Wednesday, October 30, 2019

International economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International economics - Assignment Example Fagnusson says that once the product is acquired abroad, they are labeled by the apparel company to ensure that they command brand identification after which they are sold either in the domestic or foreign markets (103). This scenario attests to the fact that cost of production is important element in making strategic production choices. When Spain opens its borders to the large number of unskilled Africans seeking to immigrate, they gets access to cheap labor. Suppose Spain was to open its borders to the large number of unskilled Africans seeking to work there, it is likely to benefit from cheap labor. Unskilled labor is cheap because these people do not possess any skills; hence they lack the bargaining power in the market. When skilled labor is acquired cheaply, the implication is that the overall cost of production becomes cheaper (Salvatore 221). The fact that Spain allows influx of unskilled labor in the market implies that the country will enjoy a comparative advantage in its production. Comparative advantage refers to the ability of a country to produce goods or services at a lower marginal cost and opportunity cost over the other. Spain stands to benefit greatly in international trade because it enjoys absolute advantage in its production because of cheap labor. For instance, if Spain decides to import skilled labor for manufacturing sector, then it enjoys absolute advantage in production of manufacturing products. Spain, therefore, stands in a good platform to exploit its comparative advantage since it concentrates in the production of manufactured goods for export; and since it can import other goods or services, which it does not enjoy comparative advantage (Viner 125). The concept of comparative advantage has merit in many areas in the sense that it assists the country to earn foreign currency. The foreign earnings a re good since they can be used to finance various social and infrastructural programs in Spain. The foreign earnings are

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Role of Social Interactions in Identity Formation

Role of Social Interactions in Identity Formation Critically examine how sociology discusses social interactions (or social relations) and the role these interactions play in shaping the notion of self and/or identity. Social interaction involves people communicating face-to-face, acting and reacting in relation to each other using verbal as well as non-verbal cues. Every social interaction is characterised and dependent on peoples distinct positions in terms of their statuses, their standards of conduct or norms and their sets of expected behaviour or roles (Furze et al., 2008: 115). Furze et al. identify three major modes of social interaction, each of which is not without its limitations. This essay will suggest that perhaps there is a need for a refinement or refashioning of existing approaches to the study of social interaction due to such limitations. In addition, the inexplicable link between notions of the self, individual identity and the social realm will be established, namely through the work of Richard Jenkins. Exchange theory involves social interactions which trade in attention and other valued resources. As an important social force that cements social interactions, it is a competitive exchange of resources. People communicate to varying degrees to extract some sort of benefit from interactions, one that is often of an economic nature. For example, a brief everyday interaction between a supermarket shopper and the cashier could be subject to this theory. Rational choice theory describes how interacting people will always try to maximise benefits and minimise costs to themselves. That is, everyone wants to gain the most from their interactions socially, emotionally, and economically while paying the least. Dramaturgical analysis describes the way in which social interaction involves a constant role-playing, an approach that was first developed by sociologist Erving Goffman (1959). He likens the presentation of the self in everyday life to that of actors in a theatre. We are constantly engaged in role-playing which is most evident when we are front stage in public settings (Furze et al., 2008: 127). We learn, socialise and adopt roles so that we know what is considered acceptable behaviour in the public domain. We take these on through the various institutions of socialisation, such as the family, the school and the media, for example. Furthermore, Goffmans analysis problematises Pierre Bourdieus theory of power, practice and conflict theories of social interaction. Conflict theory emphasises that when people interact, their statuses are arranged in a hierarchy and the degree of inequality strongly affects the character of social interaction between the interacting parties (Bourdieu, 1977). On the other hand Goffman implies that such cues can be manipulated and misinterpreted. For example, a luxury car may signify wealth but if it were in fact stolen property then its public impression contradicts the actual status held by its owner. These theoretical frameworks for social interaction, then, are important to sociology because they have been developed in an attempt to explain how we live with each other in various forms of social relations. The idea of face-to-face relations is a much broader idea now than, say, around 20 years ago where avenues for social interaction such as the Internet and mobile phones were. It is mostly structured around norms and status we carry, for example. The ever-increasing popularity over the past five years of Internet Social Networking Sites such as Facebook and Twitter, for example, complicate Goffmans notion of the front stage-backstage binary. The notion of the self in an early historical sociological view was that there was a separation between society and the self. C. Wright Mills (1959) as well as Emile Durkheim in the example of suicide maintain that, certainly, the public world (socio-cultural world) and the private self are always interconnected (Geary, 2009). We are shaped by a specific set of forces which locate the self in and of particular sets of circumstances and this is what is what is referred to as the process of socialisation. We develop a sense of self by how we perceive the other. Identifying ourselves or others is a matter of meaning, and meaning always involves interaction: agreement and disagreement, convention and innovation, communication and negotiation (Jenkins, 2004: 4). Identity formation, then, is almost always already part of social and cultural relations or interactions. To identify the self and the so-called other person, according to Jenkins, relates to the way meaning-making impacts on us, as well as the way we alter such meanings. The individual and the collective are routinely entangled with each other and the three approaches exchange theory, rational choice theory and dramaturgical analysis outlined by Furze et al. are some examples. These must accommodate the fluidity of identity and notions of the self.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Audio Format Wars :: essays research papers fc

Audio Format Wars Before buying a new car, getting married, or adopting a new audio format it is wise to ask a few questions, peer under the hood, and ask the advice of someone you trust. Will the new format satisfy your needs not only now but, also in the future? Will it look (and sound) as good on all the mornings after you first met? The analogue cassette is an old and trusted versatile friend that went with you on those morning jogs and cruised in the car with you on Friday nights. However, the powers that be, have declared our trusted friend to be in the last phase of the life cycle. It's successor must sound better, work better, and have new features such as a digital display for song titles. There are currently two formats competing to be the consumers next choice for sound on the go. They are Philips' Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) and Sony's Mini Disc (MD). What exactly is digital recording? The definition is, "An electronic format that is designed to duplicate sound, while affording extremely accurate control over any changes you might wish to make in the recording" (Mclan & Wichman,1988). In simple terms it means that the digital circuitry samples the signal and then reproduces what it has seen. The quality of the recording depends on the sampling rate of the machine. The sampled signal is then encoded to the tape or disc in 1's and 0's, just like a computer disk drive would encode information. However, the biggest advantage of digital recording is the fact that it eliminates tape "hiss" that is usually found present in analogue recordings. In the Eighties, a Philips invention captured the limelight. The Compact Disc introduced us to a new era of digital sound, or "perfect sound." In the nineties another Philips invention has taken centre-stage, the Digital Compact Cassette (DCC). DCC is the marriage of the analogue cassette to Digital Audio. Together they form a union that combines perfect sound, high convince and greater versatility. " DCC is a medium on which audio information is digitally encoded and which reproduces CD quality sound" (Philips Electronics, Sound & Vision, 1995). A number of features have been incorporated into DCC tapes and decks to achieve CD like sound and convince. DCC decks can locate a chosen track on either side of the tape because track and time codes are recorded on the tape. This combined with autoreverse, which is standard on all DCC decks, makes track access effortless but, not as fast as a CD. Another attractive feature of DCC is the text mode.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Justification of theory Essay

When talking to Matthew it is essential the teacher makes him feel comfortable, the teacher does this by talking in a clear but soft voice but also being careful that its not just Matthew that she talks to like this as this could single him out from other students. Verbal communication can say a lot about how your trying to speak to the client, as the pitch and tone can create atmosphere when speaking. It is important to speak in a soft voice to Matthew as when shouting or telling him of in a loud voice this makes him aggressive and he can become violent as this would upset and make him feel uncomfortable. Non-Verbal Communication: non-verbal communication can mean many thing suck as moving hands when you speak, posture, how you sit or even facial expressions. Non-verbal communication is very important in any interaction. When interacting with Matthew he likes to be made to feel at ease. To do this the teacher should sit in an open posture with no objects blocking communication, also slightly leaning towards him being careful not to invade his personal space and keeping good eye contact at all times. Matthew’s teacher does not alas do this as when he is being aggressive she ignores him and does not keep any eyes contact, this makes Matthew more aggressive as he is trying to gain the teacher attention by being aggressive and disruptive so therefore his behaviour worsens. Facial expression also helps the interaction, as positive expressions such as smiling when Matthew is talking make him feel the teacher is interested in what he is saying so therefore may contribute to class discussions more in the future. Prompts can also be very helpful as when Matthew is uncomfortable speaking such prompts as ‘carry on’ or ‘that’s right’ may give him confidence when he is speaking. Outcome of Patterns: When all of the above have been taken into consideration a successful interaction will come of it. The above ways are how Matthew likes to be communicated with, as this way is the most effective as it does cause aggression. Overall Matthew has shown less aggression in the class and is interacting appropriately with his teacher and other student around him. E3: Identify and clearly describe relevant psychological theory for clients with the chosen behaviour in a particular health and social care setting. Theories: 1. Bowlby. Attachment/Separation theory 2. Berkowitiz. Aggression theory How theories relate to specific behaviour The first theory Bowlby’s maternal deprivation relates to Matthew as he is the oldest of four children and his father left when he was only seven, since then he has lived with his mother and has been the only male in the house. In studies using the strange situation Bowlby found that infants maybe securely attached to one parent but not the other or in securely attached to both. Bowlby also agrees that man are capable of providing adequate parenting and becoming attachment figures for there young children, and the ‘mother does not even have to be female’. Bowlby’s separation theory relates to Matthew as his parents divorced when he was seven and since then he has had no contact with him. Bowlby calls separation anxiety, namely the fear tat separation will occur again in the future. This can result in aggressive behaviour and greater demands towards the mother, which has been shown by Matthew in the case study. It’s also shown that the consequences of divorce are more serious and damaging then those following the death of a father. Which is why children who commonly experiencing parental divorce show separation anxiety, and they may begin to question the security of their remaining relationship, since if the father can leave, why not the mother too? Children usually deeply resent their parents separation and may retain fantasies of reunion for many years to come. They experience separation as a course that has been chosen by the parents in the knowledge that they do not want it. This especially applies to Matthew as he resents he mother for his father leaving. This makes children feel powerless, disregarded and angry. Where as Matthew has become very aggressive towards his mother because of his father leaving. Divorce has a far greater negative effect on the child’s school work then the death of a parent. As a result of these factors, the relationship between the child and the custodial parent is bound to suffer. Mothers become more authoritarian, increasing the number of demands and restrictions and becoming less affectionate. The children (especially boys) become more aggressive and inflexible. Berkowits aggression relates to Matthew as he has show violence towards his mother, which his father display to his mother in front of him before he left. Berkowits describes aggression as ‘behaviour which is physical or symbolic, that is carried out with the intention to harm someone’. He reserves the term violence for an extreme form of aggression, a deliberate attempt to do serious injury. Freud sees aggression as instinctive, with aggression energy needing to be released regularly if it is not to built up to dangerous levels. The frustration-aggression hypothesis see instinctive and learned reactions as involved, while the social learning approach deindividuation emphasize cognitive aspects of learning from others behaviour and the influence of others on the individual behaviour respectively. Berkowits aggressive-cue theory is bases on the fact that aggressive or violent behaviour is at least partly a reaction to specific features of the surrounding situation which ‘pull out’ responses that heighten the strength of the behaviour. This happens when the aggressive meaning for the aggressor and or when they some how remind the aggressor of decidedly unpleasant experiences; this is the aggressive-cue theory. This theory will relate to Matthew as when he’s reminded of his fathers aggressive behaviour towards his mother he then becomes aggressive himself and uses violence in the same way as his father. Justification of theory: I chose to apply these theories because it supports the behaviour that I am applying them to. As the case study shows aggression and separation the two theories will explain why such thing as aggression is caused and will also back up my work. E3. B Describe your chosen research technique, methods and sample size. Population size: The people involved in my research will be a total number of three. This will include Matthew his mother and teacher.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Chief Justice Earl Warren Essay

President Dwight Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren as the fourteenth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1953. Warren had been the governor of California twice and was also on the republican ticket for Vice President under Thomas Dewey. It was assumed that Warren would pickup where his successor Fred Vinson left off as a conservative member of the Supreme Court, but instead Warren positioned himself as a liberal. When Warren took over as Chief Justice, justices who aligned with judicial activism and those who were in favor of judicial restraint divided the Supreme Court. One of Warren’s goals was to renew the Supreme Courts role in defending individual rights. Warren presided over several civil rights landmark cases including Brown vs. Board of Education I and II, which would spark the great civil rights movement. Warren also presided over cases such as McGowan vs. Maryland and also Tropp vs. Dulles. In Brown vs. the Board of Education, Warren was greatly criticized for not appealing to the precedent (Plessy vs. Ferguson), and rather relying on common sense and fairness. In Chief Justices Warren’s dissenting opinion of Brown vs. Board of Education I, he stated † Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments . †¦ To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community.. .that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely to ever be undone.† His final statement emphasized that separate but equal facilities are inherently unequal, and also that such a doctrine deprived the plaintiffs of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The unanimous decision uncoiled previous twists of the Constitution that focused solely on the belief that â€Å"separate but equal facilities did not imply any type of racial inferiority. In 1966 Warren and his court had another major decision to deal with, â€Å"Miranda v. State of Arizona.† The case dealt with criminal suspects and their rights. The court’s decision was that criminal suspects had to be informed of their  rights before questioning. Warren and the Supreme Court also ruled decisions dealing with legislative apportionment, the basic rights of citizenship, and limitation of the use of libel laws. Again, Warren received both criticism and praise as a result of his judicial performances. After such landmark cases, Warren’s leadership in these cases became a political institution known as † The Warren Court†, with a heavy emphasis on equality and civil rights. The Warren Court used judicial activism and judicial review to interpret the authority and infallibility of the Supreme Court to promote the importance of individual rights. If those individual rights were seen as infringed, the case was likely to be overturned. Warren presided over Brown v. Louisiana 1966, a case where a black student was arrested for protesting a segregated library. Again the Warren Court looked to the 14th Amendments guaranteeing the freedom of speech and assembly, ruling that these rights are not confined to verbal expression. In another case the Warren Court ruled on Yates v. United States 1956. In this case the court overturned the convictions of Communist leaders under the Smith Act. Under the Smith Act any person could be arrested and jailed for advocating the violent over throw of the United States government. The Court ruled that the Smith Act violated the defendants First Amendment rights. In short, the Warren court supplemented one of the most notable movements in the history of the United States, Warren’s emphasis on individual rights and equality were stepping stones for Civil Rights activists, basically giving them protection under the Constitution.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

How Your Freelance Writing Career Is Impacted By Blogging

How Your Freelance Writing Career Is Impacted By Blogging Writers have their own brand to build, and just like any other brand, they are encouraged to have a website with a blog. But other brands, and their blog writers, don’t make their living writing. The techniques and practices they use to promote their product or service use writing as a method. What about freelance careers, whose writing is the product? Can blogging hurt your freelance writing career opportunities? What Happens To Your Freelance Writing Career When You Blog? via @JulieNeidlingerThis is a topic near and dear to me, and it popped up on my radar both experientially (what was happening to me) and through the discovery of other writers suggesting that writers should not be blogging. There seems to be a two-pronged way of looking at this, and I want to clarify it before delving any deeper: Blogging for yourself and your own brand. Blogging as a writing format, in general. I’m going to approach it using both. Blogging Uses Up Creative Energy One of the main reasons I’ve seen writers suggest that blogs are a bad idea for writers is that they take up time and creativity that you should be devoting to your clients and big projects. Is spending time on creativity for your own blog detracting from devoting it to your clients?Do you ever feel like you've used up your allotted words for the day? It might be easier to slap out a long blog post than work on your next book chapter, and you might find that by writing blog posts, you successfully avoid doing the real work and also avoid feeling guilty about it. All the blog posts in the world aren’t going to help you get that other writing done! I found myself recently telling a friend that when I spend all day writing for clients, I don’t feel like writing for myself at the end of the day. â€Å"I’ve used up all the words allotted me for the day.† The reverse can be said. For some writers, there is a limited amount of writing energy, and if you have client work that needs to be done, you shouldn’t use it all up on blogging for yourself. Summation: Spending a lot of time and energy on your own blog will make a dent in the writing you’re able to give to your clients or your serious writing projects. Find a balance or a schedule if you must do both, and be aware of the danger. Guest Blogging Can Take Up Time I’m not going to devalue the importance of guest blogging. Getting your posts on successful blogs is a fantastic way to get your writing seen. You know the drill on that. However...there may, if you are successful, come a tipping point where you have garnered all the attention and audience you’ll get with that method. At what point will you turn to the pay model and act like a freelance writer, offering to write great content but for pay? Are you even thinking along that line? If a huge chunk of your billable time is devoted to blogging for free for other guest blogs, your income will take a hit. If you’re already getting the traffic and recognition you can get, devoting your writing energy to someone else’s blog may no longer make sense. Or, at the very least, you may need to reduce the amount of free guest posts you offer. One good judge is if your inbox is being flooded with requests to write guest posts. Thin that deluge out by requesting payment. Do guest blog. And do be ready to start transitioning over to accepting payment for your writing. Transitioning from free guest posting to paid blog writing means: Learning to accept some people will make known their surprise that you ask for payment now. Understanding that your go-to guest post sources may not always happily transition to paying for what they used to get for free. Realizing your paid client roster will, over time, be completely different from your guest posting roster. Pursuing and accepting clients you’ve never guest posted for. You will have a transition time where you still have some guest posting while new clients are being asked to pay. Many of my writing clients have seen my previously free writing elsewhere, and ask if I’d like to write for them. I respond promptly and professionally, indicating my rate. Some respond back. Some don’t. That’s how freelance writing works. The main question, as a freelance writer, is to try and be aware at what point you’ve established yourself enough to no longer need the validation of guest blogging and transition to receiving an income. Summation: Guest blogging is an excellent way to get momentum behind a freelance writing career, because you build a name for yourself and your writing. However, at some point, you have to transition to getting paid for your writing, and it’s difficult if you’ve built relationships solely on free guest posting.Suggested Reading: How To Make Money Blogging How To Make A Living Blogging 12 Signs You’re Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services 5 Steps To Make Your Freelance Clients Love Your Writing What You Say May Turn People Away Depending on your blog, your approach, or what you espouse, you might say things on your blog that resound with your audience but turn off potential freelance clients. I’m not saying to water down your content and fill it with caveats- there’s a place for controversial blog posts. And, in a world full of people who seem to want to be offended about something, you simply can’t account for everyone. Some people will never be your client if you’re doing your duty as a blogger. As a freelance writer, should you care if what you blog  turns some clients away?However, there are examples of people who blog in a way that seems to take delight in aggravating readers, or being offensive for offensive’s sake. Purposefully being a jerk on your blog will have an impact on your freelance writing if clients see your blog, particularly if your name is on the copy you write for those clients (ghostwriters may have a bit more leeway if the client doesn’t care what you say on your own time since your name is not associated with them). Just know that what might win you accolades on your blog or get you attention, because of a caustic or combative style, may not get you clients. There’s no guarantee, either way, how what you say will affect whether or not clients will seek you out to write for them, or whether they’ll look at your body of work and decide they want someone else to do the work. Summation: Everything you write illustrates your style, your voice, your capability, your strengths, and your weaknesses. It shouldn’t keep you from writing. It just means being aware that some clients will or won’t like it. Blogging Is An Online Activity Blogging is part of the Internet. Before there was Internet, there was no blogging. This seems obvious, but the point here is that anyone who is old enough to remember concentration levels, researching, and writing prior to the Internet will understand how the research and rewarded components of blog writing might affect other writing. For example, blog posts filled with images, quotes, outside links, embedded social posts, and so on are considered good form. To get these things, you are required to adopt a research and work habit that includes surfing the Web, social networks, Internet searches, and all sorts of distracting activity that can technically be needed but can also technically be a reduction in concentration. Writing projects that require long periods of concentration and different research are going to be foreign to bloggers who have been consistently been rewarded for different work habits. Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows is an eye-opener in this area, showing that the Internet can decrease our ability to focus and concentrate for long periods of time. If your freelance writing clients demand more of you than a single blog post and ask you to create content from sources not online, you’ll face some challenges in both your ability to change how you research and to concentrate. If you’ve only known the Internet and have always relied on it, instead of older forms of research or writing with a typewriter or longhand, this point may be hard to validate or understand. But to old fogies like me, it isn’t. I’m highly aware of a diminishing ability to concentrate compared to my writing and work prior to the ubiquitousness of the Internet. I need to find as many routes to reducing my online time as I can, and if that means shaving back my own personal blogging or reducing the amount of blogging clients I take in favor of other writing projects, so be it. Summation: Blogging rewards research and writing behavior that don’t serve longer or more traditional forms of writing well. It may be tough to relearn how to research and concentrate for longer or more involved writing projects. Blogging Has Its Own Writing Style I can freely admit that focusing solely on blogging has done damage to my ability to create other forms of writing. Though I’ve been blogging for more than a decade, it’s only the last four years where that blogging has been my â€Å"day job† and the approach and focus has been different. Where I used to blog on a variety of topics for a personal audience (for fun) using humor or rants or fiction or poetry, the blogging I do now is decidedly of a different formula. There are headings. There are subheadings. There are: Bullet points Lists Pull quotes Bullet points Yes, bullet points. There are thesis statements in powerful introductions, supporting facts, and all of the reasonable teachable approaches to direct, clear copy that ultimately has to sell the reader on something. And, unless I’m writing a planned series, blog posts are short- even the longest blog posts of 2,000–4,000 words are not comparable to longer writing projects found elsewhere. Lovely, if that’s the kind of freelance writing you are focusing on. Less lovely if you also want to try your hand at different styles of writing. Something similar happened after several years of working as a newspaper reporter; I approached everything as if it were a newspaper article. If you become really good at the blogging format and develop the habits and systems that make it possible to write a post on any topic to fit any headline under any time crunch, that’s fantastic blogging. If you are able to twist your content to fit an audience that you’re selling to, again: fantastic blogging. But those same abilities will probably get in the way of trying your hand at creative writing or other types of freelance writing. As it is, when I sit down to do non-blog writing, I have a very difficult time not slipping into the blogging habits and churning out a three-point outline with facts and some bullet points and a call to action at the end. You can’t bullet-point your way to the end of a short story, though I often find myself thinking it would be easier to just drop a bullet list in rather than take the time to write it out in depth in such moments. And, because I’m used to how writing 2,000 words feels, everything I write tends to fit into that sort of rhythm. I seem to have learned to truncate thoughts, words, and explanations in a way that will ultimately fit that word count. When I want to write longer work for other projects and clients, it’s a real struggle; things seem to come out in 2,000 word chunks that don’t always segue well. What works great for blogging doesn’t work great elsewhere. Non-blogging clients will have their own style guides and preferences that may look nothing like a proper blog post and it will require you to work against your good blogging habits and proven blogging writing systems. Summation: If you want to do freelance writing outside of the blogging realm in different writing styles, some of the same habits that have made you a great blogger will work against you.Recommended Reading:  What A Newspaper Reporter Can Teach You About Blogging When it comes to breaking the blogging writing style, there are three ways to approach it. 1. Branch out with purpose. Write a different format/genre, and submit that writing somewhere that isn’t a blog. Get it in front of the eyes of a client, editor, or audience that isn’t blogging. Even if they are critical, it’s how you’ll understand what blogging methods you need to shed to make your writing work elsewhere. In some cases, you may not be paid much (or at all) for certain types of submissions, but if your goal is to try your hand at writing successfully beyond blogging, there is still merit in the editorial and critique process you’ll go through. 2. Take writing classes. Learn about other forms of writing. Go to writer’s conferences. Take writing classes online or in person. Read books about writing. In other words, meet and understand the writing world outside of blogging. I know it’s so tempting to stay in blogging (believe me, I know), but if you really want to do freelance writing beyond your own blog or blogging clients, you’ll have to learn a new writing language. 3. Set non-blogging writing goals. Set a goal to write something that has nothing to do with your blog or blogging. Maybe you’ll start a magazine or self-publish a book. Or maybe your goal will simply be one of starting each day using writing prompts and doing some creative writing exercises. Whatever it is, practice not blogging as part of your daily writing. If there was a recommended daily allowance for writing, make sure you have a well-balanced writing diet. How Blogging Makes You A Better Writer Despite all I’ve mentioned above, blogging can still help you be a better freelance writer as long as you don’t let the negatives overpower the potential. If you’re a serious blogger, you’ve acquired some skills that can help your other freelance writing projects. For example: 1. You write regularly. I’m participating in the James Patterson Masterclass just for some writing fun, and one of the things I found interesting was the difficulty some students expressed at the idea of writing every day. That’s old hat for me, at this point, and so when Patterson says write for an hour, write several thousand words, I think â€Å"is that all?† If you’re blogging seriously, you’re doing this already. 2. You learn to deal with feedback. Blogging (and then sharing on social media) means you’re immediately aware of what people think of your writing and your ideas. There is very little separation between you and the people you are writing to. While feedback and critique can be tough, it’s how you get better at writing. And because blogging allows for instant feedback, you can get better writing right away. 3. You learn to write when you don’t want to. Bloggers know how to write when they don’t feel like it, because there are deadlines to be met and topics to be covered no matter what. Writers often fall into the trap of waiting for inspiration before writing, but freelance career writers don’t have that luxury. You have to find ways to beat writer’s block and get moving.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Ethical Problems for New Graduates

Ethical Problems for New Graduates New graduates face different ethical dilemmas every time they join a new organization. Markkula Center of Applied Ethics offers dynamic insights regarding how new graduates should tackle different ethical dilemmas. Most of the advice given in the short videos recommends a scientific approach to handling ethical dilemmas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Problems for New Graduates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the videos recommend that new graduates should always understand the background of the ethical dilemma in the organization and review if appropriate actions are normally taken in such situations or not. This is a scientific approach to handling ethical dilemmas. For instance, regarding the accounting dilemma, Markkula Center of Applied Ethics recommends that new graduates should investigate if errors of omission are normally committed in the organization. Moreover, the interviewee (Hanson ) explains that, employees should investigate if action is ordinarily taken in such situations. If it is established that there is a serious ethical problem, Hanson recommends that the problem should be escalated to superior authorities. Based on a friend’s experience, it is normally difficult to escalate an ethical dilemma to a superior authority if an employee is still new to an organization. Often, new graduates have just secured new positions in organizations and ordinarily, their first preoccupation would not be to ask many questions regarding the ethical or unethical conduct of the organization but to get everyone to like them. In extreme situations, most new employees would focus on securing their jobs and refrain from drawing too much attention to themselves by blowing the whistle on a colleague. Such scenarios are common for new graduates and Hanson’s advice of escalating ethical dilemmas to higher authorities fail to represent the real situation facing most n ew graduates in the organization. The above approach of handling the accounting dilemma is also stressed in the ethical dilemma of gender discrimination. Hanson’s advice to women who think they are being discriminated against is defined by a background analysis of the ethical dilemma. He proposes that this background study is crucial to establish if there is substantial ground to assume an employee is being discriminated against (or not). He points out that there are unique situations where an organization may treat an employee differently (such as when an employee is being prepared for an international assignment) and it is therefore important to refrain from unleashing the â€Å"gender† or â€Å"race† card (if a background study of the problem is not done). Hanson’s assessment is an intelligent but cautionary approach to handling gender-based ethical dilemmas because a colleague’s real-life experience shows that this approach is always the best.A dvertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, there was a case where a female employee confronted her supervisor for giving her fewer duties at work because she believed she was given fewer tasks because she was a woman. It turned out that it was the company’s procedure to give fewer duties to new staff until they got acquainted with the organization’s tasks. The female employee had to withdraw her complaint because she did not give herself enough time to learn how the organization operates. Based on the above example, Hanson’s advice to new graduates is well informed Comprehensively, Markkula Center of Applied Ethics provides the right framework for handling ethical dilemmas but Hanson’s advice regarding first time ethical dilemmas is a little shallow. More sensitivity should therefore be given towards the â€Å"real† organizational environme nt facing new graduates (or employees who have just secured employment). For instance, more focus should be made on how new graduates can solve ethical dilemmas without running the risk of losing their jobs or getting their employers in trouble. Such is the recommendation that applies to the accounting dilemma.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

50 Inspiring Writing Prompts to Kick Writers Block

50 Inspiring Writing Prompts to Kick Writers Block Are you stuck for something to write about? Maybe youre scratching your head trying to come up with a fresh idea for a personal essay- a narrative or an extended description. Perhaps youre in the habit of keeping a journal or a blog, but today, for some reason, you cant think of a blessed thing to say. Maybe you need exercise to start a short story or need to do some prewriting for plot or character development for a longer fiction piece. Heres something that may help: a list of 50 brief writing prompts. The items on the list are not full-blown essay topics, just hints, snippets, cues, and clues to prod your memory, kick  writers block, and get you started. 50 Writing Prompts Take a minute or two to look over the list. Then pick one prompt that brings to mind a particular image, experience, or idea. Start writing (or freewriting) and see where it takes you. If after a few minutes you hit a dead end, dont panic. Simply return to the list, pick another prompt,  and try again.  Inspiration can truly come from anywhere. Its just a matter of freeing your mind from distraction and letting your imagination lead you where it may. When you discover something that intrigues or surprises you, thats the idea to develop further.   Everyone else was laughing.On the other side of that doorLate againWhat Ive always wantedA sound Id never heard beforeWhat if...The last time I saw himAt that moment I should have left.Just a brief encounterI knew how it felt to be an outsider.Hidden away in the back of a drawerWhat I should have saidWaking up in a strange roomThere were signs of trouble.Keeping a secretAll I have left is this photo.It wasnt really stealing.A place I pass by every dayNobody can explain what happened next.Staring at my reflectionI should have lied.Then the lights went out.Some might say its a weakness.Not again!Where Id go to hide out from everyoneBut thats not my real name.Her side of the storyNobody believed us.It was time to change schools again.We climbed to the top.The one thing Ill never forgetFollow these rules, and well get along fine.It may not be worth anything.Never againOn the other side of the streetMy father used to tell meWhen nobody was lookingIf I could do it over againOf course it wa s illegal. It wasnt my idea.Everyone was staring at me.It was a stupid thing to say.Hiding under my bedIf I tell you the truthMy secret collectionFootsteps in the darkThe first cut is the deepest.Trouble, big troubleLaughing uncontrollablyIt was just a game to them.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Incarceration of the Mentally Challenged Term Paper

Incarceration of the Mentally Challenged - Term Paper Example Recently, it has been a common practice of the mentally challenged being locked in the prisons which has forced many to argue on the best practice of this incarceration. Mostly this has happened without the prior scrutiny of the culprits and their disorders (Grob, 243). It is a common knowledge that the mentally disabled persons have various and highly demanding needs which need be addressed in the best way possible. Significantly, other than pushing to protect the society they live in, the mentally challenged have the need to be cured of their illness which compels them to break the laws. Remarkably, the mentally ill persons are not in the position of making the right decisions due to their abnormalities. They commit themselves to actions without the prior knowledge or awareness of the emergent repercussions and consequences they will suffer as result. Notably, in the absence of their mental disorder these persons would be upright and function normally as the other healthy people. I n view of this, exemplary procedures and measures must be established by the concerned authorities to safeguard the incarceration of this suffering group of human kind (Grob, 245). Although the number of persons with mental retardation is minimal an increasing population of this has fallen within the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system. For a long time, the issue of locking the mentally challenged in the prisons has not been the best practice. As a fact, in many states little or no provision has been made for the mentally ill offenders accruing to inequitable harsh dispositions which are very expensive to the states (Grob, 245). More over many mentally challenged persons have been incarcerated for offences they have never committed. In the course of their arrest and subsequent prosecution, many are the times the perceived offenders confess of doing what they never did. This has been occasioned by their childlike ways of thinking and fear of the authorities leading to little long term perceptions. Essentially, such acts and confessions have forced the mentally retarded to wave their rights without a clear knowledge of what they are really doing (Larson et al. 240) In addition, the mentally ill are bound by numerous misfortunes. These people are jobless and as a consequence they make no income. During the pretrial incarceration only those who can afford bails which are typically accorded to the employed or with stable and secure living conditions are saved the unjust and cruel treatment in the prisons. Remarkably, by virtue of the retarded lacking bails condemns them to unfair incarceration (Larson et al. 244). Another challenge faced by the mentally ill is in the issue of securing a plea bargaining during the court process and ultimate sentencing. Though unaware, these persons provide the prosecutors with highly incriminating evidence against themselves than the normal persons. This makes them less successful in bargaining for their punishment within th e law. Furthermore, aggressive prosecutors are continuously lowering the credibility of their testimonies which makes them highly unreliable. Factually, the mentally retarded are serving long jails and high rate sentences since they cannot be accorded probations. This has been necessitated by the inequalities of the justice system which advocates granting probation to those of sound mind and possessing great education and work backgrounds (Larson et al. 246). Notably, the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Report on Apple Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Report on Apple Company - Essay Example The company has been successful in the recent years and has even managed to attain leadership in the global market. Among other factors, the successful performance of the company has been driven by its efficient business and marketing strategies. This paper suggests that the company’s business and marketing strategies are also going to influence its performance in the future. Therefore, by addressing the current business and marketing strategies, a potential investor can have a clear picture of the company and can apply the information in making an effective decision on whether to invest in it or not. The business strategies addressed in the paper that are adopted by Apple are product development and product proliferation approaches. The marketing strategies addressed are Apple’s segmentation, target market and positioning strategies as well as the company’s marketing mix. Based on the analysis, Miguel and his co-workers can make wise decisions on whether their c ompany, Tech-Shield, should invest in Apple Inc. Table of Contents Summary ii Table of Contents iii Apple Inc. 1 1.0 Background 1 2.0 Business Strategy 1 Figure 1.0 Use of iTunes 2 Figure 2.0 Some of Apple’s innovative products 3 3.0 Market Strategy 5 3.1 Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning 5 3.2 Marketing Mix 6 3.2.1 Product 6 3.2.2 Price 7 3.2.3 Place 8 3.2.4 Promotion 8 Figure 3.0 Strategy of Promotions 9 4.0 Summary of SWOT Analysis 9 Table 1.0 Apple’s SWOT Analysis 9 5.0 Conclusion 10 6.0 Work cited 12 List of Figures Figure 1.0 Use of iTunes 2 Figure 2.0 Some of Apple’s innovative products 3 Figure 3.0 Strategy of Promotions 9 List of Tables Table 1.0 Apple’s SWOT Analysis 9 Apple Inc. 1.0 Background Apple Inc. is a leading multinational corporation that produces computers, computer software, commercial servers and consumer electronics. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple was founded in 1979 by Steve Jobs and his colleagues. The co mpany has developed a huge portfolio of products, which have successfully penetrated the global market, such as Mac line of computers, iPhone series, iPad series and iPod series among others (Lamido, 2013). Apple Inc. operates in a highly competitive market comprising of well-established manufacturers of consumer accessories and electronics, such as IBM, HP, Dell, Microsoft, Toshiba, Samsung, Nokia, LG and Google. Arguably, the high level of competition has prompted Apple Inc. to intensify its business and marketing efforts in the recent years. Among other efforts, the company’s efficient business and marketing strategies have steered at to attain leadership in the global market (Katie, 1). Arguably, any factor that may influence the performance of an organization in the future is of fundamental interest to potential investors. This paper addresses the business and marketing strategies of Apple as the principal among the factors that will influence its performance in the futu re. The paper aims at giving a clear picture of the performance of Apple in the two areas to Miguel and his co-workers so that they can make a wise decision on whether their company, Tech-Shield, should invest in Apple Inc. 2.0 Business Strategy Apple Inc. has been using a combination of product development and product proliferation strategies to gain  a competitive edge in the global market (Besanko, Dranove and Shanron, 47). Product development refers to the process of innovating new or better products or services to replace old ones (O’Grady, 37). Apple has attained leadership in its target market mainly through continuous innovation of unique products. Apple created iPods and iTunes and by 2003, it had made them available in Microsoft Windows version. Consequently, demand for these products skyrocketed and propelled the revenue for the company to

Critical thinking-onion Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical thinking-onion - Coursework Example Furthermore, the website also provides video backup for the existing written texts. Some of the videos are automatic such that they start as soon as one clicks into the link. The website has various headlines. For instance, New Study Finds Therapy, Antidepressants Equally Effective At Monetizing Depression, Grandchild, Grandfather Equally Dreading Collaborating For School Interview Project among others. The satirical source conveys a partisan bias in the manner in which it delivers information. For example, the satirical source address success in finding an antidepressant that has great effectiveness at depression monetization (Norman 1). However, new turn of events comes when the author diverts attention into its financial benefits to its dealers. Norman, Ok. New Study Finds Therapy, Antidepressants Equally Effective At Monetizing Depression. New York: The Onion, February 17, 2015. Accessed on February 18, 2015 from

Hw 3-2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hw 3-2 - Essay Example Management, however, in other organizations, deal with organization, planning, staffing, leading and controlling a company. Barton’s trip to the bookstore and late night studying expounded his knowledge on IT. The materials, though educative, were confusing Barton. He got to learn just how the IT world is complicated (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 48). Barton understood now why there were so many layers of OSI cables. After reading the book, he also understood why the cables were so complicated. Barton’s meeting did not go as plan due to various reasons. First and foremost, people at the meeting did not welcome Barton’s proposal of an off-site company meeting. He did not expect anybody to reject his proposal. He also expected a quick acceptance and then a session of planning for his event (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 36). However, Barton was wrong. His thoughts were all in vain. For instance, Fenton made it clear that he did not fancy incorporating people such as John Cho in the off-site meeting and Gordon also supported him (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 36). Barton also did not expect the members at the meeting to make the situation of the company more badly than it was, but since they did not agree on anything matter went the way he did not expect. IT organizational structure is set the way it is because the overall business model for an IT organization comprises of lots of sections due to the complexity of the business itself. This is to make sure that all technological elements are dealt with in the company (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 48). An IT organization is structured the way it is because this complex structure tends to offer exceptional synergy as it offers many means of achieving organizational goals. IT is also connected directly to finance. Therefore, a CIO is a direct report to a CFO in an IT

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Essay 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 18

1 - Essay Example At the door there is a hanging on the wall showing a menu of river fish available to the customers that day. There are leafy trees around the shop indicating that the environment around supports plantation. People from the region get to purchase fresh produce from the farms and fish from the shop since these products are available. The painting has a message that further reinforces the title â€Å"Honest Weights and Square Dealings.† This assures the customer of reliable, honest dealings and quality services. It is during the time of a business busy schedule as indicated by presence of majority of family members. The members are making an effort to attract more customers to the shop. On the poster advertising the name of the business there is a phone number at the top, meaning that the society is developed and uses mobile phones as means of communication. Outside the kiosk two young men hold melons up close to their heads. One boy is using both hands showing how strong he is. Around them there are several baskets of oranges placed left and right of the shop. There are berries on display at the centre of the shop. This indicates the business has no monopoly over the market. Several marketing strategies have been used such as; display of fruits outside, hanging of the menu which has affordable prices at the door, and the two boys outside the kiosk advertising. There are flowers outside the kiosk that adds aesthetic value, attracts and makes the shopping area attractive. The flowers beautify the place implying the kiosk cares for their social welfare, quality and hygiene. A small girl curtseys and welcomes the customers into the shop. The photo shows two gentlemen inside the kiosk ushering in customers indicating that the services being offered in the shop are friendly. The back door is visible and it leads to another room. This family has used a portion

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

International Business - Essay Example In the year 2008, more than 1 million people acquired certification in IELTS (IELTS Press Release, 2008). Every year, more than 2 million people hailing from nearly 135 countries appear for IELTS (IELTS Press Release, 2008). Amongst them, a vast number of candidates happen to be from India. With the opening up of economy and the onset of globalization, every year a vast number of Indian citizens, aspiring to study or immigrate abroad, appear for IELTS (McDaniel, 2004). Considering the fact that a majority of these candidates give great importance to this test, owing to its pivotal role in the achievement of their career goals, setting up a chain of IELTS coaching centers in India stands to be a very positive business proposition. A majority of the employees recruited for this venture will be Indians. This is because they are apt to possess the local cultural competencies, which will go well with the Indian customers. Hence, awareness of cultural dimensions and characteristics will play a pivotal role in the chalking out of an effective business strategy in India. However, as IELTS is a test with an international appeal, care will be taken to introduce at least one native English speaking teacher at each center. The planning and administration will be such as to show sensitivity for the cultural norms and values of the Indian employees and customers. Specific effort will be made to make decisions guided by the insights gained into the values and attitudes of Indian employees. Locations: Due to strategic reasons, the first five coaching centers will be started at New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Chandigarh. The reason is that these cities stand to be urban and economic hubs in India. The employees here will be more likely to be open to cultural convergence. The value system of administrators and employees recruited from these places are more probable to be in consonance with global values and norms. They will be more willing to customize their

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Essay 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 18

1 - Essay Example At the door there is a hanging on the wall showing a menu of river fish available to the customers that day. There are leafy trees around the shop indicating that the environment around supports plantation. People from the region get to purchase fresh produce from the farms and fish from the shop since these products are available. The painting has a message that further reinforces the title â€Å"Honest Weights and Square Dealings.† This assures the customer of reliable, honest dealings and quality services. It is during the time of a business busy schedule as indicated by presence of majority of family members. The members are making an effort to attract more customers to the shop. On the poster advertising the name of the business there is a phone number at the top, meaning that the society is developed and uses mobile phones as means of communication. Outside the kiosk two young men hold melons up close to their heads. One boy is using both hands showing how strong he is. Around them there are several baskets of oranges placed left and right of the shop. There are berries on display at the centre of the shop. This indicates the business has no monopoly over the market. Several marketing strategies have been used such as; display of fruits outside, hanging of the menu which has affordable prices at the door, and the two boys outside the kiosk advertising. There are flowers outside the kiosk that adds aesthetic value, attracts and makes the shopping area attractive. The flowers beautify the place implying the kiosk cares for their social welfare, quality and hygiene. A small girl curtseys and welcomes the customers into the shop. The photo shows two gentlemen inside the kiosk ushering in customers indicating that the services being offered in the shop are friendly. The back door is visible and it leads to another room. This family has used a portion

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

EMR feasability Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

EMR feasability - Article Example It is feasible to implement Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in hospitals that plan strategically to accomplish the inaugural state requirements of a meaningful use. EMR is an essential and exciting step towards the right direction. Currently in this rural area, there are no certified products of EMR in the market; however, the bodies responsible for certification are already planning to do so. This certification process and technological interoperability within the healthcare facilities have been awarded significant thought and attention by government officials and healthcare leaders. The feasibility of implementing EMR is limited with time; however, the process of implementation is very realistic and feasible. This will bring major changes in the healthcare industry; therefore the implementation process should be given top priority due to its feasibility. The paper has ascertained that creation of inter-related health systems, rather than stay alone silos of rural health care syste ms is a realistic opportunity to implement an EMR medical offices (Jones, 2008). The implementation of EMR is beneficial in the following ways; EMR improves greatly the quality of care through keeping up to date patient records and enhancing their accessibility; EMR allows easy tracking of patients by clinic staff who need follow up care; EMR allows physicians to find comprehensive patient medical records from the past; EMR improves the ability of clinicians to help the patients in managing the treatment of most complex diseases; and it also allows researchers and clinicians to analyze long term trends and patient data. On the other hand, implementation of the EMR has a lot of challenges some of which are: need for training data clerks in data entry and management which can be expensive to the implementer; setting up a system of information technology can be much expensive on the part of the implementer;

Monday, October 14, 2019

Voting Choice and Age Research Results

Voting Choice and Age Research Results Statistics Assessment Social Research Skills 1 In this assignment you will need a) to answer some general questions about quantitative data analysis and b) to answer some questions using data taken from the 2014 British Social Attitudes Survey. All questions must be answered. 1. The following questions are about measurement List the different levels a variable may take and describe the properties of the levels. Nominal level is where the variable only measures differences between cases such as gender. This is because nominal level does not need any ordering among its responses. Ordinal level is where the variable can be ranked but the differences between categories is not available. An example can be educational achievement. Interval level are numerical scales in which intervals have the same interpretation throughout, such as temperature, but it is unusual to see this used in social science. Ratio level is an interval scale with the additional property that its zero position indicates the absence of the quantity being measured, such as income. List the level of measurement that has been used for each of the variables in the dataset (other than the serial number)? Do not use the level of measurement in the data file. They have all been set to scale. England, Scotland or Wales? Nominal Sex Nominal Age Interval/ratio Number of children in HH aged 4-15yrs Interval/ratio political party identification Nominal Better for govt to be formed of one party, or two in coalition? Ordinal How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? Ordinal How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? ordinal How many employees do you supervise? ordinal How many hours do you normally work a week in your main job including any paid or unpaid overtime? Ordinal Are you now a member of a trade union or staff association? Ordinal Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? ordinal Respondents religion nominal How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? Nominal How important to always to vote in elections ordinal People who want children ought to get married ordinal Gay or lesbian couples should have the right to marry one another if they want to ordinal There is one law for the rich and one for the poor ordinal Left-right scale ordinal Libertarian-authoritarian scale ordinal Welfarism scale ordinal To which of these groups do you consider you belong? ordinal How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: ordinal How do variables levels of measurement affect statistical analyses? Give examples. Knowing the level of measure can help with how to interpret the data from that variable. This also means that the appropriate statistical analysis used on certain values because if the value was nominal then data would not be averaged or use a t-test on the data. 2. You are required to report some descriptive statistics. Report your findings using any charts or tables you think are appropriate. Report two measures of dispersion and two measures of central tendency of the number of children aged between 4 and 15 living in the respondents households? Statistics Number of children in HH aged 4-15yrs dv N Valid 2878 Missing 0 Mean .33 Median .00 Mode 0 Std. Deviation .741 Variance .548 Range 5 Minimum 0 Maximum 5 Measures of central tendency were computed to summarize the data for the number of children in households aged 4-15yrs variable. Measures of dispersion were computed to understand the variability of scores for the number of children in households aged 4-15yrs variable. The following are the results of this analysis; N = 2878, M=0.33, SD=0.741. When you look at the mean, it appears that there is signficant number of children aged 4-15yrs living in households. Also, based on the small standard deviation, it looks like the data is not varied. What percentage of the sample believe it is better for government to be formed of one party on its own? (report valid percent)    Better for govt to be formed of one party, or two in coalition? Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Govt formed by one political party on own 620 21.5 69.5 69.5 Govt formed by two political parties in coalition 272 9.5 30.5 100.0 Total 892 31.0 100.0 Missing Not applicable 1907 66.3 Dont know 76 2.6 Refused 3 .1 Total 1986 69.0 Total 2878 100.0 69.5% (valid percent) believe it is better for government to be formed of one party on its own. 3. The following questions are about the number of employees respondents supervise . What is the greatest number of employees a respondent reported supervising? Statistics How many employees do you supervise? dv N Valid 2776 Missing 102 Maximum 3000 The greatest number of employees who responded to the report of supervising was 3000. Recode the variable measuring how many employees respondents supervise into the following categories: 0 employees, 1- 10 employees, 11- 100 employees and more than 100 employees. Display the proportions in each category using appropriate tables and charts. This bar chart shows that over 60% of respondents supervised were 0 employees, over 20% of respondents supervised were 1- 10 employees, near 10% of respondents supervised were 11-100 employees and near 5% of respondents supervised were over 100 employees. What percentage of respondents who supervise 0 employees agree strongly there is one law for the rich and one for the poor? 25.1% respondents who supervise 0 employees agree strongly there is one law for the rich and one for the poor. 4. The following question are about the age respondents were when they left education and their scores on a welfare scale. Report the confidence interval of the mean age respondents were when they left continuous full time education. Please give an interpretation of your results. One-Sample Test Test Value = 0 t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? 90.416 2864 .000 19.053 18.64 19.47 We can be 95% confident that the mean on how old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education is between 18.64 and 19.47. This is significant due to significant value is less than the alpha value of 0.05, which means we can reject the null hypothesis. Is respondents mean score on the scale measuring their attitudes to welfare significantly different from 3? Please give an interpretation of your results.    One-Sample Test Test Value = 3 t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Welfarism scale -.479 2338 .632 -.0066929 -.034102 .020716 The mean is insignificant when testing at value of 3 so this means we cannot reject or accept the null hypothesis. 5. The following question is about hypothesis testing and statistical significance. In your own words, define the concept of a sampling distribution. Sampling distribution is where the possibility of obtaining each likely value of a statistic from a random sample of a population. In your own words, describe the difference between a p value and an à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (alpha) value. The alpha value is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true whereas the p value is the probability of obtaining your sample data if the null hypothesis was true. 6. The following questions are about behavioural and attitudinal differences between members of the sample. For each question you must select the appropriate test of significance, report relevant SPSS output and an interpretation of your results. a) Is respondents trust in the police independent of their race? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? * To which of these groups do you consider you belong? Crosstabulation Count To which of these groups do you consider you belong? Total Black Asian White Do you tend to trust or tend not to trust the police? Trust it a great deal 6 23 239 268 Tend to trust it 32 48 1124 1204 Tend to distrust it 22 10 246 278 Distrust it greatly 5 1 94 100 Total 65 82 1703 1850 I used the Chi-squared test on the data. You could argue that the data does show that the respondents trust in the police may not be independent of their race, however I do not believe this was statistically significant due to needing a larger sample size to being to prove or disprove this hypothesis. How does the mean rating respondents give to helping people in the rest of the world who are worse off than you differ by religion? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Ranks Respondents religion dv N Mean Rank How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: [S-C]AC Church of England/Anglican 286 305.02 Roman Catholic 154 389.22 Other Christian 247 360.93 Total 687 Ranks How important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself: [S-C]AC N Mean Rank Respondents religion dv Not at all important 133 227.30 2 135 236.29 3 178 210.96 Total 446 I used the Kruskal Wallis test. You could argue that the data does show religion has a higher mean rank then to how important to help people in the rest of the world who are worse off than yourself. This is not statistically significant as it does prove or reject the null hypothesis. Describe the association between the numbers of cars and vans people own or have regular use of and the number of trips they can make by plane during the last 12 months? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? Correlations How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? How many, if any, cars or vans does your household own or have the regular use of? Pearson Correlation 1 .502** Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 2878 2878 How many trips did you make by plane during the last 12 months? Pearson Correlation .502** 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 2878 2878 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). I used the Pearsons Correlation Coefficient test. It was statistically significant because there is no correlation between the variables. How does the mean age respondents left full-time education differ across men and women? Which test did you use and was it statistically significant? How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? * Person 1 SEX Crosstabulation Person 1 SEX Total Male Female How old were you when you completed your continuous full-time education? 1 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 10 1 0 1 11 2 1 3 12 1 3 4 13 0 4 4 14 67 67 134 15 247 327 574 16 374 438 812 17 86 130 216 18 116 208 324 19 29 48 77 20 31 42 73 21 102 127 229 22 72 87 159 23 36 48 84 24 23 22 45 25 14 8 22 26 13 7 20 27 3 2 5 28 6 1 7 29 2 2 4 30 1 4 5 31 1 1 2 34 1 0 1 35 1 0 1 38 0 1 1 95 0 3 3 96 21 26 47 97 2 4 6 Total 1253 1612 2865 I used the Chi-squared test on the data. There is not much difference males and females in regards to what age they left education so this statistic test was statistically insignificant. 7. The following questions are about modelling the relationship between belief in always voting in elections and respondents age. Please include all relevant SPSS output and interpret your results. a) Model respondents beliefs about the importance of always voting in elections as a function of their age. What is the expected change in the scores measuring respondents beliefs in the importance of voting with a unit change in their age? Person 1 age last birthday * How important to always to vote in elections: [S-C]AC Crosstabulation Count How important to always to vote in elections: [S-C]AC Total Not at all important 2 3 4 5 6 Very important Person 1 age last birthday 18 2 1 2 2 2 1 3 13 19 1 0 0 1 3 2 5 12 20 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 12 21 2 1 2 2 3 1 2 13 22 2 1 0 1 2 1 7 14 23 4 2 0 0 2 4 4 16 24 2 1 3 5 4 2 0 17 25 1 2 5 1 1 2 6 18 26 3 1 1 2 4 1 4 16 27 1 1 0 4 2 6 8 22 28 3 1 0 4 7 1 9 25 29 1 0 2 1 2 1 6 13 30 1 1 4 4 4 2 5 21 31 2 1 3 2 1 5 7 21 32 2 0 2 2 2 3 6 17 33 2 0 1 1 2 1 7 14 34 0 0 1 3 0 3 7 14 35 1 4 1 2 1 5 15 29 36 1 0 6 2 3 5 12 29 37 1 0 1 2 3 5 6 18 38 1 0 3 1 0 3 13 21 39 1 0 3 4 6 0 9 23 40 1 0 2 3 6 1 8 21 41 3 1 4 7 6 3 12 36 42 4 2 4 6 3 3 14 36 43 1 3 1 4 5 4 14 32 44 1 0 0 3 0 1 8 13 45 1 1 6 1 4 3 12 28 46 4 0 1 3 2 2 14 26 47 2 1 1 0 3 2 14 23 48 2 2 0 3 3 4 8 22 49 3 0 0 3 6 7 10 29 50 2 0 4 1 1

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Gingerbread Tortilla Essay -- Culture Cultural Papers

The Gingerbread Tortilla Since the mid 1900’s, readers have enjoyed the story of The Gingerbread Man in the original as well as its modified forms. The story has been modified to newer versions, and told from perspectives of different cultures. In the original versions, gingerbread was used as the main character with the story beginning with an old European/American lady baking gingerbread. Now, in the 21st century, children have less and less experience with making gingerbread in their homes and we are receiving an influx of children from other cultures. Therefore children are not familiar with what gingerbread taste like or why the farmer and the animals in the original versions would want to chase the gingerbread man. This calls for a modified version of a classic folktale, which is what the Rollaway Tortilla is all about. Most children living in the United States have at least been to Taco Bell, or because of the influence of Mexican Americans have tasted a tortilla and so can relate to Kimmel's new version of the gingerbread man. In his new book, Kimmel restores the old folktale into a Southwestern Texas tale The Rollaway Tortilla. Kimmel, and his illustrator, Cecil make the tale come alive with its vitalizing language, authentic Texan illustrations, and design of the book. Eric A. Kimmel wrote a southwestern Texas version that will not only draw an interest of Mexican American, and Texan children, but all children living in the United States. The Rollaway Tortilla begins in the desert of Texas at a Taquerà ¬a near the Rio Grande. Instead of making gingerbread, Tà ¬a (Aunt) Lupe makes the best light and soft tortillas in town. The tortilla, just like the gingerbread, does not want to be eate... ...will enjoy this book and use it to introduce areas such as history, poetry, geography, cooking, counting for the younger audience and language. Language and math components of the story can be used for reinforcement at www.winslowpress.com. As a folktale, The Rollaway Tortilla shows its excellence in that it meets the qualifications of authenticity, uses repetition and rhythm, and it includes conflict and action. It uses real Texan scenery and animals one would find in that part of Texas, and the use of the Mexican folklore animal, the coyote. At the end the coyote’s tricks keep the readers in suspense as to what will happen to the tortilla. With the SNAP of the coyote, the story ends, and so lives on the song of the tortilla: â€Å"Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!†

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Comparing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Pleasantville :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Pleasantville Have you ever heard of the great Mark Twain? Many people have and recognize his novels by name; especially his most famous book called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The great thing about Huck is that it was meant to be a simple book, but ended up deemed a classic. The reason for this is that it contains many great American themes and motifs. Many American novels, books and movies also contain these themes and motifs, making it very easy to compare Huckleberry Finn to Pleasantville. Although the plot of each story is very different, Huckleberry Finn and Pleasantville have the same motifs. Both the movie and the book have the motifs of going west, rebel vs. the establishment and Jim Crow/Shaman. This essay will compare these common American motifs. The "go west" motif is about the characters running away or escaping from where they previously were (this doesn't necessarily have to include a trip west). In Huck Finn the river is the tool used to help Huck and Jim escape from their life. The river helps to take Huck and Jim away from civilization and reunite them with nature. The river also helps to free them from "slavery", Huck being a "slave" to the Widow Douglas and Jim actually being Miss Watson's slave. In Pleasantville a life in colour is how the townspeople are allowed to "go west". When they are in black and white they have the perfect life, meaning that nothing can ever go wrong, therefore they can never learn from their mistakes. When David introduces the thought of thinking for themselves to the teenagers of Pleasantville they begin to notice that there are other places in the world, this begins to change things from black and white to colour. Both stories contain the motif of going west. Another motif in these two works is the Rebel vs. the Establishment motif. In Huck the rebel would be Huck and one of the establishments would be the "civilized" people in the book. Huck refuses to believe that people can be so shallow and religious, and also believes that this comes from being "civilized". The other establishment would the Widow Douglas/Miss.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Celta – Focus on the Learner

This case study is based on Patricia, a Spanish national in her twenties who is in her last year studying an Economics degree course. She is also a student on the Elementary course at the British Language Centre. Patricia’s started learning English at the bi-lingual school she attended. She learnt English for 3 years but did not take any official examinations, but sees this as a possibility for the future. At school she learnt English because it was obligatory. The only other language she speaks is Spanish. She started attending the British Language Centre (which she still attends) to help her find a job in an international company and to prepare her for her visit to Eastbourne, East Sussex (UK) in July. She will be staying with a house family for one month and hopes to improve her English and use all of the language she has been learning to date. Her reasons for learning English are a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic ones. The main reason she is motivated to learn English is because she believes it will help her find a good job and earn loads of money, she also reads a lot about English culture and customs and watches films in English with subtitles for her own enjoyment. This can also be related to her learning styles. The results of her â€Å"multiple intelligences† questionnaire indicates that her learning style preferences are linguistic, spatial and interpersonal. Her conversations in English refer to things that she has read or heard, she enjoys solving mazes and other visual puzzles and considers herself to be a leader. Problems and Possible solutions with Grammar The student enjoys English grammar, and generally finds it much easier than Spanish grammar. An example of this is the verb formations. She normally uses the correct tense when speaking in English but sometimes uses the infinitive form instead of the progressive. â€Å"I read† instead of â€Å"I’m reading†. Spanish often use an infinitive where English would use a progressive; this can be attributed to language interference. To resolve this problem more tasks relating to real situations could be set along with reading and listening exercises that incorporate and contrast the infinitive nd progressive forms. When asked about the aspect of English she finds most difficult, she said ‘phrasal verbs’. Her problems include understanding the meaning of phrasal verbs, especially when the meaning can vary according to context, and choosing the correct particle to accompany the verb. For example â€Å"to break up† I broke up with my girlfriend last night, the main cause is likely to be comprehension issues as a result of conflict with meanings she already knows. Solutions to such problems would be dictionary analysis and sentencing restructuring exercises. Another problem she has is with the structuring of sentences. A classic example of this would be using the adjective after the noun â€Å"shoes big† instead of â€Å"big shoes†. This can also be attributed to language interference. Solutions to this problem would include drills (oral and written); practice would include guided dialogues, language games, parallel writing, dictations etc. 3 Problems and Possible Solutions with Vocabulary A common problem can be irregular plurals. (Refer to Appendix – example 1). In Spanish irregular plurals are not formed the same as in English. The common rule is that a â€Å"s† is added to the singular i. e. hombre = hombres. A solution to this problem is getting the student to record a list of all irregular verbs as they come up (recycling the vocabulary in future classes) and correct their mistakes in reading and writing exercises. Another problem is that many words are used in different contexts but with a connection to their original meaning. (Refer to Appendix – example 2). This forms a problem for Spanish speakers as the word flood â€Å"inundar† is only used in 1 context. Solutions and practice can be given through activities where the student has to use the word in different contexts and apply the alternatives. There are several different expressions where â€Å"bother† can be used. (Refer to Appendix – example 3). The meaning changes slightly from expression to expression. In Spanish this word is not used in the same way. A solution and practice to this would be to present all of the words to the student within a real context, through a reading or writing exercise. 2 Problems and Possible Solutions with Pronunciation. Morphemes that have more than one pronunciation present a problem relating to the sound of words. (Refer to Appendix – example 4). Both problems relate to rhythm when speaking, Spanish rhythm is syllable timed, whereas, English rhythm is stressed timed. (Spanish also has a narrower pitch range than English). Both problems can be directly related to language interference. Solutions include instant and planned remedial. The best procedure in addressing these problems is to draw attention to the problematic sound or pattern. Get them to pronounce it in isolation and explain how the pattern or sound is formed, and drill the student ensuring they have a record. The learner skills strengths and weaknesses: Speaking: The student is very comfortable speaking on a one to one basis and has no qualms about making mistakes. She articulates and forms her sentences well. Her main problem in fluency speaking is hesitation, something that she is fully aware of. She takes time to work things out in her mind before speaking, and this pause is evident in class, for example, when a teacher asks her a question. The more complicated the question or response, the longer the pause. She has very few opportunities to speak English outside the classroom, and this lack of practice contributes to her hesitation. Reading: The student seems to get the general gist of reading as long as she has some guidance and visuals. She is not afraid to ask questions if necessary and hardly ever uses her dictionary in class. Areas she could improve on are her vocabulary range to help her understand texts better and additional reading outside of the class. Listening: The student understands most of the instructions given out in lass and regularly helps her peers when they do not understand something. Her main weaknesses include not being able to follow a native person’s conversation; she has already established learning habits in the classroom that will not be effective when speaking to a native person. She also has poor vocabulary, which will limit her understanding relating to words she does not know. Wri ting: Reader – When I left university I wanted to do exactly the same things as you: find a job working for an international company which would allow me to travel around the world and buy a house. Writing teacher – Overall you did a very good job, things you need to consider next time are using shorter sentences to give more impact and tenses. Language expert: A good attempt at the set task, you need to think more about the structure of sentences and using the right vocabulary. Also review definite/indefinite articles and propositions. In order to improve your language skills and learn a new language many different sub skills are required. It is a good idea to learn techniques such as skimming and scanning to abstract relevant information more quickly. Distinguishing sounds of the different vowels in English is also very important along with determining the stress and intonations in sentences. Listening and reading stimuli or input is very important in producing more effective language, and it is a good idea to put yourself in situations where you are only able to converse in English, as this will force you to use the language more and help increase your confidence levels.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

A dollar a day language analysis Essay

Recently, in the Daily Telegraph Angus McDonald wrote an opinion piece about how Indian children are being exploited for cheap labour and how the government is not dealing with the problem as Angus believes they are accountable for the responsibility. This issue has recently blown up in the media, due to the recent information about the average day of a child labour living in India. Angus McDonald uses emotive language, logical evidence, case studies , appeals to a sense of justice and a photograph, along with an alarmist tone to convey the message that the government need to step up and stop child labour. Angus McDonald uses emotive language to make the reader empathise with the child labourers. McDonald uses a highly descriptive language to convey how Manu (the featured child labourer) lives his life and uses this to create a symbol or generalisation that all Indian Child labourers spend their days the same as Manu. The writer also uses emotive language in conjunction with a highly descriptive writing style to show the vast span between Manu and his products. Angus uses his emotive language to forward the premise of hypocrisy between that of Manu, an underpaid child labourer, and the expensive garments he makes. This makes the reader feel sincere empathy for Manu and all child labourers like him. This empathy that we feel while reading Manu’s story makes us yearn for a better future for Manu. This is the point in the article that Angus mentions how the police are combating the situation. McDonald mentions that they are trying but they are only getting â€Å"the tip of the iceberg†. This phrase makes us believe the government is not doing enough to help Manu and the rest of the child labourers, and therefore directly links to McDonald’s contention about how Indian child labourers are being exploited and government is not doing enough to stop this crime against humanity. The use of logical evidence and case studies within Angus McDonald’s â€Å"A Dollar a Day† essay, provokes the reader into believing that Angus McDonald is highly educated on the matter and that we should agree with him. The use of his case study of Manu gives the issue a small scope on the problem but  as we read through the article, Angus McDonald zooms out and looks at the broader topic. This small scope case study shows us the problem at its roots, then when Angus zooms out and shows us the broader issue of the government not controlling child labour problems efficiently, we feel informed of the matter and connecting to the whole issue because of this case study. The alarmist tone pulls information together nicely with the case study as it gives a real sense of urgency to the issue and this makes the reader side with the writer almost instantly. Angus McDonald uses logical evidence and case studies to push forward that Indian child labourers are being exploited an d the government need to be doing more to help. The writer uses the appeal to sense of justice language device, to arouse anger at the people taking advantage of these children and to make the reader feel as though the Justice Department of India are doing an inadequate job. Angus McDonald goes out of his way to make the criminals mentioned in his article look even worse then what they are. He uses the criminal’s mistreatment of the children to evoke a sense of injustice in the reader by writing sentences such as â€Å"a life of servitude† and â€Å"[a child’s] living nightmare†. These phrases make the reader feel great anger towards the criminals, but just as the readers are most enraged Angus McDonald turns the tables and explains that the criminals are bad but it’s the Justice Departments lack of input that has caused this problem to be so severe. This turns the reader’s anger towards the Justice Department and therefore siding with Angus McDonald’s contention. The writer’ s use of sense of justice helps him manipulate the reader into believing the government should be doing more to stop Indian child labour. Presented to us first in this issue is the picture of a child we are led to believe is Manu. This picture gives a face to our case study. This gives impact to the reader as now we have a much more emotional connection to Manu. This image is linked to the first couple of paragraphs where Manu’s life is described. Once again this makes the issue seem more real and makes the article more impacting. The actual picture is well done as it gives a good contrast between the blue garment and the dirty workshop and the poor  child. It shows the actual society contrast between Manu and the people who buy his clothes. The image is also sloped downwards as though we are looking down upon Manu, meaning pity or guilt. The image used in this piece is a strong device to link the issue to a visual and give it depth into the life of Manu. Throughout Angus McDonald’s piece he explains that Indian children are being exploited as child labour and the government is not doing enough to stop the issue. Angus McDonald uses emotive language, case studies, logical evidence, appeal to a sense of justice and an image to reinforce his opinion that to help children in India the government must do more.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Harlequin Enterprises: the Mira Decisions Essay

The primary issue facing Harlequin is the â€Å"steady loss of share in a growing women’s fiction market†, due to the growing popularity of single-title novels. With the volume sales dependence that is inherent in series publishing, the unit sales stalling that occurred in the late 80’s and early 90’s acted as a warning signal to Harlequin. A change in pricing strategies enabled revenues to continue to rise, but this was a short-term solution and Mira has the potential to become a long-term solution. However, there are a number of issues surrounding the launch of Mira. As the world’s largest publisher of romance fiction, Harlequin has a strong global foothold in series publishing with a presence in more than 100 international markets and 23 languages. Indeed, Harlequin has been able to create high barriers to entry in the series market through the development of brand loyalty and excellence in product quality and supply chain management. Brand loyalty comprises a strong readership base, which has been cultivated through brand recognition, trust, and long-term relationships. This is evidenced by the direct-to-reader Book Club, which currently provides 3/8 of US Sales at significantly higher margins than indirect sales. The low-price, consistent, high-quality product is well packaged and positioned ideally to take advantage of customer expectations, supported by a large and capable author/editor base. Standardization has enabled Harlequin to take advantage of significant economies of scale in printing, distribution and advertising; and simplifies retailers’ positioning and marketing strategies. While standing order distribution enables Harlequin to more accurately predict sales and returns, and therefore benefit from predictable cost-based accounting practices to achieve better margins. However, with limited diversification, Harlequin has little expertise in the broader realm of women’s fiction outside of the romance genre, which may limit their abilities to select and develop successful authors and titles, as was the case with the 1987 Worldwide Library failure. Although, the Worldwide experience gives Harlequin a true appreciation of their strengths and provides a strong foundation from which to avoid future mistakes. Harlequin’s inferior presence in traditional retail environments for single-title novels and limited advertising portfolio centred on print media somewhat restricts their sales to their existing, or stereotypical, customer base. Existing distribution partnerships are unlikely to resolve this issue and may force Harlequin to seek out new partnerships and/or mechanisms. According to the market research, â€Å"customers were reading as many single-title romance and women’s fiction books as series romances. This implies that there is significant overlap with other subject areas and market segments within Harlequin’s existing readership base and it should be possible for Harlequin to cultivate their customer loyalty and translate it to direct-to-reader sales in other genres. Mira also provides the opportunity for authors to develop beyond the series format without moving to another publisher, and still remain available to the Harlequin series genre. This promotes emp loyee loyalty and job satisfaction, while allowing Harlequin to invest in promoting individual authors and benefit from the cross-segment marketing. The overheads that Mira would incur, although substantial, would remain competitive with other publishers and would benefit from Harlequin’s global infrastructure. Foreign language markets, in particular, would be accessible to Mira through the use of existing translation services, distribution networks and retail relationships. Mira would also provide Harlequin the opportunity to create economies of scale through the centralization of rights acquisition activities already being undertaken in some international subsidiaries. Conversely, Mira represents an extremely high risk undertaking for Harlequin with significantly higher costs for production, distribution and marketing. A single-title novel is a unique product, which requires a publisher to generate higher per-unit sales volumes; create individual design, marketing and promotion campaigns; and provide higher returns to authors and third parties. Production changes, at least in terms of product dimensions, could have significant unforeseen impacts on the economies of scale currently enjoyed within the production and distribution supply chains. If Mira is to compete with existing single-title publishers, long-term author contracts, royalties and advances could put extreme financial pressure on Harlequin and represent a significant level of investment, which may or may not be realizable in the long-term. Therefore, the failure of a single-title novel to achieve break-even sales targets has far-reaching consequences; and can seriously damage reputations upon which future sales would depend. Nevertheless, the most significant threat to the success of Mira is its potential in the US market. The truce with Simon & Schuster achieved at the end of the Romance Wars may not be sustainable, if Harlequin launches Mira in direct competition with S&S in single-title publishing. This situation would be especially difficult given that Harlequin is entirely dependent on S&S for distribution of its series titles within the US market, and its lack of experience with mainstream retailing avenues. By pursuing Mira, Harlequin risks losing a highly efficient and profitable relationship with S&S and having to completely redevelop its distribution chain within the US. Upon consideration, Harlequin has the resources and capabilities it needs in order to succeed with Mira. Although the company currently has a different business model, it has the same basic components and critical resources necessary to create and manufacture the product. The author/editor base that Harlequin has at its disposal represents a considerable asset, and somewhat mitigates the risk of talent selection and development that can be associated with single-title novels. Historic market positioning and the reputation of Harlequin as a romance eries publisher may overshadow attempts to create the Mira brand; but Harlequin has reached the point where it must expand beyond the romance genre. The direct-to-reader sales, marketing and distribution mechanisms would require few adjustments or adaptations, and would provide Harlequin with an ideal test market from which to make the leap into the mainstream. Existing production and distribution expertise would sustain development of Mira , while Harlequin spends time putting mainstream distribution mechanisms and publicity expertise into place. It is conceivable that successful single-title authors who published their early works with Harlequin could be convinced to return to Harlequin, depending on the financial incentives; but, this is a long-term question, governed by authors’ contractual obligations and the success of Mira in the short-term. However, the back-list of novels created by successful authors who published their early works with Harlequin comprises an easily marketable, cost-effective and potentially profitable resource, that would enable Mira to capitalize on established reputations and in-direct publicity. The downside is that Mira may risk alienating or offending fans of established authors, by publishing works that did not meet reader expectations because of their quality or adherence to Harlequin conventions. Therefore, I would recommend that Harlequin perform a limited launch of Mira by re-developing titles in their back-list and generating direct-to-reader sales through the Book Club, while it explores global distribution and marketing relationships. References: Richard Ivey School of Business Case Harlequin Enterprises: The MIRA Decision #9B03M007