Internet Censorship - Just Say No - 1369 Words

Internet Censorship: Just Say No In December of 1994, a young college student named Jake Baker posted one of his fiction pieces in an alt.sex newsgroup. Usually, his contributions to this widely-read site consisted of short stories about rape, torture, and murder of women. In this particular newsgroup post, he continued with his usual contributions; however, he took it a bit further by writing about one of his fellow classmates, using her name and identity in the piece. Faculty members at the University of Michigan discovered his story and later expelled him from school. Federal agents then raided his house, arrested him, and discovered copies of e-mail Baker had exchanged with a Canadian, mapping out his and the Canadians plan to†¦show more content†¦Obviously, Jane Doe couldnt ignore something like that so easily, and it was only natural that she pressed charges. But according to the First Amendment and federal law, Bakers threats were unsuccessful; therefore, no action couldve (or shouldve) been taken ag ainst him. In thinking about cases such as Jake Bakers, it truly would be too difficult to enforce United States standards and regulations on a global medium such as the Internet. There are probably millions of sites out there on the Web that contain such sexual content as did Bakers story. As one University of Michigan student mentions, The Internet allows individuals access to a larger audience. This effectively gave Baker a larger audience for his stories, which otherwise would have never seen them....I definitely question the wisdom of allowing just anyone access to such publishing power...but Im not sure that I even consider Usenet news as real media (http://krusty.eecs.umich.edu/). The same student goes on to say that Bakers stories were reserved only for a section entitled alt.sex.stories -- a place filled with sexually explicit stories -- therefore, Baker had the right to publish his offensive sex stories, since it was contained within this separate Internet section. Usenet news may not be real media, but I still think that the Internet would be too difficult to censor entirely,Show MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Censorship1199 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica, find censorship helpful when it protects their children from harmful things, but they are against censorship when it is used out of context. Parents seem to appreciate censorship more when it shelters children from learning indecent things in the world that could cause danger to themselves or the others around them (Pillai, Prabhakar ). But censorship is not always good like when it is used in school’s or in books; but censorship can be helpful when it is used on the internet, social mediaRead More Internet Censorship Survey Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesInternet Censorship Survey Topics of censorship involving the different media have always drawn lively responses from people when asked about them. The media categories of television, printing and recordings now include the Internet. I conducted a survey of people to find out their opnion on the new medium. I asked people, Do you think that there should be censorship on the Internet?. I conducted this survey during the week of February 14, 1997. I particularly chose this question becauseRead MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of Censorship: Controlling Media and Ideas769 Words   |  4 PagesCensorship, or what I like to call â€Å"controlled media†, is the control of ideas and content in our world. For as long as people have discovered that human beings have free will, there has been a way to regulate, govern and block the expression of its uses. There are many types of censorship when it comes to military, religion, political, public media or for just morale reasons. There have naturally been debates on whether censorship has truly been a restraint of expression, imposed to protect peopleRead MoreThe Invention Of The World Wide Web1674 Words   |  7 Pagesto another, to wondering if it were safe, there have always and will continue to be questions about the great creation. As time has passed and the web has gotten more sophisticated, more questions are constan tly brought up wondering how safe the internet is for the users. Those users ranging from businesses that use the web to gather consumers to the casual user who roams leisurely through the web for various reasons. In this day and age where the web is such an essential part of life, there areRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Internet Censorship1042 Words   |  5 PagesCensorship comes in many forms and for a lot of different reasons but when it comes to the internet, for the most part it is beneficial. It can provide security for sensitive material. The things that minors are exposed to can be limited. Also you can make sure that it is not used to cause chaos. Furthermore it would seem to be a beneficial part of online life. It can provide security for important documents and conversations. Internet censorship can help with cyber security when important informationRead More Internet Censorship Essay802 Words   |  4 PagesInternet Censorship Internet Censorship. What does this mean to us? What is restricted? Censorship is summarily defined as the suppression of objectionable material. That means that material such as pornography, militant information, offensive language, anti-religion, and racism would be restricted in use. Freedom would not only be restricted to material placed on the web, but also what you could access, and where you could explore. Should the right of Freedom of Speech be taken away fromRead MoreInternet Censorship Essay994 Words   |  4 Pagesthey want to or not. In this day in age where just about everything is regulated in one fashion or another, many are calling for the censorship of Internet pornography. While some say it is a necessity when it comes to the industry, others argue it is downright unlawful. Internet pornography is a billion dollar industry that shows no signs of slowing down. Some argue that it may be high time to step in and slow it down for them in the form of censorship. A recent study concluded that there are aroundRead MoreCensorship And Censorship Of The Internet985 Words   |  4 Pagesissue of Censorship of the Internet in America has become a trending topic. The internet has been commonly censored to comply with the Digital Millennium Rights Act, but in recent times our government has been requesting more aggressive censorship in order to provide a safer cyberspace. If the American government began to censor the internet, the restriction will result in suppression of freedom of the press, hindering freedom of speech, and reduce the plethora of information on the internet. If AmericaRead MoreCensorship Filters The Media Within The World1574 Words   |  7 PagesDoes censorship filter the media within the world? Censorship has followed the free expressions of men and women like a shadow throughout history. Censorship is a way to filter the media in the world by suppressing unacceptable viewings or hearings by not showing, bleeping out, and covering the distasteful parts. In ancient societies, China for example, censorship was considered a logical tool for regulating the political and moral life of the population. The term censor can be traced to the officeRead More We Dont Need Internet Censorship Essay1350 Words   |  6 PagesWe Dont Need Internet Censorship Censorship is an extremely controversial issue. There have been hundreds of thousands of essays written about whether or not censorship on the Internet is right or wrong, but so far, no precise conclusion has surfaced. Ive researched into the topic, but I havent completely sided with one or the other. There are just good reasons against censorship. This essay briefly discusses some reasons why the Internet should be censored, but will then mainly focus

Gender Stereotypes in Literature Essay - 1969 Words

There is no doubt that certain books children read are made especially for boys or for girls. Like any developmental form of entertainment, from toys to movies, childrens books are often littered with hints that dictate whether they were originally meant for male or female enjoyment. Sometimes these hints can be as simple as the specific gender of the main characters, for example Carolyn Keenes Nancy Drew series calls for a female audience while the extremely similar yet sexually opposite Hardy Boys mysteries fall into the hands of boys, yet other times more important factors decide who the book will best be suited for. Gary Paulsens Hatchet and Katherine Patersonss The Great Gilly Hopkins are books for a boy and a†¦show more content†¦Hatchets survival story, then, is two-fold. Because stereotypically boys are less focused on the emotional aspect of things, and boys raised on G.I. Joes as opposed to a game of â€Å"house† are less interested in domesticity, the a dventure trappings of Hatchet serve to mask what is really happening in the story. When Brian crashes in the woods he has already been set adrift by the rift between his parents, has already been left as one that will have to survive on his own. Brian was comfortable in the security of his stable familial unit but now he is left alone in a new world, the untamed wilderness of a broken home. These aspects of divorce and infidelity, however, would hold no real sway over young male readers, so it is made real by the woods that Brian finds himself in. Everything he has to do in the woods revolves around a â€Å"home†. When Brian takes stock of everything he must do once he first crash lands, from building a â€Å"lean-to† (Paulson, p. 53) and not just eating, but hoarding and storing the â€Å"gut cherries† (p. 67) what he is really doing is rebuilding the home that he felt his parents separation has stolen from him. It is indeed only a few days before he comes to think of his new crude lodgings as home, but when heShow MoreRelatedGender Stereotypes in Literature1570 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history women have been victims of many stereotypes. The stereotypes that will be analyzed in this essay are the ideas that women are somehow inferior to men, the weaker sex, both mentally and physically; they are self-sacrificing mothers and wives and that they are dependent on men. This is seen in the play Medea, set in Greece during a time that was dominated by men. Women could only, under exceptional conditions, obtain a divorce yet any Greek man could rid himself of a wife simplyRead MoreGender Stereotypes Throughout Literature And Literature968 Words   |  4 PagesGender stereotypes exist in modern civilization and are heavily influenced in film and literature as well. The deeply ingrained values in our culture of standardized gender roles in terms of women are seen heavily in both Tarzan of the Apes and in Knocked Up. Alternatively, t hese stories released almost a hundred years apart portray masculinity very differently. To understand what constitutes an ideal male, both genders need to be considered and their differences exemplified. Tarzan is a stereotypicalRead MoreGender Stereotypes And Expectations In Literature1724 Words   |  7 Pagessuch means as literature, popular culture, and tradition, has perpetuated these gender stereotypes and expectations for much of history. Unconscious and conscious assumptions about gender shape how readers perceive sex in literature; men are typically considered lustful, whereas women are considered loving. However, the subjects of sex, love, and lust in literature, as demonstrated in poems written by Robert Burns and Andrew Marvell, become increasingly nuanced when gender stereotypes and expectationsRead MoreGender Roles : Gender Role Play Essay1226 Words   |  5 PagesGender role play is the concept of young children partaking in a form of play that already sets them within a specific gender role, for example, a girl pretending to be a mother or a girl partaking in a â€Å"pink-collar† job such as nursing, teaching etc. This form of play can be seen within make-believe play. Though this topic can be tricky to study, due to the fact children in general can be tricky to observe, it is incredibly relevant due to the fact play in general has a huge effect on childrenRead MoreGender Roles Of Women s Literature1661 Words   |  7 Pages The way in which gender roles are portrayed in children’s literature significantly contributes to the development of our youth’s understanding of their own gender’s role and how they are perceived by society. It is important for children to understand gender roles because gender roles are an essential cog in the perpetual machine that develops our society, but these cogs have been replaced with newer, more up-to-date cogs over recent years, so to speak. As society has changed, so has the typicalRead MoreGender Socialization And Social Control1508 Words   |  7 Pageslarge, gender socialization is a major contributor to identity and self- concept. Gender therefore becomes a characteristic that defines other’s perceptions and evaluations of us. People come to manage gender along with aspects of other aspects of the self by making sure that we are acting in gender-appropriate way (Goffman, 1959, Libby). In itself, the self is a product of social forces and it emerges through socialization. Being that gender is a major function of one’s identity, stereotypes aboutRead MoreChildren s Development And Self Image Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesChildren’s literature and picture books are often entertaining and interesting to read as a child and even sometimes as an adult. However, there is a myriad of children’s stories that significantly influences children of their perception of other races and the opposite gender. In fact, â€Å"at ages 3-5, children begin the processes of actively learning to distinguish the sexes and of forming gender stereotypes [Powlishta, Serbin Moller, 1993]. Therefore, the gender roles and the number of female andRead MoreGender Inequality in Womens Rugby1181 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction As the nation’s gender inequality continues to diminish, things like sports stereotypes, and labour force conflict cannot be understood without understanding the term of identity. Identity work is explained by Schwalbe and Mason-Schrock in 1996 as â€Å"anything people do, individually or collectively, to give meaning to themselves or others† (as cited in Ezzell, 2009, p. 1). I propose to examine inequality based on gender identity and in depth the process of stereotype issues, - how people constructRead MoreHow Women Are Portrayed On Advertising And The Second Looks At This Time1104 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment #1 1. State your topic area for the literature review project. Be as specific as you are able to at this time. The topic area that I would like to cover for my literature review project is the topic of how women are portrayed in advertising and the impact this has on women in society. 2. State the claim the study supports The scholarly article I am reviewing is a research article that did two separate examinations on the role of humor in gender stereotypes. The first one is the role of humor seenRead MoreIdentity in the Workplace Creates Gender Inequality801 Words   |  3 PagesAs the nation’s gender inequality continues to diminish, things like sports stereotypes, and labour force conflict cannot be understood without understanding the term of identity. Identity work is explained by Schwalbe and Mason-Schrock in 1996 as â€Å"anything people do, individually or collectively, to give meaning to themselves or others† (as cited in Ezzell, 2009, p. 1). I propose to examine inequality based on gender identity and in depth the process of stereotype issues, - how people construct

History And Theory Criticism Anthropology Essay Free Essays

Lancelot Brown who was born in 1716 and died in 1783 was called ‘Capability ‘ because of his ability in recognizing the capablenesss of a landscape. Very high in his twenty-four hours and the demand by the proprietors of most of the baronial estates, we find that his position or repute had started worsening by the start of the 20th century. This was chiefly due to the polemics of those who had revived the captivation of the formal, architectural garden of which he was considered to be the chief destroyer ( Harlin, p93 ) . We will write a custom essay sample on History And Theory Criticism Anthropology Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now His prominence was restored by authors like Christopher Hussey and largely, Dorothy Stroud, who was his biographer during the 1950 and 1960s. Most late garden historiographers such as Tom Williamson and David Jacques have stressed the fact that Brown was merely one of the several 18th century landscape interior decorators, like Adam Mickle, William Emes and Nathaniel Richmond whose work and accomplishments are merely get downing to come into focal point. However, some of these interior decorators began their calling together with Brown. Latest survey, excessively, has stressed that Brown was ne’er a one-person set. He greatly depended on a big group of persons in oversing the execution of his programs and he might be believed to be among the first of all time garden interior decorators to hold something similar to a professional pattern. The accomplishment of his calling comes from his ain extraordinary endowments and the clip in which he lived. It was a clip of great profusion and one of the major marks of wealth was the addition in the size of the landed estates. However, the 18th century, as W. G. Hoskins defines it in ( 1955 ) ‘The Making of the English Landscape ‘ , was really the great age of parliamentary enclosures of the waste land and unfastened Fieldss ; about 1,214,574 hectares were enclosed, in other words passed into private ownership. All through hiss calling he worked on designs for more than two 100 estates, between 1741 ( Stowe ) and 1783 ( Stourton House in Yorkshire ) . The typical description of his characteristic work sums about to a cliche , the park that is surrounded by belts of trees, the bunchs of trees in the unfastened landscape, together with the lake at the cardinal land, ever formed by barricading a steam and usually of a snaky sort so as to look like a river. Not much is known about either the pattern or theory of his trade. He did n’t go forth any theoretical Hagiographas and the few hints of information we have are undependable. In recent old ages, we find that it has been mentioned that Brown besides had great involvement in the pleasance evidences of an estate together with the park. He often designed more or less fancy shrubberies that were near to the house like in the pleasance evidences of Petworth. His work was n’t by and large admired in his clip, Sir William Chambers, the designer every bit good as the garden interior decorator criticized his landscapes in the twelvemonth 1772 due to their small difference from the common Fieldss. Richard Payne Knight, the picturesque apostle, unusually dubbed him as the originator of bald and bald. Nevertheless, Humphry Repton, who so followed in his footfalls, claimed that wishing for grading, so common in all his workingmans: each knoll by them is lowered, and each hollow filled to do a degree surface ( Halliday, p152 ) . Petworth House Petworth House in Petworth, England is a late 17th century manor, reconstruct in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and tainted during the 1870s by Anthony Salvin. The topographic point was once occupied by an equipt manor house that was founded by Henry de Percy, the 13th century chapel and the undercroft of which still exist. Today ‘s constructing houses is an indispensable aggregation of sculptures and pictures, which include 19 oil pictures by Turner, some which are owned by the household and some by Tate Britain, who was a usual visitant to Petworth, the pictures by Van Dyck, the carvings by Grinling Gibbons every bit good as Ben Harms, traditional and non-traditional sculptures ( which include even the 1s by John Edward Carew and John Flaxman ) , and wall every bit good as the ceiling pictures by Louis Laguerre. Furthermore, there is besides an earthly Earth by Emery Molyneux, which is believed to be he merely one worldwide in its original 1592 province. This stands in a seven hundred acre landscaped park called Petworth Park, which was good designed by Brown. However, the park is among the more popular in England, mostly on description of several of its images which were painted by Turner. It is occupied by a big herd of fallow cervid in England. There is besides approximately 30 acre forest garden called the Pleasure Ground ( Green, p123 ) . For the last two hundred and 50 old ages, we find that the house and the estate have under the ownership of the Wyndham household. The house and cervid park were given to the province in 1947 and are presently under the direction of the National Trust under the trade name ‘Petworth House and Park. However, the Leconfield Estates besides possess much of the Petworth and the adjacent country. As a expression into the lives of the old estate workers, we find that the Petworth Cottage Museum has been situated in High Street. Petworth House is the place to Petworth House Real Tennis Club. ( Many similar private estates held existent tennis tribunals. ) BlenheimPalace This is a big and big state house located in Woodstock, England. It is really the lone non-episcopal state house in the state to hold the rubric ‘Palace ‘ . The castle which is one of the largest houses in England was constructed between 1705 and 1724. It was accepted and recognized as a UNESCO World heritage Site in the twelvemonth 1987 ( Girouard, p67 ) . However, its building was ab initio intended to be a present to John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough from an appreciative state in return for military triumph against the Bavarians and Gallic at the Battle of Blenheim. Is shortly turned out to be the chief topic of political squabbling, which resulted to Marlborough ‘s expatriate, the autumn from the power of his Duchess, and lasting harm to the position of the Sir John Vanbrugh, the architecture Planned in the rare, and impermanent, English Baroque manner, architectural esteem of the castle is divided today as it was during the 1720s. It is exceeding in its combined usage as a mausoleum, household place, and a national memorial. Furthermore, the castle is besides celebrated as the place of birth and the hereditary place of the Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ( Turner, p30-32 ) . The mark above the big East gate provides a clear history of the building of the castle, the reading: â€Å" Under the backing of a munificent crowned head this house was constructed for John of Marlborough together with his Duchess Sarah, by Sir J Vanbrugh between 1705 and 1722. The Royal Manor of Woodstock and a grant of two hundred and 40 1000 Euros towards the building of Blenheim, was offered by Her Majesty Queen Anne and approved by act of parliament. † The fact is hat the building of the castle was a minefield of political confederacy, with intriguing on a Machiavellian graduated table by Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. Due to the completion of the castle, it has become the place of the Churchill household for the past three hundred old ages, and several members of the household have in that clip produced many alterations, inside gardens and park, whereby some are for the better, others for the worse. At the terminal of the 19th century, the Churchills and the castle were saved from the muss by an American matrimony. Hence, the outside of the castle is still in good fix and precisely as completed. Work cited Turner, R. , Capability Brown and the Eighteenth Century English Landscape. Phillimore, Chichester, 2005, pp.30-32. The book negotiations about Brown and his several parts to the landscape design, including the constitution of many Parkss for the English aristocracy. Particularly 15 of his landscapes ( e.g. , Blenheim ) which are comprehensively covered. Girouard, M. , Life in the English Country House. New Haven: Yale University Press. 2001, p67 The writer teases out these constellations and analyses the several ways the thoughts of subjection and command shaped Romantic artistic signifiers, from the literature and art to architecture and garden design. Green, D. , Blenheim Palace. Oxford: Alden Press. 2002, p123 The book focuses on a extremely original country of enquiry, the urban underworld. It besides offers enormous penetrations into the cultural energies and the stuff flows of the tunnels, cloacas and drains of Paris and London. Halliday, E. , Cultural History of England. London: Thames A ; Hudson. 2004, p152 This book displays the easiness and assurance of person who truly knows her capable. The writer examines the comfy insides of England, the overstuffed chairs and couchs, dark forests, authoritative spiels and the vivacious colourss. Harlin, R. , Historic Houses. London: Conde Nast Publications. 1999, p93 In this book, the writer negotiations about the great architectural memorials in different metropoliss of the universe such as London, Athens and Paris How to cite History And Theory Criticism Anthropology Essay, Essay examples

Foods Corporation free essay sample

In this section  we have laid  emphasis on  the inception of Jollibee Foods Corporation, their expansion in various countries like Singapore, Honk Kong, Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, and California etc. Further we have discussed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to Jollibee in the fast food industry. We have dealt with different problems like the management issues, the market issues, business expertise, financial resources, inventory management etc. This would help in better understanding of Jollibee’s present condition and future sustainability in the modern and fast changing business world. After the SWOT analysis we identified certain issues with Jollibee which concerned the Management, business, expansion etc. There  were issues like improper  utilization of financial resources, lack of promotional campaigns, communication gap between the different wings of  Jollibee and between the Management and the employees. Keeping in mind these issues we have come up with a few recommendations. We have discussed them through Human Resource, Marketing, Financial and  Operations perspective. Then we have discussed the Strategic decisions with regards to expansion in the future in California, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea. We have studied various pros and cons of  expansion in each of the above mentioned countries and reached the conclusion that California is the most favorable location. The reasons for the location being that there is a huge Philippine population in Dale City of California which will help in the establishment of  the store. Also they have successfully catered to the taste buds of the people in Guam which will help them  serve the Americans better and thus the expansion could be a success. Later we have conversed about the implementation plan and how  to go about  it. At the end of the document we have attached appendix for the reader’s facilitation. It contains certain tables and graphs for better understanding of the financials of Jollibee Food Corporation. Business Landscape: Company History; Jollibee Food Corporation began as an Ice- cream parlor in the year 1975 and was run by the Chinese Filipino Tan Family. But later they diversified in to sandwiches when the 1977  oil crisis occurred and the President Tony Tan Caktiong (TTC) expected the ice cream prices to soar. The hamburger recipe developed Tony’s father who was a chef also became famous and a year later hey opened five store in Manila, where the family incorporated as Jollibee Food Corporation. Friendliness pervaded the organization and become one of the â€Å"Five Fs† that summed up Jollibee’s philosophy. The others were â€Å"flavorful food, a fun atmosphere, flexibility in catering to customer needs and a focus on families†. Background: Until 198 1 it was a smooth sailing for Jollibee, but then came Mc Donald’s to Philippines. But the group was fearless and had confidence in the spicy taste of their Hamburger which appealed to the Philippine customers. Slowly Jollibee forayed in to the foreign markets and began with its investment in Singaporean 1985 in 1988 with  the help of some family friends. Their next venture was in  Taiwan again with the help of family acquaintance, but this also did not last long and the transaction came to an end on the basis of distrust between the local manager and Jollibee management in1988. Brunei was another joint venture that they entered into in 1987 August. Then they forayed in to the Indonesian Market in the year 1989, opening a store in Jakarta but due to conflicts with the local manager again this store also had to be closed down. In 1994 the International Division was created with Tony Kitchner, as the Vice President. Kitchner went about differentiating the International Division from the Philippine part of   Jollibee and tried to create a more formal culture for the division. Kitchener’s strategy rested on two themes: 1) Targeting expats 2) Planting the Flag But as the international business grew, the relation  between the International Division and the Philippine operations started turning sour. In 1996, TTC realized that  he could no longer support Kitchner  as the expansion strategy was costing heavily and they were losing a lot  of money. In February 1997, Kitchner left Jollibee. Then, Kitchner, Manolo P (Noli)  Tingzon was hired as the replacement. Now he is considering the three options for profitable expansion. They are: Papua New Guinea, Honk-Kong and California. Papua New Guinea has no much  completion for Jollibee. In Hong Kong there are several management issues and in California things seem to be quiet pleasant. Target Market: Jollibee Food Corporation targets its market very strategically. First of all, JFC can be considered as a nicher as it specializes on its local market. Though it has penetrated its market by operating overseas, JFC tends to serve the Philippines who are living there. JFC have 1200 stores worldwide of which 1079 are situated in Philippines. Jollibee segmented fast food market according to several variables and had chosen some them according to its resources and technological ability. Geographically, JFC mainly serves local Philippines market that has already been mentioned above. Demographically, JFC tends to serve almost all customers. But still the market is been segmented according to age to serve the children superior value. A Philippino business analyst notes that, in a normal family weekends are reserved for children and parents ask them where to go. Thus, JFC wants to be appealing to children. This segmentation can also be called as a â€Å"Family Life† Cycle segmentation. Jollibee also tries to capture some occasions like birthday party. They serve this segment very nicely. JFC tends to serve every possible segment. They are expanding their business overseas aggressively to go beyond Geographical barriers. Positioning: Ensuring high traffic needs an emphasis on store location and positioning Jollibee in the minds of the consumer as a place that they would enjoy eating fast food. This entails proper branding and positioning of the service offered. Jollibee also projected itself as world class and not a local brand. The service that is offered should be consistent over all Jollibee stores, however this might be a problem as the division has been slimmed recently and resources might be stretched too far. Marketing Mix: Product: In the case of Jollibee, it went from being an ice cream parlor to serving hamburgers made with a home style recipe. This change in product was in response to events triggered by the 1977 oil crisis which would have doubled the prices of ice cream. The product offered by Jollibee appeals to the Filipinos taste for spicy burgers. By concentrating its resources on satisfying the Filipino palate, Jollibee has been able to serve  localized dishes that are unlike  any found in  the other fast-food chains  in the Philippines. In addition to offering the usual French fries that accompany the meals found in McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, and so  forth, Jollibee also serves rice or spaghetti, Filipino style. Even the burgers are cooked exactly as Filipinos want them done— sweeter and with more seasonings, often likened to what a Filipino mother would cook at home. Menus in outlets across the globe adjusted to local preferences to differentiate it from other standardized players like Mc Donald’s and KFC who maintain the same menus worldwide with minimal changes. Jollibee even incorporated recipes from employees to truly capture local tastes. Price: Price is closely related to customer satisfaction. Thus, JFC provides its high quality fast food products at a relatively cheaper price. According to its commitment to serve each and every Philippines, JFC keeps things affordable for all. The DLSU survey shows that, 94% of JFCs customer thinks it’s affordable or cheaper. Place: The location of outlets is of key importance to the marketing strategy of Jollibee. For  Example, the outlet in Hong Kong is located at Central where a large number of  Filipinos gather. Promotion: Local brands: Brands in local market are strong contenders and are not to be underestimated.

The article overview

The article overview Sobek, II, D.K., Liker, J.K. Ward, A.C. (1998). Another look at how Toyota integrates product development. Harvard Business Review, 76(4), 36-49.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The article overview – Another look at how Toyota integrates product development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The present article deals with peculiarities of product development in Toyota. Sobek et al. (1998) also compares Toyota’s strategies with strategies used at US companies. The authors reveal the most effective strategies that can be used to improve the process of product development. Sobek et al. (1998) claim that Toyota combines functional and project-based structures. At that, Toyota manages to create the necessary balance which is beneficial for the process of product development. Thus, the authors argue that engineers in Toyota work in certain groups on different projects without ignoring their primary functions. Sobek et al. (1998) state that the secret of their success lies in proper communication. Thus, the groups use written and oral communication. Again, Toyota has created the balance between two forms of communication. The authors also note that one of the advantages of strategies used by Toyota is precise supervision. One of the greatest achievements of the company, in the author’s opinion, is a specific type of supervision. Thus, chief engineers encourage engineers to find solutions rather than simply provide their strict instructions. Importantly, chief engineers at Toyota do not have much control over engineers, i.e. they cannot simply reject this or that solution, though they have a great authority so their opinion matters. This leads to effective communication between supervisors and engineers. Moreover, chief engineers do not stop developing their technical expertise, so their authority is sound. Another advantage of strategies used in Toyota is the use of flexible standards. Thus, the company has particular standards which enable every engineer to check whether everything is done right. However, the checklists are often up-dated which makes the standards always up-to-date. Besides, Sobek et al. (1998) note that the company pays much attention to consumer’s needs. Thus, the company’s employees have to sell cars for some time to acknowledge what consumers may need.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the authors also conclude that the strategies used at Toyota can be effective for this company only, in other words, these strategies can be inapplicable for other settings. Nonetheless, the researchers also note that some techniques can be effectively used by US car manufacturers. Key points One of the major findings of the article is that many of strategies used at Toyota can be used at US companies. The researchers compare Toyota’ strategies and techniques used at American companies. The authors reveal advantages of strategies used at Toyota. For instance, the authors point out that communication between project groups is essential in the process of product development. The authors note that Toyota incorporates written and oral communication really effectively. Thus, engineers work out really precise reports where major issues and recommendations are highlighted. The reports are distributed among people involved. If the issue is two complex, a meeting is arranged, where the issue is discussed in detail. Admittedly, this is very effective as engineers do not waste their time during long meetings. They come prepared for an effective discussion as they have learnt major points from the reports. Notably, the reports designed are highly standardized and really brief, so engineers do not spend much time over these reports as well, but these reports highlight the most meaningf ul information. One more point discussed is supervision at Toyota. The authors portray a very interesting approach. Thus, supervisors do not simply control, as the â€Å"chief engineer has no formal authority over them [his subordinates], so he must â€Å"persuade† them to help him realize his vision for the vehicle† (Sobek et al., 1998, p. 42). Thus, the supervisors do not restrict creativity of their subordinates, but encourages them to work out new solutions. Admittedly, this approach enables the engineers come up with lots of fresh solutions. More importantly, supervisors at Toyota never stop self-developing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The article overview – Another look at how Toyota integrates product development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unlike US colleagues, who stop developing their technical expertise when they occupy managerial position, supervisors at Toyota do not st op acquiring knowledge in the field of technological development. Finally, now many American companies do not have particular standards as they claim that technology develops too fast, so standards become outdated soon. However, at Toyota there are checklists which enable the engineers make sure they do not miss anything. Of course, these checklists highlight the most important points. These checklists are updated all the time so they are never out-of-date. Admittedly, this strategy helps engineers to ensure high quality of their products. Follow-on research It is necessary to point out that successful techniques and strategies used at Toyota have inspired many companies to change their ways. Many researchers also paid much attention to the development of particular strategies that can be applicable at American companies. For example, Emiliani (2008) focuses on the concept of â€Å"standardized work† which can help executives improve their leadership (p. 24). Thus, the resear cher highlights the most typical errors made by leaders. The author also suggests ways to eliminate these errors. Just like Sobek et al. (1998), Emiliany (2008) claims that standardized work can help companies improve the process of product development if the standards are always up-to-date. Another interesting work dwells upon Lean Product Development (Radeka Sutton, 2007). Thus, Radeka and Sutton (2007) point out that when developing new products, it is essential to pay attention to communication between the groups involved, expertise of executives and consumers’ needs. These three areas are essential for effective product development.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is possible to state that the three articles reveal effective strategies to use when developing new products. The articles also highlight successful experience of Toyota which uses strategies which have already become applicable for many companies in different settings. Applications The present article provides valuable insights into the process of product development. Thus, companies can improve this process incorporating successful experience of Toyota. Thus, communication is one of the major problems that companies face. The article verifies that it is possible to balance oral and written communication. Thus, the companies can use Toyota’s successful experience to reduce the number of face-to-face meetings (and reduce the meetings’ duration) to more effectively manage their time. Brief reports can improve effectiveness of meetings as participants will be prepared and will remain focused on the major issues. Another important issue to take into account is proper s upervision. Thus, it is essential to make sure supervisors are experts in their fields. This will enable executives of the companies to make the right decisions as they will be sure that supervisors are able to see the complete picture. In fact, the article highlights several major points to pay attention to while developing new products. Every executive can work out specific strategy for his/her company to improve the process of product development on the basis of the information provided in the article. Reference List Emiliani, M.L. (2008). Standardized work for executive leadership. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 29(1), 24-46. Radeka, K. Sutton, T. (2007). What is â€Å"lean† about product development? PDMA Visions Magazine, 31(2), 11-15. Sobek, II, D.K., Liker, J.K. Ward, A.C. (1998). Another look at how Toyota integrates product development. Harvard Business Review, 76(4), 36-49. This essay on The article overview – Another look at how Toyota integrates product development was written and submitted by user Alessandra O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Khmer Rouge essays

Khmer Rouge essays On April 17th, 1975, The Khmer Rouge (a communist group led by Pol Pot), took over power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. They forced all of the villagers into the countryside to labor camps. During Pol Pots reign there are an estimated 2 million dead because of starvation, torture or execution. Pol Pot declared the year to be zero. He began a radical program to create an idealized agrarian communist society. He crushed all social institutions like banking, religion, all stores, hospitals and schools. Intellectuals and anyone else seen as standing in the way of their new social order was killed on the spot, and from the many who did escape execution usually died from overwork and starvation. Everyone had to work anywhere from 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week. Children were seperated from their parents to work in either mobile groups or as soldiers. All of the people were only fed one watery bowl of soup with a little bit of rice in it. The Khmer Rouge killed people if they did not like them, if the they did not work hard enough according to their standards , if they were educated, if they came from a different ethnic group or if they showed any kind of sympathy when they were taken away from their family, or if their family was taken away from them to be killed. All th e people had to pledge allegiance to Angka, (the Khmer Rouge Government). Their campaign was based on proposing total fear and keeping the people of Cambodia off balance. Once the Vietnamese invaded and released the Cambodian people 600,000 of them went to Thailand border camps. Ten million land mines were left in the ground though, one for every person of Cambodia. The United Nations then installed the largest peacekeeping mission in the world in Cambodia to make sure there were fair elections. Cambodia was ruined by the Khmer Rouge years. Pol Pot really did turn it back into year zero, and up to ...

Academic Paper Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic Paper Review - Assignment Example In addition, consumers can also purchase these commodities by using online transactions. This paper will look on the various security issues relating to e-commerce system (Al-Slamy, 2008). Apart from hardware or physical damages threats, e-commerce system is seriously influenced by the perils associated with its software and technical mechanism. The software and technical mechanism rely on three security components. The security concept entails three vital components including availability, integrity and confidentiality (McKegney & Khusial, 2005). Authorized individuals are permitted to access the highly confidential data and information connected to consumers. Leaking this confidential information to an unauthorized individual is breaching confidentiality. Data integrity is safeguarded by preserving the precise information contained in it even though the integrity may be violated by adding more payment demands in statements and bills (Gollmann, 2000). Availability makes sure that access to resources is safe and incase of any delays, availability may be influenced negatively. The main security features of e-commerce system include authorization, auditing, authentication and encryption. Encryption is created in enhancing maximum security measures by preserving private information (McKegney & Khusial, 2005). It prevents unauthorized individuals from accessing financial transactions occurring on the internet. Authentication is the act of making sure that a user retrieving information from the system is the same one and prevents unauthorized users from the log in. Another security feature is auditing. It is used by businesses in keeping online transaction records. This information is used by companies in proving the validity of transactions. In addition, authorization is taking command over personal resources found online and manipulating them through an exact mechanism. This

Organizational Design Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Design Analysis - Essay Example From over 100 manufacturers for customers to choose from, Rock Auto is able to ship thousands of auto parts to every continent in the world, with the exception of APO/FPO addresses and Antarctica. Rock Auto is able to position themselves high above their competitors, by offering auto parts and applications for car models from the 1940’s to the newest models of cars. They also built their database using data obtained directly from the manufacturers, giving flexibility and variety to all customers. I had the opportunity to interview four employees: Senior level; Jim Taylor (President), Sandra Taylor (VP Customer Service) Midlevel; Serena Johnson (HR Manager), Lower level; Nicole Evans (CSR). As with any other business, they are in business to bring in a profit and fulfill the needs of customers searching for auto parts.   They are able to bring in high profits, due to the fact, they hold no inventory, and all merchandise is sent directly to the customer from one of their contr acted distributors. Rock Autos organizational philosophy stems from providing exceptional customer service, where responsiveness to the customer is a top priority. Their strategy has a long-term focus to earn customers trust and respecting customer’s time, maintaining a strict and high standard of excellence and no nonsense policy for all employees to adhere too. Rock Auto is a small organization with less than 100 employees. There are currently 97 employees total. Thirty-five are full-time, including senior management and 62 are part-time employees all mid to lower level. The CSR’s, manufacturers and its technology are the most important components to the company and its environment. The number of important components is large in relation to the company in its entirety. In regards to the technology and manufacturers, they can change very slowly as we have been working with some of the same manufacturers since our opening in 1999. Serena Johnson stated that their techn ology has not changed much as they use the internet, email and soft pads for all correspondence between their customers, shippers, distributors and manufacturers, we may upgrade to a higher level of internet speed, to ensure accuracy and efficiency. The company’s dominant technology is the computer systems and the internet. Jim Taylor stated, â€Å"We use email and e-commerce to transform our inputs, which would allow the customer to place an order, via email, our website or call one of our CRS’s. Once the order is placed, the CSR confirms the parts are available and our distributors ship the orders (outputs) to the customers.† All of the four agreed that they would characterize Rock Autos’ environment as certain. As all the information, from the results and alternatives in regards to decision making, is always made available to all employees. Two of the three interviewed stated that the company is flexible to respond to environmental changes and have bee n doing a great job. The other two seem to feel that the company is too rigid, in relation to its application of rules and procedures with the CSRs. The CRS are supposed to have ability for daily decision making related to their jobs, such as choice of schedule, vacation time, and sick leave and in relation to decisions concerning customers, such as credits, refunds and returns. Even though, Rock Auto provides a â€Å"trust system† in regards to employee time sheets, prior to receiving a paycheck, HR, will go over each time

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - Essay Example Satrapi's focus is on her life from when she was eight to fourteen, covering this time period with the historical concepts in the background. She begins with a powerful idea; a school photo, and this photograph demonstrates many young girls in their veils. These girls would usually remove these holy veils to play on play breaks (Book Review). The author is finally able to leave the mess of the war, with her parents seeing her off at an airport, so that she can head to the safety of a school in Austria. However, the war did affect her for the rest of her life, and through adulthood we see the scars that are attributed to this experience. From the beginning to the end of her experience in Iran, the author's young life is veiled with the feelings of the oppressive, war-like life in Iran. (Book Review). It becomes quite apparent that like her own parents, many of the young children of this time were encouraged to leave the country in order to find safety. The country was in such an uphea val that even young, promising children of the next generation were not safe. Therefore, this had a profound effect on the author's life, and this effect would change her life forever. Growing up with a war at her doorstep, the author had to consider on a day to day basis how to survive, and had to also worry about her parents' survival. The emotional descriptions present in the book leave readers with a very strong sense of emotion in themselves. For example, I was quite affected by the knowledge that such a young child had to quickly grow up in order to understand the issues around her. Many of the terrible things Satrapi witnessed should never have to be witnessed by a young child. As a reader, I experienced a strong sense of a lost innocence, destroyed because of a war that the child did not necessarily understand. This certainly makes me, as a reader, feel sympathy and sadness toward the author, and this feeling continues for the narrator throughout the novel. The emotions are continually conjured up in the readers as the novel progresses. The book is presented in a very simple way, as small details are introduced to reflect on powerful concepts of emotion in the novel. By doing this, Satrapi shows how much the little things can matter, and how the slightest action can demonstrate a type of emotion (Book Review). The emotions present in all the characters, as they are all affected by the war going on in the background, is very obvious throughout the book. However, it takes some skill to be able to learn to read these small, simple, signs; as for many of us in secure western countries, we do not always see this kind of response in the individuals that surround us. Satrapi herself, as a young child during this time, often depicts the emotions of astonishment and confusion. She is chronically bewildered at having to wear a veil at only ten years old. She also becomes confused upon seeing the picture with her Uncle's former wife's head defam ed (Book Review). She is further confused by the notions of justice and God (Book Review). Because the war was going on for so long in the background of her life, it must have seemed to her that God was unjust, and this would have greatly confused a young girl. She has to deal with the change all around her demonstrated in politics, and it was noticeably difficult for a young girl to understand the

Different Perspectives for Risk Management

Different Perspectives for Risk Management 1 Purpose Risk this is defined as the combination of the probability of an event and its consequences. In all types of undertaking, there is the potential for events and consequences that constitute opportunities for benefit (upside) or threats to success (downside). Risk Management is increasingly recognised as being concerned with both positive and negative aspects of risk. Therefore this policy considers risk from both perspectives. Risk management is a central part of the B W Plant Hire and Sales Ltd strategic management. It is the process whereby we methodically address the risks attaching to their activities with the goal of achieving sustained benefit within each activity and across the portfolio of all activities. The focus of good risk management is the identification and treatment of these risks. Its objective is to add maximum sustainable value to all the activities of the organisation. It marshals the understanding of the potential upside and downside of all those factors which can affect the organisation. It increases the probability of success, and reduces both the probability of failure and the uncertainty of achieving our overall objectives. 2 Process The risks facing an organisation and its operations can result from factors both external and internal to the organisation. Risk identification is the process whereby B W Plant Hire and Sales Ltd sets out to identify its exposure to uncertainty. Risk identification is approached in a methodical way as part of the annual strategic review process to ensure that all significant activities within the organisation have been identified and all the risks flowing from these activities also defined. All associated volatility related to these activities is identified and categorised. Business activities and decisions are classified as: Strategic These concern the long-term strategic objectives of the organisation. They can be affected by such areas as capital availability, sovereign and political risks, legal and regulatory changes, reputation and changes in the physical environment. Operational These concern the day-today issues that the organisation is confronted with as it strives to deliver its strategic objectives. Financial These concern the effective management and control of the finances of the organisation and the effects of external factors such as availability of credit, foreign exchange rates, interest rate movement and other market exposures. Knowledge Based These concern the effective management and control of the knowledge resources, the production, protection and communication thereof. External factors might include the unauthorised use or abuse of intellectual property, area power failures, and competitive technology. Internal factors might be system malfunction or loss of key staff. Compliance These concern such issues as health safety, environmental, trade descriptions, consumer protection, data protection, employment practices and regulatory issues. As part of the annual strategic review each identified risk is described in a structured format is necessary to ensure a comprehensive risk identification, description and assessment process. Risk estimation is assessed as high, medium or low using the guidelines shown in the tables below. Risk identification Categorisation 1. Name of Risk 2. Impact of Risk Qualitative description of the events, their size, type number and dependencies 3. Quantification of Risk Probability and Significance 4. Potential Action for Improvement Recommendations to reduce risk Risk Consequences Threats and Opportunities High: Financial impact on the organisation is likely to exceed  £250,000 Significant impact on the organisations strategy or operational activities Significant stakeholder concern Medium Financial impact on the organisation likely to be between  £150,000 and  £350,000 Moderate impact on the organisations strategy or operational activities Moderate stakeholder concern Low Financial impact on the organisation likely to be less that  £150,000 Low impact on the organisations strategy or operational activities Low stakeholder concern

The Ballad Essay -- Literature History

This essay is about the Ballad, contrasting how the ballad went from an oral tradition to the ballad form known today. The Ballad can be any narrative song, but in technical terms a ballad is a specific literary form. The word ballad comes from the Latin and Italian word â€Å"ballare,† meaning â€Å"to dance†. Collins, (1985). The second word translation of â€Å"ballade† comes from the French language and means "dancing song". Oxford, (1995). Therefore a ballad is a song that tells a story, and was originally a musical accompaniment to a dance. Ballads are very old and were handed down orally through generation to generation before they began to be written down. Because of this, most of the surviving ballads have been greatly adapted as they were passed around. However, traditional ballads do share some features. The ballad is a narrative poem of popular origin usually very long, epic in style. The language is simple and is not sentimental. The poem can be about a relationship or an experience, good, bad, triumphant, or tragic, set to music. Hubbell (1923). Ch 235. Furthermore the structure and tone is made up of verses of four lines, with a rhyming pattern, repartition is often found in the ballad, entire stanzas can be repeated, like a chorus, or a repeated with certain words changed. The verse form, sometimes called the "ballad metre†. A question and answer can be built into the stanza and there is a lot of dialogue, with the action often described in the first person. Two characters can talk to one another in alternating lines or stanzas. Hubbell, (1923).ch,235. The core structure for a ballad is a quatrain, written with either a-b-c-b, or a-b-a-b rhyme scheme. "a" stands for one line ending, "b" for another, and "c" for another s... .... 3rd Ed. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. W.W. Norton & company Ltd. London. Bell, R. Ed. (1996). Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England 1550-1867. http://WWW.Gutenberg.org/ebooks/649. Accessed on 26/12/10 Eddy, S. Ed. (2009). Lyrical Ballads York advanced notes. York Press London. Hubbell, J.B. (1923). An introduction to poetry. The Macmillan company Ltd, London Attained on the kindle HTTP://www.amazon.co.uk/an introduction to poetry. Accessed on the 19/12/10. Mcleod, T. P. Hanks. Eds (1985). Collins Concise English Dictionary. Guild Publishing, London. Palmer, R. (1979). A Ballad History of England from 1588 to present day. The Anchor Press Ltd, Tiptree. Phythian, B.A. (1978). Considering Poetry An Approach to Criticism. Hodder & Stoughton Educational. Sevenoaks. Randall, D. Ed. (1971). The Black Poets. Bantam Books. New York.

Abdul Kalam – Kalam’s Life Portrays

Kalam’s life portrays, what zest for life is all about. Kalam divides â€Å"wings of fire† into various phases of his life and builds on it. His humble childhood to his first break to disappointments to successes. He writes with passion about his mentors, his teachers and his colleagues. He writes at length about the birth and adolescent years of the Indian space program. He writes about how to be a good leader, a good motivator, a good project manager and a above all someone with passion and devotion towards his work. His Humble beginnings, hard work, persistence, and above all a passion for life and all things that are possible in it, are all well described in the book. He does all of this in very simple prose. What struck me throughout the book was his recollection of small snippets of poems or phrases from various sources. His citing of the various colleagues he worked with, his bosses or people he appointed through the 60 years of his career are also quite impressive. Although this makes an easy and gripping read, at times the transmission goes above your head due to the generous use of technical terms being used and complex rocket technology being described. However, APJ did a good job of drawing parallels with objects of layman understanding After reading the book, It makes you feel that you know the man more intimately, His humility strikes you down. A very refreshing book, from a refreshing person, giving a glimpse of what the power of positive thinking can help you do, given the shortcomings of the beaurocracy in a country such as India. Beating all odds, the man reached out to the stars, and has become one. Kalam never married. He writes that he found, to maintain relationships was more difficult than rocket science. So all you married folk can pat yourself on the back! It does though beg the question, to have that kind of passion and dedication does one have to give up worldly life as we know it and take up â€Å"sanyas† from everything but work? Whatever it maybe, you will come out satisfied after reading this book, having gained some pearls of leadership qualities, project management, rocket technology and the history of Indian space program. Above all you will be filled with patriotism (if Indian), passion, motivation and inspiration at the end of these 200 odd pages.

Free Essays on How To Stop A Bullet

How to Stop a Bullet On April 20, 1999, a pair of troubled teens entered Columbine High School with one motive, murder. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris left fifteen dead and wounded twenty more, their act of insanity lives on infamously as the biggest school shooting in our nation’s history. Their actions significantly changed the lives of every teacher and student at that school. Those shots â€Å"heard round the world† changed the innocence of attending school and affected every single person in this country one way or another. The students and teachers of Columbine will never walk the halls without having fear, every fire drill, every April 20th, every loud noise; will tie their intestines into knots of anxiety. Could this tragedy have been avoided? A recent reoccurrence of school shootings, including the massacre at Columbine, has added momentum to gun control issues in Congress. Advocates of strict gun laws are lobbying for mandatory child safety locks, tougher background checks, and other controls that they believe will cause gun violence to rise. Approximately 60 percent of all murder victims in the United States in 1999 (about 12,000 people) were killed with firearms. According to estimates, firearm attacks injured another 70,000 victims, some of whom were left permanently disabled. Due to the recent increase in crime, school shootings, and other gun related violence, it is imperative that Congress pass new firearm control laws, although gun activists will say this is impeding upon their rights, it is necessary for the sake of our nation’s safety. Even though society benefits from guns in the hands of responsible citizens, the fatalities due to firearms steadily increase. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, s... Free Essays on How To Stop A Bullet Free Essays on How To Stop A Bullet How to Stop a Bullet On April 20, 1999, a pair of troubled teens entered Columbine High School with one motive, murder. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris left fifteen dead and wounded twenty more, their act of insanity lives on infamously as the biggest school shooting in our nation’s history. Their actions significantly changed the lives of every teacher and student at that school. Those shots â€Å"heard round the world† changed the innocence of attending school and affected every single person in this country one way or another. The students and teachers of Columbine will never walk the halls without having fear, every fire drill, every April 20th, every loud noise; will tie their intestines into knots of anxiety. Could this tragedy have been avoided? A recent reoccurrence of school shootings, including the massacre at Columbine, has added momentum to gun control issues in Congress. Advocates of strict gun laws are lobbying for mandatory child safety locks, tougher background checks, and other controls that they believe will cause gun violence to rise. Approximately 60 percent of all murder victims in the United States in 1999 (about 12,000 people) were killed with firearms. According to estimates, firearm attacks injured another 70,000 victims, some of whom were left permanently disabled. Due to the recent increase in crime, school shootings, and other gun related violence, it is imperative that Congress pass new firearm control laws, although gun activists will say this is impeding upon their rights, it is necessary for the sake of our nation’s safety. Even though society benefits from guns in the hands of responsible citizens, the fatalities due to firearms steadily increase. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, s...

How being kind to yourself helps you better your life

How being kind to yourself helps you  better your  life There are lots of secrets and strategies floating around for achieving success in life, but there’s one surefire trick that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough- being kind to yourself.  Yes, this seemingly simple yet often overlooked notion can go a long way towards ensuring that you’re living your best possible life in all of its facets- including your career, personal relationships, family, friendships, and other individual pursuits. It’s true! According to a recent article by Inc., being nicer to yourself is an effective way to be happier, healthier, and more successful. It stands to reason- being nice to ourselves encourages and empowers us to want to be the best possible versions of ourselves, and to set personal goals that allow us to make this happen.How it worksWe’ve all learned â€Å"The Golden Rule† regarding how we should treat others. Let’s dig into why you should be applying The Golden Rule to yourself if you want to better your life! Being good to yourself nourishes your sense of self and fuels your motivation and desire to achieve your goals, all necessary ingredients for having fulfilling lives.Self-kindness nourishes your sense of self- simple acts of kindness, from others and to ourselves, not only feels good, it reminds us of the power of kindness and feeds our sense of well-being. It makes us feel special and important, and that we’re entitled to the good things in life. With this mindset, we’re more likely to devote more time and energy to setting and achieving personal milestones for making our lives better.Self-kindness fuels your motivation- with your sense of self nourished through kindness, you’ll feel more energized by life’s possibilities, and will be more likely to seek out ways to improve all facets of your life. You’ll not only feel more worthy of life’s good things, you’ll feel more motivated to go out and attain the better life you know you deserve!Self-kindness helps you achieve your goals- being good to yourself augments your sense of self-worth and makes you feel like you deserve to have your life’s goals achieved. And when you achieve goals in life you’ll feel empowered to set new goals to go after.How to make it work for youNow that you know why being kind to yourself can help you better your life, let’s take a look at a few ways how you can do this.Let yourself indulge in those little things in life that bring you pleasure. A good book, a cup of your favorite coffee, and a delicious dessert are easy and effective ways to be kind to yourself. Making sure to give yourself credit for your accomplishments, whether big or small, is another excellent way to be nice to yourself, and will propel you forward towards trying new challenges and accomplishments without the same fear of potential failure that holds many people back. Also try enhancing your appreciation of where you’re at in your life, focusing on the positives and the challenges you’ve successfully met, while reminding yourself that life is always a journey full of learning experiences.Taking care of yourself is a great way to be kind to yourself- leading a healthy life that includes a balanced diet, low stress, regular exercise, and plenty of sleep will make you feel good inside and out, and help keep you operating at optimum levels, which is an excellent place from which to work towards improving your life and achieving the goals you set for yourself. What’s better than that?

Basic Senior Year Financial Questions Assignment - 1

Basic Senior Year Financial Questions - Assignment Example Net present value recognizes time value of money and such appreciates that a shilling now is more valuable than a shilling tomorrow and the two can only be compared if they are at their present value. This is another modern method of discounting cash flow because the technique uses the principle of NPV. It is defined as the rate which the present value of cash outflows of an investment equates the initial capital invested. IRR will accept a venture if its IRR is higher than or equal to the minimum required rate of return which is usually the cost of finance also known as the cut off rate or hurdle rate, and in this case IRR will be the highest rate of interest a firm would be ready to pay to finance a project using borrowed funds and without being financially worse off by paying back the loan (the principal and accrued interest) out of the cash flows generated by that project. Thus, IRR is the break-even rate of borrowing from commercial banks. This method gauges the viability of a venture by taking the inflows and outflows over time to ascertain how soon a venture can payback and for this reason PBP (or payout period or payoff) is that period of time or duration it will take an investment venture to generate sufficient cash inflows to payback the cost of such investment. This is a popular approach among the traditional financial managers because it helps them ascertain the time it will take to recoup in form of cash from operations the original cost of the venture. This method is usually an important preliminary screening stage of the viability of the venture and it may yield clues to profitability although in principle it will measure how fast a venture may payback rather than how much a venture will generate in profits and yet the main objectives of an investment is not to recoup the original cost but also to earn a profit for the owners or

Theories & Methods Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Theories & Methods - Thesis Example (Waltz, 1979) The criteria for good or sound theory are evident enough: it should be conceptually clear and rigorous, historically aware, able to yield substantive analysis and research agenda, and, where appropriate, able to engage with ethical issues. Theory is a necessary part of all human understanding, from the numbers of mathematics or divisions into colours we use in everyday life to the abstractions of Hegel, or of the sociologist Talcott Parsons. International Relations as a field emerged after the First World War with the aim of studying the reasons for the history's first major conflict and means of avoiding it in future. It borrowed theories and ideas from other disciplines such as political science, economics, and to some extent sociology and anthropology but according to Halliday it sought most inspiration from international law when Woodrow Wilson's liberalism attempted to bind state actors into a legal relationship backed by the League of Nations and the incumbent study named "International Relations" was introduced in the academia (Aberystwyth, Oxford and London School of Economics) in Britain and contemporaneously in the American universities. When International Relations took shape as a subject in the later 1... from international law when Woodrow Wilson's liberalism attempted to bind state actors into a legal relationship backed by the League of Nations and the incumbent study named "International Relations" was introduced in the academia (Aberystwyth, Oxford and London School of Economics) in Britain and contemporaneously in the American universities. When International Relations took shape as a subject in the later 1920s and early 1930s and began to influence policy makers, it was more or less, based on "idealism" with a normative approach, that is, researchers and writers of that era laid down norms for states to behave with each other. But a similar thought was expressed as early as 1795 by Kant, for instance, in his tract, Perpetual Peace, he "prescribed" an international authority to assert an international rule of law and so ensure peace between nations. IR was based on the presumption that states were naturally benign and did not wish to enter a conflict unless forced upon. Kant (1795) again: "We ordinarily assume that no one may act inimically toward another except when he has been actively injured by the other. This is quite correct if both are under civil law, for, by entering into such a state, they afford each other the requisite security through the sovereign which has power over both." Idealist school of thought in international relations which harkens back to the eighteenth century Kantianism essentially holds that a state should make its foreign policy reflect its internal political philosophy. But soon "realist" school of thought contested idealism as a non-workable theory and advocated that instead of setting norms for the states' behaviour or international rule of law, states should be left alone and relations between them should be dictated by the

The Determinants of FDI in Nigeria and its Effects on the Growth of Research Proposal

The Determinants of FDI in Nigeria and its Effects on the Growth of SMEs - Research Proposal Example In this particular area, there are two approaches that are commonly applied namely the macro approach and the micro approach. Macro approach encompasses empirical examination of effects of FDI on the general economic growth in areas related to the creation of employment, business and industry as well as international relationships (Ip, 2010, p.90). On the other hand, the microeconomic approach focuses on the impacts of FDI on the grass root economy in various sectors like skills development, employment generation specifically the establishment of small businesses being highly emphasized on. Foreign direct investment refers to the direct investments made to businesses or production process in a given country by companies or individuals from other countries. This exercise is achieved by either buying the targeted business entity or by expanding corporates operations. In Rivers State Nigeria, FDI involves the movement of both financial and human resources (capital) from abroad. Some of these resources are owned by individuals, governments while others are owned by leading multinational corporates (Great Britain, 2009, p.102). There exists the number of factors that make Rivers State a favorable destination for many investors. Therefore, it is essential to have a brief understanding of the state that has become a target of many foreign investors. Rivers State is among the 36 states that Nigeria made up of (Mitee, 2010, p.85). The state contributes a lot to the Nigerian economy because of the presence of oil-rich fields, the presence of refineries and seaports among other various industries that spread out across the state. As a result, the state has become one of the most targeted areas by foreign investors who in this case comprises of both leading multinational corporations as well as individuals who travel to the state to seek employment.  

Ecology Lab Essay Example for Free

Ecology Lab Essay The ecosystem is composed of the producers, consumers, decomposers and the nonliving or abiotic components (Ecology, 1997). The producers are the plants that produce food through photosynthesis. The consumers have two types: herbivores or primary consumers and carnivores or secondary consumers. The herbivores are the animals that only eat plants while the carnivores are the animals that only eat meat. The animals that eat mixtures of plants and meat are called omnivores. Human beings are considered as omnivores. Fungi and bacteria are some of the decomposers in the ecosystem. The nonliving or abiotic components of the ecosystem are consisting of the dead organic matter and nutrients found in soil and water. What if all humans became vegetarians? Would it be beneficial to the earth or ecosystem? First of all, let me discuss the principle behind the food chain, food web and energy flow. â€Å"In a food chain, the sun’s energy is used by plants to make food. The plants are eaten by herbivores, which, in turn, are eaten by carnivores. Both plant and animal substances decompose when they die and return mineral substances to the soil where bacteria use them to provide carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide and the sun’s energy then enter the chain again. † (Food Chains, 1992) But the situation in the ecosystem is not as simple as stated in the food chain so it is more advantageous to use the principle of food web. For example, a rat ate a grain from a plant, and then the rat was eaten by a snake. But the snake was also eaten by a honey bunger. The honey bunger serves as an intermediate link which is a higher level of predator than the snake. This makes food web more complicated. Also, energy is transferred in a food web. This transfer of energy in a food web is called energy flow (Energy Flow, 2008). Energy flow involves several trophic or feeding levels. When energy is passed on from one trophic level to another trophic, about 90% of the energy is lost due to respiration and some are being lost as heat in the environment. The top consumer of the food chain is the one who receives the less amount of energy. Energy in the food web is measured in terms of heat. The law of thermodynamics is also used to measure the energy lost and gain by the trophic levels. Another concept that can be useful in answering the question is the ecological pyramid. â€Å"An Ecological Pyramid (or trophic pyramid) is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or productivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem. Biomass pyramids show the abundance or biomass of organisms at each trophic level, while productivity pyramids show the production or turn-over in biomass. Ecological Pyramids begin with producers on the bottom and proceed through the various trophic levels, the highest of which is on top. † (Ecological pyramid, 2008) The trophic level with the highest number of population is the producer while the top most trophic level has the lowest number of population. Would it be beneficial if all humans became vegetarians? The above principles and information can be used to answer this question. It would not be beneficial if all humans will be vegetarians since this act might cause imbalances in the food web and in the ecosystem. Humans also contribute in the maintenance of the numbers of species in a given ecosystem. If humans will only eat plants, the population of the animals we are eating like cows, pigs and chickens will grow. Since these animals are herbivores or primary consumers, this will result to greater competition for foods derived from plants. The population of secondary consumers will be outnumbered by the primary consumers. This will in turn cause another growth in the population of primary consumers since the number of secondary consumers will not be enough to feed on the primary consumers. Again, this will cause disruption of the ecological pyramid. In terms of energy flow and thermodynamics, it is still not beneficial if all human beings will be vegetarians. Given with two scenarios: (a) humans feed directly on plants and (b) humans feed on animals like cows or chickens that also feed on food from plant sources, in what scenario can humans receive greater amount of energy? In the first scenario, humans are included in the trophic level next to producers which are the primary consumers while in the second scenario, humans are considered as secondary consumers. Also in the first scenario, the humans’ only source of energy is the producer which is the food from plant while in the second scenario; the humans’ sources of energy are the animals and the plants that were eaten by those animals. Even though 90% of the energy acquired by the animals that feed on plants is lost due to respiration, there is still a remainder of 10% that the human can receive when he/she will feed on those animals. Summing up and comparing all the energies received by humans in each scenario then we can say that humans can get a 10% higher amount of energy in the second scenario than in the first scenario. Like what was stated prior to this paragraph, the top most consumer of the food web who feed on plants will receive the least amount of energy. Also in the first scenario where humans feed directly on plant foods, lesser amounts of heat and carbon dioxide are released in the environment. In terms of ecosystem productivity, the humans can get higher net productivity when they act as secondary consumers than when they act as primary consumers. What is net productivity? â€Å"Net productivity is the amount of energy trapped in organic matter during a specified interval at a given trophic level less that lost by the respiration of the organisms at that level. † (Ecosystem productivity, 2004) Humans can indirectly acquire higher net productivity when they eat animals that feed on plant materials. Using all the arguments mentioned, one can conclude that it is not beneficial, for both humans and ecosystem, if all humans will be vegetarians. We must always bear in mind that all things in excess will not be advantageous or beneficial. References â€Å"Ecological pyramid†. 2008. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ecological_pyramid â€Å"Ecology†. 1997. Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia Vol. 9. 12 â€Å"Ecosystem productivity†. 2004. http://users. rcn. com/jkimball. ma. ultranet/BiologyPages/N/NetProductivity. html â€Å"Energy Flow†. 2008. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Energy_flow â€Å"Food chains†. 1992. The World of Animals. Australia: Regency Publishing Group. 9

Online Shopping Internet

Online Shopping Internet Have you ever tried buying your apparel or appliances thru internet? Online shopping is the process of purchasing and selling products or services over the internet. (Akary, 2005). It has gain popularity because of its convenience. There are some factors that are important in online shopping such as the security and the privacy of the consumers. Online shopping has replaced the traditional process of consumers buying goods from a retailer or mall that they must physically go into. (Akary, 2005). Online shopping is one aspect of electronic commerce. Online shopping is important because it offers buyers convenience that has never before been achievable. (Sneddon, 2004). The technology that is now available allows customers to shop on the internet 24 hours a day and seven days a week, without having to leave their homes or offices. Shoppers are provided with an abundance of merchant sites where almost any goods on earth can be bought. Consumers can also compare prices from a variety of different retailers with greater ease, compared to them physically going to shop in a built shopping centre to check prices. Online shopping popularity started in 1990, only few users are using the system. At the same time, the popularity of the Internet also grew at a phenomenal rate. Rifkin (2004, p. 34). History of online shopping and how it became famous will be discussed in the first part of this paper. The disadvantages and advantages of online shopping will be presented. The objective of this paper is to be able to present to the readers the pros and cons of on-line shopping. Another objective of the study is to evaluate the e-business that has been gaining the popularity. Most articles that I encounter about e-business presents one conclusion, that a company would not make it in the international market if they were not able to penetrate the online shopping. The paper will also discuss the complexity of the design. This will include the effectiveness and safety of the said design. The project aims to present a secured and protected online shopping. The main concern of the user of online shopping is their anonymity. Some website promised that they are being protected but actually they are not. This project will present the prototype design using the Multi-agent system (MAS). The MAS will make online shopping much more easily. Traditional shopping involves saleslady or agent that will assist you during your tour in the mall. The MAS will act as your guide in choosing the item you need. This will make online shopping much more convenient than traditional shopping. In the Literature review, the study done by Sinmao (1999) in the use of intelligent agent is discussed. The analyses done by Giles Malliford (2007) on the problems encountered by online shoppers are enumerated. He presented the reasons why shoppers abandoned their shopping carts. The shop.org (2007) shows the statistics of online users. The primary concern of the user is their security that is why utexas.edu presented the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Also in the literature review the psychological effect of online shopping are discussed. (Smith, Swinyard, 2001). The benefits of online shopping are enumerated to help the user understand why such program is done. Disadvantages and advantages of using the internet in shopping will be discussed. At the end of this paper the reader will be able to decide whether they will choose to shop the traditional way or the online shopping History of Online Shopping Online shopping belongs to the so called e-commerce. It started in 1970 wherein invoices and orders are sent thru the internet. And then in 1980 the acceptance of credit cards and automated teller machine where accepted online. When dot com era arrived electronic commerce include activities termed as web commerce purchases of goods and services over the world wide web, in a secure connections with e-shopping carts and payment where done thru the use of credit card. Online shopping began in the early to mid 1990s. First online bank was opened in 1994 and Pizza Hut was the first to offer pizza online on their Web page. Further development of online shopping was done and later that year Netscape introduced SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that make most transactions secure. In 1995 Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com and in 1996, e-Bay was founded. By the end of 1997, an estimated 41 million people were shopping online. (Kary, 2005). 1999 saw the UKs first graphical Internet shopping mall called The Virtual Mall. In 2003, Amazon.com became the first ever full-year profit online shopping merchant. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Shop). From here the online shopping has become popular. Now dresses, foods, medicines and others can be purchased online. Safety of the customer is important even in the early years of online shopping. Netscape SSL purpose is to secure the identity of their customer to prevent cyber crime which is common in transactions involving ones identity in the internet. It has been the medium of transaction of businesses. The future is now pointing its direction to new technologies. Literature Review Several studies are involved in online shopping. The use of an intelligent agent is important in e-commerce specially in online shopping. (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are a major evolution toward solving this difficult problem.   Intelligent agents empower both buyers and sellers to accomplish e-commerce transactions by enabling efficient, precise, and comprehensive searches on the vast web community and information repository. . (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are software applications that have a predefined knowledge base and/or learning system about their users goals and wishes and, through adaptive reasoning, use this information to execute their users request. The continuum of intelligent agents may be characterized along three dimensions:   agency, intelligence, and mobility. In Appendix 1 the three dimensions of intelligent agents are presented to show how intelligent agents work on online shopping. Statistics (Table 1) shows the problems encountered during the first year of online shopping. Since online shopping during the first years is not yet fully developed problems are piling up. These problems were being resolved as the year goes by. Studies and reaches were done to enhance and improve the e-commerce. Table below shows problems encountered by Canada during the earlier years of online shopping. Table 1 Stat Source Date Around 21 percent of Canadians sited comparison-shopping as the main reason for online cart abandonment, while 17 percent reported that high shipping costs were a cause for aborting their purchases. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 40 percent of Internet users in Canada report that they abandoned at least one shopping cart on a Canadian retail website during a three month period in early 2002. The findings also found that for every purchase Canadians made online, another was not completed. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 Although Canadians spent CAD2 billion (USD1.2 billion) at retail websites during the first half of 2002, many online shoppers abandoned their carts due to poorly designed sites, shipping costs, and privacy concerns. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 2.2 million Canadian households spent close to CAD2 billion (USD1.27 billion) on online shopping in 2001. In 2000, 1.5 million households spent CAD1.5 billion shopping on the Internet. Canadian households placed a total of 13.4 million orders over the Internet in 2001, up from 9.1 million in 2000. Statistics Canada 09/18/2002 Source: http://www.shop.org/learn/stats_intshop_canada.asp In the study done by shop.org, 2007 online sales (including travel) rises 18 percent to $259.1 billion. Sales excluding travel will reach $174.5 billion. This strong growth will come off of an impressive performance in 2006. Online sales last year rose 25 percent to $219.9 billion. Excluding travel, online retail sales rose 29 percent to $146.5 billion, representing six percent of total retail sales in 2006. ( Grannis, Davis, 2007). According to Mulpuru, Sucharita, (2007) senior analyst of Forrester Research, online retail is moving full speed ahead, the consumers flood the web to purchase merchandise and research products. This strong growth is an indicator that online retail is years away from reaching a point of saturation. The profitability through the sector has stabilized, this is a good indication that e-commerce is gaining success. The study done by shop.org and Forrester shows the following profitability result: Eighty-three percent of respondents to the survey reported profitability and 78 percent said they were more profitable than 2005. Profit as a percentage of revenue did not change, the report notes, because revenue and expenses grew as well. In the article â€Å"The Top 10 Reasons Why Online Buyers Abandon Their Shopping Cart† by Miles Galliford (2007), he mentioned the reasons why shopping carts are being abandon by shoppers. Research undertaken by MarketingSherpa (www.marketingsherpa.com) and E-Tailing in 2006 discovered that average abandonment rates were 60% and 47% respectively. This means that the average commercial website is losing as much as half of  its potential revenue. (Galliford, 2007). Based on the article the reasons why they abandon their cart during online shopping: Hidden charges at the checkout Having to register before buying The buyer was comparison shopping and found a better deal The shipping costs were too high The buyer didnt have time to complete the checkout process The product was out of stock There were no clear delivery details No phone number was provided The checkout process was too long The buyer was uncomfortable with the checkout process From the above reasons it seems that online shopping is not yet perfected. That is why study and researches are being done to satisfy the customer. Among other studies done on online shopping includes one that provides several tips on how to make sure that the web site you are purchasing your items are secured. One of the main concerns of the shopper is their security. That is why most of the website offering online shopping states that security is their main concern. However there are some websites that does not really have a security program. As a result of this the data of the customer is easily accessible by others. This is where cyber crime takes place. In order to ensure that you are on a safe website below is the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Only shop at online stores of reputable companies (companies you already know from retail stores, mail order catalogs or other sources). Know how to contact them offline if there is a problem with your purchase. If you are unsure of the company, do a little research with the Better Business Bureau. Secure your Web browser. Check the security settings of your Web browser to increase the security of your transactions. Check for security icons before giving your personal information. Before you type in your credit card number or name and address, check for security icons on the Web site. This includes looking for â€Å"https† in the Web address or URL. Https indicates the Web site is equipped with an additional security layer. If its not there, the site or page is not secure. Create unique passwords. Dont use the same password for all of your online accounts and applications. If you do this, you risk having all of your accounts compromised if only one account is breached. Remember to never use your university passwords for other online accounts. Dont enable the â€Å"Save Password† option if prompted to do so. If you are using a shared computer, pre-saved passwords will make it easy for others to access your accounts. Use only one dedicated credit card for online purchases. Monitor your monthly statements closely for any unusual activity. Dont use a debit card for online purchases. You are more protected using a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit card companies offer some degree of fraud protection and may be able to reverse charges to your account. Check the Web sites privacy policy. Only shop with online stores offering privacy policies that you agree with. They should provide information about how they will protect your personal information and whether it will be provided to other companies. Always log out of a Web site when you are through. Again, this will protect your accounts on a shared computer. Review your monthly credit card and bank statements. Check for any unauthorized purchases or errors. Notify your bank or credit card company immediately if you suspect someone is using your accounts without your permission. Because of these threats on online shopping, the enhancements of websites are being done to ensure that every single person and data is protected. In the study done by IBM and BYU (Professor William R. Swinyard and Professor Scott M. Smith) online shopping reveals attitude and lifestyle of the user. (2001). The attitudinal study of 4000 Web users reveals the shopping behaviour of eight online consumer types and which types would respond to marketing efforts designed to increase e-commerce sales. The study also suggests what form those efforts should take. Heres how each group looks and how Swinyard and Smith think they should be approached: With 11.1 percent of the market share, Shopping Lovers enjoy buying online and do so frequently. They are competent computer users and will likely continue their shopping habits. They also spread the word to others about joys of online shopping whenever they have the opportunity. They represent an ideal target for retailers. Adventurous Explorers (8.9 percent) are a small segment that presents a large opportunity. They require little special attention by Internet vendors because they believe online shopping is fun. They are likely the opinion leaders for all things online. Retailers should nurture and cultivate them to be online community builders and shopping advocates. Suspicious Learners (9.6 percent) comprise another small segment with growth potential. Their reluctance to purchase online more often hinges on their lack of computer training, but they are open to new ways of doing things. In contrast to more fearful segments, they dont have a problem giving a computer their credit card number. Further guidance and training would help coax them into online buying. Among the most computer literate, Business Users (12.4 percent) use the Internet primarily for business purposes. They take a serious interest in what it can do for their professional life. They dont view online shopping as novel and arent usually champions of the practice. Fearful Browsers (10.7 percent) are on the cusp of buying online. They are capable Internet and computer users, spending a good deal of time window shopping. They could become a significant buying group if their fears about credit card security, shipping charges and buying products sight unseen were overcome. Shopping Avoiders (15.6 percent) have an appealing income level, but their values make them a poor target for online retailers. They dont like to wait for products to be shipped to them, and they like seeing merchandise in person before buying. They have online shopping issues that retailers will not easily be able to overcome. Technology Muddlers (19.6 percent) face large computer literacy hurdles. They spend less time than any other segment online and show little excitement about increasing their online comfort level. They are not an attractive market for online retailers. Fun Seekers (12.1 percent) are the least wealthy and least educated market segment. They see entertainment value in the Internet, but buying things online frightens them. Although security and privacy issues might be overcome, the spending power of the segment suggests that only a marginal long-term payback would be possible In the study done by KCB336 New Media Technologies students, they have come up on reasons why many people are still hesitant in using online shopping. Their study resulted in 69% of internet shoppers felt that online retailers should do more to make them feel secure, yet only 15% reported to know others who had experienced credit card misuse advocated her trust for online shopping when she claimed. Because of the concern of the customer in the security measures, retailers employ a number of security measures, including cryptogrpahy and authentication to help the online transactions safe. Cryptography can provide authentication and integrity for electronic transmissions if properly implemented. Authentication is defined as goal of knowing that a particular user is authorized to take an action. Personal identification numbers (PIN) and passwords are the most widespread types of authentication. Based also on the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), another key issue aside from the security is the privacy. To further ease customer apprehension, many online retailers provide privacy statements which state their stance on sharing customer information with other businesses. Many companies stated that they did not share customer details. In addition to this, online retailers also employ cryptography to ensure that computer hackers cannot easily obtain any stored personal information that companies keep regarding their customers. Some companies only installed privacy and security measures after problems had occurred. Their lack of preventative methods was attributed towards the difficulty of implementing security measures, the high costs associated with these measures, and the continual need to update programs as new technologies and threats emerged. Internet-based transactions expect to make up 25 percent of all retail transactions in the next decade according to the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), therefore it is imperative for online retailers to continue to provide a secure, private and trustworthy shopping environment for their customers. Those who can best provide this climate for online shoppers will be the retailers who attract the most customers, and ultimately enjoy the most profits. According to Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer (2005), the success of online businesses relies heavily upon their ability to attract and retain customers. The better an online business understands the needs of these shoppers, the higher the chance that they can attract and retain customers. Their study includes factors that are important for the consumers. A study compared the experiences that customers have at a brick-and-mortar store versus online shopping. A main difference in the two experiences is that traditional storefronts are able to provide customers with the immediate sensory experience of touching and feeling proffered products whereas online storefronts are more limited in offering physical experiences with their products. Internet customers may have the visual experience of seeing what they are interested in purchasing. They are limited in their ability to touch or feel the merchandise until after delivery. The lack of the physical experiences touching and feeling avail able in traditional brick-and-mortar storefronts may be a reason why an online business has not risen to the level that some thought possible in the early 1990s. To overcome this obstacle, online businesses need to focus on satisfiers outside physical experiences with products. They need to convince customers that touching and feeling the merchandise are less important than what they can offer via an online shopping. This study intends to explore which factors are perceived as important to online customers when shopping on the Internet. (Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer 2005). Presented in table 3 below are the demographics of online user. The most common user of online shopping belongs to the Caucasian (4.9%) group with ages ranging form 22-25 years old (31.7%). Table 4 shows the factors that are important on online shoppers. TABLE 2: SUBJECTS DEMOGRAPHICS Age (in years) Under 18 18-21 22-25 26-30 31-35 Over 35 0 % 16 (15.8%) 32 (31.7%) 16 (15.8%) 13 (12.9%) 21 (20.8%) Nationality Ethnicity African Asian American Caucasian Hispanic Other 8 (8.2%) 7 (7.1%) 46 (46.9%) 32 (32.7%) 5 (5.1%) Annual Income (US$) >10K-30K >30K-50K >50K-70K >70K-90K >90K 22 (22.5%) 17 (17.4%) 26 (26.5%) 12 (12.2%) 6 (6.1%) 15 (15.3%) Highest Education High School 1-3 year college Associate Bachelor Master Doctorate 7 (7.1%) 18 (18.4%) 10 (10.2%) 38 (38.8%) 20 (20.4%) 5 (5.1%) Own a Computer Desktop Laptop 82 (83.7%) 59(60.2%) Employment Status Unemployed Full Time Part Time 12(12.2%) 58(59.2%) 28(25.6%) Marital Status Single Married Widow Divorce 60(61.2%) 38(38.8%) 0(0%) 0(0%) Source: Changchit,   Shawn J. Douthit,   Benjamin Hoffmeyer (2005) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OGT/is_3_5/ai_n16619676/pg_6 TABLE 3: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO VISIT A WEBSITE I will visit the website more often if . Average 1. a picture of the product is displayed 5.85 2. the website offers free shipping 5.76 3. it is easy to return the products 5.51 4. the website accuracy of the order is high 5.42 5. the website has a brand reputation 5.41 TABLE 4: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE FROM A WEBSITE I am more likely to purchase products/ Average services from the website if . 1. the website offers free shipping 5.86 2. the website offers a discount 5.79 3. it is easy to return the products 5.74 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.70 5. the website offers tax free shopping 5.51 TABLE 5: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE MORE ITEMS I will purchase more items if . Average 1. the website offers a discount 5.71 2. the website offers free shopping 5.67 3. it is easy to return the products 5.64 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.59 5. I received tax free shopping. 5.57 TABLE 6: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE AT A HIGHER PRICE I am willing to pay more if . Average 1. the website offers free shipping 5.20 2. if the item is not available offline 5.14 3. if I can t the product out before-paying 5.10 4. if offered tax free shopping 5.05 5. if the website offers next day shipping 4.94 TABLE 7: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACKS I would provide feedback on my shopping Average experience for 1. free shipping 5.61 2. discount 5.41 3. gift card 5.32 4. product sample 5.17 5. discount coupon 5.09 Disadvantages and Advantages of Online shopping Online shopping has its own set of disadvantages and advantages. Not all online shoppers agree to shop online, they would rather shop at the mall than sit in their living room and search for the item they want. As presented on the first report the following are the disadvantages and advantages of online shopping: Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages On line shopping Traditional Shopping Time Unlimited you can purchase online anytime you want. No closing and opening hours You can shop at limited time only. Availability One will be able to know right away if the item is