Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Health Economics 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Health Economics 2 - Essay Example Both of these systems address problems being faced in health care financing. With limited financial resources, the rationalization process which is seen in the casemix and the P4P system largely supports quality health services for as many people and patients as possible. P4P system – The Government of Hong Kong (2008) defines it as a system is an internal resource allocation system for hospital funding. They also discuss that it is about strategic purchasing services most needed by the community (Government of Hong Kong, 2008). Casemix system – Based on the Government of Hong Kong (2008), this system is an activity-based funding system where the provider is paid for each case which is treated, and adjustments are made based on the complexity of the case using pre-set classifications. Diagnosis-related groups – Diagnosis-related groups or DRGs are â€Å"based on the principle that diagnosis and other patient characteristics can be categorized in terms of the total quantity of resources used in treating patients† (Government of Hong Kong, 2008, p. 4) Health care systems for countries differ greatly from each other. The differences often depend on the system of government and social services existing in each country. Some countries are based on a socialist system where the health care system is dependent on the government’s support. In other countries, the citizens themselves have to cover for their health care with hardly any assistance from the government at all. Nevertheless, the point is proven that health care systems are different based on each country’s health applications. This paper shall compare the hospital funding system in Hong Kong known as the P4P system with the casemix funding systems in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. It shall draw specific examples within the chosen health care system in order to

Monday, October 28, 2019

The video game console wars Essay Example for Free

The video game console wars Essay 1. Compare and contrast Nintendo’s marketing strategy for the Wii with Sony’s strategy for PS3. By the end of 2006, two game console industry giants, Nintendo and Sony had launched their respective new products; the Wii and PS3. Various marketing strategies were implemented by both rivals and this writing attempt to analyse common and differing elements. Similarly, both companies had a product differentiation strategy, with the aim of being distinctly set apart from their competitors by the viewing market. However, different elements of this strategy were focused on by the firms. For instance, Nintendo differentiated via product form and design. Instead of the traditional controller where buttons are pressed, the Wii had a wireless motion-sensitive controller, which recognises the player’s arm movements. Thus, actions such as golfing, tennis and even dancing can be detected by the game. It is assumed that the rationale behind this is the fact that â€Å"new things and ways of doing things† always grab attention, whether good or bad. Thus, Nintendo’s aim would have been to gain the market’s attention and then convince them positively about the Wii. Conversely, Sony attempted to differentiate through performance quality. Heavy investment was made on a new processing chip and a laser diode, which would rev up the speed drastically and offer superior graphics quality. The video gaming industry prides itself on graphics; hence differentiating in this area may significantly increase demand. One believes however, that Nintendo’s product differentiation strategy had a stronger impact than Sony’s. This is because Sony followed the industry norm, of each new generation of machines being faster and more powerful than the preceding generation, as the case states. Thus, the market was already expecting the enhanced features, compared to the curiosity of a completely new game design by the Wii. With reference to the Ansoff Matrix framework, Nintendo implemented a marketing diversification strategy, whereby they offered a new product to new markets (in terms of untouched customer segments). Nintendo’s designers, according to the case, deliberately developed a machine that is simpler to use, since the complexity of current games appeal only to advance gamers. This thus, would allow market reach to a broader demographic of new segments, thereby beginning to challenge Sony’s market share dominance. For instance, males and female above and below the common age bracket of video game players may now demand the Wii. On the other hand, Sony implemented a product development strategy, by launching a new product in their existing market segment of customers, as the Ansoff theory advocates. Hence, Sony’s PS3 targeted their current customer segment for the PS2. A marketing strategy of Sony may have been to have first mover advantage, by launching in November 2006 in the United States before the Wii. Most studies indicate that the market pioneer gains the greatest advantage, however sometimes it can be risky and expensive. In Sony’s case, they would have easily been able to capitalise on the fans of the playstation and PS2 and new customers entering that market. Their downfall however was inadequate launch preparation and planning with regards to their diode technology, as mass production issues caused shortages. Thus, achieving the Christmas season’s full revenue potential was lost. Even though Nintendo was the second mover launching a month after in December, they had an international marketing launch strategy being executed. They made the Wii available in the United States, the Eurozone and United Kingdom. As a result, the benefits of being the first mover would have been gained in the Eurozone and United Kingdom. It is noted that Sony launched the PS3 four months after in Europe. Being the second to enter that market, Sony may have researched any problems Nintendo may have encountered and adjusted accordingly, for a smoother launch. Nintendo appears to have implemented a market-penetration pricing strategy. The Wii at a cost of $250 is 50% less than the 20-gigabyte PS3 (smaller hard drive machine). At this lower price, it is easier for the product to penetrate the market due to affordability in most segments. This aligns with the assumed company’s aim of maximising market share in the current and new segments. To achieve this, Nintendo ensured that the Wii was less costly to manufacture. Moreover, a higher sales volume may lead to lower unit costs and higher long run profits. Conversely, Sony is believed to have a market-skimming pricing strategy. The company invested $2 billion in technology, so this strategy aims at recovering the maximum amount of revenue to cover the high costs incurred in the early stages of the product life cycle. Additionally, Sony has a strong brand due to the success of their previous machines (PS2 and playstation) and the high price assists in communicating the image of a superior product with quality. 2. What is the key to the Wii’s popularity? The key facet responsible for the Wii’s popularity lies in the innovative design, which â€Å"calls to action† the player with physical movement. The writer views the wireless motion sensitive game console as a new, simple and fun method of gaming for all age groups. As a result, it may appeal not only to the traditional expert video game player like the PS3, but other individuals outside that segment. It thus makes marketing sense, if Nintendo promoted the game as a family requirement for cultivating an enjoyable, quality family time with members. It seems also a great game for various informal social events. Furthermore, since different types of games can be played, the Wii has the potential to appeal to a vast number of different market segments. For instance, The Wii Fit is an exercising game, where aerobics, yoga and other body strengthening activities can be done. Thus, the Wii Fit may have been positioned as a convenient way of losing or maintaining your weight, as it can be done in the comfort of one’s home and a more enjoyable method compared to simply following an instructor on a DVD. Likewise, sports fanatics may gravitate towards the Wii sports for the games of their interest. There also is the possibility of the Wii being used for rehabilitation after a stroke or injury, due to it body strengthen capabilities. It must be noted, that Nintendo’s international marketing strategy of launching in three distinct major areas, was a contributing factor towards the quick popularity gained. The areas were the United States, the Eurozone and the United Kingdom. This means that great strategic marketing focus had to be made on the different areas, to accommodate international cultural differences and legalities. As a result, Nintendo may have had to implement global product strategies for market adaptation in areas such as price, sales promotion, colours, labelling and advertising execution, to name a few. 3. Do you agree with Sony’s decision to incorporate a Blu-ray DVD player in the PS3. The writer agrees with the decision to incorporate a Blu-ray DVD player in the PS3. Firstly, Sony is considered one of the market leaders in the consumer electric industry; where the brand is known for high quality and advance technology. Since the consumer market started demanding more high definition TVs and viewing of DVD’s in high definition, it made good marketing sense to satisfy that need for high definition imagery in the video games, which ultimately reinforced the company’s brand. A â€Å"spin off† from this implementation of Blu-ray, is that the PS3 can actually be used by consumers to watch Blu-ray DVD movies, for those who may not own a Blu-ray DVD player. Thus, the value of the PS3 may increase, due to more product uses than the main function. Secondly, it was wise for Sony to include the Blu-ray DVD player in the PS3, due to their current product range developments. Sony had already launched the Blu-ray video format in their DVD players, thus the inclusion in the PS3 was a commendable and necessary marketing move, in order to keep as many products in the range up to date with the latest technological advancements. More importantly, this was a medium to push and promote the adoption of the Blu-ray in the market, reflecting strong strategic planning for profit maximisation. The draw back to the implementation however, was the issue of mass-production difficulties of the diode for the Blu-ray, resulting in shortages for the U. S holiday launch, as the case explains. Thus, it is assumed that there was a deficiency in proper operational planning and execution. This can be a critical concern with new product planning, since shortages can greatly impact forecasted revenue streams and significant opportunities may be lost. In Sony’s situation, the launch was around the Christmas season, where many PS3s may have been gift considerations and individuals generally spend more on commodities at this time, due to Christmas bonuses and advances. Thus, Sony would not have been able to capitalise on this, due to low supply of machines. In the final analysis however, if Sony had anticipated any production issues to cause marginal temporary shortages at the launch, one is of the opinion that this is not drastic a problem enough, to decide forgoing the implementation of the Blu-ray. This is because consideration is given to the return on investment with the Blu-ray inclusion and the technological drive in the industry at large. The Blu-ray would have generated greater demand than the HD-DVD and take longer to become obsolete, thus having an extended life-span. 4. Some industry observers have noted that the battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray is reminiscent of the showdown between Beta and VHS videocassette formats in the 1970s. What was the outcome? The videocassette showdown between Beta and VHS in the 1970’s mainly was a clear example of â€Å"listening and responding† to what the market wants. It began when Sony produced Bata, a video standard which had a recording time of 60 minutes. Almost one year later, JVC launched the VHS, which is another video standard that had a recording time of 120 minutes. The two videocassettes were different in size and completely incompatible. The VHS was cheaper than Beta; however the longer the recording time resulted in a degraded quality of image. The market nevertheless, wanted a longer recording time, which allowed for longer movies and football matched to be recorded. Sony held their end for more years supplying the more upscale market with the 60 minute high quality videocassettes, but eventually in the mid 80’s they had to offer videocassettes with a longer recording time to remain competitive. By then however it was too late and VHS already held dominance in the market. VHS won the battle and in 2002 the last Beta machine was produced. Sony’s mistake was not listening to what the market wants and not willing to compromise the quality to satisfy the market. The battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray is quite similar, however this time Sony is not the defender, but the challenger. To forecast who the winner may be, the same underlying factor exists, regarding listening to the market and responding. The case explains of the continuous electronic industry’s upgrade towards high definition TVs and DVD movies. Thus, one can assume that consumers want a player which provides the greatest quality of high definition. A common element between HD-DVD and Blu-ray is that they have 1080 lines of resolution (the highest quality video playback possible) on their widescreen HDTV set, as the case shows. Thus, consumers are going to look for other factors which can determine which player provides better quality. Firstly, the fact that Sony’s Blu-ray technology is incompatible with Toshiba (assuming other rival products as well) and can only be used on Sony products, signals that Sony is trying to maintain a type of niche market, which in essence aims at guaranteeing that using Blu-ray technology on Sony products will produce the best quality. This is similar to what Apple does with their range of products. Secondly, over the years Sony has positioned and built their brand to represent â€Å"high quality† and thus brand loyalty is strong among customers in the electronic industry. Lastly, price sends market signals and the common understanding is that high price tends to reflect high quality. The case states that Sony BDP-S1 and S300 cost $999. 99 and $600 respectively, compared to Toshiba’s models ranging from $399. 99 to $799. 99. Thus the higher price of Sony can be assumed to have better quality. Conclusively, HD-DVD and Blu-ray battle is almost mirrored in Beta and VHS rivalry. VHS won the battle since they satisfied the market’s demand for longer recording time with the videocassette. With HD-DVD and Blu-ray, the market is assumed to want high quality on their high definition widescreen HDTVs. The writer believes that Sony with their Blu-ray technology would win the battle, given that they can reflect a better level of quality over Toshiba, through â€Å"non-1080 lines of resolution† factors. CITATION Czinkota, Michael, and Ilkka Ronkainen. International Marketing . Thomson South-Western, 2007. Harvey, Nathan, and Louise Ada. 2012. Suitability of Nintendo Wii Balance Board for rehabilitation of standing after stroke. Physical Therapy Reviews 17, no. 5: 311-321 Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Keller. Marketing Management. Pearson Education Limited, 2012.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Government Essay -- essays research papers

Governments Today Should governments today play a greater role in the operation of their economies? In a perfect world everyone would have a job, and would have all which they need to live, however, this is not always the case. Poorer countries may not have the necessary productivity to sustain their economies, working conditions may be awful, or sometimes people may not even have the right to own and operate their own business. This situation is probably caused from too much government intervention. On the other hand, if there is too little government intervention the workers rights could be exploited in order for the industry owners to make more profit. In order for a nation’s economy to be successful, that nation must have high productivity, rights for all of its population, and a high standard of living. This can be achieved through some government regulation and the successful use of some points of the market economy system. Some countries that have, or had, a failing economy used centrall y planned economic ideologies. The Soviet Union is a good example of a country that has used centrally planned economic ideas and that has had their economy fail. The failure of the Soviet Union’s economy was the effect of no substantial change in the way the economy was run in over 60 years. In 1928, Stalin wanted to improve the country’s economy by increasing its industrialization. In order for increased industrialization, an increase of productivity was in need. The first five-year plan Stalin implemented drastically increased the USSR’s production of steel, electric power, machinery, and new industries. However, peasants, who were once farmers and now worked in factories, were frustrated since they were not prepared for their new way of life. These peasants were forced to work in the factories since new machinery had replaced them on the farms were they once worked. However, the new machinery helped to increase agricultural production since they were more ef ficient and effective. The larger collective farms that could afford the modern machinery were urged to act against the kulaks (rich peasant farmers). The kulaks refused to sell their excess grain were forced to hand over their land to the government. Most of them burned their crops, killed their livestock, and destroyed the machinery in attempts to defy the government. The kulaks caused famine to sweep over th... ... conditions, because factory owners did not regard the safety of their workers, many workers often died because of their jobs, or suffered great injuries that would not able them to work at all. The Soviet Unions’ economic collapse and the Industrial Revolution workers working conditions tell us that a mixed economic system is the best choice for today’s countries. This is because with out government control in the economy workers can be exploited with out any regard for their safety or well being. However, in an economy, where there is total government control the workers may lose initiative to work and the economy may collapse. The best examples of a stable economy that protects the rights of the people are the United States and Canada. This is because their productivity increases as their population increases, and the workers do not face horrible working conditions. Also, Canada and the United States enjoy a high standard of living, and people can enjoy the freed om to operate their own private businesses. Simply government control is necessary to protect the rights of people, but some points of the capitalist economic system are necessary to take care of the consumer’s needs.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club Essay -- Essays Papers

Joy Luck Club The stories of Suyuan and Jing-Mei Woo reveal some of Amy Tan's main themes in the novel. One important theme is that we must get to know and understand our parents in order to fully understand ourselves. June spends the first half of her life believing that she is a disappointment to her mother and has been unsuccessful in life. However, when she learns more about her mother's past and discovers that her mother is proud of her good heart and concern for others, she realizes that she has accomplished something by doing small things to the best of her ability. She learns that one does not have to be famous, or a genius, or greatly wealthy in order to be successful. Another important theme is that we need to make our own choices in life and find our own life's importance. When June was a child, her mother was constantly pushing her to try different things that she had no interest in. Because she did not care about any of these things, she did not really try to be successful, and theref ore, would never accomplish anything great. We build our own importance in life by deeply caring about something that we choose and putting all of our effort into developing or accomplishing this. The relationship between June and her mother, Suyuan, is far from flawless, yet has the foundation of love that can never be destroyed. There are many misunderstandings between these two women that are unfortunately left unresolved until after Suyuan's death. Amy Tan uses this relationship and all of its complications to teach the readers important themes about life. Ultimately, love between this mother and daughter prevails through all conflict, and even beyond Suyuan's death, when her long-cherished wish of uniting her daughters is fulfilled. The Joy Luck Club: Cutural Differences Between Daughters and Mothers There are numerous conditions in human life that mold people into who they presently are. A person's identity and way of thinking are influenced greatly due to their family's surroundings, and relationships they are involved in. In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, the characters are generic, in the sense that, although they are from different families, the problems and emotions experienced are similar. The daughters are in an on-going search to discover themselves, who they are and what they represent. With their precious mother-daughter bonds, four immig... ...listic needs are not worth pursuing but finding yourself is: "With all these things, I did not care. I had no spirit" (Tan 286). Other times,in trying to instill what is left of the Chinese heritage, the American way of life is blended in, but alas, "I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character. How could I know these two do not mix?" (Tan 289). The characters of the novel, The Joy Luck Club, unravel the intricacies of combining a Chinese heritage with American circumstances and tell of the relationships between mothers and daughters. The strong bond, that is present amongst the characters, will infinitely outlast all obstacles. From each generation, all of the women "are like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way" (Tan 241). There are advantages and disadvantages to growing up with American circumstances, as well as learning and obtaining Chinese character, but one must be chosen over the other to be free. "I think about two faces. I think about my intentions. Which one is American? Which one is Chinese? Which one is be tter? If you show one, you must always sacrifice the other" (Tan 304).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

An Analysis of the Kite Runner Essay

Introduction The Kite Runner is an extraordinary book, which reminds us how long the Afghani people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence. Because of the books strong story, we get an insight in how people might have experienced the crisis in Kabul, even though it’s been shown through a book. The author Khaled Hosseini was a practicing physician until after the book’s release. This was also his first novel, which was released in 2003 and turned out to be an international bestseller. Even though the story of The Kite Runner is fictional, it’s based on a true story and also on Hosseini’s memories of growing up in Kabul. This also means that the genre of the book is not a fictional novel (many look at it that way), but an historical novel. According to an article in USA Today, The Kite Runner has sold over 1. 4 million copies, which is a phenomenal sale for a first time author. The story tells of a friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Even though they were raised in the same household, Amir and Hassan are from two â€Å"different worlds†. While Amir is the son of a wealthy and respected man (Baba), Hassan is the son of the family servant (Ali). The most important factor in the story is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Their intertwined lives and fate, shows that throughout the story even though, when their relationship was inseparable in the start. They still manage to become separated through jealousy. Five years later, during the Soviet occupation, Amir and Baba are forced to flee. They spend their new lives in California, and Amir starts a career as an author. Even though Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. He still cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. Setting The story uses two main settings. One is Afghanistan and the other is California. We could also say that the story is divided into three sections: the memories of pre-conflict Afghanistan, adjusting to life in America, and returning to Taliban controlled Afghanistan. There is big difference between these places. While Afghanistan used to be a safe and peaceful nation, their reputation completely changed after Taliban started controlling the country. The country is also portrayed as a demolished and deserted place, while California is shown as a way to escape their problems in Afghanistan. California will always be a much safer place to live, for both Amir and Baba, but Baba still misses Afghanistan, since he used to be wealthy and respected. He misses Kabul because in California, he is completely the opposite. He works at a gas station for many hours, and through the book we can feel that he misses almost everything about his previous home. It’s important to understand their struggle to adapt to their new home, because it shows how different Afghanistan is from California, and we also get a better understanding of the story. Structure and characters The Kite Runner starts with a nameless narrator, talking about his past and how it’s been affecting him for the last twenty-six years. The narrator also gives us clues to what might happen, and the troubles that will arise. After going through a few chapters, we get to know the main characters better and their problems. The characters that we first meet are Amir and Hassan. Amir is the narrator and the main character throughout the story. He is an Afghan man with a special childhood. Through most of his life Amir tries to redeem his reputation in the eyes of his father as he felt he was responsible for his mother’s death. He also wants to prove to his father that he isn’t a weakling, and want to become more like Hassan. Hassan is Amir’s best friend during his childhood and he is also his servant. Hassan is known for his loyalty and strong attachment to Amir. Later in the story, it’s revealed that Hassan is Amir’s brother. This means that Amir’s father had an affair with Ali’s wife, and that Hassan is actually his son. Hassan was also known for begin the best kite runner in Kabul. Baba is a wealthy and respected man, but becomes poor after he flees to America. His relationship with Amir is very turbulent, and he wants Amir to become like Hassan, strong and brave. Ali is Hassan’s father and Baba’s best friend. He is a Hazara, but he got the same characteristics as his son. Ali grew up together with Baba, just as Hassan and Amir did. He got a handicap as well; even though it doesn’t stop him from begin a loyal servant. Rahim Khan is Baba’s closest friend and one of the few people who know that Hassan is Amir’s brother. He is the one that calls Amir to go back to Afghanistan. Assef is a bully and is responsible for the rape of Hassan. This guy is also a fan of Hitler, which clearly makes him a sociopath. When he becomes an adult, he also joins the Taliban. He also has hatred towards the Hazara people, and likes to discriminate them. Soraya is Amir’s wife and has troublesome past. She also takes care of Baba, when he is sick and adopts Shorab without doubts. Sohrab is Hassan’s son. He also plays a major part in the book. Assef enslaves him after he is taken from the orphanage. Since Amir is the main character in the book, he also develops most of all the characters. We notice first that he slowly turns against Hassan, his anger and jealousy grows in one direction, even though Hassan doesn’t do anything wrong. The rape of Hassan is really an event that further separates their relationship. Since there is so much drama in this book, it doesn’t end yet. When the Soviet invades Afghanistan, Amir’s family flees to another country, unaware that they lose most of their wealth. For the first time they get a taste of how it is to be poor. Later in the book Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan and returns to Afghanistan. He finds out about Hassan’s son Sohrab, and is determined to bring him back home to America. Before he could save Sohrab, he had to face Assef. Getting beaten by Assef and saving Sohrab could be seen as a final way to redeem himself. This also made his guilt disappear. Themes and tones In this story, there are a lot of different themes we could discuss like example: bullying, friendship, guilt, betrayal, kite, honor, redemption, father and son relationship, man’s inhumanity to man, discrimination and loyalty. There is a lot of ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan and especially the conflict between the Pashtuns and the Hazara. The relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras has never been stable; because Pashtuns are mostly Sunni Muslims and the Hazara are Shia Muslim. The Hazara has been discriminated mostly because of their faith, language and facial appearance. In the book Ali is loyal to Baba, because Baba’s father adopted Ali after his parents died. Since then Baba has always followed his father’s example and always been kind to the Hazara people. Guilt is also another theme that is brought up. After the rape of Hassan, Amir cannot bear to be around Hassan, because it reminds him of that day. He even lies to Ali, and says that nothing happened. The problem with Hassan is that he takes the blame for everything and he doesn’t want to hurt Amir. Even when Amir tells Hassan to hit him with the pomegranate, he refuses. When Hassan smashes the pomegranate on his own forehead, Amir’s guilt becomes even worse. In the end Amir makes Hassan and his father leave, and Hassan still considers Amir his best friend. The story is written in a way that it still affects you after your done reading. Even though it’s a dark story with a lot of hopelessness for the people in Afghanistan, there still is some hope and happiness. Honor is expressed in many different ways, but the quote â€Å"for you, a thousand times over† is a great example of how they express theirself. Conclusion The kite is a theme in the book that represents freedom, even though you’re not in fully in control of the kite’s fate. I think the theme describes the fate of Amir and how he develops throughout the book To me the story as said earlier is a historical novel, and not a fictional novel. This is because it’s based on a true story and experiences Hosseini had when he was growing up in Kabul. I as writer of this analysis is a Hazara, and I know what kind of suffering the Hazara people have went through. Sometimes I think that Hosseini might be Amir, but they sure do have some similarities. Links: * http://www. usatoday. com/life/books/news/2005-04-18-kite-runner_x. htm * http://www. gradesaver. com/the-kite-runner/study-guide/ * http://www. wikisummaries. org/The_Kite_Runner * http://polsci167. blogspot. com/2011/09/kite-runner-redemption-within-tentative. html.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Ethno Political Violence Cause and Effect

Ethno Political Violence Cause and Effect The development of ethnopolitical situations usually depends on crises in political and/or economical spheres. Laurie Nathan considers violence as one of the most significant symptoms of crises, which happen within one state and may spread over the others, and admits that four structural conditions become crucial for both economical and political crises (Nathan 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethno Political Violence Cause and Effect specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After I read the article The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I clear up that the collaboration of structural, political, and economical forces have a certain contribution to ethnopolitical violence. First of all, such structural conditions like authoritarian rule and minorities’ exclusion from state governance may serve as a strong reason of violence and intra-state crisis. When oppressed minorities cannot accept the existed rules and conditio ns, they have to live under, they prefer to develop rebellions and prove their points of view by means of power and fights. Cultural identity and physical security are under a threat because of human demands and the ways, people demonstrate these demands. Laurie Nathan also underlines that weak states, which are not able to cope with and solve political and social conflicts, and the ideas of inequity and deprivation play an important role in the development of ethnopolitical violence and becomes an important cause of the crises. For many people, it turns out to be very difficult to distinguish the symptoms and the causes of political and economical crises; this is why it is better the article by Laurie Nathan is rather helpful for drawing insights about the political and economical factors of a crisis and violence. Ethnopolitical violence is one of the brightest symptoms of a crisis, and structural conditions of the state are the cause for violence and for crisis.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Peter Uvin tells that human fear is based on the development of the community they live in. The vast majority of people are not ready for the imposition of foreign policy because of lack of knowledge about strategic interests, and they make numerous attempts to separate from each other and find more powers to fight against the violence that comes from the other groups (Uvin 234). In spite of the fact that both authors do not pay enough attention to gender role in the development of crises, they both admit that this point is still crucial and deserves thorough analyses in future. These two readings under consideration help to comprehend that in order to create good governance, it is crucially important to follow certain conditions and rules. It is necessary to realize that crises cannot be overcome within a short period of time and by means of warfare only . Peaceful strategies, political stability, proper analysis of causes and symptoms of state crisis and violence, and desire to achieve peace between all parts of society – these are the major points, which have to be taken into account by those, who aim at solving economical and political problems and establishing peace and understanding between people. In case the analysis of causes and symptoms of violence and crisis takes place, proper idea of how to overcome crises and improve situation will be offered. Ethnopolitical conflicts as well as violence and crises may take various forms. Sometimes, these forms are hard to recognize, and analytics have to work out the programs, which are aimed at analyzing, solving, and preventing crises in both political and economical spheres. Nathan, Laurie. â€Å"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: The Structural Cause of Violence in Africa.† Track Two 10.2 (Aug. 2001). 15 Nov. 2009. Web.Advertising We will write a custom es say sample on Ethno Political Violence Cause and Effect specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Uvin, Peter. Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda. West Hartford, Connecticut: Kumarian Press, 1998.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to Raise Your Hand in Class

How to Raise Your Hand in Class Do you get the urge to sink into your chair when you know the answer to a question that your teacher has asked? Of course you already know how to raise your hand. But do you avoid it because its scary? Many students find that their entire vocabulary (and ability to think) disappears when they try to speak up in class. If this sounds familiar, youre not alone. But there are a few reasons why you should build up that courage and express yourself. For one thing, youll find that you become more self-assured every time you speak up (as painful as it may seen at the time), so the experience gets easier and easier. And another good reason? Your teacher will appreciate it. After all, teachers enjoy feedback and participation. By raising your hand in class, youre showing the teacher that you really care about your classroom performance. This can pay off at report card time! Difficulty Hard (scary sometimes) Time Required From 5 minutes to 5 weeks for comfort Heres How Do your reading assignments before you go to class. This is important for giving yourself a strong sense of self-confidence. You should go to class with an understanding of the topic at hand.Review the previous days notes right before class. On the margins of your notes, write down key words that will help you locate a certain topic quickly. Once again, the more prepared you feel, the more at ease youll feel when you speak in class.Now that youve done all the necessary reading, you should feel confident about the lecture material. Take excellent notes as your teacher lectures. Jot down key words in the margins of your notes if you have time.When the teacher asks a question, quickly locate the topic using your key words.Take a moment to breath and relax. Sort your thoughts by creating a mental outline in your head.With your writing hand, jot down a brief outline of your thoughts in response to the teachers question if you have time.Raise your other hand in the air.Dont feel pressured to blurt out your answer quickly. Look or think over your outline. Answer deliberately and slowly if necessary. Tips Dont ever be embarrassed by your answer! If its partly right, youve done a good job. If its completely off-base, the teacher will probably realize that he/she needs to re-word the question.Keep trying, even if you turn red and stammer at first. Youll find that it gets easier with experience.Dont get cocky! If you get lots of answers right and you get proud and cocky about it, others will think youre obnoxious. That wont do you any good. Dont alienate yourself by trying to impress the teacher. Your social life is important, too. What You Need One hand.A pencil and paper.Good class notes.The confidence that comes with doing the readings.A little courage.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Essays on The Pentacle

to say to that â€Å"BULL SHIT†. It is true that the Satanists have taken our symbol and inverted it. To me, doing so is showing disrespect to our symbol. They have also done the same to the Christians cross. So does that make the Christian cross evil, I think not. So why is it that the pentacle right side up is seen as evil? I will try to answer that and I will also explain the meaning behind the pentacle. The reason that the pentacle is seen as evil is because the world it’s self has been christianized. I’m not saying that that is a bad thing but to me personally it is. The Christians are the reason that the witches of old had to go into hiding for fear of torture and death, by hangings or but being burned at the stake. Many witches of the old days, when Christianity was starting and they where being persecuted for what they believed by the Jews, took them in and helped them to get on their feet as a religion. They mad our Gods and Goddess saints of their churches, in a way to christianize them. When that did not work the Christians turned on them and started to kill them, because they did not understand how the witches of old could believe what they did. OK that is enough of that, now let me get back to the pentacle. The Pentacle is like I said before a five-pointed start in a circle. The circle and each point of the star mean something. Depending on who you ask these meanings change a little but not a whole lot. From her I will go into the meaning of it from my beliefs and point of view. I will work my way around the star stating at the top point and go around it clock wis... Free Essays on The Pentacle Free Essays on The Pentacle The Pentacle I’m doing this paper on one of my most sacred symbols in my faith group. The pentacle for all senses of the word is a symbol that I hold very sacred. The pentacle is a five-pointed star in closed in a circle. I know that the pentacle is seen by most of society as a sign of evil, and Satanic Worship. I have two words to say to that â€Å"BULL SHIT†. It is true that the Satanists have taken our symbol and inverted it. To me, doing so is showing disrespect to our symbol. They have also done the same to the Christians cross. So does that make the Christian cross evil, I think not. So why is it that the pentacle right side up is seen as evil? I will try to answer that and I will also explain the meaning behind the pentacle. The reason that the pentacle is seen as evil is because the world it’s self has been christianized. I’m not saying that that is a bad thing but to me personally it is. The Christians are the reason that the witches of old had to go into hiding for fear of torture and death, by hangings or but being burned at the stake. Many witches of the old days, when Christianity was starting and they where being persecuted for what they believed by the Jews, took them in and helped them to get on their feet as a religion. They mad our Gods and Goddess saints of their churches, in a way to christianize them. When that did not work the Christians turned on them and started to kill them, because they did not understand how the witches of old could believe what they did. OK that is enough of that, now let me get back to the pentacle. The Pentacle is like I said before a five-pointed start in a circle. The circle and each point of the star mean something. Depending on who you ask these meanings change a little but not a whole lot. From her I will go into the meaning of it from my beliefs and point of view. I will work my way around the star stating at the top point and go around it clock wis...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Introduction to Business Law Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to Business Law Bachelor - Essay Example Now in Texas, the total family property is protected by this clause which many other mortgage paying homeowners balk at, saying it is an unfair act and also discriminatory based on state residencies. Many families face financially hard times with no clause to fall back on so they feel it's unjust and morally biased that others are offered, what appears too many to be, a hand out, down the easy financial highway. Also, it is widely known that corporate CEO's or other distinguished people have, in the past, purchased homes way above their heads, eventually falling into debt, and as well, in behind on their mortgages; then facing judgments. Consequentially, they spend their remaining funds unwisely, making unnecessary purchases and then expect to be allowed to lean on the Homestead Act for support and protection of their remaining assets. This type of behavior is one of greediness and self absorption, a characteristic that makes other homeowners, struggling to pay their bills, despise t he Homestead Act ever being substantiated. On the other hand, when the clause was first implemented and recognized back in 1839, its purpose was honest and solely for the integrity of keeping a family

Friday, October 18, 2019

The developments the electronic TV Technology- only write my part in Essay

The developments the electronic TV Technology- only write my part in this essy which is (How it's work) - Essay Example Srivastava (2009) states that an LCD display is possible when opposite polarized glass are placed on both sides of a crystal. The liquid crystals are split into small parts which are known as pixels; pixels can be considered as the smallest unit of screen resolution. Kondolojy states in one his articles that these pixels have the same features as the liquid crystals. The have an alternating behaviour in allowing the light to pass through them. The crystal molecules are activated or deactivated on the screen on the basis of the image that is to be generated. LCD TV Reviews UK (2009) explains that the front screen which is made of glass is imprinted with a grid. This facilitates the alternating behavior of the crystal molecules between activation and deactivation. Crystal molecules do not emit light therefore a system has to be put in to do the job. A backlight system provides the necessary light to the molecules which is required to produce an picture on the screen. LCD TV Reviews UK (2009) explains that there are three backlight systems that are commonly used in LCD TVs; EL system (Electro Luminescent), CCFL system (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) and LED system (Light Emitting Diode). TopBits.com describes the process and states that when a picture is required to be displayed on the screen of the LCD TV, electric current is allowed to be passed through the crystal molecules. The amount of electric current corresponds to the intensity of the colours required for each pixel. A unique feature of the crystal molecules is that they act as shutters and allow only specific amount of light to pass through them. If there is a requirement of a dark picture on the screen then the molecules will prevent light from going out of them. In the same way, lighter picture will make the molecules emit corresponding amount of light. Tyson states that due to the variation in the emitting of the light, the output on the screen will be exactly similar to the input

MUSIC REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MUSIC REPORT - Essay Example The music starts soft, with strings ushering in soft music and later on would crescendo into a complete expression of his love for Cosima. The events in Wagner’s life prompted the composition of the Idyll, a piece that remains to be one of his greatest masterpieces to this day! Upon listening to the music, the notes take a relaxing mood, moving into a sweet caress of the notes. In the later part of the Idyll, the notes become more melancholic, more serious, bringing the mood back to reality, reflecting Wagner’s struggle throughout his career. However, this struggle was lifted and made lighter by Cosima, whom Wagner referred to as his eternal support. Sigfried Idyll reflects Wagner’s romantic nature, as recounted, he held Cosima’s hands, â€Å"and she was beside him as he wrote down the last notes for the full orchestral score of Sigfried†. This brilliant composition is a very good expression of love and life – a balance of feeling blessed, an d struggles one continuously face. Another brilliant composer, whose work remains popular up to this day, is Ludwig Van Beethoven, a German composer and pianist. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 was written between 1796 and 1797, and was played for the first time in Prague, in 1798, by Beethoven himself. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major generally has an upbeat melody, with a faint melancholic transition in the middle, and then rising once again into its upbeat spirit. This piece combines dramatic classical style of lively contrasts and symmetrical forms. With the forceful nature of Beethoven’s music, he gave voice to the new current of subjectivism and individualism which emerged at the coming around of the French revolution, as well as the rise of the middle class. In listening to this piece, Beethoven conveys the message of freedom and equality as the notes â€Å"demand† and â€Å"protest† with its forceful, rhythmic patterns. Piano concerto No. 1 in C Major certainly

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky - Essay Example The essay "Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky" discovers the painting of Aba Bayefsky. Through out his career there is a recurring theme of destruction, skeletons and dark symbols. His choice of rich, bold colors cause the subject matter to jump out of the canvas, but at the same time, the subject is locked into it’s environment and the piece moves as a solid and single unit. This essay will explore the painting, Harvest Moon, by first discussing the initial reactions to the piece upon preliminary examination at the gallery. Later, the essay will investigate the formal elements of art, such as line, shape and how they interplay to create a haunting feeling for the viewer by drawing upon the familiarity of the subject matter and turning it into an expressionist piece of work that evokes emotion and a response.When first encountering this piece of work it’s simple and rather typical physical size doesn’t instantaneously capture the audience’s attention, especially in comparison to the surrounding works that are much bigger in scale. What’s captivating about this piece is how the viewer is drawn toward it for curiosity’s sake of wondering what’s inside the house, what’s behind the jack-o-lanterns and what the artist is possibly hiding. The soft lighting in the gallery creates a warm feeling that counteracts the â€Å"scary† images so that a sense of safety is felt amongst the gruesome images in the exhibit. In examining the painting the slick quality of the oil paints are apparent and one would imagine. it would be slippery and smooth to the touch with prickly peaks that terminate each stroke. The carved expressions of the jack-o-lantern's faces appear hollowed out just as if they were real pumpkins but these are a hollowing of paint instead of the true pulp. In general, the nine jack-o-lanterns wear uniform expressions that aren't jolly nor sinister, but more vacant and void if anything. Looking straight on at the painting gives a rather flat view, but by approaching the work from the left or the right it seems as though the jack-o-lanterns' eyes are following movement and beckoning the viewer to stop and reconsider it's mysticism. Line in this painting is very straightforward. The lines of the two houses ran horizontally across the top of the canvas, but once one reaches the lower half of the canvas these lines are interrupted by waves, or peaks that divide the houses from the jack-o-lanterns. These waves suggest a division between the two objects, the houses, and the jack-o-lanterns. For an oil painting, the outline of the objects is quite crisp and thin, almost as if the painter were using a printed coloring book that already had the outline, and the painter was left to fill in the empty spaces with paint. The diagonal lines that make up the house's awning direct the viewer's eye to the jack-o-lanterns in the foreground, forcing the eye to forget the homes and instead meditate on the orange of the pumpkins. The straight lines of the house are juxtaposed against the wavy lines of the clouds in the sky creating a balance or harmony between the two so that the painting is not too rigid, nor too flimsy. Shape is rather flat in this piece. In this two-dimensional piece of work shape is primarily offered to the pumpkins, as they appear plump and hearty. The painting is made up of simple geometric shapes that contain the painting to single solid

Career action plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Career action plan - Coursework Example It will also have a detailed analysis of the skills/knowledge and experience that would be expected from the particular candidate aspiring for a job. The report further progresses with the development of the CV and the covering letter preparation that would be prepared to demonstrate the skills/knowledge and experience in order to apply for a graduate level job. After that the report will exhibit the gap analysis where the current knowledge and the skills of the applicants will be matched with the requirement that has been identified in the research. At this stage, an attempt will be made to identify the areas where the candidate lacks. The preparation of the career action plan will be carried out where the candidate will show his commitment in order to plug the lacuna. At this section, personal development planning and career related activities will be undertaken. A short conclusion of the overall report will be presented to the reader in order to reflect the feeling on completion o f the overall assignment and exhibit an understanding of the intention to use the career action plan. Since several years the marketing job has been extremely competitive. The marketing industry is growing which is good news for those aspiring to make their careers on marketing. In order to overcome the tough times such as the recent economic slowdown, the companies seek people who can help them to get through this kind of situations. In this case, utilising money for marketing seems to be viable. However, there are certain drawbacks about these marketing jobs as well. Although the job profile seems to be attractive, the candidates have to face tough competition in this field. If the candidate seems to be incredibly hardworking and seeking challenges, then he can get involved into the marketing jobs. As the industry is growing there seems to be greater demand for

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky - Essay Example The essay "Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky" discovers the painting of Aba Bayefsky. Through out his career there is a recurring theme of destruction, skeletons and dark symbols. His choice of rich, bold colors cause the subject matter to jump out of the canvas, but at the same time, the subject is locked into it’s environment and the piece moves as a solid and single unit. This essay will explore the painting, Harvest Moon, by first discussing the initial reactions to the piece upon preliminary examination at the gallery. Later, the essay will investigate the formal elements of art, such as line, shape and how they interplay to create a haunting feeling for the viewer by drawing upon the familiarity of the subject matter and turning it into an expressionist piece of work that evokes emotion and a response.When first encountering this piece of work it’s simple and rather typical physical size doesn’t instantaneously capture the audience’s attention, especially in comparison to the surrounding works that are much bigger in scale. What’s captivating about this piece is how the viewer is drawn toward it for curiosity’s sake of wondering what’s inside the house, what’s behind the jack-o-lanterns and what the artist is possibly hiding. The soft lighting in the gallery creates a warm feeling that counteracts the â€Å"scary† images so that a sense of safety is felt amongst the gruesome images in the exhibit. In examining the painting the slick quality of the oil paints are apparent and one would imagine. it would be slippery and smooth to the touch with prickly peaks that terminate each stroke. The carved expressions of the jack-o-lantern's faces appear hollowed out just as if they were real pumpkins but these are a hollowing of paint instead of the true pulp. In general, the nine jack-o-lanterns wear uniform expressions that aren't jolly nor sinister, but more vacant and void if anything. Looking straight on at the painting gives a rather flat view, but by approaching the work from the left or the right it seems as though the jack-o-lanterns' eyes are following movement and beckoning the viewer to stop and reconsider it's mysticism. Line in this painting is very straightforward. The lines of the two houses ran horizontally across the top of the canvas, but once one reaches the lower half of the canvas these lines are interrupted by waves, or peaks that divide the houses from the jack-o-lanterns. These waves suggest a division between the two objects, the houses, and the jack-o-lanterns. For an oil painting, the outline of the objects is quite crisp and thin, almost as if the painter were using a printed coloring book that already had the outline, and the painter was left to fill in the empty spaces with paint. The diagonal lines that make up the house's awning direct the viewer's eye to the jack-o-lanterns in the foreground, forcing the eye to forget the homes and instead meditate on the orange of the pumpkins. The straight lines of the house are juxtaposed against the wavy lines of the clouds in the sky creating a balance or harmony between the two so that the painting is not too rigid, nor too flimsy. Shape is rather flat in this piece. In this two-dimensional piece of work shape is primarily offered to the pumpkins, as they appear plump and hearty. The painting is made up of simple geometric shapes that contain the painting to single solid

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

To what extent does the Wal-Mart motivation mode inspire employees Essay

To what extent does the Wal-Mart motivation mode inspire employees - Essay Example the development of business in the modern society requires that high consideration be given to motivation, which must be directed to the individuals that are responsible for the business decision making. In order to provide a clear framework for the scholars interested in this area of study, we will need to discuss the major forms of motivations as suggested by earlier researchers and outline clearly how they influence the growth of business. We will also see how they affect the employees in a diverse way. In addition, we will make suggestions of more forms of motivation that are not covered in this area of study. Apart from merely stating the major reasons for the exploration of these forms of motivation, we will identify the major weaknesses that have lead to the limitation of the power of prediction by the previously conducted researches on the same topic. This is rooted from the basic principle of continuity as should be exhibited by research. We therefore offer explicit outcomes for any future research adoption to clear the industry

Teamwork and Trustworthy Working Relationship Essay Example for Free

Teamwork and Trustworthy Working Relationship Essay Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships (Michael Jordan). This is a quote from one of the greatest basketball players, emphasising the importance in teamwork as a group. It can also be used in terms of a group of people working together not in a sporting aspect. â€Å"A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them. † (Dr. R. M. Belbin). This definition is used to identify individual’s positives and negatives during a project or as a group; it can also be used to build a secure and trustworthy working relationship, choose and develop high-performing teams, increase self-awareness and personal efficiency, and finally build understanding. Building a secure and trustworthy working relationship is important in teamwork because it can help build individuals in the group’s self-confidence and morale and guarantee support from other members in the group. It can also build hope around the team, guaranteeing members can feel confident airing issues and concerns within the group. This is offered individuals a rich variety of tools and ways to manage, avoid and fix conflict to build a stronger and lasting relationships. During the lead up to the presentation, my team-mates and I had a few occasions where we disagreed about certain opinions but we did it in a respectable manner and understood the reason agreement. Majority of us who made up a group to put up a presentation on teamwork and the Eurozone play football together which automatically gave us that bond, we had the ability to voice concerns w no fear of getting shut down by a member of the team which is very vital as I mentioned above about teamwork.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Strength And Weakness Of Drug Facts Economics Essay

Strength And Weakness Of Drug Facts Economics Essay In OTC drugs, there is variation in labeling OTC drugs. Those OTC drugs which are exported to foreign countries are labeled in perfect manner, but that is in revise in Indian market. In India, OTC drugs are distributed in pitiable manner and it exhibits the lack of regulations in labeling. It is required to improve the labeling of OTC drugs. For achieving high-quality labeling, the following information should be included in the labeling requirements of OTC drugs. 1. The purpose of the drug 2. Detailed warning messages 3. Inactive ingredients 4. Dosage instructions 5. Users Contact data, equipped to get information for their queries The Drug and Cosmetic Act was executed in 1945. At that time, the literacy rate, which depicts the literacy (who can be read and write) percentage of a population over the age 15, was very low. The prerequisites of labeling were depended on general public education and circumstances. After that, there was a great improvement in both literary rate and the usage of OTC drugs. Stated by the surveys, India is currently in 11th position in the global OTC market, and it is believed to be in the 9th position in following five years. All these represents the need of modification which is required in the Drug and Cosmetic Act established in 1945, in order to improve the level of OTC drug labeling. History of OTC labels The manufacture, distribution, sale and import of drugs and cosmetics in India are regulated by the following legislations: The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (DCA) and its subordinate legislation Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 (DCR) Drug (Prices Control) Order, 1995 Drugs (Magic Remedies) Objectionable Advertisement Act, 1954 Pharmacy Act, 1948 The above-mentioned legislations are regulated by the Central Government (Ministry of Health Family Welfare) and are enforced through Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the State Government. Even though, OTC drugs do not have separate labeling requirements in India, all drug products should have a minimal information present on the label of the innermost container of any drug and on every other layer in which the container is packed , as per rule 96 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 (DCR), except homeopathic medicines. The following are the minimum labeling requirements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Name of the drug: Proper (generic) name, immediately followed by Trade (brand) name à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Net content of drug in the container à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Content of active ingredients/single dose or dosage unit à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Name, address and license number of the manufacturer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Distinctive Batch number or Lot number for the product à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Manufacturing and Expiry date à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maximum Retail Price (inclusive of all taxes) In India, Peoples habit of taking drugs differs from place to place. Around30%-45% of people prefer pharmacist and self treatment for their illness like cough, cold, pain, fever, injuries and digestive disorders. India is famous for Ayurveda and some other long-established systems of medicine. The aim of the evaluation conducted by Rama Krishna Chaitanya Aluri from Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, based on nearly 200 OTC drug labels, is to check the suitability of information on the labels for successful self-treatment by consumers. Recent changes in drug facts Recently, the FDA conducted extensive research on how consumers use OTC drug product labels, while comparing to the drug facts labels on advanced countries. The clarity of the labels was one major problem, especially for older Americans, who purchase almost 30% of the OTC drugs, sold in The United States. To determine the best way to order this information on OTC drug labels, a recent research has been conducted. Vigilante and Wogalter (1997) pragmatically decided an ordering of OTC label components based on users beliefs about what was (?) Strength and weakness of Drug Facts Having over-the-counter medication will save you time from visiting the doctor every time you have a little sniffle or an ache or pain. There are many safe drugs which can take care of most of your everyday illnesses like the following: colds coughs aches and pains upset stomach diarrhea allergies   These types of drugs are not the drugs themselves its the people! A lot of horribly unobservant people do not take the time to read directions in order to know how to take the medicine properly. There are many cases where people use over- the-counter medicines erroneously and poison themselves. Review in India History of drug regulations Drug regulation organizations in existence today, like Drug Laws, Drug Regulatory Agencies, Drug Evaluation Boards, QC Laboratories, Drug Information Centers, etc., have developed over time. Such developments began centuries ago in some countries, and in others, they are comparatively recent, some of them having started only in the 1990s. The restrictions under the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 1995 are not directly related to the question of categorization of the drugs as OTC drugs or otherwise. But still, they are required to be considered, as restriction on pricing may influence the decision to launch a drug as OTC drug. It is mandatory to obtain price approval from the Central Government, if the drug is classified as scheduled formulation under the Drug (Prices Control) Order, 1995. Also, Central Government can fix a maximum price at which every manufacturer is required to sell his product. For Example, Aspirin and vitamin preparations are deliberated as OTC products for the purpose of marketing. However, under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995, they are considered as scheduled formulations and are subject to price restrictions, unless these formulations are manufactured at SSI units. Difference between pharmacy in India and US OTC in pharmaceutical industry dialect stands for over-the-counter (mainly with reference to drugs). The purchase/sale of drugs across the counter without prescriptions is denoted by this. In fact, in India, every pharmaceutical product market is OTC. People can orally ask for any product and buy it across the counter. In US, there are prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. The prescription drugs are strictly sold only on showing the prescription (Rx). Once the products are dispensed as per Rx, a seal is administered, to indicate that the Rx has been filled. If the patient goes in for refill of the Rx, the pharmacist does it only if it is legally permissible. In such cases, a seal or stamp is put on the Rx again, to indicate that the Rx has been filled once again. But in India, such procedures are not strictly followed. Hence, in a way, the Indian retail pharmaceutical market is OTC or rather it is better to be called  OTX  (combination of  OTC and Rx). Strength and weakness of OTC drugs in Indian and US In India, with the counter medication, there is no need to visit doctor every time for a little sniffle or pain or an ache, so drug facts are good. Several safe drugs are available which cures normal illnesses such as aches, colds, pains and coughs, allergies, and diarrhea and stomach upset. These types of drugs are the people but not the drugs themselves. People are terribly unperceptive and dont even care to read the directions mentioned on the drugs before consuming. Several cases happened when people took the counter medicines improperly and resulted in poisoning. Methodology Following methods are considered To know in depth of a particular aspect case study method helps the researchers; in many cases it selects specific location with very small portion as subject. Real time example is considered with limited number of conditions and events for case study investigation. According to Yin 1984, 23 case study definition a formula based calculations comparing with real world using many sources of evidence, relationships in between them are not accurately explained. Investigation of some case study is done by using longitudinal structures of single event which helps to observe sequence of data, events, reports and results from a long time, for example child language development investigation. According to Zaidah, 2003 Firstly useful data is deeply investigated according to situation based upon particular activity. Case study is very effective example knowing the interesting subject for authentic use. Students an opinion has to be focused during leisure hours the average number of particular subject is taken into the count. This kind of example values slightly deviates when n number of variable are consider. The examination of data is conducted within its context and also within its situation wherein the activity takes place. A case study would always be interested when subject makes it as an authentic text. In order to investigate, the researcher must be able in observing subject environment such as reading in class room or else reading in leisure time. According to zaidah 2003 it mostly focuses on limited number of variables. Results and Discussion The research literature consists of few studies in relations concerning medications that can be bought without any kind of medical prescription also named or over the counter as cold/flu medications etc. in spite of the fact that they are widely used and also represents if it is been misused. As proposed by Ferguson, Dodds, and Flannigan, 1994 one such area in which they are been misused that which involves not only overdosing but also interaction with any other substance. For instance: some case studies have documented individuals who seek to relieve depression symptoms by inducing a state of euphoria with multi-symptom cold syrup which contains chlorphenhydramine, dextromethorphan, and phenylpropanolamine. These substances may induce behavioral and emotional reactions, especially in prone individuals, leading to potentially serious health risks and consequences (Mendez, 1992). The Dangerous substance interactions have received some attention in the psychiatric disorders area. A questionnaire administered to 139 patients diagnosed with either depression or social phobia revealed that 40% of them used OTC cold/flu remedies which had negative interactions with their prescribed medications (Sweet et al., 1995). Another study examined the rate of consumption of TV advertised OTC medications by 471 college students. The results showed that, in addition to frequently using one or more such medications they did so without talking to their physicians about it or specifically determining the conditions under which they were taking such medications. These findings led the authors to emphasize the need to further study the effects of the media on the use of potentially risky OTC medications (Burak and Damico, 2000) The Indian OTC pharmaceuticals market generated total revenues of $2.5 billion in 2006,this representing a compound annual growth rate of 8.3%for the five year period spanning 2002- 2006. In comparison ,the US and Chinese OTC pharmaceuticals markets grew with CAGRs of 4.3% and 7% over the same period ,to reach respective values of $21.2billion and $11.9billion in 2006. Traditional medicines proved the most lucrative for the Indian OTC pharmaceuticals market in 2006, generating total revenues of $679.3 million. In comparison, sales of cough and cold preparations generated revenues of $492.6 million in 2006. Category %Share Traditional Medicine 27 Cough and cold preparations 19.80 Vitamins and Minerals 11.60 Medicinal skin plants 2.60 Others 26.03 Indian OTC pharmaceuticals market Share: % share, by value, 2004** Company %share Pfizer Inc 5.10 Sanofi Aventis 5.10 Johnson Johnson 2.0 Other 85.10 Inorder to obtain a better way of getting work done and make companies focus on packaging a better pharmacist approach through a better training sessions. By having, better access through labellng and packaging of OTC drugs through government and other pharma companies ensuring a better management of ailments through OTC medication. By developing a better approach of companies launching a better way of public education campaign fulfilling needs of OTC drugs and educating them to empower better way of medication. With all leading pharma companies launching their public education campaigns to fill the knowledge gap in proper selection and use of OTC drugs, it can be a classic case of PPP where the ultimate winner will be the consumer Suggestions and improvements in OTC labeling in US Based on Institute of Medicine IOM, 2008 medication label standardization U.S pharmacopeia health literacy launched container label prescription for consumers advice. Gerald McEvoy and Schwartzberg were the chairmans of American Society of Health System Pharmacists. According to them labels should contain the following principle: 1. Easy, understandable prescription and directions for consumers use. 2. Worldwide medicines should contain prescription label based upon exported countrys standards and basic exporters are clinicians, health literacy experts, academic researchers, government health agency representatives and pharmists. According to IOM, 2008 every year millions of drugs are misused, even after mentioning source of information and safety precautions clearly on the label. Sometimes written and oral consultations information may or may not present on the panel, in case of Rx container label should strictly contain doctors prescription for consumers safety. As per U.S. Pharmacopeia Health Literacy Instruction Container Labeling Advisory Panel recommend the following: Recommendations Arrange the label prescription in such a way that it always stays as a centre in comforting the users. The direction of a drug is given neatly and orderly in making the customer easily understand the prescription and to make use of them in a safe and also effective use. usefull information is given on the label of drug and they are as follows: Useful directions are present at the top of the panel. Medication details are present at bottom. Most important precautions like dosage. Administrative instructions are placed with specific style. The proposed labeling consists of various components and they study these components by making use of certain facts of drug. And labeling format is as follows: 1. Label to include: the Active ingredient all along with its strength: Results: All the 100 labels are examined and mentioned in the active ingredients along with their potency/strength. 2. Label to include: Therapeutic category/purpose: Its 55% of labels are disclosed in therapeutic category. 3. Label to include: Uses /indications for which medicine can be utilized: Even though a significant percentage (75%) mentioned the indications intended for the medicine, 25% of the labels failed to do so. 4. Label to include: Warnings related to common unpleasant effects, drug interactions, contraindications, precautions, over dosage, when it is appropriate to seek medical advice and also in special conditions like pregnancy breast-feeding. This also includes cautions in keeping them away from children. Results: 90% of the labels failed to enumerate the adverse effects of the medicine. 86% did not state what is to be done in case of overdose 92% gave no Information regarding usage in pregnancy and Breastfeeding 87% of the labels did not mention of the possible drug interactions, contraindications and precautions. 73% labels did not even advise to seek medical guidance. Only 36% labels mentioned that the medicine is required to be kept out of the reach of children. 5. Label to include: Directions including how much to be take n, dosage interval, and maximum dose allowed per day and the dose for children: Almost half of the medicines (46%) did not mention the amount to be used, while 34% did not mention the dosing interval. 85% of the medicines did not state the maximum dose allowed. Out of the 15% which did state the maximum dose, 20% were ambiguous with the details. It was also observed that 70% of the medicines failed to specify the dose for children. Only 1 label included Instructions for use in Devanagiri script. 6. Label to include: The products inactive ingredients help the consumers in avoiding ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction. None of the labels included the inactive ingredients. 7. Label to include: Storage conditions. Even though a large percentage (88%) of the labels provided the storage conditions, 64% of them were imprecise and difficult to understand. Nearly 85% of the labels were found without a specific temperature. Furthermore, storage conditions were often mentioned using terms which the common man are not familiar with. The exact temperature was rarely mentioned. Besides, we also assessed the label for 2 more criteria : 1. Label to include: Legibility to find out whether the label is easily readable, read with difficulty or with the aid of a magnifying glass. 40% of the medicine labels were clearly read only with the aid of a magnifying glass as the font size was too small. 22% of drug labels were read with difficulty leaving just around 38% which could be read easily. This suggests that 62% of the labels are read with much effort. 1. Label to include: Additional information through patient package inserts, information on secondary packages (wherever applicable): Patient package inserts are useful for providing additional information to the patient. Out of the 100 medicines examined, only 3 included a patient package insert. Many a times, secondary packagings of medicines are also given to the patient as additional protection for their medicines or as attractive packs. These secondary packages can also be used to convey valuable information to the patient. In 56% of the cases, a secondary package was found to be available to the patient, yet only 36% of them gave more information on its label than the primary package. Conclusion The OTC drug offering is incomplete with out empowering public on its rational use through Well planed strategic marketing initiative revolving around the aliment, the knowledge to diagnose and manage the same. In this empowerment process which can be considered as CSR, the objective should be prevention and holistic awareness creation leading to health and wellbeing than just offering the minimum needed information to use ones products. Thus by educating public (consumer) on how to manage common ailments and finally how to prevent them, the pharma companies can achieve its real goal of health for all and improve the quality of peoples life In India, OTC products are marketed and advertised liberally, with a view of educating the maximum number of consumers, and promoting treatment of minor ailments at home using OTC products as first line of defense. It can be anticipated that, more Rx to OTC switch will increase number of drugs in OTC category in near future. Hence it may be valuable to conduct more research on group of Consumers, who consume OTC Products freely and either switch from the existing brand or continue to earlier brand. A study on marketing of OTC products, used by post office and postman, can also be a studied as a channel of marketing of OTC drugs at national area. Since, the Customer and Consumer are being the same in the OTC drug marketing, companies must instantly address the information needs more effectively and uninterruptedly. Once the awareness level is enhanced, the acceptability of OTC drugs will improve. The knowledge about allopathic OTC drugs has to be disseminated by manufacturing companies, in order to ensure drastic reduction in the high information asymmetry existing now-a-days, especially when the knowledge of the traditional medicine is rooted in the culture. Bibliography Ajith, P., (2007). OTC Drug Marketing -. Global Trends and Indian Experiences. etal, C.P.B.., 1998. Patients Attitude to over the counter drugs possible professional response to self Medications. Oxford University Press, volume- 15, pp.44-50. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 21 CFR Part 201, e.a., 1999. Over-the-Counter Human Drugs; Labeling Requirements. Federal Register. . Sleath B, R.R.C.W.G.L.C.T., 2001. Physician-patient communication about over-the-counter medications.. Social Sciences Medicine.. Tracy Portner, M.C.S., 1994. College students perceptions of OTC Information. characteristics Journal, 8, p.142 to 161. Wilcox CM, C.B.T.G., 2005. Patterns of use and public perception of over-the-counter pain relievers. Focus on nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs..

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Capulet Family in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Romeo and Juliet Essays

The Capulet Family in Romeo and Juliet The Capulet family is one of pride and high social standing. It consists of Lord and Lady Capulet, their young daughter Juliet, and their kinsman Tybalt. They have a nurse, as well, who has taken care if Juliet since she was born. They get along quite well, yet, like all families they have their differences. However, one thing that happens frequently when two members of the family disagree on something, is that usually someone gives in to their " superior," regardless if they agree or not. One example is when Romeo shows up at the Capulets' party uninvited and Tybalt wants to throw him out. Lord Capulet objects to this by saying, "He shall be endured...I say he shall...Am I the master here or you?" For a little bit, Tybalt argues, but he very soon backs down and lets Capulet have his way. Perhaps the reason why this happens is because the "inferior" person is somewhat intimidated by the "superior." This intimidation that some of the characters produce on each other shows that there is not a great deal of communication in the family. Throughout Act I, there were several more examples of characters yielding to others and not standing up for what they believe. For instance, when Lady Capulet brought up the idea of Juliet marrying Paris, Juliet just went along with the concept , even though that was possibly not what she wanted. An even more significant instance of such a thing occurring is the fact that Juliet feared to tell her parents that she had fallen in love with Romeo, a Montague. She knew that if she informed them of how she felt, they would get angry and maybe disown her, just because of their hate for all Montagues. That is another of the Capulet family's flaws. They are rather narrow-minded because of their continuing, senseless conflict with the Montagues. Both households are of equal fault in this case, but that only proves that the two families are alike in that way. Even still, if the Capulets believe that they truly are the more dignified, they should have ceased their dispute earlier and prevented their daughter's unhappiness (and eventually death).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Causes of Poverty in the United States Essay -- Poor Economy Education

Causes of Poverty in the United States The United States defines poverty for a family of four as being less than $16,036 per year, or $4,009 per person (Leone 12). People find themselves under this line for an innumerable amount of reasons. Some of these causes are under one's control and others are greater factors beyond an individual's power. Each family or individual person has unique and separate reasons for living in a state poverty. There is no way to try and define them all. Focusing in, three main topics arise that encompass the most predominant reasons for a person to fall into poverty. Education, family life and influence, along with the business cycle may work individually or together to cause poverty. These three leading causes are presented and discussed along with facts prevalent to the issue in the section below. Education and Poverty Education, or inadequate education or lack of an education, causes poverty. From the early years of preschool, into the years of K-12, without a college education and on into the work force people in poverty may never stop suffering from it if they do not become educated. The United States generally looks at education as a path to success but the people with the longest road towards success are not getting enough education. In the years before kindergarten, children form their basic thinking skills and children who don't learn these at home fall behind everyone else. In most cases children in poverty do not achieve these skills to the extent of middle-class children from their environment at home. When poor children enter school they are generally a year and a half behind the language abilities of their middle-class peers. Already children of poverty are behind in their ... ...ge & Family May 2002. Seccombe, Karen. "Famlies in Poverty in the 1990's: Trends, Causes, Consequences, and Lessons Learned." Journal of Marriage and Family Nov. 2000. Starr, Alexander. "The Importance of Teaching Tots; Given the strong evidence of its benefits to society, preschool education for the poor - and perhaps all children- is a must." Business Week 26 Aug. 2002. "Unemployment Rate of Persons 16 Years Old and Over, by Age, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Highest Degree Attained, 1996, 1997, and 1998" Digest of Education Statistics1999. National Center for Education Statistics March 2000. U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States. 2001 Weir, Margaret. "Race and Urban Poverty." Brookings Review Summer 1993. Yapa, Lakshman. "What causes Poverty? A post-modern view." Annals of the Association of American Geographers Dec. 1996. Causes of Poverty in the United States Essay -- Poor Economy Education Causes of Poverty in the United States The United States defines poverty for a family of four as being less than $16,036 per year, or $4,009 per person (Leone 12). People find themselves under this line for an innumerable amount of reasons. Some of these causes are under one's control and others are greater factors beyond an individual's power. Each family or individual person has unique and separate reasons for living in a state poverty. There is no way to try and define them all. Focusing in, three main topics arise that encompass the most predominant reasons for a person to fall into poverty. Education, family life and influence, along with the business cycle may work individually or together to cause poverty. These three leading causes are presented and discussed along with facts prevalent to the issue in the section below. Education and Poverty Education, or inadequate education or lack of an education, causes poverty. From the early years of preschool, into the years of K-12, without a college education and on into the work force people in poverty may never stop suffering from it if they do not become educated. The United States generally looks at education as a path to success but the people with the longest road towards success are not getting enough education. In the years before kindergarten, children form their basic thinking skills and children who don't learn these at home fall behind everyone else. In most cases children in poverty do not achieve these skills to the extent of middle-class children from their environment at home. When poor children enter school they are generally a year and a half behind the language abilities of their middle-class peers. Already children of poverty are behind in their ... ...ge & Family May 2002. Seccombe, Karen. "Famlies in Poverty in the 1990's: Trends, Causes, Consequences, and Lessons Learned." Journal of Marriage and Family Nov. 2000. Starr, Alexander. "The Importance of Teaching Tots; Given the strong evidence of its benefits to society, preschool education for the poor - and perhaps all children- is a must." Business Week 26 Aug. 2002. "Unemployment Rate of Persons 16 Years Old and Over, by Age, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Highest Degree Attained, 1996, 1997, and 1998" Digest of Education Statistics1999. National Center for Education Statistics March 2000. U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States. 2001 Weir, Margaret. "Race and Urban Poverty." Brookings Review Summer 1993. Yapa, Lakshman. "What causes Poverty? A post-modern view." Annals of the Association of American Geographers Dec. 1996.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Economic Forecasting Essay

Short-term borrowing from the Federal Reserve funds is always increased because of a reduction in the discount rate.   The Federal Reserve System has been consistently reducing the discount rate in recent years, due to which short-term borrowing has been rising so as to maintain liquidity. In the year 2004, short-term borrowing from the Federal Reserve funds equaled $212.132 million, that is, $212132000.   When the discount rate was further reduced, short-term borrowing in 2005 was $290.663 million (or $290663000).   The difference between the short-term borrowings of 2004 and 2005 was $78531000. In the year 2006, short-term borrowing from the Federal Reserve funds increased yet again because of a reduction in the discount rate.   Short-term borrowing in 2006 equaled $245.595 million (or $245595000) (Citigroup Annual Report, 2006).   The difference between the short-term borrowing of 2005 and 2006 was $45068000. So as to predict the short-term borrowing for years 2007 and 2008, we calculate the average difference in short-term borrowings from 2004 to 2006: [78531000 + (-45068000)]/2 = 16731500. In 2007, therefore, short-term borrowing is predicted to be 245595000 + 16731500 = $262326500 (or $262.3265 million).   In 2008, short-term borrowing is predicted to be 262326500 + 16731500 = $279058000 (or $279.058 million). Income tax and Citibank annual income rate Reductions in corporate tax increase the net income of Citibank.   With a reduction in corporate tax from 35 to 30, the net income of the company in the year 2004 amounted to $17,045 million; in the year 2005, it amounted to $24,589 million; and in the year 2006, the net income was $25,538 (Citigroup Annual Report). The net increase in income from 2004 to 2005 was 24,589 – 17,045 = 7544 million $. The net increase in income from 2005 to 2006 was 25,538 – 24,589 = 949 million $. Thus, the average increase in net income = (7455 + 949)/2 = 4202 million $. Without taking into consideration the other variables that may have an influence on net income, we can predict Citibank’s net income in the year 2007 to be 25,538 + 4202 = 29,740 million $.   In the year 2008, the net income of the company – without due consideration of other variables – would be 29,740 + 4202 = 33,942 million $.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Consumers as Individuals Essay

The self-concept refers to the beliefs a person holds about their attributes, and how they evaluate these qualities. Components of the self-concept It is composed of many attributes, some of which are given greater emphasis when the overall self is being evaluated. Attributes of self-concept can be described along such dimensions as their content (for example, facial attractiveness vs. mental aptitude), positivity or negativity (i. e. elf-esteem), intensity, stability over time and accuracy (that is, the degree to which one’s self-assessment corresponds to reality). Self-esteem Self-esteem refers to the positivity of a person’s self-concept. People with low self-esteem do not expect that they will perform very well, and they will try to avoid embarrassment, failure or rejection. People with high self-esteem expect to be successful,, will take more risks and are more willing to be the centre of attention. Self-esteem is often related to acceptance by others. Marketing communications can influence a consumer’s level of self-esteem. Exposure to ads can trigger a process of social comparison, where the person tries to evaluate their self by comparing it to the people in these artificial images. Real and ideal selves Self-esteem is influenced by a process where the consumer compares their actual standing on some attribute to some ideal. The ideal self is a person’s conception of how they would like to be, while the actual self refers to our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have or lack. And we often engage in a process of impression management where we work hard to ‘manage’ what others think of us by strategically choosing clothing and other cues that will put us in a good light. The ideal self is partly moulded by elements of the consumer’s culture, such as heroes or people depicted in advertising who serve as models of achievement or apprearance. Products may be purchased because they are believed to be instrumental in helping us achieve these goals. Some products are chosen because they are reaching the standard set by the ideal self. Multiple selves We have as many selves as we do different social roles. Depending on the situation, we act differently, use different products and services, and we even vary in terms of how much we like ourselves. A person may require a different set of products to play a desired role. The self can be thought of as having different components, or role identities, and only some of these are active at any given time. Symbolic interactionism If each person potentially has many social selves, how does each develop and how do we decide which self to ‘activate’ at any point in time? The sociological tradition of symbolic interactionism stresses that relationships with other people play a large part in forming the self. This perspective maintains that people exist in a symbolic environment, and the meaning attached to any situation or object is determined by the interpretation of these symbols. Like other social objects, the meanings of consumers themselves are defined b social consensus. The consumer interprets their own identity, and this assessment is continually evolving as they encounter new situations and people. The looking-glass self When you choose an article of clothing, the mirror superimposes it on your reflection so that you can see how it would look on you. This process of imagining the reactions of others towards us is known as ‘taking the role of the other’, or the looking-glass self. According to this view, our desire to define ourselves operates as a sort of psychological sonar, we take readings of our own identify by ‘bouncing’ signals off others and trying to project what impression they have of us. Self-conciousness There are times when people seem to be painfully aware of themselves. If you have ever walked into a class in the middle of a lecture and noticed that all eyes were on you, you can understand this feeling of self-conciousness. Some people seem in general to be more sensitive to the image they communicate to others. A heightened concern about he nature of one’s public ‘image’ also results in more concern about the social appropriateness of products and consumption activities. Several measures have been devised to measure this tendency. Consumers who score high on a scale of public self-conciousness, for example, are also more interested in clothing and are heavier users of cosmetic. A similar measure is self-monitoring. High self-monitors are more attuned to how they present themselves in their social environments, and their product choices are influenced by their estimates of how these items will be perceived by others. High self-monitors are more likely than low self-monitors to evaluate products consumed in public in terms of the impressions they make on others. Products that shape the self: you are what you consume Recall that the reflected self helps to shape self-concept, which implies hat people see themselves as they imagine others see them. People use an individual’s consumption behaviours to help them make judgements about that person’s social identity. A consumer exhibits attachment to an object to the extent that it is used by that person to maintain their self-concept. Objects can act as a sort of security blanket by reinforcing our identities, especially in unfamiliar situations. Symbolic self-completion theory predicts that people who have an incomplete self-definition tend to complete this identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated with it. Self/product congruence Because many consumption activities are related to self-definition, it is not surprising to learn that consumers demonstrate consistency between their values and the things they buy. Self-image congruence models predict that products will be chosen when their attributes match some aspect of the self. These models assume a process of cognitive matching between these attributes and the consumer’s self-image. Research tends to support the idea of congruence between product usage and self-image. Congruity has also been found between consumers and their most preferred brands of beer, soap, toothpaste and cigarettes relative to their least preferred brands, as well as between consumers’ self-images and their favourite shops. Some specific attributes that have been found to be useful in describing some of the matches between consumers and products include rugged/delicate, excitable/calm,†¦. The extended self. Many of the props and settings consumers use to define their social roles in a sense become a part of their selves. Those external objects that we consider a part of us comprise the extended self. Many material objects, ranging from personal possessions and pets to national monuments or landmarks, help to form a consumer’s identity. Four levels of the extended self were described. These range from very personal objects to places and things that allow people to feel like they are rooted in their larger social environments. †¢ Individual level. Consumers include many of their personal possessions in self-definition. These products can include jewellery, cars, clothing and so on. The saying ‘You are what you wear’ reflects the belief that one’s things are a part of what one is. †¢ Family level. This part of the extended self includes a consumer’s residence and its furnishings. The house can be thought of as a symbolic body for the family and often is a central aspect of identity. †¢ Community level. It is common for consumers to describe themselves in terms of the neighbourhood or town from which they come. †¢ Group level. Our attachments to certain social groups can be considered a part of self. A consumer may feel that landmarks, monuments or sports teams are a part of the extended self. Sexual identity is a very important component of a consumer’s self-concept. People often conform to their culture’s expectations about how those of their gender should act, dress, speak and so on. To the extent that our culture is everything that we learn, then virtually all aspects of the consumption process must be affected by culture. Gender differences in socialization A society’s assumptions about the proper roles of men and women are communicated in terms of the ideal behaviours that are stressed for each sex (in advertising, among other places). Gender goals and expectations In many societies, males are controlled by agentic goals, which stress self-assertion and mastery. Females, on the other hand, are taught to value communal goals such as affiliation and the fostering of harmonious relations. Every society creates a set of expectations regarding the behaviours appropriate for men and women, and finds ways to communicate these priorities. Gender vs. sexual identity Sex role identity is a state of mind as well as body. A person’s biological gender does not totally determine whether they will exhibit sex-typed traits, or characteristics that are stereotypically associated with one sex or the other. A consumer’s subjective feelings about their sexuality are crucial as well.