Sony Strategy Analysis

SONY Strategy Case Analysis Executive Summary Sony is currently faced with the problem of low operating margin and stagnant market share in the videogame console industry. PlayStation3 of Sony is competing with Xbox360 of Microsoft and Wii of Nintendo. Despite the high technology, Wii outsells PlayStation in the market. This shows that the traditional strategy of Sony based on hardware should be reviewed according to the new trend. Considering gradually increasing market size and harsh competition, Sony should invest more on creating new customers and software. AnalysisAfter experiencing the five or six cycles defined by advancement of underlying technology, there are currently three main competitors in the videogame industry: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. The PlayStation of Sony and the Xbox360 of Microsoft can be characterized by high technology and interoperability with other electronic products. Meanwhile, the Wii of Nintendo emphasizes innovative and user-friendly capabilities such as wireless motion-sensing controllers. Therefore, the Wii could appeal to more widespread customers such as senior people including traditional gamers.Based on enthusiastic reactions to Wii, the leading market share of PlayStation in the prior generation is replaced by the Wii of Nintendo. As of 2008, the Wii substantially outsells the two rivals. According to Five Forces Analysis, Sony has been faced with the following characteristics in the game industry. Suppliers: The bargaining power is relatively high since videogame console makers outsource the manufacturing of console. Also, they need the support of game developers. In this respect, the one of the main reasons why the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 could succeed as a new entrant would be the supplier-friendly strategy of Sony.Sony took the policy to license any PlayStation software as far as it does not clash with hardware. Also, Sony provided third-party developers with various development tools and soft libraries. Buy ers: Compared with past customers who could enjoy the limited game console suppliers, current customers could enjoy the various types of game platforms. Also, based on the high technologies, the games for every age or demographic are coming out to the market. Therefore, game console makers should ensure as many customers as possible to enjoy the economy of scale in the increasing market size.This gamer-friendly environment results in the high bargaining power of customers. Regarding customer-based viewpoint, Sony failed to captivate the people from all levels. Even though PlayStation software is targeted at a more mature audience, PlayStation of Sony has been usually used by the traditional gamers of young age. Threat of new entrants: In the game industry, the possibility of new entrants to succeed is very slim because new platform based on high technologies requires high cost and risk.Therefore, small or medium sized companies are very difficult to finance R&D and marketing. Also, it is very difficult for new entrants to find game developers. Three giant companies (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) overwhelmingly dominate the market of videogame console and there exists a big entrance barrier. It is the reality that a small company cannot help being pushed out by three major companies. Since Sony got into the game industry, the biggest threat of new entrants would be the appearance of new contender, Microsoft, in 2001.Threat of substitute products: There exists the high possibility of substitutes from other industries. Personal computers or mobile handheld devices could be the potential substitute of videogame consoles. The reality is that many people are enjoying games using other devices such as I-Phone or I-Pad over time. In addition, consumers don’t have to bear the additional cost when they change from game consoles to other substitutes. Considering the high diffusion rate of personal computers or mobile devices, potential substitute products could be hi gh threat to selling game consoles.Positioning among current competitors: Definitely, Sony is the major entity in the game console market. However, the market situation is not so bright as the past over time. As a new entrant in 2001, Sony could get a huge success through giant money, high technology, stylish design and support of game developers. However, Sony is now suffering from negative operating profit and turned over the status of top maker to the Wii of Nintendo. So, Sony needs to set up new strategies in the videogame industry. RecommendationFirst of all, Sony should broaden customer scope from traditional gamers to the general public. Game industry is still growing although the attractiveness is waning over time. Sony is trying to position the PlayStation as the ultimate hub for digital living room. However, the people are still not familiar with PlayStation and consider it just game machine. Therefore, Sony needs to enforce the marketing for family-friendly game console m aker. The one of the main reasons for Wii’s success is that Nintendo targeted the niche market that other competitors have ignored.Nintendo focused on the general public with the easy and simple game consoles instead of expensive and complicated ones. Wii contributed to letting the public general realize the fun of game. Now, Sony needs to leverage the opponent’s assets as a Judo Strategy as Sega did in the past. If the family-friendly image is added to the high technology of Sony, the PlayStation could appeal much more to the general public. Lastly, Sony needs to more invest on its software. Sony has been focused on the product itself based on high technology and attractive design.As Nintendo makes high margin based on the customer-friendly software forgoing high price of console, Sony needs to broaden available games for PlayStation. A wide range of Adult users could bring new Blue Ocean of profits. Utilizing the advantages of PlayStation, the high technology and int eroperability with other electronic devices, Sony could set up the new digital hub replacing TV and Computer at home. To do this, above all, Sony should establish the affluent in-house software associated with developers as Apple make additional profits through various apps.

Rfid at the Metro Group

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Summarize the Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Summarize the Article - Essay Example The authors found that sleep difficulty are common in older individuals and are significantly associated with more severe and disseminated pain. This study rather did not find that pain severity was associated with age but recognized that more research is needed to develop effective interactions for these prevalent and co-occurring disabling conditions. Furthermore Dysfunction of the hypothalamic pituitary- adrenal axis was found to be associated with greater risk of developing chronic widespread pain (Qian, 2011). This study showed that, after adjustment for use of psychotherapeutic medications and the daily anesthetics, the connotation between pain and sleep difficulties decreased modestly A number of mechanisms like Chronic pain characteristics maybe an important factor contributing to the sleep difficulties amongst aged and may need to be added to pain assessment in older persons. The medications prescribed for chronic pain and promting sleep have analgesic and sedating effects. Chen, Qian, et al. "Characteristics of chronic pain associated with sleep difficulty in older adults: The Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston study." Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 59.8 (2011):

Change from Quantitative to Qualitative using template Article

Change from Quantitative to Qualitative using template - Article Example Research Purpose Thus, the aim of this quantitative descriptive research study was to appraise nurses’ knowledge on the subject of prevention of unpremeditated perioperative hypothermia (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). As a result, Hegarty, & ettal (2009) observes that between 60%-90% perioperative patients by chance become hypothermic, which then results in significant negative outcomes on the patient health, including increased hospital-stays, as well as further procedures and even forced to undergo further diagnostic tests. It therefore becomes important to every perioperative nurse to have an in-depth awareness of inadvertent hypothermia, particularly the risk factors and subsequent complications. Research Question The research question centers on whether perioperative setting nurses do have sufficient knowledge base concerning the management of their patients body temperature in a defined range, given the detrimental outcomes linked to inadvertent hypothermia. Normally, accident al hypothermia among perioperative patients has been linked to deprived patient outcomes, whereby control of the patient body temperature is not under a defined range which can sustain a stable body environment (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Informed Consent and Ethical Considerations This study can be considered ethical since it considers the basic ethical principles of research comprising autonomy, non-malfeasance, and justice. Notably, ethical approval was acquired from relevant clinical-research ethical committees, even though the researchers have not stated specifically the institutional names of the committees. Furthermore, informed consent was the hallmark of their research, since they used informational leaflet to notify the volunteers of their participation in the study, and as such, participation was voluntary and personal information acquired through questionnaires were kept confidential. Thus, the volunteers were given detailed purpose and objectives of the research study bef orehand (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Design In terms of design, the researchers applied a quasi-experimental design whereby the sole variable was not influenced or controlled. The strengths, sample size, limitations, and overall implications have been highlighted just as required in any evidence based nursing study. The study is based on a reflexive progression, which entailed working through every phase of the research whereby the functions of developing theory, gathering and analyzing of data, in addition to elaborating of research questions have been done simultaneously (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Hence, each of these functions influenced the others. Data Collection In terms of data collection, questionnaires containing structured questions in several leaflets were filled by participants, even as the entire survey package comprised two survey-tools tailored with consent from original authors of the questionnaires. The intention for tailoring the survey tools was to suit the perioperat ive setting nurses working environment. Moreover, the study participants were able to identify various techniques applied under their clinical-field when trying to make certain that their patients do not acquire hypothermia. In total there were nine questions with the major questions asking the participants to describe hypothermia and the other to list factors which can result in hypothermia for their perioperative patients. They were also asked to state likely sources of heat loss, the methods each participant applies in their

Public law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public law - Essay Example His past record has shown his tendencies towards committing suicide due to the above mentioned mental state. Community Support & attitude: Mr. Imran has received no support from his community and was in constant danger within Iran (his native country) and within the UK (where he is currently residing). Recently Mr. Imran has been asked to leave his accommodation. Background of Mr. Imran: Mr. Imran had been accused of promoting gay rights in Iran, which has led to his departure from Iran to the UK. Capital punishment for the offence in Iran is the death sentence. Mr. Imran’s house was subject to a raid by the Iranian Authorities in the year 2009, which became the reason for his fleeing to the UK. Statements of Facts: Mr. Imran had to flee from Iran as he was in fear of his life. Promoting gay rights within the UK is not considered offense. Mr. Imran does not have any past criminal record. The client has been mentally disturbed due to the nature of events. He has in 2010, attemp ted to commit suicide when his partner was caught in Iraq. He is currently seeking help from Government of the UK, in the form of Asylum. Constant threat looms around Mr. Imran’s life within Iran, not only from Iranian Authorities, but also the Iranian society. As Islamic law prohibits promoting gay rights, and any individual found guilty would be given death sentence. People also consider such person as outcasts and have aggressive attitude towards such person. Issues to be Addressed – For Consideration of His Asylum Application in the UK: 1. Is the applicant any threat to the Government or to the people of the UK? 2. Could the applicant live a tolerable life, if he is made to return to Iran? 3. Had the applicant openly disclosed his sexuality, what would have transpired? 4. Presence of evidence suggesting that the applicant is sexually gay? 5. Was the applicant concealing his sexuality because of the social pressure or was he concealing it to avoid prosecution? Brief Summary of Replies for the Above Questions- Clients Perspective: Since the applicant is himself a victim and does not hold any criminal record, he does not pose any threat to the UK Government and its people. He can provide facts about his relation with his partner and can also take assistance from previous affiliations, if he had any with the gay community or social working groups. He can easily provide evidence of ill treatment from the Authorities and communities towards gays in Iran, by providing cases of people who had been already acquitted with such charges. It is almost impossible for him to return to Iran and keep his sexuality discreet and live a normal life. Summary of Relevant Statuary Provisions According to the law’s of United Kingdom, a person will only be granted asylum if he is in the UK. He is a person who is either a refugee or an individual who required International protection. The individual in any ground is a threat to security, or he has not been conv icted for any serious crime, or does not present any threats or dangers to the society of the United Kingdom. Any individual’s application in such matter, if denied and the individual due to denial has to leave to a country where that individual is threatened for his life falls within breach of Geneva Convention. In the United Kingdom, grave harm comprises of the capital punishments like execution, torturing, unlawful killing, harsh treatment, which disgraces or, degrades an individual. Any threats which can

Reflective learning log for History of Education Essay

Reflective learning log for History of Education - Essay Example f teacher training underwent change between 1831 and 1922 with Catholics breaking away from multi-denominational free model schools to establish their own teacher training schools. Curriculum, textbooks, written predominately by James Calile and provided free were written in English, and teaching methods also changed significantly during this time spurred by the Powis Commission, the Belmore Commission and the revised national school programme that resulted in much unhappiness by teachers and affronting everyone involved engaged with education. Irish was only permitted as an additional subject and according to Coolahan was â€Å"in line with the cultural assimilation policies† of the time. The first question raised from the materials is in reference to class sizes, wherein ‘large number of pupils’ is mentioned but with no evidence as to how large or actual numbers. Numbers would help to place a more realistic perspective on the monitorial and simultaneous methods of instruction and on consideration of alternative options that may have been available to teachers at the time. Mention is made to a number of ‘religiously neutral’ textbooks written by James Carlile resulting in an implicit manipulation of the curriculum, but no further information in relation to the books is provided; it raises the questions as to which subjects and how many levels were incorporated; were all subjects compulsory or were some optional, and whether or not he developed the successfully commercial set of graded readers. Later, in reference to the revised national programme introduced by Starkie in 1900, mention is made to the 3 R’s and new subjects. It is interesting to note that the new subjects were listed in such a way as to infer gender separation; for example were compulsory household management subjects specifically for females and was this the beginning of the stereotypical ‘math and science’ for boys and ‘cooking and sewing’ for girls? Some schools

Reincarnation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reincarnation - Term Paper Example It guarantees to proceed with one's presence in further lives and therefore having a replenished opportunity to accomplish liberation. Another real explanation for accepting resurrection by such a variety of individuals today is that it appears to clarify the distinctions that exist among individuals. Some persons are solid, others are tormented their entire life by physical imperfections and weaknesses. Some people are rich, others are at the edge of starvation. Some individuals have life success and self-realization without being religious; others are followed by losses, disregarding their religious devotion. As reincarnation is bonded with karma, which stresses cause-and-effect relationships and their outcomes; it becomes an ultimate tool for punishment or rewards. The classical paradigm of the rebirth was figured in India, however absolutely not sooner than the ninth century BC, when the Brahmana texts were created. After the Upanishads plainly characterized the idea between the seventh and the fifth century BC, it was received by the other critical Eastern religions which started in India, Buddhism, and Jainism. Because of the spread of Buddhism in Asia, the resurrection was later received by Chinese Taoism, yet no sooner than the third century BC (Valea). The concept of reincarnation is central in Hinduism. Its understanding could not be reached avoiding recognition of the nature of samsara – which is a circle of lives. The liberation from samsara is an ultimate goal of human life, it is called moksha.

Course Reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Course Reflection - Coursework Example Moreover, they facilitate the learning and communication about ethics and ethical issues. Nurses also create structures that encourage and espouse an ethical environment (Home & Care, 2010). As a nurse, I will foster the ethical issues of nursing by creating techniques that monitor and offer immediate feedback on the ethical performance of nurses and the nursing organization as a whole. Nurses focus on the betterment of the organizations relationship to its immediate environment. In addition, they focus on organizations interpretation of human nature, truth, reality, and relationships as the prominent ethical dimensions that define the organizational culture (Falk & Chong, 2008). I will ensure that others foster trust within the organization as this is the sole lubricant for all smooth and transparent operations and values in the organizations. The shift in thinking took place after considering the future issues in nursing. The future issues that face the nursing fraternity have a direct bearing to the ethical code of conduct of the nursing profession. Hence, it is paramount to contemplate on the ethical issues and deliberate on how the nurse leaders can put in place mechanisms that will guarantee effective, ethical issues in the nursing fraternity. For instance, the nurses are required financial motivation to offer proper services, an issue that when not addressed will culminate into a worse unethical

Relationship Between Trade And World Output Essay

Relationship Between Trade And World Output - Essay Example In the similar vein when countries export their surplus goods to the nations who need them in exchange of money or other goods, it helps them both to boost their production level. Therefore, increase in international trade underscores the growth of world output. Despite the fact that international trade and world output are so very closely related to each other, there has observably been greater increase in international trade than the world output (Motley, 2005). Grimwade (2000, p36) clarifies that, "a major consequence of the fact that trade has grown faster than output has been that economies have become more open and economically more interdependent". As a consequence of such rapid growth in international trade, countries have become more and more reliant on other countries for the fulfilment of their needs for products and services. Hence, international trade is growing at a much faster pace than that of the output. The pattern of international trade simply refers to how countries are involved in trading with each other and how this constitutes a share in the world trade (Motley, 2005). The broad pattern of international trade reflects the share of developed and underdeveloped countries in the world output as well as contribution of each country towards the growth of world trade. This pattern changes with respect to individual countries as the world trade grows, however, in the broader perspective the international trade pattern demonstrates a consistent trend. Grimwade (2000, p20) says that, "over two-thirds of world trade is accounted for by the developed countries, a share that has been broadly stable over the past thirty years". More of the world's trade is carried out between developed countries than the underdeveloped ones due to the reason that these countries tend to produce surplus goods that could be exported to others. It is also a fact that domestic industries of developed countries are stronger than that of the underdeveloped countries, which leads them to adopt free trade policy. This pattern of trade also depends upon a country's policy towards open and restricted trade. As more developed countries are proponents of free trade, the contribution of these countries in the world trade happens to be greater than the underdeveloped countries that tend to be protectionist with regard to trade. Restricted trade policies in the form of various trade barriers and quotas, as well as trade promotion policy, in the form of incentives and grants on particular commodities tend to greatly influence a country's international trade pattern. Consequences Of Ceasing International Trade As a result of increasing international trade, countries are becoming reliant on each other for the provision of necessary goods and services. Hence, the very idea of ceasing international trade activities will seem horrifying to many countries. Grimwade (2000, p25) illuminates that, "the much faster expansion of trade relative to output has also meant that those countries that have shared in the process, have become increasingly interdependent". Countries today, heavily depend upon each other for the fulfilment of their needs by means of foreign trade. Not only the developed countries rely on imports and exports, but the underdeveloped

Executions be replaced by life without parole Essay Example for Free

Executions be replaced by life without parole Essay In criminal law, life sentence or life without parole means putting to jail somebody for the rest of his/her life for the crimes committed whereas death sentence means executing those criminals who are found guilty of committing some very serious crimes like murder, attempted coup or raping. Myself I am not an advocate of capital sentence but I support life sentence. Life without parole is also known as determinate life sentence. It means being sentenced to life imprisonment without any possibility of being released in future. American government spends a lot of money by executing criminals than it spends in giving life sentence. For this reason and others I think executions in America should be replaced by life without parole. Execution in Texas is not something new. In 1980 there were two men who were alleged to have killed a clerk somewhere, both of them fired shots at the clerk but it is not clear who exactly killed the clerk though both of them admitted to have fired at the clerk. To the corridors of justice it did not matter whether it was one of them or both who killed so long as they agreed to have fired and killed the clerk. One of these men was called Mr. Nicholas he was twenty years old when he was arrested but was executed when he was forty five years old. In this case, I don’t think justice was done. This is a good example of many cases where justice is not allowed to take its course. The state should have tried to establish who between the two killed the clerk. In a case like this one a person who is innocent can be killed and he is not given a chance to argue his case. Therefore on this basis I condemn execution of prisoners instead, they should be given life sentence. This is the only practical thing and reasonable method whereby the offenders can be given time to reassess themselves. Again they continue living though they are not necessarily free. About half of the total criminals who are executed in America come from Texas. It has the highest number of executions in America. It contravenes one of the Ten Commandments that Moses was given by God In the past, capital sentence was highly valued but of late it is not. In fact many states in USA have abolished it. In the past decades the argument was that capital sentence deters crime, it was a religious conviction or what is called the Law of Moses an ‘eye for an eye’ or ‘tooth for a tooth’. It was also thought that the states were spending huge sums of money feeding, clothing and providing healthcare for murderers, rapists and other dangerous criminals. This seemed to be silly and outrageous but now the argument has changed. In fact the former supporters of capital sentence are now singing a different tune. Today, the argument is that USA is finding it very expensive to execute criminals than to jail them for life. Surely, this is something that any sensible person should see. All states should awake to the fact that USA is wasting a lot of money in executing criminals instead of using this money on development projects that can benefit all. For example in North Carolina (Gold R. 2002; 89) about two million dollars are spent on effecting execution. When you compare capital sentence and life sentence, a person sentenced for life only needs to be fed, clothed, treated and guarded. Therefore it is cheaper to life imprison than to execute. The reasons why capital sentence should be abolished are that, the death row convicts spend a lot of money trying to fight for their freedom. They must hire lawyers who charge them exorbitantly so that they could argue about their fate, the process of appealing has become more protracted. Like in the case mentioned above, the convict spent about 25 years in jail before his life was terminated. Justice delayed is justice denied. The state spent alot of money to keep him than it could have spent if he was jailed for life. The reason why the execution process is long is that an innocent person may sometimes be executed. Therefore a lot of time is taken to dig in for finer details that could prove beyond reasonable doubts that the person alleged to have committed the crime really did it. According to the governor of Maryland his country spent 22. 4 million US dollars to execute death penalties. This money could have been used to pay at least 500 extra policemen a year or provide drugs for treating 10,000 drug addicts. He said when this money is used on other projects that are useful apart from executing law breakers, it becomes an investment that save lives and reduce violent crimes (www. Amnestyusa. Org;/Abolish) Most of the methods used to carry out death penalties should be abolished for they contravene human rights. A person is subjected to a very nasty experience that even the executors could not like to imagine themselves in. For example in lethal injections, a person is subjected to excruciating pain. The poison is injected to the criminal. It contains pancoronium bromide for killing his nerves and potassium chloride which is used to stop the heart beat. Sometimes the dose injected might not be enough or not well mixed. In such a case the victim takes longer than it should to die. The prisoner dies in intense pain from asphyxiation. For example there was a case in Florida whereby the executor missed to inject the drug in a vein and put it in the muscle. The victim died after 34th minute. During this period the victim writhed, grimaced and groaned suggesting that he was in pain. Another instance that shows that capital sentence violates human rights is of Saddam Hussein; the former president of Iraq. He was executed on 30th December 2006 during his execution, when the platform dropped, Saddam’s neck was broken and it could be heard at a distance that indeed his neck was broken. His body was left suspended on the noose for a few minutes before it was confirmed by the doctor that he was dead. The actual pictures were posted on the internet are horrific. The crimes he committed could not be compensated by his life plus the amount of money that was spent since his search begun trial and execution. According to (Baicker K. 2001; 12-27) more than 100 billion US dollars were spent. All this money was spent just because of one person. His trial was complicated and protracted. The much that was spent on his trial was more than what could have been used to keep him alive for the rest of life or be used to take care of other prisoners. Another reason why I am an ardent supporter of life sentence over capital sentence is that the criminals who are executed are like any other citizens who contribute to the economic. They play vital role in the economy. Some of them are even businessmen, doctors, teachers etc. The part they played could not be played by another person. So when a person is executed, the nation at large goes at a loss. These people could be taken to prison hospitals, schools and other businesses to offer their services there until they die and these people are not paid so, it is like killing two birds with one stone. States should also know that most of these criminals who are executed, some of them are highly educated and have different professions. The state has used a lot of its resources in educating them. Thus instead of taking all this money to waste, it should take advantage of their education by reaping some benefits from it instead of incurring a double loss. That is by trying and executing somebody whom the state has invested its resources on. Governments should reconsider their decision on capital sentence by trying to look this issue from an economist stand point. While still on this topic, I think USA should look and analyze capital sentence from an economic perspective. For example when a criminal who is the sole breadwinner is executed, his/her family lands in a sea of troubles. A family that was capable of providing itself with food starts depending on the government to provide to it everything that it needs. This becomes a burden to the government because it has to increase its budgetary allocation on the orphans funds and other unfortunate members of the society. Currently, US government spends les on poor families. I think it is because of many reasons abolition of capital sentence included. I think if it could be used as in the past decades, this cost would amazingly go up In California (Maganini S. 1988; 750-902) death penalty spends 114 million US dollars which is more than what is spent on life sentence. In executions according to the 2005 Los Angeles times study, California tax payers part with more than 250 US million dollars to finance a single execution. This government spends 11. million dollars on appointed counsel for those convicts who are in the death row and 12 million US dollars are spent by the federal government on defending death row convicts who are presented to federal courts. In 2005 according to the governor of California (Los Angeles Times) he needed 230 million US dollars to construct a new death row. In Kansas it was estimated that in 2003, its government used 70% more than the cost of executing other non-death penal ties. With all facts and figures put on the table, I do not think there is any person who can still argue for the continuity of death penalty. It is costly, unfair and inconsequential.

Ecosystem Services In Human Systems Environmental Sciences Essay

Ecosystem Services In Human Systems Environmental Sciences Essay Ecosystem services in human-environment systems: What is the problem? Ecosystems deliver goods and services of enormous value to the human society (Pearce and Moran, 1994; Costanza et al., 1997; Daily, 1997). However, intensive land and water use, extraction of natural resources, and chemical emissions into the environment lead to a worldwide degradation of biodiversity and of the supporting services, provisioning services, regulating services and cultural services which ecosystems provide (Hooper et al., 2005; Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005b). On a global scale the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005b) found that 60% of global ecosystem services (ES) surveyed are currently being degraded or used unsustainably. Future scenarios are promising no relieve. Only the projected doubling of food consumption for the next 50 years (Tilman et al., 2002), in combination with the growing demand for biofuels and other biophysical products will challenge decision-makers dealing with ecosy stem management worldwide. They need to optimize ecosystems with respect to multiple needs. Climate change has even intensified the dynamics of this human-environment interaction (McCarthy et al., 2001). Ecosystem services are defined as functions of ecosystems with value for human well-being. Thus the concept of ecosystem services, establishes a relationship between ecosystem service suppliers (the producers) and demanders for ecosystem services (the beneficiaries). Those supply-demand interaction can be distinguished on three levels: i) upstream downstream relations, ii) north south relations and iii) poor rich relations. i) Because of topographical complexity and altitudinal gradients mountain ecosystems are particularly sensitive to global change compared to the lowland (Becker et al., 2007; Bugmann et al., 2007). Socio-economic vulnerability to loss of ecosystem services tends also to be higher because of generally more difficult socio-economic conditions in mountains. But also the lowlands are influenced by undesired changes in mountain areas, because of their importance for biodiversity and for providing ecosystem services. Downstream actors benefit from the supply of upstream ecosystems with respect to clean water, flood control, reduced sedimentation, scenic beauty and many more positive mountainous ecosystem services. ii) Similarly, pressure on ecosystem services is high in the south because of continuous land use change, land degradation and impacts of climate change. Until now, such damages to ecosystems services are not sufficiently taken into account in the environmental decisions along the global value chains linking consumer, retailer, processor, and producer in the north and the south. Fair trade is a first step into this direction, but global trade basically masks the constraints of regional ecosystems. To increase the ecological transparency and foster sustainable ecosystem management, the involved public and private actors need to develop, improve and use instruments for ecological assessment and management of global value chains damaging regional ecosystem services. Lately ideas have been developed for international payments for ecosystem services and international biodiversity off-sets (see for a review in German or French language Koellner and Engel, 2008b; Koellner and Engel, 2008a). iii)In both cases mentioned before the relationship between upstream-downstream and north-south are potentially equivalent to a poor-rich relationship. Especially in developing countries with weak environmental legislation and enforcement, the activities of the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, but also oil, gas and mining) lead to deforestation, cause severe damages to biodiversity and finally limit the capacity of ecosystems to deliver bundles of services at the landscape scale to the local people. This is especially objectionable, if biotic resources are produced unsustainably in poor countries in the south and exported to rich countries in the north with strict environmental regulation, but only for the own territory. I am not saying that global trade per se is bad for the environment, but innovative solutions are needed if the poor are affected, because they cannot buffer losses of ecosystem services with purchased human-made services. To replace missing legislation pro-poor payments for ecosystem services were discussed in the past (Landell-Mills and Porras, 2002; Duraiappah, 2006; Ravnborg et al., 2007; Bulte et al., 2008; Proctor et al., 2008; Tallis et al., 2008). To successfully manage such supply-demand relations for ecosystem services under pressure of global change requires a collaboration of science and practice. New strategies for local, regional and global management of ecosystems are necessary, which are based on ecosystem services quantification; design of finance, policy and governance systems; and the implementation of those in various biophysical and social contexts (Daily and Matson, 2008). Within this general framework the three main objectives of my habilitation thesis on Ecosystem Services in Human-Environment Systems are Part A) to model land use and its impact on biodiversity and ecosystems and their services Part B) to analyze the decision-making that drives supply and demand for ecosystem services, and Part C) to explore the ecosystem impact of the financial sector national and international payments for ecosystem services (PES) and their linkages to the financial sector. In this introduction I reflect first the recent discussion about the definition of ecosystem services. Then I develop a general framework to organize research on ecosystem services. Finally, for each of the three objectives I provide a short review of existing research and describe my contribution to fill the gap. What are ecosystem services? Much confusion about their definition. Daily (1997) and the contributing authors from natural and social sciences introduced the term and concept of ecosystem services in order to stress the dependency of human-well being on nature. This milestone work defines ecosystem services on page 3 as follows: Ecosystem services are the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems, and the species that make them up sustain and fulfill human life. They maintain biodiversity and the production of ecosystem goods, such as seafood, forage, timber, biomass fuels, natural fiber, and many pharmaceuticals, industrial products, and their precursors. (Daily, 1997, page 3). In this definition ecosystem goods and biodiversity are an output of natural functions in sensu de Groot (1992). Interestingly, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment MA (2005b) skips the distinction between tangible ecosystem goods. It defines ecosystem services broadly as the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. It does distinguish supportive services (like nutrient cycling and soil formation), provisioning services (like food, fresh water and fibers), regulating services (like erosion control or water purification), and cultural services (like provision of opportunities for recreation and spiritual or historical purposes). That means what is a good under the definition of Daily is in the MA defined as an ecosystem services. Exactly around this issue, there is currently a scientific debate ongoing (see Boyd, 2007; Boyd and Banzhaf, 2007; Wallace, 2007; Costanza, 2008; Fisher and Turner, 2008; Wallace, 2008).

Essay --

The All American Dog has a long history that’s been forgotten by America today. The American Pitbull Terriers use to be a World War I, â€Å"Mascots of neutrality and bravery.† Today they are seen almost like a convict in public waiting to commit a crime and keep their distance from them. The breed is one of the smartest breeds out there in the world today proven by the Canine Temperament tests, American Pitbull Terriers score above average higher than any other dogs. Pit Bull Terriers are part of American history due to their powerful physical characteristics and strong bonds of loyalty, however, recent media focus have tarnished changed this breed’s image unfairly. The American Pitbull Terrier originated from Europe, Scotland, and Ireland in the eighteenth century. The American Pitbull Terrier came from mixing terriers with bulldogs a, â€Å"Breed historians believe originally served as a gripping dog for hunters of large game.† They use to let about four Pitbulls at once and attack a bull for entertainment. They later saw it as a sport, â€Å"These dogs were used in the blood sport of bull and bear baiting.† As they fought against bears, bulls, and other large animals. The American Pitbull Terriers, â€Å"maintained their grip until the animal became exhausted from fighting and loss of blood.† soon after they banned the inhumane sport in the 1835. Soon, dog fighting became very popular, exciting and entertaining to see as the wining dog was, â€Å"Celebrated and held up as heroes for their courage and fortitude during battle.† Selective breeding started that way their dog would be easily handled and obey owners. The y received the name for being trained to fight in pits with other dogs mostly of their own breed; after baiting was banned they got the b... ...sible, abusive, forgets, and reckless towards the dog, â€Å"A bad stereotype that has come because a lot of times they are raised wrong.† The breed was a very important breed to America that was looked up to, as of now some states ban owning an American Pitbull Terrier. The breed is part of the nations upcoming and history that many are terrified of to even pet the exploring, loving, and friendly All American Dog they are. The fighting dogs were also known to change their habits with new responsible owners and created a very loving bond as if they never fought before. Today, American Pitbull Terriers aren’t allowed to enter most dog contests due to the false myths the media has created and irresponsible owners. The now infamous American Pitbull Terrier has developed a bad reputation since the eighties that some people are slowly changing back to our All American Dog.

Justice in Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience Essay -- essays re

Justice Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience By definition justice means the quality of being just or fair. The issue then stands, is justice fair for everyone? Justice is the administration of law, the act of determining rights and assigning rewards or punishments, "justice deferred is justice denied.† The terms of Justice is brought up in Henry David Thoreau’s writing, â€Å"Civil Disobedience.† Justice has different standards for every group that it is presented upon. Thoreau’s opinions and criticism is strongly stated. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was described as many things. Thoreau was an author and naturalist with very Republican views. Morals inspired him. He ties in morality with justice many times in his piece. He was as well a pacifist, who was more talk than action. He was an abolitionist who sought justice for minorities. They didn’t have the ability to defend themselves. In Thoreau’s view, he felt that the government was insufficient. He didn’t need the laws to be just, he used his conscious and morality. He was compelled to do what morally was right, rather than it being based on government issued laws such as the complacent society there is today. People seem to care about justice, yet are immoral. This was the message Thoreau was trying to get across. Through all these wildly changing times, are we the people also changing? Is the generation gap a myth or can it be sustained? In evaluation of Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† essay, the answer to this is a resounding no. Thoreau opposed the war with Mexico in 1847 just like Jane Fonda opposed the Vietnam War more than 100 years later. Thoreau’s anti-war sentiment has been repeated in nearly every generation since the founding of this countr... ...for him to do). Instead Thoreau believes that as unjust and imperfect as democracy is at that particular time, he looks to better times, a time when legislators have more wisdom and integrity and hold humanity in a higher regard. He recognizes that fairness exists in the hearts and minds of individuals, some whom he knows personally and he holds to a hope that men like these can and will transform what is in their conscience into a â€Å"state at last which can afford to be just to all men and to treat the individual with respect†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In Thoreau’s view, he felt that the government was insufficient. At times such as these, government may not always be the best way to turn, yet it provides guidelines. This theme in his essay is just another opinion. Justice cannot be fully defined in one sentence by every person. It depends on the background and the experiences one has had.

Scarlet Letter And Ministers B :: essays research papers

In every difference there is also some sort of similarity. This is true with anything on earth. This is also obvious in literature. The novel the Scarlet Letter and the short story “The Ministers Black Veil'; are very different, but in every way they’re different they can be shown alike also.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One example of this is the writing style of the two stories. They are different. The obvious difference is the Scarlet Letter is a novel but the “Ministers Black Veil'; is a short story. The stories take place in two completely different places. Also the people portrayed have different roles in society showing that the writing of both is diverse and yet they are the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How? that is the question. Both stories are written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In both of the stories he has a style in which he gives vague descriptions and sets the scene. Then he flows into the story. Also both the stories deal with religion and sin which is from the main character. Also the sin is represented by a piece of cloth and this is very effective and is included in hawthornes writing style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Speaking of Characters that is another difference between the two stories. The most obvious difference is the sex of the characters. The minister being a guy and Hester a female. Also the nature of the Characters sin is different. Hester being an adulteress and the ministers sin being unknown. Also the item used in representation of their sin is different. Hester had the elaborately stitched and extremely colorful and pretty letter where the minister had a veil a plain black veil. The profession of each was different hester being a seamstress the minister being well a minister. And hester came out of this whole thing with a kid the minister didn’t.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In every difference you find a likeness as seen in the characters of the stories.

Otis Toy Trains Explores the Supply Chain Essay

The value proposition of Otis Toy Trains of Minneapolis is to offer well designed, detailed, evocative and luxurious toy trains and their accessories to middle-aged and senior adults. The traits for its critical customers are mainly two aspects. First, the critical customers’ age generally range from 35 to 55 (born from the 1960s to the 1980s). Second, the critical customers should have fairly high income to afford buying and collecting luxurious toy trains. The toy trains have many order winners, such as its high brand recognition among critical customers, its attractive and evocative train series due to those experienced designers and its wide selection of related accessories. However, Otis Toy Trains still has some order losers. For example, the Otis Toy Trains’ critical customers are so narrow (only adult born from the 1960s to the 1980s), and the toy trains do not have much attractiveness among other groups; therefore, it is hard to expand market and easy to lose m arket. In addition, the Otis Toy Trains does not have a method to efficiently produce and deliver its toy trains to customers, which means the cost of production and delivery is relatively high. As a consultant, I will highly recommend the Otis Toy Trains to accept the proposal because it can cut about half of the manufacturing cost, and the outsourcing will also emancipate the Otis Toy Trains from maintaining its facilities (factories). However, outsourcing will make the quality of toy trains out of control. For example, the Mattel recalled back over nine million toys because its outsourcing factories in China used paint which was hazardous for health. Therefore, my recommendation is to send managers to Chinese factories and keep track of the manufacturing to make sure the quality is under the Otis Toy Trains’ control. Trail Frames Chassis Trail Frames Chassis’ value proposition is to offer customized, timely fashionable and technologically advanced motor home chassis for manufacturers who place orders for small quantities. Its order winners include its brand recognition, timely fashionable designs, advanced technologies which are incorporated with its design perfectly and highly customized products which satisfy each customer as much as possible. In  contrary, its order losers are the high cost and price, unconformity to the schedule. These two order losers also make TFC’s chassis not available to many potential customers due to its low scale of orders. For proposed TFC chassis, it also has the brand recognition, timely fashionable designs and advanced technologies as order winners; furthermore, it has some additional order winners such as the relatively low price, conformity to the schedule and large scale of orders. In terms of order losers, the proposed TFC chassis does not have the high cost and pr ice and unconformity to the schedule; however, the lower flexibility of responding to customers need may cause more defect on products which will influence the company’s reputation and profit. Therefore, both the original and proposed TFC chassis will focus on doing research on fashion and new technologies. I would recommend TFC to accept the proposal and get into the new market. The reason is that it is more difficult for TFC to change its operational capabilities, but it can simply target a new group of customers, which means entering the market of low-end chassis market especially when the current market is saturated. In terms of facilities, TFC does not need to do much amendment on its existing operational capabilities because what it has to do is just using less-expensive components. In order to increase sales, I think TFC should outsource its manufacturing of low-end chassis just like what TFC’s major potential competitor BMW had done. The reason is that the low-end chassis do not need to be customized, so it is easier for TFC guarantee the quality. Furthermore, TFC does not need to have more fixed cost (building new factories), so it can keep the low-end chas sis at a lower price. Work Cited â€Å"Mattel Issues New Massive China Toy Recall.† Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07, May 2014. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20254745/ns/business-consumer_news/t/mattel-issues-new-massive-china-toy-recall/#.U2rT6Yfz2So â€Å"BMW: Outsourcing Assembly and the ‘Modular Industrial’ Strategy:.† Abubakrag. N.p., n.d. Web. 07, May2014. http://abubakrag.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/bmw-outsourcing-assembly-and-the-modular-industrial-strategy/

Adidas

The company Is the Indian subsidiary of Dallas Group. Although Rebook Is also owned by ideas Group, ideas India Marketing only markets and distributes ideas products in India. 0 The company's core business is mainly footwear. Nonetheless, the company also has presence in clothing products such as men's and women's tops, hosiery and non-apparel products, such as sports equipment. D In India, the ideas and Rebook brands are handled by two different companies. Dallas India Marketing (ideas India) handles only the ideas brand in India, and that includes aids sportswear, casual wear as well as non-apparel products. 0 The company has a national presence and is present in all major cities as well as many smaller towns. C] The company distributes Its products both through Its Ebbs (exclusive brand outlets) as well as through independent footwear retailers across the country. ideas (I-J) Ltd Background Dallas Group was founded In 1948 In Germany, and Dallas (K) Ltd Is a subsidiary of ideas GA G.O In 1995 ideas went public and became available for stock market trading on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchanges. Olin 2006 ideas acquired a ajar sportswear competitor, Rebook, which greatly increased its share. The company benefited from this acquisition by Increasing Its brand Identity and offering a wider range of products to both consumers and athletes. D In November 2011 ideas discussed acquiring Five Ten, a leading brand in outdoor and action sports apparel.The acquisition was later approved, and it purchased Five Ten for US$25 million, as the company plans on Increasing Its presence within outdoor clothing D In 2012 Dallas owned three sportswear brands, Dallas, Rebook and Tailored, with the latter leading in golf apparel and golf equipment. C] In 2010 ideas Group introduced a five-year strategic business plan called â€Å"Route 201 5†, which aims to grow the business of the entire company to turnover of ?17 billion and operating margins of 11% by 2015.The group h as an International presence In markets across the world, including the US, South America, Asia and Europe. ideas (India) Competitive Positioning ideas India ranks seventh in apparel and third in footwear. In men's outerwear (excel Jeans), overall It ranks 17th. The company's strength In sports footwear helps It maintain its leadership in footwear overall, where it had a 3% value share in 2012. In addition, the ideas brand is available across India either from its Ebbs (exclusive brand outlets) or multiplicand outlets. The company has a wide portfolio ranging from sportswear to casual wear to accessories and a few beauty and personal care products such as deodorants, as well. Nonetheless, the bulk of the company sales were still coming from footwear during the review period. D The company had over 1 OFF another 50 in 2012. The com any is sponsoring various sports events other than cricket to grab more market share and to become a predominant player in sportswear. The company also pl ans various advertising campaigns for different sports to promote its related sportswear.The company is also launching new designs of footwear in the coming months of 2013. The company has positioned itself as a premium brand. This has helped it to increase its presence in smaller cities where middle-class households are increasingly aspiring to wear premium brands. Introduction ideas Group was founded in 1948 in Germany, and ideas (I-J) Ltd is a subsidiary of ideas GAG. In 1995 ideas went public and became available for stock market trading on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchanges. In 2006 ideas acquired a major sportswear competitor, Rebook, which greatly increased its share.The company benefited from this acquisition by increasing its brand identity and offering a wider range of products to both consumers and athletes. In November 2011 ideas discussed acquiring Five Ten, a leading brand in outdoor and action sports apparel. The acquisition was later approved, and it purchased F ive Ten for IIS$25 million, as the company plans on increasing its presence within outdoor clothing. In 2012 ideas owned three sportswear brands, ideas, Rebook and Tailored, with the latter eating in golf apparel and golf equipment.In 2013 it tried to create a social newsroom that is reactive to key moments in football games by producing Vine clips, tactical tweets and Faceable posts, as it prepares for a social media battle with Nikkei at the 2014 World Cup. Strategy Difference: I-J Strategy: The company has decided to endorse high profile tennis player Andy Murray after his Windblown success instead of high profile footballers like David Beckman and Lionel Mimesis who they endorsed previously.It now relies on witty marketing to all-in highly publicized marketing technique. It has chosen to take greater control of its retail operations. It has also planned to reach to the customers on the internet through tactical tweets rather than regular advertisements. India Strategy: It plans to sponsor sports teams other than cricket in India so that it can capture ore market share and is targeting the middle class buyers as they aspire to buy more of premium branded sports products.More marketing is planned to increase product awareness in India. It has planned to increase the number of Ebbs (Exclusive Brand Outlets) by 50 so that it can have a larger footprint to increase market share with increased focus on metro cities. It also has tie-ups with e-retailing giants like snapped. Com, flippant. Com, Gabon. Com, mantra. Com etc since these platforms offer products at much lesser prices and the buying population is slowly shifting towards this side. Adidas Porter’s five forces for Adidas 1. Analysis framework and market structure * High barrier to enter this field. The sports shoes industry of the USA are made by those brand company, these brand company will have advantage with advertisement, import, sales network and product development. But most importantly, they set up an obstruct for other companies with their product character and loyalty of the customer. * Other shoes are not suitable for sports, so there is no substitute for sports shoes company. Customer, they really care about the price of the sportswear, and more sensitive for fashion, but there is no negative effect for the profit rate of the company. As we can see, if less profit, the product at development country will be less to compensate for the loss. And on the other hand, most companies are success with the difference of their product which will make customer to get to know their product and prevent to associate with other companies. Supplier power. Almost the sports shoes companies are equal with their input, especially after the the outsourcing trend which is launch by Nike, over 90% of the product are made in those developing countries such as China and Vietnam, who has lower salary and high labor force. The marketing strategy of Adidas This is two of the strategy for Adidas, and the other is research.They became one of the greatest sports company in 1997 after acquired the Salomen group, these two companies will help each other to coordinate with the product and region, because Salomen group are very strong in Japan and North America, it will help Adidas to increase the market share in USA. And another important thing is they always use sports star as their spokesperson such as David Beckham and Kobe Bryant.They also become the sponsor of many sports events such as UEFA championsleague and Olympic Games. The other core strategy is research, Adidas has established a new group for technical innovation to make at least one big innovation for customer every year. They introduced their Mass customization system to public in 2003, this system will custom the different shoes for different customer with different foot condition and personal preference. This are make Adidas to become the leader of the area. Adidas Porter’s five forces for Adidas 1. Analysis framework and market structure * High barrier to enter this field. The sports shoes industry of the USA are made by those brand company, these brand company will have advantage with advertisement, import, sales network and product development. But most importantly, they set up an obstruct for other companies with their product character and loyalty of the customer. * Other shoes are not suitable for sports, so there is no substitute for sports shoes company. Customer, they really care about the price of the sportswear, and more sensitive for fashion, but there is no negative effect for the profit rate of the company. As we can see, if less profit, the product at development country will be less to compensate for the loss. And on the other hand, most companies are success with the difference of their product which will make customer to get to know their product and prevent to associate with other companies. Supplier power. Almost the sports shoes companies are equal with their input, especially after the the outsourcing trend which is launch by Nike, over 90% of the product are made in those developing countries such as China and Vietnam, who has lower salary and high labor force. The marketing strategy of Adidas This is two of the strategy for Adidas, and the other is research.They became one of the greatest sports company in 1997 after acquired the Salomen group, these two companies will help each other to coordinate with the product and region, because Salomen group are very strong in Japan and North America, it will help Adidas to increase the market share in USA. And another important thing is they always use sports star as their spokesperson such as David Beckham and Kobe Bryant.They also become the sponsor of many sports events such as UEFA championsleague and Olympic Games. The other core strategy is research, Adidas has established a new group for technical innovation to make at least one big innovation for customer every year. They introduced their Mass customization system to public in 2003, this system will custom the different shoes for different customer with different foot condition and personal preference. This are make Adidas to become the leader of the area.

Identify the different reasons people communicate Essay

Effective communication is central to working with children, young people and their families. It involves listening, Questioning, understanding and responding to children, young people and those caring for them. – (Children’s workforce development council, common core of skills and knowledge) Communication is a skill we are born with and one which grows and develops with us, we communicate differently depending on the situation we are in, as an early years provider and teaching assistant I need to communicate with a variety of people from young children, parents, teachers, and external agencies and here are some of the reasons why. * To Build and maintain relationships see more:different reasons why we communicate From the initial telephone call or meeting with a parent you are building a relationship. A positive relationship with parents will always be beneficial to the child; this can be a simple hello or a smile in a morning or may be a more in depth communication about how the child is learning and developing and the next steps you are planning. Being able to communicate with a child or young person allows you to treat them as an individual and gain a better understanding of them and how they learn enabling you to plan for their needs and requirements. * To gain and share information Sharing information with parents or teachers is vital and should be done on a regular basis. This can help a child initially to settle more effectively as information is shared about likes and dislikes medical or dietary needs and about what the child is capable of doing. Sharing ‘wow’ moments with parents can give them a clearer picture of what their child is doing or is interested in and sharing information about behaviour strategies can help both parties to be consistent. As a provider I must enable a regular two way flow of information with parents and/or carers, and between providers, if a child is attending more than one setting. To express needs and feelings A child needs to be able to communicate if something is wrong or making them unhappy, they may not be able to do this verbally, this could make the child frustrated, isolated and have a negative effect on their development. * To gain reassurance and acknowledgment Parents need to feel reassured that you are going to be capable of caring for their child and a good relationship with good communication will build trust, With children and young people simply by taking an interest and getting involved in what they are doing reassures them and opens up communication channels. * To share ideas and thoughts  Sharing thoughts and ideas with children and parents gives them the opportunity to get involved in what you are planning; this can enhance the whole experience.

Community Corrections Essay

Introduction Probation and parole are two alternatives to incarceration. Many jurisdiction are looking more to probation as an alternative to incarceration and early release through parole to reduce the size of the prison population. Probation and parole officials are there to help offenders return to society and ensure compliance with the terms of the offenders’ release. What are the primary goals of using community corrections supervision for probation as an alternative to incarceration? What are the primary goals for parole or correctional supervision following release from jail or prison? Primary goals of probation. There are many goals for using community corrections supervision for probation as an alternative to incarceration; however, the main goals are to reduce the rate of crime. According to Families against Mandatory Minimums (2013), over 40% of offenders leaving prisons will commit another crime and return to prison within three years. Understanding the problem and getting help for the offender with prevent new crimes. Other goals are: Strengthening families and the community, savings to taxpayers as well as giving the court systems other options for sentencing (Alternatives to Incarceration In A Nutshell, 2013). Primary goals of parole. The primary goal of parole and correctional supervision is to allow individuals to re-integrate into society without any difficulties. Many times after an individual has served enough time in prison, the parole board may determine that an individual may be released. When an individual is released they are given the opportunity to finish serving their sentencing in the community under controlled conditions; parole/correctional supervision is part of the rehabilitation program, it is a mechanism to manage the risk of parolees to the community, and it’s an incentive to continue good behavior. Rehabilitation and re-integration are the main focus to everything. How important is it for offenders who are no longer incarcerated to have the ability to work to support themselves and to support their families? For many years the main focus of correctional systems has been the offenders during incarceration. One major concern now is how the offender will support themselves and their families after incarceration. When offenders are released from incarceration it is very challenging for them to become integrated within the community and families. Many offenders face personal challenges such as  low self-esteem, low motivation, skill deficits, lack of training, mental illness, substance abuse; and lack of stable accommodations. They also face social challenges such as negative peer influence, an absence of family support and poor employment records (Visher, 2005; Rakis, 2005; Graffam, 2004). These challenges can make it difficult for ex-offenders to support themselves or their families. The challenges must be addressed to keep the offender from returning to jail. That is why the system provides alternative programs to assure the ex-offenders a better way to return to society and be productive individuals. Should a convicted offender released from incarceration be eligible for public assistance? Should their family–a spouse and children–be eligible? Public Assistance. Yes, currently depending upon each state, ex-offenders are eligible for different kinds of public assistance. If the assistance is already approved it can be because it was properly studied and evaluated. I consider that public assistance can be provided on a case-by-case basis with restrictions, and be monitored often. Ex-offenders should first participate in a rehabilitation program before they qualify for assistance programs. Some ex-offenders deserve a second opportunity in the community (Serving People from Arrest to Reintegration, 1999-2004). An offender’s family member should not be punished for the crimes of the offender. They should be allow to receive public assistance if the meet the qualifications. Conclusion There are many challenges for former inmates returning to society. Re-entry is the primary focus on parole officer to ensure that the offenders return to society is a productive one. It is important for offenders to have the appropriate resources in order to obtain the necessary training and support upon their release from incarceration to be able to support themselves and their families and become productive members of society. References Alternatives to incarceration in a nutshell (2013).

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 12

Strategic management - Essay Example The report starts by giving an initial overview of the company, followed by the reports objectives. The major objectives of the report were to analyze the company’s operation and the strategies followed by the company, an industry analysis of the company followed by a macro-economic environment analysis. The company has been performing exceptionally well since its inception and lately it surpassed the revenue figure of its major competitors GAP. The primary purpose of this Management Report is to provide an analysis of the strategic situation of Zara, the clothing retailer. This report further examines the manner in which the organization operates and also provides a good picture of its potential for growth and development. Zara is a renowned brand and flagship chain store of Inditex Group. It has gradually gained major popularity since its first store was opened in Spain. â€Å"The company is known for needing just two weeks to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared with a six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. Zara has resisted the industry-wide trend towards transferring fast fashion production to low-cost countries†. (Zara, Bloomberg.com) The objective of this report is to examine the business operation of Zara over the last few years and to collect enough evidence supporting the Case Study â€Å"Zara – A Cut Apart From Competition†. The case Study has put forward the manner in which the company has operated in recent years and the fact that it took many long years for Zara to cross the leading America brand GAP and become the global leader in the fashion and clothing industry. Such an analysis is done by examining a few things; Zara has operated with an aggressive policy towards the business. It has proven many theories wrong, theories related to economies of scale, supply chain, etc. The company’s operation can be

Criminal Justice Practitioners Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Justice Practitioners - Assignment Example Identified situations warranted the use of undercover officers, but not in the way applied by those deployed. Actions by the three strange undercover in the third example are crude and without any element of sophistication. It is easy to label actions by the officers as the crudest of the attempts. If they did so in the presence of people, it would be easy to spot them or even confuse them for thugs. It is easy to consider actions by the undercover police in the given examples espionage. The process involves betrayal and deception. It also defines sordid business considering that it involves people pretending to be friends. The greatest allure emanates from the mystery, the quick rush of covert operations, the playing-acting aspects, as well as the fearful, delicious in nature of catching out.Work by the undercover was anathema. It is difficult to call the actions attractive to virtuous people. The police officer in the first example for instance, provoked crime. He carried out research without warrants that could legalize the entire process. Furthermore, his actions appeared thuggish because there was nothing with probable cause. The officer applied a flimsy excuse to stop the suspect after setting a trap for him where he set an empty moneybag lost in the lumberyard in a visible position.The officer was provoking crime after failing to snap up the suspect after theft in the lum beryard. Undercover officers have much secretive power in their hands, but susceptible to misuse. The last example confirms the transition of virtuous people to becoming viscous. It is another reason that undercover officers cannot be virtuous.The officers resort to crude methods after the community extortionist beat all the techniques within the police and judicial systems.The officers used the services of their three other colleagues, not known to the community, to brutally beat the extortionist. After the ordeal underwent by the

How Will Mitt Romney Fare In His Bid For The Republican Party Essay

How Will Mitt Romney Fare In His Bid For The Republican Party Nomination - Essay Example The demand for knowledge about how a political process will turn out has increased the concern for what factors go into making intelligent predictions and how they are quantified. In presidential politics, of course, these factors are so innately complex and difficult to quantify that predictions are nearly always prone to failure. However, by looking at history and looking at the present together, one can piece together an accurate picture of chances or odds in formulating a semblance of a prediction. According to BetAsia, former Governor Mitt Romney’s odds at becoming the Republican nominee stand at 8/11 as of October 12 (Howard). This margin indicates a relatively good chance that Romney will secure the Republican nomination, and it is based on a bookmaker’s financial evaluation of Romney’s chances. Currently, there is good reason to agree with the bookmaker in putting the former Governor’s chances at such a high margin. Indeed, Romney has many objectiv e factors riding in his direction, including being the supposed frontrunner in a field of candidates that have the Republican base restless (Esch). Having frontrunner status bodes well for a candidate in advance of the Iowa Caucus and Super Tuesday elections: events that have historically either made or broken candidates’ dreams of the White House. Barring any crucial setbacks to those dreams, former Governor Mitt Romney is poised, based on a multitude of those predictive elements, to seize the Republican nomination for President. Section I: A Brief History of Mitt Romney In order to understand Mitt Romney as a candidate for President, one must understand his motives and policy beliefs, as they are relevant to his political campaign. Romney was born in Detroit, Michigan to George and Lenore Romney in 1947.At the age of five, his family moved from Detroit to Bloomfield Hills, after which his father took over and rescued American Motors from bankruptcy as CEO. George Romney pre sided over the Detroit Stake of the Mormon Church, which Romney would identify with as his religious affiliation (Cohn). While in high school, Romney’s father was elected Governor of Michigan, for whom he worked as an intern in the Governor’s office. Taking on odds jobs, such as a security guard and an ice hockey team manager, Romney wished to assume his father’s role. Still in high school, Romney began dating his future wife Ann Davies, whom he decided to marry near the date of his graduation. After graduation, Romney attended Stanford University for one year, taking part in the campus’s conservative movement before going overseas as a Mormon missionary. After finishing his education at Brigham Young University with his wife, now Ann Romney, he pursued a joint J.D. /M.B.A. program at Harvard University. Romney remained in Massachusetts after graduating, working as a management consultant first independently and then for Bain & Company starting in 1977. R omney began a private equity investment firm with Bill Bain in 1984, called Bain Capital. In 1990, Romney returned to Bain & Company as CEO to restructure the firm facing collapse. In 1999, he took a position as CEO of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee, leaving Bain Capital once again a tremendously successful company (DealBook). Romney’

Trans Fat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trans Fat - Essay Example It is helpful in creating, firmness, texture, and longer shelf life for many products. Many companies and restaurants in western countries have started using palm oil and coconut oil instead of hydrogenated oils. But in reality, they are only slightly healthier than trans fat. Coconut and palm oils are rich in saturated fat which increases the chances of heart diseases and raises the level of cholesterol in the blood. Former president of the American Heart Association, Robert Eckel, says â€Å"getting rid of trans fat is important because strong evidence indicates that they contribute to higher levels of harmful cholesterol and heart diseases. But the idea that this is the most harmful type of fat is a matter of debate.† (Nanci Hellmich, USA Today). Regarding the readership of this article, it may be written for all those who have some knowledge about the unhealthy diet with a special focus on those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. People who suffer from obesity, heart diseases and those who exercise some control over diet are, obviously, interested in it. As regards the third question, what kind of appeals would be most appropriate, it can safely be said that by explaining the issue through logic would be most suitable because the targeted groups are adults who are not likely to move by emotions. After taking a stance on trans fats and diet, it is always better to prove the points through well argued views. It might create an impression in the minds of the reader that the author is honest, sincere, confident and. above all, well informed. The reader might also believe that the author understands his concerns and has answered all of them. The next question to be answered is what would be the most appropriate style to wr ite a persuasive article. Generally, there are several styles such as formal, academic, legal and middle styles to write an article. Middle style which uses images and illustrations well-known to the readers are the

Alternative Methods of Involvement of Employees in Decision Making Essay

Alternative Methods of Involvement of Employees in Decision Making - Essay Example Managers today are under pressure to engage employees in all aspects of their jobs. Generally, they must find ways to engage employees so they will stay working in the organization. Without engagement, many employees begin to slack in their duties (Farndale, van Ruiten, Killiher & Hope-Hailey, 2011; Gupta, 2011; Liu, Listen-Heyes & Ko, 2010). Companies are pressed to find alternative ways of engaging employees to motivate them to stay. Part of this engagement happens when employees have a voice in the decision making process. When they have a voice and understand that their ideas and opinions are valued and often taken into consideration when large decisions are made, the individuals have a better time of staying with the organisation. Employee Decision Making and Retention One of the ways to retain employees is to give them an opportunity to provide information about change and opportunities for advancement. Many employees bring their most creative and innovative ideas when they fee l they have the opportunity to be heard. Chen, Ployhart et al. (2011) studied the issue of employee turnover and why this often happened. They found that an employee’s job satisfaction is central to whether they stay in on organisation or whether they leave. Part of job satisfaction came from the employee’s perception of their control within their job. Control was often felt by the opportunity to take part in specific decisions as they happened. ... (2011) add to this discussion on voice because they suggest that employees have more commitment to the organisation when they perceive that their voice is being heard. They also found that this perception was directly related to whether employees developed trust in senior management. The authors state that the employee must have a psychological attachment to the organization and its values. This means that employees must be actively involved with decision making and there must be an â€Å"exchange relationship† which means a â€Å"one party provides a benefit to the other, thereby causing an obligation to respond by providing something beneficial †¦ â€Å"(Farndale et al., 2011, p. 115). In an exchange relationship in the organisation, employee voice is heard on a regular basis. The positive aspects of treating employees as stakeholders is that it makes them feel valued, makes them create a stronger commitment to the organisation and motivates them to contribute (Wilkin son and Fay, 2011). With employees as active participants in the decision making process, the managers would become more accountable in their financial practices as well as in their accounting of what they were charged to do (Chilosi and Damiani 2007). Some of the challenges to this method include that some employees may feel they do not have to work as hard because they are important to the organisation, and this attitude can lead to a lessening of productivity. Also, employees involved as stakeholders could create a challenge for outsiders who come into the firm to bring their assistance because they would know as much as the insiders. In some cases, managers can become disgruntled because they may perceive that they do not have as much power because all employees have a say (Chilosi and Damiani 2007).