Racism and video games Essay

Video games are not what most people would go to when they think of racial controversy, but every media medium has had their own form of controversy one that happened most recently was the release of a game called Resident Evil 5 which is centered around a guy named Chris Redfield who is basically in a FBI like group centered around killing zombies. As you may have guest this is not the first in the series of the game the series has been around for about 15 years and has had been set in many different countries and such killed many a different zombies. The creators wanted to set this particular game in Africa when the trailer was released the was a racism claim against the game because Chris is white guy going around killing black zombies it was so bad the game release date was pushed backed and slight changes were made Chris was given a black side kick named Sheva Alomar. The second trailer for the game, released on May 31, 2008, revealed a more racially diverse group of enemies, as well as Sheva, a BSAA agent who assists the protagonist. However, designer Jun Takeuchi denied that complaints about racism had any effect in altering the design of Resident Evil 5. Takeuchi commented that the game’s producers were surprised by the controversy. In an interview with MTV, he explained that Capcom’s staff is racially diverse, and acknowledged that various cultures may have had different opinions on the trailer. In an interview with Computer and Video Games, producer Masachika Kawata also commented on the issue, stating, â€Å"We can’t please everyone. We’re in the entertainment business – we’re not here to state our political opinion or anything like that. It’s unfortunate that some people felt that way. â€Å"Well personally as a person of African American decent while me personally is not offended I can see where some people can be somewhat offended but it’s set in Africa what type of zombies do you think Chris is going kill. There just zombies not salves and he is not going around raping and lynching people. I personally think as far as video game African Americans are more or less symbolically annihilated rather than video games having racist tendencies toward us as a race of people. And what I mean by that is you don’t really see that many black people in video game as main characters. There are a few, Cj from Grand theft Auto 3 San Andreas Is one that comes to mind but his game is full of stereotypes about the â€Å"Hood† And I’m not going to sit here and lie I played this game and enjoyed it back in middle school. As far I know there are only a few truly without a doubt racist games one them being Custer’s Revenge In the game, the player controls the character of General George Armstrong Custer, depicted as a man wearing nothing but a cavalry hat, boots, and a bandana, sporting a visible erection. Custer has to overcome arrow attacks to reach the other side of the screen. His goal is to have sex with a naked, large-breasted Native American woman named Revenge. (And Yes This Game Dose Exist but it was released back on the Atari 2600 in the 80’s here a wikiapiea link http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Custer’s_Revenge ) Even with this game it’s was not licensed by Atari and nor did Atari have anything to do with its production. The video game medium has become a very big part of media and I do not think that anyone in their right mind would even think of releasing anything racially offensive to anyone if they want to keep making the multimillions that they continue to make. As I stated earlier I would say that video game would more likely be a candidate for social annihilation more anything else I would like to more black people in video games kicking butt and taking names and so far we have a few but not as much as I would like well I guess it’s just more of a personal preference than anything else.

Meaningful Work

I believe that meaningful work means doing a job that fulfills what you want to achieve. This may be in the form of money or prestige or simply self-satisfaction. It should be the easiest way to get to where you want to be. Most people view their jobs as terrible, hard or boring tasks that need to be done just to survive. I, however, would rather look at work as something to enjoy while making sure I get something I want in return. Hating one’s job seems to be a public consensus. Very few appreciate their work.   Calvin, in the comic series, Calvin and Hobbes, is popular for saying â€Å"It’s only work if somebody makes you do it.† Most people look at their jobs as stressful because of the pressure that goes with it: deadlines, hard-to-please employers and waking up early after sleeping late the night before. If we really think about it, it is not any different from school. At least in a job, you get paid not just a grade. People would rather avoid work because of the pressure. However, stress management is something we all can learn because â€Å"stress is a response to pressure.† (What Is Work) To handle pressure, we must learn how to balance work and life instead of letting it rule our lives. Sir James M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, once said â€Å"nothing is really work unless you would rather do something else† but I believe that to achieve great things, we need to change our view of work. In the book, â€Å"The Lazy Way To Success – How To Do Nothing And Accomplish Everything,† the author, Fred Gratzon, believes that the â€Å"basis of success is not hard work. The basis of success is doing less.† (25) What he meant was that by thinking clearly of how to solve our problems (money, most of the time), we can find solutions that do not necessarily take our happiness away. Gratzon believes that if you put the problem in its correct perspective, you can think of easier ways to get what you want less anxiety and effort. Gratzon is right. Work, I believe is important to achieve what I want or need. It may be money or prestige or happiness. Whatever my goals would be in the future will determine my chosen jobs someday. Realistically, I know I can’t always get the job I want but I believe that I can choose the right attitude and do what I need to do to get what I want. Work is not a pain but a means for me to gain. Work is the way to put meaning in my life. Works Cited â€Å"What Is Work Related Stress?† workstress.net. 2006 http://www.workstress.net/whatis.htm. Gratzon, Fred. The Lazy Way To Success – How To Do Nothing And Accomplish Everything. Iowa: Soma Press, 2002.

Consulting article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consulting article - Essay Example Certainly, most people do not really require hand held internet access, video camera and telephone in the same device. However, communications within a company requires compatibility. In the case of communications, providing compatible hardware is more important than upgrading. Technology change generally would not be a vital factor in the decision to upgrade unless a specific application requiring the upgrade became available. Health diagnostic equipment is high cost and regulated on a need basis. The desire to expand a hospital by adding 50 beds to meet a health demand may occur years before a Certificate of Need (CON) process is completed. The anticipated technology incorporated in the certificate application may be functionally antiquated. Technology may eliminate the need for the beds. So, when management collects data to assess the decision in-house, they must anticipate future developments or their time will be wasted lobbying for an irrelevant change. The environmental remedi ation regulations are both pliable and rigid. Brownfield sites are judged on a â€Å"risk assessed† basis to encourage redevelopment of contaminated sites. The building may be restricted to industrial usage only, or perhaps residential with no basements. The increased allowable limits of contamination are attained at less cost than full compliance remediation. Once the site is cleared for redevelopment, utilities are installed. However, now instead of Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) regulations, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations cover workers in trenches cut from contaminated soil. OSHA may require breathing apparatus and specialty clothing to work in a hydrocarbon rich environment. Worker safety and health regulations are much more rigid. The soil cuttings may be unusable on the site, but removal is complicated since the increased, compromised, level of contamination is greater than landfills can receive. The cost of disposal incr eases. Management requires a broader view of Brownfield development in this scenario because future costs and inconvenience may outweigh the initial savings. Time and application change the regulations regarding levels of contamination, and therefore, the company bottom line. In these three examples, technology, regulations and consumer demand change with time and the application of technology. Prudent business manages to the balance sheet and the income statement. In the first scenario, with telecommunications devices, forecasting technological change is relatively accurate and simple. Poor decisions do not affect the bottom line too badly, and overcoming the poor decision is not difficult. In the latter scenarios, poor decisions complicate operations and negatively affect the bottom line. And unfortunately, forecasting change is difficult. The health care system problem resolves when management â€Å"hindcasts† technological change. Using the hospital bed example, managemen t needs to look at two past trends. Population growth and bed utilization data in the service area for the past ten years will show a trend comparing supply and demand. When service area population increases, bed utilization should increase if the number of beds remains constant, unless technology reduces in-hospital stays. So, the proper statistic is rate of bed utilization per 1000 people. If this number is decreasing faster than the population increa

Department of Agriculture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Department of Agriculture - Research Paper Example This rule proposes changing the marketing agreements that are established between packers and suppliers through the changing of judicial precedent. Ultimately this would make it easier for suppliers to sue in the Packers & Stockyards Act Lawsuit. Furthermore, this act would make it less likely that a packers union to utilize such an agreement. In the end, it was postulated that most, Cattle, Pig & Poultry producers as well as meat & poultry processors oppose this regulatory change. In the past, these marketing agreements help livestock producers manage volatile changes in prices through the establishment of long term contracts. In many respects it has been argued that these long term agreements only benefit large packing concerns and by banning these agreements it becomes easier for smaller packers to compete and ultimately create more bidding pressure on cattle, pig & poultry producers. Although this sounds great on paper the experience in reality may not be the same. Many producers favor long term agreements owing to a great deal of uncertainty in the price of livestock. The paper demonstrated that the price of livestock is 500% more volatile than the price of meat. ... This (Theoretically) would lead to a decreased demand for meat. The cascading effect may not only lead to overall drop in demand for meat and meat byproducts but could also lead to a decline in the quantity of jobs in the industry. If producers would not be allowed to enter into long term marketing agreements, ultimately there would be a 500% more volatile would translate to higher uncertainty in the market and make it difficult to guarantee long-term stable employment. Currently there are more than 14 million people looking for employment in the United States and this regulatory change would theoretically remove approximately 21,000 stable jobs from the worker pool. The implications from this would be a strongly negative effect on the American economy. Moreover one could postulate that these changes would also have a negative effect on the long term prospects of stable employment for retailers as well. With increased prices of meat products this may reduce the overall profitability of meat products at the retail level. Lastly this uncertainty would lead to a difficulty in the production of quality production products such as raising U.S. Prime or top end U.S. Choice. Without a guarantee that top quality livestock will receive a profitable price, than it may be the case that many ranchers will focus their efforts away from breeding higher quality cattle and move towards more generic cattle. In terms of trickle down effect one can expect some negative consequences for suppliers to the cattle, pork and poultry industries. As there is less incentive to produce high quality livestock one can expect a negative consequence for growers of

The ideal role of Abu Dhabi Police in improving the traffic safety in Essay

The ideal role of Abu Dhabi Police in improving the traffic safety in Abu Dhabi Emirate (Potential and challenges). (we can make - Essay Example There are also other traffic management centers tasked with the responsibility of ensuring traffic safety and management is well thought of. Introduction The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is contemporary adopting a comprehensive development plan in all aspects of life. It shows a huge interest in developing plans and measures for the renaissance through integration for a future vision for the emirate to 2030. The government has started to prepare the urban plan of Abu Dhabi city, which was adopted in 2007. Achieving this goal will help the government’s strategies to become one of the best five most leading and advanced governments in the world. The realization of the urban plan will require development and improvements of Traffic Management through enhancing traffic safety and improving traffic performance. The collaboration of vehicle and highway to provide transportation must be treated as a system as Rodney K. Lay (2003) suggested in his research. There has been a good effort in Abu Dhabi for the last couple of years between government stakeholders to develop road safety strategy, define rules and responsibilities, and increase a fully coordinated and integrated framework to deal with road safety. It is suitable here to say when you work to prepare a strategy for traffic management, it is very important to consider the most motivating factors for the safety as the humanitarian concerns, economic costs and benefits, and legal and regulatory considerations. The importance of the management in all aspects of the life is indeed consistent with service marketing literature which emphasizes that the ‘people factor’ is an important component of perceived service quality (Ganesh et al, 2000; Chiou et al, 2002). The Henri Fayol as one of the most influential contributors to modern concepts of management considers it to consist of forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding, coordination and controlling [2]. Other scholars, such as Mary Parker Follett, co nsider management as "the art of getting things done through people"[3]. Usually the transportation systems operating in a developing country may not be as economically, or as efficient as the ones in developed countries. According to my point of view the challenges that might be seen as a problem for the future development of Abu Dhabi can be the management and lack of coordination between all concerned parties in the operation. Here we can narrate what Stanley Pickett (1955), said "Think of the things you see in your own city which everyone wishes were otherwise. They might have been otherwise, if there had been careful planning in the past". The proposed study will focus on the development of a framework that will integrate elements of urban planning related to transportation. These will include traffic management systems, speeds management strategy on the roads, application of the principles of management on traffic safety for road projects, rules and responsibilities for the di fference departments involved, and the effective management of the integrated intelligent traffic systems with infrastructure to improve the road safety in Abu Dhabi. All the above will be integrated through the main domain of traffic management which requires an effective structure and organization. As many developing countries are interested in

The effect of oil and gas to Qatar's economy Research Paper

The effect of oil and gas to Qatar's economy - Research Paper Example s from exporting various products, every industrial giant within these nations consume massive amount of oil in order to maintain smooth functionality in the operations and thus contribute to the overall economic development of the nations. In terms of Qatar’s economic condition and position, recent reports project that the nation experiences a real growth rate of about 5.5 % and is ranked 44th position in terms of world ranking. The per capita income of this nation was $102,100 in terms of world ranking till the year 2013. Observably, the nations is ranked 3rd in terms of gross national savings, 19th in terms of crude oil production and 6th in terms of natural gas production (Central Intelligence Agency, â€Å"The World Factbook† ). By taking into concern the findings of this particular study, the null hypothesis to be tested in this study will be, â€Å"The oil and gas segment has no considerable impact on Qatar’s economy has been validated†. Research Evaluation Technique. The information accumulated from the research work certainly helps in determining the validity of the above-depicted null hypothesis. It can be affirmed that the research question is mainly structured with the intention of understanding that how oil and gas sector being the primary sector in the Qatari economy impose extensive impact specifically on the governments’ revenue earnings, governmental export process, economic liquidity rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation. It would be vital to mention in this similar concern that the above-portrayed null hypothesis has been designed in such a way so that there occurs a high possibility of getting it rejected at the time when the findings of the research are revealed. This literature review section has been formulated completely depending upon the secondary data sources. This method implemented for literature review in this study includes the effective evaluation of the various online journals, reports and government websites.

Finance in Hospitality Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Finance in Hospitality Industry - Assignment Example For some it might be a source of income while for others a source of joy. However the proposed restaurant is far from coming into being because of the absence of the budget required for the setting up of the restaurant from construction to serving the customers. The issue at hand is that the restaurant will require, according to a risk estimate, about thirty thousand pounds to start its services from the point of the buying of land for the restaurant. However, on five thousand pounds are available for the project and there are no assured sources of funding for the project. The quoted amount of thirty thousand pounds will only supply for the running of operations for the first few months of the restaurant services and does not cater for any financial risks. The five thousand pounds available for use must be utilized in the most effective way possible, even if that means using the money to acquire the required amount of funding for the project. The location that has been selected for t he restaurant lies in Leyton, East London. The restaurant is aimed at serving a part of the local community of the London Borough of Newham though there will be offerings to cater to the taste of people of all backgrounds. Hence it might be a good idea to solicit some funds from the local community of Newham as there is some value in the restaurant for that community. Newham residents are very hospitable in general because of the need for cohesion among the people of different races and origins living there. And it would be unsurprising if the residents are buoyed by the prospect of a restaurant opening in their area that is being set up specifically to serve the people of Newham. Also the Member of the British Parliament from the Newham area is very fond of supporting food-related projects from projects pertaining to feeding the poor to televised programs discussing lavish regional specialities. Therefore the most preferred source of funding should be the local community of Newham. It is to be realized though that this project is not a charity project, hence the method of approaching the public and the rationale for asking for funding should be different from those usually adopted for welfare projects. That is not to say that the project does not contain an element of welfare for the community of Newham at all, but the basic impetus behind the setting up of the restaurant is commercial. As stated earlier, the restaurant would need only thirty thousand pounds for the first few months of operation, by a rough estimate, even if it does not bring in any profit for the owner and only caters for the costs of running. However, in order to keep the proposed amount of funding for the restaurant low, it is planned that the restaurant would not need any more money and will fund itself from the profit it makes after the initial funding of thirty thousand pounds. The figure of thirty thousand pounds is not a big one if it is contributed to by a large number of people. Hen ce the solicitor does not have to ask for too much money from the Newham residents and chipping in with small amounts is all the members of the public will have to do to fund the plan, given that the number of people who chip into the project is sufficiently large. Therefore pamphlets explaining the restaurant proposal and asking for fundin

TEXTBOOK-Brinkley, American History, Connecting with the Past, Volume Essay - 2

TEXTBOOK-Brinkley, American History, Connecting with the Past, Volume II, McGraw Hill CHAPTER 15 - Essay Example Presidents Lincoln and Johnson were of varying opinions that the war was to restore the stateliness of the mess up states. Due to the challenges faced in this process, Lincoln employed the military to not only reconquer the states, but also to regain the status of these states. The treacherous citizens were pardoned in that case, and Lincoln made voters take the oath of Liberation Proclamation (445). Andrew Johnson, an ex- slave possessor was of a low opinion on the blacks and that they should hold the low positions in the society. In this case, Johnson planned to restore the South by proclaiming reprieve on certain classes in the society, those of high class (444). Nothing much maturated from the 13th amendment on abolishing slave trade. Later, the Congress was to design its own plan of reconstruction that touched on the 14th amendment. This amendment according to Brinkley defined citizenship, and was to allow the African Americans part of the state (421). The blacks were also protected from the interference from the state and advocated for reduced representation in the states with disfranchising future supporters. In regard to this amendment, the State and federal nationality for all persons was in simple terms reinstated in spite of an individual’s race either born or naturalized in USA (438). Analysts and researchers argue that the process of reconstruction would have been easier if President Johnson would have accepted the amendment’s measures. However, Johnson was of the opinion that the constitution and the white supremacy would be in subordinated. He, therefore, worked towards defeat of the southern states and establishing a radical Republican Party (415). Historians are justified in calling this period the darkest period of American History since the move by Johnson not only undermined human existence, but also deprived them the right to be at liberty like other humans. If I was in power, I would have definitely put in place

Environmental Sustainability and Triple Bottom Line Assignment

Environmental Sustainability and Triple Bottom Line - Assignment Example I think we are really exceeding our natural resources, which is also harming environmental sustainability. The population of earth has grown largely while affecting the balance between human consumption and natural resources. At present, there is no proper mechanism to sustain the growth rate of the human population. Although the world’s population has always been increasing during the last 35 years or so, a major increase has occurred in the world’s population giving rise to many problems, such as inadequate water supplies, increased deforestation, increased urbanization, dying rivers and lakes, and depletion of natural resources. The world is facing a global ecological crisis presently because humans are living in a way that is diminishing the capacity of the earth to sustain life. The ecological imbalance is occurring because the carrying capacity of the earth is becoming unable to support life. If we compare the ecological footprints of developed and poor countries, we come to know that developed countries usually have a higher footprint as compared to the ecological footprint of poor countries. For example, the ecological footprint of the United States is 12.22, whereas, for Pakistan, which is an underdeveloped country, the figure is 1.09 which is very low (Global Environment Stats n.p.). These figures show that there is a huge difference between the sustainability level of highly developed and underdeveloped countries. Section 2 Question 4: What is the triple bottom line? With what important concept is it associated? Be sure to describe each of the three parts. Answer 4: Bottom line is actually a measure of sustainability that includes the calculations of social, economic, and environmental conditions of any particular area. Organizations and not-for-profit organizations also usually use triple bottom line sustainability framework to measure their performances and to do required improvements based on the analysis (Slaper and Hall).     Ã ‚  

Kodak Essay Example for Free

Kodak Essay The purpose of this report is to perform an extensive analysis of the Eastman Kodak digital photography brand, and ultimately, to provide a sound marketing strategy to their board based on our findings. We do so by examining both a macro view of the digital camera industry as well as analyzing the brand’s history, positioning, success factors, and current challenges. We discovered that Eastman Kodak, while once the unquestionable leader in the film industry, failed to adapt to changing technological market trends and was left behind the digital revolution. Kodak’s unsuccessful response to a major technological discontinuity has resulted in a profound loss of market share and profitability. We have developed a market plan for the dire state Kodak currently finds itself in, one that will attempt to reinvigorate Kodak’s brand as a premium name in digital photography by returning to its traditional values and competencies. While the company currently operates through three distinct segments: Digital Film Imaging, Health Group, and Graphic Communications, we have narrowed our scope to focus primarily on the digital film segment as we felt that this area has the most potential for improvement in the near future. The Digital Film Industry Origins of the Market The evolution of the digital camera market mirrors the evolution of the technology and innovations surrounding photography itself. Throughout the nineteenth century the motivations behind innovations and discoveries in photography surrounded the speed and affordability of creating an exposure. Some of the earliest photographs took up to eight hours of exposure to complete, and were often contained on flimsy and expensive materials, that did not lend themselves to being easily shared. It is evident that the desire to quickly create and share still images existed more than a century before modern digital cameras were ever created. Early attempts at digitizing images for storage remained largely in the video imaging segment, and very little focus was put on the technology for still images. The progress that was made was characterized by poor picture quality and very difficult storage procedures. As a result, professional photographers and hobbyists clung to the old processes of developing film well into the 1990’s. In reality it was the increasingly competitive nature of the news media, particularly in the newspaper industry that led to some of the more workable innovations in digital still imaging technology. It was seen as a competitive advantage for a media outlet to take, store, and send images through digital transmission, rather than wait for a slow development process before a picture could even be viewed. It is no coincidence that the first commercially available digital cameras were incredibly expensive and used almost exclusively by photo journalists. As was the case with the market, for still cameras relying on 35mm film for picture development, it was technological breakthroughs that spurred the growth of the digital camera market. With the development of JPEG file formats in the late 1980’s digital images could be taken and stored on the same device using battery power. Although there are many competitive claims as to who entered the market first, Kodak was arguably the first entrant in 1991 with the DCS-100. The Growth of Digital Photography The transformation from conventional to digital photography was a total shift of technology that not only completely changed the way companies of this industry operate, but also the products and services they offered. Advancement in the information and communication technologies also significantly contributed in shaping digital photography, as well as the digital camera itself. Computers were being used to store and edit photographs, while internet offered an easy way to share and distribute multiple copies of the image to different people at the same time. Furthermore, the concept of a photograph being original was eliminated as duplicate, unidentifiable copies of the image were possible. The key growth stages of the digital photography can be summarized as follows. Steven Sasson (of Kodak) invented the digital camera in 1985 in Kodak research laboratories. The low operating cost, easy storage and distribution were the major attractive features of this new product. Instead of using film like traditional analog cameras they were able to store the image on internal storage or on rewritable memory cards. In 1986, many electronic cameras were released by different manufacturers, e.g., Canon released first still video electronic camera, Kodak: 1.4 million pixel CCD, Nikon: SVC, electronic camera with a 2/3-inch CCD of 300 000 pixels, Sony: Mavica A7AF still video camera, (CCD) of 380,000 pixels which records images onto a 2-inch floppy disks. The world’s first fully digital consumer digital camera was released by Fuji, with the feature that images could be digitally recorded on a removable memory cards. Since then the improvement in camera manufacturing has continued over the years, as new players joined the race with the discovery of new dimensions of digital technology and its applications, and the need for new accessories. Hewlett-Pakard’s ink jet printers became consumer items. Sanyo, Samsung, Olympus also released new digital cameras, and Toshiba manufactured memory cards. Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) created compression file format to easily transfer digital image electronically. The products were further improved with the better understanding of digital technology as continued research and costs were considerably reduced in 1998, leading to exponential rise in sales of digital cameras over the next years. (See Exhibit 1 to see how digital camera sales have skyrocketed since the turn of the century). New professions emerged covering various available features of the digital cameras, and cameras were developed for the specific segments and niches, such as amateur photography, advertizing photography, editorial photography, documentary photography and scientific photography. Digital photography is still far from maturity, as products are continuously introduced or improved though constant innovation. The need to develop specifications (sizes, dimensional tolerance for imaging media, and formats for all major users) and written standards for digital imaging are realized, developed by American National Standards Institute and International Standards Organization. Ultimately, the arrival of digital photography, combined with the ever-improving capabilities of computers to store and display photographs, and the Internet to share them helped revolutionize the major customer processes associated with photography. Photographs could now be taken by consumers at virtually no cost, who could then choose to save or delete their photos with the push of a button, and decide to print them on a PC printer or via email. It is clear then that the industry is almost completely driven by both social and technological change. Competitors Overall, the digital film industry is a highly competitive one. An analysis of the forces that determine the long-run profit attractiveness of this particular segment would reveal that the industry has: high threat of segment rivalry (existence of several large competing companies); high threat of new entrants (abundance of digital photography technology on mobile devices); extremely high threat of substitute devices (countless ways to put an image into digital format); high threat of buyer power (low differentiation level of most digital cameras); and finally, high threat of supplier power (cost of switching suppliers for a large digital camera company would be astronomical). Kodak manufactures and distributes a large number of different products, primarily focused around photography. The sale of each line of products comes with its own competitors. However, for the purposes of this report, the focus of the competitor analysis will be on cameras, both digital and non digital varieties. The camera industry had worldwide sales of $35.5 billion in 2010. Given the large value of this industry, it is important to know what share of the market Kodak’s competitors’ control. A look at the market for digital SLR cameras, disposable cameras and film follows. The world market for digital SLR cameras is dominated by Canon and Nikon, who held world market shares of 37% and 33% respectively in 2010. The remaining 30% market share is held primarily by Sony and Olympus/Panasonic. Sony sold 12% of the world’s digital SLR cameras in 2010, and Olympus/Panasonic had 11% of the market in that same period. Kodak was only one of the several competitors who comprise the remaining 7% of worldwide digital SLR camera sales. Low cost digital SLR cameras have come on to the market and are competing in the same space as digital compact cameras. A look at Kodak’s website showed only one brand of digital SLR camera is being offered by Kodak. Since Kodak is primarily competing in the digital camera space through compact cameras, the shift in digital SLR cameras to a lower price point does not bode well for Kodak since it increases competition. Disposable camera sales in 2009 were comprised primarily of cameras under the Kodak and Fuji brands. Kodak enjoyed a 52.9% market share in this period, while Fuji held 18.1% of the world market. The majority of the remaining 29% of the worldwide market of disposable cameras came from private label brands, who sold 28.4% of disposable cameras worldwide. Disposable cameras like any other cameras come in two varieties, analogue and digital. The market for analogue cameras has been decreasing over the years. For instance, the sales of analogue cameras decreased from US$1,335.5 million in the United States in 2004 to only US$9.5 million in 2009. This is a decrease in sales of over 99% in only 6 years. Although Kodak has kept a leading position in the analogue market, the dissolution of the market for analogue cameras limits the value of Kodak’s leading position in this segment. Kodak has also kept a leading position in the sale of camera film. However, this market segment has seen a similar fall in sales as the decrease in the disposable camera market. In this segment, Fuji is once again Kodak’s largest competitor. Kodak’s tagline â€Å"Kodak Moments† helps it maintain its leadership position in film, but the sharp decline in the sale of film and a strong competitor in Fuji once again limits the value of this leading position. The market for cameras has seen a rise in the competitiveness of one particular alternative product that may limit the growth potential of the camera industry in the future. Mobile phones with cameras built in now form the main substitute to cameras. Since these devices have many features such as video, audio, and internet browsing, and are relatively inexpensive, they represent a real threat to the camera industry. 80% of the world demand for the imaging devices and optical modules that comprise the cameras in mo bile phones is handled by Panasonic, Sony, Sharp and Konica Minolta. Kodak does not compete in this market. Other substitutes that Kodak will need to compete with are counterfeit items. Not only are these items likely to be sold at lower prices, they are also generally inferior in quality and could harm the brand of the companies whose products are being counterfeit. From this analysis of the current competitive landscape, we can see that Kodak’s most important competitors in digital cameras are Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic and Fuji. (See Exhibit 2 for a look at Kodak compared to its traditional competitor, Fuji). Customers The digital film industry targets a large number of consumers spanning different segments and demographics. The following will illustrate who these main consumers are and which kinds of individuals digital photography appeals to. Segments Digital photography is targeted to two major segments; professional and non-professional consumers. As expected, the needs of these two target segments are quite different, and organizations in the digital camera industry market their product to appeal to these distinct expectations and needs. Digital camera companies, therefore, market their product to these diverse groups and consequently identify further submarkets and niche markets. Demographics In the world of photography demographic segmentation plays very vital role in marketing the product. In this method of segmentation, demographics is important because customers’ wants, desires, preferences, and usages are strongly associated with demographic variables. Interest in photography generally starts at early age, usually early teenagers. Consumers are not especially conscious about the brand but want to fulfill their purpose. However, this is the phase where a perception of the brand starts taking position in the minds and get stronger and stronger with the time. After this phase consumers of age 20 to 50 are divided into different groups. Some people adopt photography as profession, some use it for their extensive tourism habits, and finally some take it as fun and leisure activity and some use it as their need. This use depends on their nature, living style and job requirement. Professionals, who adopt photography as occupation or as their hobby, are always more conscious about the quality and success results. They don’t want to see that there is no photo in their camera after any event coverage or after returning from an adventure. They need more reliable equipment with guarantee of better results because this is their earning source. If someone is pursuing photography just for fun and don’t have passions for the hobby then they will typically not pay as close attention to the bells and whistles of the product. In terms of gender, photography appeals to both men and women alike. Marketing does not generally target men or women, although recent manufacturing of point and shoot cameras includes the product in a variety of colours for the consumer to choose from. Lastly, demographics in the digital film industry relies on the consumer’s income. The major manufacturers of digital cameras have realized this, and typically offer product ranging from budget quality, to expensive professional equipment. Psychographics Psychology is also a strong variable to understand consumers. People are different based on their personality traits, psychology, life style and values. Psychographic profile could be completely different within same demographic group of consumers. For example, two individuals of same age group have same range of income like photography as a fun but they have different psychology. One is more caring about quality with regard to details captured in the pictures and the other more focus on the originality of the colours of the pictures. For this reason, camera manufacturers have produced cameras with a plethora of adjustable features, which can be modified to suit the user’s preferences. Important Trends The broad industry of photo imaging and cameras has gone through some profound changes over the past several decades. As expected, technological advancements over the past century are the prime drivers of the various trends this industry has witnessed. Perhaps the greatest transformation this industry has seen has been the relatively recent rise of the digital camera phenomenon. Although the prototype for the digital film industry began with the development of Sony’s analog-type â€Å"Mavica† electronic camera, this product did not gain immediate acceptance in the marketplace due to its high price and the lack of suitable peripherals (i.e personal computers). The larger trend towards digital cameras then was truly popularized in the late 1990s and early 2000s with digital â€Å"point and shoot† cameras, of which Kodak participated in at a much later stage than its competitors. With the release of these user friendly devices, digital camera sales increased by 75% per year by 1997 where film cameras increased by 3%. At first, the absence of an LCD screen for formatting, shooting, and reviewing purposes proved to be a hindrance to the popularization of digital cameras. Once the LCD screen was introduced, the trend was ignited. Photos could now be viewed immediately, and kept or discarded as the consumer desired. Today, most major camera manufacturers have made the exodus from film to digital. Canon as well as Nikon surprised the world when they agreed to stop production of most film cameras, setting another trend that has continued to this day. Another major shift in the world of digital photography was the gradual emergence of cameras on mobile phones. As technology improved, so did the quality of cameras included with virtually every mobile device. As expected, this had an impact on the sale of cheap digital cameras, as the phenomenon was now available to anyone who had a mobile device. This trend continues to this day, with both iphones and Blackberries including high quality cameras with their mobile devices. Currently, there has been a revival of DSLR cameras, with Canon and Nikon holding the majority of market share. Although it is difficult to predict future trends in the camera industry, many market researchers, trend watchers, and technology prognosticators agree that digital is here to stay. Easy access to necessary peripherals such as personal computers and even printers has garnered quick acceptance of the digital camera by consumers. The move to digital will remain; however, the relative maturation of the Japanese, North American and European digital camera markets may result in repeat buyers, as well as marketing cameras to for late adopters. This could all culminate in lower profit margins for some of the worlds leading camera manufacturers.

Characteristics of a Capitalist Society

Characteristics of a Capitalist Society Title: What social, economic or cultural characteristics define a society as capitalist? Which characteristics have held constant, and which been transformed, in the period since the late 18th century? According to sources, it was William Makepeace Thackeray who initially applied the notion of ‘capitalism’ in 1854 to define the ownership of capital. Throughout the history, the term capitalism has been closely associated with other related notions, including: market capitalism, laissez-faire (pure capitalism), economic liberalism, private enterprise etc[1]. Capitalism transformed feudalism in the Western world, namely Britain, from where it had flourished throughout Europe predetermining economic, cultural and political developments of the then society. Later, over the 19th and 20th centuries, capitalism formed the grounds of industrialization[2]. Nevertheless, namely the eighteenth century became crucial in the foundation of capitalism concept after the first economic school was established in Britain. The school has produced much of the fundamental thought in the field of classical political economy supported by the invaluable contributions of David Ricardo, Adam Smit h, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Baptiste Say et al who thoroughly researched various ways goods were produced, distributed and exchanged under market conditions. Namely, those classical thoughts have set the foundations of the contemporary perception of capitalism[3]. During the 18th century the concept of capitalism was much commercialized and dominated by merchants. Consequently, by the end of 18th century, mercantilism was in dire straits since mercantile activity could not longer provide sufficient resources to maintain military expenditures of those states that depended on commerce. The subsequent industrial revolution was another driving force that had intensified the crisis since the new industrializing countries were questioning the true value of mercantilist practices. In the course of the industrial revolution, merchants were replaced by industrialists to dominate the capitalist system and diminish the roles of conventional handicraft labourers, including guilds, artisans and journeymen. Other effects involved the advancement of bourgeoisie as a dominant social class as well as immense mechanization of agriculture. Being the center of the Industrial Revolution in the mid-18th century, Great Britain made a considerable influence on the ne w perception of traditional mercantilist doctrines through the works of economic theorists who claimed that the global wealth was constant and only states were able to increase their own wealth at the account of other (weaker) states. According to Marx, since the last third of the 18th century industrial capitalism should be associated with the following factors: (1) development of the factory system wherein manufacturing was based on the complex division and exploitation of labor within work processes; (2) routine designation of work duties; and (3) the overall dominance of the capitalist mode of production[4]. In the mid-18th century, French physiocrat David Hume much contributed to the promotion of free trade as well as the concept of land as the main source of wealth. Later on, in 1759 Franà §ois Quesnay outlined further features of capitalism in his Tableau Économique, wherein he provided the first ever analytical description of the economy, having predetermined the grounds for the economic theory forwarded by physiocrats. These critical views were strongly supported by Anne Robert Jacques Turgot who advocated free trade in contrast to customs duties and tariff. More precisely, Richard Cantillon featured the notion of long-run equilibrium being the balance of income flows, pointed out the dependence between land and prices, and the impact supply and demand had on short-term prices[5]. 1776 marked the appearance of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations wherein the economist defended his standpoint regarding natural liberty system and fiercely opposed mercantilism. At this point, according to economic theorists, the roots of classical political economy were put down. Specifically, the economist forwarded a couple of capitalism-related concepts that are of great theoretical and empirical importance today. For instance, Smith’s ‘invisible hand’ theory of the market indicates that individual interest is a core prerequisite of collective social good (wealth). While forwarding his liberal economic concepts favoring free markets, Smith was vehemently opposed by the sentiments of then domineering mercantilist society[6]. In particular, Smith severely criticized all forms of state intervention in the economy, as well as restrictions imposed by a state including duties and tariffs, and monopolies, on the other hand. At that he held a strong view that market alone was able to fairly redistribute all the available resources. More than that, Smith advocated retaliatory tariffs as indispensable part of free trade, wherein patents and copyrights encouraged innovation[7]. In a while, Smith’s views were supported by David Ricardo the author of the economic law of comparative advantage forwarded in 1817 in The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, explaining mutual benefits of trade between the parties, regardless all possible economic differences between them. Thus, the notion of free trade was proven. Guided by the Say’s Law, Ricardo emphasized on the significance of full employment enabling a competitive economy with normal equilibrium[8]. Furthermore, Ricardo advocated strong interrelation between the changes in credit and monetary quantities and inflation, and emphasized on the diminishing returns highlighting the interdependence of additional inputs and outputs[9]. Following Smith’s ideas, Karl Marx clearly differentiated the use and exchange value of commodities in the market. Hence, Marx perceived capital as the value created through the purchase of commodities in order to create new commodities which exchange value would exceed the amount of initial purchases. Moreover, Marx considered the use of labor force featured by certain exchange value (i.e. wage) as a sufficient commodity in the capitalist society. Though, according to Marx, the value of labour force has always been less compared to the value potentially gained by the capitalist out of its use. Such principle difference, as Marx argues, creates surplus value extracted and accumulated in the capitalist society. Marx’s fundamental work is named Capital, where he clearly distinguished the capitalist mode of production. Precisely, to provide a relevant evidence Marx explained how the surplus was extracted by the capital owners from workers through the sale-value of produced commodities[10]. In due respect, Marx claimed that namely surplus value extraction laid the grounds for a struggle between the classes. Thus, Marx considered labour as the primary source of profit. In addition to this, Marx held a strong opinion regarding an exploited labor as the driving force that could revolutionize socialist-style economies. Herewith, the analysis of Marxian thinking assumes that centrally-planned economies mainly established in the former communist societies to a great extent reflected the features of state capitalism through the exploitation of labor force. Subsequently, in 1916 Vladimir Lenin transformed the notion of Marxian capitalism into imperialism claiming monopoly capitalism as the highest stage of capitalism society in his Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism[11]. The German Historical School provided fresh insight into the perception of capitalism as the efficient system that supplied markets with production. In such a way, this approach highlighted the core difference between capitalism and previous modes of economic activity since capitalism assumed principal shift from medieval restrictions imposed on money and credit to the monetary economy emphasizing on the profit. Another prominent thinker that influenced the understanding of distinguishing characteristics of capitalism in the 19th century was Max Weber, German social theorist. Weber mainly concentrated on market exchange conversely to production, as the main distinguishing characteristic of capitalism. At that, he pointed out that within the capitalist mode enterprises focused on the rationalization of production by maximizing productivity and efficiency[12]. In his fundamental work 1904-1905 The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Weber traced the way capitalism transforme d previous economic systems. For this purpose, the theorist highlighted the ‘spirit of capitalism’ particular to Puritan comprehension of human laboring. Weber deemed that a devotion to God helped the Puritans to lay the foundations of the then economic mode. Compared to Marx, Weber regarded capitalism in a broader perspective rather than merely a result caused by the alterations in the means of production[13]. Therefore, capitalism, from Weber’s viewpoint, was the advanced economic system that had ever been developed throughout human evolution. In particular, Weber identified the following distinguishing characteristics particular to capitalism: public credit, corporate business, and expansion of bureaucracy. Being opposed to socialist remarks against capitalism, Weber himself criticized the very economic system as one that posed threat to the conventional cultural values shared by the society as well as the one that constrained human freedom. Namely, Weber much criticized ‘spiritless specialists’ and ‘heartless hedonists’ who had nothing in common with the genuine Puritan spirit particular to capitalism[14]. During 1930-s, John Maynard Keynes had a tremendous influence on the notion of capitalism and the role of monetary policy. The British economist emphasized on the important functions of monetary policy within economic policy. In his The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money 1937 he argued that capitalism was not able to fully recover from the slowdowns in investment. At that, Keynes claimed that the economic mode particular to the capitalist society could sustain its indefinite equilibrium even in spite of high unemployment. At that, during the 1930s Keynesian approach to economics assumed that laissez-faire capitalist economics was self-sufficient and did not need any intervention from a state to cut down unemployment or boost aggregate demand. Furthermore, Keynes suggested ‘pump-priming’ approach to save the economy from recession in the period of economic down-turn, which involved increase in government borrowing and spending as well as cutting-down taxes. In such a way, Keynes put forward his idea of cutting real wages through the system of their control from the state and deterring from holding money during inflation[15]. This indicates that Keynes much favored state regulation as an effective tool to eliminate economic slowdown. Actually, Keynesian policies enabled the capitalism recovery afterwards the state of the Great Depression[16]. The contemporary academic research on the concept of capitalism is largely grounded on neoclassical economics and the relevant approaches developed by the Chicago School. The modern perception of capitalism therefore favors neutral government regulation and coordination of markets with the focus being placed on property rights’ maintenance; deregulation of labor markets; promotion of corporate governance by private owners; development of transparent financial systems with capital market-based financing in their core. According to Milton Friedman, active follower of Adam Smith’s thinking, under the conditions of free competition social responsibility makes up an indispensable part of any business activity and profit-making. In such a way, Friedman shows how self-interest can benefit the entire society in the modern economic conditions[17]. The major distinctive features of capitalist society were pointed out throughout the 20th century while experts compared and contrasted due system with the centrally planned economic system. In due respect, capitalism has always enabled consumers with free choice, while producers were able to satisfy a consumer demand. By contrast, in the planned economies the production was entirely controlled and directed by a hierarchically-led state policy. Thus, capitalism alone has achieved sufficient delivery of goods and services through the privatization of previously state-owned means of production and infrastructural objects. In addition to this, the notion of capitalism is closely associated with the abolishment of subsidies and free trade wherein capitalist society is prone to perform both rational and irrational actions that are often unpredictable. Namely the last quarter of the 20th century clearly indicated the increasing ability of people and capital to mobilize. Globalization alone has opened a new avenue for the development of both capitalist and non-capitalist models. Today, capitalism is regarded by many as world system featured by all the peculiarities of capitalist trade. Analysts state that such perception of capitalism dates back to the early 20th century imperialism. Following the same fashion, imperialistic policies emphasized on the promotion of capitalistic principles of free trade among countries. Taking the abovementioned features of the contemporary capitalism into account, it is noteworthy that along with many positive effects global capitalism has caused the state of global inequality in income rates, social security, access to strategic resources, and redistribution of world capital. In due respect, since the times of the Industrial Revolution there have been considerable changes boosted by economic growth in such areas as life expectancy, access to educational resources and information and communication technologies, literacy, infant mortality, child labor etc. By and large, global capitalist economy has been dramatically shifted b y the invention and fast application of telecommunications within the last thirty years. Information and communication technologies such as computers, Internet and cell phones have enabled most of the business transactions in virtually any part of the globe[18]. Overall, capitalism promotes economic growth and social standard of living measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Adam Smith, free market alone allocates necessary resources and controls production and price, which is particular to the contemporary world capitalist system. Furthermore, capitalist economy, if compared to conventional economic systems and feudal or socialist societies, provides vast opportunities to raise individual income while engaging in new professions or launching private business ventures, for example. As Milton Friedman puts it, competitive capitalism leads to economic freedom and subsequently to the political one where there is no place for the centralized control of economic activity or political repression from the state. Conversely, the variety of market economy transactions causes wide diversity of activities and/or their free choice. In accordance with John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich Hayek, capitalism is a reflection of economic freedom w hich is essential for social survival and development[19]. Thus, many capitalism supporters claim that namely the decentralized system of coordination is the most powerful feature of capitalism. Particularly, the decentralization of economic processes leads to free competition and optimal solutions to the arising challenges. Even the slightest control from then state, according to the Austrian School thinkers, can potentially cause serious inefficiencies since economy then becomes unpredictable in the long-term perspective. One of the major causes of the Great Depression, for instance, was the immense interventionist policy led by the Federal Reserve. Despite such positive views on capitalism, throughout its long evolution this economic concept was fiercely criticized by namely left-oriented proponents. 19th century conservatives, for instance, regarded particular characteristics of capitalism such as commodity production and free market exchange as potential threats to religious and cultural traditions. Other critics associated capitalism with the spread of negligence, corruption, and many other socio-economic problems. Socialists, for example, strived for the state regulation of capitalism rather than its abolishment. Throughout centuries, much of criticism has been received from religious leaders who fiercely opposed the materialist side of capitalism. From a religious viewpoint, it would rather be mixed economy that could meet the demands of society and ensure economic justice. For the most part, critics point out at negative features of capitalism including: inefficient and unfair distribution of power and wealth; monopolisti c tendencies of businesses and corporations; signs of cultural and economic exploitation of cheap and unskilled labour force (including children and/or old people); social alienation, unemployment, economic instability, and inequality to name a few. Nowadays, however, we understand capitalism as an economic system that assumes private ownership and control of wealth and the means of its production. In due respect, state ownership bears limited relation to the essence of capitalism. Both private individuals (entrepreneurs) and companies (corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises) own, operate, and trade capital and labor, as well as other resources for the sake of profit-making. In the contemporary conditions, capitalism is an indispensable component of market economy which entirely excludes any government intervention in the transactions that involve investments, income, distribution, production, pricing and supply of goods and services etc. Furthermore, labour as such is a distinguishing feature that characterizes capitalism in the contemporary conditions of fierce competition. Based on appropriate knowledge and skills, human resources are viewed as the most valuable asset by the majority of employers. Herewith, marke t rules make up a regulatory framework that determines economic developments in the contemporary capitalist state. In most instances, the role of a state is limited to the provision of relevant infrastructure and public goods. This indicates that economic developments are predominantly grounded on the so-called ‘laissez-faire’ principle envisaging a minimum state intervention into the economy. Consequently, the contemporary notion of capitalism highlights the ultimate importance of the control over the means of production by private owners wherein the state role is mainly limited to the protection of property rights. However, such conclusion would be correct only from the pure capitalism viewpoint. By and large, the well-developed contemporary economies present a mixture of public and private ownership and therefore are reasonably referred to as the capitalist mixed economies, where both private capital and state serve their particular roles. In its essence, classical p olitical economy has been strongly interrelated with classical liberal doctrine assuming minimum economic intervention on the part of government. At that economic and social realms were clearly distinguished, wherein state could provide necessary public goods and services[20]. Reference list Bellamy, R. 2003, The Cambridge History of Twentieth-Century Political Thought. Cambridge University Press Burnham, P. 2003, Capitalism: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. Oxford University Press. Calhoun, C. 2002. Capitalism: Dictionary of the Social Sciences. Oxford University Press. Edgell, S. 2006, The Sociology of Work: Continuity and Change in Paid and Unpaid Work. London: Sage, Ch 1. Erhardt, E. History of Economic Development, Lindner Center Auditorium, Cincinnati. Evans, P. 1997, The Eclipse of the State? Reflections on Stateness in an Era of Globalization. World Politics 50 (1): 62–87. Friedman, M. 1970, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits, The New York Times Magazine. Hunt, E. 2002, History of Economic Thought: A Critical Perspective. M.E. Sharpe Kumar, K. 1978, Prophecy and Progress, London Penguin. Ch. 3. Lane J. Ersson, S. 2002, Government and the Economy: A Global Perspective. Continuum International Publishing Group. Saunders, P. 1995, Capitalism. University of Minnesota Press. Skousen, M, 2001, The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. M.E. Sharpe Wheen, F. 2006, Books That Shook the World: Marxs Das Kapital1st ed. London: Atlantic Books 1 Footnotes [1] K Kumar 1978, Prophecy and Progress, London Penguin. Ch. 3. [2] P Saunders, 1995. Capitalism. University of Minnesota Press. p. 1 [3] M Skousen 2001, The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. M.E. Sharpe [4] S Edgell 2006, The Sociology of Work: Continuity and Change in Paid and Unpaid Work. London: Sage, Ch 1. [5] M Skousen 2001, The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. M.E. Sharpe [6] E Hunt 2002, History of Economic Thought: A Critical Perspective. M.E. Sharpe [7] P Burnham 2003, Capitalism: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. Oxford University Press. [8] M Skousen 2001, The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. M.E. Sharpe [9] C Calhoun 2002. Capitalism: Dictionary of the Social Sciences. Oxford University Press. [10] F Wheen 2006, Books That Shook the World: Marxs Das Kapital1st ed. London: Atlantic Books [11] E Erhardt, History of Economic Development, Lindner Center Auditorium, Cincinnati. [12] Erhardt (Ibid). [13] Erhardt (Ibid). [14] Erhardt (Ibid). [15] Erhardt (Ibid). [16] M Friedman 1970, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits, The New York Times Magazine. [17] Friedman (Ibid). [18] P Evans 1997, The Eclipse of the State? Reflections on Stateness in an Era of Globalization. World Politics 50 (1): 62–87. [19] R Bellamy 2003, The Cambridge History of Twentieth-Century Political Thought. Cambridge University Press [20] J Lane S Ersson, 2002, Government and the Economy: A Global Perspective. Continuum International Publishing Group.

Hair Dying Essay -- Dying Hair Color Essays

Hair Dying As people look around the different cities of our fair country, one might notice that many people nowadays are coloring their hair to cover grey or just for the fun of it. One difference among the younger generation and the older generation is the colors that are chosen for their hair. The younger generation of this day and age seem to prefer wild colors such as Infra Red, Mystic Heather, Deadly Nightshade, Tiger Lily, etc, as self-expression compared to the older generation choosing natural shades to cover the signs of aging. This can be seen in the rising number of young people that are seen around with these types of wild colors. Not all young people choose the wild colors over natural shades because some choose the natural shades as self-expression. Not sticking to the ways of their parents, teens are showing they can be more independent. Many of us do not want to grow up to be like our parents so coloring our hair is one way to be different. In the past our parents were u sually prohibited to color their hair unless it was a natural shade suck as black or brown. Today, we are allowed to dye our hair colors such as Infra Red, AfterMidnight Blue, Pillarbox Red or even Electric Lizard Green. A website by the name of Manic Panic.com caters specifically to the needs of those who color their hair wild shades of reds, blues, purples, pinks, etc. This company was one of the world’s first creators of such colors. The site offers many colors from the spectrum of all colors. There are such colors as Green Envy, Pillarbox Red, Cotton Candy Pink, and Virgin Snow, just to name a few. The founders of the site created the hair products for others and also for their use so anyone can enjoy transforming dull or natu... ...means you are going to be a crook or anything like that. The positive evidence is that many people are making their children work hard in school before they can color their hair. By doing this parents are making their children better because they are getting the education they need in order to succeed in today’s society. References D'Angelo, J. (2002, June 27). Real Men Color Their Hair. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,56219,00.html Gooby. (n d.). Tish and Snooky’s Manic Panic N.Y.C. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from www.manicpanic.com Klensch, E. (1996, December 26). Hair in many hues -- trend will continue into '97. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9612/26/hair/index.html Raguet, H., Nissen L, & Matteuci, C. (2000). L ´Orà ©al. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.loreal.com/us/

Gender Differences In A Video Store Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hayes 1 Abstract The difference between male and females was examined in five investigations in a large, well known video store chain. Different genders were looked at in groups of all male or all female, single men and single women, and then groups of mixed gender. Differences between the two were measured in actions, words, and attitudes. The findings were in sync with what society generalizes so broadly as: men and women differ in everything they do. The research was conducted not to prove this familiar concept wrong but to show how men and women differ in a general setting of a video store. The data was quite rich in that the customers did not hold back what needed to be said and actions tended not to be restricted. The findings revealed that not only do men and women pick out different movie titles but they go about the whole process differently as well. The belief that men and women differ in practically everything they do is widespread throughout the United States. There have been many studies on how they differ in certain aspects, which never seem to be a surprise to the reader. We are so used to findings that prove time and again the differences that we are ready to offer up a proposal such as a professor of mine once said ?If you find in your setting that there is not a difference between men and women then that is something that needs to be published right away.? However, in the setting of the video store gender differences were found.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Investigating the male-female relationship in a video store has a few different aspects. First, all male groups   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hayes 2 that came in to the store were quite different from the all female groups that came in to the store. They differed not only in the way they talked to each other and what they said to each other but also the type of movie title they chose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, when a si... ...e introduction, it is a universal belief that men and women differ in many ways in everything they do. Discussion From the results we see that men and women do differ significantly in the way they shop for videos. They not only differ in the videos that they watch but also the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hayes 111 process in the way they choose movies. The differences we see our not specific just to this situation. We see these same differences in almost all settings that we observe. Why we see these differences is what this paper just begins to touch on. What makes almost every woman pick out the same type of movie and what makes her spend a significant amount of time in the store? In contrast, what makes men want typically only action movies and what makes them spend ten minutes or less in the store? The findings of the research confirm that there are gender differences but where and when these gender differences begin is the question?

Galileo Essay -- essays research papers fc

"Galileo was that guy who invented the telescope." This is what most people say when they think about Galileo. However, Galileo did not even invent the telescope; he only made improvements to it so it could be used for astronomy. Galileo did use it to make many important discoveries about astronomy, though; many of these discoveries helped to prove that the sun was the center of the galaxy. Galileo also made many important contributions to Physics; he discovered that the path of a projectile was a parabola, that objects do not fall with speeds proportional to their weight, and much more. For these discoveries, Galileo is often referred to as the founder of modern experimental science. Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy on February 15, 1564. Until he was about 10 years old, Galileo lived in Pisa; in 1574 the family moved to Florence where Galileo started his education at Vallombroso, a nearby monastery. In 1581, Galileo went to the University of Pisa to study medicine, the field his father wanted him to peruse. While at the University of Pisa, Galileo discovered his interest in Physics and Mathematics; he switched his major from medicine to mathematics. In 1585, he decided to leave the university without a degree to pursue a job as a teacher. He spend four years looking for a job; during this time, he tutored privately and wrote on some discoveries that he had made. In 1589, Galileo was given the job of professor of Mathematics at the University of Pisa. His contract was not renewed in 1592, but received another job at the University of Padua as the chair of Mathematics; his main duties were to teach Geometry and Astrology. Galileo taught at the university for eighteen years. Galileo made many important discoveries from the time he was born to when he left the University of Padua, 1564-1610. While attending the University of Pisa, 1584, Galileo discovered the principle of isochronism. Isochronism showed that the period of a pendulum remains the same no matter what the amplitude is. Galileo was said to have discovered this while watching a chandelier swing in the cathedral next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Galileo proved the isochronism of a pendulum in 1602. He later used his discovery to design a clock that used pendulums. While Galileo was looking for a job after he left the University of Pisa, 1856, he invented the hydrostatic balance. Thi... ...eo made many important discoveries for the field of Physics; he opened the way for scientists to combined Mathematic and Physics. He also proved that the sun was the center of the galaxy. Galileo deserved to be called the founder of modern experimental science. Bibliography Dunn, Travis. Galileo Biography. Http:/es.rice.edu/ES/ humsoc/Galileo/index.html. 23 January 1996. Field, J.V. Galileo Galilei. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/-history/Mathematicians/Galileo.html. August 1995. "Galileo Got it Wrong." New Scientist. 4 June 1987, p. 36. MacKeith, Bill. "Galileo Galilei." The Classical Scientists. Southside Ltd. Edinburgh, England. 1989. vol. 15, pp. 25-44. O'Malley, Charles D. "Galileo." The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Chicago, Illinois. 1989. vol. 19, pp. 640-642. Stillman, Drake. The Life of Galileo Galilei. http://www. owlnet.rice.edu/-jessdave/Galileo2.html. 1980. Stillman, Drake. "Galileo." Microsoft Encarta. Copyright 1994 Microsoft Corp. Copyright 1994 Funk & Wagnalls Corp. Stillman, Drake. "Galileo." The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book Inc. London, England. 1995. vol. 8, pp. 11-12.

Peace on Earth

This place known so well to me never fails to uplift my spirits after the annual visit my family and I take over summer. The crisp wind and the scent of nature seem to cast a spell on campers, relaxing and relieving them of stress. Tellico Plains, Tennessee might very well be my peace on Earth. I love escaping from the malicious grasp of modern day technology and taking a leap into the wild, with a breath of fresh air to clear my head. It is absolutely rejuvenating to come to this town and live with no connections to the World for a week.Two hours up the narrow, winding, gravel path spiraling the mountain, we veer to the right at Big Oak Campsite. The popping of the tire treads on the gravel sends warm waves through my body; I know we have arrived. Immediately I venture to the freshwater stream crafted from the melting ice off the higher altitude mountains. Due to how inviting it looks, I hop across the slippery stones to the infamous â€Å"Old Faithful† rock, which is just a good trout fishing spot. Standing here I scan my surroundings, which blow my mind. The lush forest filled with oak, pine, maple, and evergreen trees is so dominant over me; and I know it, but I am ok with it.The stream is relatively narrow, only spanning about 20 ft in width. Rocks of all sizes poke out the surface of the water and electric green moss grows thick on each one. They serve as my stepping stones back to the bank. The Coleman camper we pull behind the car is old and smells musty every year, but it doesn’t phase me at all. We wench the pop top up and pull out the beds, make them up and sweep the linoleum floor before we go any further in setting up camp, the last touch to the camper being a floor mat just inside the door.By this time, the sun is setting and the fireflies are flourishing. Everywhere you look you see a spark of yellow-green light on the move. It’s almost impossible to refrain from getting up to attempt to catch one, so I get up every time. Cre eping up slowly with a jar in one hand, lid in the other, I zoom my vision to the vicinity around me, wait for the bud of the insect to light up, and snatch him up inside the jar. It is likely, too, that I move on to the next nearest light I see and try again to catch a critter, and in the process lose the first one I caught, leaving me with none.The creaking of the Coleman coolers filled with ice, cold cokes, sweet tea, bacon, eggs, and the most delicious chocolate milk in the World makes my eyes light up. It just gives me that feeling of lightness; like there are no worries here. It has nothing to do with the fact that it is a cooler, but more so the amount of times I have heard the sound, only here. As the temperature drops low at night, a fire is needed to keep warm. Mom usually takes the initiative to get the fire going. The teepee of logs under stuffed with newspapers and twigs burns slow and hot, and makes a mean s’more.Appetite satisfied, exhausted from the trip, the pull out mattress looks ever so inviting. I grab my toothbrush and walk to the water cooler to brush my teeth and wash my face. After cleaned up, it’s PJ time. Then I lay myself down, pull the covers up to my chin and tuck myself in. As I lie here, I can honestly say I feel numb to the World. The rushing of the stream plays in my head like music and puts me in a trance; a trance that no other place could ever measure up to doing. There really is peace on Earth, unfortunately you have to find it.

The Dysfunctional Family Essay

In a family with one rebellious child, the other children have to â€Å"walk on egg shells† to avoid the wrath of their parents. Going beyond mere disagreement, an intense schism between family members regarding religion or ideology Lack of empathy, understanding, and sensitivity towards certain family members, while expressing extreme empathy towards one or more members (or even pets) who have real or perceived â€Å"special needs†. In other words, one family member continuously receives far more than he or she deserves, while another is marginalized Extremes in conflict (either too much fighting or insufficient peaceful arguing between family members Unequal or unfair treatment of one or more family members due to their birth order, gender, age, family role (mother, etc.), abilities, race, caste, etc. (may include frequent appeasement of one member at the expense of others, or an uneven enforcement of rules Denial (refusal to acknowledge abusive behavior, possibly bel ieving that the situation is normal or even beneficial; also known as the â€Å"elephant in the room.†) Unhealthy parenting signs: Giving â€Å"mixed messages† by having a dual system of values (i.e. one set for the outside world, another when in private, or teaching divergent values to each child) Stifled speech (children not allowed to dissent or question authority) Denial of an â€Å"inner life† (children are not allowed to develop their own value systems) Being under- or over-protective Apathy â€Å"I don’t care!† Belittling â€Å"You can’t do anything right!† Unrealistic expectations Ridicule Bitterness (regardless of what is said, using a bitter tone of voice) The â€Å"know-it-all† (has no need to obtain child’s side of the story when accusing, or listen to child’s opinions on matters which greatly impact them) Either being a miser (â€Å"scrooge†) in totality or selectively allowing children’s needs to go unmet (e.g. father will not buy a bicycle for his son because he wants to save money for retirement or â€Å"something important†) Dysfunctional parenting styles: Perfectionist (fixating on order, prestige, power, and/or perfect appearances, while preventing their child from failing at anything) Dogmatic or cult-like (harsh and inflexible discipline, with children not allowed, within reason, to dissent, question authority, or develop their own value system) â€Å"The politician† (a parent who repeatedly makes or agrees to children’s promises while having little to no intention of keeping them) Dynamics: Parents vs. kids (generation gap or culture shock dysfunction) The balkanized family (named after the three-way war in the Balkans where alliances shift back and forth) Children growing up in a dysfunctional family have been known to adopt one or more of these six basic roles: The Good Child (also known as the Hero): a child who assumes the parental role. The Problem Child or Rebel (also known as the Scapegoat): the child who is blamed for most problems related to the family’s dysfunction, despite often being the only emotionally stable one in the family. The Caretaker: the one who takes responsibility for the emotional well-being of the family. The Lost Child: the inconspicuous, quiet one, whose needs are usually ignored or hidden. The Mascot: uses comedy to divert attention away from the increasingly dysfunctional family system. The Mastermind: the opportunist who capitalizes on the other family members’ faults to get whatever he or she wants. Often the object of appeasement by grown-ups. Effects on children Children of dysfunctional families, either at the time, or as they grow older, may also: Lack the ability to be playful, or childlike, and may â€Å"grow up too fast†; conversely they may grow up too slowly, or be in a mixed mode (e.g. well-behaved, but unable to care for themselves) Have moderate to severe mental health issues, including possible depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts Become addicted to smoking, alcohol, and/or drugs, especially if parents or friends have done the same Bully or harass others, or be an easy victim thereof (possibly taking a dual role in different  settings) Be in denial regarding the severity of the family’s situation Have mixed feelings of love–hate towards certain family members Become a sex offender, possibly including pedophilia. Have difficulty forming healthy relationships within their peer group (usually due to shyness or a personality disorder) Spend an inordinate amount of time alone watching television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, listening to music, and other activities which lack in-person social interaction Feel angry, anxious, depressed, isolated from others, or unlovable Have a speech disorder (related to emotional abuse) Distrust others or even have paranoia Become a juvenile delinquent and turn to a life of crime (with or without dropping out of school), and possibly become a gang member as well Struggle academically at school or academic performance declines unexpectedly Have low self-esteem or a poor self image with difficulty expressing emotions Rebel against parental authority, or conversely, uphold their family’s values in the face of peer pressure, or even try to take an impossible â€Å"middle ground† that pleases no one Think only of themselves to make up the difference of their childhoods (as they are still learning the balance of self-love) Have little self-discipline when parents are not around, such as compulsive spending, procrastinating too close to deadlines, etc. (unfamiliar and seemingly lax â€Å"real-world† consequences vs. familiar parental consequences) Find an (often abusive) spouse or partner at a young age, and/or run away from home Become pregnant and/or a parent of illegitimate children Be at risk of becoming poor or homeless, even if the family is already wealthy or middle-class Have auto-destructive or potentially self-damaging behaviors Join a cult to find the acceptance they never had at home, or at a minimum, have differing philosophical/religious beliefs from what they were previously taught Strive (as young adults) to live far away from particular family members or the family as a whole Perpetuate dysfunctional behaviors in other relationships (especially their own children)

Rossi Inc. Essay

Background Rossi Inc. is a diversified manufacturer of industrial products. In 2008, Rossi updated its asbestos litigation liability, including the costs of settlement payments and defense costs relating to currently pending claims and future claims projected to be filed against the Company through 2017 for losses incurred to date. Before 2008, the Company’s previous estimate was for claims projected to be filed through 2011. As part of the 2008 update to the asbestos litigation liability, Rossi engaged Thompson and Associates, a consulting firm, to serve as an external specialist to estimate the claims liability for December 31, 2008. As a result of the 2008 update and the external specialist claims estimate, the Company significantly increased its recorded asbestos litigation liability by $586 million, arriving at a total liability estimate of $1,055 million as of December 31, 2008. During 2009, additional payments against the reserve reduced the recorded liability to $962 million. As of December 31, 2009, the Company performed an analysis of the asbestos litigation reserve and determined that the asbestos litigation liability should remain at $962 million. In 2009, Rossi Inc.’s average cost per claim litigation increased from $29,000 in 2008, to $34,000 due to management’s aggressive approach. This resulted in Thompson concluding that the litigation liability account should have a carrying value of $1,124 Million instead of $962 Million. Management of Rossi Inc. thinks that there aggressive approach to litigation claims in 2009 and revised defense strategy will decrease litigation cost and defense cost in the future. Research Question: You have been asked by the engagement partner to review the client’s accounting for the asbestos litigation liability and determine the appropriate accounting literature for Rossi’s recognition and measurement of the asbestos litigation liability. Relevant Literature Accounting Standards Codification 450-20-25-1 & 2 Loss Contingency Recognition â€Å"25-1 When a loss contingency exists, the likelihood that the future event or events will confirm the loss or impairment of an asset or the incurrence of a liability can range from probable to remote. As  indicated in the definition of contingency, the term loss is used for convenience to include many charges against income that are commonly referred to as expenses and others that are commonly referred to as losses. The Contingencies Topic uses the terms probable, reasonably possible, and remote to identify three areas within that range. 25-2 An estimated loss from a loss contingency shall be accrued by a charge to income if both of the following conditions are met: a. Information available before the financial statements are issued or are available to be issued (as discussed in Section 855-10-25) indicates that it is probable that an asset had been impaired or a liability had been incurred at the date of the financial statements. Date of the financial statements means the end of the most recent accounting period for which financial statements are being presented. It is implicit in this condition that it must be probable that one or more future events will occur confirming the fact of the loss. b. The amount of loss can be reasonably estimated.† Management’s Application Rossi Inc. records indicate that litigation liabilities exist and that un-asserted litigations will arise in the future for events which occurred before December 31st, 2009. These claims can be reasonably estimated based a frequency severity method used in many asbestos litigation cases. Therefore, Management of Rossi Inc. has met both conditions and correctly accrued the reasonably estimated cost of the litigation liabilities. Accounting Standards Codification 450-20-30-1 Initial Measurement â€Å"If some amount within a range of loss appears at the time to be a better estimate than any other amount within the range, that amount shall be accrued. When no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, however, the minimum amount in the range shall be accrued. Even though the minimum amount in the range is not necessarily the amount of loss that will be ultimately determined, it is not likely that the ultimate loss will be less than the minimum amount.† Application According to the Internal Actuarial Specialist Report, the estimated cost of litigation ranges from $907 million to $1,514 million. Accounting Standards Codification 450-20-30-1 says that Rossi Inc. must accrue the lower amount of the range which is $907 million. The company must also create a disclosure note acknowledging that it is possible the litigation liabilities could cost as much as $1,514 million if the excess is reasonably probable. Research Question: What additional audit procedures, if any, should you suggest to the engagement partner in order to evaluate the appropriateness of the asbestos litigation liability as of December 31, 2009? Relevant Literature Statements on Audit Standards No. 12- AU section 337 Paragraph 6 & 7 â€Å".06 An auditor ordinarily does not possess legal skills and, therefore, cannot make legal judgments concerning information coming to his attention. Accordingly, the auditor should request the client’s management to send a letter of inquiry to those lawyers with whom management consulted concerning litigation, claims, and assessments. .07 The audit normally includes certain other procedures undertaken for different purposes that might also disclose litigation, claims, and assessments. Examples of such procedures are as follows: Reading minutes of meetings of stockholders, directors, and appropriate committees held during and subsequent to the period being audited. Reading contracts, loan agreements, leases, and correspondence from taxing or other governmental agencies, and similar documents. Obtaining information concerning guarantees from bank confirmation forms. Inspecting other documents for possible guarantees by the client.† Application The engagement partner should ask management to send their legal counsel a letter of inquiry, outlining all litigation procedures currently in progress and claims or assertions for future litigation. Because of attorney-client confidentiality, the lawyer may refuse to response to the letter of inquiry; alternatively, the engagement partner can obtain this information from other sources. The engagement partner can read the documented minutes of meetings of directors and company committees, as well as, contracts created between Rossi Inc. and its customers for possible grounds for future lawsuits. The auditor should also strive to understand how Rossi Inc. management developed its estimate for the litigation liability, then he/she should review and test those procedures used by management. Research Question: Considering the range of the estimated claims liabilities, do you believe that there is an uncorrected likely misstatement that the engagement partner should request the client to correct? Interpretation The engagement team has already determined that the litigation liabilities account is a material account with materiality for the audit set at $12.5 million. The litigation liabilities account currently has a balance of $962 million; however, ASC 450-20-30-1 states that account should reflect the lower amount of the reasonably measured range of possible litigation cost. The amount which should be recorded is $907 million which is $55 million less than the currently recorded amount. With materiality set at $12.5 million, the engagement partner should request Rossi Inc. correct the amount of the litigation liabilities account to fix the likely misstatement. Conclusion: Rossi Inc. has met both conditions of ASC 450-20-25-2 because it is probable the company will have litigation losses in the future from events which occurred during or before this accounting period. These losses have been reasonably estimated into a range of $907 to $1,514 million. According to ASC 450-20-30-1, when a range exists and no number in the range is more likely to occur the company should accrue the lowest amount of the range. The audit should also inquiry about the accuracy of the litigation estimate. This can be accomplished by complying data obtained from inquiry letters to the client’s lawyers, reading of minutes for meetings conducted by management or directors and by evaluating contracts between the client and their customers. The auditor must also evaluate the method of estimating the litigation liability. Finally, the engagement partner must ask Rossi Inc.’s management to correct the likely misstatement due to the litigation liabilities account being overstated.

Sensory Preception

In my option I believe that one can trust the human senses to give us an accurate view of the world. My reason for believing this is because everything that we think are perceived starts with our thinking and senses. We have five senses, Taste, sight, smell, touch and hear, and with these sense we are able to function in this world. According to the reading most of our thinking is sensory interactive: after all our brain is enfleshed in our senses, therefore sometime our senses can be accurate and sometimes they can be inaccurate.The accuracy of my senses can be on point when things are clear and there is nothing clouding my thinking, example when I have had a good day and there have been no distractions then things make sense. On the other hand the daily concerns which are presented in general may cause my sense to be altered therefore things that would make sense are distorted and challenged. Our sensual perception (using sight as an example) can deceive our brain in three major wa ys: limited biologically, we see the superficial; corralled by custom, we see the habitual; and blinded by language, we see the general.Provide at least three reasons for believing in the accuracy or inaccuracy of sensory data information. My reasons for believing in the accuracy of sensory data are as follows. 1. Smell would be one sense of accuracy that I believe in, because we use this to let us know when, some things such as the environment that we are in is okay, for instance if we are in our homes, or at work and the smoke detector goes off then we would examine our surrounds to see if all is well, if not we would, leave because our smell of smoke and hearing of the alarm tells us that there may be a fire. . Our hearing is another powerful tool that we are blessed to have it’s our most vital sense. It’s crucial in communication, and is interactive with our thinking. Our hearing opens up the wonders of the world and helps us to explore things that we would not oth erwise be able to in bark upon. With our hearing we are able to recognize different sounds such as the winds blowing and the rain falling sounds such as music which has been proven to rage the beast in us.Example in the Bible 1 Samuel 16:23 and it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed. ) All of which has come about because of our hearing. 3. The power of touch is also a great sensory perception that we have as a part of our make up in the human body. It allows us to fell what is cold and hot, smooth are rough.If one becomes blind, the sense of touch becomes the most power tool that the person has, it’s through the touch of the hand the one can read words, or determine the difference between a bottle and a cup, or the shape of one’s eyes or noise or lips. Touch allows us to take caution of heat that may be on a stove or a fireplace for fear that we might get burned. Again because of the accuracy of our perception we can perceive such things as this.

NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT PAYMENT PROCESS & GROWTH PowerPoint Presentation

NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT PAYMENT PROCESS & GROWTH - PowerPoint Presentation Example The company has some set objectives, solutions to problems, and set alternatives to better its services to customers. The breakdown is as depicted in the presentation. Destination care aims at providing better quality services to customers to widen its market share and productivity. The need to set objectives and work to achieve them is a key undertaking of the company, aimed at improving the quality of services offered. Destination Care has a vast focus on the expansion of market share, through widening the customer base. The company is consistently generating new ideas to help improve their revenue streams, and simultaneously better their servicing, public image, and productivity. One of the ways of improving their market share is through the introduction of a variety of payment options. Destination Care has experienced a limiting factor, which is offering only two payment options, cash, and checks. It has hindered the growth of the organization since more and more customers opt for other payment methods, such as the electronic methods. Customers prefer much-simplified systems, such as the electronic means, which is much convenient as opposed to checks where one must await their processing. The company also aims to widen its market coverage through social media promotion. The company plans to better its market share through informing potential customers about their services and new systems. Through this methodology, the company will maximize its revenues, initiated by the wider market for services. Destination Care has a major focus on simplifying their systems and making them easier to use. It will help improve their productivity and better their public image. One of the set plans to achieve this is the introduction of various payment options, which will enable customers to pay their bills easily and conveniently. The current payment systems hinder growth of the organization, and they limit its productivity since some of