What Is the Right Supply Chain for Your Product?

The main problems in supply chain of many industries are the excess of some products and the shortage of others because of unpredictable demands for these products. In this paper, a framework that helps manager to understand the nature of demand for their product and manage their supply chain in line with their product requirements is suggested. The products are classified into two groups according to their demand patterns: Primarily functional products and primarily innovative products. Functional products are defined as the products that satisfy basic needs. The demand for that type of products is stable and predictable. They have a long life cycle. The competition in the market is fierce due to this stability in demand that results in low profit margins. On the other hand, innovative products are the ones that have clearly unpredictable demands. They may have very short life cycle because of the imitators. But luckily their profit margin is higher compared to the functional products. The supply chain management for the innovative products should clearly be different from the functional products. The managers should determine their product type and follow a supply strategy has a perfect match with their product type. Otherwise, some problems arise from the mismatch between the type of product and the type of supply chain. The author classifies the functions of supply chain into two groups: physical function and market media function. Physical functions include converting raw material into parts, components and finished good, and also transporting the product. The cost in physical function of supply chain arises from the production, transportation and inventory storage. The market media function, on the other hand, is mostly related to ensuring that variety of products reaching the market place matches what customer want to buy. The cost in marker media function arises when supply exceeds demand or supply falls shortage. Since the demand for the innovative products is uncertain, the market domination cost for innovative products are dominant. According to their type of product, managers should follow a supply chain strategy that is physically efficient or market responsive. The best matches between supply chain strategy and the product type are efficient supply chain for the functional products and responsive supply chain for the innovative products. In efficient supply for functional products, there are two models introduced: comparative and cooperative models. In the competitive model of supply chain relations, the retailer and the manufacturer compete through price negations for a bigger profit pie. In cooperative model, the retailer and the manufacturer corporate to cut cost throughout the chain therefore the size of the pie is increased for both of them. One alternative can be using competitive and the cooperative models at the same time. But, in this situation the information sharing between the retailer and the manufacturer seems problematic. In responsive supply for innovative products, the first thing to do is to reduce the uncertainty. There are three coordinated strategies are suggested in order to reduce, avoid and hedge uncertainty. The first one is to find sources of new data that can serve as leading indicators and also to have different product share common components as much as possible so that the demand for components becomes more predictable. The second one is to avoid uncertainty by cutting lead times and increasing the supply chain’s flexibility. Lastly, once uncertainty is reduced, it can hedge against the remaining residual uncertainty with buffers of inventory or excess capacity.

Prejudice in Mr Sumarsono Written by Roxana Robinson Essay

Stereotype is a largely false belief, or set of belief, concerning the characteristics of the members of a racial or ethnic group (McLemore, 1983). Stereotype may be positive or negative in mind which is based on limited and minimal knowledge about a group of people. Incomplete information, mistaken perceptions, isolation and segregation have resulted many stereotypes. Viewing of a person with oddity based on the stereotype will limit what we expected and how we respond to them. Prejudice is an unfavorable attitude towards people because they are members of a particular racial or ethnic group. Discrimination is unfavorable action towards people because they are members of a particular racial or ethnic group. (McLemore, 1983). These both are negative manifestations of integrative power. A prejudiced person may not act on their attitude. Therefore, someone can be prejudice towards a certain group but not discriminate against them. Also, prejudice includes all three components of an attitude (affective, behavioral and affective), whereas discrimination just involves behavior and involves some actions. Prejudice and stereotyping parallels attitudes and opinions or beliefs (Stroebe & Insko, 1989) Prejudice also sustains stereotype, while stereotype is a generalization or interpretation toward a person or group of some physical, behavior, belief or other factors. For a 10-year-old girl, she must have got a first bad impression to a stranger, especially a foreigner. She spontaneously thought that someone newbie in another country is a kind of alien with different skin, face structure or another physical body. In that point, this attitude includes a racial stereotype which provokes a prejudice side. Roxana Robinson is a biographer and scholar of nineteenth and early twentieth century American art. She graduated from Buckingham Friends School, in Lahaska, and from The Shipley School, in Bryn Mawr. She attended Bennington College and studied with Bernard Malamud and Howard Nemerov. She received a B.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan. Roxana Robinson is the author of the four novels Cost, (2008) Sweetwater, (2003) This Is My Daughter, (1998) and Summer Light (1988); the three short story collections A Perfect Stranger, (2005) Asking for Love, (1996) A Glimpse of Scarlet, (1991) and the biography Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life, (1989). Mr. Sumarsono is listed as one of the best American Short Stories at 1994. Statement of Problems: 1. Why do Susan and her sister give bad impression toward Mr. Sumarsono? 2. Why did Mrs. Riordan welcome Mr. Sumarsono warmly? 3. What is the cultural aspect of this short story? What is the connection with it? Discussion Mr. Sumarsono is a worker in UN which involved many Western people in it for a long time. Because of the environment, he tried to adapt the style like an American. According to the story, both daughters of Mrs. Riordan, Susan and Kate, with Mrs. Riordan herself fetched Mr. Sumarsono in a Trenton Station in New Jersey and they saw him for the first time with bad impression and underestimate toward Mr. Sumarsono. However, at that time, he was clothed as an American businessman. â€Å"Mr. Sumarsono was wearing an neat suit and leather shoes, like an American businessman, but he didn’t look like an American. The suit was brown, not gray, and it had a slight sheen. And Mr. Sumarsono was built in a different way from Americans: he was slight and graceful, with narrow shoulders and an absence of strut.† (Page 265 line 1) â€Å"Kate and I stood next to my mother as she waved and smiled. Kate and I did not wave and smile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Page 265 line 11) In this case, it proved that both sisters didn’t like and give bad thought for Mr. Sumarsono because they didn’t know who actually Mr. Sumarsono was, since Mr. Sumarsono had an Asian figure with pale brown skin. Besides, there were few Indonesian that came to America, or else almost never. Mr. Sumarsono was the only Indonesian who arrived in New Jersey. â€Å"It was 1959, and Mr. Sumarsono was the only Indonesian who got off the train in Trenton, New Jersey.† (Page 264 line 25) Next on, the displeasure of the sisters continued until they were in way home. They were acting like they didn’t need a middle-aged Indonesian in where were they belong to. Moreover, they avoided the lunch time which their mother prepared for them and Mr. Sumarsono. And also, they showed an impolite attitude toward Mr. Sumarsono in the table. â€Å"We were going to watch the mallard nesting, and I hope we didn’t have to include a middle-aged Indonesian in leather shoes†(Page 267 line 1) â€Å"Dev-il,† Kate said, Speaking very loudly and slowly. She pointed at the eggs and then put two forked finger behind her head like horns, Mr. Sumarsono looked at her horns. (Page 269 lines 25) Another evidence occurred at the dinner time when Susan saw her mother wearing a pink dress. She thought her mother’s dress was overlooked just for dinner with a stranger who can not understand their language. â€Å"I was irritated to see that she had put it on as thought she were at a party. This was not a party: she had merely gotten hold of a captive guest, a complete stranger who understood nothing she said.† (Page 270, line 12) Although they kept underestimate him, they were quite surprised that Mr. Sumarsono wasn’t someone like usual Asian guy they were thinking about. He was different in presence. Not only the appearance of him but also his gesture was shown when they were already at home. Somehow, The stop! gesture was making the sisters wondering what makes that Indonesian was different. This gesture is shown by Mr. Sumarsono when he tried to prevent his suitcase as Susan offered to pick up upstairs. â€Å"What struck me was the grace of his gesture. His hand extended easily out cuff and expose a narrow brown wrist, as narrow as my own. When he put his hand up in the Stop! gesture, his hand curved backward from the wrist, and his fingers bent backward from the palm. Instead of the stern and flat-handed Stop! that an American hand would make, this was a polite, subtie, and yielding signal, quite beautiful and infinitely sophisticated, a gesture that suggested a thousand reasons for doing something, a thousand ways to go about it.†(Page 267 line 13) On the other hand, Mrs. Riordan was greeting him cheerfully. She showed an excessive behavior since Mr. Sumarsono decided to spend his weekend in New Jersey. Furthermore, he stayed in Riodan’s as well. Mrs. Riordan tried to catch attention from Mr. Sumarsono. Apart from being dressed in pink, she treated him as best as she can. â€Å"Oh, I’m glad we’re having rice!† she said suddenly, pleased. â€Å"That must make Mr. Sumarsono feel at home.† She looked at me. (Page 273 line 7) She also thought that Mr. Sumarsono was far from his family and being lonely, Mrs. Riordan conclude that he was missing them and she tried to give something that Mr. Sumarsono would feel like he came back to the warm atmosphere when a family was gathered supposed to be. It is shown when Mrs. Riordan asked Mr. Sumarsono to show his wife and children photograph. She saw a strange condition on Mr. Sumarsono with complicated and unfinished look when she asked and he even wanted to take a picture with them. â€Å"The poor man, he must miss his wife and children. Don’t u feel sorry for him, thousands of miles away from his family? Oh, thousands. He’s here for six months, all alone. They told me that at the UN. It’s all very uncertain. He doesn’t know when he gets leaves, how long after that he’ll be here. Think of how his poor wife feels.† (Page 272 line 24) As from the both sisters misjudged all about Mr. Sumarsono and what they have done, they thought that they would feel ashamed, instead of underestimating him. Their prejudice has made them blind to not know who actually Mr. Sumarsono was. Beside it was from their mother, they also felt embarrassed him because they can not be an appropriate hostess to him while Mr. Sumarsono showed his unruffled courtesy. Although Mr. Sumarsono couldn’t speak English well and only responded all Mrs. Riordan and her daughters with simple nodded and smile, at least he knew what attitude he supposed to do when he was visiting people’s house in other country. â€Å"I was embarrassed not only for my mother but also for poor Mr. Sumarsono. Whatever he had expected from a country weekend in America, It could not have been a cramped attic room, two sullen girls, voluble and incomprehensible hostess. I felt we had failed him, we had betrayed his unruffled courtesy, with our bewildering commands, our waving forks, our irresponsible talk about lizard. I wanted to save him. I wanted to liberate poor Mr. Sumarsono from this aerial grid of misunderstandings.† (Page 274 line 24) This story is pertaining aspect of prejudice side. Therefore, prejudice has both cognitive and affective components. Affective component is the positive or negative attitude or feeling while cognitive component contains stereotypes. Stereotypes are beliefs about people based on their membership in a particular group. Stereotypes can be positive, negative, or neutral. Stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity, or occupation are common in many societies. Stereotypes often results from, and leads to, prejudice and bigotry. The reasons appearing of stereotype is variable, It occurs When people encounter instances that disconfirm their stereotypes of a particular group, they tend to assume that those instances are atypical subtypes of the group. Second, People’s perceptions are influenced by their expectations. And last, People selectively recall instances that confirm their stereotypes and forget about disconfirming instances. As a branch from stereotype, prejudice is a destructive p henomenon, and it is pervasive because it serves many psychological, social, and economic functions. It allows people to bond with their own group by contrasting their own groups to outsider groups. Conclusion This short story which Roxana wrote showed about an experience of Indonesian immigrant who visited and spent the weekend at one of New Jersey’s families, Riordan’s house. Based on discussion above, it is described that the two daughters, Susan and Kate had first bad impression toward Mr. Sumarsono as a strange foreigner. This signs that their attitude showed the prejudice aspect of the racial differences.

Data mining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Data mining - Essay Example Automated prospective analysis provided by the data mining techniques, as will be discussed below, go beyond the simple analysis of past records as availed by the retrospective tools used in decision support systems (DSS). These techniques of data mining were fundamentally as a result of the predominant long processes of research and product developments, with the first pressing need as to help in business data collection, storage and retrieval. Considering every aspects of data mining, the commonly used techniques are: Artificial neural networks Biclustering PageRank Genetic algorithms Nearest neighbor methods Rule indications. A) Data Mining Classification over large database 1. The kNN: k-nearest neighbor classification This algorithm is works by memorizing the entire training data and performing classification on conditions that the attributes of the test object matches either of the training samples accurately. The kNN seeks a collection of k objects within the training set whic h closely associates with test object, and based the assignment of an indication on the predominance of any particular class in its neighborhood. The key factors in this algorithms include the distance or similarity metric to compute distance that exist between objects; a set of the labeled objects; and the number of nearest neighbor (value of k). Advantages It is simple and easy to understand It is easy to implement its classification techniques. It can also perform so well in varied situations, hence its maximum usability. It is known for its suitability for multi-modal classes and applications in which an object is able to have a number of class labels. Disadvantages The choice of k is a limiting factor. If it (k) is too small, the result would be very sensitive to noise points. While if k is too large, the neighborhood is likely to comprise of a large number of points even from other classes. This test limits the numbers of tests records to be classified since it is true that su ch test records will not in most instances match any of the training records to the latter as recommended. The approach of combining the class labels is also considered as very complicated. 2. Page Rank This is classified as a search ranking algorithm that uses hyperlinks on the World Wide Web. Page Rank techniques produce static rankings of the Web pages in a manner that Page Rank value is accurately computed for each and every page that is off-line without depending on the search queries; but rather on the democratic nature of the World Wide Web through the use of its wide link architecture as an indicator of any individual page quality. It is worth noting that these features have helped in the success of the famous Google search engine. Advantages It is quite dependable as its outputs are always accurate and precise. It is simple and efficient to use once one has the knowledge and skills of its usability principle. Disadvantages Database search outcomes are based on literal (keyw ords, Meta data, and tags) items rather than on their actual meanings. Poor ranking of Web pages in different topological Web structures. I.e. in Google’s ranking algorithm. Less page ranks and too much time taken to list and gain high ranks for the new pages. Subsequent quotation of inaccurate information on different web pages may lead to indexing of such inaccurate pages, hence resulting to a mess of fiction. 3. Naive Bayes Advantages It is

The benefits and challenges of globalization for both companies and Literature review

The benefits and challenges of globalization for both companies and national economies - Literature review Example Unlike in the past, today governments are promoting foreign competition and investment in the local economies. Globalization has had both positive and negative impact on businesses and national economies. While some companies and economies have hugely benefited from globalization, others have been on the receiving end. This paper is aimed at identifying the various benefits and challenges of globalization to both companies and national economies. Globalization has really made the world a small place and it is the businesses that have benefitted the most out of this. Globalization has opened new markets and opportunities for the companies. Globalization has increased the opportunity for revenue generation as companies can now establish business opportunities in foreign markets through subsidiaries and partnerships. They can even export goods and products to new markets outside of their domestic market increasing generation of revenue by manifold. Companies have access to resources that were earlier not accessible. Raw materials, skills, man power are now easily and cheaply accessible to companies from different counties. The resources which were either not present or expensive in the parent country can be now be accessed in other countries anywhere in the world. Cheap labor available in South Asian countries as a result of globalization is an example of this which many big companies in the developed countries in the west have effectively. China has transformed into a manufacturing hub for companies around the world due to cheap labor and friendly trade policies. Companies have markets across boundaries for their products and services. Access to new markets has opened greater opportunity for growth and expansion. Globalization has allowed companies to reach a wider audience and develop a larger customer base. Companies are no more handicapped by competing in a matured market. They can always find new markets and

The Developing Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Developing Manager - Essay Example Ð °rds on the bÐ °sis of group pÐ °rticipÐ °tion Ð °nd involvement in such Ð °reÐ °s Ð °s setting goÐ °ls Ð °nd Ð °pprÐ °ising progress towÐ °rd goÐ °ls, engÐ °ge in much communicÐ °tion both down Ð °nd up Ð °nd with peers, encourÐ °ge decisionmÐ °king throughout the orgÐ °nizÐ °tion, Ð °nd otherwise operÐ °te Ð °mong themselves Ð °nd with their subordinÐ °tes Ð °s Ð ° group. My orgÐ °nizÐ °tion Ð °pplies neither of in-Ð °bove described styles. It is rÐ °ther something in the middle of exploitive – Ð °uthoritÐ °tive Ð °nd pÐ °rticipÐ °tive-group which cÐ °n be referred to Ð °s consultÐ °tive. MÐ °nÐ °gers within my orgÐ °nizÐ °tion hÐ °ve substÐ °ntiÐ °l but not complete confidence Ð °nd trust in subordinÐ °tes, usuÐ °lly try to mÐ °ke use of subordinÐ °tes ideÐ °s Ð °nd opinions, use rewÐ °rds for motivÐ °tion with occÐ °sionÐ °l punishment Ð °nd some pÐ °rticipÐ °tion, engÐ °ge in communicÐ °tion flow both down Ð °nd up, mÐ °ke broÐ °d policy Ð °nd generÐ °l decisions Ð °t the top while Ð °llowing specific decisions to be mÐ °de Ð °t lower levels Ð °nd Ð °ct consultÐ °tively in other wÐ °ys. CommunicÐ °tion is the process of sending Ð °nd receiving informÐ °tion or communicÐ °tion with Ð °nother person. In Ð ° simplistic form, informÐ °tion is sent from Ð ° sender or encoder to Ð ° receiver or decoder. In Ð ° more complex form feedbÐ °ck links Ð ° sender to Ð ° receiver. This requires Ð ° symbolic Ð °ctivity, sometimes viÐ ° Ð ° lÐ °nguÐ °ge. CommunicÐ °tion development is the development of processes enÐ °bling one to understÐ °nd whÐ °t others sÐ °y (or sign, or write) Ð °nd speÐ °k(or sign, or write), trÐ °nslÐ °te sounds Ð °nd symbols into meÐ °ning Ð °nd leÐ °rn the syntÐ °x of the lÐ °nguÐ °ge. CommunicÐ °tion is bÐ °sed on the ideÐ ° of respect, promises Ð °nd the wÐ °nt for sociÐ °l improvement. NonverbÐ °l communicÐ °tion deÐ °ls with fÐ °ciÐ °l expressions Ð °nd body motions. 93% of â€Å"emotionÐ °l meÐ °ning† we tÐ °ke from other people is found in the person’s fÐ °ciÐ °l expressions Ð °nd tone of voice, the other 7% is tÐ °ken from whÐ °t the person Ð °ctuÐ °lly sÐ °ys (More

Traditional Thai Shapes, Lines and Curves, Especially in Buddhist Art Literature review

Traditional Thai Shapes, Lines and Curves, Especially in Buddhist Art and Sculpture - Literature review Example â€Å"Positive emotion† are ways that broaden habitual modes of thinking or acting which are represented by various thought-action tendencies from their own well being i.e. to optimize, to play, or to explore and to appreciate. Buddhism lays the basis for Thai cultures. Arts, whatever the type, act as tools to guide and persuade people to think and take action in a righteous way. As an ordinary person, one is still persuaded by the â€Å"religious defilements† such as beauty. Therefore, art forms are an obvious tool for myself to teach and direct the way people think from my experience in the work which has been experimented towards myself. My work portrays the perfect combination of concepts and related traditional Thai art components shown through the interplay of shapes that interact upon my emotion to being still and relief. I am mostly interested in a traditional Thai culture and the search on forms/shapes to find myself, as a wearer and a jewelry designer into a better condition of emotion. Jewelry is, therefore, the best medium to articulate these ideas since it extends beyond the body surface and has to be touched or felt from the close distance within the body, which can be reflected the mind. It is as though we must enter the wear’ personal space of mind so that this personal space aspect created will disclose stories. The shapes, which are created into jewelry pieces, can heal the wearer such as myself emotional asserting my intention. I can feel the smoothness and puff up to form of the porcelain when touching. The smooth feel and puff up form remind me of the importance of this emotional reflection, which is very personal to me in terms of shapes/forms that can have the potential to heal myself into a better condition of emotion.   

Nursing bridge programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing bridge programs - Essay Example Typical courses that are involved in these online classes include pharmacology, psychology, physiology, anatomy, and microbiology. On passing the course, the LPN will have to take the NCLEX-RN test for one to get the RN title. When one is getting their bridging course online, they are still required to get clinical training from a health facility setting. As with all types of schools, online LPN to RN bridging courses have a disadvantage in that the students have limited instructor and peer interaction, as well as a lack of readily available facilities (Nunnery 30). This problem faced Olivia Medina and Allisan Loya, who completed their courses after retaking an entire semester and failed to complete it altogether respectively. Of the six LPNs taking the bridging course at Lamar College in Texas, only Allison passed and this could be because they are all full time working mothers who do not have time to take part in the practical aspect of their course. It has been reported that while the popularity of bridging online courses has increased overall, the rates of course completion is very low. This has been seen in the case of the students from Lamar College and the problem of online LPN to RN bridging courses is two-pronged. ... However, it is this later group that makes up the highest proportion of online bridging course enrollment (Nunnery 39), which means that they need the most contact with their instructors in order to be successful. Research has indicated that LPN students who enroll in online bridging courses have a higher chance of not completing their course or failing than those who attend traditional courses in the classroom, which leads to loss of their tuition money. In addition, students who have other commitments in their lives and are barely succeeding in traditional classrooms have been found to fall even more behind when taking bridging online courses (Nunnery 40). For this reason, there is a need to improve the online bridging courses for LPNs to RNs, while it may be prudent for those online courses that have a high failure and non-completion rates to require their students to first show adeptness in the traditional classroom setting prior to enrolling them in the online courses. Online br idging courses that do not take the individual requirements of the students into consideration suffer the risk of low completion rates and failures (Nunnery 40), which has necessitated a closer and more personal approach to these students. However, this is much easier said than done. The online bridging revolution for LPNs has been gathering momentum for the last ten years, although evidence shows that their success rates are at least half of what they are for students taking traditional classes. One logical answer to this may be the institution of front door controls for students enrolling in the online LPN to RN bridging courses (Cherry & Jacob 34). This would be in line with the testing that is required for

PROQUEST information for preparing the project Assignment

PROQUEST information for preparing the project - Assignment Example This gives them the opportunity to seek professional assistance (Arnold, 2012). Financial analysts as well investment analysts would then come in to review the operations of the company and the value system in place that either propels the company to higher levels or that which makes the investment get loses. In this process, one needs review past investments together with the new. The past investment review would give ideas and thoughts how the current investment can be improved. Also critical is that past investments can be helpful in forming the basis of policy formulation in a given investment. Past reflections are very important as it provides a platform where adjustments can be made as well as having a vibrant investment that is viable (Boehlje & Ehmke, 2012). Decisions made in the past can help in changing the future of an investment taking into consideration that past decisions can be useful in giving some advices. This makes an investment more vibrant. In any investment anal ysis, one should be able to look at the prevailing price at that particular time as well as well as having reasons for having an investment at that particular time. These then help in knowing whether the investment is having the best start or a false start. An analysis helps in reviewing the current investment as well as giving predictions based on future trends that could impact on the company. In having an investment that is viable, a lot of things need to be put into consideration. The most critical part in this exercise is continuous review of the data. From the data one is able to analyze and evaluate the data appropriately. An investment should be able to meet the expected financial goals set for it in terms of return on investments. Profits and risks are the main focus in an investment analysis. This is the most important aspect of an investment. Any analyst must look at the return on investments as well as the risks that are involved (Dong, 2008). These are important measure ments in a given investment portfolio. Risk analysis is very important in any analysis. In the event the risk is very high, then a loss is very likely. When the risks are very high such that it becomes likely that a loss is eminent, the investment becomes less worth. Resale value and cash flows do not have any significance when the risk is too high because the investment has zero prominence. It should then be noted risk is however not definite in giving a financial analysis. When giving an analysis, a lot more factors need to be looked into for the sake of an all round investment analysis. Cash flow is another single factor that needs to be considered in an investment analysis. One of the ways through which can occur is through the dividends traded on by the public. When the public trade on the dividends, then a lot of cash can be generated for the company. Based on this, analysis can be made based on the amount that has been received through the dividends in relation to the project s (Arnold, 2012). Another way through which cash can flow into an investment is through the interest. This comes from the payments from the bonds. This is on a sure way of having cash flow into the investment. An investor would be very interested to know what about the investment is generating into the system. Through this they are able to determine and evaluate if the returns are of any value to the business and if it meets the expectation of the risk of the investment. An analysis of cash flow can be done through the future

Researching in Business Management Literature review

Researching in Business Management - Literature review Example Significant global expansion helps an organization to maximize its business profit. In addition to this organizations can attain growth in market share and can develop potential global customer base through global expansion strategy. Multinational organizations implement several different strategies in different operating countries to meet the market demand of that country. However, these multinational organizations face critical issues associated with business operation in different countries due to different cultural background, economic environment and political aspects. The Coca Cola Company has been selected for the research purpose. Following discussion will help to determine the issues that are faced by Coca Cola Company in different countries. Analysis and Discussion Global business environment is highly competitive as several leading organizations are operating within a similar industry. These organizations not only focus on primary market bases, but also used to target rest of the world. It is true that an organization can achieve significant competitive advantages through effective global expansion strategies. High profitability and high business revenue motivate several leading organizations to expand their business practices in global market place. ... They have to develop effective business strategy in order to get success in global market place. The multinational organizations generally face following issues in their business operation in different countries. Management Issues Culture of an individual generally varies from a country to another. A multinational organization has to develop different corporate and organizational policies in different countries in order to maintain effective business performance. Culture is typically a complex aspect that includes beliefs, art, knowledge, laws, attitude, behaviour, customs and other habits or capabilities acquired by an individual as a member of a particular community or a society. Therefore, it can be stated that work culture cannot be similar in each and every place around the globe. It differs from a person to another due to several cultural differences. Coca Cola is one of the leading multinational soft-drink manufacturing and distributing organization. The organization has signi ficant business operation presences in various global market places. The organization is one of the leading organizations within the industry. Coca Cola faced several issues during globalization and its global expansions. The organization was facing difficulty to develop business and corporate culture in different country due to different cultural background of employees and customers. In addition to this, there were several local organizations in these countries that already had significant brand recognition and market share growth rate. After several difficulties the management of the organization de3cides to market their product in different countries based on the demand and cultural aspect of the customers. Different slogans

Musical Instruments Essay Example for Free

Musical Instruments Essay 1. Do you believe it is still possible that new musical instruments could be invented and widely distributed? Empirically, though the diversity of musical instruments has reached a quite high level, human has never stopped their exploration into music. So, I think it’s highly possible that several new musical instruments can be invented and widely distributed. The musical history has already proved this. Before 19th century, the majority of musical instruments are acoustic, and most people at that time held the opinion that we already have enough instruments. However, accompany with the development of electricity and latter computer technology, electronic music has grown rapidly. Musical instruments are no longer bonded within the acoustic. Maybe in the future, we can even use the photon to make some music. 2. Do you think that existing orchestral instruments will be drastically altered in the future? I think some fine turning may occur on existing orchestral instruments but drastically change may not happen. With hundred years of development and perfection, orchestra has already formed its own system and process. Its requirement to musical instruments is almost fixed. Already some fine turning may be applied in order to achieve better acoustic effect, but the outer shape and essential component of these musical instruments won’t be changed since they have already be a symbol of orchestra. 3. Will the computer and other electronic instruments eventually replace acoustical instruments? Which do you prefer? Definitely not. Diversity is an essential part of music, if all the music is generated by electronic devices, it can be quite boring and people will suffer aesthetic fatigue. Personally, I prefer acoustical instruments, why, just personal taste. 4. Please open YouTube and listen to composition Desintegrations for 17 instruments and computer tape (1983) created by French composer Tristan Murail (1947-). Can you separate sound materials created by the acoustic instruments from the tape material? Are they often fused? Are they created to resemble each other? For those parts in which only one instrument occurred I can figure out the type, while for those with more than two, I can not. Yes, they often fused together, especially in modern music. Yes, they do resemble to each other otherwise the music won’t achieve harmonic sound effect.

Health Status Of Gypsy Travellers Social Work Essay

Health Status Of Gypsy Travellers Social Work Essay A policy proposal written for an international agency detailing ways to improve the health and well being of the residents of a real community. The purpose of this Policy Proposal is to highlight, and bring to public attention, the inequalities in health status between Gypsy Traveller populations and non-Gypsy Traveller populations and to propose ways in which these inequalities can be addressed, tackled and reduced. To produce a valid, constructive proposal I will consider the health service priorities and health improvement targets, as well as experiences, beliefs and attitudes towards health of Gypsy Travellers. I will be using the generic term Gypsy Traveller to encompass the four separate groups; English Gypsies, Welsh Gypsies, Scottish Gypsy Travellers and Irish Travellers. Although each of these groups has a separate ethnic identity, evident from the different languages spoken by each group, they also share many aspects of a common cultural identity as traditional Travellers or Romani people. For the purposes of this study I will not be including New Age Travellers, as they have opted to take on this alternative lifestyle and are not of the same culture. There have been a few studies that find Gypsy Travellers (who are described variously as Gypsies, Travellers and Romanies, as well as other terms throughout these relatively small investigations) have an inferior health status to non-Gypsy Traveller communities. However, there is very limited, dependable evidence and data that proves this. At the moment health policy is focussing on trying to reduce the inequalities in health, in particular aiming at groups that are socially excluded. The department of health published a policy document in 1999 titled; Reducing Health Inequalities: an Action Report, claiming that one of the key aims of the Governments health strategy for England is to improve the health of the worst off in society and to narrow the health gap (Department of Health. 1999: 2). However, this proposal did not include any mention of the health, or health needs of Gypsy Travellers. This could be seen as an example of the extent to which Gypsy travellers are socially excluded. Gypsy Travellers are a socially excluded, ethnic group and, according to the small scale research already undertaken, require specific health needs that have not been met, or even recognised by the Health department. An investigative study that was undertaken in 2004 by Parry G et al, titled The Health Status of Gypsies and Travellers in England: A report of Department of Health Inequalities in Health Research Initiative Project 121/7500. The findings from this study confirm the concerns stated by authors of the reports that focus on the health of Gypsy Travellers. Parry G et als project backs up the smaller scale reports findings, and shows that there is a requirement for concern and action in this field. The report indicates that the health problems seem to be more serious among the highly nomadic persons within the Gypsy Traveller community (Parry G et al. 2004) Their report informs us that the results found for the health of the Gypsy Travellers that were being studied (study population) is significantly poorer than the results that were obtained from people of the same age and sex but from different ethnicities and social groups (UK general population). We are informed that the study group were between twice, and five times worse off than the general UK population, which cannot just be put down to the correlations with age, education and smoking. There was also some evidence that the people that required the health service the most were the ones using it the least; this is an inverse relationship (Parry G et al. 2004). Other results and findings from this report included every respondent mentioning that accommodation was a major factor. Not only is it the actual living conditions that are crucial to well being, but the fact that the ability to decide the type of accommodation they have, and whether or not they wish to continue a traditional travelling way of life is incredibly important and crucial to their sense of independence. Many of the respondents spoke about their lack of choice and the intolerable conditions they are in; another exemplification of the negative view the non-Gypsy Traveller has. (Parry G et al. 2004) Parry et als report noted that Gypsy Travellers find it hard to access healthcare, something which Feder touches upon in the 1989 Traveller gypsies and primary care in the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioner. Feder tells us that gypsy Travellers often have trouble registering with a GP because the GP practices often reject them (Feder. 1989). Even when the Gypsy Travellers are able to register with a GP there is often communication difficulties between the health worker and Gypsy Traveller with experiences of, and also defensive expectation of, racism and prejudice (Parry et al. 2004). If improvements are to be made in Gypsy Traveller health, there needs to be a clearer idea of who is responsible for their health, i.e. is it all down to the Gypsy Traveller themselves to sort out health care or should it be the health authorities making sure any Gypsy Travellers that live within their region are accounted for and supplied with full healthcare options. My belief as to why there are such clear healthcare issues within the Gypsy Traveller community is that the healthcare officials have very little guidance when it comes to treating Gypsy Travellers, as well as the priority of the health of Gypsy Travellers being relatively low. These issues all need to be looked in to and resolved. Having said that however, for these issues to be overcome the overall problem of the Gypsy Travellers invisibility needs to be addressed first. However, including a category for Gypsies and Travellers on ethnic monitoring forms is not something that can just be added on. It should be done in consultation with the Gypsy Traveller communities and requires careful staff training. From the studies that have been mentioned above we can see that the health needs of Gypsy Traveller communities are currently not being met. The plans and provisions that are in place at the moment are not effectively tackling the problem and need to be analysed and updated. Methods need to be put in place that would improve both access to healthcare by Gypsy Travellers, as well as the service the Gypsy Traveller receives. There are some options we can look at that will greatly aid the cause. The idea of setting up a partnership with the Gypsy Traveller communities in the delivery of healthcare has been looked at before. An example of a partnership model was developed in the form of a pilot primary health care project in 1994 in Ireland. Traveller women were given training to develop their skills in providing community based health services to their own community in partnership with public health nurse co-ordinators (Parry et al. 2004). Partnership models also imply that Gypsy Travellers be actively consulted and involved in local health planning and service development. There are examples of this working well in Cambridge, Newark and Leeds where Gypsy Travellers are working in community development and in close partnership with health workers. Another way in which the Gypsy Traveller voice will be heard is to periodically invite Gypsy Travellers to participate in any forums that exist for Black and other Ethnic Minorities. This would mean that their needs are constantly out for the public to be aware of and eventually this would decrease the negativity that is witnessed towards Gypsy Travellers, and reduce any barriers the Gypsy Travellers may have come across in accessing public healthcare. Improving the cultural awareness of healthcare staff is a priority but with the very little evidence to support the effectiveness of cultural awareness training that is currently provided, this change should be evaluated in terms of its effectiveness at changing the negative attitudes that are at the centre of a lot of the discrimination. The Traveller Health Strategy 2003-05 of the Republic of Ireland is an example of inter-departmental coordination in regards to the gypsy traveller health. A similar inter-departmental Task Force in England would command wide support. It was clear from my research that dedicated health visitors for Travellers were highly valued and played an important role in being able to supply access to other health services. Targeted service provision has long been a practice for a range of groups, and should be practice for Gypsy Traveller groups as well. A compelling point was made in one of my research articles; if all doctors and health staff were trained to respect people then there would be less need for dedicated services and some participants were quite emphatic that there should be no specialist provision that Gypsy Travellers should be treated with the same respect and care as others in the population.

Apollo 13 Essays -- American History

Apollo 13 Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crewmembers aboard the ship were James A. Lovell Jr., John L. Swigert Jr., and Fred W. Haise, Jr. Before the launch, there had been a few problems. Thomas K. Mattingly was supposed to fly on the Apollo 13 but he was exposed to the measles. He didn’t have the antibodies to fight the disease, causing him to not be able to go into space. Swigert took his place. Right before the launch, one of the technicians saw that the helium tank had a higher pressure than expected. Nothing was done to fix this. During liftoff, the second-stage engine shut down, causing the other engines to run longer than planned. Apollo 13 was off to a rocky start. During the flight, the second oxygen tank exploded. The oxygen tank contained liquid required for fuel and oxygen. Liquid oxygen has to be handled very carefully. The astronauts need to constantly stir the oxygen to prevent it from separating. The wires in the device needed to stir the oxygen were damaged, causing a big fire when electricity was passed through them. The explosion caused the number one oxygen to be critically damaged. This was bad because it left the ship with little power. Clueless about the real reason for the explosion, the crew thought a meteoroid had hit them. There was a large amount of damage caused by the explosions. Lovell looked out of the window, thirteen minutes after the explosion. He noticed that the ship was venting some gas out into space. Oxygen gas was leaking out of the spacecraft. Reacting on impulse, the astronauts closed the hatched between the Command Module and Lunar Module. Slowly, the crew and ground controllers began to realize that Apollo 1 3 was losing oxygen. Ap... ... to be separated from the ship. The Command Module had to be powered up again after being shut down for a long time. Mission Control had to write new documents for this new action. Normally, documents are written in three months before being performed. Mission Control, obviously, did not have that amount of time, causing them to have to write new documents in three days. Next, the crew got in the command module and let the lunar module go. The hard part was over. The ship landed safely in the South Pacific Ocean. The crew was rescued and brought onto the USS Iwo Jima. All three astronauts were returned to Earth unharmed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13 http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_13/overview/ http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo-13/apollo-13.html http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/AS13/a13sum.htm

John Locke Essays -- Empiricists, Empiricism

John Locke believes that man ought to have more freedom in political society than John Stuart Mill does. John Locke's The Second Treatise of Government and John Stuart Mill's On Liberty are influential and potent literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinkers ideal state present two divergent visions of the very nature of man and his freedom. John Locke and John Stuart Mill have different views regarding how much freedom man ought to have in political society because they have different views regarding man's basic potential for inherently good or evil behavior, as well as the ends or purpose of political societies. In order to examine how each thinker views man and the freedom he ought to have in political society it is necessary to define freedom or liberty from each philosophers perspective. In The Second Treatise of Government, John Locke states his belief that all men exist in "a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of t heir possessions and person as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man. " (Locke 4) Locke believes that man exists in a state of nature and thus exists in a state of uncontrollable liberty which has only the law of nature to restrict it, which is reason. (Locke 5) However Locke does state that man does not have the license to destroy himself or any other creature in his possession unless a legitimate purpose requires it. Locke emphasizes the ability and opportunity to own and profit from property as being necessary to be free. In On Liberty John Stuart Mill defines liberty in relation to three spheres; each successive sphere progressively encompasses and defines more elements relating to political society. The first sphere consists of the individuals "inward domain of consciousness; demanding liberty of conscious in the most comprehensive sense; liberty of thought and feeling; absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects, practical or speculative, scientific, moral, or theological." (Mill 13) The second sphere of Mill's definition encompasses the general freedoms which allow an individual to freely peruse a "...life to suit our own character; of doing as we like..." (Mill 13). Mill also states that these freedoms must not be interfered with by "fellow crea... ...ave left an indelible mark on the concept of freedom in political societies. John Locke favours greater freedom for man in political society than does John Stuart Mill does. Their beliefs regarding the nature of man and the purpose of the state are bound to their respective views regarding freedom because one position perpetuates and demands a conclusion regarding another. Locke system for dealing with man freedom and all other related matters severely limits the role of state to strictly guaranteeing individual freedom. This is the best method of preventing the perversion and abuse of the role and power of the state. Locke views simply stem from his faith in man and his potential to succeed independently, which collectively promotes the prosperity of the state. Mill does not implicitly trust or distrust man and therefore does not explicitly limit freedom, in fact he does define freedom in very liberal terms, however he does leave the potential for unlimited intervention into the personal freedoms of the individual by the state. This nullifies any freedoms or rights individuals are said to have because they subject to the whims and fancy of the state. from: ksampson@mustang.uwo.ca

Customer-Based Brand Equity Model Essay

CBBE act as a bridge to add value on a product endowed to a product as a result of past investments in the marketing of a brand. It is also provide provides direction and focus to future marketing activities. CBBE model designed to assist management in brand building efforts. According to the model, building a strong brand involves four steps: establish brand identity, create brand meaning, positive, eliciting accessible brand responses, and building brand relationship. In order to achieve these four steps, there are six brand building blocks which involves brand salience, brand performance, brand imagery, brand judgments, brand feelings and brand resonance Brand Identity Brand Salience means awareness and it’s related to achieve right brand identity. Brand awareness refers to customers’ ability to recall and recognize a brand also involves linking the brand of brand name, logo, and symbol and so on to certain associations in memory. First, salience influences the formation and strength of brand associations that make up the brand image and gives the brand meaning. Secondly, creating high level of brand salience in terms of category identification and needs satisfied is of critical importance during possible purchase or consumption opportunities. Third, when customers have low involvement with a product category, they may make choices based on brand salience alone. Brand identity can be differentiating by two dimensions which are depth and breadth. Depth of brand awareness refers to how easily customers can recall or recognize the brand. Breadth of brand awareness refers to the range of purchase and consumption situations in which the brand comes to mind. Brand Meaning Creating brand meaning involves establishing brand image. It comes into consumer mind what’s the characters of your product. Brand performance is the primary influence of what consumer experience with the brand and what they heard about it. Brand Imagery deals with extrinsic properties of the product or service. Is it how people think about a brand abstractly rather than what they think the brand actually does. Thus, imagery refers of more intangible aspects of the brand. Brand meaning can be characterized according three dimensions which are Strength, Favorability and uniqueness. The question needs to be answers are How strongly the brand identified with a brand association? How important or valuable is the brand association to customers and How distinctively is the brand identified with the brand association? Brand Response Brand response simply to say how customers respond towards the brand that is what customers think or feel about the brand. It can be distinguish by judgments and feeling of customers. In another word to said whether they arise from the â€Å"head† or form the â€Å"heart†. Brand judgments refers to customers arise from their â€Å"head† where personal opinions and evaluate the brand. By creating a strong brand, there are four judgments that concerned by customers. Including brand quality affect of value and satisfaction, brand credibility is extension of quality where they expect the brand organization are expertise, trustworthiness and likability, brand consideration depends on customers considered whether the brand possible purchase or usage, and brand superiority is customers want to know is the brand offers advantage than others brands do not? Brand feelings refers to customers arise from the â€Å"heart† while these customer are more emotional response to the brand. Feelings can be unimportant or intense, positive or negative in nature. Warmth, fun, excitement, security, social approval and self-respect are critical to build brand feelings. Brand Relationship The final step of the model is brand relationship, focuses on last relationship and level of identification that the customer has with the brand. Brand resonance refers to relationship that customers have with brand and extent that they feel they are in synch with the brand. brand resonance can be classified into four categories, behavioral loyalty, attitudinal attachment, sense of community and active engagement. While brand relationship can be characterized in two dimensions which are intensity and activity. Intensity refers to strength of the attitudinal attachment and sense of community. Question like how deeply felt is the loyalty? to be answer. Activity refers to how frequent is the consumer buy and use the brand or either in others activities that not related to purchasing and consumption. In short, Apple, Toyota these brands are well in building brand with high resonance. Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) How do you manage what you can’t measure? What value are investments that are not linked to returns? All these are the most hard challenges facing by brand management. Brand value is an intangible value. BAV is define as a brand and precisely measuring it in a way that is linked to financial performance, marketers can gain an edge in making more intelligent brand decisions. Combination Model CBBE Model is all about how and why build brand equity to be strong and known by outsiders, customers and employees. Brand Asset Valuator is to help business executives, investors and marketers’ access and drive strategic direction and intangible value of brands. BVA model instead of added value towards the brand yet help in product as well. Therefore, brand vitality is an important role in future growth while brand stature subsequently forms power of the brand at the given moment. There are four variables, differentiation, relevance, esteem and knowledge, building block that can combined with CBBE model.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 22

Seth wasn't at the bookstore the next day, which I took as a bad sign. It was usually his passive-aggressive reaction to whenever we had a fight. I thought about him a lot while I worked, thinking of that awful blowout. We'd had a lot of uncomfortable talks in our time together, but we'd never had anything like that. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what about it bothered me – aside from the obvious – but I kept feeling like it was a pivotal moment, something that was going to have long-reaching effects. It scared me, and I wanted to fix things. And, of course, there was Nyx to worry about. I was going to find a victim after work, and then Vincent said the angels would come while I was asleep – when Nyx made her move. â€Å"You okay?† I looked up from the stack of checks I was signing in my office. Maddie stood there in a black pencil skirt and fitted white blouse that made her look super amazing. She'd worn her hair down too. â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"What's the occasion?† â€Å"Nothing,† she said, with a shrug. â€Å"Wardrobe overhaul.† She lifted one foot, revealing three-inch black heels. â€Å"Holy shit,† I said. â€Å"You don't do anything in halves.† She beamed, and I noticed something about her that had nothing to do with the new clothes. There was joy in her eyes – a happiness that made her confident and even more radiant. She was a far cry from the bitter woman who'd shown up at the auction. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, not fixating on myself for the first time today. Her grin widened, revealing her phantom dimple. A moment later, she turned more serious. â€Å"I'll tell you later. My news is good. But you†¦what's the matter? You look awful.† Yasmine had said the same thing last night. It really was a sad day when a succubus couldn't stay on top of her game. I shook my head. â€Å"It's†¦complicated.† I offered a weak smile. â€Å"I'll deal with it, don't worry. Now, come on. I'd rather hear something cheerful. Tell me what's going on.† â€Å"Can't. They need me out there. I just came to drop these off.† She set a stack of papers on my desk. They practically melted into the other stacks I already had. My office was so chaotic, it could have been a lair for Nyx in and of itself. â€Å"Come on, the suspense is going to drive me crazy,† I teased. â€Å"Well†¦you think you can give me a lift to the airport tomorrow? I'm going home for Christmas.† â€Å"You taking Doug with you?† â€Å"Nope. He's your holiday gift. But I'll give you the scoop then if you can give me a ride. I'd probably need to leave around five.† â€Å"Five o'clock traffic on the Friday before Christmas. We're going to have a lot of time to talk.† A bit of her normal nervousness reappeared. â€Å"If it's a problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nope. We're closing early anyway. We'll go then.† Maddie left, and I found myself momentarily distracted by whatever her news could be. Whatever it was, it was a good thing. I liked the change it had brought about. That sort of happiness and confidence suited her. My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. I answered and found Seth on the other end. â€Å"Hey,† I said, hoping I sounded cool and confident and not desperate and relieved. â€Å"Hey.† A long pause followed. â€Å"I†¦just†¦wanted to make sure we were on for Christmas.† My heart sank. No: â€Å"I've missed you.† No: â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sure. Wouldn't miss it.† Thinking about Christmas. I experienced a weird sense of d? ¦j? ¤ vu. We'd also been with his brother on Thanksgiving. And like now, we'd also been fighting. There it was again: my life, the endless loop. You aren't learning. You aren't changing. Of course, Seth and I had patched up the other fight. Maybe that kind of resolution would repeat itself too. After all, holidays were supposed to be magic, right? â€Å"Okay,† he told me. â€Å"I'll pick you up.† â€Å"Okay.† Another long pause. â€Å"I'd come by today, but†¦well. The book†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The book. Always the book. Then again, I was busy with chaos deities today. â€Å"Yeah, I know. It's fine.† â€Å"We'll talk on Christmas.† â€Å"Okay.† We hung up. A chill ran through me. There it was again. I had no gift for premonition, but an inner instinct – one that had nothing to do with Nyx's visions of the future – told me there was something big coming. After work, I drove over to Bellevue, Seattle's richest and most pretentious suburb. A city in its own right, Bellevue was pretty much the polar opposite of SeaTac. Hotels, restaurants, and shopping were continually being added to its downtown strip, and the influx of money from Boeing and Microsoft was steadily replacing older, plain buildings with sleeker and more stylish architecture. Bellevue was also home to a guy I knew named Kevin. I'd met him years ago in a bar. There was nothing overly extraordinary about Kevin. He was neither a sinner nor a saint, instead occupying some happy ground in the middle that yielded a decent amount of energy whenever I slept with him. His most notable trait was that he was perpetually available. He worked at home – some Web business, I believed – and never seemed to go out, despite being good-looking and sociable. I didn't question that too much, though, because it suited my purposes whenever I needed quick and easy sex with someone I didn't completely loathe. â€Å"Sandra,† he said happily, opening the door of his condo for me. He had dark brown hair and a closely trimmed, very new beard that I approved of. Dark brown eyes regarded me with amusement. â€Å"Been a while.† My â€Å"Sandra† form had a petite build similar to the one I usually wore. After that, the resemblance ended. My hair was now curly and black, my eyes a blue that looked violet sometimes. Underneath my long black coat, I wore a sleeveless navy blue dress that fit snugly and was far too skimpy for this kind of weather. â€Å"It has been,† I agreed. â€Å"Does that mean you aren't going to let me in?† He smiled and stepped back, grandly waving me inside. â€Å"What, do you think I'm crazy or something? Only an idiot would turn you away.† I followed Kevin down the hall and into his living room. He'd redecorated since the last time I was here, and the change was nice. The furniture and d? ¦cor were now all done in shades of a grayish blue that reminded me of winter twilights. A fireplace crackled on one side of the room, and a large bay window looked out to another set of condos. I draped my coat over a chair and smoothed miniscule wrinkles out of the dress. â€Å"You want something to drink?† he asked, hands in his pockets. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't have much time.† He gave me a rueful smile. â€Å"You never do. You know, sometimes I feel used.† â€Å"Is that a problem?† â€Å"Problem?† he asked with a snort. â€Å"A beautiful woman who wants to have sex with me and no commitments? Hardly a problem.† He took a few steps toward me. â€Å"Use me all you want.† He came closer still, and we met in a kiss. No delay, no preamble. I wrapped my arms around his neck and parted my lips, eager to feel him and taste him. His hands rested on my hips for a moment, then slid upward. He caught my dress's straps and pulled them down, baring my breasts and still kissing me the whole time. Pushing forward, he pressed me against the wall, near the fireplace. I felt its heat against the bare skin of my legs. His hands cupped my breasts, thumbs sliding to my nipples and squeezing them. He varied the intensity, sometimes hard and sometimes gentle. I broke the kiss long enough to incline my head toward the uncovered window behind him. â€Å"The window – â€Å" He crushed his mouth back against mine. Our tongues danced together briefly, and then he pulled back just long enough to say, â€Å"I know.† The tone of his voice told me that he not only knew – he also wanted it that way. I didn't question it. This apparently was the season for exhibitionism. Eventually, he moved his mouth away from mine and trailed kisses down my neck. I tilted my head back and arched the rest of my body toward his. One of his hands continued cupping a breast as he nibbled on its nipple, teeth and tongue stirring it to arousal. His other hand pushed up my skirt, eagerly seeking my panties and what lay within. The ache for his energy and his touch coursed through me. I moaned softly as he moved his lips down my body. Shifting to the floor, he settled on his knees while still keeping me standing against the wall. He pulled the panties down all the way, so they hung around my ankles. Sliding his hands between my thighs, he pulled them apart slightly and then buried his face between them, his stubble tickling me. I was burning and wet, more so than I'd realized, and when his tongue touched my aching clit, I moaned more loudly and felt my knees tremble slightly. I started to tell him that he didn't need to do this, that it was okay if he just wanted to get straight to the main event. But as his tongue gently moved back and forth, building the heat and ecstasy within me, I swallowed my words. The last three guys I'd slept with hadn't made me come, and although this visit was strictly utilitarian and part of the Nyx plan, I suddenly and selfishly wanted to get more than his life energy out of it. Back and forth his tongue moved, speed and intensity continually shifting. As his thoughts began to trickle into me, I could tell that he liked doing that not simply for the sake of novelty, but also because he liked seeing the way I reacted to each slight change. He was one of those men who truly enjoyed making a woman happy. The burning spot he'd brought to life between my legs grew and grew, expanding beyond where his tongue touched, beyond my thighs. Steadily, it spread into my whole body, all the way to my fingertips. I felt like fire in human – or rather, succubus – form and writhed against the wall, against him. My knees buckled as the searing pleasure reached a critical point inside me, and his hands moved down to steady my legs and keep me upright. At last the core within me exploded, the fire turning to pure light, pure bliss. I cried out at the way the orgasm consumed me, at the way his tongue still kept teasing me even in the throes of my climax. Finally, even he couldn't keep me upright. My legs had turned to jelly, and I sank to the floor in front of him. He smiled, genuinely pleased, and leaned forward to kiss me. I could taste me on his lips. â€Å"Come on,† he said, taking my hands and helping me up. He led me over to the window and peeled off the rest of my dress. He eased me onto a high window seat. Removing his own clothes, he murmured, â€Å"I should go find a condom.† My breathing was rapid, my heart pounding away. â€Å"No, I want to feel you – just you.† I took his hand and brought it between my legs, guiding his fingers into me. â€Å"I want you to feel me.† I'd been wet before starting all this and was now doubly so after what he'd just done. His fingers glided easily inside of me, and his eyes widened at what he felt. Indecision played on his face, and then he nodded. If counseling any of my human friends, I would certainly advocate safe sex. It didn't matter for me personally, however, since I couldn't catch anything or get pregnant. Often with victims, I'd talk them out of any sort of protection in order to increase their guilt. With Kevin tonight, I didn't want to bother with condoms simply because I didn't want to waste the time. My urgency and desire were too strong. I wanted him now. I slid my hands down his stomach and felt how hard he was. He wanted me too. I wrapped my fingers around him, stroking and massaging and loving the way he swelled within my hand. Pressing my back against the cold glass, I drew my knees up to me and then spread them wide, feeling rather like a butterfly. The window seat was exactly the perfect height, putting us hip to hip as I led him inside of me. We both gasped at the contact. He pushed in as far as possible, our hips pressed skin to skin. The way he filled me up was exquisite. Shape-shifting meant I could make myself as tight as possible, and I loved how he tested the limits of it. He paused a moment, simply savoring the way our bodies felt together, and then slowly began moving in and out of me, rocking me against the window with each thrust. And with that, his life began pouring into me in earnest. I nearly exhaled with relief. The sensation of that energy filling me up rivaled the feel of his body inside me. I had missed it so much, missed the wonder and joy of that pure, indescribable energy generated by the human soul. Nyx had been stealing a part of me, and I was glad to have it back, if only for this moment. The thoughts coming through with his energy were happy and content ones as he reveled in the pleasure of being with me. A secret, kinky part of him was turned on by hoping that his neighbors across the way might be watching. He hoped they were. He hoped they were jealous. His thrusts grew harder and harder, and he murmured over and over how wonderful I was, how beautiful. Still sensitive from him going down on me, I came twice more, my body melting as the orgasms' spasms shook me. At last, I felt his body tense and saw his expression signal he was about to lose control. I dug my nails into his arms and begged him to come in me. He did, shoving me so hard against the window that I hoped the glass would hold. The peak of his energy hit me with his climax, and as it faded, we both sighed happily. I didn't abandon him quite as quickly as I had Bryce, but I didn't spend time lounging in the afterglow either. I helped him get dressed and made sure he was situated comfortably on the couch before I left. I liked him, after all, and hoped I'd see him again in some other casual situation. His face was languid and content as we made our good-byes. â€Å"You are the most exhausting woman I've ever been with,† he told me, eyelids flickering with fatigue. I couldn't help a smile. Of course I was. Other lovers didn't steal his soul – at least not literally. â€Å"Does that mean you want me to stay away longer next time?† He smiled and yawned. â€Å"No. Absolutely not.† Still smiling, I left and headed back to the city. But as I drove closer to downtown, brimming with energy, my happy feelings faded. I remembered why I'd had to go see him in the first place and what would happen tonight. My body, so achingly hot an hour ago, grew cold. When I arrived back at my apartment, Vincent, Carter, and Yasmine were already waiting for me. None of them commented on my glow. Instead, they launched right into the plan. â€Å"Nyx will probably come trolling around tonight,† Carter explained. â€Å"And when she sees you've got energy again, she'll do her thing.† Yasmine nodded along. â€Å"We can't be here when it happens. Vincent will be around, out in the living room. She won't suspect him of anything; she'll figure he's an ordinary human. But when he senses her feeding off of you, he'll let us know. Then, we'll show up and bind her.† I didn't like the sound of any of that – neither the feeding nor the binding. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"We'll pull her out and trap her,† said Carter. Presumably â€Å"out† meant out of me. Yikes. â€Å"Then we'll take her away, back to her prison,† added Yasmine. Their confidence inspired confidence in me, and I suspected I was being influenced by angelic charisma. But there was no way out of this, not if I wanted to shake my nighttime visitor. â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Let's do this.† The angels left. It was still early evening, so I hung out with Vincent. We played a couple games of cards and watched bad movies. Hanging out with him in such a casual way made it easy to forget he was a nephilim. When midnight loomed, I stood up and stretched. â€Å"I don't think I can sleep,† I remarked. â€Å"It's like trying to go to bed on Christmas Eve. Too jittery to settle down. Except†¦it's not Santa I'm waiting for.† He smiled. â€Å"Well, try. If we need to, we can probably give you a sedative or something, but this whole thing will be more efficient without.† It took a long time – lying in bed for almost two hours – before I fell asleep. It wasn't easy to relax when you were inviting a creature of chaos to come feed off of you. And yet, as I drifted off, I couldn't help a small flicker of eagerness. I'd be dreaming the dream again. And I did. It started from the beginning, like always, running all the way to the part where the little girl fell and my dream-self comforted her. The girl's tears were drying when we both heard the faint sound of a car door closing. My dream-self straightened up. A smile blossomed on her face as she regarded her – my – daughter with the kind of over-exaggerated excitement adults often use with children. â€Å"You hear that?† my dream-self asked. â€Å"Daddy's home.† Mirrored excitement showed on the girl's face as my dream-self stood up, still holding the girl and balancing her on one hip. It was an act of some coordination, considering how small my dream-self was. They walked to the front door and stepped outside onto a porch. It was nighttime, all quiet darkness, save for a small light hanging on the porch. It shone onto a long stretch of unbroken white snow on the lawn and the driveway. All around, more snow fell in a steady stream. I didn't recognize the place, but it certainly wasn't Seattle. That much snow would have sent the city into a panic, putting everyone on Armageddon alert. My dream-self was perfectly at ease, barely noticing the snow. Wherever she was, it was a common occurrence. In the driveway, a car had just pulled up. I felt my dream-self's heart swell with happiness. A man stood behind it, a non-descript dark figure in the faint lighting. He took out a rolling suitcase and slammed the trunk shut. The little girl clasped her hands in excitement, and my dream-self waved a hand in greeting. The man returned the wave as he walked toward the house, and my waking self tried desperately to see his face. It was too dark. I needed him to get closer, just a little closer – I couldn't get any closer because just then, I felt my soul get ripped out of me. I sat up in bed, nearly screaming in agony at the pain coursing through me. All four angels, plus Vincent, ringed the room. The power pulsing around us felt like smoke. I could barely breathe. And there, beside my bed, was Nyx. She looked a lot like Erik's description: an old, emaciated woman. Her skin and hair were white, her dark eyes sunken and inhuman. A tattered, gossamer dress wrapped around her body. She had an almost translucent look, like she wasn't entirely solid, and a sparkling aura shone around her. I couldn't see the forces being wielded, but I felt them distinctly. The angels temporarily had her enclosed in walls of power, but she wasn't bound, not yet. She pushed back against their restraints with considerable power of her own, and I gaped. Any one of those angels dwarfed my own power – yet, their combined force was still an even match for hers. It was a staggering thought, and I couldn't understand why she'd need my energy since she had so much of her own. And actually, she did have some of mine. She'd taken about half before they'd pulled her out of me. Nyx shrieked in rage, still pushing back on them. Then, bit by bit, I could see the balance shift. Her power was fading the more she used it. The angels' was steady. They were weakening her. She realized this and panic showed on her face. Casting frantic eyes over all the angels, she finally rested her gaze on Yasmine. There was still enough of a faint connection between us that I realized what Nyx was going to do. She'd sought out the least powerful of the foursome. Mustering the last of her power, she blasted it toward Yasmine, hoping both to smash the angels' united front and hurt Yasmine enough to cause a distraction. A heartbeat before Nyx unleashed her attack, I saw Vincent's face. He too realized what she was going to do. He moved forward, and I felt his mask drop. The telltale nephilim signature washed over me, and his power filled the room as well. There was a lot of it. He'd held back in the alley. Invisible energy rushed from Nyx toward Yasmine, trying to destroy the angel. But Vincent was there, blocking the attack. It rebounded back on Nyx. She screamed again, her defenses shattering. The other angels seized the opportunity, and bands of light snapped into place around her. A moment later, the light faded, but the restraints were there, even if I could no longer see them. She clawed around her, like a twisted version of a mime in a box, but she was trapped. She couldn't get through the walls they'd locked her in. They'd done it. They'd recaptured Nyx. But none of the angels were paying attention to her. They were all looking at Vincent. â€Å"You,† gasped Joel. He didn't hesitate. He strode toward the nephilim, and I saw Joel's body start to shimmer with light. He was about to transform into his true form, a form of terrible beauty and power. But Yasmine was faster. The slim, dark-haired woman became pure light. She was all the colors of the rainbow and none of them. A sword of flame appeared in her hands. She stepped in front of Vincent – who was screaming at her to stop – and swung toward Joel. The blade hit him, and he screamed. An awful, burning sensation was starting to flood me. Hastily, I shielded my eyes and looked away, realizing what I'd almost done. An angel's true form was an indescribable thing, requiring senses a human – or a human-turned-succubus – didn't possess. Staring at her could cause me major damage. Even being in the same room with her hurt. But I'd seen what I'd needed to before looking away. I'd seen the sword fall. Yasmine had attacked Joel. Nyx had pegged her as the weakest of the four, but Yasmine and Joel must have been incredibly close in power. Catching him by surprise like that tipped the scales. The air in the room swirled, reaching hurricane levels. Power exploded around me, like a sun going supernova. Everything was fire and wind. And screaming. Twin screams: Yasmine's and Joel's. I wrapped my arms around me, burying my face, certain I was going to die. The energy exploding toward me reached a point in which it would surely blow up the building, blow up the world. Stronger and stronger it grew. Suddenly, it all reversed. Power rushed away from my side of the room, back toward the angels. It was like a black hole had formed, sucking everything toward it. Of course, it was only pulling energy, not physical objects, but I nonetheless felt like it was dragging me in too. I clutched the bed's comforter, using it like an anchor to hold me down. Time ceased to have meaning. Ten seconds or ten hours could have passed for all I knew. Finally, the rushing stopped, and everything went still. The atmosphere returned to normal. No more insane power levels. There was only what you would normally expect in a room with three angels, a nephilim, a succubus, and a primordial entity of chaos. The latter had suddenly moved to the backburner of everyone's attention. Yasmine had returned to her â€Å"human† form. It was safe for me. I looked up, expecting Carter and Whitney to swoop in and attack her. But they stood frozen. No trace of Joel remained. He was gone, destroyed. The typhoon of power had marked his death. Yasmine was on her knees, fingers digging into the sides of her face. She sobbed, murmuring words that sounded like frantic prayers. Vincent, like the angels, kept his distance from her. She had just killed Joel. I didn't understand why no one was acting. Why were they just standing there? Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly, a voice hissed beside me, more in my mind than spoken aloud. â€Å"Succubus.† I looked into Nyx's cavernous eyes. Like Vincent and the angels, I'd forgotten about her. She extended her hand toward me, and I cringed. Fortunately, the invisible binds kept her from getting any closer. â€Å"Succubus,† she repeated. â€Å"Touch the walls. Use the last of your power to set me free.† â€Å"What? No!† I was dividing my attention between her and the others. The angelic group still stood motionless. â€Å"Free me, and I'll help you exact your revenge.† â€Å"Revenge? Who are you talking about?† â€Å"The one who sent me to you when I escaped,† she rasped. â€Å"The one who promised you to me.† I had no clue what she meant. â€Å"Like†¦who freed you?† She cast an uneasy look behind her. Time was ticking down on her distraction. â€Å"No, you were promised to me! But I can help you. Help you punish – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said. She was too dangerous. Whatever insane revenge she was talking about wasn't worth what she could do to mortals if she was freed. Her desperation grew. The angels were eventually going to remember her, and we both knew it. â€Å"I will show you the end of the dream!† she cried. â€Å"I'll show you the man. The man in the dream.† My heart stopped. â€Å"He isn't real,† I whispered. â€Å"It was all a lie. You used it to trick me.† â€Å"No! Everything I show is true. Always true.† â€Å"It can't be†¦it's impossible.† I swallowed and felt tears starting to fill my eyes. I wanted it to be true. More than anything. â€Å"That can't ever happen to me.† Nyx beat her hands on her unseen prison walls. â€Å"It's real! It's the future! I've seen it. Touch the walls, and I will show you. I will show you the man in the dream!† I wanted to. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. The man in the dream. The man who could maybe truly make this future happen†¦. My hand moved forward, like it was being controlled by an outside force. Nyx's eyes widened, eager and hungry. All of a sudden, a scream split the air. No, it was more than a scream. When Yasmine had destroyed Joel, that had involved screaming. This was more than that. It was the most horrible noise in the universe, a phenomenon that went beyond mere sound. Much as my eyes couldn't exactly perceive an angel's appearance, my ears couldn't fully comprehend this. My hand dropped from Nyx, and I jerked my gaze to the angels. Yasmine was still on her knees, and flames were starting to consume her. It was no ordinary fire, though. It reminded me of the light of her true form: all colors and none. Carter and Whitney watched, faces unreadable. Vincent also watched. He'd taken a few steps toward me, backing away from the fire. The look on his face was filled with a jumble of emotions, none of them good. I didn't understand what was happening to Yasmine yet, but I knew what would happen to him. â€Å"Get out,† I told him in a low voice. His face was pale, as pale as Nyx's. He looked like he'd aged a hundred years. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't leave her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You have to. They'll destroy you. Or if they don't, someone else will. Someone else in the city will have noticed this. You know I'm right.† His eyes were still on Yasmine. I could no longer see her, though. She was all flame – flame that had turned black. â€Å"Go!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's what she'd want. She did this for you!† Vincent flinched at those words and finally looked at me. The full force of his grief made the held-back tears spill down my cheeks. â€Å"Go. Please,† I begged. Joel had been destroyed. Yasmine looked like she was about to be. I couldn't stand anymore death. He said nothing, but after several seconds, he turned invisible. I felt his aura go. Across the room, the flames were starting to fade. Yasmine was slowly reappearing, completely unscathed. She looked no different, but something about her signature had changed. I felt the same golden light, the impression of saffron and frankincense. But it was edged in something else. It no longer had the sharp, crystalline quality of angelic auras. That was gone, replaced by a dark and smoky feel – a smokiness that had nothing to do with the fire. The flames finally disappeared altogether, and Yasmine still knelt on the floor. Seconds later, another signature joined us, one I knew well. Jerome stood in the room, apparently back from whatever clandestine matters he'd needed to oversee. He looked from face to face, finally focusing on mine. â€Å"Jesus Christ. What have you done now?† I ignored him, unable to tear my gaze from Yasmine. She looked the same, exactly the same. And yet, she wasn't†¦ She'd noticed the change too. She held her arms out in front of her, studying them as though she'd never seen herself before. Horror flooded her features. â€Å"No,† she moaned. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She began sobbing again. Carter finally looked away from her and met Jerome's eyes. â€Å"This is yours now, Charon.† Jerome nodded and stepped toward Yasmine. â€Å"Time to go.† She looked up at him, face glistening with tears. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Her expression said everything. It was a plea, a plea that none of this was real, that maybe – just maybe – Jerome could make it all go away. He shook his head and touched her shoulder. They vanished. The room was quiet, an unnatural quiet that felt almost oppressive. My voice seemed strange and out of place. â€Å"Wh-what happened?† I asked Carter. I noticed now that Whitney was crying. â€Å"Yasmine has fallen,† he said softly. â€Å"She's a demon now.†

As I See Myself (Descriptive Essay)

AS I SEE IT My name is Katrina but I prefer to be called as Kat. At my current young stage, I have an average height of five feet, three inches however I weigh heavier than any other girls of my age. By nationality and by blood, I am a Filipino. I have had dark straight hair which is already dyed with golden blonde, brown eyes which I genetically inherited from my mother, a short nose, small gleaming teeth, full lips, tiny dimples and a round face which I am teased a lot by many people as well as my big fat arms.Nevertheless, I am proud of having a fair skin; long thick hair just like of a commercial model as what my sister would say; and long solid legs. So, I usually wear not-so-short shorts and skirts paired with t-shirts and flats. Like many girls, I like to dress up but then I don’t really have many clothes to dress up with so I end up with the basics. I also like my hair loose and undone because I like better messy hair, in a structured way and in a way to conceal my hug e face. I used to be very shy and introvert when I was little.I don’t talk unless someone starts a conversation and sometimes I don’t ask questions to keep the discussion going. But now, I develop some confidence and courage to express my thoughts and feelings; I feel more comfortable when I’m alone with someone I’m not used to be with; and I can already look straight to their eyes. I am an ineffective liar. When I start to lie, I tend to laugh. The more I try to get serious, the more I easily burst out into laughter and normally, I can’t keep eye contacts with them.I am also an ineffective joker because frequently I end up laughing first before I could tell my joke. That’s me, making most of my time happy and laughing because I love what it brings me and I love hearing the sound of glee. But sometimes, a different me comes out particularly when I am treated impolitely and when I am force to wake up. Then again, I come back to my usual self once I’ve realized I’m being mean. I am also a person who likes to try new things or should I say adventurous and risk-taker which are the traits I get from my father.When it comes to this, I behave surprisingly energetic and enthusiastic. I can also be lazy at times especially when I don’t like what I’m supposed to do otherwise, I voluntarily do things in the best way I can. I was born a very grumpy girl indeed. What’s more, I am a very ambitious person. Ten years from now, I could see myself as a successful and refined CPA having established my own business, a house that I designed myself since I also dream to be an interior designer and cars that I never thought I would have.I intend to continue my profession, enhance my skills and to be a good public servant too. Given that I am an adventurous person, I could also see myself as a wanderer who travels to the most wonderful and romantic places in the world just as I would picture in my mind every single day. As well as a loving wife and mother nurturing her wonderful family. I know gaining these things are hard to achieve that is why I plan on working harder in the present for a better future.

Differences among Corporate, Institutional and Government Procurement

The procurement strategies differ greatly in the government, corporate and institutional sectors. First and foremost, there are some key distinctions in the supply chain management (SCM), that is in the â€Å"process-oriented system of purchasing, producing, and delivering product to customers† that includes the complete supply chain, i. e. â€Å"demand, supply, manufacturing, transportation and distribution†(1, 2006).Recently the industrial sector has increased the SCM standards with emphasis on speed and turnover of goods. For example, the turnover of inventory in Wal-Mart is approximately 12 hours (2, 2006). The government sector is less efficient in the SCM due to legal, cultural or material complexities, not to mention the bureaucracy that can influence the speed of logistics and supply. However, in the military industry the big contractors and the Pentagon are theoretically able to interact through â€Å"the revolving door†.In practice, it can lead to the c onflicts of interests, when the businesses hire government officials with a view to influence the government procurement strategies – for instance, Darleen Druyun’s case, the deputy acquisition chief for the Air Force, hired by Boeing in 2003) (3, 2004). Government purchasing can be more large-scale in terms of allocated funds; however, it complies not only to the matters of immediate financial benefit, but also to the state-level concerns.For example, the Government Purchasing Project by the Center for Responsive Law is regulated by environmentally preferable purchasing policies on the federal, state and local government level (4, 2006). Institutional purchasing faces fewer barriers in the form of formalities and large-scale commitments. Government procurement is an effective process of supplying necessary goods and services because of its holistic quality. The government establishes its own rules in view of the internal and external state policy and economic conditio ns.This is a flexible procurement process, and if rules were adequate to the demand, it is highly effective. By administering contracts the government agencies can choose the most favourable deal for supplying the required goods and services. However, here is a danger of making rules for their own sake, i. e. bureaucracy. To sum up, the differences between corporate, institutional, and government procurement lie in SCM (turnover speed), purchasing strategies and long-term perspectives, as well as general economic and political context.

Learning English Opinion Essary

———-Task———- The following statement was recently printed in a local newspaper: â€Å"English is the only foreign language worth learning. † Your teacher has now asked you to write a composition giving your opinion on this subject. ———-Compositions———- Nowadays there is an opinion that English is the most popular language and it is the only foreign language worth learning and I want to express the reasons for it.To begin with, English is an international language, which is known almost in every country, consequently it is used in different international negotiations, competitions, events as well as in airports and businesses. Furthermore, if you have a desire to be a successful and educated person it is better to learn English, due to the fact that when you are on a work, there are many international partners with whom you have to communicate and solve different problems. In addition to this, i f you know this language, you obviously have a perfect opportunity to occupy a position in a foreign company.Alternatively, it goes without saying that there are other languages worth learning. I believe that the importance of language depends on the economic development of the country, therefore nowadays the popularity of some other languages has grown, for instance Chinese. However, English continues being the most demanded. All things considered, if you know English you can not only easily cope with any difficulties in getting a job as you have an advantage over your counterparts, but also travel abroad everywhere you like.

Personal statement for UC school Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

For UC school - Personal Statement Example In pursuance of this opportunity, I conducted a research on Californian universities and discovered that UC offers diverse programs in social and cultural studies. This would suit my purpose, since I hope to acquire an undergraduate degree in Chinese or Asian culture. I am interested in gaining better understanding of how Asian and Western cultures interrelate, and how people in Western cultures perceive Oriental cultural settings. I believe that this knowledge will play a significant role in unifying people from the diverse cultures, while at the same time fostering productive connections. My passion to understand Asian cultures is driven by the fact that I love interacting with people from different locations around the world. Further, as a former international student, I initially found it hard to fit into the American society and discovered that some of my counterparts from other global settings also experienced some form of cultural shock before adapting fully. Therefore, I believe that by studying Asian cultures and their association with the Western way of life, I may be better placed to help others settle in America with ease. My stay in America has also made it possible for me to make many friends from different backgrounds. This has been highly inspirational, since it is interesting to see how people who differ ideologically or in terms of cultural background co-exist peacefully and productively. An opportunity to study at your institution will, therefore, contribute a great deal toward enabling me achieve my dreams. Apart from my passion to study culture I also love sporting activities and volunteering. This has enabled me to meet different people and learn more about them. For example, I volunteered in Santa Monica hospital where I helped hospital staff serve patients. I enjoyed the experience immensely because it gave me a chance to work with different

How does decentralised cooperation help Asian cities adopt and Essay

How does decentralised cooperation help Asian cities adopt and implement the integrated approaches to urban heritage conservation by setting up the appropriate - Essay Example cooperation strategy precede the actual live case study of a successful development cooperation between the cities of Chinon and Luang Prabang.The case study exemplifies that the ten year old development cooperation was a success owing to active funding, lively and positive political will, international and domestic partnering, involvement and empowering of local population, creation of a regulatory framework, creation of an accountable and audited nation wide system of organizations entrusted with the task of urban regeneration integrated with harmonious protection of cultural heritage and proper system of regeneration and conservation skills transfer and training. Further discussions reveal that many Asian cities can benefit by replicating the Chinon and Luang Prabang model. The paper suggests that future research can continuously probe the need to apply this model to various regions in Asia which will not only result in harmonious urbanization of these areas without damaging their culture but also work to broaden the horizons of international partners who would also gain from the Asian context. Asia-Pacific region is privileged to possess a vast and ancient cultural heritage. For such a long time, this heritage has shaped much of the lives and value systems of the regions’ peoples. However, heritage is more than a mere historical record of the past; on the contrary, it is an integral part of the identity, and a symbol of the cultural identity of the citizens and the communities of the region. Notwithstanding this, Asia is under pressure from various influences. For one, there is globalisation and the need to modernize, two, from unabated increase in population of the region, and, three, from the burgeoning demands of tourism. As a consequence, many cities have come to recognise that their time-preserved cultural heritages are facing the danger of being destroyed in the name of economic development and modernisation. Rapid and large-scale industrialisation and

The Influence of Globalization as Exampled through the Silk Road Essay

The Influence of Globalization as Exampled through the Silk Road - Essay Example The roads also provided routes for conquest and violence, reorganizing boundaries. While there was a brief period of conquest such as the Mongolian invasion, during the 13th century the majority of exchange along the Silk Road was peaceful. The Silk Road provided a pathway for journeys that can be compared to today’s globalization as the distribution of information and commerce becomes a part of a system of interactions between nations. The Silk Road was the method of creating international trade before the notion of sea travel took over as a means towards expanding resource opportunities. Through international trade, a population has the potential to acquire luxury items from a distance through trade with other centers of population. The Silk Road created a connection between nations, spanning Europe in the Mediterranean Sea area, through Persia and into China and Korea, and then down into the Java area, back through India, Arabia, down to Somalia, and then back up through Eg ypt, using water routes that were not too far from destinations and the shoreline. Christian discusses the vast number of roles, such as teachers, pilgrims as well as merchants that occurred through the existence of the large numbers of trade opportunities within the ancient and medieval worlds. The trade routes provided for a complete and complex world that interconnected the African and Asian worlds with Europe, creating a great deal of technological development and influence.1 Despite modern contexts of understanding about the divisions between the West and the East, with a disconnected idea about Africa as a part of the development of Western society, these trade routes created deep influences and a great amount of world development that would eventually affect the New World as it was developed in the second millennia. Palmyra and Petra, as an example, were centers of art which flowed into the lower regions of Europe, influencing the development of artistic motifs in the West. A s well, the concept of coins for trade was developed in Anatolia, which spread through the Silk Road worlds, including the Mediterranean. There were a great number of types of items that were traded along these routes of trade, but the reason that they were called the ‘Silk Road’ is because of the rich resources of silk that were available. Silk was developed at a very early time period within Asia and became a highly valued commodity for trade. Patterned silks are available from the regions of Persia and India from the 6th century, located in tombs that archaeologists have retrieved and been able to examine for the methods of weaving. Chinese silks are not readily available for modern study and are known primarily through literary referencing from that time period.2 Many of the problems with studying the ancient world is that so much is dependent upon reports, rather than through physical and tangible evidence. Because many nations appeared to have mastered the creatio n of silk fabric after the 6th century, it is likely that increases in trade occurred after that time, allowing samples and the technology to be transferred throughout the region.3 There are a great number of examples that explain the value of silk. There is little evidence that India held it as a valued commodity, but a great number of examples that show that China believed it to have great value. Xinru