My Dog, Romeo

My dog, Romeo My dog, Romeo, is the best pet anyone could have. He is beautiful and easy to care for. Playing with him is lots of fun. He always takes care of me. There isn't a better pet anywhere. Romeo is a beautiful tricolor Sheltie. He is mostly black with white and a bit of brown. Caring for him is easy because I simply have to make sure he has fresh water and food every day. I exercise him by throwing his toys. Romeo is a good pet because he is nice looking and doesn't require much care. Romeo is lots of fun to play with. He loves to play catch. He follows me around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot so I will kick it. He can catch just about anything, but his favorite is chasing a Frisbee. I really have fun playing with Romeo. Romeo takes care of me. He always follows me when I leave a room. When I am sitting on the couch he plops down right beside me. When we are outside in the woods he always makes sure that I keep up with the rest of the family. He always watches out for me. As you can see, Romeo is a great pet. I am proud of him and he doesn't require much care. Playing with him is always enjoyable. He watches over me and keeps me safe. Romeo is absolutely the best pet anyone could even have!

Dick Hebdige’s work Subculture: The Meaning of Style

Dick Hebdige’s work Subculture: The Meaning of Style has had a great impact within the area of cultural studies as it manages to take the preceding theories of subculture one step further, and to pinpoint the differences between culture and subculture as well as to decipher the â€Å"the hidden messages inscribed on the glossy surfaces of style† (Hebdige, 18). Hebdige follows on the tracks of semiology as theorized before him by Saussure and Roland Barthes and tries to read and interpret the signs and the language of the subcultures that emerged in Great Britain after World War II, such as the punks, the mods or the skinheads.Also, he is inspired to a great extent by Levi-Strauss’s structuralist anthropology. What is really significant about Hebdige’s works though is that he applies the purely theoretical frame that had been constructed by the preceding authors directly to the different styles which appeared as forms of subculture. Thus, he tries to interp ret the outer signs which were displayed by each of the groups, from the punks to the skinheads, and reveal their social and cultural meaning.He uses clothing and hair styles, types of music or dancing and so on, as part of the language of the subcultures, in which the actual social meanings are inscribed. Thus, according to Hebdige although the social classes were said to have disappeared after the Second World War, they were actually simply transformed into ideological divisions from the mainstream. The classes thus formed were subcultures, that is, ‘marginal discourses’ which opposed the general tendency of the anonymous culture existing at that point in time:â€Å"It has become something of a clichà © to talk of the period after the Second World War as one of enormous upheaval in which the traditional patterns of life in Britain were swept aside to be replaced by a new, and superficially less class-ridden system [†¦] Nonetheless [†¦]class refused to disa ppear. The ways in which class was lived, however – the forms in which the experience of class found expression in culture did change dramatically.The advent of the mass media, changes in the constitution of the family, in the organization of school and work, shifts in the relative status of work and leisure, all served to fragment and polarize the working-class community, producing a series of marginal discourses within the broad confines of class experience. †(Hebdige, 54) As Hebdige emphasizes, the subcultural styles formed their own rhetoric by means of a certain way of living and of an ostentatious appearance, as a response to the particular cultural, social, political circumstances of the time.In brief, it can be said that these subcultural styles were a form of protest to the anonymous culture. Although sometimes their rhetoric, as in the case of the punks, was intentionally baffling and consciously aiming at meaninglessness, to the point that it seemed to  "work against the reader and to resist any authoritative interpretation,†(Hebdige, 89) it formed nevertheless a coherent symbolic order in itself.The subcultural groups represent, in Hebdige’s view, responses to the â€Å"contrary mythology of class†, that is, to the way in which class was alternatively proclaimed as gone and then reaffirmed by the media: â€Å"Rather the different styles and the ideologies which structure and determine them represent negotiated responses to a contradictory mythology of class. In this mythology, ‘the withering away of class' is paradoxically countered by an undiluted ‘classfulness', a romantic conception of the traditional whole way of (working-class) life revived twice weekly on television programs like Coronation Street.The mods and skinheads, then, in their different ways, were ‘handling' this mythology as much as the exigencies of their material condition. They were learning to live within or without that a morphous body of images and typifications made available in the mass media in which class is alternately overlooked and overstated, denied and reduced to caricature. †(Hebdige, 55) Thus, Hebdige sees subcultures as homogeneous and coherent forms of rhetoric, which go beyond the merely desire to shock the public opinion.In fact, as he theorizes, all the parts of the systems of symbols that make up a particular style are homologous, and they can be said to be as coherent as a’ whole way of life’: â€Å"In Profane Culture, Willis shows how, contrary to the popular myth which presents subcultures as lawless forms, the internal structure of any particular subculture is characterized by an extreme orderliness: each part is organically related to other parts and it is through the fit between them that the subcultural member makes sense of the world.For instance, it was the homology between an alternative value system (‘Tune in, turn on, drop out’), halluci nogenic drugs and acid rock which made the hippy culture cohere as a ‘whole way of life’ for individual hippies. †(Hebdige, 123) As Hebdige remarks the subcultures were actually strong constructs, which were usually meant as a response to a crisis situation, as is the case of the punks at the end of the 1970’s, whose rhetoric mimicked the chaos of the English social and economical life.The violent and obscene style was in fact a language in itself, in perfect accordance with the way in which swore or spoke: â€Å"There was a homological relation between the trashy cut-up clothes and spiky hair, the pogo and amphetamines, the spitting, the vomiting, the format of the fanzines, the insurrectionary poses and the â€Å"soulless,† frantically driven music. The punks wore clothes which were the sartorial equivalent of swear words, and they swore as they dressed — with calculated effect, lacing obscenities into record notes and publicity releases, i nterviews and love songs.Clothed in chaos, they produced Noise in the calmly orchestrated Crisis of everyday life in the late 1970 s[†¦]†(Hebdige, 125) Hebdige thus highlights the identity of language and style within the subcultural rhetoric. The punks for instance functioned as a current in which the meanings were not even fixed as such, although the general meaning behind the style was that ‘the forbidden is permitted’, as Hebdige comments: â€Å"If we were to write an epitaph for the punk subculture, we could do no better than repeat Poly Styrene's famous dictum: ‘Oh Bondage, Up Yours!’ or somewhat more concisely: the forbidden is permitted, but by the same token, nothing, not even these forbidden signifiers (bondage, safety pins, chains, hair-dye, etc. ) is sacred and fixed. †(Hebdige, 125)The subcultures were thus a way of subverting the anonymous, mainstream currents trough a form of stylistic rhetoric. The main discontents with the contemporary world were thus displayed by means of dress or discordant music for example, aiming at a deconstruction of traditional concepts or cultural facts.The subcultural styles didn’t target necessarily the values of a certain society, as it is usually believed, but rather those notions and cultural patterns that they found as incoherent and contradictory. They were actually an abstract embodiment of the outside chaos, and not a chaotic response to order, or a protest against order. Also, the subcultural streams aimed at emphasizing otherness and difference and their adherents were intentionally posing as aliens to society and wearing masks so as to avoid any categorization or prescribed identity:â€Å"They [the punks] played up their Otherness, ‘happening’ on the world as aliens, inscrutables. Though punk rituals, accents and objects were deliberately used to signify working-classness, the exact origins of individual punks were disguised or symbolically d isfigured by the make-up, masks and aliases which seem to have been used, like Breton's art, as ploys ‘to escape the principle of identity. ’ †(Hebdige,126) Another very important characteristic of the subcultural movements is, as Hebdige notes, the fact that they strived to confuse the usual divisions of race, gender and chronology by combining them in their style.The boundaries between the white and black cultures are progressively erased through the borrowings that the white cultures made from the black ones in their style: â€Å"[†¦] it is on the plane of aesthetics: in dress, dance, music; in the whole rhetoric of style, that we find the dialogue between black and white most subtly and comprehensively recorded [†¦]†(Hebdige, 96) The subcultures proceeded to mix up the separate elements of the mainstream culture, attacking thus the idea of identity and opening the way to difference and otherness:â€Å"Behind punk's favored ‘cut ups†™ lay hints of disorder, of breakdown and category confusion: a desire not only to erode racial and gender boundaries but also to confuse chronological sequence by mixing up details from different periods. †(Hebdige, 128) The important thing to note therefore is that in Hebdige’s theory the subcultures were deviations from the anonymous culture, aiming at decentralizing some of the most rooted concepts and ideas of society, and at establishing a new different order outside the stereotypes of society. All this was done through style, ranging from music to dressing and all the other means of expression.Style works therefore as a system of signs, as a text that must be read to grasp the meaning behind it. Obviously, Hebdige’s work deals with the subcultures in the modern epoch, after the Second World War. Therefore, there have been attempts to take his study further, so as it may capture the way in which subculture is manifested in postmodernism. Although the main subcultures that Hebdige discusses- the punks, the teddy boys, the mods, the skinheads, the Rasta men and so on, lost their force or even disappeared, some subcultural groups still exist today, although their structure seems to be different from that of the modern subcultures.The styles in the contemporary world are, to a great extent, the products of postmodernism and therefore imitate its main tenants, its fragmentation and hybridization. There are no longer entirely compact, coherent or well delimited subcultures like those identified by Hebdige, therefore the concepts he proposed remain mostly valid for the historical period he analyzed in his work. His approach is very enlightening for any cultural studies inquiry but it should be modified or continued so as to comprise the contemporary phenomena.

Psychology and Nursing Essay

Psychology plays a part (whether it be big or small) in every single industry. It has become very important to study the human mind for the better outcome of operations carried out on a daily basis. Nursing and psychology are in some aspects polar opposites, but in the same sense they are interconnected. The main focus in nursing is helping individuals overcome/deal with minor to severe illnesses, while psychologists focus almost entirely on treating the psychological issues of people. That being said, nurses must have a basic understanding of psychology in order to help their patients through a quick and easy recovery. To help one better comprehend how psychology is used in nursing, one must first discuss a few of the different types of nurses, as well as the tasks they may have to complete on any given day. Three of the most psychologically involved nursing fields are addiction nurses, critical care nurses, and rehabilitation nurses (Collingwood J. The Relationship between Mental and Physical Health.). Although the average work day of these three professions consists of quite a few differences, they all must perform some of the same tasks, such as observing patients/recording observations, administering medicine and treatments, teaching patients and families how to manage illness and injuries, and explaining what to do once at home and out of their care (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-15). After reading the preceding paragraphs you may be wondering â€Å"what is the importance of psychology in those three career fields?† and the answer to this is quite simple. Nurses must take care of patients during severe health conditions and deal with their moods and behaviors. When evaluating a patient’s condition, nurses not only consider the severity of the illness or the level of pain or discomfort, but they also examine the patient’s response. Some patients, for example, remain optimistic no matter how sick  they are or how bleak their prognosis. They may also cope well with pain or other symptoms accompanying their illnesses. Other patients, though, may respond by becoming angry or despondent, sometimes withdrawing or lashing out at hospital staff and even their families. They may also have more difficulty handling their symptoms and may report greater pain or discomfort than other patients. Nurses must recognize these mental and emotional issues and in clude them as part of the patient’s evaluation (Ellie Williams, â€Å"How is Nursing Related to Psychology?†). Nurses must consider the entire patient, both physical and mental health, when creating treatment plans. A patient suffering anxiety over his illness, for example, may refuse to get out of bed, which could cause secondary complications such as respiratory infection or pneumonia. If a nurse suspects a patient won’t participate in his recovery, she’ll need to provide emotional support and encouragement while adapting his treatment plan to his psychological health. For example, she may set short-term goals that are easy for the patient to achieve, such as getting out of bed three times a day or sitting in a chair at least 15 minutes a day (Williams). Psychology can help nurses adapt how they interact with patients based on factors such as age and personality. For example, when caring for pediatric patients, nurses must consider that younger patients may be more frightened than adults and may have more difficulty understanding their situations.Nurses with knowledge of child development or psychology will better understand how to relate to patients in a way that eases their fears and alleviates their confusion. Psychology can improve their relationships with patients, making it more likely that patients will communicate openly with them about their symptoms. Nurses also rely on psychology to encourage patients to trust them, increasing the chances patients will follow the nurse’s instructions and take more active roles in their own care (Williams). As a result of this care, patients start to rely on nurses who try to lessen their mental stress as well as lower the amount of pain they are in. It has been observed in many cases that physical illness can contribute to mental disturbance, at this stage nurses have to be compassionate and understanding. Nurses are trained so that they can support patients emotionally by addressing the mental changes. (Collingwood J. The Relationship between Mental and Physical Health.) Nurses must also have an understanding of biological psychology so that they can help patients who may have hormonal changes and neurological reactions. The study of psychodynamic psychology done by nurses is used solely to spread optimism among patients. It has been scientifically proven that positive thoughts affect the overall health of a person which results in strong immune system (McLeod, S. A. Psychodynamic Approach). As you can probably imagine, America isn’t the only country that utilizes psychology in the nursing field. In Germany, for example, every university hospital has a psychiatric clinic in which a professor teaches students how to recognize and treat mental phenomena which deviate from the normal (Psychology and Nursing by Mary Cloud Bean, RN). Bean also states that to be of greatest value in our work we should know the basic principles of mind action and be able to recognize even slight deviation from normal (Psychology and Nursing by Mary Cloud Bean, RN).

Unit 4 Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 4 Scenario - Essay Example The duration of the lot starts from 6pm to midnight, say, 6 hours per day. Moreover, this parking lot will be guided by a staff member at a cost of $10 per hour. It means that the staff needs to be paid an amount of $60 per day, and $1800 per month. Other than this, an additional cost will be charged for the supplementary usage of parking lot. Therefore, in order to evaluate and adopt the most appropriate decision in respect of the parking and maintenance cost, it is necessary to analyze the marginal revenue and marginal costing technique. Under marginal costing, only variable costs are charged to cost units. â€Å"Comparable to any profit-maximizing firm, a perfectly competitive firm produces the quantity of output in the short run that generates the maximum difference between total revenue with total cost, which is economic profit. This profit maximizing level of production is also achieved by the equality between marginal revenue and marginal cost. At this production level, the firm cannot increase profit by changing the level of production. The analysis of marginal revenue and marginal cost can be achieved through a table of numbers or with marginal revenue and marginal cost curves† (Marginal Analysis, 2007). The solution is proposed by the bank was to charge a higher cost for parking lot. This is because, through higher charging for parking, it is possible to reduce the problem related with the parking to a certain degree. The main reason for the higher charge set by the bank is that to make it possible the availability of suitable parking facilities. Whenever the charge for parking increases, then the time spent for parking will automatically be reduced. Due to this, it is possible to make the parking lot conveniently at any time effectively. In addition to this, in order to overcome this specific problem, it is necessary to consider the concept of perfect competition and

International Marketing Plan Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International Marketing Plan Report - Essay Example Iraq is a Muslim country located partially in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. Iraq is built on the remnants of the ancient Babylonian Empire. It has gone through various historical periods like being part of the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire. The area in present-day Iraq became part of the Ottoman Empire and this passed to the British after World War I. Iraq became more autonomous after World War II and finally got into the hands of Saddam Hussein after a coup detat in 1979. Under Saddam Hussein and his Baath party, Iraq became an ally to the West and it fought a war against Iran between 1980 and 1988. In 1991, after Iraq invaded Kuwait, the United States and other coalition forces entered Iraq and liberated Kuwait. In 2003, the US President, George W. Bush invaded Iraq and this led to a period of democracy, reforms and restructuring that exists today in the country. Iraq is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Its main land area is dominated by sandy deserts (Fontan, 2009). Iraq has two main rivers, one of them being the Euphrates which has fertile alluvial plains that have led to the creation of major cities throughout the country (Baskhin, 2011). The extended family is the basis of the Iraqi social system. It involves the grouping of different generations of the same family that is united through marriage (Every Culture, 2012). The nuclear family is defined by the extended family and there is a high degree of collectivism (Bashkin, 2011). Marriage in Iraq is seen as the joining of two families and this leads to strong connections to each other. Traditionally, the role of men and women are defined and fixed (Fontan, 2009). However, after the Iran-Iraq war where many men were recruited to fight in the battlefield, the nation included a liberal approach to women and their rights. Education is defined by the new

Eat2Eat Case analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Eat2Eat Case analysis - Essay Example Indirectly therefore, there are two groups of clients that the company serves. The first of these are the restanrants to whom Eat2Eat.com gives buyers to. The second are the buyers or online users of the website who make the actual reservations. However, in the context of this case analysis, much of reference to clients shall refer to the latter. Eat2Eat.Com uses a business model that grinds on the whiles of promotion of fine dining in the Asia Pacific region through the use of internet-based portal. This business model requires that the company works directly with subscribers to their website, such that the more subscribers the company has, the more customers they have and thus the more profits the will make. Presently, this business model has been introduced in nine identical geographic markets, spanning around countries in the Asia Pacific region and abroad. As far as the Asia Pacific region is concerned, this business model could be described as unique as it is the first of its k ind in the region. Fortunately, Eat2Eat.Com has received positive results from a brand recognition that has been established in the region in the last five years, leading to increases in sales at a rate of 42% from 2004 - 2005 Specific strategy that the company is using to implement its business model The implementation of the said business model has revolved around the use of specific strategies, which are discussed in this section of the writing. Generally, the strategy used by the company was based on two major factors, which are market segmentation and approach to market (Browne and Cudeck, 1992). As far as market segmentation is concerned, there was a strategy to focus solely on what Aggawal referred to as first-tier restaurants. These are restaurants perceived to be of the higher class status that are moderately expensive, popular and accepts reservations (Wofford and Liska, 1993). Much of the strategy used on the market segment was personalized as Aggawal made personal approa ches to these restaurants to personally win their indulgence and approval to be supplied with reservations. Reviews on the restaurants were also undertaken on a personalized basis by Aggawal and his employees. As far as approach to market is concerned, Eat2Eat had a strategy o focusing mainly on corporate customers rather than personal customers. This is because most of these corporate institutions made reservations for diners for various programs and activities. However with time, personal customers would be included because within the various companies, about 15% of employees would register to be part of the service. Out of the 15%, 10% of registered employees would eventually become active members on the company’s website. The strategy has also fairly involved the incorporation of services whereby customers looking for online reservations are automatically redirected to the website of Eat2Eat.Com. Another important feature is when the company went mobile, operating on mobi le devices. In totality however, it would be noted that the company is currently operating a focused culture strategy that takes all its inspiration from the Asia Pacific region. Effectiveness of the management team and CEO are in implementing the business model Availability of company statistics, financial statements and research data makes it very easy to assess the effectiveness of th

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

Criminology Theory - Essay Example In this movie, the views and characters of Derek are shaped by his neo-nazism beliefs. Derek is recruited into this group by Cameron Alexander, the neo-nazi leader. Alexander appoints him as the leader of the Caucasian kids. His role was to lead them against the Hispanic and the Black kids. Their attitude against them was shaped by the belief that these kids they lost their freedom and destiny to these people of different race. The Hispanics and the blacks were foreigners whose main aim was to exploit the resources of United States of America. On this basis therefore, Derek joined the group of the skinheads because of inequality in resource allocations, and he adapted their violent methods of agitating for their rights. The movie shows this by when he led a group of skinheads to destroy a Korean canteen. However, while in prison, Derek changes his ways of view. This is because he came to learn that there was a need of collaborating with each other, irrespective of race to survive. This is because of the inter-racial commerce that was pre-dominant in the prisons. The violent behaviors that Derek had were as a result of his failure of self-control, because he had already subdued the thieves, and he was not facing any threat. For instance, ordering the thief to open his mouth and busting his head with a bullet was a very cruel method of killing an individual. He could also control the manner in which he made his speech that had an effect of causing a violent mass action by the skin heads. The tone of his voice was harsh, and his words were full of incite. On this note, had Derek used some soft words, the riot that came as a result of the speech could not occur. It was possible for Derek to refuse the offer by Alexander, because he was not forced into joining the group. On this basis therefore, the behavior of Derek came as a result of his inability to control

Why Money Chases Cheap Labor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why Money Chases Cheap Labor - Assignment Example According to Di Stefano, â€Å"capital, the resource that fuels our industries, has to seek the lowest labor costs in order for companies to survive† (â€Å"Why Money Chases Cheap Labor,† Lower Costs sect.). The second part of the article takes the reader to the loci of cheap labor. While America’s own cheap labor was situated in the southern states, Asian countries, such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and India, were picking up slowly in the cheap labor market (Di Stefano, â€Å"Why Money Chases Cheap Labor â€Å"). The third and last section of the article stimulates the future of American firms and employment with its section titled as â€Å"Where Are We Headed?† The writer then answers his own question by pointing out that while â€Å"America obviously cannot compete effectively with the labor costs of developing nations,† competition then lies to America’s technology and science sectors (Di Stefano, â€Å"Why Money Chases Cheap Labor†). International Business Issues Outsourcing is considered an international business issue. In fact, its impacts are subject to steamy debates and multi-perspective arguments, which inevitably make it a sensitive issue for the host and headquartered country. Outsourcing sensitivity lies on the border of the gain on the host country and the consequent loss in the headquartered country.

Organisational models and country managers' role, Organisational Essay

Organisational models and country managers' role, Organisational challenge in multinational management, Case analysis- Organis - Essay Example This international organisation, World Vision International works for the development of children and people living in very poor conditions and are subjected to huge levels of deprivation and supreme injustice. World Vision International’s operation is based on a religious mission inspired by values brought about by the world Christian order. Though the organisation operates based on the Christian philosophy yet it showers equal benevolence to people belonging to diversified classes, sects, religious and ethnic groups around the world who have been struck by the domain of poverty (World Vision International, 2011). This international organisation came into being during 1950 with the work of Reverend Bob Pierce who dedicated his entire effort for the upbringing and care of destitute children dwelling in several corners around the globe. The work of World Vision International earned further impetus with the support from governmental and political bodies around the world in both rendering financial and infrastructural resources to help the concern achieve its end objective (World Vision International-a, 2011). The paper in this regard endeavours to study the effect of changes brought about in the organisation owing to the level of dynamism reflected in the global environment. It aims to reflect the positive and negative aspects of the changes brought about in the existing organisational policies by hinting on both its productivity and operational parameters. Organizational Change of World Vision International The organizational structure of the multinational enterprises can be studied along mainly four aspects. The four aspects show the different types of international companies operating across the globe. Firstly international companies like multinational corporations act based on a number of subsidiaries across several corners of the globe which are centrally managed by a centralised head quarter of the company. In the second case for international corpor ations the subsidiaries operating in several areas are controlled by the centralised units through sharing of knowledge and information. Thirdly in case of global corporations the subsidiaries are rendered a tight control through the monitoring activities of the global headquarters. Finally in the fourth case the transactional corporations exist wherein the subsidiaries do not act as independent bodies but rather as interdependent units. These firms share potential information with each other to help in the effective development of business in such areas (Kirchmer, 2008, p.130). The World Vision International organization working through several subsidiaries spread along different corners of the globe like those belonging to developing nations pertaining to Asia, Africa, Latin America and also of Middle East nations were centrally managed by its headquarter located in United States. The government of developed countries like that of Canada, Australia and New Zealand rendered both fi nancial support and also helped the subsidiary units to take effective decisions for development of the business activities. This situation however changed after the 1970 period when during 1976 the central operating body of World Vision decentralised its operational process by rendering authority to the several operating units acting in different regions. However still up to the 1978 period the members of the different units operating in the several regions though had gained

Alternative Dispute Resolution Clause for Learning Essay Example for Free

Alternative Dispute Resolution Clause for Learning Essay Alternative Dispute Resolution Clause for Learning Team Charter LAW 531 Alternative Dispute Resolution Clause for Learning Team Charter This paper will discuss an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) clause that might be used by a Learning Team to resolve a disagreement among members. This paper will identify all provisions and information necessary to enable the ADR to occur and function effectively. The dispute that the ADR clause that might be used by a Learning Team will be when a member fails to submit their portion of the Learning Team assignment on time and therefore another member must write the portion assigned. I, Learning Team member, will settle all disputes or controversies arising from not submitting my portion on the time and date previously decided by the Learning Team to the Learning Team folder exclusively by mediation and a neutral third party mediator. The mediator will be chosen by the professor of the course that the Learning Team is associated. The mediation will be held within three days of said dispute or controversy and remedy will be completed within 5 days of said dispute. I will make myself available to the mediation and cooperate in any fashion with mediator. If a fair and equitable agreement for all cannot be reached than I will not be given rights within the Learning Team and the University will be notified that I have forfeited rights to the Learning Team. If and when settlement has been reached no party within Learning Team will mention said disruption within Learning Team folder. The above clause will allow the Learning Team to have a clear understanding that it is very important to make sure that their assigned portion is submitted on time. If the assigned portion is not submitted on time than they may have to submit to a mediation to work out the differences within the Learning Team and how they will make up to the Learning Team.

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory Eleanor Rutherford Engler (2013) describes â€Å"personality as an organised and dynamic set of characteristics, that an individual possesses, which influences their cognition,emotions, behaviour, motivations andenvironment. Krauskopf (1999) provides a wider definition in that â€Å"personality† refers to the patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviours and social adjustments, which are consistently exhibited over time that intensely influences the expectations, self-perceptions, values, and attitudes of the individual. It can also predict an individual’s reactions to problems, stress and other people. There are many theories which aim to understand and explain personality; these include trait, perspective, psychodynamic, humanistic, biological, behaviourist, evolutionary and social learning (Maltby, Day Macaskill, 2010). This essay will examine, using the Five Factor model trait theory (Costa McCrae,1995) and Carl Rogers (1957) humanistic theory, the character of Andy Dufresne in the film† The Shawshank Redemption† (Marvin Darabont, 1994) and evaluate which provides the best account of his behaviour. The Big Five personality traits are the five wide-ranging domains that are used to describe personality. Previously other trait theorist had suggested various numbers of possible traits, these included Allports4,000 personality traits, Cattells 16 personality factors and Eysencks three-factor. However, many viewed Cattells theory as too complex and Eysencks in contrast was too limited. As a result of this, the five-factor theory emerged which describes the basic traits employed as the building blocks of personality. These factors are extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Each consists of more specific primary factors; for example, extraversion includes warmth, activity, excitement-seeking, positive emotions, gregariousness and assertiveness. The Big Five model accounts for different personality traits without overlapping. Research demonstrates that the Big Five are consistent in observations, interviews and self-descriptions. Additionally, the fiv e-factor structure appears throughout a widespread range of participants of different cultures and age groups (Maltby et al., 2010). Rogers’ theory suggests that people have an actualising propensity, or desire to achieve their full potential, referred to as self-actualisation. Rogers stated that a fully-functioning person is someone who is perpetually striving toward becoming self-actualized. This person has been the recipient of unconditional positive regard from others, places no conditions on their own worth, capably expressing feelings, and is open to the many experiences offered by life. Upon self-actualisation they would become a fully functioning person living what he referred to as the good life. Which means the person would maintain a healthy psychological outlook, trust their feelings and there would be congruence in their lives between experience and self. Rogers believed that people are aware of what is causing the psychological imbalance in their lives and that deep down inside they know which actions are required to fully functioning people. Rogers maintained that humans are born with a desir e to be the best they can. Self-actualisation is the motivating force to achieving their full potential. As infants the main goal towards self-actualisation is to have basic needs met such as being arm and fed (Maltby et al., 2010). The â€Å"Shawshank Redemption† depicts the experiences of Andy Dufresne, who is wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and her illicit lover. He is handed down two life sentences and subsequently incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank Prison. Andy is initially portrayed as extremely quiet with other prisoners describing him as a â€Å"cold fish†. One of the major personality traits identified in the Big Five is Introversion. People who are introverted, that is to say low scoring on the Extraversion continuum, tend to beinward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts. This is demonstrated clearly on Andy’s first day of incarceration where he makes little eye contact, keeps his head down and does not respond to the taunting other prisoners. Viewed from a Rogerian perspective it could be said that Andy’s drive will be focused on the most basic of needs such as water, food sleep and safety (Maltby et al., 2010). A significant change from Andy’s initial introverted state is seen when during work on a rooftop, Andy boldly manages to persuade the toughest guard there to allow him to assist with his taxes. Viewed from the Big Five perspective this would seem to be large swing from one end of the Extraversion scale to the other. Going from barely making eye contact and being compliant to risking being thrown from the prison roof are worlds apart. Given that that traits are assumed to be relatively stable this gives rise to the question of whether Andy truly in introverted or whether the sock of incarceration affected his normally more extrovert self. However, from a Rogerian perspective this would appear to be the beginning of Andy attempting to meet his innate need to self-actualise. As his basic needs are being met in the form of shelter, food etc. the desire to develop his potential appears to grow. Using his numerical skills will allow him to flourish (Maltby et al., 2010). The rooftop incident leads to Andy becoming a trustee in the prison library and returning, outwardly at least, to his more introverted traits. He demonstrates from this point a further Big Five trait of Agreeableness. His compliance in assisting the prison officers with their taxes and personal finances demonstrate this. He also gets involved in building a new library for the benefit of his fellow inmates, a clear act of altruism, another sub category of Agreeableness. This continues until donations of books and records arrive at the prison and Andy discovers a copy of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro record. In another swing of personality, or perhaps a revalation of his true nature before incarceration, he locks the guard assigned to the wardens office in the toilets and plays the record over the prisons PA system for his own, and his fellow inmates pleasure. Again this seems in opposition to his mainly introverted outward behaviour as it an assertive act of defiance against both the warden and guards. Simultaneously it could be seen as both Agreeable and Extraverted behaviour. Agreeable in that it is an altruistic act of providing pleasure for all of the inmates knowing they will face no punishment and Extraverted in that is both assertive and clearly excitement seeking behaviour. Rogerian theory may account for this episode as an attempt to bring Andy’s real self closer to his conceptual self. Andy clearly finds a great deal of pleasure and fulfilment in listening to music but prison life blocks that from happening. Andy knew there would be a price to pay, in this case solitary confinement, but was driven to do it anyway (Maltby et al., 2010). The true nature of Andy’s character unfolds as detail of his daring escape from prison come to light. The length of time that he had been working on his escape plan and the masterful way in which it was planned and executed demonstrated a high level of the trait Conscientiousness. Andy’s self-discipline was incredible, he not only was able to escape but he managed to acquire the finances required to do so and end the corruption within Shawshank whilst doing so . When viewed longitudinally Andy’s story seems to be a clear path to self-actualisation as theorised by Rogers. Rogers highlights the uniqueness of the individual and that they themselves are capable of working out their own solutions, in this case an escape plan and end to corruption. Additionally, he stated that people have a natural tendency toward self-actualisation and growth, an innate drive to realise their potential (Maltby et al., 2010). Although some of Andy’s basic needs were met within the confines of Shawshank such as water, food and sleep the psychological needs were not. Andy appeared to be reaching to meet these needs by rock carving and building the library but it was clear that he needed more. His entire escape plan seemed to be driven not just by the injustice of being wrongfully imprisoned but by the drive develop his potential and qualities that would make him a worthwhile person. Roger’s theory does appear to provide a good account of people’s behaviour in this case when compared to The Big Five. However although Rogers approach allows for variation it fails to identify enough constant variables in order to be researched accurately. Additionally the assertion the individuals intuitively seek positive goals, does not explain the presence of deviancy or evil within normal, functioning personalities such as Andy’s fellow inmates or the corrupt prison staff Maltby et al., 2010). References: Costa Jr, P. T., McCrae, R. R. (1995). Domains and facets: Hierarchical personality assessment using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory.Journal of personality assessment,64(1), 21-50. Engler, B. (2013).  Personality theories. Cengage Learning. Krauskopf, C. J. (1999). The personality assessment system: A radical hypothesis.Applied and Preventive Psychology,7(4), 235-245. Maltby, J., Day, L., Macaskill, A. (2010).  Personality, individual differences and intelligence. Pearson Education. Marvin, N. (Producer), Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion picture]. United States: Castle Rock Entertainment. Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change.Journal of consulting psychology,21(2), 95. Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Introduction Change is an inevitable part of life. Change is also an important part of a business life; it allows a business to adapt to its environment and to improve its market position. Change signifies the willingness of the affected parties to embrace and function in a newly established order and their commitment to effect and implement the changes (Armstrong, 2004). The generic definition of change as defined by Hughes (2006) is any alteration in the status quo. Changes within an organisation may take place for many reasons. It is sometimes done in order to introduce a new more efficient way of working or producing a product. It is sometimes done to re-organise the organizations work force. Organisations will evolve and change within the course of their lives. Change management is referred to as the process of which change is executed and developed within the organization. Change is something that affects all business and therefore all business managers must prepare their personnel and proc esses for change. Theories of Change Management Changes in the business environment are happening all the time and organisations must change the way they operate to compete effectively in their market. In order to change organisations must adopt change theories and approaches however with so many different approaches available an organisation must choose an approach that best suits its needs. Different managers will have different theories as to how change should be implemented and executed. Kurt Lewin is considered the forefather of planned approaches to change. Kurt Lewins Freeze Phases [Source: Higgs Rowland, 2005] Lewins model shows that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static state. Beers Model Change is more complex than the Lewin model and requires a more in-depth look at the process of change. Beers model focuses on a six-step process to achieve effective change, these steps concentrate on task alignment whereby employees roles, responsibilities, and relationships are seen as the main component to bringing about effective change. The stages are: Mobilise commitment to change through joint diagnosis. Develop a shared vision of how to organise. Foster consensus, competence and commitment to shared vision. Spread the word about the change. Institutionalise the change through formal policies Kotter Model Kotter developed what he believed to be the eight critical steps to the successful implementation of change these steps are: Establish a sense of urgency Examining market and competitive realities and identifying and discussing crises, potential crises and opportunities. Form a powerful, guiding coalition Assembling enough people with the enough power to lead the change. Create a vision Create a vision to help direct the change and develop strategies for achieving the vision Communicate the vision Use every medium possible to communicate the vision and strategies to be implemented Empower others to act on the vision Get rid of obstacles to change and encourage risk taking and non-traditional ideas. Plan and create short term wins Plan for visible performance results and recognise and reward employees who are involved in the improvements Consolidate improvements and produce still more change Hiring, promoting and developing employees who can implement the vision. Institutionalising New Approaches Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession. Impact and Barriers If change is not implemented in the correct manner, the impact upon the business can be devastating. Some of the workforce may decide to leave as they do not agree with what is be implemented and that leaves managers trying to fulfil orders or provide services with half a workforce which puts pressure on the rest of the workforce. Communication is key to help reduce barriers, for any change strategy to achieve its goal every member of staff within the organisation must be constantly communicating with executive managers. If staff members ask, Why do we need to do this? a manager must be able to give them a valid answer. Change normally affects both a businesss internal and external environments. Internally staff may feel that they have been left out of the loop and are just being told that they must accept the change or the reverse may happen the staff may be contributing heavily to the change and helping to direct the new vision. Externally an organisation may make an impact on thei r market by promoting a new service or product. There are a number of barriers to successful change both in terms of actually implementing the change and sustaining it. Employees must be able to flourish within an every changing environment to allow them to contribute to an organisations success. Lisette Howlett, (2009) states the 10 main barriers to successful change these are listed below: Not enough understanding about the change itself Lack of leadership Lack of focus and strong project management of the change No engagement and/or buy-in of key stakeholders No clear process for managing endings and beginnings, and co-ordinating the change process Successes are not recognised, communicated Progress is not measured and the learning is not reviewed Change is very tiring and is often something that requires extra effort people need to see that this effort is paying off and their contribution is valued All of these barriers can be overcome if the correct procedures are put in place and communication is constant throughout the process. Employees need to feel that they are major contributors to a companys success and will sometimes feel undervalued if they are not involved in the process of change this can lead to hostility amongst the workers and feelings of anger towards the management this in turn leads to barriers being erected due to the fear of change. Conclusion Change must be managed, implemented, and executed in such a way that there is always communication between staff and managers. This allows for equilibrium and encourages growth and innovation within a company. Each change management theory has its strengths and weaknesses and each can be adapted to an organisations needs but I believe that managers must invite all staff to offer ideas on a creating a new vision for the company and thus driving the company forward as a whole. References Hughes, M. (2006). Change Management: A Critical Perspective. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. ISBN: 1-84398-070-3. Armstrong, M (2004). Managing Organizational Change in Nigeria Manufacturing Enterprises: Lessons from the Unilever Nigeria Plc. AC Associated Content. Retrieved from http://www.medwelljournals.com/fulltext/?doi=ibm.2009.15.21 Syque. (2007). Lewins Freeze Phases. Changing Minds. Retrieved from Higgs, Malcolm, and John Wren. The Leadership of Change: a Study of Change Leadership within the UK Royal Air Force. Henley-on-Thames: Henley Management College, 2005. Print Howlett, Lisette. 10 Common Barriers to Successful Change. MLH Consulting. 15 Sept. 2009. Web. .

Government systems Essay -- essays research papers

An authoritarian Monarchy is a form of government in which the leader has absolute power. Under Sui Huangdi China had an authoritative monarchy. He was hated by scholars for his book burning and by peasants because he forced them to work on the Great Wall of China (Beck, pg. 109). He also set standards on weights, currency, writing, and law (Beck, pg. 109). He also built roads, and started irrigation projects (Beck, pg. 109). An advantage of his government is that he got things done to help the country economically. A benevolent monarchy/tyrant is a government where the leader has absolute power. Persia had a benevolent monarchy under Cyrus the great. When he conquered a place he treated the people living there with kindness (Beck, pg. 99). He would allow them to keep their religion and did not loot or burn down their villages (Beck, pg. 99). A theocracy is a government that is lead by a religion. The early kingdom of Israel was a theocracy. Judaism was the religion of early Israel (Beck, pg. 80). The laws of early Israel were based on the laws set by the torah. It was led by 3 kings who united the different tribes, and built a temple for their god (Beck, pg. 80). King Solomon forced his people to labor for the temple and the people revolted (Beck, pg. 80). They then split Israel into Judea and Israel (Beck, pg. 80). A confederation is a league of city states that are allies during a time of war but are otherwise independent. The Delian league was a confederation of over 200 Greek city-states. It was formed during war with Persia to fight them as one united force (Beck, pg. 133). After the league defeated Persia Athens became the leader of the league. This posed a problem because Athens used its power to control the other l... ...s oligarchy was advantageous as well because military decisions could be made quickly. An advantage of a direct democracy was that there could not be any bribery because the briber would have to bribe all 500 council members. An advantage of a republic is that all people would be taken care of even the poor since they had the right to vote and they would not vote for people who did not care about them. After reviewing all of these forms of government I would choose a republic for Iraq. A republic would meet the needs of all of the citizens. The people in Iraq are fighting over control of the government and a republic would give both parties control. Works Cited Beck, Roger. World History Patterns of Interaction United States of America: McDougal Littell, 2007 Government systems Essay -- essays research papers An authoritarian Monarchy is a form of government in which the leader has absolute power. Under Sui Huangdi China had an authoritative monarchy. He was hated by scholars for his book burning and by peasants because he forced them to work on the Great Wall of China (Beck, pg. 109). He also set standards on weights, currency, writing, and law (Beck, pg. 109). He also built roads, and started irrigation projects (Beck, pg. 109). An advantage of his government is that he got things done to help the country economically. A benevolent monarchy/tyrant is a government where the leader has absolute power. Persia had a benevolent monarchy under Cyrus the great. When he conquered a place he treated the people living there with kindness (Beck, pg. 99). He would allow them to keep their religion and did not loot or burn down their villages (Beck, pg. 99). A theocracy is a government that is lead by a religion. The early kingdom of Israel was a theocracy. Judaism was the religion of early Israel (Beck, pg. 80). The laws of early Israel were based on the laws set by the torah. It was led by 3 kings who united the different tribes, and built a temple for their god (Beck, pg. 80). King Solomon forced his people to labor for the temple and the people revolted (Beck, pg. 80). They then split Israel into Judea and Israel (Beck, pg. 80). A confederation is a league of city states that are allies during a time of war but are otherwise independent. The Delian league was a confederation of over 200 Greek city-states. It was formed during war with Persia to fight them as one united force (Beck, pg. 133). After the league defeated Persia Athens became the leader of the league. This posed a problem because Athens used its power to control the other l... ...s oligarchy was advantageous as well because military decisions could be made quickly. An advantage of a direct democracy was that there could not be any bribery because the briber would have to bribe all 500 council members. An advantage of a republic is that all people would be taken care of even the poor since they had the right to vote and they would not vote for people who did not care about them. After reviewing all of these forms of government I would choose a republic for Iraq. A republic would meet the needs of all of the citizens. The people in Iraq are fighting over control of the government and a republic would give both parties control. Works Cited Beck, Roger. World History Patterns of Interaction United States of America: McDougal Littell, 2007

Economic Analysis of Roundup-Ready Soybeans :: Agriculture Economics Essays

Economic Analysis of Roundup-Ready Soybeans In 1974, Monsanto Corporation registered the chemical glyphosate for agricultural use in the United States. Monsanto marketed glyphosate, otherwise known as Roundup, as a broad-spectrum herbicide designed to kill â€Å"a wide variety of annual and perennial grasses, sedges, broad-leaf weeds, and woody shrubs† (Mendelson, 1998). Glyphosate kills such a huge assortment of plants and weeds by inhibiting the creation of EPSP synthase, an enzyme in plants that is required to synthesize the amino acid phenylalanine (Kliener, 1998). Deprived of phenylalanine, plants cannot make the proteins necessary for life, so these plants weaken and die. Since glyphosate kills nearly anything green, farmers have been forced to use Roundup as either a pre-emergence herbicide or a weed killer around the borders of their planting area to avoid killing their commercial crop (Sij and Stansel, 1997). Despite farmers’ inability to spray glyphosate directly on conventional crops, Roundup became â€Å"the best-selling weed-killer in the world† (Arax and Brokaw, 1997). In 1994, Roundup had net sales of approximately 1.2 billion dollars, comprising 17 percent of Monsanto’s total annual sales. However, by the mid-90’s, Monsanto neared the expiration date on its patent of Roundup, and faced the possibility of losing the production rights of this cash cow. Desperately needing a new way to continue to reap profits from glyphosate, in 1996, Monsanto, through genetic engineering, introduced genetically modified Roundup-Ready crops, varieties of several commercial crops which are resistant to glyphosate. By inserting a gene derived from a petunia that produced large amounts of EPSP synthase into the genome of several popular commercial crops, Monsanto created varieties of soybeans, cotton, canola, and corn which could produce enough EPSP synthase to overwhelm the EPSP inhibition caused by glyphosate (Kliener, 1998). Therefore, farmers can plant the glyphosate-resistant crops and spray Roundup directly on their fields, thus destroying every weed and plant except their Roundup-Ready crop. Since glyphosate-resistant crops offer the promise of a cheaper and simpler weed management process, farmers have adopted glyphosate-resistant crops at such an alarming rate that Roundup-Ready crops cover over 33 million acres worldwide (Mendelson, 1998). The advent of genetically engineered glyphosate-resistant crops has not only maintained but has greatly expanded Monsanto’s market share in the realm of agribusiness. Since Roundup-Ready seeds are only resistant to the broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, Monsanto sells a season’s worth of weed killer along with every Roundup Ready seed sale (Arax and Brokaw, 1997).

The Evolution of Capital Punishment Essay -- Death Penalty

The Evolution of Capital Punishment Ever since there has been crime, there has been punishment. One form of punishment that has existed since the beginning of society is capital punishment. As crime and societies have evolved over time, so have capital punishment, its forms, and its reasons for use. Capital punishment is defined as the execution or death for a capital offense. (Hill & Hill 1995: 75) A capital offense is defined as being any criminal charge that is punishable by the death penalty. (Hill & Hill 1995: 75) A capital offense usually means that no bail will be allowed. Capital punishment has existed since the earliest civilizations such as the ancient Greeks, Romans, and even the English have existed. Death sentences were not only carried out centuries ago, but they were also given out as sentences in formal courts. In ancient Greece, the death penalty was ordered for what are known as minor crimes in modern day living. The rules of Rome were not much more merciful to say the least. Starting a fire or even disturbing the peace after dark could fuel such a verdict as death by fire or worse. And finally in England, there were over 200 offenses that could be punishable by death. (Landon 1992: 9) The English, were in fact, the main reasons as to why the death penalty exists in America. Capital punishment became a very important part of the written rules at the time of the first wave of colonists that arrived in America. The rules varied from colony to colony although the rules remained quite similar all the same. (Landon 1992: 10) The death penalty in very early America was the end result of a murderous conviction the majority of the time although it was put to use for many other crimes. Due to the fact that there was no separation of power between the church and the American government and the fact that a simple accusation could cost somebody their life, the 8th and then later on, the 14th amendments were created. The 8th amendment states that â€Å"Excessive bail or fines and cruel punishment are prohibited. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† The 14th amendment then states that â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or... ...t is awfully convenient to be able to go both ways on such a subject. It is fascinating to be able to notice the evolution of such an important subject in our history and how it is still changing. It is worth noting that the death penalty is not simply the most serious criminal punishment there is to offer, but is has and is still a social, moral, and legal problem in society. It was a problem 200 years ago and still is today. It is a subject that all people most likely will not be able to come to an agreement on, but it is one that will continue to evolve so all we can do for now is watch and see. Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hill, Gerald N., and Kathleen Thompson Hill. Real Life Dictionary of the Law. Los Angeles, General Publishing Group, Inc., 1995 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zimering, Franklin E., and Gordon Hawkins. Capital Punishment and the American Agenda. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1986 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Berns, Walter. For Capital Punishment: Crime and the Morality of the Death Penalty. New York, Basic Books Inc., 1979 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Landon, Elaine. Teens and the Death Penalty. Hillside, Enslow Publishers, 1992 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herda, D.J. Furman v. Georgia. Springfield, Enslow Publishers, 1994

Growing Up With Nature – William Wordsworth’s “Nutting”

Touch-for there is spirit in the woods.† That small extract from William Wordsworth's â€Å"Nutting† represents very well the theme throughout the poems I will look at, the theme of growing up with nature and how nature teaches and guides him through life. In the poem â€Å"Nutting† Wordsworth starts off the day as he has done many times before, going out and looking for chestnuts, the childhood ritual which all children do at one stage during their life. But unlike before he goes to a part of the wood he has never been and which no one else has been to either, â€Å"I came to one dear nook Unvisited.† This untouched area of the wood delights Wordsworth and he is overjoyed to have found it himself, â€Å"A little while I stood, Breathing with such suppression of the heart As joy delights.† A tree full of, â€Å"tempting clusters†. This â€Å"virgin scene† began to seduce Wordsworth and he falls in love with it and begins to think that he owns the tree. So of course trouble is inevitable. â€Å"Then I rose, And dragged to earth both branch and bough, with crash And merciless ravage: Deformed and sullied, patiently gave up.† Wordsworth has totally â€Å"mutilated† this tree and feels â€Å"rich beyond the wealth of kings.† He really does feel delighted with the work he has just done but as the reality of it sets in and the picture of what this scene once was begins to give Wordsworth â€Å"a sense of pain.† This pain caused by the anguish of what he has just done to this defenceless tree. From this sense of guilt Wordsworth begins to realise that â€Å"there is a spirit in the woods.† And the foundations for his future beliefs in pantheism have been set. Wordsworth has moved on from his previous thought of a tree just being an object but now believes it has a kind of life force in it. In the poem â€Å"The Prelude (I)† Wordsworth follows a similar theme of growing up. In this poem young Wordsworth takes a boat which is not his and he is feeling very adventurous. â€Å"It was an act of stealth And troubled pleasure.† He felt very good when he took the boat and was having a very good time, until Wordsworth realises what he has done wrong but this is not realised until he reaches his destination in the lake. â€Å"The horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge, As if with voluntary power instinct Upreared its head.† This is the climax of the poem and helps show the sudden change in mood. Wordsworth is happily rowing the boat when suddenly this huge big thing shows itself. To Wordsworth this is some sort of hideous creature. But in fact as you go through the poem you learn that this is the first few signs of his developing conscience. â€Å"For many days my brain Worked with a dim and undetermined sense Of unknown modes of being; o'er my thoughts There hung a huge darkness†¦. †¦moved slowly through the mind By day, and were a trouble to my brain.† These show the signs of a guilty conscience, guilty from knowing he took the boat: a conscience Wordsworth is being taught about from nature and it again points to his emerging belief of Pantheism, that nature is God. The main focus in this poem â€Å"The Prelude (II)† is that of moving on. The poem has a picturesque setting of the â€Å"twilight gloom† This type of light however would tell Wordsworth to go inside, as if nature was telling him as a parent calls their children. But â€Å"I heeded not their summons.† So he carried on â€Å"All shod with steel, We hissed along on the polished ice in games:† a nice use of alliteration to convey the movement of ice skating. But Wordsworth being a Pantheist he cannot stay so he wonders off â€Å"not seldom from the uproar I retired.† Wordsworth here shows his poetic ability and understanding of nature because he realises that the hills are â€Å"melancholic.† His subconscious understanding of nature forces him to go off and explore. What he realises is that everything around him is moving. â€Å"With visible motion her diurnal round! Behind me did they stretch in solemn train, Feebler and feebler, and I stood and watched Till all was tranquil as dreamless sleep.† As a child he is travelling with the spirit of nature. I think everyone could relate to Wordsworth poems in someway: I know that I can relate to his feeling of a spirit in the woods. When I was lost I in the woods I felt as if someone was there showing where to go. So I will end on this note â€Å"Touch-for there is a spirit in the woods.†

Trade Union and Human Resource Management

Rebore, R. W. 2001. Human Resources Administration in Education: A Management Approach. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Buletin Stiintific; Dec2010, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p121-128, 8p, 1 Diagram, 2 Graphs De Cieri, H & Kramar, R 2008, Human resource management in Australia, 3rd edn, McGraw Hill, Sydney. Diane Kubal; Michael Baker; Kendra Coleman Performance Improvement; Mar 2006; 45, 3; ABI/INFORM Global Text book Maffei, Steven1 Review of Business; Fall2010, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p91-97, 7p Becker,BE,Huselid, Ma & Ulrich, D 2001, The HRM scorecard: linking people, strategy and performance, Harvard Business School Press. Kleynhams R. , Markhan L, K. , and Van S. , Human resource Management, 2nd Edition, Person Prentice Hall, South Africa(2006) Oliver,Richard(1980), ‘A cognitive model of the antecedents and Consequences of Satisfaction Decisions’ , Journal of Markting Research, 17, 460-469 Russell S. Winer(1987), ‘A Framwork for the Formation and structure of Consumer Expectations: Review and Propositions,’Journal of Economic Psychology, 8,3, 469-499 Webb S. ,& B. (1896). History of Trade Unionism, London: Londman Pongpangan, A(1979). Labour union: Background, concept and structure(translated from Thai title). In â€Å" Labour relations class material†, Bangkok: Chulalongkom University. Tosuwanjinda, V (2002). Labour relations: The key to the cooperation between employers and workers (translated from Thai title). (5th Ed. ). Bangkok: Nititham Press Wilawan, K. (2007). Labor relation(translated from Thai title). (10th ed) Bangkok:Winyuchon Press. Greenwood, M. , and H. De Cieri. 2006. Stakeholder theory and the ethics of human resourcemanagement. In Ethics in human resource management and employment relations, eds A. Pinnington, R. Macklin and T. Campbell, 119–36. Oxford: Oxford University Press Maltby, J. , and R. Wilkinson. 1998. Stakeholding and corporate governance in the UK. Politics 18(3): 197–204. Journal of Advertising; Summer2009, Vol. 38 Issue 2, p37-51, 15p, 1 Diagram De Witt, R (1993). The structural consequences of downsizing. Organizations Science, 4(1), 30-40

Mba 653

MTV ARABIA – Case study MBA -653 Table of Contents Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Challenges†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦.. 9 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 ABSTRACT MTV Networks (MTVN) had over the years developed a reputation for its ability to provide localized content without diluting what MTV stood for.However, the company faced the most challenging test in late 2007 with its launch of MTV Arabic in the Middle East, which some experts considered as the biggest launch in the channel’s history. While the market in the Middle East offered MTVN with huge opportunities due to its huge youth populace, MTV’s controversial content that was known for angering religious, political, and conservative communities could easily backfire in the conservative environment prevalent in the region. On the other han d, too much localization to suit the tastes of the region could dilute MTV’s global brand.The case discusses in detail the strategy adopted by MTVN to enter and expand in the Middle East and also the challenges faced by the channel. 1 SWOT Analysis 2 1. Experts felt that one of the biggest challenges faced by MTV while launching MTV Arabia was the prevalent culture in the Arab world. Discuss the Arab culture. How is it expected to pose a challenge to MTV? The Arab world stretches from Morocco across Northern Africa to the Persian Gulf. The Arab world is more or less equal to the area known as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).It can also be defined as those countries where Arabic is the dominant language. Arab countries are religiously and ethnically diverse with Islam being the dominant religion in most countries. 22 Arab countries/areas: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The Arab Culture is divided into three main parts, the Urban Culture (Al-Hadar), the Rural Culture (Al-Reef), and the Nomad Culture (Al-Badow).Typically, countries like Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Morocco are considered Rural Cultures, while Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Libya, Mauritania and Jordan are considered Badow (Bedouins), while finally the Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, Algeria are considered Urban, yet most of the Arab Major Cities are recognized with Urban Cultures, like Cairo, Rabat, Baghdad, Alexandria, Damascus, Marrakech. The Arab countries are religiously and ethnically diverse. The Arab world is a location of several world religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and a multitude of ethnic and linguistic groups.However, the predominant religion is Islam and Arabic the dominate language. To be an Arab, like an American, is a cultural trait rather than racial. An Arab worldview is based upon the below concepts: 1. Atomism: Arabs tend to see the world and events as isolated incidents, snapshots, and particular moments in time. Westerners tend to look for unifying concepts whereas Arabs focus on parts, rather than on the whole. 2. Faith: Arabs usually believe that many, if not all; things in life are controlled by the will of God (fate) rather than by human beings. . Wish Versus Reality: Arabs, much more than Westerners, express emotion in a forceful and animated fashion. Their desire for modernity is contradicted by a desire for tradition (especially Islamic tradition). 4. Importance of Justice and Equality: Arabs value justice and equality among Muslims, and to a lesser degree to others. All actions taken by non-Arabs will be weighed in comparison to tradition and religious standards. 3 5. Family versus self: Arabic communities are tight-knit groups made up of even tighter family groups.Family pride and honor is more important than individual hon or. 6. Paranoia: Arabs may seem paranoid by Western standards. Many are suspicious of any Western interest or intent in their land. 7. Shame and Honor: Admitting, â€Å"I don’t know† is distasteful to an Arab. Constructive criticism can be taken as an insult. Be careful not to insult. And women wear headscarves as a show of respect, even if wearing Western clothing. 8. Family: Family is the center of honor, loyalty, and reputation for Arabs. And males are always the head of the Arab family. 9.Personal Space: Most Arabs DO NOT share the American concept of â€Å"Personal space† in public situations, and in private meetings or conversations. It is considered offensive to step or lean away! Women are an exception to this rule. DO NOT stand close to, stare at, or touch a woman. 10. Socialization and Trust: When conducting business, it is customary to first shake the hand of all males present, taking care not to grip too firmly. Allocate plenty of time for refreshmen t before attempting to engage in business. It is important to first establish respect and trust.Arab Perspective vs. Western Perspective Arab Western Family Considered the foremost, where the father is patriarchal Important, but not as central to the life of the individual Friends Part of life, but considered more periphery Core to a few, but mostly important in life Honor very important amongst Arabs. Honor will be protected and defended all costs. Typically not as important ShameAvoided as much as possible, especially in relation to family, where gossip, insults and criticism taken to heart typically not as important time less rigid.Approach to time is much more relaxed and showed than that in Western cultures. Very structured, deadlines must be met. Religion is central to all things varies with individuals, very personal, not discussed in polite conversation. SocietyFamily tribe is most important individual rights. Government Most governments are secular, but still emphasize reli gion. Purpose is to protect rights and improve standard of living. Age and wisdom honored. Youth and beauty praised. Wealth respected. 4 Some of the key differences identified are given here: Western youth were found to be generally pessimistic about the future, while Middle Eastern youth were generally optimistic. * Religion was seen to be â€Å"enormously important† to Middle Eastern youth when compared to their Western peers. * National identify and traditional values were extremely important to Arab youth, but not to their peers in the West. For Arab youth, â€Å"loss of traditional values and culture† was identified as one of the top three biggest challenges facing the world today, along with rising cost of living and corruption in government. Arab youth generally admired political, religious, and business leaders, while Western youth do not. * Arab youth wanted to â€Å"make a difference†, while Western youth mostly wanted to â€Å"get ahead†. * Mid dle East and Western male youths had very different opinions about gender equality in the workplace, with less than y in 10 Middle East males favoring it. MTV and the challenges posted by the prevalent culture As a result the Arab culture is known for reacting, and some think over reacting negatively to controversial content. The Middle East offered a huge population of youth with a rich and diverse culture.In an effort to adopt the strategy of â€Å"Think Globally, Act Locally† MTVN (Music Television Networks) executives made it a point to learn the cultures and make shows that relate to the cultures as oppose to exporting the American culture. In order to achieve this goal the channel adopted a decentralized structure and gave commercial and creative autonomy to the local staff. This venture was considered to be one of the biggest launches in MTV’s history because of the potential audience. MTV hoped to provide a culturally unifying agent within a region that has bee n known for its political tensions.Also, this channel may correct some misconceptions of the region and reduce tensions. The target audience for the channel would be the Middle East youth; providing them with access to music via mobile, broadband, and television. The challenges MTV expected to encounter included: the reputation of MTV airing sexually explicit programs and images in direct contrast of the socially conservative culture of the Middle East. Adjusting content to be suitable for each region may prove to be very challenging. For example, what is acceptable in Dubai may not be acceptable in other parts of Saudi Arabia.MTV also had to be careful not to lose the vision of their brand in its attempts to conform to localization. 5 In addition, issues such as the US invasion of Iraq complicated relation among the Americans and Arabs. There were also competitors that had already created a niche for them in the region. So, it’s not particularly difficult to see why MTV had a major challenge on its hands. Its content (music, videos and reality shows) could offend the cultural sensibilities of people in the Arab world especially in terms of * Too much skin show * Intermingling of genders * Use of disparaging or swear words References to alcohol * Discussion on religion or politics * Unaccepted gestures such as finger pointing, showing the soles of feet, etc. Another challenge before MTV was that the Arabs were generally considered paranoid by Western standards and they tended to be suspicious of any Western interest. MTV, in a way, stood for what the Arab world most reviled about Western / American culture. While MTV might argue that the values that it stood for were relevant to youth throughout the world, it may still be perceived as something contrary to Islamic ideals and the Arab culture.The launch of MTV in the Arab world could easily be perceived as an imposition of Western culture. Fanatics, or those who pretend to be guardians of Islam, could ea sily rake up the issue and create a lot of trouble for MTV. To complicate matters, the anti-American sentiments prevalent in a section of the Arab world too could pose step challenges to MTV. One may argue that with globalization and the advancements in information and communication technology, youth across the globe share similar aspirations and consumption behavior. And that a section of the youth population in the Middle East did want MTV.However, ignoring the cultural differences is fraught with danger, as the Arab youth consider religion â€Å"enormously important â€Å"and â€Å"loss of traditional values and culture â€Å"as a key challenge. 6 2. MTV’s Strategy in the Middle East . Do you think MTV will be able to succeed in this market? Our team was required to analyze MTV’s strategies in the Middle East and anticipate its success in this market. We believe that the company will do well due to its scientific approach to overcome the major challenges faced i n the region and efficient managerial decision making.Firstly, it was a good start to establish profitable relationship between AMG and MTV, where each of the sides will benefit from its correlation in terms of earnings, great name and people that provide MTV Arabia with a lot of resources. Secondly, Arabs have different tastes and preferences compared to US audience. These differences in taste transfer to all areas including music networks. However, MTV had taken the decision before launching new products to population of the Middle East to adapt the product to fit local taste.Thirdly, the extensive market research was conducted by the company in order to minimize the risk of failure by the determining the needs of the population and developing the product that will satisfy their needs. Same research revealed that Islamic biases toward Americanization will not affect development of the company within the region since majority of the participants’ associated MTV brand with ot her countries rather than US. In addition, the study helped to find vacant niche that could be served to attract larger part of the population and generate more profit. Strategies used by MTV: 1) Segmentation strategy: (a) Geographic segmentation: Targeted region: Middle East Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Palestine and Syria. (b)Demographic segmentation: Targeted Population: About 65 percent of the Arab population consisted of youth under the age of 25. (2) Targeting strategy: Before launching the channel, the extensive survey of the region was conducted to understand what people wanted. The survey team targeted people in the 18-24 age groups and travelled around the region to schools and universities canvassing opinions. (3) Positioning strategy: During MTV’s 25th anniversary, the company said that it would provide the audience in the region content that would be different from that offered by popular Arab music chann els. Though, the Arab market was crowded with more than 50 channels, none of them provided a global platform to export the musical talent of the local youth. (5) Niche strategy: To overcome competition, the channel proposed to establish itself as a platform wherefrom the Arab youth could voice their local concerns as well as advertise their music talent.For instance, MTV Arabia’s flagship show â€Å"Hip Hop Na†, where the winner from each city would get a chance to record a track for a compilation CD produced by Fred Wrecks. (6) Product strategy: Product provided: The channel’s programming was to have a mix of music videos, music-based programming, general life-style and animated programs, reality shows, comedy and dramatic series, news specials, interviews and documentaries where the key is obviously the language. About 45 percentage of MTV Arabia’s content was too produced locally, with the rest translated.New products were developed: MTV Arabia designe d new shows in Arabic to cater to pan-Arab youth audience. There would be a localized version of popular shows such as â€Å"Made†( Al-Helm) and â€Å" Boiling Point† (Akher Takka). (7) Promotion strategy: Celebrity attraction marked the launch of MTV in the Middle East. The launch featured performances by eminent stars as Akon, Ludacris and Karl Wolf along with local hip hop group Desert heart. (8) Distribution channels strategy: The Middle East had the potential to offer MTV numerous media like mobiles and the Internet to reach its end consumers.MTV Arabia wants to provide Middle East youth with the opportunity to watch MTV on mobile, on broadband, and on television. 8 (9) Technical innovative strategy: Products such as MTV Overdrive in which the user could download the video at broadband speed, and MTV Flux in which the online users could create their own TV channel were expected to help in luring the various Internet service providers in the region. (10) Marketâ₠¬â„¢s Entry strategy: MTV entered Middle East by tying up with a local partner; the Arab media group (AMG) (11) Investment and control strategy:The channel MTV Arabia was formed as a result of a licensing arrangement between MTV and AMG. MTV would earn an estimated US $10 million annually in licensing fees from AMG for 10 years. (12) Hybrid approach Refers to company’s ability to fit in local environment with its culture, traditions values, and perception of the reality. MTV Arabia was there to entertain people within the limits of Arab traditions and had no intention of showing disrespect to the local culture. It would be a channel for the Arabs and made by Arabs, where the launch team comprised a mix of Saudis, Palestinians, Emiratis, Iraqis and Lebanese.Conclusion This case gave us an understanding of the issues and challenges in entering and expanding operations in new markets which were culturally different from the organizations home/traditional/existing markets, Unders tanding the pros and cons of entering a new market with a standardized/adapted product to suit local preferences and made us go further in analyzing MTVN’s strategy in the Middle East, identify challenges and explore strategies that the channel could adopt in the future.This case was very useful it made us realize how MTV and other channels experience in global markets. And how localize strategies in various markets. The challenges MTV faced while launching in the Middle East also were disclosed we analyzed those challenges it faced in expanding its operations in the region and the strategy adopted by MTV in the Middle East. 9 References: http://www. arabianbusiness. com/the-revolution-will-be-televised-197356. html http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/middle_east/7100252. stm ttp://www. businessweek. com/stories/2007-10-21/online-extra-mtv-presses-play-in-the-middle-east https://www. inkling. com/read/international-management-helen-deresky-7th/chapter-5/part-ii-comprehensive-case-4 http://www. businessweek. com/stories/2007-10-21/online-extra-mtv-presses-play-in-the-middle-east www. mtv. com WWW. mtvme. com http://www. arabianbusiness. com/ WWW. hrbusinees. com www. cnn. com www. bbc. com www. businessweek. com www. icmrindia. org/casestudies/catalogue/ www. hollywoodreporter. com

Enzyme Inhibition

Enzyme Inhibition Many drugs exert their action by inhibition of an enzyme activity in the body. If the activity of an enzyme is vital to the cell or organism, then inhibition may lead to death of the cell or organism. It is now possible to design new drugs which are enzyme inhibitors once a target enzyme has been identified. Types of Inhibitors A) Reversible Inhibitors:  The effect of the inhibitor is instantaneous, and it can be removed from the enzyme by dialysis so that the enzyme activity is returned to normal.Such inhibitors interact with the enzyme by weak non-covalent bonds to form an enzyme inhibitor complex. E + I ? EI B) Irreversible Inhibitors:  These inhibitors bind very tightly to the enzyme, sometimes by formation of covalent bonds to form an enzyme inhibitor compound rather than a loose complex. The effect is therefore progressive with time reaching a maximum when all of the enzyme has reacted. This is not easily reversed by simple physical treatments such as dial ysis. E + I > EI Reversible Inhibition of EnzymesThere are three types of reversible enzyme inhibition;  competitive, non-competitive  (also called mixed)  and uncompetitive. Competitive- molecules which closely resemble the substrate in size, shape and charge distribution may also slip into the active site. This may result in reaction i. e. the second molecule is another substrate for the enzyme, or it may result in inhibition because the active site is blocked. The inhibitor has a separate equilibrium with the enzyme. The binding of substrate and inhibitor is mutually exclusive. E + S ? ES > E + P, E + I ?EI Each of these equilibria is characterised by a dissociation constant. The first by Km (the Michaelis constant) and the second by Ki which characterises the binding between enzyme and inhibitor. If sufficient [S] is present then eventually the inhibition by I will be overcome. This is the diagnostic test for this type of inhibition. Both I and S compete for the available enzyme. The activity of an enzyme is described by the following equation: (Michaelis- Menton equation) In the presence of a  competitive reversible inhibitor, this equation becomes;So the  Michaelis constant  (which is a reciprocal measure of affinity of E and S) is changed by the factor 1 + [I]/Ki where [I] is the inhibitor concentration and  Ki is the dissociation constant for the equilibrium between E and I. Most importantly,  Vmax is unchanged  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ this is diagnostic for this type of inhibition. Ki is best defined as the concentration of inhibitor required to slow the reaction to half the rate it shows in the absence of inhibitor. It is a reciprocal measure of the affinity of E and I. Lineweaver-Burk Plot for Competitive Reversible InhibitionThe  intercept on the y axis represents 1/Vmax. The slope is altered by the factor 1 + [I]/Ki, but the  easiest way to calculate Ki  is from the  ratio of the intercepts on the x axis. Without inhibitor the intercept is -1//Km, with inhibitor it is -1/Km(1+[I]/Ki), so the ratio (bigger over smaller so it is greater than 1) is 1 + [I]/Ki. Easiest way to calculate Ki  is from the  ratio of the intercepts on the x axis. Equation: Other Types of Reversible Inhibition Uncompetitive- This type of reversible inhibition is said to occur when the inhibitor binds with the enzyme-substrate complex rather than the enzyme.Substrate and inhibitor bind dependently. Noncompetitive (Mixed)- This type occurs when the inhibitor binds to both the enzyme and enzyme-substrate complex. Substrate and inhibitor bind independently. Irreversible Inhibition of Enzymes Reversible  means that the timescale of the inhibition is similar to that of the enzyme action, usually measured over a few minutes. Irreversible  means that the enzyme activity is inhibited for times significantly longer than the assay times for the enzyme. It does not necessarily mean that the inhibition will not reverse given sufficient time i. . hours, days or weeks. Some of the most interesting examples of enzyme inhibitors as drugs are those which fall between the two extremes and are sometimes defined as Quasi-Irreversible. These include tight-binding inhibitors, transition state analogues and slowly dissociating intermediates. Tight-Binding inhibitors  and  Transition State Analogues  form high affinity complexes with the enzyme and may have Ki values in the order of nanomolar (10-9  mol L-1). The value of Ki will be very important in describing the potency of this type of inhibitor.As a rough guide the inhibitor concentration causing 50% inhibition (I50) is used as a measure of Ki. Slowly Dissociating Intermediates  react with the enzyme to form covalent intermediates which take time to dissociate from the enzyme. A Classification of Enzyme Inhibitors as Drugs For a compound to work as a drug in vivo it will ideally have TWO very important properties. These are; Potency  To work in vivo as an enzyme inhibit or the inhibitor will need to be potent enough so that the dose required is in the order of milligrams to grams.Specificity  If a compound is a nonspecific enzyme inhibitor it is more likely to be toxic and exhibit serious side effects. It may be a poison. Simple Reversible- A simple reversible inhibitor binds to the enzyme and decreases the enzyme activity instantaneously and reverses within the time of the enzyme action. The inhibitor binds non-covalently (ionic interactions, hydrogen bonds, Van Der Waal's forces) to the enzyme and the strength of binding is of a similar order to the substrate i. e. Ki will be of similar size to Km. For very good reasons, the Km values for enzymes vary between about 10-2  mol L-1  to 10-6mol L-1.Unlikely to be potent enough to work in vivo where competition occurs in a dynamic metabolic situation. For a simple competitive inhibitor the inhibition will be self-limiting. If an enzyme is not rate limiting, it may be necessary to achieve ;90% in hibition before any increase in substrate concentration occurs. To do this the inhibitor concentration needs to be approximately 20 times the Ki value. Conformationally Restricted Competitive Inhibitors- It is possible that a reversible competitive inhibitor which is a conformationally restricted analogue of the substrate will have a much higher affinity for the enzyme han does the substrate and hence can be potent enough to work in vivo at reasonable concentrations. Such compounds may have Ki values in the region of 1 x 10-7  mol L-1 Quasi-Irreversible Tight Binding Inhibitors- This is an extension of the previous class i. e. competitive inhibitors which are conformationally restricted and/or have many non-covalent interactions leading to long lasting complexes. Therefore binding is very tight (Ki in order of 10-9  mol L-1  to 10-10  mol L-1) and these compounds are potent enough to act as drugs in vivo.Transition State Analogues- Theoretically, an analogue of a transition state (or reaction intermediate) for the enzyme catalysed reaction will bind much tighter than an analogue of the substrate. The outcome is a potent and potentially specific inhibitor. Theoretically, Ki values can be very low. In practice if Ki values in the region of Nano molar can be achieved, these are potent enough to work in vivo. As we shall see, there has been much work in this area on proteases including HIV protease and there are now a major class of drugs which has been developed on this principle.Slowly Dissociating Intermediates- Some enzymes form covalent intermediates as part of their mechanism e. g. acetylcholinesterase. It is possible for a compound to act as a pseudo-substrate and be converted into a long lasting intermediate. Such an inhibition is time dependent and in some cases is virtually irreversible. Sometimes the intermediate is hydrolysed in minutes or hours but this is still much longer than the normal enzyme mechanism when the intermediate would last only milliseconds. Examples include the anticholinesterases neostigmine and physostigmine (eserine) and penicillin.Irreversible Nonspecific: a. Heavy metal poisons e. g. cyanide, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide- Some enzymes and other important proteins such as Haemoglobin and Cytochromes, require metals as cofactors. These metals are often transition metals such as Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and ligands which are electron rich will form co-ordinate covalent bonds with these metals will inactivate these proteins. These bonds are strong and very often these ligands are toxic because of this irreversible inactivation.Cyanide reacts with cytochrome oxidase which is the terminal electron carrier in the electron transport chain by ligand formation with the Cu atom at the centre of its mechanism. Similarly, carbon monoxide complexes with the Fe atom in the haem cofactor of haemoglobin. b. Heavy metal ions e. g. mercury, lead etc. – These are common irreversible inhibitors because of their abili ty to complex firmly with particular groups in enzymes. These effects can be reversed by treatment with chelating agents such as EDTA (ethylene di-amino tetra acetic acid). c. Thiol poisons e. . alkylating agents, Arsenic (III) Many enzymes contain thiol (-SH) groups in amino acid side chains – cysteine, which are essential for catalytic activity. Any compound which reacts with these functional groups will poison the enzyme. E. g. Iodoacetamide  (alkylating agent) Arsenic- The most toxic form of Arsenic is As (III) as in arsenite AsO2. In this form, Arsenic reacts rapidly with  thiol groups, especially with dithiols such as lipoic acid which is an essential cofactor for some important enzymes such as pyruvate dehydrogenase and -ketoglutarate dehyrdrogenase.You should remember these enzymes as part of the link reaction and the citric acid cycle. When these enzymes are blocked, respiration stops. Arsenic derivatives have been prepared as very poisonous war gases e. g. Lewis ite. antidote called  Dimercaprol (‘British Anti-Lewisite')  was designed by incorporating two thiols for the poison to react with. The two thiol groups react with the arsenical war gas forming a stable compound and thus stopping it from blocking the thiol groups in lipoic acid. Dimercaprol  is used these days as an antidote to poisoning with heavy metals such as antimony, arsenic, mercury, bismuth, gold, thallium.It is also used in conjunction with pencillamine in the treatment of lead poisoning (see BNF). Specific Irreversible Inhibitors: Affinity Labels (Active site directed irreversible inhibitors)- An analogue of the substrate which binds to the active site of an enzyme, but which contains a chemically reactive group, has the potential to form covalent bonds with side chains at or near the active site. These inhibitors are irreversible and have been very useful in elucidating enzyme mechanisms but their reactive nature makes them likely to be toxic when used in vivo .Mechanism-based Inhibitors (‘suicide reagents') – The principle of this sort of inhibition is that a pseudo substrate is accepted by the enzyme which then catalyses the production of its own inhibitor which reacts covalently in the active site. Such inhibitors should be specific as well as potent. Certain monoamine oxidase inhibitors have this mechanism, also the -lactamase inhibitors (e. g. clavulanate). The pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6) dependent enzymes have been a particular candidate for the development of this kind of inhibitor (e. g. difluoromethyldopa). Enzyme inhibitors:Edrophonium – conformationally restricted competitive reversible, ACE inhibitors – Tight binding, HIV protease inhibitors – Transition state analogues, Neostigmine, Penicillin – Slowly dissociating intermediates DFP – Irreversible group specific reagent, Clavulanate – mechanism-based irreversible inhibitor. Types of Enzyme Inhibitors Simple Reversibl e| Competitive (also uncompetitive, noncompetitive, mixed)| Simple substrate analogues Michaelis-Menten kinetics Ki in region of Km i. e. 10-2  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 10-6  M| Restricted Conformation| Rigid shape similar to favoured substrate fit Ki less than Km| e. g. drophonium as inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase| Quasi-Irreversible| Tight Binding Ki can be in region of nanomolar| E. g. ACE inhibitors Captopril, enalapril etc. | | Transition State Analogues. Binding constant theoretically below nanomolar| Inhibitors of proteinases e. g. pepsin, renin, HIV proteinase| | Slowly Dissociating Intermediates – time dependent kinetics| e. g. neostigmine, eserine as anticholinesterases Penicillin| Irreversible| Heavy metal poisons etc| Cyanide, Hydrogen Sulphide, Carbon Monoxide| | Group reagents| e. g. Arsenic (III), Iodoacetamide| | DFP action on esterases| | Affinity labels| TPCK on Chymotrypsin| | Mechanism Based (‘suicide inhibitors')| e. g. Clavulanate onlactamase| Enzyme Inhibi tors as Drugs ENZYME| INHIBITOR(S)| USES| Acetylcholinesterase| Edrophonium Neostigmine Eserine| Myasthenia Gravis Glaucoma Paralytic Ileus| Monoamine Oxidase| Tranylcypramine| Depression| Xanthine Oxidase| Allopurinol| Gout, adjunct to Cancer chemotherapy| Carbonic Anhydrase| Acetazolamide| Diuresis| Dihydrofolate Reductase| Methotrexate| Leukaemia|Transpeptidase| Penicillin| Antibacterial| Cyclo-oxygenase| Aspirin etc. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs| Analgesia Anti-inflammatory Anti-platelet| Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)| Captopril, enalapril, lisinopril etc. | Anti-hypertension| Thymidylate Synthetase| Fluorouracil| Cancer chemotherapy| Penicillinase (-lactamase)| Clavulanate etc| Anti-bacterial| HIV proteinase| Saquinovar etc| HIV treatment| Reverse Transcriptase| AZT| HIV treatment| HMG-CoA Reductase| Statins, pravastatin etc. | Coronary Heart Disease| Phospodiesterase V| Viagra| Erectile dysfunction|