Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Personal Statement - Essay Example My resolve to pursue a course in Business and Management course has been strengthened by the various part time jobs that I have been able to secure. I for example worked in a supermarket known as planet as a manager where I was able to put my leadership skills into practice. These have helped me gain an insight into the working of business, and sparked a passion in me to come up with more efficient models of management to ensure the best possible results. Getting a degree in Business Management will therefore equip me with the skills that I require to develop more efficient management systems and develop better ways of doing business. I believe that is very important to get a quality education before one can seek to engage in any professional venture. The value of education has been instilled in me from a tender age, and this leads me to pursue educational excellence at all levels possible. I am particularly interested in learning how to come up with dynamic teams that have the potential to work together to come up with ways to diagnose the business and organization needs, analyzing the changing business environment and the development of the procedures to handle the operation processes of the business. I believe that I have the potential to perform these roles. The educational program will however help me to realize my potential in this area. To be successful in the program, I intend to get a part time job that will give me an opportunity to practically apply the concepts that I have been taught and interact with the different concepts in business. As I person, my character is influenced by an unending desire to improve myself, and a quest for knowledge. My character has also been formed by the need and desire to pursue new ideas through insightful reasoning and a practical application of the theoretical knowledge that I have been able to gain. I believe that this combination of attributes will be an important asset in helping me settle and blend in the

Sociological theory of religion

Sociological theory of religion 1 Using examples critically assess one sociological theory of religion In most traditional societies, religion is an important form of social togetherness. It augments a feeling of community and promotes a set of shared values and beliefs in some form of god. Religion also plays a central role in cultural life; people often synthesize religious symbols and rituals into the material and artistic culture of the society: literature, storytelling, painting, music, and dance.[1] It is the focus of the society that is of interest to religious sociologists, in particular theories concerning the way religious behaviour differs between and within societies. Beckford notes that theories revolving around how social interaction benefits or holds back societies, has made sociology a renowned area of study.[2] In order to establish a fundamental starting point in this thesis, the foundations of sociology and the sociology of religion will be described in context. Furthermore, it will discuss, in some detail, the sociological theoretical approach of functionalism by sociologists; a critical analysis will aim to show the differences in their approaches to functionalism and will include supporting and critical statements from preceding and subsequent sociological theorists. Sociologists generally define religion as a codified set of moral beliefs concerning sacred things and rules governing the behaviour of believers who form a spiritual community[3]. Auguste Comte (1798 1857) describes sociology as the study of human societies.[4] A classical view is that, it is a social science that, uses varied methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis,[5] and is often used to develop theory about human social activity. The sociology of religion therefore takes into account the aforemention ed and also includes the practices, historical backgrounds, developments, universal themes and roles of religion in society.[6] Jones (2003) describes Comte as the first to proclaim the virtues of an empirically based social science,[7] a type of sociology that would have enormous implications for someone like Comte, who had been born during the aftermath of the French Revolution. Bilton et al (1996) explain this further: Positive social knowledge could offer the means for peaceful reconstruction of social order by the elite of enlightened scientists and intellectualsSocial change need not depend upon revolutionary violence and the manipulation of the mob[8] Comte was able to make use of the new science for the progression of society and the re-establishment of order as well as being able to apply the positive method to social theory[9]. Comte and his fellow Frenchman Durkheim are said to be the forerunners in creating the discipline of sociology. Thompson (1982) describes Comte as giving the subject its name and an ambitious prospectus, whilst Durkheim gave it, academic credibility and influence.[10] Functionalist sociologists focus their attention on the nature of institutional relationships in society.[11] To understand this further, one can use Talcott Parsons functionalist ideas as an example. Parsons, [who supported functionalism in the United States] used the functionalist perspective to group institutions in society into four related functional sub-systems; economic, political, kinship, and cultural. This theory stressed the importance of interdependence among all behaviour patterns and institutions within a social system to its long-term survival. [12] In a similar way Durkheim In trying to explain the value of social and cultural character, illuminated them in terms of their contribution to the operation of an overall system. Furthermore, Malinowski, who promoted functionalism in England, endorsed the idea that cultural practices had psychological and physiological functions, such as the reduction of fear and anxiety, and the satisfaction of desires.[13] Another English man Radcliffe-Brown contended that, all instituted practices ultimately contribute to the maintenance, and hence the survival, of the entire social system, determining the character of inter-group relations.[14] It is Parsons sub-system of culture that encompasses religion that we now turn to. A functional definition of religion is fundamentally based on the social structure and drawing together of people, it pays particular attention to how religion guides and influences the lives of people who are actively involved, and through this promotes unity and social cohesiveness.[15] Durkheim believed and argued that, religion was a socially constructed institution, serving the needs of society by socialising members into the same norms, values and beliefs, therefore reinforcing the collective conscience upon which the stability of society rests.[16] He looked in depth at the origins, meaning, and function of religion in society. His belief was that religion was not so much about God, but more about the consolidation of society and the sense of identity that this creates within a particular society.[17] He fully believed that individuals who accepted their role within their own society develop a form of social conscience as part of that role, which Durkheim labels as the Conscie nce collective,[18] which in simpler terms could be labelled as, a common understanding.[19] Published in 1921 and penned by Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, is renowned as the best-known study on the sociology of religion.[20] Using secondary data, Durkheim studied native totemism in primitive Australian tribes, in effect the totem is a symbol that is an integral part of the group, and during ceremonies will be the magnet that draws everyone together to form a collective whole. Therefore, totemism in this instance is explained not in terms of what it is, [what the content of its doctrines and beliefs are] but what it does, that is, the function it performs for the social system.[21] Durkheim claims that, the totem, the sacred object is a representation, by which society symbolises itself,[22] which according to Fulcher and Scott, he believed to be the real basis of social solidarity.[23] From his observations Durkheim developed his theory of the sacred and profane, believing that all things in society can be separated into these distinct categories, as a fundamental dichotomy the sacred and profane are seen as two separate domains or worlds. For Durkheim the sacred meant the unity of the group embodied in symbols, as in his example of totems, the profane was more about the mundane or the individual, and less concerned with the group. However the British anthropologist Evans-Pritchard (1937) observed that sacred things may be profane at certain times, an example he gives is the case of the Azande[24], who, when their shrines were not in ritual use, were used as props to rest their spears.[25] This analysis of the sacred and the profane was extended to all religions by Durkheim and his followers, making a focus on what is similar about what they each do, and about the integrative functions all these religions perform on their social systems.[26] He therefore viewed religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged its place in influencing the thinking and behaviour of the members of society.[27] Furthermore he beli eved that order flowed from consensus, from the existence of shared norms and values,[28] for him the key cause of social upheaval stems from anomie, the lack of regulating norms. Without norms constraining behaviour, explains Durkheim, humans develop insatiable appetites, limitless desires and general feelings of irritation and dissatisfaction.[29] Radcliffe-Brown continued Durkheims sociological perspective of society; he particularly focused on the institutions of kinship and descent and suggested that, at least in tribal societies, they determined the character of family organization, politics, economy, and inter-group relations.[30] Thus, in structural-functionalist thought, individuals are not significant in and of themselves but only in terms of their social status: their position in patterns of social relations. When regarding religious ceremonies Radcliffe-Brown contends that ceremonies, for example, in the form of communal dancing, promoted unity and harmony and functioned to enhance social solidarity and the survival of the society, in this he agreed with another renowned anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Malinowskis functionalism was highly influential in the 1920s and 1930s, a British anthropologist, he conducted one of the first major studies of religion from an ethnocentric perspective, on the people of the Trobriand Islands.[31] The first anthropologist to undertake a long-term piece of field research, Malinowski lived among the Trobriand islanders for four years.[32] In studying the functions of religion in a small scale, he agreed with Durkheim that religion reinforced social norms, values and promoted social solidarity.[33] Malinowski also believed that religion could relieve social anxiety and could provide a sense of security especially when people are faced with situations in which they have no control, an example Malinowski gives is based on his observation of the Trobriand islanders fishing in a calm lagoon, no religious practice was attached, however when faced with the perils of fishing in the open ocean, religious rituals were always performed. In this way Malinowski b elieved humans could exert a perceived control over a world in which they held no significant, individual power.[34] This individual, perceived control can be seen to be used by people facing a personal crisis. Often in a situation where they have no control over the outcome, people will turn to religion looking for guidance and sanctuary; thereby giving them a sense of power. For Malinowski then, religion also helped to conciliate periods of life crises and events such as death, marriage and birth, these rituals, known as rites of passage are marked by ceremonies, that by their very nature, are a form of social togetherness that help to create social order and contentment. These rites however can be seen to be controlled in that to a certain extent one is prepared for new life, death and marriage, these events form part the circle of life and therefore come with some prior knowledge. Ceremonies that relate to these life events could be seen as a predictable common bond that will help to reinforce social solidarity. Malinowski argues that religion minimizes the disruption, in particular, of death. He believes that the assertion of immortality gives rise to feelings of comfort for the bereaved, whilst the act of a funeral ceremony binds the survivors together.[35] Coser (1977) explains further: Religion can counter a sense of loss, which, as in the case of death, may be experienced on both the individual and the collective level therefore religion as a social institution serves to give meaning to mans existential predicaments by tying the individual to that supra-individual sphere of transcendent values which is ultimately rooted in his society.[36] So far we have seen that collective or communal gatherings are generally aimed at promoting social solidarity and cohesion, this is backed by the empirical evidence offered by Malinowski in his study of the Trobriand Islands. Hamilton (1995) offers that these gatherings can also be interpreted as involving the recognition of divisions, conflict and disharmonies inherent in the society and rituals may be seen as a means of coping with and defusing them.[37] Concerning Malinowskis empirical evidence, a contrasting point is noted by Casanova (1995) who questions functionalism on empirical grounds, he argues that religion does not provide consensus and unity, instead he says that most conflicts [an example he gives is the Iran/Iraq war] in society have religious foundations.[38] Marxist sociologists also criticise functionalists on a theoretical level. Marx claims that religion does not create societal consensus, instead it creates conflict between those that have wealth in the ruling class and those that do not in the working class.[39] Therefore according to Marx, the only norms and values that are conserved by religion are those of the ruling class. Functionalist theory could therefore be said to neglect the areas in which religion has been dysfunctional for society, whereby religious divisions have caused disruption and conflict rather than promoting social order. History provides numerous examples of this including the aforementioned Iran/Iraq dispute, Northern Ireland and Bosnia. An Extreme functionalist assessment of religion, declares William Stevens, is put forward by American sociologist Robert Bellah. Bellah fuses Parsons argument that America derives its values from Protestantism, with Durkheims belief that the worship of god is the disguised worship of society. From this Bellah develops a new kind of religious concept, that of a civil religion.[40] Therefore despite the individual belief systems of American citizens, it is the overarching faith in America that unites Americans. Wallis (1983:44) cited in Jones, explains that Bellah finds evidence of civil religion in Presidential inaugurations and ceremonials such as Thanksgiving Day and Memorial Day are similarly held to integrate families into the civil religion, or to unify the community around its values.[41] A further point to be made here is that generally civil religion does not hold to a belief in the supernatural. Bellah disagrees and says examples of confirmation in the supernatural can be see n or heard on a daily basis, phrases such as God Bless America and the words In God we trust on the national currency, he believes are prime examples of this. However Stevens asserts that this is not the god of any particular creed, but a god of America. For Bellah then civil religion creates a social cohesiveness by gathering people together to collectively partake in some form of ceremonial event. Therefore flag waving at a sporting event or lining the street to celebrate a royal marriage or death can bring about a united outpouring of joy or grief that in itself generates order. A contemporary example is the untimely death of Princess Diana. Her funeral witnessed a monumental combining of people, faiths and nations in a symbolic act of grief. Functionalist sociologists tend to emphasize what maintains society, not what changes it and are criticized for being unable to account for social change because it focuses so intently on social order and equilibrium in society. Functionalists have to take into account that change does happen in societies and that change is a good thing, and can represent progress. Jones says that the functionalist way around this is to use an organic analogy social progress occurs as it does with organisms as an evolutionary change.[42] Bilton et al explain that this takes shape in the form of structural differentiationdifferentiation is a type of splitting or separation of a previously undivided unit, the new units differ in that they are more specialised in the functions they perform.[43] Talcott Parsons, in his approach to social change, emphasises differentiation. According to Parsons, Institutions change, if the need of the system changes.[44] An example of a system change stems from The Indu strial Revolution, which was facilitated by capitalism, was increasingly demanding technological advances to increase profit. In order to make this possible there was a need for more educated workforces. As a result the industrial economy needed a new form of family to perform these specialist functions. Thus, as one aspect of society changed the economy and production it required a comparable change in the educational system, bringing social life back into equilibrium. This new modernization of society, explains Marske, is associated with the increasing indifference of the individual from the traditional social bonds of an intimate network of diffuse social relationships. [45] Due to a greater demand in the workforce people from all walks of life came together causing an increase in the cultural diversity within a particular society. As a result individuality became a more prominent feature; religion it seems was becoming less social and more personal. Durkheim would disagree with this statement as he believed it was possible to be an individual as well as social institution, he explains, In reality, the religion of the individual is a social institution like all known religions. It is society which assigns us this ideal as the sole common end which is today capable of providing a focus for mens wills.[46] Dillon (2003) explains that social scientists and Western intellectuals have been promising the end of Religion for centuries, Comte announced that, as a result of modernization, human society was outgrowing the theological stage of social evolution and a new age was dawning which the science of sociology would replace religion as the basis or moral judgements.[47] Durkheim predicted the gradual decrease in formal world religions; in post-enlightenment society he felt that there would be a greater emphasis on the individual. This he believed would lead to a weakening of ties in the modern world. In addition he envisaged that social solidarity and the collective conscience would be taken up by other institutions that would evolve into new forms of religious experience.[48] Furthermore a maturing modernity would see scientific thinking replace religious thinking. As a consequence, Durkheim considered the concept of God to be on the verge of extinction. In its place he envisioned society as promoting civil religion, in which, for example, civic celebrations, parades, and patriotism take the place of church services. If traditional religion were to continue, he believed it would do so only as a means to preserve social cohesion and order. Parsons disagrees with this synopsis, with modern life will come structural frameworks that are more competitive and specialised, however they would still persist because religion is an adaptable structural framework for the explanation of inexplicable social phenomena.[49] A criticism applied to the functionalists perspective stems from Durkheims analogy that societies and social institutions have personalities.[50] To imagine that a society is a living, breathing organism is a difficult concept when in fact it is seen as an inorganic object. This creates what can said to be a philosophical problem and an ontological argument that society does not have needs as a human being does; and even if society does have needs they need not be met. The view here is that society is alive in the sense that it is made up of living individuals. What is not taken into account is that each individual is a different entity, with their own wants and needs. As part of the unit they can function and integrate within the group as a viable member. However individual life choices may not always create a positive function for the society as a whole. Functionalists in general tend to have a too positive view by believing that everything that exists in society does so because it has some kind of functional purpose. Robert Merton believed that it was entirely plausible for society to have dysfunctional elements.[51] Durkheim also recognised that some forms of social life could be seen in the same way, however he did not use the term dysfunctional. In his work on crime, he noted that crime was functional to society, this seems to be a contradiction in that he also said, too high a level of crime might not be functional, because it could create a state of confusion regarding what constitutes the norms that applied to peoples lives. As a society dysfunctional actions, in particular criminal actions are frowned upon, and as a society we can become mob-handed in the way people come together to condemn an act of crime. Durkheim has a point to make here in that, people combine together, forming a collective cohesion in defining themselves against what they are not.[52] Picturing society like a vast machine, Merton argues that a society should best be considered as a cross between the cultural goals of a society-what it holds its members should strive for-and the means that are believed, legally or morally, to be legitimate ways that individuals should attain these goals. In an ideally organized society, the means will be available to deliver all of its members to their goals.[53] One must take into account when analysing such theories that at the time of writing the world was a very different place to the one we live in today. Social anthropology has come under criticism for looking into primitive societies as a representation of unchanged societies criticism in particular stems from the lack of historical records that could confirm or deny any findings. Radcliffe-Brown considered this type of work a mistakehis belief was that the religious and ritual systems had to be understood in the context of the existing society and their role in that society.[54] One could linger on Durkheims prediction that religion would decrease with modernity, religion here being in reference to the act of attending a social gathering in the worship of some form, whether it be totemic or divine. However an important point to note is that at the time when the Sociology of Religion was in its infancy, religious practice was more of a regular occurrence than one would perhaps find in todays society. However individuals are still irrevocably influenced by the role of religion in their own lives. Their beliefs and values allow them to feel supported in their everyday life; religion sets aside certain values and infuses them with special significance. Culture plays an important part here, as values, customs and beliefs combine to become a moral code by which societies adhere to and live by and pass on to future generations. Religion encourages collective worship be it in a church, mosque, temple, home or some other specified gathering place. Through the act of collective worship the individual is encouraged to feel part of a wider community. Today, societies are classed as more secular in their nature, yet if one consider the earlier statement about religion being an important form of social togetherness it would be easy to make analogies with the different groups that make up the society we inhabit. For example schools hold assemblies, awards evenings and performances all which can be seen as an example of community spirit and social cohesion. People as individuals, have interests outside of their immediate social groupings, this does not make them an outcast or outsider, and instead it promotes a sense of identity, individualism and the self. The writings of sociologists such as Durkheim, Comte, Radcliffe-Brown and Parsons are still important today, especially in comparing the way society sees religion. However, in contemporary society sociologists have a different set of problems to contend with as belief in modern society and materialism for many becomes a more vital moral value than partaking in a religious practice . BIBLIOGRAPHY Beckford, James A. (2003) Social Theory and Religion, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003). Bilton et al, Introductory sociology 3rd Edn (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1998). Casanova, Jose, Public Religions in the Modern World (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995) Christiano, Kevin J., William Swatos Jr Peter Kivisto, Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments Lanham, 2nd edition (MD: Rowman Littlefield publishers, 2008). Comte, Auguste, A Dictionary of Sociology (3rd Ed), John Scott Gordon Marshall (eds), (Oxford: OUP, 2005). Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed., (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1977), pp. 136-139, Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed., Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1977: 136-139, Dewar, Greg, Religious studies, Philosophy and Ethics, (London: Oxford University Press, 2002). Dillon, Michele, Handbook of the sociology of religion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003). Durkheim, Emile, The Division of Labor in Society. Translated by, George Simpson. (New York: Free Press, 1893/1964). Durkheim, Emile, and Coser, Lewis A., The Division of Labor in Society. (Free Press, 1997) Durkheim, Emile. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life: A Study in Religious Sociology. Translated by, Joseph Ward Swain. (New York: Macmillan, 1915). E. E. Evans-Pritchard, Theories of primitive religion, (Oxford: Clarendon press, 1965). Emile Durkheim, Sociology and philosophy (New York: free press, 1974). Evans-Pritchard, E. E. Social Anthropology and Other Essays. ( London,1950).Contains a critique of Radcliffe-Browns functionalism from the perspective of historicism. Fulcher, J. Scott, J. Sociology, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003). Giddens, Anthony, Durkheim, (London: Harper Collins, 1996). Goldschmidt Walter, Functionalism In Encyclopaedia of Cultural Anthropology, Vol 2. David Levinson and Melvin Ember, (eds) (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), p. 510. Hamilton, M, The sociology of religion, 2nd edition (Oxon: Routledge, 2001). Hunt, S. Religion in Western Society, (Hampshire: Palgrave, 2002). Jones, Pip, Introducing Social Theory, (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003). Jones, Robert Alun., Rules of the sociological method 1895, in Emile Durkheim: An Introduction to Four Major Works. (Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1986), pp. 60-81. Macionis, J. Plummer, K. Sociology: A Global Introduction (Essex: Pearson, 2005). Merton, Robert, Social Theory and Social Structure, (USA: Macmillan, 1968), chapter 3. Orenstein, Ashley D. DM, Sociological theory: Classical statements 6th edition (Boston: Pearson Education, 2005), pp.3-5: 32-36. Sociology Quarter, Durkheim as a functionalist, vol 16 no 3 (Summer, 1975), pp 36 -379. Thompson, Kenneth, (1982) Emile Durkheim, (Sussex: Ellis Horwood Limited, 1982). Winthrop, Robert H. 1991. Functionalism In Dictionary of Concepts in Cultural Anthropology (New York: Greenwood Press, 1991), p. 130. WEBLIOGRAPHY Functionalism, in Anthropology and Sociology The Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia. 2000-2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0819881.html (Accessed: 18.01.10). Functions OF religion learningat.ke7.org.uk/socialsciences/soc-sci/soc/a2/R. Accessed 14.1.10. CliffsNotes.com. Introduction to Religion. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26927.html. Accessed 10.1.10 Chris Livesey, Functionalist perspectives on Durkheim, www.sociology.org.uk Marjolin, Robert French sociology-Comte and Durkheim, University of Chicago press American journal of sociology, vol. 42, no 5 (Mar., 1937), pp693 -704. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2767763 (Accessed: 12.1.10.). Mark Glazer, Functionalism http://www.utpa.edu/faculty/mglazer/theory/functionalism.htm (Accessed: 13.12.09). Marske, Charles E, (1987) Durkheims Cult of the Individual and the Moral Reconstitution of Society, Sociological Theory, Vol. 5, No. 1, (American Sociological Association, 1987), pp. 1-14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/201987. Accessed: 17.01.10. The Azande, http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture.7829 (Accessed: 15/1/10). William J. Stevens, Religion: A Functionalist Assessment, http://www.helium.com/items841304-religion-a-functionalist-assessment. (Acces

Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments :: Geology

Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments What is Acid Rain?: Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants acidify rain: sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). When these substances are released into the atmosphere they are transformed into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3) and can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds and return to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. Causes of SO2 and NOx: * Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is generally a byproduct of industrial processes and burning of fossil fuels. Ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and natural gas processing are the main contributors. * The main source of NOx emissions is the combustion of fuels in motor vehicles, residential and commercial furnaces, industrial and electrical-utility boilers and engines, and other equipment . Acidification of Freshwater: General Info: Freshwater acidification is not an entirely new problem. First linked to the decline of salmon and other fish stocks in Norwegian rivers some sixty years ago, freshwater acidification was later identified as a problem in Scandinavia during the 1970’s. Since then, thousands of rivers and lakes have been proven acidified. Areas most susceptible to acidification are those with an unreactive catchment such as granite and a base, nutrient-deficient soil. Areas of high acidification incidence include the United States, Canada, Scotland, Central Europe, and Scandinavia. Any lake below pH7.0 is, by strict definition, an acid lake, but it is generally argued that acid waters are those below pH5.0 where sulfate concentrations exceed those of carbonate or the sum of calcium and magnesium content. Process: Acid rain enters water by two routes: directly and through the catchment. The vast majority enters through the catchment while a relatively small percentage enters directly. Acid water passes easily to the lake through catchment consisting of shallow soil cover and alkaline-deficient bedrock such as granite, which does not contain the carbonates necessary to neutralize the acid. In areas where a continual supply of base cations is not assured then the gradual depleting of the bicarbonate in the lake means that the once stable pH will drop rapidly resulting in an acidified lake. Acidification can also occur in surges after snowmelt or drought; the first 30% of snowmelt can contain 50 - 80% of the total acids in the snow. Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments :: Geology Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments What is Acid Rain?: Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants acidify rain: sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). When these substances are released into the atmosphere they are transformed into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3) and can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds and return to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. Causes of SO2 and NOx: * Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is generally a byproduct of industrial processes and burning of fossil fuels. Ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and natural gas processing are the main contributors. * The main source of NOx emissions is the combustion of fuels in motor vehicles, residential and commercial furnaces, industrial and electrical-utility boilers and engines, and other equipment . Acidification of Freshwater: General Info: Freshwater acidification is not an entirely new problem. First linked to the decline of salmon and other fish stocks in Norwegian rivers some sixty years ago, freshwater acidification was later identified as a problem in Scandinavia during the 1970’s. Since then, thousands of rivers and lakes have been proven acidified. Areas most susceptible to acidification are those with an unreactive catchment such as granite and a base, nutrient-deficient soil. Areas of high acidification incidence include the United States, Canada, Scotland, Central Europe, and Scandinavia. Any lake below pH7.0 is, by strict definition, an acid lake, but it is generally argued that acid waters are those below pH5.0 where sulfate concentrations exceed those of carbonate or the sum of calcium and magnesium content. Process: Acid rain enters water by two routes: directly and through the catchment. The vast majority enters through the catchment while a relatively small percentage enters directly. Acid water passes easily to the lake through catchment consisting of shallow soil cover and alkaline-deficient bedrock such as granite, which does not contain the carbonates necessary to neutralize the acid. In areas where a continual supply of base cations is not assured then the gradual depleting of the bicarbonate in the lake means that the once stable pH will drop rapidly resulting in an acidified lake. Acidification can also occur in surges after snowmelt or drought; the first 30% of snowmelt can contain 50 - 80% of the total acids in the snow.

Secrets of Finding and Keeping Good Employees

Lebanese American University Business Department Management Theory Secrets of Finding and Keeping Good Employees Presented to: Dr. N. Beyruti Presented by: Mahdi El Horchi Hussein Marmar Date: 02/10/2006 Introduction: In our days, employment became a hard process in which many managers are complaining about it. In addition, hiring good employees is essential to run a good business on a daily basis and for a long run. Thus, employees would be the heart and the soul of a business. On the other hand, Interviewing is an important process in the preselection of good employees and so opening a gate to have the right person in the right position. Interviewing is an art of gathering information and trying to learn about candidates before selection. Furthermore, Recruitment is a chain of events that could have sequential and disastrous consequences. Thus, designing a good interview should not address or talk about job requirements before the interview starts. On the other side, many savvy applicants could mask their true capabilities and thus inaccurate image could be drawn. Interview Requirements: The interview process should: – Define the position that the applicant is admitting for. – Address questions specific to the position and requires conscious behavior. Check or test the ability of interviewer to do the interview. – Be more scientific and less emotional – Check the steps that are taken for the final hiring process. – Avoid group interviewing that would become a â€Å"game of tag† Consequences of Bad Employment: Bad employees not only affect an employer by driving down sales, co sting the company unwanted expenses due to negligence or simple lack of motivation, but affect customer as well. In addition, wrong decisions and demotivated employees could lead to: – Heightened feelings of stress for the employee in his daily work. – A chain of disastrous events that does irreparable damage. An increase in absenteeism. – Frustrated and angry mangers that try to employ motivation techniques; KITA (kick-in-the-ankle) – A â€Å"lose-lose† situation for all company stakeholders. Hiring Strategies: Selecting and hiring candidates could take several forms: – Interviewing to check the background of the interviewer – Personality characteristics assessments. – Abilities assessments – Interest assessments – Integrated assessments. These assessments facilitate dramatically the hiring process by identifying the thinking styles, occupational interests and behavioral traits and allow the visualization of the â€Å"total person†. To complete the assessment process behavior tendencies play an important role in increasing individual productivity by identifying personal accommodation , assertiveness, attitudes, energy level, independence, objective judgment, sociability, manageability and decisiveness. Keeping and Maintaining Good Employees: As important as attracting good employees is, it is just as important to retain them. As always, benefit packages help to retain employees. After spending as much time as you should have in attracting good employees, it only makes sense that you would go to certain lengths to keep them. Essential tools in keeping and maintaining good employees: – Offer opportunities for personal growth. – Build an organization culture that appreciates personal achievement and performance. – Construct a newsletter that nominates the employee-of-the-month. – Sustain a comfortable environment that empowers employees. – Understand that many employees are motivated by their social networks at work. – Encourage team involvement. – Make benefits more accessible. – Create clear paths at the company. – Share challenges and successes. Hiring and retaining good employees goes hand in hand; and the assessment process should be tested for their ability and reliability to establish a â€Å"win-win† situation for people to be happier, produce more and experience less stress. In addition organizational culture should build into it an employer recognition and appreciation to look to their strengths over their weaknesses and their power over their problems. Finally, companies should be aware of matching the right person to the right job and secure its employees in a more convenient and comfortable environment.

Infrastructure and Housing in Malaysia

The original purpose of holding architecture is due to the demand of human existences. During ancient clip, worlds were brooding in caves. However, people need nutrient to last. Peoples need to travel out to run therefore a impermanent shelter for runing and assemblage is needed to against Sun or rain. This is the starting of something coming architecture. Along with the betterments and alterations of demands of homo for life, the development of architectures began. Alternatively of hunting, people started to settle down to the concern of agribusiness. Here come to the emerged of lasting colonies. Slowly, the maps of architectures increase together with the addition of demands of human existences ( Gascoigne, 2001 ) . However, human existences are largely ocular animals ( Mary Rottman, 2013 ) . They like to fancify all the things that they can. Hence, different period clip of manners appear bit by bit. This influences the visual aspect of architecture every bit good as the houses at the same clip. There is no exclusion for the development of architectures of Malaysia. Harmonizing to The Encyclopedia of Malaysia by Chen Voon Fee, the mundane homes of the local people can be referred by slang houses which ‘vernacular’ means ‘domestic’ or ‘indigenous’ . Therefore, the local houses’ manners, how the houses are built and the type of stuffs that were used are chiefly focused by this type of architecture. The places of the Orang Asli—the foremost autochthonal people of Peninsula every bit good as Sabah and Sarawak’s autochthonal group and the Malayans who are classified as the Austronesian group of people are included in Malaysia. Post-and-beam constructions which are raised on piles, with gabled roofs are the basic of Malaysia’s common houses. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia farther elaborates the undermentioned traditions: A extremely delicate architecture was developed by the Malays for their houses in 1511 which was the period that Melaka being conquered by the Portuguese which reflecting contemporary rules of standardisation, prefabrication, site assembly and enlargement. Timber and other jungle green goodss are the edifice stuff and pitched roofs, post-and-beam building are its characteristic. The houses were highly suited to the tropical region’s climes which are hot and wet. The residents were all afforded with cosy airing and filtered visible radiation though the different lines on the E and west seashores of the Peninsula influenced the development of the roof signifiers. Palaces and mosque, longhouses and homes were applied with the same building techniques and stuffs in order by the Malays, the autochthonal peoples of Sabah and Sarawak and the immigrant people at the minute. The Portuguese and the Dutch introduced unknown edifice types such as garrisons and churches, and accomplishments every bit good as altered in the graduated table of edifices and the stuffs that were used. Furthermore, to set up streets and allocate quarters of the town to different communities, town planning was used. However, their different architectural manners had no digesting influence although they had occupied Melaka for over 300 old ages. The Straits Settlements of Penang, Melaka and Singapore were set up via the British which led by the understanding between the Dutch and the British in 1826. Malaysia had a great transmutation hundred old ages subsequently. The manner for modern and urban substructure was paved by the creative activity of colonial business and commercial involvements in the town such as Melaka, Georgetown in Penang and Kuching in Sarawak. Tin excavation so changed in graduated table and moved upstream and inland which ab initio a bungalow industry along the bayou of the West seashore. Peninsular west coast’s was efficaciously opened up followed by the large-scale planning of gum elastic which to the initiation of tin-mining Centres, Chinese and Indian colonists, to work the mines and plantations was brought in which makes their typical edifices enrich their new fatherland in the early 1900s. The substructure of roads, railroads and ports was financed from the net incomes of the creative activity of universe markets for Malaysia’s Sn and rubber along with the rise of Western industrialisation. The hard-on of enforcing administrative and commercial edifices were enabled by prosperity and assurance chiefly in the Western Neoclassical manner and of other edifices which in a mixture of European manners. From 1896, the imported Mogul manner which was retroflex all over the state particularly mosque was enjoyed a short but permanent period by Kuala Lumpur which is the capital of the Federated Malay States from 1896. The chilly avenues of Penang, Ipoh, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur were lined by Sn and rubber wealth with broad Villas. The colonial influence in the northern and eastern parts of the Malays Peninsula was minimum. Therefore, the royal capitals of Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu and Arau were the development of Malay urban Centres from bunchs of campongs gr ouped around the ruler’s castles and the chief mosques. Malaysia’s architecture embodied the taking tendencies from the West in the period between the two universe wars. The passage from the traditional slang was marked by Art Deco while early Modernism and the International Style were transited from Western Neoclassical manners. A batch of professionally qualified designers, largely expatriate, designed most of the edifices at the minute. Building programs within town bounds were so required to breast by the debut of constructing by-laws to ‘qualified persons’ . Along with the Merdeka, or Independence, in 1957, Malaysia has the greatest architectural transmutation. The new nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, was so transformed from a colonial town. New and make bolding signifiers expressed the chesty symbol of nationhood which largely the work of abroad trained Malaysians. The first arose skyscraper was enabled with the changed of the graduated table of commercial edifices by advanced building accomplishments and industrialised constituents. The appeared of shopping arcades and mega promenades replaced the store houses and emerged of multifunction composites was made manner by townhouses. Then, suburban Centres and townships were created by the replacing of cottages and flats to condominiums with centralised installations and large-scale lodging estates of insistent single- and double-storey nexus houses. The consequences which are non ever compatible shows that vie with the International Style was formed by autochthonal cultural which showed a Malayan architectural individuality in the on-going hunt. Owing to the penchant of anon. , the Sun shadowing installations of the early skyscrapers had replaced by all-enveloping tinted and heat-resisting glass. Tropical elements such as elevated planting and new showing devices are introduced merely one time in a piece. The consciousness of the demand to continue prewar edifices was being enhanced which coincided with the lag in the belongings market which because of the inordinate edifice of the 1980s and so, the country’s foremost non-governmental organisation for heritage saving was born. On the contrary, the gait of edifice was boosted with the ageless economic growing in the 1990s for about a decennary and a figure of mega undertakings was develop finally. The mega undertakings include: one of the world’s tallest office towers, the Petronas Twin Towers ; a state-of-the-art airdrome, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport which was located in a semisynthetic wood ; a design which placed Malaysia at the front line of bit and fibre optics engineering, the Multimedia Super Corridor ; and last but non least, the country’s 21stcentury place of authorities, the Putrajaya. Enormous challenges were faced by Malayan architecture in a technological universe at the get downing point of the new millenary. To hold a better quality of life in the 21stcentury, it is pressing to continue Malaysia’s early edifices and depict from them valuable lessons on graduated table to better the Malayan live and work which more environmentally antiphonal solutions will be demanded by greater urbanisation.

Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Essay Example

Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Essay Example Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Paper Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Paper In the article, â€Å"Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music†, Simon Frith tries to show the aesthetic value of poplar music in the sociological field, while most of the academic musicologists think popular music, submitted to social forces, is aesthetically worthless. There are two different sociological approaches to judge the value of music. First is technique and technology, as Frith states, â€Å"people produce and consume the music they are capable of producing and consuming. † (Firth 498) But he also admits that these similarities between sounds and social group remain unclear. Secondly, popular music has different functions, and the most important function is commercial, but Frith argues against this notion for â€Å"even if pop tastes are the effects of social conditioning and commercial manipulation, people still explain them to themselves in terms of value judgment. †(Frith 499) The rock aesthetic relies on authenticity, which guarantees rock music’s independence from commercial logic. But those standards are misleading, and the author thinks we should better study how music creates this impression of truth. Frith suggests a different approach to defining popular music and popular culture. As he said in the article, â€Å"The question we should be asking is not what does popular music reveal about ‘the people’ but how does it construct them. †(Frith 500) To support his argument, Frith explains four social functions of pop music. First, the music we listen to can represent our collective or various identities and society. Second, music can help us manage our relationships through public forms of private expression. We also get to know ourselves through the music. Third, music allows the listener to live within a moment. It can be a strong instrument to our remembrance of things past. Such power of music defines whole generations. Fourth, the fact is that music can be possessed. What Frith realizes is that people feel they own the music and build it into their sense of themselves. After explaining the sociological functions of music, the author digs into the question of popular music aesthetics. He questions what makes popular music able to satisfy these social functions. To answer this question, Frith gives four points of his answer and tries to give suggestion for future critical work. His first point is brief. Pop music is complex â€Å"intentionally†, defined by Andrew Chester, while as European art music is â€Å"extensionally†. Frith thinks that in the 20th century, popular music has absorbed from Afro-American music. In his second point, he states that popular music has a strong vocal strength, and we react to the singer’s voice whether we understand the lyrics or not. It directly communicates to us through narrative structures. According to Frith’s third point, there are two different ways to analyze and classify musical genres in which music uses narrative structures to produce patterns of self-identification and to express different emotions. He suggests classifying popular songs according to their ideological effects. The author’s last point is even serious music cannot escape from being associated to our lives and being under social forces. In the end, Frith concludes that music has â€Å"some sort of collective, disruptive cultural effect†. Understand that popular music has an individualizing effect is key to finding its aesthetic values. Work cited Simon Frith. â€Å"Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music† Writing in the Discipline: A Reader and Rhetoric for Academic writers, 7th edition. By Mary Kennedy and William Kennedy. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 497-509. Print.

Production-Possibility Frontier Essays

Production-Possibility Frontier Essays Production-Possibility Frontier Paper Production-Possibility Frontier Paper Production-possibility frontier In economics, a production-possibility frontier (PPF) or â€Å"transformation curve† is a graph that shows the different quantities of two goods that an economy (or agent) could efficiently produce with limited productive resources. Points along the curve describe the trade-off between the two goods, that is, the opportunity cost. Opportunity cost here measures how much an additional unit of one good costs in units forgone of the other good. The curve illustrates that increasing production of one good reduces maximum production of the other good as resources are transferred away from the other good. edit] Productive efficiency, opportunity cost, and allocative efficiency The production possibilities curve shows the maximum feasible (obtainable) amount of one commodity for any given amount of another commodity, as of the societys technology and the amount of factors of production available. The concept is used to show the options open to a firm, individual, household, or economy for a 2-good world. In microeconomics, the 2-good case readily generalizes to the n-good case. In macroeconomics, it illustrates the production possibilities available to a nation or economy (corresponding roughly to macroeconomic notions of potential output at a given point on the curve) for broad categories of output. All points on a production possibilities curve are points of maximum productive efficiency or minimum productive inefficiency: allocated such that it is impossible to increase the output of one commodity without reducing the output of the other. That is, there must be a sacrifice, an opportunity cost (given by the slope of the curve in absolute value), for increasing the production of a good by one unit. Conversely, points inside the frontier are feasible but productively inefficient. Point A in the diagram for example, shows that FA of food and CA of computers can be produced when production is run efficiently. So can FB of food and CB of computers (point B). For a firm, a point on the curve is productively efficient but, given market demand, could be less profitable than another point on the curve. Equilibrium for the firm with given resources is at the most profitable and productively efficient point on the PPF. There is a parallel for an economy as well. It may have productive efficiency but not allocative efficiency. Markets and other institutions of social decision-making (such as government, tradition, and community democracy) may lead to the wrong combination of goods being produced (and the wrong mix of resources allocated) compared to what individuals would prefer, given what is feasible on the PPF. All points to the right of (or above) the curve are infeasible for given resources. A move from point A to point B indicates an increase in the number of computers produced. But it also implies a decrease in the amount of Food produced. This decrease is the opportunity cost of producing more computers. As mentioned, the two main determinants of the curve are production functions (reflecting the available technology) and available factor endowments. If the technology improves or the supplies of factors of production increase, the production possibility frontier shifts to the right (upward), raising the amount of each good that can be produced. A military or ecological disaster might move the PPF inward and to the left. In neoclassical economics, production possibility frontiers can easily be constructed from the contract curves in Edgeworth box diagrams of factor intensity. In other interpretations (often seen in textbooks), the concave production-possibiliity frontier reflects the specialized nature of the heterogeneous resources that any society uses: the opportunity cost of shifting production from one mix to another (e. g. , from point A to point B) reflects the costs of using resources that are not well-specialized for the production of the good which is being produced in greater quantity. The line curve in Figure is not straight but is concave to the origin (that is, curved inward toward the axes). This can represent an assumed disparity in the factor intensities and technologies of the two sectors. That is, as we specialize more and more into one product, the opportunity costs of producing that product increase, because we are using more and more resources that are poorly suited to produce it. With increasing production of computers, workers from the food industry will move to it. At first, the least qualified (or most general) food workers will help start making computers. The move of these workers has little impact on the opportunity cost of increasing computer production: the loss in food production will be small. This cost of successive units will increase as more of specialised food manufacturers are attracted. For example, in the second diagram, the decision to increase the production of computers from 5 to 6 (from point Q to point R) requires a minimum loss of food output. However, the decision to add a tenth computer (from point T to point V) has a much more substantial opportunity cost. The the neoclassical interpretation, if the factor intensity ratios in the two sectors were constant at all points on the production possibilities curve, the curve would be linear and the opportunity cost would remain the same, no matter what mix of outputs were produced. In other interpretations, a straight-line production-possibiliity frontier reflects a situation where resources are not specialized and can be substituted for each other with no cost. Products requiring similar resources (bread and pastry, for instance) will have a nearly straight PPF, hence constant opportunity costs (when increasing production rates). [edit] The marginal rate of transformation The slope of the production-possibility frontier (PPF) at any given point is called the marginal rate of transformation (MRT). It describes numerically the rate at which one good can be transformed into the other. It is also called the (marginal) opportunity cost† of a commodity, that is, it is the opportunity cost of X in terms of Y at the margin. It measures how much of good Y is given up for one more unit of good X or vice versa. The shape of PPF is commonly drawn as concave downward to represent increasing opportunity cost with increased output of a good. Thus, MRT increases in absolute size as one moves from the top left of the PPF to the bottom right of the PPF. Marginal Rate of Transformation If, for example, the (absolute) slope at point BB in the diagram is equal to 2, then, in order to produce one more computer, 2 units of food production must be sacrificed. If at AA for example, the marginal opportunity cost of computers in terms of food is equal to 0. 25, then, the sacrifice of one unit of food could produce 4 computers. The marginal rate of transformation can be expressed in terms of either commodity. The marginal opportunity costs of computers in terms of food is simply the reciprocal of the marginal opportunity cost of food in terms of computers.

Paper Editing Help

Paper Editing Help Paper Editing Help Paper Editing Help The first draft of your research paper is likely to be in need of editing, especially if you have let your ideas flow from paragraph to paragraph. Editing is your real opportunity to give your English research paper shape and emphasis. You will have little idea of the final shape of the final draft unless you read through the draft with an intention to edit it. Editing your writing is often a matter of emphasizing one part or one argument more than others. You will need to push some parts of your research paper into the background and pull others forward in the process of paper editing.  Not every college work lends itself to editing treatment; however, all research papers that have no impact are usually those which most resemble a list of points. Papers lacking shape flow one section to another giving equal emphasis to each part so that the impression given is that the paper could go on for ever. These papers need editing help. Paper Editing Tips The below checklist of questions for editing a research paper might look like this: Does description form part of a discussion or analysis? Are quotations linked with comment? What is the main point? (Try writing it in two sentences.) What evidence do you use to substantiate your viewpoint? Is there adequate justification for statements? Can some issues be pulled into the foreground? Is there sufficient interpretation/analysis? Is the choice of material biased? Do all paragraphs deal with one main idea? Do they link together? Are they relevant to the title? Do the points made lead to a logical conclusion? Are there any grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes? Research paper editing is not always a matter of erasing the text. While editing you should add explanation and justification to give your college work emphasis. While editing paper you will also check the relevancy of material. The most important editing task is to apply something similar to a 'DNA genetic test'. While editing, imagine that every paragraph carries its own genetic material derived from the work title. Editing help provided by is of high quality.   We will perfect your paper and make it perfect!   Your tutor will be impressed with relevancy of information and logical formatting. Not every doctor is gifted and not every student is able to edit his writing.   We offer an affordable solution - paper editing help.

The proposal of Cheerios Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The proposal of Cheerios - Assignment Example Cheerios, originally named Cheerioats, is made totally from natural whole grain oats. The marquee cereal brand need not be cooked as it is ready-to-eat. This breakfast cereal has proven medicinal values as it helps to lower cholesterol in the human body. The company claims that three servings of Cheerios taken with low fat diet every day reduce the chances of contracting heart diseases. The crunchy, sumptuous and nourishing snack is thus an ideal first meal of the day for the entire family (Cheerios.com, 2014). Cheerios is manufactured and marketed in more than a dozen luscious varieties. Some of these are Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios Protein Cinnamon, Almond, Cheerios Protein Oats & Honey, Banana Cheerios, Chocolate Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios and Yogurt Burst Cheerios. Cheerios believes in the philosophy of fostering the physical and mental faculties of the child. The company has successfully run its ‘Spoonful of Stories’ campaign for a more than decade. In 2013, the brand announced that it will bring the older kids within the ambit of this campaign and provide 8 million books inside Cheerios packets free of cost (Cheerios.com, 2014). Cheerios harnesses the power of social media to spread the message that a healthy breakfast makes a positive, meaningful difference in a child’s life. General Mills has set up online communities that not only help the company enable it achieve its mission but also assist in spreading a positive word-of-mouth for its brands (Generalmills.com, 2014). The company uses online social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to engage in useful conversations with the customers. The purpose of this communication is to get insights into the consumers mind and uncover new ways in which the community as a whole can benefit. Cheerios also indulges in strategic corporate social responsibility. The brand, in association with the YMCA, organized the Healthy Kids day in April this year (Cheerios.com, 2014). The

Methods of evaluations for Premarital programs of Thalassemia and SCD Essay

Methods of evaluations for Premarital programs of Thalassemia and SCD - Essay Example Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease are the most prevalent hemoglobinopathies. Both these conditions are inherited as autosomal recessive disorders. They share common features like premature destruction of red blood cells and elevated erythropoietin levels in the marrow and other sites to compensate for the loss of red cells and accumulation of the products of hemoglobin catabolism due to increased rate of red cell destruction (Aster, 2007). Thalassemias are a group of heterogeneous inherited disorders caused by genetic defects as a consequence of which decreased synthesis of either the alpha or beta chain of HbA occurs (Aster, 2007, pg.632). When deficient synthesis of beta chain occurs, it is known as beta-thalassemia and when alpha synthesis is affected, it is known as alpha-thalassemia. Sickle cell anemia is a type of disease characterized by production of defective hemoglobins because of which sickling of red cells occurs in certain conditions like deoxygenation (Aster, 2007, pg.628). The WHO has estimated that about 7% of the world population are carriers of inherited hemoglobin disorders and that there are about 3 to 4 hundred thousand babies being born each year with severe forms of these diseases (Weatherall, 2001). About 3% of the world population is carriers of a beta thalassemia mutation (Ghotbi & Tsukatani, 2002). Though globally, carriers of thalassemia are more than the carriers of sickle cell anemia, the number of affected births of sickle cell anemia is more than thalassemia due to higher frequency of sickle cell genes in certain areas (WHO Secretariat Report, 2006). These conditions are prevalent all over the world with the highest incidences noticed in tropical regions (Refer to tables-1 and 2). The gene for sickle cell anemia is distributed widely in the regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. In these regions, it has been estimated that the carrier frequencies range from 5% to

Pandora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pandora - Essay Example Specifically, the company achieves this through the provision of up-to-date music, drama, and related discussion such as a live performance on the company blog. The blog and the ‘Submit your Request’ platforms within the website allow users to create free online profiles to participate in discussions. The personalized station established the Music Genome Project allows the users to edit or refine the content to fit the personal change in music taste and preferences.The interactive feature on the Pandora.com website characterizes it as a social media platform. The social media is an online phenomenon that supports connectivity and interaction, as well as encouraging contributions and feedbacks on online topics from the members and users of the virtual community. The essential features of the social media include connectedness, participation, openness, and conversation. The Pandora.com supports these characteristics through the blog where users post and contribute to the a rticles on various topics.Another unique and primary feature of the social media is the user-created and maintained an online profile that facilitate digital dialog. Although Pandora.com does not have an intensive and user-enabled profile like Facebook, it has a platform that supports online contribution and commenting on the available topics. The Pandora.com internet community has a common interest in music and comedy categorizing the website as a specified social media that confines its engagement within the entertainment industry

To what extent does the fashion industry take part in unethical Essay

To what extent does the fashion industry take part in unethical behaviour to increase retail sales - Essay Example Scholars are therefore concerned on whether these companies meet the expenses that are incurred after robust promotion and advertisement initiatives (Farrell, and Brian 1998, p.589). Another core issue of concern is the similarities of new clothing fashions in the market. The only differences in most of the clothes that are sold in contemporary market are the label of the company as opposed to the design and quality of the product. In addition, by considering the current global financial conditions, scholars are as well concerned on whether global companies make their expected profit on their sales. Therefore, by referring to the accessible literatures, it is clear that, a good number of clothing industries engages in unethical behaviours to increase their sales and profitability (Cory 2005, p. 79). Global clothing industries engage in offering misleading information to customers on the quality and durability of their clothing products to increase their sales. By referring to the available rules and regulations as well as ethical standards, it is ethically and legally inappropriate to offer misleading, false, and deceptive information regarding the quality and nature of products to potential customers. In their promotion and advertising initiative, global clothing industries are commonly known for overrating the quality of their products and services with an aim of attracting more customers to purchasing their products. In addition, based on the available research findings, salespersons in reputable clothing industries exaggerated the prices of their products in order to increase their sales. Under the existing rules and regulations on promotion and advertisement, salesperson and company that provides misleading information should be prosecuted under the court of law (Agresti 2002, p. 91). Some global clothing industries are common known for offering incorrect information regarding their

Organization advertisment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization advertisment - Assignment Example There are several services offered at the center that you will find beneficial. There are plenty of philanthropic activities happening at the center with events such as clothing exchange and free Teen Night among others all happening in Brattain House. Besides, the center offers training to parents on how best to improve their parenting skills especially with the teenage children. There are plenty of captivating programs at the center that are aimed at improving the social welfare of the society. With the realization of the importance of sharing, the organization arranges events such as Little Yoga and Teen Night among several others that enable parents to meet and interact as they assist each other. The impacts of such social connectivity and events are immense. Amazingly, other services that one will find intriguing include the orientation program in which preschoolers are absorbed and rehearsed for their anticipated school days making them establish strong academic foundations that have proved to have positive impacts in their lives. At the Family Resource Centre, such donations are highly valued. Any contribution will be highly appreciated. There are a number of reasons why Family Resource Centre requires and deserves your

Compare and contrast two therapeutic approaches for people suffering Essay

Compare and contrast two therapeutic approaches for people suffering from depression - Essay Example This paper analyses these two methods critically (Roy, 2005). Depression is a feeling or medical illness that is characterized by varied symptoms all combined. People suffering from depression do not have same symptoms. That could be attributed to the fact that the extent of the depressive nature differs from one person to another. Depression is characterized by feelings of sadness that get prolonged over a period of time. It could also have character such as one feeling hopeless, guilty and seeing no worth in living. Irritability and feelings of restlessness coupled up with feelings of helplessness and pessimism are also signs of someone who is depressed. Others may experience moments where they totally lose interest in doing things they have fun doing, insomnia, overeating and to others, loss of appetite (Berne, 2007). Depression is caused by many factors including, trauma, losing a loved one through death, and going through an abusive and difficult relationship. It is mainly caused by stressful situations that people go through. No matter how strong someone may be, they could still suffer from depression. Scientists and medical research also show that depression could be caused by genetic, environmental and biological factors. This explains why people of a family could suffer from depression. This is because a given gene runs through a family and those carrying that gene risk suffering from this medical illness (Andrews, 2010). There are different types of depression. Major depression is a type of depression that disables and deters one from performing normally. One undergoing such depression experiences symptoms that impede one’s ability to do work, study, sleep, enjoy hobbies and even make one lose their appetite. Dysthymia is another form of depression characterized by symptoms that last for quite some time, hindering one from functioning well. Minor depression

Organization advertisment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization advertisment - Assignment Example There are several services offered at the center that you will find beneficial. There are plenty of philanthropic activities happening at the center with events such as clothing exchange and free Teen Night among others all happening in Brattain House. Besides, the center offers training to parents on how best to improve their parenting skills especially with the teenage children. There are plenty of captivating programs at the center that are aimed at improving the social welfare of the society. With the realization of the importance of sharing, the organization arranges events such as Little Yoga and Teen Night among several others that enable parents to meet and interact as they assist each other. The impacts of such social connectivity and events are immense. Amazingly, other services that one will find intriguing include the orientation program in which preschoolers are absorbed and rehearsed for their anticipated school days making them establish strong academic foundations that have proved to have positive impacts in their lives. At the Family Resource Centre, such donations are highly valued. Any contribution will be highly appreciated. There are a number of reasons why Family Resource Centre requires and deserves your

Governments should control what kind of content reaches their Essay

Governments should control what kind of content reaches their populations through the media because they are responsible for pro - Essay Example The Communist concept proposed by Lenin states that mass media should aim at nation building by publishing news relating to the entire society's policies and goals as determined by the government. The third concept called Development concept is applied mainly to underdeveloped countries that are lacking in media and other technological resources.  Whichever is the mode of control, the censoring mechanism by government acts as an effective control and monitoring for the media and is an indispensable component of a successful democracy. (Martin, 1983) Ensuring Authenticity of Information The media, sometimes, promotes and spreads lies, defamations and gossip. There are too many newspapers and news-channels that have made it their routine affair to gossip and spread rumours about persons who always tend to occupy the centre-stage of public’s attention - whether it's a sportsperson, a film star or a politician. The government should make it a point to ensure that every matter th at is printed and circulated is actually newsworthy, as accurate as possible and not malicious or biased. Some of us might be of the view that a censored state would mean no free speech. But is the right to free speech synonymous to the right to publish lies? The answer would be a NO. Hence it is clearly necessary that whatever is published is sensible and non-offensive.Freedom of speech may apparently seem to be an issue at hand, but the more critical issue here is integrity. Censorship not only ensures that that the media activities adhere to the principles of humanity but also conceals the sensitive issues until it is the right time to reveal them. Currently, there are lots of irresponsible media agencies and journalists offering and spreading around their own interpretation of the situation, even though it is wrong. This often causes harm to reputation and even lives. But censorship enables the information to be verified before it is put in front of the masses. The government is needed to censor the media to protect the people, the media and the international community. Restricting Negative Impact on Children Children in the modern world grow up experiencing the impact of media in all spheres of their life. If the media conveys to them false notions and fabricated ideas regarding life and society, they will begin to expect something that society really isn't. They will go out to the world behaving like what they see their favourite characters doing on television, in video games and in movies. Our children could also begin to idolize the celebrities, more show than substance, whom the media figuratively worship and publicise for their own business gains. The acts of such celebrities on the big screen promote malpractices among the teenagers such as abusing drugs, spoiling relationships, committing crimes and getting involved in unethical and immoral activities. Hence, some selective content should be filtered before it is passed down to be viewed by general public as not only children, but a lot of adults are also not able to steer their own opinions and end up getting negatively influenced by the media. Children are the building blocks of a nation. But children growing up under the influence of misleading media will lead to demotion of the society rather than promoting and contributing to the success of society. So it is

Clone Detection in Object Oriented Systems

Clone Detection in Object Oriented Systems Program Slicing based Clone Detection in Object Oriented Systems Ishu Singla Rajesh Bhatia Abstract— Program slicing is an efficient technique for understanding programs by simplifying them. It is a program analysis technique that extracts a particular set of statements relevant to any computation. For the last 25 years, the technique has found its application in a number of research areas like testing, debugging, maintenance etc. In this paper, we have proposed a method to use this technique for clone detection in object oriented programs. As program slicing concentrates only on the relevant portion of the programs based upon some criteria, this property can be utilized in clone detection process. For this we have used Program Dependency Graphs as an intermediate representation. These PDG’s are later used to extract isomorphic partial slices and finally these slices are matched to find out potential clones. Keywords— Partial Slices;PDG; Isomorphism. I. Introduction A code clone represents a sequence of statements that are duplicated in multiple locations of a program. Clones often arise in source code as a result of multiple cut paste operations on the source. Thus, Code cloning can be considered as the act of copying code fragments and making minor, non-functional alterations in the implemented code. Code cloning increases the maintenance cost because if there is an error in the code fragment to be copied, then that error will be propagated at different places. Thus, the normal functioning of the system is not affected but further development may become prohibitively expensive [1][2]. Pre-processing of the whole program is often not a good choice while searching for clones. The program contains a number of irrelevant statements, thus, pre-processing will be a time consuming process [1][3]. Also the approach for finding clones in procedural oriented and object oriented programs is completely different. Clone detection in object oriented programs has a number of problems [15] and sometimes follows different approach. Selecting a particular set of statements from a large program that contains statements relevant to a particular computation is called program slicing. Thus, Program Slicing improves program understandability and find its importance in a number of applications such as software maintenance, software debugging, testing etc [3][5]. A number of code clone detection techniques have been proposed based on text, token, graphs, trees and metrics [1]. Some other techniques based on models and some hybrid techniques have also been proposed [9][11]. The main advantage of using program slicing is that we can find the non-contiguous, intertwined code clones, where the coder changes some of the statements and the rest of the code remains unchanged in between[2][4]. II. DEFINITIONS Program slicing was originally introduced by Weiser that defines program slicing as an analysis technique which extracts the elements of a program related to a particular computation. That set of statements collectively called as program slice. Program slices contains that parts of a program that affects the values computed at some point of interest. Program slicing automatically decomposes program by determining the data and control dependencies [3][8]. A. SLICING CRITERION Slicing in program is always computed on the basis of some slicing criterion. We can represent slicing criterion as , where S is the statement from which the slice is to be computed and V is the variable for which the slice is to be computed and that variable must exist in the statement S [8]. B. DATA DEPENDENCY Statement P is data dependent on statement Q of a program if there exists a variable m at P which is accessed also in statement Q [6]. Consider the following example, 1.x=10; 2.y=x+c; In statement 1, we are assigning a value 10 to x and in statement 2, we are using the value of x. So, there is a data dependency between the two statements 1 and 2. C. CONTROL DEPENDENCY Statement P is control dependent on statement Q if and only if statement P controls the execution of statement Q [6]. Consider the following example, 1.if(statement 1) 2. statement 2; In the above example, statement 2 will be executed if statement 1 results in true value. Thus, statement 2 is control dependent on statement 1. Figure. 1 flow chart for program slicing based clone detection. III. Clone Detection Using the Program Slicing in object oriented programs Figure 1 shows the flow chart for the clone detection approach. The technique starts by taking two sample java programs. Then, the pre-processing of these programs is to be done, in which we remove the comments and blank spaces. Thereafter, the .class files for the normalized sample programs are generated. After this, the Program Dependency Graphs (PDGs), on the basis of control and data dependencies, are determined for the two programs. The program dependency graph is represented in the form of adjacency matrix as shown in figure 2. It is an n*n matrix where n is the no of statements in the normalized program. Every entry ‘1’ represents the data dependency between the two statements determined from the row and column of the matrix. Similarly, every entry 2 represents the control dependency between two statements. Now, by having a close look at the adjacency matrix, it is quite clear that the matrix is sparse because the occurrence of zero is higher than the non-zero entries. So comparing the adjacency matrices of the two programs can’t be an efficient approach. Thus, an algorithm has been developed that determines the partial slices from the adjacency matrix in the form of lists. In earlier techniques for program slicing, the slicing criterion has to be defined manually to determine the slices. But, in our approach, the program slices are determined automatically on the basis of the mentioned algorithm. Because, the slices are extracted starting from the first statement, using control and data dependencies in the adjacency matrix. Figure 2. Example of Adjacency matrix obtained from programs. A. Algorithm for Program Slicing Input:- A control data dependency adjacency matrix mat[n][n] of size n*n where n is the no of statements. Every entry ‘1’ at index mat[i][j] shows that there is a data dependency between statement i and j and every entry ‘2’ represents the control dependency between statement i and j. Output:- Partial slices in form of lists The partial slices are extracted from the adjacency matrix, which are in the form of lists. Once, the partial slices for the two java programs are determined, we have to match them using an efficient matching algorithm. If there is cloning among the two source codes, then there must be a match between these partial slices. The matching algorithm will find out the extent of cloning between the two programs by comparing the partial slices and finally return percentage of cloning as result. IV. Related Work In last two decades, various algorithms have been proposed for program slicing. All have its own advantages and shortcomings. In next section, an overview of recent research in the area of program slicing is given. Z. Guangquan et. al proposed a method to slice the concurrent object oriented programs. In this approach the java concurrency model is used and dependencies between the statements are defined. The paper presents the method of extracting slicing criterion from linear temporal logic property and proposes the steps of computing slicing. Multithreaded dependency graph is used for intermediate representation. A Two-pass algorithm based on Variable Cache Table is adapted to compute slices by extracting out the irrelevant portions of the programs. Results show the satisfaction is guaranteed for source and sliced program and the method can be easily extended to handle other concurrency models[7]. R. Komondoor et. al. proposed a tool to detect clones in C fragments. In their approach, they used program dependence graphs and program slicing to find isomorphic PDG subgraphs. These subgraphs can be represented as clones. This tool is capable of finding non-continuous clones, intertwined clones and clones in which different variable names are used and statements have been reordered. The approach has been applied for the procedural oriented programs and finds many variants of ideal clones. A number of test cases demonstrating the application of approach on large programs have been shown [4]. A. Surendran et. al. proposed a partial slicing approach as an effective method of program testing. Partial slices are formed from the combination of static slices and program points. In some cases static slices contains large number of program statements which are of little use in many practical applications. Partial slicing removes the disadvantage of large size of static slices. In their approach they use only static slices for the algorithm as static slices give all possible execution paths. As compared to original program there is a significant reduction in the number of statements in static slices using partial slicing. Using the constraints of partial slicing program testing is also simplified. This approach can also be used in debugging, maintenance and finding clones [10]. D. Liang et. al. presented system dependence graph for object-oriented software’s. They have shown that their approach is more precise than previous approaches and is more efficient to construct. It distinguishes data members that fit for different objects. It provides a way to represent data members that act as parameters and the effects of polymorphism on parameters and parameter bindings. It presents a concept of object slicing which helps in examine the statements in slice object by object. Object slicing is good technique for debugging and analysis of large scale programs. In their work an efficient mechanism is also provided to represent incomplete programs and to represent classes in class libraries [12]. T. Ishio et. al. proposed a program debugging tool. In their approach they proposed dynamic slicing to efficiently localize faults in procedural oriented and object oriented programs. Aspect-oriented programming is used for collecting dynamic information in program slicing calculation. The dynamic data dependence analysis aspect can be woven into various object-oriented programs without changes as the point cuts of the aspect in the approach is made in a generic form. With the help of dynamic program analysis module, a DC slice calculation system is developed. It improves maintainability and reusability of the module. The approach has also a restriction that it does not allow to analyze the local variables and local control structures. The benefits, usability and cost effectiveness of module show that it is a good tool for debugging [13]. B. Korel et. al. presents the concept of program slicing on the module level which helps in better understanding of program slices of large programs. In this paper on call graph level, execution level and module trace level several static and dynamic program slicing features are proposed. These features can also be used during software maintenance. The concept of static and dynamic program slicing is combined with different methods of visualization which helps in understanding the program. Experiment results show that it helps the process of understanding program [14]. V. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK This paper provides a technique for detecting code clones in object oriented programs. For this purpose, program slicing is used as the base methodology. The algorithm uses PDGs as the intermediate representations for the source program. The PDG is represented in the form of adjacency matrix. Partial slices are extracted from the adjacency matrix and those slices are matched for possible clones. Result shows that program slicing is an efficient way for understanding programs and finding non-contiguous clones and intertwined code clones. The approach uses the control and data dependencies to find out adjacency matrix representation for the PDG. The whole process is automated where the user has to interact only once to input the programs for finding clones. Future work involves taking into consideration all the object oriented paradigm. It includes the object oriented programming features such as abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. An efficient algorithm for matching partial slices is also to be developed. REFERENCES [1] Dhavleesh Rattan, Rajesh Bhatia, Maninder Singh, â€Å"Software clone detection: a systematic review,† Information and software technology, Vol. 55, No. 7, pp. 1165-1199, 2013. [2] C. K. Roy, J.R. Cordy and R. Koschke, â€Å"Comparison and evaluation of code clone detection techniques and tools: A qualitative approach,† Science of computer programming, Vol. 74, No. 7, pp. 470-495, 2009. [3] F. Tip, â€Å"A Survey of Program Slicing Techniques†, Journal of Programming Languages, 1995, vol. 3, no. 3,pp. 121-189. [4] R. Komondoor,S. Horwitz, Using Slicing to Identify Duplication in Source Code, Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Static Analysis, 2001. [5] Yingzhou Zhang, Baowen Xu, Jose Emilio, Labra Gayo, A Formal Method for Program Slicing, Proceedings of the 2005 Australian Software Engineering Conference (ASWEC’05) 1530-0803/05. [6] Jens Krinke, Advanced Slicing of Sequential and Concurrent Programs, Proceedings of the 20th IEEE International Conference on Software Mai1ntenance (ICSM’04) 1063-6773/04,2004. [7] Z. Guangquan, R. Mei, An Approach of Concurrent Object-oriented Program Slicing Base on LTL Property, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Computer Science and Software Engineering,DOI 10.1109/CSSE.2008.1283. [8] M. Weiser, Program slicing, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 10(4):352–357, 1984. [9] Dhavleesh Rattan, Rajesh Bhatia, Maninder Singh, â€Å"Model clone detection based on tree comparison,† India conference (INDICON), IEEE, pp. 1041 – 1046, 2012 [10] A. Surendran, P. Samuel, Partial Slices in Program Testing,2012 IEEE 35th Software Engineering Workshop. [11] Yogita Sharma, Rajesh Bhatia, Raj Kumar Tekchandani, â€Å"Hybrid technique for object oriented software clone detection,† ME thesis submitted at Thapar University, Patiala, 2011 [12] D. Liang, M. Harrold, Slicing Objects Using System Dependence Graph, IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance,Washington, D.C., November 1998. [13] T. Ishio, S. Kusumoto,K. Inoue, Program Slicing Tool for Effective Software Evolution Using Aspect-Oriented Technique, Proceedings of the Sixth International Workshop on Principles of Software Evolution, 2002 IEEE. [14] B. Korel, J. Rilling, Program Slicing in Understanding of Large Programs, Program Comprehension, 1998. IWPC 98. Proceedings., 6th International Workshop. [15] S. Khalsa, R. Bhatia,J. Chhabra, M. Singh, A Review of Coupling and Cohesion Measurement in OO Systems Using Program Slicing, ICISTM 2012, CCIS 285, pp.199-210,Springer, 2012.

The Problems of American Youth Essay -- Youth Young Adolescent Essays

The Problems of American Youth 1. Introduction This report briefly presents the problems of American youth. It consists of six parts. The first one deals with the general understanding of the teenagers in general. The second part conveys some facts about historic events and socio – historical context. The third one describes youths and their families and briefly shows the problems. The fourth part describes students and their schools. It conveys some details of educational system. The fifth part shows in what kind of activities can youths participate. The sixth part explain what problems do the youths face at. Finally the conclusions sum up all the parts and tries to show some looks to the future. 2. The Teenagers At 18 years of age, young people in the United States of America can take on most of the rights and responsibilities of adulthood. However, before that the young man is understood as a teenager. A young person between the ages of 13 and 19 has to deal with the problems of adolescence. Most people experience conflict during this period of their lives. At this time the young people are changing rapidly, both physically and emotionally. Moreover, they are searching for self-identity, which cause some difficulties. As the young people are growing, they are developing their own values of life that often differ from the ones of their parents. It must be said that teenagers are influenced by the values expressed by their friends, newspapers, television, magazines and teachers. It is good if these expreesed values are suitable for young people and affect them in the right way. During this period of life, young people begin to participate in social activities. They begin to do more things in the company of members of the opposite sex and fewer things in the company of their families. All youths face a certain problems. Some young people have difficulties in their relationship with their parents. Some of them have problems at school, which may lead to use of alcohol or drugs or even grow to refusal to go school or running away from home. Some teenagers even can turn to crime. However, some teenagers, who face such problems, are making positive and important contributions to their communities, schools and society. Many teenagers are studying for college entrance exams or working at part-time jobs after school. Others are volunteering a... ...ancies. Some programs rely on strong counseling against premarital sex and others provide contraceptive counseling. About one million young people run away from home each year. Most return after a few weeks, but others turn to crime. New programs are created to help troubled youths. Young people can go after school and talk with counselors, receive academic tutoring or take part in social activities. 8. Conclusions Most American youths look forward to their future with hope and optimism. American youth now focus on their education and career. They admit that hard work lies ahead and claim they are willing to make the sacrifices needed to reach their goals. Many young people are headed toward four – year colleges and universities. Many other look forward to getting job after high school. Others plan on getting married. Other young people intend to join the armed forces or volunteer organizations. American youth are concerned about problems confronting both their own communities and the world around them. They faced such important issues as drug abuse, AIDS and environment problems. The youth are concerned with global issues such as nuclear war and world hunger.

Global Expansion Essay -- essays research papers

Before entering a dark place, most people tend use some type light emitting device to provide direction and guidance; so they are able to see what is in front of them, so that Do not fall. The same principal should be used when attempting to sell overseas. Before attempting expand into a new market domestically; your success depends on research planning and timing. This will give you the necessary light needed to find out if you have the right offering, and pinpoint a high-potential customer base. In addition, it helps you find the right partners to help you out your planning, then tapping consumer or business markets overseas have the potential to benefit your business tremendously.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cultural divide is still ever persistent, but the good news is that it's getting smaller and smaller. It may never disappear totally because of the way most us tend to stay within our cultural bounds. Most of us Americans believe that we are supposed to be positive, dynamic and assertive no matter what but is the proper way to do things in other countries? Probably not. Yet, that’s the American way of doing things. Many of us are pretty comfortable with our own customs but normally feel threaten when cross cultural lines. Normally we feel uncomfortable or even threaten when boundaries are crossed, but adjustments must be made for firms to be successful overseas. In most of the world, business is about people and relationships, win-win relationships built on mutual trust. Of course, business involves selling and buying and making money. But for the most of the world, good business follows mutual trust, not vice versa. Friendship comes before money talk. In addition, mutual trust usually results from comfort levels they achieve with each other. Politically incorrect or not, let's face it. It is more difficult to feel comfortable with   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   people who don't look like us or talk like us. The failure to adjust, to the difference between people can cause an organization to fail miserable when trying expand in overseas markets. After investigati... ...ly been open to the world for 20 years therefore, its growth has been extraordinary. Vietnam's economy has weathered the global economic slowdown of 2001 better than most other Asian economies, largely due to the fact that it is less integrated into the world economy and less vulnerable to declines in demand for its exports. Vietnam is growing economy with a bright future ahead of it. For our firm to expand international we must continue to make low cost product to support the ever-growing elderly population and challange people of these nations the ability to moving around with little or trouble.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before we expand to any of these nations we need to ensure that have a firm understanding of their culture. Friendship and understand first, then the bottom line should be discuss. .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  References Retrieved October 5, 2002 http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rp.html Retrieved October 8, 2002 http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/vntoc.html Retrieved October 10, 2002 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/