Why has the Mafia been able to survive for so long, despite enormous Essay

Why has the Mafia been able to survive for so long, despite enormous pressure from law enforcement - Essay Example Evidently, there are several notable reasons as to why the mafia has continuously survived for so long despite pressure from law enforcers. Foremost, the mafia is uniquely structured in its organization by having friends in centers of influence of power. Incidentally, the Sicilian mafia has been known to bankroll the elections of political personalities with close ties to it. Evidently, in 2008, a man who was previously colluding with the mafia was re-elected into parliament. This just shows the political backing that the mafia enjoys as support. Moreover, the types of illegal business operations conducted by the mafia have led to the control of enormous resources. Evidently, the mafia engages in drug trafficking, gambling, extortions, prostitution and street taxes. As a result, the high resource base at the mafia’s control aids them in corrupting government officials and law enforcers that can further aid and abet their illegal activities. The mafia equally has a hierarchical structure of authority among the member that guarantees continuity. Consequently, the crime boss or Capo Famiglia is succeeded by the capo bastone or underboss in the event of anything such as death or incarceration to the crime boss. As a result, breaking the chain of authority and operation of the mafia has proven to be quite a problem to law

Global marketing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global marketing strategy - Essay Example In the current decade international marketing has emerged as a booming platform that holds significance in daily life of customers. National boundaries or local regions are not restricted only to competitive forces. Firms operating in globalized economy can only be successful if they are responsive towards local and global market conditions. International marketing process comprises of various factors and companies need to develop strategies to encompass such factors. Skills of international marketing are an important aspect of every firm whether it is involved in different activities of exporting for the company or brand. Globalized market place has witnessed a sudden drift in the recent years due to emergence of trading standards, practices and techniques. There are wide array of market entry barriers witnessed by firms who plan to go global. This study shall outline such barriers and even portray a clear picture regarding two different market segments. Poundland is a variety store chain of United Kingdom that sells majority items in its store outlets at  £1. Stephen Smith and Dave Dodd had founded the company in 1990. The firm presently operates in more than 450 locations and comprises of 3000 kitchen ware, healthcare, home ware and gift products. It deals in 16 categories majority of which are clearance products or do not hold a brand name. This study would highlight the international expansion of Poundland into Japan and China. The major aim of this analytical study is to determine the market conditions of a developing and developed country. Japan and China has been selected as two markets where Poundland will expand its business. Both these countries comprise of certain opportunities for the variety store chain. In order to establish market position in a country it is essential to analyze its marketing environment. There is wide range of external forces that changes operating environment of a country. PESTEL analysis is basically

Concepts Of Consumer Behaviour And Mobile Phones Marketing Essay

Concepts Of Consumer Behaviour And Mobile Phones Marketing Essay Mobile phone occupies a fundamental place in peoples daily life. It has become one of the most important tools for personal communication across the globe during the past fifteen years. Consumer behavior is the study of when, why, how and where people do or do not buy products (Sandhusen; Richard, 2000). One of the things that can be categorized as both needs and desires is mobile phone. This chapter introduces the concept of Consumer Behaviour and shows the various components applicable to the mobile phones purchase in Mauritius. This will include the key factors influencing the Mauritians buying behaviour for mobile phones. The different criteria consumers consider in their buying behaviour will also be exemplified. Concepts of Consumer Behaviour and Mobile Phones In todays world consumer behaviour is one of the most fascinating topics. Consumer is the ultimate user of every product, without any consumer there is no market as such (Baker, 2004). Consumers are considered the king therefore it is very essential to study the behaviour of consumers. Blackwell et al. (2001) described consumer behaviour as the activities, in which people acquire, consume and dispose products and services. In the same view, Kundi et al (2008) stated that consumer behavior refers to the mental and emotional process and the observable behavior of consumers during searching, purchasing and post consumption of a product or services. McGraw-Hill (2005) defined consumer buying behaviour as the behaviour in the quest to satisfy needs which products and services were acquired to satisfy these personal consumption needs. Customers make purchases in order to satisfy needs. According to Christ (2009) some of these needs are basic and must be filled by everyone on the planet whi le others are not required for basic survival and vary depending on the person. It probably makes more sense to classify needs that are not a necessity as wants or desires. On the other hand, Peter and Olson, (1993) mentioned that interactions between the peoples emotions, moods, affection and specific feelings is called consumer behavior, in other words in environmental events which they exchange ideas and benefits each is called consumer behavior . Figure 1: Influential factors of consumer behaviour Source: Kotler Armstrong, 2008 By understanding consumer behaviour deeply, different authors have given different information about the consumer behaviour and how consumer buys the products. Consumer behavior involves the psychological process that consumers go through in recognizing needs, findings ways to solve these needs, making purchase decisions, interpret information, make plans and implement these plans (Perner, 2008). Consumer behaviour towards mobile phones The emerging technologies, one that promises greater variety in applications, highly improved usability, and speedier networking (Robert Godwin-Jones, 2008). Mobile phone is a constant companion to many people. Mobile phone which is fundamentally a communication device has undergone several transformations making its functionalities transcending the traditional voice communication between two individuals (Kushchu, 2007). Mobile technology is a daily communication device that allows people to communicate worldwide within seconds. Different researchers have diverse view about mobile phones. Xiaowei Huang (2011) identified mobile phone as one of the cultural commodities in todays world. According to Bassett (2006), today, the functions of mobile phones are not only for making and receiving calls, but also for providing other functions such as mailboxes, digital cameras, video recorders, personal radios, personal organizers, and even MP3 players. It is sometimes assuming that the mobile becomes each of these objects rather than simulating them, or re-mediating them; that it takes on the most advanced characteristics of each media stream it subsumes, and also assumes the development trajectory, or even the nature, or ontology, of these media (Bassett 2006). Nowadays mobile phone users are more adaptive, definitive, and subjective to how they use the communication device (Murni Mahmud et al, 2010). Mobile phone is not only a medium for communication but an entertainment device, an educative tool. Consumers used the technology as designed by the designers to satisfy different purposes beyond the conception of the designer (Carroll et al., 2002; Bar et al., 2007). Mobile technology were used and interpreted by users of mobile phones in their distinctive ways rather than how the designer had conceptualised the use of the mobile phones. Likewise mobile phone usage became more meaningfully through how the technology is used, the purposes it serves, and the context of its use through choice of functions and features (Okabe, 2004; Lindqvist and Svensson, 2007; Wirth et al., 2008). Overview of the Mauritian Mobile Phone market The Republic of Mauritius, a small island state with a population of 1.3 million inhabitants, is nestled in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius was the first country to launch cellular operations in the Southern Hemisphere on 29 May 1989 (Minges, Gray Tayob, 2004). Mauritius has been the first with the many telecommunication innovations in the African continent, who aims to be known as a cyber island. Telecommunication had an early beginning in Mauritius, the first telephone line was installed in 1883, seven after the invention of the telephone. The privatisation of telecommunication industries since the mid-1990s, most mobile phone markets have been characterised by competitive industries due to the presence of more than one operator (Bailard, 2009; ITU, 2011). The result is more affordable and reliable mobile services. People also do not have to wait for long periods of time to have a mobile phone installed. The Mauritian telecommunications sector was fully liberalized in Ja nuary 2003 pursuant to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) commitment made by Mauritius in 1998 (WTO, 2012). Currently there are 3 main mobile phone operators in Mauritius namely Orange, Emtel and MTML. Orange is the market leader, while Emtel and MTML are the challengers. Emtel first launched the 4G Mobile in Mauritius, Tassarajen Chedumbrum Pillay, Minister of Information Technology and Communication (ICT), which officially launched the 4G mobile phone service on May 29, 2012 (Lexpress.mu, 2012). Mobile penetration rates have exploded from a mere 1.05 percent in 1995 to a staggering 92.79 percent by the end of 2010. Mobile cellular subscribers rose by 9.6% to reach 1,190,900 in 2010 from 1,086,700 in 2009. Prepaid subscribers increased by 8.5% from 1,013,000 in 2009 to 1,099,200 in 2010. Mobidensity or the number of mobile cellular phones per 100 inhabitants increased by 9.2% from 85.0 in 2009 to 92.8 in 2010 (Central Statistics Office, 2011). Figure 2: Mobile cellular subscriptions in Mauritius C:UsersRachnaDesktopchart.png Source: World Bank, 2011 Consumers purchase preferences and satisfaction level for mobile phones For perspective of globalization we cannot change the system of tastes and preferences of Consumers. Another instance demonstrating the ignorance of local tastes in the wake of globalization features the multinational mobile phone makers, Nokia had tasted success with its soap-bar designed phones and ceased producing the flip phones that consumers found irritating to use (Zaccai, 2005). Every consumer has their own tastes and preferences. So, every consumers opinions and preferences are different from one another. It has also been pointed that many decision strategies used by consumers can change due to person-, context-, and task-specific factors (Dhar, Nowlis and Sherman, 2000; Swait and Adamowicz, 2001). Consumers tend to utilize different approaches to make choices. Mobile phone choice and use has also been found to be related to prior consumption styles. According to a survey of Finnish young people aged 16-20, it was found that mobile phone choice and especially usage is consis tent with respondents general consumption styles (Wilska, 2003). Customer value perceptions are found to significantly impact and drive consumers intentions in terms of repurchase intent, word-of-mouth referrals, customer commitment and loyalty (e.g. Brady and Cronin, 2001; Cronin et al., 2000; Duman and Mattila, 2005; Christou, 2003). In general, a common distinction to be made is that while the utilitarian goods usually are primary instrumental and functional, hedonic goods provide fun, pleasure and excitement. It has been noted that many choices have both utilitarian and hedonic features (Batra and Ahtola, 1990), and thus it can also be proposed that the choice between mobile phones has both utilitarian (e.g., communication, time planning) and hedonic (e.g., games, camera) features. Quite similarly, consumer choice can also be approached from the perspective of conscious and non conscious choice (e.g., Fitzsimons et al., 2002). On the other hand, direct marketing activities have big impact on every consumer, every company knows about the behavior of every consumer in the market. This theory helps for the organization and sub-organizations to know the consumer behavior in different market environments, taste and preferences of the consumer behavior (Thomas, 2004). Kalpana and Chinnadurai (2006) found that adverti sement play a dominant role in influencing the customers but most of the customers are of opinion that promotional strategies of cellular companies are more sale oriented rather than customer oriented. Nandhini (2001) examined that attitude of the respondents using cell phones was not influenced by either education or occupation and income Usage functions and features as a key driver of consumer acceptance of mobile phones Another important aspect that has risen from different studies is that consumers purchase new phones due to the fact that their existing ones capacity is not appropriate referring to the idea that new technology features such as built-in cameras, better memory, radio, more developed messaging services, and color displays are influencing consumer decisions to acquire new models (In-Stat/MDR, 2002; Liu, 2002; OKeefe, 2004; Karjaluoto et al., 2005). Thus it can be expected that new features will influence the intention to acquire new mobile phones. The consumer will respond according to the product quality and reliability, the fundamental understanding of products is necessary to understand the product features, products reliability and product benefits (Baker, 2004). For example, researchers like Chang and OSullivan (2005) showed that concrete feedback provided when keys are pressed offers a good satisfaction experience among the mobile phone users whilst Lesher et al. (1998) and Nesba t (2003) re-designed the keypads to expedite text entry. Moreover, studies involving elderly users found them to prefer large, clear and bright screens (Kurniawan et al., 2006; Nizam et al, 2008). Mobile phones are often criticized as being too small to be held and handled (Balakrishnan and Yeow, 2007). In a recent paper, V. Balakrishnan (2011) investigated mobile phone messaging satisfaction among Malaysian youths. It was found that mobile phone users have mixed feelings towards text entry speed, keypad design and health-lower extremity and thus, they are unsure about their overall SMS satisfaction. Hence this indicates that consumers lay more emphasis on the design of the mobile phone while choosing which cell phone to buy. The younger the consumer the more hedonistic features consumers tend to value in mobile phones (Wilska, 2003). Though, in Africa, the use of SMS and chat services has been widely accepted, but people are still reluctant to engage in other mobile data services, such as MMS, mobile banking and web browsing amongst others (Brown, Gordon, Janik Meyer, 2005). The major portion of the population uses SMS, chat services and some leisure based services such as ring tones and games but they are still reluctant to engage in other more advanced data services (Goldstuck, 2005; Bouwman et al., 2006). Mobile value-added services are digital services added to mobile phone networks other than voice services, including short message service, games, entertainments, web surfing, software applications and functions for achieving specific purposes (e.g. performing electronic transactions (Kuo et al., 2009). Among all m-commerce applications, mobile value-added services have been recognized as having a remarkably promising future in the telecom service market because customer values, such as time-critical needs and arrangements, spontaneous needs and decisions, entertainment needs, and efficiency needs and ambitions, can be met by using these services (Anckar and DIncau, 2002). Consequently, mobile phone technological advances allow customers to participate in the mobile services development, design, production and delivery process, mobile phone users increasingly demand for affordable and reliable services that correspond exactly to their specific individual needs, lifestyle and preferen ces (Sigala, 2002). Generally speaking, a positive attitude with regard to new information technologies can be found among the younger, male and high-income categories (Brown and Vemnkatesh, 2005; Gefen and Straub, 1997; Ilie et al., 2005; Rice and Katz, 2003; Wei and Lo, 2006). Not all types of mobile phone are successful in entering the market because some types of the mobile phone have a negative perception of user (Jaya Suteja and Stephany Tedjohartoko, 2011). While some people find using mobile devices to conduct transactions relatively easy, others experience difficulty with the small screen size and small keypad. Data input becomes a problem, and this can lead to wasted time, errors and frustration experienced by users, hence making usability less attractive (Chen Frolick, 2004).However, the mobility of mobile devices also increases the risk of losing them (Tarasewich, 2003). Mobile users are worried about the safety of their devices as these can easily be lost or stolen. Branding as a major factor affecting purchase of mobile phones Brand image is perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in consumer memory (Keller, 2003). Brand is considered as a warranty not only of the quality and performance but also of the difference and emotional relationship with the product (Bahmanziari et al., 2003; Jiang, 2004). Moreover, the technological advancement lead to product features becoming more and more similar, as such consumers are often incapable or reluctant to distinguish between brands on rational attributes alone (Temporal and Lee, 2001). Likewise Riquelme (2001) examined how much self knowledge consumers have when making choice between different mobile phone brands based upon six key attributes (telephone features, connection fee, access cost, mobile-to-mobile phone rates, call rates and free calls). The research showed that consumers with prior experience about a product can predict their choices relatively well, although respondents tended to overestimate the importance of features, call rates and free calls and underestimate the importance of a monthly access fee, mobile-to-mobile phones rates and the connection fee. Brand image acts as information prompt (Bhat and Reddy, 1998). Moreover, brands can accelerate consumers information transmission (Kotler, 1999). Brand image helps to create positive attitudes and feelings. Brand effects for mobiles have been investigated by various authors. Luca Petruzzellis (2010) studied the hedonic and utilitarian value dimensions to better understand the brand effect. Previous research has shown that consumer brand image would affect consumers opinions on brand equity, leading to brand loyalty. Brand equity significantly affected purchase intention (Chen, 2010). Brand equity is referred to the marketing results that accrue to a product with its brand name as compared to those that would ensue if the same product did not have the brand name (Aaker, 1991; Ailawadi et al., 2003; Keller, 2003). The brand equity influences consumer-level constructs such as attitudes, awareness, image, and knowledge and company related outcomes like market share, prices, revenues and cash flow (Ailawadi et al., 2003). Accordingly brand equity drives to brand loyalty. Likewise, Chaudhuri and Holbrook (2001) added that affective responses to brands are of utmost importance as brand effect is a strong driver of brand loyalty. Additionally, in the context of the mobile communications industry, Baker et al. (2010) examine the importance of brand equity in generating greater consumer demand for mobile communications products/services. In a similar vein, Jurisic and Azevedo (2011) address the need to increase brand equity by building and maintaining customer-brand relationships, which can be done by valuing the issues that customers value the most in order to increase their emotional attachments to the brand. Personality influences on mobile phones Mobile phones have been recognised as a form of self-expressive identity (Mannetti, Pierro, Livi, 2002; Walsh White, 2007) with many mobile phone users personalizing their phones to express their identity by decorating their phones and having unique ring-tones (Goggin, 2006; Katz Sugiyama, 2005). Self-identity has also been found to predict level of mobile use, with use increasing as self-identification as a mobile phone user increases (Walsh White, 2007). These findings suggest it may be worthwhile to assess whether self-identity is related to the level of involvement that people have with their mobile phone to improve our understanding of the connection between material objects and behaviour. As the mobile phone supports interpersonal interaction, mobile phone use might be a function of personality (Sarah Butt James G. Phillips, 2008). Historically, a mobile phone has been pricy with the market dominated by business users (Kendall, 1997). It has been considered a status symbol for the rich and famous during the early 1990s all over the world. The mobile phone is, however, more than a communication tool or piece of furniture: it is an extension of their person, and expresses their identity and selfhood in a variety of ways, including both how it is used and how it is worn (Helen Haste, 2005). It has been argued that a young persons mobile phone is a central expression of their identity (Brown et al. 2002). Young people are increasingly using and adapting mobile phones not only to interact with their own worlds, but to create and structure their worlds (Spero Stone, 2004 Referral influences for mobile phone buyers behaviour Consumer behaviour research on consumers social and interpersonal environment has indicated that the mobile phone consumers final purchasing decision will also be influenced by reference groups (such as friends, family, work associates and etc.) on whether to buy a specific product and which brand or model to choose among competing alternatives (Moschis, 1976). Wooten and Reed (2004) suggested that consumers with high susceptibility to normative influence tend to use protective self-presentation to avoid undesirable disapproval. In the studies of Jiaqin Yang et al. (2007), reference groups have a significant influence on US mobile phone consumers in their purchasing behavior. The target population for the survey was Chinese people, they consume similar brands or products that their peers consuming. In comparison, individualism is a popular trait among US consumers, so most American consumers focus more on their personal needs and less concerning about the opinion of others. It can be further supported by a recent research (Mourali et al., 2005). The research of Tiana Tucker (2011) illustrate that friends were the most influential people for young adults when looking to purchase a new mobile phone. Sernovitz (2009) described word of mouth marketing as all about consumers sharing their experiences of products by ways other than direct marketing to consumers. When an idea is transferred to the consumers and they send it to fellow customers, that is, a form of real word of mouth communication. Word of mouth seems desirable to achieve positive perception and thus preference for a brand in the customers mind (Sweeney et al., 2008). One way that offers a distinct point of advantage is positive word of mouth (WOM). Early studies suggested that WOM is nine times as effective as traditional advertising in converting unfavorable or neutral predispositions into positive attitudes (e.g., Day, 1971). More recently, Hogan et al. (2004) showed that WOM can triple the effectiveness of advertising. Table 1: Types of Reference Groups Type of Reference Group Definition Example Formal Clearly defined structure and membership Soccer club Informal Has no formal rules Families, friends and peer groups Primary Has face-to-face interaction Students in a class Membership Members of a certain group and model behaviour on others in the group Members of a church or a social club Non-membership Do not have membership but may still model their behaviour on members of this group Non-member of church may still be influenced by members behaviour: helping those in need Aspirational Groups that people aspire to belong Movie stars and famous personalities (Ryk Neethling) Dissociative Groups that you avoid or reject Gangs Source: Cant et al. (2006); Strydom, et al. (2000) Mobile technology within the social and occupational spheres influence buying patterns Social needs are the needs for social interaction of an individual that represent the need for communicating with friends, family and affiliation such as group membership, clubs, churches and work affiliations (Tikkanen, 2009). Social need is one of the determinants of consumers dependency on mobile phones (smartphones) because the mobile phones have become much more versatile, allowing consumers increased usage for communication and maintaining relationships between and among individuals (Lippincott, 2010). This is supported by the Mafe and Blas (2006) study which found that consumers high dependency on smartphones is positively correlated with consumers future purchase behaviour. Currently, TV-individual interaction through text messages includes participation in programmes in order to vote, downloading a variety of content, expressing opinions and appearing on screen, taking part in draws or competitions and even TV screen chats (Beyer et al., 2007). Mobile phones have in the firs t place been enhancing friendships and family interaction and have resulted in the tightening of social cohesion among close friends and family members (Ling Horst, 2011). In Wei and Los (2006) research, it was found that consumers were highly engaged with smartphones when there was a positive correlation between social needs and dependency. Consumers with a high need to socialize and be connected were found to increase their usage rate on mobile phones because Bodker et al. (2009) claimed that interaction or social networking has been embedded and conveyed through the mobile phones itself. Consequently, consumers with a lower level of social needs are expected to have a lower usage rate of smartphone (Morgan, 2010). According to Hundley and Shyles (2010), consumers fulfils their social need by engaging with mobile phones and have concerns about being socially disconnected, uninformed and excluded from friends and their social activities. Research has consistently shown that many young people believe mobile phone use enhances social inclusion by allowing them to remain in contact with friends and peers at all times (see, e.g., Ling, 2004; Peters ben A llouch, 2005; Wei Lo, 2006). Additionally, some mobile phone users report feeling loved and valued when they receive contact on their mobile phone (Walsh, White, Young, 2009) and that positive messages are stored on mobile phones so they can be re-read when the user is feeling low (Srivastava, 2005). Young people are heavy users of mobile phones; they are the majority of the population who users mobile phone the most (Dickinger, et al., 2004). As such the younger generation is keener to have high technology devices, for example latest technology mobile phones than the older population. Mobile phones are more as a fashion accessory to the young generation than a communication device (Robins, 2003). Mobile devices are more likely to be used in the presence of other people and may even be seen as a fashion accessory (Lu et al., 2005, 2008). More public use of these portable systems may mean that users are more open to circumstances of social judgement, criticism and censure. Young people are using and adapting mobile phones more and more not only to interact with their own worlds, but to create and structure their worlds (Spero Stone, 2004). Mobile phone is now a common part of youngsters lifestyle. Research showed that mobile phones enable young people to be associated to their fa mily and to their peers and allows them even more freedom to connect and explore. The impact of culture on mobile phone purchase Culture is identified as the collective mental programming of individuals in an environment (Hofstede, 1980). This means that culture is not genetically inherited, and it cannot exist on its own but acquired from the society. An individuals behavior is a result of that individuals cultural value system for a particular context which are changed and developed over time (Luna and Gupta, 2001). According to various authors, culture is believed to have a great influence on consumer behaviour. Culture has a profound influence on how and why consumers purchase range products and services, (Blackwell et al., 2001). Cultural groups influence the consumption patterns. Moreover, ethnic background and geographical locations play a large part in culture and establishing culturally acceptable and unacceptable consumer behavior. Subcultures exist with culture groups. According to researchers obtaining a mobile phone is a milestone that indicates success, not only financially but also culturally in term of the integration within society, (Castells et al. 2007). On the other hand, Marquardt (1999) has claimed that mobile phones affect social relationships and this is a disintegration of communities. Mobile phone usage has resulted in greater electronic interactions between friends and family at the expense of face to face interaction which have been dramatically reduced. Consequently, it could be proposed that mobile phones are changing individual cultural norms and values (Rauch, 2005). Conversely, HUANG Xiaowei (2011) argued that the mobile phone, with its dramatic development and peerless functions, is not a myth but a consequence of social development. The study from Choi and Geistfeld (2004) showed that functionality design, feature images and brand images are highly positive correlated with cultural characteristics of the users. Research showed that in some of Shanzhai mobile companies develop special models of mobiles for sub-cultural group consumers, for example, for Buddhists they have gold plated mobile with Buddha picture as inter face and sutra (Jun Li, 2010). Subcultures comprise of nationalities, religions, racial groups, and geographic regions. Further, Lee and Kacen (2008) discovered that subjective cultures tend to influence the buying intention of consumers. Gay et al. (1997) defined culture as the what-everybody-knows about the world without consciously knowing where or when they first learned it. The research work by Monthathip Srikes et al (2009) demonstrated that differences in national culture impact on the buyer behaviour of the Thai and British consumers when purchasing a mobile phone. For example, for Thai consumers, it is important to note that social acceptance acts as the main buying decision factor alongside their cultural attributes. In contrast, a strong correlation occurred between buying Intention self- direction and price -hedonism with British consumers (Monthathip Srikes, Panos Louvieris, Catherine Collins, 2009). Mobile phone choice as a learning device Mobile technology is dominating the world rapidly. In the educational system, Ling (2003) argues that communication systems between students have always existed. Students have always communicated to each other by passing notes, whispering, using hand signals, and the like (Ling 2003). Furthermore, the use of the mobile phone to send SMS eliminates the physical note, thus allowing for discretion-the message cannot be seen or read by others (Ling, 2003). Mobile learning devices such as mobile phones now have the emerging potential to achieve a large scale impact because of their portability, versatile features, and low cost (Roschelle, 2003). Many researchers have analysed the effectiveness of mobile phones. Taher Bahrani (2011) believes that mobile phones offer promising opportunities for learning in informal setting outside the classroom borders. Moreover, the increase in processing power, storage memory, and connectivity through the internet or the Bluetooth technology have resulted in an extensive growth in media richness that can provide access to highly personalized learning environment for everyone in informal setting (Pea Maldonado, 2006). As the matter of fact, the conventional mobile phone is more than just a device to make a call. In recent years, there have been many studies and projects using the relevant mobile technologies such as mobile phones or ipods for both formal and informal language learning (Chinnery, 2006; Kadyte, 2003; Kiernan Aizawa, 2004; Levy Kennedy, 2005; Norbrook Scott, 2003; Paredes et al., 2005; Thornton House, 2005; Ogata Yano, 2004).Mobile phones can provide the learner with frequent engagement opportunities to language problems all the time increasing the learning chances by allowing the learner to use many sources of authentic audio/visual and print materials once motivated (Beaudin et al. 2006). Nevertheless, there is no formal theory of mobile language learning developed to date (Joseph Uther, 2006), but still emerging mobile technologies increasingly suggest potential language learning solutions and environments that will be highly interactive, ubiquitous, and convenient. On the other hand, in countries such as India, cell phone ownership is growing fast. As a result, many educational projects are taking advantage of that development to create applications that run on mobile phones (Robert Godwin-Jones, 2008). However, research carried out by Ozhan (2004) reports that as educational level increases, the level of negative attitude toward mobile phones increases also. In the same vein, Pressley (2002), reading is about constructing meaning from a text so that the goal of reading goes beyond decoding and recognizing words. Also, reading is purposeful only when a learner can build meaning from a text and connect it to his or her everyday life. A lack of comprehension leads to negative attitudes and a loss of motivation (Graves et al., 2003). Additionally, Murphy (2006) also emphasizes the need to consider cultural and social factors when designing mobile learning activities. Similarly, Cobcroft et al. (2006) suggested to be well aware of the limitations a nd challenge, bearing in mind the potential impact on transforming current cultures and practices. Price as an influential factor in the purchase on Mobile Phones Besides new technological advances price was the most influential factor affecting the choice of a new mobile phone model. Price of the phone has b

Business Ethics Essay -- Philosophy Ethics Morality essays research pa

Business Ethics Ethics is a branch of philosophy that inquires into the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which human actions can be judged right or wrong (â€Å"ethics,† Collegiate). Ethics is not primarily concerned with the description of moral systems in societies. That task, which remains on the level of description, is one for anthropology or sociology. In contrast, ethics deals with the justification of moral principles. A Brief History of the Study of Ethics Ethics has been studied since ancient times. In the oldest of the Indian writings, ethics is an integral aspect of philosophical and religious speculation about the nature of reality. These writings date from about 1500 BC. They have been described as â€Å"the oldest philosophical literature in the world, and what they say about how people ought to live may therefore be the first philosophical ethics† (Everson 5). In ancient China, he humane teaching of Confucius and his followers, the peaceful wisdom of Lao-zi, and the universal love of Mo-zi offered alternatives to frequent wars. Early Greece was the birthplace of Western philosophical ethics. In the poetic literature of the 7th and 6th centuries BC, there were ethical precepts but no real attempts to formulate a coherent overall ethical position. The Greeks were later to refer to the most prominent of these poets and early philosophers as the seven sages, and they are frequently quoted with respect by Plato and Aristotle. During the Classical Period of Greek ethics, three great philosophers – Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle – flourished in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Their ideas have served ever since as the cornerstone for the Western ethics. In the later Greek and Roman periods, the two dominant schools of thought, Stoicism and Epicureanism, represent important approaches to the question of how one ought to live. The Middle Ages did not give birth to any major new ethical theories. It is worth mentioning that Christian ethics is distinguished from the philosophical discipline of ethics, which relies upon the authority of reason. Christian ethics, also called moral theology, appeals to the authority of revelation, specifically as found in the preaching and activity of Jesus Christ. The significance of Renaissance for ethics lies in a change of focus. For the first time since the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity, ... ... Conclusion Conflicts of interest are fundamental to the nature of business. Although society wants companies to create many well-paying jobs, those same organizations want to limit compensation costs and raise productivity levels. Customers want to purchase goods and services at low prices, but businesses want to maximize profits. Society wants to reduce pollution levels, but businesses want to minimize the cost that environmental regulations add to their operations. Managers must continuously and consciously balance the needs of the organization and its stockholders with the needs of other stakeholders, including workers, customers, and the larger community. Managers must also balance their personal needs and desires against those of their organizations. Works Cited Ashby, W. Allen, Warren Ashby. A Comprehensive History of Western Ethics: What Do We Believe? Amherst: Prometheus Books, 1997 Becker, Lawrence C., and Charlotte B. Becker, ed. A History of Western Ethics. New York : Routledge, 2003. â€Å"ethics.† Collegiate Encyclopà ¦dia. 2005. Collegiate Encyclopà ¦dia. 4 June 2005 . Everson, Stephen, ed. Ethics. Cambridge, U.K. ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Abuse Assignment Essay

Ai Physical abuse Physical abuse is when someone physically hurts you, although it doesn’t have to leave marks or bruises to mean it is physical abuse. Example of this abuse are smacking, kicking, pinching, punching and many more. There can be a multiple reasons why someone would physically harm a person an example would be if someone was using drugs or drinking alcohol; these substances could cloud someone’s judgement making them think an action is right. Physical abuse normally starts slowly with a small slap but over time it can escalate further sometimes causing death. There are many different signs and symptoms of physical abuse some signs you can see such as bruises, burns, broken bones, scratches and weight loss. Weight loss might be if the abuser isn’t allowing them food or their medication this can cause serious side effects. It can also cause depression and fear; this could mean a person is too scared to leave the house which means they will also be socially deprived and excluded from society. Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is when someone forces you to carry out a sexual act or have one preformed on yourself. Some examples of sexual abuse are unwanted kissing or touching, rape and being rough or forceful. The abuser will control when and where the abuse will be carried out therefore the victim can be feel scared because they don’t know when it’s going to happen again. Sexual abuse can happen to anyone even in married couple or people who have had sex before. Just because someone doesn’t say no or resist this still counts as abuse. Sexual abuse can have many different signs and symptoms some visible and some not. Visible would be signs such as bruising or hand marks on the body. Others signs are not so easy to spot for example they might have depression, lack of sleep because of fear they will come back, pregnancy and many more. It can also affect them later in life especially when the abuse has stopped, they won’t feel they can trust people or partners which wil l affect them socially. Emotional/psychological abuse Emotional abuse is when someone manipulates your emotions; it can be done through many different ways such as humiliating a person or scaring them to think they have control over them. If someone is very intimidating towards you threatening you with physical abuse this is normally empty threats but the victim will be in fear of what could happen. Emotional abuse can be difficult to identify as it is not physical which leaves marks. There are three different patterns of emotional abuse such as aggressive, denying and minimising. Signs and symptoms of emotional abuse are hard to identify as there aren’t any physical marks. It normally knocks someone’s confidences leaving them feeling worthless. They will find it hard to trust others and will struggle with finding partners. Other signs and symptoms of emotional abuse is depression, anxiety, isolation from society, fearful behaviour, low confidence and addictions to substances. Financial abuse Financial abuse is when someone controls or manipulates you to share your money. An example would be them having control over your bank account or having it in their name; this gives them full access to your money leaving you to feel helpless. Another example would be to take all cards or statement from leaving you with nothing, they control all your spending giving you an allowance. The person carrying out the abuse normally gains control by acting like they are offering help normally it will get out of control or they can do it through fear and intimidation. Signs and symptoms of financial abuse are not having enough money for food, unpaid bills, being overdrawn on bank accounts or personal items have gone missing. This can lead to the victim feeling like they have no control, they will feel scared of the outcome. Institutional abuse Institutional abuse is when someone has been mistreated and provided with inadequate care or support. The victim’s feelings or needs will be over looked, leaving someone to feel powerless. It can also be caused by the service having problems such as untrained staff, unsupervised staff, poor management and poor communication skills. Signs and symptoms of institutional abuse is denying someone their rights or food, drink, clothes or adequate living environments. Another major sign would be fears of punishment such as threatening to take personal possessions. Not allowing  the victim to see family, friends, doctors or their care manager. This can have serious side effects especially if the person is ill and was denied to see a doctor. Self-neglect Self-neglect happens when a person fails to take care of themselves on a day to day basis. They will not carry out basic requirements such as having regular food/drink intakes, keeping up personal hygiene, taking medication and many more. This can cause physical, mental or emotional damage. Reasons why someone might self-neglect are they might be depressed, poor health, mental health problems, cognitive problems and physically unable to care for themselves. Signs and symptoms of self-neglect malnourished, poor hygiene, dehydration, dirty clothing and poor health. This can normally be improved by seeing a doctor or having extra help at home. Neglect by other Neglect by others can happen when a service provider does not supply the day to day living need a person relies on. An example of this would be food, water, living accommodation, medication, access to a doctor if necessary or not allowing someone to wash. The care giver may refuse to carry out necessary personal tasks which they are there to do as the victim can’t do it themselves. The signs and symptoms are similar to self-neglect except it would be a care giver neglecting them. The victim may be dirty, dehydrated, malnourished, poor health and mentally effected. Aiii If you suspect an individual is being neglected report it to your manager. Write a detailed account of what you know or seen. Make sure its kept private between you and your manager. They will report it to the appropriate authorities. However if it has not happened within a workplace you can report it to the police if you think they are in immediate danger which they will carry out a full investigation. If they aren’t in danger you can report it to the local safeguarding council. Aiv If someone tells you they are being abused it is important to keep calm and listen. Never doubt that they are being untruthful, make them feel they to talk to you so they don’t feel embarrassed or that you’re judging the situation. Make a detailed account of when and where it happened included  dates if they know. The individual needs to feel reassured that everything will be fine however they need to understand the information disclosed will be passed onto a manager or appropriate authorities. If they need medical attention it should be reported to either emergency services, their local doctor or your manager. If the law has been broken call 999 and report it to the police; they will do a full investigation. Av All evidence must be kept safe by storing it in a secure place. It should be locked away so only the necessary people can get hold of it or read it. Anything that could have been used as evidence such as clothing or objects should be left for appropriate authorities to look at. It should not be discussed in public or with people outside of work, it needs to be kept confidential. Task B Orchid View The Orchid view care home in Copthorne, West Sussex was labelled ‘Britain’s worst care home’. Last October there was an investigation carried out which found 19 residents had died due to poor care. Five more residents has died of natural causes after neglect. The residents in orchid view were a victim of institutional abuse. On multiple occasions care staff failed to provide adequate care. It was reported that in one single night 28 drug errors occurred. Care staff at the care home made medication errors which could have been avoided by more medication training. Jean Halfpenny died in 2010, she was given three times the prescribed dose of her blood thinning medication Warfarin over 17 days. A boots pharmacist went to the care home to give advice, she reported concerns to CQC over the storage and mismanagement of the medication. It was also said the residents of orchid view care home were malnourished and were dehydrated. The home was very understaffed leaving residents to press their bells with no response on many occasions some service users couldn’t even reach their bells, this caused poor hygiene which lead to further health problems. Other concerns raised were poor pain managed and abusive behaviour towards the residents. The care was later shut down and is under new management. A full investigation was  carried out many care workers were arrested however were not charged due to no evidence. Task C Ci A social care worker should report any signs of unsafe practice to their manager. A detail account should be kept of the actual unsafe practice, time of day it happened, where it happened. This can be done through the whistle blowing policy which allows information to be shared. Your manager should immediately report this information to higher authority so a full investigation can be carried out and a resolution can be put in place. Any unlawful practice will be examined by the police which will lead to discipline. Cii If unsafe practice is reported and nothing is done to investigate or solve the problem, keep a copy the report which was sent to your manager this will act as evidence you’re ever needed to prove it was reported. Keep reporting it to your manager until something is done make sure an up to date record it kept to show the time you have tried to flag unsafe practice. You can also take it into your own hands to tell the person using the unsafe practice what they are doing wrong this may solve the problem. If nothing is still done after reporting multiple times contact CQC informing them of what’s happened, they will carry out an investigation. Ciii If the individual is physically disabled they are more as risk of being abused by others. They may not be able to defend for themselves for example if someone was physically abusing them they might be unable to move therefore they can’t flight back or shield themselves. Also if they are unable to speak they might not be able to report who is abusing them or what’s happening. Age can be a major factor for someone to be abused. All ages can be abused but especially the elderly, they are more vulnerable. Older people suffer from financial abuse because they are unable to control it themselves, therefore they have to ask others for help. This allows people to assess their bank accounts or saving accounts. People will take advantage and steal from them. People with sensory impairments are also makes individuals that are more vulnerable to abuse because they are less  aware of what’s happening around them. If they have difficulty with sight or hearing they will not be aware of abuse such as if they were partially death they might be unable to her verbal abuse or if they are blind they might be able of financial abuse e.g. stealing from them. Civ By adopting a person centred approach you will empower an individual to take control; might their own decisions. This will give them more confidence and independence. This will have a massive impact on a person life if they feel they have control instead of needing help off others. If they have more confidence in themselves they will be less vulnerable, people will start to respect them for having their own opinions and having a voice and not a target to abuse them. Cv It’s important to encourage active participation because it gives them more freedom to make their decisions even if advice if given from health care professionals. It improves confidence and self-esteem to the point where they will not suffer from abuse if they were to be a victim. They won’t be targeted for abuse because they have more of a voice people will see they don’t need to rely on others. It will also improve social development as they will be able to make new friends and go out with people in social situations, this will make them less vulnerable because they will be more outgoing and less shy and reserved. Cvi Having an effective and easy to use complaints procedure can reduce the likelihood of abuse because if anyone can use it more people are going to report abuse therefore its less likely to go unreported. If the people carrying out the abuse know the complaints procedure is easy and people can use it they are less likely to abuse the individuals in the first place. Also if it’s easy to use it means complaints are going to resolves quickly meaning the abuse wouldn’t of happen for long or disciplinary action will take place ensuring it won’t happen again. This also ensures the individuals are safeguarded appropriately against abuse.

Externality Case Study Essay

What is the equilibrium wage? _$60,000_________________________ Now, consider this scenario: Due to an increase in the internet security threats, the government wants to apply a price control in this market to encourage more people to become internet security professionals. Assume that a wage control is set at $75,000. Will this increase the number of people entering this labor market? Why or why not? Will this increase the number of people hired? Why or why not? It will increase the number of people entering this labor market because of the increase of pay from the equilibrium will be enticing, but this will cause a shortage in the labor market. Because the number of people entering this labor market has increased, there will not be enough positions for them. Due to this, the number of people hired will decrease. Also, another factor to take into account is the budget for the companies for these positions. If the equilibrium is set at $60,000 the company might not be in a position to increase the pay rate to accommodate the price control, thus causing them not to be able to fill those positions. 2. Assume you are a policymaker in Washington DC. Lobbyists for the preschoolers of America have put pressure on their representatives to cap prices on graham crackers. You have been assigned a position on a new committee to study the impact of a price ceiling on graham crackers. Your job is to: a.) Illustrate using a fully labeled supply and demand graph (label all the axes and any lines you put in your graph) what such an artificial price looks like. b.) Explain what the results of such a move are for the graham cracker market. In other words, will there be a SHORTAGE, a SURPLUS, or neither created? Why? b.) There will be a shortage created. Initially the public might be happy about the price ceiling, but soon after the sellers will begin to ration the graham crackers based on other factors since the one most willing to pay will no longer be a factor. Also, this might cause consumers to stand in long lines in order to be able to purchase the graham crackers, but since there are not enough graham crackers supplied, not everyone will be able to purchase the graham crackers. In the end, producers will move on to produce other products that are more profitable than graham crackers, worsening the shortage. 3. Pollution is considered by most a negative externality. Some economists  would like to see the costs of these burdens incorporated into the price of goods that we buy. For instance, since coal fire power plants increase emissions that could potentially lead to climate change, these economists believe that the price we pay for electricity is not adequately high enough. Draw a completely labeled graph and illustrate on the graph how much higher electricity prices would be if the full costs of electricity production were taken into account. You do not need to provide actual numbers; rather, show on the price axis where the price would be before the externality is considered and the price after the externality is included. What problems might exist in determining this new, externality based, price? People might not be able to afford the new prices if the external costs are included which may lead to the consumers to look for alternatives in power source. Some of these alternatives may include using more archaic versions such as firewood or coal, which may increase pollution. Or they might be lead to steal electricity or use the black market for alternative power source. 4. In the old days lighthouses were built along the coast to prevent ships from running aground on rocks in unfamiliar ports. By shining a beam of light over a port and guiding ships away from rocks, these vital buildings reduced the risk for ship captains and were generally considered to be extremely valuable resources. Curiously, lighthouses were almost always run and maintained by local governments. Explain in economic terms why private firms would not run a lighthouse. A private firm would not run a lighthouse because it is considered a public good. The lighthouse is non-excludable since the private company cannot exclude anyone from using the lighthouse. It is also non-rivalrous since the quality does not go down if other ships or companies use the lighthouse. If a private firm built a lighthouse, eventually other businesses will use the lighthouse to travel to the port causing the private firm to be upset about the other firms taking advantage of its use. Since the private firm would not be interested in building lighthouses because it is non-excludable and non-rivalrous, it would be in the governments best interest to use its resources (taxes and such) to build the lighthouse. This in turn will help improve the economy since the  companies can now bring their supplies without fear of losing their ships in the night.

Biography of King Abdullah, Ruler of Saudi Arabia

Biography of King Abdullah, Ruler of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (August 1, 1924–January 23, 2015) was the king of Saudia Arabia from 2005 to 2015. During his reign, tensions increased between conservative Salafi (Wahhabi) forces and liberal reformers. While the king positioned himself as a relative moderate, he did not promote many substantive reforms; in fact, during Abdullahs tenure, Sauda Arabia was accused of numerous human rights violations. Fast Facts: King Abdullah Known For: King Abdullah was the king of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015.Also Known As: Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al SaudBorn: August 1, 1924 in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaParents: King Abdulaziz and  Fahda bint Asi Al ShuraimDied: January 23, 2015 in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSpouse(s): 30Children: 35 Early Life Little is known about King Abdullahs childhood. He was born in Riyadh on August 1, 1924, the fifth son of Saudi Arabias founding king, Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud (also known as Ibn Saud). Abdullahs mother, Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim, was Ibn Sauds eighth wife of 12. Abdullah had between 50 and 60 siblings. At the time of Abdullahs birth, his father Amir Abdulazizs realm included only the northern and eastern sections of Arabia. The Amir defeated Sharif Hussein of Mecca in 1928 and declared himself king. The royal family was quite poor until about 1940,  at which point Saudi oil revenues began to increase. Education Details of Abdullahs education are sparse, but the official Saudi Information Directory states that he had a formal religious education. According to the Directory, Abdullah supplemented his formal schooling with extensive reading. He also spent a long stint living with the desert Bedouin people in order to learn traditional Arab values. Career In August 1962, Prince Abdullah was appointed to lead the Saudi Arabian National Guard. The National Guards duties include providing security for the royal family, preventing coups, and guarding the Muslim Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina. The force includes a standing army of 125,000 men, plus a tribal militia of 25,000. In March 1975, Abdullahs half-brother Khalid succeeded to the throne upon the assassination of another half-brother, King Faisal. King Khalid appointed Prince Abdullah second deputy prime minister. In 1982, the throne passed to King Fahd after Khalids death and Prince Abdullah was promoted once more, this time to deputy prime minister. In this role, he presided over meetings of the kings cabinet. King Fahd also officially named Abdullah the Crown Prince, meaning he was next in line for the throne. Regent In December 1995, King Fahd had a series of strokes that left him more or less incapacitated and unable to fulfill his political duties. For the next nine years, Crown Prince Abdullah acted as regent for his brother, although Fahd and his cronies still wielded considerable influence over public policy. King of Saudi Arabia King Fahd died on August 1, 2005, and Crown Prince Abdullah became king, taking power in name as well as in practice. He inherited a nation torn between fundamentalist Islamists and modernizing reformers. The fundamentalists sometimes used terrorist acts (such as bombing and kidnapping) to express their anger over issues like the stationing of American troops on Saudi soil. The modernizers increasingly used blogs and pressure from international groups to call for increased womens rights, reform of Sharia-based laws, and greater press and religious freedoms. King Abdullah cracked down on the Islamists  but didnt make the significant reforms for which many observers both inside and outside of Saudi Arabia had hoped. Foreign Policy King Abdullah  was known throughout his career as a staunch Arab nationalist, yet he reached out to other countries as well. In 2002, for example, the king put forth a Middle East Peace Plan. It received renewed attention in 2005, but has languished since then and has yet to be implemented. The plan calls for a return to the pre-1967 borders and a right of return for Palestinian refugees. In return, Israel would control the Western Wall and some of the West Bank, and receive recognition from Arab states. To placate Saudi Islamists, the king disallowed U.S. Iraq War forces to use bases in Saudi Arabia. Personal Life King Abdullah had more than 30 wives  and fathered at least 35 children. According to the Saudi Embassys Official Biography of the King, he bred Arabian horses  and founded the Riyadh Equestrian Club. He also loved to read, and established libraries in Riyadh and Casablanca, Morocco. American ham radio operators also enjoyed chatting on the air with the Saudi king. At the time of his death, the king had a personal fortune estimated at $18 billion, making him among the top five richest royals in the world. Death King Abdullah became ill and was taken to the hospital at the beginning of 2015. He died on January 23 at the age of 90. Legacy After King Abdullahs death, his half-brother Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became the king of Saudi Arabia. Abdullahs legacy is a controversial one. In 2012, the United Nations awarded him a UNESCO Gold Medal for his efforts to promote dialogue and peace in the Middle East. Other groups- including Human Rights Watch- criticized the king for his alleged human rights violations, including the mistreatment of prisoners. Abdullah was also criticized for his policies on religious freedom. In 2012, for example, the Saudi poet Hamza Kashgari was arrested for making several Twitter posts that allegedly denigrated the Islamic prophet Muhammed; he was imprisoned for nearly two years. Humans rights groups such as Amnesty International were highly critical of Saudi Arabias handling of the case. Sources Keyes, David. â€Å"Saudi Writer Hamza Kashgari Faces Charge of Blasphemy after Tweets about Muhammad.† The Washington Post, WP Company, 9 Feb. 2012.Knickmeyer, Ellen, and Ahmed Al Omran. â€Å"Saudi Arabias King Abdullah Dies.† The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Company, 23 Jan. 2015.Rasheed, Madawi al-. Salmans Legacy: the Dilemmas of a New Era in Saudi Arabia. Hurst Company, 2018.

Symbolism in Hedda Gabler essays

Symbolism in Hedda Gabler essays Novels and plays have many themes and sub - themes that play an important role in keeping the reader interested and entertained as well as creating a base for the plot. Injustice is a common theme or sub theme in literature. Injustice plays an important role in the Novel Hedda Gabler by Henrick Ibsen. In this novel injustice is used as a sub-theme to the major theme which is jealousy and anger with society. Henrick Ibsen used many symbolisms to show Heddas jealousy and anger. Most of these symbolisms were acts of injustice, for example, Hedda loves Mrs. Elvsteds hair, because it is long, and beautiful blonde hair, and throughout the novel, Hedda pulls Mrs. Elvsteds hair. However the pulling of hair goes deeper than being jealous of hair, Hedda envies Mrs. Elvsted because she is the type of person that Hedda is to scared to be. This form of injustice lets us see the kind of person Hedda is, and problems that she inhabits. From this action the reader doesnt know weather to dislike Hedda for being a jealous person or to feel sorry for her with the understanding of the kind of person she is. The climax of the novel which was the burning of Loveborgs manuscripts showed us the ultimate injustice that Hedda has committed that symbolizes uncontrollable anger and her inability of controlling her emotions. These actions of injustice that were committed by Hedda were sparked by Heddas inju stice towards her self. She could have been true to herself and married Loveborg, the man she truly loved instead she married Tesman who represented stability and who she despised. In conclusion, acts of injustice allow us to see deeper into the character that has committed them. Injustice is one of the common themes in literature because it can be used to describe many characters and highlight many more. ...

Bilingualism - Definition and Examples

Bilingualism s Bilingualism is the ability of an individual or the members of a community to use two languages effectively. Adjective: bilingual. Monolingualism refers to the ability to use a single language. The ability to use multiple languages is known as multilingualism. More than half of the  worlds population is bilingual or  multilingual: 56% of Europeans are bilingual, while 38% of the population in Great Britain, 35% in Canada, and 17% in the United States are bilingual (Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia, 2013). Etymology From the Latin, two tongue Examples and Observations Bilingualism as the NormBilingualismmore generally, multilingualismis a major fact of life in the world today. To begin with, the worlds estimated 5,000 languages are spoken in the worlds 200 sovereign states (or 25 languages per state), so that communication among the citizens of many of the worlds countries clearly requires extensive bi- (if not multi-)lingualism. In fact, David Crystal (1997) estimates that two-thirds of the worlds children grow up in a bilingual environment. Considering only bilingualism involving English, the statistics that Crystal has gathered indicate that, of the approximately 570 million people world-wide who speak English, over 41 percent or 235 million are bilingual in English and some other language. . . . One must conclude that, far from being exceptional, as many lay people believe, bilingualism/multilingualismwhich, of course, goes hand in hand with multiculturalism in many casesis currently the rule throughout the world and will become increasingly s o in the future.(Tej K. Bhatia and William C. Ritchie, Introduction. The Handbook of Bilingualism. Blackwell, 2006) Global MultilingualismThe political history of the 19th and 20th centuries and the ideology of one stateone nationone language have given rise to the idea that monolingualism has always been the default or normal case in Europe and more or less a precondition for political loyalty. Facing this situation, it has been overlooked that the vast majority of the worlds populationin whatever form or conditionsis multilingual. This is quite obvious when we look at the linguistic maps of Africa, Asia or Southern America at any given time.(Kurt Braunmà ¼ller and Gisella Ferraresi, Introduction. Aspects of Multilingualism in European Language History. John Benjamins, 2003)Individual and Societal BilingualismBilingualism exists as a possession of an individual. It is also possible to talk about bilingualism as a characteristic of a group or community of people [societal bilingualism]. Bilinguals and multilinguals are most often located in groups, communities or in a particular region (e.g. Cata lans in Spain). . . . [C]o-existing languages may be in a process of rapid change, living in harmony or one rapidly advancing at the cost of the other, or sometimes in conflict. Where many language minorities exist, there is often language shift . . ..(Colin Baker and Sylvia Prys Jones, Encyclopedia of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. Multilingual Matters, 1998) Foreign Language Instruction in the U.S.For decades, U.S. policymakers, business leaders, educators, and research organizations have decried our students’ lack of foreign language skills and called for better language instruction. Yet, despite these calls for action, we have fallen further behind the rest of the world in preparing our students to communicate effectively in languages other than English.I believe the main reason for this disparity is that foreign languages are treated by our public education system as less important than math, science and English. In contrast, E.U. governments expect their citizens to become fluent in at least two languages plus their native tongue. . . .[F]oreign language instruction in the U.S. is frequently considered a luxury, a subject taught to college-bound students, more frequently in affluent than poor school districts, and readily cut when math or reading test scores drop or budget cuts loom.(Ingrid Pufahl, How Europe Does It. The New York Times, February. 7, 2010)

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 35

Case Study Example In addition, only two main manufacturers supply all the aircraft used in the industry: Boeing and Airbus (Barney & Hesterly, 2014). This makes the airline industry one of the most favorable for aircraft manufacturers and robs carriers of vital bargaining power. Ultimately, carriers have little or no power over the prices and availability of aircraft, yet this is their core input. The bargaining power of suppliers is too slanted in favor of suppliers. Buyers in the airline industry have several aspects that give them an edge over competitors: variety, intense competition, price wars, government protection, and the entry of online ticketing and distribution services (Barney & Hesterly, 2014). These factors imply that buyers enjoy a moderate to high bargaining power, which is also not healthy for competitors. As such, competitors have been forced to relinquish power to flyers in the long term. This threat is very low because of the amount of capital and the risks involved in venturing into the US airline industry (Vasigh, Fleming, & Humphreys, 2014). Very few investors have the financial capability required to successfully compete in the industry, and those that do are reluctant to confront the demands and risks involved. In addition, successful entrance demands a lot of skill, knowledge and experience; that is why rivals like to â€Å"poach† employees from one another. This threat is very low because unlike in developing countries where travelers prefer water, rail and road travel because they are cheaper, the level of competition in the US has ensured that flying is very affordable (Vasigh, Fleming, & Humphreys, 2014). In addition, the US has a very strong culture of flying, which is similar to the popularity of road transport in developing countries. As such, it is extremely unlikely that any other transport mode can overtake flying. The US airline industry is extremely competitive. It is easy for competitors to be

Movie Response for Japanese film Zatoichi(2003) Review

Response for Japanese film Zatoichi(2003) - Movie Review Example the blind samurai represents the oppressed poor society who struggle for equality in the society through the search for justice for the less privileged. The film portrays the hostility in the Japanese society and the role of the samurai in the struggle for enhancing peace in the society. The blind Zatoichi is hired by Sukegoro a gang-leader because of his skills. Yakuza Shigezo, the head of a rich powerful opposition gang hires a bodyguard with similar skills as Zatoichi with the aim of creating equality in militant powered between the two rivalry groups. However, Zatoichi manages to destroy Yakuza’s body guard and his entire army and fulfills his quest of protecting Ginzo town and avenging the death of the two geisha sibling’s father. In the Japanese culture, the samurai is a legendary term used to refer to a wars hero who represents the rights of the oppressed minority. Zatoichi is a film that portrays the exact description of the Japanese culture through the display of a blind Japanese warrior and his quest to free Ginzo town from oppression by a local Yakuza gang war that has forced residents of the town to pay excessive amount of money for their protection. In this case, the film perpetuates that the term Samurai is a symbolic version of peace ins pired by war heroes in the Japanese

Assignment 11Chapter10 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

11Chapter10 - Assignment Example Routine reports are supposed to be primed and submitted on issues required by the organization for the purpose of helping the organization management to take actions in the issues that are related to daily affairs of the business. The main aim of routine report is to make the management aware of the happenings within the organization, progress where there might be a deviation, and what kind of resolutions made in conjunction with solving the problem. There are few problems associated with routine reporting; one is that data collected and submitted within the organization is neither complete nor accurate for the purpose of tracking outcomes or process performance across the entire organization. Secondly, systematic evaluation of data may be hit with challenges as a result of inconsistencies (Meredith & Mantel, 2012). The main purpose of earned value measures the entire organization performance by use of an aggregate performance measure which is the earned value. The earned value of performed work for any task in progress is obtained by multiplying the estimated percent physical completion of task for each task by the planned cost for those particular tasks. The result should be the amount that may have been spent on the activity thus far; this can then be paralleled with the actual amount that has been spent (Meredith & Mantel, 2012). Having a summarized estimate of the percent completion of any project without keen study of every of its work and tasks units is not sensible in a

In what ways and why did the character of the nineteenthcentury Essay

In what ways and why did the character of the nineteenthcentury Scottish economy and society differ from that of the rest of Britain - Essay Example "Treaty of England" held a year earlier, and was put into action by the "Acts of Union", which was passed by the Parliaments of both of the kingdoms. Scotland witnessed a lot of pretest across the country, due to this union1. After the union, Scotland maintained to have their separate legal system, from England, Wales and Northern Island. Not just legal system, Scotland kept its education system, and Church of Scotland separate and it is the reason that Scotland maintained its uniqueness in all these times. It helped in keeping the Scottish culture and Scottish national identity since the union2. Though, it is not a separate country now, but still they tried to maintain their national identity. Scotland has a large abundance of natural resources from fertile land, and this land is suitable and considered best for the cultivation. Other than cultivated land, it also produces minerals and there are resources of different minerals in Scotland, such as coal, zinc, iron and oil shale etc. and the reservoirs of coal seams beneath central Scotland, and in the areas of Ayrshire and Fife. These reservoirs of coal contributed a great share in the industrialization of Scotland, during the 19th century. The mining of coal was a huge employment generator in the 19th century, though it declined now, due to the cheap coal, which is imported from the other countries. The Industrial Revolution was witnessed heavily in Scotland, as the Scottish Economy is well known for its heavy industries in 19th century. The heavy industry includes the shipbuilding, coal mining and steel industries, these industries attracted a lot of people from the neighboring states and countries, who came in search of jobs and finally settled here. The growth of Scottish economy is also due to the fact that British Empire had allowed Scottish economy, to export their goods throughout the world and it was due to the presence and participation of Scottish people in the British Empire. No doubt, Scotland left behind the England and the other states at that time. The Scotland witnessed a great political and industrial change during the nineteenth century. Industrial revolution was the talk of town and Scotland was taking full advantage of it, and heavy industries were making their way not only in the country but also in the world, as the Scottish products were being exported throughout the world. These industries generated a lot of employment opportunities and hence many poor people from the neighboring countries, such as Ireland, came in search of jobs and in the same way, labour movements begin to form. This development lead the Scotland to improve the living standard of their citizens and like this, proper measures were taken, which made a base to improve the situation of poor people in the country and also few new laws were introduced, such as poor laws. Laws were passed in the parliament, which demands the betterment of the poor people in the country and they were approved by the parliament and like this, the living standard of the poor was improved, and they started living a better and safe life. Laws introduced at that era were, poor laws, sanitation and education. Though, these changes were

Identity Conflicts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Identity Conflicts - Research Paper Example The colorizing effect of the movie is considered as a â€Å"racial metaphor† (Johnson). This conflict has been resolved when people realize the essence of accepting changes, especially when it concerns multiculturalism. Man versus himself is also a conflict in the film, such as when Mary Sue grapples with a new identity. She resolves this when she accepts the new her- the â€Å"self† who wants to study and know more about the world. The conflict of â€Å"man versus society† arises, because of the conflict between the traditional Pleasantville values and new, radical values. The people resolve this by also accepting the existence of a new, pluralistic world. The film uses several symbolisms to depict internal and social changes. One of the symbols of internal change is the use of the mirror. During the hearing of Bud and Bill’s graffiti, the mayor becomes colorized. Betty throws her facial powder mirror to Bud and the mayor â€Å"sees† that he also c hanged. He has felt anger, which is an unpleasant emotion. Another symbol is the burning tree. This tree burns after Betty reaches her first sexual climax. The tree stands for the tree of knowledge, because Betty learns about sex for the first time. For Pleasantville, sex is a sin and when Betty sexually gratifies herself, she partakes in this sin. When the tree burned, she achieves freedom from the norms and the will to pursue individual changes. The rain with bolts of lightning symbolizes social changes. The storm acts to clean away the Pleasantville’s superficiality. It is ironic that the rain is washing away the â€Å"purity† of Pleasantville, which is also its impurity. After the rain, the teenagers all turned into color; because they felt what it is like to be free and to... This work helps the audience relate to the characters, because it depicts various gender, racial, and identity issues. Pleasantville conditions people to think and act as â€Å"one.† The lower classes in the film are the colored ones. A civilization is the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity people have short of that which distinguishes humans from other species. The film shows, however, that this utopia is false. People should accept that they can change, as well as others too. Afterwards, while Pleasantville people are experiencing changes, combinations of black-and-white and colored are used. Ross employed framing to explain how people see themselves and others and how they relate to other people too. The editing and change of scenes hasten as Pleasantville â€Å"changes† increasingly. The diegetic sounds are used mostly for Pleasantville before the changes in the people. Non-diegetic sounds are more added, because of the impact of external changes on the people. Weber depicted a multicultural society, where people accept different forms of personalities. Pleasantville is also transformed to a multicultural identity. Pleasantville transforms from a single culture to a multicultural society, when people learn to accept social and individual changes as part of reality and human nature. The implicit content of the film is that people are not always ready to acknowledge and accept changes. â€Å"Pleasantville† underscores that people should learn to accept the existence of different, even conflicting, identities and cultures, because in reality, people are not black or white, since they also have their own individual and cultural identities. Ross questions traditional ideals that reinforce tyrannical control. It tells people that utopia is not utopia without free will.

Artist Report Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Artist Report - Research Paper Example Approaching Noise is done in oil upon a 40 x 34 inch wood panel. The woman in the painting is a brunette with her hair pulled back into a bun. The light skinned model has her arms crossed over her chest to prevent the olive green military style shirt from falling down. She is in a subtle, serene mood as she looks towards the ground in wonderment. The model is standing in front of a whitewashed grey wall with letting and numbers upon the wall behind her. The light that falls upon the model comes from the upper right, in front of the model. The hues used in the painting show the realism that the viewer seems to be immersed in when looking at the painting. The realism shown by Kassan in this painting has a photorealistic quality to it. One could almost reach out and touch the model as though she was standing right in front of the viewer. The realism also allows us to interpret that her skin is soft and looks to be in her mid 20s wearing pink nail polish. Also, the gradation of the painting seems subtle and continuous like a person would see in real life and stark and in contrast in the same way as though a person were blocking the light from another source. There are two places in the painting that seem to flow away from the focal point of her face. Her eyes seem to bring the viewer to follower what she is looking at by going towards the bottom of the painting. Furthermore, you can also follow the flow of her hair as you see the strands of hair pulled back into the bun atop the back of her head. He uses the asymmetrical balance of the human body and draws upon the fact that not all painting has to be symmetrically balanced to be a great work of art. The words on the wall to her right seem to balance out the space taken up by the model on the left side of the painting. Approaching Noise allows the viewer to feel as though they are standing in the studio with Kassan as he is working with his subject on this particular painting with the amount of time

Identity Conflicts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Identity Conflicts - Research Paper Example The colorizing effect of the movie is considered as a â€Å"racial metaphor† (Johnson). This conflict has been resolved when people realize the essence of accepting changes, especially when it concerns multiculturalism. Man versus himself is also a conflict in the film, such as when Mary Sue grapples with a new identity. She resolves this when she accepts the new her- the â€Å"self† who wants to study and know more about the world. The conflict of â€Å"man versus society† arises, because of the conflict between the traditional Pleasantville values and new, radical values. The people resolve this by also accepting the existence of a new, pluralistic world. The film uses several symbolisms to depict internal and social changes. One of the symbols of internal change is the use of the mirror. During the hearing of Bud and Bill’s graffiti, the mayor becomes colorized. Betty throws her facial powder mirror to Bud and the mayor â€Å"sees† that he also c hanged. He has felt anger, which is an unpleasant emotion. Another symbol is the burning tree. This tree burns after Betty reaches her first sexual climax. The tree stands for the tree of knowledge, because Betty learns about sex for the first time. For Pleasantville, sex is a sin and when Betty sexually gratifies herself, she partakes in this sin. When the tree burned, she achieves freedom from the norms and the will to pursue individual changes. The rain with bolts of lightning symbolizes social changes. The storm acts to clean away the Pleasantville’s superficiality. It is ironic that the rain is washing away the â€Å"purity† of Pleasantville, which is also its impurity. After the rain, the teenagers all turned into color; because they felt what it is like to be free and to... This work helps the audience relate to the characters, because it depicts various gender, racial, and identity issues. Pleasantville conditions people to think and act as â€Å"one.† The lower classes in the film are the colored ones. A civilization is the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity people have short of that which distinguishes humans from other species. The film shows, however, that this utopia is false. People should accept that they can change, as well as others too. Afterwards, while Pleasantville people are experiencing changes, combinations of black-and-white and colored are used. Ross employed framing to explain how people see themselves and others and how they relate to other people too. The editing and change of scenes hasten as Pleasantville â€Å"changes† increasingly. The diegetic sounds are used mostly for Pleasantville before the changes in the people. Non-diegetic sounds are more added, because of the impact of external changes on the people. Weber depicted a multicultural society, where people accept different forms of personalities. Pleasantville is also transformed to a multicultural identity. Pleasantville transforms from a single culture to a multicultural society, when people learn to accept social and individual changes as part of reality and human nature. The implicit content of the film is that people are not always ready to acknowledge and accept changes. â€Å"Pleasantville† underscores that people should learn to accept the existence of different, even conflicting, identities and cultures, because in reality, people are not black or white, since they also have their own individual and cultural identities. Ross questions traditional ideals that reinforce tyrannical control. It tells people that utopia is not utopia without free will.

Nutraceuticals International Essay Example for Free

Nutraceuticals International Essay 1. â€Å"Beetroot juice ‘can beat blood pressure’. † Nutraceuticals International 13. 2 (Feb 2008). Summary/Critique Medications for hypertension can amount to a lot of money each year. This is the reason why many experts are trying to look at cheaper alternatives in producing medicines that could alleviate the upsurge of this dreaded disease. Cheaper medicines can come in a form of herbal remedies. In this report that appeared in a magazine Nurtaceuticals International (Feb.2008), it has been revealed that British researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine found a new way of vitally reducing the blood pressure of hypertension patients. By taking 500ml of beetroot juice each, they might have a chance of being cured of their hypertension. The group of researchers, led by Amrita Ahluwalia and Ben Benjamin, identified that it is the â€Å"ingestion of dietary nitrate contained within beetroot juice† that does the trick. The effect can also be seen when people are eating green, leafy vegetables that ultimately results in decreased blood pressure. Because of the antioxidant vitamin content of vegetable-rich diet people can be protected against heart disease. This article is very informative because readers can learn the importance of having good diet can help everyone have a healthier life. Also, this article could encourage more experts in trying to find alternative ways of helping people with hypertension. Full Text Article: â€Å"Beetroot juice ‘can beat blood pressure’. † Nutraceuticals International 13. 2 (Feb 2008). Researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine in the UK have discovered that drinking just 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure. The study, published on-line on February 5 in the American Heart Associations journal Hypertension, could have major implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Lead by Amrita Ahluwalia, professor at the William Harvey Research Institute at Barts and The London School of Medicine, and Ben Benjamin, professor at Peninsula Medical School, USA, the research reveals that it is the ingestion of dietary nitrate contained within beetroot juice and similarly in green, leafy vegetables which results ultimately in decreased blood pressure. Previously, the protective effects of vegetable-rich diets had been attributed to their antioxidant vitamin content. Effective one hour post ingestion Prof Ahluwalia and her team found that, in healthy volunteers, blood pressure was reduced within just one hour of ingesting beetroot juice, with a peak drop occurring three-four hours after ingestion. Some degree of reduction continued to be observed until up to 24 hours after consumption. Researchers showed that the decrease in blood pressure was due to the chemical formation of nitrite from the dietary nitrate in the juice. The nitrate in the juice is converted in saliva by bacteria on the tongue into nitrite. This nitrite-containing saliva is swallowed and, in the acidic environment of the stomach is either converted into nitric oxide or re-enters the circulation as nitrite. The peak time of reduction in blood pressure correlated with the appearance and peak levels of nitrite in the circulation, an effect that was absent in a second group of volunteers who refrained from swallowing their saliva during, and three hours following, beetroot ingestion. More than 25% of the worlds adult population are hypertensive, and it has been estimated that this figure will increase to 29% by 2025. In addition, hypertension causes around 50% of coronary heart disease, and approximately 75% of strokes. In demonstrating that nitrate is likely to underlie the cardio-protective effect of a vegetable-rich diet, the research of Prof Ahluwalia and her colleagues highlights the potential of a natural, low cost approach for the treatment of cardiovascular disease a condition that kills over 110,000 people in England alone every year. Prof Ahluwalia concluded: our research suggests that drinking beetroot juice, or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, and might also be an additional approach that one could take in the modern day battle against rising blood pressure. 2. Zoler, Mitchel L. â€Å"Hypertension doubles female sexual dysfunction prevalence. † Family Practice News 36. 20 (Oct 15, 2006): 14. Summary Critique: We only know that hypertension affects the circulatory system of the human body. However, in this article by Mitchel Zoler (2006), it has been found that hypertensive women have double the risk of having sexual dysfunction than women with normal blood pressure. This proposition came after scientists have conducted a study of 417 women. As Dr. Michael Doumas reported in the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension, â€Å"women with controlled hypertension had a significantly lower prevalence of sexual dysfunction than did women whose hypertension failed to reach goal levels during treatment† (Zoler, 2006). In this particular study, all women were tasked to complete a â€Å"19-question form that has been validated as a way to evaluate sexual function†. The questions dealt with several domains of female sexual function: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. The survey found out that among the women with hypertension, â€Å"42% had scores indicating sexual dysfunction†, which is far in statistically significant when compared with â€Å"19% among the normotensives†. Looking on how the researchers arrived at this conclusion can be doubtful because they merely based it on a survey, which can be a result of many other factors other than hypertension. Yet, this observation should not be taken complacently because hypertension is a common disease in the United States and its link to reproductive dysfunction in women should be established so that doctors will know how to alleviate the worsening problem of hypertension. Full Text Article: Zoler, Mitchel L. â€Å"Hypertension doubles female sexual dysfunction prevalence. † Family Practice News 36. 20 (Oct 15, 2006): 14. NEW YORK Women with hypertension were twice as likely to have sexual dysfunction as normotensive women were, in a study of 417 women. The results also showed that women with controlled hypertension had a significantly lower prevalence of sexual dysfunction than did women whose hypertension failed to reach goal levels during treatment, Dr. Michael Doumas reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension. But a third finding was that women who were treated with antihypertensive drugs had a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction than did untreated women. Dr.Doumas speculated that this was caused by the effects of certain antihypertensive drugs, such as diuretics and [beta]-blockers. Treatment with other drug types, the angiotensin-receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, appeared to reduce sexual dysfunction, he said. We need to treat hypertension because of its effect on adverse cardiac outcomes. But there is a hint that we can lower blood pressure with some drugs and also have good effects on female sexual function, said Dr. Doumas, a physician in the department of internal medicine at the Hospital of Alexandroupolis in Athens. The study enrolled 216 women with hypertension and 201 normotensive women. Their average age overall was about 48, and all were sexually active. The women completed a 19-question form that has been validated as a way to evaluate sexual function. The questions dealt with several domains of female sexual function: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Among the women with hypertension, 42% had scores indicating sexual dysfunction, compared with 19% among the normotensives, which was a statistically significant difference. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction increased significantly with the duration of hypertension. Among women who had been hypertensive for fewer than 3 years, 16% had a score indicating sexual dysfunction; the rate rose to 33% among women with hypertension for 3-6 years and 79% among women with hypertension for more than 6 years. Age also showed a significant interaction with prevalence. Among women aged 31-40 years, the prevalence of dysfunction was 21%; the rate rose to 38% among women aged 41-50 and to 57% among women who were older than 50 years. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 48% among women treated for hypertension, compared with 33% among the untreated hypertensives, a significant difference. The average age was 48 years in both groups. But the prevalence was lower still among the hypertensive women who had their pressure controlled by treatment. With control defined as a pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with controlled hypertension was 27%, significantly less than the 51% of women with uncontrolled hypertension who had dysfunction. Its not yet known how antihypertensive drugs exert differing effects on sexual function. In general, drugs that cause vasodilation appear to improve sexual dysfunction, Dr. Doumas said. 3. â€Å"Liver linked to deadly disease. † USA Today (Magazine) 135. 2737 (Oct 2006): 10. The liver is important in the human body because it produces many enzymes that aid the digestion of our food intake. This is why it can be alarming to have liver disorders because it can affect our system from metabolizing food. For example, in the United States, many people consume an excessive amount of protein. The metabolism of excess protein, especially animal protein, can put a strain on the liver and kidneys in fats include dairy products, vegetable oils, and red meat. In this report from USA Today, it was found that liver disorders may trigger a deadly type of hypertension. As a physician from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center named Dan Rockey informed, this type of hypertension is called portal hypertension that â€Å"affects the blood flow into the portal vein, which feeds blood to the liver†. This report is alarming because the short-term mortality rate of having â€Å"portal hypertension is about 30%† (USA Today, October 2006). Dan Rockey and his colleagues are undergoing research to open new grounds for this disease and to find â€Å"possible clinical approaches†. Portal hypertension can trigger bleeding and development of fluid found in the abdomen. It is important to take more research on this type of hypertension because it can possibly become an epidemic if it is not treated. Also, we can take steps in taking care of our liver by reducing alcohol intake and eating healthy food. Full Text Article: Liver linked to deadly disease. USA Today (Magazine) 135. 2737 (Oct 2006): 10. Mechanisms causing a potentially deadly type of hypertension that result from liver damage have been identified by Don Rockey, a physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Portal hypertension affects the blood flow into the portal vein, which feeds blood to the liver. Rockey identified the cellular activity that results in portal hypertension. He and his colleagues then took the research a step further, showing that, if the process can be interrupted, the hypertension subsides. Portal hypertension is a deadly disease that complicates many forms of chronic liver injury, he explains. When this occurs, in its most severe form, the prognosis definitely becomes guarded, often leading to the need for a liver transplant. The short-term mortality for patients with portal hypertension is about 30%. The latest research opens new ground and has implications for possible clinical approaches. The end result of portal hypertension is bleeding and development of ascites [fluid in the abdomen]; so, if you could treat it early, you could prevent bleeding or the formation of ascites, Rockey observes. Portal hypertension is similar to the widely known essential hypertensionwhich impairs blood flow to the heart systemsexcept it affects blood flow to the liver-related systems. The liver is an essential organ that washes the bodys blood of wastes and poisons. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when the cells are damaged. Scarring often results, reducing blood flow and raising pressure on veins. The high pressure can cause veins to burst, resulting in internal bleeding and, potentially, death. Previous studies have shown that, at the cellular level, portal hypertension results from reduced production of needed nitric oxide, which regulates expansion of the blood vessels. Rockeys research identifies how the nitric oxide production breaks down due to the effects of the protein GRK2. The protein attaches to another protein called AKT, interrupting the creation of nitric oxide. 4. Zoler, Mitchel L. â€Å"Hypertension diagnosis often missed in children. † Family Practice News 35. 11 (June 1, 2005): 15. We might not know it but children can develop hypertension too. Since the late 1980s, the rate of pre-hypertension and hypertension among U. S. children and teenagers has continued to increase. However, according to Zoler (June 1, 2005), experts miss 85% of these cases. In this article, Dr. Charlene K. Mitchell informed that â€Å"the problem with diagnosing hypertension in kids is that there are too many threshold pressures for most physicians to keep straight†. The guidelines for diagnosing children with the condition are different than those for adults. The point at which children are considered to have hypertension is determined by age, gender, weight and height, and young patients usually are not diagnosed until they have higher-than-normal readings for at least three visits. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines require that blood pressure be taken at every doctors visit, but some physicians do not then calculate whether it is too high, especially if the child is healthy otherwise. This is why Dr. Mitchell suggested the researchers should be â€Å"aggressive† in finding a solution not to miss the diagnosis of hypertension in children. The impact of missing the diagnosis of hypertension in kids can be tremendous because it is a â€Å"killer† disease. Doctors missing to identify it could not suggest medications and this can be life-threatening for the children. More serious research should be conducted to identify what method is appropriate in determining the occurrence of hypertension in children. Full Text Article: Zoler, Mitchel L. Hypertension diagnosis often missed in children. Family Practice News 35. 11 (June 1, 2005): 15. New Orleans A diagnosis of hypertension was missed in 85% of children with high blood pressure in a study of 287 youngsters who were examined at two university-based, pediatric clinics. The problem with diagnosing hypertension in kids is that there are too many threshold pressures for most physicians to keep straight, Charlene K. Mitchell, M. D. , said at the annual meeting of the Southern Society for Pediatric Research. Because the threshold for diagnosing hypertension varies by age, height, and gender, there are a total of 420 different diastolic and systolic pressures that determine whether a particular child has high blood pressure, said Dr. Mitchell, a pediatrician and internist at the University of Louisville (Ky. ). The total is 420 because there are 15 different age-specific threshold pressures for children aged 3-17 years, 7 different height-specific threshold pressures between the 5th and 95th height percentiles, different thresholds for girls and boys, and different thresholds for diastolic and systolic pressure. The threshold criteria for borderline hypertension would add another 120 pressure thresholds for diagnosing hypertension. The numbers are chopped up too much. Its far too complex for easy management, Dr. Mitchell said. If physicians must always look on a table every time they check a blood pressure, well continue to see underdiagnosis. Her solution to the number surfeit is to cluster several ages with a single diagnostic pressure threshold. However, eventually she would like to have study results establish pressure thresholds for diagnosing hypertension that are empirically derived, rather than based on statistics. If the diagnostic criteria are simplified, physicians will be much more likely to identify hypertension in children much more often, Dr. Mitchell said. We need to be much more aggressive about recognizing hypertension in children than we are now, she added. Her study was designed to assess physician accuracy at identifying hypertension in children aged 3-17 years being seen for routine, well-child visits from July 31 to Aug. 15, 2003. Of the 287 children examined, 90 (31%) had hypertension by current standards, and 35 (12%) had borderline hypertension. But only 15% of those with hypertension were diagnosed by their examining physicians. The results also showed that physicians were more likely to diagnose hypertension in children with a higher body mass index (BMI). The children who were correctly diagnosed as hypertensive were, on average, in the 92nd percentile for BMI. Those who had unrecognized blood pressure elevations were, on average, in the 76th percentile for BMI. 5. Bradbury, Jane. â€Å"The chicken and egg in hypertension†, The Lancet 349. 9059 (April 19, 1997), p. 1151. It is important to know where essential hypertension will trigger from because it can aid doctors to foresee the development of this dreaded disease. To wit, there is an ongoing debate of whether essential hypertension occurs when there is a perceived micro vascular abnormality or is when doctors see higher levels of blood pressure. In this article, UK clinicians found that males â€Å"with a familial predisposition to high blood pressure, a reduced number of capillaries and impaired microvascular dilatation precede hypertension†. In the research conducted by Professor David Webb and his team from the University of Edinburgh, they utilized the â€Å"four-corners epidemiological model† in predicting the triggering point of hypertension. Their study in 1977 determined the measure of blood pressure from 1809 married couples. In 1985, 864 of the 16–24 year-old children that came from the previous couples â€Å"had their blood pressure measured† too. Then, the researchers classified â€Å"four groups of offspring† by â€Å"combinations of personal (high or low) and parental (high or low) blood pressure†. Through these extensive studies, they determined that â€Å"microvessel characteristics which might be responsible for increased vascular resistance in essential hypertension†. Mostly, it is the males â€Å"with high blood pressure whose parents also had high blood pressure had significantly impaired dermal vasodilatation compared with the other three groups†. Also, they researchers observed they had â€Å"significantly fewer capillaries in the finger during venous occlusion†. This article can be helpful in the research of determining hypertension before it develops into a full-blown disease. Full Text Article: Bradbury, Jane. â€Å"The chicken and egg in hypertension†, The Lancet 349. 9059 (April 19, 1997), 1151. What comes first in essential hypertension-microvascular abnormalities or a rise in blood pressure? UK clinicians report this week that in men with a familial predisposition to high blood pressure, a reduced number of capillaries and impaired microvascular dilatation precede hypertension. Prof David Webb (University of Edinburgh, UK) and his team used the â€Å"four-corners† epidemiological model to unravel cause and effect in hypertension. In 1977, blood pressure was measured in 1809 married couples. 864 16–24 year-old offspring from 603 of the families had their blood pressure measured in 1985. Four groups of offspring were defined by combinations of personal (high or low) and parental (high or low) blood pressure. Microvessel characteristics which might be responsible for increased vascular resistance in essential hypertension were measured in 1993–95 for 105 men drawn from the four populations (J Clin Invest 1997; 99: 1873–79). Men with high blood pressure whose parents also had high blood pressure had significantly impaired dermal vasodilatation compared with the other three groups. They also had significantly fewer capillaries in the finger during venous occlusion. Factors which are associated with high blood pressure in offspring whose parent had high blood pressure are more likely to be causal than those that are associated with high blood pressure in the offspring irrespective of parental blood pressure, write the authors. The results suggest that defective angiogenesis may be an etiological component of hypertension, either environmental or genetic, and are consistent with the higher incidence of adult hypertension in people with a low birth weight. These findings, says Webb, should focus attention on the importance of early life factors in the programming of hypertension. 6. McCarron, David A. â€Å"Diet and high blood pressure the paradigm shift. † Science 281. 5379 (August 14, 1998): 933-934. Doctors and nutritionists always exhort people to make a change to healthier diets because it can aid all of us in preventing deleterious diseases. According to McCarron (Aug. 14, 1998), â€Å"humans are nearly unique in their natural propensity to develop elevated arterial pressure, a fact attributed to both genetic and environmental factors†. Many experts point an accusing finger on salt being the one that can contribute to the occurrence of hypertension. However, McCarron (Aug. 14, 1998) revealed that the â€Å"importance of salt in the pathogenesis of hypertension† is still being debated and â€Å"remains undetermined†. Experts began to accuse the extreme use of salt as the one that causes hypertension â€Å"when early studies indicated that salt intake increased blood pressure†. However, McCarron (Aug. 14, 1998) indicated that â€Å"many of these studies have since been discounted for design and methodologic flaws. But even where the methodology is sound, sodium intake cannot be linked to hypertension or higher population-wide blood pressure†. In more conclusive studies, there existed a â€Å"compelling evidence that adequate intake of minerals, rather than restriction of sodium, should be the focus of dietary recommendations for the general population†. This article is enlightening due to the fact that it debunks the myth of salt being the primary cause of developing hypertension. The author suggests that we should limit our mineral intake and not just salt alone, in order to live a healthy lifestyle. We should not manipulate our diet to our own detriment, but we should shift it to become health-conscious because we are already armed with the knowledge of what’s good for us. Full Text Article: McCarron, David A. Diet and high blood pressure the paradigm shift. Science 281. n5379 (August 14, 1998): 933(2). Hypertensiona serious health problem for industrialized societiescontributes significantly to the risk of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure. Among vertebrates, humans are nearly unique in their natural propensity to develop elevated arterial pressure, a fact attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. Only certain highly inbred strains of rodents and genetically engineered animals also spontaneously exhibit hypertension. Public policy has generally recommended that blood pressure can best be controlled by restriction of sodium chloride intake and with medication (1). Recent research has, however, emphasized the powerful role of total diet in the etiology and treatment of hypertension, suggesting that the focus of current public policy regarding nutrition and blood pressure is too narrow. Limitation of sodium chloride in food has historically been the dietary mantra of those who set nutritional policy for hypertension. Nevertheless, the importance of salt in the pathogenesis of hypertension has long been debated (2-4) and remains undetermined (5). The intense focus on sodium began when early studies indicated that salt intake increased blood pressure. These studies, many conducted decades ago, included epidemiologic surveys in primitive societies, clinical trials in patients with kidney disease, and animal investigations in which sodium intake levels cannot be realistically extrapolated to humans (6). Many of these studies have since been discounted for design and methodologic flaws. But even where the methodology is sound, sodium intake cannot be linked to hypertension or higher population-wide blood pressure (7). Two recent meta-analyses of randomized controlled trialsone examining the effects of sodium restriction (8) and the other of calcium supplementation on arterial pressure (9)provide compelling evidence that adequate intake of minerals, rather than restriction of sodium, should be the focus of dietary recommendations for the general population. Assessing 56 trials of sodium restriction, Midgley et al. (8) concluded that individuals with normal blood pressure gained nothing from limiting sodium intake and that only older ([is greater than] 45 years) hypertensive people might benefit, a conclusion recently confirmed by other investigators (5). Midgley et al. also reported that the magnitudes of the blood pressure reductions were not consistently related to the amount of sodium intake, indicating that confounding factors were contributing to the changes in blood pressure. Indeed, in a meta-analysis of calcium supplementation trials, Bucher et al. (9) identified a small but consistent drop in blood pressure when normotensive and hypertensive persons consumed more calcium. They speculated that baseline calcium intake or increased biological need for minerals might be responsible for the blood pressure variability not otherwise accounted for in their analysis. These two reports presaged the outcomes of two large clinical trials from the NIH, published in 1997 (10, 11). The Trials of Hypertension Prevention (TOHP) II is the largest and longest study ever executed to test whether sodium restriction lowers arterial pressure and prevents the emergence of new hypertension cases (I0). No benefit was detected for the primary endpoint diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure decreased minimally (0. 7 mmHg), almost precisely the value that the Midgley (8) analysis projected. Furthermore, the TOHP II data demonstrated a dissociation between the extent of sodium restriction and the observed blood pressure reduction. The second large-scale study was the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine (11). As would be predicted by Bucher et al. (9) in their meta-analysis of calcium studies, in persons whose intake of dairy products (and therefore calcium and other minerals) was well below currently recommended levels, blood pressure decreased significantly when the recommended amounts were included in their diets. In the DASH diet that was rich in dairy products, fruits, and vegetables and lower in fat (with sodium held constant), blood pressure decreased 5 to 6 mmHg in subjects with normal blood pressure; in those with mild hypertension, this blood pressure reduction was doubled, to 11 to 12 mmHg. Reductions of this magnitude have been observed previously only with antihypertensive medications. A second DASH diet, which included increased amounts of fruits and vegetables but did not include dairy products, produced more modest but still significant systolic blood pressure reductions, easily surpassing those observed with sodium restriction in TOHP II. DASH confirmed the meta-analyses as well as earlier indications from observational studies that dietary factors other than sodium markedly affected blood pressure (3, 12). For example, one of the earlier studies (12) identified inadequate calcium intake from dairy products as the dietary pattern most prevalent in individuals with untreated hypertension. Another study (3), in which nutrient intake was assessed from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I), confirmed this dietary pattern in hypertensive individuals and identified the relative absence of fruits and vegetables in the American diet as the second best predictor of elevated blood pressure. These studies suggested that where intake of other critical nutrients is adequate, sodium intake at levels typically consumed in most societies might actually be associated with lower blood pressure. They also concluded that the absence of specific nutrients (calcium, potassium, and magnesium), resulting from low consumption of dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, is associated with hypertension in Americans (3, 12). The TOHP II study adds to the substantial body of literature that challenges the public health emphasis on sodium restriction as the primary nutritional means of improving blood pressure. The issue is further complicated by concerns raised in several recent reports (5, 13, 14) that the long-term effect of sodium restriction on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality may be the opposite of what has always been assumed. The DASH study provides a clear rationale for focusing our public health strategy on adequate intake of low-fat dairy products and fruits and vegetables. The consistency of the accumulated data is evident when the blood pressure changes seen with the DASH diet (11) are superimposed on the blood pressure profile of Americans as a function of calcium intake from (3) (see the figure). According to these data (3, 11), if the intakes of calcium and other nutrients obtained through low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables were increased to the amounts readily achieved in the DASH study, the percentage of Americans with moderately severe hypertension (160/100 to 179/109 mmHg) would be decreased by nearly half, from approximately 9% to 5%. For the millions more with borderline elevations, the benefits are likely to be at least as great. Whether hypertension is genetic or environmental in origin, control of dietary mineral intake has a place in its management and prevention. As a society, we will not achieve the dramatic reversal in hypertensive heart disease that DASH and other studies clearly show is possible until we direct our efforts to the nutritional factors and dietary patterns that are actually relevant to this condition. In addition, diets low in fat but high in calcium, fruits, and vegetables are not prevalent in the subgroups of society at greatest risk for hypertensive cardiac diseasethe elderly and African Americans. An added plus: A diet low in fat but high in calcium, fruits, and vegetables is also consistent with reduction of two other major public health problems, osteoporosis and cancer (15, 16). The emphasis on sodium as the single dietary culprit is counterproductive to our significantly reducing cardiovascular risk for most of us (5) and diverts attention from the issues we need to address (17). Food products such as snacks and soft drinks added to our diets in recent years have supplanted nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk. This shift in dietary patterns, and simultaneous suboptimal nutrient intake, is also far more likely to contribute to the prevalence of hypertension than salt, which has always been a component of the human diet. Humans may be unique in our propensity to develop hypertension simply because we are the only species with the capacity to manipulate our diets to our own detriment. References (1.) The Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, Arch. Intern. Med. 157, 2413 (1997). (2. ) G. Kolata, Science 216, 38 (1982). (3. ) D. A. McCarron, C. D. Morris, H. J. Henry, J. L. Stanton, ibid. 224, 139Z (1984). (4. ) J. D. Swales, Br. Med. J. 297, 307 (1988). (5. ) N. A. Graudal, A. M. Gallee, P. Gaffed, JAMA 279, 1383 (1998). (6. ) M. Muntzel and T. Drueke, Am. J. Hypertens. 5, 1S (1992). (7. ) Intersalt Cooperative Research Group, Br. Med. J. 297, 319 (1988). (8. ) J. P. Midgley, A. G. Matthew, C. I. T. Greenwood, A. G. Logan, JAMA 275, 1590 (1996). (9. ) H. C. Bucher et al. , ibid. , p. 1016. (10. ) Trials of Hypertension Prevention Collaborative Research Group, Arch. Intern. Med. 157, 657 (1997). (11. ) L. J. Appel et al. , N. Engl. J. Med. 336, 1117 (1997). (12. ) D. A. McCarron, C. Morris, C. Cole, Science 217, 267 (198Z). (13. ) M. H. Alderman, S. Madhavan, H. Cohen, J. E. Seatey, J. H. Laragh, Hypertension 25, 1144 (1995). (14. ) H. H. Alderman, H. Cohen, S. Madhavan, Lancet 351, 781 (1998).