Cancer Treatment Essays (807 words) - RTT, Radiation Therapy

Cancer Treatment In recent years Cancer is disease that has seemed to captivate and frighten Americans. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. with more than 1 million new cases occurring a year. With each day scientific findings aid a better understanding of the causes of the disease. These findings have opened doors to help treat cancer patients more effectively. Scientists have gained a more specific knowledge of individual cancers and now through the wonders of science have found effective treatments for the disease. To treat Cancer doctors and scientist need an understanding of what the disease actually physically does. Cancer is defined as new growth of tissue resulting from a continuing proliferation of abnormal cells that have the ability to invade and destroy other tissues. Cancer is not restricted to what type of cell and tissue it may emerge from. Therefore, they describe the disease as a large number of diseases as opposed to just on single disease. Because Cancer involves cells that can easily enter the bloodstream the disease has the ability to spread rapidly throughout the body making it an even more dangerous disease. Another factor in successful treatment of Cancer is to understand the causes for the disease. It is believed that a combination of several factors produce the disease. Inheritance is said to play a roll in about 20 percent of Cancers. Although it is more prevalent in cancer types such as breast and colon. Viral infections play a large role in cancer of animals. In humans different DNA viruses can cause leukemia and Burkitt's lymphoma. Long term radiation also plays a role in the mutation of DNA that may cause Cancer. Environmental factors are estimated to be responsible for about 80 percent Cancers. Factors such as tobacco smoking are said to cause 30 percent of cancers and diet is believed to cause about 40 percent. Only with a complete understanding of the physical characteristics and causes of Cancer can scientists and doctors begin to develop effective treatments. Currently there are three major ways of treating Cancer; surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The idea behind surgery for treatment of cancer patients is to remove all malignant cells and tumors. With new, more precise, surgical advances, far less tissue is required to be removed thus resulting in a quicker recovery and less chance for serious disability. Surgery is most effective if done in the early stages of Cancer, although it is effective in more developed stages in relieving symptoms. Surgery is also used to make other forms of treatment, such as radiation, more effective. With the reduction of the tumor through surgery radiation treatment may effectively eliminate the tumor. Radiation treatment of cancer uses gamma rays attack Cancer causing tissue. Since tumors are more sensitive to radiation than normal tissue radiation can effectively eliminate or reduce harmful tissues that surgery can otherwise not remove. Since normal tissues are not as easily harmed by radiation, the negative effects on healthy tissue are not as severe. If the tumor is reduced through radiation, it may become possible for a doctor to eliminate the tumor through surgery. Radiation can also sterilize tumors thus preventing or slowing the spread of the Cancer through the body. This can also help doctors remove the tumor more easily through surgery, and provides a much less involved, painful surgery. The combination of radiation and surgery, if effective, can offer a cure with fewer negative side effects to the patient. The final traditional means of treating cancer is Chemotherapy. This form of treatment involves the use of drugs. Chemotherapy is used when Cancer has grown throughout the body and is no longer accessible through radiation or surgery. Although after chemotherapy, surgery is often used to eliminate remaining Caceres tissue. In this treatment drugs are administered and pass through the blood stream effecting Cancer tissue and healthy tissue. Since the drugs affect healthy tissue the patient will become sick from the treatment but because healthy cells divide faster than malignant cells the patient is able to recuperate. Chemotherapy, like all Cancer treatments, is most effective when administered early the early stages of the disease. It is also important that the treatment is consistent and administered frequently in

Defining Rotation and Revolution in Astronomy

Defining Rotation and Revolution in Astronomy Astro-Language The language of astronomy has many interesting terms such as light-year, planet, galaxy, nebula, black hole, supernova, planetary nebula, and others. These all describe objects in the universe. However, those are just objects in space. If we want to understand them better, we have to know something about their motions. However, to understand them and their motions, astronomers use terminology from physics and mathematics to describe those motions and other characteristics. So, for example, we use velocity to talk about how fast an object moves. The term acceleration, which comes from physics (as does velocity), refers to the rate of an objects motion over time.  Think of it like starting up a car: the driver pushes on the accelerator, which causes the car to move slowly at first. The car eventually picks up speed (or accelerates) as long as the driver keeps pushing on the gas pedal.   In Back to the Future a specially outfitted DeLorean was the vehicle that took the movies characters back and forth in time. One of the requirements for the trip was that it had to accelerate at high speed.   Getty Images/Charles Eshelman.   Two other terms used in science are rotation and revolution. They do not mean the same thing, but they do describe motions that objects make. And, they are often used interchangeably. Rotation and revolution arent terms exclusive to astronomy. Both are important facets of mathematics, especially geometry, where geometrical objects can be rotated and their motion described using mathematics. The terms are also used in physics and chemistry.  So, knowing what they mean and the difference between the two is useful knowledge, particularly in astronomy. Rotation The strict definition of rotation is the circular movement of an object about a point in space. This is used in geometry as well as astronomy and physics. To help visualize it, imagine a point on a piece of paper. Rotate the piece of paper while its lying flat on the table. Whats happening is that essentially every point is rotating around the place on the paper where the point is drawn. Now, imagine a point in the middle of a spinning ball. All the other points in the ball rotate around the point. Draw a line through the center of the ball where the point lies, and thats its axis.   This graphic shows Earth spinning on its axis (rotation) as it orbits the Sun (revolution). Image by Tauolunga, via Wikimedia Commons.   For the kinds of objects  discussed in astronomy, rotation is used to describe an object rotating about an axis. Think of a merry-go-round. It rotates around the center pole, which is the axis. Earth rotates around on its axis in the same way. In fact, so do many astronomical objects: stars, moons, asteroids, and pulsars. When the axis of rotation passes through the object it is said to  spin,  like that top mentioned above, on the point of the axis.   Revolution It is not necessary for the axis of rotation to actually pass through the object in question. In some cases, the axis of rotation is outside of the object altogether. When that happens, the outer object is revolving around the axis of rotation. Examples of revolution would be a ball on the end of a string, or a planet going around a star. However,  in the case of planets revolving around stars, the motion is also commonly referred to as an  orbit. The planets and comets of the solar system follow slightly elliptical orbits around the Sun. Moons and other satellites do the same around their planets. This diagram shows the orbits shapes, although it is not to scale. NASA The Sun-Earth System Now, since astronomy often deals with multiple objects in motion, things can get complex. In some systems, there are multiple axes of rotation. One classic astronomy example is the Earth-Sun system. Both the Sun and the Earth rotate individually, but the Earth also revolves, or more specifically orbits, around the Sun. An object can have more than one axis of rotation, such as some asteroids. To make things easier, just think of spin as something that objects do on their axes (plural of axis).   Orbit is the motion of one object around another. Earth orbits the Sun. The Moon orbits Earth. The Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way.  Its likely that the Milky Way is orbiting something else within the Local Group, which is the grouping of galaxies where it exists. Galaxies can also orbit around a common point with other galaxies. In some cases, those orbits bring galaxies so close together that they collide.   Sometimes people will say that Earth revolves around the Sun.  Orbit  is more precise and is the motion that can be calculated using the masses, gravity, and the distance between the orbiting bodies. Sometimes we hear someone refer to the time it takes for a planet to make one orbit around the Sun as one revolution. Thats rather more old-fashioned, but its perfectly legitimate.  The word revolution comes from the word revolve and so it makes sense to use the term, although its not strictly a scientific definition. The important thing to remember is that objects are in motion throughout the universe, whether they are orbiting each other, a common point of gravity, or spinning on one or more axes as they move.   Fast Facts Rotation usually refers to something rotating on its axis.Revolution usually refers to something orbiting something else (like Earth around the Sun).Both terms have specific uses and meanings in science and mathematics. Updated and edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Speech Disfluencies in Individuals with Tourette Syndrome Assignment - 1

Speech Disfluencies in Individuals with Tourette Syndrome - Assignment Example The authors concluded that, despite there being no difference in self-reporting, the children with Tourette's syndrome did have a higher level of developmental stuttering, and that this is in line with previous studies. The introduction section of the article provides a basic overview of Tourette's syndrome, which the authors abbreviate as TS. This section of the paper does a good job of setting the current study within the wider conversation around Tourette's syndrome, arguing that "TS and developmental stuttering seem to share a number of other characteristics," suggesting that they share "etiological factors" in their origin (97). The authors also point out that studies on this topic are not widespread, with most studies focusing on other aspects of Tourette's syndrome, and that those which do focus on speech disfluencies often have flaws such as "variations in the definition of studying" or a lack of evaluation by speech-language pathologists (98). It is this lack of direct study on speech disfluency that the authors hope to address. For their study, the authors recruited children with Tourette's syndrome from a clinic at a Toronto hospital which specializes in treating it (98). Specifically, the study focused on 69 children with Tourette's syndrome, ranging in age from 4 to 18 years, and with varying degrees of Tourette's syndrome and other disorders such as Obsessive-compulsive disorder and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (98). Beyond these children, the authors recruited a control group of 27 children ranging in age from 6 to 17 years from the general clinic at the same hospital (98). In order to achieve sensible results, the authors also split the children into age groups. The study itself had two parts. The first of these was filling out a questionnaire for the child to answer questions on "self-reported presence, nature, and familial incidence of speech and language difficulties" such as stuttering, voice problems, and so on (98).

An Outline and Annotated Bibliography for the Final Persuasive Essay - 1

An Outline and Annotated Bibliography for the Final Persuasive Research - Essay Example Parker-Pope, T. (2010, June 6). An Ugly Toll of Technology: Impatience and Forgetfulness.  The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brainside.html?ref=yourbrainoncomp&_r=0. The article is a well written description of the adverse affects that are being produced as a result of excessive dependence and addiction to technology. The writer gives an intelligent overview of how the personalities of individuals transform as a result of excessive dependence. He also points out how these shifts in personalities go un attended. Shelly, G. B., Vermaat, M., Quasney, J. J., Sebok, S. L., & Freund, S. M. (2012).Discovering computers: Your interactive guide to the digital world : complete. Australia: Course Technology, Cengage Learning. This book, written by multiple authors, provides an interactive view of the digital world human society has turned into. For a novice and for those still virtually living in the stone ages, this book provides a very interesting preview of the components of this digital world and the pros and cons associated with it. The readings in this book were particularly helpful in assessing the terminology of technology overload. It also provided an insight into certain issues that have emerged with the prevalence of technology and also ponders upon their eradication. This book was particularly helpful in asserting the point of view established by reading the first referenced article. A work of multiple authors intelligently put together, the book is appealing and explains its point of view well. The paper highlights the introduction of a particular technology broadband into a firm and previews its affects upon the organizational structure. It also discusses the economic aspects associated with the introduction of technology within a firm with special reference to

Describe a person or event that has had a profound impact on you and Essay

Describe a person or event that has had a profound impact on you and the way you look at the world - Essay Example The simultaneous attacks were the adversaries' ploy to exhibit their competence boldly defying American sovereignty. Sandwiched between these warring nations are innocent lives that are needlessly lost. It was indeed a distressing incident that will forever be etched in the history of mankind. I am deeply moved by the sudden turn of events. The fateful event significantly changed my outlook in life. It's not just the United States of America that was involved in that tragic incident. I awakened to the stark realization that we are presently living in a very harsh world and that we cannot afford to be indifferent. As a youth and international student, I became aware of the responsibilities ahead of me. I know very well that our generation is next in line in molding and shaping a better world. Amidst the incessant controversies, it is very crucial to observe and learn from the things that had ensued. Although disastrous and heartrending, the 9/11 disaster brought forth present-day heroes. I admire the common people who have risked their lives in order to save others. I am in awe of the courageous men and women who chose to lose their lives for the benefit of many.

Behaviour for Learning

Behaviour for Learning The need to manage behaviour has long been an issue within schools. With the push on raising attainment, the development of SEN provision and the increase in policy, to be inclusive of all learners irrespective of their academic level or their social behaviour, as identified that 20% of all SEN learners have SEBD. Current policy has adapted towards a positive approach focusing on the ability of teachers to create a positive learning environment developing positive relationships in order to promote a positive attitude towards learning, steering away from the once punitive approach and not being re-active to negative behaviour but more pro-active as supported by (EPPI) Behaviour management is often flagged as an area that ITE students feel they would benefit from having greater support in when entering the profession of teaching (Buell et al., 1999 cited in EPPI). This has been met by the expectations set by the TTA via the Qualifying to teach, the new standards and requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) (TTA,2002). B4L is a concept that has been developed through a review of effective behaviour management strategies. It has been identified that B4L is a result of multitude of influences and not merely the desire of a learner to misbehave and unwillingness to learn. It is important to identify the theoretical principles behind the way in which learners manifest themselves in terms of behaviour, as identified in the rationale for the EPPI systemic review of how theories explain learning behaviour in school context. Behaviour for learning (B4L) identifies the link between students social conduct and behaviour and the way in which they learn. The schools policy clearly states high expectations of students, We expect students to reflect this in their appearance, attitudes and behaviour. We know we are moulding the citizens of the future and will encourage them to care for one another, be open, fair, honest and just. We want them to have a sense of pride in being part of our school community. (School Aims, Staff handbook). Further to this the school s vision is to raise achievement by developing a culture where learning is at the heart of the school community. To achieve this vision the school identifies whole school priorities for 2010/2011 including improving behaviour and attendance. It also stated that the school will focus on incorporating SEAL practice in the classroom, which has been identified as an important key in developing learners emotional intelligence (Coleman, 1996) providing learners with the skill set to monitor and improve their behaviour independently. It was clearly identified in the School Development Plan that Behaviour for learning needed to be addressed (appendix 1). This was further reinforced as a high priority area during staff meetings and subsequent correspondence from the Head Teacher (Appendix 1a), which focused on current issues in lessons and the need to improve B4L. Two key issues that arose were the use of mobile phones within lessons and consistency of sanctions (Appendix 1a). It is interesting to note that these both encompass the teacher and the learner. It is concerning to note that use of mobile phones within lessons is being flagged as a B4L issue and not a sign of disengagement. Understandably there is a close link between the quality of learning, teaching and behaviour, and therefore raises the question can behaviour be improved through improving the quality of learning teaching? The school clearly identifies that there is a need to reinforce their school policies on behaviour for learning. Through initial observation it was interesting to note the level of behavioural issues occurring both in and out of lessons. It poses the question is this a school being pro-active in managing behaviour for learning or re-active to behaviour that had not been managed consistently? This study will focus on the schools current policy on behaviour for learning and how this is implemented on a daily basis. Through a review of the schools current policy and issues this study will hope to suggest future recommendations to improve behaviour for learning. Recent national policy has moved away from a punitive system where students were punished for doing something wrong reactive and are now working towards understanding what causes learners to be off task and display undesirable behaviour pro-active. With the recent development of special educational needs identification and provision it is no longer acceptable to respond in a punitive way. National policy now promotes the inclusion of a greater diversity of learners in schools irrespective of level of achievement or social behaviour (Department for Education Employment (DfEE), 1999). It is important for schools to recognise this and develop strategies to promote B4L as over 20% of SEN provision are learners with social emotional and behavioural disorder (SEBD) (Department for Children, Schools Families, 2008). SEBD learners by nature can display undesirable behaviour unless managed in a positive way, and would it not be deemed unacceptable from an education professionals view for a learner predisposed to display poor behaviour as the result of a recognised disorder, to fall victim to punitive actions. It is therefore important for schools to have a well-structured B4L policy that coincides with the SEN policy. Communication between the SEN department and the rest of the school is also essential. (back up with research) too many lessons lack challenge and do not take sufficient account of students individual capabilities or encourage independent learning. Also, quality of marking and feedback generally varies considerably across the school. However, a small minority of parents expressed views that the schools communication with parents could be better, and also that students behaviour was not always as good as it should be. Inspectors found behaviour to be satisfactory overall, but variable. In general, students have a high regard for their school, enjoy their education and appreciate the variety of opportunities on offer to them, both within the curriculum and beyond. They are developing a good range of personal skills that are preparing them well for their education and employment after school. Ensure that lesson activities consistently challenge students of all ability groups to make better progress and develop their independent learning skills, especially at Key Stage 4. Behaviour in lessons is satisfactory, although someinstances of pupils being too boisterous were seen during the inspection. However, there is generally not enough really challenging teaching across the school to ensure that students make consistently good progress in their learning and therefore develop the confidence and ability to work independently. Where teaching is less effective, planning does not take sufficient account of students different capabilities and starting points, and is too teacher-directed. Teachers do provide some clear, detailed and useful written feedback, but this is inconsistent across the school and does not always give specific advice about what students need to do to improve their work a problem which persists since the last inspection.

Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers fc

The origin, traditional Buddhism began in the 6th century BC with the historical personage born Siddhartha Gautama, but better known by a variety of titles including Shakyammi, Tathagata, or most commonly Buddha, the enlightened one. The legend of the Buddha’s life has acquired plenty of variations and embellishments over the years, but the basic facts are accepted as traditional, including the dates of his birth and death (563-489 BC by Western reckoning, 624-544 according to Sri Lankan tradition). The story of Buddha’s birth is encrusted with myth and fable as that of any God-figure in human history. For instance, he is said to have issued from his mother’s womb stating that his cycle of rebirths was about to end. Again, some Buddhists devoutly accept the fables as we in the west accept Christmas narratives, while others choose to focus on the truths beneath the myths. We do know with some certainty that the Buddha was born to a royal family in northern India, in the foothills of what is now Nepal. Siddhartha Gautama led a sheltered existence in the court of his father, Shuddhodana, the king of the Shakya clan, who shielded him from any knowledge of human suffering or religions of the time. Soon after his birth a soothsayer named Asita predicted that he would become either the emperor of all India or if the "Four Passing Sights" should come to pass he would renounced the world and would become the greatest spiritual leader the world has ever known. Shuddhodana, Gautama, a member of the warrior-ruler caste, preferred the royal vocation and provided his son with three palaces located so that his son would not experience the dramatic seasonal changes. He placed at his son disposal anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 dancing girls to keep his mind firmly rooted in the "real" world. He also gave orders that his son should never see t he sick, the aged, dead bodies, and nor should a monk be allowed near his son. But, as so often happens when manipulative fathers groom their sons to take over the family business, Siddhartha rebelled. At 16 he married a beautiful young princess named Yasodhara, by whom he fathered a son, Rahula. Over the ensuing years Gautama, was shielded from the facts of the real world. But legend states the gods intervened with what is now called the "Four Passin... ...He then continued to meditate for a total of 49 days, for it was at this time all Buddhist down through the ages believed, Gautama, first experienced Nirvana: the goal of Buddhism; it means freedom from karma; extinction of all craving; the realization of the true nature of the mind. This is the closest thing in Buddhism to the western world’s idea of salvation, the ultimate goal of all religious faiths. Traditionally, the accounts were committed to writing in Sanskrit and in Pali, a Sanskrit derived Indian dialect within 100 years of the Buddha’s death, but modern scholars places the dates closer to the 2nd and 1st century BC. The written records of his sermons and dialogues are known as sutras. Unlike other major religions of the world the concept of a divine being, as in, Hinduism’s Atman-Brahman, Judaism’s Yahweh, and Islam’s Allah, Buddhism does not proclaim any worship of any god. Buddhist believes that the divine being, per say, is not something you believe in, or worship, or can describe but instead something you experience. Bibliography 1. http://buddhism.about.com/ 2. http://www.buddhanet.net/ 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

Marketing Paper Heineken Essay

Heineken is a Dutch beer brewery company, which was founded in 1863, when Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought a small brewery in Amsterdam called â€Å"The Haystack†. In 1900 the company came up with it nowadays famous five-point star. In 1914 the company began expanding, starting with the production of their own bottled beers. By 1914 the company was one of the most loved import beers in the United States. From around 1948 Heineken began promoting their beer on a large scale. With slogans as â€Å"Heerlijk helder Heineken† (meaning: Delicious clear Heineken) and â€Å"Good people bring home Heineken†. In 1968 Heineken comes up with an innovation that will be used for over 30 years, the barrel with an attached draft pipe. This way an innkeeper only has to connect the barrel from the outside. In the same year Heineken also takes over their rival company Amstel. However, Amstel will keep its own identity and they will both follow different strategies. In the early 1980’s Heineken is available in 145 countries around the world. After the fall of the Wall in 1989, Heineken will even expand further into Eastern Europe. For instance, Heineken acquires Brau Beteiligungs A.G. (BRAG), in 2003. Until now, that is still the largest acquisition in Heineken’s history. In 2005 Heineken comes up with an innovative system that would take over the markets once more: The portable Heineken Draught keg. In 2010 Heineken is active in 170 countries and still trying to expand. They have 120 breweries globally, and employ 54.000 people. In the 120 breweries Heineken owns, Heineken brews more than 200 different kinds of beers and ciders, Heineken Premium beer being the most famous one. In Heineken’s Annual Report of 2009 Heineken has stated that 18 percent net growth in net profit. They reported revenue of â‚ ¬14.701 million; their net profit was â‚ ¬1.055 million. Their revenue of â‚ ¬14.701 million came from a consolidated beer volume of around 125 million hectoliters.[1] Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. Stock exchange and management scheme Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. are both represented on the Stock exchange list. Heineken Holding holds 50.005 % interest in Heineken N.V. FEMSA holds a 9.245% interest in Heineken N.V. The free float interest in Heineken N.V. is 40.75%. L’arche Green N.V., is owned by the Heineken family for 88.75% and by Greenfee B.V., which owns the remaining 11.25%. L’arche Green N.V. holds a 50.075% interest in Heineken Holding N.V. FEMSA holds a 14.94% interest in Heineken Holding N.V. Free float interest in Heineken Holding N.V. represents 34.94%.[2] We have put a stock exchange and management scheme in Appendix A. Products, Geographical Markets and Market Positions As Heineken brews around 200 different kinds of beers and ciders, we will first state a couple of recognizable brand names. However after that, we will focus on the Heineken Premium Pilsner, or Heineken Premium segment. We will differentiate on the premium segment because otherwise our paper will become to elaborate. Products Heineken most famous brand is Heineken Premium Beer. Below I will mention other brand names that Heineken brews in their breweries. I chose to name the products they brew in Western Europe; this is due to the fact that Heineken is Europe’s largest and leading beer brewer. In Europe the most brewed beers and ciders that Heineken brews are: – Heineken – Amstel – Desperados – Gà ¶sser – Strongbow – Edelweiss For a total overview of all the beers that Heineken brews in the worlds, you can visit http://www.heinekeninternational.com/products_brands_brands.aspx For the relevance of this paper, it is not necessary to name all these brands. Geographical Markets Below you will find a table with the geographical distribution of consolidated beer volume, this is off al of the beers and ciders Heineken brews in the world. |In thousands of hectolitres[3] |2010 |% | |Western Europe |45,394 |31.1 | |Central and Eastern Europe |42,237 |29.0 | |Africa and the MIddle East |19,070 |13.1 | |The Americas |37,843 |25.9 | |Asia Pacific |1,328 |0.9 | |Consolidated beer volume |145,872 |100 | The premium segment is listed below. |Segment |Volume |Percentage | |Western Europe |7,600 |29,3% | |Central and Eastern Europe |2,800 |10,8% | |Africa and the Middle East |2,100 |8,2% | |North and South America |9,000 |34,7% | |Asia Pacific |4,400 |17,0% | |Total |25,900 |100% | Market positions Western Europe In Western Europe Heineken is market leader in countries including The U.K., The Netherlands, France and Italy. Heineken is the number two as beer brewer in countries such as Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. Western Europe is a highly important segment for Heineken as a company, Europe as a whole has about 850 million inhabitants, and together they are consuming 40,1 percent of the total premium segment, on average only the America’s are drinking more premium beer. Central and Eastern Europe In Central and Europe Heineken is also the largest beer brewer. Being the market leader in several countries Heineken brews 42.237 million liters of consolidated beers and ciders. The volume of Premium beer however is slightly low, only 10,8 percent. Africa and the Middle East Heineken is becoming more and more successful in countries in Africa, after starting the Heineken Africa Foundation the brand has become highly popular in sub-Sahara countries. Due to the high population of expatriates, Heineken is able to sell premium beers in African and Middle Eastern countries. North and South America This is the only segment Heineken does not own a market leading position. Heineken does enjoy number two positions in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. In 2010 their position was strengthened after buying FEMSA. Asia Pacific The Asian market has been growing for multiple consecutive years. Heineken holds strong positions in Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zeeland, Singapore and Taiwan. The fact that Heineken is a strong brand in Singapore is because of the earlier mentioned reason, the reason being expatriates. Cultural issues affecting Heineken When researching cultural issues, we thought of a case we had to deal with in the International Management II course. This case dealt with expatriates in Saudi Arabia. The common belief in Saudi Arabia is the Islam; their holy book is the Koran. The Koran states: Regarding Alcohol – The Holy Quraan states: â€Å"They ask Thee concerning Wine and Gambling, Say: In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.† (Surah Al-Baqarah:219) This means that all Islamic people should refrain from alcohol. The fact that Islamic people should refrain from alcohol makes it hard for Heineken to find a market in Saudi Arabia for Heineken beers or other ciders containing alcohol. However, Saudi Arabia is a country in which a lot of expatriates live and work. Expatriates are (mostly) western people, who do live according to the Koran. This means that these expatriates are able to drink a beer after work. The fact that this is able for expatriates makes it easier for Heineken to sell their brews in countries such as Saudi Arabia. However, this is the kind of problem Heineken mostly has to deal with. These kinds of problems are not hard to solve. We were not able to find more problems, only those that are similar to the problem we described above. We can conclude that Heineken is a very large MNE, Multi National Enterprise, however, we have not jet reviewed Heineken’s current performance. In the following section of our report we will analyse the performance of Heineken N.V. over the last five years. Therefore, will balance their financial performance against another large brewer’s performance, namely SABMiller. |Revenue (Change in % of the year before) |Heineken |SABMiller | |2010 |9.7% |4% | |2009 |2.7% |6% | |2008 |27.3% |15% | |2007 |6.2% |22% | |2006 |9.6% |19% | In this table the growth of the revenue is reviewed since SABMiller’s total revenue is more than Heineken’s. Although Heineken kept growing their revenue in the last five years, their competitor’s revenue kept growing as well. SABMiller generated even a bigger growth of their revenue compared to Heineken. Therefore we can state that although Heineken has increased their revenue in times of financial crisis, this does not imply that the performed extraordinary well compared to their competitors. According to John Hagel III, John Seely Brown and Lang Daviso in their blog article on ‘The Best Way to Measure Company Performance’ (2010), the return to equity ratio is not the best way to measure company performance. A different view is the one from the shareholders; since ROE focuses on the net income per share, it is a very commonly used method to measure company’s performance by shareholders. Therefore, this method is used in this paper and if we would use other methods our paper will become to elaborate. Concluding from this table we can state that Heineken performed better over the last five years then one of its main competitors in terms of Return on Equity. ROE’s between 15% and 20% are considered desirable; Heineken met this standard very well. Although SABMiller is not coping with a low Return on Equity, they are nevertheless unable to meet that standard. |ROE (Return on equity) |Heineken |SABMiller | |2010 |14,1% |12,6% | |2009 |19,7% |13,4% | |2008 |22,7% |12,2% | |2007 |20,7% |12,5% | |2006 |18,6% |11,5% | To summarize, both Heineken and SABMiller maintained a high level of growth over the last five years; their revenue kept growing. Despite both companies kept growing their revenue, a look at the Return on Equity ratio shows that Heineken is more profitable then SABMiller. It is save to state that Heineken has financially performed well over the last five years. International market segmentation International market segmentation can be described as the process of dividing the entire market into smaller market segments. According to Hollensen’s Essentials of global marketing (2008) there are 4 steps a company has to take while segmenting the right market, these steps can be found in appendix B. In this section, Heineken’s international segmentation strategies are discussed following these four steps. Hollensen’s first step is â€Å"the selection of the relevant segmentation criteria,† every market has it’s characteristics, Heineken had to select the criteria that were relevant for them. Heineken had to take in account measurable factors such as the geographic location, language, industrial structure and political factors. In addition, they had to take in account factors that have a low degree of measurability, such as cultural characteristics and attitudes and tastes. Not all these factors are relevant for Heineken; the language is not that relevant to a brewing company, however, the taste of the consumer is. Heineken also segmented their export market using other characteristics. Important characteristics for Heineken are age, e.g. minimal drinking age; alcohol consumption, e.g. heavy or casual drinker; tastes, e.g. they might prefer sweeter beer to Heineken and geographic location, e.g. the distance to the brewery. The second step is the development of appropriate segments. In this step Heineken had to find markets and market segments that match their relevant selection criteria. The third step is the screening of segments to narrow down the list of markets/countries to choose from and make a decision. This screening process can be divided into two steps, first the preliminary screening, countries/markets both external criteria and internal resources have to be taken into account. Secondly the fine-grained screening where the firm’s competitive power in different markets should be taken into account. Heineken selects in this step the market segments where they want to participate in. The forth step is â€Å"to develop subsegments in each qualified country and across countries.† In this step Heineken turns it’s macro segments from step three to micro segments; they further define their market segments. Market targeting Targeting is the process of evaluating potential identified segments to select the one with the highest potential (Hollensen, 2008). Heinekens target markets consist of younger to middle aged people. Heineken’s marketing activities are focused on this segment; they want their market segment to relate Heineken beer to sport events, festivals and nightclubs. Heineken is successful in addressing this consumer segment; they are the preferred premium beer for a large market share. This target market does not differ a lot among countries, although they adjust their marketing to each market, these adjustments are minor ones. Market positioning Market positioning can be defined as the process of creating a preferable brand image in the minds of the target groups of a company. It is not only preferable for companies to establish a positive brand image, but a positive identity for their products and organization as well. Market positioning is important to Heineken; Heineken puts many resources in advertising and positioning projects. When a company considers market positioning, they are likely to use the four P’s, Product, Price, Place and Promotion. We will briefly introduce these concepts and we will examine them further in a different section of this article. The four P’s are the marketing mix; all these aspects should be taken in consideration when constructing a marketing program that delivers superior value (Kotler & Armstrong, 2005). Heineken is actively using its marketing mix to position themselves as a positive brand for their target market. Heineken is involved in several market positioning activities, for example, Heineken is one of the main sponsors of the UEFA Champions League, one of the largest soccer leagues in Europe. Their goal with sponsoring this league is for their target market to relate Heineken with this sport event, therefore creating a positive brand image. Another example of a market positioning activity that Heineken is involved in will be the sponsorship of a concert hall in the Netherlands, namely the ‘Heineken Music Hall.† Again, their goal is that their targeted customers are gaining affection with the positive experience of the concert and the brand Heineken. In addition, Heineken is opening and sponsoring fully branded bars around the world. Heineken sponsors these bars and you can find their brand logo almost everywhere. Heineken allocates many resources to their marketing department in order to do this around the world; this results in brand recognition everywhere. This is again a promotional activity conducted by Heineken to establish a better market position. Product strategies The product strategy is a marketing plan of a specific product accommodated to for instance the target market, desired product positioning within the market, and profit objectives. Almost always product strategies are based on the four P’s, financial targets, and budgets of the producing company. Now, a deeper look in the product strategies of Heineken shall be made.Firstly, Hollensen(2008)[4] states that there are three levels of a product. These three levels include: the core product benefits, the core attributes and the support services (figure below). As the figure shows there is a high possibility of standardizing elements of products at the level of â€Å"core product benefits, medium possibilities to standardize in the â€Å"product attributes† level, and a low possibility of support services being standardized. [pic]The most eye-catching core product benefits of Heineken include the technology, most important: the patented technology used to brew the beer and giving it the distinguishable taste Heineken is known for. Heineken does not change the brewing process in any foreign market it explores (Anthony Ruys, 2005)[5] so no matter where Heineken is consumed the taste will be exactly the same. Also the perceived value is a major core benefit for Heineken, Heineken is such a large brewery with so many (geographically dispersed) market that it is recognized all over the world, people in foreign markets see Heineken as a luxury beer and this is exactly what Heineken intended when entering the market, for example Heineken promotion strategy in when entering the USA market: Heineken hired a vast amount of actors to go to luxury bars and hotels and keep asking for a â€Å"Heineken† beer, when this continued over a long period those bars and hotels were almost forced to use Heineken. Salient detail: a test with blindfolds regarding several breweries, Heineken finished almost at the bottom of the list, when the same experiment was conducted with the names of the breweries in sight Heineken was the undisputed number one. (Peters, 2001) [6] Looking at the product attributes it is remarkable that Heineken maintains almost the exact same size, looks , and lay out in every foreign market to get a high recognition rate. So the design, packaging, and quality are practically the same in every foreign market, this way their brand name and status is strengthened. Because of this Heineken also tries to keep the product attributes standardized. Hence two slogans of Heineken: â€Å"Serving the planet†; and â€Å"meet you there†, meaning wherever one may go the familiar Heineken beer will be around.Finally there is the support services level, this is the level with the lowest standardization in the company. Heineken has many marketing involvements in bars and hotels and host numerous events. The biggest example of Heineken’s support service in their home country the Netherlands is the â€Å"Holland Heineken house†, It is a portable bar which is up and running on the scene at major sporting events (world cup soccer etc.). these events and marketing opportunities are not as easy to standardize like for instance the production process. For the simple reason that it is an unpredictable aspect of the company. Market entry and distribution strategies Heineken started exporting in 1876 with regular shipments to France, twelve years after taking over â€Å"de Hooiberg† (another dutch brewery established in 1592), but Heineken kept a low profile concerning the export. Only after the son of Gerard Adriaan Heineken took over, the export of Heineken experienced a big growth with market entries in for example the United States. The United States were a vast growing market but it came to a sudden hold in the 1920’s when the prohibition act or â€Å"Volstead act† was initialized. By 1970 however Heineken was available in 70 percent of retail outlets in the United States mostly because of Heinekens distribution process. After this success Heineken began exporting to practically every corner in the world. According to Hollensen (2008) entry strategies for foreign market are divided in two groups. When a company goes abroad and has to choose a entry mode a distinction should be made in internalizing and externalizing foreign investment strategies. As can be seen in Appendix C[7]. hierarchical modes offer to most internalization where export modes require the most externalization. Between these two extremities are the intermediate modes. These modes will be discussed in the next paragraphs and will show which mode Heineken adapted. Firstly, the hierarchical modes which covers the internal factors. This includes the international experience of a company and what the size of the company is. When Heineken went to the United States it had very limited international experience. Also, back then, Heineken was the largest brewery in the Netherlands, but compared to the world The Netherlands is a very small market so Heineken had a restricted size. It also includes product complexity and differentiation. The product complexity when Heineken expanded to the United States was very low, after all at that time it only produced Heineken beer, only later on the made products adjusted to several foreign markets and product differentiation was created. Secondly, the export modes which cover the external factors. There are a vast amount of external factors with the most important one: the social an cultural distance between the home and the host country. Cultural and social distance between countries like The Netherlands and Belgium or Germany are not that big, however there were a lot of competitors present in the same branch in that period so Heineken decided to expand elsewhere. For instance in the United States there were few competitor because of the prohibition. But when a â€Å"western† company wants to expand in Asia or in Arabic countries there is a huge social and cultural distance. In the 1970’s Heineken started to pay more attention to the foreign markets and built up their social awareness which decreased the â€Å"sociocultural distance†. The mode with the most externalization is the export mode. In this mode the company has the choice between direct-, indirect-, and cooperative export entry mode. With the indirect export entry mode the company is mildly interacting with the foreign market due to the fact that an independent organization will distribute the company’s product. There is low risk and low commitment but there is also low control of the local distributer etcetera. Furthermore there is the direct market entry mode, in this mode the company is directly selling to a importer in the desired foreign market. The exporter will be in charge of the ins and outs and the up- and downstream functions and maintain well supported ties with the foreign market. When both the indirect- and the direct mode are not applicable the cooperative mode comes in the picture where there is a local importer dealing with the downstream functions (marketing, sales, services) and the exporter is in charge of the upstream functions within the local company (for example: the R&D department). Heineken started off in the export mode not only because there was limited experience in foreign markets up till then. The company had to keep expanding because the market for breweries became ever more competitive, Heineken founded a new brewery in the Netherlands but also founded the Malayan breweries and breweries in Venezuela, Zaire and Italy. Furthermore Heineken took over several foreign breweries. Nowadays Heineken adopted a Hierarchical mode for the market entry this means that it is fully owned and controlled by the company, but also the company bears the risk of its actions. Every market Heineken operates in. Heineken’s headquarters are stationed in the Netherlands but there are several subsidiaries in foreign markets because the general assumption is that geographically dispersed markets differ a lot and many will require a different approach which are than dealt with by the subsidiaries. Promotion Strategies According to Hollensen (2008) â€Å"†¦ important are the promotion or the performance promises that the organization makes for its product or service in the target market†. Regarding to product decisions, promotion of products can be adapted or standardized to foreign markets. Figure 1 (see appendix D), provides an overview of how products can be promoted in foreign markets. With regard to figure 1, Heineken seems to fit in the box of ‘Straight Extension’, since both the product and the promotion strategy of the company are standardized (one product, one message worldwide (Hollensen, 2008)). This is also stressed by Heineken’s general promotion strategy across the globe, which effectively creates a connection between the brand and the customers. In addition, Herwin van den Berg, Marketing Director of Heineken in the Netherlands states that: â€Å"Marketing is about attracting, inspiring and binding consumers and ensuring timely wake-up calls to your own organization†. Firstly, the Heineken company includes besides the well known Heineken brand, over 170 different, often local, brands as well. This multi-brand strategy proves to be simple, but effective. The main idea of acquiring other suitable, local brands, is to serve Heineken as a premium beer alongside the acquired local brand. If some local brand proves to have a significant growth potential, the brand is of interest of the Heineken company. This policy actually creates a global position for, because the Heineken brand becomes recognized as being a premium beer. Secondly, according to the Heineken website (www.heinekeninternational.com), the company has developed a policy of ‘Selling beer safely’, this policy holds that professional Beer Promoters (BPs) sell and promote Heineken beer directly to the (potential) consumers This policy proves to be a successful promotion strategy in most countries, because this policy manages to satisfy all different constituencies of the company. Despite the use of BPs, Heineken strives to improve the overall safety and health of the Beer Promoters, since promoting beer can be quite hazardous. Therefore, Heineken developed policies in their breweries that cover all aspects that are influencing the working conditions of the BPs. In order to instruct and train the BPs for their job as a effective Beer Promoter all over the world, Heineken developed all kinds of training tools, varying from instruction DVDs and manuals, to leaflets and booklets. These training tools are continually being improved and redesigned to maintain a proper basis for implementing the right strategy. Additionally, these training tools are translated in several languages, in order to maintain a general promotion strategy all over the world. Thirdly, when comparing the Heineken websites in different countries, it is obvious that Heineken uses the same promotion campaigns all over the world (examples: Draught keg, Extra cold, Beertender) . What stands out are Heinekens green (premium) beer bottle on the homepage on each website, the use of bright green colors, a direct link to Heineken’s Facebook page, and depending on the country, promotion campaigns such as Heineken Music or the UEFA Champions League. Besides the use of global marketing campaigns, some websites display local, country specific content as well (such as the new Heineken Ellipse glass). Additionally, most websites are fully translated, and some only partially in the foreign country’s language. Fourthly, when comparing the TV-commercials (www.youtube.com) of Heineken in different countries, it is obvious that the company promotes its premium beer and new products in quite the same way across the globe. The company actively promotes what seems to be the ‘Heineken experience’ which holds that Heineken premium beer is being drunk in the same way by people all over the world. However, the company does produce country/region specific ads, with slight adjustments, mostly for the major markets. In Asia for example, the commercials seem to reflect that a Heineken premium beer can be gained after a hard day at work. In Hispanic countries, a Heineken premium beer stands for intimacy and closeness, and in the image of Heineken in Western countries is that nothing stands between a man and a Heineken premium beer. To conclude with, â€Å"Heineken portrays itself as a global brand that makes the world just that little bit more enjoyable through its mentality and innovative products† (Heineken Case, Sister.) Pricing Strategies â€Å"Pricing policy is an important strategic and tactical competitive weapon that, in contrast to the other elements of the global marketing mix, is highly controllable and inexpensive to change and implement† (Hollensen, 2008). The Heineken company sells premium beer, which holds that the beer is priced in upper segment of the beer market. By premium pricing, customers become perceived that Heineken beer is different from all other brands, in the sense of being of a higher quality. And so, the relative high price can be established simply because customers are willing to pay the higher price for the real and perceived quality. Moreover, by pricing the product relatively high, the product position in de minds of customers becomes on the desired (high) level. Since Heineken premium beer is a standardized product, there are little additional costs concerning modification of the product to foreign markets. Therefore, Heineken can adjust its prices easily to the purchasing power in a foreign market and so maintain its brand image of being a premium beer, by setting the price to the relative upper segment of a country’s local beer market. By conducting this policy, Heineken maintains a global image of being a premium beer. Moreover, in some foreign markets Heineken even has the advantage of the so called country-of-origin effect. Which holds that customers perceive a product made in a certain country of being of a desired quality. Apparently, the Netherlands have a high reputation in the global beer market, since, for example, the customers in the United States are willing to pay significantly more for Heineken premium beer. On average, for every 100 liters of Heineken beer shipped to the US, Heineken’s profit is estimated on about 21 euro’s. In contrary, the average profit per 100 liters of Heineken beer in other countries is estimated on about 11.70 euro’s (Elsevier website). In short, Heineken is able to maintain its image of being a premium beer through both the general perception of being of a high/premium quality, and the corresponding price that has to be paid for Heineken’s premium beer. Source: Based on Keegan, 1995, pp. 489-94 and p498, Table 13.1 ———————– [1] http://www.annualreport.heineken.com/nl/Een_kort_overzicht/index.html#financials [2] http://www.heinekeninternational.com/ownership_cg.aspx [3] http://www.annualreport.heineken.com/Other-information/countries-and-Brands/index.html [4] Svend Hollensen: Essentials of global marketing [5] http://www.alcoholpreventie.nl/bestand/2005MarketingphilosophyofHeineken.pdf [6] Peters and Van Dam: Dienen en verdienen (serve and earn) (2001) [7] Svend Hollensen: Global Marketing (p. 280)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essays - Free Essays

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essays - Free Essays Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Understanding the Behavioral Disorder: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Imagine living in a fast-moving kaleidoscope, where sounds, images, and thoughts are constantly shifting. Feeling easily bored, yet helpless to keep your mind on tasks you need to complete. Distracted by unimportant sights and sounds, your mind drives you from one thought or activity to the next. Perhaps you are so wrapped up in a collage of thoughts and images that you don't notice when someone speaks to you. "Tommy can't sit still. He is disruptive at school with his constant talking and clowning around. He leaves the classroom without the teacher's permission. Although he has above-average intelligence, Tommy has trouble reading and writing. When he talks, the words come out so fast no one understands him" (Rees, 1994). For many people, this is what it's like to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. They may be unable to sit still, plan ahead, finish tasks, or be fully aware of what's going on around them. To their family, classmates or coworkers, they seem to exist in a whirlwind of disorganized or frenzied activity. Unexpectedlyon some days and in some situations they seem fine, often leading others to think the person with ADHD can actually control these behaviors. As a result, the disorder can mar the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) comes from the standard diagnostic reference of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). ADHD is a diagnosis applied to children and adults who consistently display certain characteristic Understanding ADHD 4. behaviors over a period of time. Hyperactivity has no single known cause and is therefore classified as a syndrome because it has a cluster of symptoms. It is generally characterized by excessive motor activity, short attention span, and impulsive behavior for a child's age. The most common behaviors fall into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. According to the DSM, signs of inattention include: ?becoming easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds ?failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes ?rarely following instructions carefully and completely ?losing or forgetting things like toys, or pencils, books, and tools needed for a task. (Frankovich, 1994) Some signs of hyperactivity and impulsivity are: ?feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming ?running, climbing, or leaving a seat, in situations where sitting or quiet behavior is expected ?blurting out answers before hearing the whole question ?having difficulty waiting in line or for a turn. (Frankovich, 1994) Under the criteria set by the APA, the diagnosis should include onset of the condition before age seven, lasting at least six months. There should also be a proven absence of mental illness or mental retardation. Parents can remove a huge burden of guilt from blaming themselves for their child's behavior. Knowing that scientists are finding more and more evidence that ADHD does not stem from home environment, but from biological causes. In the article ADHD Decade of the Brain, scientists find, "Not all children from unstable or dysfunctional homes have ADHD. And not all children with ADHD come from dysfunctional families" (1990). Some research shows that a mother's use of cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs during pregnancy may have damaging effects on the child. Understanding ADHD 5. "These substances may be dangerous to the fetus's developing brain" (ADHD Decade of the Brain, 1990). One other theory that is not definite whether it is a definite cause or not is that refined sugar and food additives make children hyperactive and inattentive. As a result, many parents were encouraged to stop serving children foods containing artificial flavorings, preservatives, and sugars. There is no cure for ADHD. While research continues to help scientists understand the underlying causes, treatments have been developed to provide relief of symptoms. Management of the syndrome may involve more than one method. The primary ones are medication, psychological intervention, and diet. In extreme cases of hyperactive behavior, the physician may prescribe stimulant drugs which affect mood, the thinking processes and behavior. This controversial practice has been used since the 1930's to control hyperactivity. "The stimulants amphetamines like Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Cylert act on the nervous system, and have been shown to be effective in many studies. The drugs have a calming effect on hyperactive children" (Rees, 1994). Stimulants allow many people to focus and pay better attention, whether or not they have ADHD. The improvement is just more noticeable in people with ADHD. It is not easy coping with the frustrations of ADHD day

Free Essays on SWOT Analysis - Sun Microsystems

I. CURRENT SITUATION A. Financial Performance – Sun Microsystems has managed to have at least 10% sales growth over the last several years. Net revenue in fiscal 1998 increased to $9.7 billion, or 13% compared to $8.6 billion in fiscal 1997. Sun has one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, with $822 million in cash in the bank. Revenues grew an average of 34.1% annually between 1988 and 1998. Approximately 49% of the total revenue was generated from outside the United States. Its net income grew 41% annually on average over the same time period. B. Strategic Posture 1. Mission – enable customers to create breakaway business strategies by using their network computing products, solutions, and services. Allow individuals or entire organizations to access information from anywhere to anything on any device. 2. Objectives – Sun would like a networked computing future driven by the needs and choices of the customer. It is a vision in which every man, woman, and child has access to the collective planetary wisdom that resides on the network. 3. Strategies a. Putting its expertise in high performance system design enabled the company to lower the price of advanced workstations and graphics technologies. b. Reach the ultimate goal of harnessing the Internet to stop Microsoft from swallowing them. c. Break Microsoft’s cash cow, Microsoft Office. d. Improve, change, and implement several new business practices, processes, and a series of related information systems. e. Work extensively to transform Sun’s product line in order to capitalize on networking. 4. Policies – One of any Java licensee’s most significant contractual obligations was to pass the Java compatibility tests. These tests determine if a licensee’s technology conformed to the Java specifications and APIs. II. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE A. Board of Directors: Scott McNealy, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Director’s at Sun... Free Essays on SWOT Analysis - Sun Microsystems Free Essays on SWOT Analysis - Sun Microsystems I. CURRENT SITUATION A. Financial Performance – Sun Microsystems has managed to have at least 10% sales growth over the last several years. Net revenue in fiscal 1998 increased to $9.7 billion, or 13% compared to $8.6 billion in fiscal 1997. Sun has one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, with $822 million in cash in the bank. Revenues grew an average of 34.1% annually between 1988 and 1998. Approximately 49% of the total revenue was generated from outside the United States. Its net income grew 41% annually on average over the same time period. B. Strategic Posture 1. Mission – enable customers to create breakaway business strategies by using their network computing products, solutions, and services. Allow individuals or entire organizations to access information from anywhere to anything on any device. 2. Objectives – Sun would like a networked computing future driven by the needs and choices of the customer. It is a vision in which every man, woman, and child has access to the collective planetary wisdom that resides on the network. 3. Strategies a. Putting its expertise in high performance system design enabled the company to lower the price of advanced workstations and graphics technologies. b. Reach the ultimate goal of harnessing the Internet to stop Microsoft from swallowing them. c. Break Microsoft’s cash cow, Microsoft Office. d. Improve, change, and implement several new business practices, processes, and a series of related information systems. e. Work extensively to transform Sun’s product line in order to capitalize on networking. 4. Policies – One of any Java licensee’s most significant contractual obligations was to pass the Java compatibility tests. These tests determine if a licensee’s technology conformed to the Java specifications and APIs. II. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE A. Board of Directors: Scott McNealy, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Director’s at Sun...

Context paper English 105 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Context English 105 - Research Paper Example The centre has proved itself as a sign of prosperity and hope for the locals. Their primary mission is to assist children and families in the areas of Terra haute, â€Å"which is one of the most impoverished areas† (Goyder par. 2). They serve families who lack education facilities, unemployment, hunger and poverty. The main advantage of their program is that their services are free of cost to all children who walk to them for help. They provide free meals service, educational support, sports training, crisis interventions, computer education etc to the youth, who are in need of assistance. The main purpose of the Ryves Youth Center is â€Å"to address the needs of the youth and to give them a better chance in life† (The White House). The center provides after school services to youth, who lacks provisions at home and they provide free games, homework help, food and care to them. They serve thousands of inner city youth.  Most of these youths do not have guardians to take care of them and these youths belong to below poverty line. â€Å"Approximately 95% of the youths attending Ryves Youth Center live at or below the poverty level and many of them don’t have a permanent home, move frequently throughout the year, or are homeless† (Ryves Community Optimist Club (RCOC) par. 3). These children lack the advantages that other kids with parents have. Most of the children have experienced or witnessed physical, sexual and emotional abuse, suicidal thoughts, low self esteem and anger control. They are homeless or castaways and majority of those children f eel lost and alone. Ryves Youth Center provides shelter to these kids and takes care of the children like their own kids. They give them guidance and hope for the future. They shape them to be a better person, create a whole new world for them and keep them off the streets.    Education is given top priority in the

Does the Beauty and Majesty of the Natural World Need to Be Tied to a Essay

Does the Beauty and Majesty of the Natural World Need to Be Tied to a Higher or More Spiritual Force to Be Truly Understood - Essay Example Even in the cases when nature itself is considered divine, more conscious attitude to one’s own religious beliefs is psychologically beneficial. Some objections to this view are examined and followed by counterarguments related to current environmental ethics and politics. People need to have values in life. The need for spirituality is proven by psychological studies (Schroeder, 1992) and numerous moments of our daily experience. We want to transcend the limits of our own personalities by experiencing Other, be it in God, nature, or other entities (Schroeder, 1992, p. 25). Protection of environment is another acute need of humanity. There are numerous ways of satisfying these two necessities. The difference between them lies in the question where is the Other. Or, to put it playfully, who is the Significant Other? Once a person has decided, it becomes clear what God and nature mean to him or her. For pantheists and deep ecologists, nature is valuable by definition (Naess, 197 3). For most of the believers of world religions, nature is beautiful and majestic as long as its phenomena are sanctioned by some deity. Even pagans worship the deities of streams, trees, and rocks, not nature itself. But regardless from the forces considered divine in any one of these cases, the value of nature should not be mediated and limited by any other values.... It often establishes some hierarchy: many animals are believed to be ‘unclean’ or ‘sacred’ in various religions, and the believers treat those animals accordingly. Usually, this inequality does not result in animal massacres or maltreatment, but it has subtler implications for the entire ecosystems. In most of such hierarchies of world religions, human beings are usually situated above the other living creatures, so that the decisions about the entire ecosystems are made, so to speak, in their ‘favour’. This anthropocentrism of traditional culture is blamed for environmental crisis by deep ecologists and radical environmentalists, as it fails to represent the parts of ecosystem as interrelated (Leopold, 1949). There is also selectivity of non-human species: for instance, people are more likely to preserve the spotted owls than the insects that belong to the same ecosystem. It may be argued that human eye is selective by nature and that our exper ience of nature is still mediated by something, be it religion, science, or anything else. This view echoes the one expressed by Ralph Emerson, a classic representative of transcendentalism: that the poet’s eye â€Å"can integrate all the parts† (Emerson, 1836), thereby giving them sense. For Emerson, art and spirit were superior to nature: â€Å"Have mountains, and waves, and skies, no significance but what we consciously give them, when we employ them as emblems of our thoughts? (...) the whole of nature is a metaphor of the human mind† (Emerson, 1836). From the fact that our interaction with nature is mediated, it does not follow that our view is right. Schroeder (1992) explains that spiritual experience, including the spiritual experience of nature, should be