Saturday, December 28, 2019

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And Acquired...

One of the most prevalent diseases facing the world today is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV and AIDS became widely known on June 5th, 1981 when the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first instance of this virus. Contrary to popular belief, being HIV positive is not a death sentence. Modern drugs make it possible for people who are HIV positive to be very healthy and live for years without developing AIDS. Also, those who have AIDS can continue to live for many years and be just as healthy as their non-HIV positive peers. Those carrying this virus can live practically normal lives; working, pursuing higher education, having a social life and romantic†¦show more content†¦In fact, some individuals who are positive may be healthier than individuals with other conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CVD) and may live a longer life if they care for themselves properly. However, some o f the health challenges associated with being positive for HIV are not physical. Even though people who are HIV positive might look ok, they sometimes feel scared, angry, unhappy, or even depressed. They often carry a fear that family or friends, as well as people at work or school, might find out that they are HIV positive and start to treat them differently (HIV and AIDS P. 3). This is the impact of the stigma associated with HIV on the HIV positive community. This typically produces a kind of unhealthy stress that when improperly addressed can lead to additional health problems. Many people with HIV and AIDS suffer from serious discrimination. According to an article titled, â€Å"HIV AIDS Discrimination and Stigma† many factors can lead to this unethical and unfair abuse towards HIV victims. Even with the best of health, HIV can impact people’s lives simply because of the stigma that most people, including family members, hold regarding the disease, causing them to knowingly and unknowingly discriminate against others (HIV AIDS Discrimination and Stigma par 2-5). Those who are aware and choose to stand by the HIV victims are typically limited in their interactions with the victim. The stigma tends to restrict their Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And Acquired... Human Immunodeficiency Virus MGH Institute of Health Professions Joshua Igoe-Muzorewa Introduction Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be an incredibly important health concern for not only the United States (US) but across the Globe (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016a). In the US alone, there are an estimated 1.2 million people that as of 2013 are living with the disease (CDC, 2016a). Scientists believe that HIV derived and mutated from a virus known as the Simian Immunodeficiency virus which was prevalent in chimpanzees, during a time that humans were hunting and consuming chimpanzee meat (CDC, 2016a). HIV in the US was primarily discovered and defined†¦show more content†¦Stages of HIV HIV is categorized into three possible stages of disease. Stage 1 is considered the Acute HIV infection stage. In 2 to 4 weeks following exposure to the infection, individuals have reported experiencing flu-type symptoms which last at a varying rate and individuals are extremely contagious without knowing they are infected (CDC, 2016b). Stage 2 is known as HIV inactivity or dormancy (CDC, 2016b). This is a phase that is typically asymptomatic, where there is still a live, active virus, but it is reproducing itself at a significantly low level (CDC, 2016b). With proper medication intervention, this stage can last for several decades, without it, they become more symptomatic (CDC, 2016b). As an individual’s viral load increases, they become more symptomatic, and their risk of infecting others also increases significantly. These individuals are at risk of moving into stage 3 known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); requires a CD4 cell count less than 200 cells/mm or specific opportunistic illness (CDC, 2016b). Populations at Risk HIV goes beyond race and ethnicity, into a category that is called ‘Transmission Category’. The most at risk group here are gay and bisexual men, which are noted for making up 67% of all new HIV diagnoses compared to heterosexual sex which accounts for 24% of new diagnoses (CDC, 2015). Another group that is considered to be most at risk for HIV infection areShow MoreRelatedHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome2589 Words   |  11 PagesOne of the most prevalent diseases facing the world today is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV and AIDS became widely known on June 5th, 1981 when the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first instance of this virus. Contrary to popular belief, being HIV positive is not a death sentence. Modern drugs make it possible for people who are HIV positive to be very healthy and live for years without developin g AIDS. Also, thoseRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Aids )1199 Words   |  5 PagesThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the deadliest pandemics the world has ever known. Unprecedented efforts and resources have been mobilized to fight the infection worldwide. While obvious progress has been made, HIV infection still hit hard and the field of public health continues actively to raise awareness about this issue and help affected people. Public health professionals constantly look for new ways to reach high-risk populations, butRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome2096 Words   |  9 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are complex diseases that are generally misunderstood and cast a stereotype of the people who are infected. A disease that is relatively new in comparisons to some diseases came to light as a public issue in the 1980’s and is now known around the world. HIV and AIDS attack the T-cells and CD4 cells of a person’s body which make them have symptoms similar to the flu. This disease is exactly what the name describes Read MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) Or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Aids )1281 Words   |  6 PagesA major epidemic across the world is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Accredited with 10% of the HIV cases annually is injection drug use (AIDS.gov, 2014). A study done in 2010 showed that injection drug use affected nearly 47,500 new HIV infections in the United States. With 625 being males and 38% being female. Breaking it down even further, African Americans made up 50% of the newly affecting using injection drugs, Whites 26%, and Latinos/ HispanicsRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndr ome ( Aids )2072 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) do not seem to be a major topic of discussion in the World today. Especially within the United States, HIV and AIDS are not conversed about as openly as perhaps it was in the past two decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the end of 2010 there were approximately 1.1 million people living in the United States with the HIV virus. Of those 1.1 million peopleRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Aids )1449 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) /Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is present around the world. HIV weakens the body’s immune system by attacking its defences against disease this later develops into AIDS which causes for the body to be unable to fight of illness and diseases it usually could (Afao.org.au, 2015). Chad a country of Sub Saharan Africa has an estimated 210,000 people living with HIV/Aids. Working to decrease this a number promotional incentives are being run such as theRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus Infection And Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Hiv / Aids )898 Words   |  4 Pages Pathogenic Agent Identified Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Virus after the infection of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the immune system is damaged so the body become targets of many opportunistic diseases, which called syndrome, rather than just a type of disease. [1] History of Pathogenic Agent The clinical of AIDS was first observed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981. [2] The region most recent outbreakRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Or Hiv, The Root Cause Of Aids Or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome?1532 Words   |  7 PagesSince its discovery in 1981, the scientific community has put up with the struggle of finding a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, the root cause of AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Although numerous advancements in combating the virus have helped to reverse the epidemic, there is still no known cure. However, recent studies have shown some results that may possibly be the precursors to eradicate the disease. One example would be the trials of a possible vaccine conductedRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus And Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome1477 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome In 1981, the first cases in the United States of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) developed in Los Angeles and New York (Fraser, Burd, Liebson, Lipschik, Peterson, 2008). The illness presented itself among several homosexual males who developed rare opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Kaposi’s sarcoma (Sharp Hahn, 2011). At the time, medical professionals deemed the infections to beRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv )1359 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper explores the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The virus has infected two million adults and children by the year 2005 already. The virus continues to race around the world, and new HIV infections are at 50,000 per year (Martine Peeters, Matthieu Jung, Ahidjo Ayouba) (2013). The final outcome of the HIV infection is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). There are many treatments that have developed to help the l arge number

Friday, December 20, 2019

Evolution And Creationism An Intelligent Design

Paul Reed Professor Stevens English 1C 12/11/15 An Evolution to an Intelligent Design: Can Intelligent Design be Proven There are a great variety of embodiments of counterfeit science, cheap science, and deviant science. Over time, mankind has seen the rise and fall of various scientific fields of study. However, none ever seem to completely become useless or . Humanity’s views of the flat earth, astrology, crop circles, ancient astronauts, and perpetual motion continue to gain advocates even today. These are compelling models of how human beings possess the ability to hold on to various forms of reasoning without any use of proper or relevant evidence. With that being said, the matter of intelligent design and its counterparts, Darwinism, evolution and creationism, are noteworthy topics to discuss. For centuries, there have existed two major rival opinions or unproven theories surrounding the causation of life in the universe: evolution and creationism. The concepts of evolution give the world of science a basic inference on how the cosmos came into existence. Creationism offered an excessive amount of religions as an explanation as to how the universe came about. These two concepts on the beginnings of life once stood alone as concrete explanations of creation for quite some time, nevertheless, the idea of intelligent design appeared. What exactly is intelligent design, and what exactly is being claimed? These are both questions that often come to mind when the topic ofShow MoreRelatedShould Intelligent Design and/or Creationism Be Taught Alongside Evolution in Public Schools?641 Words   |  3 Pagescourtrooms about whether or not should intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution in public schools, which has been going on for a great amount of years. Intelligent design is the idea of natures changes cannot be a random process, but a type of guidance must have lead to why nature is the way it is in today’s era. In most cases, that specific guidance is God. God has created the world for a purpose. Creationism is the same idea as intelligent design, believing that nature was created byRead MoreEssay on Intelligent Design: The Best of Both Theories1112 Words   |  5 PagesShould schools be allowed to teach evolution without teaching creationism? The courts have ruled, the answer is no, the theory of creationism cannot be included in a public school’s academic curriculum. With the court’s decision, it has been made clear there is no place for faith based theories to be taught in our public schools. What if there was a different approach that took God out of the equation? Public high schools should allow a course in intelligent design to be included in the curriculumRead More Do Creationism and Intelligent Design Have a Place in the Classroom?1280 Words   |  6 PagesSurveys show that fifty percent of adults in Turkey, forty percent in the USA and fifteen percent in the UK reject the theory of evolution and believe that life on Earth came into existence as described in the religious texts (Jones and Reiss, 2007; Miller; Scott and Okamoto, 2006; Lawes, 2009). President G. W. Bush commented as follow: Both sides ought to be taught properly...so people can understand what the debate is about....Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thoughtsRead MoreIntelligent Design: An Intelligent Way of Disguising Religion1346 Words   |  6 Pageshave voiced their unhappiness that schools teach evolution. The Bible says that God put all the plants, animals, and people on this planet, and evolution completely contradicts that. The idea of including creationism in schools has been brought to courts multiple times but with no success. Now the creationists have a new way of presenting it. They disguise it behind science and use the term Intelligent Design. Intelligent Design is a form of creationism under new terminology and is the attempt of manyRead MoreCharles Darwin s Views On Evolution And Evolution1275 Words   |  6 Pagestwo or more events, in which the occurrence of one, precludes the occurrence of the other. Creationism and evolution are two notions that can be v iewed as mutually exclusive or non-mutually exclusive, depending on the evidence that you are provided with as well as one’s personal beliefs. In order to appreciate this concept it is important to understand the meanings of both opposing arguments. Creationism is the belief that the universe and living creatures originate from specific acts of divineRead MoreInterrupt Science Essay802 Words   |  4 PagesIt is discouraged by the AAR to use guest speakers unless they have training or background in religious studies (Moore, 2010 p.23). Although this guide is written for the study of religious traditions, it could apply to the creation, evolution, and intelligent designs debate because if the wrong speaker is chosen, the students may only see a small representation of likely one side of the argument. It is suggested in this case to have them watch a debate, where they could see two or mare perspectivesRead MoreCreationism Vs Intelligent Design Creationism1474 Words   |  6 Pageswhether creationism and intelligent design are valid alternative theories that should be embodied within the curriculum of science classes. †˜Through local school boards, sympathetic politicians, and well-funded organizations, a strong movement has developed to encourage the teaching of the latest incarnation of creationism—intelligent design—as a scientifically credible theory alongside evolution in science classes.’ Creationism is the rejection of evolution in favor of supernatural design (PennockRead MoreCreationism vs. Darwinism: A Comparative Analysis1530 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Creationism vs. Darwinism Abstract An analysis of creationism, and its various forms, is undertaken in order to determine basis for creationist beliefs. Additionally, Darwinism is explored and the differences between Creationism and Darwinism are analyzed. Despite overwhelming evidence that supports the existence and validity of Darwinism, there are still arguments made that attempt to discredit evolution. The battle between Creationists and Darwinists extends beyond science and religion and hasRead MoreThe Debate of Orgin: Creationsim versus Evolutionism992 Words   |  4 Pagesmystical being, this Intelligent Designer, went on. He made the sun and the moon, the sea and the lands, and all the beasts of the planet. Then, he concluded with man. All this creation in 6 short days. Everything that we know, everything that we are, is supposedly derived from this short span of mass design. However, this information is quite contradictory to what modern science tells us. And that, in and of itself, is the essence of the nat ionwide debate. Should Creationism, or as it is sometimesRead MoreThe Theory Of Evolution Or Intelligent Design1677 Words   |  7 Pagesseem to be shrouded in mystery, but in modern America two main theories have come to dominate as the explanation; either the theory of evolution or Intelligent Design. The theory of evolution was first published by Charles Darwin, a famous figure who is just as controversial in modern society as he was in his own time. He introduced the public to the theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species, where he proposed that new species evolve from older ones through Natural Selection, or the process

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Pussy Riot Research Paper free essay sample

Three members of the Russian punk-rock rebel band, Pussy Riot, have been jailed for two years after staging an anti-Putin protest. The official reason for their incarceration has been officially listed as â€Å"hooliganism motivated by religious hatred (1). † The sentence has sparked intense global support for Pussy Riot, as well as increased opposition against the Russian government. The all-female band performed this protest in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow’s main Orthodox cathedral. After blessing themselves with the sign of the cross, the members, dressed in vibrantly colored masks, bowed towards the alter and videotaped a â€Å"punk prayer. † Their song called to Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin. The resulting video, titled â€Å"Punk Prayer: Mother of God Drive Putin Away† was subsequently uploaded onto the Internet. The video suggests a direct criticism of Putin’s anti-feministic political infrastructure and aims to undermine his reelection. A still from the released video that landed Pussy Riot’s members in jail. We will write a custom essay sample on Pussy Riot Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (11) Their punishment came in the form of two years deprivation of liberty in a penal colony (1). † And according to a B. B. C article (1), Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich smiled from inside a glass-walled cage as their verdict was announced on Aug. 17. Tolokonnikova, her fist pumped into the air as she was led out of the courtroom, was sent to Mordovia. The region of Perm was left to Alyokhina. Both are considered the harshest existing camps. Samutsevich was released last month, but Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova, both mothers of small children, will be expected to complete the full sentence. The three awaiting their verdict in the courtroom (12). In terms of the immediate domestic response, Pussy Riot received both support and criticism. And the underlying religious context was undeniable. A group of four women, one of them topless, sawed down a cross at a public square in Kiev. But despite a few small, localized displays of support, many Russians were unsympathetic to the fate of Pussy Riot. Feminism in the form of direct political action is viewed wearily in the country. The direct criticism came mainly from religious zealots, those who viewed the band’s performance as a direct insult to the Russian Orthodox Church. One demonstrator outside the court in Moscow even shouted, â€Å"Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell (1). † A Time article (2), â€Å"Pussy Riot Trial Unleashes Putin’s Secret Weapon: The Orthodox Faithful,† further discusses the issue of religion. â€Å"Putin has advocated a return to religion as the core of a new Russian national idea,† says the article. Putin’s following lack the motivation to guarantee him a reelection and so, â€Å"for the church and state, the result would be some kind of symbiosis, which may be Putin’s only chance of reawakening his tired base. † Additionally, the article believes â€Å"[t]he verdict against Pussy Riot has empowered this base and its values,† perhaps strengthening the only true devotees Putin has left. Female protestors in Kiev sawing down a cross. (13) Unlike the domestic response, global outside response to the matter was not centered on religious alliances. It was also overwhelmingly pro-Pussy Riot. Yet the solidarity seems torn. Though Pussy Riot’s punishment is widely viewed as unjust, some support appears to be a direct result of a pro-Feminist mindset. But others take on an exclusively anti-Russian agenda, focusing their outrage on the governments’ attitude toward freedom of speech and creative expression instead. The Russian government has a certain reputation for being anti-Democratic. The same B. B. C article (1) reports how Tolokonnikova’s husband, Pyotr Verzilov, believes â€Å"Russias image was quite scary even before [this]. What happened now is a clear sign that Russia is moving towards becoming more like China or North Korea. † There is no doubt most Western cultures would agree with Verzilov. In fact, shows of support spread throughout Europe and North America, raging through Berlin, London, Dublin, Barcelona, Paris, and New York City. The B. B. C article seems focused on this face of the post-Pussy Riot reaction. It continues to report, quoting opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who exclaimed, â€Å"[t]hey are in jail because of Putin’s personal revenge. This verdict was written by Vladimir Putin. † The same source also takes note of Amnesty International’s opinion on the matter. Freedom of expression in Russia took a â€Å"bitter blow† said the organization. U. S. state department spokesman Victoria Nuland was also quoted as having remarked, â€Å"We urge Russian authorities to review this case and ensure that the right to freedom of expression is upheld. † The Huffington Post article (3), titled â€Å"Defend the Riot: Pussy Riot’s Global Revolution,† further examines what Americans would perceive as a violation of rights. It argues that Pussy Riot, along with the people they’re speaking for, should have â€Å"the right to speak freely and practice ones religion as they see fit all notions that have become synonymous with our nation yet underappreciated by recent generations of American citizens. † Taken for granted by some Americans perhaps, but the jailing of an all-female Russian punk band has more than revived the global insistence for freedom of speech. The article predicts that â€Å"Pussy Riot has become one of the most influential artists of our generation. † Due to their newfound status as political revolutionaries, Pussy Riot has found immeasurably influential spokespeople, as Madonna, Bono, Paul McCartney, Bjork, and a few notable others have publicly stood behind the band. Policymic. com (4), a blog devoted to becoming a public outlet for hushed governmental affairs, also took on the Pussy Riot incident and shed light on certain related religious and political connotations. â€Å"Pussy Riot Jailed: Why This is Both a Religious and Political Issue† (4) is similar to the aforementioned Time article (2), â€Å"Pussy Riot Trial Unleashes Putin’s Secret Weapon: The Orthodox Unfaithful. † But it examines a narrower political effect, the direct result of the band’s incarceration, centering around the idea that the â€Å"conviction is yet another example of the collaboration between church and state typical of Russian history, aimed to increase Putins power. † Yet the article believes in this case, â€Å"we are witnessing an unprecedented level of collaboration between the ROC [Russian Orthodox Church] and the Putin regime for the purposes of political prosecution. † â€Å"Political prosecution† evokes predatorial action, thereby also suggesting Pussy Riot’s subsequent innocence. Clearly, many critics, both inside and outside of Russia, are convinced the jailing is ideally representative of the flaws in Russian government, both church-related and purely on the state level. Other sources also reported on this particular government-centered, anti-Russian response to the court’s ruling. However unlike the previous cited articles, they assume the role of devil’s advocate, calling attention to a potential for harm if the West continues to use Pussy Riot as a rallying point against a historically oppositional foreign power. This eruption of politically driven demonstrations are causing some to worry that the Russian government’s reaction to the incident has redirected the West, and especially the U. S, back to its blindly anti-Russian, Cold War roots. A New York Times article (5), titled â€Å"The Wrong Reasons to Back Pussy Riot,† warns against â€Å"[u]sing dissidents to score political points against the Russian regime. † It is akin to â€Å"adopting a pet tiger: No matter how domesticated they may seem, in the end they are free spirits, liable to maul the hand that feeds them. † Painting the Pussy Riot members as anything but radicals lends to a false notion of targeted advocacy. When in actuality, Pussy Riot will likely not linger long under a feminist sentiment. The punk group has previously sung for other issues, including â€Å"freedom from patriarchy, capitalism, religion, conventional morality, inequality, and the entire corporate state system. † Unless the West is also ready to join this revolution wholeheartedly, it cannot yet use Pussy Riot as a figurehead for political restructuring in Russia. Standing behind Pussy Riot now, when â€Å"it is obviously blameless and the government clearly guilty, is pure opportunism. † Another New York Times article (6), â€Å"Pussy Riot Was Carefully Calibrated for Protest,† upholds similar views. It mentions Pussy Riot’s unapologetic court statements, which â€Å"revealed an intellectual and philosophical rigor, and its earlier efforts with the art group Voina offered even more brazen forms of dissent. † Voina, Russian for â€Å"war,† once recruited the then pregnant Tolokonnikova for a public orgy at a Moscow museum in 2008. They had also previously set fire to a police car and been accused of obscene vandalism. Pussy Riot’s associations and past actions suggest radicalism, a political stance intolerable to most nations, even the most liberal. â€Å"The Wrong Reasons to Back Pussy Riot† (5) also discusses the thoughts of Eduard Limonov, a former Soviet dissident and anti-Soviet leftist. During his time in the United States as a Cold War trophy, Limonov concluded, â€Å"the F. B. I. is just as zealous in putting down American radicals as the K. G. B. is with its own radicals and dissidents. † His views were met with a cold reception from most Americans despite the evidence supporting his statement, suggesting a bias rooted in patriotism rather than democracy. There is little dispute over the injustice surrounding Pussy Riot’s harsh sentence. But using a specific instance involving radicals to further the anti-Russian attitude could create a dangerous precedent. This Russian artist sewed his lips together to advocate for Pussy Riot and freedom of speech. (14) Others threw their support behind Pussy Riot for reasons leaning more heavily towards pro-Feminism. Although some supporters used the harsh sentence as a way to highlight injustices of the Russian system, a great amount of outrage arising from the event stemmed from a broader political issue—the lack of female representation in many modern political systems. A piece by the New Yorker, â€Å"Pussy Riot Grrrls,† (7) identifies Pussy Riot’s clearly feminist beliefs, and its similarly feminist audience. For â€Å"despite the chasm between freedom of expression in the United States and Putin’s Russia, it’s been impossible to resist connecting Pussy Riot with riot grrrl, the punk-rock, radical-feminist movement of the early nineteen-nineties. † Riot grrrl is an underground feminist punk rock movement, typically associated with the modern third wave of feminism. It is primarily concerned with issues pertaining to rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, racism, patriarchy, and female empowerment. But, unlike the American-rooted riot grrls, Pussy Riot had much more at stake and because of the risk involved, created an overwhelming response in the feminist world. A group of women donning balaclavas to show support for Pussy Riot. (15) Though protests have sprung up all over Europe and North America, an article from the Guardian (8) highlights a particular demonstration organized in Leeds. Like the New Yorker piece (7), it focuses heavily on the female reaction to the band’s incarceration. Reporting on the Leeds protest, the article quotes singer Louise Distras: â€Å"Pussy Riot have inspired me by showing how we absolutely have to speak out against media portrayals of women as subordinates. She is not alone in her distress. The widely regarded leader of riot grrl, Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of Bikini Kill, interviewed with Pitchfork (9), and expressed her views on the matter. To Hanna, â€Å"[w]hen their rights are taken away, all of our rights are taken away. † Feminism promotes close-knit activism and due to its pack mentality, has a certain connotation in society. â€Å"Typically, people think if you’re a feminist, all you talk about is women. But it’s much larger than that; all things are connected. It seemed to me that they clearly understood that,† said Hanna. To true feminists, their cause spans across a wide range of issues, many of which are deeply set in flawed political infrastructures. The previously cited article, â€Å"The Wrong Reasons to Back Pussy Riot,† (5) almost arrived at this conclusion, but not quite. Convinced of Pussy Riot’s radicalism, it judged their feminist agenda separate from their political one. And in fact, many sources mentioned above reported on protests that interpreted the unfair treatment of Pussy Riot in a purely anti-Russian sense. What sets coverage like the Pitchfork interview, the Guardian article and the New Yorker piece apart is that despite being heavily focused on the feminist front, the sources seem able to deduce that feminism is political. And thus, the issue, though a clear example of Putin’s iron fist, would only be half represented if portrayed solely as a protest against the Russian regime. Other sources reporting heavily on the political side seemed to have treated the call for feminism as a matter entirely separate from the lack of certain freedoms in Russia. What Pussy Riot, Hanna, and countless other protestors are trying to bring to light is the realization that feminism is not removed from justice as a whole. For despite Pussy Riot’s radical affiliations and actions, it would be a mistake to brush off their insistence for feminism as an extension of mere anarchism. Clearly their actions were drastic and graphic, yet their belief system suggests a real political relevancy. In a Time article titled â€Å"Pussy Riot on Trial: The Case Against Feminist Rockers,† (10) band member Garadzha most adequately captures the actual aims of Pussy Riot and their true purpose. â€Å"Sexists have certain ideas about how a woman should behave, and Putin, by the way, also has a couple thoughts on how Russians should live. Fighting against all that—that’s Pussy Riot,† she said. Coming from a direct representative of their cause, it’s evident there is truth to all sources on the matter. Feminism is at the forefront of their concerns, but to them, it does relate to the broader issue of oppression in Russia. The article further states, â€Å"the women, who are primarily young, educated and middle class, felt the need to protest what they viewed as Putin’s brutal, corrupt and totalitarian rule. † Although Pussy Riot’s protest was certainly politically driven and would cause many to raise their eyebrow at the system responsible for their harsh fate, its main message was not to promote skepticism of Russia. Their goal was to demonstrate the relevancy of feminism under the broader scheme of oppression.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Australasian Journal Of Regional Studied -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Australasian Journal Of Regional Studied? Answer: Introducation This report presents the innovation regarding the remote control battery cover. The remote control is necessary to operate the TV but its cover starts loosening shortly which is a problematic thing. Due to this, an innovator has proposed to launch the effective tools and techniques to overcome the losing of remote control cover. This report also demonstrates that innovator has mainly focused on the urban area people so as to promote the product in market easily. At the same time, innovators use the demographic and psychological factor to classify the product significantly. Beside this, innovators can face the higher competition level due to the availability of substitute products in the marketplace. At the same time, the innovator can compete with the existing competitors together with new entrants. But, the innovator has used the effective marketing strategy to attract a large number of customers, which is effective to stabilize the product in market (Chao, et al., 2013). Design Thinking Activities The design thinking activities play a significant role to perform the research in an appropriate manner. There are different factors that are involved in the design thinking process such as empathize, define, Ideate, prototype, and test. These all factors are discussed as below: In this step, an innovator tries to gain the understanding about the customers preference to make a positive relationship with them. Consequently, it will be beneficial to pull the attention of customers towards their brand. Empathises enabled innovator to think like a customer, which will be effective to satisfy the customers in a significant manner (Corder, et al., 2014). In this step, innovator examines the collected data for addressing the core issue. Innovator identifies the problem so that resolution to the problem faced by the people could be found out. Defining the research problem is the first step that the researcher has to take in a research. In this process, innovator makes an innovative idea regarding the problem, which is a crucial step in the overall research. After this, the innovator mainly uses significant techniques such as Brainstorm, Worst Possible Idea, Brain-write, and SCAMPER. These techniques play a vital role to resolve the core problem pertaining to the research (Grana, et al., 2014). Prototype The prototype is used to collect the best solution regarding the problem. At the same time, it can be said that this stage is used as an experimental phase by the innovator to collect the different views or ideas to resolve the problem. (Source: Hewson, et al., 2015). This step is the last step of the digital thinking wherein the innovator and their team members deeply evaluate the problem and rethink about the whole process to identify any new issue regarding the research. It will be supportive to eliminate the issues of the product produced in an effective manner (Hewson, et al., 2015). The innovation program is launched by using the event where some factors are considered by the innovator to successfully launch the innovation. The innovator has organized their program at the Hotel Windsor, Australia. The innovator has decided to launch their program at 10 a.m. The innovator has used various channels to communicate with the potential customers in a significant manner. The communication channels used by the innovator are hoardings, mobile technology, and electronic bulletin boards. It will be significant to interact with customers and spread the awareness regarding the innovation program. These factors are discussed as below: Mobile technology The mobile technology is significant to directly communicate with the customers as well as the innovator spread the awareness regarding the product and services. It will also support to direct collect individual opinion and view towards the product and services due to resolve the problem as per the need of customers (Hui, 2013). Hoardings is also a second significant method to aware the customers regarding the product and services before the launch. It is the best way to cover a large number of people in at one time significantly. In additionally, hoardings can also be supportive to promote the product and services in less coat and time, which will be beneficial for the customers. Promotional activities In addition, it can be said that the innovator has also used different kinds of promotional activities to enhance the awareness of product and services in the marketplace. These are such as digital communication tools, newspaper, television, and magazines (Lau, et al., 2013). Digital communication tools In the current scenario, the digital communication tool is significant for the organization due to easily communicating with the customers and makes a strong relationship with them. For this innovation, the innovator has used social media to communicate with customers and collect the information regarding the problem of research. There are some significant components that are considered in the digital communication email, Blog, Phone, Twitter, snap-chat, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. At the same time, it can also be said that the uses of social media have been increased day by day, therefore, the innovator has select such way to communicate with customers in a significant manner (Lehnbom, et al., 2016). Newspapers Newspapers are also the best way to cover a large number of people at one time. Additionally, innovators can provide their sample through newspaper and collect the different perception and views of customers from different areas. It will support to collect the information regarding the product and services consequently it can be effective to resolve the issues of product and services. The newspaper helps to cover the lower level as well as higher level of people to know the perception or experience of people regarding the issues of product. In addition to this, it can be said that newspaper plays an imperative role in promoting any kind of product and services in an effective manner. Therefore, it is addressed that the innovators have applied such kinds of sources to promote its goods and services in the marketplace. Along with this, they will also enhance the profitability and market share of product in less time and cost (Meyer, 2014). Resource Plan The planning of resources can also be significant to effectively operate the program in long-term as well as enhance the profitability and growth significantly. An innovator has focuses on such resources Physical resources, Human resources, Intellectual resources, and financial resources. At the same time, it can also be said that such factors have a significant role to enhance the image and enhance the stability of product and services in the market. Physical resources Physical resources are important to the development of any product and services in a significant manner. The innovators can collect the raw material from the local manufactures of Australia due to enhancing the growth in long-term. At the same time, the main reason to select the Australia for the collection of the raw material has enhanced the income of local manufacture, which can increase the spending of people to purchase the goods and services significantly (Naseri, et al., 2013). Human resources The human resources are also a second important factor or component of the business. At the same time, an innovator has also made a plan regarding the staff with certain skills, business partners, and suppliers to successfully operate the business or launch the product and services in the marketplace. Intellectual resources Intellectual resources are important for the business due to operating the business in an accurate and valid manner. It considers different kinds of components such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and industrial design right. These components are significant to enhance the morality, economic growth and financial performance of product and services in long-term. Therefore, innovators have made an effective plan regarding the intellectual property to successfully operate the business in the market (Norman, et al., 2016). Finance is a very important part of the business so it can be said that every organization has more focused on the financial resources due to accomplishing the aims and objectives business in less cost. An innovator has also made an effective budget before the launch of product and service in the marketplace because of saving the cost. At the same time, it can also be said that the effective budget plan can support to enhance the profitability and growth of business in long-term. An innovator has estimated $350,000 to effectively launch the product in the market (Wang, 2014). An innovator has used to merger method to successfully operate the business in long-term. Additionally, an innovator has planned to merge with Bing Lee in future to enhance the growth and productivity of business significantly. The merger will be significant to in many ways such as market share, increase the product line, straight up combination supply chain, gain the research and development, and potential tax benefits (Paladino, 2013). In addition, it can be said that such factors are discussed as below: Enhance market share The merger is significant to enhance the market share of the company due to increasing the variety of products and services in the marketplace. At the same time, it can also support to make a relationship with different customers in the different market, which will also effective to enhance the market share of the company in long-term. Increase research and development The merger can also effective to improve the research and development department, which will be significant to increase the innovation in the product and service. At the same time, it can be said that the innovative product is supportive to attract a large number of customers for having the goods and services of the company (Pepper, et al., 2014). Straight up combination supply chain It also supports to make a straight-up combination of the supply chain in the organization. It will increase the productivity of organization together with making a trustworthy relationship with customers. Therefore, it is addressed that an innovator can also increase the productivity of an organization by using a merger with a straight-up combination of the supply chain (Stevens, et al., 2013). It will also support to make a favorable image in the marketplace, which can increase the sale of goods and services in long-term. Merger with similar product company can be more supportive as compared to the other company due to easily enhancing the market share in long-term (Pickernell, et al., 2013). Time Frame Activities which will be achieved Weeks to perform activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Market research for identifying customers need Competitors analysis Contacting with suppliers Selecting pricing strategy Market survey where product will be delivered Target the potential customers Choosing the promotion strategy Launching the product Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be concluded that innovation plays a significant role in each business due to enhancing a large number of customers in less time and cost. The remote battery cover is important to those customers who have used the TV. Therefore an innovator has selected the remote cover to successfully resolve the issue significantly. In addition, it is also summarized that the innovator has used various digital communication resources to collect the information regarding the issues of remote cover. At the same time, the innovator has used various promotional activities before launched its products in the market. Recommendation On behalf of the above discussion, it can suggest that an innovator should use effective strategy to overcome the problem related to the remote cover. Additionally, an innovator can also use more tools and techniques of digital communication to directly communicate with customers and make a long-term relationship. In addition to this, it can be said that an innovator has a need to improve its time management skills due to complete the business activities in less time (Turban, et al., 2015). References Chao, C. W., Reid, M., Mavondo, F. (2013). Global consumer innovativeness and consumer electronic product adoption.Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,25(4), 614-630. Corder, G. D., Golev, A., Fyfe, J., King, S. (2014). The status of industrial ecology in Australia: Barriers and enablers.Resources,3(2), 340-361. Grana, R. A., Ling, P. M. (2014). Smoking revolution: a content analysis of electronic cigarette retail websites.American journal of preventive medicine,46(4), 395-403. Hewson, R., Robson, D., Mauger, A., Cudahy, T., Thomas, M., Jones, S. (2015). Using the Geoscience Australia-CSIRO ASTER maps and airborne geophysics to explore Australian geoscience.Journal of Spatial Science,60(2), 207-231. Hui, S. Y. (2013). Planar wireless charging technology for portable electronic products and Qi.Proceedings of the IEEE,101(6), 1290-1301. Lau, H. F., Lau, K. W., Kan, C. W. (2013). The future of virtual environments: the development of virtual technology.Computer Science and Information Technology,1(1), 41-50. Lehnbom, E. C., Douglas, H. E., Makeham, M. A. B. (2016). Positive beliefs and privacy concerns shape the future for the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record.Internal medicine journal,46(1), 108-111. Meyer, A. M. (2014). What are the competencies of a successful project leader?.International Journal of Management Cases,16(1), 29-36. Naseri, M. B., Elliott, G. (2013). The diffusion of online shopping in Australia: Comparing the Bass, Logistic and Gompertz growth models.Journal of Marketing Analytics,1(1), 49-60. Norman, R. E., Gibb, M., Dyer, A., Prentice, J., Yelland, S., Cheng, Q., ... Edwards, H. (2016). Improved wound management at lower cost: a sensible goal for Australia.International wound journal,13(3), 303-316. Paladino, A., Ng, S. (2013). An examination of the influences on greenmobile phone purchases among young business students: an empirical analysis.Environmental Education Research,19(1), 118-145. Pepper, J. K., Brewer, N. T. (2014). Electronic nicotine delivery system (electronic cigarette) awareness, use, reactions, and beliefs: a systematic review.Tobacco control,23(5), 375-384. Pickernell, D., Keast, R., Brown, K., Yousefpour, N., Miller, C. (2013). Taking the gamble: Local and regional policy issues of access to electronic gaming machines (EGMs): A case study of Victoria, Australia.Australasian Journal of Regional Studies,19(2), 274. Stevens, M., Golebiowska, K. (2013). Gambling problems amongst the CALD population of Australia: hidden, visible or not a problem?.Asian Journal of Gambling Issues and Public Health,3(1), 1. Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J. K., Liang, T. P., Turban, D. C. (2015). Retailing in electronic commerce: Products and services. InElectronic Commerce(pp. 103-159). USA: Springer International Publishing. Wang, F. F. (2014).Law of electronic commercial transactions: Contemporary issues in the EU, US, and China. UK: Routledge.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Bank Corruption Literature Review Essay

Bank Corruption Literature Review Essay Bank Corruption Literature Review Essay Example Bank Corruption Literature Review Essay Example Arshad, S., Rizvi, S. (2013). Impact of corruption on bank profitability: An analysis of Islamic banks. International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 8(3), 195. The authors of the article discuss the fact of bank corruption on the examples of Islamic countries. The main claim of the article consists in the idea that corruption is one of the most negative social processes that bears negative influence on the economy of the country. Arshad and Rizvi (2013) have a conviction that despite the negative results of the corruption, banks have a tendency to prosper during this process. In addition, the assumption is based on the research conducted on the comparison of the amount of corruption and the banks’ income. The study showed that the more level of corruption in a country is, the more prosperity the banks experience. This assumption can be characterized as a credible one due to the obtained results. Additionally, this idea can be used in the economic planning: the action of corruption has to be moved in the correct direction, which, on the one hand, would control the levels of corruption, and on the other hand, balance its level with banks’ prosperity and have a positive effect on a country’s development. As a consequence, this strategy can be applied to the economic policy regarding various types of regulations aimed at controlling the balance and interaction between corruption and bank system. Bodenhorn, H. (2015). Bank chartering and political corruption in antebellum. National Bureau of Economic Research, Corruption and Reform: Lessons from Americas Economic History, 231-257. Speaking about the types of policy that are called to collaborate with banks and private business, the author of the article regards the notion of corruption in the framework of the contemporary particularities of the economy. Along with this, the authors distinguish the advantages and drawbacks of the democracy as a political power in connection with the banking in the world. Having conducted the research, Bodenhorn (2015) claims that banks have a tendency to â€Å"provide some appreciation for the potential scale for corruption and bribery† (Bodenhorn, 2015, p. 240). In other words, similarly to Arshad and Rizvi, the author sees a great benefit of bank corruption. On the one hand, in the light of bank corruption, there is only one side that suffers a country. On the other hand, the prosperity of the banks is a manifestation of the country’s flourish, in any case. It means that the benefits that can be extracted from bank corruption have to move in the same direction with the stated policy of a country. Applying this point of view to the official policy would contribute to the rising of the taxes and fees payment amount, which is generally acknowledged to be vitally important for a country. Casillas, G., Paredes, D., Cervantes, A., Torres, S. (2015). New measures to fight corruption and conflict of interest. The authors of the article are convinced that corruption should not be regarded as something completely unexpected. They think that corruption is as usual as, for instance, elections or a law-making process. It is necessary to regard this phenomenon from another point of view. The main claim of the article consists in the assumption that it is important to establish a so-called sense of transparency. The more governmental control over economy and bank system is produced, the more exactness and transparency will it provide. This proposal is worth of the further regard since the democracy, as well as the social order established long time ago, needs updating. This presupposes the change of the things and the way of thinking, which had been unsuitable for or not understood by the people. This sort of things comprises of the corruption and its manifestations within society. Certainly, it takes time to create a new system of the policies, which would incorporate the basis and traditions of the former styles of governing. It is necessary, however, to understand the course of time and its particularities, which require to be up-to-date, and to create a system that would provide the successful functioning of a country. Hence, implementing corruption in the bank system of a country will permit to enrich the state budget due to the money incoming. Campos, J., Pradhan, S. (2007). The many faces of corruption. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. The book in question discusses the history of the phenomenon known as corruption. The authors provide a reader with a number of stories that illustrate how corruption was widespread throughout the humankind’s history. Campos and Pradhan (2007) suppose that corruption has always been an integral and inseparable part of the society and politics. As a consequence, the authors have a conviction that bank corruption as a spread particularity of the contemporary society has a right to exist. The essential strategy provided in the book is centered on the assumption that bank corruption should be a legislative phenomenon, which will contributes to the country’s prosperity. Analyzing such an approach, it is possible to draw the conclusion that bank corruption is becoming a positive tendency. Oppositely, the authors believe, corruption has never been a positive phenomenon. The point is that it is an important and complex task for the government to turn it into a useful one and make it bring fruitful results that are expected. In other words, the many challenges that numerous countries of the world are currently facing can be met by making corruption a positive event. Obviously, it is necessary to elaborate a well-laid plan that would be followed during many years. Implementing such a vision of corruption will totally change the world and make it live and function in another way. Johannesson, I., Steendam, M. (2014). Can mobile banking reduce the presence of corruption? A minor field study in Kenya. The article written by Johannesson and Steendam (2014) represents a brand new approach to the notion of corruption. The authors of the article do not state that corruption should be legalized or make an emphasis that it is a positive phenomenon. The solution for the bank corruption proposed in the article is characterized as the most innovative, and it is expected to produce fruitful results. In their article, the authors discuss a multimedia platform known as M-Pesa called to stabilize the country’s financial and economic affairs by controlling and observing the vast sums of money circulating in the banks. This will permit to find and prove the fact of corruption and its amount. In reality, this program can be implied in the majority of the biggest world banks, as well as the banks of the poor countries. The last ones are the most suitable for this program since the phenomenon of corruption is extremely spread within their economies. Implementation of the program is called to serve as a powerful tool in overcoming the negative outcomes of corruption. Kolstad, I., Fritz, V., O’Neil, T. (2008). Corruption, anti-corruption efforts and aid: Do donors have the right approach. The article in question represents a result of the project conducted in order to establish the linkage between effective governance principles and the poverty rates decrease. The authors have a conviction that corruption is a mechanism that lies between these two aspects. It has neither positive nor negative impact. This phenomenon, in the authors’ opinion, is called to divide the countries into such categories as poor, developing or rich. Bank corruption as an essential part of the overall corruption serves, in addition to this, as a tool that shows whether a country is able to transcend from one class to another and indicates what amount of attempts should be taken. This approach is based on the research conducted and the results obtained. According to its results, the constantly growing interest in corruption is determined by the necessity of it reduction or making it play a role of contributing factor in a country’s economy. The ideas presented in the article can be interpreted in a dual way; however, it is necessary to understand that such a vision of corruption in the bank area is worth of implementing in order to help overcome poverty in the countries that experience it. Krudop, J. (2010). Surviving financial corruption: The attack of a rogue bank. Tate Publishing. The book under analysis represents a financial and economic issue of bank corruption experienced in the USA. The book is built as a memoir with scientific explanations and proofs of the phenomenon of bank corruption. The author states that the essential idea here is not to struggle against it, but change the way of thinking in such a way that would make bank corruption work for the benefit of the country. Such an approach is one of the most progressive, and it summarizes the ideas of the mentioned above articles and books, which state that the best way to stop any socially acknowledged negative phenomena is to legalize them. Having the bank corruption legalized will, first and foremost, stop the fact of struggling; secondly, it will direct the flows of money into the necessary areas. As a consequence, the states and countries will have an extra income for their local and central budgets. This fact is called to contribute to the growth of economy and industry, improving people’s quality of life. The process of changing the understanding of corruption within banks will implement the newer vision of bank system. Capitalism, as the author has a conviction, has two ways to exist nowadays: on the one hand, it can stay the same and stop its existing by self-destruction; on the other hand, it can be reborn by the numerous and absolute changes, which would take place not only in the external part of the human life and activity, but inside the human mind. Manacorda, S., Forti, G., Centonze, F. (2014). Preventing corporate corruption. Cham: Springer International Publishing. The book regards the bank corruption at the international level and explains the reasons of its beginning, evolution and thriving. Along with this, the authors make an emphasis on the examples of international bank corruption and show the consequences they have on a single country and international relations. The authors have distinguished a so-called Anti-Bribery Corruption Model, whose main idea and principle of work consists in preventing corruption inside the private companies, firms, organizations and corporations. This, as the authors believe, will contribute to the improvement of economic situation and will establish stability. Analyzing this tool, one can think that is really likely to work and perform great results. (This had been proved due to its usage by several US companies, the majority of which was represented by banks). Implementing this program into all the banks functioning in the USA, for instance, will save an incredibly large amount of money. In other words, the states and central government will have financial benefits manifold larger than they currently have. It means that the proper application of the method is able to improve a great number of social life areas and the quality of citizens’ lives. Olken, B., Pande, R. (2011). Corruption in developing countries. Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab’S Governance Initiative, August. The article represents an innovative look at bank corruption and explains the ways it will function in the future. The advantage of the article is that it provides a reader with a number of definitions of corruption in order to investigate the ways it influences economy and the methods that are likely to be applied to overcome it. The key point of the article consists in the idea that â€Å"bureaucratic corruption takes place at the implementation end of public policies† (Olken Pande, 2011, p. 4). In other words, the authors have a conviction that corruption brings decline in whatever field of human activity and it has to be stopped. The ways to do this can be numerous. One of the most effective one, in accordance with the authors, consists in the improvement of the law system. Furthermore, the authors suggest widely using the most recent technological devices called to contribute to prevention of corruption. This idea can be characterized as useful; however, it does not provide an innovative way of look at the problem, i.e. it is mainly based on the traditional way of struggle against corruption, which is not acknowledged as an effective or fruitful one. It means that this is not enough to change or fix the law system – it is more important to change human outlook and perception of the outcomes that corruption results in.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The History of Japanese Ninjas

The History of Japanese Ninjas The ninja of movies and comic books- a stealthy assassin in black robes with magical abilities in the arts of concealment and murder- is very compelling, to be sure. But the historical reality of the ninja is somewhat different. In feudal Japan, ninjas were a lower class of warriors often recruited by samurai and governments to act as spies. Origins of the Ninja It is difficult to pin down the emergence of the first ninja, more properly called shinobi- after all, people around the world have always used spies and assassins. Japanese folklore states that the ninja descended from a demon that was half man and half crow. However, it seems more likely that the ninja slowly evolved as an opposing force to their upper-class contemporaries, the samurai, in early feudal Japan. Most sources indicate that the skills that became ninjutsu, the ninjas art of stealth, began to develop between 600 to 900. Prince Shotoku, who lived from 574 to 622, is said to have employed Otomono Sahito as a shinobi spy. By the year 907, the Tang Dynasty in China had fallen, plunging the country into 50 years of chaos and forcing Tang generals to escape over the sea to Japan where they brought new battle tactics and philosophies of war. Chinese monks also began to arrive in Japan in the 1020s, bringing new medicines and fighting philosophies of their own, with many of the ideas originating in India  and making their way across Tibet and China before turning up in Japan. The monks taught their methods to Japans warrior-monks, or yamabushi, as well as to members of the first ninja clans. The First Known Ninja School For a century or more, the blend of Chinese and native tactics that would become ninjutsu developed as a counter-culture, without rules. It was first formalized by Daisuke Togakure and Kain Doshi around the 12th century. Daisuke had been a samurai, but he was on the losing side in a regional battle and forced to forfeit his lands and his samurai title. Ordinarily, a samurai might commit seppuku under these circumstances, but Daisuke did not. Instead, in 1162, Daisuke wandered the mountains of southwest Honshu where he met Kain Doshi, a Chinese warrior-monk. Daisuke renounced his bushido code, and together the two developed a new theory of guerrilla warfare called ninjutsu. Daisukes descendants created the first ninja ryu, or school, the Togakureryu. Who Were the Ninja? Some of the ninja leaders, or jonin, were disgraced samurai like Daisuke Togakure that had lost in battle or had been renounced by their daimyo but fled rather than committing ritual suicide. However, most ordinary ninjas were not from the nobility. Instead, low-ranking ninjas were villagers and farmers who learned to fight by any means necessary for their own self-preservation, including the use of stealth and poison to carry out assassinations. As a result, the most famous ninja strongholds were the Iga and Koga Provinces, mostly known for their rural farmlands and quiet villages. Women also served in ninja combat. Female ninja, or kunoichi, infiltrated enemy castles in the guise of dancers, concubines, or servants who were highly successful spies and sometimes even acted as assassins as well. Samurai Use of the Ninja The samurai lords could not always prevail in open warfare, but they were constrained by bushido, so they often hired ninjas to do their dirty work. Secrets could be spied out, opponents assassinated, or misinformation planted, all without sullying a samurais honor. This system also transferred wealth to the lower classes, as the ninja were paid handsomely for their work. Of course, a samurais enemies could also hire ninja, and as a result, the samurai needed, despised, and feared the ninja- in equal measure. The ninja high man, or jonin, gave orders to the chunin  (middle man), who passed them on to the genin, or the ordinary ninja. This hierarchy was also, unfortunately, based on the class the ninja had come from before training, but it wasnt uncommon for a skilled ninja to ascend the ranks well beyond his or her social class. The Rise and Fall of the Ninja The ninja came into their own during the tumultuous era between 1336 and 1600. In an atmosphere of constant war, ninja skills were essential for all sides, and they played a key role in the Nanbukucho Wars (1336–1392), the Onin War (1460s), and the  Sengoku Jidai, or Warring States Period- where they aided samurai in their internal power struggles. The ninja were an important tool during the Sengoku Period (1467-1568), but also a destabilizing influence. When warlord Oda Nobunaga emerged as the strongest daimyo and began to reunite Japan in 1551–1582, he saw the ninja strongholds at Iga and Koga as a threat, but despite quickly defeating and co-opting the Koga ninja forces, Nobunaga had more trouble with Iga.​ In what would later be called the Iga Revolt or Iga No Run, Nobunaga attacked the ninja of Iga with an overwhelming force of more than 40,000 men. Nobunagas lightning-quick attack on Iga forced the ninja to fight open battles, and as a result, they were defeated and scattered to nearby provinces and the mountains of Kii. While their base was destroyed, the ninja did not vanish entirely. Some went into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became shogun in 1603, but the much-reduced ninja continued to serve on both sides in various struggles. In one famous incident from 1600, a ninja snuck through a group of Tokugawas defenders at Hataya castle and planted the flag of the besieging army high on the front gate. The Edo Period under the Tokugawa Shogunate  from 1603–1868 brought stability and peace to Japan, bringing the ninja story to a close. Ninja skills and legends survived, though, and were embellished to enliven the movies, games, and comic books of today.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Elisa and Ellen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Elisa and Ellen - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that Elisa has quietly asked her boss to consider extending her health benefits to her spouse and this is still in negotiation. Elisa and Ellen have been together for seven years. They are committed same sex partners and they have a home together. They were "married" after five years and they have lived as any heterosexual couple would live. They understand that there are no laws that protect them but Ellen works only part-time because she is also going to school to gain her bachelors degree. Elisas firm offers academic reimbursement and healthcare to the spouses of heterosexual couples but they do not extend them to homosexuals. They do not have to offer these benefits and most do not. Elisa may have to take a few days off from work when Ellen has the baby which would be allowable if they were a heterosexual couple. Elisa will have to take her vacation days if she wants to take off because there are no provisions for partner leave. Most benefits are given to "married couples" when someone works in a job and gays and lesbians cannot marry in most states. Beyond healthcare and leave, there are other issues of retirement income. Currently Ellen would not be able to collect retirement benefits if something happened to Elisa because they are not married. Although Elisa can make Ellen the beneficiary there are no laws that would give her the retirement if someone from Elisas family would contest it.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Security Program Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Security Program - Case Study Example The organization under analysis is the New York public library. In this organization, security issues are taken into account as the library gather and keep personal data of users and their personal information. The New York public library consists of several branches and departments; it has regional branches and has more than 43,975,362 items. The library computerized its lending services in order to improve customer service and improve its routine work. The security program is aimed to protect users from unauthorized access to their information and protect library from attacks. Beyond that, however, all staff-especially those who deal with personal data regularly-need to be aware of what they are allowed to do, what they are not allowed to do, what security procedures they are expected to follow, and whom to ask if they are in any doubt. There must be policies spelling out what is expected, opportunities for staff to know what those policies are and what procedures are required to implement them, and regular checks on whether the policies and procedures are being followed (Data Security and Protection 2008). The security program was implemented 5 years ago. It is supposed that the biggest risk to security is almost always staff. The damage they do can be deliberate-stealing information about people, such as business contacts they want to use for their own purposes, for example, or trashing the database out of frustration on being demoted. More often it is un-thinking or inadvertent-giving information over the telephone to someone who shouldn't have it, leaving confidential files on their kitchen table for a neighbour to see when they are working at home, or chatting in the canteen about a user's borrowing habits where other people can overhear. Even with external threats, the accepted wisdom is that anyone trying to gain access is more likely to succeed by tricking staff into giving away vital information than by hacking straight into computer (Data Security and Protection 2008). The first line of defense is therefore to ensure that staff are aware of the possibilities and operate withi n a culture where information, and especially personal data, is handled carefully and responsibly. To support them, employees should take measures that make it as easy as possible for them to do the right thing. At the same time employees should not be over-anxious. Security measures must be appropriate to the threat, not 100% perfect every time. (Even government security agencies have been known to lose vital information held on laptop computers.) The kind of things the responsible person at the departmental level should be looking at include (Baschab et al 2007; The New York Public Library 2008). In the New York public library, one area that often gives rise to concern is e-mail. Although the dangers can be exaggerated, it is important to be aware that e-mail is inherently insecure. E-mails themselves may constitute personal data if the addressee is identifiable. More importantly, if e-mail is used for sending personal data to other people, some thought should be given as to whether it should be encrypted. A special attention is given to the information department of a charity. A new computer system is introduced for holding details of telephone enquiries, which

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing concepts And Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing concepts And Strategies - Essay Example The best way of advertising is through print and broadcast media. 2. In a passage of time we have become the conspirators of reproduction generation by generation. The consumers were attracted by the item and bonded with memories of commercial culture. At present, the marketing strategy for selling product is to lure them for branded products; play in branded spaces and exposing them to TV channel. The marketers and advertising agencies work and trade on psychology of consumers for marketing their product. As the VP of a large retailer of men's suits I would introduce branded products so that all classes of people can visit and shop. 3. Marketers spend and invest lots of money in developing strategies of different methods to attract consumers towards their product and capitalize the opportunities to make or amass money. The marketers conduct research to defend, develop counter measures to meet the market competition. The ability of the youth to remove and neutralize the technique of advertising is snubbed by the other agency so as to increase the sale of their product. In the market, the Internets are counteracted by the appearance of e-commerce web sites. In the present marketing world aggressive marketing is the new mantra. Due to the changing trends and tastes of customers the best possible strategies are to explore new ways of marketing. Advertising, considerably slashing the prices of the commodities, increasing the discount rates, aggressive marketing, etc., are the methods that should be used by Apple to stay in the extremely competitive market. 4. Childhood is a creative, innovative and generative. In the society the child consumers are more than adult consumers. The marketing strategy is to attract children by making publicity of the gaming product through media. The producers and marketers display the products in supermarkets and departmental stores for sale. The best strategy is to have a good impression on parents because they are the persons who decide what to purchase for their children. Business to Consumer (B2C): In B2C e-commerce, business uses the Net for offering their products or services to consumers 24 hours a day from any part of the world. B2C portals are the most visible face of e-commerce. 5. Efficiency of management: The purpose of financial statement analysis is to know that the financial policies adopted by the management are efficient or not. Analysis also helps the management in preparing annuity products. It also helps the management to find out the shortcomings so that remedial measures can be taken to remove these shortcomings. Analysis also helps in taking decisions: a) Whether funds required for the retirement services are provided from internal resources of the business or not. b) How much funds have been raised from external sources. Reference Louis E. Boone & David L. Kurtz. Contemporary Marketing. New York: South-WesternCollege Pub. 2004.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Self Appraisal for Career Development

Self Appraisal for Career Development Introduction Professional development is essential to career progression. Since todays working environment is becoming increasingly more complex, professionals face the challenge of managing the knowledge of multiple disciplines and systems and the ever changing interrelationships between them. There are a range of methods for managing professional development and it is important from both a professional and personal perspective to ensure that efforts are effective. The report below includes some of the methods used by a section manager who works for Selfridges department store. Task 1 Personal and Carrier Development Self Appraisal Self appraisal is an essential part of the Performance appraisal process where the employee able to gives the feedback of day to day activities by himself or his views and points regarding his performance. Usually this is done with the help of a self appraisal form where the employee rates himself on various parameters, tells about his training needs, if any, talks about his accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, problems faced etc. Most of the performance management systems use self appraisals as one of its key processes. The main benefit of the self appraisal system is that even though it is not formal in every organisation, it provides an excellent foundation to the employees performance review. On the other hand it allows the management to understand the employees impression about the organisation and take decisions of his or her career progress. However there are some limitations in this method as well. Primarily it doesnt help employee to create an influential brand for him or herself that will stick in the mind of the boss. Employee needs to use the appraisal process to influence the boss to think about him or her in terms of the key capabilities/attributes that make him or her special and effective. Self Appraisal for a Sales Assistant Job information Employee: Michael Didenko Company: Selfridges Department store Position Title: Section Manager Review Period: three months from induction Office: London Oxford street branch Department: Mens Section: Mens Products Report to: Department Manager (Roger Newell) Job descriptions and responsibilities There are four main areas included in this role. Firstly Sales and provision of service which includes Receives and approaches clients, Leads a sales discussion, continues to ask questions to discover customer needs and receives complaints or is involved in it. Secondly Receipt and processing of goods where responsibilities of receiving and storing of goods involves as well as management of inventory. Thirdly, concluding of sales transactions which include Making the cash point and system ready to use and managing the point of sale system and most importantly the management of employee activities including the leading of team towards greater performance, recruiting, allocating work tasks, supervising, motivating and liaising with other managers. Specify ways that you feel you met or exceeded job requirements and any reasons why. Can be satisfies as the questioning of customers in order to determine the needs of customers came up with positive feedback. Store managed to create special customised services using the findings of myself. Became the section of the department which has done highest sales in two consecutive weeks after two months of starting job. I feel that our sections customer service in a good level as for the last three month period I have received no complaints but 11 mentioned compliments. Specify the ways that you feel you did not meet job requirements and any reasons why. Sometimes it feels hard to meet up company promotional policy due to personal marketing attitude. Still not excellent in inventory due the large variety. In what specific areas would you like to improve your job performance? Inventory Management techniques Presentation skills Quality of the retail management Team working List the steps you would like to take to improve your preparation for future opportunities. Get involved in the performance workshops Use the company training and development criteria effectively Learn retail management independently What job-related goals would you like to accomplish in the next 12 months? Get excellent inventory management skills. Trained to become a Department supervisor. Soon after finish the degree, get selected to the company graduate scheme. List additional items you would like to discuss. Would like to know about the goods ordering system for the entire deparmrnt and womans department of the company as a career development. Sample Curriculum Vitae Personal profile Young, dynamic BA Undergraduate seeking a career leads to management and administration. Good team worker who enjoys learning via experience. Keen to develop skills in all aspects of life and will work hard to achieve the desired goals. Able to work on own initiative or as part of a team and can deal with administrative duties competently. Employment record 2008 To Date: Selfridges Department Store Section Sales Manager Keeping up with key trends and have the confidence to suggest alternatives as well as maximising sales of cooperating brands. This is a great opportunity for Dealing with merchandising standards and deliveries, embracing teamwork, effective communication and supporting the retail management team. 2005 2008: Marriott Hotel, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire Front Office Colleague Managed and provided front of house services including reception, meeting room hospitality and key administration functions in a fast moving environment. This position has given a great opportunity to deliver the highest levels of customer service and professionalism to employees and visitors. 2003- 2005: Fenwicks Ltd, Brent Cross, London- Customer Service Advisor Served at the frontline, represented the service and brand values to an excellent and consistent level for the customers. Had an excellent knowledge of maximizing sales potential through the effective day-to-day management of the relationship with customers from initial sales enquiry, through to order and delivery. This position has greatly developed my communication skills and how to deal with customers efficiently and accurately. Educational Qualifications 2008-2010: BA (Hones) Business Management University of Sunderland The course covered an in-depth study of management theories and practice. In addition over the three year period it emphasises abilities to organise, monitor, control and develop best practice in the management of organisations whilst providing a thorough understanding of the business environment. Major study areas include, Managing Projects Marketing Strategies Strategic Management of People Financial Management Contemporary Developments in Business and Management Strategic Management Additional Skills Excellent experiences in Team work since the college period. Good communication skills through oral and visual presentations. Remarkable computer skills, including information management. Good at being responsible since college. Experienced in several social fieldwork and Charity Work Interests, Activities Other Information Member of the Cancer Society in UK. Member of the College swimming team, prefects guild and athletic squad Enjoy travelling, music and time out with friends as opportunity for new experience and meeting new people. Personal Development Plan DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE STAGES INVOLVED PROPOSED ACTIONS TO BE ACHIEVED BY RESOURCES REQUIRED Supervisory/section management skills  · Authority  · Responsibility  · Delegation  · Communication  · Time management Increase the management skills in order to ease the decision making process, actions can be taken as use training courses, delivering training to other staff, professional reading and shadowing management staff. 1 year * Organisational training scheme * Skills audit with the help of Department Manager * Other learning resources * Management Meetings Promotional Knowledge  · Sales and marketing  · Pricing  · Promotion  · Customer service  · Product and environment Can use training courses, consumer analysis, marketing analysis, management programmes, delegate with the staff on marketing perspective and knowledge of the similar sections 6 months 1 Marketing / Promotional Policy 2 Professional marketing courses 3 Customer feedbacks 4 Training modules Inventory knowledge  · First in first out  · Last in first out  · Average cost Training courses, understanding organisational statements, always involve in stock calculation, one to one discussions with higher management and knowledge of the ordering and sales of the section. 6 months 5 Stock management courses 6 Income and cash flow statements 7 Inventory policy 8 Order document 9 Stock calculation documents Interpersonal skills  · Communication/Interview skills  · Relationships  · Personal impact  · Conflict management Training courses, start of the day team talks, extra activities, build up strong relationships with supervisors and staff and be passionate. 3 month 10 Self Appraisal 11 Training courses 12 Professional reading materials Task 2 Evaluate Progress Evaluating progress is essential to staying on target. The Evaluation results and information gathered during the formal review process is used by many organizations to create new action plans, identify best practices, and set new performance goals. Most of the organisations urge its employees to have personal or pre structured evaluation reports in order keep track of their progress. In this way employees can simplify their way forward on achieving planned targets. This procedure work well in Selfridges and sample evaluation plan for the section manager in mens department is given below. Skill Evaluation Revision Management Skills Section manager development programme is completed and found very effective. Delivering the training to the staff found slightly difficult as very experienced workers have more skills than young managers. Other sections management is very helpful. Need to have more briefings. More management training will provide successful background. Aim: Assist to become the best department consecutively. Promotional Knowledge Market and consumer analysis is undergoing successfully. Yet it is still hard to make a impact on the overall promotions. Ideas of the sale staff and the theories of the marketing staff clash often. More marketing knowledge needed as a section manager. Regular sales promotions will be needed in the section. Aim: To make mens products section more popular in the whole store. Inventory Knowledge Inventory knowledge is increasing slowly but steadily. It seems that this problem is more personal due to the new arrivals and the amount of variety. Stock control is successful so far. Need to concentrate harder. Revising inventory reports will be helpful. Aim: Reduce wastage level of the section to a minimum. Interpersonal Skills Personally satisfied with the time relationships and the conflict management although if try harder can gain maximum out of the more experienced workers. Professional management course is undergoing. Communication should is not directed to the correct receiver several times. Have to maintain a clear communication policy. Team effort should be maximised. Aim: Create one of the best teams of the entire chain. Above evaluation plan is a single review of the ongoing processes depending on the personal development plan. Carrying out a regular reviewing process will assist to enhance the overall output in order to reach the set objectives. Some of the methods can be used are given below. Regular Observations Monthly action plans Weekly customer questioners Staff questioners at least at least every three months Progress reports Annual health checks There are many methods that different organisations use. Given examples above the once that Selfridges regularly use. Task 3 Interpersonal and Transferable Business Skills Problem recognition Lack of Motivation among the employees of Mens products section can be identified as one of the leading problem of the department. If this condition is not reasonably identified and solved properly, it can be spread to the other departments of the store and made an impact on the competitive advantage of the whole company. Analysis After recognising the problem, before finding the solution it is wise step to analyse the background of the problem. There are many reasons to the of motivation in the department. The company is well known for the employment of young energetic people, however there are many experienced people working among them from a long period. Most of this people are almost elderly people and some of them are working as supervisors. Comparing to the young and new starters these experienced people has high knowledge but lack of motivation due several reasons such as, Being unable to see future reward Lack of need Being indifferent Not having plans and Feeling depressed After carefully analysing the reasons it is clear that these matters of should be answered correctly in order to reduce the division of the team and motivate every single employee to gain a sales increase. Solutions In some companies the new starters have lack of motivation due to low ability although in Selfridges it can be clearly seen that the problem is among the well experienced staff. This is surely a major threat however solutions are not that hard. The most important step is to create enjoyable working conditions. This has to be done by the management with the close involvement of the staff. Some social events can bring up the whole department together and can renew the relationships among them self. Creating small sub groups within the department with a mixture of old and new staff and empower them as well as reward the groups will bring the motivation in to a new level. At the same time experienced staff should be rewarded at every possible time to boost up their working energy and to give a good example to the new starters. On the other hand the management should admire these experienced staff every time while setting up goals for them to lead the new staff. This can be seen as a recr eating a team to increase the productivity. Communication within the department In any organisation People have a basic need to know what is going on around them. Employees need to feel comfortable that their managers will share relevant information with them about the company, and about their performance and position within the organization. Having a properly described communication plan with clear channels will make this whole effort much easier and important information will pass easily. The communication strategy within the mens products section is fairly clear in Selfridges and normally exert in three levels within the section managers role. Communication between the section staff and the section manager and supervisors Link between the other section managers Departmental level and higher level management communication. At the first level communication mediums are much straight forward and sometimes informal. Most of the day to day businesses delivered verbally or orally between small groups of members of the staff. Majority of these messages are face to face and section manager is always clear about the actions. It is much easier because the communicated messages can be always adjusted at this level and therefore can be delivered effectively. Section manager uses his interpersonal skills to create an excellent social and work background to facilitate the smooth running of the sections aspects. On the other hand, the second level which connects the fellow section managers and line managers together is not simple as the first one. Although the members of this level share similar characteristics among them there are situations that communication may fail due to the different responsibilities. However again at this levels more face to face and telephone methods are used to communicate which makes easier environment to get linked. Thirdly the department and higher level management communication is different from both of the levels above. At departmental level oral and written communication levels are used more regularly because of the distance between the parties are low. Very high communicative and interpersonal required at this level but different from the first level because the section managers interpersonal skills level represent the entire sections reputation within the department. Communication within the other departments and the higher management will be happening under one way or two way systems most of the times. This Part of the procedure is much formal than any other level therefore very high and clear interpersonal levels will be needed. Time Management Every minute spent in mistaken or incorrect way is a time that effects negatively on the productivity. In any company managing the time of its tasks is a major requirement, as carefully planned schedule will ease the day to day and future responsibilities. In addition managing the time effectively will reduce stress levels of the employees, improve their well-being, and increase focus on the job and productivity. Yet many people in the section managers position often run out of time due the low time management skills. Some of the points given below can be used as good time management strategies. Create a Monthly Schedule Asses and plan the work load each week Adjust the plan everyday Evaluate the plan regularly By looking at above four strategies it might feel that monthly schedule will not be enough to plan and assist the companys strategic objectives. However by planning the time monthly basis and braking down to smaller tasks will help to keep track record easily and concentrate on every responsibility. Task 4 Self Managed Learning Learning Learning at Work gives the opportunity to individually alter a route to a more recognised level using the tasks that complete as part of the current role, so both the person and business benefit. It is an important professional experience which uses a unique framework and work-based projects while giving the chance to interact with other work colleagues unlike academic learning. Learning benefits the section mangers position in many ways. Some of them are, Assessing current work practices and relevant industry experience Evaluating personal, professional and career objectives. Identifying the strategic directions and priorities of the employer Negotiating your own learning plan Organising work-based projects Recording progress and achievements All these benefits can be achieved by using three different methods of learning experiences which are, Learning from the current job Learning through experience and Learning through skills and knowledge Learning Cycle and learning Styles Traditionally, learning has been associated with reading books, attending courses and lectures, etc. However in this fast moving world it has been realised that , learning should be more durable and lifelong and therefore much logical systems should be used. Learning cycle can be identified as an illustration of a engaging and integrating learning methods so that it affects not only thinking but also the behaviour. Many philosophers have explained many learning cycles although the one that David Kolb published in 1984 the most popular. Kolbs learning cycle is illustrated below and explained. Kolb identifies four different stages of the learning cycle as below. Concrete Experience The cycle starts with doing something in which the individual, team or organisation are allocated a task. Key to learning therefore is active participation. Reflective Observation In this stage the person who actually on the learning cycle stepping back from doing and reviewing what has been done and experienced. Abstract Conceptualisation At this stage the learner makes comparisons between what they have done, reflect upon and what they already know. Active Experimentation The final stage of the learning cycle is when the learner considers how they are going to put what they have learnt into practice. In other words it is a way of planning. According to Kolb different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Furthermore he identifies four different styles as below. Diverging Divergers take experiences and think deeply about them, thus moves away from a single experience to multiple possibilities. Assimilating Assimilators greatest strength lies in the ability to create theoretical models. Ideas and concepts are more important than people and require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. Converging Converger likes finding practical uses for ideas and theories, evaluating consequences and selecting solutions. Again this type of learner does not prefer interpersonal situations or people connections, instead they like technical uses. Accommodating This learner uses trial and error rather than thought and reflection. He is good at adapting to changing circumstances and get on well with the people. Honey and Mumford styles of learning illustrate the same actions as above however the names they used are different. The similarity can be given as below. Activist = Accommodating Reflector = Diverging Theorist = Assimilating Pragmatist = Converging Presentation Using the Personal Development Plan The presentation slides given below is an explanation of the development objectives given in the personal development plan. In other words they can be identified as the learning tasks which lie among the learning styles. These presentation slides are very useful to submit progress to the higher management and delivering training to the staff. Conclusion Professional development is an important and very useful part of a managers career. Managers must be aggressive and focused in their objectives for professional development. In addition it is their duty to keep the reputation of their position by using different learning systems that are already available. Carefully managed professional development process can be identified as the key aspect of any managers career. The report undertook above was an independent document of a section managers personal and professional development criteria. Bibliography David Kolb, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (1984), FT Prentice Hall Grainger, P., Managing People: Your Self-development Action Plan (1994), Kogan Page Parsole, E. Coaching and Mentoring: Practical Methods to Improve Learning (2000), Kogan Page Hayes, J. Interpersonal Skills at Work (2002), Routledge (NY) HNC/HND Course Book http://books.google.co.uk/books?client=firefox-ahl=en http://bsspdl.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/kolb-learning-cycle-2/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles http://labspace.open.ac.uk/file.php/3228/E838_1_Section11.pdf http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9215/guide.htm www.businesslink.gov.uk www.selfridges.com