Bullying in School

Bullying: 1. I read the article, â€Å"Jury Orders School District to Pay $800,000 to Bullied Student. † This article was about a boy named Dane Patterson, who had been bullied all through middle school and his early high school career. He claims that the school failed to protect him from years of bullying, and it finally came to be enough when he was sexually harassed in the locker room. As a result to this, the Patterson family filed a lawsuit under Title IX of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, using the sexual harassment story as the basis.This week, the jury ordered the school district to pay Dane $800,000 to make up for the damages and trauma caused by the ongoing situation. Anti-bullying experts argue that this verdict will send a clear message to schools that they are in fact responsible for sexual harassment and bullying, and that they must keep a constant eye out for such behavior. 2. In my opinion, I do not think schools should be held fully responsible for bul lying.I think that maybe they should make more of an effort to prevent it, but there is no way they can take care of all the bullying issues that happen in school. For example, some kids don’t even make an effort to ask for help, or let anyone know they are being bullied, so the school shouldn’t be held accountable for a situation they aren’t even aware is occurring to begin with. In Dane’s situation however, I believe the school should be held responsible because he clearly asked for help and didn’t receive any, and this had been going on since middle school!I think that schools should be fully accountable only if the child seeks out help numerous times and doesn’t receive it, or if the school doesn’t do everything in their power to make the bullying go away. On the other hand, there are some situations which the school cannot control, like I said in the first example; if that is the case, I don’t believe the school should be held responsible. 3. I believe that the parents of the bully’s should be held at least somewhat responsible for their child’s actions because then they could stop the bullying before it gets out of control.Ultimately, schools are responsible for keeping an eye out on bullying and regulating the behavior, but there are some cases in which they just cannot control, therefore they shouldn’t be held responsible. Obesity: 1. For obesity, I read the article, â€Å"Pepsi Initiates Move to Pull Sugared Soft Drinks from Schools in 200 Countries. † This article was about PepsiCo Inc’s announcement, as of Tuesday of this week, about how they planning to remove all of their full-calorie sweetened soft drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by the year 2012 to reduce the trend of obesity.The article also mentions that earlier this month, Coca-Cola made a similar announcement, but they feel they should only eliminate soft drink sales from schools only if parents make a request. Of course, both companies realize that eliminating soft drinks will not end the rising trend of childhood obesity, but they believe that learning better eating and drinking habits in schools are certainly a step in the right direction. 2. I don’t think that schools should be held accountable for obesity in any sense.Schools should strive to sell healthier food, but they are not the cause of obesity. The school is not responsible for the amount of food a child buys, so schools should not be responsible for obesity. 3. In my opinion, obesity is more caused by eating habits in life outside of school, such as home or going out and getting fast food all the time. It’s even genetic. I don’t believe schools should be responsible for obesity because the child controls their own eating habits, not the school. Bullying in School Bullying should be a crime. It is very cruel and unethical. â€Å"Each day an estimated 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied and 10 percent of students who drop out do so because of repeated bullying† (Dalton 1). The way it makes children feel isn’t fair. Imagine that happening to yourself. Bullying in schools presents problems to every age group therefore there should be more bullying prevention programs to help get rid of the problem. Younger age Bullying is a topic that needs to be talked about.Younger age is defined from kindergarten to seventh grade. Children bully because they feel they need to overpower people. They also bully because they think they are better than others or some people just have a low self-esteem. When Younger kids bully it is normally name calling, teasing, or making fun of them by the way they look, speak, or even how smart they are! Older age bullying is another one of my topics. Older age bullying is defined from the grade s of eighth to a senior in high school.People in the Older age group bully for mainly the same reasons. When older people normally bully, it is a lot more sever then younger age bullying. â€Å"Although most victims of bullying in schools are too meek to take matter into their own hands, a few of them can be pushed to certain critical limits. 60% of identified bullies during their grade 6-9 years eventually got involved in at least one criminal conviction by age 24. † Bullying in Schools (1). Older age bullying normally ends up violent and is a lot more severe then younger age bullying.They get into fights or harassment is filed, these are the main things that happen. People will take all of someones strength and will and harass or fight them just to make them feel better about themselves. This is bad because the children who are being bullied do not deserve what they are getting. Nobody deserves to be harassed and manipulated for no reason or any reason. Most of the time, th e people that are being bullied, it isn’t their fault at all. Prevention is another area of concern.According to the online article, â€Å"Bullying Academy,† every school needs a anti-bully website for students, educators, and parents. This world needs to realize what is going on with bullying in schools and take action(1). Every school should have monitors of bullying throughout the halls and classrooms all day long. This is just one thing you could do to prevent bullying. There are many things that you could do, depending on what one your school board would like the most. Every city or town should take money from their funds and put it into schools and bullying prevention programs.According to the online article â€Å"Caring School Community,† â€Å"prevention focuses on strengthening students’ connectedness to school—an important element for increasing academic motivation and achievement and for reducing drug use, violence, and delinquency. â⠂¬  Every school should have a bullying prevention program, where parents and students could come and learn about bullying. These programs could also talk about how it affects people. They should give statistics about what people who bully end up doing in their lives and what people that don’t bully end up doing in their lives. I also think we are making important progress towards discovering how successful anti-bullying programs can be† (Dr. Ken 1). Bullying in schools is wrong and we should have more bullying prevention programs. My main point in writing this paper is to inform people that bullying is wrong. Also I wish that everyone be more aware about the situation, and don’t deny it because it is happening whether you would like to admit it or not. People need to stand up and take charge and make a change in peoples lives. People who are being bullied would love if you took a couple hours of your week just to help them get over the struggles in life. Bullying in School Bullying: 1. I read the article, â€Å"Jury Orders School District to Pay $800,000 to Bullied Student. † This article was about a boy named Dane Patterson, who had been bullied all through middle school and his early high school career. He claims that the school failed to protect him from years of bullying, and it finally came to be enough when he was sexually harassed in the locker room. As a result to this, the Patterson family filed a lawsuit under Title IX of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, using the sexual harassment story as the basis.This week, the jury ordered the school district to pay Dane $800,000 to make up for the damages and trauma caused by the ongoing situation. Anti-bullying experts argue that this verdict will send a clear message to schools that they are in fact responsible for sexual harassment and bullying, and that they must keep a constant eye out for such behavior. 2. In my opinion, I do not think schools should be held fully responsible for bul lying.I think that maybe they should make more of an effort to prevent it, but there is no way they can take care of all the bullying issues that happen in school. For example, some kids don’t even make an effort to ask for help, or let anyone know they are being bullied, so the school shouldn’t be held accountable for a situation they aren’t even aware is occurring to begin with. In Dane’s situation however, I believe the school should be held responsible because he clearly asked for help and didn’t receive any, and this had been going on since middle school!I think that schools should be fully accountable only if the child seeks out help numerous times and doesn’t receive it, or if the school doesn’t do everything in their power to make the bullying go away. On the other hand, there are some situations which the school cannot control, like I said in the first example; if that is the case, I don’t believe the school should be held responsible. 3. I believe that the parents of the bully’s should be held at least somewhat responsible for their child’s actions because then they could stop the bullying before it gets out of control.Ultimately, schools are responsible for keeping an eye out on bullying and regulating the behavior, but there are some cases in which they just cannot control, therefore they shouldn’t be held responsible. Obesity: 1. For obesity, I read the article, â€Å"Pepsi Initiates Move to Pull Sugared Soft Drinks from Schools in 200 Countries. † This article was about PepsiCo Inc’s announcement, as of Tuesday of this week, about how they planning to remove all of their full-calorie sweetened soft drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by the year 2012 to reduce the trend of obesity.The article also mentions that earlier this month, Coca-Cola made a similar announcement, but they feel they should only eliminate soft drink sales from schools only if parents make a request. Of course, both companies realize that eliminating soft drinks will not end the rising trend of childhood obesity, but they believe that learning better eating and drinking habits in schools are certainly a step in the right direction. 2. I don’t think that schools should be held accountable for obesity in any sense.Schools should strive to sell healthier food, but they are not the cause of obesity. The school is not responsible for the amount of food a child buys, so schools should not be responsible for obesity. 3. In my opinion, obesity is more caused by eating habits in life outside of school, such as home or going out and getting fast food all the time. It’s even genetic. I don’t believe schools should be responsible for obesity because the child controls their own eating habits, not the school.

Human Resource Accounting

â€Å"Research Proposal† Topic : Human Resource Accounting as a Measurement Tool: Asian Perspective Submitted By: M. Rizwan Arshad. Lecturer Department of Management Sciences The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. PhD Research Proposal of Mr Rizwan Arshad Human Resource Accounting as a Measurement Tool: An Asian Perspective Attempts to account the Human Resource are not new it was Rensis Likert (1963), who initiated research into HR accounting in the 60’s. He stressed the importance of long term planning of Human Resource qualitative variables that results in greater benefits in the long run. The resource theory considered that the competitive position of an organization depends on its specific asset, which is the HR. This explains why some firms are more productive and successful than others under almost similar conditions and similar industry. It is the HR that makes all the difference. Following a less fruitful research period (Grojer and Johanson, 1998: 495) one could have expected interest in the area to wane but on the contrary, it has experienced something of a revival. When anyone wants to know the history of HR accounting, most reviewers such as Grojer and Johanson (1998) agreed that during the first half of the 1970s it was one of the most researched subject within accounting, consuming a vast amount of academic Endeavour. Human Resource is not just the number of pairs of hands engaged in any organization. HR is above the simple number game. HR may be though of as the total knowledge, skills, creative abilities, talents and aptitudes of an organization’s work force. It is the sum total of inherent abilities, acquired knowledge and skills of the employees. Why HR accounting is considered as important and who is the focus of this research? HR accounting is a term that has both a narrow and more generic focus in the literature with respect to the understanding of the value of people in the contemporary workplace and the contribution of the HR function. Defined narrowly â€Å"It is the process of identifying and measuring data about HR and communicating this information to interested parties†(American Accounting Association, 1973, as cited in Flamholtz, 1999: xii). This definition suggests that HR accounting is a tool that can be used for reporting people as organizational resources in both financial and managerial accounting terms (Flamholtz, 1999) The objective is to quantify the economic value of people (Sackman et al, 1989:235). According to Sveiby (1997) attempts to convert people or competencies into financial figures, although theoretically interesting, have not proved entirely useful to managers. The use of both financial and non-financial approaches is now a more common theme when discussion focuses on the nature of HR accounting. The reason for this is that HR accounting should be thought of as a set of techniques that provide a more balanced perspective, encouraging as much concern about the long-term drivers of financial success as about current performance and value. Consequently, the literature has adopted a wider brief when describing its nature. Some writers (Lester, 1996; Sheedy-Gohil, 1996; Skittle, 1995) claim that the level of knowledge-based assets of an organisation gives a clearer indication of the potential for future profitability than do traditional historical accounting measures. Therefore, the rate of change in knowledge-based and other intangible assets must be included in any meaningful measure of profits. However, a review by Scarbrough and Elias (2002) suggests that, as an asset, human capital is precarious in terms of its potential mobility and difficult in terms of its measurement. So narrowly defining HR accounting has distinct limitations because the measurement of HR in whatever guise then becomes reliant on a purely financial metric that invariably involves debate about asset models and cost-benefit analysis. Here, we adopt this broader notion, embracing both a range of financial and non-financial measurements associated with Human Resource Management. MEASUREMENT PITFALLS AND THE ACCOUNTING IDEOLOGY Measuring human resources has been viewed as proceeding rather slowly because its advocates always seem to be in the minority (Turner, 1996). Despite this, research has, over the past decade, been substantially measurement-oriented (Johanson and Larsen, 2000). Numerous studies report advances in measurement approaches, case studies of developing practice and the growing support for techniques such as the balanced score-card (eg Boudreau, 1998; Fitz-enz, 2000; Flamholtz, 1999; Flamholtz and Main, 1999). These achievements may have been somewhat overshadowed by research that has, quite necessarily, been preoccupied with debating a range of measurement concerns including the old arguments that will continue to be debated long into the future. The first of these arguments concerns the capitalization of HR and the debate surrounding whether human resources qualify or can appropriately be labeled as assets notwithstanding the competing view that there may be little substantial difference between intangible and tangible assets with no reason to treat one differently from the other (Boudreau, 1998; Johanson and Larsen, 2000; Mirvis and Macy, 1976; Turner, 1996). There has also been the need to discuss what Human Resource measurement system should be designed to achieve, bearing in mind that measurement is not neutral and the choice of metrics conveys values, priorities and a strategic framework (Boudreau, 1998: 24). The dangerous liaison between human resources and accounting and the pitfalls of measurement requires a delicate balancing act juggling the multiplicity of often unlinked measures with the need to provide information that is oing to be effective in guiding and managing behavior (Pfeffer, 1997). Similarly there has also been a need to debate whether the accounting paradigm has been re-conceptualized (Mayo, 2000) to account for the new economic transformation (Flamholtz and Main, 1999: 11). This involves accounting requirements that move beyond the accepted role of custodial and financial accountability into the realms of fiscal, social and environmental accountability. (Turner, 1996: 71). This involves a shift in thinking from human asset to human worth (Roslender, 1997) emphasizing a more holistic approach which embraces a broader range of social scientists thinking (Roslender and Dyson, 1992: 312) and allows for exploration in the realms of soft accounting numbers (Roslender, 1997: 22). Complying with orthodox management accounting conventions runs the risk, argues Armstrong (1989, 1995), of not only challenging the role but having to justify all HR activity in cost-effectiveness terms, thereby handing to others outside the function the decision as to what initiatives be given priority. This strategy cedes too much to the dominant accounting culture and may also, in the end, achieve little security for the personnel function (Armstrong, 1989: 160). What is needed, suggests Armstrong (1989: 160), is for HR practitioners to master the accounting approach to the point where they can clearly identify its shortcomings, thereby putting themselves in a position to focus on the inadequacies of accounting projections as an exclusive basis for managerial decision-making, especially where HR are concerned. By exploiting such shortcomings, HR practitioners can, suggests Armstrong (1989), further their cause by offering alternative strategies that emphasis that traditional accounting valuations are only one of a number of ways of establishing the value of HR. It is the politics of measurement and its likely impact on the HR function that dwarfs all others argues Pfeffer (1997). Shrewd HR leaders are already training their people in a range of measurement strategies in order to prepare them to do battle on more favorable terms with the number of people in the firm. All of these debates, including the ethics of even attempting to measure the worth of HR have one goal in mind: to develop a means of valuing that captures the very nature of the worth of people and reports it in a way that not only allows for the development of the people themselves but the added value (worth) that they contribute to the organisation. Consequently, understanding why HR accounting is important, to whom it is important and its links with organizational and HR strategies will provide a context for benchmarking the level of support for measuring HR and how far that support has been integrated into the thinking of different managerial groups and organizational strategies. This is what we set out to achieve. Methodology & Data Collection The sample will be drawn from the organizations in Pakistan from the top industries working in local economy. Questionnaires will sent to a random sample of 20 members from each organization. For the purpose of gathering data survey-questionnaire approach will be used. The research will carried out in three phases. Phase 1 involved item generation, for that section of the questionnaire concerned with the importance and measurement of HR. A focus group of 50 people from different organizations will ask to discuss a number of questions. The content analysis of this information is use in developing the important measure of the questionnaire. In the second phase the draft questionnaire will sent to a group of 20 HR managers organized through a network of one of the senior managers who was part of the original focus group. Each participant will asked to go through the questionnaire and write any comments relating to any particular question or questions in the right-hand margin available in the copy of the questionnaire. The emphasis in this phase will, as explained to participants, to find out whether they thought any of the questions are ambiguous or whether parts of the questionnaire could be improved. All the comments received related to the background information of the questions and a number of modifications will made to this section. In third phase the questionnaire will distributed to the sample groups described above. Research Questions †¢Why it is important to evaluate HR? †¢Why organizations are not measuring HR? †¢How HR can be measured? †¢How often are measures taken and reviewed? †¢Who develops and collects HR information? †¢Whether human resources qualify or can appropriately be labeled as assets? Does the level of Knowledge-based assets of an organization give a clearer indication of the potential for future profitability than do traditional accounting measures? †¢Does it is possible to develop a means of valuing that captures the very nature of the worth of people? †¢Does it can be used for the development of the peoples in the organization? †¢Does HR accounting add value (worth) that HR contributes to the organization? Pot ential Outcomes †¢If the firm can effectively calculate the value of HR and add their value to firm’s assets, it will increase the book value of the firm’s shares. An index can be prepared for different industries and firms can compare their HR value to the industry standard and with the other firms present in the same industry. †¢The budget for the Training and Development can be justified. †¢Firms can evaluate the results of Training and Development by comparing the value of HR before and after training and development session. REFERENCES Armstrong, P. (1989). Limits and possibilities for HRM in an age of management accounting’ in New perspectives on Human Resource Management. J. Storey (ed). London: Routledge. Dasgupta. N. â€Å"Human Resources Accounting† Sultan Chand & Sons New Delhi 1980. Flamholtz, E. G. and Main, E. D. (1999). `Current issues, recent advancements and future directions in human resource accounting’. Journal of Human Resource Costing and Accounting, 4: 1, 11-20. Johanson, U. (1999). `Why the concept of human resource costing and accounting does not work’. Personnel Review, 28: 1/2, 91-107. Lester, T. (1996). `Measuring human capital’. Human Resources, 24, 54 . Mayo, A. (2000). The Human Value of the Enterprise, London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Mirvis, P. H. and Macy, B. A. (1976). `Human resource accounting: a measurement perspective’. Academy of Management Review, 1, 74-83. Pfeffer, J. (1997). `Pitfalls on the road to measurement: the dangerous liaison of human resources with the ideas of accounting and finance’. Human Resource Management, 36: 3, 357-365. Prabhakara Rao D, â€Å"Human Resources Accounting† Inter-India. Publications New Delhi. 1986 Sveiby, K. E. (1997). The New Organizational Wealth: Managing and Measuring Knowledge-based Assets, San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. Turner, G. (1996). `Human resource accounting wisdom? ’ Journal of Human Resource Costing and Accounting, 1, 63-73.

Luxury consumer behavior in Mainland China Essay

China recently became the world’s second largest market for luxury goods with an annual increase of more than 30% in 2010, even surpassing Japan. Further estimates predict that China will become the largest upscale product and consumer goods market in the world. How does a country with an average GDP per capita of $3,800 USD, and classified behind 105 in the world ranking possess such a strong propensity for consuming luxury goods and products? Specifically, how does one make sense of Mainland Chinese luxury buyers and their respective consumer behavior? This article answers these strategic questions for foreign companies and marketers who are interested in the luxury industry in China, and for those who want to develop a greater understanding of one of the world’s largest market and its 1. 3 billion consumers. â€Å"At the core of this paper is an explanation of Mainland China’s 21st century value system that can only have been shaped from the country’s rich history. † At the core of this paper is an explanation of Mainland China’s 21st century value system that can only have been shaped from the country’s rich history. Answering how China has become the buoyant socialist state economy it is today, is to shed light onto the country’s various economic, social, cultural and psychological histories. The history of luxury consumption in China is one of the country’s oldest. It remains deeply rooted into China’s cultural and sociological landscape and has subsequently influenced other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The contemporary Chinese antique market and auction houses offer a telling explanation of how luxury is consumed in China. During the economic downtown, collections of Chinese antiquities were sold at Christie’s auction house for far more than their estimated value. In 2009, a 12th-century B. C. bronze vessel from the Western Zhou Dynasty sold for over 14 times its estimated value. These antique collectors are, in large part, Chinese or Asian. Collecting an expensive, storied antique is viewed in a similar vein to purchasing a luxury good. To own an artifact at home was tantamount in grandeur to that displayed by museums around the world that also housed ancient Chinese art collections. In sharp contrast, during China’s Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, tradition and Chinese cultural heritage was viewed negatively as something boring, worthless, and divisive. History and heritage were destroyed in favor of new equalizing ideology. The Cultural Revolution created a cultural void, and those affected would go on to be known as the ‘lost generation’. Currently in their 50s, some members of the ‘lost generation’ have attained new wealth. They partake in the purchasing of luxury goods, and often lack subtlety. They are ostentatious and inherently possess a skewed view of what is traditional or socially accepted, subsequently explaining for very extravagant behavior. A few examples include the rebuilding of the Chateau de Maison Laffitte of Paris in a suburb of Beijing, or one wealthy man’s endeavors to build an exact replica of the U. S. President’s White House in a rural area of Anhui province. The underlying theme is the Mainland Chinese desire to mimic emblems of power from Western culture. â€Å"Today, the Mainland Chinese consumer’s 21st century value system is comprised of three salient parts: the traditional Chinese value system persists, the socialist Chinese value system (dominant), and the Western value system which is often regarded like a trend. † As the West represents advanced technology, super powers and modern values, the majority of Mainland Chinese seek to pursue these values the best they can. Therefore the pursuit of Western values can be said to have a strong influence on the Chinese consumer value system. Today, the Mainland Chinese consumer’s 21st century value system is comprised of three salient parts: the traditional Chinese value system persists, the socialist Chinese value system (dominant), and the Western value system which is often regarded like a trend. The updated Chinese socialist value system of Deng’s reform and opening policy brings modernity, wealth, achievement and success, while the Western values bring personal liberty, post-modernism, also modernity, achievement and success. Together, the Chinese consumer’s 21st century value system is a veritable melting pot; strong values of modernity, wealth and success are dominant. Thus, the pursuit of modernity, wealth and success remains the key in explaining luxury consumer behavior in Mainland China. From this explanation of the dominant set of values within Chinese society, it is hardly surprising to discover that Mainland China’s car sales in 2009 averaged 13 million, even exceeding car sales in the U. S.. Additionally, sales for German car manufacturer Mercedes Benz went up 77%. Deng’s Open reform policy in 1978 allowed for individuals to pursue wealth through various means. Economic development transformed the social structure from a model that was horizontally equal to that of vertical extension and growth. Now, after three decades of inexistence from 1950 to 1980, social classes have reemerged. During the following three decades from 1980s to 2010, social wealth increased by an average 10% of growth each year. The Mainland Chinese consumer saw better financial opportunity and became increasingly wealthy. Financial and career success and achievements naturally became a way for people to distinguish themselves from others. It became de rigueur to openly display a person’s individual success, and luxury goods and designer brands effectively communicated status and wealth. However, at the core of this newfound wealth and status was the honest pursuit of better living conditions. Better living conditions meant for higher quality products and upscale brands. Therefore, international luxury brands perfectly fulfilled the needs of Mainland Chinese consumers from all angles – cultural, social, and economic – attributing for a more modern, powerful, and self-confident approach to life. â€Å"At the core of this newfound wealth and status was the honest pursuit of better living conditions. Better living conditions meant for higher quality products and upscale brands. † In Mainland China, one may see a person carrying an authentic Louis Vuitton bag while riding a crowded, public bus somewhere in the rural countryside. Luxury goods are consumed on a mass level, and are not confined to a select few. The central cause for an increased consumption of luxury products results from the country’s socialist value system. During the transitional period from a pure planned system to a market-driven economy, consumers inherently retained the idea of equality. Government authorities also try to maintain and communicate that equality in Mainland China is crucial to national identity. Based on steady economic development and a newfound consumer confidence towards the future’s potential, Mainland Chinese consumers believe that they are, in essence, the same as each other. Even if they cannot afford a luxury brand item today, they will save up several months of savings to eventually have it. It is important to note that all Chinese luxury consumers do not aim to show off. There is a homogenous identity and behavioral patterns that come with new wealth. However, only focusing on this collective homogenous identity, and not pay attention on the differences would cause a marketing plan to fail. The Mainland Chinese market is large and sophisticated enough to use multi-criteria methods to understanding its various crossed aspects, such as psychographic, geographic and demographic aspects. Psychographically, consumers are different from socio-psychological and cultural attitudes towards luxury point of views. These psychographic variables segment in the market into four groups known as luxury lovers, luxury followers, luxury intellectuals and luxury laggards with three dimensions according to the different psychographic aspects: collectivism-individualism, analytical-impulsive thinking, conspicuousness-functionality for luxury goods. Geographically, the regional differences in China (in terms of climates, cultural customs and languages) are varied; they are the equivalent to the collective differences found throughout Europe. China can also be divided into four large regions: North, South, East and West. Cities within a given region can be further classified into tiered cities according to city’s level of economic development. Demographically, the factors classify naturally consumers into traditional groups. For the purposes of this paper, the research sample used is meaningful for study as the income levels are controlled at ten times the national average income. This ensures luxury consumption because of the sample’s disposable income level and the easy affordability of luxury goods. Age is also controlled in the range of 25 to 45 years of age in order to be sure that the sample belongs to members of Mainland China’s new generation, avoiding the inclusion of members from the ‘lost generation’ entirely. All sample participants were educated at the university level and possessed an undergraduate degree. The psychographic segmentation of Chinese luxury consumers as luxury lovers, luxury followers, luxury intellectuals and luxury laggards cross with geographic factors to show the regional distribution difference of the four groups in various parts of the Mainland Chinese market. The results can be found in Table I and Table II. Table I: Psychographic Segmentation of Chinese Luxury Consumers Table II: Chinese Luxury Consumer Segmentation Geographical Distribution in China The segmentation proves the heterogeneity of Chinese luxury consumers although conspicuousness is dominant for luxury lovers and followers, representing 31. 2% of the total market in first tier cities. Still, conspicuousness is very visible and serves as motivation especially among ‘first movers’ for purchasing new products. First movers are often portrayed by the media as opinion leaders, and are they are tactfully used to influence the market. However, intellectuals and laggards focusing on functionality and individualism are still the main dominant groups for luxury consumers in China even in first tier cities. Why are luxury’s main consumers still quiet and conservative about their attitude towards luxury goods? â€Å"After the initial introduction of international luxury brands in China, the curiosity of Mainland Chinese consumers wore off as they began to seriously confront the psychological discomfort associated with the absence of a Chinese luxury brand. † The conservative conspicuousness is coming from the cultural and psychological contradiction: 1) the admiration of ancient China’s luxury lifestyle influences the luxury pursuit today. Currently, luxury brands are widely available from many foreign countries, such as France, Italy, and Switzerland. After the initial introduction of international luxury brands in China, the curiosity of Mainland Chinese consumers wore off as they began to seriously confront the psychological discomfort associated with the absence of a Chinese luxury brand. Why was there no Chinese brand capable of carrying out the essence of luxury found in ancient Chinese culture? 2) Chinese tradition encourages people to be benign and to not have an extravagant life. Exercising frugality and discreetness are seen as the proper way for a person to behave in society. This virtue of frugality and discreetness is also the socially accepted norm by the Chinese socialist value system. Therefore, frugality and discreetness received two confirmations from two value systems (tradition and socialist) in comparison to modernity, wealth and achievement values, which were confirmed twice by socialist and western value systems. As a result, the internal psychological values within the 21st century value system of Mainland China are conflicted. This conflict is reflected in the attitudes and behaviors of its consumers, especially in regard to the luxury market, and accounts for the following: an ambivalent attitude towards luxury consumption and psychological dissonance after purchasing. An exception is gift giving or special product categories. â€Å"The conflict of having a centralized power structure versus liberty and an openness of the market creates individual wealth while limiting the expression of wealth and status. † Conservative conspicuousness can also be understood by the unique socialist system within Mainland China’s market-drive economy. The conflict of having a centralized power structure versus liberty and an openness of the market creates individual wealth while limiting the expression of wealth and status. Those consumers who are typically found in politics or a government related environment are said to be luxury intellectuals. In this setting, wealth should not be overtly expressed or shown off to others. Products that are discreetly designed, such as ties, scarves, business suits, or handbags without logos are most popular. Alternatively, if an individual outside of politics consumes luxury products, it is most likely that he or she is a luxury lover or follower. (Please see Table III) Table III: The Conservative Conspicuousness of Chinese Luxury Consumers The potential for luxury industries to thrive in the Mainland Chinese market is high. With steady economic development, more information on luxury goods readily available online and offline, the increasing relevance of e-commerce, and a greater awareness for a higher quality of life, consumerism will propel to the center of this dynamic market. As consumers get more savvy and sophisticated, the Mainland Chinese market will, in due time, be much more difficult and complicated to operate. About the author Pierre Xiao LU is Assistant Professor of Marketing at School of Management of Fudan University in Shanghai. He specializes in luxury consumer behavior study, luxury brand management and selective retailing. His theories about Chinese consumer formed the fundamental understanding for international brands towards this market and largely adopted by successful upscale brands. Before he joins Fudan University, he received his PhD in marketing from ESSEC Paris where he is visiting professor of LVMH Chair and of its Asian campus in Singapore. Lu is author of â€Å"Elite China, Luxury Consumer Behavior in China† and co-author of â€Å"Luxury China, Market Opportunities and Potentials†. He can be reached at xiaolu@fudan. edu. cn. References †¢ Michel Chevalier and Pierre Xiao Lu, Luxury China, Market Opportunities and Potentials, Wiley and sons, 2010 †¢ Jacques Gernet, Le Monde Chinois, Paris: Armand Colin, 1999 †¢ Alexandra Peers, What’s Still Recession-Proof, The Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2009 †¢ Pierre Xiao Lu, Elite China, Luxury Consumer Behavior in China, Wiley and Sons, 2008 †¢ China car sales top U. S. by Gilles Guillaume, Reuters, January 11, 2010 †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ http://www. reuters. com/article/idUSTRE60A1BQ20100111 †¢ Mercedes-Benz says 2009 China sales up 77 percent, Reuters, January 11, 2010 †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ http://www. reuters. com/article/idUSTRE60B0EY20100112 †¢ Pierre Bordieux, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste, London: Routledge, 1984 †¢ Pierre Xiao Lu, Elite China, Luxury Consumer Behavior in China, Wiley and Sons, 2008 †¢ Michel Chevalier and Pierre Xiao Lu, Luxury China, Market Opportunities and Potentials, Wiley and sons, 2010 †¢ Pierre Xiao Lu and Benard Pras, Profiling Mass Affluent Luxury Goods Consumers in China: a Psychographic Approach, Thunderbird International Business Review, forthcoming.

Anatomy of the Blood and Blood Pressure Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anatomy of the Blood and Blood Pressure - Article Example Certain qualities of the arteries ( such as elasticity ) that carry the blood can influence blood pressure. The arteries can constrict (due to clogs caused by fatty deposits ) which increases the risk for high blood pressure, or it can simply dilate allow blood to flow normally. An irregular blood pressure can be caused by many factors such as stress, lack of exercise, posture, and straining. Lack of sleep can contribute to low blood pressure which means that blood is not flowing as expected thereby reducing the energy of the body. On the contrary, high blood pressure causes too strain on other organs of the body that can result in injury or damage and produce metabolic disorders. Blood flow is critical since the blood is important in the distribution of oxygen as well as nutrients to the whole body, however, the key to a healthy living is moderation. Think about a time when you or someone you know experienced an imbalance in one of the special areas identified. What were the results of the imbalance and how did it affect the body’s overall function? The left heart chamber is an important part of the circulatory system. This is where the blood is transported back after it has circulated all over the body. When blood pressure increases, there is a high probability that this organ would thicken. When the heart cannot accommodate the pressure, its ability to squeeze is impaired resulting in heart failure. According to the American Heart Organization, when Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) happens, the heart cannot pump enough blood to the other organs of the body. One of the major organs affected by this situation are the kidneys. As we all know, Kidneys play an important role in maintaining water and sodium balance in the body. When CHF happens, blood flows slowly to the kidneys thereby causing blood to back up in the veins.

Recruitment and Selection of personnel. How to evaluate the Essay

Recruitment and Selection of personnel. How to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment processes - Essay Example In the next step, the research establishes a correlation between hiring methods and organizational performance across various parameters like financial, productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and quality staff retention. Research finds that some of the recruitment and selection practices have a higher correlation with organizational performance across all the above stated parameters. Finally the study suggests methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the recruitment and selection practices. Among various studies on human resource practices, there aren’t many that focus on measuring effectiveness of recruitment and selection methods. Recruitment and selection are those vital components of HR function that provide human capital to the organization, which forms the core of competitive advantages for the company. Attracting quality manpower through various strategies, screening, short listing and carrying them through the selection process and finally inducting the most suitable candidates in the organization are the various stages involved. Some of the researchers like Breaugh & Starke (2000) have tried to find a correlation between recruitment process and subsequently success of the selected candidate on the job. That provides one parameter for measuring the effectiveness of one of the components. Retention of the selected employees cant be ignored from the scope of effectiveness of recruitment and selection strategies. Though once the suitable candidate is hired, half the job is done, some of the issues related directly to employee turnover and retention, might be unrelated to recruitment and selection processes. However, staff turnout before becoming productive, can be a sign of ineffective process. In todays competitive world, Human Resource function isnt just a support function and the measures like Balanced Score Card have been developed to measure HR from financial perspective as

Investment Banking ( calculation and short answer) Essay - 1

Investment Banking ( calculation and short answer) - Essay Example The accretion analysis provides an platform for evaluating control premium of purchasing the acquisition and hence its profitability. Further, accretion analysis is also triggered by the need to evaluate project earnings from for an acquisition. Intuitively, application of accretion analysis helps the acquirer to evaluate the effect of the acquisition on the expected earnings per share and hence the ability of the project to provide favorable earnings. In LBO, assuming the sponsor sells ValueCo at the end of year 5 at an exit multiple equal to its entry multiple, determine enterprise value and equity value at exit given the ending debt balances provided. Based on equity returns and leverage levels, LBO analysis helps in evaluating purchase price. Intuitively, the firm would have to calculate the maximum price that can yield enoughreturns and also cover the debt levels. In which case, the firm in questin will apply LBO analysis to determine a maximum price through the calculation of IRR. Consequently, this ensure that the expected equity returns from the investment is adequate and can cover administrative costs and expenses for the operations. A financial buyer can also use LBO analysis to serve in characterizing the leverage and equity at various prices available for the investment. The financial buyer would consider it suitable to choose a price that would readily yield expected returns on equity for the post-transataction. Further, evaluating the charateristics of the price also allows the buyer to make a decision that would increase the potential returns from the financial leverage of the same. In this case, IRR is an essential tool used in the analysis to depict the charactertisitcs of the various prices. In a case of absence of a strategic buyer for the transaction, LBO analysis proves essential in making LBO firms to be willing buyers. Through determining

Training during global recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Training during global recession - Essay Example This paper will posit the various views stating why it is an unwise move for the company to discontinue its training programmes. Galagan (2009) views the effect of the economic challenges of 2008 as motivators for greater precision and efficiency in the execution of business strategies. There is a move towards more constrained use of resources, including people. At about the same time, however, there is an accelerating retirement trend among the Baby Boomer generation, creating a skills gap in several organizations. This is apparent in the rehiring or extension of retirees and retirables in jobs that require specialized knowledge and skills, and for which there is a dearth of qualified younger workers. The confluence of forces that bear upon industry’s manpower complement sometimes create perplexing developments. For instance, the grim economy has manufacturers and other businesses laying off record numbers of workers, yet at the same time there is strong, unsatisfied demand for employees that have anxious companies begging on their knees (Cadrain, 2009). According to economists, academics and human resource managers, the causes can be traced to changing technology, offshoring, global competition and retirements. It is thus not a matter of the unavailability of jobs, but the unavailability of the right types of employees to fill the jobs that are open and waiting. Apparently, â€Å"it’s not a worker shortage, it’s a talent shortage,† according to a report by The Manufacturing Institute, Deloitte and Oracle (Cadrain, 2009). In all companies, there is need for particular skills and talents that training can address, even and especially during an economic slowdown. It takes a matter of strong leadership, vision and foresight to perceive the necessity of training, the kind of training needed, and how such training can benefit the company long after the recession has ended (Van Buskirk, 2009). The American

Non-linear Pro vs Quick Takes Video - Nature of Agency Essay

Non-linear Pro vs Quick Takes Video - Nature of Agency - Essay Example Hence, the principal would be vicariously liable for the acts of the agent and would be responsible for all the negotiations and contracts that the agent has signed on his behalf (Herbert, 2010). The agency relationship would be having both commercial and legal effects. For example, an owner of the business would rely on various agents to do the ordinary day-to-day work of the business, whereas since a company is an artificial person, it would be represented through the act of the agents (including management and employers) that make decisions and take responsibilities on behalf of the company. Usually a contract or an agreement may be present between the agent and principal who may be in an oral or written format, and giving agency in an expressive or implied manner. Implied agency refers to acting out of necessity or the situation would dictate that an appropriate person make a decision on behalf of the principal. In a corporation, the senior executives and the management board hav e the implied authority and the apparent authority to make decisions on any matter on behalf of the principal/company (London International University, 2007). ... An agreement for agency may also be mentioned in the employment contract, be a separate agreement of agency, be mentioned in the contract with the third party, etc. Secondly, there is a relationship bringing third parties in contract with the principal, for certain works (Herbert, 2010). For an agent to act on behalf of the principal, he/she should have some authority to do so. If the agent was not acting out of his power and not out of necessity, the agent and not the principal would be held liable. The authority provided to the agent is of 3 types and are recognized by law. These include actual authority, apparent authority and ratified authority. Actual authority involves actual provision of authority to the agent to represent the principal in certain matter and make decisions. The authority provided here may be expressed or implied. If an agent has acted beyond the actual authority, it can be considered as a breach of contract. When an agent is acting within the scope of his empl oyment with the principal, then the claimant can claim from the employer. Ratification is a process in which an agent who had been acting on behalf of others in the past and would have performed certain non-authorized acts, but the same is being approved now (Rao, 2009). Apparent authority or ostensible authority refers to the conduct or words of the principal which would require a person to take decisions on behalf of the principal and act on behalf of the principal with any third party. Here the third party is in a position to believe that the agent is acting on behalf of the principal, even if the issue with acting with this particular third party has never been discussed between the principal and the agency. The third parties have acted within reasonable grounds,

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Hamlet - Essay Example With this understanding in mind, the express focus of this brief analysis will be with regards to comparing William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† with Tom Stoppard’s â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead†. Rather than merely coming to the delineation that these two plays are from different eras and represent a specific and unique take upon the realities that define life, it is the hope of this author that the forthcoming analysis will be beneficial in helping the reader to understand specific dynamics of these plays, specific approaches of the authors, and a specific level of understanding with regards to the comparison and contrast that will be delineated. The very first element of comparison and contrast that should be made between these two plays is with regards to the differential in approach of norms and mores that define society, religious belief, and/or reality itself. For instance, Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† presents the reader w ith something of a unanimous and ordered society, uniform in its slot, religious beliefs, ideology, and business transactions (Javed 329). The hierarchy that is represented within the play is of course denoted with regards to the manner in which Hamlet acts as the ultimate freeman; able to define his own fate and that of his countrymen upon a whim. Moreover, religious belief is something that is uniform throughout Shakespeare’s play; with Hamlet and others oftentimes representing and unshaken belief that an afterlife and the purpose of the current life can be defined through a very strict Judeo-Christian norm. By means of comparison, â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead† is much more asymmetrical its approach. ... By means of comparison, â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead† is much more asymmetrical its approach. As such, a lack of religious faith, a destruction in the belief or understanding that social norms are acceptable and efficient in their application, and the integration of the fact that a vast level of irrational and ideological thought impacts the way in which decisions are made and humans interact with one another is evidenced at nearly every juncture (Lewis 611). By means of contrast of the simplistic understanding of religion and social order exhibited in Hamlet, the social order and religious conviction that are exhibited in â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead† is far different. Ultimately, an erosion of conviction, a lack of faith, a plurality of society, and the belief that diversity rather than uniformity is the greatest means of empowerment. With regards to style and form, it can also be noted that â€Å"Hamlet† is a classical drama; refe rencing a discernible shape, beginning, midpoint, and in. As such, as a result of the fact that the preceding elements of the plot demand a level of conclusion, the reader is left to understand that action is required within the conclusion as a means of rectifying this tension. However, by means of comparison, the irrationality and the loss of sense of control that â€Å"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead† exhibits and denotes an underlying lack of confidence with regards to the way in which the plot will be resolved. Further, a unique level of differential also exists with regards to the representation of man in both place (Nejad 59). Whereas men are represented within

Differences and Similarities Between positive and Negative Thinker Essay

Differences and Similarities Between positive and Negative Thinker - Essay Example The more problem coming into their lives the stronger they are. In every depth of problem; they will overcome it. The more fall down into thinking to the solution; the more strong their faith to God. The problem passes by into them the more they enjoy, it. Positive thinker is the people who think that there is a GOD. They believe that every problem that coming into their lives is just a test from the Supreme Being. They believe that God will not going to give a problem that they cannot solve. Deeper the problem deeper the faith in God. Every situation in their lives happier or pain , they going to face it The more test the more perseverance in them. Our lives is only given by GOD. They believe that every cry out into their lives GOD is listening. More and more they persevere. Every problem they face ; they face it with enthusiasm. They think that learning is enjoyable; exciting; learning is just okay; something is required for the job. Activates the world around him positively. A negative thinker is a person who is more to depressive. In every problem they think that it has a one. They think that God has a favorite child. In every problem the negative thinker is always an opposite traits of a positive person. They always tremble in every problem. They always think of nothing will going to happen even if they tried many times. In their lives they always think that every time they try to speak somebody will going to control them.

How Television Has Impacted Technology Essay Example for Free

How Television Has Impacted Technology Essay Television was introduced in 1949 but very few people had it because it was extremely expensive. The only channels people could watch were NBC and CBS. Television became increasingly popular because it was entertainment without going and sitting in the movie theaters. As TV became more popular, it became more affordable. People would hear about television through word of mouth, news, radio and newspaper. Everybody liked the idea of being entertained and staying at home. By the 1960s most families has TV sets in their living rooms, depending on if they liked being entertained at home. Television in the United States has grown year after year and has made a big impact on American culture in many ways. TV has taken a big part in violence in society, the news, how people are stereotyped, childhood obesity, family values, social interaction, and so much more. In my opinion one of the biggest impacts that television has had on American culture is childhood obesity. Obesity is considered a form of malnutrition in which food energy is stored as fat due to being unused. Child obesity is bred within the home and the television is a major contributor to it. The energy we consume from food needs to be used up by the body on a daily basis through physical exertion. An overweight child devoting a major portion of time to watching television is at risk to becoming obese. Television is certainly a contributor to that obesity. Kids these days are getting bigger and bigger, while television shows are growing and growing. To me, that is a big issue and television affects it a lot. Back in the day children enjoyed going outside to play, getting involved in sports or just anything outdoors. I feel like as of today there are now only about a quarter of the kids that enjoy doing outdoors stuff like that. The other 75% of kids choose to stay inside because most likely there favorite TV show is on or there is a movie that they just have to watch. Those kids are losing their time to play outside and mainly burn and lose calories because they are just sitting there watching TV for hours and hours. Obesity is known to be one of the major health concerns among both children and adults in the United States today. It is suggested by certain groups that children should not watch more than two hours of television a day. This in my opinion is already too much because that is where childhood obesity all gets started. The average child n the United States regularly watches between 2-3 hours of television a day and many children now days have their own television set in their bedroom. Not only are children inactive while they are watching television, they often snack on unhealthy food choices. And like I said, establishing unhealthy food habits as a child can often continue into adulthood. Investi gators have hypothesized that television viewing cause’s obesity by one or more of three mechanisms: (1) displacement of physical activity, (2) increased calorie consumption while watching or caused by the effects of advertising, and (3) reduced resting metabolism. The relationship between television viewing and obesity has been examined in a relatively large number of cross-sectional epidemiologic studies but few longitudinal studies. Many of these studies have found relatively weak, positive associations, but others have found no associations or mixed results; however, the weak and variable associations found in these studies may be the result of limitations in measurement. Even studies for reducing the amount of television intake have been completed. They do not test â€Å"reducing television time† directly, but the results that they get may help to reduce the amount of risk for obesity or help promote weight loss in obese children. â€Å"An experimental study was designed specifically to test directly the causal relationship between television viewing behaviors and body fatness. The results of this randomized, controlled trial provide evidence that television viewing is a cause of increased body fatness and that reducing television viewing is a promising strategy for preventing childhood obesity. † I really think parents need to take a stand to their children by limiting the amount of time they spend in front of the television, before it gets too late and they have an obese child. Removing televisions from children’s bedrooms and putting time limits on the TV may be a good way for parents to reduce the risk of obesity in children. Parents must serve as role models because their television viewing habits influence their children’s. Parents should also limit the frequency of television viewing. Overweight and obese children need to be encouraged to do more physical activity such as walking, playing and limiting their television time. Children may also need structured physical activity times to divert them away from television. â€Å"Although the increase in childhood obesity is not caused solely by television watching, Dr. Reginald Washington points out in the editorial that accompanies the articles, Society, as a whole, must realize that to effectively control and prevent this obesity epidemic, all risk factors must simultaneously be reduced. A study by the University of Liverpool psychologists has shown that it is to be true that obese and overweight children increase their food intake by more than 100% after watching food advertisements on television. Children all over the world are exposed to a huge number of TV advertisements, primarily for fast foods and sweets. Some say that it is not the amount of TV; it is the number of junk food commercials that advertise unhealthy foods and constantly play over and over. It is miserable that people blame television as a result to childhood obesity but the United States is starting to get very lazy when it comes to situations like this, therefore I truly believe TV is one of the dominate reasons of why children are becoming obese. I feel like this impact has been mainly negative on American culture. Television advertisers get talked down to by research groups, wanting them to take away all the unhealthy food commercials. Childhood obesity coming from television watchers makes American culture look very bad. When you find out that all it takes is television sets in a kids bedroom and high-quality shows that make children sit, stare and snack to become obese. It really puts a depressing look on America. In my opinion it is a very negative result because it used to not be this way at all. The parents and children put themselves in the situation to becoming obese and television just is an excuse for whenever they actually are obese. I know I will never let my children or close friends get this way due to excess amount of television watching. I have time to watch all my shows I like during the day and still get a good exercise in. I believe that all people can watch their weight and not become obese if they really try. So I really hope the culture changes and fix its look on television with obesity. I do believe that the internet will be used more wisely than television as a medium for delivering content. Television is an older and dull way of showing and sharing shows, movies and advertisements, while now days the nternet can do the same plus a whole lot more. Internet is a lot easier to get to because so many people have smart phones or laptops to be able to quickly access it. I feel like even now I start to see more and more people of all ages on their laptop/computer/smart phone rather than sitting down and watching television shows. Internet is a new (compared to TV) and entertaining way to access World Wide Web. News and broadcast stations are all starting to put their information and ideas on the internet even before they send them to television. While putting the internet into question about my topic, as much as I hate seeing younger kids run around with their own smart phone and/or laptop, it would really help society. Internet will help a lot more in this situation because children that do have smart phones will be able to play outside and exercise with their phone in hand. If the kids do go outside while on their phone it will stop them from sitting in front of a television set, sitting, staring and snacking. Therefore, it will lower the childhood obesity rate in the United States. Childhood obesity is a very heartbreaking yet occurring thing that television influenced and started in the U. S. It has been a very big impact on television and American Culture. After all, we are all hoping and praying that parents help their children get back to how it was back in the day. Have the children exercising, playing outside, and getting involved in sports that way they only spend approximately one hour watching television. We have to lower the childhood obesity rate and will continue to try and stop every way that is involved in it.

Luxury good Essay Example for Free

Luxury good Essay ? Introduction 1. 1 Background of Study For luxury product and brand in the past three decades, Chinese market is unprecedented booming. From Pierre Cardin dominate early, later Louis Vuitton Illustrious, to each proliferation of luxury brands, the Chinese luxury high-end consumer tasted bud grow vitality and enjoyed the excitement noisy fanatical pursuit of luxury brands. While luxury product appears to be the public think that is only a small number of people can have the products, but according to the Chinas current level of economic development and consumer purchasing level has been able to provide basic guarantee for the development of the luxury industry. Actually in the Chinese dictionary, the meaning of luxury is synonymous with waste. And luxury goods in English is originated from Latin roots luxus, meaning is strong reproductive capacity, this kind of description also expresses the luxury of the characteristics of too much and waste. But in the modern society, the meaning itself has completed the transformation from negative to neutral. At the book luxury brand management, zhouyun, P. 2010 gives a board definition to luxury goods, which is luxury goods as a hope, a dream. Because it is the hopes and dreams, so it is demanding for the people, once people have can get intense pleasure and enjoyment, but also shows it is not the necessities of human life. At present, a very noteworthy trend is the concept of luxury of being extended outward. The concept of new luxury arises at the historic moment; the new luxury refers to are those goods and services that better than other similar products in the quality of goods, higher grade, better service, more fascinated customer. However, these products are not cheap, but that does not mean it too expensive to afford (Michael Silverstein, 2005). Such as Apples IPOD, cell phone with new features, Swarovski, etc. In recent years, Chinese consumers have become the largest consumer group of luxury brands in the world (Husband, 2010). According to a new report compiled by HSBC, about a quarter of the world’s luxury purchases are now made by Chinese citizens, which means 25% of luxury goods. Go through the HSBC report it shows that in 2007, china only purchasing5% of luxury goods in the world. It’s increasing by 5% each years and the expert think the number of increasing will be more and more. The purchasing of Luxury goods was increasing by huge number and very fast speed. The increasing speed was similar with the China GDP growing (Bouee, 2012). Since 2000, the China economic GDP was increased a lot. Chinas gross domestic product stood at US$3. 38 trillion while Germany’s GDP was USD $3. 32 trillion for 2007. This made China the world’s third largest economy by gross domestic product. Based on these figures, in 2007 China recorded its fastest growth since 1994 when the GDP grew by 13. 1 percent (Xin, 2009). The increasing economic was the most important reason to push Chinese buying Luxury goods. There are also many other factors that irritate people to buy luxury goods, owning luxury goods that means have a kind of culture. In China, there mainly are three luxury consumer groups in China: the rich flaunting fortune and manifesting identity, the young people gaining a sense of satisfaction and the bribers for mutual collusion and commercially hidden rules. (Wood, Zoe, 2011). For luxury brands, they want to take advantage in the Chinese market; they must know more about China market and understand the Chinese consumer consumption. Only based on the understanding of Chinese people buying behavior, the luxury goods companies can make accurate and effective marketing strategy. Therefore, this study is titled â€Å"Factors that motivate customers towards buying decision of luxury product (A survey of Chinese customer in China)†. 1. 2 Problem Identification This study is according to the situation of Chinese social luxury consumption, analysis the factors that affecting Chinese customer purchasing decision of luxury product in China. The study intends to evaluate whether the value of buying luxury products, the attitude towards people who own luxury goods, income level and purpose of buying luxury products that motivate customers towards buying decision of luxury product. Based on the statement above, the title of this study is â€Å"Factors that motivate customers towards buying decision of luxury product (A survey of Chinese customer in China)†. 1. 3 Statement of Problem This study aimed to determine the Factors that motivate customers towards buying decision of luxury product in China; specifically it shed answer to following: Does the value of buying luxury products have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision? Does the attitude toward people who own luxury goods have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision? Does the income level have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision? Does the purpose of buying luxury products have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision? 1. 4 Research Objectives Based on the preceding research questions, the research objective of study can be translated as follow: To find out if the value of buying luxury products have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision. To find out if the attitude toward people who own luxury goods have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision. To find out if income level have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision. To find out if purpose of buying luxury products have positive and significant relationship with the customers buying decision. 1. 5 Significance of the Study 1. 5. 1 For researcher Research is a way that through the observed, robust, measurement and calculation to get the information what you want to need. So I can use the information of research to known what kind of factors that influence people buying the luxury products. 1. 5. 2 For luxury goods companiesÃ'Ž Through the research the luxury goods companies will understanding the customer buying behavior and decisions, so the companies can make accurate and effective marketing strategy to attract more customers. 1. 5. 3 For customer Through the research can guide the customer who buying the luxury goods has a right consumption view and values, buy luxury goods is focus on the intrinsic value rather than just for showing off wealth. 1. 5. 4 For future researcher Through the research, we can get some important data and the future researcher can use these data to do some analysis and get knowledge. 1. 6 Definition of Terms Luxury goods: In economics, a luxury good is a good for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises, and is a contrast to a necessity good, for which demand increases proportionally less than income. Luxury goods are often synonymous with superior goods. Customer Psychology: an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of customer mental functions and behaviors. Buying decision: the buying decision is series of choices made by a consumer prior to making a purchase that begins once the consumer has established a willingness to buy. Customer motivation: Consumer motivation is an internal state that drives people to identify and buy products or services that fulfill conscious and unconscious needs or desires. The fulfillment of those needs can then motivate them to make a repeat purchase or to find different goods and services to better fulfill those needs. Research methodology: research methodology is a collective term for the structured process of conducting research. There are many different methodologies used in various types of research and the term is usually considered to include research design, data gathering and data analysis. 1. 7 Scope and Limitation 1. 7. 1 Scope This research paper is study Factors that motivate customers towards buying decision of luxury product of Chinese customer. 1. 7. 2 Limitation For this research, the limitation of the study is: a. Place of research is China or PU Chinese student b. Young people and adults c. Number of respondents limited to 80 peoples d. The time limited from January 2014 until March 2014 References 1. Zhouyun P. (2010). Luxury brand management, 45-87 2. Michael Silverstein, P. (2005). Trading Up: The New American Luxury 3. Chadha, R. , Husband, P. (2010). The cult of the luxury brand: Inside Asias love affair with luxury. London: Nicholas Brealey International. 4. Charles Edouard Bouee. (2012) A brand awareness upgrade â€Å"Welcoming a new era in the Chinese luxury market† 5. China revises 2007 GDP growth rate to 13%. Xinhuanet. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-15. 6. Wood, Zoe. LVMHs remarkable Half-year Results Reveal Luxury Is Back in Fashion. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 26 July 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2012.

Kushta Abrak Safaid Physicochemical Properties Study

Kushta Abrak Safaid Physicochemical Properties Study STUDY OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF KUSHTA ABRAK SAFAID PREPARED BY DIFFERENT DETOXIFICATION METHODS Mohd Tariq, Khaleequr Rahman, Shahid Shah Chaudhary, Mohd Zakir Corresponding author. Mohd Tariq (M.D) Abstract Background: Kushtas are organo-mineral nano-particles made by treating mineral with several herbs and subjected to precise heat treatment. In classical Unani text, various methods for the detoxification of abrak (Mica) are described. The end product of these methods is considered to be same but scientifically this claim has not been validated. Objective: The present study was aimed at comparative physicochemical evaluation of kushta abrak safaid (KAS) prepared by two different methods of detoxification, using classical as well as modern scientific parameters. Materials and Methods: Abrak was detoxified by two methods mentioned in Unani literature. After detoxification, both kushtas were prepared in furnace due to isolation of material heated, cost effectiveness and controlled heating system. Both finished products were comparatively evaluated for physicochemical characteristics including preliminary tests. Results: Floating and fineness test were positive for both the kushtas indicated correct preparation of KAS. Bulk density (0.50 ± 0.00 and 0.49 ± 0.00 gm/ml), tapped density (0.83 ± 0.00 and 0.83 ± 0.03 gm/ml), Hauser’s ratio (1.69 ± 0.00 and 1.65 ±0.01), compressibility index (40.23 ± 0.24 and 40.25 ±0.41%), loss of weight on drying (0.095 ± 0.00 and 0.094 ± 0.00%), pH of 1 and 10 % solution (9.96 ± 0.01, 9.60 ± 0.01, and 10.87 ± 0.00, 10.30 ± 0.01) total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash (93.04 ± 0.05, 5.98 ± 0.01, 6.59 ± 0.07 and 97.26 ± 0.03, 6.84 ± 0.01, 7.48 ± 0.00%); extractive values in petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and water (0.00 ± 0.00, 0.46 ± 0.03, 1.43 ± 0.03, 5.23 ± 0.03 and 0.00 ± 0.00, 0.6 ± 0.00, 1.73 ± 0.03, 2.4 ±0.06%) were reported in KAS1 and KAS2 respectively. Conclusion: Results suggests that physicochemical constants of both kushtas were similar without any significant difference. Hence, the study scientifically validates the claims of Unani scholars that different detoxification methods of abrak do not have any significant effect on physicochemical properties of its kushtas. Key words: Detoxification, kushta, Mica, physicochemical, Unani medicine. 1. Introduction Unani means medicines which are a symbol of life. The name is derived from the word Ionian which originated in Greece. It is a time tested system of medicine dating back 5000 years.1 This system has vast description of useful metals and minerals. Earlier there was a disbelief that minerals are incompatible to humans, but now it has been reported that numbers of metallic compounds are essential for body.2 In Unani and other alternative system of medicine these metals and minerals are mostly used in calcined form called as kushta. Kushta is known by various vernacular names like Rasayana,3,4 Elixir4, Kimiya,4 Ikseer3,4, Bhasma5 etc. It is an organometallic substance treated with a quantum of heat to induce thermal decomposition in drug which produces rapid remedial effect after entering in the body. 6 In Unani system Mica (abrak) is used effectively since millennia for the treatment of various disorders. Internally, it is used in the form of kushta. But before making its kushta, it is always subjected to detoxification in order to enhance its therapeutic actions and remove the unwanted or toxic properties.7 Various detoxification procedures of abrak are mentioned in classical texts, which are still in practiced. Unani scholars claim that different detoxification methods do not implicate significant effect on physicochemical properties of the end products. However, this claim is never scientifically studied. Therefore, the present study was aimed to prepare kushta abrak safaid by detoxifying it by two different methods and comparatively inscribe the physicochemical properties of both the finished product and to observe that whether the two kushtas significantly differ from each other or not. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1 Materials Abrak safaid and milk were purchased from the local market in Bangalore. Ghekwar (Aloe barbadensis Mill.) was procured from the herbal garden of National Institute of Unani Medicine. Shora Qalmi (Potassium nitrate) was purchased from Shrinivasa chemical shop, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore and was of analytical grade. 2.2 Methods of detoxification (Tasfiya) of abrak safaid Before subjecting to kushtasazi, abrak safaid was purified as per classical literature. Most of the raw drugs are procured from the mines, so there is more chance of impurities, toxicity and heterogeneous qualities. Tasfiya (detoxification) is indicated to eliminate all such impurities and to induce certain good qualities to enhance its pharmaco-therapeutic properties.8 This process results in the conversion of impure mineral into pure or organomineral form, ready to be calcined.9 If ‘tasfiya is not performed, their use is said to be injurious to the individual.10 First method of detoxification The layers of abrak were first separated by pounding with mortar and pestle (Fig 1). The small pieces of abrak were tied loosely in a bag of thick cotton cloth along with date (Phoenix dactylifera) seeds. The bag was then dipped in lukewarm water and rubbed vigorously (Fig 2). Small particles of abrak were then squeezed out of the bag. The process of dipping the bag in hot water and rubbing was repeated till all the particles of abrak were squeezed out of the bag. The particles of abrak were allowed to settle down at the bottom of the vessels and the water was decanted. The abrak particles were collected and allowed to dry. The dry particles are called abrak mahloob (Fig 3).11 Fig 1: Raw abrak Fig 2: Dhanab process Fig 3: Abrak mahloob Second Method of detoxification Abrak was heated on fire (Fig 4) until red hot (Fig 5) and then dipped in 100 ml milk (Fig 6). The procedure was repeated seven times.12 Fig 4. Raw Abrak  during heating Fig. 5 Abrak after  red hot stage Fig. 6. Abrak safaid  after dipping in milk 2.3 Method of preparation of Kushta Abrak safaid KAS was prepared as per method mentioned in Kitab ul taklees6 but with a slight modification, that instead of using the cow dung cakes it was prepared in furnace because being a closed chamber furnace gives better temperature control,9,13 isolation of material being heated, saves time and labour,13 Twelve gram abrak safaid musaffa was dipped in luab gheekwar (Aloe barbadensis) (Fig 7) and placed inside Muffle Furnace and heat was given (Fig 8). For the operation of heat, thermogram of 12 kg of cow dung cakes given by Kumar G et al was followed14 as same quantity of cow dung cakes are used for the preparation of KAS. Afterwards self cooling, 18 gm shora qalmi dissolved in 20 ml water was added (Fig 9) and again heated (Fig. 10) by following same heat pattern. After self cooling, kushta was removed and dipped in one liter water (Fig 11) and kept undisturbed for 2-3 hrs so as to remove shora qalmi. Afterwards water was removed and kushta was dried on heater. After complete drying, KAS ( Fig 12) was stored in an air tight bottle. Fig. 7 Abrak flakes dipped Fig. 8. After 1st puta (Heating) Fig. 9. Shora dissolved  in Aloe barbadensis in water added Fig. 10. After 2nd puta (Heating) Fig. 11. Kushta dipped in water Fig. 12. Final kushta abrak safaid Physico-chemical parameters The prepared kushtas were evaluated for classical parameters like organoleptic properties, classical parameters of kamil kushta (ideal kushta) like floating test, 15 grain floating test,16 fineness test15 as well as modern scientific parameters like bulk density,17 tapped density,17 Hausner’s ratio,18 Carr’s compressibility index19 in density tester by LABINDIA model no. 1025. pH in 1% and 10% solution20 by digital pH meter by Eutech instruments model no. 1544421, loss of weight on drying20 in hot air oven by LABLINE, Anmatrix instrument technologies. Total ash,21 acid insoluble ash,22 water soluble ash22 and extractive values23 were also evaluated. 3. Results and Discussion Ideally kushta should be tasteless, odorless and lusterless. Both KAS were tasteless, odorless, smooth to touch and lusterless (Table no.3). KAS1 was yellowish white and KAS2 was complete white. Floating, grain floating, finger and wall stick test were positive for both kushtas (Fig.13-18). These findings implies that both the kushtas were ideal (kamil) as per classical Unani literature. Fig.13 Floating test (KAS1) Fig.14 Rice floating on KAS1 Fig. 15.Finger test KAS1 Fig. 16 Floating test (KAS2) Fig. 17 Rice floating on KAS2 Fig. 18 Finger test (KAS2) The mean value of bulk and tapped density of KAS1 and KAS2 were 0.50 ± 0.00 gm/ml, 0.83 ± 0.00 gm/ml and 0.49 ±0.00, 0.83 ± 0.03 gm/ml respectively (Table no.4). Bulk density is the mass per unit volume of a loose powder bed. It is an essential parameter for process development of solid dosage manufacturing. It indicates the amount of powder that can fit in a space.18 The tapped density represents the random dense packing of the material and is generally higher for regularly shaped particles (i.e. spheres) as compared to irregularly shaped particles such as needles.18 The mean value of Hausner’s ratio and compressibility Index of KAS1 and KAS2 were 1.69 ± 0.00, 40.23 ± 0.24% and 1.65 ± 0.00, 40.39 ±0.25 % respectively (Table no.4). Compressibility index is a measure of relative importance of inter-particulate interactions. In a free flowing particle, these interactions are generally less significant; so bulk density and tapped density values are closer. For poo rly flowing materials, there are frequently greater inter particle interactions, which results in lower bulk density and a greater difference between bulk and tapped densities. These differences in particle interactions are reflected as compressibility index.18 Compressibility index of kushtas were greater than 37 indicated that both kushtas have very, very poor flow properties.24 However, the compressibility index of KAS1 was less than that of KAS2 indicating that KAS2 was more compressible than KAS1. Fig. 19. Comparative Bulk density, tapped density and Hausner’s ratio of raw abrak, KAS1 and KAS2 pH value of both kushta were alkaline. The pH value of KAS1 and KAS2 was 9.96 ± 0.01 and 9.60 ± 0.01 respectively in 1% and 10.87 ± 0.00 and 10.30 ± 0.01 respectively in 10% aqueous solution (Table no.4). These results are in accordance to the fact that the pH value of water solutions of metallic oxides are basic.25 The percentage of loss of weight on drying at 105 °C was found to be 0.095 ± 0.00 and 0.094 ± 0.00 in KAS1 and KAS2 respectively (Table no.4). Shelf life of kushta as mentioned in classical literature is infinite and they become more and more potent with the advent of time. This negligible moisture might be the factor responsible for high shelf life as it would not provide any medium for the growth of the microbes and restricts the chemical reactions. The mean percentage values of the total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash and water insoluble ash in KAS1 were 93.04 ± 0.05%, 5.98 ± 0.01 %, 6.59 ± 0.07% and 86.45 ± 0.07 % respectively and for KAS2 were 97.26 ± 0.03 %, 6.84 ± 0.01 %, 7.48 ± 0.00 % and 89.77 ± 0.04% respectively (Table no.4). High ash value in both kushtas showed the presence of very high inorganic content. However, KAS2 showed higher quantity of inorganic matter than KAS2. Fig. 20. Comparative total ash (TA), water insoluble ash (WIA), acid insoluble ash (AIA) and water soluble ash (WSA) of raw abrak, KAS1 and KAS2 The mean percentage of the extractive value of KAS1 in petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and water were 0.00 ± 0.00, 0.46 ± 0.03, 1.43 ± 0.0and 35.23 ± 0.03 respectively and for KAS2 were 0.00 ± 0.00, 0.6 ± 0.00, 1.73 ± 0.03 and 5.73 ± 0.03 respectively (Table no.4). Extractive values help in the determination of the adulteration and is an index of the purity of the drug. In case of kushta extractive value is performed to extract out organic matter if present.26 Low extractive values were indicative of very low organic matter and maximum quantity of inorganic substance in both kushtas. Fig. 21. Comparative extractive values of KAS1 and KAS2 in petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and water Table 1: Observations while detoxification of abrak Table 2: Physical Constants of raw abrak Table 3: Preliminary tests of raw abrak, KAS1 and KAS2 Table 4: Physicochemical parameters of raw abrak, KAS1 and KAS2 *LOD- Loss of weight on drying, AIA-Acid insoluble ash, WIA- Water insoluble ash, WSA- Water soluble ash 4. Conclusion The data of the present study suggests that the physicochemical characteristics of KAS1 and KAS2 were similar without any significant difference. Hence, the study validates the claim of Unani scholars that difference in detoxification methods does not have any effect on the action and uses of kushtas. Further, these kushtas should be analyzed through sophisticated analytical instruments like XRD, Particle size distribution, SEM, TEM, Energy Dispersive X Ray, AFM methods. Furthermore, work needs to be done using various animal models to evaluate the extent of absorption and their elemental effect at tissue level. References Dubey N, Dubey N, Mehta RS, Saluja AK, Jain DK. Quality Assessment of Kushta-e-Gaodanti: A Traditional Unani Medicine. Asian J. Research Chem. 2008; 1(1):46-50. Dandiya PC, Vohora SB. Research and Development of Indigenous Drugs. New Delhi: Jamia Hamdard; 1989:297 Kareem BH, Ferozuddin CH. Miftahul Khazain. New Delhi: Idara Kitabus shifa; YNM: 6, 194. Mahdihassan S. Indian Alchemy or Rasayana. New Delhi: Vikas Publication House; 1979: iii, 20,51, 52, 60, 63, 65,66. Bajaj S, Vohora SB. Anti-Cataleptic, Anti-Anxiety and Anti-Depressant Activity of Gold Preparations used in Indian Systems of Medicine. Ind Jour of Pharmacol. 2000; 32: 339-346. Kabeeruddin HM. Kitabul Taklees. New Delhi: Central Council of Research in Unani Medicine; YNM: 23, 46, 68 Khaleefatullah M, Rasheeda AM. Ilmul sayadala- The Unani pharmacy. Andhra Pradesh : Academic Publisher; 2009: 27. Neeralagi RM. Physico-Chemical Analysis and Evaluation of Antibacterial And Antifungal Activity Of Sasyaka Bhasma. Dissertation submitted to the Rajiv Gandhi university of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka; 2010:13. Tariq M. Comparative Physicochemical Analysis of Kushta Nuqra Prepared by Different Methods of Detoxification. Dissertation submitted to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka; 2013: 68. Chopra RN, Chopra IC, Handa KL, Kapur LD. Chopra’s Indigenous Drugs of India. 2 Nd Ed. Calcutta: Academic Publisher; 1982:461-464. Anonymous. The Unani Pharmacopoeia of India. Part-II. Vol. 1. New Delhi: CCRUM, Ministry of H F.W. Govt. of India; 2007: 270-271. Hafeez A. Sanatal Takless. New Delhi: Central Council of Research in Unani Medicine; YNM: 87. Chaturvedi R, Jha CB. Standard Manufacturing Procedure of Rajata Bhasma. An Int Quar Jour of Res in Ayur. 2011; 32(4): 566–71. Kumar KG, Galib, Patgiri BJ. Pharmaceutical standardization of Jala shukati Bhasma and mukata shukati Bhasma. An Int Quar Jour of Res in Ayur. 2012; 33(1): 136–142. Tariq M, Chaudhary SS, Imtiyaz S. Introduction to kushta: a herbo-mineral Unani formulation. Jour of pharma and sci inno. 2013; 2(1): 14-17. Mohaptra S, Jha CB. Physicochemical characterization of ayurvedic bhasma (swarna mashika bhasma): An approach to standardization. Int Jour of Ayur Res. 2010; 1(2): 82-86. Ahmed N, Niharika G, Deepak P, Nazan S, Mohammed SA. Formulation design, characterisation and in vitro Evaluation of bilayered tablets containing Telmisartan and hydrochlorthizide. Int Jour of Biopharma. 2013; 4(1): 1-9. Qui Y, Chen Y, Zhang GZ. Developing solid oral dosage forms: Pharmaceutical theory and practice. USA: Academic press, Elseviers; 2009: 168-70. Ghosh TK, Jasti BR. Theory and practice of contemporary pharmaceutics. USA: CRC press; 2006: 299 Anonymous. Physicochemical Standards of Unani Formulations. Part 4. New Delhi: Central Council of Research in Unani Medicine; 2006: 39, 142-145. Anonymous. The Unani Pharmacopoeia of India. Vol. 2. New Delhi: GOI. Dept. of AYUSH; 2007: 116. Anonymous. The Unani Pharmacopoeia of India. Vol. 3. New Delhi: GOI. Dept. of AYUSH; 2007: 134. Anonymous. Quality Control Methods for Herbal Materials. Switzerland: WHO; 2011: 29-31 Aulton EM. Aultons Pharmaceutics. London: Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier; 2009: 176-178. Qasmi IA. Kitabul Taklees. Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University; 2003: 13-17. Rasheed A, Marri A, Naik MM. Standardization of Bhasma: Importance and prospects. Jour of Pharmacy Res. 2011; 4(6):1931-1933.

Each of Us Has the Power to Change the World :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the whole world has been seeking world peace harder than ever before. Ironically though, the world today has also seen tragic wars and conflicts that have the capability to destroy mankind. Possession of nuclear weapons, indiscriminate attacks against innocents, and abuse of human rights are the realities that we should not turn our back on but instead face up to. Strong individual, ethnic, and national identities sometimes lead to conflicts because they are entities which drive humans to become self-seeking, disrespectful, and often exclusionary. However, the process of becoming aware of individual identity also can result in the solution of international conflicts between people of different cultures and ethnicities. This happens because in the process of understanding who you are, you are also able to appreciate other people's identities. Hence, it is important for every single person, whatever culture or philosophy he or she possesses, t o believe that an effort made by an individual can directly solve future conflicts between people, no matter what their ethnic differences. One must understand conflicts to solve them. It is important to consider what they are, why they are, what characteristics they have, and how they can be categorized. Conflicts are natural among humans; people desire to protect their local society or, in the present, the international community. In fact, a conflict that maintains or eventually reunifies national identity is an advantage for human society.1 Imannuel Kant, an Enlightenment philosopher of the eighteenth century who strongly believed in international cooperation and peace, even stated, "All wars are so many attempts to bring about new relations among the states and to form new bodies...there is created a state that civic commonwealth can maintain itself automatically."2 In the same way, confrontation within a society sometimes has positive consequences. During the Civil Rights movement in the United States in the 1960s, African Americans were determined to draw a line between white people and themselves recognize themsel ves as an independent and equal entity. They suffered severe conflict to achieve this goal. Conflict exists today because we have ethnic or cultural borders that are not only geographical (i.e. national borders) but also psychological. These boundaries are often mutable and situational, however. In fact, many anthropologists define ethnic identity and boundaries in different ways. One of the reasons for the different definitions is that people choose which ethnic identity to use based on context.

Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller Essay -- Death of a Salesman Ess

Death of A Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, is a play based on the turmoil within an average American family. Miller wrote Death of A Salesman easily showcasing the elements of drama. I was easily able to follow the plot, identify with his characters, and picture the setting. The main theme of the plot seemed to be Willy reaching for the "American Dream". Financial success, business success, outwardly perfect family, revered by your peers, and in general respected by all. Early on in the play two things are evident to the reader; Willy's questionable mental status, and his tumultuous relationship with his sons. Willy is apparently suffering from some sort of mental or emotional issues. These issues are causing him to conversations with his brother Ben, who has already passed away, and re-play past events in his mind. At times, Willy speaks aloud to his brother and even when re-living moments with Biff. Biff and Willy are obviously harboring ill feelings towards one another, but neither are willing to bring the reason into light. In Act II we discover Biff had discovered his father was having an extra-marital affair. Biff, already distraught over not graduating, was crushed. He idolized his father and could not believe he would do this to his mother. To spite his father, Biff did not finish school and Willy took this as spitting on him. Through the years the resentment grew to the point they had a non-existent relationship. Willy's relationship with his sons is a contributing point to both the plot and characterization. It seems neither one has lived up to the dreams he has for them. I believe he wanted to live through them and actually have them fulfill his dreams for himself. Since his ... ... Miller managed to create a play where his audience could truly feel emotion for the characters. Miller had wanted Willy's life to be held within a dream of possibility and for Willy to embrace his world of illusion (Bigsby 319). I feel he was able to do this with his wonderful ability to help the reader become emerged in the plot. His characterization made his characters seem tangible. The music and lighting descriptions helped to make the scene come alive. Works Cited Bigsby, C. W. E. â€Å"Death of a Salesman.† Arthur Miller: A Critical Study. New York: Cambridge UP, 2005. 100-123. Foll, Scott. "Conflict and Meaning" 2000 Web. http://aliscot.com/ensenanza/1302/conflict.htm Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." 1949. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &ump;, 2012. 238-303. Print.

The Samples - No Room :: Music

The Samples - No Room The cold January air sent chills down my spine as my sister Susan and I hustled down the streets of New Haven, Connecticut. Our destination was a small club called Toads' Place. When we finally arrived at the club I was relieved to feel the warm air inside begin to restore the numbness that had taken over my body. We made our way in to find that the club was virtually empty. This was to be expected, considering we arrived forty-five minutes before the opening band was scheduled to play. I immediately clung to the heaters trying to warm my frozen body, but Susan ripped me away and dragged me to the front of the stage where Andy Sheldon, the bass guitarist of The Samples, would soon stand. My sister had dreams of one day marrying him, overlooking the fact that he was married and had kids. As we waited I stood and took in the surroundings, which included walls covered with pictures, albums and autographs. Jackson Browne, Bob Marley and Bruce Springsteen are only a few of the famous name s; history was seeping out of the walls. At first the club seemed large, but as the people piled in it became smaller and smaller. A thick haze of smoke began to collect above us and hover under the dim lights. The atmosphere was perfect for an incredible show. The opening band began to play and herds of people rushed in charging their way to the front. Susan and I stood our ground bonding together to keep our ideal spot. As the opening band played, Sean Kelly, the lead singer of The Samples, video taped the crowd from behind the stage as Jeep, the drummer, ran around trying to get our attention. Eventually The Samples took the stage opening with "Did You Ever Look So Nice;" the song that would set the tone for the rest of the show. The song opens with the quiet tap of Jeep's drumsticks and then Al joins in on the keyboard with a beat that you can't help jumping to. It becomes your pulse; the crowd begins to jump up and down in unison; if you stop you don't know what will happen. The rest of the band slowly works its way in and then Jeep jumps in on the drums completing the sound. Sean begins to sing. The Samples - No Room :: Music The Samples - No Room The cold January air sent chills down my spine as my sister Susan and I hustled down the streets of New Haven, Connecticut. Our destination was a small club called Toads' Place. When we finally arrived at the club I was relieved to feel the warm air inside begin to restore the numbness that had taken over my body. We made our way in to find that the club was virtually empty. This was to be expected, considering we arrived forty-five minutes before the opening band was scheduled to play. I immediately clung to the heaters trying to warm my frozen body, but Susan ripped me away and dragged me to the front of the stage where Andy Sheldon, the bass guitarist of The Samples, would soon stand. My sister had dreams of one day marrying him, overlooking the fact that he was married and had kids. As we waited I stood and took in the surroundings, which included walls covered with pictures, albums and autographs. Jackson Browne, Bob Marley and Bruce Springsteen are only a few of the famous name s; history was seeping out of the walls. At first the club seemed large, but as the people piled in it became smaller and smaller. A thick haze of smoke began to collect above us and hover under the dim lights. The atmosphere was perfect for an incredible show. The opening band began to play and herds of people rushed in charging their way to the front. Susan and I stood our ground bonding together to keep our ideal spot. As the opening band played, Sean Kelly, the lead singer of The Samples, video taped the crowd from behind the stage as Jeep, the drummer, ran around trying to get our attention. Eventually The Samples took the stage opening with "Did You Ever Look So Nice;" the song that would set the tone for the rest of the show. The song opens with the quiet tap of Jeep's drumsticks and then Al joins in on the keyboard with a beat that you can't help jumping to. It becomes your pulse; the crowd begins to jump up and down in unison; if you stop you don't know what will happen. The rest of the band slowly works its way in and then Jeep jumps in on the drums completing the sound. Sean begins to sing.