Introduction to Consumer Behavior Essay

The totality of an individual’s thoughts and feelings about oneself Lifestyle How one lives, including the products one buys, how one uses them, what one thinks about them, and how one feels about them Situations and Consumer Decisions Consumer decisions result from perceived problems and opportunities. Consumer problems arise in specific situations and the nature of the situation influences the resulting consumer behavior Perception The nature of Perception- pg 278-279, Figure 8-1 Information Processing is a series of activities by which stimuli are perceived, transformed into information, and stored. Exposure- pg 279-283 Exposure Occurs when a stimulus is placed within a person’s relevant environment and comes within range of their sensory receptor nerves. Exposure provides consumers with the opportunity to pay attention to available information but in no way guarantees it. Types of Exposure 1) Selective Exposure The highly selective nature of consumer exposure is a major concern for marketers, since failure to gain exposure results in lost of communication and sales opportunities. Responses to Selective Exposure Product Placement: Branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows or new programs. Ex) Transformers’ and LFO’s Summer girls music video. Pop-up Ads Outdoor Display. Ex) M&M’ painted on concrete steps and money inside a security glass on the side of the street. 2) Voluntary Exposure Although consumers often avoid commercials and other marketing stimuli, sometimes they actively seek them out for various reasons including purchase goals, entertainment, and information. Responses to Voluntary Exposure Permission-Based Marketing The Privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them. Banner Ads. Ex) ads that pop up on the side or top of a website Real-time Chat Service. Ex) J Crew has a chat service Providing Highly Entertaining Materials. Ex) guy doing flips into jeans Attention- pg 283-284 Attention Occurs when the stimulus activates one or more sensory receptor nerves, and is the resulting sensations go to the brain for processing Most consumers are bombarded by a large number of messages or stimuli Consumer attention is selective Attention is determined by three factors: Stimulus Factors- pg 284-290 Physical characteristics of the stimulus itself Size Intensity Attractive Visuals Color and Movement Position Isolation Format Contrast and Expectations Interestingness Information Quantity Color and Size Color and Size attract attention A brightly colored package or display is more likely to received attention Larger stimuli are more likely to be noticed than smaller ones Position Is the placement of an object in physical space or time In retail stores, items that are easy to find or stand out are more likely to attract attention, such as end-caps and kiosks High impact zones in print ads in the U.S. tend to be toward the top left portion of the ad. Contrast and Expectations Consumers pay more attention to stimuli that contrast with their background Expectations drive perceptions of contrast. Ads that differ from expectations for a product category often motivate more attention Adaption Level Theory Suggests that if a stimulus doesn’t change over time we habituate to it and begin to notice it less. Individual Factors- pg 290-291 Characteristics which distinguish one individual from another. Example: Heineken Ad Motivation: A drive state created by consumer interest and needs Ability: The capacity of individuals to attend to and process information Situational Factors- pg 291 Include stimuli in the environment other than the focal stimulus and temporary characteristics of the individual that are induced by the environment Clutter: the density of stimuli in the environment â€Å"Less is More† Program Involvement: Interest in the program or editorial content surrounding the ads. Subliminal Stimuli- pg 293 Non-focused Attention Subliminal Stimuli A message presented so fast, softly or masked by other messages that one is aware of hearing (Progressive Ad) A subliminal as â€Å"hides† key persuasive information within the ad by making it so weak that it is difficult or impossible for someone to physically detect. Subliminal advertising has been the focus of intense study and public concern Interpretation- pg 293-294 The assignment of meaning to sensations Three aspects of interpretation: 1) It is generally a relative process rather than absolute, referred to as perceptual relativity 2) It tends to be subjective and open to a host of psychological biases 3) It can be a cognitive â€Å"thinking† process or an affective â€Å"emotional† process. Ex) Bud light Ad Interpretation is determined by three factors: 1) Individual Characteristics Traits: inherent physiological and psychological traits Learning and Knowledge The meanings attached to such â€Å"natural† things as time, space, relationships, and colors are learned and vary widely across cultures. Expectations Expectation Bias: Interpretations tend to be consistent with expectations 2) Situational Characteristics The situation provides a context within which the focal stimulus is interpreted The context clues present in the situation play a role in the consumer interpretation independent of the actual stimulus 3) Stimulus Characteristics Traits: specific traits of the stimulus such as size, shape, color, etc. Organization Proximity Closure Figure-Ground Changes Sensory Discrimination The physiological ability of an individual to distinguish between similar stimuli JND (Just Noticeable Difference) The minimum amount that one brand can differ from another (or from its previous version) with the difference still being noticed. Figure-ground- pg 299 Involves presenting the stimulus in such a way that it is perceived as the focal object to be attended to and all other stimuli are perceived as the background. Consumer Inferences Inferences: Knowledge and belief that are not based on explicit information in the environment. Quality Signals- pg 300 Price-perceived quality, Advertising intensity, Warranties, Country of origin, Brand, etc. Interpreting Images Missing Information and Ethical Concerns Price-perceived Quality Bottled water vs. tap water Country of Origin Wine, cars, TV’s, rugs, cologne Perception and Marketing Strategy Retail Strategy Brand Name and Logo Development Linguistic Consideration Branding Strategies Logo Design and Typographics Media Strategy Advertisements Package Design and Labeling Learning and Memory Nature of Learning and Memory- pg 318-319 Learning Any change in the content or organization of long-term memory or behavior Memory The total accumulation of prior learning experiences Difference between short-term and long-term memory- pg 319-321 Short-term Memory (STM) or working memory Is that portion of total memory that is currently activated or in use Long-term memory (LTM) Is that portion of total memory devoted to permanent information storage STM is Short Lived Consumers must constantly refresh information through maintenance rehearsal or it will be lost STM has Limited Capacity Consumers can only hold so much information in current memory Elaborative Activities Occur in STM Elaborative activities serve to redefine or add new elements to memory and can involve both concepts and imagery LTM Semantic memory (AKA Schemas) Basic knowledge and feelings an individual has about a concept Episodic Memory The memory of a sequence of events in which a person participated Schematic Memory- pg 323 A pattern of such associations around a particular concept Retrieval from long-term memory- pg 324-325 The likelihood and ease with which information can be recalled from LTM is accessibility. Learning under high and low involvement – pg 324-326, Figure 9-3 Conditioning (mechanism, classical, and operant conditioning)- pg 326-330 Conditioning Theories Classical Conditioning The process of using an established relationship between one stimulus (music) and response (pleasant feelings) to bring about the learning of the same response (pleasant feelings) to a different stimulus (the brand) ex) LMFAO’s Sexy & I know it for M&M Chocolate Operant Conditioning (or instrumental learning) Rewarding desirable behaviors such as brand purchases with a positive outcome that serves to reinforce the behavior ex) free sampling, discount coupon, loyalty card Cognitive Learning (iconic rote learning, vicarious learning, and analytical reasoning)- pg 331-332 Ironic Rote Learning Learning a concept or the association between two or more concepts in the absence of conditioning ex) Head-on ad Vicarious Learning (aka Modeling) Observing the outcomes of others’ behaviors and adjust their own accordingly ex) Oral B Brush-ups Analytical Reasoning Individuals engage in creative thinking to restructure and recombine existing information as well as new information to form new associations and concepts Memory retrieval failure and influencing factors- pg 334-342 Brand Image- pg 342-343 Brand image Refers to the schematic memory of a brand Perceived Product Attributes Manufacturer Marketer Characteristics Users Usage Situations Benefits An important component of brand image is the appropriate usage situations for the product or brand Product Positioning- pg 344 Product Positioning Is a decision by a marketer to try to achieve a defined brand image relative to competition within a market segment Perceptual Mapping- pg 345 Perceptual Mapping Offers marketing managers a useful technique for measuring and developing a product’s position Brand Equity and brand leverage- pg 347 Brand Equity Is the value consumers assign to a brand above and beyond the functional characteristics of the product. Strong Brand Equity enables: 1) Brand Leverage Often termed family branding, brand extensions, or umbrella branding, refers to marketers capitalizing on brand equity by using existing brand name for new products 2) Sub-Branding Creating a secondary brand within a main brand that can help differentiate a product line to a desired target group Motivation, Personality, and Emotion Motivation- pg 360 Motivation Is the reason for behavior A motive is a construct representing an unobservable inner force that stimulates and compels a behavioral response and provides specific direction to that response Consumers buy motive satisfaction or problem resolution Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- pg 360-361, Table 10-1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs A macro theory designed to account for most human behavior in general terms Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is based on four premises 1) All humans acquire a similar set of motives through genetic endowment and social interaction 2) Some motives are more basic or critical than others 3) The more basic motives must be satisfied to a minimum level before other motives are activated 4) As the basic motive becomes satisfied, more advanced motives come into play Need for expression (one of the McGuire’s Psychological Motives)-pg 365 McGuire’s Psychological Motives A fairly detailed set of motives used to account for specific aspects of consumer behavior Need for expression (active, external) This motive deals with the need to express one’s identity to others. Discovering purchase motives (Manifest and latent motive)- pg 367-369, Figure 10-1 Manifest Motives Consumers recognize and will share these motives Latent Motives Consumers are unaware of these motives, or reluctant to admit them Substantially more complex than manifest motives Techniques to uncover latent motives 1) Projective techniques 2) Laddering (= means-end or benefit chain) Regulatory focus theory (Promotion and prevention-focused motives)- pg 372, figure 10-2 Promotion-focused motives Revolve around a desire for growth and development and are related to consumers’ hopes and aspirations Prevention-focused motives Revolve around a desire for safety and security and are related to consumers’ sense of duties and obligations Regulatory Focus Theory Suggests that consumers will react differently depending on which broad set of motives is most salient Personality- pg 373-374 Personality An individual’s characteristic response tendencies across similar situations Consumer ethnocentrism Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to be biased against the purchase of foreign products Need for cognition Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to engage in and enjoy thinking Consumer’s need for uniqueness Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to pursue differentness relative to other through the acquisition, utilization, and disposition of consumer goods Dimensions of brand personality and communication strategies- pg 375-378 Emotion and typology of consumer coping strategies- pg 379, 381 Attitudes Attitude and attitude components –pg. 392-398, Figure 11-1 Attitude An enduring organization of motivational, emotional, perceptual, and cognitive processes with respect to some aspect of our environment Attitude Components Cognitive component Consists of a consumer’s beliefs about an object Affective component Feelings or emotional reactions to an object Behavioral component Is one’s tendency to respond in a certain manner toward an object or activity Attitude component consistency –pg. 398-399 All three attitude components tend to be consistent. This means that a change in one attitude component tends to produce related changes in the other components Attitude change strategy for affective component-pg. 402-403 ELM model –pg. 404, Figure 11-3 Elaboration likelihood model A theory about how attitudes are formed and changed under varying conditions of involvement The ELM suggests that involvement is a key determinant of how information is processed and attitudes are changed Communication strategy for attitude formation and change Celebrity sources –pg. 408-409, Figure 11-4 Celebrity sources can be effective in enhancing attention, attitude toward the ad, trustworthiness, expertise, aspirational aspects, and meaning transfer. Effectiveness of celebrity sources enhanced when Marketer Match Endorser with Product and Target Audience Ex) Tiger Woods Comparative ads –pg. 412-413 Directly compare the features or benefits of two or more brands Value-expressive vs. Utilitarian appeals appeal-pg. 414-415 Value-expressive appeals Attempt to build a personality for the product or create an image of the product user. Utilitarian appeals Involve informing the consumer of one or more functional benefits that are important to the target market. Positive vs. Negative Framing-p. 415 Message framing Refers to presenting one of two equivalent value outcomes either in positive or gain terms (positive framing) or in negative or loss terms (negative framing) Self-Concept and Lifestyle Self-concept Defined as the totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings having reference to himself or herself as an object. Its an individual’s perception of and feelings towards him or herself Interdependent/Independent self-concepts – pg. 428-429 Independent self-concept Emphasizes personal goals, characteristics, achievements, and desires. Individuals with an independent self-concept tend to be individualistic, egocentric, autonomous, self-reliant, and self-contained They define themselves in terms of what they have done, what they have, and their personal characteristics Interdependent self-concept Emphasizes family, cultural, professional, and social relationships. Individuals with an interdependent self-concept tend to be obedient, sociocentric, holistic, connected, and relation oriented. They define themselves in terms of social roles, family relationships, and commonalities with other members of their groups. Possessions and the Extended Self – pg. 429-430 Extended self Consists of the self plus possessions; that is, people tend to define themselves in part by their possessions. Our possessions reflect our beliefs, wants, and inner desires. Extended self = Self + Possessions Tattoos can become a part of one’s extended self Mere ownership effect (AKA the Endowment effect) The tendency of an owner to evaluate an object more favorably than a non-owner Using Self-Concept to Position Products – pg. 432-433 Lifestyle – pg. 434-435, Figure 12-2 Lifestyle How a person lives. It is how one enacts his or her self-concept Influences all aspects of one’s consumption behavior Is determined by the person’s past experiences, innate characteristics, and current situation Ex) Brett Favre’s Wrangler commercial and Tom Brady’s Smart Water commercial Measurement of Lifestyle – pg. 435-436 Psychographics Attempts to develop quantitative measures of lifestyle Measures include: Attitudes- Evaluative statements about other people, places, ideas, products, etc. Values- Widely held beliefs about what is acceptable or desirable Activities and Interests- Non-occupational behaviors to which consumers devote time and effort, such as hobbies, sports, public service, and church Demographics- Age, education, income, occupation, family structure, ethnic background Media Patterns- The specific media the consumers utilize Usage Rates- Measurements of consumption within a specified product category; often consumers are categorized as heavy, medium, or light users or as nonusers. VALS– pg. 439, Figure 12-3 VALS (Social Value and Lifestyle) Provides a systematic classification of U.S. adults into 8 distinct consumer segments Core premise: an individual’s primary motivation determines what in particular about the self or the world is the meaningful core that governs his or her activities. Three Primary Consumer Motivations: 1) Ideals Motivation These consumers are guided in their choices by their beliefs and principles rather than by feelings or desire for social approval. They purchase functionality and reliability. 2) Achievement Motivation These consumers strive for a clear social position and are strongly influenced by the actions, approval, and opinions of others. They purchase status symbols. 3) Self-Expression Motivation These action-oriented consumers strive to express their individuality through their choices. They purchase experiences. PRIZM – pg. 444 Define every household in the U.S. by distinct lifestyle types, called â€Å"segments†, to provide you with a comprehensive picture of who lives where and what they are like. The underlying logic: Geo-Demographic Segmentation People with similar cultural backgrounds, means and perspectives naturally gravitate toward one another. They choose to live amongst their peers in neighborhoods offering †¦compatible lifestyles. They exhibit shared patterns of consumer behavior toward products, services, media and promotions. 4 major social groups of PRIZM: Urban- Major cities with high population density Suburban- Moderately dense â€Å"suburban† areas surrounding metropolitan areas Second City- Smaller, less densely populated cities or satellites to major cities Town and Country- Low-density towns and rural communities

Arguments of the Afterlife Essay

Throughout all recorded history mankind has battled to find answers to each and every one of life’s questions and to some avail found quite a few; still, one question that has yet to be answered pertains to the possibility of life after death. Some argue that the idea of survival of consciousness without a body is extremely impractical and out of the question; however, when relying on only practical evidence alone it is hard to formulate a concrete theory. On the other hand, when we look at things such as cross-cultural studies on near death experiences and their underlying similarities we can utilize them as clues to suggest the possibility of an afterlife. Using both logic and intuition we should be able to gain some insight on the matter. A near death experience (NDE) is a term that was originated by Dr. Raymond A. Moody in his bestseller Life After Life, a book that has revolutionized the way many people see death (Morris, 1; C.  Tan 1). According to Moody NDEs are visions of the afterlife that must happen to an individual under the conditions of one of the three following circumstances: being pronounced clinically dead; are close to death due to traumatic injury; or descriptions of visions seen by a dying person and later described by someone who is present (12). These visions are similar to fingerprints in the fact that no two are exactly the same (Moody, 17). However, there are many common characteristics such as: feelings of quiet and peace; strange noises that have been sometimes described as â€Å"disturbing† or even â€Å"peaceful†; beautiful being(s) of light that are often religious figures, but not always; dark winding tunnels that are usually cylindrical; intense flashbacks that play back the person’s entire life in order to â€Å"provoke reflection†; being greeted by family members or friends who have passed on before; and borderlines that could be any sort of border imaginable (Moody, 21-55). Although the term â€Å"NDE† is fairly new the experiences that define it are not. Since the beginning of civilization every culture has mentioned some form of an afterlife idea based on various religions and areas in which they are centered around; thus, we can compare anthropological and psychological observations from reliable sources- every civilization (C. Tan, 1). The earliest clues to NDEs can be found in ancient texts such as: The Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead, which both describe the transition of life to death and what they might see; and even Plato acknowledges these experiences in Book X of the Republic which tells a short story of a soldier who was killed in battle along with several other soldiers, they all traveled through a tunnel together to be judged by a light; however, he was sent back by the light to tell everyone what he had experienced. Still another important clue is that NDEs are not limited to any certain religious group, gender or age. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, males, females, adults and children have told their NDE accounts (C. Tan, 2; â€Å"Historical Tradition† sec. 2-3; Moody, 86; Williams, sec. 3). Skeptics may argue that the concept of an afterlife is unrealistic and brush these findings to the side by labeling them under hallucinations and psychological factors. Not only does the brain release certain chemicals such as DMT as a physical response to death, but also culture plays a strong roll in what a person might describe to have seen during an NDE (Neimark, sec. 1). For example, both a Christian and a Muslim encounter the same â€Å"being of light† during an NDE, while the Christian believes they have encountered Jesus Christ the Muslim believes that they have encountered Allah; simply in accordance to their religious beliefs. It is true that the brain releases DMT during its time of death and certain aspects of NDEs do vary from culture to culture due to psychological factors; nevertheless, this does not disprove the evidence supporting the idea of an afterlife (Williams, sec. 1-2). Meanwhile, when we study cases of NDEs such as Harvard neurosurgeon and former skeptic, Dr. Eben Alexander III; consequently, whose personal encounter with such an experience changed his whole view on this topic (â€Å"Heaven Exists, Says US Neurosurgeon Eben Alexander after Waking from Coma†, 1-2). In his book, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeons Journey into the Afterlife, Alexander descriptively illustrates his personal NDE through a logical and intuitive point of view. He was admitted to the hospital on November 10th 2008 when he was discovered to have bacterial meningitis; moreover tests taken indicated gram-negative meningitis, which has a high mortality rate. Dr. Alexander was reported to fall in to a coma for 6 days and his mortality rate rose up to 97 percent, until the 7th day when he miraculously awoke. According to Scott Wade, M. D. who treated Dr. Alexander, â€Å"The fact that he went on to have a full recovery from this illness after being in a coma for nearly a week is truly remarkable. † (Wade, 184). Yet Dr. Alexander’s quick recovery from an almost fatal coma was not the only aspect that should be noted as â€Å"truly remarkable† (Wade 184). Not only did he experience some of the more commonly reported events in NDEs, such as: noises, beings of light and even an encounter with a family member who had passed some years before (Alexander, 38-79). But, Alexander also underwent some unconventional events in his NDE, that have never been reported in previous times, including: that during this NDE he had no knowledge of who he was before, what he was or even where he was; the family member that lead him through his afterlife experiences turned out to be his biological sister who he had never seen until after his NDE when a photo of her was sent to him by another biological sibling; and during this coma his neocortex which is the part of the brain that hallucinogens such as DMT affect was shut down (Alexander, 29-171). In fact, Alexander was in such a heave state of coma that there would have been no possible way of the vivid recollections of his NDE, because his cortex was not even functioning (Alexander, 140-186). Similar to having reoccurring characteristics in NDEs, the most universal reported event NDEs is that that everyone who has been â€Å"sent back† claims to have been â€Å"told† that the reason we are all here to learn how to love. They display a more spiritual lifestyle and usually have a set notion of certain beliefs pertaining to the afterlife, which cannot be budged (Alexander, 72-79; C. Tan 1-2; Neimark 3; Williams sec. 5). As Moody puts it â€Å"Still, the experience affects his life profoundly, especially his views about death and its relationship to life. † (C. Tan, 1). A number of these people even assert that â€Å"†¦we are not using the word ‘death’†¦ after you have the experience that I had, you know in your heart that there is no such thing as death. † (Moody, 73). Although we live in a world where scientific backing must play a roll in our research to conclude theories, we must also note that we are not scientifically advanced enough to rule out all that is considered to be an illogical argument. Likewise, until we are completely able to balance logic with intuition we will never be fully capable of finding answers to all of our questions. NDEs cannot be disproved until all holes in the logical argument are filled; moreover, NDEs show more supporting or at least unexplainable evidence than they do contracting evidence that could quite possibly answer some of questions if better researched.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of conducting personal Essay

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of conducting personal communication in the public sphere - Essay Example An increasing number of people are using social networking websites in order to supplement personal communication. In this context, it can be stated that one of the most popular social networking websites Facebook provides the capability to organize and communicate in an effective manner. Simultaneously, Facebook also provides the capability to express the thoughts of people and to categorize them independently (Westling, 2007). Thesis Statement Considering this aspect, the essay is based on analyzing the vital aspects of conducting personal communication through Facebook. The objective of the essay is to understand the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing an online public sphere medium i.e. Facebook for conducting personal communication. Statement of Intent The essay will intend to address the facet of personal communication in traditional era as well as in present era. Besides, the essay also intends to discuss the suitability of internet as a public sphere medium. Personal Co mmunication Strategies in Past and Present There is a huge dissimilarity between personal communication strategies of past and present times. The actual dissimilarities have been observed due to the evolution of technology. In order to clarify the perspective, it can be depicted that traditionally, the common personal communication techniques were letter writing or telephone conversation among others. The personal communication techniques have evolved from letter and telephone to mobile communication and internet communication technologies. Mobile phone technologies are continuously being updated and developed with new features and devices and internet communication technologies such as social networking sites are continuously accumulating new applications and functionalities. Social networking websites in a sense is a grouping of every internet communication method. In social networking websites such as Facebook, people can create accounts and communicate with other people. It also provides the opportunity to stay up-to-date about the activities of friends and send information either publically or privately. In recent times, the popularity of social networking has increased dramatically where Facebook leads the competition with millions of active users. According to the research conducted by United Nations Research Institute for Social Development in 2000, the introduction of internet and social networking websites has increased the communication level. The level of information exchange through this new medium has far surpassed the traditional communication media such as telephone, face-to-face conversation and meeting among others. This trend represents financial benefits particularly to the poor nations. The present personal communication strategy of using social networking websites provides the opportunity for exploring new customs of other nations and also helps to enhance the knowledge (Serbanescu, 2011). Internet as Public Sphere Public sphere is partic ularly vital for communication in current civilization. It acts as a medium in which people can communicate effectively regarding important matters along with permitting people to inform about vital aspects. Considering the significant role played by internet, several researchers have framed normative theories which demonstrate how public sphere can be organized in order to ideally accomplish its roles. One of the most conspicuous

Medicare funding and Reibursement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicare funding and Reibursement - Essay Example The figures provided in the example have been used in the calculations. SNF base rate = 70% adjusted by area wages (hospital wage index) + 30% non-labor related portion (base adjusted for geographical factors x RUG weight). The nursing rate of $151 as per (Medpac 2008) will be used in the calculation. In terms of Participating Physician who accept assignment on each and every case the Physician bills Medicare and the patient 100% of the Medicare approved fee which is $125,000 in this case. Medicare will pay 80% which is equivalent to $100,000 and the patient will pay 20% which equals $25,000. In terms of a Non-participating Physician who accepts assignment on a case by case basis Medicare and the patient will be billed for 95% of the Medicare approved fee of $125,000. 95% is represented by $118,750. Medicare will pay 80% of $118,750 which is equal to $95,000 and the patient will pay 20% which is equal to $23,750. With respect to Non-participating Physicians who do not accept assignment the patient is billed for 115% of the Medicare approved fee of $125,000. This 115% is equal to $143,750. The patient makes the entire payment and Medicare reimburses 80% of the approved fee for non-participating physicians. Therefore, Medicare would pay 80% of $118,750 which is equal to $95,000 and the patient will bear the difference between what was paid to the Non-participating Physician which is $143,750 minus $95,000, which is equal to $48,750. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2010). Fact Sheet: Acute Care Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System. Retrieved: http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/AcutePaymtSysfctsht.pdf. Last accessed 31 Mar

Management strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management strategies - Assignment Example The competitive forces that shape strategies ensure that the strategy stays in power. Competitive forces mold strategies to effectiveness and as such the strategy stays in power. According to Porter (2008), there are five forces that shape strategies. These forces determine the profitability of an industry in the long run by influencing how the economic value it creates is apportioned. These forces are supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, the threat of substitution and the threat of new entry. Supplier power can determine the profitability of a company. Suppliers are the providers of raw materials, labor or other materials used in production. Suppliers have the power to drive up the prices of the inputs used in production. When the suppliers raise the prices of the inputs used in production, the company ends up having high production costs and this, in turn, reduces profit. The fewer the suppliers a company has, the more the power they have on the company and the more th ey determine the profitability of the business. The buyers are the consumers of a company’s product. The buyer has the power to determine the profitability of a company because they influence sales. When the buyers cease from consuming a company’s products sales will be low hence low profits. Buyers also have the power to determine the prices of a product. When a company deals with few powerful buyers, they have the power to dictate various terms of doing business such as the prices of the product.

E-business and value chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

E-business and value chain - Essay Example The source of revenue for Amazon is mainly from direct sales of items ordered and processed by customers. QXL ricardo plc operates through auction model of e-business where bidders and sellers are connected to undertake different transactions. Commissions are identified as the main source of revenue and are based on what has been agreed upon between site administrators and seller of merchandise. QXL ricardo plc has introduced a number of innovations such as live auctioning which resulted in combination of internet and television in the process of auction to involve viewers therefore attracting more users. Daum Communication Corporation is the third business organization analysed and operates using portal model of e-business with horizontal portal being specific system used to offer content from different areas potential users of company portal are interested to visit. Core value proposition for Daum is based on user access to a range of content on different topics and services offere d by Daum. Duam earns revenue from sales of different services and products while also providing an advertisement and database-marketing platform. Analysis of different business models is an essential practice which helps in understanding available methods of doing business more suitable for a company to sustain its operation through generation of revenue. It is possible to use business model to identify how a business makes money and therefore be able to determine its position in the value chain. In order to tap into potentials presented by scientific and technological development of internet and computer technology, companies have developed different business models. These business models that are web- based have taken advantage of benefits of personalized service, high-quality customer service, and improved supply chain management that can be generated from conducting an e-business. To understand how different e-business models

Compare two databases dealing with CPI by major expenditure categories Essay

Compare two databases dealing with CPI by major expenditure categories i.e. from the indices starting with U.S. All Items (1982 - Essay Example However, this essay aims at analyzing these effects from the purchases made frequently from many items with relatively stable prices. In most cases, the CPI is often applied in adjusting the income, retirement benefits, lease payments, and school lunch benefits. Other included items in this category include alimony and the tax brackets. Notably, the mode of CPI application in the United States affects nearly all Americans since it is based on buying habits of average consumers (Strawser and Ryan, 2010). However, it may not be a perfect reaction of an individual price experiences. Nonetheless, the CPI is fundamentally feasible economical method for statistical provision in its appropriate applications. Numerous or nearly all the nation CPI results usually differ from individual’s price expenditure, a vital factor to be considered in this statistical application is how a person spends his/her money/income. The consumer expenditure survey estimates revealed that each consumer ser vice or good produces CPI expenditure weights that are equally significant relative to all other market bracket good and services (Strawser and Ryan, 2012). ... The same effect will increase the consumer average significantly. The CPI usually divides the consumer bracket market into groups of goods and services and each of the brackets can be estimated approximately using expenditure pattern. This can only be done using an expenditure pattern that can be used us1ed to compare different but significant data sets. From the data sets below, the approximate weights for all the Urban Consumers (CPI-U) are as per the columns data set. It should be noted that some data sets show a sharp difference from the CPI average (Schuldes, 2011). This is an indication of difference changes in price measures in the total market bracket. For instance, the expenditure pattern with high medical care expenditure appears may be tabulated for the month of October 2001 (Strawser and Ryan, 2010). Relative Importance Table 1: individual expenditure Increment in the prices of food and beverages by five percent and medical care costs by ten percent with no changes in the prices of other commodities will still change the overall CPI within the price index by nearly 1.4 percent. Table 2: National CPI-U Average Notably, the same changes can affect CPI on yearly basis and the same effect can be analyzed from the statistical data presented in the table below. Table 3: different databases dealing with CPI by major expenditure categories on an yearly basis Graph 1: expenditure per year on the reflection on annual inflation Graph 2: annual inflation trend. The graph 1 & 2 above are obtained from the table 3 above. There indicate that increase in the average level of prices increase leads to Inflation that increases the CPI thereby affecting the spending habit of consumers within

Journal entry Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal entry - Coursework Example 13). Many studies have determined the existence of a strong relationship between a child’s ability to read and the length of time the child spends reading (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 22). This evidence has long encouraged the teachers to promote the practice of voluntary reading in the classroom. Teachers need to hear, guide, and supervise the children as they read because there is no research evidence to support the improvement of reading fluency in children through independent, silent reading with minimal feedback and guidance from the teachers (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 22). Most students need nearly two years of phonics instruction. Starting phonics instruction early during kindergarten helps the teachers complete it near the first grade’s end. Accordingly, starting it early in the first grade implies that it should be completed at the second grade’s end (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 17). Evidence-based practice implies that teachers should use both prin t sources and firsthand experiences to enhance learning (Spencer and Guillaume, 2006, p. 208). Language and vocabulary are both of paramount importance for a child to learn to read. Children draw connection between the words they see in the text and the words they have heard and are stored in their memories to make sense of what they are reading. Vocabulary also plays an important role in reading comprehension. Children find it hard to understand what they read without knowing the meanings of the words they read. Teachers should try to make the children memorize meanings of new words as the class proceeds towards reading more advanced texts. â€Å"While a substantial amount of general vocabulary is acquired through wide reading, it is also important for teachers to address word learning directly† (Richek, 2005, p. 414). Scientific research on vocabulary instruction shows that for the most part, vocabulary learning is an indirect process, and that teachers must

Who defines beauty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Who defines beauty - Research Paper Example Beauty is a very subjective issue and thus can only be judged by the receiver. For one, with increased education, both men and women are using more measures to determine what is beautiful and what is not. For example, men have discovered that women favor dominant males and as such men may forgo their health, safety and so on in order to acquire rank so that they can have the power that makes them attractive to women. Elliot Aronson, a social psychologist at Stanford University, argued that how one sees oneself to some extent determines how attractive others see them. This is especially important given that it is almost impossible to find a culture that appreciates one’s body as being beautiful just as it is. Furthermore, we are no longer living in the Darwinian era where natural selection ruled and our purpose in life was merely mirrored towards reproduction and survival of the fittest. This means that we are no longer restricted to defining beauty within the constructs of finding a suitable mate. To put it better, finding a potential mate today involves looking for more than the ability to procreate. Today, both sexes are looking for intelligence, personality, compatibility and most of all the moral compass of the potential partner, friend, acquaintance or work mate. Unlike animals, men and women of today are seeking for greater meaning and purpose in their lives. This naturally means that our rationale of what beauty slightly differs from that of our Darwinian counterparts. All said beauty can only be judged by the receiver.

Athens State Information Systems and Information Technology Research Paper

Athens State Information Systems and Information Technology - Research Paper Example Student Advising Module is an element that is provided by Athens State University through Banner. SAM is the students’ official plan of the study which gives students chances to view courses according to year. It also allows the students to view unofficial transcripts, degree plans, as well as grades from the courses, completed recently. SAM’s applicability is the matter to the accurateness of the academic history of students as well as the programs that are installed in SAM. It allows the students to receive the updated transcripts regarding the raises as well as promotions after completing the degrees or courses. This means that the students get information directly from the instructor posts the grades. The degree planner offers students guarantee for coursework pertinent to degree plan as well as the updated grade for expected graduation. SunGard Banner has utilized by the Athens State University. It has helped the University in analyzing, measure as well as improves academic programs and student victory projects. This is an automated self-service software package that connects the whole institution. Banner provides, as well as grades from the courses, s, account information, and needs of course material and individual information control ability to students of Athens States University. This system assists the students who in few years ago had to travel to the institution in order to get and fill the forms, and move from one campus to another in order to finish the required tasks.  

Article Analysis Essay Example for Free

Article Analysis Essay Write a short, clear summary of the article: The article argues that the West should apply economic sanctions coupled with security pressure in order to prevent Iran from further development of its nuclear program. The author believes that sanctions would work better than incentives through not providing rewards for inappropriate behavior. The author concludes that, in case sanctions fail, preemptive strike is not the best solution, but it is more preferable to the situation in which Iran acquires nuclear weapons. What is the context of the article? The article, published in winter 2007 issue of Middle East Quarterly, appeared in the midst of the heated debate on the possible measures used to prevent Iran from developing its nuclear program. At that time, several approaches were on the table (e.g. American, European, and Russian suggestions), and an unbiased analysis of the projected effectiveness of each approach was highly needed. What seems to be the author’s purpose? The author’s purpose is to present his stance on the situation in Iran and explicate the rationale behind the beliefs he holds concerning this matter. He also aims to persuade audience of the necessity to adopt the suggested approach. In what type of publication did this appear? Describe it. The article appeared in Middle East Quarterly. It is quarterly journal devoted on Middle Eastern affairs. The publication has been referred to as a useful resource of information on political, economic, and cultural developments in the region for politicians, academics, and journalists. Main types of articles published there include in-depth studies, interviews, commentary, and reviews. Write a brief analysis of the author’s credentials and possible expertise or bias. If no information is available on the author, try to take a guess based upon his or her knowledge and writing ability, which you might derive from the article. The author of the article is Patrick Clawson, senior editor of the Middle East Quarterly, is director for research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is a well-established expert on Middle Eastern affairs and the author of more than seventy articles about regional affairs that appeared in reputable publications like New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Iranian nuclear program has been his focus for several years already; one of his books is titled ‘Getting Ready for a Nuclear Ready Iran.’ Who seems to be the target audience? Be specific. The target audience of this article encompasses members of public-at-large interested in world politics and Middle Easters affairs. This publication is not intended for professionals dealing with the issue of Iran or academics: it does not operate terminology or data that needs particular expertise in international relations. However, the article presumes that the potential reader is aware of the development of the situation in Iran since it refers to certain well-known facts and opinion concerning the problem. The author also assumes that the target audience has sufficient education level and enough knowledge of international affairs to be able to grasp certain historical examples or evaluate data supplied by international organizations. In short outline form, show the author’s stance. Then, explain and evaluate the presentation of the author’s stance. In other words, what’s the thesis? What reasons are given for this stance? Are the reasons supported well? The author argues that the West should opt for exerting economic pressure on Iran. He argues that the country is dependant on international economic transactions in securing its well-being. The author suggests a list of measures that might be effective in dealing with Iran, such as harshening restrictions concerning financial operations and trade, pressuring charities that work closely with Iranian leaders, discouraging the investment in Iran’s oil and gas industry, decreasing the presence of international firms and financial institutions in the country. These sanctions will be effective since the primary concern of Iranian government now is delivering its promises in terms of raising quality of life and well-being of the nations. However, economic sanctions are not enough and should be coupled with security inducement through showing how a decision to denounce the nuclear program might contribute to the viability of the country. In the concluding section, he argues that using preemptive military force is not the best option. Explanation for that is found earlier in the text: attack on Iran can be used to rekindle the lost fervor of revolutionary days. Analyze the writer’s language. What is the writer’s tone? Why might he or she have chosen this tone? Is it effective? What words are defined or left undefined? Give examples. Writer’s language and tone are both effective if we keep target audience in mind. The language of the article is easily accessible yet very official. Some rhetorical devices (i.e. rhetorical questions) are used to reinforce writer’s thesis. However, the article relies on logical rather than emotional appeal. As for the terms, ‘security inducements’ referred to in the last chapter before the conclusion are loosely defined, especially as compared with ‘economic sanctions’ which are listed and discussed in detail. Based upon your analysis, is this a credible piece of writing? Explain. It is possible to conclude that the article is a credible piece of writing. Lacking in-depth analysis or innovative approach, it provides a comprehensive summary of main arguments on the issues and has no factual mistakes. Finally, and in detail (really think about this—refer to specifics) how do the stance and language choices relate to the author’s purpose and target audience? Explain. Since the article is a persuasive essay, the author explains his argument carefully and consistently. Taking into account that the target audience consists of members of public-at-large rather than academics, every argument is backed by accessible analysis and abundant factual data (such as figures, quotations, and historical examples). Since the educational level of target audience is high, the author keeps within the limits of official and quasiscientific style of writing.

The theoretical perspectives in sociology

The theoretical perspectives in sociology Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior. Websters Dictionary defines a perspective as a view of things in their true relationship or importance. Therefore, the sociological perspective provides viewpoints used to look at human behaviors and interactions as they relate to individuals and groups within a society. The sociological perspective stresses that to understand humans, not what is inside of them, but instead the external factors influencing them, should be observed. There are several theoretical perspectives in sociology that are used to understand social relationships and behaviors. The three theoretical perspectives discussed here are symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. Symbolic interactionism is a microsociological theoretical approach that examines small-scale patterns of social interaction. Interactionists focus on how humans use symbols (signs, gestures, language) to develop views of the world, others, and themselves, as well as the importance of these symbols in social interaction and communication. Interactionists also believe that humans use these symbols to define the self, by comparing themselves to others and by constantly adjusting their view of themselves. Interactionists see reality as being negotiated based on shared agreements and perceptions about events and therefore reality is not stagnant but instead fluid, ever changing. Also, symbolic interactionists try to understand how an individual feels in order to understand why they act the way they do. For example, many female babies are killed in India. To understand why they are killed, Interactionists look at what makes people kill them. Raising a girl is very expensive in India. The meaning that Indians attach to the birth of a baby girl is that of a burden to the family. However, western cultures tend to think of every child as a gift and a blessing, no matter what gender. A doctor interviewed for a TV documentary said that she does not report families that kill their infant girls, because it is a generally accepted societal practice. A lot of people are poor and few can afford the cost associated with raising a girl. When getting married, the grooms family is paid a dowry for taking over the obligation of the bride. Getting back to the doctor, comparing her own conduct to that of others, she does not find anything wrong with not reporting those murders since others do not report them either. By her own admission, however, if others were to begin reporting the murders of infan t girls, she would then adjust her own conduct accordingly and also start to report the killings. The response to the killings depends on the meaning and significance that is attached to that death, and right now the doctor sees it as insignificant and not worth reporting. Functional analysts (or functionalists) view society as a whole, a complex system of integrated, interrelated parts that work together to keep society balanced. Each part of society has a certain function that it has to fulfill in order to meet the needs of the society in which it exists, thus functionalists stress order and stability. If a part of society is in dysfunction meaning it does not fulfill its role, the harmony is interrupted and the system is weakened. Through natural and gradual change, equilibrium has to be restored. To understand how society works functionalists examine how society operates, what needs must be met and how they are satisfied. They also examine what functions the various parts of society fulfill, and what the relationships between those parts are. Take, for example, the female fighter pilot Lt. Col. Martha McSally, who fought for women stationed in Arabic countries to not have to wear the traditional head covering (abaya) and the changing roles of women in the military. Female and male service members had certain functions. Women often worked as nurses or as clerks whereas men filled combat positions. Each gender had roles assigned and the system worked together in harmony until women were allowed to serve in positions that once were meant for male service members only. Through a gradual and natural process the roles of men and women in the military will have to be redefined until previous balance is restored. Another example would be Lt. Gov. Jane Swift of Massachusetts, who was pregnant when she entered office, and the functions of a mother and a politician. As a mother society expects her to care for her children and be there when her children need her. However, in her function as politician, she is expected to fully immerse herself in State politics. The functions of mothers and politicians are clearly defined, but, she is blurring the boundaries between the two functions and society (the system) has not yet adjusted to the changes associated with mothers of young children in politics. As more and more mothers with dependant children are entering politics, the system will have to adjust to their special needs, roles will have to be redefined for balance to be restored. Like functional analysis, conflict theory focuses on large-scale patterns of society. However, whereas functionalists believe that society is composed of groups that work together, conflict theorists believe those groups are in constant disagreement with each other over limited resources. Conflict theorists also believe that societies are constantly changing and that some groups have more power then others and that norms and values of a society are made by those with power in order to keep those without power down. Conflict theorists believe that the way to change society is to change its structure and not the individuals within that society. Going back to Lt. Gov. Jane Swift, power is seen as a result of her social position and not as a result of her character. As a politician she holds certain powers that conflict with those of non-politicians. For example, she excused her use of the state helicopter with her position as an important political figure. Non-politicians disagree with her right to use the helicopter, as they could not do that. In India men and women are in a constant battle for scarce resources. In the case of the infanticides the resources are power as well as money. The only solution to that conflict would be for society to change its structure by, for example, removing dowries as a condition of marriage or removing the need for expensive ceremonies for daughters. Since those with power and money see no need to change the current structure, the only way the change would ever happens is if poor Indians stood up and protested current practices. The same is true for the military. The problems that arose for Lt. Col. McSally while stationed in the Middle East came from inequality in the treatment of male and female service members. As a woman she was required to wear an abaya when leaving the base. This caused a problem since the abaya covered her from head to toe and therefore her social location, her rank as Lieutenant Colonel, was no longer visible to others. Her powers were diminished while male service members, even those of lower rank, did not have to remove or hide the signs of their social location within the military society, resulting in a struggle for power. To summarize the three major theoretical perspectives described above it can, in most general terms, be said that structural functionalists would focus on what is common practice in a certain society and would also analyze the function of symbols used to interact and communicate in that society; whereas symbolic interactionists would try to determine how the individuals of a certain society interpret their environment or what effect others have on the development of an individuals self image; and conflict theorists would look at power differences between various groups of a society, where they come from and what effect they have on that society.

Interaction of Light with Sound in a Crystalline Structure

Interaction of Light with Sound in a Crystalline Structure Lewis Allison Abstract The effects of altering the angle of incidence acoustic intensity were investigated using a lead molybdate crystal with a Piezo-electric transducer attached. A HeNe laser was used as a light source for the investigation. The angle of diffraction at which the first order beam was found to be 0.027 Rad  ± 0.009 Rad the acoustic intensity in the crystal at 140MHz was 14.3104 W m-2  ± 2.9104 W m-2. Introduction The interaction between of light sound has been observed investigated since ancient Greece. However, Leon Brillion a French-American physicist, was first to predict diffraction of light by sound in 1922(1). Bragg’s angle is given by the Bragg’s law(2-4) explains the scattering of electromagnetic waves both coherently incoherently through a crystalline structure. In this investigation the sound waves propagating through the lead molydbate(8) crystal change the refractive index. A photon at one instance may experience, for instance a refractive index of 2.3, where as a photon a moment later will experience a different refractive index from atoms in the crystal being displaced by the pressure of the sound wave(9). This means the photons will be travelling at different speeds through the medium, so when it emerges the beams of light then interact interfere with each other. This creates the maxima minima from the constructive deconstructive interference. Bragg’ s Law(4-7) describes the condition at which the constructive interference takes place. The source of the sound waves which propagate through the crystal is a Piezo-electric transducer. 140Mhz was applied to the transducer by the RF Driver which can alternate the magnitude of the sound wave produced. The transducer was mounted on a rotational stage allowing the effects of transmitted light intensity when the angle of incidence of the light onto the modulator crystal was altered. A HeNe laser was used in the experiment as the light source. A viewing screen was used, so the diffraction characteristics could be seen a metre rule was used to measure the distsance from the acousto-optic modulator to the viewing screen photo detector. Method Fig.1 shows the setup of the experiment. The position, on the optical axis, of both the lens aperture acousto-optic modulator with the rotation stage was unchanged throughout the investigation. A) Familiarisation with RF Driver Acousto-optic Modulator The Laser was switched on, as well as the RF driver, photo detector digital mulitmeter. The Bragg modulator rotational stage controls were familiarized with. The viewing screen was placed 50cm from the front of the acousto-optic modulator. The control of the RF Driver rotational stage were then altered the effects noted. B) Measurement of the Bragg angle The viewing screen from part A) was placed, so that the centre of the screen was at the centre of the zero order beam. The rotational stage was then rotated until the 1st order beams were both at their brightest. Each millimeter on the micrometer was found to be 1.69 ° change in angle. The number of squares was then measured from the right edge of the Zero order beam to the right edge of the right 1st order beam the right edge of the left 1st order beam. This gave the Bragg angle by using simple trigonometry. Then the answer was compared to the analytically found value. The following equation shows Sell’s law applied to the incident beam show how the light will be diffracted by the medium; Where Λ is the acoustic wavelength, ÃŽËœ is the angle from the conversion from the micrometer reading ÃŽ »/n the optical path length through the material, n being the Refractive index ÃŽ » being the wavelength of the laser light. The acoustic wavelength can be found by using the e lectronic frequency the speed of sound in the material, Lead Molybdate being 3750 m/s. Approximating for small angles, Equ.1 can be written as; Rafraction will occur at the crystal faces, allowing this gives the Bragg angle; .Where ÃŽ » was taken as 632.9nm laser light. Part C) Investigating the intensity of diffracted light with changing acousto-optic modulator angle The Photo detector was placed 50cm from the base of the modulator. It was aligned so the zero order maximum was entering the ‘Slow detector’ input the iris on the front of the photo detector was adjusted so that the full beam width could enter the detector no more. The slow detector output was then hooked up to the digital multimeter. The viewing screen was then placed to block infront of the acousto-optic modulator to block the laser light the multimeter reading was taken to give the ambient light or 0% reading. The laser light was then allowed to hit the photo detector, with no power applied from the RF drive to the modulator the reading was taken from the multimeter. This gave the full 100% intensity reading. The value of RF drive power that gave the minimum zero order reading was then found the RF power was then set at that value for the rest of the experiment. Th e modulator angle was set at 5.5mm the output power was recorded. Steps of 0.05mm were then taken the output power at each value was recorded. This was then repeated with the right first order beam, with the same start point increments. The values on the micrometer were then converted to angles in degrees the output power values were converted to percentages of the zero order maximum value. The Acoustic Intensity was then found using the equation; Where, Iac is the acoustic intensity, ÃŽ » is the laser light wavelength (632.8nm), L is the beam width (approximately 15mm) Pdif Pinc are the light power diffracted incident light power respectively. D) The Apparatus remained in the same setup as before. The Transistor-Transistor-Logic Gate (TTL) was then turned on. A square wave with an initial frequency was set. This causes the power into the RF driver to alternate between the manually set option on the knob completely off has a rise fall time of 50ns. The modulator was set to maximize the 1st order beam the angle was set to 5mm on the micrometer (8.45 °). The photo detector (still 50cm from the base of the modulator) was connected to the oscilloscope. The input from the TTL was also connected to the oscilloscope the signal from both the input TTL photo detector were shown. The photo detector was 1st placed in alignment with e zero order wave the result was recorded. The photo detector was then placed on the right hand side 1s order beam the resulting signals were recorded. The frequency was then increased to find at what value the signal was still modulated. Results Part A)It was found that increasing the RF drive power caused 1st order beams to appear a futher increase caused 2nd order beams to appear. Rotating the platform, from no rotation, 0mm on the micrometer, caused the 2nd order beam to dim disappear on the left hand side of the zero order maxima. The 1st order on the left hand side became brighter, then dimmed as the micrometer reading was increased. The zero order beam started dim, but as the micrometer reading was increased the acousto-optic modulator on the rotational stage became orthogonal to the viewing screen the beam became brighter. As the acousto-optic modulator moved past being orthogonal, the zero order dimmed the 1st order beam on the right hand side became brighter the 2nd order beam on the right hand side appeared. Part B) The angle between the right hand 1st order the zero order beam was found to be 0.0260 Rad  ± 0.009 Rad. The left hand 1st order beam was found to have 0.0280 Rad  ± 0.009 Rad angle between its elf the zero order beam. The theoretical Bragg angle was found to be 0.0118 Rad, taking the the spped sound in Lead Molybdate to be 3750 the electrical frequency to be 140MHz. Part C) Fig.2 shows the results for the part of the experiment Using the graph Equ.5, the Acoustic intensity was found to be 14.3 x 104 W m-2  ± 2.9 x 104 W m-2. Part D) the following figure shows the results from the zero order beam 1st order beam against the TTL input signal; Fig.3 shows the signal from the photo detector on channel 1, with the TTL square wave on channel 2. This figure shows the waves are in phase (the larger wave being from the TTL, the slightly hazier signal being from the photo detector) Fig.4 shows the signal from the photo detector on channel 1 again the TTL signal is on channel 2, showing this time the signals are out of phase. The delay between the zero order beam beam the TTL signal fluctuating between the zero 1 state was found to be 140nS  ± 10nS. As the pulse generator frequency was increased the beam was found to change to not resemble the TTL input signal. The maximum value where the beam was still modulated was found to be 110MHz  ± 10MHz. Discussion The experiments in this investigation were relatively easy to set up after some familiarsation took place. The control on the RF driver was a knob that had no indication of what magnitude the dial was set at, so it was difficult to identify if the setting had changed during readings being taken. In part A) it was fairly difficult to establish the edge of the zero order 1st order beams on the viewing screen. The laser itself was found not to give a stable reading, which made parts C) D) difficult. The reading from the laser on the multimeter fluctuated by roughly 10mV for each reading taken in part C). A larger amount of error was introduced by the instability of the laser, however if the investigation was to be repeated more measurements could be taken averages for values would give a clearer relationship. When the RF driver power was set to give the minimum zero order value, the 2nd order maxima were not visible. They gave readings witch fluctuated to the 0% reading or reading fo r the ambient light. This meant only the 1st order maxima could be investigated. Experimental judgments throughout this investigation cause error. Conclusion Through analysis, the angle at which the light diverged from the zero order maxima should be 0.012 Rad. It was found on this experiment that the first order maxima diverged from the acoustically modulated crystal at an angle of 0.027 Rad  ± 0.009 Rad. Through further investigation the 1st order maxima was found to be Ï€ Rad out of phase with the zero order beam. The acoustic intensity in experienced in the crystal was found to be 14 x 104 W m-2  ± 2.9 x 104 W m-2. References Leon Brillouin,Ann. Phys.(Paris) 17, 88 (1922). John M. Cowley (1975)Diffraction physics(North-Holland, Amsterdam)ISBN 0-444-10791-6 H. Eklund, A. Roos, S. T. Eng. Rotation of laser beam polarization in acousto-optic devices.Optical and Quantum Electronics. 1975;7(2):73–79.doi:10.1007/BF00631587 R.Y.Chiao, C.H.Townes and B.P.Stoicheff, Stimulated Brillouin scattering and coherent generation of intense hypersonic waves,Phys. Rev. Lett.,12, 592 (1964) Carl. R. Nave.Braggs Law. HyperPhysics, Georgia State University. Retrieved 2008-07-19 Bragg, W.L. (1913). The Diffraction of Short Electromagnetic Waves by a Crystal.Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society17: 43–57. F.L. Liu, P.St.J. Russell, L.Dong, Acousto-optic modulator using a fibre Bragg Grating, Optoelectronics Res. Cen., University of Southampton G. A. Coquin, D. A. Pinnow, A. W. Warner, Physical Properties of Lead Molybdate Relevant to Acousto-Optic Device Applications, J. App. Phy. A 6, Vol 42 (May 1971) A.Rosencwaig, A. Gersho, Theory of the Photoacoustic Effect with Solids, Journal of Applied Physics, 47(1), 64-69 (1976) A. Yarvin, P. Yen, â€Å"Wave Propagation in Periodic Media† in Optical electronics in modern communication, (Oxford 2007), pp. 539-82

Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay -- Two Kinds, Amy Tan

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story 'Two Kinds'; by Amy Tan, we are shown the struggles of a young girl Jing-Mei. Her struggle is that of a young girl growing up and trying to find her own sense of identity. Her troubles are compounded by her mother, who convinces her that she can become someone important. Because of her mother's constant overbearing behavior, Jing-Mei does everything she can to annoy and displease her mother even to the point of being a failure. This fight to find her own identity against her mother's wishes shows how parents cannot control their child's life; they can only point them in the right direction and let them make their own choices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the onset of the story we find Jing-Mei's mother convincing her that she 'can be prodigy…'; (491) and that she 'can be best anything.'; (491) Deciding that Jing-Mei's destiny is to become a prodigy, her mother takes control and begins to push Jing-Mei towards this goal. At first Jing-Mei is, 'just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so.'; (491) By saying these things, Jing-Mei's mother tries to create an ideal identity for her. Jing-Mei's mother begins to test her with questions and she cooperates. But as time goes on and the tests her mother gives her gets harder, Jing-Mei begins to be resentful and unwilling to cooperate. She thinks to herself, 'I won't be what I'm not.'; (492) This shows a child resisting it's parents control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ...

Keep Your Eyes on Your Wife Essay -- essays research papers

Keep Your Eyes on Your Wife   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shaw’s depiction of Michael in The Girls in Their Summer Dresses is that he is happily married to his wife of five years. He thinks he supports his wife and loves her dearly; however, this is not true because his actions show otherwise. When he stares at other women, he hurts his wife’s feelings and hurts their relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marriage is portrayed as something that is a fact of life, not the special bond it is. A man or woman is married but still feels the need to look at the opposite sex while not realizing that this hurts the other. Even if a man thinks another woman is attractive or even more attractive than his wife, he should, under no circumstances, let his wife know he thinks this. It hurts a relationship when someone looks at the opposite sex as if they want him or her.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Michael is depicted as thinking he is happily married and very much in love with his wife. In reality, if he were so happy with his wife, he would not feel the need to obviously stare at other women. He is lying to himself to think he is happy with his wife. Because he is lying to himself, he is also lying to her. By him staring at other women, it shows that he is disregarding her by inattentiveness to her needs, wishes, and desires. A husband is supposed to want to fulfill his wife’s desires daily. Frances tells him â€Å"†¦we only see each other in bed (1034).† This shows that he does not ...

Mass-Observation, Microscopy, and the Everyday Essay -- Essays Papers

Mass-Observation, Microscopy, and the Everyday The everyday is an assimilation of fragmented happenings that are interwoven to manifest society. A general stereotype of society can not be drawn from a single fragment, but must be created through an examination of the relationships between individual pieces. Every fragment, no matter how banal, contributes to the understanding of the everyday. In order to study the everyday, the use of microscopy and Mass-Observation are essential because they provide a way of viewing the everyday in a way that is unfamiliar. Every minute atom is part of a whole intricate system of operations. Though the atom is minute, the way it interacts with the objects around it is important. Whether it is transmitting information, relaying information, or interacting with another atom, these inner-workings combine to create a functional system. In the everyday, the smallest of fragments is important to understanding society and what drives it through time. Interactions of fragments give insight into the general environment in which the fragment belongs. Formally, examiners of the everyday focused on studying society through large social structures. Simmel, one of the major theorists in German philosophy and social science around the turn of the century, views the everyday differently. He believes that the everyday can not be studied on the macroscopic level, but instead should be viewed at the microscopic level (Ben Highmore 37). Simmel emphasizes using microscopic investigations of interactions between fragm ents to gain insight into the everyday (Highmore 37). His project of ‘microscopy’ allows for the fragments of the everyday to be studied in a way that generalized society as a whole. ... ...nd analyzed. Though social microscopy it used to study the social aspect of the everyday, every fragment is important. Simmel stated â€Å"Even the lowest, intrinsically ugly phenomenon can be dissolved into contexts of color and form, feeling and experience which provide it with significance† (Highmore 39). It is through microscopy and Mass-Observation that the everydayness of society is studied in a way that is made unfamiliar. Works Cited - Bancroft, Angus. â€Å"Georg Simmel.† Introduction to Sociology. (Nov. 1998). 8 Nov. 2004 . - Baudelaire, Charles. Paris Spleen. New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1970. - Highmore, Ben. Everyday Life and Cultural Theory. London and New York: Taylor and Francis Group, 2002. - Kafka, Franz. The Trial. New York: Schocken Books Inc., 1998. Mass-Observation, Microscopy, and the Everyday Essay -- Essays Papers Mass-Observation, Microscopy, and the Everyday The everyday is an assimilation of fragmented happenings that are interwoven to manifest society. A general stereotype of society can not be drawn from a single fragment, but must be created through an examination of the relationships between individual pieces. Every fragment, no matter how banal, contributes to the understanding of the everyday. In order to study the everyday, the use of microscopy and Mass-Observation are essential because they provide a way of viewing the everyday in a way that is unfamiliar. Every minute atom is part of a whole intricate system of operations. Though the atom is minute, the way it interacts with the objects around it is important. Whether it is transmitting information, relaying information, or interacting with another atom, these inner-workings combine to create a functional system. In the everyday, the smallest of fragments is important to understanding society and what drives it through time. Interactions of fragments give insight into the general environment in which the fragment belongs. Formally, examiners of the everyday focused on studying society through large social structures. Simmel, one of the major theorists in German philosophy and social science around the turn of the century, views the everyday differently. He believes that the everyday can not be studied on the macroscopic level, but instead should be viewed at the microscopic level (Ben Highmore 37). Simmel emphasizes using microscopic investigations of interactions between fragm ents to gain insight into the everyday (Highmore 37). His project of ‘microscopy’ allows for the fragments of the everyday to be studied in a way that generalized society as a whole. ... ...nd analyzed. Though social microscopy it used to study the social aspect of the everyday, every fragment is important. Simmel stated â€Å"Even the lowest, intrinsically ugly phenomenon can be dissolved into contexts of color and form, feeling and experience which provide it with significance† (Highmore 39). It is through microscopy and Mass-Observation that the everydayness of society is studied in a way that is made unfamiliar. Works Cited - Bancroft, Angus. â€Å"Georg Simmel.† Introduction to Sociology. (Nov. 1998). 8 Nov. 2004 . - Baudelaire, Charles. Paris Spleen. New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1970. - Highmore, Ben. Everyday Life and Cultural Theory. London and New York: Taylor and Francis Group, 2002. - Kafka, Franz. The Trial. New York: Schocken Books Inc., 1998.

Czech Cultural Analysis

Cultural Analysis – Czech Republic Missouri University of Science and Technology ` table of contents table of contentsii 1. 0Czech vs u. s. Culture – hofstede’s model3 2. 0Czech business culture – trompenaaris classificaion7 3. 0U. S. Business culture change needed7 4. 0bibliography9 1. 0Czech vs u. s. Culture – hofstede’s model The Czech Republic has its roots as a former communist state known as Czechoslovakia. The fall of communism and the transformation to a democratic government has seasoned this country’s history. From the â€Å"Velvet Revolution† in 1989 to the charismatic leadership of the poet Vaclav Havel, the Czech Republic has developed well in the European cultures (Katz 2008). The Czech Republic had an estimated GDP of $288. 6 billion in 2011, which is ranked 45th against other world countries. Auto exports are the main economic driver with Germany being a large consumer of their export goods (The cia world, 2012). Context The classification of high-context or low-context gives us very useful cultural distinctions. A high-context culture relies heavily on unspoken cues in conversation. They tend to want to establish trust first in business negotiations, value a personal relations and goodwill, agree by general trust, and negotiate in a slow ritualistic manner. A low-context culture generally gets straight to the point and does not bother with ritualistic negotiations or getting to know one another personally before business deals. A low-context culture usually values expertise and performance, likes to make agreements with legalistic types of contracts, and negotiates as effective as possible (Kreitner, 2012). People in the Czech Republic tend to use body language sparingly with little physical contact. However, when communicating with them, silence could mean a problem, especially if they lower their eyes. The Czech people value punctuality and are a schedule oriented people. They like to schedule meetings in advance and require notification if one is going to be late. The Czech do like to get down to business, but the pace of business could be slow at first until you build relationship. The Czechs also prefer written terms and conditions when making business transactions (Katz 2008). All of these characteristics describe a low-context culture. The U. S. s a low-context culture as well (Kreitner, 2012), so doing business with Czech people will not seem too foreign to our U. S. company. Hofstede’s Model The Hofstede’s Model can be used to help classify the national culture of the Czech Republic and can give us insight into how the U. S. compares. With this information, we can determine if our company culture is a good fit for doing business in the Czech Republic. The 5 cultural dimensions of Hofstede’s model will be used: power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation and will be compared to our U. S. results. Power distance is defined as a dimension that deals with the fact that not all individuals in society are equal. This dimension captures the attitude of a culture toward this reality. A low score would mean that the culture has an attitude that people should be equal in society, and a high score would represent an attitude of acceptance of these large inequalities in society. The U. S. scores low on this dimension (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). We subscribe to the mentality of â€Å"liberty and justice for all,† which can explain the low score. The Czech Republic has a slightly higher score than the U. S. hich means that they have an attitude more acceptable of societal inequalities (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). This can probably be traced back to their roots as a communist country, where societal members had to get used to the one party government that was highly hierarchal. The individualism dimension captures the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members (Kreitner, 2012). The U. S. scores very high on the individualism dimension. We are accustomed to the idea that we need to take care of ourselves and our families. â€Å"Rugged individualism† is a characteristic of many Americans and politicians. The Czech Republic, on the other hand, score much lower score on individualism, and tend to value the mentality that â€Å"we are in this together. † This can be seen in their different types of advertising in their country. Their advertising constantly appeals to family happiness, togetherness, and friendship focusing on groups of people enjoying life together (Taylor, 2002). Masculinity is a dimension that characterizes a culture’s tendency toward valuing competition and success defined by winning at whatever the challenge, or the culture’s value of caring of others and quality of life. A high masculinity score would be the former and a lower masculinity score would be the latter. The Czech Republic and the U. S. have a very similar score here (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). They are both right in the middle of the scale and can be categorized as having a good balance between competition and striving to be on top as the winner, and caring for others along the way. Uncertainty avoidance is a dimension that captures a society’s way that they deal with ambiguity. The anxiety of an unknown future can lead to a societal out pour that creates beliefs or institutions to try to avoid this anxiety (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). In the Czech Republic, the older generations tend to want to avoid uncertainty and are reluctant to take risks. This can most likely be traced back to when the country was communist. The younger generations are, however, more open due to more international exposure, but the Czech Republic scores relatively high in this dimension (Katz 2008). The U. S. has a significantly lower score when it comes to uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). The U. S. is willing to take risks and accepts risk as part of life and business. The U. S. culture is more open to new ideas and is willing to try something new or different. The U. S. subscribes to the value of â€Å"freedom of expression. † Long-term orientation is the measure of where a society is focused. It can be defined as â€Å"the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view† (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). Both the Czech Republic and the U. S. score low on this dimension. This means that business measure their performance on a short-term basis. They are focused on what they can earn right now, and can be seen in the fact that profits are calculated on a quarterly reporting basis. This drives people to struggle for quick results in the work place. The Czech Republic can be said to be competitive, but know the value of a long-term relationship (Katz 2008). Even with this said, the Czech Republic scores a lower score than the U. S. These five cultural dimensions described above can be seen graphically in the figures below (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). Figure 1: Hofstede dimensions of Czech Republic and U. S. 2. 0Czech business culture – trompenaaris classificaion The Czech Republic could be classified as having a Guided Missile corporate culture. Czechs highly value formal education and expertise. They recognize and value the power of knowledge (Katz 2008). The Czech people like the win-win negotiations and strive for this in business transactions. They place this mentality on business with a focus on task oriented business success (Katz 2008). Negotiations are competitive, but business men in the Czech Republic tend to hold their cards close to their chest and do not lie often (Katz 2008). Czech management is seen as a team leader with the organization predominantly a continuous process of solving problems successfully. This is in somewhat contrast as to the U. S. company. The U. S. Company is described as an Incubator. This company is person-oriented and values giving power to the individual (Trompenaars, 2003). This is in contrast to the more structured corporate structure of the Guided Missile. The Incubator has the main characteristics that value commitment of oneself and professional recognition, where the Guided Missile’s characteristics are more of paying for performance and management by objectives (Trompenaars, 2003). 3. 0U. S. Business culture change needed A culture change may or may not be needed for the U. S. Company to thrive in the Czech Republic. There will be some corporate cultural tension, however, which can be the catalyst or driving force for change according to Fons Trompenaars (Trompenaars, 2003). One way to manage corporate culture change when going from U. S. to the Czech Republics would be to restructure authority to managers who have show innovation and learning as their main objectives in their goals. Another way to foster change would be to make learning and improvement a part of day to day task descriptions. Finally it would be beneficial to the U. S. Company to describe rewards in terms of clearly stated innovation outputs. These techniques described above will help foster culture change in the U. S. Company to move toward a more ideal corporate culture from an Incubator to a Guided Missile (Trompenaars, 2003). 4. 0bibliography Katz, L. (2008). Negotiating international business – the negotiator’s reference guide. (2nd ed. , pp. 1-5). Retrieved from http://www. globalnegotiationresources. com/cou/CzechRepublic. pdf (2012). The cia world factbook. Washington D. C. : The U. S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved from https://www. ia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez. html Kreitner, R. (2012). Organizational behavior. (10 ed. ). Arizona: McGraw- Hill. Hofstede, G. , & Hofstede, G. J. (2005). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind, by hofstede, 2nd revised and expanded edition. New York: McGraw Hill. Taylor, Charles (2002). Advertising in the Czech Republic: Czech perceptions of effective advertising and advertising clutter. Vol. Iss: 12, pp. 137 – 149. Trompenaars, F. (2003). A new framework for managing change across cultures. Journal of change management, 3(4), 361-375.

The Stinson Shipping Company

I think the Systems Theory Model is the most applicable in determining and explaining how everything went wrong at the Stinson Shipping Company. To begin with, the environment was extremely hectic. Tom Murphy was under considerable pressure to deliver the goods on time amidst the increase in business over the past three months. I think that it is quite possible that his supervisors had a â€Å"Git-R-Done† philosophy and Tom felt he had to adopt the same mentality to be a success in the position. There may have been some training issues as well because Tom should have known that the mixing of caustic lye and Hydraulic fluid would be dangerous; instead he was more concerned about weather the fork lift could lift the load. Both problems needed to be considered because it was really the combination of the two that caused the disaster. The Hydraulic fluid leaking caused the fork lift to fail which in turn caused the pallets to fall resulting in the caustic lye mixing with the Hydraulic fluid. There was really a failure to communicate on all ends. The equipment Manager, Mike Morello, jury rigged the fork lift and was no where to be seen. I would think at the least they all would have been observers making sure to spot for anything that could go wrong. When Bill Jefferson, noted drops of hydraulic fluid on the dock floor, he should have stopped and walked over to Tom instead of just waiving at him. The interaction of people machine and environment was dire but their was a breakdown. Even though information was collected, I don’t think the risks were really weighed out. I think the risk they were most worried about was should they risk holding up the shipment? Ultimately, he decision that Tom made was wrong, but still the accident could have been avoided had Mike stood his ground, The two of them supervised the loading, had Bill done a better job of communicating. Now Bill is covered with the chemical and being rushed to the hospital. This visit should have and could have been avoided. An investigation into the accident would help HR professionals to communicate the breakdown to management and enable them to set and enforce policy to prevent this from happening again in the future. Advanced training in Chemical reactions for all dock loaders and supervisors is important as well. When a company has the motto â€Å"Safety First† than safety trumps any other pressure or work related task. If this is mode of operand’e than the employees feel secure in making the right decision without the fear of retaliation from management.

Curley’s wife Essay

Of Mice and Men was written in 1937 by John Steinbeck. It was set whilst we was in the great depression. Referring to how during the great depression women were oppressed and treated less equally to men. Steinbeck may have portrayed women in this light to allow the reader to recognize the inferior role of women at that time. The lack of name demotes Curley’s wife to insignificant status. Her lack of identity implied she is not woman but rather a possession of her husband. This character develops, we find that she is not in fact the unimportant, nameless character we first perceive her as, but rather she is a relatively complex and interesting character. Steinbeck presents her in many ways throughout the story changing the reader opinion of her all the time. In section 2, Curley’s Wife is first presented to us through the dialogue of ranch-hand Candy, when he describes her to George, the reader begin to create an image in our head of what Curley’s wife looks like. Curley’s wife has no respect from the other men at the ranch. Candy uses expressions such as ‘she got the eye’ and goes on to describe her as looking at other men, before eventually calling her a ‘tart’. Through Candy’s words, we develop an initial perception of Curley’s Wife as flirtatious ‘tramp’ and even immoral. The word ‘tart’ suggests she presents herself in a flamboyant manner, which portrays her desperation to be noticed. Steinbeck enables the reader to see Curley’s Wife through Candy’s eyes on their first encounter with her. Further into section two we get a better understanding of Curley’s wife appearance. This reinforces the reader’s thoughts about her. Steinbeck uses the colour red which supports candy’s idea of her being a tart. The colour red is sexualised. Steinbeck repeats the word red many times throughout the passage of her Characterizations. He states her having â€Å"full rouged lips† and â€Å"her finger nails were red† red is a bright colour this suggest that curley’s wife wants attention from the other men on the ranch. † She has red mules† and â€Å"red ostrich feathers† these are expensive so she is trying to impress the men and ostriches are exotic animals, which could her influence her wild side. On the other hand, Curley’s Wife’s appearance could be seen as naivety and simply youthful desire to be found attractive. Red is a primary colour therefore children are attracted to it, it is a colour children want to wear because it is bright and has an element of happiness in it. Therefore Curley’s Wife wearing the colour red may symbolise a child’s attraction to bright colours portraying her as youthful. Steinbeck describes her to wear a â€Å"cotton dress† which is everyday clothing, this juxtaposes against all the red. A cotton dress is more practical to wear at a ranch, so the reader are hesitant, but there is more affirmation to support her being a tart. Steinbeck’s explanation of Curley’s wife plays with the reader’s opinion on her personality. Steinbeck says â€Å"her voice had a nasal, brittle quality† which means it hard but liable to break. This indicates that she may look tough on the outside but Curley’s wife can easily be hurt. Steinbeck then describes her to be sneaky and that she is then dishonest to Curley as when she reaches the barn with the Lennie, Candy and Crooks â€Å"she breathed strongly as tough she had been running† She is sly and want to get away from Curley so then she can go and talk to other men as she does not get that attention from curley this could suggest that their marriage is not true and curley just uses her to feel good about him sly and impress other guys on the ranch wear as the men are not bothered about her. We get across that she can be lonely as Curley does not give her the amount of attention as she desires as Curley’s wife â€Å"think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? † this is where we get to see her innocent side and the reader start to feel sympathy for her as there is no other women she can speck to just men and curley. When she is alone in the barn with Lonnie she expresses more about her being lonely she is repeating this regularly throughout the scene â€Å"why can’t I talk to you? Dhe will talk to the man that hurt her husband’s hand which reinforces that she is desperate to talk to anyone. â€Å"I get awful lonely†, â€Å"I get lonely† trying to get Lennie sympathy. Steinbeck shows that she is flirtatious and describes her being flirtation a lot. Curley’s wife uses her flirtatious action to get attention â€Å" she moved closer to him and she spoke soothingly† which will relax Lennie and then he will be more attract to Curley’s wife. After Curley’s wife is dead the writer uses a simile to describe what she looks like whilst she is dead â€Å"her body flopped like a fish† which signifies that she is lifeless and fish is not a nice thing to be described as this proves she is not an important member on the ranch and hat she is not cared and has affection from other characters. After her death Steinbeck describes her appearance so that she would like she did want attention â€Å"the meanness and the planning and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face† which could suggest that her death had proven that she was just a person In need of some comfort. We then as the reader mainly fill sympathy for her. When we are hearing Curley’s wife actions in candy perception we get a negative impression of her and she is not a loyal newlywed as candy said â€Å"I seen her give the slim the eye. Curley never seen it. An’ I seen her give Carlson the eye. † Which implies that she can’t just live with the attention from just Curley but she need it from other mum to fell her need and as Curley has never seen it suggest that she has sneaky action and going behind his back to eye up other men.

Effects of Overpopulation in China Essay

This literature review discusses the impacts of overpopulation on the environment in China through four main studies. Each study directed its research on one consequence: the water issue and the aquatic ecosystem, the overexploitation of land and resources as well as the extinction of green land, climate change, GHG emission and desertification of land1. Several methods and sources were used such as Pressure–State–Response (PSR), urban-rural population model or other research papers written previously2. The results of these studies clearly show that the overpopulation has multiple negative impacts on the Chinese environment and that strategies and policies regarding these issues should be established. The population of China is growing exponentially and it is a serious issue because of its impact on the environment. The water deficiency is growing and as it is presented, the expectations of the Chinese people exceed the capacity of the land3. Since the population of China is increasing fast, the urbanization of land and the agricultural development increase at the same rhythm4. As it is presented, human activity and human density are the main explanation for climate change5. According to Shijie Wang’s study, the southwest of China is experiencing a desertification, in other words the land becomes like a desert left with no resources6. Each article presents a different way of conducting its research to prove its point. In Qian Hong et al. research, the methods used to pursue the study are Pressure–State–Response (PSR), the landscape ecology method and Remote Sensing – Global Positioning System (RS-GPS) 7. According to the authors, there are three types of indicators: Pressure indicators, State indicators and Response indicators7. The indicators either presented a high or a low number. If the number is high, it means that the region suffered from important water degradation; if the number is low, it means the opposite7. The analysis of the research is made through a process called Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) that has four specific indicators7. Jianfa Shen’s study uses urban-rural population model to do predictions about the density of the population and is also represented as spatial demographic-economic model 8, whereas Shijie Wang conducted its research by investigating the studied region and by using indicators such as aerial photos and satellite images. He then compares and analyses the results with previous images and researches from the land 9. The only piece of work that did not use any kind of Research method was written by Hung Ming-Te et al. who preferred to write the paper in reference to researches and studies made and scientific predictions 10. One of the most important consequences of overpopulation is the expanding deficiency in water resources. Investigators processed in six districts of China which are part of one region (Jinan) that was recognized for its important source of water, aquatic ecosystem and surface. Due to industrial development and human actions the water condition became polluted and rarer 11. Researchers found that water deficiency and erosion, rainy climate, poor land vegetation, climate change, loss and decrease of agricultural production, which all lead to desertification of land, are all consequences of the activities of the overpopulation 12. Ming-Te et al.’s study presented that the GHG level increased rapidly and the national security is at risk. GHG growing production would also make the lack of water and air pollution worse than it actually is; also they stated that climate change, in addition to being caused by overpopulation, is influenced by poor sustainable development, poor resources management and over-use of energy. This study shows that such changes have impact such as poor water resource and low agricultural production. These consequences engender other concerns such as the lack of food, the decrease in water resources and the desertification of land 13. The conclusions are clear regarding this area, the exceeding use of natural resources is a threat for the environment’s protection and conservation 14. Hong et al. are from the same opinion when they wrote that water condition is getting worse and it affects China’s population’s lifestyle as well as the aquatic ecosystem 15. 10 Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-366 11 Qian Hong et al., 321 12 Shijie Wang et al., 127-129 13 Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-364 14 Jianfa Shen, 39 15 Qian Hong et al., 319 In the field of environment, every single factor is closely related to another one. Each of the four studies shows how the desertification of land, the migration, the exceeding use of resources and the poverty of population are linked. In Wang et al.’s research, poverty is shown to be one of the most devastating causes of desertification because farmers, in order to survive and feed their families, have to increase the production of grains. The overexploitation of the land then leads the land to become rocky 16. According to Shen’s study, agriculture is over-used and China has to import grains to meet the population’s needs 17. The deterioration of the environment and the growth of the land desertification are strongly correlated with the increasing population of this region as well as their activities 18. In reference to Wang et al., Shen and Ming-Te et al.’s studies, since the land is experiencing a phenomenon of desertification because of the exceeding use of agriculture and the high density of population in rural zones, populations are migrating to cities that have already exceeded their capacity in supporting people19. Basically, what Shen is trying to explain is that the construction of urban areas and the overexploitation of lands lead to a decreasing number of green land which causes the environment to deteriorate, because the more people there is, the more resources needed 20. The biggest problem China is facing is the lack of policing and measures adopted regarding the protection of the environment. According to Ming-Te et al., 16 Shijie Wang et al., 131 17 Jianfa Shen, 36 18 Shijie Wang et al., 124 19 Shijie Wang et al., 124-131; Jianfa Shen, 36-39; Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-364 20 Jianfa Shen, 35-36 China’s way of ‘fighting’ against climate change is to invest in the development of sustainable technologies as well as establishing measures and policies regarding the environment 21. Qian Hong et al. specified that the conservation and the protection of water are essential to the survival of the land and aquatic ecosystem 22. The researchers from the two other articles did not write about the policies that should be established to preserve the environment. Studies show that the impacts of overpopulation are multiple and they do affect the ecosystem in China. Shijie Wang et al.’s study proved that the land is overloaded with population growth and has met its capacity. This forced farmers to deforest the land of the Liupanshui district in order for them to increase agricultural production. Also, even though the environment is favorable in this region for such phenomenon to happen, restricted natural resources, overpopulation activities, rapid population growth and social instability make the process happen faster. The consequence of overpopulation’s production of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere exceeds the national average for smelting sulfur by over 13.8 times in some regions such as Bijie and Zunyi which causes air pollution and desertification of land 23. The results of the study conducted in the region of Jinan by Qian Hong et al. clearly showed that this region has the best water condition because of its good conservation of environment, poor population density and important vegetation 24. Hung Ming-Te et al. proved that overpopulation, causing in many ways the change in climate would increase the frequency and strength of natural weather disasters 25. Jianfa Shen suggested that the exceeding use of natural resources due to the increasing density of population is a threat for the environment’s protection and conservation and that people’s lifestyle influences the environment negatively 26.   Bibliography Shen, J. â€Å"China’s Future Population and Development Challenges†. The Geographical Journal 164 no. 1 (1998): 32-40 Hung, M., et al. â€Å"China’s Response to Climate Change: A Policy Analysis.† Journal Of Alternative Perspectives In The Social Sciences 3 no. 2 (2011): 362-375. Wang, S., et al. â€Å"Mechanism of Rocky Desertification in the Karst Mountain Areas of Guizhou Province, Southwest China.† International Review For Environmental Strategies 3 no. 1 (2002): 123-135 Hong, Q., et al. â€Å"Regional aquatic ecological security assessment in Jinan, China†. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 13 no. 3 (2010): 319-327