Application of Risk Management Essay

Application of Risk Management Scenario: YieldMore is a small agricultural company that produces and sells fertilizer products. The company operates through its headquarters in a small town in Indiana. Outside its headquarters, there are two large production facilities—one in Nebraska and one in Oklahoma. Furthermore, YieldMore employs sales force personnel in every state in the U.S. to serve its customers locally. The company has three servers located at its headquarters—Active Directory Server, a Linux application server, and an Oracle database server. The application server hosts YieldMore’s primary software application, which is proprietary program managing inventory, sales, supply-chain, and customer information. The database server manages all data stored locally with direct attached storage. All three major sites use Ethernet cabled local area networks (LANs) to connect the users’ Windows Vista workstations via industry standard, managed switches. The remote production facilities connect t o headquarters via routers T-1 (1.54 mbps telecomm circuit) LAN connections provided by an external Internet service providers (ISP) and share an Internet connection through a firewall at headquarters. Individual sales personnel throughout the country connect to YieldMore’s network via virtual private network (VPN) software through their individual Internet connections, typically in a home office. Task: I would have to say the most likely pairs of threat/vulnerability are location, equipment failure, social engineering, Denial of Service (DOS), and Mal ware. These threats seem to be the most problematic for this company. The first one is location; the servers are all housed in the company headquarters where if a natural or manmade disaster would cripple the company’s infrastructure. They need to distribute their servers to different locations. Another pair is equipment failure; each server has its own specific function that it handles and nothing else. It would help mitigate some of the risk that would happen if each server handled their own problems. Social engineering is a problem because it is dependent on the user which another person can hack the person for information that could get access to the organizations system. DOS is a problem because the public  systems are not protected by firewalls and anti-virus program. This makes service availability a loss. The final pr oblem is malware which is caused by the lack of anti-virus or out of date virus definitions. The impact of this is usually the loss of server or information depending on what the virus was originally intended to do. There are six risk management steps you can use to protect your company: 1. Determining the objectives of the organization, 2. Identifying exposures to loss 3. Measuring those same exposures, 4. Selecting alternatives, 5. Implementing a solution, 6. Monitoring the results. I would suggest using all six steps to insure that my company is protected. The primary objective of an organization growth will determine its strategy for managing various risks. Identification and measurement of risks are relatively straightforward concepts.

Acquaint yourself with the characters in the story Essay

Read through the story and write down a few points that summarise the plotof the story. Acquaint yourself with the characters in the story. plot The structure of the storyline, the way in which the action develops. This will usually include the settings, the development of character, crisis or climax and resolution   The plot is about two young people, Sandra and Kerry, who belong to the Good Neighbours’ Club.   They go to do volunteer work at Mrs Rutter’s house. She is an elderly lady who lives past Packer’s End, a field that was said to be haunted. Sandra is not pleased that it is Kerry she is working with, as she had hoped it would be her friend, Susie.   After some time, Mrs Rutter tells them the story of what really happened at Packer’s End during the war.   An enemy plane was shot down over the field and she and her sister (Dot) went to investigate the crash.   They found the plane, but also found one of the soldiers in it still alive.   Because it was the enemy and because her own husband had been killed in the war, Mrs Rutter leaves the soldier to die overnight. When they arrive at the scene the next morning, he is still alive, but they don’t get any help for him. * The young people are shocked by what she tells them and Sandra suddenly sees Mrs Rutter in a new light, but she also sees Kerry in a new light. Sandra She is a young girl who is a volunteer at the Good Neighbour’s Club. She tells us that she is â€Å"nervy† and we see this when she walks past Packer’s End. She describes how when she was younger she had thought there were wolves and witches and tigers in the wood. This changed and when she was about twelve she heard that a German plane had gone down there, but had also heard stories about gypsies and rapists. She is a conventional young girl who would like to have a â€Å"bit of a giggle† with her friend, Susie, and is disappointed that Kerry Stevens with his â€Å"blacked licked-down hair and slitty eyes† was joining her at Mrs Rutter’s. Kerry is described in detail in lines 135 – 139. What does this description suggest to you? It is mostly about his appearance – acne, pale flesh – all that Sandra is concerned with is his appearance at first. This changes at the end of the story. She doesn’t know how Kerry can stand having dirt and grime under his nails from working on cars and â€Å"she thought of oily workshop floors, of the fetid underside of cars† (line 207). She thinks that Mrs Rutter will be old and kind and thinks that â€Å"old Mrs Rutter with her wonky leg would be ever so pleased to see them because they were really sweet, lots of the old people† (lines 93 – 94). Mrs Rutter She is seen at first to be a typical old lady who lives at Nether Cottage and is described as â€Å"a dear old thing, all on her own† (lines 4 – 5). Her behaviour and the setting of the cottage (see Setting) portray her as ordinary. She is described as â€Å"a cottage-loaf of a woman, with a face below which chins collapsed into one another, a creamy smiling pool of a face in which her eyes snapped and darted† (lines 97 – 99). This description of her appearance certainly doesn’t convey anything but a gentle old woman. Kerry Stevens He is a typical teenage boy with acne and â€Å"blacked licked-down hair† who is pleased when he gives Sandra a fright when they meet at Packer’s End. He is shocked by Mrs Rutter’s story and vows never to go â€Å"near that old bitch again† (line 364). Setting Packer’s End and Nether Cottage are where the story takes place. Packer’s End is described as a scary place where dreadful things have happened – â€Å"You didn’t go by yourself through Packer’s End if you could help it, not after teatime, anyway† (lines 30 – 31). Nether Cottage is described as being filled with sweet ornaments and pictures. Look at the description in lines 101 – 105 and try to imagine what the room looked like. Does this tell us anything about Mrs Rutter? The room is cluttered, but quite homely. The ornaments are all of rabbits and kittens and milkmaids and children – these are hardly sinister. She comes across as someone who likes collecting memorabilia Look at the description in lines 144 – 145 â€Å"a composite chintzy mass from which the cushions oozed and her voice flowed softly on. † This is a cosy description which portrays her as a nice old woman. The structure of this story relies on the reader ‘getting to know’ Mrs Rutter as a gentle woman who lives alone and is quite helpless because of her â€Å"wonky leg†. When she does tell us the horrific story of the plane going down and her and Dot’s failure to save the man who is still alive, it becomes all the more horrific and we realise, with Sandra, that people are not always what they seem and that there is definitely â€Å"darkness out there. † This makes the realisation that much more startling and effective. â€Å"Everything is not as it appears, oh no† (line 384). We are also then able to comprehend why Sandra sees such a change in Kerry. The change in Kerry is also well set up as in the beginning, from Sandra’s descriptions, we are led to believe that he is not special and yet at the end Sandra says things like â€Å"He had grown; he had got older and larger. His anger eclipsed his acne, the patches of grease on his jeans, his lardy midriff†¦ † (lines 373 – 375). Look at the last two paragraphs: pick out the images of darkness. How do these images link to the story and to the title? â€Å"You could get people wrong and there was a darkness that was not the darkness of tree shadows and murky undergrowth†¦ † (lines 375 – 377) â€Å"†¦and the next you glimpsed darkness, an inescapable darkness. The darkness was out there and it was a part of you and you would never be without it, ever. † (lines 380 – 382) These quotations refer to darkness, because the speaker in the story has just glimpsed inescapable darkness herself in the form of Mrs Rutter. This has changed the way she thinks about other people and the way in which she will view the world from now on. She says it will be with her for ever and she will never be without it now that she knows what it is. She will never be able to see a person, no matter how nice and innocent they look, as just that. This story deals with a young girl’s realisation about life. Her whole outlook on life changes at the end of the story. Choose one other story in the anthology that deals with this issue and show how the authors present this issue to us. Describe what the issue is and look at how their characters deal with it. (A good comparison would be Superman and Paula Brown’s Snowsuit. ) Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Joseph Conrad section.

System Migration Plan

System Migration Implementation Phase I Oracle Environment On December 16, 2006 the migration of the production database will take place. It has been deemed necessary to move our Oracle production database to a more robust server for future growth. At this time the database resides on a p650 unit that will be utilized in phase two of this migration. Below find the laid out plan as it pertains to the move. December 16, 2006:There will be a complete backup of the existing server. December 17, 2006:Starting early that morning, the backup of the existing server will be restored on to the new server emulating the current environment.While the restore of the new server is taking place, the existing server will be set up for the actual move of the existing Oracle database. Step. 1: The mounted file system will be un-mounted from the operating system, at that point after recording all the necessary paths. Step. 2: The volume group that the file systems reside in will be varied off, and then exported. After this step the database which resides on the EMC Symmetric will no longer exist on the present database server. Step. 3: The server will be totally taken down and power will be totally extinguished. Step. : The remove of the fibber channel card that leads back to the EMC database location. The data on the EMC/database will go unchanged or accessed at this point. Step. 5: The fibber channel card will then be placed in the new server. Step. 6: The new server will then be powered on with the fibber channel card from the now existing server, and then the database will be imported to that server. Step. 7: At this point all the network and fibber connections will be moved to the new sever from the existing one using the same IP/Hostname to eliminate further configuration changes or delays. Step. : A DBA will be contacted to confirm the migration success, and then the server will be taken down for the data center outage. System Upgrade Recommendation Phase II Oracle Environm ent As a result of an evaluation of performance and future growth of the present Oracle environments, it was proposed and recommended that the production database server be upgraded with additional processors and memory. As phase one, on January 29th 2006 each Oracle environment received the recommended upgrade as described in the briefing dated January 3, 2006 and title: Hardware Upgrade for Oracle Financials in Preparation for OAB and iSupplier Modules.The Oracle environment received the recommended memory and has proved to perform as projected. The production application server now utilizes 16GB of memory, and the database server has a total of 32GB. In a continued effort to move toward phase two, the following information has been composed and now submitted for evaluation. It is the opinion of the system administrator, utilizing performance tools that the existing system degradation only appears during multiple thread requests.In short, thread request are granted buy and throw s ystem processors within any given computer environment. To wit, it has been ascertained that during a normal business run the system reflects system degradation at any point of a new presented workload introduction. System memory and IO performance proves to be stable while the now utilized processors show to be at their maximum thread capacity. In today’s environment the production database unit consists of four processors; with the recommendation to increase this number buy four additional processors facilitating a total of eight.This is projected to improve Dallas County production presently as well as future growth performance. See projected cost on page two. Model Highlights 7038-6M2 The Model 6M2 delivers a cost-efficient growth path to the future with: †¢ 64-bit system scalability in 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-way configurations with the following processor options: o 2-way 1. 2 GHz POWER4+ with 8 MB shared L3 cache per processor card o 2-way 1. 45 GHz POWER4+ with 32 MB s hared L3 cache per processor card †¢ Expandability and reliability: System memory expandable from 2 GB to 64 GB o Rack-mounted drawer utilizes 8U (EIA Units) o Supports up to eight 7311-D10 or 7311-D20 I/O drawers per server o Each I/O drawer supports either 6 (for D10) or 7 (for D20) hot-plug PCI bus slots To upgrade to an 8 way system IBM has given a cost of $25,750. 00 2-way 1. 45 GHz POWER4+ with 32 MB shared L3 cache per processor card. The above quote is without any government discount or third party intervention. However, a third party vender’s quotes $9590. Mr. UNIX Sr. UNIX System Administrator

Contracting With the Federal Governemnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contracting With the Federal Governemnt - Essay Example There are two negotiation styles competition and cooperation. Cooperative involves forest contracts that are long-term with ongoing relation to the contractor (Frey & Frey, 2001, p. 18). Government contracts in sealed bidding are competitive when the relevant requirements are clearly complete and accurate. An invitation made to bid is the method used in sealed bidding. It includes the condition of purchase, payment, packaging, shipping and delivery all these are to be submitted before the deadlines the designated invitation time for will allow the bids to be available at the purchasing office. The bids are then read to the buyers and recorded. The contract is then awarded to a low bidder who is determined by what the government needs and what the agency has to offer (Frey & Frey, 2001, p. 150). Changes in the contract- The needs of the state change regularly, the contracts, have a clause that authorizes the government to change the terms of the agreement that can steer the contract the way the government wants, but within the borders of the agreement. If the contractor does not agree to these changes or be flexible for them, then, the contract can be terminated (Frey & Frey, 2001, p. 450). The benefits derived from the microfinance are accessible; since banks do not give small size loans with this the individuals are able to get loans to get cards from banks that they can use to finance their

The Philosophy of Science and The Problem of Confirming Scientific Essay

The Philosophy of Science and The Problem of Confirming Scientific Hypotheses - Essay Example What philosophy of science does is to examine these concepts and to ask questions about them. In this essay, I shall focus on the problem of understanding how observation and theory confirm scientific hypotheses. â€Å"What connection between an observation and a theory makes that observation evidence for the theory† (Godfrey-Smith, 2003, p.39)? Herein, I shall argue that although science fails to provide certainty and reliability in confirming scientific hypotheses, a theory of confirmation is not impossible; what is impossible is to model a scientific theory of confirmation to that of a formal theory of confirmation. In this light, despite the problems induction poses, confirming scientific hypotheses is necessarily inductive. Given this, I shall divide my paper into four main parts. The first part will discuss with the problem of confirmation in relation to induction. Herein, I shall discuss David Hume’s (1978) problem of induction, a theory closely related to the pr oblem of confirming scientific hypotheses. The second part will discuss the theory of confirmation in relation to scientific explanations. Herein, Carl Hempel’s (1965) model for scientific explanation will be emphasized. In the third section, I shall focus on Nelson Goodman’s (1983) â€Å"new riddle of induction.†... Confirmation and Induction â€Å"The confirmation of theories is closely connected to another classic issue in philosophy: the problem of induction† (Godfrey-Smith, 2003, p. 39). Scientists reason inductively in order to confirm their hypotheses. But does it mean to reason inductively? An Inductive argument on the other hand is one wherein even if the premises are true, the conclusion can only be probably true. For example: The swan I saw last Monday was white. The swan I saw last Tuesday was white. The swan I saw last Wednesday was white. Therefore, all swans are white. Given the said example, it can be said that the conclusion, â€Å"all swans are white† is not a conclusion that is absolutely true, because its contrary is possible. Case in point, in Australia, there are swans, which are black. This in effect, questions the validity of the conclusion. Now according to scientists, it is better to reason deductively rather than inductively, because in deductive reasoning , we can be certain if we start with true premises, the analysis will be true as well. Inductive reasoning can take us to false contradictions. Now the problem of induction is magnified in Hume’s (1978) â€Å"problem of induction.† Here, Hume uses the process of induction to question inductive reasoning itself. To his view, how sure are we that induction works? Just because induction worked in the past, it does not follow that induction will work in the future or in reference to future events. Hume’s view is founded on his explanation of the uniformity of nature. This assumes the rational order of the universe. This type of order is characterized in a spectrum of regularities wherein the events and relations among things that we have not examined yet, will be the same

Fourth Latern Council of 1215 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fourth Latern Council of 1215 - Essay Example The first Lateran Council was convened during 1123 BC that confirmed the Concordat of Worms. The second Lateran Council was convened during 1139 and formulated several tenets such as invalidation of the clerical marriage, regulation of clerical dress and excommunication of the people who attacked clerics2. The third Lateran Council was convened during 1179 and continued reforms in church with condemnation of simony, limitation of papal  electees  to the  Cardinals  and forbiddance of promotion to  the episcopate  before thirtieth year of the age. The fourth Lateran Council was convened during 1215 and continued with reform measures such as papal primacy, transubstantiation and conduct of clergy.3 The council was also concerned about distinguishing people of other religions such as Muslims and Jews from the Christians in  public area,  and they suggested the differentiation of the dress as a resolution of the issue.   The fifth Lateran Council that was convened during 1512 to 1517 continued with further reform of the Church. The fourth Lateran Council was summoned by Pope Innocent III during 1215 to resolve many issues that concerned Roman Catholic Church. These issues included the disaster at the Crusade wars, to strengthen the faith and continue reforms in the church. 4 Pope Innocent III himself worded the goals of the fourth Lateran Council as the plantation of the virtues, eradication of the vices, reformation of the morals, correction of the faults and removal of heresies. The other goals included the establishment of the peace, settlement of the discord and getting rid of the oppression. He also wanted to persuade Christian people and princes to aid the cause of Crusades. 5 There were many reasons why Pope Innocent III summoned the Fourth Lateran Council. The Christian society and Roman Catholic Church were in considerable turmoil due to moral issues. In addition to

Substitution and income effects Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Substitution and income effects - Assignment Example Therefore, an increase in the price of gasoline has various effects. The owner of the vehicle can opt to take several measures in order to remain at the same level of satisfaction (Hall & Lieberman, 2008). Considering that it is only the price of gasoline that have changed, yet the income of the consumer remains constant, the following decisions will have different income and substitution effects: You drove less and purchased less gasoline When a consumer decides to drive less and purchase less gasoline, he/she will be able to save some income. The income saved from the reduction in the gasoline purchased can make up for the budget reduction that would have occurred as a result of increased gasoline prices (Landsburg, 2011). However, the satisfaction obtained by the consumer is likely to change. This is because, the consumer can no longer travel to far off distances where he/she used to go before. This could limit the satisfaction he obtains from the travel and adventure (Hall & Lieb erman, 2008). Additionally, the reduction in the quantity of gasoline purchased limits the extent to which the basket of the consumer can be filled, since some cheaper commodities that make up his/her basket could be found some distance away. Therefore, although reducing the quantity of gasoline purchased and the consequent distance travelled can maintain the consumers purchasing power, it is likely to reduce his/her satisfaction (McEachern, 2012). You ate out less often The effects of reducing what the customer eats, is not any different. Eating out less often has the substitution effect of conserving some resources that could have been used for food, to make up for the gap created by the increased gasoline price. This is meant to maintain the customer at the same level of consumption for gasoline units, despite the change in its prices (). However, even though such a move can keep the consumer at the same levels of gasoline consumption, he/she has already lost out in the quantity of food and drinks consumed. This has the effect of reducing the satisfaction of the customer, derived from eating several times in a day (Landsburg, 2011). In making such a decision, the preference and utility derived by the consumer from eating certain units of foodstuff in a day will play a greater role (Hall & Lieberman, 2008). The consumer will make his/her shopping basket based on the preference and the utility he/she derives from them. Thus, although reducing the quantity of foodstuff consumed can maintain the purchasing power of the consumer, his/her situation could be worse off in terms of satisfaction derived from foodstuff consumption (McEachern, 2012). You spent less to maintain your automobile Where the consumer decides to reduce the money spent in maintaining the automobile to mitigate the effects of increased fuel prices, the decision can maintain his purchasing power in the short run. However, this can be detrimental in the long run, since the automobile might end up breaking down, causing more resources to be used in its repair, than would have been used in its maintenance (Hall & Lieberman, 2008). Therefore, reducing the resources used in automobile maintenance can help the consumer remain at the same consumption level as before. However, this is not sustainable since lack of maintenance worsens the condition of the automobile. This is likely to

Economic Theory and Technological Change Term Paper

Economic Theory and Technological Change - Term Paper Example Commercialization is the process that turns an invention into innovation (Feldman, 2004). Innovation can be driven by new technological development or customer demand. Many new products arise from attempts to meet market demand than from new technologies. The technological breakthrough of the laser has led to various innovative applications of this technology, for example in keyhole surgery and laser-correction of poor eyesight. Windscreen-wipers used no new technology at all. They just met the market need for clean windows while driving (Different Kinds of Innovation). When most people think of corporate innovation, they think of product innovation which involves launching of a new product. Even a small improvement in a product can help keep a company one step ahead of its competitors. Process innovation may sound comparatively dull but is extremely important. In any large company, lots of people are involved in internal processes that allow the company to run smoothly and legally. These are the people in middle management, human resources, accounting, finance, administration, and the like. In general, they recognize processes that do not work well and have ideas about how to make those processes more efficient (The Four Kinds of Corporate Innovation). The economist Joseph Schumpeter’s major contribution of the economic vision of innovation has helped strengthen the theoretical base of one area of strategic management, that is, innovation strategy and innovation management within the enterprise. His theories are interesting also because they make a useful contribution to the multidisciplinary study (economics and management) of innovation.     

Ethos, Logos, Pathos, and Rhetorical Analysis Assignment

Ethos, Logos, Pathos, and Rhetorical Analysis - Assignment Example Notably, Bono demonstrates a good judgment about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, which depicts his credibility. Moreover, Bono manifests his integrity by asserting that justice is a higher standard and that Africa’s position challenges America’s justice and equality (â€Å"American Rhetoric† 1). Bono uses deductive reasoning by encouraging the audience to do what God is doing because it is already blessed (â€Å"American Rhetoric† 1). Moreover, he uses statistics and past facts to present his ideas where he draws our attention to the Tsunami effect in South East Asia where 150, 000 people died. Additionally, he uses examples by stating that the American President and the Congress provided life-saving anti-retroviral drugs to 700,000 people and provided eight million bed nets to protect children from malaria (â€Å"American Rhetoric† 1). He also uses comparisons to justify his argument where he compared the 150, 000 deaths from Tsunami with the 150, 000 deaths that happen in Africa every month (â€Å"American Rhetoric† 1). He uses deductive reasoning to assert that America has the capacity to avert the crisis in Africa. Indeed, Bono shows the American possibility by asserting that America only gives less than one percent to charity and they only need to give two percent for them to transform the world and change American’s perception. Bono uses a lot of repetition where he consequently repeats the phrase â€Å"One percent† to refer to the schooling girls in Africa, AIDS patients who get medicine in Africa, and African entrepreneurs who can start a small family business (â€Å"American Rhetoric† 1). Moreover, he uses very emotional words to question America’s commitment towards charity where he asserts, â€Å"six and a half thousand Africans are still dying every day of preventable, treatable disease, for lack of drugs we can buy at any drug store†.

Zinc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zinc - Essay Example o the increase in the amount of Zn in the rivers include but are not limited to such human activities as industrial and urban sewages, runoffs, and atmospheric sediments. More than anywhere else, presence of such elements as Zn in excess in the river water is more dangerous since it reaches the livestock and humans directly or indirectly. A great variation in the behavior of Zn is also evident from the fact that while it is brittle at low temperatures, Zn becomes quite ductile and malleable at temperatures reaching anywhere between 110 and 115C. Just as it changes in its physical properties with temperature, Zn changes in terms of its effects on the environment when it gets in excess. This is a wonderful and very informative essay about the effects of Zn in the environment which is often considered as an element that cannot affect the environment in harmful ways. This is an important issue and needs to be explored and studied in detail in order for all the confusions and misconceptions surrounding it to be

Analyze and compare two companies strategic management areas Essay

Analyze and compare two companies strategic management areas - Essay Example The company businesses span oil and gas sector, automotive distribution, information and communication, home appliances, travel and logistics alongside offering large spectrum of services to growing consumer base. On the other hand Milaha Corporation was established in 1957 and is one of the largest and most diversified maritime and logistics companies within Middle East. The company’s operations range from ocean transport as well as offshore support services including third party logistics alongside ancillary solutions (Blanchard, 2010). Organizational leadership in Mannai Corporation utilizes public relations in the provision of variety services to all authentic stakeholders. This is ensured through existing peaceful environment that allows stakeholders to enjoy quality service and product provisions. Such provisions would make the organization to be identified with qualities such as fun-loving, service minded and spirited capabilities (Wieland and Marcus, 2011). The significance of the value equation within Mannai’ s marketing department involves service strategies that aim at full satisfaction of already existing clients for the purposes of maintaining good percentage of market share. The inclusion of value equation within international market ensures that such organization acquires right positioning in a way that ensures delivery of value added substance, which is capable of providing vital, reliable and dependable information on products and services. In this case, value equation determines benefits expe cted from products and services. However, the whole process is dependent on, time and finances as the key factor in transaction. The Milaha Corporation’s supply chain management comprises of a team of experts who ensures that maximization on the product delivery processes from the production all along to customers. In this case, the company uses customized solutions for the purposes of

Skin cancer Essay Example for Free

Skin cancer Essay How many of you have every laid out in the sun on purpose just to get a tan?   Or better yet how many of you believe you look prettier or more handsome tan?   According to the American Cancer Society more than 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year and the numbers seem to be increasing day to day. And believe it or not skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.   Today I am going to inform you about skin cancer and how you can protect yourself from it. To begin, our skin is the largest organ of the body and it covers our internal organs and protects them from injury.   The skin also serves as a barrier between germs and our internal organs.   Our skin regulates body temperature and helps the body get rid of excess waste.   Certain cells in our skin also communicate with the brain and allow us the feel temperature, touch, and pain sensations. Some may ask, what exactly is skin cancer and why is it such a big deal now?   Well there are two basic types of skin cancer; Nonmelanoma (which is also called basal or squamous cell) skin cancer and then there is melanoma skin cancer. Most skin cancers are classified under nonmelanoma, meaning that the cells are located at the base of the outer, layer of the skin.   Basically, the skin that covers the surface of the body, not the deep tissues.   Nonmelanoma skin cancer usually develops on sun-exposed areas of the body, places like: the face, ears, necks, lips, and the backs of hands.   Depending on the type they can be fast or slow growing but rarely spreads to other parts of the body.   There is a cure for nonmelanoma skin cancer is detected and treated early. On the other hand, you have melanoma skin cancer.   Which is the more dangerous of the two; however it is also the least common.   Melanoma skin cancer tends to spread very quickly to other body parts.   However, it is almost always curable if it is detected in the early stages.   But the killer part is a lot of people do not realize that they may have melanoma skin cancer until the later stages, after it has already started affecting other organs.   Once it has reached that stage, it is virtually incurable.   People diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer that has already spread to other body parts are given on average a five year survival rate. So what puts you at risk for skin cancer?   Some high risk factors include:  · Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to Ultraviolet(uv) radiation  · Fair complexions( people with red hair, most likely)  · Occupational exposures (i.e. Construction workers, arsenic compounders, baseball players)  · Family history of skin cancer  · Multiple or atypical moles  · Severe sunburns as a child So how can you detect skin cancer? Some signs of skin cancer in the early stages may include but are not limited:  · any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth  · scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule  · the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark  · a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain in a mole

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Community Based Tourism Tourism Essay

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Community Based Tourism Tourism Essay The information contained within this literature provides a complete analysis of The Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Sector. It clearly outlines the importance of quality service delivery, the differences between service in the hospitality industry and service in other business, community based tourism, the advantages and disadvantages of community based tourism, diversification of Jamaica through community based tourism and the effects of technology on the tourism industry. The Travel Tourism and Hospitality Sector Definition of key terms What is hospitality? Dictionary.com, 2012.Hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers. What is Community Based Tourism? Responsibletravel.com, 2012 asserts, Community Based Tourism is tourism in which members of a community, local residents (often rural, poor and economically marginalized) invite tourists to visit their community with the provision of overnight accommodations. Pearson Education 2010 online, Community managed and owned sustainable tourism that aims to share local ways of life and the communitys natural and cultural resources with visitors. What is an advantage? Farlex, The Free Dictionary, 2012, An advantage is a beneficial factor or combination of factors. What is a disadvantage? Farlex, The Free Dictionary, 2012, A disadvantage is an unfavourable condition or circumstance. What is Service? Farlex, The Free Dictionary, 2012, Service is work done for others as an occupation or business.The Importance of Quality Service Delivery in the Hospitality Industry. As tourism plays a major role in the economic development of most countries, it is imperative that impeccable services are provided at every given opportunity. A guest or visitor needs to feel welcomed and appreciated to the point where by the end of their trip they have begun planning their return. The industry is also extremely competitive i.e. a lot of products and services offered are similar hence from the customer service perspective providing excellent service is the best option for getting ahead of the competition. A five star hotel may possess the luxurious furniture, the spas, the sporting facilities and all the trimmings that go along with it but because the verbal and physical delivery is lacking in personality and respectfulness, a guest would be willing to settle for the lesser amenities of a three star hotel in which they are made to feel welcome and appreciated as well as treated with the respect they deserve. Providing the service is one thing, however, the method of delivery is another. People tend to pick up on body language, gesticulation as well as facial expression through careful observation. It is best when providing quality hospitality services in the tourism industry to do so with a genuine and honest disposition, anything less will seem as a faà §ade and is unacceptable. Service in the hospitality and tourism sector is delivered in mostly on a one on one, verbal and or physical manner. This exposes the visitor or guest and the service provider to a range of differences in one or the other which the service provider must handle in a professional manner regardless of his or her personal preferences to secure the longevity and integrity of the business. These differences may include but are not limited to one or more of the following: Religion (Christianity versus Atheism, Islam, Buddhism etc.), Language which causes a barrier (English versus Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese etc.), preferences in entertainment (an older crowd who is more conservative versus a younger crowd who is more into the party scene), race and cultures (African American and black versus Caucasian), Cuisine and dietary preferences (Asian versus Italian). These differences must be treated with genuine respect rather than disdain as it will undoubtedly create an instant rift betwee n the parties involved and subsequently result in a decline in the return rate of visitors and affect the arrival of new comers. This occurs due to the fact that a bad experience is never forgotten and will most definitely be shared with others to warn them of the possibility of being treated in a similar manner and as individuals tend to believe what is communicated to them by a known acquaintance whether it be friend or family, the end result will mean less business being operated, loss of profit, loss of jobs and subsequently loss of the entire industry. It is widely accepted within the hospitality and customer service industry that a customers good experience will be shared with only a few close friends and family while a bad experience will be told to everyone willing to listen. This is proven on a daily basis on websites such as Trip Advisor and it has such far-reaching effect that most progressive companies in the sector have their marketing or public relations teams scouring the internet to respond to all concerns raised and to ensure their reputation remains untarnished. The Difference between Service Delivery in Hospitality and Other Businesses. Regardless of industry every business relies on hospitality and customer service to not only retain its current customer base but to also increase it through customer loyalty and positive word of mouth advertisement. Failing to fulfill the needs of a customer through effective and admirable customer service methods is the reason a lot of businesses are failing as their employees are sometimes lacking in the appropriate training, experience and patience required to ensure a satisfactory and memorable experience for the client. There are however differences in the service delivery, in the hospitality industry the service being delivered is geared towards the visitors/tourists and much emphasis is placed on the level of training it requires in order to perfect the necessary skills it takes to get the job done. Due to the fact that the Hospitality industry in Multi- culture there must be a certain level of appreciation for the vast amount culture and cultural diversity, meal preparation, entertainment, dress and rituals of Tourists. The importance of service delivery is stressed more so in the hospitality industry because of the diversity of the consumers and their varying cultural backgrounds. The services must be delivered perfectly to each and every customer in ordered for the guest to have an unmatched experience which will guarantee excellent reviews, return customers, new business opportunities and the survival of the industry which is the fuel of our economy.. The hospitality industry survives due to prompt convenient service which is value for money. In other business the service is mostly geared towards locals (Mono- cultural), who are already a part of the existing community and are familiar with the business. Though some level of customer service is involved it is not as demanding of the service provider to be as vigilant in ensuring that staff provides the best service possible at all times. This is mainly as a result of there being fewer options. For e xample a Kentucky Fried Chicken (K.F.C) being operated in the down town Montego Bay area, the customer service is extremely lacking however customers return because the location is convenient and they do need to eat, but for no other reason. Some customers do divert their business elsewhere to either Pizza Hut or Island Grill but return after a while because these other entities do not provide what it is they really want. In the hospitality industry it is not the same, there are endless options and if one location fails them, they either find another location within the same country or travel to another country. This now means a loss of business not only for that establishment but also for the country as a whole. The advantages and Disadvantages of Community Based Tourism Community tourism has both its supporters and its detractors as does every other type of business venture. Both sides bring across very important concerns which can prove to be either helpful or harmful to the environment based on the implementation methods used and the scale of operations. Advantages: Supporters will posit that community based tourism is beneficial and important in that it, transfers decision making to a community level, provides employment, infrastructural development (roads, water, electricity, telecommunications, internet, etc.), superstructure development (buildings and structures covering area),cultural preservation, foreign exchange and development of health care facilities. Disadvantages Detractors on the other hand will advance that there will be cultural destruction, environmental destruction, the host country fails to benefit as government is unable to withdraw taxes, marginal employment, low benefits, development of illegal and/ or destructive economical activities, seasonal employment, unrealistic expectations, anti-democratic collusion, land controlled by the elite, negative lifestyles as well as diverted and concentrated development. The implications of the pros and cons of Community Based Tourism on the country as a Whole. The effects of the advantages of community based tourism on the country as a whole may prove to be widely beneficial to the economy, wherein the unemployment rate is greatly reduced because as more people become exposed and educated the higher percentage will endeavor to become involved. Communities which were considered marginally poor become developed and are more appealing to visitors and other locals alike, its pushes the use and exchange of foreign currency which boosts the economy giving the local dollar more value but most importantly it educates as locals are introduced to varying cultures and are forced to learn their own history, and culture as well as that of the visitors in order to communicate effectively.That is a limitless opportunity as visitors have varying backgrounds and orientations. Locals make valiant efforts to learn their languages as well as cuisine, religion, preferences in entertainment, day to day living and rituals. This in its entirety equates to a more tourist friendly, economically stable, market aware destination which is more appealing to visitors. The result of the disadvantages of community based tourism on the country as a whole also brings to light some valid points which must be handled with much consideration in mind as it relates to the long term repercussions. The loss of culture as it pertains to age old rituals, language, art, dance, food, religion etc., through modernization, the destruction of natural habitats as a result of infrastructural and super structural changes by building roads and architecture, employment would become limited to members of the community and result in outsourcing whereas businesses would seek to employ the more educated, the question of job security arises, negative changes in the lifestyle would come about where unscrupulous characters engage in the trade of illegal drugs and endangered and exotic wildlife, drug abuse, prostitution, fraudulent practices and new found get rich quick schemes come into existence and causes young people to divert from school and higher education. Compile all t hese issues and it would result in a lack of order, an upsurge of crime and violence and finally the consequential loss of previous business with a significant decline in any interest from new customers or the hope of creating new opportunities. Diversifying the Jamaican Tourism Product Through Community Based Tourism. Communities must go through a process of empowerment and development before tourism becomes the focal point.The first area of focus is to build a sustainable wealth creating community with organized productive activities. These activities would create economic and social benefits for its members through employment and financial stability. After this has taken root, tourism can be introduced to communities, to create even greater wealth, and this will ultimately diversify the jamaican tourism product. There are many resources which may be enhanced and marketed to give Jamaica a more diverse and competitive edge over other tourist destinations. These include; culture, heritage, Cuisine, natural flora and fauna, landscapes and human resources. It is known world wide that Jamaica is very different from other countries even those located in the same region. In order for Jamaica to diversify and maintain a competitive advantage in the hospitality industry we need to capitalize on these opportunities and the best way to go is from a community level as every community possesses a different amenity which makes it unique. There are quite a number of these locations in jamaica such as; Maroon Town, Outameni Experience ,Croydon Plantation,Accompong, The Bob Marley Museum, outdoor activities i.e ( horse back riding, dune buggies, canopy tours, zipline tours, ect ), the wonderful blue Mountains and Cockpit Country ,rafting on the Martha Brae river and health spas such as Bath Fountain Hotel an d Spa in St. Thomas and Milk River Bath in Clarendon. The jamaican culture and heritage are unlike any other anywhere on earth, it is essential to get jamaicans more educated in culture and heritage as a means of being able to extend the offering of a richer quality cultural and heritage experience to adventure seekers who travel to our destination. A high percentage of travelers are more than interested to learn our language, dance, music and cuisine in their purest forms, however not many get the full on experience as there is a lack of manpower in these areas. Much more use can be made of the abundance land, sunlight and water to aid in the development of Jamaicas tourism product in the area of agricultural tourism. The Blue Mountains are currently used as a source of adventure tourism and farming ground for the infamous Blue Mountain Coffee, should this be expanded into the Cockpit Country and other products introduced it would become a more wide scale operation, in that, it would create more employment, attract more visitors and th ere would be a greater demand for those areas as tourists would seek to discover whatever new adventures there are. Another avenue that could be enhanced in order to create a greater demand of Jamaica as a tourist destination is our ancillary services in terms of transportation (comfort and luxury of vehicles and condition of roadways), banking ( the exchange rate), accommodations (the quality and value for money they receive by staying in hotels),upgrading the equipment in hospitals in order to have better healthcare facilities and render enhanced medical services to both locals and tourists, providing travel insurance at competitive rates and so forth. Should the quality of these services be improved then it would give Jamaica a more competitive edge in the tourism market. The impacts of Technology on the Tourism Industry. Technology and Transportation. Tourism is quite as old as time itself, from the earliest days when man would travel for long distances on foot, until the evolution of tools of trade and man themselves gave birth to new technological inventions that made traveling gradually easier to the point where what used to take months has been shaved down to mere hours, a day or two being the maximum for travel to the lesser percentage of destinations. Throughout the ages traveling has been developing more and more with each generation. It all began with traveling by foot; however man soon learned to domesticate animals such as mammoths, horses, donkeys, elephants, camels etc. Ever inventive man created the wheel around 3500 BC, then came the joining of the wheel and some animals to form, horse drawn carriages, chariots and wagons, which made travel easier and faster than foot but nothing close to what was coming next. Boats were the next mode of travel and the earliest type was the dug out canoe where a fire was lit on a log then put out and the burnt part was dug out leaving a hallow space for passengers. As with time they too evolved into ships which were large wooden structures built to travel long distances across oceans and seas and then there were mainly two types, the sail and the later invented steam engine, the powerful and fast railway was next to be developed in the 19th century, closely following was the invention of the first cars which were made in 1865 and 1866 respectively by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, however cars only became more common in the 1960s and 1970s after the first and second world wars as there was mass production companies which made them cheaper. The largest, most used, talked, about and technologically advanced type of travel began in the 20th century, December 17th 1903 to be exact, with the flight of the Wright brothers. This spearheaded the aviation standards which eventually led to the building of larger more elaborate types of aircrafts such as; Zeppelins, blim ps, Boeing 700 series airplanes as well as other makes and models, the air balloon, jets, rockets and other spacecraft. It is clear that technological development has greatly impacted travel and tourism in the field of travel as without these developments the industry would exist but the rate of turn over would be extremely low and slow. Travelers, regardless of net worth would be discouraged as the amount of time it took to get from one place to the next would be so great it would seem a burden and more than likely only destinations that are relatively close to the country of origin would be visited, causing it to become congested, repetitive and eventually boring and uninteresting. Thanks to the inventors and founding fathers of the different types transport, traveling has been made easy and allows for people to travel in large groups in comfort over immense distances within a tolerable time frame. This helps to increase the revenue of the economy for destinations travelled to. Technology in Research and Communication. Before anyone thought of how do I get there?They first asked, Where do I go? In order for one to have gotten an answer to this question he or she spent long periods of time mulling over all sorts of printed media ranging from, newspaper articles,maps,magazines and the like firstly to find a destination, then to garner as much knowledge about the place before deciding to embark on the journey. This was a rather tedious task, very time consuming and exasperating and this combination proved to be a natural deterrent. This was not to remain so as a slew of inventors starting with Konrad Muse and his freely programmable Z1 computer in 1936 began the invention of the computer. It continued with John Anatasoff and Clifford Berry in 1942, Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper in 1944, amongst many others up until 1985 when Microsoft windows became known globally and still is the world leader in computers and computer software. A computer by itself was just another machine. It was the invention of th e internet that revolutionized the use of the computer as a means of communication, research and advertisement.According to the Internet, unlike the light bulb and telephone the internet didnt have any one inventor. Over fifty years ago lt got its start in the United States of America as a weapon In the Cold War and for years scientists and researchers used it to communicate and share data with each other. This technological advancement has made traveling and the tourism industry significantly more developed as it makes life easier for the client and business alike. Instead of spending extended periods of time to get all the necessary information required to travel, everything is now readily available at your fingertips. It has significantly minimized the amount of time its takes for booking travel and accommodation as it offers the option of immediate pricing and confirmation as opposed to waiting for a travel agent which could take hours or even days, encourages the use of credit cards as opposed to having to visit a bank to withdraw cash, allows for simultaneous and immediate response in terms of emails and the instant messaging rather than writing letters or sending telegrams. Technology enables tourists to communicate with their family members back home via video chat, instant messaging and emails. Not only has technology benefitted tourists, it has also affected the way in which business is conducted in todays tourism industry, stakeholders utilize this medium for marketing themselves and their respective companies as well as to communicate with clients before the actual service delivery, communicate with employees and with other business owners as an avenue to conduct business meetings online through video conferencing which has proven to reduce the cost of traveling. Another technological advancement which has greatly affected the growth of the tourism industry is the telephone, an electronic device invented by Mr. Alexander Graham Bell. This device in not only beneficial for tourists for communication with family and friends but also for the tourism industry as it is a means of instant communication between the directors, shareholders and employees within organizations as well as other entities outside the tourism industry which are crucial to the operation of the business. Without both the computer and telephone, communication would be slow and it would cause decision making to be a much delayed process which affects the industry negatively. Other technological advancements which have greatly affected tourism and the tourism industry are the simple machines (lever, pulley, wedge and incline plane etc.) which have been integrated into the design of countless machines used in the building oh hotels to house tourist, roads to travel on, water filtration and plumbing for safe hydration, cooking and bathing purposes, installation of electricity used for lighting and the operation of machines and other electronic devices and in the d esign of all modes of transportation( ships, airplanes motor vehicles etc.). Without all of these, simply put the tourism industry would not be what it is today and with consistent and continuous modifications being made there is no doubt that in years to come the industry will become a more immense operation. Conclusion In conclusion the options must carefully be weighed and careful and contingent planning has to take place before any advertisement or production can manifest. This will allow for smooth and fool proof execution of procedures, hence, the guest/ visitor can have extraordinary and remarkable experiences, the community capitalizes on the opportunities afforded and the country as a whole and its economy can flourish.

Prototype Theory

Prototype Theory PROTOTYPE THEORY and DEFINITIONS: THE ROLE OF BASIC FACTORS, LEARNT KNOWLEDGE and CULTURE a small-scale empirical study 1. Introduction The purpose of the present empirical research paper is to investigate how Prototype Theory works in defining categories in real life. The theory was introduced by Rosch (1975) in order to explain how semantic categories are represented in our mind. Several experiments prove the functioning of Prototype Theory, but in everyday life we often categorise instances based on our culturally bound definitions rather than based on similarity to a typical instance. Thus, this paper investigates the role of the two mechanisms through a small-scale study, aiming at finding answers to the following research questions: Are prototypes and definitions formed similarly or differently? What is the role of learnt knowledge in creating the prototypes and definitions? Do cultural factors play a role in creating prototypes and definitions? 2. Literature review 2.1. Basic concepts In this section a review of the most important concepts related to Prototype Theory will be provided. To begin with, prototype theory suggests that many mental concepts we have are really prototypes. [] (It) has been useful in investigations into how concepts are formed, [] and to what extent certain concepts can be considered universal or specific to certain cultures / languages (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p. 432). A prototype is a person or object which is considered (by many people) to be typical of its class or group (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p.432). Rosch (1975) defines it as the clearest case of a category, and Aitchinson (1984) also stresses the typicality of the prototype regarding its category. The prototype consists of a set of prototypical features, which are the attributes that are shared by most members, but by only a few non-members (Rosch, 1975), therefore are able to differentiate between categories. A category is a set of attributes that we consider as characteristics of groups of people or objects, or a number of objects that are considered equivalent (Rosch, 1978). The category plays an important role in word recognition because it can serve as the basis of identification of an object, as people often define a concept by reference to typical instances (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p. 432). Other related concepts to prototypes are stereotype and schema. Stereotypes are beliefs about groups, i.e. the number of attributes that we consider as characteristics of certain social groups (The Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology, p. 520). There are, for instance, stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, gender or certain professions. A schema is a concept used in pragmatics to refer to a mental representation of a typical instance. Semantic processing allows people to interpret new experiences quickly and economically. (Cook, 1997, p. 86). All in all, prototypes play an important role in the cognitive processes of categorisation and word identification, which will be discussed in the following section. 2.2. Prototypes in categorisation The mental representation of a prototype is formed on the basis of several factors. First, a prototype is often described on the basis of its appearance: the size, the colour or the shape of an object can influence whether they are considered as typical instances of a category. Second, in some cases it is important what the object is capable of doing. For example, one of the most important characteristics of a bird is that it can fly, and a flightless bird is often considered as less typical. Moreover, the usage of an object often influences our judgement about the typicality of the object. Finally, the frequency of the word also defines whether we consider it typical or not, as a bird that always sings outside our windows can be judged most typical than an exotic bird that we rarely encounter. All in all, these characteristics influence our judgements of the typicality of objects with regards to certain categories (Rosch, 1978). According to another aspect, two types of attributes can define a category. Aitchinson (1987) distinguishes between identification criteria and stored knowledge, i.e. the attributes that are essential to the identification of a concept, and the attributes that we attach to the objects through our learnt knowledge of the world. In this respect the impact of ones culture is of high importance, as there is evidence that prototypes vary from language to language, and from culture to culture (Schwanenflugel and Rey, cited by Field, 2003, p.103). For instance, on the basis of its appearance, a bat could be categorised as a bird, but influenced by our knowledge we acquired in our biology lessons, we will most probably put the bat in the category of mammal. The role of the above mentioned basic factors, learnt knowledge and cultural stereotypes and schemata was investigated in an empirical study, which will be outlined in the next section. 3.  Research methods The aim of the empirical study is to answer the research questions presented in the Introduction. Research is based on data collected with the help of a questionnaire, and analysed quantitatively. 3.1. The research instrument The research instrument consisted of two basic parts. In the first part of the questionnaire there are five lists of words that participants had to evaluate on the basis of their typicality with regards to certain categories. The five lists of words were chosen on the basis of Rosch (1975, cited by Field, 2003, p. 102.), and consisted of nine words that had to be evaluated on a 7-item scale, on which 1 means the least typical, and 7 is the most typical instance. In the second part of the questionnaire participants had to define the same categories with their own words. The aim of the five open-ended items was to identify the basic attributes participants used to formulate a definition of the categories. These answers were then compared with the results of the judgements of prototypicality in the previous task, with the purpose of giving an account for the similarities and differences in the two kinds of mental operations. 3.2. Participants The research was carried out with the participation of 25 respondents. They were approached through personal contacts on the Internet. The average age of the participants is 22.4 years, and the gender proportion is almost equal (with 13 male and 12 female respondents). 4.  Results and discussion The aim of this section is to present and analyse the data of the empirical study, with the purpose of finding answers to the research questions. 4.1. The judgements of typicality The results of the judgements of the typicality of the instances of the categories are in line with Roschs (1975) findings that prove that the typicality of certain instances is evaluated very similarly by different people. Table 1 shows the order of the words within the categories: Table 1. The order of instances within the categories based on the respondents evaluation on a 1-7 scale. Furniture Bird Vehicle Fruit Woman table 6.85 blackbird 6.92 car 7 apple 7 mother 7 dresser 6.77 hawk 6.92 bus 7 orange 7 nurse 6.76 chair 6.76 sparrow 6.87 subway 6.69 pear 6.93 teacher 6.67 stool 5.61 raven 6.77 taxi 6.08 melon 6.54 actress 6.54 lamp 4.08 parrot 6.62 cart 5.77 mango 6.54 ballerina 6.23 piano 3.62 canary 6.54 yacht 4.08 fig 6.23 doctor 5.92 vase 2.39 ostrich 5.30 elevator 2 nut 3.23 police-woman 4.77 picture 2.30 penguin 4.85 ski 1.85 pumpkin 2.84 miner 3.30 telephone 1.92 bat 1.38 wheel-barrow 1.69 olive 2.30 football player 2.46 The evaluation of the prototypicality of the items seems to be based on several factors. The first factor is the appearance of the items, which influenced the judgements of prototypicilaty in the case of, for instance, the categories of bird or fruit, where the most typical instances have a lot in common with regards to physical appearance. Another aspect is the frequency of the items, that is, how often respondents encounter the given instance of the category in real life. The category of fruit is a good example for the importance of this factor, in which apple and orange were the ones being judged as most typical instances, and the less frequently consumed exotic fruits like mango or fig scored lower. Another example is the category of bird, in which the different evaluations of blackbird and canary cannot be accounted for in terms of physical appearance (they are quite similar in size and form). The frequency of the two species, on the other hand, is different, as the blackbird is a more common type of bird than the canary. A final factor in the judgement of the typicality of the objects is cultural schemata and stereotypes. The best example of the importance of cultural factors can be seen in the category of woman, where the traditionally feminine roles (e.g. mother, nurse or teacher) scored higher than the traditionally masculine professions (e.g. policewoman, miner or football player). Our culturally bound schemas are in work in the case of vehicles as well, where car and bus embody the best instance, while cart scored considerably lower. The fact that protypicality is a universal phenomenon of our minds is suggested not only by the consistency of the answers, but also by the fact that the findings are very similar to the results of the original experiment by Rosch, as summarised by Aitchison (1987, p. 53): On the bird list, sparrow, canary, blackbird, dove and lark all came out high. Parrot, pheasant, albatross, toucan, and owl were somewhat lower. Flamingo, duck and peacock were lower still. Ostrich, emu and penguin came out more than half-way down the seven-point rating, while last of all came bat, which probably shouldnt be regarded as a bird at all. Although the present research did not investigate the prototypicality of all items on the original list, the order of the items of my own study are in line with the findings of Rosch. 4.2. The definition of the categories According to the results, the definitions of categories are based on the same factors as the prototypes. Categories differ concerning whether they are formed on the basis of appearance, usage or frequency, and whether identification criteria or stored knowledge are dominant in forming the category. Table 2. The scores of the elements according to the number of their appearance in the definitions of the categories. Appearance Usage / function Frequency Experience Learnt knowledge Furniture 8 24 0 21 9 Bird 19 20 0 20 21 Vehicle 6 16 1 15 18 Fruit 17 18 0 19 19 Woman 5 7 0 10 21 The definitions of the categories were coded into numerical data: the definitions were broken down into components of meaning (based on the factors that determine prototypes, see section 2.2), and then the different components were grouped according to whether they referred to appearance or property, usage or function, or the frequency of encountering the given category. It was also decided whether the participant used world experience or learnt knowledge to formulate a definition. The results reveal that the dominance of the certain aspects of meaning in creating a definition varies from category to category. The definition of furniture is based on usage and function (e.g. an object with functions of decorating and personal use) and world experience. In the case of the category of bird, appearance (e.g. has wings) and function (i.e. what it does, for instance usually capable of flying), and experience (e.g. it can sing) and learnt knowledge (e.g. a type of vertebrates that reproduces with eggs play an equal role. Vehicle is defined dominantly according to its usage (e.g. used for the transportation of people), but experience and knowledge are both important bases of the definition. The definitions of fruit use all four aspects equally. Finally, the category of woman is defined negatively in a lot of cases (e.g. the opposite of man), and almost exclusively on the basis of learnt knowledge (e.g. has XX chromosomes and capable of giving birth). It is important to note that the frequency of encountering the category, which is an important factor in judging the typicality of an instance, does not play a role in defining a concept. 4.3. Prototype theory in the light of the results The results imply that the theoretical Prototype Theory and the everyday definitions of categories work similarly in practice. (1) Are prototypes and definitions formed similarly or differently? According to the results, the same factors (as outlined by Rosch (1978, see section 2.2.) play a role in formulating prototypes with regards to a category and in formulating a definition of the category. The mental operations that underlie the forming of stereotypes play a role in forming the definitions, although the definitions do not cover every prototypical instance. (2) What is the role of learnt knowledge in creating the prototypes and definitions? Based on the results of the study, stored knowledge determines prototypicality in the case of some categories. Attributes that we attach to the objects through our learnt knowledge of the world seem to override our world experience especially in the case of the definitions, which are most often formulated on the basis of learnt knowledge. (3) Do cultural factors play a role in creating prototypes and definitions? Cultural factors play a role in the judgement on prototypicality and creating definitions. Cultural stereotypes are at work in the case of the category of woman. Judging the prototypicality of the given social roles, cultural stereotypes and conventions determined the answers. The definition of the category of woman was defined on the basis of both biological sex and the social convention of gender. 5. Conclusion The present small-scale empirical study investigated the similarities and differences of the functioning of Prototype Theory and definitions. The results imply that the theoretical approach of Prototype Theory and the everyday definitions of categories work similarly in the practice, as the same basic factors, learnt knowledge and cultural aspects underlie the mental representations of prototypes and categories. 6. References Aitchison, J. (1987). Words in the mind. An introduction to the mental lexicon. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. Cook, G. (1997). Key concepts in ELT: Schemas. ELT Journal, 51(1), 86. Field, J. (2003). Psycholinguistics: A resource book for students. New York: Routledge. Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics (3rd ed.). (2003). Harlow: Pearson ESL. Matsumoto, D. (Ed.) (2009). The Cambridge dictionary of psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rosch, E. (1975). Cognitive representations of semantic categories. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104, 192-233. Rosch, E. (1978). Principles of categorisation. In Rosch, E., Loyd, B. B. (Eds.). Cognition and categorisation (pp. 27-48). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Exploring Motion And Force :: essays research papers

Exploring Motion and Forces Calculating Speed: Section 1 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The SI unit for distance is meters. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The SI unit for speed is meters per second. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the SI unit for time is seconds. Calculating Speed: Section 2 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When solving for speed, you are looking for meters per second (velocity). q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Your speed is 5 meters per second. 100/20 = 5 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You skate faster. Calculating Speed: Section 3 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When solving for speed, you are looking for meters per second (velocity). q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her average speed was 9.37 meters per second. 200/21.34 = 9.37 Calculating Speed: Section 4 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When solving for time, you are looking to end up with distance over velocity. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If a lightning bolt strikes the ground 1 km away from you, it will take .30 seconds for the sound to reach you. 100/330 = .30 Calculating Speed: Section 5 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the 60th floor is 219 m above the first floor, it would take the elevator 21.9 seconds to go from the 1st floor to the 60th floor. 219/10 = 21.9 Calculating Speed: Section 6 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It would take 5 hours to finish the race if the river was 130 km and you were traveling downstream. 10 km/hr is added to your speed of 16 km/hr because you are moving downstream. 130/26 = 5 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you were traveling upstream, it would take 21.6 hours. 10 km/hr is subtracted from your speed of 16 km/hr because you are moving upstream. 130/6 = 21.6 Velocity and Speed: Section 1 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They have the same velocities. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They have the same speeds. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no difference between speed and velocity. Calculating Acceleration: Section 1 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The car’s average acceleration is 3 m/s2. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The average acceleration is positive because the car is gaining speed. Calculating Acceleration: Section 2 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The roller coaster’s acceleration is 7.3 m/s2. Calculating Acceleration: Section 3 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The swimmer’s acceleration is .01 m/s2 during this interval. Calculating Acceleration: Section 4 q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The acceleration of the roller coaster is –5 m/s2. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The average acceleration is negative because the roller coaster loses speed. Putting the Knowledge to Work: Hypothesis Question q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You can measure a runner’s speed by calculating distance traveled over time. q  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Running twice as far would take twice as much time if the runner is moving at a constant speed. Putting the Knowledge to Work: Data and Observations Putting the Knowledge to Work: Analysis Distance (meters)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0-5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5-10  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10-15  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15-20  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  20-25  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25-30  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30-35  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  35-40  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  40-45  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  45-50 Robbie’s Time (short)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .95  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.11  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .60  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .67  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .32  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Velocity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.26 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4.50 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8.33 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.26 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.63 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acceleration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.54 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -.68 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6.38 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -1.60 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26.16 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Duran’s Time (short)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .42  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.58  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .9  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .63  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .53  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Velocity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11.9 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.16 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.56 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.94 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9.43 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acceleration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28.33 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -5.53 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.67 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.45 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.8 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Robbie’s Time (long)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .69  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.7  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .24  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .27  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.23  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .78  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .53  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .81  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .50  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .39 Velocity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.25 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.94 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  20.83 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.52 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4.07 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .64 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9.43 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6.17 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12.82 m/s Acceleration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10.5 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -2.54 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  74.54 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -15.9 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -10.1 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -4.40 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.58m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -4.02 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.66 m/s2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7.23 m/s2 Duran’s Time (long)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.29  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .8  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .32  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.22  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .72  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .41  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .96  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .46  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .8 Velocity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.86 m/s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6.

Apple iPod :: Music MP3 Player

The iPod Technology has been on a vast increase since the beginning of time it seems, and it hasn?t been showing signs of slowing. One item that has been a huge symbol for technology has been the Apple iPod. Who knew anyone would be able to download, store and listen to thousands of songs on a thin, pocket-sized player. However, just like other technology the iPod has transformed in many ways and become better and more advanced in its functionality and numerous features. In January of 2001 Apple introduced iTunes for the Mac. ITunes is a program that allows someone to buy songs, convert audio CDs into compressed digital audio files, organizes music collections and plays the radio on the internet. It can play, burn and rip music from a CD. It can also transfer photos, videos, games and calendars to iPod models that support those features. In October of 2001, Apple launches the first iPod. Unlike many other digital audio players of that time, the iPod relied on using a hard disk for storage instead of flash memory. Its small size, power, and easy to use structure make it relatable to buyers and users. The first iPod had 5 GB storage capacity which holds 1,000 or more songs and worked only on Macs, using iTunes as a music addition tool. In November of 2001 developers began to work on different software that would allow the iPod to work with PCs. As of January of 2008 there have been over 141 million iPods sold worldwide, making it the best-selling di gital audio player series in history. The following graph shows the rapid increase of the number of iPods sold in millions from the time they were released to May of 2004. http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/instant-expert-a-brief-history-of-ipod/ The iPod is widely known for all of its features and capabilities. Some of the iPod?s more prominent features include audio (obviously) with a search function that allows you to type in keywords in order to locate a song. You can also listen to audio at various speeds and connect your iPod to your home stereo through a small jack. The iPod is also known for its video ability. You can play music videos, feature films, TV shows, and your own DVDs. The player can also hold photos. You can download your pictures from your Mac or Windows and connect the iPod to a home theater TV to watch slideshows or video on a larger screen.

Pearl Harbor :: essays research papers

Pearl Harbor My report is about the attack on Pearl Harbor. In this report I will explain what happened and why it happened. So you know, Pearl Harbor is located on Oahu island, Hawaii. Pearl Harbor was the operating base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The Japanese pulled a surprise attack on the U.S. on December 7, 1941 at 7:50 A.M. during the beginning of World War II. On November 26 a powerful Japanese task force, under the command of vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, left the Kuril Islands; on December 2 it received a coded message issuing the attack order. The undetected Japanese force arrived off the Hawaiian Islands on the morning of December 7. In two successive waves more than 350 Japanese bombers, torpedo planes, and fighters struck. More than 75 U.S. warships(including battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and auxiliaries) were based at this "Gibraltar of the Pacific." All U.S. aircraft carriers were elsewhere. Observing radio silence, it reached a launching point at 6 AM, December 7. At 7:50 AM, the first wave of Japanese planes struck Pearl Harbor, bombarding airfields and battleships moored at the concrete quays. The U.S. totally taken off guard had to defend themselves in pajamas. They used anti-aircraft guns in an attempt to stop the Japanese. A second wave followed. The surprise attack was over before 10 AM. The results were devastating; 18 U.S. ships were hit, and more than 200 aircraft destroyed or damaged. The battleship Arizona was a total wreck; the West Virginia and California were sunk; and the Nevada was heavily damaged. Approximately 2,400 Americans were killed, 1,300 wounded, and 1,000 missing. Japanese losses were fewer than 100 casualties, 29 planes, and 5 midget submarines. The Japanese totally destroyed the U.S. naval power in the Pacific. The attack was, however, a colossal political and psychological blunder, for it mobilized U.S. public opinion against the Japanese and served as the catalyst that brought the United States into the war. "December 7, 1941," said President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is "a date which will live in infamy." A monument has been built across the hull of the sunken U.S.S. Arizona; it was dedicated as a national memorial in 1962. The next day President Roosevelt told a joint session of Congress that December 7 was "a date which will live in infamy." Congress voted to declare war on Japan. A small boat rescued seamen from USS West Virginia after the surprise Japanese air attack. There are different reasons why the Japanese were able to pull a surprise attack on the United States biggest military base. One is that when the U.

Ethical Consumerism: The Local Food Company

Executive Summary The report aims to understand the concept of ethical consumerism, with the help of an organisation that operates ethically. The selected organisation is The Local Food Company in the UK. The Local food company is engaged in sourcing and delivery of fresh, local and organic food including fruits and vegetables (organic and non-organic), dairy, grocery baked products and household items. Firstly, the report will provide an introduction to ethical consumerism and ethical products. Secondly, the report will conduct a detailed analysis of The Local Food company ethical activities and its socially responsible business. Thirdly, findings from a short opinion survey based on consumer behaviour are presented, Lastly, the report will conclude with the key findings. 1. Introduction: Ethical consumerism Consumers are getting more informed with the help of Internet and this is influencing their buying decisions. According to many scholars, the idea of ethical consumerism rose from the end of the 20th century due to increased media and ability to access information, and better availability of products (Newholm and Shaw, 2007). Ethical consumers have political, spiritual, religious, environmental and social motives for purchasing one product over other options (Harrison et al., 2005). There are two types of purchase behaviour as stated by economists: traditional purchase behaviour and ethical purchase behaviour. People will normally buy the cheapest product but only if they are confident that the product is as good as slightly more costly options available (Beardshaw, 1992 cited in Harrison et al., 2005). This is known as traditional purchase behaviour. Sometimes, customers boycott a certain product or brand and opt for a fair labelled or environmental friendly product as they consider ethical means more important (Harrison et al., 2005). This type of behaviour is termed ethical purchase behaviour. An ethical consumer is not someone who is ignoring price and quality but is applying additional criteria when buying a certain product. Ethical consumerism can be defined as the degree to which the customers prioritise their own ethical concerns when making product choices (Shaw and Clarke, 1998). Ethical consumerism is linked with morality. According to Crane and Matte n (2005), morality is related to the norms, beliefs and values embedded in the social processes that aims to define right or wrong for an individual or society. Ethical consumers can boycott a product if they read something unethical about a brand or they can simply purchase products, which are ethically sourced or have ‘fair trade’ tag. Ethical consumers consider the impact of their act of personal consumption on the society and environment. They don’t purchase product that are harmful to environment and respect animal and human rights. For example: purchasing free-range eggs; boycotting products manufactured by child, forced labour or labours who are offered low wages. There are various products that fall into the ethical category are banking, cleaning, cosmetics & toiletries, dairy, energy finance, fashion, food, insurance, soft drinks, tea industry and travel. According to ethicalconsumer.org (2014), there are over 200 ethical products in different categories. for example, a washing machine to save water and energy, a cooker with the least environmental impact, baby bottle sterilizer and impact of plastic on environment; living wage of worker who manufacture clothes; materials use in shoes-pvc, leather, wool; purchasing a greener desktop computer; milk and animal welfare; low wages in banana industry; lead in lipstick; fair trade flowers; bio detergent for cleaner environment; green or eco insurance companies; mobile phone helping activists; human rights issues in constructing hotels, etc. 2. Review of an ethical organisation: The Local Food Company The Local food company is engaged in sourcing and delivery of fresh, local and organic food including fruits and vegetables (organic and non-organic), dairy, grocery baked products and household items (The Local Food Company, 2014a). The company aims to source majority of products from Devonshire and West Country. It is a family business operating for over 200 years in Devon. The company is based at farm shop, Countrymen’s Choice at Ivybridge. The company has provided an alternative to supermarket online services. Being a small producer, it is successful as an online retailer. The company has been awarded for its green practices and ethical means of working. It includes Internet retailer of the year in 2006 for the South West, Green business of the year in 2007 and greening Devon finalist in 2007 EDBI awards. The company has proved how to run a sustainable food business. The company states, â€Å"At The Local Food Company we believe in a fair deal for our customers, our suppl iers, the environment, animals and indeed for ourselves†. The Local Food Company claims to operate ethically. â€Å"The Local Food Company are a very green and ethical business; we believe right now we are the greenest place you will be able to purchase food from in the UK† (The Local Food Company, 2014a). In addition to ethical sourcing of product, a business is also regarded as socially responsible when it fulfil the needs and wants of different stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers and investors. Any businesses that incur ethical artefacts attract as well as retain investors, customers and employees. To formulate this aspect, we take into account the Local food company ethical trading policies (The Local Food Company, 2014b). In exercising business ethics aspect, the Local Food Company have registered all employees to trade unions and provided them with fair wages and equal treatment. The company is against child labour, deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure, forcing employees to work excessive hours and discrimination. In addition to this, the company has no tolerance to bribery, blackmailing and bullying aspects among the staff and the consumers (The Local Food Company, 2014b). The Local Food Company has improved working conditions for employees making it safe and hygienic, hence boosting the morale of employees as well as strengthening the bond between the company and consumers preferences based on the products they produce. In some areas, it also operates above the minimum standards required by law in terms of safety of employees, rewards and values. This shows that the company’s main motive is not just to earn profit but also consider their employees’ needs and wants. At Local Food Company, any member of the staff is free to view his or her sentiment and the company usually accepts the sentiment equally without racial prejudice as well as discrimination based on gender. It can be seen that the company works as a socially responsible business in terms of employmen t practices; different ethical policies of The Local Food company are clearly stated on the website. The Local food company also promotes and encourages suppliers to follow ethical guidelines. All suppliers signed up have an e logo next to their goods. Also, there is no restriction placed on suppliers. Suppliers are free to sell from anywhere, via any number of outlets to buyers. However, the company monitors supply chain standards for unethical practices. Direct suppliers are asked to sign the acknowledgement of key trading ethical practices (The Local food Company, 2014b). Then after 1 year of work together with supplier, The Local Food Company introduces self-assessment questionnaire to promote ethical practices. Then, the company visits supplier farms on a regular basis to gain understanding of suppliers’ operation. Payment is made on time and done on the basis of market price (The Local food Company, 2014b). In order to attract customers, the company presents their ethical achievements so that customers can make informed purchasing decisions. The company engages in publishing policies, detailed supplier and product information on their website. In the first two years of trading, the company publishes comprehensive ethical and social charter giving consumers the freedom to access information about ethically sourced products (The Local Food Company, 2014b). It is good to know that any company within business platform needs to set out ethical guidelines that in turns lead to less risk hence increasing sales output. Based on this point, The Local Food Company in array of business produces various products including Bakery, Dairy, Meat and fish, Fruit and Vegetables, Prepared Ready Meals, Groceries and Drinks and Household items. These products however, are produced based on the standards bureau and local organic food regulations. The company has to ensure that buyers as well as suppliers are free with no restrictions to buy and sell the products anywhere and across the country on any outlets. In this way, the company ethically gives the buyer and suppliers all rights to their preferences without an essence of restrictions. The company has been able to drive business risks through these corporate forms of business to maintain maximal sales profit as far as financial outcomes of the business is concerned (Beauchamp, 2004). The Local Food Company has played a bigger role in encouraging small producers to implement ethical practices. To ascertain the aspect of ethics, the company exercises the aspect of ‘go green’. The company ensures that all products unveiled to the consumers are in better conditions; with highest order of hygiene and that all materials used are environmental friendly. The company sells food with a low footprint in collection and delivery. They claim to have lowest carbon footprints of all the businesses in the UK (The Local Food Company, 2014c). The company encourages customers to but locally and regionally, and cut food miles. Foods are based on high animal standards and sustainable farming practices. The company provides written guidelines on the waste disposal and insists on recycling programme for the benefit of the consumers. They reduce, reuse, and recycle everything possible. 3. Short opinion survey: what influences consumer buying behaviour A short opinion survey was carried out from a sample of students at GSM London. Students were asked about the main factors that influences buying behaviour. Most of the students considered the location of the store as an important aspect when purchasing a product. One of the student stated, â€Å"I don’t like to travel much for a product and always looking for options available near my location such as Starbucks coffee shop that can be found anywhere†. Some students also considered that they avoid stores that are crowded. Students also considered reading online reviews before making a buying decision. A student said, â€Å"If I am planning to buy something, I always search online reviews, if majority of reviews are positive, I make a purchase without thinking of the brand†. Few students mentioned about ethical behaviour in purchasing. They stated that after reading about a brand in news about forced labour or child labour, they boycotted the brand. A group of st udents mentioned about Rana plaza disaster, which changed the way they purchased products. The disasters resulted in number of deaths and injuries. Consumers regarded this as a serious issue and didn’t purchase from clothing brands that were involved. Students are also influenced by news videos circulating in social media. One of them stated, â€Å"I was very much depressed when I saw Peta video of how Chinese worker were handling rabbits for getting angora wool; this video encouraged me to say no to angora wool†. 4. Conclusion An ethical consumer is the one who applies additional criteria when buying a product. They want to buy a fair-trade labelled or ethically sourced product. They consider the impact of their private consumption on society and environment. An ethical consumer simply boycotts product that are associated with child labour or other unethical activities. There are various products that come into ethical category such as food, clothing, insurance, energy, soft drink tea and finance. One of the companies that claim to be ethical is The Local Food Company, based in Devon in the UK. The company is engaged in selling of bakery products, dairy, meat & fish, fruits & vegetables and household items. The company has been awarded with many green awards. The company acts as a socially responsible organisation and aims to fulfil needs and wants of different stakeholders such as customers, suppliers and employees. Suppliers are encouraged by The Local Food Company to follow ethical procedures in product ion. They are given the liberty to sell their food via any number of outlets. They are paid on time and treated respectfully. Ethical policies clearly show that company is against child labour and excessive working. The employees are offered safe and hygienic working environment. For customers to choose wisely, the company has listed information on supplier standards and ethical practices on their website. With the development of Internet technology, customers are getting more informed about the products they use or consume. According to the opinion survey conducted, customers make their purchasing decision on the basis of online reviews, location of store and store environment. They also consider ethical factors when buying a certain product. They boycott a brand when they read something bad about a product or say no to product that are against human rights. 5. References Beauchamp, T. (2004) Case studies in business, society and ethics, 5th edition, Upper saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2005) Corporate citizenship: toward an extended theoretical conceptualization, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 30, Issue 1, p166- 179. Ethicalconsumer.org (2014) Product guides, Last accessed 23rd November 2014 at: http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/buyersguides.aspx Harrison, R., Newholm, T. and Shaw, D. (2005) The ethical consumer, 1st edition, Wiltshire: Sage. Newholm, T. and Shaw, D. (2007) Studying the ethical consumer: a review of research, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol.6, Issue 5, p253-270. Shaw, Deirdre S. and Ian Clarke, (1998) Culture, Consumption and Choice: Towards a Conceptual Relationship, Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, Vol. 22, Issue 3, p163-168. The Local Food Company (2014a) Welcome to the Local Food company, Last accessed 23rd November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/ The Local Food Company (2014b) Ethical Policy, Last accessed 24th November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/p/ethical-policy The Local Food Company (2014) Environmental issues, Last accessed 24th November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/p/about-us/about-environmental-issues

Transport Safety

Examples of products that pretend been knowing against horror atomic number 18a) Cars produced with alarm systems and introduce devices.Cars produced with these features are more difficult to err because alarm systems and tracking devices harden the crisscross and increase the risk of apprehension.b) Biometric locks.Biometric locks help impede crime by sucker hardening.c) well(p) bike parking stands.This locks both wheels and the rove of the bike to the stand hardening the target and increasing the risk for a criminal.d) scene molded seats.These seats are roughly impervious to malicious criminal footing such as slashing with a knife or burning with cigarettes.e) certificate car outpouring.This car battery is intentional to allow the car owner muster out the battery on parking devising it difficult for anyone without a spare battery to steal the car.f) Tamper evident containers.These containers hold back retailers from substituting branded products with cheaper alt ernatives.g) Layout design of section computer storages.The layout of department stores is intentional to reduce anonymity, immunity from surveillance and alternative escape routes. This answers the trine basic questions potential shop lifters ask. support I be seen? If I am seen pull up stakes I be detect? If I am seen and noticed will anybody do anything about it?These few examples were designed after extensive research and are quite effective in crime prevention. In all examples, targets have been placed and the risk to offenders has been increased. The only limitations seen in store layout design is that many square meters that could have been used in product showing are lost hence way out of revenue.But in the long run, the gain outweighs the loss. another(prenominal) limitation to these new designs is that they tend to be more expensive than conventional designs scarcely having said this, a design memory access to crime prevention provides practical solutions to pr oblems that are often complex and multifaceted.