Roman Religion Essay - 1145 Words

Religion played a significant role in the Roman civilization but, â€Å"many people believe that Rome was not a religious place. What they probably mean is that it was not a moral place.† (Burrell, 65) The Romans had innumerable gods that they worshiped which included giving gifts and sacrificing for their gods. Sacrificing animals was common for ancient Roman civilization. The idea of sacrificing came from the people before the Roman Empire was built. Religion primarily used sacrificing as a means of showing appreciation to the gods but later became a way to get things from the gods. The increases in the expansion of Rome lead to an increasing number of sacrifices. Roman sacrifice was done in many different ways and there were numerous†¦show more content†¦Romans utilized praying to gods to make them successful or likely, not to make them better or nobler therefore, â€Å"Romans never seemed to mind how many different beings they had to worship.† (Burrell, 65) Romans would pray more often to increase the chance they had of their prayers being heard by a god. Romans sacrificed or offered gifts to gods, heroes and the dead to request assistance. There were six categories that they sacrificed for based on motives, â€Å"fulfillment of a vow, thank offering, offerings made in the expectation of favours, sacrifices made at the instigation of the gods, sacrifices as a result of divination and anniversary dedications.† (Adkins) The most common type of sacrifice was the fulfillment of a vow. Through this method, a person is requesting an action from a god a promise of a sacrifice is made. The next method, a thank offering was a result of a favor granted freely. Offerings made in the expectation of favours is a sacrifice would be made to a god and with anticipation of the request being granted, usually the request would be for the health of a given person. Unlike the vow method the person doing the sacrifice is not expecting a guaranteed fulfillment. Sacrifices made at the instigation of gods are preformed when a person felt that a sacrifice was necessary through a dream or another sign from a specific god. Sacrifices as a result of divination, â€Å"were a result of consulting oracles.† A personShow MoreRelatedRoman Religion And The Roman Empire1799 Words   |  8 PagesThe Roman Empire is one of the most well-known countries in recorded history. And this is primarily because it continues to aw e people via it s architecture, military, art, philosophy, and technology. But one of the greatest footprints Ancient Rome has left for us to study and admire is its culture. As in any society, culture in the Roman Empire was of great importance. The Romans had many beliefs, behaviors, and customs, but one of the things that stood out the most in their culture was their religionRead MoreThe Ancient Roman And Roman Religion2489 Words   |  10 PagesIn the ancient Roman world, religion played the most important role in everyday life, as well as in matters of the state. The Romans looked to the gods for political stability and for control of the unexplainable and natural phenomenon. The gods were believed to control all aspects of Roman life, and for that reason, a great deal of importance was placed in the appropriate worship of the gods. Women played an extremely influential role in ancient Roman religion. Not only did they participateRead MoreThe Greek And Roman Religion1315 W ords   |  6 Pages The Greek and Roman religions were the two major religions that were established in the ancient world. Greek religion was the first to be recognized and instituted, followed by the Roman religion. Many people believed that the Romans mimicked the Greek religion; however this was a common misconception, even though they appeared to be the same there are many distinctions between the Romans and the Greeks. Even the similarities between the two religions had slight distinctions, like their gods, theyRead MoreThe Religion Of The Roman Empire Essay1834 Words   |  8 Pagesworld around them through the devotion and compliance of religious beliefs. Religion was an instrumental part of culture, it shaped traditions and forged the identity of different societies. The Roman Empire experienced a transcendental cultural shift through the acceptance and subsequent endorsement of Christianity. Although first seen as a threat, it eventually became the official religion of t he Roman Empire. This religion of salvation is one of the most practiced faiths around the world today; Christianity’sRead MoreThe Greek And Roman Religion943 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek and Roman religion was polytheistic. They believed that there were many gods to follow and be impacted by. They believed that these gods dominated the natural world around them. They would pray to the gods and hope that the gods somewhat help them in some way. â€Å"Their religious goal is known as propitiation and is what makes Greco-Roman polytheism substantially different from the currently-dominant religions of the occidental world, which are soteriological instead. The worldview that theRead MoreThe Celtic And Roman Religions Essay1535 Words   |  7 PagesThe Religion of Celts Though there are records of deity names, and archaeological remains including altars, little is known about the specific religious beliefs of the Celts. Their burial practices included burying food, weapons, and ornaments with their dead, which suggests a belief in life after death. The druids, the early Celtic priesthood, were said by Caesar to have taught the doctrine of transmigration of souls along with astronomy and the nature and power of the gods. Transmigration is aRead MoreEssay Ancient Roman Religion3532 Words   |  15 Pageslate empire, religion had played a great role in its society and was involved in almost every aspect of the life of the Roman citizen. It was common for each house to have its own patron god/gods and ,on special occasions, the head of the house would make a sacrifice to the personal gods of the family. Also, great festivals were usually held in honor of certain gods and would include spectacles like chariot races and Gladiatorial fights. The religious practices of the ancient Romans are best rememberedRead MoreDifferences Between Christianity And Roman Religion984 Words   |  4 PagesCheyenne Pichel HI 201 Christianity vs. Roman Religion There are many differences between Christianity and Roman religion. There are also similarities between the two of how they both worshipped in a place even if the place was different. Big difference is that they believed in gods and also they had different ways of religious. Roman did not like people turning away from Roman religion, and that caused harsh punishment to Christian to occur. Christianity became popular in Rome is afterRead MoreThe Role Of Religion On Roman Society3350 Words   |  14 Pages Abstract This essay investigates the role of religion and the importance of Roman society and politics. It will show the origin of Roman Religion, such as the pantheon, origin myths and the effect of foreign influence on Rome. This paper will also go into immense study of how religion affected Roman society through the likes of cult worship and domestic religion. It will also show the importance of politics on Roman religion, such as, the Imperial Cult, Vestal Virgins but more or lessRead MoreWomen And Roman Religion And Its Impact On Society Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesThe female role in Greek and Roman religion and its impact on society Throughout the ancient world, the aspects to which a successful society thrive under have been skewed, except for that of religion. Although a universal religion has never been adopted, most empires tend to follow a basic outline similar to one another. In relation to Greeks and Romans, this ideology still holds true. Religion between these two societies have had their differences, but for the most part they have kept the same

Why Is Human Development Important - 2510 Words

Why Is An Understanding of Human Development Important In Care Work? In this essay I will look at the different stages of human development and how this understanding can be useful for care workers and also the dangers that can occur to individuals as well as care professionals if care workers do not have the proper knowledge or understanding to help their service users. I will also look at the different theories on human development and what factors affect human development. Human Development is a very complicated process which is why it is important for care professionals to understand the strands of human development so they can understand the changes people are experiencing at different points of their life and help you to better†¦show more content†¦Emotional development-learning what emotion is and also how to show emotion. Cultural development-learning own countries language, learning customs of your country. All of these are important to understand in order for care workers to know if the service users are on the right track or if th ere is anything that needs to be done that could help them to improve their lives for example if a child is not meeting their milestones they may have an illness that needs to be addressed or there may be abuse or neglect that care workers need to be aware of. (Class Notes 2014) (Encyclopedia Britannica 2014) There are many theories on Human Development which include Psychoanalytic theory- this help us to understand human behaviour, it tells us that to understand adults we have to look back at what happened to them as children for instance an adult who can not cope in a social setting may have been bullied as a child and is now afraid to speak to new people or Every time the vehicle she is riding in stops suddenly, Mrs. Smith panics. She thinks this is because she was in a car accident when she was a child, and in each new situation the fear of another accident crashes over her like a wave or another example is Jack’s mother left his family when he was a child. Ever since then, he has had a very difficult time trusting people because he is afraid they will abandon him. Sigmund Freud is said to be the founder of this theory â€Å"Freud believed that the

An Overview of the Works of John Pierpont Morgan Free Essays

string(80) " decreased costs to operators, shippers, and the traveling public \(Destler, p\." John Pierpont Morgan (1837 – 1931) is one of the more controversial figures in the history of America and the world of finance. Described as a sui generis, a colossus (McCallum, p. 2), â€Å"the organizer† (Miller, 2003), â€Å"banker of last resort† (Andrews, 1999), and â€Å"the man of the hour† (Corey, p. We will write a custom essay sample on An Overview of the Works of John Pierpont Morgan or any similar topic only for you Order Now 348), John Pierpont Morgan has also been called a â€Å"robber baron† (Andrews, 1999). Thus, it is evident that J. P. Morgan was a man who was as much praised for his actions in saving the American economy during the 1895 and 1907 crises, as he was criticized and derided for what was seen as his calculated control of the financial world and American business. Viewed from the lens of financial history, however, there can be little doubt that no person, either before or since, has left â€Å"upon the great art of money getting so important an influence.† (Flynn, p. 452) Indeed, Morgan†s acumen in finance and business is clearly illustrated by the fact that the U.S. government had to set up a whole array of government institutions, from the Federal Reserve to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Transportation, to carry out the market stabilizing functions that Morgan had once assumed (Andrews, 1999). But perhaps, the biggest testimony to Morgan†s financial astuteness and power lies in the role he assumed as defacto central banker in 1907. For, there can be little doubt that J. P. Morgan single-handedly rescued the American economic system from falling into disarray. The key to understanding how one man could possibly act as the defacto central banker for as democratic, large and influential a country like the United States, lies in not so much analyzing the actual event, but in J. P. Morgan†s personal history. For, only such an approach could possible explain how he possessed the financial power to avert the collapse of one of the richest banking systems in the world. John Pierpont Morgan was born in Hartford, Connecticut on April 17, 1837. The son of a rich commodity broker, Morgan was exposed to the world of finance and business from an early age (1000 Management Giants, 1999). Interestingly, call it sheer coincidence or the hand of destiny, the day of Morgan†s birth saw all the banks in New York suspending specie (currency) payment, with banks in Hartford following suit the next day. Thus, as Flynn (p. 462) points out, the future money king came into the world amid the din of crashing banks. Environmental influences may have played a role in instilling in the young Morgan an early interest in business. However, it appears that Morgan also had a natural interest in and gift for figures. For, even as a child, he is reputed to have kept a meticulous account detailing the receipt and expenditure of his allowance (1000 Management Giants, 1999). Further, this early interest was no fluke since he repeatedly proved his prowess with figures in both school and college. So much so, that his high school teacher is reported to have called him a prodigy after witnessing Morgan†s ability to mentally solve problems in cubic root and decimals. But perhaps the greater compliment to Morgan†s mathematical ability came when the University of Gottingen offered the graduate student Morgan, a professor†s chair in mathematics (Flynn, p. 454, 464). Fortunately for the business world, and unfortunately for the mathematical one, Morgan refused. Morgan entered the business of finance in 1857 as an accountant in the New York based Duncan, Sherman and Company. Morgan†s first job, as well as the work he did with his father†s international firm, gave him a unique perspective on specie standardization necessity for credit and commerce (obits.com). It is also interesting to note that Morgan began his career in a year of panic, just as he began his life amidst the din of crashing banks. But, perhaps this was a fortuitous start since, as Geisst (p. 89) observes, the panic of 1857 proved to be a fertile training ground for many future financiers. In Morgan†s case, this was probably true since he later demonstrated that he knew the value of financial stability and solidity. Besides the valuable learnings of the initial years, the civil war that followed must also have taught Morgan a great deal in terms of identifying business opportunities in downturns, the effect of war on monetary policy and credit, and most important, the role of courage, confidence, and faith in taking business decisions. In fact, this probably accounts for one of Morgan†s most famous sayings, â€Å"Remember, my son, that any man who is a bear on the future of this country will go broke.† (McCallum, p. 2) Morgan proved his abilities in business very early. For, it is apparent that he quickly learnt the financial ropes to become an increasingly influential member of the firm, Dabney, Morgan Company (1864-1871), before moving on to become a partner in Drexel, Morgan Co. In fact, it was the latter firm that grew to be recognized as one of the world†s most powerful financial institutions, both before and after it came to be known as J. P. Morgan Co. in 1895 (Netstate, 2005). The reputation of J. P. Morgan Co. was primarily earned in the decade 1879-89 when the House of Morgan consolidated its financial power and developed the institutionalized mechanism for the control of investment resources and of industry. Indeed, this is evident in the fact that by 1889, J.P. Morgan had secured control of many important railroads by virtue of his use of new forms and functions of finance such as the formation of trusts, acquisitions and mergers. In fact, this is when â€Å"Morganization,† or the control of finance over industry, and consequently, the centralization of industry and finance, was first established (Corey, p. 131-2). Morgan†s interest in consolidating the railroads, however, was not just for profit reasons. He was genuinely interested in achieving stabilization in the interests of the American economy. Therefore, he improved railroad properties and services, increased safety and efficiency, and decreased costs to operators, shippers, and the traveling public (Destler, p. You read "An Overview of the Works of John Pierpont Morgan" in category "Essay examples" 39; Moody, p. 134; Wagenknecht, p. 56). Morgan achieved this through providing the railways with enormous amounts of capital, which they needed for investment. More important, he put a stop to all price wars, thereby prevented likely bankruptcies, ensuring in the process that the capital was put to good use (Andrews, 1999). Much like his interests in the railways, Morgan also invested in consolidating other core sector businesses such as steel and power. For instance, he funded Thomas Edison in setting up the Edison General Electric Company. He later acquired and merged Thomas Houston Electrical with Edison to form General Electric in 1892, to emerge as the controlling force in the power industry (Geisst, p. 115) Similarly, by 1901, he had created U.S. Steel, North America†s first billion dollar company (McCallum, p. 2). Morgan achieved this through merging his Federal Steel Company with Andrew Carnegie†s Carnegie Steel Company (obits.com). After the merger, he then proceeded to offer the public the largest to date stock offering of $1.4 billion (Geisst, p. 115-6). However, much like the railways, Morgan†s principal reason for taking an interest in the steel industry was his goal of achieving a stable American economy through stabilization and prevention of violent fluctuations, which the steel industry in particular was subject to. This, Morgan felt, was a critical task because such fluctuations invariably resulted in creating periods of inflation and depression for many other industries, which were dependent on steel (Weinberg, p. 148). The key to Morgan†s success in amassing wealth and financial control lay in his ability to mobilize funds, overseas and at home, for the various trusts he controlled. In the absence of a central bank, these trusts quickly gained in clout as financiers and bankers aided and contributed to the consolidation of many smaller, innovative companies by merging them into industrial giants (Geisst, p. 124). Therefore, it is hardly surprising that J.P. Morgan Co., First National, and National City Bank, a trio dominated by Morgan, held a total of 341 directorships in 112 companies with aggregate capital resources (in money of the day) of between $ 22-25 million in 1912 (Andrews, 1999; Wagenknecht, p.50). Thus, Morgan†s path to success explains the colossal power he possessed in the financial and business circles of America. So much so, that even the U.S. government turned to him for help on several occasions. One such occasion was in 1985, when the U.S. Treasury was facing a rapidly melting gold reserve. Morgan responded promptly by organizing a syndicate, which supplied the U.S. government with $62 million dollars in gold. This timely action shored up the reserves to a safe limit of $100 million and probably saved the dollar (McCallum, p. 2; Wagenknecht, p. 55). This action, plus the indisputable power of his holdings, makes it evident that by 1907, J. P. Morgan was seen as the first among equals in American finance and industry. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that Wall Street, banks, trusts, and the government turned to him when banks began failing in 1907. There were several factors that precipitated the 1907 banking crisis. The chief of these was the rampant speculation that took place between 1905 and 1906 in the background of a prosperous economy, easy credit, and low interest rates (Moody, p. 134-6). To make matters worse, businesspersons such as F. A. Heinze and C. W. Morse regularly used the shares and resources of banks they owned to buy shares in other banks, or finance their more speculative undertakings (Cahill, 1998; Corey; p. 339-40; Moody, p. 138-141). The unchecked and unregulated American financial system of that era did not help matters any, giving speculators free rein to speculate in rail, copper, and indeed, any issue which Wall Street threw their way, no matter how unsound (Corey, p. 339; Moody, p. 135-6). The first signs of warning of an overheated economy and a bubble actually came in 1906 when Wall Street demand loans and merchant†s discounts began commanding the highest rate in more than 30 years. In fact, in September 1906, New York banks reported a deficit in reserves, leading to the U.S. Treasury depositing government surplus funds in banks (Noyes, p. 357). The action of the U.S. Treasury, however, only resulted in a brief respite. For, in March 1907, prices crashed on the New York Stock Exchange with reports of slackening production and earnings. The situation was further aggravated when large financiers were forced to liquidate their â€Å"indigestible securities† (Corey, p. 340) by a liquidity crisis (Moody, p. 142; Cahill, 1998). This second mini-crisis was once again averted due to the intervention of the U.S. Treasury, high money rates drawing gold from Europe, and funds returning to New York post the end of the crop season (Moody, p. 143). These stop gap measures, however, did not address the real issue, namely, speculation and unregulated financing of businesses. Thus, in October 1907, when the shares of United Copper collapsed due to Heinze†s attempts to corner them, it led to the collapse of a prominent brokerage firm run by his brother, the Heinze controlled Butte (Montana) Savings Bank and the Mercantile National Bank (Corey, p. 340-1; Moody, p. 144). The New York Clearing House Committee agreed to bail out Mercantile to restore depositor confidence. However, the action failed to do so, owing to a ripple effect that occurred once the committee publicized its findings on Heinze and Morse†s speculative activities. This ripple effect led to a run on several banks and trusts such as the Knickerbocker Trust associated with Heinze and Morse (Corey, p. 340; Cahill, 1998). From this point, the panic spread to the rest of the country owing to a loss of confidence in the economy and the American system. In addition, the accompanying credit and liquidity squeeze only deepened the crisis. The collapse of the Heinz and Morse controlled empire and the subsequent run on banks led to financial forces coming together rather automatically under Morgan†s leadership. Even the U.S. government looked to Morgan to solve the problem, with Secretary of the Treasury, George Cortelyou, rushing to New York to confer with Morgan and his associate financiers. In the absence of a central banking institution, Morgan had no choice but to step in and do what he could in an improvised and dictatorial style. In fact, Morgan was the only man in a position who could do so. For, J. P. Morgan Co. was in sound condition, having learnt the importance of maintaining a high degree of liquidity from previous experiences (Corey, p. 341-2). In any case, Morgan was known for his conservatism and aversion to speculation (Destler, p. 53; Wagenknecht, p. 56). Therefore, if anyone could be trusted to see America safely through its latest crisis, it was J. P. Morgan. Morgan rose to the occasion admirably. While banks crashed and investors panicked, Morgan mobilized the available money in the banking system and trusts, along with the $25 million handed over by the Treasury, to distribute to the banks and other financial institutions. In addition, J. P. Morgan Co. announced that it would anticipate all interest and dividend payments payable through the firm (Corey, p. 343-44; Geisst, p. 119). Morgan also stepped in at every crucial juncture of the crisis. For instance, Morgan organized a pool of $ 3 million to prevent the Trust Company of America failing. Similarly, when the New York Stock Exchange showed signs of a financial collapse under the weight of all the margin selling that the trusts and banks were forced into, Morgan bailed out the institution by quickly mobilizing a $25 million pledge of funds (Geisst, p. 119-120). Morgan†s role in the bank crisis of 1907 led to the press hailing him as America†s savior and â€Å"man of the hour.† (Geisst, p. 120; Corey, p. 348). Unfortunately, however, criticism soon followed with accusations ranging from his having engineered the crisis for profiteering purposes to being a robber baron. This led to the Federal government setting up the Pujo commission in 1912 to investigate Morgan†s suspected violations of anti-trust laws. The experience, in fact, is said to have broken Morgan who thereafter chose to retire. Morgan died in Rome on August 31, 1931. When he died, he left behind a legacy in investment banking and finance that is revered till today. The debates on Morgan†s motives may go on. But there is one fact that cannot be contested. And, that is, that he single-handedly saved America from one of its worst financial crises. How to cite An Overview of the Works of John Pierpont Morgan, Essay examples

The Awakening free essay sample

A review of the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, with a focus on men and the quality of life. (more) The Awakening free essay sample # 8211 ; Robin Williams Essay, Research Paper Throughout the film The Awakening, Robin Williams demonstrates his cognition of the scientific method. The scientific method is a process of stairss that is used to turn out jobs. In the film it is used to demo that patients enduring from an un-named upset do hold a little chance to return to their normal province of being. The scientific method is a list of stairss to turn out something and do into a jurisprudence or theory based on your concluding merchandise and findings. It is composed of several stairss, it starts with observations. Observations are where a individual collects known informations refering what you are traveling to prove on. Next they formulate a hypothesis based on their observations. After they have a hypothesis they perform several experiments to turn out or confute it. After this, they so organize a theory and experiment based on their hypothesis. More observations and experiments follow this, until they eventually come to a decision which is called a jurisprudence. Throughout the film The Awakening, Robin Williams uses the observation, hypotheses and experimenting stairss in the scientific method. Observations included, detecting the exanimate behaviour shown by the patients, their physiological reactions to traveling objects, and the fact that they all had instances of phrenitis before. After he did all the research he formed several hypot Hes and experimented to turn out them. Robin Williams used stroboscope visible radiations, talked to them, measured their encephalon forms, and used games such as a Ouija board to turn out some of his hypotheses. After he formed several hypotheses and experimented with them, he came across an article that explained how the usage of a certain type of medical specialty which was used to handle a disease related to the 1 that he was look intoing. He tried administering the medical specialty to one of his patients, and observed the consequences. The patient demonstrated normal, human conditions and seemed to hold no side effects. He so made a jurisprudence that stated the medical specialty helped his patient, and gave it to all the patients in the ward. However, his observations were wrong and the side effects were lay waste toing. This is how Robin Williams demonstrated the stairss of the scientific method throughout the film The Awakenings. In decision, I enjoyed this film really much, and the manner the scientific method was used in a existent life state of affairs. The film proved that even though person follows the scientific method, there is still a opportunity that the process will non work every clip. For a theory to go a jurisprudence, the result must be the same every clip. Even though Robin Williams thought his hypothesis was full cogent evidence, the move proved that it is really hard for some thing to go a jurisprudence.

Government Censorship Would Damage The Atmosphere Of The Freedom To Ex

Government Censorship would damage the atmosphere of the freedom to express ideas on the Internet; therefore, government should not encourage censorship Thesis: Government Censorship would damage the atmosphere of the freedom to express ideas on the Internet; therefore, government should not encourage censorship. Introduction I. In the Internet community, there is a large volume of technical terms. For this reason, it is first necessary to examine the terminology specific to Internet. 1. The internet is a world wide computer network. 1. Electronic mail (email), which is one component of the Internet, approximates person to person letters, memoranda, notes and even phone calls. 2. Another term that is often used is electronic news (enews/Usenet), enews is a broadcast, free to the Internet medium. 3. The term FTP is also frequently used. File transfer protocol (FTP) started as an Internet archival and retrieval medium, somewhat analogous to traditional libraries. 4. The world-wide web (WWW), which is another component of the Net, can be used to "publish" material that would traditionally appear in journals, magazines, posters, books, television and even on film. 2. It is also essential to give a brief history on the internet. 3.The U.S. government is now trying to pass bills to prevent misuse of the Net. II. In order to understand the need for the ever-growing body of legislation, it is important to explore the controversy, and the current problems involved with the Net as it exists must be introduced. 1. The problem that concerns most people is offensive materials such as pornography. 2. Another crucial internet crime is the stealing of credit card numbers. III. One reaction to this inapplicability has been the "Censor the Net" approach (the censorship bill), we are now to compare its advantages and disadvantages. 1. First, the meaning of "Censoring the Net" must be explained. 2. However, many experts have pointed out that government censorship is not possible. 1. First, it is not fair to exclude the freedom and damage the atmosphere of freely expressing ideas just for the safety of children. 2. Most internet users are enjoying their freedom of speech on the Net, which is supposed to be protected by our First Amendment. 3. Additionally, only a very small portion of the Net contains offensive material, most people do not use the Net for pornography. 4. It must be understood that censoring the Net is technically impossible. 5. While people are concerned about Internet pornography, it should be recognized that pornography is sometimes legal; for example, pornography is legal in video and magazines. IV. There are many alternative measures to government censorship which would prevent misuse of the Net and would have the same effects as censorship. 1. It is very important for parents to provide moral guidance for their children, and parents should have this responsibility. 2. However, at the same time as we carry out moral guidance, we have to come out with some short term approaches to solve the problem in a more efficient way as well. 3. An alternative to government censorship is the technological fix, which would prevent misuse of the Net and would have the same effects as government censorship. 1. One example of technological fix is the "SurfWatch" software. 2. Also, commercial Internet service providers, such as "America Online", allow parents to control what Internet relay chat (IRC) sessions are available to their children. 3. Another technological fix is for parents and guardians to have a separate "proxy server" for their children's web browser. 4. There are no computer programs to automatically and reliably classify material; only people can do it. As a result, while practicing technological fixes, the classification of the contents of the material when posting is very important. 5. Nowadays, most internet users classify their postings with standard categories, and leave signatures at the end of postings. 6. The combination of the installation of censoring software and the classification of materials is a much better solution than government censorship. Conclusion The Internet is a wonderful place of entertainment and education but like all places used by millions of people, it has some murky corners people would prefer children not to explore. In the physical world society as a whole conspires to protect children, but there are no social or physical constraints to Internet surfing. The Internet Censorship Bill of 1995, also known as the Exon/Coats Communications Decency Act, has been introduced in the U.S. Congress. It would make it a criminal offense to make available to children anything that is indecent, or to send anything indecent with "intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass" ("Stop the Communications ..." n.p.). The goal of this bill as written (though not as stated by its

Hindu Creation Myth

Hindu Creation Myth According to Hindu Creation Myth, Brahma is the divine creator of the world, as well as other things in the universe. However, different views on how actually the creation process occurred. The most famous one is recounted in the Vedas. The sacred book runs, â€Å"all living creatures were made from the ghee (purified buter) that came from Purusha† (Gibson and Wootten 48). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hindu Creation Myth specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, parts of Purusha’s body were used to create different objects of the universe. Navel was used to create the earth’s atmosphere, the head was used to create the havens, the earth was made up of his feet and the sky was made up of his ears. Purusha was also responsible for creating the four varnas of Indivian society – the Brahmis, which came from Purusha’s mouth, the Kshatriyas coming from his arms, the Vaishyas that came fr om his thighs, and, finally, Shudras coming from Purusha’s feet. The story of Hindu creation myths differs from Ancient Greek creation myths in a number of facts, including the beginning of the world, and some elements of the creation of the living creatures. The divinity creation also has certain tangible discrepancies. As per the beginning of the world, the Hindu world creation starts with the God Brahma who initiated the beginning of the universe: â€Å"Hindus believe that God, in the form of Brahma, is the creator of the universe and everything in it† (Gibson and Wootten 48). Unlike the Indian version, the Greek world begins with â€Å"an emptiness called Chaos – the yawning gap† (Martin 23). With regard to these creation myths, significant difference lies in using nothingness as the beginning in Greek myths, which is absent in the Indian legends. In contrast, Indians focus on the divine origins of the world which produced all creatures whereas Gree ks refer to emptiness which created divinity. In Hinduism, there was one creature that gave life to all living beings on earth. It has been torn apart to form water, earth, atmosphere, and various social layers of people. In such a way, Hindu myths prove the divine origin of all people, including all varnas. Unlike Hindu, Greek mythology provides an account of creating divine and mythological creations where there is no place for human beings: â€Å"Earth brought forth Ouranos, the Sky, to be her cover and protector and a place for the blessed gods† (Martin 23). Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In Greek mythology, however, includes humans at the end of creation, which underlines the emergent hierarchy with gods at the top and humans in the bottom. However, both myths prove the divine origin of all human beings on the planet. There are different concepts of evil origins on Earth with regard to Greek and Hindu mythology. In particulars, Greek myths show â€Å"†¦there is not principle of evil †¦ but Greek tales acknowledge that there are all sorts of bad influences and misfortunes in the world, including the shortness of human life† (Martin 21). In Hinduism, evil is presented as an opposition to good: â€Å"Hindus believe that Vishni is the preserver of the universe and protects the world from evil† (Gibson and Wootten 16). In conclusion, despite the divergence in creation mythology represented by Greeks and Hindus, there are certain similar points which provide a solid basis to explore the origins of the world. This is of particular concern to the analysis of divinity creation, human beings creation, and conception of evil in ancient world. Gibson, Lynne, and Pat Wootten. Hinduism. US: Heinenmann, 2002, Print. Martin, Richard. Myths of Ancient Greeks. US: New American Library, 2003. Print.

Critically discuss how one method in Media and Cultural Studies Essay

Critically discuss how one method in Media and Cultural Studies presented in term 2 of the module has been applied to an aspect of everyday life - Essay Example In terms of media-oriented cultural studies, and with the onslaught of various media brought about by post-globalization, ethnography have developed several methods that have departed itself from the traditional concept of qualitative research to a more reflexive approach that is more dependent in terms of interpretations, analysis, and assumptions of the researcher (Barker, p. 32-33). This paper is aimed at studying the application of various ethnographic methods through up-to-date, relevant examples of its usage and provides an analysis of each of the methods’ strengths and weaknesses. A classic ethnographic method that has undergone a postmodern approach is participant observation. Traditionally, participant observation involves empirical field work through participation in the day-to-day activities of the object of study with informal interviews towards better understanding of the meaning and reasoning behind the activities being performed. The time frame of study varies but has steadily declined over the years due to the cost and complexity of the method (as cited in Pickering, p. 107-108). With the proliferation of mass media such as television and internet, participant observations have become part of a pop cultural phenomenon not only dedicated in educating people about various cultures of isolated ethnic groups but creating a spectacle out of it. Take for instance National Geographic Channel’s Meet the Natives UK (2007) and Discovery Channel’s Adventures of Mark and Olly: Living with the Kombai (2007). Both television programs are aimed at documenting culture through the eyes of the observers—through their own interpretation of the culture. In Meet the Natives UK (2007), five tribesmen from Tanna in the South Pacific made the journey to Britain to observe and participate on various aspects of the English’ culture. With it, the tribesmen would constantly analyze and compare Britain’s culture [and technology] from their own thus

Significance of Proper Identification of the Market structure for the Essay

Significance of Proper Identification of the Market structure for the Organisaition using the example of The Ritz Carlton company - Essay Example However, consumer electronics industry is experiencing perfect competition and hence it is impossible for companies in this market to fix prices for their products. On the other hand in market with Oligopoly, only few suppliers are there and it is possible for the firms in such markets to control the price and market activities in such market structure. For example, OPEC is enjoying oligopoly in oil market. In monopolistic competition, there could be numerous suppliers; however, only few enjoy monopoly. In smartphone market, APPLE and Samsung are ruling now. Even though companies such as Nokia, LG, Blackberry, and Sony Erickson are there, only APPLE and Samsung have the upper hand. Even though monopolistic market structure is the primary objective of all organizations, it is difficult to maintain supremacy in such markets for a prolonged time. It is almost impossible for Ritz Carlton to think about following a monopoly or oligopoly market structure at present because of the huge capa bilities of competitors. At the same time, it is possible for Ritz Carlton dominate the hotel industry along with prominent competitors such as InterContinental Hotel Group, Marriott International Hilton Hotels and Global Hyatt. Key internal and external factors affecting Ritz Carlton Manpower cost is extremely high in American and European regions compared to that in Asian region. Moreover, global wealth is currently shifting from American and European is not so good for Ritz Carlton. Monopolistic competition helps companies to attain huge profits for a short period and a normal profit in the long run which is evident from the following illustrations. (Monopolistic competition, n. d.). From the above graph it is evident that the arrival of...This paper outlines the importance of proper identification of the type of market where the organization is intending to conduct business. The case of The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, one of the prominent hotel groups, which is planning to expan d into new Asian markets, is under consideration. The increased readiness of overseas countries in recent times in attracting foreign direct investment is helping Ritz Carlton to think positively about market expansion. Since competition is different in different regions, the objective of Ritz Carlton is to identify less heavily competitive service markets across the world. Asia is the rapidly emerging region at present and Ritz Carlton is giving more attention to this region at present. Identification of proper market structure is necessary for Ritz Carlton to excel in emerging markets. Based on the competition in the market, market structure can be divided into four major categories. In markets with perfect competition, the market determines the price whereas in monopoly, instead of market, the company decides the price. In market with oligopoly, only few suppliers are there and it is possible for the firms in such markets to control the price and market activities in such market structure. It is difficult to maintain supremacy in markets with monopolistic competition for a prolonged time. The ability to set different prices to different markets (price discrimination) is one of the major advantages of having a monopolistic market structure. Monopolistic competition helps Ritz Carlton to prove the worth of its products and services to the customers. Moreover, it helps Ritz Carlton to enjoy huge profits for short terms and normal profits in the long run.

Managing Teams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Teams - Research Paper Example Apart from all this factors, the leader of the team is an important and powerful determinant of the success of the team. A leader who is openly cynical, ineffectual, apathetic and interpersonally hostile is less likely to maintain a positive, forward-looking team. A team leader belongs to a team and operates within it. He takes the responsibility of providing vision and mission to the team and sometimes also, represents the whole team to the organization. The main responsibility of the team leader is to ensure that the team is functioning well and also, acts as an involved member of the team (Hayes, 2002). This paper mainly focuses on the importance of teamwork in working environment, leadership and ways of building a leading and effective team. Teamwork in a work environment The use of the concepts like, workgroups and team, within the organization has increased rapidly in the Western Industrialized world. The rise of quality circles and dominance of self- managed teams has come to exemplify this movement throughout the work organizations. These concepts have gained importance due to the lack of customized form of work and flexibility, which have reduced the competitive ability. Teamwork has been introduced in the organizations for effective recruitment and better utilization of the employees in order to achieve organizational goals. Team work has also helped the employees in accomplishing their need by controlling the work environment (Doorewaard, van Hootegem & Huys, 2002). It is not unheard that a successful teamwork influences the success of a business. Kets De Vries (1999) has emphasized on the fact that research has proved that effective teamwork is one of the fundamental elements that facilitates a high performing business. The business that continues to perform successfully is largely dependent on teamwork as it is a significant basis for day to day operations. Increased employee morale, effective and efficient communication, flat management structure, client focus, quality enhancement and productivity are the main aspects of team-oriented business. Research scholars have indicated that many of the organizations described themselves as highly team-oriented but in reality, they need to create team-oriented culture within their organization to gain success. Creating an effective teamwork environment depends on flexibility of the organization, leadership styles and management structure. Scarnati (2001) has proposed that employees are less likely to work in a team unless the purpose, condition, arrangement and structure of the firm support their team effort. Once the team gets established, it is not only the responsibility of the management to nurture the effectiveness and efficiency of the working team, but is also the responsibility of the team members to perpetuate the success of the team. The managers are required to select and employ highly skilled individuals who can contribute to the teams’ environment and lead it to su ccess. Teams are a strategic practice of the management to conduct their business in order to provide flexibility to their employees, under a certain work structure. These individuals are expected to make informed decision within the team, take responsibility

India-US Relations and its Implications for Pakistan

India-US Relations and its Implications for Pakistan Abstract With the emergence of the United States as the most powerful actor in the world, India re-adjusted its foreign policy and began to work more closely with this sole superpower. United States reciprocated by supporting Indias race to achieve the status of a Great Power in the 21st century and striking a deal for extensive strategic partnership. The US Indo strategic relationship, despite the strategic relationship between the United States and Pakistan, could increase asymmetry in the balance of power between Pakistan and India, which might lower the nuclear threshold between the aggressive neighbors. Need for the project To overcome the problems and come up with the proper solutions. Literature review Pakistan and India needs to resolve their bilateral issues on their own. The US have encouraged them to resolve their issues by peace talks but US would not get involved in it. US have importance of its relationship with each of the both countries. They do recognize that for India and Pakistan there are many outstanding issues between them that would be resolved by dialogue. (Cardin, 2016) The US has also opened all doors of military and technology to India, and also encouraged Israel and other allies to do as well. India has been the worlds largest arms importer, for last 8 years and buying over a $100 billion in weapons yearly, two-thirds of which are deployed against Pakistan. Besides, US political and military support encourages India in its aggressive behavior towards Pakistan. It is not likely that Pakistan suffers collateral damage from the United States arming of India against China. The US has imposed formally and informally discriminatory and severe limitations on Pakistans gaining of advanced and dual-use technologies and weaponry systems from the United States or allied sources. US also opposes the defensive response of Pakistan towards Indias build-up: fissile material production, long-range missiles and theatre nuclear weapons. Pressure on China has been exerted not to transfer any advanced weapons and technologies to Pakistan. Unless this scenario is cha nged, the capabilities of Pakistan for conventional defense and the nuclear deterrence against India could be significantly eroded. (AKRAM, 2016) US having tilt towards India in these recent years, Rabbani stated that United States has an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with India, but it refuses to offer Pakistan any similar deal, casting a doubt on Pakistans utility for the United States at the time when major combat operation have been winded down in Afghanistan. (Raza Khan, 2016) The role of United States in the region has evolved in recent years. The relations between United States and India have been blossomed while the relations between United States and Pakistan have become more troubled. In the past, Pakistan pursued U.S. involvement as a way to internationalize the dispute over Kashmir, whereas India has actively opposed any United States policy interest in a resolution for the Kashmir issue. India has not been desperately welcoming the intervention of United States unless it came with promises to force Pakistan to crack down on groups that attacked India. Meanwhile, most of the Pakistanis probably do not trust U.S. to be an honest broker in regional disputes. (DALTON, 2016) United States interests in the South Asian region, although not vital, but are important and increasing. These interests includes the prevention of a major war or further nuclear proliferation; increasing economic growth, investment   and trade; promoting tough democratic institutions; and cooperating on the issues ranging from enhancing stability across Asia in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. The end of the Cold War should allow a significant improvement of mutual relations between Washington and both New Delhi and Islamabad which are the two principal South Asian states. But seizing this opportunity will require extra creative thinking and skillful diplomacy. (Rose, 1997) Hypothesis USA shares good ties with Pakistan and India and does not want to create instability between them but India will use its relation with USA against Pakistan. Research Methodology Secondary data, includes books, journal articles and news articles. Objective of Research This research will help in understanding the complexity of the relations between US-India-Pakistan References AKRAM, M. (2016, April 20). The Indo-US alliance. Dawn News. Cardin, B. (2016, June 1). Impact of US-India relations on Pakistan discussed. Dawn News. DALTON, T. (2016). Pakistan: Challenges for U.S. Interests. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Raza Khan. (2016, May 11). Relationship between Pakistan and United States is imbalanced. Dawn. Rose, G. (1997). A New U.S. Policy Toward India and Pakistan. Council on Foreign Relations Press.

Essay --

In mid-20th century western society, preconceptions of male behavior remained inert. Stanley from A Streetcar Named Desire exemplifies rigid stereotypes of an alpha male within American society and Gallimard from M Butterfly juxtaposes with a deep, but thus far unfulfilled, desire for complete dominance over a woman. Society expected men to be exclusive figures of authority within the home, and more generally patriarchal dominants. Stanley, the antagonist in Streetcar, is immediately introduced as aggressive and dominant. It is quickly apparent that he is a man of habit and structure and expects undisputed authority and respect in his household, specifically from his wife. In scene one, â€Å"Stanley heaves the package [of meat] at [Stella]† (Williams 4), barely acknowledging his wife after coming home from work and Stella â€Å"laughs breathlessly†. Stella finds Stanley’s ignorant behavior amusing, which infers that Stanley regularly acts without much regard for his wife. From the first scene, the audience can already discern that Stanley feels superior to Stella and takes her for granted. In scene two, Stanley accepts an enthusiastic kiss from Stella with â€Å"lordly composure† (Williams 29). The suggestion that Stanley is lord-like is significant for two reasons. First, in feudal times lords had sworn vassals that owed full allegiance and obedience to their lords. If Stanley is the lord, then Williams implies that Stella is the faithful vassal doing her duty. Second, aristocratic succession dictates that only men can hold the title of â€Å"Lord† and subsequently the power that comes along with it. Since Stanley is the man, the comparison implies that Stanley has all the power in the relationship and that Stella will never have any power over S... ..., first hinted at with the way he treats his wife, is fully evident after he rapes his sister-in-law. Stanley shows no remorse for the brutish actions he takes to restore himself to power in his house and eradicate the threatening presence of Blanche. Gallimard is reserved, insecure, and submissive by nature. His deepest desire is to play the role of the archetypal â€Å"alpha-male† and dominate a woman completely. Although dominance is against his nature, he refuses to accept that his incarnate fantasy of â€Å"Butterfly† was only a veil of perception that was ironically used to dominate him. Both characters go to sickeningly extreme lengths to attain and preserve the dominant role in their household. But as they were men in the mid-20th century, they were responsible for upholding the patriarchal concepts in society that only accepted men that played the role of a dominant.

Bossini Research

Company background Bossini International Holdings Limited is an investment holding company which engages in retail, distribution, and wholesale of garments. The investment holding company together with its subsidiaries (â€Å"Bossini†) group carries casual wear products for a wide spread age range from ladies', men’s, teenagers’, kids’ and babies' wear products. Bossini was listed in Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 1993 with a stock code of 592. It was found in 1987 and launched its first retail outlet in 1987 and it expands its distribution network both locally and internationally in the past two decades. Currently, its distribution network contains more than 1,470 stores, approximate 65% of them are self managed stores and 35% of them are franchised stores, covering 36 countries and regions worldwide. With headquarter in Hong Kong, its market covers all over the world. Nevertheless, its core market is the Asia pacific region including Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Its largest flagship store is situated in Mong kok, Hong Kong. Milestone 1987:1st retail outlet opened in Hong Kong 1998:Launched franchising operation 1993:Listed in Hong Kong Stock Exchange 1st retail outlet opened in Mainland China 004:Launched a new product line, â€Å"Bossinistyle†, in Mainland China Present:Over 1470 stores around the world Branding Bossini’s brand value is â€Å"be happy† and it helps promote a positive and optimistic life attitude. The brand color is green and it represents a spirit of growth. Through the colorful products and outstanding customer se rvices, Bossini successfully cultivate a comfortable and feel like home shopping environment. There are mainly five product lines, â€Å"Bossini†, â€Å"Bossinistyle†, â€Å"Bossini ladies†, â€Å"Bossini kids† and â€Å"Yb† and the major ones are â€Å"Bossini† and â€Å"Bossinistyle†. Business Overview Major markets: The major markets for Bossini are Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore and they are in an order from the highest revenue contribution that covers over 98% of total revenue. The Hong Kong and Singapore markets contribute approximate 55% and 9% of the group’s total revenue respectively and they are quite stable. On the other hand, the Mainland China market keeps contributing more from 2008 to 2011 and it is increased from 19% (2008) to 25% (2011) that represents a 10% average yearly growth. For Taiwan market, the contribution decreases gradually from 14% (2008) to 11% (2011). The revenue contribution can be determined by various factors such as geographic economic performance diversity, geographic brand popularity, and resource allocation, opening more stores can bring in more sales. Therefore, we need to have other analysis to help investigate the cause the revenue contribution up and down. Presently, Hong Kong is still Bossini’s primary market and the major revenue contributor; however, the Mainland China market will be the key growth driver in the long run. Number of shops: The speed of opening new stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore is stable except the Mainland China. From 2008 to 2011, the direct managed stores has been jumped from 304 (2008) to 456 (2011). This represents a 14. 5% average yearly growth. It is one of the reasons to explain why the revenue contribution from the Mainland China keeps increasing. On the other, although the number of franchised stores also has a significant increase, from 391 (2008) to 521 (2011), the revenue from these stores is trivial comparing to the total revenue. Net sales per square feet: Even though Bossini has opened lots of stores in the Mainland China, the net sales per square feet in 2011 (HK$1,340/sq feet) is still lower than HK$1,500/sq feet in 2008. It implies that even more stores can bring in more sales to the group, but the marginal benefit is diminishing. The sales growth in the Mainland China cannot catch up the speed of opening new stores. There are many reasons to cause this happen and one of the reasons is some stores are competing each others. That means that geographic area might have too many Bossini stores. However, the management still needs to open more stores due to fierce competition by other brands. If Bossini slows its pace to expand, it might lose its business and the net sales per square feet is even worse. Nevertheless, the net sales per square feet in the Hong Kong market performed extraordinary well and it rises from HK$5,700 per square feet (2008) to HK$11,000 (2011). It is very important since Hong Kong is the one the cities with highest rental cost in the world and a strong sales per square feet can help reduce the pressure of high rental cost. Retail businesses are strongly affected by rental cost. Besides experiencing an upturn from the economic recovery, Bossini has adopted different business strategies focusing on branding and marketing initiatives. One of the best strategies is adopted is the co-branded licensing program. For example, Bossini teamed up with M&M’s, classic cartoon figure and TV show character to launch limited edition items and which can add value to Bossini’s products and boost up both its revenue and profit margin tremendously. These campaigns can also strengthen Bossini’s â€Å"be happy† brand value and enhance overall brand awareness. Financial summary Income statement: The Bossini’s gross profit increased 14% from HK$1,190 million in 2010 to HK$1,354 million in 2011 but the gross margin dropped a little from 52% in 2010 to 51% in 2011. It is slightly lower than the last year owing to the expansion for franchise businesses since the profit margin of them are usually low. From 2008 to 2010, the revenue is quite stable, approximate HK$2,290 million per year on average, and it boosts up in 2011 to HK$2,640 million. Due to global recession starting in late 2008, Bossini was doing quite well to maintain its revenue at HK$2. 3 billion and the honor is given to the right move to develop the Mainland China Market. China is one of the few countries that were being hit by the financial crisis the least and thus Bossini experienced a stable growth and strong domestic consumption in the Mainland China. When we take a look of the gross profit, its trend looks similar to the revenue. Nevertheless, when we take a look of the operating profit, it fluctuates more volatile during 2008 to 2011 comparing to revenue and gross profit because the selling & distribution cost and administrative expense are relatively fixed and usually it is hard to be cut even the revenue and gross profit drop. Overall, the revenue, gross profit and operating profit are extraordinary improved in 2011 due to the economy recovery in Asia pacific region. Balance sheet: Bossini’s current asset weights heavily on the total assets. Cash and cash equivalents, inventory and debtors and bill receivable all together represent 90% of the current assets. The level of cash and cash equivalents represents over 80% of the net current assets (i. e. current asset – current liability) which reflects that Bossini has a strong cash position and it does not has any short term liquidity issue. In general, Bossini is a financially healthy company. However, the high level of stock level makes me concern. The average yearly growth from 2008 to 2011 is 21. 5%. As we have discussed before, the revenue is quite stable from 2008 to 2010 and it is not a very good signal that the inventory level is kept rising. The inventory turnover day is 36 days in 2008 and is 57 days in 2011. In another word, it needs almost two months to clear all its stock on hand. Usually, apparel and fashion industry faced with short product life cycles and cannot afford such a long inventory turnover day. Such a high level of inventory might be caused by enormous product variety to meet different geographic preference. SWOT Strengths Overall business – Bossini is innovative and keen to adopt different business strategies on brand building and marketing initiatives such as adopting the co-branded licensing program. Financial – Bossini has a solid liquidity background that reserves enough resource for it to keep expanding the potential market in the Mainland China. Also, the robust improvement of sales per square feet in Hong Kong market helps reduce the pressure of expensive rental cost. Weakness Overall business – Not every product line is successful under Bossini. It has been expanding pragmatically its â€Å"Bossini† stores while consolidating its â€Å"Bossinistyle† stores as a revamp in the Mainland China market. It opened 72 more â€Å"Bossini† stores but 34 closed â€Å"Bossinistyle† stores in 2011. The operating loss in the Mainland China market was attributable to the â€Å"Bossinistyle† stores consolidation. Financial – an increasing inventory turnover day signals that Bossini is producing more than they can be sold. The product life cycle for apparel is usually short and such a long turnover day will bring it to be an expense finally. Also, a lower operating margin, i. e. 4 to 5%, gives no buffer to the company during economic downturn. Opportunities The co-brand licensing program in Hong Kong market is successful. As the Mainland China market is going to be more and more important to Bossini, the management can adopt something similar as well. Together with the government policies to stimulate domestic consumption in the Mainland China, a successful business strategy can improve sales per square feet. Bossini can enjoy the result of revenue and profit growth even though with slower pace of opening new stores which help restrain operating expense. In the long run, as income in the Mainland China is expected to rise further, the average spending by consumers on retail products is also expected to continue the upward trend. Threats External – The global economy is facing uncertainties by the new European debt crisis and our major markets are expected to experience a slowdown. Internal – Bossini needs to launch a fashionable touch in style that fit different geographic preference. The failure of â€Å"Bossinistyle† in the Mainland Market reveals that Bossini did not target at the Chinese customers well. Financial performance Liquidity Ratio Liquidity ratio reveals a company’s short-term solvency. Current ratio and Acid-Test ratio are commonly used. Current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. Its main purpose to measure whether a company has enough resources to pay its debts over the next 12 months. Even though Bossini’s current ratios is kept decreasing year to year, but it is still higher than 2. It means every dollar the company owes in the short term has two dollars worth short term assets that is available to convert into cash to meet creditor's demands. Acid-Test ratio is to measure whether a company can pay all its current liabilities if they are due immediately. The formula is similar to current ratio except it only considers those current assets that can be quickly converted to cash (i. e. exclude inventory and prepaid expense). Bossini’s acid test ratio is always higher than 1 means it is able to meet current obligations only using liquid assets). Acid test ratio is lower than current ratio since inventory and prepaid expense are excluded. But still, Bossini is considered to have a good financial strength in short term because both these ratios are higher than one. Activity Ratio Activity ratio measures a company’s asset management efficiency. Inventory turnover and Accounts Receivable turnover are commonly used. Inventory turnover measures the number of times inventory is sold during a year. The inventory turnover is kept decreasing year to year reflects that inventory is more and more difficult to be sold. In 2011, 6. 4 means that Bossini sold its inventory approximate 6 times during the year or it needed approximate 2 months to sell its inventory. Accounts Receivable turnover measures the ability to collect cash from credit customers. In this case, the account receivable turnover is not an important indicator since the average accounts receivable contributes less than 10% of total current asset and only a very small amount of credit sales will be involved. It is common for retail business. Solvency Ratio Solvency ratio measures a company’s ability to pay long term liabilities. The most common solvency ratio is Debt ratio. Debt ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total assets. Its main purpose to show the proportion of a company’s assets which are financed through debt. In general, Bossini’s debt ratio is less than 0. which means most of its assets are financed through equity. It is a highly liquid company and it is financially healthy even creditors demand repayment of debt. However, this advantage is diminishing from 2008 to 2011. It is mainly due to Bossini has a short term borrowing of HKD78M starting in 2009 and gradually raised to HKD128M in 2011. Profitability Ratio Prof itability ratio measures a company’s overall efficiency and performance. Return on Sales, Return on Assets and Return on Equity are the popular profitability ratio. Return on Sales shows the percentage of each dollar of sales that a company can turn into income. It is calculated by dividing net income by net sales. Bossini only enjoys a low return sales which is common for low end products retail business; however, it has been increased from 2. 7% in 2008 to 4. 9% in 2011 reflects it has strived to improve its profitability strength over 80% during these years. Return on Assets shows how profitable a company's assets are in generating revenue. It is calculated by dividing net income plus interest expense by average total assets. An uptrend of Return on Assets reveals that it requires less and less investments to generate the same revenue which is good for Bossini. Lastly, Return on Common Equity shows how well a company uses investment funds to generate revenue. It is calculated by dividing net income net off with preferred dividends by average common equity. Bossini’s sustainable growth, in Return on Common Equity (except in 2009 due to worldwide financial crisis) indicates the management maintains Bossini as a high growth company. Market Analysis ratios Market Analysis ratio is a good indicator for stock valuation. Price/Earning ratio and Dividend yield are widely used. Price/Earning ratio (â€Å"P/E ratio†) reflects a price the market is willing to pay for a share relative to its annual earning. P/E is calculated by dividing market price per share by earnings per share. A high P/E ratio does not mean it is more expensive, it just means that investors are willing to pay more for each dollar of earning compared to one with a lower P/E ratio. There are many factors that investors are willing to pay this premium such as fast growing, unique business model, market sentiment, and many others. For Bossini, the market price per share is pretty stable throughout these years and the high P/E ratio in 2009 is due to the extraordinary low earnings per share caused by worldwide financial crisis. Dividend yield measures the percentage of annual dividend return comparing to a stock’s market value. It is calculated by dividing dividend per share by market price per share. Bossini’s investors can expect to receive more cash dividends in the future from the increasing dividend yield pattern. However, investors have to beware that the dividend yield might be dropped even they receive the same amount of cash dividend because of the market price per share increase. Either way, investors will be appreciated.

Does Marketing create or satisfy needs

Marketing is an ongoing activity that does not stop, continuously obtaining needs that define a state of felt deprivation and wants that defines what Is need. It Involves transaction In terms price, place, product and promotion. At the end of this exchange, the most important result most desired is customer satisfaction. The discovering and satisfying of consumers' needs and wants is the prime marketing activity. Thus, the marketing function is to search needs and then satisfy it.According to Philip Kotler, he mission of marketing is to create products that satisfy the unmet needs of target markets. The marketers do not create needs: Needs preexist marketers. Marketers, along with other societal factors Influence wants. Marketers might promote the Idea that a Mercedes would satisfy a person's need for social status. They do not, however, create the need for social status. We all need to eat, drink and sleep and reproduce, this is all part of who we are as human beings.Therefore at th e basic level ompanies will strive to satisfy these functions and keep doing so by once in a while showing advertisements that tells the public that they are around and can provide the products they need. The other aspect Is that needs vary depending on what country and society you live In. â€Å"For example a consumer In the United States may need food but may want a hamburger, french fries and a soft drink and a person that lives in Mauritius that needs food may want a mango, rice, lentils and beans. Wants are shaped by our society.Marketers must therefore continually be creating and developing attractive products and then in turn devising a brilliant marketing strategy to win the consumer over to buy their product over other competing products. Companies strive to retain their customer base by delivering value and satisfaction from their products and this Is formulated in consumers' minds as a combination of service, quality and price. Some consumers would not mind paying a high er price for an item or service if they received very good service.

The Movie “Serpico” and Police Corruption Research Paper Example

The Movie â€Å"Serpico† and Police Corruption Research Paper Example The Movie â€Å"Serpico† and Police Corruption Paper The Movie â€Å"Serpico† and Police Corruption Paper The movie, â€Å"Serpico†, (Maas, 1973) was based on a true story about Frank Serpico, a New York police officer who wanted to expose the corruption in law enforcement and went undercover in order to reveal their criminal activity. He is offered a share of the money in which the corrupt officers share and when he refuses to take part in their activity, he is shunned by his fellow officers and they don’t want to work with him and he remains in danger because he chooses to be honest. Serpico understands that the other officers in his force, are likely to place him in a position that is ultimately, life threatening. Al Pacino plays the role of Frank Serpico, in this movie, who was a real life NYPD detective, (Cannan, 1997) who almost died because of his loyalty to his belief that good cops really do exist. Even when Serpico talks to his superiors in his department, he gets nowhere. Police Commissioner, White acted as if he didn’t care about Serpico’s concerns and ignored his plea for help. Serpico was sure that there were as many crooked cops working in New York City, as there were criminals. He remains loyal, throughout the movie, to his strong belief that police officers should be trustworthy, even though it places his own life in imminent danger. When Commissioner White doesn’t help, Serpico took his plea to a New York Times editor. With the scandal being talked about causes the mayor of New York City to conduct an intense investigation; The Knapp Commission, into Frank Serpico’s bold claims. Frank Serpico became a police officer in 1960 when he had faith in law enforcement and thought that criminals were arrested with traditional methods without using excessive force while arresting them. Seeing all the corruption, Serpico wanted to refrain from joining in one the corruption and asks another officer, by the name of Bob Blair, whom he trusts, to help him in his battle against criminal activity within the New York City police force. Eventually, Serpico went to court, in order to expose the corrupt officers who had tried for so long to bring him down. He testified to the fact that he had witnessed the corruption with his own eyes. The definition of corruption is described as â€Å"forbidden acts involving misuse of office for gain.† (Trautman, 1997) Author, Jack Gattanella tells us about the movie, â€Å"Serpico. â€Å" He says, â€Å"The real powerhouse performance by Pacino, thirty years down the line, still one of his finest.† Al Pacino was perfect for the role of Frank Serpico. Pacino depicted Serpico as an honest and good natured cop who only wanted to do the right thing while exposing those officers who weren’t. Global standards to combat corruption in police forces and services, (Interpol, 2007) have a duty to ensure honesty and ethical behavior and should use force in normal boundaries, in police departments. Frank Serpico (U.S. News, 2007) states that, â€Å"Frank Serpico, the former New York City cop who became a symbol for police honesty, lashed out at society’s leaders.† Serpico continues to hold strong to his faith that society can be led by honest individuals who hold police positions. From the very beginning of the story, where Al Pacino is slumped over in his car seat and dripping blood on his car seat, on his way to the hospital to get treatment for his injuries from being shot, the movie is shown as flashbacks in Serpico’s mind as he thinks about his days of being an honest cop, until the end of the story where he is testifying against the corrupt officers who tried to kill him. Police corruption still remains in our society as we read in Daniel J. Shanahan’s book, â€Å"Badges, Bullets and Bars†. (Shanahan, 2006) We learn a firsthand account of police disloyalty on the force as Shanahan tells us about some of his own experiences while being a cop. Frank Serpico was very courageous in his fight to show human decency and honesty in this movie. He left behind guidelines for all officers who work in law enforcement and will always be remembered as an early display of the way cops are supposed to perform in their duties. In today’s society, there still remains corruption in law enforcement but we still do have loyal officers just like Frank Serpico who are truly dedicated to their careers and work toward upholding the proper standards of the law and not getting involved in pocketing money that doesn’t belong to them, while performing acts that are of criminal nature. â€Å"Serpico† proved to be both educational and enlightening about the corruption in New York City police forces.

Making the Most of the Doha Opportunity Assignment

Making the Most of the Doha Opportunity - Assignment Example The purpose of this term paper is to distinguish out the Indian Economy, while studying the special aspects, along with the trade and ventures between Canada and India. The second part of the paper as discussed above is about the prospects of the Indian market for the promotion of tumble dryers and in this context, the civilizing and community needs of the society and their impacts are researched. Further, a marketing strategy after analyzing the needs and barriers that are imposed by the Indian market are studied, a marketing plan is suggested to promote the product. Indo-Canadian trade - History and Recent initiatives During the modern period, India has turned out to be one of the most influential economies around the globe and is set to become an emerging power for centuries to come. The political arena contained by the Indian subcontinent has become stable to a big amount thus serving the country to footstep towards a contemporary culture, with the Indian market escalating at an incredible rate. Ever since India has emerged as a developing nation, it has taken help from a number of countries to expand its market which also incorporated Canada to an immense level. In spite of a number of strategic differences between the two countries, India has been offered continuous financial aid by Canada. During the late seventies, both the countries had strained relationships, however with the start of the early nineties, as India was set to become an influential player in the world economy, the situation got eased up. The growing trend of the Indian market was soon realized by Canada and the two countries stepped forward to bring about some major reforms in their market strategies with each other. Canada became mindful of the call for expanding its roots within Asia and recognized that India was the most favorable place which could offer vast markets for Canadian products. With the start of the later nineties, Canada initiated the progress to recuperate the two-sided associations amid the two nations. Since then there have been a number of reciprocated visits at the political level since thus moving forward the trade growth.

Revolutionary War-Cowpens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revolutionary War-Cowpens - Essay Example He states that all the battles fought by then were done with the help of troops and men who participated in the regiments and had a certain commander who used to gather the entire men together and prepare them for all sorts of catastrophes. Soon these men who belonged to the frontier got the status of 'The Corps of Rangers'. These companies of rangers belonged to various parts of the state such as Virginia, Maryland or Pennsylvania who were under the leadership Colonel Daniel Morgan. Through his ongoing efforts the rangers got the status of the most eminent corps of the continental army. They were not precisely Rangers but were high level marksmen and according to some British general they were corps f a crack shot. These riflemen of Morgan stood victorious and were able to secure an amazing victory against the British during the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. The level of achievement can be evaluated by the fact that 1100 British soldiers attacked them and they were able to kill 110, ca pture 830 of them only lost 12 men who were killed during the entire process and 63 were badly wounded. Another successful regiment was of Thomas Knowlton, a brave young soldier who led an army from Connecticut which was quite successful in gaining the vital information of the mission. Only less than 150 men were part of his troop but his campaign was quite successful too. In this book the author has in detailed studied the Battle of Cowpens and according to him all men irrespective of cast, creed or culture were recruited in the regiments having their leader that is general or officials who managed and empowered them. How have artist portrayed the Battle of Cowpens in the paintings? None of the paintings that have been attached for review are able to completely depict, justify and narrate what actually happened during the battle. According to me the first painting is the closest to the real scenario that happened during the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. In this painting the defeat of the British is seen and how badly they were devastated during the battle. Many of their soldiers were killed and on the other side that is American soldiers were in power and had completely overtaken the British soldiers. Personally I think that these paintings are quite biased and only reflect the artists view and how he actually perceived the entire situation. They have features which narrate that the artist was only interest to reflect his perspective and only executed what his preferences were. They were also only focusing on how the movements related to art were flourishing and did not do anything to contradict them without using their own brains and evaluating the truth. A lot of time was spent on propagating the art movements and the art which was being carried forward during that time. They did not do anything to change the prevailing situation through their art but just went with the flow. Research was not done properly because if the research was accurate and more precise then the painting would not have been as bias as they are at the moment. References 75th Rangers (Bryant, Russ, and Susan Bryant. 2005.  75th Rangers. St. Paul, MN: MBI Pub Sealed with blood: war, sacrifice, and memory inRevolutionary (Purcell, Sarah J. 2002.  Sealed with blood war, sacrifice, a

Heat Energy and Climate Change Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Heat Energy and Climate Change - Term Paper Example Heat energy emerges from behavior of atoms in a body and it can be quantified through temperature scale. Cheshire explains that atomic motion results in heat energy and possessed energy defines temperature (13). In addition, heat energy spread in an environment based on temperature gradient and moves from regions with high temperatures to regions with low temperatures, a definition that is consistent with Sang’s classification of heat as an energy transfer (81). Mechanism of heat also identifies and relates to the principles of motion and conservation of energy. Based on energy conservation law, energy cannot be â€Å"created or destroyed† but may be converted to other forms (Chesire 25). Newton’s first law of motion however explains that a body maintains its velocity unless an external force acts on it while Newton’s second law explains that force (and by extension, energy) is proportional to kinetic energy (Giordano 40, 41). Consequently, atoms in a body will continue to move at a constant aggregate force and retain the body’s heat energy unless an external force converts energy in the body, positively or negatively. Example of a change is converted energy into a body that would increase velocity of atoms to increase heat energy in the body. Laws of thermodynamics explain the relationship between heat energy and mechanical energy. From the second law of thermodynamics, mechanical energy can be converted to heat energy while the third law of thermodynamics explains that heat energy can be converted to mechanical energy (Giordano 535). Mechanical work can therefore yield heat energy and heat energy can be converted into mechanical energy for doing mechanical work. Direct heat transfer from a body or into a body occurs through conduction, convection, or radiation. Conduction is the heat transfer through movement of atoms from hot to cold regions and is common in metals in their atomic states and in ionic compounds. Convection is another

Infant and Child Development Essay Example for Free

Infant and Child Development Essay This assignment will critically review Howlett, Kirk and Pine’s (2011) study, which aims to investigate whether attendance of gesturing classes affects parental stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) attempt to examine claims, advertised by commercial products, that believe attending gesturing classes can improve child-parent communications, thus reducing parental stress. Participants gave demographic information and completed a Parenting Stress Index (PSI) questionnaire. ANCOVA was used to look at whether attending gesturing classes affected parental stress, mothers attending a gesture group and mothers attending a non gesture group were compared; with ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ controlled. Researchers found that mothers who attended infant gesture classes had higher stress scores than mothers who had attended non-gesturing classes. From these findings the following claims are made: that mothers in the gesture group had higher pre-existing stress than in the non gesture group, * that mothers attended gesturing classes in an attempt to alleviate their pre-existing stress, * that gesturing classes may cause mothers to view their child negatively. This critique will firstly provide an overall evaluation of the article with reference to strengths and weaknesses found. Flaws will also be highlighted with suggestion to how these could be rectified. Points of detail in the evaluation will then be expanded and conclusions discussed. Overall evaluation First and foremost, the overall presentation of the article appears to lack in structure and organisation; this results in a lack of flow and clarity. In the introduction, the research question and key definitions of interest (i. e. ‘gesture, ‘non gesture’ and ‘stress’) are not discussed at the beginning. Characteristics of non gesturing mothers are instead firstly mentioned in the discussion section. The outline of categories in the background demographic questionnaire should have been made aware to readers in the methodology. Furthermore, in the results, findings from the study should have been stated in the opening paragraph. A fundamental flaw consistent throughout the article regards its lack of sufficient detail in ensuring strength of argument. In the introduction and discussion more research is needed in relation to how and why parental stresses occur to support findings. Furthermore unjustified claims are used to sustain argument which questions the validity of the research. The lack of detail regarding the direction of study also instigates ambiguity. More information is also needed about the procedure of the study so as to allow for replication. Further details as to how these flaws can be rectified are discussed later. Fundamental flaws are apparent regarding the non-random sample used and the lack of baseline stress measures. As no baseline pre-test has been conducted authors’ claims, as stated previously, can only be based on speculation. More information is provided on these flaws in the latter section. Strengths highlighted in the article include the demographic information provided. This information is useful as it allows for generalisation of results by ensuring groups are appropriately matched and offers useful information for future research in the region. (Keith, 2010). Furthermore the PSI questionnaire used, is well validated (Colver, 2006); using a creditable measuring instrument like this increases the reliability of the study. Moreover, the correct statistical test has been used, ANCOVA, and results are also provided with appropriate information. Abstract and Introduction The abstract fails to provide a rationale for the study; as this is unclear, readers may misjudge the subject matter. There is also no description of the stimuli used; the meaning of ‘gesturing’ is unexplained. Authors should elaborate upon what they mean by ‘gesturing’ so as to avoid misinterpretation. However, principal findings and design measures used in the study are stated. The introduction appears to lack in structure and organisation. No initial description of research question with reference to what it attempts to demonstrate is present; this is firstly mentioned in the third paragraph. Furthermore, authors first provide a definition of ‘gesturing’ in midpoint of this section. Considering this topic is the phenomenon of the study it would have been more appropriate to be stated at the beginning, rather than after the discussion of the benefits of gesturing; this may prevent misinterpretation. Although an explanation of ‘non-gesturing’ is provided in the discussion section, it would also be helpful for readers if it were included in the introduction; this enables differentiation between the two conditions. Similarly, a definition of the authors’ interpretation of ‘stress’ could have been stated at the start in ensuring readers’ clarity of terms. There is also no statement of hypothesis. nd authors do not provide a rationale or historical backdrop, therefore it lacks in significance and does not substantially contribute to the literature. Moreover, research discussed appears to be framed as a general review of literature and set out in list form with a lack of evaluation. For example, research has been described in relation to a study that has found no relationship between gesturing and linguistic benefits in infants (Kirk, Howlett, Pine and Fletcher), however it has not been evaluated or linked to the aims of the study. Furthermore, there are limited findings provided relating to the negative aspects of gesturing. Considering the paper is directed towards whether these classes affect parental stress, more research should be discussed in relation to the disapproval of gesturing classes, to support findings in the article. In addition, the article has included different research examples to support their view that parental stress can inhibit parent-child relationships, however there is no development in argument of how or why these stresses occur. To rectify, in ensuring clarity, more detail should be provided whereby these examples should be put in context with direct reference to the research question. Moreover, unjustified claims have been used in an attempt to sustain argument; for example, Howlett et al. , (2011) highlight ‘‘advertising claims that baby sign will reduce parental frustration and stress have little empirical foundation’. As this statement is not explained, it may seem misleading and as an ineffective use of argument. There is also no valid reference provided. In improving the structure and validity of their argument, authors should use evidence from influential papers to provide further detail in supporting their claims. The direction of study also appears ambiguous as authors switch between terms when stating the aim of the research. It is unclear whether authors are focusing on gesturing affecting stress or gesturing reducing stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) firstly state, ‘there are valid reasons to suggest that gesturing with an infant could reduce parental stress, this paper evaluates that claim’, (p. 438) they continue by stating, ‘this research investigates whether gesturing with an infant affects parenting stress’ (p438). One clear statement of what is being intended to measure needs to be used throughout the article so as to avoid confusion. The final paragraph includes a vague definition of variables whereby readers are left to determine their own assumptions. For example, it is stated that the frequency and duration of gesture use was used to measure the relationship between gesture use and stress, however it is unclear at this stage whether authors are implying ‘gesturing’ in terms of when mothers’ attended gesturing classes or their general use of gesturing; in and out of classes. The PSI is outlined, however researchers have not explained its benefits or why it have been use; this may leave readers questioning its credibility. Furthermore, it is important for researchers to include a statement of predictions, however this is not present. Methodology The authors recruited 178 participants (mothers) from the south-east of England; the sample size represents regional bias as mothers’ solely attending gesturing classes in this region is not representative of the whole country. Age range of infants used in the study is firstly mention in this section. It is stated infants ranged between 3 and 36months; however research discussed in the introduction only refers to the importance of gesturing from 9 months. Therefore authors have not justified the relevance of focusing on infants younger than 9 months; in certifying readers understanding, this could have been mentioned in the introduction. Authors have stated the measuring instruments used in the study. A strength regards the sufficient detail provided about the PSI booklet; examples of typical features such as the subscales of both the child and parent domains have been described. However no further details are provided about the background demographics questionnaire; categories are presented in the results section, however, it would be helpful for readers if details were included in this section. The potential confounding effects of using self-report questionnaires should also be noted. Social desirability bias may be apparent whereby participants may respond in a favourable light; mothers may not want to admit they are experiencing difficulties and respond untruthfully. Furthermore, as questionnaires are standardised, ambiguous questions cannot be explained; this may lead participants to misinterpret questions. Motivation for parents to complete questionnaires may also be scarce, resulting in superficial responses. In helping overcome these difficulties, authors could have stated whether participants were informed about why the information was collected and how the results will be beneficial; if participants knew the importance of their responses and were informed that negative responses were equally as helpful as positive, it may have made them want to answer more honestly. A fundamental flaw in methodology regards the fact that authors have not measured parental stress levels before conducting study. As there is no baseline stress measures prior to class attendance, there is no way of knowing if gesturing classes caused an increase in stress or what would have happened regardless of the implementation of the program; to rectify, researchers should use a pre-test methodology. Furthermore, another weakness in the methodology regards the fact that no ethic considerations are discussed. For example, authors could have included whether participant confidentiality was taken into account and whether de-briefing was offered subsequent to the study to respondents who may have expressed signs of upset. Description of procedures appears to lack in detail whereby there is no sequential pattern to how the research was carried out. There is also no precision in relation to what is investigated, to whom, and under what conditions. For example, Howlett et al. , (2011) state ‘contact was made with the infant groups’ (p. 39); more information should be provided such as how and when participants were contacted. Furthermore, no information is provided on how many classes parents had attended before the study or when the questionnaires took place; more sufficient detail is needed so as to allow replication and in ensuring consistency. There are also issues surrounding the amount of time participants were given to complete the PSI; it is stated the questionnaire takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, however, the procedure of collection differed between participants. Some gave completed questionnaires to a group leader, others were returned by post; the same conditions should be applied to all participants in ensuring standardisation. In addition, authors have not provided details of data collection or analysis undergone in the study; to avoid ambiguity it is important to include where the scores used in the analyses have derived from. An apparent fundamental flaw in the procedure relates to the fact that participants were not randomly allocated to the two groups in the study; randomisation is important as it eliminates sources of bias and ensures unpredictability. To rectify, random selection of mothers from a population could participate in the study. Results The beginning paragraph of the results is too vague; the hypothesis is not stated and no information on what statistical tests were used is provided. Furthermore, what the study found has not been not stated; it is firstly mentioned half way through this section. However, a strength in the article regards the demographic information provided for the two groups of mothers. Hours a week mothers’ work, maternal education, family income and siblings were included. It also highlights the similarities and equivalence between the two groups, making the interpretation of results valid. Another strength to this study regards the fact that researchers have applied the correct statistical tests. Two analyses of ANCOVA were conducted to measure the differences between the gesturing and non gesturing groups’ PSI scores. ANCOVA is appropriate to use as it allows to compare one variable (PSI stress scores) in two or more groups (gesture group and non gesture group) ith consideration for variability of other variables; covariates (‘sibling status’ was used as a covariate in the first ANCOVA and ‘birth order’; in the second). Controlling ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ stops these conditions being confounding variables and ensures validity. As ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth control’ covariates have been controlled, it may have been more beneficial for readers if authors ma de aware of these strategies used prior to the results section as there is no discussion relating to siblings until this point. Results found from ANCOVA also confirm to readers exactly what the researchers were intending to measure; after confusion from the introduction, uncertainties are clarified and findings explain that the focus is upon whether attending gesturing classes affects parental stress. Results are also provided with adequate information whereby the obtained F value, df and level of significance have been stated. Furthermore researchers are correct in using a Pearson’s r correlation in confirming results which is used to see if there is a correlation between at two continuous variables. By doing so, it was found that there was no relationship between how long or often gesture groups mothers had been gesturing with their infant, and the mothers’ total stress scores. Therefore mothers stress levels were unrelated to frequency and duration. Furthermore, in this section descriptive statistics have been provided in two separate tables. In ‘Table One’, which shows the ‘mean (S. D) stress scores for each item on the PSI by group’, data does not seem to be explained in full. The scale used is unclear and readers have not been informed on the system used whereby there is confusion as to what the numbers mean. Tables 2 which shows the ‘summary of two ANCOVA results’, is more coherent as a brief description is displayed underneath describing the covariates. Discussion In this section, yet again, the aim of the research remains unclear; it is stated ‘the aim of the study was to investigate the impact of gesturing with an infant upon parental stress’ (p442), authors need to be more specific in their interpretation of ‘gesturing’, whether they are referring to attendance of gesturing classes or general use of gesturing is uncertain. Possible explanations for findings have been discussed, such as the view that there may have been a difference between gesturing and non gesturing mothers due to gesturing mothers feeling more stressed prior to the study. Authors continue by suggesting these mothers chose to attend gesturing classes because of these feelings of stress in hope that they would help. However, authors’ claims can only be seen as speculation as no baseline measurement was used. It should be noted that researchers have evaluated their findings and acknowledged that as baseline measures are not present, no assumptions can be made as to why mothers who attended gesturing classes had increased stress levels compared to non gesturing mothers or whether they were more stressed before attending the classes. Due to the lack of solid findings, like in the introduction, groundless claims have been used in an effort to uphold argument in explaining mothers’ cause of stress. For example, it is stated ‘mothers have high aspirations for their child and the parenting industry may, albeit unwittingly, foster maternal insecurities’(p443); no justification has been provided for this claim. Moreover, additional research is needed to support the authors’ concluding claims that attending gesturing classes may be detrimental and effect mothers’ perception of their infant in a negative light. Only Hyson’s (1991) study relating to mothers who induced academically focused activities on preschool children has been used as evidence to back up this claim, this does not justify the authors’ inflated claims. To conclude, even though this article has used creditable measuring instruments and appropriate statistical tests, Howlett et al’s claims can only be seen as speculation as no pre-test baseline is used. No findings can be validated without measuring the stress levels of mothers prior to class attendance, whether increase in stress has occurred due to attending gesturing classes in unknown. For future recommendations, authors could use a baseline measures to test mothers’ stress scores prior to the study.