years. They were also managers in such clubs for three to four years. The common answers were that the must in a club are the lively DJ’s high –tech audio gadgets which include woofer and loud bang speakers, surround digital sound , audio generated strobe and disco lights, light retractors, sound proof walls, cozy steel or wooden bar set, and a wide dance floor. The most frequently requested by costumers are the new disco or techno mixes in music and a DJ that keeps the night going. The drinks, the food and the services are also important to consider in ensuring costumer satisfaction. Another set of questions were given to frequent club goers in order to find out what they are looking for in a club and what is their knowledge about interactive clubbing. The questions include the following: 1. How often do you go clubbing? 2. Why do you go clubbing? 3. What kind of clubs do you go to, and where? 4. Why do you choose such clubs? 5. What are the technological installations in those clubs that you like best? 6. Do you know what interactive clubbing is? 7. Have you gone into an interactive club? (If no, Do you like the idea? If yes, How was your experience? ) 8. Which do you prefer, a traditional clubbing or interactive clubbing? 9. What would you like in a club? 10. What would fully satisfy you as a club goer? The total number of respondents is 50 club goers fro the United Kingdom. Most of the respondents are frequent club goers ranging from ages eighteen to thirty-eight years of age. Based from the result of the survey, most of the club goers go clubbing as a form of relaxation and socialization with other people. The clubs that are frequently visited are the clubs playing the latest music and audio mixes. It was also found that the audio speakers and the woofers of these clubs are the latest technological breakthroughs. Most of the respondents have heard and learned about interactive clubbing but only half of the total number of interviewees has actually gone into interactive clubs in the United Kingdom. The experiences were almost the same that was an astonishment of the new technology brought about by the combination of audio and visual effects of media translation. The same respondents voted in favor of interactive clubbing as against traditional clubbing. Their answer to the questions pertaining to costumer satisfaction can be summarized into relaxation and an energetic environment with the Jockey and good quality of sounds and more that the club can offer as other forms of entertainment. Most of the respondents are looking for something more than what has already been offered. The level of the costumer satisfaction is also increasing as the technology introduces innovative gadgets and ideas. Body Different technology installations were invented to make clubbing interactive. Interactive clubbing is known for the clubs’ latest equipments and facilities that would attract customers. Clubs today were built to attract bar hoppers in an interactive manner. Club owners bought different kinds of latest gadgets, equipments and facilities to sustain the demand of the present generation. Some of the examples of latest gadgets, facilities, and/or equipments that were built in different clubs are cameras, interactive videos, interactive tables, computers, sounds, lights, designs, and themes. Interaction with different clubs in different parts of the world can be done through cameras. For example, there would be an installation of interactive cameras showing different clubs in the world. These different clubs are part of the connection of interactive clubs for they will have their cameras inside their clubs to show the clubbers the situations in different clubs. Aside from the setting of other clubs, sounds and music can be heard through these cameras. In this sense, all the participating interactive clubs would have the same music played, which brings interaction and intimacy to all the participating interactive clubs. Cameras installed in these interactive clubs will also show the themes of different clubs in different countries. Therefore, themes and cultures in different countries will be shown through the interactive cameras. Computers will be installed for more interaction between clubbers in different clubs. Computers will help clubbers to communicate with people in different clubs that have the same interactive facilities if they want to. Sounds and music are the most important factors for clubs because these are what the clubbers wanted. In this case, sounds and music must be the primary attraction for clubbers that is why newly invented musical instruments and facilities are produced to make the musical atmosphere of the clubs became more attractive. One of the musical equipment used for clubs is the Pioneers DVJ-X1. This equipment brings more life and strength to the sounds and music of the clubs. Aside from this, it has different parts that can be used to make the sounds clearer, audible, and creative. Lights, designs, and themes are also the factors of bringing clubbers into the clubs. Clubbers would love seeing different kinds of lights and designs inside the club. Lightspace is one of the innovators of light displays to different clubs. According to them, they transform everyday surfaces into engaging, entertaining and interactive exercise, display, gaming and learning surfaces that are capable of stimulating and responding to human touch. Through this kind of evolutionary displays, clubbers would really enjoy going to clubs that has lighter colors and lively designs because it brings life and enjoyment to them. The clubs’ themes are also important to show the clubbers the atmosphere of the place. The theme of the club will determine its clubbers, facilities, equipments, and workers. That is why it is also an important factor for the clubbers. In addition to this, as its equipments, facilities, and displays are important, the task of the DJs or the VJs are also important because they bring life to the club. They are the one who will manipulate the whole night of dancing and singing. Fast-learners, professionals, creative, and imaginative DJs or VJs must be the controller of the sounds to make the nightlife comfortable and conducive. In these present times, many people who wanted to enjoy their nightlife. In the previous years, clubs were built to make people enjoy through listening to sounds and drinking with friends – this is the traditional lifestyle of ordinary clubs. Ordinary clubs can give only few things to its customers – listening to the sounds, dancing on the dance floor and become drunk. People during those times are not aware with the atmosphere of the clubs because these factors are the most important things that were set in their minds. As time goes on, people wanted more of it. Because technology became more in demand, inventors and owners became partners in making the clubs livelier and interactive, that is why interactive clubbing emerged. Comparing and contrasting ordinary clubbing to interactive clubbing would bring opposite directions of two interrelated elements. Ordinary clubbing caters few enjoyment and contentment while interactive clubbing brings more life and great atmosphere to the whole club because listening to the music and dancing on the dance floor would not the only thing to do. Through interactive clubbing, clubbers can do many things like chatting, watching the video walls, interacting with different clubbers in different clubs from different parts of the world, and playing with the designs, lights and themes of the clubs. In this case, interactive clubbing brings more freedom to the clubbers in whatever they want to do while clubbing. However, these kinds of interactive clubbing need to have more money, more knowledge, and more power. Having this kind of interactive clubs are not the same as having an ordinary club because it needs to have more people, more time, and more effort to make a certain club interactive. An interactive club can be said as creative and imaginative but it is an ideal – ideal in a sense that it is perfect, perfect in the eyes of every clubber. According to Wegner (2005), nightclubs enjoy a commercial advantage over domestic sound and light systems. However, the club advantage begins to diminish when consumer technology enables a cars sound system or a home theater to provide a superior experience. Because of technology, the demands for these kinds of places are easily declining due to the competition of different technology innovators and innovations. Nevertheless, technology in interactive clubbing is more Conclusion While it is considered a fact that music video has ever been present in the world of clubbing, the evolution of technology has influenced greatly its player-performing end and the display-presentation end. Interactive Clubbing indeed open a new experience for club goers. The technological installations of wide digital surround sounds, and the LCD generated effects provided an environment of which only the future can offer. This research proposal therefore provided an assumptive conclusion on the probability of the status of an interactive clubbing. There is definitely a positive response of science and technology to the demands of interactive clubbing as proven in the proper combination of technological application of new installations. There are already experimental methods to place cameras at various clubs throughout the world which recreated a specific ambiance a traditional club. This makes it possible for DJ’s to perform live at different places at the same time. There also a great deal of possibility of advanced digital 3d dancers that enables the presence of another person in the form of an avatar that interacts with genuine clubbers through the internet provider. These innovations will definitely set the new standard for clubbing in the not too distant future. Therefore it is concluded that Interactive clubbing is the present application of the future of clubbing experience. References: Bennett, A. (2000). Dance Music, Local Identity and Urban Space. In Popular Music and Youth Culture: Music, Identity and Place, edited by (Bennett, Andy). New York: St. Martins Press, 73-102. Bidder, S. (2001). Pump Up The Volume: A History of House. London: Channel 4 Books. Birgy, P. (2003). French Electronic Music: The Invention of a Tradition. In Popular Music in France from Chanson to Techno: Culture, Identity and Society, edited by HughDauncey and Steve Cannon. Aldershot: Ashgate, 225-242.. Brewster, B. and Broughton, F. (1999) Last Night A DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey. Grove Press. Butler, M. (2005). ‘Everybody Needs a 303, Everybody Loves a Filter’: Electronic Dance Music and the Aesthetics of Obsolescence. In Digital Media: Transformations in Human Communication, edited by Paul Messaris and Lee Humphreys. New York: Peter Lang, 111-18. Byrom, H. (1998) The Future of Clubbing. Find Articles. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980830/ai_n14165054 Carrington, Ben and Brian Wilson. 2004. Dance Nation: Rethinking Youth Subcultural Theory. In After Subculture: Critical Studies of Contemporary Youth Culture, edited by Andy Bennett and Keith Kahn-Harris. New York: Palgrave, 65-78. Erenberg, Lewis A. Steppin Out: New York Nightlife and the Transformation of American Culture, 1890–1930. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1981. Freeset. (n. d. ) Human Locator. Human Locator: a Freeset Technology. http://freeset. com/locator/ Hesmondhalgh, David. 1997. The Cultural Politics of Dance Music. Soundings 5, 167- 178. LCI. (2005). Interactive. http://www. lci-uk. com/filter. php? filter[]=interactive _________. (n. d. ) Lightspace. Lightspace Corporation: Unique Interactive Installations. http://www. lightspacecorp. com/ Merriam-Webster. Interactive. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. http://www. m- w. com/cgi-bin/dictionary? book=Dictionaryva=interactive Off-Corso, R. (2006). The Critical Mass. http://www. enviu. org/cm/cm_index_site. html Regine Zylberberg. Queen of the Night. Aug. 2006. Retrieved on May 14, 2007. http://www. jahsonic. com/Regine. html Waeckerle, E. (2004). VINST2. Current. http://ewaeckerle. com/current/vinst.(2007). The Dawn of Interactive Clubbing. 365MAG International Music Magazine. http://www. 365mag. com/index. php? pg=newsrecnum=3888Title=The+dawn +of+interactive+clubbing%3F+on+365MAG+International+Music+Magazine . (2002). Responsive Environmentskeywords. Future Physical. http://www. futurephysical. org/pages/content/resp_env/i_clubbing. html __________. (2007). Interactive Installations for Clubbing. We Make Money not Art. http://www. we-make-money-not-art. com/archives/009473. php __________. (2003). Tangible Musical Interfaces Music Tables. Reactables related. http://www. iua. upf. es/mtg/reacTable/? related.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Segmentation Targeting and Positioning Analysis Theory

Segmentation Targeting and Positioning Analysis Theory Kotler (1994, p. 93) has pointed out that the strategic marketing planning process flows from a mission mission and vision statement to the selection of target markets, and the formulation of specific marketing mix and positioning objective for each product or service the organization will offer. Proceeds to segment the market, select the appropriate market target, and develop the offers value positioning. The formula segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) is the essence of strategic marketing Restrepo (2010, p1). Source: Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (2010)http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/images/cb/STP.png http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Segmentation.html Today, India is one of the worlds fastest growing economies. With having a wide geographical area of about 15,200Km and a coast line of 7,500 Km over a billion people .According to Financial times (2004) the GDP growth rate was less than 1% in 1991, however by 2003 the figure grew by 8.5%. Button et al (1999) argues that because of the growth of Indias IT industry, the number of travelers has grown rapidly. Due to which Indias Travel and Tourism generated $38.8 billion in 2004 and it is expected to raise $ 90.4 billion by 2014. According to the centre for Asia pacific Aviation (2005), Indian airlines have ordered a total of 490 aircraft over the last few months. Which in turn it is expected a growth of 164% compared to a world average of only 2.7% Connell Williams (2006, p.358). Connell Williams (2006) states that Indias domestic air travel has grown rapidly due to the growing wealth of Indias population. At the beginning of 2005, there were only four domestic airline services Indian airlines, Air Sahara and Jet airways and Air Deccan which was the low cost carrier. Company background Air Deccan: Air Deccan (2009), Indias first low fare and fastest growing airline was formed in 2003 with the vision to empower every Indian to fly by providing the lowest airfares and connectivity to unconnected towns and cities. Deccan is a business unit of Deccan Aviation, Indias largest private helicopter charter company, which pioneered helicopter tourism in India. In 1997, a group of old army buddies led by Capt. Gopi decided to pool in their vast experience and knowledge of aviation and geography to launch Indias first Private sector helicopter charter company. Deccan Aviation was started in 1997 with one helicopter, it now has a fleet of 10 helicopters and 2 fixed wing aircraft deployed across eight bases at Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Surat, Katra and Colombo (Sri Lanka). Deccan Aviation provides helicopter charter services for a range of aviation activities like helicopter tourism, aerial coverage of sports events, heli- skiing and rappelling, aerial reconnaissance and photography, and also undertakes logistic support for off shore oil explorations, geophysical mineral survey, power line survey, emergency medical evacuation, V.I.P. movement, film production etc. The result was Deccan, Indias first low cost, no frill airline, which was launched on the strength of a simple dream. A dream inspired by just one statement. I want every Indian to fly at least once in his/ her lifetime. (Captain Gopinath, CEO, 1995) The first flight was launched on 23rd August 2003 from Bangalore to Hubli. Since then forward innovation and cost efficiency has been the main reason of our business philosophy and strategy. The business model is robust, scalable and aligned to the dreams of nation building by making air travel a mass commodity. We pride ourselves on our out of the box strategies which have created several firsts in Indian aviation and also made air travel affordable, available and easily accessible to the common man of India. Source: Destinations of Air Deccan (2009) Growth Story: India government is considering the growth of aviation sector especially of the private sector in aircraft manufacturing, operating and upgrading airports and by providing enhanced ground services. According to ICFDC (2004) The Indian aviation sector has four types of operators domestic airlines, operating within India and select International destinations, International airlines, chartered air operators and air cargo service providers, whose services include air transportation of cargo and mail. According to the Director General of civil aviation (2006), when Air Deccan began its operation in August 2003, with a single aircraft from Bangalore to Hubli, Air Deccan has seen a phenomenal growth. Air Deccan now has an Aprx 266 flight which runs on a daily basis. As of March 2006, Air Deccans market share is at 19%, making it the third-largest airline in the country. Currently, the carrier employees apprx 2,600 employees. As of Nov 30 2005, Air Deccan had flown apprx 2.7 million passengers.( Air Deccan,2009) Vision and Mission: According to Air Deccan (2009), Captain Gopinaths vision has helped the lives of Indias masses where they realized through Air Deccan, which is a pioneering low-cost business model. The airline has played a significant role in making the common mans dream to fly which has come true. However, the airline plans to fly a large number of destinations in India by connecting millions of people (Captain Gopinath, CEO, 2004). Basic Idea behind the modeling approach: STRENGTHS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leader in LCC market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Highest load efficiency à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flies to destinations in the hinterland WEAKNESS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focuses on South Indian market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Image plagued by frequent breakdowns and near misses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very limited advertising à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reached at the threshold of cost efficiency OPPORTUNITIES à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extensive network to capitalize Air Cargo business à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Plenty of scope for expansion of operations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strengthen its position in Chartered flight segment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ could start Contractual Employment THREAT à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High attrition rate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the threat of new entrants into Low Price Segment especially Indigo, Go Air, Spice jet and Jetlite. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High risk perception. As mentioned in Air Deccan (2009) Air Deccan has plenty of scope for expansion of operations; also it has been in operation since last 5 years, so kingfisher with the merger could get the opportunity to fly internationally and Air Deccan with facing constant threats from the ever emerging low cost carriers, higher attrition rate and requirement for capital had no other better option than to accept the offer of getting merged with Kingfisher. Marketing Strategies: Segmentation: High aircraft utilization was the first of Air Deccans strategies as it would directly result in high revenue generation. The success of the Air Deccan is by its well planned operational routes. The Air Deccan operates from six bases, which are located in the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Further these bases are connected to other regional locations through regional routes. The main strategy of Air Deccan is to pursue unexplored routes which would result -high yield and high load factor (Sampler, 2006). Positioning: The main success behind Air Deccan is because of its unique pricing model. In the pricing model seats which were booked well in advance had lower fares, whereas the seats booked closer to the travel date had higher fare. However, this helped the airline to maximize its revenues from ticket sales as well as maintain high seat occupancy. By commenting on additional revenues, Captain Gopinath (CEO, 2005) states that With an average passenger spending INR 75 for a quick meal or beverage, Air Deccan could have easily generated additional revenue worth INR 202.5 million from 2.7 passengers that had flown on the airline till November 2005. Targeting: Air Deccan (2009) has achieved tremendous growth due to their marketing and promotion strategies. The airline utilized its marketing and promotional programs effectively to highlight the competitive advantage with the result of its low fares. The target segment which is for the customers who are cost-conscious, Air Deccan choose cartoonist R K Laxmans famous mascot The common man as its brand ambassador. The airline advertisement is generally through media like print, radio, and bill boards. The airline has entered into various sales which have provided Deccan with additional advertising slots on television, newspapers and radio. Word Count: 1,335. Referencing: Anonymous. (2010). Segmentation, Targeting, and positioning .Available: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Segmentation.html. Last accessed 11/12/2010. Annonymous. (2009). Deccan simply fly. Available: http://www.deccanair.com/aboutus.html. Last accessed 12/12/2010. Annonymous. (2010). Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Available: http://www.centreforaviation.com/. Last accessed 12/12/2010. Button, K.J., Lall, S., Stough, R., Trice, M., 1999. High-technology employment and hub airports. Journal of Air Transport Management 5, 53-59 Financial Times, 2004. From Indias forgotten  ¬Ã‚ elds, a call for economic reform to lift the poor. Kingfisher-Deccan Merger. 12 Dec. 2010 http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/47835.html Kotler, P. (1994), Marketing Management: Analysis, planning, implementation, and Control, 8th edition, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliff, New Jersey. OConnell.F.J, Williams.G.. (2006). Transformation of Indias Domestic Airlines: A case study of Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara and Air Deccan. Journal of Air Transport Management. 12 (1), 358-374. Restrepo.A.J.. (2010). SEGMENTATION TARGETING POSITIONING.Available: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/segmentation-targeting-positioning. Last accessed 11/12/2010. Sampler.L.J. (2006). Air Deccan. Available: http://web.mit.edu/cisr/working%20papers/cisrwp365.pdf. Last accessed 11/12/2010. Marketing ethics and social responsibility an opportunity for competitive advantage or a constraint on marketing decisions? Discuss citing appropriate examples. Introduction: Carrigan Attalla (2001, p.560) states that Marketing ethics and social responsibility are inherently controversial, and years of research continue to present conflicts and challenges for marketers on the value of a socially responsible approach to marketing activities. According to Laczniak Murphy (1993) since few years there are certain controversy revolving around marketing ethics and social responsibility, researchers and scholars are continuing to work on it. Smith Quelch (1996) states that most of the company would like to think that being a good company will attract customers with their products, while it has seen that by the unethical behavior customer would reject their offer/products. The basic idea behind focusing marketing is by its products and services with the environment, where customers play a very important part by representing (Vaaland et al, 2007).As mentioned by Vaaland et al (2007, p.929): Marketing is the process of planning and executing conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of goods, ideas and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals. According to Singhapakdi et al (1995), Social responsibility is been given so much importance because, E.g., some public companies undergo social responsibility which might limit profits and disagreement of the social responsibility. However, he also argues that, the international researchers have not identified in detail to which marketers across the countries assume that ethics and social responsibility are important for their organization for their growth. And also argues that, first managers should be aware of the ethics and social responsibility to have the organization grow before their behavior become more ethical and reflects greater social responsibility. Social responsibility in marketing: As Laczniak Murphy (1993, p.5) states that, both ethics and social responsibility have to make a positive impact towards the success of an organization, due to which customers make ethical judgments that are likely to influence their purchases. As he has told that: Customers over time will normally recognize the organizations that attempt to be responsive to various ethical and social factors in the marketplace. The ethics era: Hunt and Vitell ( 2006, p.3) pointed out that An individual perceives a situation as having ethical content, the next step is the perception of various possible alternatives or actions that might be taken to resolve the ethical problem. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/2160040303002.png As Hoddow (2001) states that even though, the researchers are working on this field ETHICS since 30-40 years its still not possible to have achieved the answer of what exactly is the social responsibility of marketing. According to BBC (2001) there have been lot arguments which have been made by governments and organizations with regarding to the ethical issues. E.g., Companies like Oxfam and Medecin sans Frontieres on allowing cheaper access for consumers of drugs like AZT. Globally, there are many organizations and institutes which are established to do research and promote ethical business behaviour like for E.g., European Business Ethics network, Hong Kong Ethics Development Centre. There has been given a lot of importance to the field of marketing as it has grown rapidly and developing a strong ethical profile, academically and professionally, marketers are finding it difficult to ignore the gap of ethics of what the society is expecting and what marketing professionals are delivering (Carrigan Attalla, 2001). Ethical Consumer Behaviour: According to Hunt and Vitell (1992) it has been seen that a lot of attention is given to marketing ethics in the current years, irrespective of that it is been unsuccessful to see the buyer side of the exchange process. However, it is a fact that the customers are more informed, more educated and are aware of their consumer rights and product requirements in most of the western society. However, a study conducted by Boulstridge and Carrigan (2000) examined customers response to ethical or unethical behaviour, where they found out that the most customers did not have more information weather a company did or did not behaved ethically. E.g., Nestle and Exxon. Even though many people believed that social responsibility is not important while considering in their purchasing behaviour, even with knowledge about unethical activity, some customers still bought goods from the company. The main reason why consumers bought these products is because of price, value, and quality and brand familiarity rather than societal ones. Ulrich and Sarasin (1995) say that, one thing is clear, dont do any research. Dont ask the public any questions on this subject. The answers are never reliable. In instances where the head says one thing and the heart another. Studies are useless if not misleading (Carrigan and Attala, 2001, p.566). Performance framework: Friedman (1962, p.133) argues that few trends could so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of our free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible. The framework by Carroll (1995) gives us the idea and the present condition of what corporate social responsibility theory and their role within the corporate social performance framework. http://labspace.open.ac.uk/file.php/4778/!via/oucontent/course/132/pyramid.gif Figure 2: Source: Carroll (1995, p.49). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility. According to Windsor (2001), Carrolls four dimensional pyramid of responsibility structures the crude notion of various corporate social responsibilities into a construction of pyramid. And the pyramid consists of economic responsibilities which are the foundation and philanthropy is the apex. The construction of the pyramid is such that the other responsibilities will not be achieved in the absence of economic performance. Economic and legal responsibilities are socially required, ethical responsibilities are socially accepted and philanthropy is socially desired. Socially Responsible firms: When asked to identify the socially responsible firms, many would point out on Marks and Spencer, because as Jobber (2010, p.182) mentioned that MS aims to go carbon neutral, send no waste to landfill, extend sustainable sourcing, help improve the lives of people in its supply chain and help customers and employees live a healthier lifestyle. According to Carrigan Attalla (2001) companies like JCB, Nissan and Co-operative bank followed ethical behaviour to an extent and when one trying to think of being a good citizen one respondent said: There really arent that many .I am sure they are all unethical to some degree. (Anonymous, 2008). Companies like Microsoft, is well known as philanthropy. Bill gates, fights for many of the worlds diseases with his foundation with Melinda Gates. The foundation has given $ 20.1 billion since its first set up (Jobber, 2010).There are few well known companies which they have been registered as a poor social responsibility for many reasons, E.g, LOreal for their animal testing, NatWest due to their financial investment with animal research centres and Shell and BP for their poor environmental pollution and poor employee relations (Carrigan Attalla (2001). As mentioned by Carrigan Attalla (2001, p.569) the attitudes of many consumers would include when you buy petrol, you do not think of those companies that are or not ethical, it does not even cross your mind. I would only fill up elsewhere if it caused no inconvenience to me. However, the behaviour of the ethics needs to be changed or it has to be convincing to the people in order to make them buy or have believe in the products. As we have discussed above about few companies and have seen the reaction of customers buying behaviour as the just buy the products because of their convince and or are for the brand name. All these show us that the customers are passive ethical shoppers other than the active consumer shoppers (Carrigan Attalla (2001). Conclusion: It has been seen from the study whether the customers care about the marketing ethics and social responsibility which would influence them on their buying behaviour. It has also seen that researchers have studied the consumers buying behaviour and they have to say that the many of them give very less attention to ethical considerations when it comes to their buying or decision making behaviour. Carrigan Attalla (2001) states that the link between the social responsibility and marketing ethics and consumer purchase remains unproven but also one should not conclude with the development of ethical marketing policy and social responsibility. Word Count: 1,376.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Fiscal Deficit Crisis in the United States :: Government Politics Political Bush Essays

The Fiscal Deficit Crisis in the United States Since the inauguration of George W. Bush as the president of the United States in January 2001, a series of issues and problems have appeared. President Bush created problems in education, finance, medicare, social security, as well as foreign affairs. In addition, he has turned a 500 billion dollar surplus into a 500 billion dollar deficit (â€Å"Historical Tables† 2004, 21-22). We must ask how he could do this. Were funds spent on improving education, social security, or healthcare? No, in fact these areas were under-funded. Rather the deficit is a result of over-spending on defense, homeland security, and tax cuts across the country. In the 20th century, there were 73 years with a deficit in the government budget. The problem has become a very serious issue since 1958, since which there was a deficit in the fiscal budget nearly every year (â€Å"Historical Tables†, 2004, 21-22). During the mid-1990's, when Bill Clinton was the president, the deficit was reduced and net surplus occurred in 1998 and 1999. After George W. Bush had taken office, the trend of having surplus in fiscal reports couldn't continue. During every year of his term, George Bush increased the United States debt significantly. One hundred-fifty-seven billion dollars was the deficit in 2002, while 521 billion dollars was the deficit in the fiscal year of 2004 (â€Å"Historical Tables†, 2004, 21-22). The American government's debt is increasing at $20,000 per second. A person with an average-income will lose his annual salary in a matter of few seconds due to the rapidly increasing debt (US Debt Clock). This is a very important issue to teenagers and college students, as they will soon have to carry the financial burden from the United States government. The underlying reason for the deficit in the budget is due to the mismanagement in the spending and taxing policies adopted by the President. The terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001, the crash of the stock market after that event, the war on Iraq, and the increased homeland security aggregated the problem of the budget deficit. If President George W. Bush is re-elected and continues to ignore this problem, the United States will continue to build up its huge debt. By 2009, the Gross Federal Debt will be over one thousand billion dollars, and that would transfer to every person living in the United States to have a debt of about $36000 (â€Å"Historical Tables†, 2004, 118-119).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Impact of Green Living on America Essay -- solar energy, renewable

Even though it’s not easy to get people to change and it is not completely fail proof, green living should be introduced into the American way of life because it can make the environment cleaner and safer and save people money on electric, water, and gas. The concept of green living is based on simply carrying out acts of knowledge to keep our planet healthy. People were put on the earth to take care of it, not hurt it. Ironically, however, we are hurting it every day and in result it takes a toll on our population in negative ways. People will most likely not make a big issue about this because there are no catastrophic affects to them directly yet. The enforcement of green living happens to be very controversial and if people don’t take action soon enough it will be too late. According to the article â€Å"Renewable Energy†, â€Å"Renewable energy accounted for only 10.5 percent of all the energy produced in the United States† (Renewable Energy). Our planet relies on hundreds of thousands of different resources. Generation after generation, the human population has created potential for various studies and developments of more efficient ways to get energy that we need without harming the environment. The consumption of energy sources for simple operations like driving, heat and cooling for our house and much more is extremely high and always in demand. Renewable energy or alternative energy is energy from sources that are infinite and natural such as solar, hydrogen, wind, and hydroelectric power. Its abundance makes it easier to produce for the energy companies; therefore it makes energy bills less expensive. Solar energy is used by absorbing the suns rays and converting it into heat to bring water to a boiling point to produce... ...Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Carrol, Cris. "Global Water Supply Drying Up as Population Grows." About.com Environmental Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Nasser, Haya El. "Caution IconAttention." Water Conservation Is No Joke in Drought-ridden California. N.p., 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Pezeshki, S.R. "Most Downloaded Environmental Pollution Articles." Elsevier. N.p., May 2000. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Briney, Amanda. "Acid Rain." About.com Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Hardell, Sara. "Levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Three Organochlorine Pesticides in Fish from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska." PLOS ONE:. N.p., 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Boehlke, Julie. "The Effects of Improper Garbage Disposal." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 May 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Defending Walt Whitman

Perfect discipline is an attainable reality, but if it is not there, no alternative exists but to carry on with the available discipline. Similarly, prefect democracy is the dream of a true democrat but one is aware that the path to achieve it is strewn with thorns. The suave politicians and the literary stalwarts all over the world are â€Å"carrying on the conversation that Whitman initiated over 150 years ago—a dialogue about democracy, poetry, love, death, and the endless permutations of life that he believed would define America and eventually produce a republic equal to its ideals.†(Sherman†¦) â€Å"Walter Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist. He was a part of the transition between Transcendentalism and Realism, incorporating both views in his works. †¦. Whitman is among the most influential and controversial poets in the American canon. His work has been described as a â€Å"rude shoc k† and â€Å"the most audacious and debatable contribution yet made to American literature. † (Walt†¦. ) Sherman Alexie was born in October 1966. His famous quote reads like the mission statement of an institution.His eternal craze for literary creations and the vast areas of literary subjects that he wishes to tackle is reflected in this statement: â€Å"†I know I have so much left to say and I don't know how much time I have left to say it all. † This statement indicates the thinking style and beliefs of Alexie are deeply impacted and influenced by Whitman. In the poem, â€Å"Defending Walt Whitman†, he makes the explicit mention of Whitman’s ideals and ideologies, and how they have influenced the thought process of the Americans, and consequently their action processes for the last fifteen decades.Alexie highlights that Whitman is deeply concerned about the social imperfections in the American society. To achieve the level of democracy in the real sense, people need to be basically sound and industrious, and basic conditions need to be created for the people to become basically sound and industrious. Communal and individual democracies are alternative beats of the same heart of a Nation and they are achieved through justice and fair-play.Deficiency in any one of them is not good for the overall health of the Nation. In a Nation, if the individual suffers, one need to assume that either the democratic principles are deficient, or the implementation process is corrupt and defective. If the society as a whole suffers, that can not be a perfect democracy. It is like the scale of justice. Both arms of the scale (in this context the society and the individual) are equally important to strike the correct balance.â€Å"Whitman's continual wrestling with the problems and challenges of the emerging American democracy and the developing American democratic art has had a surprisingly widespread impact on other countries as well, where his democratic ideas and radical poetics have taken root and emerged in new hybrids as his work mixes with other national literatures. † (Re-Scripting. ) Walt Whitman has deeply influenced and impacted the scene of the various poetic traditions. A poet, apart from his love for poetry, conveys important messages to the people through the poems.Many issues also depend upon people’s understanding of the poetry. Some view him as the poet of socialism, radical sexuality, and also spiritualism. All mind-level philosophies and ‘isms’ mostly lead to quarrels, disagreements, arguments and counter arguments. Spirituality transcends the barrier of mind, where total bliss alone exists, and as such that zone is free from contradictions. At that level, all clashes cease, and hearty understanding triumphs. All types of diverse schools of poetry find the oases of unity in Whitman’s poetry, because its roots are in spirituality.In the poem, â€Å"Defendi ng Walt Whitman† Sherman Alexie writes, â€Å"Walt Whitman shakes because he believes in God. Walt Whitman dreams of the first jump shot he will take, the ball arcing clumsily from his fingers, striking the rim so hard that it sparks. Walt Whitman shakes because he believes in God. †(Umbrella†¦. ) This is a profound observation. Any action small or big, done without the motivated desires, is supposed to bring, in the ultimate analysis, sterling results. An action has the reaction and the intensity of the reaction is in proportion to the intensity of the action.This is the universally accepted by the spiritualists and the scientists. No action, no human effort can go in vain. Having done all the efforts, if one acts on in the world outside with supreme faith and surrender at the feet of God, the results are bound to be precedent-shattering. In the poem one sees the basketball players striving to be perfect to achieve their goal of victory. Their â€Å"all arms and legs and serious stomach muscles. † (Umbrella†¦. )To achieve that level of perfection, the players have worked very hard, have undergone rigorous training.The poet compares them to â€Å"the twentieth century warriors who will never kill. †(Umbrella†¦. ) They do not possess cruel physical instinct to kill; but they have cultivated the physical instinct for the winning formula. â€Å"The remarkable fact is that everyone, at some point, has to confront Whitman, wrestle with his structuring of poetry, the nation, democracy, and the self: â€Å"I am large,† he said, â€Å"I contain multitudes† †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ To possess such dominant strength and secure universal appeal is possible only on the basis of spirituality, as secular principles lead to contradictions.Spiritual principles, when practiced with sincerity and devotion lead to unity and universal brotherhood. That authors and poets of all genres, notwithstanding their race, nationality, gender a nd ethnicity, seek solace in one form or the other in the Whitman’s poetry. Whitman exhibits the intrinsic strength of his ideas, which beats all artificial human barriers and goes in search of the all-embracing truth. The nineteenth century American poet tackles a basketball game on a twentieth century Indian reservation. Basketball is Alexie’s favorite topic.Can basketball be the subject matter and theme of serious poetry? Alexie shows it is possible from the viewpoint of Whitman. He tackles an original theme, and he does not hesitate to breakaway from the normal subject matters of poems, rhyme and standard meter. Alexie sees music and unusual charm in the physical movements of the basketball players, and compares them to the war-efforts of the warriors, though they do not fight war in the real sense. But their spirit is war-oriented. No basketball player likes to lose the game.He uses all his bodily strength and will power in movements to outsmart the opponents. It is a dynamic game. Every player is trained to play with dynamism without surrender until the last shot is taken. It is the war of nerves and intelligence, without the ceasefire! Every pass is calculated to win. Hard work from the physical aspect and the call of the spirit lead to victory in the basketball game. Alexie is certainly aware of the powerful dynamics of combining the poetic Whitman with the energies and angles of the game of basket ball.The beauty of a perfect shot is compared to the flawless efficiency in one’s pursuit, which is a divine quality. Alexie writes, as he refers to one such perfect shot of the basketball, â€Å"God, there is nothing as beautiful as a jump shot on a reservation summer basketball court where the ball is moist with sweat, and makes a sound when it swishes through the net that causes Walt Whitman to weep because it is so perfect. †(Umbrella†¦) This weeping is the cry of joy! The joy of achievement, after all the hard and intell igent work for a long period! It is the favorable result of the relentless pursuit.Conclusion: Communal and individual democracies are alternative beats of the same heart of a Nation and they need to be achieved through justice and fair-play. Deficiency in any one of them is not good for the overall health of the Nation. One may wonder what the game of basketball has to do with perfect democracy. They say, efficiency in work is the ultimate goal of a human being. What you do is not important. But how you do, what you do is more important. The beauty of the basketball game is, for every shot that you plan, your have the rebuff of a counter-shot with a parallel plan.Your need to think in advance of such counter-shots, and transcend all sorts of opposition to achieve the winning shot! Alexie elucidates the beautiful spiritual level, achieved through the equipment of the physical body as he writes, â€Å"Look there, that boy can run up and down this court forever. He can leap for a reb ound with his back arched like a salmon, all meat and bone synchronized, magnetic, as if the court were a river, as if the rim were a dam, as if the air were a ladder leading the Indian boy toward home. † You needs to have the will to grow and grow you will.Alexie Sherman has given a very interesting poem, â€Å"Defending Walt Whitman. † The theme and the style of the poem evoke not only curiosity but they are thought-provoking. As the poem progresses, it attains new spiritual dimensions and elucidates the meaning of struggles and beauty of human life. It seems to convey the message that duty and perfection are the harbingers of human prosperity. The basketball game seems to convey that there is no victory or defeat, the reality is only permanent efforts! ================ References Cited:Sherman AlexieSherman has published more than three hundred poems, stories, essays, †¦. Walt Whitman dreams of the Indian boy who will defend him, †¦ www. geocities. com/Pari s/Cafe/2726/Sherman. html – 16k – Cached – Retrieved on July 22, 2008. Re-Scripting Walt Whitman: An Introduction to His Life and Work †¦ â€Å"‘Live Oak, with Moss' and ‘Calamus': Textual Inhibitions in Whitman Criticism. † Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 14 (1997), 153-65. Palmer, Carole. †¦ www. whitmanarchive. org/criticism/current/anc. 00152. html – 391k – Cached – Retrieved on July 22, 2008.Walt Whitman SummaryContemporary Spokane Indian poet, Sherman Alexie, has also been influenced by Whitman, mentioning him explicitly in his poem â€Å"Defending Walt Whitman†. †¦ www. bookrags. com/wiki/Walt_Whitman – 73k – Cached – Retrieved on July 22, 2008 Umbrella: Defending Walt Whitman18 Sep 2005 †¦ Defending Walt Whitman. Basketball is like this for young Indian boys †¦ Walt Whitman shakes. This game belongs to him. — Sherman Alexei†¦ jeffwietor. blogspot. com/2 005/09/defending-walt-whitman. html – 17k – Cached – Retrieved on July 22, 2008.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Presentation About Procter and Gamble Essay

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods company headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Its products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products.[2] In 2011, P&G recorded $82.6 billion dollars in sales. Fortune magazine ranked P&G at fifth place of the â€Å"World’s Most Admired Companies† list, which was up from sixth place in 2010.[3] Procter & Gamble is the only Fortune 500 company to  issue C Share common stock.[citation needed] Contents [hide] * 1 History * 2 Operations * 2.1 Management and staff * 2.2 Brands * 2.3 Productions * 3 Controversies * 3.1 Price fixing * 3.2 Toxic shock syndrome and tampons * 3.3 Animal testing * 3.4 Other products * 3.5 Logo controversy * 4 Notes * 5 External links| ————————————————- [edit]History William Procter, a candlemaker, and James Gamble, a soapmaker, emigrated from England and Ireland respectively. They settled in Cincinnati initially and met when they married sisters, Olivia and Elizabeth Norris.[4] Alexander Norris, their father-in-law, called a meeting in which he persuaded his new sons-in-law to become business partners. On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, Procter & Gamble was created. In 1858–1859, sales reached $1 million. By this point, approximately 80 employees worked for Procter & Gamble. During the American Civil War, the company won contracts to supply the Union Army with soap and candles. In addition to the increased profits experienced during the war, the military contracts introduced soldiers from all over the country to Procter & Gamble’s products. In the 1880s, Procter & Gamble began to market a new product, an inexpensive soap that floats in water. The company called the soap Ivory. William Arnett Procter, William Procter’s grandson, began a profit-sharing program for the company’s workforce in 1887. By giving the workers a stake in the company, he correctly assumed that they would be less likely to go on strike. The company began to build factories in other locations in the United States because the demand for products had outgrown the capacity of the Cincinnati facilities. The company’s leaders began to diversify its products as well and, in 1911, began producing Crisco, a shortening made of vegetable oils rather than animal fats. As radio became more popular in the 1920s and 1930s, the company sponsored a number of radio programs. A s a result, these shows often became commonly known as â€Å"soap operas.† Procter & Gamble headquarters in DowntownCincinnati, Ohio The company moved into other countries, both in terms of manufacturing and product sales, becoming an international corporation with its 1930  acquisition of the Thomas Hedley Co., based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Procter & Gamble maintained a strong link to the North East of England after this acquisition. Numerous new products and brand names were introduced over time, and Procter & Gamble began branching out into new areas. The company introduced Tidelaundry detergent in 1946 and Prell shampoo in 1947. In 1955, Procter & Gamble began selling the first toothpaste to contain fluoride, known as Crest. Branching out once again in 1957, the company purchased Charmin Paper Mills and began manufacturing toilet paper and other paper products. Once again focusing on laundry, Procter & Gamble began making Downy fabric softener in 1960 and Bounce fabric softener sheets in 1972. One of the most revolutionary products to come out on the market was the company’s Pampers, first te st-marketed in 1961. Prior to this point disposable diapers were not popular, althoughJohnson & Johnson had developed a product called Chux. Babies always wore cloth diapers, which were leaky and labor intensive to wash. Pampers provided a convenient alternative, albeit at the environmental cost of more waste requiring landfilling. Procter & Gamble acquired a number of other companies that diversified its product line and significantly increased profits. These acquisitions included Folgers Coffee, Norwich Eaton Pharmaceuticals (the makers of Pepto-Bismol), Richardson-Vicks, Noxell (Noxzema), Shulton’s Old Spice, Max Factor, and the IamsCompany, among others. In 1994, the company made headlines for big losses resulting from leveraged positions in interest rate derivatives, and subsequently sued Bankers Trust for fraud; this placed their management in the unusual position of testifying in court that they had entered into transactions that they were not capable of understanding. In 1996, Procter & Gamble again made headlines when the Food and Drug Administration approved a new product developed by the company, Olestra. Also known by its brand name ‘Olean’, Olestra is a lower-calorie substitute for fat in cooking potato chips and other snacks. Procter & Gamble has dramatically expanded throughout its history, but its headquarters still remains in Cincinnati. In January 2005 P&G announced an acquisition of Gillette, forming the largest consumer goods company and placing Unilever into second place. This added brands such as Gillette razors,Duracell, Braun, and Oral-B to their stable. The acquisition was approved by the European Union and the Federal Trade Commission, with  conditions to a spinoff of certain overlapping brands. P&G agreed to sell its SpinBrush battery-operated electric toothbrush business to Church & Dwight. It also divested Gillette’s oral-care toothpaste line, Rembrandt. The deodorant brands Right Guard, Soft & Dri, and Dry Idea were sold to Dial Corporation.[5] The companies officially merged on October 1, 2005. Liquid Paper, and Gillette’s stationery division, Paper Mate were sold toNewell Rubbermaid. In 2008, P&G branched into the record business with its sponsorship of Tag Records, as an endorsement for TAG Body Spray.[6] P&G’s dominance in many categories of consumer products makes its brand management decisions worthy of study.[7] For example, P&G’s corporate strategists must account for the likelihood of one of their products cannibalizing the sales of another.[8] On August 24, 2009, the Ireland-based pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott announced they had bought P&G’s prescription-drug business for $3.1 billion.[9] P&G exited the food business in 2012 when it sold its Pringles snack food business to Kellogg’s. The company had previously sold Jif peanut butter and Folgers coffee in separate transactions toSmucker’s. Procter and Gamble is a tier one sponsor of the London’s Olympic Games 2012 and sponsors 150 Athletes. ——————————————†”—- [edit]Operations As of July 1, 2011, the company structure is categorized into two â€Å"Global Business Units† with each one further divided into â€Å"Business Segments† according to the company’s 2011 Annual Report. Dimitri Panayotopoulos is Vice Chairman of Global Business Units[10] * Beauty segment * Grooming segment * Health Care segment * Snacks & Pet Care segment * Fabric Care & Home Care segment * Baby Care & Family Home Care segment [edit]Management and staff The board of directors of Procter & Gamble currently has eleven members: Robert A. McDonald, Angela Braly, Meg Whitman, Johnathan A. Rodgers, Ernesto Zedillo, Scott Cake, Patricia A. Woertz, Susan D. Desmond-Hellmann, Maggie Wilderotter, W. James McNerney, Jr. and Kenneth Chenault.[11] In March 2011 Rajat Gupta resigned from the board after a SEC accusation ofGalleon Group insider trading.[12] In October 2008, P&G was named one of â€Å"Canada’s Top 100 Employers† by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean’s newsmagazine. Later that month, P&G was also named one ofGreater Toronto’s Top Employers, which was announced by the Toronto Star newspaper.[13] In May 2011 Fortune editor-at-large Patricia Sellers praised P&G’s board diversity, as five of the company’s eleven current directors are female and have all been on Fortune’s annual Most Powerful Women list.[14] Procter & Gamble is a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based coalition of over 400 major companies and NGOs that advocates for a larger International Affairs Budget, which funds American diplomatic and development efforts abroad.[15 ] [edit]Brands Main article: List of Procter & Gamble brands 26 of P&G’s brands have more than a billion dollars in net annual sales, according to the 2011 Annual Report and P&G Corporate Newsroom. Leadership Brands * Ace is a brand of laundry detergent/liquid available in numerous forms and scents. * Always is a brand of feminine care products. * Ariel is a brand of laundry detergent/liquid available in numerous forms and scents. * Bold is a brand of laundry detergent/liquid. * Bounce is a brand of laundry products sold in the United States and Canada. * Bounty is a brand of paper towel sold in the United States and Canada. * Braun is a small-appliances manufacturer specializing in electric shavers, epilators, hair care appliances and blenders. * Cascade is a brand of dishwashing products. * Charmin is a brand of toilet paper sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. * CoverGirl is a brand of women’s cosmetics. * Crest/Oral B is a brand of toothpaste and teeth-whitening products. * Dash is a brand of laundry detergent/liquid. * Dawn/Fairy is a brand of dishwashing detergent.[16] * Dolce & Gabbana is an Italian fashion house. * Downy/Lenor is a brand of fabric softener. * Duracell is a brand of batteries and flashlights. * Eukanuba is a brand of pet food. * Febreze/Ambi Pur is a brand of air fresheners. * Fixodent is a brand of air denture adhesives. * Fusion is a brand of men’s wet shave razors. * Gain is a brand of laundry detergent, fabric softeners and liquid dish soap. * Gillette is a brand of safety razor and male grooming products. * Head & Shoulders is a brand of anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioners. * Herbal Essences is a brand of shampoo and conditioners. * Hugo Boss is a brand of fine fragrances. * Iams is a brand of pet food. * Luvs is a brand of baby diapers. * Mach3 is a brand of safety razor and male grooming products. * Max Factor is a brand of women’s cosmetics. * Mister Clean is a brand of multi-purpose cleaner sold in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. * Olay is a brand of women’s skin care products. * Old Spice is a brand of men’s grooming products. * Oral-B is a brand of toothbrush, and oral care products. * Pampers is a brand of disposable diaper and other baby care products. * Pantene is a brand of hair care products (conditioners/styling aids). * Prestobarba/Blue is a brand of safety razor and male grooming products. * Prilosec is an over-the-counter drug. * Puffs is a brand of facial tissue. * Rejoice/Pert is a brand of hair care products (conditioners/styling aids). * Safeguard is a brand of soaps. * Secret is a female anti-perspirant brand. * SK-II is a brand of women’s and men’s skin care products. * Swiffer is a brand of house-cleaning products. * Tampax is a brand of feminine care products. * Tide is a brand of laundry detergent. * Venus is a brand female hair-removal products. * Vicks is an over the counter medication. * Wella is a brand name of hair care products (shampoo, conditioner, styling, hair color). Most of these brands—including Bounty, Crest and Tide—are global products available on several continents. Procter & Gamble products are available in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Manufacturing operations are based in the following regions: * United States * Canada * Philippines * Mexico * Latin America | * Europe * China (31 wholly owned factories) and other parts of Asia * Africa * Australia| [edit]Productions The P&G production early 1985 to 2007logo used from Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s (Procter & Gamble’s being known for detergents—soaps—was the genesis of the term â€Å"soap opera†)[citation needed]. When the medium switched to television in the 1950s and 1960s, most of the new serials were sponsored and produced by the company. The serial The Young and the Restless is currently broadcast on CBS and is still partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble. When As the World Turns left the air on September 17, 2010, The Young and the Restless, became the only soap left that is partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble. These past serials were produced by Procter & Gamble: * Another World * As the World Turns * The Brighter Day * The Catlins * The Edge of Night * The First Hundred Years * From These Roots| * Guiding Light * Lovers and Friends / For Richer, for Poorer * Our Private World * Search for Tomorrow * Somerset * Texas * Young Doctor Malone| Procter & Gamble also was the first company to produce and sponsor a prime-time show, a 1965 spinoff of the daytime soap opera As the World Turns called Our Private World. In 1979, PGP produced Shirley, a prime-time NBC series starring Shirley Jones which lasted thirteen episodes. They also produced TBS’ first original comedy series, Down to Earth, which ran from 1984 to 1987 (110 episodes were produced). They also distributed the syndicated comedy series Throb. Procter & Gamble Productions originally co-produced Dawson’s Creek with Sony Pictures Television but withdrew before the series premiere due to early  press reviews. It also produced the 1991 TV movie A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, which was co-produced by The Landsburg Company. It also produces the People’s Choice Awards. In addition to self-produced items, Procter & Gamble also supports many Spanish-language novellas through advertising on networks such as Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura, and Azteca America. Procter & Gamble was one of the first mainstream advertisers on Spanish-language TV during the mid-1980s.[citation needed] In 2000, the company’s self care BeingGirl website was launched.[17] In 2008, P&G expanded into music sponsorship when it joined Island Def Jam to create Tag Records, named after a body spray that P&G acquired from Gillette. In April 2010, after the cancellation of As the World Turns, PGP announced they were officially phasing out of the soap industry, and expanding into more family appropriate programming.[18][19] Procter & Gamble also gave a $100,000 contract to the winners of Cycle 1 through 3 of Canada’s Next Top Model, wherein Andrea Muizelaar, Rebecca Hardy and Meaghan Waller won the prize. ————————————————- [edit]Controversies [edit]Price fixing In April 2011, P&G was fined 211.2m euros by the European Commission for establishing a price-fixing cartel in Europe along with Unilever, who was fined 104m euros, and Henkel (not fined). Though the fine was set higher at first, it was discounted by 10% after P&G and Unilever admitted running the cartel. As the provider of the tip-off leading to investigations, Henkel was not fined.[20] [edit]Toxic shock syndrome and tampons Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a disease caused by strains of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Most people have these bacteria living in their bodies as harmless commensals in places such as the nose, skin, and vagina. The disease can strike anyone, not only women, but the disease is often associated with tampons. In 1980, 814 menstrual-related TSS cases were reported; 38 deaths resulted from the disease. The majority of women in these cases were documented as using super-absorbent synthetic tampons, particularly the Rely tampon created by Procter & Gamble.[21] The Rely tampon was so super-absorbent that one by itself could in fact hold one  woman’s entire menstrual period flow. Unlike other tampons made of cotton and rayon, Rely used carboxymethylcellulose and compressed beads of polyester for absorption. In the summer of 1980 the Centers for Disease Control released a report explaining how these bacterial mechanisms were leading to TSS. They also stated that the Rely tampon was associated with TSS more than any other brand of tampon. In September 1980, Procter & Gamble voluntarily recalled its Rely brand of tampons from the market and agreed to provide for a program to notify consumers. Since the 1980s, reported cases of TSS have dramatically decreased.[22] [edit]Animal testing On June 30, 1999, Procter & Gamble announced that it would limit its animal testing practices to its food and drug products which represents roughly 80% of its product portfolio.[23] The company invested more than $275 million in the development of alternative testing methods.[24] Procter & Gamble has received criticism from animal advocacy group PETA for the practice of testing on animals.[25] [edit]Other products In December 2005, the Pharmaceutical division of P&G was involved in a dispute over research involving its osteoporosis drug Actonel. The case was discussed in the media.[26] In October 2007, a class action lawsuit was filed in the State of Georgia alleging that many users of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash, with the active ingredient Cetylpyridinium chloride, suffered stained teeth and loss of their sense of taste as a result.[27] Procter & Gamble contends that these side effects occur in only three percent of users.[27] The suit seeks to include disclosure warning users of these side effects on product packaging. [edit]Logo controversy Former P&G logo P&G’s former logo originated in 1851 as a crude cross that barge workers on the Ohio River painted on cases of P&G star candles to identify them. P&G later changed this symbol into a trademark that showed a man in the moon overlooking 13 stars, said to commemorate the original 13 colonies.[28] The company received unwanted media publicity in the 1980s when rumors spread that the moon-and-stars logo was a satanic symbol. The accusation was based on a particular passage in the Bible, specifically Revelation 12:1, which  states: â€Å"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a womanclothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars.† P&G’s logo consisted of a man’s face on the moon surrounded by 13 stars, and some claimed that the logo was a mockery of the heavenly symbol alluded to in the aforementioned verse, thus construing the logo to be satanic. Where the flowing beard meets the surrounding circle, three curls were said to be a mirror image of the number 666, or the reflected number of the beast. At the top and bottom, the hair curls in on itself, and was said to be the two horns like those of a ram. These interpretations have been denied by company officials, and no evidence linking the company to the Church of Satan or any other occult organization has ever been presented. The company unsuccessfully sued Amway from 1995 to 2003 over rumors forwarded through a company voicemail system in 1995. In 2011 the company successfully sued individual Amway distributors for reviving and propagating the false rumors.[29] The moon-and-stars logo was discontinued in 1985 as a result of the controversy.[30] ————————————————- [edit]Notes 1. ^ a b c d e f â€Å"2011 Earnings Report, The Procter & Gamble Company†. The Procter & Gamble Company. Retrieved May 6, 2012. 2. ^ â€Å"Procter & Gamble board meets amid CEO reports†.Boston Herald. Associated Press. June 9, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 3. ^ â€Å"P&G Ranks 5th Overall, 1st in Our Industry and a â€Å"Green Star† Among Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies† (Press release). Procter & Gamble. March 3, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 4. ^ Dyer, Davis; Dalzell, Frederick; Olegario, Rowena (2004).Rising Tide: Lessons from 165 Years of Brand Building at Procter & Gamble. Harvard Business School Press. ISBN 1-59139-147-4. 5. ^ Wherrity, Constance (February 21, 2006). â€Å"Dial Agrees to Buy P&G Deodorant Brands†. Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York blog. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 6. ^ â€Å"P&G Must Proceed With Caution†. Marketing Doctor Blog. July 10, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 7. ^ â€Å"How To Lea rn From GE and P&G When The World Is About To Change†. Marketing Doctor Blog. June 6, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 8. ^ Horstman, Barry M (October 11, 2005). â€Å"John G. Hankus: He rebuilt P&G – and city, too†. The Cincinnati  Post. Archived from the original on April 5, 2005. 9. ^ Cordieiro, Anjali; Loftus, Peter (August 25, 2009). â€Å"Warner Chilcott to pay $3.1 for P&G’s drug business†. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 10. ^ â€Å"Dimitri Panayotopoulos: Vice chairman†. Pg.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012. 11. ^ â€Å"Board Composition: business leaders, law, American Express†. Pg.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012. 12. ^ â€Å"P&G Views | P&G News | Events, Multimedia, Public Relations† (Press release). Pg.com. December 31, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2012. 13. ^ â€Å"Reasons for Selection, 2009 Canada’s Top 100 Employers Competition†. 14. ^ Sellers, Patricia (May 5, 2011). â€Å"P&G rates an â€Å"A† for board diversity†. CNN Money. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 15. ^ â€Å"U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Global Trust members†. Usglc.org. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 16. ^ â€Å"Dawn†. Dawn-dish.com. R etrieved May 5, 2012. 17. ^ â€Å"Dancing tampons†. Wired. July 26, 2000. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 18. ^ Levine, Robert (July 7, 2008). â€Å"It’s American Brandstand: Marketers Underwrite Performers†. New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 19. ^ â€Å"P&G Must Proceed With Caution†. Marketing Doctor Blog. July 10, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 20. ^ â€Å"Unilever and Procter & Gamble in price fixing fine†. BBC News. April 13, 2011. 21. ^ Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David (December 31, 2005 December 31). â€Å"Tampax Pearl†. Snopes.com. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 22. ^ Mcpherson, Marianne (March 2005). â€Å"Sexual Anatomy, Reproduction, and the Menstrual Cycle†. Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 23. ^ Canedy, Dana (July 1, 1999). â€Å"P.& G. to End Animal Tests For Most Consumer Goods†. The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 24. ^ â€Å"Animal Welfare and Alternatives†. Procter & Gamble. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 25. ^ Liddick, Don (2006). Eco-terrorism: radical environmental and animal liberation movements. Praeger Publishers.ISBN 978-0-275-98535-6. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 26. ^ â€Å"Collated Media Reports†. Thejabberwock.org. July 7, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 27. ^ a b â€Å"In The Superior Court Of Richmond County† (PDF). Retrieved February 15, 2012. 28. ^ â€Å"Procter and Gamble v. Amway 242 F.3d 539†. U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit. February 14, 2001. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 29. ^ â€Å"Procter & Gamble Wins Satanic Civil Suit†. CBS Money Watch. February 11, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2012. 30. ^ Witt, Howard (April 25, 1985). â€Å"Corporate news: Procter symbol succumbs to devilish rumor†. Chicago Tribune. ————————————————- [edit]External links | Cincinnati portal| | Ohio portal| | Companies portal| | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Procter & Gamble| * Official website [show] * v * t * eProcter & Gamble Co.| | [show] * v * t * eComponents of the Dow Jones Industrial Average| | [show] * v * t * ePharmaceutical companies of the United States| | [show] * v * t * eSelected Royal Warrant holders of the British Royal Family| | View page ratings Rate this page What’s this? Trustworthy Objective Complete Well-written I am highly knowledgeable about this topic (optional) Submit ratings Categories: * Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange * Companies established in 1837 * Companies based in Cincinnati, Ohio * Companies based in Geneva * Dow Jones Industrial Average * Manufacturing companies based in Ohio * National Medal of Technology recipients * Pharmaceutical companies of the United States * Procter & Gamble * Pulp and paper companies of the United States * Dental companies * Brand management * Worldwide Olympic sponsors * Create account * Log in * Article * Talk * Read * Edit * View history ————————————————- Top of Form Bottom of Form * Main page * Contents * Featured content * Current events * Random article * Donate to Wikipedia Interaction * Help * About Wikipedia * Community portal * Recent changes * Contact Wikipedia Toolbox Print/export Languages * Ø §Ã™â€žÃ˜ ¹Ã˜ ±Ã˜ ¨Ã™Å Ã˜ © * БÐ µÃ »Ã °Ã'€Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã ºÃ °Ã'  * БÃ'ŠÐ »Ã ³Ã °Ã'€Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸ * Català   * Dansk * Deutsch * Espaà ±ol * Ù Ã˜ §Ã˜ ±Ã˜ ³Ã›Å' * Franà §ais * í•Å"ê µ ­Ã¬â€" ´ * Hrvatski * Bahasa Indonesia * Italiano * × ¢Ã—‘× ¨Ã—™× ª * à ²â€¢Ã  ² ¨Ã  ³ Ã  ² ¨Ã  ² ¡ * LietuviÃ… ³ * Magyar * ÐÅ"Ð °Ã ºÃ µÃ ´Ã ¾Ã ½Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸ * Bahasa Melayu * Nederlands * æâ€" ¥Ã¦Å" ¬Ã¨ ªÅ¾ * norsk (bokmà ¥l)†¬ * Polski * Portuguà ªs * Romà ¢nÄÆ' * Ð  Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸Ã ¹ * Ð ¡Ã °Ã'…Ð ° Ã'‚Ã'‹Ð »Ã ° * Srpskohrvatski / Ã' Ã'€Ð ¿Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã'…Ã'€Ð ²Ã °Ã'‚Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸ * Suomi * Svenska * à ¹â€žÃ  ¸â€"à ¸ ¢ * Tà ¼rkà §e * Ð £Ã ºÃ'€Ð °Ã'â€"Ð ½Ã' Ã'Å'Ð ºÃ ° * Tiá º ¿ng Viá »â€¡t * ä ¸ ­Ã¦â€"‡ * This page was last modified on 18 September 2012 at 23:23. * Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. * Contact us * Privacy policy * About Wikipedia * Disclaimers * Mobile view *