Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Rise of E-Books - 820 Words

INTRODUCTION We live in a digital era today. We have come to the point when our lives would be unimaginable without internet. We are relying on it so much these days that our dependence sometimes borders addiction. However, internet is slowly merging itself into our lives. It has come to affect every aspect of modern living. Therefore, of all the things internet is influencing today, what impact does it have on modern literature? Moreover, did internet kill literature? With internet, a feeling of availability prevails. And to a certain extent, it is true – some fifteen years ago, it would have been impossible to write a book today and publish it tomorrow. Or to desire to read a bestseller and have it on your Kindle immediately. Furthermore, digital era brought about many changes in the publishing industry and the largest of them being the phenomenon of self-publishing. LOOKING BACK†¦ Looking backwards at the beginnings of the publishing industry, we can see that it was the novel which started it all. Therefore it was the novel that created mass-markets. For example, Daniel Defoe with his Robinson Crusoe, considered to be the first English novel, was a middle-class writer. He cared little about the tradition and antiquity, hence what he did was considered novelty at the time – he popularized ordinary man. From that moment onwards, the novel spreads and evolves into numerous sub-genres and is today the most prominent form of writing. In addition, another example from history,Show MoreRelatedEffects of the Study Habits1056 Words   |  5 PagesAn electronic book (variously, e-book, ebook, digital book) is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the e-book as â€Å"an electronic version of a printed book, but e-books can and do exist without any printed equivalent. E-books are usuallyRead MoreEssay on Conflict Diagnosis1102 Words   |  5 PagesApple, publishers conspired to fix prices,† it is alleged that Apple and five major publishers conspired to raise prices of e-books and limit retail price competition. It is thought that the publishers wished to combat Amazon.com’s common practice of selling many new e-books for as low as $9.99 or low er. If the publisher’s stopped competing on pricing then the prices of the e-books would raise automatically making it more profitable for the publisher’s and Apple. The Justice Department’s Antitrust DivisionRead MoreWhich Is Preferred An E Book Or A Paper Book?1012 Words   |  5 PagesWhich Is Preferred an E-Book or a Paper Book? Americans have always read and loved books for hundreds and hundreds of years. Books are the pathway to another world, a world that can only be seen one page at a time. Up until the latter half of the twentieth century, a new book was invented, except it was not written with paper and ink. A man whose name was Michael Hart (Flood 1) was the first to ever publish an electronic book or also called an e-book, in the year of 1971. At this point, there wereRead MoreConsumer Theory and Budget Line1291 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowing represents Guy s budget line? A) 50 = 10QD + 20Q H B) 50 = QD + QH C) 20Y = QD + 10Q H D) Y = 10QD - 20Q H E) Y = 50 + QD + QH 1) 2) David has an income of $30 to buy movie tickets and bus tickets. The price of a movie ticket is $6 and the price of a bus ticket is $2. What is David s real income? A) $38 B) $30 C) $32 D) 5 movie tickets or 15 bus tickets E) 15 movie tickets or 5 bus tickets 2) 3) The magnitude of the slope of the budget line is the A) absolute priceRead MoreBooks vs Ebooks Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesNow days with the rise of digital technology many physical items such as pen and paper are slowly being replaced by computers and smart phones. But is this really a good thing? I read books and of course so do many other people in this class and around the globe. But since the creation of ‘e-readers’ more and more people have been converting to the technology based side of reading. Although technology is slowly becoming more predominant in this era we should not rely on it to always entertain andRead MoreThe Shareholders Of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd1561 Words   |  7 PagesLtd should be satisfied as the current year (2014) EPS was higher than usual, and a higher earnings per share ratio often makes the stock price of a company rise. Earnings Yield Earnings Yield 2013 = 37.71% Earnings Yield 2014 =37.60% Decreased 0.11% from 37.71% to 37.60% Definition: The Earnings Yield (the reciprocal of the P/E Ratio) can be used to easily compare the earnings of stock or the whole market against bond yields. It is the relationship between the company’s share price andRead MoreWorld War II to the Gulf War by Stephen E. Ambrose1667 Words   |  7 PagesRise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938 is an alluring analysis of Americas outside approach of World War II to the Gulf War. The author, Stephen E. Ambrose, received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin. He is known for his accomplished writing. He has written fifteen books on military history, foreign policy, and quite a few biographies on our own past United States presidents. Besides his career as an author, Ambrose has taught several history classes at various locationsRead MoreBackground. Today, People Are Engaging In E-Commerce More1742 Words   |  7 PagesBackground Today, people are engaging in e-commerce more than ever. Traditionally American consumers shopped exclusively in local businesses and specialty mom and pop stores. These stores are essentially smaller, independently owned and operated businesses that have little influence on the market. Small businesses occupy several areas of business including retail, services, wholesaling and manufacturing. The growing acceptance of the Internet and e-commerce in the early 1990’s changed the way peopleRead MoreExamining a Business Failure657 Words   |  3 Pagesbe its undoing. Rather than attempting to sell its books online under its own label, unlike its major competitor Barnes Noble, Borders outsourced its online sales to Amazon.com, thus diluting its brand name (Sandburn 2011). Borders had already been a slow mover into the business of selling reading material online, allowing its competitors to establish inroads into the market. The end of reading is occasionally prophesized because of the rise of the Internet. However, this alone cannot explainRead MoreThinking Outside the Covers of a Book: The Rise and the Fall of Amazon vs. Borders in the Online World1664 Words   |  7 PagesThinking outside of the box and the covers of a book: The rise and the fall of Amazon versus Borders in the online world Introduction With the rise in popularity of the Internet, the death of books was prophesized. The demise of Borders, once the most viable rival to the behemoth book chain Barnes Noble could be read as a symptom of this cultural phenomenon. However, another of Barnes Nobles rivals, that of Amazon.com is thriving. Amazon.com introduced a new model of profitability for online

Saturday, December 14, 2019

American Economy Free Essays

In a broad sense, the macroeconomic policies developed and implemented by the Federal Reserve (the Fed) are those which regulate the national supply of money. Either through foreign exchange operations, or management of public funds, the Fed seeks to maintain the level of money supply in ways that would sustain stable inflation rates. It should be noted that while Fed’s macroeconomic policies tend to impact aggregate demand and GDP these are primarily short-term effects, with the rate of inflation being the main long-term target of any monetary policy. We will write a custom essay sample on American Economy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Now, in conditions of the growing financial crisis, it is more than important to reconsider and reevaluate the effects of the major Fed’s macroeconomic policies on the major sectors of the U. S. economy. Given the instability of the current financial and housing markets, this analysis is expected to become the source of useful policy recommendations in short and long run. American Economy Introduction In a broad sense, macroeconomic policies developed and implemented by the Federal Reserve (the Fed) are those which regulate the national supply of money. Either through foreign exchange operations, or management of public funds, the Fed seeks to maintain the level of money supply in ways that would sustain stable inflation rates. It should be noted that while Fed’s macroeconomic policies tend to impact aggregate demand and GDP these are primarily short-term effects, with the rate of inflation being the main long-term target of any monetary policy. Now, in conditions of the growing financial crisis, it is more than important to reconsider and reevaluate the effects of the major Fed’s macroeconomic policies on the major sectors of the U. S. economy. Given the instability of the current financial and housing markets, this analysis is expected to become the source of useful policy recommendations in short and long run. Monetary policies have long been the issue of the Fed’s major concern. Through the prism of numerous monetary factors, the Fed used to evaluate the causes and consequences of particular monetary decisions and their effects on economic behaviors. The truth is, however, that in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the macroeconomic policies in the U. S. , a detailed review of the structural factors that stand behind the current economic crisis is required. The combination of the housing and credit crunch drivers needs to be reconsidered, to realize the real-life implications of all monetary initiatives the Fed has been able to implement over the course of the last three years. To start with, the current economic crisis originates from the strategic change in equilibrium within housing markets, as well as the decline in house prices â€Å"as the market gives back the excessive part of the rise in real house prices – the part not justified by realized rentals† (Wu, 2008). These structural shifts have obviously impacted the situation with employment, banking, and construction. Another set of structural factors is readily visible in the financial sector, where subprime mortgages and the following illiquidity and reduced supply of loans have led the banks to the need for increasing their assets and making their share prices vulnerable to even the slightest changes in business sector (Kutter Mosser, 2007). The slowdown of productivity, the decreasing value of business and economic expectations, and oil prices have also contributed in the expansion of the current financial crisis, which is more the result of structural shifts in global and national economy, rather than the direct consequence of ineffective monetary approaches. In this context, the natural question is what the Fed has done to decrease the negative impact of financial crisis on the major sectors of business and economy, and whether Fed’s macroeconomic policies in their traditional form remain relevant in the changing financial and economic conditions. Since the end of 2006 and up to the beginning of 2009, the gradual increase of the Fed’s reserve balances has been the distinctive feature of the Fed’s response to the expanding economic crisis. The increase in reserve balances have become particularly visible and sharp by the end of 2008, when the Fed faced a serious need to provide banks and business entities with additional liquidity instruments and loans (Lacker, 2009). In a very short-time period, the Fed has increased the reserve balances supply by over 100-fold, with the latter reaching the amount of $848 billion (Boivin Giannoni, 2008). Purchasing securities and providing financial institutions with guaranteed loans was one of the reasons for such sharp reserve balances increase, but beyond that, the Fed sought to finance its loan activities by creating additional money. It should be noted here, that with the need to obtain additional financial instruments, the Fed can follow the three different pathways: creating money, borrowing funds from the U. S. treasury, and issuing debt (Gilpin, 2008). Selling government securities is just another option the Fed can utilize to obtain additional funds. Importantly, with the emergence of the economic threats and during the first months of crisis the Fed chose to follow the fourth path, adjusting its portfolio to its economic and financial needs by selling off government securities, but with the amount of government securities being insufficient to maintain financial and monetary stability in the U. S. , the Fed has come to realize the need for creating new money. In the light of the essential structural shifts, and given the long-term impacts which the process of creating new money produces on all areas of economic activity, these macroeconomic policy decisions have already turned into the source of increasing professional concerns, and there are several reasons for that. First, the effectiveness of federal reserves increase seems doubtful due to the inflationary trends with which it is usually associated. Under the impact of falling commodity prices, when inflation risks seem at least improbable, the Fed nevertheless should not lose the sense of caution. The fact is that when the need withdraw the funds and to reduce the amount of federal reserves arises, the Fed is likely to face another inflationary challenge, and whether it is able to avoid long-term increase in prices will depend on the moment the Fed chooses for reducing the amount of funds (Boivin Giannoni, 2008). Second, Gilpin (2008) suggests that as long as the Fed is increasingly involved into selective financing as a part of its macroeconomic initiatives, the Fed’s independence from other governmental institutions becomes irrelevant and at least doubtful. Rudebusch (2008) writes that â€Å"the recent request by the Treasury for the Fed to assist in creating a Consumer and Business Loan Initiative is certainly reminiscent of the request by Treasury for the Fed to help out in its own borrowing operations before the Accord of 1950†. Thus, whether the Fed acts in accordance with macroeconomic principles or follows the recommendations and requirements of Congress will also determine its consistence as the central financial body and as the source of the major macroeconomic initiatives. Finally, as Congress is trying to tie the Fed to its authoritative decisions, and the Fed does not look beyond the need for creating additional money and applying selective funding principles, the only effect the Fed has been able to produce is proving its inability to act as an independent financial body. The problem is that against the continuous success of its expansionary initiatives and the absence of deep recessions, the Fed found itself in the midst of predictable policies and workable macroeconomic guidelines. Since the end of 2006, however, those guidelines and policies have gradually lost their effectiveness (Rudebusch, 2008). Scholars and professionals in economics recognize the declining effectiveness of the major Fed’s initiatives: the Fed is no longer able to produce immediate positive effects on the interest rates; the benefits of the major macroeconomic initiatives have been muted by the mortgage securities market issues; investors are disappointed with the recent Fed’s decisions – all these factors significantly contribute into the expansion of the current financial crisis, making the financial image of the Fed even more negative. Until present, the ineffective macroeconomic activity of the Fed has only led to re-appreciation and reconsideration of the benefits of fiscal stimuli and responses to the changing economic conditions. Against the inconsistency of the Fed’s decisions, the scope of the Fed’s operations was limited to adjusting federal funds rate and issuing additional financial instruments. Federal Reserve lending in the broader macroeconomic contexts has also become the topic of increasing professional interest. In response to recent slowdown, the Fed has developed a whole set of lending initiatives, which either targeted specific groups of assets, or specific business entities or institutions, or implied the need for standard discount window lending (Lacker, 2009). From the viewpoint of macroeconomics and the long-term impact which these interventions tend to produce, before the middle of 2008 the Fed had been working to provide lending in ways that would not increase the monetary base but would instead redirect additional bank reserves to cover its lending commitments. Since the end of October 2008, however, the Fed has no longer been able to maintain its monetary base unchanged, and had to combine its lending ideas with additional monetary stimuli (Lacker, 2009). These lending programs have been effective to the extent that changed the balance of credit in specific markets, and â€Å"while some market segments benefit from reduced funding costs, others may actually see their costs rise as credit is diverted to those markets that have been targeted by support† (Lacker, 2009). In relation to lending, it is essential to note that over the last three years the Federal Reserve intentionally chose to conduct its monetary interventions with the help of the federal funds rate, which provides the Fed with an increasingly active position regarding macroeconomic policies in the U. S. By changing the discount rate, the Fed gives financial institutions a chance and the right to borrow directly from the Fed, and the Fed’s board can either approve or deny the loan (Gilpin, 2008). The situation is similar with other lending initiatives, but when it comes to supporting specific business entities or markets, the Fed risks losing its independence and faces a decision-making challenge of cooperation with Congress. More than that, with lending being one of the major macroeconomic operations initiated by the Fed in the last 3 years, professionals have come to realize the inconsistence and the distorted vision of the Fed with regard to discount rate as the central policy instrument. In other words, where financial institutions seek to replenish the lack of liquidity, they prefer borrowing overnight, thus leaving the Fed no time to review the real financial needs of financial institutions (Krugman, 2007). As a result, it was not before the middle of 2007 that the Fed has become concerned about the decreasing liquidity of its assets and the need to reduce the discount rate for primary credit. Since that time, the Fed continuously supported its â€Å"federal funds rate reduce† line, which suggests that reducing discount and federal funds rates was one of the least ineffective macroeconomic approaches and did not extend beyond producing short-term positive impacts on financial and commodity markets (Yuan Zimmerma, 2008). The structural forces that currently govern the economic and financial balance in the U. S. and the world inevitably impact the so-called natural interest rates, of which the Fed seems unaware. That means that while the current rate of return on equities is above 5. 5%, it is also much higher than the policy rates which the Fed adjusts to make them fit to the current rates of inflation (Gilpin, 2008). Furthermore, given that the origins of the current economic crisis lay within the limits of the housing markets, it is very probable that â€Å"what will be driving real rates of interest once the economy settles into its new growth path is the rate that households require on loans† (Krugman, 2007). Thus, in its credit initiatives, the Fed has obviously neglected a whole set of important factors, which make its macroeconomic policies at least irrelevant. While the Fed seeks to expand the liquidity of available funds by maintaining interest rates at the levels close to zero, it distorts the macroeconomic balance. The fact is that against the reduced wealth levels and the growing negative expectations, the expected rates of interest in future will be much higher than the Fed currently promotes (Krugman, 2007). With the growing need for funds on the side of financial and business entities, the Fed is likely to face the crisis of expectations, where it is either unable to maintain sustainable interest rates or fails to provide businesses with sufficient amount of financial assets. Thus, whether the Fed is able to promote the success of its major macroeconomic initiatives depends on its ability to timely review its macroeconomic attempts and to adjust them to real-life market contexts. In the light of the increasing inefficiency of the major Fed’s interventions, special attention needs to be paid to the so-called moral hazard problem. â€Å"Safety net support for financial institutions encourages private market participants to view some institutions as ‘too big to fail’ and weakens those institutions’ incentive to monitor and manage the risks they face in their business strategies and financial market transactions† (Gilpin, 2008); as a result, this inattentiveness to the major market risks weakens financial and business institutions and increases the cost of this financial protection. In other words, while the Fed pursues the need to reduce the cost of credit for ultimate borrowers by providing financial and credit institutions with additional financial assets, it unintentionally leads these institutions undertake higher additional risks than they otherwise would be willing to recognize (Lacker, 2009). As a result, the cost of borrowing substantially increases, leaving these institutions in the need to absorb the effects of moral hazard without external support. Does that mean that the Fed has initially chosen a wrong macroeconomic path? This question lacks a single and obvious answer, and while many financial institutions and business entities will require expanding the range of available liquid resources by using federal funds, a stronger regulatory basis and strict system of monitoring could significantly increase the efficiency of all macroeconomic policies aimed at reducing the negative impact of the current financial crisis. Conclusion The Federal Reserve has appeared completely unprepared to facing the challenges of the expanding economic crisis. Despite the relevance of the new liquidity mechanisms and the Fed’s striving to expand the range of available financial instruments, these measures will hardly be effective in the long run. Moreover, given the undue risks financial institutions and business entities undertake and the limitedness of the Fed’s financial resources, its current macroeconomic initiatives are likely to become counter effective in the U. S. striving to preserve its leading position among the major economic powers. In this context, strict regulation and a well-developed system of federal monitoring will increase the effectiveness of all Fed’s initiatives at the macroeconomic level. References Boivin, J. Giannoni, M. P. (2008). Has monetary policy become more effective? The Review of Economics and Statistics, 90 (3): 445-462. Gilpin, R. (2008). Global political economy: Understanding the international economic order. Orient Longman. Lacker, J. (2009). Government lending and monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Retrieved April 1, 2009 from http://www. richmondfed. org/press_room/speeches/president_jeff_lacker/2009/lacker_speech_20090302. cfm Krugman, P. (2007). Thinking of the liquidity trap. Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, 14 (4): 331-337. Kuttner, K. N. Mosser, P. (2007). The monetary policy transmission mechanism: Some answers and further questions. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Policy Review, 8 (1): 15-26. Rudebusch, G. Wu, T. (2008). A macro-finance model of the monetary policy and the economy. Economic Journal, 118 (530): 906-926. Wu, T. (2008). On the effectiveness of the Federal Reserve’s new liquidity facilities. Elsevier, 52 (4): 745-777. Yuan, M. Zimmerman, C. (2008). Credit crunch, bank lending, and monetary policy: A model of financial intermediation with heterogeneous projects. Springer, 29 (1): 244-265. How to cite American Economy, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Marketing Management Promotional Plan

Question: Explain Marketing Management? Answer: Introduction The study of the assignment is based on the promotional plan of a new tablet, which will be launched in the near future. The launch of any product certainly means that the product is being introduced in the market. The introduction part plays a huge role of significance for the future progress of the product as the consumers get to know the product for the very first time. The study has gone through the various sections of the launching program that will introduce the product within the market (Dibb and Simkin, 2009, p. 78). The firm needs to target a certain market, which has the demand as well as the potential to buy the product. Moreover, the competitors of the firm within the industry will be highlighted and the various tackling process of these rivals has been elaborate within the study. The study of the promotional plan will enable the reader to understand the launch of the campaign along with the reflection of ethical and social dimensions of the plan. Choosing and justifying a target market for the Tablet The firm of the new tablet needs to select the target market with intense care as the popularity of the product within the consumers totally depends upon the selection of the market area. As the product is an electronic based and update technological product, the firm will have to select the market carefully. The demand of identical products within the market should be well analyzed by the management of the firm in order to make the new tablet popular within the industry. Therefore, the tablet should be launched in a certain area, which is updated, and the society of that particular area has the majority of young people (Pinson and Jinnett, 2013, p. 89). The management needs to fulfil this criterion of target market, which will definitely make the new tablet a successful product of the firm. Meanwhile, this should also be highlighted that selecting the target market is not enough, as the product needs to be of high quality. Moreover, as the product is a new comer in the market, the firm needs to sell the product at a relatively low price. This will attract the tablet users and the product will get massive popularity (Weinstein, 2014, p .69). This will also provide a huge scope for the firm to increase the price in the recent future, due to the huge popularity and quality feedback of the new tablet. Sketching of a positioning map of competitors The sketching of position map of competitors within the industry that will provide the Tablet immense competition has been highlighted below: (Source: Created by author) The above graph represents that the new Tablet will come under the section of high quality but low price. The various companies that will provide the Tablet with completion are Apple, Blackberry, Google Nexus, Microsoft and various Local mobile brands. Digital promotional tools The DIGITAL promotional tools refers t o the various updated and modern technologies that are used for promoting any new product in the market (Blocher, 2013, p. 202). These tools massively include the various elements such as e- mail marketing, online marketing, digital advertisements etc. These section of marketing influences the consumers to a massive level, and they get attracted to the products. The newly launched tablet should use this digital promotion as one of the major tools during promoting the product (Ortelbach, 2014, p. 163). The first step that should be taken is releasing digital banner in the markets with the name, picture, and price highlighted on it. This will definitely make the consumers aware of the Tablets entry within the market. Moreover, the banner should be attractive enough to catch the eyes of the consumers in the marketplace. Using of the DRIP model The use of the DRIP model will help the Tablet in various ways, which will start from making the product a bit different from the other identical products in the market. The study of the DRIP model given below will clear the exact concept and use of the model (Charatan, 2012, p. 698). Figure 2: DRIP model (Source: Marconi, 2011, p. 107) Planning of a promotional launch campaign The next step after the successful launch of the banner will be to promote the Tablet through the various mediums of the internet marketing. Firstly, this will include the e mail marketing, which will make the consumers aware that the Tablet can be considered as a buying option. Moreover, sending emails will make the consumers go through the detailed features of the Tablet that will attract them in a massive manner (Caswell, 2010, p. 83). The management can also use the low pricing strategy to attract a huge section of consumers towards the product. Traditional tools within the promotional launch campaign The launch of the Tablet will also use various traditional tools, which will enable the product to gain customer attention and satisfaction within a small span of time (Petunkina, 2012, p. 232). However, all these will only be successful when the Tablet will have high quality within it and will be able to meet the customer needs. Reflection of ethical and social dimensions The ethical and social dimension should be taken well care off during the launch of the product in the market. Meanwhile, the firm needs to be aware that the Tablet should be satisfying the consumer to the maximum possible extent, which will enable them to build customer satisfaction (Pinson and Jinnett, 2010, p. 29). However, all these sections should be done after the evaluation of all the ethical and social responsibilities of the firm. Justifying the choice of source The choice using the DRIP model will turn out to be a successful one as the model will differentiate the Tablet, reinforce a brands message, make the consumers aware of the brand and will attract the consumers towards the new Tablet. Moreover, the choice of selecting the low price strategy will help the firm in a massive manner as most of the consumers of any industry have a huge tendency to get attracted to low price products. Conclusion The study of the report quiet clearly concludes that selecting the target market is one of the major criteria that need to be done in a satisfying manner in order to make the product successful in the market. The promotion strategy of the Tablet has been developed in a constructive manner, which will help the product gain excessive popularity within a small span of time. Moreover, the study also highlighted the fact that the promotional activity of the new Tablet has also maintained all the ethical responsibility by implementing the digital and traditional promotional tools. Recommendation The first and foremost recommendation is that the quality of the Tablet should be high class, which will make the users experience a payback for their money. This can only be achieved when the Tablet will satisfy the consumer needs with ease. Moving to the second recommendation, which the pricing strategy of the Tablet should be constructed in such a manner so that it easily attracts the consumers. Therefore, the firm at the primary stage should implement the low pricing strategy for the product. However, the management should well scrutinize the sales progress of the Tablet and should increase the price accordingly. This will create a huge demand for the product within the market and consumers will be ready to pay more for the Tablet than before, thus making the Tablet a successful product. Reference List Books Dibb, S. and Simkin, L. (2009). The market segmentation workbook. London: Routledge. Marconi, J. (2011). Creating the marketing experience. Mason, Ohio: Thomson Pinson, L. and Jinnett, J. (2010). Marketing. Fullerton, CA: Out of Your Mind ... and into the Marketplace. Pinson, L. and Jinnett, J. (2013). Target marketing for the small business. Dover, N.H.: Upstart Pub. Co Journals Blocher, M. (2013). Market Testing und Target Costing. VM, pp.199-204 Caswell, B. (2010). The promotional campaign. World Patent Information, 12(2), pp.83-84 Charatan, F. (2012). The launch campaign on new products. BMJ, 324(7339), pp.698e-698 Ortelbach, B. (2014). Multi Market Target. CON, 17(3), pp.163-172 Petunkina, N. (2012). Selecting the target market. Metallurgist, 16(4), pp.232-233 Weinstein, A. (2014). Target market selection in electronic technology markets. J Market Anal, 2(1), pp.59-69

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Gay Rights Essays - Same-sex Sexuality, Sexual Orientation

Gay Rights Homosexuals: Fight for Rights Gay rights is a touchy subject especially in the united states. It is the fight for homosexuals to be treated as everyone else, the fight to be given what they desearve, the fight to live without torment, the fight for peace. This nation has the state of mind that how the ideal person lives, is normal, and anyone not living that way is wrong. The people of this country pick on and torment people because they are different or not like them. Why do thay do this?who knows. John Catlin M. D. states that ?Many indeviduals that bully other people due to sexual origin, usually are battling sexual insecurities themselves? (1) In New York there was a poll taken from the people, on the thoughts of gay rights. Many of them were displeased at the fact that homosexuals were discriminated against, and didn't have the same rights as heterosexuals. In November of 1989, Time magazine took a poll on what the people thought about legal benefits that homosexuals should receive. 62% came back saying that homosexuals should be permitted to receive medical, and life insurance benefits from their life long partner. (101) And yet nothing has come of that yet. Homosexuals deserve equal treatment legally and socially. Throughout the world homosexual people have been discriminated against for all types of different reasons and basically all of them are unjust. Homosexualality is not caused by abuse at a young age, it is not curable, it is not a disease or disorder and it is defiantly NOT learnt. For decades the incidence of homosexuality in the general population has been estimated to be approximately ten percent. Organisations opposed to gay rights have consistently claimed the number to be much lower. Despite the controversy, ten percent still remains the most widely accepted estimate (Issacson, 101) so why do people think of homosexuals as being strange or weird. There are many people around the world who are discriminating against homosexuals without even knowing it. One of these is when someone calls someone else a bad name such as a ?Pofter? or ?Fagot?, not really meaning it but saying it just as a hurtful name just because everyone else says it. This saying is not meant but it degrades every homosexual in the world every time some uses those words. There is another myth about homosexuals and is that a lot of people think that they are obsessed with sex. ?Contrary to popular belief, gay men and lesbians are no more inclined to be consumed with sexual thoughts or feelings than heterosexual counterparts, nor are they attracted to everyone of the same sex they meet.? (Weinberg, 109) The lives of homosexuals, like the lives of heterosexuals are about much more than sex, but it's easy to see why people believe these common myths that have been expressed by a lot of people. Many people do not even realise that they know someone who is gay because of the amount of gays that are in the community. Unfortunately, these misguided heterosexual's only knowledge of homosexuality comes from the media or anti-gay organisations that are trying to destroy the gay community, neither of which is likely to show the average gay person or couple in real life. The media is in the business of s elling news, and radical behaviour of any kind sells, big time. Anti-gay organisations are in the business of making gay people appear as evil as possible. They will obviously focus their attention on the most radical behaviour that can be found within the gay community. Why do gay people flaunt their sexuality? Why don't they just keep it private? Well the majority of gay people don't flaunt their sexuality. As a matter of fact, many go to great lengths to hide their sexual preference. There is a double standard in our society. What some people consider to be flaunting by homosexuals is usually regarded as everyday behaviour for heterosexuals. This is a perfect example : A heterosexual couple walking hand in hand is perceived as normal. Very few would consider their behaviour to be inappropriate or rude, if they even noticed it at all. On the other hand, a lesbian

Monday, November 25, 2019

Cities In Europe Essays - Prefectures In France, Bordeaux, Aquitaine

Cities In Europe Essays - Prefectures In France, Bordeaux, Aquitaine Cities In Europe Provence By Raquel Mendoza Provence has been called a bridge between the past and the present, where yesterday blends with today. This beautiful place lies in the southern part of France, and is bordered on the east by Italy , on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the west by the Rhone River. The area abounds with flower fields, vineyards, orchards, and olive and mulberry groves. Along the seacoast is the French Rivera and the Ports of Marseille and Toulon. Provence has its own language and its own customs. The region originally formed part of a Roman province called Provincia Romana, built in the 120 B.C. It was passed into the possession of several ancient Germanic peoples, the Visigoths, the Ostrogoths, and the Frankish kings. In 879 AD. the area was incorporated into the kingdom of Provence, sometimes call Cisjurane Burgundy, and in the 10th century into the e kingdom of Arles. After being ruled by the house of Anjou from about 1245 to 1482, the region came into the possession of King Louis XI of France, and in 14856 it was annexed to the French Kingdom. Provence was a province until the French revolution, after which the area was distributed among several departments. The Greeks and Romans first filled the landscape with cities boasting Hellenic theaters, roman baths, amphitheaters, and triumphal arches. These were followed in medieval times by Romanesque fortresses and gothic cathedrals. In the 19th century Provence's light and landscapes attracted painters like Cezzanne and Van Gogh. Despite the changes over the years, Provence will be remembered as the bridge between the past and the present. On the Garonne River, the great port of Bordeaux, the Capital of Aquitaine, is the center of the world's most important wine producing areas. It attracts many visitors to the offices of wine exporters there, most of whom welcome guests. Bordeaux is a city of warehouses, factories, mansions, and exploding suburbs. Now the fifth largest city of France is Bordeaux. Bordeaux was for 300 years a British possession, and even today's it's called the most UN-French of French cities, though the same has been said of Strasbourg. The local airport , Bordeaux Merignac, is served by flights from as far away as London and New York. A shuttle bus connects the airport with the train station, departing 30 minutes from 5:30 to 10:00pm, costing $35F one way. Your tour can begin at Place de La Comedie, at the very heart of this old city, a busy traffic hub that was once the site of Roman temple. On this square one of the great theaters of France, The Grand Theater, was built between1773 and 1780. From here you could walk north to esplanade des Quinconces, laid out between 1818 and 1828, it is the largest square of its kind in Europe, covering nearly 30 acres. The Musee des Beaux Arts has an outstanding collection ranging from the 15th to the 20th century. Works by Perugina, Titian, Rubens, Veronese, Delacroix, Gros , Redon, and Lhote are displayed. The museum is open from 10 to 6 P.M. and the admission is 18f per person. The Pont de Pierre, with 17 arches , stretches 1,594 feet across the Garonne and is one of the most beautiful bridges in France. Ordered built by Napoleon I in 1813, the bridge can be crossed on foot for a fine of the port. But for a better view I suggest the tour of the port, which lasts for about 1 1/2 hours. Toulouse city in southern France, capital of Haute-Garonne, on the Garonne River and the Canal du Midi. It is a major commercial, transportation, and manufacturing center, noted for the production of aircraft and aerospace equipment. Other products are chemicals, clothing, electrical machinery, and farm implements. Places of interest in Toulouse include the largest Romanesque Basilica of saint Sernin, which contains the tomb of St. Thomas Aquinas; the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Etienne; and the church of Notre Dame la Blanche. The city also contains many mansions in the Renaissance style; these include the Hotel Felzins, the Maison dePierre, and the Hotel d'Assezat et de Clemence -Isaure.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Week 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Week 6 - Essay Example The first evident characteristic of Baroque in this sculpture is drama and emotion, which makes the audience share the feelings of Bernini. Drama and emotion are brought out by the space around the statue. Another Baroque characteristic in this sculpture is twisting and uncontrolled torsos, which create a tortion that, enhance a dynamic representation of the figure. Finally, the sculpture depicts use of tenebrism as seen by the sharp contrast between the sculpture and its background. The background is completely dark while the sculpture itself is light. Michelangelo’s David is a High Renaissance work, which takes the form of a pyramidal composition revealing stability of the sculpture. This contrasts with Bernini’s David, which is a Baroque style represented by diagonal lines that show energy, drama, and movement. Hence, while Michelangelo focus on representing the beauty of David, Bernini is concerned with emotion that ignites reaction from the audience. On the other hand, Donatello’s David is an early Renaissance work that depicts the reemergence of nudity. In addition, the sculpture unlike Bernini’s shows no motion and drama. In Donatello’s sculpture, a victorious David is standing as a representation of the Republic of Florence blessed by God. Therefore, there is no emotion as in the sculpture of Bernini, but a mere representation of might and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Life History of an Elderly Person Anthropology of Aging Essay

Life History of an Elderly Person Anthropology of Aging - Essay Example Collecting and preserving first-hand information about a person is the aim of oral history, alongside making it available to researchers. Researchers should give careful attention to equipment selection, legal and ethical issues, and processing techniques which all characterize the oral history process (Sommer and Quinlan, 2002: 1). This paper ultimately aims to answer the question, "Can a particular theory of ageing help explain aging in mainstream culture" Mr. WB is a 71-year old retired and divorced Irish-American man who presently lives in Illinois. Before proceeding to his actual life history, it is deemed important as well to mention his vital physical characteristics, as they might contribute to further analyzing health associations. He measures 5'9" in height, weighs 200 lbs., has impaired vision due to a developing cataract in both eyes, and has thinning white hair. The interview process was undertaken at daytime in his rented apartment, in which the informant expressed willingness to participate in order to fulfill the purposes of this paper, and requested for anonymity which shall be the case nonetheless. The interview took place for about two and a half hours. Mr. WB's Life from Birth to Present Mr. WB was born on June 29, 1937 in an Irish family who decided to settle in Salem, Oregon and moved to Illinois after seven years. He is second in the siblings of four, in which he has two brothers and a sister. His father, a tailor, died of a heart attack when he was eleven, and his mother, a nursing aid who never remarried, became a lone parent since. Because of poor economic condition, none among the four was able to make it through college and Mr. WB himself managed to finish through the ninth grade only. Mr. WB had his first sexual encounter when he was fifteen, with a girl he was fondly infatuated. This rite to passage made him want to explore more things, such as chasing girls and trying 'new stuffs' like smoking, going to the woods to hunt squirrels, and working in a local burger stand upon turning sixteen. He met Ms. EW when he was nineteen, felt he was in love, wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and finally got married. The first few months of their marriage were happy and memorable. Ms. EW, now Mrs. WB, had two miscarriages occurring both in the first trimester of pregnancy. The second miscarriage, which almost took her life, made the couple decide not to have a child at all anymore. Mr. WB worked as a clerk at a local manufacturing firm while Mrs. WB stayed at home for a while and took care of the household chores and decided to work at a nursing home after a few years. Twenty-eight years ago, Mr. WB, who was 50 by then, had an illicit relationship with a younger woman in their office which was later discovered by his wife. The affair had been going on for almost a year upon the discovery. The woman, a 25-year old co-worker, was

Monday, November 18, 2019

Natural hazard in Japan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Natural hazard in Japan - Term Paper Example Natural hazards or disasters that Japan is frequently subjected to experience include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, heavy torrential rains, typhoons, and heavy snow (Kingston, 2012 pg. 216). Every year in Japan, there are great loses of peoples’ lives and property due to natural hazards. Until 1950s numerous large scale typhoons and earthquakes caused thousands of casualties and extensive damages. However, though the causes of disaster are natural and cannot be within anyone’s control, the disasters damage have been shown to be on a tendency which is declining even if the natural disasters are still occurring. Japan and its economy have been through series of naturally hazardous occurrences. The Japan economy, according to the statistical economy figures released in 2011, shrank by 3.7% in the first period of 2011. Such an economic shrinking tipped the country in to a recession. The economic crisis also disrupted the Japan’s political life. This was illustrated by incidence of Mr. Kan starving being starved off through a vote of no confidence. The action gave a deep insight of division between the government of Mr. Kan and the alliance of bureaucrats that has dominated the public life of Japan for decade (Kingston, 2012 pg. 254). There are overwhelming human and economic losses due the natural hazard that are experienced by Japan. Japan was estimated to have lost 5% of stock in the capital as a result of disasters and hazards. After initially playing economic impact down as a result of the March 2011 earthquake, there was an announcement by the government that Japan had officially fallen into recession following the tsunami and the soon followed nuclear disaster. The GDP of the country fell by 0.9% in the quarter of January to March and 3.7% annualized retreat. Insurance companies in the economy have been hit hard. This is because more than 400000 claims on damages of properties were made while many survivors say that they had no insurance

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Blood Brain Pharmacokinetic Model

A Blood Brain Pharmacokinetic Model Pharmacokinetics, an emerging field in BioPhysics and chemistry is the study of the time variation of drug and metabolite levels in various tissues and fluids of the body. Compartment models are used to interpret data. In our problem, we consider a simple blood-brain compartment model as shown in the figure below: k21 Input d(t) k12 K where, Compartment 1 = Blood Compartment 2 = Brain This model is made such that it can aid to help estimate dosage strengths of an orally administered antidepressant drug. The rate of movement of drug from compartment i to compartment j is denoted by the rate constant kji and the rate at which the drug is removed from the blood is represented by the rate constant K. A pharmaceutical company must deal with many factors like dosage strengths that will aid a physician in determining a patients dosage in order to maintain the right concentration levels and also minimizing irritation and other side effects (Brannan 208). If we assume that the drug is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream after it is introduced into the stomach, a mathematical representation of the dosage will be of a periodic square wave given as follows: Based on our model and the equations we can solve the problems: 1. If we let xj(t) be the amount of drug in milligrams in compartment j, j =1,2. The mass balance law states: (i) Using the mass balance law and the figure, we find: System in Blood compartment: System in Brain compartment: From (i) and the above equations, we can find the following: (ii) The systems above are the rates of drug over time in the compartments. 2. If we let ci(t) denote the concentration of the drug and Vi denote the apparent volume of distribution in compartment i, we can use the relation ci = xi/Vi in the equations of system (ii) to obtain: (iii) Dividing the above systems by V1 and V2 respectively, we get : 3. Assuming x1(0) =0 and x2(0) =0, and the various parameters listed below: k21 k12 K V1 V2 Tb 0.29/h 0.31/h 0.16/h 6L 0.25L 1h and with the numerical simulation program Maple , we can perform simulations of the system with given parameters to recommend two different encapsulated dosage strengths A=RTb. => Guidelines to use for recommendation of drug dosage: 1) Target concentration level in the brain should be kept as close as possible between levels 10 mg/L and 30 mg/L and concentration fluctuation should not exceed 25% of the average of the steady-state response. 2) Lower frequency of administration (once every 24 hours or once every 12 hours is best). Once every 9.5 hours is unacceptable and multiple doses are acceptable (i.e. taking two capsules every 4 hours) Analysis: Drug usage of more than 4 times per day is unacceptable which makes maximum allowable dose to be 3, making 3 doses at 8 hours interval per day the best choice. We can then simulate from Tp = 8 to Tp = 12, 16 and 24. From the numerical simulations obtained from Maple, we obtain the following data: Tp(h) R (mg/h) Steady-state variance Comments 8 4 9.04 mg/L to 12.5 mg/L Below effective therapeutic concentration 8 5 11.7 mg/L to 15.5 mg/L 8 6 14.4 mg/L to 19.2 mg/L 8 8 19.2 mg/L to 25.3 mg/L 8 9 21.1 mg/L to 27.9 mg/L 8 10 23.2 mg/L to 31.2 mg/L Above maximum therapeutic concentration 12 5 10.9 mg/L to 6.5 mg/L Below minimum therapeutic concentration 12 6 8.6 mg/L to 14.1 mg/L Below minimum therapeutic concentration 12 7 8.32 mg/L to 15.1 mg/L Below minimum therapeutic concentration 12 8 10.6 mg/L to 18.3 mg/L 12 10 13.2 mg/L to 22.8 mg/L 12 13 17.9 mg/L to 30 mg/L 16 10 9.11 mg/L to 19.5 mg/L Sharp fluctuations; Below minimum therapeutic concentration 16 12 10.7 mg/L to 23.5 mg/L Sharp fluctuations. 16 13 11.5 mg/L to 25.4 mg/L Sharp fluctuations. 16 14 12.5 mg/L to 27.3 mg/L Sharp fluctuations. 16 16 14.3mg/L 31.4mg/L Sharp fluctuations; Above maximum therapeutic concentration 24 15 6.19mg/L 24mg/L Sharp fluctuations; Below minimum therapeutic concentration 24 20 8.52mg/L 32mg/L Sharp fluctuations; Above maximum therapeutic concentration Obtained corresponding Graphs from Maple and their respective Tp and R values are listed below: Tp = 8, R = 4 Tp = 8, R = 5 Tp = 8, R = 6 Tp = 8, R = 8 Tp = 8, R = 9 Tp = 8, R = 10 Tp = 12, R = 6 Tp = 12, R = 8 Tp = 12, R = 10 Tp = 12, R = 12 Tp = 12, R = 13 Tp=16, R=10 Tp=16, R=12 Tp=16, R=13 Tp=16, R=14 Tp=16, R=16 Tp=24, R=15 Tp=24, R=20 Some Comments: When Tp= 8 and R = 4, the recommended dosage is below minimum therapeutic concentration range. When Tp= 8 and R = 10 , the recommended dosage is above maximum therapeutic concentration range. When Tp= 8 and R = 5 to 7, the recommended dosage is below effective therapeutic concentration range. When Tp= 8 and R = 4, the recommended dosage is below therapeutic concentration range. When Tp= 12 and R = 5 to 7, the recommended dosage is below minimum therapeutic concentration range. When Tp= 16 and R = 12 to 14, sharp fluctuation is seen. When Tp= 24 and R = 20, sharp fluctuation is seen and the recommended dosage is below therapeutic concentration range. =>Calculation and Analysis of dosage strength A Now we can calculate the dosage frequency for the remaining dosage frequency intervals of 8 hours and 12 hours: (8 hour interval) (R being from 5 mg/h to 9 mg/h) A = RTb = 5 mg/h x 1h= 5 mg A = RTb = 9 mg/h x 1h= 9 mg (12 hour interval) (R being from 8 mg/h to 13 mg/h) A = RTb = 8 mg/h x 1h = 8 mg A = RTb = 13 mg/h x 1h= 13 mg 4. From the simulation, we can know that it is best to skip the dose than to try to catch up and double the dose and ultimately overdose from the figures illustrated. If we assume the patient is at a 12 hour interval dose frequency, and R being 10mg/h, the following scenarios can be simulated:   Scenario: missed a dosage and skipped     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scenario: missing a dosage catching up Analysis: From the scenarios simulations above, we can have a clear picture of what will go through the patients drug level. In the 1st scenario, where the patient missed a dosage and skipped, the concentration level in the brain of the patient stays within the recommended level. In the 2nd scenario, where the patient tries to catch up, the drug level will cross the recommended level and that also by a lot. Thus, skipping the dose is better than to catch up overdosing the drug level resulting in fatality.   5. Supposing the drug can be packaged in a timed-release form so that Tb = 8 hours and R also adjusted likewise, we get the following data from the Maple: Tp(h) R(mg/h) Steady-state variance Reasons 12 0.75 10.4mg/L 13mg/L 12 1 13.9mg/L 17mg/L 12 1.5 21mg/L 25.5mg/L 12 1.75 24.5mg/L 29.8mg/L 12 2 28.1mg/L 34mg/L Above maximum therapeutic concentration 16 1 9mg/L 14.3mg/L Below minimum therapeutic concentration 16 1.25 11.2mg/L 17.7mg/L 16 1.5 13.6mg/L 21.3mg/L 16 2 18.3mg/L 28.4mg/L 16 2.25 20.5mg/L 31.8mg/L Above maximum therapeutic concentration 16 2.5 22.8mg/L 35.4mg/L Above maximum therapeutic concentration 24 2 8.7mg/L 23.3mg/L Sharp fluctuation 24 2.25 9.86mg/L 25.9mg/L Sharp fluctuation 24 2.5 10.9mg/L 29mg/L Sharp fluctuation T=12, R=0.75 T=12, R=1 T=12, R=1.5 T=12, R=1.75 T=12, R=2 T=16, R=1 T=16, R=1.25 T=16, R=1.5 T=16, R=2 T=16, R=2.25 T=16, R=2.5 T=24, R=2 T=24, R=2.5 Analysis: If the drug can be packaged in a timed release form so that Tb = 8 and R is also adjusted likewise, we perform the simulations for the dosage of interval of a 12 hour frequency. We observe zero sharp fluctuations. Every graph seems to produce the concentration level within the recommended range of 10mg/L to 30mg/L when R is between 0.75 mg/h and 1.75 mg/h. =>Calculation and Analysis of new dosage strength A We can calculate the new strength level of the drugs as: (12 hour frequency interval): A=RTb = 0.75 mg/h * 8h = 6mg   A=RTb = 1.75 mg/h * 8h = 14mg Same analysis can be performed for 16 hour frequency interval. We observe zero sharp fluctuations and every graph produce the concentration level within the recommended range of 10mg/L to 30mg/L; R being in between 1.25mg/h and 2mg/h.   =>Calculation and Analysis of new dosage strength A We can calculate the new strength level of the drugs as:   (16 hour frequency interval): A = RTb=1.25 mg/h * 8h = 10mg    A = RTb=2.00 mg/h * 8h = 16mg Thus, this changes our recommendation. Simulation Program Maple: We used the following code and simulated varying R and P values. g :=t> piecewise(0 DEplot({diff(x(t), t) = (1/6)*g(t)+(1/6)*(.31*.25)*y(t)-x(t)*(.29+.16), diff(y(t), t) = (.29*6)*x(t)/(.25)-.31*y(t)}, [x(t), y(t)], t = 0 .. 40, x = 0 .. .50, y = 0 .. 80, scene = [t, y], [[x(0) = 0, y(0) = 0]], stepsize = .1, color = blue)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Optometric World: Smart People, Smart Phones, Smart Contacts? Essay

Throughout the years movies have implemented technology that has never been seen before to create a futuristic setting. Throughout the Terminator movies, viewers see data overlaid the main character’s world through contact lenses. At the time when Terminator was released, this was not possible through contemporary technology, but now scientists at the University of Washington are on the way to getting the perfect smart contacts. Eyes are truly an extension of the brain and receive the information which the brain sees and integrates. When any form of contact lenses is placed on the eye the brain is capable of receiving information with clarity, while the contact lenses provide benefits to the eyeball. With the smart contacts that are in the process, scientists consider the potential benefits and drawbacks while trying to keep optometry connected to the technology world. In the optometric world, eyes are the receiver of information your brain is what integrates it and chooses what is pertinent to an individual. Each eye sees everything all the time, the brain chooses to ignore information; for example, eyes always see your nose but your brain never chooses to register that information because the nose always remains in the same location. All vision is based on the light and how it is reflected off an object and into the eye. Light enters the cornea which bends or refracts it to enter the pupil (see Figure 1 in Appendix A). The iris is like a camera lens and it determines how much light enters the eye thus making he pupil bigger or smaller (AOA.org). After light goes through the pupil, it passes through the lens, which will bend and refract the light further to â€Å"focus [the rays] on the retina at the back of the eye† (AOA.o... ....p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. . "How Contact Lenses Work." CooperVision. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. . "How Your Eyes Work." How Your Eyes Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. . "The Human Eye: A Diagram." - FamilyConnect: For Parents of Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014. . â€Å"Self-Assembled Single-Crystal Silicon Circuits on Plastic,† by Sean A. Stauth and Babak A. Parviz, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 19 September 2006. Web. 05 April 2014. .