Wednesday, October 30, 2019
CDC children observation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
CDC children observation - Assignment Example The second child is Kate, a girl aged 3 years. She is also an active child. Her favorite activity is playing with dolls. As noted the boy is very keen on detail. He plays with his toy car alone at a corner of the playfield. He does not interact with other kids except in situations when they come to him. He seems friendly whenever another child spoke to him. However, he concentrates on the playing with his toy car. At one occasion, he seems to observe something unusual with one of the wheels. He takes up a screwdriver and tries to untighten the screw so that he can remove the wheel. However, he is unable to do it. He seeks help from the caretaker who quickly untightens the screw for him. The boy seems convinced that the wheel has a problem. He looks carefully all around. He notices each detail and observes that the plastic when is cracked. He does not replace the when since there seems to be no replacement. He takes his toy car to the store. I also observed the girl several times. She seemed to enjoy the company of other children. In fact, I did not see her alone at any time. She was always with friends. The girl loves dolls and has several of them. She takes motherly care for them. I observed her trying to feed one of the dolls, soothed it and also lay it to sleep. Along with other girls, she tries to talk to them, assuming that they can hear. She is also quick to cry whenever she is offended by one of her friends. The toys that children use in the center are gender specific. For example, boys are seen to be playing with toy cars. The toy cars are characteristic of male children and are thus male gendered. However, there are also a small number of girls attracted to toy cars. On the other hand, girls are interested in playing mother roles. All of the girls have dolls. Also, I did not see any boy with a doll. Children at the center are always quarreling over toys and playing space. The staff members try to resolve all the
Monday, October 28, 2019
Therapeutic Cloning Essay Example for Free
Therapeutic Cloning Essay Introduction            Cloning is the practice of creating a genetically the same copy of an original creature. And although it seems like twentieth-century idea, cloning is actually a part of natural processes, and had taken place many decades before though it was attainable. Since a variant of the cloning process plays such a large role in stem therapies, it’s worth taking a look at how cloning processes work (Cohen, 2002).            Most public attention has been focused on the area called reproductive cloning – reproducing an entire creature be it frog, sheep, dog, or human being. As the twenty-first century unfolds, it is far more likely that what has been called therapeutic cloning – cloning used to cure disease – is going to have a more immediate impact on all our lives. Your chances of getting a cloned liver are greater than your chances of seeing a cloned you (Avise, 2004). Therapeutic Cloning            Relative to genetic testing, therapeutic cloning is a technology very much in its infancy. Whereas we can plausibly predict, that genetic testing methods and the scope of such tests will dramatically improve in the proximate future, a like projection in the case of therapeutic cloning is more of a stretch. This view notwithstanding, analysis of current regulation of therapeutic cloning does have something to gain from postulating a future world in which therapeutic cloning is in clinical application (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).            One likely application of therapeutic cloning is in the treatment of leukemia, and more broadly in various types of tissue and organ transplantation. Therapeutic cloning is important for four seasons. First, there is a shortage of tissue for transplantation. Second, there are problems with compatibility of transplanted tissue form another individual, requiring immunosuppressive therapy with serious side effects. Cloned tissue would be compatible without the infectious risks of xenotransplants. Third, the role of transplantation might be expanded to include common diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Fourth, cloning may prove to be a cost-efficient means of preventing disability and morbidity, and of promoting distributive justice (Shannon, 2005).            In considering the ethical aspects of therapeutic cloning there are two separate issues: should embryos produced during in vitro fertilization (IVF), which would otherwise be discarded, be available for research (with the consent of the couple who produced them); and, should we deliberately create embryos for use in research? It is difficult to argue against using embryos that would otherwise be discarded. The main ethical issue raised by both the production of ES cells and therapeutic cloning, is that of destroying embryos for the purposed of research or tissue for transplantation. If the embryo is considered to have a moral status similar to, say, a child, them embryo research would normally be wrong. On this view, IVF and almost any termination of pregnancy would also be wrong. A less absolute position would be that what is wrong with destroying embryos is a need to respect human life in general. But that wrong need to be balanced against the value of such research. Furthermore, for every live birth, up to five embryos will miscarry. In attempting to have a child by natural conception, we implicitly accept that this loss is a price worth paying to produce a new life. If the loss of embryos is an acceptable price to pay to produce a new life, is it not also an acceptable price to pay to save an existing life (Avise, 2004)? Tissue Therapy via Therapeutic Cloning            More than 40 years elapsed since Joseph Murray and his colleagues at a Boston hospital successfully transplanted a kidney between identical twins. This landmark approach was later extended by the medical community to other organs (e.g., heart, liver, lung, and pancreas) and to transplants involving more distant relatives and unrelated individuals. Transplants between unrelated individuals are especially challenging because, unless ameliorative actions are taken, the immune system of a transplant recipient sooner or later rejects the alien cells. To alleviate this problem, donor and recipient typically are matched as closely as possible for genes underlying immune responses, and immune-suppressive drugs also are administered. Such procedures are fairly common and have saved many lives. Nonetheless, modern transplantation surgery remains risky due to inherent immunological intolerances of patients to foreign tissue (Cohen, 2002).            Thus, many research professionals are excited about â€Å"therapeutic cloning,†a new genetically modified (GM) approach that in theory should avoid the immunorejection problem. In this procedure, genes in cells to be transplanted originate from the patient, who therefore serves in effect as both donor and recipient. Because the donor and recipient tissues have identical genotypes, presumably the immune system would not recognize the implanted tissue alien. Another reason for enthusiasm about therapeutic cloning is that this research gives scientists welcome opportunities for basic research on human genetic disorders as they unfold during cell and tissue development (Bellomo, 2006).            The notion of therapeutic cloning for tissue or organ reconstruction in humans traces to the development of nuclear-transfer cloning methods for sheep and other farm animals. As applied to human cells, the procedure might work as follows: A suitable cell is removed from a patient and its nucleus is inserted physically into an enucleated egg. The egg then begins to multiply in a test tube, and, from the developing mass, pluripotent cells (those that possess a capacity to differentiate into multiple tissue types) are induced to grow replacement cells needed by the patient. Nerve cells might be grown to treat Alzheimer’s disease or spinal cord injuries, skin cells could be used to repair burn damage, retinal cells for macular degeneration, pancreatic cells for diabetes, hematopoietic cells for leukemia, neuroglia cells for multiple sclerosis, and so on. When returned to the patient’s body the cloned cells in such tissues or organs ideally would repair or replace the damaged body part, without evoking immunological rejections (Avise, 2004).            Several technical challenges must be overcome before this approach is medically viable. First, nuclear transfer (NT) techniques developed for farm animals will have to be improved and adapted to our species. Second, cells in the proliferating mass must be generated in such a way that they indeed are pluripotent at the outset. Third, the developmental potential of those flexible cells then must be channeled to produce the specialized kind of tissue that the patient requires. Fourth, methods must be devised to put those now-dedicated cells together properly to make therapeutically useful tissue or organ. This may take place naturally when the cells are placed in a patient’s body, or in some cases it may be accomplished initially in vitro. For example, replacement skin tissue for burn victims might be constructed by seeding the cloned cells onto sheets of a polymeric scaffolding substance. Finally, tissue therapy must be conducted such that the cloned cells do no harm when returned to the patient. It would be disastrous, for example, if even a few cells in the transplanted tissue began to divide in an unregulated, cancerous fashion (Shannon, 2005).            Of course, ethical issues will have to be addressed as well. When the initial oocyte created by NT begins to divide into two cells, then four, then eight, and so on, when does the cloned mass become a new human being worthy of protection under the law? Opponents of therapeutic cloning often contend that an individual arises at the exact moment that the first appears, such that any sacrifice of an early cell mass, even for medical purposes, is tantamount to slaughter. Proponents of therapeutic cloning view this notion as nonsense. How, they as, can a few amorphous cells be granted legal rights that take precedence over those of sentient human beings is desperate need of cell therapy? Remarkably, in US society, most of the debate over the possible legalization of therapeutic cloning hinges on this one emotion-laden philosophical issue (Bellomo, 2006).            In such public discussions, a common error (or often, an intentional argumentative ploy) is to equate therapeutic cloning with reproductive cloning. Although the initial laboratory steps in the two procedures are identical – both begin by inserting a cell nucleus into an unfertilized egg – that is where the similarity ends. In reproductive cloning, the GM egg would be re-implanted in the womb and allowed to grow into a fetus and baby, the intent being to generate a fully functional and independent human being genetically identical to its predecessor. In therapeutic cloning, the early clump of pre-implantation cells that comes from the GM egg would be grown in vitro and used to produce replacement tissues for medical rehabilitation (Avise, 2004). Elimination or Treating Heritable Diseases via Therapeutic Cloning            Although therapeutic cloning does not reproduce an entire organism to develop in utero and live life outside the womb, one motivation for reproductive cloning might be therapeutic. Reproductive cloning could allow genetic engineering interventions to correct defective genes before they have a chance to exert detrimental effects. Correction at the earliest stage would also free germ or reproductive cells and hence subsequent generations from carrying the defective gene (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).            Certain genetic disorders may enhance certain universal human vulnerabilities, such as those to infection, bleeding, and aging. Beyond increasing these, everyone has inherited vulnerability to some disease or diseases. We would all like to be free from the threat of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s disease. Therapeutic cloning might substantially improve the treatment for these diseases since therapy for these is currently limited by the availability or immunocompatibility of tissue transplants (Avise, 2004).            Among the genetic disorders, some are so highly heritable and horrific that we might wish to employ reproductive cloning to enable the use of genetic engineering to correct the defective gene. That would free the clone and all subsequent generations from their ravaging impact (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).            However, reproductive cloning is an inefficient and error-probe process that results in the failure of most clones during development. For a donor nucleus to support development it must properly activate genes important for early embryonic development, it must properly activate genes important for early embryonic development and suppress differentiation-associated genes that were transcribed in the original donor cell. Inadequate â€Å"reprogramming†of the donor nucleus is thought to be the principal reason for the developmental loss of most clones. In contrast, reprogramming errors do not appear to interfere with therapeutic cloning, because the process appears to select for functional cells (Shannon, 2005). Ethics of Therapeutic Cloning            Can therapeutic cloning be ethically tolerable? Debates about the theory of proportionality, the slippery slope and the principle of subsidiarity here center again in a little dissimilar way (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).            It is uncertain whether the principle of proportionality offers a believable a priori opposition against therapeutic cloning. If it is well thought-out suitable to make embryos for study aiming cryopreservation of oocytes; in vitro maturation of oocytes and the like, then it is contradictory to decline therapeutic cloning in advance as being disproportional (Avise, 2004).            A consequentialist opposition, as a slippery-slope disagreement, is that therapeutic cloning will unavoidably direct to reproductive cloning. This objection firstly presumes that reproductive cloning is necessarily and categorically wrong, a premise still debated. Clearly, it would be premature, if not criminally irresponsible, in view of the serious health risks for children conceived by cloning to start clinical trials on reproductive cloning right now. But what if, somewhere in the future, these risks could be controlled? Would cloning then still be entirely baseless – even if it were ‘safe’ – then it is practical to exclude reproductive cloning, and not to forbid other, non-reproductive, relevance of cloning (Bellomo, 2006).            Are there suitable alternatives to therapeutic cloning? First, it is important to note that therapeutic cloning strictu sensu, starting with the first clinical trials, will not come up soon. Much basic research is needed, about the question whether it will be possible to control the differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells in vitro. This study can, and ought to, be made with additional IVF embryos. At the same time, research into potential ‘embryo-saving’ alternatives for therapeutic cloning should be stimulated. For the relative ethical examination it is once more essential to evade the drawback of one-dimensionality. Amongst others, the following options are suggested in the literature: a) the use of adult stem cells; b) transferring a human somatic cell nucleus into an enucleated animal egg; and c) the direct reprogramming of adult cells, i.e., to reprogram an adult cell to make it revert to it unspecialized state so that it can then be influenced to develop into a specific type of tissue (this involves the development of undifferentiated cells without the need to create an embryo) (Shannon, 2005). Summary and Conclusion            Cloning can be divided into therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Therapeutic cloning is the use of cloning technology to produce, for example, tissues for transplantation to people with disease. Reproductive cloning is cloning to produce a liveborn offspring (Avise, 2004).            The possibility of therapeutic cloning focuses on the concept of stem cells. Stem cells have the ability to develop into different mature cell types. Totipotent stem cells are cells with the potential to form a complete animal if placed in a uterus. They are early embryos. Pluripotent stem cells are immature stem cells with the potential to develop into any of the mature cell types in the adult (liver, lung, skin, blood etc.), but cannot by themselves form a complete animal if placed in a uterus. Human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines obtained from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst or pre-implantation embryo have recently been established. ES cells are pluripotent. Possible future clinical applications of human ES cell technology include: hemopoietic repopulation (‘bone marrow transplant’); treatment of diseases or spinal cord injury; screening of drugs; and as vectors for gene therapy (Cohen, 2002).            We should distinguish reproductive cloning with a therapeutic intent from therapeutic cloning to produce stem cells. Most of us are familiar with the nightmare scenario of reproductively cloning a person in order to use him as possession for â€Å"spare parts.†Parents who conceive children in the hope that the new child would be a good match immunologically to donate an organ needed by an existing child contribute to this image. With a child cloned from the original, there would be no doubt that the needed organ would perfectly match the recipient immunologically. Creating a person to be a source of spare parts is not what therapeutic cloning is about (Bellomo, 2006).            Therapeutic cloning provides hope for cures or better medical treatment for people with many diseases. These include many of the genetic disorders for which reproductive cloning with a therapeutic intent might be entertained, but they also include diseases that are not necessarily genetic. A therapeutic cloning, cells are extracted from an embryo to clone specific bodily tissues for medical use, particularly transplantation. Type I or juvenile diabetes is one example of a disease that might be cured by therapeutic cloning to produce stem cells. Without contradiction, we can condemn reproductive cloning and at the same time, if we choose, support research with embryonic stem cells (Cohen, 2002). References: Avise, J. C. (2004). The Hope, Hype Reality of Genetic Engineering: Remarkable Stories from Agriculture, Industry, Medicine and the Environment. New York: Oxford University Press US. Bellomo, M. (2006). The Stem Cell Divide: The Facts, the Fiction, and the Fear Driving the Greatest Scientific, Political, and Religious Debate of Our Time: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Cohen, D. (2002). Cloning. Brookfield, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books. Savulescu, J., Hendrick, J. (2003). Medical Ethics and Law: The Core Curriculum. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences. Shannon, T. A. (2005). Genetics: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy : a Reader. New York: Rowman Littlefield.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Modern Crime :: essays research papers
"She's just another Hollywood whore, an immoral porn queen. She's beyond redemption," he muttered to himself as he paced back and forth outside her apartment building. He had been constantly walking around outside the building for hours now, harassing people passing on the streets with crazed questions. Suddenly, overcome with resolve, the man stomped back to the building and rang the bell. She had rejected him once, but never again. He had given her a chance, but she had turned him away from her life. How could she do this to him, her biggest fan? After letting go of the buzzer, Robert Bardo hid himself in the bushes by the door. This was the only choice he had left after such a rejection. Twenty-one year old Rebecca Schaeffer, actress on the sitcom My Sister Sam, answered the door for the last time in her life. She had politely turned away a disturbing man earlier that day after explaining to him that she had to study her lines for her next show. However, when she answered the door this time, there was no one there. Bardo saw his chance and acted on it. He burst from the shadowy confines of the bushes and pushed a gun into Schaeffer's chest, pulling the trigger after he had her in his grasp. The bullet barely missed the young actress's heart as she fell to the ground, bleeding from a mortal wound. As Bardo flew from the scene, he stashed the incriminating evidence into the bushes. After interrogations performed by the LAPD, it was found that Bardo had been stalking Schaeffer for a very long time. However, this was not the usual case of a voyeur or a stranger trailing someone throughout their day. Bardo had traced Schaeffer through the use of the computer and its vast resources. With the use of computer databases, Bardo was able to find out where Schaeffer lived, what her telephone number was and who she called, what kind of vehicle she drove, and where she spent her money. It was as if Bardo could look through a window and clearly see all of Schaeffer's personal, intimate secrets (Rothfeder 13-14).This is the perfect example of a modern crime, in which all of an individual's privacy and personal information have become little more than a commodity, easily accessible to anyone with very little hassle. In the highly modernized society in which everyone lives, people compromise their privacy in order to live comfortably.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Historical Inaccuracies in the Movie Braveheart
The movie Barveheart in 1995, which was starred, produced and directed by Academy Award winner Mel Gibson, depicted (or tried to depict) the life of Scottish hero and patriot Sir William Wallace. The film gained worldwide recoginition, has won five Academy Awards including best picture and best director, and was nominated for another five. It also sparked the interest of many in Scottish history. The film, however, was also criticized about its historical inaccuracies.Indeed, according to historian Elizabeth Ewan, the film â€Å"almost totally sacrifices historical accuracy for epic adventure. †Sharon Krossa pointed out that in the film, â€Å"the events aren't accurate, the dates aren't accurate, the characters aren't accurate, the names aren't accurate, the clothes aren't accurateâ€â€in short, just about nothing is accurate. †Without proper information and understanding of the actual events in Scotland during the time of William Wallace's exploits, one would thi nk that the presentation in the movie is how it really happened during that time.Not much is really known about the life of William Wallace that even the date of his birth is a subject of debate among historians. And much of what is known is based on a fifteenth century poem by aperson known as the Minstrel or Blind Harry. It is the purpose of this paper to present historical facts during the time of William Wallace in contrast to those that were presented in the film. During the beginning of the film, there appears a text stating: â€Å"SCOTLAND 1280 A. D. †, followed by a narration: â€Å"I shall tell you of William Wallace.Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes. The king of Scotland had died without a son, and the king of England, a cruel pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, claimed the throne of Scotland for himself. Scotland's nobles fought him and fough each other over the crown. So Longshanks invited them to talks of truceâ€â€no weapons, one page only. Among the farmers of that shire was Malcolm Wallace, a commoner with his own lands. He had two sonsâ€â€John and William†¦Ã¢â‚¬ This very statement would already have made the film far from fact. As Krossa points out, â€Å"it is the historians from Scotland, far more than from England, who will recognize the errors of the narrator/film. †There is no doubt that the â€Å"king of Scotland†mentioned was King Alexander III. But not only was the â€Å"king of Scotland†not dead in 1280, both of his sons were alive and well, and had an heir to the throne that had outlived him for four years. King Alexander III fell from his horse and broke his neck causing his death .True enough that all of his childrenâ€â€two sons and a daughterâ€â€were already dead during that time, but it didn't happen until 1986, six years from the film's 1280. The death of Alexander brought Scotland in a political crisis but its nobles acknowledged Margaret, Alexander's three-year-old Norwegian granddaughterâ€â€the product of his daughter's maariage to the King of Norwayâ€â€and his only direct descendant, as inheritor of the kingdom. They appointed a Committee of Guardians â€Å"to govern in the name of the young queen.†However, the two leading claimants of the kingship after Margaret, Robert Bruce of Annandale and John Baliol of Galloway, together with other nobles, apparently refused to â€Å"submit to a female sovereign, especially if she was a child,†and the country was soon â€Å"distracted by the intrigues and conspiracies of the competitors for the crown†. The guardians of England appealed to Edward I, then King of England, to intervene. King Eric II of Norway, the father of Margaret, also asked Edward I's aid to vindicate his daughter's rights.They agreed to marry Margaret, the Maid of Norway, to Edward I's son, the then Prince of Wales, with the view of uniting the crowns of England and Scotland. In 1290, Margaret embarked for Scotland to marry the Prince of Wales but fell sick during the voyage and died at Orkneys at a tender age of merely eight years. This renewed the disputes between claimants. In 1291, Edward I met the nobles of Scotland, apparently to act as arbitrator, but demanded the Scots to recognize his overlordship. This must have been the basis of the film's â€Å"talks of truce†.Recognizing that they do not have the army to oppose Edward I had he decided to invade Scotland instead, the Scots, after long deliberation, finally agreed to recognize Edward I's overlordship. Edward I then finally awarded the Scottish crown to John de Baliol. John de Baliol soon found out that â€Å"the crown which he had obtained by means of a base concession had only transformed him from a poweful noble into the slave of an imperious and exacting master. †He soon revolted against the English crown.Edward launched his armies to Scotl and and on 1296, finally defeated the Scottish army at Dunbar. He demanded â€Å"nothing less than the total surrender†of John de Baliol and his kingdom. Incapable of resistance, the king of Scotland resigned his kingdom into the hands of Edward I. Considering the facts stated above, it was not until 1296 A. D. that the Scots had an actual armed conflict with the English through John de Baliol's short-lived rebellion, and when Edward the Longshanks â€Å"claimed the throne of Scotland for himself†, sixteen years later than the film's 1280 A.D. Edward the Longshanks is also not a pagan. Being the king of England, he is, in fact, a Christianâ€â€a fact that is evidenced by the ceremony of coronation. As John Steane explains: â€Å"the king was invested by the Archbishop of Canterbury with spiritual power as God's annointed, like the kings of Israel before him. Henceforward, the king was set aart from his subjects, at least on a par with, and to some extent superior to, churchmen. †It would be imprudent to think the Archbishop of Canterbury would annoint a non-Christian as King of England.Furthermore, he did not invite the Scottish nobles for â€Å"talks of truce†but presented himself as an arbitrator, which was perhaps a response to an earlier appeal made by the Scots, to the internal conflicts of the Scots themselves. That King Edward I took advantage of the political turmoil that has engulfed Scotland may be true enough but the manner of which it has been presented in the film is nowhere near from truth. The widely accepted, though still debated, father of William Wallace was Malcolm Wallace of Ellerslie, who was descended from ancient knights and baronets of Craigie and who himself is a Scottish knight.Sir Malcolm Wallace was of noble family and not â€Å"a commoner with his own lands. †Although there are sources that say Malcolm Wallace has only two sons, it is also widely accepted that he has at least three sons, an d in any case, Malcolm (same name as the father) or Andrew was the name of the eldest son, William would be the second son while John would be the youngest when Malcolm is presented to have three sons (compare with the film in which John is presented as being older than William).John has also outlived William by two years, compared with the film in which John was presented to have died when William was still a young boy. It should be also noted that Sir Malcolm Wallace (the father) was still alive in 1291, when the Scottish nobles met with Edward I (in contrast with the film wherein he died in 1280). He was one of those who did not accept the claim of overlordship of Edward I and went into self-exile.The inaccuracies stated above happened only during the first few minutes of the film and already there are a lot of them. As the story depicted in the film progresses, there would still be a lot more of inaccuracies. The inaccuracies, however, may be based on the different versions of t he accounts on the life of William Wallaceâ€â€it has already been stipulated that much of his life is unknown that even the date of his birth is debated.We have already established that Edward I was not able to claim Scotland for himself until 1296. However, in 1291, after he misled the nobles of Scotland that he would act as an arbitrator but instead asserted his overlordship and the nobles had to swear allegiance to him, different towns and fortresses of Scotland had already been garrisoned by English soldiers (still 11 years later than the faulty 1280, although, in the film, there appears nothing that suggest that English garrisons were present in Scotland).The English soldiers, considering themselves masters of Scotland, treated the people with great contempt and cruelty, took from them by force whatever they had a fancy to (which most probably include sexual advances), and if the owners offered resistance, they were abused, beat, and sometimes killed; for which acts of viol ence the english authorities neither checked nor punished.Brawls were frequent occurences between the inhabitants and the soldiers and Wallace seldom remained inactive to those which came under his notice, compared with the film's depiction of Scots being totally submissive to such abuses and the depicion of Wallace as a reluctant patriot. It should also be noted that even as a young man, Wallace already displayed his indignation with the English, not only until his wife was murdered as was depicted in the film.Fact of the matter is that he was outlawed even before the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 where the English had totally defeated King John Baliol's forces and King Edward has taken the throne for himself. He would have been 20-24 years of age during this time if we consider his birth to be between 1272 to 1276, and 15-19 when the English had started setting up garrisons in Scotland.William Wallace â€Å"had witnessed as a boy the independence, the security and the happiness of his country, under the reign of Alexander, and the contrast which he†beheld upon the establishment of English garrisons that roused the feelings in his heart which have â€Å"been animated by a love of liberty and a hatred of tyranny and dissimulation, that nothing but death could extinguish. †The same is true for most of the Scots during that time. Prima Nocte, or the right for a lord to bed the bride on the first night of her wedding day, was also mentioned in the film.It was presented to be one of the oppressions made by the English to the â€Å"sons of Scotland. †The Jus Primae Noctis, or the law of first night, was introduced in the fifteenth century medieval Europe, at least a century later from the death of William Wallace. It was apparently â€Å"developed by the lords and used as humiliating signs of superiority over the dependent peasants. †Edward the Longshanks, in the film, said that â€Å"the problem about Scotland is that it is full of Scot s. †He further asserts that â€Å"if we can't drive them out, we'll breed them out.†Thus, in the film, Prima Nocte was justified as a means to â€Å"breed out†the Scots from Scotland. It is not in the interest of Edward I, however, to â€Å"drive out†the Scots, but, perhaps, only to invade them and expand his territory. There are, in fact, many Scottish nobles that held land in England, regardless they were granted these lands in exchange of them swearing allegiance to the English Crown, much as there were English nobles who held lands in Scotland. However, there are little, if not none at all, evidence that Jus Primae Noctis was practiced in the fifteenth century, much less during the time of William Wallace.While rape and murder most certainly occurred during the English exploits in Scotland, Prima Nocte most probably did not. It is flagrantly adulturous in the eyes of the Church and England, being a Christian country, could not tolerate such an abus e, much less putting it into a law. For most historians, Prima Nocta is but a myth. Even some of the momentous events in the history of Scotland with a major participation of Sir William Wallace was depicted in the film with much inaccuracies.There are two major battles depicted in the filmâ€â€the Battle of Stirling Bridge and the Battle of Falkirkâ€â€which were both parts of the Scottish Wars of Independence. It is very easy to notice that the film did not include a bridge in the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which, as the name already implies, includes a bridge. Perhaps the creators of the film mistook this particular battle for the Battle of Stirling which happened in 1648, more than three centuries after the death of William Wallace.It is important to note that the bridge itself was a major factor for the victory of the Scots against the English during that battle, that despite the advantage in numbers of the English army the Scots still prevailed. The English would have to cross the bridge, which at that time was so narrow that it could be crossed only with at most two horses abreast at a time and would have taken the them several hours to cross, after which they would enter a narrow loop in the River Forth that will leave their flank dangerously exposed to attack even before they were ready for battle, thereby nullifying their advantage in numbers.The participation of Andrew Murray was also not included in the film. Also in contrast with the film, the battle did not commence when Wallace arrived at the scene. Fact is that Wallace's and Murray's armies were already waiting on the opposite bank of the river when the English, headed by John de Warrene, Earl of Surrey, arrived at Stirling Bridge. Even after that, Warrene decides to delay crossing the bridge for several days to allow for negotiations.Two Dominican friars were sent to Wallace to demand their surrender with which Wallace replied: â€Å"Tell your commander that we are not here to make peac e but to do battle, defend ourselves and liberate our kingdom. Let them come on, and we shall prove this in their very beards. †Compared with the film, this speech was more solemn and educated, not a taunting challenge. The English, confident of their advantage in numbers and military superiority, were surprised by the refusal of the Scots to surrender and on the 11th of September 1297 decided to cross the bridge.Wallace's speech in the film was not characteristic of nobles during the thirteenth century or at any other time, not with â€Å"kiss his own arse†language. Compare also the film's presentation that the English negotiated with other Scottish nobles when it was with Wallace they negotiated with. The film also depicted those Scottish nobles introducing Wallace to the English lords when, fact of the matter is, Wallace had already gained popularity at that time with the Scots and the English alike. The Battle of Falkirk also suffered much inaccuracies in the film .In the film, Wallace used the schiltrons to resist the enemy's heavy infantry at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Although, Wallace really used long spears to achieve his victory, the schiltron was never really used in that particular battle. Instead the schiltron was used at the Battle of Falkirk, from which the film failed to include. Wallace had no need for the schiltron at the Battle of Stirling Bridge as it is mainly a defensive tactic against heavy cavalry. Although the English started moving first by crossing the Stirling Bridge, it was really Wallace who started the attack.On the otherhand, Wallace knew he was at a disadvantage at Falkirk and readied his men in a defensive formation, which was mainly with the use of schiltrons. Knowing that the cavalry is useless against the schiltron, Edward I ordered his cavalry to attack the Scottish archers. Edward I did not order to loose arrows with his infantry in a melee with the Scots, as was depicted in the film. Instead, he ordered the arrows loose upon the schiltrons, which were in no position for defense against such attack.It was in such manner that the Scots were defeated in the said battle, which the film failed to present properly. It is true enough that the Scottish cavalry, under the command of the other nobles, â€Å"shamelessly rode off the field, without a blow being given or taken,†but detail by detail, the film's depiction of the Battle of Falkirk is in no way accurate. As for clothing and armor, the poem by Blind Harry gives us a short description as to how William Wallace looks like in battle: A habergione under his goune he war, A steylle capleyne in his bonet but marr;His glowis of plait in claith war couerit wiell In his doublet a closs coler of steyle; His face he kepit, for it was euir bar, With his twa handis, the quhilk full worthi war. †George Grant gives us a simple explanation. The habergione was a sort of chain-mail or ring-mail, extremely light and flexible, allowing the greatest freedom to the motions of the wearer, whether on foot or horseback. It was brought into Scotland by the crusaders in the beginning of the reign of Alexander III. During the period of Wallace, they appear to have been in general use both in England and Scotland.The goune was the surcoat, or coat of arms. It was a long, loose dress, without sleeves, open before and behind for the convenience of riding, and girted round the waist by the cingulum militare or belt. It was commonly worn by noblemen. The steylle capleyne, or iron hat had a rim and convex crown and was worn over a hood. The limbs were defended by being encased in boiled leather. Wallace also wore knee-plates of iron and guards for the shin-bones. His shield was round or triangular, would also have been made of iron (not wood as the film depicted).He also kept a dagger folded back under the arm, between the wrist and the elbow, when not in use, and concealed and secured in that position by the cloth of gloves wh ich appears to have worn over his glowis of plait, or arm-plate. His favorite weapon was a two-handed sword, or claymore, which his great strength enabled him to wield with ease. The mace and spear was sometimes also used by him. Paintings and sculptures of Wallace depict him in much the same way as described above. Wallace, in the film was wearing leather armor and kilts, very much in contrast with historical facts.No one wore kilts during his time as it were not introduced until in the sixteenth century, three centuries later after his death. Instead, the Scots who were lesser in standing wore tunics, its nobles were culturally similar with their English counterparts and would have dressed like them. There are much more historical inaccuracies in the film. The bottomline is that the film really is of an epic adventure genre, something short of a fantasy, not a historical presentation. A few mistakes on the details would be forgivable, but to change the story based on facts, an in a grand scale besides, deserves to be rejected as historical.Krossa suggests not to believe anything depicted in the film if one is truly intrested in what really happened during that time. There are elements in the film that coincide with history but that the elements leading up to those coincidences would need to be properly explained to fit to the real history, which the film obviously failed to present. She said that â€Å"it is far safer, and far more efficient, to just ignore the whole film, as regards history, and read a good Scottish history instead. †She adds, however, â€Å"to enjoy the film†¦by all meansâ€â€just as one enjoys Star Wars or any other work of imaginationâ€â€simply do not mistake it for history. †Bibliography BBC. â€Å"The Battle of Stirling Bridgeâ€â€Factsheet. †Available from http://www. bbc. co. uk/history/scottishhistory/independence/trails_independence_stirlingbridge. shtml. Internet; accessed May 4, 2008. Edgar, John George. Memorable Events of Modern History. (1862) Ewan, Elizabeth. â€Å"Braveheart. †American Historical Review 100, no. 4 (1995): 1219–1221. Grant, George. The Life and Adventures of Sir William Wallace: The Liberator of Scotland. Dublin: James M'Glashan (1849) Kock, John T.Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO (2006). Krossa, Sharon L. â€Å"Braveheart Errors: An Illustration of Scale. †Medieval Scotland (2002). Krossa, Sharon L. â€Å"Regarding the Film Braveheart. †Medieval Scotland (2001). Mitchison, Rosalind. A History of Scotland. Routledge, 2002. Rodger, Robert. Documents Illustrative of Sir William Wallace, His Life and Times. (1841) Rowan, Frederica. History of Scotland. 1851. Steane, John. The Archeology of the Medieval English Monarchy. Routledge, 1999. Wettlaufer, Jorg. â€Å"The jus primae noctis as a male power display: A review of historic sources with
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
American foreign policy Essay
Foreign policy refers to the strategies that governments employ to guide their actions towards other countries. The U. S. foreign policy is founded on the principles of democracy and tenets liberalization (Goldstein, 2003). The U. S. foreign policy takes into account issues of human rights, economic growth and development, terrorism and environmental degradation and addresses them as challenges that can best be addressed through democracy in countries and institutions throughout the world (Goldstein, 2003). The U. S. foreign policy has undergone significant transitions that match different historical periods in the world that include the World War I, the World War II, the Cold War, the post Cold War period and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The United Nations and the United States are arguably the most influential players in the international system as well as in the global political economics as a whole. Having been formed with the main objective of promoting and achieving sustainable peace in the world, the United Nations remains the most dominant and most influential International Governmental Organization in the world (Roberts & Kingsbury 1994). In theoretical terms, the fundamental significance of the United Nations as well as the operational challenges faced by the institution are illustrated in the theory of realism which states that â€Å"there is no world government, or political authority above the state, a situation that ultimately reduces the international system to absolute anarchy with the absence of any overarching political body with the capacity to enforce law and order among its members or nation states†(Roberts & Kingsbury 1994). The realism theory stresses on the centrality of the state, or nation state as the ultimate political authority in the politics of the international system. As such, the overriding motive of all states is self-preservation through maximization of power, a characteristic that effectively transforms the international system of a war of all against all (Goldstein, 2003). The realism theory further argues that stability is best achieved in the balance of power which can be achieved through increased interactions among states, with the most powerful country playing the role of a balancer (Goldstein, 2003). Today, the U. S. is the most powerful country in the world and has effectively assumed the role of a balancer in the international system, with the United Nations serving as the overarching political body with capacity to enforce law and order among its member states. Domestic Public Attitudes toward Foreign Policy in the United States At the domestic level, the U. S. foreign policy enjoys a lot of support among the citizenry. According to a report by World Public Opinion. org, a strong majority of U. S. citizens support of the U. S. involvement in the world. However, the number of U. S. citizens who feel disgruntled by the country’ foreign policies is growing steadily. The World Public Opinion. org has established that Americans overwhelmingly support the continued leadership role that the U. S. plays in the world. These findings were based on a 2006 GMF poll which indicated that 84 percent of those polled saying it was desirable for the U. S to exert strong leadership affairs, with 43 percent having been quoted as expressing a US global influence as being very desirable, and only 14 percent expressing their concerns about the U. S. global influence. However, the overwhelming support of the U. S foreign policy by its citizenry does support the role of the U. S. in global affairs as a hegemony, but rather supports the idea of shared leadership roles with other players in the international system. A significant segment of the U. S population believes that the U. S security has been threatened by the way the U. S. has been using the threats of military force as leverage in the international system. In a poll conducted by the World Public Opinion. org, 63 percent of the respondents were of the view that the U. S. military threats prompt other countries to be protective by developing and acquiring weapons of mass destruction. In another survey that was carried out in 2003 by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, majority of the U. S. citizens faulted the war in Iraq, with 66 percent of the respondents believing that the war has had negative effects on the relations between the U. S. and the Muslim world. According to the survey, 64 percent of the respondents expressed concerns that the war will not promote democracy in the Middle East while a further 61percent expressed fears that the war will not reduce the threat of terrorism. International Public Attitudes toward Foreign Policy in the United States There has been a growing disdain for the U. S. foreign policy in many countries throughout the world. The September 11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent U. S. war on terror are seen as having particularly caused dramatic shifts in U. S. foreign policy (Grant, 2004). The military operations in Afghanistan that have been ongoing since October 2001 to date and the U. S. invasion of Iraq have taken toll on the image of the United States with people from around the world and those in the Muslim countries in particular showing the lowest ratings for the U. S foreign policy. According to the Pew Global Attitudes Project that is run by the Washington DC based Pew Research Centre, America’s image relative to the country’s foreign policy has dropped immensely over the years. According to the report of the project, the United States is trailing many countries in favorability ratings. Countries such as France, Germany, China and Japan are more popular than the U. S in the European Union countries and Muslim countries. The study showed that while the ratings of the U. S were highest in Asian countries such as India, the favorability ratings of the country dropped by 15 percent in India between 2005 and 2006. The study further indicated that levels of negative attitudes that the populations of Western Europe have towards America are even higher than they were in 2002 before the Iraq invasion. The Pew Global Attitudes Project report also showed low ratings for President George Bush both domestically and internationally, with the confidence in bush to make the right decisions in international affairs having dropped in seven of the eleven countries in 2005 as provided by the data that tracked the trends. The report further indicates a steady slump of rating for George Bush in European countries and among predominantly Muslim populations. George Bush registered the largest slump of ratings in the U. S. from 62 percent in 2005 to 50 percent in 2006. In regard to the War on Terror, the Pew Global Attitudes Project reported an overwhelming decrease in international public support for the U. S led war on terrorism. With Muslim countries having obviously registered the highest levels of criticisms against the war on terror, Spain and Japan also registered almost virtual collapse of support for the counter-terrorism war. As of 2006, the support for war on terror in Spain had reduced to 19 percent from 63 percent in 2003 while Japan registered public support of 26 percent from 61 percent in 2002, according to information provided by the Pew Global Attitudes Project.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Theory and Practice of Personal Selling
Theory and Practice of Personal Selling When looking for luxury in Vegas, it does not get better than the Bellagio. With a check in time of 3.00 pm and a checkout time of 12.00 noon, clients are allowed to maximize on the time spent in their rooms. The city of Las Vegas is recognized worldwide for its beaches and casinos; hence there is guaranteed human traffic all year round.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theory and Practice of Personal Selling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With most Americans practicing domestic tourism, over reliance on foreign tourists is minimized considerably. This guarantees steady cash flow throughout the year (Bellagio, 2010). Property Strengths The hotel guarantees clients a room regardless of check in time, as long evidence of initial booking is adduced. In case of room unavailability, the management incurs the costs of providing alternative accommodation and transport until a room is available. Delayed arrivals and departu res can be resolved by booking an extra night. This allows unlimited access irrespective of the circumstance. The hotel allows for free cancellation reservations upon receipt of notification 48 to 72 hours in advance. Failure to notify early will see the hotel bill for a night only before the subscription is terminated. A variety of credit cards is accepted provided they are genuine and valid. Competition Other attractions within the premise include dancing fountains, organic gardens, conservatories, pools and many more. It should be noted that the hotel faces competition other similar enterprises, like the Four Seasons Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Panorama Tower North, Jet Luxury Resorts among many more. The Bellagio is a member of the Five Star Alliance of hotels (Expedia, 2010). Interested Buyer Recently, Trump International has shown interest in our property, asking Mr. Ross, one of their executive vice presidents to make enquiries. Below is an excerpt of the conversation (trump, 2 010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Me: Good morning, this is the Bellagio, how may I help you? Mr. Ross: Good morning, I am Mr. Ross from Trump international, and I would lie to enquire about a property, you may have on the market. Me: Which one in particular, Sir? Mr. Ross: The Bellagio Me: It is a fine piece, excellent artwork, healthy financial position and positive prospects for the future. I must admit you have picked on the right one.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theory and Practice of Personal Selling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mr. Ross: Yes and I hope we will go through with the project for our mutual benefit. Me: Concerning that, I ask that you give us some time to finalize on the specifics of the deal before the management presents a final submission to the markets. Mr. Ross: can you let me in on some what we should expect? Me: I am sorry sir, but we maintain a strict confidence policy for all our transactions. Please be patient. Mr. Ross: Okay sir, but do not make it lengthy. I am grateful. Have a good day.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Me: Good day too Mr. Ross. NEGOTIATION STEP Price Objection Me: Good morning Mr. Ross, how are you? Mr. Ross: I am fine thank you. How are you? Me: I am fine too, and happy that you could make time to attend this session in person, rather than take a phone call. Thank you. Mr. Ross: That shows how serious we are about this deal. Let us get down to business please. Me: The preliminary cost has been set at $ 8.7 billion. We say this because the company has an annual income of $ 1.6 after tax. This is a real catch, don’t you agree? Mr. Ross: How urgently do you need to wrap up the sale? Me: It should not extend beyond a month sir. Mr. Ross: Does that imply you need the money so urgently? Me: Yes Sir, our share holders, need their money back to pursue other investments. Mr. Ross: I bet you are willing to negotiate the price since you are in such a hurry. Me: No we are not. Mr. Ross: Please give me a call when you are ready to negotiate. Me: Okay sir please allow me to consult the board. Thank you. Product Objection Me: As I had said earlier, this is the only product placed on the market. Mr. Ross: The firm has objections about acquiring that property, especially due to the market worth. Me: I believe both parties can reach an agreement after appropriate negotiations over the same. Mr. Ross: That may not be necessary, because we need a similar product but one of a lesser magnitude. Me: Okay sir, it was nice talking to you. Lack of Interest Mr. Ross: Have you placed any other property in the market save for the Bellagio? Me: No sir, none at the moment. Mr. Ross: I apologize, but our hospitality portfolio is currently overstretched. Me: Thank you. COMMITMENT FOR SALE Trial Close Me: Are you fond of the property? Mr. Ross: Very much sir. Me: Do you agree that it would be good for your portfolio? Mr. Ross: Once again, I agree with you sir. Me: Can I count on you to recommend this deal to your superiors back in the office? Mr. Ross: Yes sir, I will try my best. T HANK YOU LETTER 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 Toll Free: 888-987-6667 The Trump Organization (Company) 725 5th Avenue New York NY 10022 USA Phone: (212) 832-2000 Fax: (212) 935-0141 Dear Sir, RE: SALE OF THE BELLAGIO On behalf of the board of directors and share holders, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to work with you. The sale was a success, and I believe both parties were satisfied at the end of the day. We desire prosperity in your endeavors and success in your new business venture. Yours sincerely, Jack Shepherd Sales Manager, Bellagio Hotel. References Bellagio. (2010). Bellagio Las Vegas. bellagio.com. Retrieved from https://bellagio.mgmresorts.com/en.html Expedia. (2010). 5 star hotels in Las Vegas Nevada. expedia.com. Retrieved from https://www.expedia.com/5Star-Las-Vegas-Hotels.s50-0-d178276.Travel-Guide-Filter-Hotels Trump. (2010). Trump Organization. trump.com. Retrieved from trump.com/
Monday, October 21, 2019
Multiple Burden Essay Example
Multiple Burden Essay Example Multiple Burden Essay Multiple Burden Essay Apart from the social stigma, perhaps the most difficult aspect of being a single mother is the stress of carrying the host of domestic and work-related responsibilities as well as sorting out relationship issues with the father/s of their children. These women often have to mind household chores and at the same time come up with the money to pay the rent and take care of the bills. Some of them also face difficulties from irresponsible ex-partners, as revealed by Melody’s account from the yahoogroup AfAmersinglemoms or African American single moms: â€Å"It’s hard doing it by myself, but you know what the good Lord doesnt give us more than we can handle. Right now I am working independently from home in the area of entertainment, so that keeps me going. I love my kids to death, and it pisses me off that there dad only wants interaction with them when it is convenient for him. Like you alot of people are after him for money, but somehow they havent caught up with him. You know every other state takes child support seriously, the men get behind they get lock up. But here in Illinois its like they protect them and that is a bunch of crap. I am looking to connect with other african american moms and talk about our trials and tribulations. Also to get to know one another and form possible friendships. It wouldnt hurt to get together and have a girls night ocassionally. †(http://groups. yahoo. com/group/AfAmersinglemoms/message/7) African American single mothers thus faced tremendous pressure from solely shouldering child raising responsibilities, accomplishing duties at home, solving problematic relationships, and having to juggle work at the same time, as shown by Melody’s experience. Other women, however, could be considered not to be as lucky in terms of opportunities; these women often do not have enough resources and access to send their children to school or put food on the table. Nevertheless, the strength and resilience of African American women can be surprising. In the face of such problems as dual discrimination and the multiple burdens that come with single motherhood, some of them do not feel regret over their decisions and in a way even feel justified and empowered in it: â€Å"I am the same way I dont harbor bad feelings or ill will but it just upsets me when our brothas dont take care of there responsibilities. I find it to be sad, but nevertheless I have to keep it moving and continue to be both mother and father. You are so right about Karma, what comes around goes around. Yes, there are alot of us out there struggling to do for our children on are own. †( http://groups. yahoo. com/group/AfAmersinglemoms/message/20) Alternative Action While there is a tendency for many African American women to feel a sense of empowerment from proving to society that they are able to support their children, Davis (1998) notes that an increasing number of African American women are experiencing depression. (Davis 494) Fortunately, most of these women often receive strong social support networks from their families, especially other women, and from the African American community, which gives them a sense of connectedness and value. The growth of the internet has also given these women the chance to build virtual communities with which they can meet and interact with women whose situation and issues are in some way similar to their own. It cannot be denied, however, that something has to be done to alleviate the already difficult situation of African American single mothers- and the situation of mothers of different racial identity- since racial and gender-based inequalities often hinder them from actively participating in their own development and holistic growth. The National Organization for Women (NOW), for instance, challenges women to get involved in the commitment to â€Å"continue to fight for equal opportunities for women of color in all areas including employment, education and reproductive rights. †( now.org) In seeing the realities of African American women, I find that many of their issues resound with my own, that indeed, I am as much a victim of dual discrimination as they are. Although many of our experiences and encounters with the forms of oppression may be different due to the fact that we come from diverse cultures, our realities as women struggling to gain control over our bodies, our thoughts, and our destinies are what binds us, and I think that nobody else will work towards our freedom from racial and gender discrimination except for women themselves. : Boyd, Julia A. In the company of my sisters. New York: Dutton, 1993. Davis, Ruth E. â€Å"Discovering Creative Essences in African American Women: The Construction of Meaning around Inner Resources. †Women’s Studies International Forum, 21, 5: 1998 Dickerson, Bette J. African American Single Mothers: Understanding Their Lives Families. Sage Publications, 1995. Reid, Lori L. â€Å"Occupational Segregation, Human Capital, and Motherhood: Black Women’s Higher Exit Rates from Full-time Employment. †Gender Society, 16: 2002. Roberts, Dorothy. â€Å"Race, Gender, and the Value of Mother’s Work. †Social Politics: 1995. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AfAmersinglemoms/conversations/topics/20.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Serial Killer Nurse Kristen Gilbert
Serial Killer Nurse Kristen Gilbert Kristen Gilbert is a former Veterans Administration (VA) nurse who was found guilty of murdering four VA patients in the early 1990s. She was also convicted of attempting to murder two other hospital patients and has been suspected in the deaths of dozens more. Childhood Years Kristen Heather Strickland was born Nov. 13, 1967, to parents Richard and Claudia Strickland. She was the oldest of the two daughters in what appeared to be a well-adjusted home. The family moved from Fall River to Groton, Mass., and Kristen lived out her preteen years without any significant problems. As Kristen grew older, however, friends say she became a habitual liar and would boast of being related to Lizzie Borden, a notorious serial killer. She could be manipulative, threatening suicide when angry, and had a history of making violent threats, according to court records. A Nursing Job In 1988 Kristen earned her degree as a registered nurse from Greenfield Community College. That same year, she married Glenn Gilbert, whom she met at Hampton Beach, N.H. In March 1989, she landed a job at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Northampton, Mass., and the young couple bought a home and settled into their new life. To fellow workers, Kristen seemed competent and committed to her job. She was the type of co-worker who would remember birthdays and organize gift exchanges during the holidays. She seemed the social butterfly of the C Ward where she worked. Her superiors rated her nursing as highly skillful and noted how well she reacted during medical emergencies. In late 1990, the Gilberts had their first child, a baby boy. After returning from maternity leave, Kristin switched to the 4 p.m. until midnight shift and almost immediately strange things began to happen. Patients began dying during her shift, tripling the medical centers rate of deaths over the previous three years. During each incident, Kristens calm competent nursing skills shined, and she won the admiration of her fellow workers. An Affair After the Gilberts second child was born in 1993, the couples marriage seemed to falter. Kristen was developing a friendship with James Perrault, a security guard at the hospital, and the two often socialized with other workers at the end of their shifts. At the end of 1994, Gilbert, who was actively having an affair with Perrault, left her husband and their young children. She moved into her own apartment and continued to work at the VA hospital. Kristens co-workers began to grow suspicious about the deaths that always seemed to occur during her shift. Although many of the patients who died were old or in poor health, there were also patients who had no history of heart problems, yet were dying of cardiac arrest. At the same time, supplies of ephedrine, a drug with the potential to cause heart failure, began to go missing. Suspicious Deaths and a Bomb Threat In late 1995 and early 1996, four patients under Gilberts care died, all of cardiac arrest. In each case, ephedrine was the suspected cause. After three of Gilberts coworkers voiced their concerns that she may have been involved, an investigation was opened. Shortly thereafter, Gilbert left her job at the VA hospital, citing injuries she sustained while at work. By the summer of 1996, Gilbert and Perraults relationship had become strained. In September, federal authorities investigating the hospital deaths interviewed Perrault. Thats when the bomb threats began. On Sept. 26 while working at the VA hospital, Perrault took a phone call from someone claiming to have planted three bombs at the hospital. Patients were evacuated and police called, but no explosives were found. Similar threats were made to the hospital the next day and on the 30th, all during Perraults shifts. Two Trials It wasnt long before police linked Gilbert to the calls. She was tried and convicted in January 1998 of making a bomb threat and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Federal investigators, meanwhile, were getting closer to linking Gilbert to the patient deaths at the VA hospital. In November of 1998, Gilbert went on trial for murder in the deaths of Henry Hudon, Kenneth Cutting, and Edward Skwira, as well as the attempted murders of two other patients, Thomas Callahan, and Angelo Vella. The following May, Gilbert was also charged in the death of patient Stanley Jagodowski. The trial began in November 2000. According to prosecutors, Gilbert committed the murders because she craved attention and wanted to spend time with Perrault. In seven years at the hospital, prosecutors said, Gilbert was on duty when more than half of the 350 recorded patient deaths occurred. Defense lawyers countered that Gilbert was innocent and that her patients had died of natural causes. On March 14, 2001, jurors found Gilbert guilty of the first-degree murder in three of the cases and second-degree murder in the fourth. She also was convicted of attempted murder in the case of two other hospital patients and sentenced to four life sentences. She dropped her appeal of the sentence in 2003. As of February 2017, Gilbert remained incarcerated in federal prison in Texas. Sources Farragher, Thomas. Caregiver or Killer? The Boston Globe. 8 October 2000. Goldberg, Carey. Former Nurse on Trial in Patients Deaths. The New York Times. 23 November 2000. Gorlick, Adam. Murderous Nurse Escapes Death Penalty. ABC News. 26 March 2001. HLN Staff. When Serial Killers Strike: The Angel of Death on Ward C. CNN. 1 April 2013.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Case analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Case analysis - Coursework Example To begin with, it is crucial to examine the threat of emergence into the MP3 industry. The threat of entry expresses a medium possibility since the cost of production is moderate. For instance, the cost of packaging, of iRiver, is ?69 and the entity can sell the same at ?163. This suggests that it may stimulate new rivals into entering the market because the cost of producing mp3 products is meager. In addition, there is a considerable product margin that attracts new competitors. IFPI issued reports of a speculated increase in demand of music in mobile phones and the internet. This may swap physical formats of storing musical information such as CD’s and DVD in the succeeding years. In turn, many companies would wish to enter the market and pose market share threat to existing companies. For instance, the Microsoft Company has launched an MP3 product that is known as Zune. Such a product may be a competitive rival with the Apple Company products such as iPod. However, such an entry might be constrained with the difficulty of gaining market share. The Apple Company is reigning as the market leader because they face economies of scale that prohibits new entrants from the market. Sales of iPods make a figure of over 10 million and a considerable margin cost. It is crucial to highlight that there are only seven dominant companies in the MP3 industry. This is in spite of the idea that there are over 100 companies that participate in the production and sale of MP3 products. This is a manifestation of economies of scale that bar competitors from accessing the market. Additionally, the concept of differentiated products makes existing companies indispensable. For instance, the Apples’ iPod Nano has superb features such as the ability for easy downloads of songs. It becomes difficult for new entrants to have products that can overcome the customer belief in the existing companies. The second component of the five porter model pertains to buyer’s ba rgaining power. There are several quality products that place the customer in a tricky choice scenario for the most appealing model. In addition, these models follow price setters such as Apple in delivering pricey products. For instance, Apples’ products go at steep prices of $ 299. This makes the consumer to lose their bargaining power because several customers would be willing to purchase the music players without consideration of their prices. In this perspective, the customers possess a low bargaining power. Another feature that presents, in the MP3 player industry, pertains to consideration of brands over price. This suggests product differentiation that sets high prices for its products. Companies such as Apple set steep prices and establish high switching costs to other brands. This further cuts down on the customer bargaining power as a considerable number would be willing to purchase due to the high utility that the products present. In the end, customers purchase p roducts because of their superb features and attractive appearance. Additionally, there is the threat of substitute products. The digital products have distinct features that place them at a platform whereby they cannot easily be replaced by other products. This creates a medium threat of substitute from other products. Besides, the digital music products possess notable advantages for customers. For instance, the iPods possess a high quality stereo sound that gives them an edge
Friday, October 18, 2019
Innovative Nursing Care Delivery Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Innovative Nursing Care Delivery Models - Essay Example Development Team for Innovative Nursing Care Model As a matter of fact, implementation of any particular change in organization needs proper planning along with the formation of an effective team that can execute the planned activities accordingly. Contextually, the team working towards proper implementation of the model will encompass two Registered Nurses (RNs) along with two assistants. It has been observed that there are altogether 1,047 licensed beds in the organization, which will further be divided into subsections with equal numbers in each one of them applying this model. Furthermore, each of these sections will be accompanied with a set of RNs and assistants designed to implement the model efficiently (Adventist Healthcare, 2013; Health Workforce Solutions, 2008). The rationale for selecting RNs and assistants can be justified, as the model selected for implementing in the particular healthcare organization follows the â€Å"Human Caring Theory of Jean Watson†, which depicts the role of nursing practices or nurses in assuring knowledgeable and unique healthcare practices. Hence, based on this ground, Adventist Healthcare will need to prioritize and select RNs to ensure proper implementation of the chosen model. Moreover, the decision of selecting nurses should also be targeted towards providing opportunities for nurses to enhance their position and role in the healthcare organization. ... iciency within the workplace by utilizing the available manpower more effectively in delivering better quality care to the patients (Alliance for Health Reform, 2011). Additionally, the team that will implement the model will also include the top management officials to supervise the approaches of the RNs and their assistants throughout the process in Adventist Healthcare (Health Workforce Solutions, 2008). This will in turn ensure that the model operates in alignment with the set organizational goals and values to achieve maximum efficiency when implemented. Incorporation of Nurse Caring Delivery Model in Adventist Healthcare As illustrated earlier, with the assistance of the Nurse Caring Delivery Model, the management in Adventist Healthcare will be able to directly correlate with the organizational objectives to be achieved through its mission and values. The model is primarily a team-oriented nursing framework, developed entirely with the intention to ensure humanistic approach i n delivering healthcare services to the patients. It is also believed that the model ensures cost efficient services with maximum quality and safety for the patients along with continuous improvement in set of services provided. Moreover, another vital aspect of the model is that it augments work satisfaction level amid the nurses, subsequently resulting in declined turnover of the same within the organization (Adventist Healthcare, 2013; Health Workforce Solutions, 2008). In order to attain the complete benefits of the model, it will be implemented in the organization following certain planned steps. The model will be implemented in separate departments within the organization comprising of a medical unit, a telemetry unit and an intensive care unit among others. After a stipulated period
Critical Response Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Critical Response - Research Paper Example This paper will explore the film’s content, as well as formal aspects, including, among others, performance and genre. Almodovar appreciates the element of desire, particularly homosexual desire, which is a tough topic regarding a normal human condition. The director considers desire as the absolute necessity to be wanted or desired, however, the interplay of desires often makes it difficult for two desires to correspond. The integration of such a sensitive topic in the film not only adds to its richness, but also highlights the array of formal aspects employed to present the issue in a delicate manner. Almodovar’s use of comedy and comic sensibilities eases the manner in which the touchy issues of homosexuality, nudity, violence, jealousy and lust are presented and discussed. According to Smith (187) La Ley del Deseo develops the central theme of morality as highlighted by homosexuality and transsexuality. Almodovar’s style also encompasses the use of themes to develop new themes. For instance, the theme of love without constraints results in the emergence of the theme of death. The disregard of sexual differences in the endeavor to find love without restrictions results in the eventuality of death. Pally (35) perceives Almodovar’s presentation of these touchy issues as celebratory instead of frightening. Almodovar uses light to frame the film’s characters’ faces with a sense of protection and care, which does away with the characters’ inherent confusion. This use of light allows the viewer to appreciate the braveness and joyousness of the characters that choose to be true to their true emotions regardless of the outcome. The extravagant use of bright color in the film speaks to Almodovar’s visual style. In addition to the integration of color in the film, Almodovar incorporates art, for instance, the hopper print that appears in Pablo’s apartment. The use of bright colors and art adds to the filmà ¢â‚¬â„¢s overall visual superiority. In addition, Almodovar uses other stylistic touches such as fade and close-up. For instance, in one scene, framing shifts from a close-up of Pablo’s eyes to the revolving wheels of his car, the wheel cover aligns perfectly with Pablo’s pupils (La Ley del Deseo). In essence, even when Almodovar portrays Pablo’s makeshift family as incredibly outrageous through silly narrative, the director protects the nobility, emotional richness and strength of all characters. Characterization adds to the richness of the film. For instance, while the film appears to be falling apart in some instances, characters such as Tina who is fierce, funny and independent do not fall apart, thereby holding the film together. Operating in a cultural environment that frowns upon nudity, especially male nudity, Almodovar does his best to deal with the awkwardness of the topic in a comic manner. However, according to Medhurst (127) the use of comedy in pre senting serious issues in La Ley del Deseo complicates the manner in which Almodovar and the film are perceived culturally. Notably, since comedy relies on inside cultural knowledge, the region from which La Ley del Deseo was generated largely influences the appreciation of the film’s message (Medhurst 132). Spanish roots have significantly influenced the film’s raw material, thereby impacting the way people from other cultures perceive its intrinsic message. On
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Purpose of the Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
The Purpose of the Corporation - Essay Example The authors assert that although the diverse assumptions of each of the two groups tend to be "logically or intuitively connected to represent it coherent world view, favoring one [group] does not require that we exclude the other." A major purpose of stakeholder theory is to help corporate managers understand their stakeholder environments and manage more effectively within the nexus of relationships that exists for their companies. However, a larger purpose of stakeholder theory is to help corporate managers improve the value of the outcomes of their actions, and minimize the harms to stake-holders. The whole point of stakeholder theory, in fact, lies in what happens when corporations and stakeholders act out their relationships. To this end, we conclude this volume with our view of contributions that stakeholder theory can make to redefine the corporation through a focus on performance measurement. The criticism of stakeholder theory that it cannot define what or who is or is not a stakeholder, as well as the attempts to delimit stakeholders, is perhaps misplaced. In spite of the atomistic nature of early definitions, stakeholder theory embodies in its very nature it relational view of the firm which incorporates the reciprocal dynamics of community, and the theory's power lies in focusing management decision making on the multiplicity and diversity of the relationships within which the corporation has its being and the multipurpose nature of the corporation as a vehicle for enhancing these relationships in their various dimensions. Freeman holds that nothing less than a redefinition of the corporation is needed and, as seen earlier, he recognizes that a redefinition of the corporation requires a redefinition of the self. And, ultimately, such a reconstructed self requires a reconstructed philosophic context within which conceptually to locate its relational nature. Critical Analyses on Milton Friedman's Arguments on "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits" Friedman is therefore dismissive of any notion of corporate social responsibility: 'The doctrine of social responsibility is fundamentally subversive......there is one andonly one social responsibility of business- to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it engages in open and free competition without deception and fraud" (Friedman, 1970). Milton Friedman1, back in the early 1960s, argued that the one and only social responsibility of a company is to increase its profits He moreover equaled corporate donations with hypocritical window-dressing and tactics approaching fraud. According to his logic, social engineering is doomed to failure for several reasons: corporate managers do not have the necessary skills or expertise to arbitrate between competing claims of different sections of society - such competence is only given to an elected government; corporate managers are not elected and have therefore no political mandate to decide between competing claims for resources - again, such competence i
Week3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Week3 - Essay Example According to research in the textbook, diets that contain saturated fats and trans fats can affect a person’s health negatively since they lead to increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood, which can in turn lead to heart disease and other acute health conditions. Additionally, the textbook indicated that a study was conducted between seven countries in order to understand the link between heart disease and fat diets. The study showed the two populations, which is the Island of Crete and Finland, suffered from heart disease. Indeed, the study found that the food diet in Crete contained less saturated fat as compared to Finland, where death rates linked to heart disease were much higher than Crete. Furthermore, according to Omega article, consuming more fish and food elements that contain omega-3 helps in reducing the risk of getting heart disease. In addition, omega-3 also helps in reducing the effect of some risk factors such as stress that can lead to heart disease and strokes. According to the article â€Å"Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Mood Disorders†, Omega-3 is an important mineral in maintaining ones moods. This is why people with depressive disorders are likely to have mood swings if omega-3 is absent in their diet. Moreover, research shows that the tremendous increase in depression and neurological disorders is being fueled by the increasing consumption of vegetable oils that are rich in the omega-6 fatty acids (Parker et al. 969). However, consumption of foods such as fish, which is rich on omega-3, helps in preventing depression. Dietary changes from traditional foods that include fish eating to western fast food diets have led to increased rates of anxiety, depre ssion, seasonal affective disorder, and suicide (Parker et al. 969-970). Some of the changes that I would like to make when it comes to changing my food diet include consuming more fish and less fast food. Additionally, I will include
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
The Purpose of the Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
The Purpose of the Corporation - Essay Example The authors assert that although the diverse assumptions of each of the two groups tend to be "logically or intuitively connected to represent it coherent world view, favoring one [group] does not require that we exclude the other." A major purpose of stakeholder theory is to help corporate managers understand their stakeholder environments and manage more effectively within the nexus of relationships that exists for their companies. However, a larger purpose of stakeholder theory is to help corporate managers improve the value of the outcomes of their actions, and minimize the harms to stake-holders. The whole point of stakeholder theory, in fact, lies in what happens when corporations and stakeholders act out their relationships. To this end, we conclude this volume with our view of contributions that stakeholder theory can make to redefine the corporation through a focus on performance measurement. The criticism of stakeholder theory that it cannot define what or who is or is not a stakeholder, as well as the attempts to delimit stakeholders, is perhaps misplaced. In spite of the atomistic nature of early definitions, stakeholder theory embodies in its very nature it relational view of the firm which incorporates the reciprocal dynamics of community, and the theory's power lies in focusing management decision making on the multiplicity and diversity of the relationships within which the corporation has its being and the multipurpose nature of the corporation as a vehicle for enhancing these relationships in their various dimensions. Freeman holds that nothing less than a redefinition of the corporation is needed and, as seen earlier, he recognizes that a redefinition of the corporation requires a redefinition of the self. And, ultimately, such a reconstructed self requires a reconstructed philosophic context within which conceptually to locate its relational nature. Critical Analyses on Milton Friedman's Arguments on "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits" Friedman is therefore dismissive of any notion of corporate social responsibility: 'The doctrine of social responsibility is fundamentally subversive......there is one andonly one social responsibility of business- to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it engages in open and free competition without deception and fraud" (Friedman, 1970). Milton Friedman1, back in the early 1960s, argued that the one and only social responsibility of a company is to increase its profits He moreover equaled corporate donations with hypocritical window-dressing and tactics approaching fraud. According to his logic, social engineering is doomed to failure for several reasons: corporate managers do not have the necessary skills or expertise to arbitrate between competing claims of different sections of society - such competence is only given to an elected government; corporate managers are not elected and have therefore no political mandate to decide between competing claims for resources - again, such competence i
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Global Financial Crisis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Global Financial Crisis - Article Example The article further claims that financials problem could be avoided if people could have adopted the current economic models. Depending on the article's argument, financials problems have been brought about by people negligence. States have been neglecting the economic models which can help in resolving the economy. Currently, most of the states depend on others in order to get enough supply of goods and services. Many, countries have their foreign policy which governs their relationship with other states. The lack of an international organization to bring about a general foreign policy to govern all states as led to the lack of corporation in terms of international business. Conflict exists between some states, and this makes it difficult for the international business to take place. Due to increasing level of transnational and globalization activities countries needs to interact and share business difficult importation and exportation of products. The article states that the proble m will affect the livelihood of people in all corners of the world, and this is because people move to other states to seek employment and perform business. When one country is affected, it means that the whole world will be affected (Shah 2013). It is true that I am persuaded by the reading in this article because I have seen it happening. From the time to time, foreign currencies change their market status from being stable to unstable and vice versa (Shah 2013). The level of globalization has increased and without inclusion of the current economic model a country’s economy can decline. Those economic models which could have prevented financials crisis include qualitative models, stochastic and non-stochastic model.Â
Challenges Faced by Companies Entering Foriegn Markets Essay Example for Free
Challenges Faced by Companies Entering Foriegn Markets Essay 1. INTRODUCTION Companies move into foreign markets for various reasons. In certain cases, it is towards achieving a required sales volume. In other instances, it might be a bid to increase brand awareness. Other companies go into foreign markets to re-invigorate sales after their products have gone through their life cycle from inception to decline in home markets. Regardless of reason, moving into a foreign market tends to portend great opportunities for companies, particularly if it entails serving products in an emerging economy that has recently become wealthy enough to afford such products; or selling a new but needed product or service to a developed and wealthy market. However, in foreign markets, challenges are as numerous as opportunities. Some sources of challenges are discussed below. a) Socio-Cultural Differences Companies tend to adopt practices that were successful in home markets without adapting these models to fit the cultural inclinations of markets entered. When large cultural differences exist between the home country and that entered, such practices may result in ineffective business development and partnerships. An example is the now well known Chinese practice of longer meetings in the bid to become acquainted with potential partners, compared to the Anglo-American practice of brief to-the-point meetings. Adopting either approach in a market more inclined to the other, will no doubt hinder business development. Language differences are other examples of socio-cultural differences that posit challenges to companies entering a foreign market. Language differences make effective and efficient communication difficult between companies and local stakeholders. A light example is the Chevrolet Nova which was selling far below expectation in Latin America. Executives of General Motors could not understand why this was so until it was brought to their attention that, in Spanish â€Å"no va†means â€Å"it doesn’t go†. b) Differences in Levels of Bureaucracy – Efficiency of Procedures and Processes Company registration, the opening of a bank account, getting import permits, obtaining required licenses, etc, all reflect the ease of doing business in a country as well as the levels of bureaucracy that exist in that country. For companies used to relatively low levels of bureaucracy, entering a market with significantly higher levels of bureaucracy may result in unrealistic project plans translated into unachieved implementation. c) Differences in Availability of Skilled Human Resources Availability of a particular skill in a company’s home market may result in presumptions about the availability of the same skill in the market entered. 4This occurred in Nigeria in 2001 when the first set of GSM licenses were given to foreign companies MTN and Econet (both from South Africa). At the time, neither entrant foresaw a dearth of local skilled manpower. This ended up costing both companies an unprecedented increase in salaries and other expenses associated with bringing in expatriate workers. The challenge of sourcing skilled labour in foreign markets is further exacerbated when quotas exist on the number expatriates allowed into the country entered despite the dearth of local skill. d) Differences in Infrastructure Prevailing infrastructure affects how companies operate. Prevailing transportation infrastructure affect how companies move goods and personnel for service delivery; market infrastructure affect how players on a given value chain relate with one another; and the level of basic infrastructure such as power and water affect cost allocations and management. For companies entering a foreign market, failure to take into account the infrastructural base of the market entered may result in ineffective and or inefficient operating plans and processes. e) Legislation Favouring Local Companies Unsupportive legislation is another major source of challenges to companies entering foreign markets. Countries tend to enact laws intended to protect or enable local industries. These legislations take many forms. They could be outright levies on foreign businesses; or banning of the activities or management structure of foreign companies; or may be through more indirect means such as required licenses or permits to operate; cumbersome registration processes or permit procedures. 4 David Ogah, â€Å"Expatriates, some semi-skilled, take over even menial jobs from Nigerians†, The Guardian Newspaper Nigeria, December 21 2011, http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=71436:expatriates-some-semi-skilled-take-over-even-menial-jobs-from-nigerians-catid=72:focusItemid=598, accessed August 2012. 3. NIGERIAN E-COMMERCE E-commerce is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. E-commerce uses the World Wide Web at one point in the transactions life-cycle, although it may include a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices and telephones. - The major customers of e-commerce businesses are individuals living in major urban centres in Nigeria, notably Lagos, the commercial capital; Abuja, the political capital; and Port Harcourt, an oil rich city in Southern Nigeria; as these cities tend to house the highest number of internet users in Nigeria. 5Nigeria has over 47 million internet users, with a majority of them living in the urban cities. In the mid 2000s, a couple of e-commerce companies were launched in Nigeria. They barely survived. The reason for their demise, or in other cases, stagnant growth, was the difficulty of getting customers to embrace the e-payment options available in Nigeria at that time. This difficulty was due to known cases of fraud that occurred over the insecurity of Interswitch, the only e-payment platform available in Nigeria at that time. However, with the entrance of major card payment solutions like Master card and Visa card in 2006, coupled with the improved security features of Interswitch, the industry experienced an increase in the number of Nigerians executing online payments.6(online transactions grew by 25% in 2011) Prior to the end of the first quarter of 2012, the Nigerian e-commerce scene had been somewhat lukewarm as the only vibrant players were Dealdey.com and Wakanow.com. At the beginning of the second quarter, the sector experienced an increase in the number of e-commerce company in Nigeria, amongst which were Rocket Internet’s Sabunta.com and Kasuwa.com. The long-term outlook for the e-commerce industry in Nigeria is positive, with analysts predicting a significant increase in new entrants. The implementation of the use of mobile money in Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria is expected to accelerate the development of the e-commerce industry in Nigeria, as mobile money allows a greater number of individuals engage in electronic transactions. Currently, the Nigerian e-commerce industry has slightly over 70 companies, though the industry is yet to have an estimated dollar value. Companies in the sector are categorized into: a. Fashion Retailers These are online fashion shops that primarily sell shoes, clothes and other fashion accessories. Major players in this category are Sabunta.com, Kamdora.com, Taafoo.com and 3stitches.com. The clear leader among them is Sabunta, despite the fact that the platform was launched less than 3 months ago while most other players have been in the scene for significantly longer. Sabunta offers a wider range of international brands and possesses a more integrated logistic supply chain. This makes them more capable of serving customers all around Nigeria than competitors. b. Travel and Tourism These are primarily online companies that sell travel and tour packages. The clear market leader is Wakanow.com with a current turnover of thirty-five million naira (N35 million) per month. Other players in this sector belong to private airline operators e.g. www.fly.arikair.com, www.myairnigeria.com, etc c. Electronic Gadgets and Books These are companies that sell electronic gadgets and books online. The major players in this category are Kasuwa.com and Konga.com. It is however difficult to tell who the bigger player is. Both players are less than 3 months old. Apart from electronics, Konga.com also retails baby and female make-up products. d. Broad Product Retailers Players in this category include group-buying deal sites such as Dealdey.com, Buynownow.com and Buyright.biz. The major player with the largest market share is Dealdey.com. It was launched in 2011 and possesses the most robust group-buying deal site in Nigeria. 2. SABUNTA.COM Sabunta.com is a fashion online retailer that offers a wide range of International and Nigerian fashion brands for sale in Nigeria. Sabunta.com is an e-commerce company owned by Jolali Global Resources Limited, a privately held company in Nigeria, set up and owned by the German Company, Rocket Internet. Rocket’s headquarters is the vibrant centre of Berlin, Europes Silicon Valley, home to a network of 25 international Rocket offices that cover the operations of the company’s subsidiaries in developed and emerging markets. Rocket Internet is the largest, fastest and the most successful international online venture builder. It currently has over 50 online ventures in 7 continents where they are all playing in the top segments of the market. The primary focus of Rocket is building proven, transaction-based business models in the online and mobile space. The company has been executing this model since 2007 and have created over 100 market leading companies in over forty (40) countries, dozens of which have been exited successfully. The Rocket Internet Company is best known for cloning successful online business in the US in other countries where they play at the top of the market. In Europe, Rocket’s Zalando is currently the largest online fashion retailer. Other well known companies owned and operated by Rocket include; Wimdu in France, Zidora in Azerbaijan, Dafiti in Brazil, Mizado in Egypt, Locondo in Japan, The Iconic in Australia and Zando in South Africa. Sabunta.com and Kasuwa.com are Rocket’s operations in Nigeria. Both operate from their headquarters in Lagos, Nigerian’s commercial capital, home to over 10% of the country’s $413 billion GDP. Sabunta.com and Kasuwa.com serve customers around using warehouses in major urban cities. However, Kasuwa.com sells electronic gadgets and books, while Sabunta.com sells fashion items. Sabunta.com provides customers with flexible online platforms to shop for fashion items from the convenience of their homes, and delivers these items at the doorsteps of shoppers. The company provides flexible payment options including bank deposits, online payment, and its innovative payment-on-delivery option, actually first introduced in Nigeria by Sabunta.com. Sabunta.com is young. The company started operations on the 8th of June, 2012 and is currently only three (3) months. Yet it has already become the largest and the fastest growing online fashion retailer in Nigeria, with over a 100 orders per day, The company aims to maintain its positions as the largest and fastest growing in Nigeria, as is being achieved in other countries by other Rocket Internet ventures worldwide. Sabunta.com currently has 71 staff, 24% of whom are foreign nationals. The workforce at Sabunta.com consists of graduates from Ivy league universities in the US and Europe, as well as top talent from Nigeria. Its management team consists of two foreign nationals and a Nigerian. 4. SABUNTA.COM TARGET MARKET The target market for Sabunta.com is Nigeria’s upper and emerging middle-class living in major urban cities in Nigeria. The age bracket of the typical Sabunta.com customer is between 18 and 65. This age range constitutes individuals who are capable of buying or making purchasing decisions with regards to fashion items. The company’s targeted customers are however less than 10% of the mentioned age range, as the company targets individuals with an annual income of not less than N2million ($12,500). Sabunta’s target market constitutes of individuals who live and work in major urban cities of Nigeria such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan, Aba, Warri and Benin. These individuals frequently utilize the internet and various social media platforms to interact with friends, family and colleagues. They are fashion conscious, trendy looking and want to express their personalities with the kind of outfits they wear. They also recognize and wear popular international brands and shop for these brands whenever they or friends and family travel abroad. 5. SABUNTA.COM STRATEGY Having carefully studied the Nigerian e-commerce scene, Sabunta.com concluded that the major problem hindering take-off of e-commerce in Nigeria is the sceptical nature of Nigerians towards online payments. The company responded by introducing the cash-payment-on-delivery option for its customers. Though the company offers regular credit card and online payment options for those who want to do so, the cash-payment-on-delivery option was an ice-breaker: it made sceptical Nigerians participate in online shopping. This enlarged the market of online shoppers, with Sabunta.com being the only company to enjoy the patronage of this new surge in online fashion shoppers. Good performance on the part of Sabunta.com further helped to enforce their dominance. On time delivery, even without having received payment, helped to instil confidence in its target market. To reduce problems associated with deceit and theft, usually by hoodlums posing as customers, Sabunta outsourced its delivery to Red Star Express, a leading Nigerian Franchisee of US global courier brand FEDEX a major courier company that has been in operations in Nigeria since 1992, known for its quality of service, Sabunta.com also introduced various practices that, though standard in mature e-commerce markets, were novel and innovative in the growing Nigerian e-commerce market. These innovations include: a. Free Delivery and Return Policy Prior to Sabunta.com entry, no e-commerce company in Nigeria offered free delivery or allowed customers to return purchased goods. Sabunta.com entered the e-commerce scene offering a nationwide free delivery plan as well as a return policy which allowed customers return goods bought within the first 14 days if they were not satisfied with the condition in which it was delivered. To return goods, customers are allowed to drop the purchased items at any of the 158 Red Star Express offices situated in all the states in Nigeria at their convenience. This reduces the cost which customers incur during the return process. The ability to purchase goods at no extra cost of delivery and to return these goods if dissatisfied at minimal costs make Sabunta.com a provider of high quality at low costs – attributes that appeal to the price sensitive and yet quality sensitive Nigerian market. b. International Product Offering Sabunta.com recognizes that its target market constitutes those familiar with and who wear International fashion brands. Consequently, the company partners with sister fashion companies around the world, owned by the parent, Rocket Internet, to offer a large range of international brands over 150 different brands to the Nigerian market. Sabunta.com enhances the display of international products on its site, both those it has in stock as well as those in the stock of its sister companies around the world. This allows the company serve the diverse international tastes of the Nigerian market, and to respond to trends regardless of its current stock. 6. SUCCESS For a company that has been in existence for less than three months in a foreign market, Sabunta.com has been able to achieve a lot of success and has been able to overcome a significant number of envisaged challenges. Sabunta.com successes include: a. Exceeding Projected Revenue Prior to entering the Nigerian market, the management of Sabunta projected revenue of â‚ ¬15,000 from about 150 orders in the first quarter of business. This projection was exceeded after the company’s first month of operations. The company found itself operating in a large market with a greater potential for online products than it had envisaged or planned for. The result was a restructuring of its operations to meet the demand. b. Obtaining Local Supplies Being an online fashion store, the ability to get local suppliers goes a long way in determining the amount of profit made. Local supply eliminates the various cost associated with getting supplies from outside the country – [The average mark-up for goods sold on Sabunta.com is 50%]. The Sabunta.com team was concerned about getting high quality local supplies for their business as the number and industry size of local fashion suppliers were not obtainable from official records or research archives. However, the company was pleasantly surprised at the large number of local fashion suppliers resident in Nigeria. The result has been high mark-ups on locally produced and sold products. This has lead to profitability in less time than projected.[Sabunta.com currently makes an average gross profit of 40% while their operating and net profits are still in the negative]. c. Finding Adequate Logistic Providers To ensure timely and accurate nationwide delivery, Sabunta.com required services from delivery firms who possess best practices as well as offer cost-effectiveness as a value proposition. The firm understood that a weak or inconsistent logistics arm (for example due to different qualities of delivery by several logistic partners) will result in negative customer perception. This challenge was overcome through a partnership with Red Star Express – a Franchisee of the US international courier and logistics service provider, FEDEX, that has been operating in Nigeria since 1992. Red Star Express knowledge of the country’s transportation infrastructure aids in its optimal logistics service delivery. Moreover, Red Star Express provides support with more than just delivery and return of goods. It also collects cash from customers who chose to pay in cash upon delivery, and remits these funds to Sabunta. This saves the company costs associated with cash management. d. Recruitment of Required Personnel Another envisaged challenge was availability of skilled local labor. Given the poor state of Nigeria’s I.T. infrastructure and sophistication, the company was unsure of the availability of I.T related skill sets to carry out Rocket’s model as practiced in various other markets. The company was however relieved to find competent local talent. Sabunta.com operates with a 100% local I.T team, capable of carrying out functions required by the Rocket model. 7. CHALLENGES Despite Sabunta.com successes, the company faces a myriad of challenges, most of which result from differences between Rocket’s countries of operation and the Nigerian market. Some of these challenges include: a. Challenges Resulting from Socio-Cultural and Socio-Economic Differences Unlike successes gained in recruiting and maintaining local personnel, Sabunta.com has not been able to maintain its international staff. Over seventy percent (70%) of Sabunta’s international staff who started out with the company left within two (2) months. The reason? Inability to acclimatize to the Nigerian environment with particular regards to the type of readily available food as well as the lack of or the high costs of, basic amenities such as food, water, regular electricity supply, health services, cooking gas, transportation, internet connectivity, etc. Other reasons for the departure of international staff included health concerns. As at August 2012, over 90 percent of international staff who resumed operations with the company (in June 2012) were diagnosed with malaria, a tropical disease most had never experienced. Unanticipated costs and time associated with replacing and training international staff continues to plague Sabunta.com. b. Challenges Resulting from Unavailability of Infrastructure. Being an e-commerce company, Sabunta.com core operations involve the use of the internet. Consequently, the company requires reliable and (preferably) cheap internet connectivity and power. Yet, neither internet connectivity nor power supply exists cheaply or reliably in Nigeria. Nigeria generates and distributes less than 4,000Megawatts barely enough to serve the nation’s power needs and resulting in frequent power outages. Sabunta.com spends over N640,000 (â‚ ¬3,200) per month on diesel to fuel their stand-by generators, and is constantly plagued with this high cost of power. The company also has high internet connectivity expenses N450,000 (â‚ ¬2,250) per month for a bandwidth size of 4/4Mbps. Even with such huge sums spent on internet connection, Sabunta.com continues to experience less than optimal services from Nigerian internet service providers. c. Challenges Resulting from Legislation A key component of Sabunta’s strategy is offering a wide range of international brands in Nigeria, using stock held by sister companies around the world. Research and studies of Nigerian importation laws suggested that importation of fashion stock into Nigeria would be relatively easy. This left the company vulnerable to the shock it received when the first set of drop-shipment was seized at the airport by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The NCS claimed that the goods contained items that were contraband in Nigeria. Sabunta responded by removing such items from their offerings fragrance and perfumes.. Notwithstanding its response, Sabunta continues to face ever present threats associated with bans on importation of fashion related items including textile, leather, clothing, and shoes. Nigerian history reveals frequent policy changes and inconsistencies with regard importation of goods into the country, long identified as a major cause of failure of businesses in Nigeria. Another challenge faced by Sabunta from the Nigerian legislation is the restriction placed by the CBN on the sale of Foreign Exchange to companies and individual except for special purposes like the importation and exportation of goods and services and also the payment of services abroad. This meant that Sabunta had to buy foreign exchange at a higher price in the black market to settle all its international staff’s salary and other payments which were denominated in US dollars.(Official rate is 1$=159Naira as against the black market rate of 1$=163Naira). d. Challenges Resulting from Corrupt Practices. Despite the absence of contraband, Sabunta’s management continue to experience delays in the release of their consignment by Nigerian Customs officials. Further inquiry revealed that the logistic company they employed (FEDEX) to handle importation of their goods did not have a good relationship with the Customs officials due to the company’s implemented policy of not offering bribes as is the order of the day. Sabunta’s management continue to experience and consequently to remain alert to the constant threat of fraudulent and corrupt practices that plaque business in Nigeria. The company continues to face the challenge of local business partners who try to cut corners and deliver less. Prior to partnering with FEDEX, a Nigerian courier company was chosen and partnered with for local delivery. Similar to FEDEX’s collection and remission of cash, the courier company collected payment from customers on delivery. However, the company frequently fell short of its obligations in terms of timing and amount of cash remitted. The courier company also failed to report accurate figures collected from customers, and till date, owe Sabunta over 40% of payments collected. Sabunta was quick to recognize this problem and swiftly partnered with FEDEX for its logistics services. Nevertheless, other sources of corrupt practices persist especially from small independent service providers. This is particularly so with artisan related services such as plumbing, equipment repairs and office maintenance, and are frequent sources of lost funds or delayed services to Sabunta. 8. SABUNTA’S FUTURE: THE MERGER Plans are currently being made for a merger with Kasuwa, Rocket Internet’s other company in Nigeria, also launched in June 2012, to form Jumia. The merger is expected to result in the biggest e-commerce retailer in Nigeria a one-stop shop for all products related to fashion and electronic items. The new website, Jumia.com, will offer a wider variety of international brands, using strategies currently employed by Sabunta. Jumia is intended to provide benefits associated with scale such as discounts and bargaining power (in relation to suppliers), while addressing current challenges faced by both companies. They include: a. Staffing: The merger is expected to reduce the number of required staff. This will result in the reduction of salary expenses and will result in the need for fewer international staff. In other words, international staff who have acclimatized to Nigeria from both companies may continue to provide required services to Jumia without the need to recruit and retain new staff. b. Office Space: The merger is expected to result in shared office space at a cost smaller than the combined cost of Sabunta and Kasuwa’s current office cost. c. Fueling and Power: Similar to the effect on office space, the merger is expected to result in fueling and power costs that will be smaller than the combined current cost of both companies current fueling and power needs. d. Internet Connectivity: More than just reduction in costs, the merger is expected to result in Jumia’s ability to purchase larger bandwith sizes directly from internet providers in South Africa, Europe, and North America. This will address the unreliability of internet connectivity currently faced by Sabunta and Kasuwa. e. Repair and Maintenance: It is expected that the larger Jumia will be able to partner with large and reliable providers of office and equipment repairs thus eliminating small service providers who have corrupt or unreliable practices. 9. RECOMMENDATIONS 11Doing a proper market research and analysis When entering a foreign market, it is recommended that a firm carry out proper market research and analysis on that market prior to entry. Top on the list is an environmental analysis that needs to be taken also. There are uncontrollable forces which are external forces upon which the management has no direct control, and it can exert an influence. There are also Internal forces which are controllable forces upon which the management to adapt to. 12Form Strategic Alliances When entering a foreign market, it is recommended that a firm forge strategic alliance to enable them get the following * Great synergy with the partnering local company. * Opportunity to access assets that are not readily available in the market. * Access to larger market and technology for small companies. 11 Jusuf Zekiri and Biljana Angelova, Factors that Influence Entry Mode Choice in Foreign Markets, European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 22, Number 4 (2011), http://www.eurojournals.com/EJSS_22_4_12.pdf, accesses August 2012. 12 Mihaela Belu, Strategies of Entering New Markets, The Romanian Economic Journal, http://www.rejournal.eu/Portals/0/Arhiva/JE%2027/JE%2027%20-%20Belu%20Caragin.pdf, accessed August 2012. Appendix 1 Mobile Money In NigeriaMobile money as the name implies is the transfer of monetary value from one person’s mobile phone to another. It has been made waves and affected commerce greatly in certain parts of eastern Africa where it was launched in 2009. In Nigeria, the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria), granted license to 11 mobile money operators in 2011. The CBN rolled out the Mobile money campaign in Lagos State, Nigeria commercial nerve center in January 2012, and planned launching it around the federation by 2013.The CBN also put in place some incentives for using the Mobile money services, by placing charges for Bank cash transactions above 500,000 for individuals and 1million naira for companies.| Appendix 2 Economics of Lagos StateLagos State is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria. Located in the western part of Nigeria, it is home to over 18million people and has over 2,000 industries. 65% of the countrys commercial activities are carried out in the state. Two of the nations largest seaports -Apapa and Tin-Can Ports are located in Lagos State.| Appendix 3 Income Distribution of the Nigeria Population in 2010 Nigeria Population in 2010-156,051,000 (Source: International Monetary Fund 2011 World Economic Outlook) This report shows the distribution for seven groups within the Nigerian Population in 2010. Percentage of population in income bracket of 0-500 PPP Dollars –55.68% Percentage of population in income bracket of 500-1000 PPP Dollars-28.22% Percentage of population in income bracket of 1000-2500 PPP Dollars- 14.61% Percentage of population in income bracket of 2500-5000 PPP Dollars- 1.17% Percentage of population in income bracket of 5000-10000 PPP Dollars- 0.17% Percentage of population in income bracket of 10000-20000 PPP Dollars- 0.05% Percentage of population in income bracket of 20000+ PPP Dollars- 0.1% Source-Marketline analysis based on information from National Statistical Organization
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