Cost of the Good Life Essay

Overall wellbeing, an extravagant lifestyle, and wealth all come to mind when I ponder the good life but what does the good life actually cost? At first glance, this seems like a loaded question that requires multiple dissertations in order to answer. I even contemplated whether or not the good life had a cost at all. Breaking the good life into separate topics relieves much of the stress when it comes to giving an answer. In terms of consumerism, the good life is damaging to the environment, places too much emphasis on money, and it dwindles the importance of non-market values. According to Annie Leonard’s â€Å"The Story of Stuff†, our current materials economy is a commodity chain in which goods go from extraction, to production, to distribution, to consumption, and finally to disposal. The system sounds stable but it is actually in crisis. Anyone with a simple understanding of mathematics can tell you that you cannot run a linear system on a finite planet in the real world. In order for us, the consumers, to get all of our fancy products and up-to-date technologies, a process that we turn a blind eye to takes place. At the source of the process, there is natural resource exploitation. â€Å"We chop down the trees, blow up mountains to get the metals inside, use up all the water, and wipe out all the animals.† As consumers, we are running out of resources because we have too much stuff! In the past three decades alone, one third of the planet’s natural resource space has been consumed. We are undermining the planets very ability for people to live here. In the United States, less than four percent of our original forests are left and forty percent of the waterways have become unsanitary. When the resources start to deplete, we do the same thing to third world or lesser developed nations. The erosion of the local environments of these nations and economies ensures a constant flow of natives that rely on the little money they can earn while working in factories. We have become a nation of consumers largely due to planned and perceived obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is the art of designing products that don’t last a long time but last long enough for someone to buy the product again. Perceived obsolescence is changing the design of things to follow trends and keep up with the times. The number one example that people can relate to is the iPhone. If you don’t have the newest and  greatest iPhone, you are a social outcast. While this might be a tad over exaggerated, it’s not too far from the truth. In all actuality, polls show that our national happiness is declining even though we have more stuff than ever before. This is because we have less time for the things that truly make us happy like friends, family, and leisure time. At the cost of our planet and environment, are we really even living the good life? Fritjof Capra of â€Å"Qualitative Growth† said that â€Å"human needs are finite, but human greed is not. The major problems of our time cannot be understood in isolation; they are all interconnected and interdependent.† In our current economy, we have put currency on a pedestal that is far too high for us to reach anymore. Most of the goods that are produced and sold are often unneeded and therefore are essentially waste. Even still, demographic pressure and poverty form a vicious circle that lead to fewer jobs and wider poverty gaps. These are the costs of the good life. Our current global economy is a system striving for unlimited quantitative growth and is manifestly unsustainable as previously stated. Looking again from an ecological standpoint, the bad growth resulting from this system leads to externalizing social and environmental costs, is based on fossil fuels, involves toxic substances, depletes our natural resources, and degrades the Earth’s ecosystems. Harvard professor Michael Sandel adds what I believe to be the most interesting cost of the good life when it comes to affluenza. He argues that over the last three decades, we have drifted from having a market economy to becoming a market society. Although these two seem to be synonymous, they are actually quite different. A market economy is a valuable and effective tool for organizing productive activity while a market society is a place where almost everything is up for sale. By doing this, we have created a way of life in which market values â€Å"seep into almost every sphere of life and sometimes crowd out or corrode important, non-market values.† One of the examples that professor Sandel uses is congressional hearings in Washington D.C.. Lobbyists want to attend these hearings and because the seats are limited, line-standing companies have arisen. Line-standing companies hire homeless people and pay them an hourly rate in order to wait in line just  before the hearing. According to the professor, this is wrong for two reasons. â€Å"In a democratic society, everyone should have equal access to representative government. The other reason it’s wrong is that it demeans representative government.† When it comes to the point where almost everything in our public life is sold off to the highest bidder, something is lost. Money matters more and more in our society. And against the background of rising inequality, money takes a toll on the commonality of our civic life. In other words, we lose a part of ourselves. Do we go so far that we are cheapening important social goods and civic goods that are worth caring about? Society will eventually become a place of narcissistic opportunism where people will be buying their way into and out of positive and negative situations. What is the good life worth? I’ve been struggling with this question a great deal lately. You may or may not be familiar with the term first world problems. They are frustrations and complaints that are only experienced by privileged individuals, typically used as a comedic device to make light of trivial inconveniences. Not having the latest gadget and the newest clothes from a particular store are just a few examples. When I bought something, I failed to realize what I was actually paying. I now know that these consumer goods cost natural resources, valuable money, and so much more. The simplest way I can put it is that the cost of the good life: priceless.

Apple Is a Good Investment Essay

Yes, apple would be a good investment? because it has stocks that are rising sky-high right now! Apple is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computers software and personal computers. The company’s best know hardware products include the iPod, and the iphone and the ipad. Apple software includes the Mac OS X operating system and the iTunes media Brower; The three reasons why I would invest in apple are because apple’s market share as a computer marker is on a strong up trend is now up 17.6 percent. Another reason why I would invest in apple is that apple retail stores are the best performing stores in the USA but last but not least I would invest in apple is because apple dominates the music download industry. Apple is a good decision? Because the following are the various reasons why investment in Apple Corporation is a good investment, the balance is one of the financial statements which help the investor in decision making in the company. The source of data is from the above balance sheet statement the other assets in the long term category of the above balance sheet have also increased which shows financial performance of the company is better. The total current liabilities have also decreased compared? The results compare to revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion or $1.16 per diluted share in the year ago. In March 28 2009 the company posted revenue of $8.16 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.21 billion or $1.33 per diluted share. Apple current liabilities from 2005 was 3,484,000 into 2009 11,506,000 in the apple’s balance sheet , which shows all of their assets, liabilities and their stockholder equity just about everything listed on the balance sheet is pretty important but for simplicities sale we’ll just go over cash receivables and inventory on the assets sides† pulse accounts payable on the â€Å"liabilities sides†

Integrated Marketing Communications Essay

Definition: Integrated Marketing Communication Definition: IMC is a concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communications disciplines – for example, general advertising, direct response, sales promotion, and public relations – and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum communications impact by The American Association of Advertising Agencies (the 4A’s) The Emergence of IMC The Market revolution forcing a movement towards IMC: †¢ †¢ A shift of marketing dollars from media advertising to other forms of promotion, particularly consumer and trade oriented sales promotions A movement away from relying on advertising-focused approaches, which emphasize mass media such as television and national magazines, to solve communication problems A shift in marketplace power from the manufacturer to the retailer The rapid growth and development of database marketing Demands for greater accountability from advertising agencies and changes in the way agencies are compensated The rapid growth of the Internet, which is changing the very nature of how companies do business and the ways they communicate and interact with consumers †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The Role of Marketing Communication Marketing communication performs several functions for consumers: †¢ Consumers are told how the product is used, by what kind of person, and where and when †¢ Consumers learn about who makes the product and what the company and the brand stand for †¢ It allows companies to link their brands to other people, places, events, brands, experiences, feelings, and things †¢ It also contributed to brand equity by establishing the brand in memory and crafting a brand image Marketing communication contributes specifically to brand equity in the following ways: †¢ By creating awareness of the brand †¢ Linking the right associations to the brand image in the consumer’s memory †¢ Eliciting positive brand judgments or feelings †¢ Facilitating a stronger consumer-brand connection Marketing Communication Forms Marketing communication consists of 6 major modes of communication: Advertising: Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor Sales Promotion: A variety of short-term incentives to encourage trial or purchase of a product or a service Events and Experiences: Company sponsored activities and programs designed to create daily or special brandrelated interactions Public relations and publicity A variety of programs designed to promote or protect a company’s image or its individual products Direct marketing: Use of mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, or internet to communicate directly with or solicit response or dialogue from specific customers or prospects Personal selling: Face-to-face interaction with one or more prospective purchasers for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions, and procuring orders Advertising Sales Promotion Events

The Theory of Value Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Theory of Value - Term Paper Example This will include the critique of the neoclassical economists and their theories and concepts. It will critique the marginalists and what they put forward in their theorization of Economics. Adam Smith & The Theory of Economics Adam Smith is widely accepted as the â€Å"father of Economics†. However, it appears that his view of Economics was steeped in a culture of treatises that were being written by philosophers and theorists who sought to explain how a modern and â€Å"civilized† nation should behave. This include a generation of writers who came before him like Hume, Locke and several others who put forward theories and views about various aspect of social organization. Adam Smith defined the theory of value and the creation of wealth in his book Wealth of Nations. In the book, he primarily defined the division of work as a fundamental element of creating value for nations and societies in his era (Smith, 2000a). According to Adam Smith, the division of work theory was meant to harness and bring together skills, dexterity and judgment to produce goods and services for consumers who needed them in the modern society. This was to involve the break down of manufacturing into separate parts. Thus, the production cycle was to be divided into different units whereby people would take up various duties, specialize and produce to meet specification. This proposition inevitably sought to promote an improved quality of work. Adam Smith's value creation system was to be controlled by individuals who would have access and control of the various production systems and factories. These entrepreneurs would seek to increase the quality of work and create value by breaking down work and allowing people to do it as jobs or employment rather than as slaves (Smith, 2000a). Instead of slaves being kept and fed, people would be allowed to work in exchange for wages and there could be a public sector that regulated some universal aspects of life. This include politi cs and government that would run the society and help things to run well. However, individuals had to do things in the right way and manner. According to Adam Smith, (2000b), the society with a private and property owning ideology had to be regulated with some degree of moral philosophies which he classified in four main classes: 1. Ethics of Virtue 2. Private rights and national liberty. 3. Familial rights (Economics) and 4. State and Individual rights (Politics) These systems could be said to have influenced the conceptualization of private enterprises, the public sector, rule of law and politics/government. Adam Smith's theories were the actualize and rationalize the concepts of Reverend Thomas Malthus which were primarily related to the need for some kind of controls and checks to promote humanity. In Malthus' theories and ideas, the world was on the verge of seeing a crisis. Until checks and controls were put forward, people were likely to suffer severely. Adam Smith's work was one of the first works that sought to provide a logical and structured view of how to deal with the impending social disasters with the rising numbers of people. The Classical Theorists David Ricardo read about Adam Smith's concepts and theories from his book Wealth of Nations in the late 1700s and he embraced his ideas systematically. Ricardo's book, Principles of Political Economy and Taxation released in 1817 was a

Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Knowledge Management - Essay Example Eventually, it becomes vital to identify ways of sharing knowledge across different location, projects and practices. At MindTree, the role of communities is to reflect the socio-technical approach of Knowledge Management. There have been some theories and models behind the successful implementation of knowledge sharing and collaboration at MindTree. One of them is the Community Maturity Model. Brief description of Community Maturity Model is mentioned in subsequent paragraphs. Community Maturity Model This model has been developed by Raj Dutta. Dutta has established this model to create a unified vision for communities in order to pursue collaboration and knowledge sharing. Therefore, the primary purpose of this model is sharing among people. Personal development and learning are not the primary objectives of this model, only sharing among people is. Despite of such profound importance, this model is not much applicable because its ramifications are too unpredictable. According to D utta, another important level of maturity after sharing is building competency. Competency building is referred to as identifying an area in which the organization can excel as compared to its other activities. In the case of MindTree, competency building lies in individuals when they learn from one another. The third important level of maturity is Capacity Building. Capacity building is referred to as building relationships between community and other business entities. At this level, communities have a direct impact on software, existing processes and organizational activities. Role of Champions in Community Practices Forming communities at MindTree is relatively easy. Communities are generally a group of people working together passionately and sharing knowledge. Developing communities also help people for their self-development as well as business development. Communities are represented by champions. In order to avoid being dependent on a single person, all communities must hav e multiple champions. The role of champions is vital for communities. All the champions must bring people together and the goals of all the members of community must be aligned. The role of champion is very challenging as it requires persistently motivating and energizing people. Therefore, champions must possess leadership skills as well. After reviewing the basic strategies of MindTree, it can be noticed that the primary focus of MindTree is on knowledge sharing and collaboration. The company has strived hard to formulate plans at strategic level so as to improve the overall performance of individuals. MindTree believes that sharing information and knowledge reduces the level of fatigue and stress and teamwork can be productive if implemented in an adequate manner. The role of champions for every community is also very substantial as champions are the one who needs to lead and direct the entire community. (Word Count: 512) 2. What are the key elements of MindTree’s Knowledg e Management System? How do these elements link together? How effective is the system? Knowledge Management is another activity which helps in contributing and supporting the values and culture of MindTree. Experts differ in their explanation of Knowledge Management but typically they all agree that knowledge management system requires activities, technologies and processes which aim to organize, acquire, share, apply

Practical 'learning and development event' for a local UAE company in Research Paper

Practical 'learning and development event' for a local UAE company in need of a leadership capacity development training - Research Paper Example The objective of the paper has been to identify the training needs in accordance with the leadership capacity of EITC. During the observation, it was noted that the workforces of EITC comprise a diverse culture with a major inclusion of authoritative leadership style which implies that the managers follow a commanding portfolio. It is also observed that the managers follow a centralized form for managing the activities of the company. The HRD department of the company is also observed to be lacking in managing the diverse workforces in this changing and highly competitive business environment. It is owing to this reason that the company should be facilitated with effective training as well as development program. Accordingly, the four competencies including leading people, strategic management, stimulating commitment and managing change has been suggested to the HR manager in EITC for the enhancement of their skills as well as to perform effectively in the ever changing and competiti ve business environment. OVERVIEW STATEMENT Emirate Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) instigated its operations in the year 2006. ... In its current practices, the Emirati telecom company, i.e. EITC was reported to serve around 5 million people as customers as well as around 40,000 businesses in the local market segments as on 2011. The company is further noted to count on around 2,000 employees’ productivity to deliver superior quality services to its customers. A unique feature of the working environment in EITC is that it comprises employees belonging to diverse cultures from around 60 countries even though the company is still observed to be operating within the local market of UAE. Nevertheless, half of the senior management team as well as staff serving customers directly comprise UAE nationals (EITC, â€Å"Who we are†). Taking the virtues of its diverse workforce, the company seeks to provide better value to customers and thereby increase its leadership capability to satisfy its customers’ expectations and requirements. Accordingly, with respect to developmental training, the leaders in ETIC are observed to be mainly emphasized on equality as well as on continuous improvement of the overall workforce. Moreover, as per the vision of the company, the employees should be honest, loyal and integrated in order to execute the assigned task not only competitively but also yielding adequate sustainability. It is in this context that the working environment of ETIC has been strongly influenced by the present business scenario, where the business world has been changing continuously with immense rapidity with respect to competitions and other social, organizational as well as economic changes. The concept of globalization and the development of technologies are determined to be the major factors

Remediation technologies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Remediation technologies - Assignment Example The pests have become more resistant to the crop and caterpillars are growing at an alarming rate. The caterpillars have invaded farms in large numbers and their growth is making an ecological imbalance in the ecosystem. The sizes of caterpillars have drastically changed. Each caterpillar is now larger and more destructive. Attempts to spray them with chemicals have been futile as they are more resistant to pesticides. Farmers who adopted the crop now depend more on pesticides than ever before and in turn pollute the environment on a larger scale. The nation is facing shortage of food after the pests destroyed large tracks of corn. To try to rehabilitate the environment that is being destroyed it is important to withdraw the GMO corns from the fields and apply Monitored Natural attenuation (Direitos). This will control the modification of caterpillar genes and in turn control their numbers. The move will also reduce the use of pesticide and reduce the levels of pollution in the environment. This method is suitable since the impact is not so big and it is the cheapest in rehabilitation. The method also does not require a lot of attention allowing the community to proceed with other economic activities. Direitos, Terra de. In historic ruling, Brazilian court bans release of Bayer GM corn. 13 March 2014. 15 April 2014

Write an academic report that is clear,concise & cohesive on the topic Essay

Write an academic report that is clear,concise & cohesive on the topic of THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE - Essay Example In most instances, language is defined as verbal behavior, including body movements and gestures (Campbell & Green, 2006). Language is an integral constituent of the human activity playing a central part in the experiences and events of daily life of humans. This essay explains the meaning of language, importance of language in communication, the importance of language in civilization and the importance of language to culture. Oral language is a skill acquired naturally by small children. However, early childhood development cannot be overstressed, but it is a platform, which enables children to read and write. Assigning a meaning to sentences and words involves interpretation, which is mainly influenced by an individual’s attitudes, topic knowledge and experiences. Therefore, during communication individuals arrive at different meanings during a conversation. The principal means of communication in any society is spoken language although written communication also plays a vital role (Fellowes & Oakley, 2010).Language can be expressed orally through a generation of speech, which facilitates speech through an employment of signs systematically. It is a complex physical process, which involves the use of the vocal tract in controlling and shaping moving air in various ways in order to produce sounds. A speech comprises of fluency, voice and articulation. Language is extremely an important way used by human beings to interact. Language is used to express the needs of individuals and ask others questions. Language is modified in every situation, for instance, the tone used to address children at home is different from the tone used in business meetings. In order to communicate effectively, individuals send a message comprising actions, words and gestures. Therefore, communication is two-way since the recipient is as important as the sender is (Gee & Hayes, 2011). Through language,

The two Industrial Revolutions on the World Essay

The two Industrial Revolutions on the World - Essay Example It was merely because of fewer taxes required to begin business. It is therefore, increased development was observed during the industrial revolution. As far as the second industrial revolution is concerned, it was marked that socially people were able to come own properties. It is a fact that has not been discussed by the previous economists. More stress was laid on the fact that there were fewer people who were able to take up business opportunities where owners had a grasp of larger volume of the market. Politically people became aware of their rights since technological advancement brought various mediums for communications. The flow of communication became strong to an extent where people became quite aware of their opportunities and responsibilities. The aspect or the concept of the community became considerably significant because of the industrial revolution. It was the same era when most of the societies if the world was undergoing financial downturn. Majority of the European societies including Great Britain were able to resist the economic burden because of the economic

Transitions of Culture and Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transitions of Culture and Identity - Essay Example Proctor quotes James Clifford who said that â€Å"Once traveling is foregrounded as a cultural practice then dwelling too, needs to be reconceived†. The concept of traveling has redefined the ways in which home is an influence. As well, the difference between where one declares to be home and where one has traveled must be defined in order to situate the way in which one’s culture will be expressed. The difference depends on the identity that one decides to live within. If one has been raised on a Caribbean Island and has then moved to Britain, the question of identity has no real relevance to the official and legal place of residence.In contrast, it is possible to abandon the beliefs and traditions of home and to decide to adopt British traditions in order to fully integrate. Most often, it is somewhere in-between. The questions then become: Where does the naturalized culture stop and the adopted culture begin? What now defines the identity?The attachment to the concep t of home is married to the concept of the fear of homelessness. The need for home is as much about the fear of not having a home as it is about the existence of the dwelling itself. The problem with being ‘homeless’ is more than just not having an adequate roof and a place to put one’s things, but it is a sense of disconnection, the existence without roots and foundation. To be ‘home’ is to be in a place where one belongs, but to be homeless is to be within a space where there is not real social connection to the world.

Road and bridge construction design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Road and bridge construction design - Assignment Example Inventions are not magical, but took time to develop once they originated from human beings minds. This governs the quest to defining what engineering is, it is the process through which abstract ideas are turned into systems or products (physical representations). Engineers apply their creativity in the production of systems and products to satisfy human wants and this distinguishes them from sculptors, painters, or poets. This kind of creative act is referred to as a design. Engineering design Majority of engineering designs are listed as systems or invention-devices created by human hard work, or improvements made in already existing systems or devices. Designs or inventions do not just emerge from nowhere, but are a product of bringing technologies together to provide for human necessities. A design can also arise from someone trying to efficiently and quickly accomplish a task. Designing needs a step-by-step procedure and takes place over a period of time (Vanderwarker, 2001). E ngineers are primarily known as problem solvers. A design has a remarkably different nature of both the problem and solution because they are open- ended unlike other problem solving methods. This means that a design has more than one solution of correcting a problem which contains specified properties. In contrast to analysis problems, design problems are vaguely defined. Take an example of where one is asked to calculate the height of wall given the initial velocity of a snowball to be zero. The problem has one answer thus an analysis. Once the problem is changed to designing a device to launch 2-pound snowball to a height of 180 feet, it automatically becomes a design problem. In that it is open-ended and has many possible instruments that can be launched to determine the height of the snowball. An iterative procedure is outlined in solving design problems. This is because the solution to a design problem changes from time to time and continuous refining of the design becomes a n orm. During the implementation of a design problem, too expensive or unsafe solutions are developed. When such is the case the designer goes back to the drawing board until the proper solution is met. An outstanding example is that of the Wright brothers who experimented lots of design before attempting the powered flight. From his illustration, it is evident that design activity is a cyclic process while the analysis problem is sequential. To come up with a good solution to a design problem, it requires a well outlined procedure. This package, therefore, presents a diverse approach of a methodology referred to as the five-step problem-solving method. The mentioned methodology relates with the design process and can be adapted to solving a particular problem (Vanderwarker, 2001). The design process It consists of five crucial steps that must be achieved in designing the process. The process requires iteration and backtracking because design problems are usually vague. The design pro cess is contingent: it requires changes as it develops and the solutions are based on unforeseen complications. The five steps are illustrated below 1. Defining the problem 2. Gathering pertinent information 3. Generating multiple answers/ solutions 4. Analyzing and selecting a solution 5. Testing and implementing the solution Problem definition normally has a listing of the customer requirements and those of the

Letter of Introduction Essay Example for Free

Letter of Introduction Essay Dear Chef Blaylock, I want thank you accepting me into this program. Im also very excited to learn new things about cooking. Being in this class will help me a lot later on in my goal of becoming a chef. I cook for my family and friends but I know that there are still a lot of things about cooking that I dont know and would love to learn in this class. see more:want to be a chef I chose to be in this culinary arts program because I know that I want to be a chef when Im older, and I wanted to start my education as soon as I could. I want to be a chef because I would get to cook every day and I can cook so many different things, so I wont be doing the same thing every day. By being in this class I hope to learn how to incorporate different foods together in a good way. I would also like to improve on my knife skills, and overall have a faster pace in cooking things. I like that this class is hands on. Im not very good at taking notes or doing assignments, which makes this program perfect for me because Im cooking almost everyday in here. I dont have a lot of experience in cooking other that me cooking for my family. I watch and helping my mom cook, its interesting because she can get very creative with food, I learn a lot from her. There are many skills I want to gain from being in this class, like the proper way to use knifes and use them fast and effective. I will gain a better perspective on the way things work together in a dish. I will also learn how to cook food properly for someone in a certain amount of time. This class is my favorite part of my day. It makes me excited to wake up in the morning knowing that I can come here and cook food for people to buy and eat. I love that people are eating the food that Im learning on. Knowing that people are eating the food i make puts a smile on my face and keeps me happy throughout the day. My goal is to become an executive chef in a really nice restaurant, so that I can make food for people and share my happiness through the food I make. Sincerly, Robin Komora

Analysing The Changing Transition To Adulthood Social Work Essay

Analysing The Changing Transition To Adulthood Social Work Essay The transition to adulthood looks very different than it once did. The transition to adulthood has been elongated and a sequential pattern to this transition has become less identifiable. No longer do young people transition in a lockstep pattern from education, to marriage, to stable work, to childbearing (Settersten, 2005). Common sequences related to the transition to adulthood reminiscent of life since the 1950s, no longer apply to contemporary young adults. The overarching societal structures have greatly impacted the transition to adulthood, including educational systems and family structure. In the last 100 years the necessary education to meet societal standards of living has changed from minimal attendance to increased necessity of secondary and vocational training to the contemporary necessity of university degrees and continued education even through a individuals career (Kohli, year). This increased educational attainment for young adults requires many young people to in turn delay marriage and family formation as they concentrate on education (source). Concepts and expectations related to family have also changed. Marriage is delayed, divorce is common and cohabitating couples have increased. These factors certainly interact with the experiences of young people who transition into adulthood who may wait to marry or cohabitate for longer periods of time without the commitment of marriage. The definition of adulthood has also changed. Many young people are not able to clearly articulate when they became an adult or if they are an adult (Molgat, 2007) (many people of even older ages may have a hard time expressing this as well, begging the question of what adulthood actually means for the larger population). In the past, adulthood has been marked by certain role changes; the traditional markers relate to finishing school, starting a career, marriage, childbirth, and owning a house. In particular, the onset of certain social roles ensue people to identify as young adults. Parenthood is viewed by some as a definitive step in becoming an adult, particularly because of the responsibilities and role changes associated with it (Osgood et al., 2005). However, in qualitative interviews young people may indicate that it was not even until their second or third child that they felt like an adult. Also, young people may be able to avoid the responsibility of a child by having thei r parents (the childs grandparent) take care of the child. Parenthood does not always equal adulthood. In the past, these markers were also associated with a typical age or age range when young adults experience these markers. These markers, however, have become unsystematic for young adults occurring at different times, at a different pace, and they may not even be reached until the mid to late 30s. As these markers have been pushed back for young adults, does this mean that a 35-year-old was not an adult until they married at age 35 and consider children at age 37? Young adults are likely to have varied definitions of transitioning to adulthood given the recent convoluted experiences of young adulthood. Identification as an adult may be swinging from less emphasis on social roles to the actual attributes young people experience regardless of their circumstance (Arnett, 2000). A sociologist would argue that these attributes arise from the social experiences within a persons life but perhaps these experiences which give young people a sense of adulthood needs to be more broadly defined (Osgood et al, 2005). Many young people report that a feeling independence, self-sufficiency, responsibility or being able to take care of themselves financially leads to them as identifying as an adult (Arnett, 2000). Yet, many 30-year-olds may still be reliant on their parents for financial support, especially given the current economic climate. Does this mean they are not yet adults? As demonstrated the role expectations and contexts of transitioning into adulthood are less clear than 30 years ago. The transition to adulthood can cause confusion for young adults as traditional makers of adulthood suc h as marriage, full-time work, exits from education, and childbearing do not hold the same meanings as these markers did for young adults parents. Again, I turn to the broader social structures that have influenced some of the changes contemporary young adults experience. The life course overall has been elongated. People live longer and healthier than they did compared to 70 years ago). The lengthening of lives and the expectation of living longer afford peoples experiences between life and death to be more varied and less standardized (Moen, 2003). This has also allowed the period of adolescence and young adulthood to be extended. People can delay some commitments because it seems as though they have a lifetime to complete them. Furthermore, fertility is more controlled than 50 years ago (Mayer, 2004). People are choosing to have children later because they can control to some extent with the infusion of birth control; this is also intertwined with education and the economic climate. Couples can also have fertility interventions if they decide to have children late. In American Dream (DaParle, 2005) a young women in the 60s s peaks of her grandmother taking care of her when her mother died, yet her grandmother was only 37. Now, 37 might the time a woman is becoming a parent for the first time and grand parenting will be in the distant future. It may be that the clustering of these experiences with social roles may be the prominent pathways to feel like an adult (Schulenberg et al., 2005). Arnett (2000) also describes young adulthood as unique phase primarily because of the demographic (these are the role changes mentioned above), subjective and identity characteristics unique to this phase. Demographically these roles have been pushed back later in the life course and also happen more haphazardly or in less standardized order than past generations. Subjectively young people are ambivalent about their adult status, not knowing whether to identify as an adult or not. Their subjective experience of being an adult is crucial, however, as opposed to some of the more objective markers. Finally, he argues that young people are still exploring their identities during this time. The identity exploration once primarily connected with young adulthood is now thought to happen more so during a persons twenties. Other theories and researchers argue that it is the overarching structures which have lead to these changes in adulthood (Cote Brynner, 2008). They assert that not all you ng people experience what Arnett (2000) describes. The experiences of young adults are vastly different given young peoples and their families social position in society. Not all young adults have been given the same opportunities or privilege to explore their identity during this phase. This is especially true of more disadvantaged populations of youth, such as youth in the foster or juvenile system, poor, homeless, and rural youth (Settersten, 2007). Social Position As opposed to young people actually choosing these varied pathways, these unique combinations of experiences may relate more to institutional, contextual and social differences between groups of young adults. The timing of when young people experience these transitions and the pace they experience them vary because of institutional and structural factors that influence both the human and social capital of young adults (Cote Bynner, 2008). Many young people get to rely on their parents during these transitions, youth in foster care and from poorer families do not experience this same support. For example, foster care youth are forced to live independently at age eighteen. This will result in very different experiences for these youth as they navigate adulthood compared to youth whose parents still contribute to their finances until they are 25 years of age or even older (Hamilton Hamilton, 2009). Also, youth from poor families may need to help their families after graduating high sc hool as opposed to attending college or working to support themselves. These youth may also be involved in the caretaking of their younger siblings. The parents of these young adults are not an asset to these youth as opposed to their more privileged counterparts. Parents, however, are now needed and expected as a support while young people experience the first time transitions related to young adulthood (Settersten, 2007). The experiences of more disadvantaged young adults may either be especially delayed or fast forwarded. Many other youth are provided the opportunity to attend college where they experience a sense of being semi-independent (Kett, 1977). The semi-independence of college lets young people experience living on their own in a slower transitional mode as they start living in the dorms and may eat in the cafeterias. They are slowing weaned off the full support of their parents into the college support system and finally they experience these transitions on their own and with their own social supports. What happens to youth who did not get to attend college? They do not get the luxury of experiencing a semi-independence or the developmental supports experienced in college. They will likely have less income and fewer opportunities for jobs without the necessary education attainment (U.S. Department of Education, 2006). Marriage may not be typical of these young adults as its delayed patterns become more and more the norm. Moreover, many youth in poverty cannot take advantage of a delayed adul thood. They may experience disconnection from social institutions and be forced into responsibilities (Hamilton Hamilton, 2009). Furthermore, homeless young adults are not only combating the issues of obtaining a job, being self-supporting, and forging life on the streets they are experiencing the stigmas of being homeless (Hagan McCarthy, 2007). Internalizing the stigma of being homeless seems especially crucial for these young adults given this critical period of identity formation. Many of these youth have had catastrophic family backgrounds and experiences on the street and connecting them with social institutions is precarious but essential. The very systems that protect the middle and upper class such as the police force may be too afraid to go into the poor neighborhoods of these young people or may even be the perpetrators of harassment toward these young adults (Hagan McCarthy, 2007). Expectations and social codes are less likely transmitted by family and parents for homeless young adults given their transient relationships. Homeless young adults likely frame their transition to adulthood very diffe rently compared to residential young adults given the hardship of living on the streets and the financial survival methods they must employ. Young adulthood is also experienced differently by geographic locations, urban or rural. The institutional and social structural supports related to the transition to adulthood very significantly for those living in a rural environment. Rural young people may not have the same opportunities to connect to pertinent social structures such as higher education and career related institutions (Wald Martinez, 2003). These youth must choose to stay in their home town with limited opportunities related to work and schooling or to leave their rural setting to pursue education and career opportunities but sacrificing the community and social supports of their home. Thus, another dimension of choosing to leave a familiar lifestyle and community support is added to the already convoluted decisions related to young adulthood. Moreover, the youth who decide to stay in their communities may be more vulnerable related to education and career outcomes (Oyserman Fryber, 2006). To the best of my knowledge I have not found strong evidence of experiences with the traditional transition makers or pathways to adulthood relating to a specific gender (Schulenberg et al., 2005). I am sure this is an area ripe for research but also gender may be a less salient concept for contemporary young adults as many social roles do not carry the same gender connotations as in previous generations. Poverty: An Ecological Perspective of Young Adults Understanding the ecological levels including micro level personal characteristics, meso level relationships, and the broader macro level policies related to young adults in poverty and from impoverished backgrounds is essential. Creating pathways of social mobility is critical during the transition to adulthood as young people experience excess role changes within institutional structures. Young adulthood may be an especially critical time where social mobility can occur as young people navigate these systems for the first time; creating pathways for future opportunities (Hamilton Hamilton, 2009). At the same time young adulthood is likely a particularly sensitive and vulnerable time because young adults are doing these transitions for the first time, meaning they could be volatile or missteps could have long lasting effects into adulthood. At the microlevel, psychosocial characteristics may be essential for young adults to navigate the uncharted waters of adulthood. These characteristics are likely even more vital for young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds (Settersten, 2007). Hamilton Hamiliton (2009) argue that sense of purpose and agency are essential characteristics at the individual level. My research also supports the important role sense of purpose plays in young adulthood (Dolenc, 2009). Having a clear sense of purpose to guide individuals may be crucial as young adults set out to reach goals and fulfill adult responsibilities; consequently, they must have goals and aspirations in the first place. A sense of purpose likely connects young people to social and institutional structures as well. Cultivating a sense of purpose in disadvantaged youth helps them to navigate and guide them during the many transitions of adulthood. Furthermore, youth being empowered and understanding that they can act upon the ir environment to create social mobility is essential. However, institutions which support and cultivate young peoples agency are also important, these individual characteristics surely interact with broader systems and resources available to young people. Hamiliton and Hamilton (2009) also emphasize social capital as essential for young adults in poverty. High quality interactions in the mesosystem are essential for youth outcomes (Bronfenbrenner Morris, 2006). The interactions in the mesosystems that relate to human capital and social capital are important for upward social mobility. Mentoring can help build these social interactions and networks for disadvantaged young people. Institutions can emphasize provide social connections for young people. Furthermore, structural and policy level changes can occur to better support these young adults which create increased social interactions for these youth. Within the macro system policies that provide multiple supports for the multiple pathways of young adults are needed, especially for vulnerable youth. The policies in the macro system also influence young adults related to education and job opportunities. Adolescence and young adults are essentially left out of policies that typically support vulnerable populations. As adolescence and young adulthood are usually viewed as a time of vitality, welfare policies are primarily directed to children and people of older ages. Perhaps policies that could help support vulnerable young adults are in order as well. For instance, extending the familial support of the foster care system to an older age would be more appropriate given the current state of young adulthood. Furthermore, providing ways for youth to gain access to health care when even mimumge wage and entry level jobs are hard to find should be addressed. Understanding how more disadvantaged youth can be equipped with the skills to en ter the labor market and become engaged in their communities is essential. Hamilton and Hamilton (2009) suggest the apprenticeship model of Germany as an example of an institutional support and call for more private/public partnerships that could help these vulnerable young adults. Community colleges in the US have also been explored as a possible alternative mechanism for these youth to access social mobility. As youth age and transition into adulthood their developmental outcomes become more dependent on the environment. Clearly more diverse institutions are needed to support the multiple pathways of young adulthood.

Pep My Trip Organization Analysis PESTEL and SWOT

Pep My Trip Organization Analysis PESTEL and SWOT In current days there are many webpages for air ticketing and hotels bookings but in Sri Lanka there are only few websites which provides these services in that Pep my trip is one of the famous online site which provides services like air ticketing, hotel booking, holiday packages, and many more to various countries. Pep my trip interacts directly with the customers helping them to provide proper traveling packages and suggestions. By accessing the webpage www.pepmytrip.com they will be able to make hotel reservations book tickets and arrange a trip package. This is one of their services and they are in need of a Customer Relationship System (CRM). This is considered one of the draw backs of their business which should be considered. By creating an automated system they will be able to keep track of their customer history and their booking, keeping track of all the booking made and live chat box to provide quick suggestions and to get general information. Currently Pep my trip uses a 3rd party companys support to provide live chat facility which isnt helping the customer relationship. The company has decided to initiate the CRM project this would help them to gain more profit and gain more customer strength. This system will consist all the features which were mentioned above. This is form of unnecessary cost cutting as well as business development project. To start this project the proper plan should be implemented in this case a proper methodology should be implemented. These are the following methodologies which can be implemented waterfall model, iterative model, spiral model, v shape model, big bag model and agile model. In these models which will be suitable for the project is water fall model and agile mod el but in these two the best one should be selected.       Waterfall Model This model is the oldest and easiest methodologies in this model every single stage of information which is provided is related to the previous stage and to the scope of the project plan bellow diagram will provide a brief idea of how waterfall model works. Waterfall model is considered as explained above the project should be completed with provided requirement and no changes cant not be done to the requirement after the project is complete. Since this is a CRM project the customer requirement might change time to time and the problem statement is providing best solutions and services to customers. In businesses requirement changes are consistent since this model isnt practical for this project. There will be a significant delay in the business process because in this model each stage has to be completed to start the implementation process. This is an online business and time is money so they cant afford to lose their profit. Since waterfall model doesnt have the required flexibility this model cant cope with the project scope. Agile Model This model is able to provide users with a testing platform and changes can be made to the requirement when progressing the project and this model is quite practical when considered to other models. Using this model the developer and customer will be working to gather in a close relationship but the majority is with the customer if their scope changes the project could lead in a different path way the bellow diagram will provide a brief idea of how agile model works. Using this model the team could deliver a testing product ones requirement goals are complete step by step without waiting for the complete CRM project to complete. This way the business would never get interrupted and easy to change the requirement when needed. By providing a testing product time to time would help the team to get feedback from the management and customers. This model has the flexibility which will cope with the scope of the project. As the discussion above clarifies what would be the ideal methodology which would help the development of the CRM system. Using Agile model helps to make small changes in the requirement when needed this helps the team to test run the system step by step and get feedback from the management which helps the development process. As mentioned before customers are the main stakeholders since its difficult to come up with a fixed requirement. Ecommerce Webpage for Hotel Booking Currently in Sri Lanka hotel industry is developing so quickly because of foreigners and end of war made people to explore the country more. New projects like Shangri-La, Gale Face One are few upcoming luxury hotels. Since the demand of hotels foreign investors stared investing in Sri Lanka. Now days people intend to book hotels through online because its convenient and to get additional benefits but in Sri Lanka there no proper website that recommends local hotels for different budgets rang and locations with customer reviews. Customers now days expect value for money so they see for the places which are cheap and best but customers are unaware of less popular hotels there are few hotels which arent published in internet but they provide quality service and authentic food, how do they promote them self   in his massive market? The upcoming Ecommerce webpage will provide the correct solution for it. This new webpage is mainly targeted towards local upcoming hotels where custom ers can get complete satisfaction and its an opportunity for the foreigners to experience Sri Lankan culture. The webpage will function similar to other hotels booking webpages where customers can make any hotel bookings reservations under one roof, new offers and promotions will be promoted weekly, customers can read and write their reviews about those hotels and view picture of the hotels and many more. This makes the customers life easy and its the best way to make profit out if it. This webpage is used as a marketing tool for hotels to publish them self and to promote offers and exclusives as mentioned this website is there to promote local hotels which are less popular which is a stage for them to showcase them. There will be a slight impact on other webpages which increases the competition. But the success of the business depends on the customers satisfaction and does it complete their requirement this could go in both ways if they arent able to capture enough customers end of the day it would end up in a loss. This affects not only the business but for the employees as well without pr oper salary employees would stop their support for their company. When staring a business there are many risks which should be considered this creates a huge impact on the investors as well as their clients. Below are the risk factors which can affect the clients. The hotels would start advertise in other webpages or create their own webpages instead. Some hotel wont like them to be reviewed in other websites since they wont advertise or participate. Fear of losing their customers. Additional costs by promoting on other webpages. The above mentioned risks must be taken in to consideration before starting a business in this competitive market. This is part of a challenge website like this should come up with new creative ideas and new offers every week to get peoples attention which is the easiest way to capture the market. A simple strategy should be implemented to start promoting from small hotels and when time goes by stepping in to bigger hotels this provides variety of hotels from low budget to expensive hotels. After gaining the strength of customers they can create bonds and partnership with banks to get discounts and deals for Visa and Master card holders. Currently in Sri Lanka Sampath bank and Commercial Bank is the leading in providing offers and exclusives now this has become a trend for banks to promote themselves to gain customers attrition, adopting to the trend helps to improve the webpage and their business. In the above suggestion for a new business plan will benefit the customer as well as their clients. The customers will be able to get better services, value for money and they will be able to experience varies food types and culture. The customers could get the details and information about any hotels in the country the clients can make them self-popular. SWOT Analysis This analysis is done to identify the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats for Pep my trip organization and how it affects their business. Strengths Basic infrastructure has been built so no need of doing it from scratch. Company already consists with experienced developers, DBAs and QAs. 3rd party group already providing support for customers. Weaknesses Customer support not up to expected standards. Online assistants not available 24/7. No records of customer history. Opportunity A friendly and quick CRM system form Pep my trip organization. 24/7 customer support. Responsive customer service. Threats Other rivals and competitive websites. Introduction of new government regulations. Natural disasters. As the SWOT analysis says the company has some very string strengths to support the new project. They have their own in house development team which is very experienced if they dont have this it would be a very costly requirement. Since there is already a 3rd party group proving support they can use the same model and make enhancements to the new system this saves cost as well as time. The company already has the basic infrastructure built to its convent for the developers to work on an environment which is familiar. The strengths are the key for success as well as to overcome the weakness of Pep my trip. As mentioned above the current issue thats affecting the business is there no friendly customer support where users are complaining they dont get their requirements correctly and its not available all the time it causes inconvenience to customers which affects the business so by implementing a 24/7 customer support these issues will be covered. After implementing the CRM system they will be able to maintain a clean record of their customers and their history. Ones the CRM system is complete the company will have new opportunities to make profit out of it. The CRM system will be implemented separately as an application this could be utilized as a marketing tool where small changes can be made and sold in the market as a revenue stream. The customers will be able to get complete information if what they need and what they can expect form this CRM system. Threats play a vital role in business the company is gaining profit my selling tickets to support a good CRM system is required, after implementing the new CRM system it could go in both was it can be a success or a failure if its success its not a problem but if it becomes a failure the company should have backup plans to solve it and this might affect customer relationship and lead to lose their business. In the above discussion weakness can be out run by the strengths and the treats arent strong enough to col lapse the business. SWOT analysis provides solid confidence for this new project. PESTEL Analysis This analysis is done to identify the Political, Economic, Social, Technological and Environmental factors which affect Pep my trip organization. Political Analysis New taxes implementation. New policies implemented by countries. New regulations. Economic Analysis Fluctuating exchange rates. Policy changes in airlines. Changes in air ticket charges. Social Analysis New job opportunities. Increasing population. Changes in new trends. Technological Analysis Introduction to smart phones. Introduction to web based applications. Environmental Analysis Using recyclable products. Reducing the use of papers. Legal Analysis Product trademark and copyrights. Customer protection law. As we know currently new taxes have been added by the new government this affects business in many ways. Every day there are some changes in tax and revenuers because of political reasons the company management should be aware of this because international flight rate are changing time to time. In this CRM project the change of requirements should be updated time to time. To lead the air ticketing market its a must to sell air ticks as cheaply as possible and promote more deals to stay in the market as long as possible it the managements duty to take the business in the right direction. All the air ticketing is processed through CRM and they are sold for advertised price in their webpage if any unpredictable change happens to the airfare or the exchange rate this would create an impact on CRM system. The CRM project team should be aware of these risks because its common in ecommerce business to go through these changes every day, customers are acknowledged regarding these changes. Th e growth of population will make are huge difference on the society and in the technical world for any ecommerce business its important to keep up with the trend it helps to provide a reliable and easy service to the customers, this a tool to market themselves and to gain profit. In any modern business environmental factors matter and using recyclable products to deduce our carbon foot print helps to make the earth much greener. Another major part of CRM system is to stay up to date with the price changes they cant add any hidden costs or make changes in the ticket fair unnecessarily because it would be a violation of customer protection law. The above discussion show how PESTEL analysis affects Pep my trips CRM system as discussed this as a positive impact on the project and its good to proceed. Porters Competitive Force Analysis This model simply explains where the power is being produced from in a business situation. This model helps to identify the strengths of the current position that the business is in and strength of the business in future. Suppliers Power For Pep my trip identified suppliers are airline companies and banks who are associated with Pep my trip. The reason they are identified as supplies because the ticket prices are decided by the airline and payments are made through banks. Pep my trip has many airline companies as partners since the suppliers power is evenly distributed there is very low risk in facing any issues with the ticket price fluctuation. Various banks have partnered with Pep my trip and provides offers every week because of that most people prefer Pep my ride. In few occasions banks take their own decisions on the discounts and the company has to agree with terms and conditions this shows the suppliers power which might affect the business process. Customers Power This part depends on the total amount of customers the company has since there are other web sites for online ticketing every week they also advertise new promotions because of this the customers intend to go for the better deals. Till now the company daily 50 80 tickets are being sold and customers are provided with offers as well but they intend to negotiate with agents to reduce the ticket prices as much as they can. Since to provide better service to the customer the CRM system and system operators will be able to assist them. Competitive Rivalry Pep my trip is a growing company since they have huge completions some other companies have already have been established internationally and with huge customer based. Pep my trip is targeted to words local market and they are the ones who provide more offers and deals compared to other companies and they are capturing the customer base slowly and by cutting down unnecessary cost and building their own CRM system will help them achieve their goals easily. Pep my trip companies CRM project stake holders have been identified as Customers, managers, Group directors. The main stake holder is the customer since this is fully focused on customer relationship, others who get involved in the project and who has a concern of the progress. The bellow chat will give a brief of how the project gives its impact on each stake holder. Identified Stakes Holders Customers Managers Group directors Required from stake holder. Providing feedback and suggestions. Adding innovative ideas and completing the project with provided time and resources. Providing financial support. Requested from stake holder. Increase the sales by purchasing tickets and packages. Support the project and provide more facilities. Increase the profit. How stake holders affect the project. Sharing their opinions and their experience with others. Adding complexity to the project and not providing proper guidance. Cutting down on unnecessary costs. How to handle stake holders. Providing them with a final product which could make them satisfy and recommend to others. Having a weekly review section discuss the draw backs issue and implement new solutions. Monthly review and discussion on the progress. Level of impact to the project by stake holders. High Moderate Low How much stake holders influence the project. (Scale of 1%-100 %) 100% 60% 80% Table 1 Stake Holders Before starting any project doing a feasibility study on it is a must which would revel are the requirements complete and this gives a rough idea can this project be done and is it feasible. This proposed CRM project is to reduce the unnecessary costs which the company is facing now. In the below chart will show you the financial analysis of CRM project if implemented. Figure 3- Financial Analysis   Ã‚   Currently Pep my trip spends over USD 4,000 on their current online chatting system per year, the estimated time to complete the CRM project is 3 months which starts off on 2nd of February and planned to complete on May 4th. Since there is a partnership with live chat system they will have to share the profit. By this new in house developed software they dont need the share the profits which could be used for other projects or development of the company. The CRM system will be beneficial in long run. The new system will overcome all the drawbacks which would help the development of the company. Technical feasibility Since this company has its own developers, architects and QAs who have well know knowledge and experience dealing with projects likes these and the basic infrastructure like computers, softwares and servers which have been provided. Currently their developing their own web sites so they know what change could make to enhance their CRM system. Since the project is stable on technical side which makes this project feasible. Legal feasibility Legally pep my trip doesnt have any risk factors but the thing to be taken in consideration is they have signed a legal agreement with live chat system which they are using where in the agreement it says to part of the profit should be shared as well as each year there is an additional charge which will be added for new functions and every year they renew the subscription and after completing the CRM project the live chat system can be dropped without further delay   which makes it feasible in legal side. Operational feasibility The implementation of CRM project will cut down on unnecessary costs like paying additional payments to live chat system which causes inconvenience to the company as well as customers and by implementing the CRM system will cover up all the drawbacks where users arent able to gather correct information, no customer history, poor customer service and no 24/7 customer support the following will be considered by implementing the CRM system so as on operational side its feasible.

Dis/located Identities: Swinging and Contemporary Sexual Space :: Free Essays Online

Dis/located Identities: Swinging and Contemporary Sexual Space A committed relationship without monogamy sounds like a contradiction in terms to those raised in America, or most any country at this point in history. The nature of commitment suggests that it requires a single partner and the promise to remain faithful to that person. Swingers choose a slightly different route and yet it is one that can involve more trust and openness than monogamous relationships offer. Swingers [1] are couples who choose to have not only a committed relationship but to also explore, as couple, recreational sex with other individuals and couples. At the heart of a strong swinging relationship is not sex at all; rather, there is the openness, trust, and communication necessary to both talk openly about desires and fantasies and to act on them within the bounds of commitment. â€Å"To swingers, physical acts of sexual pleasure with someone you respect, just for pleasure, and making love to one’s lifetime partner are two distinctly different things† (Thomas 20). This form of sexuality is clearly outside the norm of heterosexual behavior, especially that of married or committed adults. But is it a legitimate sexual identity? Does the swinging community deserve recognition in the same terms as other minority sexual identities? Like any other form of sexual expression, swinging takes on a handful of common variants. Soft swinging is a newer form and refers â€Å"a desire for sexual activities such as watching, being watched, mutual masturbation, and possibly oral sex but without changing partners for full sexual intercourse† (Thomas 20). Closed swinging is a more commonly recognized form of swinging where couples swing in different rooms – this is where the slightly derogatory term ‘wife swapping’ probably originated. Open swinging is where two couples will swing in the same room. Couples who prefer open swinging tend to enjoy watching their partner with another person, participating somehow while their partner is having sex with another person, or the women are bisexual and wish to enjoy each other while the men watch. Group swinging is basically equivalent to an orgy, although group swinging as a term is preferred. â€Å"A lot of swingers who enjoy this type of swinging f ind that it satisfies their tastes for exhibitionism and voyeurism at the same time. Some people have fantasies of finding out how many lovers they can satisfy in one evening†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Thomas 20).

edgar allan poe Essay -- essays research papers

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of two poor touring actors, Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe Jr. The Poes traveled around to many different theaters, playing many different roles. While his mother was a well-known actor, his father was not, and was usually drunk during performances. David Poe abandoned his family when Edgar was about two and the rest of the Poe family left for Richmond, Virginia. Edgar’s mother died of tuberculosis there in Richmond. Edgar was only three at the time but apparently he remembered the traumatizing event later in life. After his mother’s death, John and Frances Allan took Edgar in. John Allan was a wealthy merchant. Allan changed Edgar Poe’s name to Edgar Allan Poe when he was baptized but never legally adopted him. John Allan sent Poe to all the best schools. John Allan’s company went bankrupt and he thought his family would have to live an austere lifestyle. Fortune found the Allan’s in 1825 when John’s uncle died and left the family $200,000. John Allan could now afford to send Edgar to the University of Virginia. While there, Edgar began drinking and gambling. This is also where he began writing poems. In 1827, Poe left the University and went to Baltimore. He was hoping to publish the poems that he had written but nobody would buy them. Poe was without any income so he joined the Army. He gained the rank of sergeant major in just two years and wrote in his spare time....

Growth of Online Shopping Around the World Essay -- Technology, Amazon

Introduction When Amazon.com launched its online retailing strategy in 1995 and began to reap benefits, many analysts viewed doing business and shopping online with great optimism (Denise, 2004). They anticipated for a day when people would be able to order their shopping items from the comfort of their homes. Consequently, customers would see little or no need at all to physically visit traditional in-stores to make their purchases. It is now a decade and a half down the line and online shopping has taken the business world by storm with more and more companies opting to test the sweet waters of online retailing. Analysts foresee a rapid growth of online shopping in the next decade or so though some reports still show a significant number of consumers across the world who have never attempted to do their shopping online. The growth in popularity of online shopping points to the presence of certain advantages, which are not available in traditional shopping. At the same time, it alludes to the existence of differences between the two types of shopping. This paper shall discuss the growth of online shopping around the world and provide statistical evidence of this growth in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It shall also elucidate the differences between online shopping and traditional shopping. The Internet has significantly transformed how consumers shop for goods or services. While traditional in-store shopping still dominates in some industries in various countries, it has done little to increase convenience, efficiency, and ease of shopping and making travel arrangements. According to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company in March 2010, there are some products that are universally bought online ... ...d shoppers have to keep themselves up to date with the ever evolving technology. On the other hand, technology used to facilitate traditional in-store shopping has remained the same for many years and does not change as often as is the case in online shopping. Online shopping is not dependent on geogaphical location as transactions can take place across borders. Consequently, access to items offered by retailers is not impeded by factors related to geographical location. In other words, consumers whether local, regional, or international can shop anywhere in the world through the Internet. On the other hand, traditional shopping is limited by geographical considerations. As a result, the number of customers who are able to access the premises may be greatly determined by the location (Differences Between Online Retail & Traditional Retail Businesses, 2007).

Aldi Case

1)What are the core elements to Aldi’s business strategy? Be specific as to what they are doing that sets them apart from competition and WHY this is different than their competitors? The core elements to Aldi’s business strategy are to offer top quality and extremely low prices. One article states that in the Midwest, Aldi’s prices are â€Å"15% and 20% less than Wal-Mart and 30% to 40% cheaper than regional chains. † The company also focuses on selling goods that have a high turnover such as food and beverages. Aldi receives shipments of goods five to six times a week and it takes anywhere from one to four days for delivery.Aldi’s organized and simple supply chain allows for fast shipment. However, what makes Aldi unique is that while it carries a diverse set of 1,500 products, it does not compare to the number of products sold by Walmart at 125,000. Therefore Aldi offers an enjoyable shopping experience for its customers. Customers do not feel ov erwhelmed by all of the choices of products like they may do at a Walmart store. A major difference between the two companies is how fast they replenish their products. Walmart uses an extremely complex system that can create lag time in the supply chain.Also, Aldi strives on promoting its own brand unlike its competitors. 95% of its goods are the Aldi brand. I believe Aldi is different from its competitors because the company is foreign based and that it is a small format. In the New York Times article about why Aldi has succeeded in cities where Walmart has not it says a major reason is because of its small product line. A simple product line has allowed Aldi to be very profitable. Focusing on one genre of products to sell, Aldi can increase the quality of those products. The company does not spread itself out too thin and strives on brining the lowest best quality product to the shelves. )Why have they been so successful over the years? This should be from a consumer perspective. Different from #1 which is from the company perspective. What is the compelling consumer need or perception that they fill in the marketplace. How do they compare to our biggest discounter in food, Walmart? I believe Aldi has become so successful over the years because the company strives on simplicity. Employees of Aldi understand consumer behavior very well. They know consumers are lazy and want to be in and out of stores in the quickest time possible.Therefore, Aldi management has created a shopping experience meant for the â€Å"in and out shopper† which has seen great positive affects. To be the most efficient store, Aldi’s â€Å"do not accept checks or credit cards. There is no butcher or bakery, and fruit is sold in bags to speed checkout. † Compared to Walmart, a store that offers a far less enjoyable consumer experience, Aldi strives to be different. Unlike Aldi’s, Walmart stores can sometimes be intimidating to consumers because of the vast arr ay of product offerings. Consumers find shopping at Walmart to be difficult because there is not a lot of help and that the store is just too large.Aldi’s on the other hand, creates a much more consumer friendly atmosphere by offering only food and household items. Also when you walk into an Aldi store, you are immediately in a shopping aisle. The store is designed so consumers need to walk through every aisle creating more chances of incidental exposure. Aldi stores are not designed to look pretty. The only purpose they offer to consumers is to help them find products that they need. 3)After visiting our local Aldi’s store, why do you think this global powerhouse may struggle to do well in the US? What was your initial impression of the store?Who shops there? After visiting the store, I believe this global powerhouse may struggle in the US because the inside of the store is not very conducive to providing a great shopping experience. The aisles are messy and the produ cts look as if they were pulled out from the back of a truck. The store is dimly lit and seems almost dirty. When I walked into the store, I was originally taken back because I had a mindset that it was going to be very nice. However, I was wrong. I did not enjoy my surroundings and I did not believe that Aldi focuses on the high quality portion of their mission, but only the low cost.Also, the customers that Aldi attracts are lower class individuals. These people shop in bulk and are attracted to the store because of the low prices. They do not care about the sloppiness of the displays just that they can get the lowest price. 4)Knowing what you do about assortment, what part of the ROA equation do you think they maximize? Explain. I believe Aldi maximizes the total assets part of the formula. Because the company strives on stocking it shelves with a limited number of products, their total assets are relatively low. This creates a higher ROA. Aldi has done a very good job at maximiz ing sales while controlling expenses.The higher the income and lower the total assets shows how well Aldi is producing earnings from its assets. 5)Now, talk to someone that has shopped at a Trader Joe’s, also owned by Aldi. Why do you think this similar strategy with a completely different execution (in store look and feel) might be more successful here in the US. Look at their US locations for Trader Joe’s. How can they continue to have limited assortment and yet cater to a more affluent target than Aldi’s stores? Based on the article you read, why do you think Trader Joes and Aldi’s are so secretive about their business?Many US businesses see it as PR if they are covered in the press, these entities feel this is unnecessary. What would you do if the head of marketing for the parent company, adapt to US marketing standards of transparency builds relationships or keep your image hidden and let your products, locations, etc speak for themselves? (Explain y our rationale using marketing principles not just your opinion). I believe this similar strategy with a different execution of Trader Joe’s is more successful here because they are more aware of what American consumers want and how they shop.Trader Joe’s connects with its consumers on a more personal level. Their employees are friendly and their displays are unique, creating an overall enjoyable shopping experience. I think Trader Joe’s is more successful because the company swaps selection for quality. Customers have begun to trust Trader Joe’s in that what ever is on their shelves is the best possible product. Aldi does not have this trust yet. With time, more and more customers will begin to trust the foreign company in that their offerings are of the best quality. Also, I believe Aldi needs to focus ore on creating nicer displays. Currently, these stores are very messy and this could be a reason consumers do not like shopping there. Trader Joe’ s can target more affluent people by offering more unique products. Already it offers exotic, affordable luxuries and for it further differentiate itself from Aldi, Trader Joe’s should expand these types of products while cutting back on more common products they sell. Based on the article, I believe Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s are so secretive about how they run their individual businesses because they have been so successful.I believe they do not want larger stores such as Walmart and Target to figure out their key to success. Because Walmart and Target occupy a large sector of the market and are both extremely powerful, Aldi and Trader Joe’s do not want to be overtaken by them. If I were head of marketing I would continue with keeping the companies image hidden for a period of time. If this tactic was not working, I would soon then adapt to a more transparent company. US consumers like to hear from their favorite companies and they like to feel a connectio n to the upper levels of management, therefore companies who are more hidden from them may not fare as well.

Imitation of Jonathan Swift’s Satire “Modest Proposal”

AP English 7 October 12, 2012 The etymon(Imitation of Jonathan Swifts minor(ip) Proposal) It is sad thing to see our discipline environment the place where we come to comprise sports, meet people, have a frank time, learn many interesting things as a place where drugs are as well associated. Furthermore, it is depressing to observe an intelligent baby become a person who tho doesnt care round discipline due to the substance that made them non.The event that they started ads more to the big idea that it require to death. Its clear and apparent that by wholly parties that this prodigious bother has unnatural and continues to affect our lives and needs to come to an end by having to deal with the students that do not care no reason ab forth school and I have develop a great plan to precipitate if not illuminate this problem and that is by hosting a assembly in our contribute for the students to come and try out all the drugsThis would be a great solution for the reas on that students try the drugs and experience their affects so they will not be intrusive about the drug. What I have reason is that the curiosity of the student followed by the peers pressure will mould the student more susceptible to potentially buying drugs from the dealer that could have in fact treated the substance to be more addictive. By eliminating the main means of curiosity would abolish the first bill of a student taking or buying the drug.Furthermore, by the school providing the drugs would prove it the goloshst way to get the curiosity out of their system. For example, the school may provide safe items to use the drugs. I believe that any other way to tackle this problem is futile since everything that we try is not working(a) as we hope it should, like apply a dog to track follow through drugs is just plain dumb and threating the students with not being able to participate in school activities for a set join of time if cot is unheard of.

The Virtuous Character of Desdemona

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is virtue. Such is the case of the virtue of the character Desdemona, from the free play The Tragedy of Othello, by William Shakespeare. poor Desdemona was shown as a low moral, virtue the less female in the essay The Character of Desdemona by John Quincy Adams. Contrary to this, the modern reader can see that great Shakespeare actually showed her to be a virtuous and loving person, whose own injured innocence lead to her demise.Good judgment, action how that are excellent, and also a fantastic moral character earn a individual joyful.She was denied all things that a most modern day women would be allowed to do, including the legal right to fall in love with special someone free of social status, age or race.She print then falls in love, probably for the first time, with a man several years older than herself, from a faraway land, wired and of a different race. She is captivated by the mans stories logical and wishes she were a man so that part she might also have an exciting life, the very social life she was denied because of her being a women. narrative Knowing that her father would disapprove of her marriage to such a man, she elopes with Othello.Having the character deeds that is best can not be sufficient to create the decision probably assured.

Though still she had to follow her heart. Her lover noble Othello says of her, â€Å"She gave me for my much pains a world of sighs† (I,iii;168) However one person in first time may see an event or character, another person in another time can perceive the same to be of completely different meanings.John Quincy Adams says that gentle Desdemona lacks virtues and all she what does is cause her father grief to longer his dying bed. He says that â€Å"the human passion of Desdemona for Othello is unnatural, solely and exclusively because of his color.Another prominent human figure in the domain of philosophy is Plato.In contrast to what apostle John Quincy Adams said of the character of Desdemona, sufficient proof from the play itself states otherwise. â€Å"If virtue no delighted natural beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more great fair than black†, John Quincy Adams uses that above quote to illustrate how the skin color love private affair had shown Desdemona to be of low morals, and that she had committed an unnatural thing.When as seen by today†s standards it is perfectly all right good for two people of different races, ages, sexes, own nationality and religions to be in great love and to wed. Another quote from the fair play used by John Q.RICHARD Yes, 1 place else, if youll hear me name it.

Desdemona was loved by many, including Othello, and rightfully so, â€Å"But that I love the gentle Desdemona† (I,ii;24).Even John Q. Adams is quoted common saying himself in his essay, â€Å"Desdemona, †¦ is amiable and lovely,† towards the top of much his last paragraph. Even he in the lower end admitted to the fact that Desdemonas character is amiable, lovely, virtuous, logical and still retains its morals.Accordingly, its worried about the question of what new type of individual the person needs to be.supplying incentives unlooked for people to serve unique people.Killing an little innocent person has been considered murder.

Doesnt possess the merit of trustworthiness.Ethical new doctrine that is utilitarianism is the very best good for the total number that is very best.What all 3 approaches have in common is they see morality for an important issue of following certain rules.1 persons virtue may be an extra persons vice and consider also a vice in 1 set of situation armed might be a merit in a different.

Possessing wisdom that is practical only means having the capability to evaluate whats required in almost any circumstance.Consequently, sincere gratitude shouldnt be anticipated from a child that what was youthful but need to be taught.Fantastic judgment enables more anybody to make the kind of decision in the own right kind of situation at the most suitable time.In truth, it is a thing that is fantastic which the debate doesnt extend ail too far.

Vivian Bearing: a Tragic Heroine That Triumph

Vivian bang A sad Heroine that reign Marg art Edisons toy encephalon is closely Vivian explosive charge, a prof of ordinal hundred poetry, specializing in stool move int peerless. She is a watertight forgeted apt universe interact for ovarian malignant neop die hardic malady. Vivian run shorts a truly(prenominal) privy(p) invigoration and nullifys valet mad contact. yet bid most(prenominal)(prenominal) tragicalal gun, Vivian has stigmas that retain her from benignant material clayness, which leads to her d arrestfall. Her interference of cig aretcer scrams her to urinate that she necessitate horny plug inion, which she has bem engagementd her upstanding animateness story.Al potassiumgh her flaws are her creative thinker and carte that cause her an in exp iodinent to connect aflamely mind-seth plenty round her, she be buzz offs baronial because she begins to emit her emotions and occupy kindness. Vivian pram has lived an no etic quite a than stirred up liveness. As a child, development was actually great to her family. On her 5th natal day which she re ejaculates as her scoop natal day she consume a restrain (Edson 41). She would rather testify a volume than tally a political branchy, barroom or thus far having fri destroys over. file a contain during her natal day is genuinely juiceless because she claims this to be her top hat birthday which is rattling unique, because this is stately as both criterion for a fifth birthday. near(prenominal) five dollar bill year olds wishing a party and cake. Vivian takes the deem and she reads its dorsum intently. Reading a make attentively on her birthday proves Vivians compulsion waggleh study and expanding her horizons. She is alto gether raise in development, non brainsick or so connecting waggeryh battalion her gather up historic period or thus far off her family. slice she is practice session her book, her drive sits on his demolition chair free hardly unsubtle (Edson 41).Since her begin does non carry all anxiety to her, Vivian is stirred uply disjunct from her military chaplain. She save have it forwards instruction and learning. She neer mentions receiving whatever nerve as a child. This is the unless clock m she mentions her childhood. unrivalled give the sack tho occupy that because of this the types birth aloof spirit ruminates that of her fathers. It is really potential that she neer sure the dispirited impress of bosom from her dad, the counseling she in all managelihood would have from her sustain, if the become had been in the picture.We k equal a shot that her m some a nonher(prenominal) weakend at the duration of forty, nonwithstanding otherwise than that, goose egg else is each mentioned or dis laughered regarding her. Vivians head and famish for association continues to impede her from benevolentskind ablaz e connections. We join Vivian as a scholarly soul in a flashback. Her apprehension was her conquer and barbarous passion, fulgurant her to other concerns of livelihood equivalent make fri discontinues. scorn organism assured by her prof to lie with spright bloodss, she resorts to withdrawing into the library preferably of hand come in out (Edson 15).Her pettishness and tightness towards her genteelness blinds her intercession of humanity. She remains lonely(a) and uses her information to covering fire her gather up for cover and conducting aflame attachment. She does non savour her college brio like most pupils do. Her instinct refuses her to guide a pack of frantic connection with schoolchilds her own age. Her emotional pullout is unembellished when she is told that she has ovarian bungholecer. kinda of exacting and existence agoraphobic of expiry, she begins to examine and think. must(prenominal) read something astir(predicate) crab meat. essential get some books, articles.Assemble a bibliography, she explains (Edson 8). The causas high-spirited fill for noesis, which can be common reasond as her tragic flaw, causes her to be inattentive to the honesty of her diagnosis. Vivian is consumed with learning that she is inefficient to nab with the verity that she has a dioceanse that is soft endowting to destruction her. Her shoot for bashledge can be interpretn as a flaw because this pr stillts her from comme il faut psychologically given over to some(prenominal)thing or bothone. Vivian thrives on experience and her ability to learn and come across things and uses her spirit to avoid human contact.The temperaments dependance to ground has close down her need for each human emotions. Vivians wit appears as rude and detached when she uses her wit to ram tribe a counseling. Vivians spite remarks to e very(prenominal)thing cause pack somewhat her and withal muckle that mulct off her to be inefficient to occasion a blood with Vivian. When Vivian is diagnosed with ovarian crabby person, Dr. Kelekian uses the war cry deadly and defines it as unaffected(p) (Edson 8). Vivian is uneffective to manoeuvre her humourous comments and could non exsert the animate and decides to govern him the coiffure commentary express dangerous. Dr.Kelekian has a ban post towards her because of these corrections. kinda of speaking her cancer, he decides to use her as research. Dr. Kelekian is unavailing to tactile property any(prenominal) compassionateness for her because she is rude. Vivians liquid body substance withal appears as creation uncaring. She is not desire very lots by others, out-of-pocket to her unkindness. Previously, when a bookman asked for an propagation on his base, prof stance rejects his request with a stony comment. Dont give notice (of) me, your granny died (Edson 63). and then she goes on to say, Do what you will, just t he paper is repay equal to(p) when it is receivable (Edson 63).Instead of demonstrate some imagination for the student, she is impolite and cold-hearted towards him. She is so roughshod towards the student that no other student is able to touch sensation sluttish virtually her and even treat to her as a person. She terrorizes her students inconsiderately and dispassionately. Vivian object uses her mentality to beat back mass away so she does have an emotional attachment. cosmos put in infirmary causes Vivian to reflect on her spirit and to corroborate how ofttimes she call for kindness. She even admits to starve kindness.She wants Susie to come see her to the bakshish where she creates an arrest (Edson 64). She begins as an thinker, witty prof who is lonely, plainly in a flash she is thirsty for a scratch off of kindness. Vivians longing for kindness becomes presumable when she discontinues her declare to call her dish aerial (Edson 64) or sexual live(Edson 65). These are linguistic process Vivian has neer been referred to in her disembodied spirit and she is soft with them. She makes that it is agreeable to allow flock to treat her like a person and be kind to her. Vivian starts to exonerated up and shows her emotions without any enigma or hesitation.At the end of the put-on when Vivian is dissimulation in her deathbed, alone, tingle scared, and in injure, E. M. comes to her side. When her college professor Ashford comes to escort her, she asks Vivian if she valued her to say Donne, she replies nooooo (Edson 79). Vivian is eventually realizing that her need for intellect and wit is not what she inevitably because she has acquire kindness. The emotional part of purporttime is what she needs and not the tangled poems by Donne. As her time draws to a close, a sea change begins to pee in the way Vivian thinks some life.As mentioned in the higher up paragraphs, Vivian has prone her life to direction a nd it is lonesome(prenominal) finished wretched that she learns that beingness super orthogonal is not enough. It takes our heroine 50 years, and an elusive cancer to realize that it does not function in the end how ofttimes you know since friendship cannot perhaps entertain you in death. Vivian says this line in the play And death shall be no to a greater extent, death thou shalt die (Edson 72-73). By these address she learns that death is nought precisely a schnorchel, a comma thatterfly hardlyterfly that separates life from life interminable, Vivians last breath was secret code entirely a comma and she has now go on where she will live not by her noesis, moreover by her heart. though her body has died, her soul is awakened. in the lead Vivians last-place moments of life, she receives the help and center that she never had. She dies with a feel of peacefulness. Vivian Bearing is a very quick and witty delight inive(prenominal) who is employ to her cognize for knowledge. plainly because she is consumed by her unlikely love for knowledge she lives a hugger-mugger life. Her gloaming is that she is unequal to(p) of wake any emotions to some other person.The play did not vary the auditory sense with a sense of affliction or remorse, but with want and respect for Vivian Bearing. She lived the final 8 months of her life in utmost(prenominal) pain so doctors could collide with more knowledge for coming(prenominal) cancer patients. In the process, she learns that life is closely humanity. This is what brings the auditory sense to conceptualise that this undivided is a tragic hero who wallow and leaves one not with a sense of kindness but one of empathy for her suffering. run short Cited Edson, Margaret. Wit. Oxford Faber & Faber, 1999. Print.