Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Salvation

Initial thesis statement: Is salvation â€Å"by faith alone† (according to Luther) or must there be a â€Å"cooperation of faith and works† in salvation (according to the Roman Catholic tradition)? My initial answer to this question before I began this study was that of the Roman Catholic tradition, one must have the combination of both faith and works. Although faith plays a big part of salvation, I tend to believe without both works and faith you may not receive it. 2) First view: Salvation is â€Å"by faith alone† is held to be true by many people.Perhaps the most popular figure from the European Reformation, Martin Luther, noted for his doctrine of justification by faith alone was one who believed that only faith was needed for salvation, and he also held true that God provided everything that is necessary for justification. In 1528 Luther spoke out about salvation saying, â€Å"This faith alone, when based upon the sure promises of God, must save us; as our text clearly explains. And in the light of it all, they must become fools who have taught us other ways to become godly. †¦Man may forever do as he will, he can never enter heaven unless God takes the first step with his Word, which offers him divine grace and enlightens his heart so as to get upon the right way. † Another important person who was on the side of salvation through faith alone is Paul. He uses a passage from Ephesians to support of his idea. â€Å"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this is not from yourself, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. † He puts the emphasis on the fact that salvation is by faith alone.Paul later goes on to say â€Å"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. † That being said, we as humans are created to do good works, but reach salvation through faith alone. Yet another passage suggesting tha t we must only have faith is â€Å"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. † 3) Opposing view: In contrast to Luther’s view, the Roman Catholic view states that salvation is by a â€Å"cooperation of faith and works. James 2:17-18: In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, â€Å"You have faith; I have deeds. † Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. This creates a big contradictory in the bible. Although some may say deeds are not needed, in this very passage we are told without them our justification ceases to exist. One verse that simply breaks down and gives a great example of salvation through faith and works is James 2:20-26 that states: â€Å"20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?Was not our father Abraham considered ri ghteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, â€Å"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,† and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 6 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. † In this passage are two great examples of two different people that receive salvation through both their work and faith in God. They didn’t know exactly what was going to happen when they listened to the word of God and did as he told them, but through faith in him they were able to do so and reach j ustification. They had never seen God but were put in the position to decide whether or not he existed. 4) â€Å"Critical Realist†: With respect to this doctrine I agree with the Roman Catholic tradition that salvation must have a cooperation of faith and works.The reason I still hold this to be true is that throughout the bible and other readings the support behind the idea of works and faith both being crucial to receiving salvation is much stronger than those of Luther. Luther made some great points that through faith, works is automatically going to be inclusive. He also made the point that God makes the first step to giving you all the things necessary to obtain salvation. However, I believe that if someone is faithful in the lord God and wants to be welcome to salvation, then in the rocess of life the works will come naturally to that person. On the other hand if someone is said to be faithful in God and do something harmful or bad to another person, then that so-called faithful person has gone against his/her faith in doing so causing them to fade away from salvation. I have learned from Luther’s view that there are many supportive articles and passages. I have also learned that there are great ideas in both of these arguments, however when it comes down to choosing one of the following the Roman Catholic tradition.My initial has not been strengthened nor weakened after doing the research and studying both sides. Both sides hold a firm argument, but the Roman Catholic view just seemed to catch my attention more. 5) Final Thesis Statement: This doctrine helps answering the initial question by giving information about both of the opinions and going into detailed arguments. I would say that the answer to the initial question is the to obtain salvation, one must have a combination of faith and works.Work Cited â€Å"On Faith & Coming to Christ, by Martin Luther. † <http://homepage. mac. om/shanerosenthal/reformationink/mlonfaith. htm>. McGrath, Alister E. Historical Theology: an Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. Print. Ankerberg, John, and John Weldon. Protestants & Catholics: Do They Now Agree? Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1995. Print. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. McGrath, Alister E. Historical Theology: an Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. Print. [ 2 ]. â€Å"On Faith & Coming to Christ, by Martin Luther. † . [ 3 ]. Ephesians 2:8-9 [ 4 ]. Ephesians 2:10 Salvation A. Name the central character, protagonist – The main character is Langston Huges. (The author) B. Describe his/her key qualities or personality traits (complicated, stereotype, unique, round, flat, etc. ): Langston Huges is seemed as he’s full of integrity, honest to himself, sensitive, and observant. C. Who is another important character in the story, an antagonist? – Other important characters mentioned in this story are the Aunt, his friend Westley, and the pastor. II. Setting or time and place: Identify where and when the story takes place – The place is at bible church when Huges was 13 years old. III. Plot: A. What structure or design does the sequence of events follow: chronological, spatial, or order of importance? – The structure that is used in this story is chronological. A. Discuss the opening, rising action, climax (twist, surprise, turning point, and unexpected development), resolution and the denouement – The story started out in church and Huges was put into a special meeting to be seen by Jesus. You were told you were saved when you saw a light and before you knew it all the kids except Huges and Westley were remaining not being able to see the light. Westley got tired and pretended to be saved and Huges remained there for a while until he made a decision to be like Westley and got up to be pretended to be saved. Climax: When he cries late at night in bed. IV. Conflict/resolution (individual vs. individual; individual vs. society; individual vs. nature; individual vs. self? ): Huges is dealing with society so it would be individual vs society. A. What major problem is the main character faced with? Huges was attempting to be seen by Jesus and was trying to wait for a light to be saved. He’s taking things too literally. B. How does the main character attempt to solve this major problem? Langston Huges gets up and says he saw a light from Jesus. He tries to solve it by making confessions. V. Point of view: (First person, third person observer, third person omniscient? )- First person VI. Message or lesson: Can you think of appropriate expressions, proverbs or maxims that capsulate the main lesson? (Stand your ground): When you want to introduce an abstract subject to a child, you have to approach it easy and not so literal. VII. Theme: controlling or main idea: (brevity of life, loneliness, human suffering as a result of world conflicts, etc. The theme is about religion. (Religious experience as related by a child)

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Output Devices

Output devices are things we use to get information OUT of a computer. Here are some examples of output devices:- Monitor George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty ImagesThe most common computer output device is the monitor or computer screen. Monitors create a visual display from processed data that users can view. They come in a variety of screen sizes and visual resolutions. There are two types of computer monitors, CRT and flat panel. CRT monitors use phosphorescent dots to create the pixels that make up display images. Flat panel monitors usually use LCD or plasma to create output. Light is passed through liquid crystals to create the pixels. All monitors rely on a video card that is located on the computer motherboard or in a special expansion slot. The video card processes the computer data into image details that the monitors can display.PrinterRyan McVay/Photodisc/Getty ImagesPrinters produce a hard copy version of processed data such as documents and photographs. The computer sends the image data to the printer, which then physically recreates the image onto an object. There are three types of computer printers: ink jet, laser and dot matrix. Inkjet printers spray tiny dots of ink on a surface to create an image. Laser printers use toner drums that roll through magnetized pigment and then transfer the pigment to a surface. Dot matrix printers use a print head to imbed images on a surface, using an ink ribbon. There are also colour printers which help to improve the appearance of a document or project.Speakers/HeadphonesZedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty ImagesComputers produce audio data that require output devices such as speakers and headphones to deliver the sound to the user. Audio data is created by the computer and then sent to the audio card, which is located in an expansion slot. The card translates the data into audio signals, which are sent to the audio output device.CD/DVD/Floppy DiscJupiterimages/Comstock/Getty ImagesCD, DVD and floppy disc are output devices that can also be used as storage and input devices. The computer sends data to the disc, where it is embedded and can be later retrieved. Compact disc, or CD, is an optical device that stores audio and visual data in a digital format. Data is placed on the disc, using a laser writer that embeds the data into the disc’s coating. Digital Versatile Disc, or DVD, is an optical device that stores visual data in a media format. DVDs feature a dual coating system that allows audio and visual data to be written at the same time by using a laser. Floppy disc is a magnetic storage device. A layer of magnetized material is placed within a proactive plastic casing. The computer embeds the data into the magnetized material, using a writing head.ProjectorIT Stock/Polka Dot/Getty ImagesProjectors are display devices that project a computer created image. The computer sends the image data to the video card which then sends the video image to the projector. They are typically used for presentations or for viewing videos.PlotterStockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty ImagesPlotters create a hard copy rendition of a digitally rendered design. The design is sent to the plotter via a graphics card, and creates the design using a pen. Generally used with engineering applications, plotters basically draw an image using a series of straight lines.

Monday, July 29, 2019

A case study on suffering with depression

A case study on suffering with depression Depression is a whole body illness, meaning it affects your body, mood and thoughts. It can be a very serious illness which affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself and the way you think about things. It is more than just a passing mood, and is very different from the usual feelings of sadness and feeling fed up. The feelings of depression usually last more than a few days; they can last for months or even years. If left untreated, these feelings can interfere with the daily life of the individual and can also have an effect on the people around them. Depression can affect anyone at any age, including children, although it is more likely to occur if there has been a family history of depression. Health professionals use different terms to describe depression, these are: depression, depressive illness and clinical depression (NHS, 2009). It is commonly thought that depression is not a real illness. It is seen more like a weakness or a failure in an individua l however, just because it is not visible does not mean it is not real. Types of depression There many different forms of depression, these can range from mild depression through to severe depression and individuals who suffer with severe depression may also show psychotic symptoms. Major depression, probably the most common form of depression, is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the individual’s ability to eat, sleep, work and study. Usually the individual will lose interest in once pleasurable activities and also has a feeling of hopelessness. Some individuals only have a single depressive episode, while others have recurring episodes. (Psychology Information Online, 2009) Dysthymia is a mild, chronic state of depression and the symptoms are similar to major depression, but less severe. A person may suffer from dysthymia depression for years before being diagnosed, thus they would still continue with everyday life and may not even realise that the y are suffering with depression, they could just have a feeling that something is not quite right. (Psychology Information Online, 2009) Atypical depression is different to major depression in the way that an individual will feel better temporarily when a positive life event occurs, whereas an individual suffering from major depression will nearly always feel low. This type of depression can last for a couple of months or can be with an individual for their entire life. (Depression About.com, 2009) Bipolar disorder, or manic depressive disorder, is an emotional disorder â€Å"in which an individual alternates between states of deep depression and extreme elation.† (Bipolar About.com, 2009) It is characterised by sudden changes in mood, thoughts and behaviour and there is a high suicide rate seen in individuals who suffer from manic depression. The two extremes of depression are where the individual feels very low and mania where the individual feels very high. (NHS, 2009) Pos tpartum depression affects woman, almost always, immediately after childbirth. It is thought that postpartum depression is triggered by the hormonal changes that follow childbirth. Some woman have severe and long lasting symptoms that require treatment, others can generally beat the baby blues with good self-care and support from friends and family. (Depression About.com, 2009)

Course work Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Course work - Coursework Example This report will delve into the contractual process and suggest the most suitable form of contract that will have both parties satisfied. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) sought to manoeuvre this issue and develop a contract that is satisfactory to everyone (Broome, 1999, p3). The New Engineering Contract (NEC), also known as the NEC Engineering and Construction Contract, was their solution to this problem. This contract is an official system that seeks to guide individuals in the drafting of projects; both engineering and construction, to obtain tenders and the awarding of contracts (Forward, 2002, p7). This contract details the duties and responsibilities of the clients (employers) and the contractors (employees) during the progress of the project. A Works Information is also included in the NEC; this also includes the first Contract Data, client’s information, and the second Contract Data, contractors’ information (Institution of Civil Engineers 1995, p.6). NEC is an international standard that is adopted by several countries, notably the United Kingdom. Despite being internationally recognized, there are several reasons for choosing this contract. First and foremost, NEC emphasizes on developing mutual trust and co-operation for all parties involved in the contract. The risk involved in the project is collaborated and managed by all parties leading to efficient contract management practices (Broome, 1999, p19). It fosters good management of the work detailed in the contract. It does this by ensuring both parties are in good terms with one another. Secondly, NEC as a contract is applicable in all fields that involve contracts. It is applicable in construction, engineering, maintenance and consultancy contracts (Weddell & Weddell, 2006, p4). Furthermore, this contract has several payment options that cater for the clients and

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Corporate Governance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Governance - Coursework Example In addition, the 2007 global economic crisis can be attributed to the corporate governance failure to a great extent. This paper will explore the practical strategies which would improve current corporate governance system in UK. Corporate governance The concept of corporate governance underwent tremendous changes from period to period since its origin. Managements always pay attention to update their corporate governance strategy in accordance with the needs of time. The corporate governance policy also maintains the relationship among the stakeholders and the objectives of the organisation (OECD). In case of contemporary business concerns, the external stakeholder groups mainly include shareholders, creditors, suppliers, and customers while board of directors, executives, and employees. Top level mangers always focus on the impact of their corporate governance strategy on economic efficiency in addition to a strong emphasis on shareholder values. Since a series of corporate failure s in 2001 were attributed to accounting fraud, today organisations give focus on internal check policies while formulating their corporate governance strategy. ... The corporate governance practices are largely different across the globe. The Continental Europe’s multi-stakeholder model gives first priority to the interests of workers, customers, managers, and suppliers whereas the Anglo-American corporate governance model mainly recognises the interests of shareholders (Vasilescu, 2008). Continental European countries like Germany and Holland possess two-tiered Board of Directors with intent to improve their corporate governance practices. The main point of difference in corporate difference between United Kingdom and United States is that in UK, the CEO generally does not hold the chairmanship of the board whereas in US, the CEO also serves as the Chairman of Board. Corporate governance in UK In the opinion of Roberts (2011), the balance of power between the board of directors and the general meeting primarily constitutes corporate governance of a UK company. Generally, the term â€Å"governance† is used to refer to principles m entioned in the UK Corporate Governance Code. The UK Corporate Governance Code 2010 is a set of corporate governance principles which aim the improved performance of the listed companies on the London Stock Exchange (Harbottle and Lewis). Financial Service Authority’s Listing Rules demand the public listed companies to disclose how they have abided by the proposed code and explain where and why they have ignored the rule. Private companies are also encouraged to follow these corporate governance guidelines even though it is not a compulsory requirement in private firm accounts. This Code contains a principles-based approach and a rules-based approach; the former provides strategies for best practice while the

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Paraphrasing - Essay Example The heart of the house is an interior connector located in the hall. The materiality of the house could only be described as massive, timeless and substantive. The vertical design aims to benefit users from the sun. The irregular, thick perforations have been arranged in line with the interior visuals resulting in a non-obvious, primitive order. The principal actor in this house, and also on the land where it occurs, is the tectonics system where an eighteen-meter beam has been suspended, ceiling placed on structural walls and a crack dug in the ground in an effort to save steep drop. 2- A House in a Wine Road – This is an innovative house, a result of the architectural acumen of Lisbon, Portugal’s Plano B. It uses the hybrid earthen wall which combines wattle and daub, cob and rammed earth, resembling the boxed method which was employed in the momentous Briones House, California. This project reconstructs from an existing ruin with the site located in an environmental protection area. Thus, the architects had to keep the use, position and height of previous building, proposing to use previous materials, namely earth, stone and wood, to rebuild, but adopting a different design. The firm developed an intricate building skin, integrating traditional methods of construction with contemporary materials. Wood from the previous construction was used for structural framing while stones were used in laying the foundation. It is a â€Å"do-it-yourself† model where residents are greatly involved in construction works. For effective ventilation and insu lation, cork boards, reinforced by polycarbonate plates combined with natural materials such as stone, wood and earth, were used to construct the exterior skin. Using industrial materials, including concrete, asphalt and polycarbonate, this project could be considered as a model for sustainable practice, upholding an acute approach to expressive

Friday, July 26, 2019

Blogs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blogs - Essay Example When barcodes were not enough, QR codes emerge. One of the latest technological applications that apparently revolutionizes consumer shopping, from a host of other applications, is through quick response (QR) code. The Tesco QR Code Subway Store, for instance, applied this technology by creating virtual stores that presented images of grocery items in places frequently visited by consumers, like subway areas and where customers shop using their smart phones to shop (YouTube 2011). Its origin was actually traced 18 years ago from a Japanese company, Denso Wave, as a means of â€Å"tracking parts by vehicle manufacturers† (Mobile-Barcodes: Overview, n.d., par. 1). With the proliferation of smart phones, the QR code applications were seen to be evidently applicable in other service areas including business cards, billboards, direct mail, repair orders, and even in bus stop stations where convenience stores, manufacturers, and service organizations could post virtual shops and encourage shoppers to select their grocery items, products and services to be delivered and consumed in comforts of their homes (Think Tank Tuesday 2011). What could be the next faster and extensively applicable paced codes than QR? Consumers just have to wait and see. Smart phones are the latest global technological craze where applications continue to evolve. Not only do smart phones serve distinct and varied personal needs of discerning consumers; but more so, smart phones have capabilities that actually help organizations in their marketing strategies. As people become immersed with the coming holiday season, for instance, smart phones could just be the life saver. In convenience stores and shopping centers which could just be a conundrum of chaotic proportions, locating for much sought of products amidst voluminous array of inventories could be addressed with radio frequency identification (RFID). This

Thursday, July 25, 2019

How to implement the five disciplines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to implement the five disciplines - Essay Example Personal mastery is the development of a personal vision to make it a reality. Seeing things objectively and realizing the truth and the reality are important aspects in personal mastery as it develops creative tension that boosts an individual towards his vision. Personal mastery is developing one’s own vision for personal growth and development and for further development of his environment. Mental models are the internal assumptions, generalizations and pictures of the world that influences one’s understanding and actions. The importance of realizing these deeply ingrained assumptions and beliefs is to bring these beliefs and principles into the surface and scrutinize them. This way the individual will understand better their own beliefs and how to balance their beliefs and the beliefs of others. Shared vision is understanding that one’s personal vision can, in some way, be connected to another’s vision. With the development and understanding of a collective thinking, shared vision becomes a commitment on a shared belief rather than compliance in a vision or mission of a group or organization. Team learning is based on group interaction and group communication. This is the capability of group members to understand and be open to one another’s personal visions. Team learning also establishes the importance of dialogue and discussion, through which the gateways of communication and understanding each other and the way to a collective thinking and shared vision can be accomplished. Systems thinking is based on understanding the interrelationships of the structures and patterns that recur. It sees processes rather than a linear cause-effect snapshot of what is happening. It looks at the depth of the situation or scenario based on a conceptual framework that focuses on the cycles and archetypes. Systems thinking is what ties up all

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

School Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

School Finance - Essay Example In fact, a 1993 circuit court of Cole County opined that "The existing school finance system does not provide an 'equal ... opportunity' for all school age children as is required by ... the Missouri Constitution" (Committee for Educational Equity v. Missouri, 1993, p. 29). As described in the decision, "various statistical measures confirm the degree and extent of these wide inequalities" (p. 13) and "All relevant standard measures of equity ... clearly and consistently indicate that Missouri funding for its public schools is highly disequalized and is getting worse" (p. 15)"(Wan Ko, 2006).This court decision instructs that the school must revise its financing policies. The court wants that school finances should be EQUALLY allocated to all children irregardless of race, religion, sex, etc. This new financing policy introduces a new hold harmless provision. Hold harmless schools clearly receive more than the normal monetary help than other schools receive. As a result, these hold ha rmless school districts give more accurate equity analysis for evaluating the state's policy impact. this study of the Missouri school finance system shows that there was an improvement in the Missouri school's finance equity under the new funding formula. However, there were times when financial help did not arrive as schedule or came only in trickles. One reason is that the monetary help had come from other sources and not from the newly approved funding schemes. Evidently, this article shows that schools need money in order to deliver high quality education to the students(Wan Ko, 2006). II. A Helping Hand: A Federal Grant Program Gives School Districts the Financial Support The Need to Develop Updated, Comprehensive Disaster Plans. The article mentions how tornadoes ravaged several towns in Missouri. The tornadoes literally scattered some elementary school buildings in the community. In Caulfied, MO, a tornado killed a seven year old girl named Elizabeth Croney. Likewise, a school in Derby, KS had to close down to allow police officers to corner and arrest an armed criminal in front the the school's premises. Many of the schools are not accustomed to confronting increasing threats from many quarters. The dangers include natural disasters, street gangs and terrorists. Many of the schools' administrators and responsible personnel underwent emergency disaster training to counter the effects of any emergency. The Department of Education's office of safe and drug -free schools spearheaded this campaign to help schools be more prepared to alleviate any emergency. In turn, the schools would be given REMS funds that would be used for the schools' disaster awareness and readiness program. The United States government has focused on school disaster preparedness programs in response to the infamous September eleven twin tower airline hijacking incidents as well as the ramming of a commandeered passenger plane onto the Pentagon. For, "If you think back to 9/11, there were a lot of lessons learned from that incident," according to Sara Strizzi, who is a program analyst for the DoE in Washington, DC. One of those lessons was the vulnerability of K-12 campuses. "We realized that within the ground zero vicinity, there were a lot of schools close by."(Bowles, 2007). Here, the government of

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Transcendentalim and Walden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Transcendentalim and Walden - Essay Example This section analyses Thoreau’s experience in the woods, his connection with nature and his journey to self-awareness. These themes and elements of transcendentalism are strengthened by the use of figures of speech, diction and tone. Thoreau alludes to various aspects of life, and philosophy to strengthen his case. This section restates the concept of transcendentalism, the elements that exemplify it, and the values that Thoreau seeks to teach his audience. The lessons to be learnt from Thoreau’s Walden are the concepts of free thought, individualism, self-reliance, and self-awareness and non-conformity in a bid to search for the true meaning of life. It should be highlighted, however, that people’s truths are different, and one should go on a personal journey of free spirited thought in order to find and live their own truth. People should speak their truths, as they live it. Walden is a book that Henry Thoreau uses to not only exemplify his beliefs, but those of transcendentalism. The book depicts transcendentalism as being a progressive movement towards individualism, self-reliance, education and people’s rights; one also concludes that transcendentalists are critical of social institutions, the government, religion, laws and creeping industrialization. One of the most important teachings that Henry Thoreau seeks to teach his audience, and that many people can pick up is that it is better for person to live frankly and openly as who they are, than to live as society or other external forces oblige one to live. People should learn to speak their truth, that which they have learnt for themselves and not that which they have been taught to accept as true; people should learn from the abundance of the universe and from the depths of their existence so as to be able to speak the truth as one lives it. An intelligent reader should be able to derive that

Company Profile of Sony Essay Example for Free

Company Profile of Sony Essay Company Profile Sony is synonymous with consumer electronics. Its especially big in TVs and game consoles like PlayStation3. Officially named Sony Kabushiki Kaisha, the company designs, develops, manufactures, and sells a host of electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional, and industrial markets. Professional products include semiconductors and components. A top global media conglomerate, Sony boasts additional assets in the areas of music (Sony Music Entertainment), film (Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Digital Production), DVDs (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), and TV (Sony Pictures Television). Sony also has several financial services businesses and an advertising agency in Japan. History Sony found its beginning in the wake of World War II. In 1946, Masaru Ibuka started an electronics shop in a bomb-damaged department store building in Tokyo. The company had $530 in capital and a total of eight employees. The next year, he was joined by his colleague, Akio Morita, and they founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). The company built Japans first tape recorder, called the Type-G. In 1958 the company name was changed to Sony. In the early 1950s, Ibuka traveled in the United States and heard about Bell Labs invention of the transistor. He convinced Bell to license the transistor technology to his Japanese company, for use in communications. Ibukas company made the first commercially successful transistor radios.According to Schiffer, Sonys TR-63 radio cracked open the U.S. market and launched the new industry of consumer microelectronics. By the mid-1950s, American teens had begun buying portable transistor radios in huge numbers, helping to propel the fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units in 1955 to 5 million units by the end of 1968. Origin of name When Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo was looking for a Romanized name to use to market them, they strongly considered using their initials, TTK. The primary reason they did not is that the railway company Tokyo Kyuko was known as TKK. The company occasionally used the acronym Totsuko in Japan, but during his visit to the United States, Morita discovered that Americans had trouble pronouncing that name. Another early name that was tried out for a while was Tokyo Teletech until Akio Morita discovered that there was an American company already using Teletech as a brand name. The name Sony was chosen for the brand as a mix of two words. One was the Latin word Sonus, which is the root of sonic and sound, and the other was Sonny, a familiar term used in 1950s America to call a boy. The first Sony-branded product, the TR-55 transistor radio, appeared in 1955 but the company name did not change to Sony until January 1958. At the time of the change, it was extremely unusual for a Japanese company to use Roman letters to spell its name instead of writing it in kanji. The move was not without opposition: TTKs principal bank at the time, Mitsui, had strong feelings about the name. They pushed for a name such as Sony Electronic Industries, or Sony Teletech. Akio Morita was firm, however, as he did not want the company name tied to any particular industry. Eventually, both Ibuka and Mitsui Banks chairman gave their approval Vision To create exciting new digital entertainment experiences for consumers by bringing together cutting-edge products with latest generation content and services. Mission As a mission and goal, Sony is dedicated to providing innovative products and multimedia services that challenge the way consumers experience digital entertainment. As a digital entertainment service provider Sony wants create  new worlds via their products to give consumers new experiences that can stimulate their senses. For their computer entertainment sector their mission and goal is to find the most talented developers to produce caliber products that continually raise the standards. The firm wants to create family products that change the way they experience home entertainment such as television, gaming, and movies. To change the way families enjoy home entertainment Sonys PlayStation 3 integrates all aspects of home entertainment. The gaming console is a versatile machine where consumers can play video games, watch movies through the Blu-ray player and stream movies and shows through Netflix. The PlayStation 3 has changed the way individuals enjoy digital entertainment. Boosting Sony’s Electronics Business A key focus for Sony is to strengthen its all-important electronics business and maintain market leadership in high profile areas such as televisions, digital imaging, home video equipment and portable audio. To achieve this, Sony is pursuing three corporate initiatives: The Customer Viewpoint Initiative emphasizes the importance to staff of viewing Sony, its products and services from a customer perspective. The Technology Nr. 1 Initiative focuses on reinforcing Sony’s cutting-edge technologies in the areas targeted for maximum investment of resources, including televisions, home video equipment, digital imaging equipment and Walkman ®. The Genba Initiative aims at strengthening frontline operations (‘genba’ in Japanese) such as design locations, manufacturing facilities and sales offices. Formats and technologies Sony has historically been notable for creating its own in-house standards for new recording and storage technologies, instead of adopting those of  other manufacturers and standards bodies. Sony (either alone or with partners) has introduced several of the most popular recording formats, including the floppy disk, Compact Disc, and Blu-ray Disc. Sony delivers thrilling digital entertainment experiences by capitalising on the synergy between its electronics business, content creation capabilities and movie, music, mobile and computer games interests. As a world leader in high definition, Sony already offers an exciting range of broadcast and consumer HD products, as well as content assets that are driving the industry towards HD digitization. Sony is the only company that can deliver complete, end-to-end solutions for todays HD World. We provide the tools for our customers to create, edit, store, share and enjoy High Definition content. Sony Pictures and Sony Computer Entertainment create movies and games that maximise the full power and potential of HD while independent film makers and programme producers are encouraged to realize their unique creative vision in full Sony HD. Business units Sony offers a number of products in a variety of product lines around the world. Sony has developed a music playing robot called Rolly, dog-shaped robots called AIBO and a humanoid robot called QRIO. As of 1 April 2012, Sony is organized into the following business segments: Imaging Products Solutions (IPS), Game, Mobile Products Communications (MPC), Home Entertainment Sound (HES), Devices, Pictures, Music, Financial Services and All Other. The network and medical businesses are included in the All Other. Sony Corporation Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group. It primarily conducts strategic business planning of the group, research and development (RD), planning, designing and marketing for electronics products. Its subsidiaries such as Sony EMCS Corporation (6  plants in Japan), Sony Semiconductor Corporation (7 plants in Japan) and its subsidiaries outside Japan (Brazil, China, England, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Ireland and United States) are responsible for manufacturing as well as product engineering (Sony EMCS is also responsible for customer service operations). In 2012, Sony rolled most of its consumer content services (including video, music, and gaming) into the Sony Entertainment Network. Medical-related business Sony Mobile Communications AB (formerly Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB) is a multinational mobile phone manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation. In 2001, Sony entered into a joint venture with Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, forming Sony Ericsson. Initial sales were rocky, and the company posted losses in 2001 and 2002. However, SMC reached a profit in 2003. Sony Ericsson distinguished itself with multimedia-capable mobile phones, which included features such as cameras. These were unusual for the time. Despite their innovations, SMC faced intense competition from Apples iPhone, released in 2007. From 2008 to 2010, amid a global recession, SMC slashed its workforce by several thousand. Sony acquired Ericssons share of the venture in 2012 for over US$1 billion. In 2009, SMC was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world (after Nokia, Samsung and LG). By 2010, its market share had fallen to sixth place. Sony Mobile Communications now focuses exclusively on the smartphone market. Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Computer Entertainment is best known for producing the popular line of PlayStation consoles. The line grew out of a failed partnership with Nintendo. Originally, Nintendo requested for Sony to develop an add-on for its console that would play Compact Discs. In 1991 Sony announced the add-on, as well as a dedicated console known as the Play Station. However, a disagreement over software licensing for the console caused the  partnership to fall through. Sony then continued the project independently. Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. (SPE) is the television and film production/distribution unit of Sony. With 12.5% box office market share in 2011, the company was ranked 3rd among movie studios. Its group sales in 2010 were US$7.2 billion. The company has produced many notable movie franchises, including Spider-Man, The Karate Kid, and Men in Black. It has also produced popular television game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Sony entered the television and film production market when it acquired Columbia Pictures Entertainment in 1989 for $3.4 billion. Columbia lives on in the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, a subsidiary of SPE which in turn owns TriStar Pictures and Columbia Pictures. SPEs television division is known as Sony Pictures Television. For the first several years of its existence, Sony Pictures Entertainment performed poorly, leading many to suspect the company would sell off the division. Sony Pictures Entertainment encountered controversy in the early 200 0s. In July 2000, a marketing executive working for Sony Corporation created a fictitious film critic, David Manning, who gave consistently good reviews for releases from Sony subsidiary Columbia Pictures that generally received poor reviews amongst real critics. Sony later pulled the ads, suspended Mannings creator and his supervisor and paid fines to the state of Connecticut and to fans who saw the reviewed films in the US. In 2006 Sony started using ARccOS Protection on some of their film DVDs, but later issued a recall. Environmental record In November 2011, Sony was ranked 9th (jointly with Panasonic) in Greenpeaces Guide to Greener Electronics. This chart grades major electronics companies on their environmental work. The company scored 3.6/10, incurring a penalty point for comments it has made in opposition to energy efficiency standards in California. It also risks a further penalty point in future editions for being a member of trade associations that have commented against energy efficiency standards.Together with Philips, Sony receives the highest score for energy policy advocacy after calling on the  EU to adopt an unconditional 30% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Meanwhile, it receives full marks for the efficiency of its products. In 2007, Sony ranked 14th on the Greenpeace guide. Sony fell from its earlier 11th place ranking due to Greenpeace’s claims that Sony had double standards in their waste policies.[ Since 1976, Sony has had an Environmental Conference. Sonys policies address their effects on global warming, the environment, and resources. They are taking steps to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that they put out as well as regulating the products they get from their suppliers in a process that they call green procurement. Sony has said that they have signed on to have about 75 percent of their Sony Building running on geothermal power. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program allow consumers to recycle the electronics products that they buy from Sony by taking them to eCycle (Recycling) drop-off points around the U.S. The company has also developed a biobattery that runs on sugars and carbohydrates that works similarly to the way living creatures work. This is the most powerful small biobattery to date.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death Essay Example for Free

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death Essay Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story entitled ‘The Masque of the Red Death: A Fantasy’ was published in Graham’s Magazine in 1838, and talks about a plague that the main character, Prince Prospero, attempts to evade (Laurent 2003). He holds a masquerade ball, each in different color, inside seven rooms in his abbey. On the other hand, Irvin Layton’s horror (or suspense) poem entitled ‘Rhine Boat Trip’ was written in 1977 and talks about murdered rabbis and the ghosts of children in the events in Nazi Germany, especially those that occurred during the Holocaust (Rhine Boat Trip, n. d. ). These two texts are both horrific, but aside from being different in terms of the format and the length, both display contrasting perspectives in their artistic, textual frames. Poe’s short story and Layton’s short poem display a suspense story; yet, as a whole, they display different styles and time frames. While Poe’s style displays something that is currently happening and distinctively described, Layton displays one that had already happened in the past and is directly described. Main Body The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe This short story attempts to describe how a plague called the Red Death enters Prince Prospero’s dominion, a prince who is being described as â€Å"happy and dauntless and sagacious† (Poe par. 2). The plague that has swept over the land is horrifying. As described, Blood was its Avatar and its seal –the redness and the horrors of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour. (Poe par. 1) From this paragraph, Poe specifies how horrifying the plague is. The victim loses most of the blood within the body, which is the cause of sudden dizziness and dissolution. Poe’s use of blood is enough to make the story appalling to the reader. Using pictures that signify awfulness and terror, Poe makes the story one that makes the reader horror-struck. However, the plague is said to have stricken only his dominions and not Prince Prospero and his â€Å"hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court† (Poe par. 2). Poe makes it appear that the plague only strikes those that are not hale and light-hearted or only those that are wicked, depraved, or poor. When his dominions were cut in half and the depraved dominions were already cast out, Prince Prospero is said to summon his friends, and using a masquerade ball inside seven rooms, each in different color, of his castellated abbey, he entertains his friends amid the plague. Poe describes the abbey: This was an extensive and magnificent structure, the creation of the prince’s own eccentric yet august taste. A strong and lofty wall girdled it in. This wall had gates of iron. The courtiers, having entered, brought furnaces and massy hammers and welded the bolts. (Poe par. 2) The exact description of the castellated abbeys indicates that Prince Prospero and the one thousand light-hearted friends are being protected from the killing plague that has stricken over the land. Then Poe begins to describe extensively the seven colored rooms: It was a voluptuous scene, that masquerade†¦ There was a sharp turn at every twenty or thirty yards, and at each turn a novel effect. To the right and left, in the middle of each wall, a tall and narrow Gothic window looked out upon a closed corridor which pursued the windings of the suite. These windows were of stained glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened. (Poe par. 4) Poe mentions that, having to describe the decorations of the castellated abbey, Prince Prospero is actually eccentric, august, voluptuous, and bizarre. Poe also mentions that â€Å"[t]he tastes of the duke were peculiar. He had a fine eye for colors and effects. He disregarded the decora of mere fashion. His plans were bold and fiery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (par. 6). A mystifying figure suddenly appears, one that is described as â€Å"a masked figure which had arrested the attention of no single individual before† (par. 9). When Prince confronts the mystifying image, he suddenly falls dead, as specified in these lines: â€Å"There was a sharp cry – and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which, instantly afterwards, fell prostate in death the Prince Prospero† (par. 12). The Red Death has entered the ball, and as the prince falls dead in the carpet, the people surges to the figure to remove the mask, only to find it empty. Each one falls to the ground, as the plague enters each of the one thousand guests in the ball. The Red Death surges upon all of the dominion. The Masque of the Red Death is one horror story in which Poe exemplifies great and immense description in every detail and part of the story. Poe uses symbols, such as colors and lines, in order to describe each detail magnificently and make the reader see distinctively. Rhine Boat Trip by Irvin Layton This 16-lined poem attempts to describe how the castles of the Rhine are haunted by ghosts of Jewish mothers and children in the lines: â€Å"The castles on the Rhine / are all haunted / by ghosts of Jewish mothers / looking for their ghostly children† (Rhine Boat Trip, L1-4). In contrast to Poe’s distinctive description, Layton’s style is simple and easy to read and understand. It does not describe each detail individually but rather, puts the picture and leaves the reader free to describe each picture. It allows the reader to put in detail what the castle looked like at Rhine. Having to put the exact name of the castle in the line is enough to picture the detail distinctively. Unlike Poe’s style, which provides the exact picture by describing immensely the detail in the story, Layton’s style is one that uses words in order to describe immensely what the picture or detail appears to be. However, instead of describing the castle as something that is enormous, fantastic, or incredible as Poe has done, Layton pictures the castle in a horrifying manner: â€Å"[A]nd the clusters of grapes / in the sloping vineyards / are myriads of blinded eyes / staring at the blind sun† (Rhine Boat Trip, L5-8). Layton instantly pictures the castle as horrifying, which is different from Poe’s style, wherein the latter pictures the castle as magnificently decorated before interpreting it as horrifying in the latter portion of the story. Each word that Layton uses carries a specific meaning. This is different from the manner in which Poe writes, wherein he describes in detail only to prove that the place is magnificent and is owned by a splendid duke living in the castle. In lines 5-8 of Layton’s poem, for example, the clusters of grapes of line 5 does not just depict the Jewish families but may depict families or communities that include everyone, including the reader. However, because Layton uses ‘sloping’ when he describes the vineyards, it may conclude to something that is negative, since it goes downhill, which is symbolic. Something negative, such as negative customs or culture that are found in the family or community, might have been included in the clusters of people. The use of grapes also depicts meaning, since grapes are used by the Jewish during the Passover and Holocaust. Having depicted too, that the clusters of grapes are actually â€Å"myriads of blinded eyes† (Rhine L7), it appears that the Jewish families (or German families) are blinded to what is about to happen to them and the surrounding community. They are staring at the blind sun because there is no hope for them in the end, since God is about to punish them, it is like God is nowhere in sight. In lines 9-10, wherein it says that â€Å"the tireless Lorelei / can never comb from their hair† (Layton L9-10), it appears that Lorelei is praying and doing sacrifices to God; and because she can â€Å"never comb from their hair† (Rhine L10), it symbolizes that important people in the community, such as Lorelei, pray and do sacrifices to God, so that the latter may show mercy to them and then remember His covenant with them. Lastly, lines 11-16 depict the rabbis that have been murdered and are wailing: â€Å"[T]he crimson beards / of murdered rabbis / however sweetly they sing / one hears only / the low wail of the cattle cars / moving invisibly across the land† (Rhine L11-16). Crimson is used to signify blood or death. The word ‘one’ is being used to mean both the person that hears only the wailing rabbis, as well as, the One God that appears to have turned His back on the Jewish people despite their prayers and offerings. Cattle cars are wailing in line 15, meaning that these cattle cars that are â€Å"moving invisibly across the land† (Rhine L16) are not with cattle but with people, which signifies a state that is inhumane and atrocious. The cattle cars are invisible because, first, no one had paid attention to them during their crisis; and, second, what the author has been describing is something that had already happened in the past. This poem also depicts strong emotional response because of distinctive images that were used by the writer. Like Poe’s story, this poem uses images, such as castles, grapes, vineyards, sun, rabbis, and cattle cars. However, unlike Poe’s story, Layton’s style is one that is simple yet direct; one that is more symbolic than that of Poe’s. Conclusion Poe’s short story entitled The Masque of the Red Death, as well as, Layton’s short poem entitled Rhine Boat Trip are both horrific, symbolic, and descriptive. However, Poe’s story is distinctively descriptive in detail, with an enormous, fantastic castle. Layton’s poem on the other hand, is simpler and direct, easier to read and understand, more distinctive in word, more symbolic in style, with a horrifying castle. Layton and Poe are alike; yet diverse. Works Cited Laurent, Sabrina. Metaphor and Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death. July 2003. United Nuke. 14 March 2009 http://www. boheme-magazine. net/php/modules. php? name=Newsfile=articlesid=46. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Masque of the Red Death. 2009. Jalic Incorporated. 14 March 2009 http://www. online-literature. com/poe/36/. Rhine Boat Trip (1977). N. d. Gonzaga University. 14 March 2009 http://barney. gonzaga. edu/~rolson3/Layton. html. Other Sources Roberts, Edgar. Writing About Literature – Brief (11the ed. ). White Plains, NY: Pearson Longman, 2005.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Case Study Marketing: Nyquil

Case Study Marketing: Nyquil Nyquil is a brand of over the counter drug produced by Vicks, which is a division of the Procter and Gamble Company. This drug comes in form of syrup and liquid capsules and tablets that are used to for the treatment of a wide range of cold symptoms. Marketing of Nyquil is done both in the domestic market and internationally by the Procter and gamble through it Vicks subsidiary that it bought from Richardson Vicks in 2005.Vicks is known world widely for its marketing of branded consumer health care products. Before its acquisition by PG the Vicks Company had more than thirty subsidiaries all over the world some of which were acquired by PG too. One of them is the India Richardson Hindustan Limited (RVL) Company that has greatly contributed in the manufacturing and distribution of the Nyquil drug (Richardson Vicks Inc. (RVI)).Nyquil is the number one drug recommended by pharmacists for night time relief of cold among adults and it is available in more than 70 countries within five continents where its distributed by varied PG distributors. Drug distributors in pharmacies, government and private hospital and pharmaceutical companies get their Nyquil drugs shipped to their countries with the by the manufactures and the Subsidiaries of PG pharmaceutical products. This physical distribution of the drug is done through a well organized supply chain that spreads from the manufacture to the consumer. The purchasing of this drug can either be done by physically visiting the pharmaceutical companies or by placing online bids through website like Amazon.com and Vicks.com Some pharmaceutical companies that dont produce the Nyquil drug act as the distribution centers by buying the drug in bulk from Vicks company and other pharmaceutical associated with PG and they repackage it with direction and permission from the manufacturer. Such companies employ sales agents who sell the drug either directly or through the internet. They market Nyquil to the wholesalers, private buyers, hospitals and sometimes to selected retail dealers. The wholesalers buy from such companies, break the bulk and redistribute the drug to the retail sellers in pharmacies and small private hospitals. This multi channel distribution of Nyquil has made it easy to export the drug to various markets all over the world. The marketing of the Nyquil drug has for the longest of time been assisted by its brand strength. Mention Nyquil to any American and they will understand what you are taking about. In fact it could equally qualify as the most abused cold over the counter drug since it has a sedating effect on its user. Widespread television radio and print advertisement have helped create product awareness and created ideal market exposure for the drug. The liquid variation of Nyquil was tested for the first time in 1966, and officially launched into the market in 1968 with several television and magazine advertisement and recommendation from the medical world. Consequently, Procter and Gamble used $ 17 million dollars to promote liquid Nyquil during its launch in 1980(New York Magazine 12 Vol. 24, No. 38) Further more, Nyquil has become a common name to most house holds in American households and its the mostly recommended over the counter drug for remedying cold symptoms. Its slogan that calls it The nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, best-sleep-you-ever-got-with-a-cold medicine is an eye catcher for anyone displaying the mentioned symptoms of a cold. With this slogan comes a list of Nyquil variation, each tailored to the different formulations on offer. More over the Nyquil Liquid medication is available in ranges of the Soothing Original, Soothing Cherry, and Vanilla Cherry Swirl. The earliest marketing of Nyquil also created a niche market for it as the best night time relieve for cold since it has an ingredient that makes someone drowsy and help him sleep peaceful. This quality of Nyquil was previously critiqued by those who didnt want to use a cold remedy with the intention of sleeping immediately. To maintain the drugs niche and retain her customers Vicks company came up with Dayquil, a daytime counter part of Nyquil which does not contain the sedating ingredients or alcohol that is found in Nyquil. Therefore, Procter and gamble s able to satisfy both the day time and night time consumers of effective cold remedy. Another marketing method used in the marketing of Nyquil is the use of Nyquil Coupons. This coupons which are distributed by either Procter and Gamble Sunday News Circular supplement called PG Brand Saver, from the physicians and allergists, weekly circular of pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS or in third party Coupon Sites like Coupon.Com.These coupons enables to one buy Nyquil medication at a discounted rate during a repeat purchase and are working to attract and sustain repeat buyers of the product. To make it easier for customers the coupons are available in clippable and printable online form, and so any person is able to access them (Pharmacy Drug Guide.com). Another promotion strategy that was launched for this product in 2009 was the use of social media Facebook.According to the a customer review the most attractive thing about the Nyquil face book page was that the introductory language used in it did not try to get you straight to the product but first told you about the page itself detailing the growing number of its fans in order to make someone feel like he was missing out on something. During the same period it had a free Nyquil T-shirt offer for the Nyquil customers who posted the best peaceful sleeping photos purported to have been taken after one had taken Nyquil for their cold. According to another blogger, it took only 7 days for the number of Nyquil fans to grow from 30199 to 95,125 and in the next twenty four hours they had grown to a hundred thousand. This kind of marketing has created an extensive exposure to the product and interested buyers from all over the world can easily access information on it. In effect, the approach has helped in creating wide spread product knowledge and in beating the common misconceptions that competitor sometimes spread about the product. Other than face book, marketers at PG use different Websites to advertise their product. For instance, Vicks.com is a website that gives product information on all the variations of Nyquil medication and any promotions involved in its purchase and where to shop for it. For instance, on the Nyquil and Dayquil product information page there is information on the availability of Combo packages of the drug and on the promotion page there is a promotional advert that asks someone to Search Nyquil on face book to enter the Vicks Nyquil/Dayquil search for the most dedicated NFL fan. The Promotion catch line is In the NFL there are no sick days. Such promotional activities are aimed at appealing the drug to the NFL fans (Vicks.com). The marketers of Nyquil have also been known to market the product through creation of its demand. This kind of marketing plays on human psychology by using words that are attractive to the consumer. Most Nyquil advertisements Market it as a medication that that work while a person is sleeping. This is interpreted to mean that it does not interfere with a persons daytime schedule. This night time appeal combined with the fact Nyquil tablet comes in not only Tablet and capsule form but also in liquid form helped increase the demand for the product. In essence there fore Nyquil is perceived as the most potent cold medication. This is a pull approach that helps in attracting consumers to the product without the manufacturer prodding them to do so. Although NyQuil contains 25% alcohol this remedy has become the gold mark of cold medication. However, the variation of Nyquil given to children only come in syrup form and does not contain any alcohol. When it comes to customer care, PG aims at providing the best for her Nyquil customers who are spread all over the world. The task of handling so many customers can be quite a logistic burden and man power burden to one company. There fore, PG usually out-sources the customer care service from Public Relation experts on contract basis. This extra service complements and helps to build up the customer skills displayed by PG personnels. For instance on June 30th, 2003 the company outsourced the customer care expertise of Syke Enterprises Incorporated on a five year contract at a cost of 70 million. Sykes, a reknown giant in provision of customer care services was to provide customer care management services and help provide solution to the P G consumer problem and help save cost. Part 2 Although the above marketing methods have helped open the sales gates for Nyquil some of them have achieved decreasing sustainability. For instance, in some cases PG has been accused of engaging in illegal marketing strategies in the promotion of Nyquil. Example was in the late 2009 when PG got itself under the scrutiny of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for illegally touting two Vicks branded over-the -counter drugs, Vicks Nyquil plus vitamin C and its day time counterpart Vicks daytime plus vitamin C as both a medication for cold as well as a dietary supplements. The marketing language used on this drugs said that they worked by combining the powerful multi symptom relief of Dayquil with more than 150% of the recommended value of vitamin. This was done as a marketing strategy during the time of a swine flu epidemic but FDA claimed that there isnt well researched and verified material that shows vitamin C helps in prevention of colds. Consequently, the company was given 15 day s to amend the violation (Straczynski). Market competitors of Nyquil have also critiqued the use of alcohol as an ingredient to the drug. This has led to the rampant abuse of the drug is search for the high that is derived from its overdose. Although its manufacturers tried remedying this problem by changing the formulation of this medication it realized that the sedating quality of the medicine was still needed by those suffering from cold. This made customers abandon the New Nyquil in search for a drug with the qualities of the original Nyquil. Vicks was forced to revert back to the old formulation but the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 only allows regulated over the counter purchase of this drug. Another critique is in the use of social media where one is only able to access the Nyquil page through series of applications that asks for private information that may drive away potential customers. The Nyquil wall does not allow interactive participation of the fans and it fails on not engaging customers enough. Consequently, Instead of using the platform to engage their user they have reverted to the traditional marketing tactic where you are only allowed to see the product but you cannot comment on it. They forget that the number of fans on a social website page does not always translate to potential customers since some people just like them for nostalgic reasons. Lastly although the drug has become a brand in America, it may have corresponding competition from other cold remedy manufacturers when it goes to outside markets. Never the less most of the advertisement and promotional activities have been concentrated in America where there is already saturation of information. In consequence there the following remedial measures should be taken in marketing of Nyquil. Instead of the manufacturer constantly changing the drug formulation due to its controversial sedating characteristics caused by the alcohol ingredient(Green 60), its marketers should be confident with the original Nyquil and market it as it is, since market research has shown that most initial consumers of this drug prefer it in its original form. Different formulation of the same medication erodes the consumer confidence in the product. Second, if the marketers of Nyquil plan to use social media network for marketing and advertisement purposes they should do it in a way that allows for consumer feed back. Lack of interaction creates disinterest and most potential consumers are likely to dislike the Nyquil page. 3. Illegal marketing strategy that gives lying information to consumers a marketing no-no that should be discouraged at any chance. Nyquil marketers should only advertise the truth about the product because customers may abandon the product when they find out that someone has been lying about it (Straczynski).This will happen due to reduced confidence in a product. 4. Finally, if PG want to increase it sale of Nyquil to the market outside America, is should increase, it advertising and promotional activities in these countries through its subsidiaries and distributors. This will accentuate the sales volumes especially from the largely untapped market. Research study: factors that enable depression Research study: factors that enable depression Introduction Research studies are essential to the practice of Social Work. Social Work practice is extremely complex and research studies allow social workers to develop theories and hypotheses that will help them understand the root of the issues that their clients are experiencing. Academic evidence is vital for backing up the practices, policies and values that underpin Social Work practice. Academic research not only benefits the social worker through the expansion of their knowledge but can also benefit clients and society at a policy level. In this essay I will be evaluating the research carried out by Brown and Harris (1984) in their book â€Å"Social origins of depression: a study of psychiatric disorder in women†, specifically on chapter 10, â€Å"Social class, provoking agents and depression†. Brown and Harris carried out this research to find out how life events and social and cultural factors may lead to the development of depression amongst women. I will briefly descri be their study and their findings and then discuss the methodology they used and the advantages and disadvantages of their methodology. I will also discuss how Brown and Harris’ research is extremely important and influential for the practice of Social Work and how the study is still used today to show how social and cultural factors can lead to depression. Description of study and findings The study aimed to find out how social factors and life events lead to women’s depression. They sampled 458 women in the south London area of Camberwell and surveyed them using â€Å"clinical based interviews† (Brown Harris 1984) on their daily lives and depression. Brown and Harris aim to contest the wide spread belief that depression is more common amongst women of higher social classes, as asserted by previous studies carried out by sociologist Pauline Bart, psychiatrist Ernest Becker and psychologist Charles Costello. Brown and Harris’ study contests this idea that middle class women are more likely to develop depression as they found in their study of 458 women that it was much more common for those who were working class to develop a psychiatric disorder, depression in particular. They found that 23% of working class women were â€Å"considered cases† as opposed to only 6% of middle class women. They measured the social class of the women by the occ upations of the women’s husbands and when this wasn’t available they used the occupation of the women’s father to determine their social class. In addition to class differences, Brown and Harris also looked at the â€Å"five life stages† which consisted of, three stages where women has a child at home with the youngest child being less than 6, between 6 and 14 and 15 and over. The remaining two life stages consisted of women younger than 35 where there was no child at home and women over 35 where there was no child at home. They found that in all life stages, working class women had a higher rate of depression than middle class women. Most notably, the highest percentage was of 31% for working class women with a child of less than 6 compared to 5% of middle class women. Brown and Harris found that depression was more prevalent amongst women of working class because there is greater vulnerability attached to working class. Vulnerability factors included lack of a confiding relationship, loss of mother before age of 11, unemployment, poor housing and low finances. These vulnerability factors, which were more common amongst those women who were working class, were found to increase the chance of developing depression. Vulnerability factors, when combined with stressful life events, like divorce, illness and death, which Brown and Harris called â€Å"provoking agents† further increased the chances of developing depression amongst working class women as they are more vulnerable with less support, financial and familial. These provoking agents or life events were ranked in severity by Brown and Harris, ranging from the most severe being â€Å"death† to the least â€Å"residence change†. â€Å"When social class is considered it is onl y severe events that show a class difference and then only among women with children† (Brown Harris 1984) , for both working and middle class women without children 1 in 3 experience at least one severe life event in the year, however when considering those with children the number stays the same for working class women, 1 in 3 whereas it drops to 1 in 5 for middle class women with children, implying that middle class women with children are more protected from provoking agents that lead to depression. The study concluded that social factors and life events are linked to depression. Working class women were more likely to develop depression than middle class women in all instances showing that the risk of developing depression is linked to social class. Brown and Harris found that being from a lower class meant increased vulnerability and greater chance of being exposed to provoking agents than middle class women. Importance to Social Work The study by Brown and Harris has been marked for many years by a combination of imaginative flair and commitment to the rigorous testing of their ideas (Tennant and Bebbington 1978). This study is extremely important to social work practice as it providing a turning point in looking at depression amongst women. The study provided an awareness of women’s mental health. Before this study, most research focused on personality traits and experiences in childhood that linked women to depression, however Brown and Harris’ study was different in that it investigated the social and cultural factors related to women’s mental health. It’s a very important study as it recognized that depression could be linked to social class and that life events or difficulties relating to social class could provoke the development of depression. Brown and Harris’ study is very important to the practice of social work as it provided a theory of the relationship between socia l class or status and depression amongst women and a clear understanding that poverty is linked to depression. In addition to finding a link between class and depression, this study is also very significant to social work as it allowed for the broadening of perspectives. Before, there was a medicalised model or way of looking at depression and mental illnesses however this study allowed social workers to develop the social model of depression, a thinking which challenged the medical model and looked for a much broader understanding of the reasons for depression. Furthermore, this study was connected to the growing awareness of women’s unequal position in society and in the family, so whilst it did not originate from feminist enquiry the study helped the evolving feminist movement which began to give women a voice in society. It also led to the development in the understanding of the demands of caring for children and the impact of the reduction in the extended family at this time. This study is very important to Social Work practice as it strengthened the role of social work with families and individuals who are in distress through community based practice. It also allowed women and mothers’ networks to strengthen as the study helped shine a light on the difficulties of being a mother, of experiencing different life events and the difficulties related to being working class. The study highlights the importance of social work values like anti-oppressive practice that strive towards equality for women and the recognition that wha t women feel should be understand. Furthermore, this study is extremely important to social work practice as it allows social workers to understand the roots of depression in women. This study shines a light on the social factors that lead to depression, social workers can use this study to identify what social factors lead to depression and target these factors and implement prevention techniques for those women who are most likely to develop depression. Advantages and Disadvantages of methodology Brown and Harris used a mixed methodology in their research. Statistical data was gathered and analysed by Brown and Harris, alongside the qualitative data obtained by individual narrative and stories. They used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods which increases validity and reliability. Reliable data means that the research could be repeated and the same results would occur and valid data means it’s a true picture of what the researcher is trying to measure. Brown and Harris used random sampling in their research and they used the sample of 458 women to represent the target population – middle class and working class women. Random sampling means their research is representative of the target population and they can therefore make generalisations about depression suffered by middle class women in contrast to working class women. Brown and Harris carried out semi-structured interviews meaning that the women could be asked open-ended questions which would give qualitative data, increasing validity by obtaining an in-depth understanding of the women’s situations. Interviews mean that the conversation developed naturally and so is a good method for researching sensitive issues like depression as the natural conversation allows the interviewee to feel relaxed and able to open up more to their interviewer. Interviews also allow a relationship to build between researcher and respondents. Brown and Harris continued their research over a long period of time (1969/71 and again in 1974/75) which would also strengthen their relationship with the women, allowing their evidence to be more valid and paint a true picture. However, there have been criticisms made of the methodology used by Brown and Harris. Tennant and Bebbington (1978) criticise Brown and Harris’ methodology on the basis of their random sampling. They argue that 15% of households in the sample had 2 or more age-eligible women living in them, but Brown and Harris only chose one. Tennant and Bebbington therefore argue that there is bias in the sample and that larger than average households are slightly underrepresented in their research. Tennant and Bebbington (1978) further criticise Brown and Harris on their â€Å"conceptualization and definition† of the concept of â€Å"vulnerability factors†. Tennant and Bebbington argue that the construction of the vulnerability factor â€Å"parental loss† is open to criticism. Brown and Harris argue that maternal loss influences the risk of depression whereas paternal loss doesn’t affect the risk of developing depression. They argue that Brown’s definition of loss consists of three different variables, â€Å"loss through death, separation from one parent, and marital separation of the parents† events which Tennant and Bebbington describe as â€Å"qualitatively quite different† and that the composition of â€Å"maternal† and â€Å"paternal† loss groups may be so different that they are not valid to compare their impact on mental health (1978). They argue that in the instance of separation women usually get the custod y resulting in a paternal loss and regarding death, the risk of losing fathers in childhood is greater than the risk of losing your mother (Langer and Michael 1963 cited by Tennant and Bebbington 1978) and so this comparison in relation to depression is misleading and it would be much more appropriate to compare maternal/paternal death and maternal/paternal separation for more valid results. Conclusion In conclusion, I would argue that this research study by Brown and Harris is undeniably important to Social Work practice. Through its mixed methodology, using both qualitative and quantitative methods of research, it proves a very reliable and valid picture of class differences and social factors linked to women’s mental health. This research is vital to Social Work practice as it marks a turning point in a change in attitude towards mental health, a shift away from the medical model to a social model of depression. It underpins values that are at the heart of Social Work practice like anti-oppressive practice and equality for women. Word count: 1941 Bibliography Brown, G, W. Harris, T, (1984) 10. Social class, provoking agents, and depression' from Brown, G W. Harris, T, Social origins of depression: a study of psychiatric disorder in women pp.150-169,353-358, London: Tavistock Publications Brown, G. W., Harris, T. (1978). Social origins of depression: a reply.Psychol Med,8(4), 577-88. Tennant, C., Bebbington, P. (1978). The social causation of depression: a critique of the work of Brown and his colleagues.Psychological Medicine,8(04), 565-575.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Last Hurrah :: essays research papers

Edwin O'Connor's novel The Last Hurrah presents an effective view of the difficult and complex life of the Irish-American community in Boston of the 1950's. The author uses a number of characterizations to produce themes that relate to the political and social considerations of this era. He also provides most of the accounts in his novel from a single perspective, that of Frank Skeffington. He is the main character. This character in particular enables O'Connor to present the topic with some accuracy while continuing to create a fictional account of the time frame. This was his goal, to provide truth inside a fictional story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  O'Connor talks directly about and gives great consideration in the system of criminal activity. He feels it directly corresponds with the political structure in the community. The author develops his novel around Skeffington, but also around the characterization of James Michael Curley, the forceful and corrupt political force in the community in Boston. These two characters seem to be greatly different, but they also have some likeness to each other. This novel portrays the complexity of the corruption within this community and the political structure. He also demonstrates the support for this type of institution and its importance within the community itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is particular consideration given to the political climate in this story. It is incorporated with social and ethnic concerns that are prevalent. The story also addresses prejudice and the theme of ethnic stereotyping through his character development. O'Connor does not present a work that is riddled with Irish slurs or ethnic approximations. Instead, he attempts to provide an account that is both informative and accurate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One important theme that is developed through the characterization of Skeffington is the great importance he has of the historical perspective on the current life of the Irish immigrant community. While O'Connor uses this character to present a dignified representation of Irish immigrant politics, it is also clear that Skeffington serves as a contrast to Curley. Curley demonstrates a clearly determined form of corruption without concern for the ethnic or political history of the Irish immigrant community. Skeffington cannot ignore the past and the impact history has on his community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Skeffington is a product of the Irish community, and reflects on his origin in many instances through out this story. There are a number of important elements that are unique to the Irish community in Boston and also significant to the life of Skeffington.

British Diplomacy in Palestine Essay -- Palestinians

I believe that British diplomacy in Palestine was consistently indecisive and hypocritical but at the same time the British wanted to keep their hands in Palestine’s economy and goods. The reasoning behind this statement is because of the events that played out during the Hussein-McMahon correspondence, the Sykes-Picot agreement, and the Balfour declaration. First, the Hussein-McMahon correspondence was a long-drawn-out exchange of letters between the Sharif of Mecca Hussein bin Ali and British High Commissioner Sir Henry McMahon dealing with the future political status of the Ottoman Empire. The Arab’s were planning on revolting against the Ottoman Empire because of the promise that after the war was over Britain would recognize the independence of the Arab areas of the Ottoman Empire now known as Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, and Saudi Arabia. The British encouraged the revolt against the Ottoman Empire because they were allies with the Germans, during World War I. The British also knew that if the Arab’s would get into World War I and if they could overthrow the Ottoman Empire the British would be able to occupy key positions that could give them the advantage over the Germans in the war. Unfortunately, after the war had ended, McMahon and Hussein could not agree on what areas of the territory to r ecognize the independence of the Arab areas that Hussein had wanted. For a lack of better words this made the relationship between the Arab leader, Hussein bin Ali, and the British High Commissioner Sir Henry McMahon and their people very untrusting of each other and extremely tense. The Second thing that put a lot of tension on the relationship between the Arabs and the British was the Sykes-Picot agreement... ...ing colonizers at just the moment when other Europeans had given up on the idea?† That being said, I believe this statement effectively paraphrases the source of the tension between Jews and Arab opponents of the creation of the state of Israel. Works Cited Fromkin, David (1989). A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East. New York: Owl. pp. 286, 288. ISBN 0-8050-6884-8. Peter Mansfield, British Empire magazine, Time-Life Books, no 75, p.2078 Balfour, Arthur J. "Balfour Declaration of 1917." Letter to Foreign Office. 2 Nov. 1917. MS. Huneidi, Sahar. A Broken Trust: Herbert Samuel, Zionism and the Palestinians 1920-1925. London: I.B. Tauris, 2001. Print. "Quotes About Israeli Palestinian Conflict." (19 Quotes). Web. 10 Mar. 2012. .

Friday, July 19, 2019

Transcending Place and Time in Mirror for Man :: Mirror for Man Essays

Transcending Place and Time in Mirror for Man In the given passage from Mirror for Man, Clyde Kluckhorn explains the similarities and differences between cultures by first defining the anthropological concept of "culture" and then explaining his definition. The definition Kluckhorn gives relies heavily on common sense. Culture is: "the total life way of a people, the social legacy individuals acquire from their group. Or culture can be regarded as that part of the environment that is the creation of human beings." By giving us this definition, Kluckhorn immediately deletes any chance of mininterpreting the word and concept of culture. Kluckhorn starts his explanation of this definition by simplifying the concept. He says that a person's acts cannot be explained merely in terms of biology, the life experiences of that person, and/or the immediate situation. Instead "the past experience of other people in the form of culture enters into almost every event". It is not we who determine our culture, but our ancestors who determined for us. Kluckhorn is saying that who we are -- our culture -- is based on how the people who have the responsibility of raising us were raised by their role models, who were influenced by their role models, and so on. To illustrate his point, Kluckhorn gives examples of times when the culture someone was raised in plays a major role in determining how the person will react in a given situation -- often how they will react to an aspect of another culture. The examples all showed that one's own culture is where one feels safest. Kluckhorn's illustrations of how people react negatively to other cultures seems to prove the axiom that man's biggest fear is of change. Despite the almost overwhelming influences of culture, there is still human nature to consider. Basically, all human being are the same. All are similar in biology and in that they must observe the physical laws of nature. Yet the differences between cultures stem from the once original, individual ways of dealing with these problems. Man and his problems are universly the same, but it is his dealing with these problems that is different, and these dealings are determined by the predecessors of each culture. This is the very essence of how Kluckhorn explains the anthropological differences and similarities between cultures. As for my views, I agree with Professor Kluckhorn wholeheartedly although all of my experience has been in the American culture with various subcultures.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Bill Gates and I Have the Same Property Essay

The government does not have the freedom to interfere into the property of an owner and the owner’s right to exercise power on the property. This statement may be evaluated with the following example. An anti-trust action was passed against Microsoft Corporation by the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department who challenged that the company cannot make it mandatory on customers to install the internet browser of Microsoft while installing the Microsoft 95 operating system. The Government also upheld the notion that it is not necessary for consumers to use one product of a company simultaneously when another product is installed. The court ordered the separation of Microsoft 95 and Internet explorer. In continuation to this verdict, the Assistant Attorney General further demanded the unusual freedom to scrutinise all future products of Microsoft Corporation to check their marketing strategy. Microsoft retaliated that if additional facilities in the computer indicate unfair trade practice, the manufacture of computer itself would be like posing threat to the manufacturers of products like calculator, typewriter and the like. Though the Assistant Attorney General justified that the anti trust motion is aimed to stimulate innovation and competition there were several obstacles to substantiate its stand to stop Microsoft from gaining market control (Labaton, 1997). According to Bill Gates, the separation of the operating system and the browser would mean producing products with lesser value and reducing the demand for the operating system in the market despite enhancing the quality (Thibodeau, 2008). In the Second Treatise of Government, John Locke justifies that man can have a right on property based on the amount of work he has done to transform the resources provided by God. The amount of work done by a person enables him to partition the common resources provided by God and own a part of it by himself. Thus private ownership of property is related to the amount of work done by man. The spoilage proviso limits the amount of resources a man can reserve when the resource is wasted and the sufficiency proviso limits the amount of resources to be owned and the balance to be left with the nature for others. And when there are no more resources available, people are required to work on the available resources for sustenance. According to Locke, when individuals own resources or land, they take better care of it rather than when the land is not owned by anyone. When land is owned the productivity is estimated a ten times its actual value and it will pave way for the betterment of life. Here labor is given more importance than on resources. When a person works on a resource it is automatically transformed into the workers property. It is the duty of the government to protect the right of a person towards a property (Meinhardt, 2007). James Madison has defined the ownership and rights to use a property. He has stated that when a person has a right to property, it is equal to having a property in his own rights. Hence the government’s interference into the affairs of a property or business owned by an individual when the business is meant for public use is not fair. Therefore the government should make it clear that the property owned by a person or corporate may be put into full use according to the wish of the owner if the use of the property adds values and the deletion of certain facilities reduce the value of the property. When certain use of a property is taken away by legal and governmental restrictions, the owner cannot exercise his fundamental freedom to exercise his right on the property (Pilon, 1995). In conclusion, governments do not have the authority to interfere into the rights of a property owner if the owner is a multi billionaire or a common person. Reference Labaton, S. December 22, 1997. Bill Gates, Meet Your Adversary, the Antitrust Chief. Available: http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9D04E7DF143EF931A15751C1A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1. Accessed on September 8, 2008 Meinhardt, E. F. May 22, 2007. Critical Analysis of John Locke’s theory on Property Rights. Available http://www. scribd. com/doc/93360/John-Locke-on-Property-Rights. Accessed on September 8, 2008. Pilon, R. February 10, 1995. Protecting Private Property Rights from Regulatory Takings. Breathe New Life Into the Takings Clause. Available: http://www. cato. org/testimony/ct-pi210. html. Accessed on September 8, 2008. Thibodeau, P. June 30, 2008. For Bill Gates, antitrust fight was a personal crucible. http://www. thestandard. com/news/2008/06/30/bill-gates-antitrust-fight-was-personal-crucible? page=0%2C1. Accessed on September 8, 2008.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Global Business Cultural Analysis: Germany Essay

Ger umteen has a rich recital and has seen many changes throughout the past fewer decades. Though devastating struggles have been encountered, now Germany boasts the largest economy, as well as the second intimately populated unsophisticated inwardly the European countries. (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013) This paper result analyze the dimensions of German grow, how those dimensions affect the guidance line of credit is conducted, and more specifically, how the line of work refinement of Germany differs and may propose complications for Ameri depose companies evoke in expanding their business globally to Germany. Overall, at that place are certainly differentiations in German and American business civilisation, however, none that would capture a business to be prospering through a global expansion.As Cesar Chavez once said, Preservation of ones birth market-gardening does non ask contempt or disrespect for an another(prenominal)(prenominal) stopping points. An unbiased point of view or mindset is crucial when one is considering conducting business in a country whose culture differs from that of the said businesspersons avouch culture. That is, if business success is a pass on prior(prenominal)ity. The successful global business embraces the culture of the particular country in which they aspiration to do business and is flexible term still maintaining a strong toil on their own core value and cultural beliefs.Before one can be successful at differentiating the differences of devil cultures, it is important to have a sufficient understanding of what culture is. Quite ofttimes the culture of a particular country or region is thought to intend the arts, food, music and language of an field of force. Culture encompasses so much more than the elements listed above. The culture of an area is what defines who they are, how they operate, and how they relate to people outside of their culture. The dimensions of culture can be categori zed as communication, faith, ethics, values and attitudes, manners, customs, companionable structures and organizations. (Saterlee, 2009) Saterlee goes on to get wind severally of these categories of culture by breach down the complexity of each.The way a culture eats, dresses, speaks (including verbal and non-verbal communication) conducts business, punctuation, gender roles, side of emotions, and precept are all fitting examples of subcategories that fall within the dimensions provided by Saterlee. clearly on that point is much that can be learned not exactly or so the culture in which a business wishes to pursue operations in, but too in the said businesss own culture. As mentioned earlier, a grave understanding of ones own culture is imperative when conducting business in an entirely different culture. Our greatest agent for understanding the worldintrospection.The best way of knowing the inwardness of our inhabit is to know ourselves. (Lippmann, 1914) What are t he major elements and dimensions of culture in Germany? The following question result be answered by coering the biography (including previous government demeanor and modern), morality, customs, social structures and ethics, as well as communication. write up of German GovernmentUp until 1990 Germany was a shared nation consisting of devil parts, east and westerly Germany. With the arrival of the Cold War, Germany was divided and two states were formed in 1949. westbound Germany formed the federal land of Germany (FRG) and easter Germany formed the German Democratic body politic (GDR). The western sandwich Federal Republic took sides with the European Commission (EC) and the North Atlantic conformity Organization (NATO) while the eastern German Democratic Republic sided with the communist Soviet-led capital of Poland Pact. Germany was unified in 1990 with the diminishing of the pairing of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the decline of Communism. From this unifi cation, Germany became a stronghold in the European coupler (EU) and as mentioned earlier became what is still the most populated European country.Rebuilding a unified Germany. Following the unification of eastern and western Germany arose the issue of combining two different economies into one successful economy. This comprise many problems due to the success of Western Germany and the lack of success in east Germany. The eastern side had been on a steady decline for the previous geezerhood leading up to the unification in 1990. When the unification occurred, it was time to create solutions for a successful merge of the two states to compel one flourishing economy. On whitethorn 18, 1990 a treaty was formed mingled with the two states, which addressed economic and fiscal matters.Arising from the treaty an agreement was met that stated the Federal Republic would exchange valuable, convertible western marks for less valuable, non-convertible eastern marks. A more in depth esco rt into what is needed for the successful intertwining shows that large investments in communications, railroads, highways, and utilities are major areas that need helper within Eastern Germany. Large companies including Volkswagen and mho A.G. made massive investments, which, in enchantment helped boost the economy and employ thousands of workers. (Harris, 1991) handing over from a Dictatorial nation to a Democratic nation. Throughout history Germany encountered many struggles while trying to develop a democracy. Some of these struggles were caused by perceptions of which were influenced by prior autocratic or dictatorial regimes. correspondent to a ghost, the ideology of these previous regimes stick arounded aft(prenominal) their fall even during the transition to the in the altogether democracy. After the unification in 1990 on that point were problems that East Germans faced in regards to transitioning to a new style of government. East Germans were foreign with the new democratic style of government. The transitions did not come as a arrest shock due to the exposure of such(prenominal)(prenominal) governing principles viewed through media. Before flourishing, there were some economic struggles faced as well by East Germans. (Saafeld, 1997)organized religion There are many similarities amongst the United States and Germany in relation to religion that will be discussed in progress detail later. Germans have the independence to arrange any religion of their choice. The German elemental Law describes the context of ghostly granting immunity within the country. More specifically explained in Article 4 Article 4 Freedom of faith, con wisdom, and creed(1) Freedom of faith and of conscience, and emancipation to venture a religious or philosophic creed, shall be inviolable. (2) The undisturbed practice of religion shall be guaranteed. (3) No person shall be compelled against his conscience to render military receipts involving the use of arms . Details shall be set by a federal law. (Federal Republic of Germany, 1993)The main premise on which the kitchen stove of Article four of the German fundamental Law was established was the case of Rumpelkammer in 1968. This case was brought about when a papist Catholic callowness organization was homework on practicing their faith missionary style in public. The group would raise gold by collecting used goods such as clothes and other recyclables. The coin that was obtained through the recyclables would then be donated to divers(a) charities. The group obtained instigate from priests by having them raise parishioners to donate. The issue at hand was when a commercial rag dealer began to kvetch that the groups activities were illegal and in turn pain in the ass his business. The businessman took it to motor lodge and actually win in the lower court system, however, the native Court disagreed and overturned the lower courts decision to ban the youth groups method of bringing up money.The Article Four guarantees of religionirrespective if the creed is rooted in religious or nonreligious ideological beliefintend not only the inner freedom to believe or no believe, that is to grant a particular creed, or to remain silent or disavow a previously held creed and profess a new one, but besides the freedom to engage in ritual acts, to proselytize, and to propagandize.Religious exercise has central meaning for each faith, and in view of its historical content, moldiness be interpreted broadly. It includes not only ritualistic acts, like adherence to religious practices such as worship services, church building collections, prayer, receipt of the sacramentbut also religious education, religious and atheistic celebrations and other practices of religious or nonreligious life. (Eberle, 2004)Germany also has an resplendent state-church relationship. We see that this was developed early in German history with the strong root of the Catholic church build ing embedded in German government. It is known that during the middle ages the Catholic Church maintained an adherence to education particularly in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, accounting, and the study of science and philosophy. Eberle states, The deep association of the Catholic Church with learning is a major figure in the cooperative relationship that has developed between church and state over education. Europeans became accustomed to looking to the Church for support and contribution to society. (Eberle, 2004)