Television Addict by Marie Winn Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television Addict by Marie Winn - Assignment Example She first gives the pleasurable symptoms of television addiction, and confirms the same through a sample individual confession. In the essay, she also gives various examples of how significant television addiction influences peoples lives in more negative ways that commonly imagined by the victims themselves; an indication of how the victims sense of reality. In explicit statements, she is categorical that addicts tend to ignore all other productive activities in order to stay put in front of their screens, to which they cannot master enough strength to turn off for countless. The thesis statement of the easy can, therefore, be stated as follows: Television experience is as serious enough as any other addictions of hard drugs, for they not only activate pleasurable effects that inactive mental state of reality, but does well to destroy an individual’s worth through withdrawal from being objective in life. The author switches from discussing addiction in general terms to talking specifically about addiction to television in paragraph six. She, in fact, informs the reader more directly by stating clearly what follows in the very paragraph, that: â€Å"Let us consider television viewing in the light of the conditions that define serious addictions.† Indeed right after the statement, Winn jumps straight away to the symptoms of television viewing that makes it an addiction like those of alcohol or other drugs. To be certain, she argues that television viewing distorts the victim’s sense of reality, forcing the participant into a passive world of pleasurable mental state, to which they completely have no control over. From the point on, the author talks specifically to the readers over television addiction, more particularly with regards to the Vitim’s control ability to limit hours spent in front of television screens. Marie follows her discussion of the symptoms of television addiction with a sample

Research Project Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project Assignment - Research Paper Example In most of the lower class of the society, the systems such as schools and the law enforcement are one of the major reasons why the people under such settings cannot prosper in their education and the job opportunities. In the lower class society, most of the families prefer taking their children to lower standard schools, which they can afford paying the tuition. A lower standard school signifies that the education offered is of a lower standard education, this compared to schools that the middleclass people and the upper class people are exposed to. In a high standard society, the institutions that are in most situations availed are such that have qualified teachers who offer quality education at standard levels. On the other hand, in most cases, a low standard learning institution tends to have less qualified teachers who lack the standard quality education. Lack of proper education values is one of the major problems that is faced in a lower class society. Education is fundamental in the aspect that when a person is exposed to good education, he or she has a higher chance to secure a job in the future and earn some money to take care of him or herself. In a lower class society most of the teachers and the school administration are underpaid by their various institutions, for this reason there tend to be laxity in offering proper education. The impact of the lack of the proper education in the society then is that when most of the students finish the school curricula, they lack the qualifications to secure good jobs and ends up working for the underpaying companies as well (Lee). In most lower class schools, the rates at which the teachers are changed in a learning institution is extremely low compared to the schools of the upper class society. The relevance in changing teachers in a institution has been attached to the ability of the students to

Marketing Essays International Advertising

Marketing Essays International Advertising International Advertising International marketing advertising in this case can be taken to mean the dissemination of commercial messages to the target group globally. It involves the communication of a newly or even an existing products in a particular producing country so that it can reach the potential consumers all over the world. This is because you tend to find that the target audience for a particular product will tend to differ from one country to another. This is because of the many believes and attitudes which are possessed by so many people all over the world. It is due to this that international marketing has proved to be quite effective in that it will involve communicating of new produced products to many countries. You also find that the way people perceive or interpret stimuli or even symbols, the way people tend to respond to emotional or humour appeals plus their many levels of languages and literacy will require international marketing advertising so that the product can reach the potential consumer. There are so many ways by which international marketing advertising can take place so that the target audience can be in a position to access these products. Through the paper, I will try to analyze how international advertising takes place with reference to the tusker brewing company in Kenya. (Douglas, 2001) International advertising by Tusker Brewing Company You find that for international marketing to take place, the firms producing these products should be organized in a way which will make this advertising to be quite effective. For example the multinational firms need to centralize their advertising decisions plus budgeting this mode of advertising since its bit expensive as when compared to other modes of advertising. They need to have a number of agencies in such countries so that they can advertise their many products. So for the case of the tusker brewing company in Kenya, you find that they have agencies in other countries like it has agencies in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi whereby the work of these agencies is to market the tusker products in to these countries. It’s through this advertising that most of the potential consumers are in a position to access this beer hence leading to increased profits in the company. You find that its budgets are usually decentralized and also placed in the hands of its local subs idiaries resulting in the greater use of the local advertising agencies. So these agencies usually move from one country to another advertising these products to the potential consumers and hence its through this international advertising that many potential customers from all corners of the world will get the type of beer they want which will satisfy them fully while at the same time increasing the companies profits hence leading to economic development. Since many people tend to differ in their consumption pattern, you will find that a particular country can have a high consumption of the tusker beer more than the producing country and this is one of the factors which have led to the international advertising. (Rijkens, 2000) Developing an international advertising strategy will prove very much important since an advertising strategy will develop a regional or even a global advertising campaign. For example you will find that if the advertising in this case is to develop a strong corporate or even a global image, in this case you will find that a uniform global campaign strategy will be most effective. So with the tusker brewing company, it has developed a global advertising campaign whereby it needs to reach as many customers as possible. So it sends its agencies to different countries whereby campaigns are usually carried advertising the particular produced beer in the market. This global campaign in this case has several advantages unlike the local campaigns in that when tusker brewing company advertises its new products globally, then it will be in a position to get more customers worldwide who will buy its beer hence leading to increased profits to the company. So the global campaigns in this case ar e so much beneficial as far as the tusker company is concerned. Alden, D 2001 There are so many world advertising industries which operate in almost all countries so it is the role of the company to use such agencies if it does not want to employ its own agencies to market its products to these countries. But with the case of the Tusker brewing company, it has its own marketers who go advertising its products in to these countries. (Albers-Miller, 2001) Due to the rise of the new technology, you find that the globalization process has come up with so many technologies which have made advertising of alcohol products to be effective. Advertising of the products in this case can take through the internet whereby most of the potential consumers in this case can be in a position to have access to such products. So the new technology has made advertising of the products to be quite effective since you will find that the consumers need only to access such products through the internet hence be in a position to know the new products which have been introduced in the market. There are so many websites which have come up with the new technology hence you find that most of the alcohol companies which produce such beers can market their new brands through the internet meaning that people from all corners of the world can be in a position to access the newly produced beer in the market. Internet advertising is one of the ways by which most of th e alcohol companies have been in a position to differentiate their many products from their competitors. This is because you find that there are so many brewing companies all over the world and the only way most of the alcohol producers can try to compete effectively in the competitive world is to try and differentiate their many brew products. So you will find that most of the new brands of alcohol which are produced care advertised through the internet. I will give the example of the Tusker Company in Kenya which has used the internet to advertise its many products through the internet. It is due to this that the tusker company in Kenya has been in a position to compete effectively with the other companies say the Coca-Cola company among other companies in Kenya. Differentiation of products is very much important for any company which needs to grow. This is because if the tusker company differentiates its products through the provision of new brand names and then advertises them t o the potential consumers, then you will find that this company will be in a position to increased profits. (Albers-Miller, 2001) The brand name which is used by the manufacturer in this case will very much matter. The content of the brand name will have an impact to the potential consumers hence in this case, branding of products is very much important so that the consumers can be in a position top know the type of beer they are taking and the several ingredients which were used to make such beer. This is according to a research which was done of the significance of branding in to a particular newly produced product in the market. A certain brand of beer was produced and then put in unbranded bottle and another beer was also produced and put in a branded bottle and research was done on the two beers where market research was done. The tow bottles were taken in to the market and results were that the branded beer had so many customers unlike the unbranded bottle. It was found that most of the potential consumers of tusker could not purchase the new produced beer simply because it did not have any contents which could show the type of beer which was been sold in the market. So this particular research tells us that when marketing or even advertising our newly produced products in the market, you will find that it is quite essential to ensure that the alcohol products are branded so that the consumers in this case can be in a position to know the type of beer which is been sold in the market. The brand name will matter a lot since most of the consumers will go with the brand name which answers their many problems. A good example to explain this is that most of the alcoholics want the beer which will make them stay high for quite along time. So if the content of your beer does not convince the consumers to buy it, then you will find that your particular products in this case will not get many customers hence leading to the closure of your business. So international marketing in this case will mean that the type of brand which is used in your products will tend to convince so many people to b uy and should go with the demands of the consumers. International advertising has its advantages and disadvantages as far as the operation of the tusker brewing company is concerned. Let’s try to analyze some of the advantages of the international advertising by the Tusker brewing company in Kenya. (Albers-Miller, 2001) Advantages International marketing advertising has so many advantages as when compared to its disadvantages. First you will find that international advertising will mean communication the products in to so many customers hence meaning that the company will have build a strong coherent global image for its products worldwide. In this case most of the potential consumers from different countries of the world will tend to have access of the newly produced product in the market hence meaning that the company will eventually have increased profits. This is because it will have accrued so many customers to buy the beer. You also find that the use of same images in many countries whereby the new brand of beer is advertised will tend to build a familiarity and also try to generate more synergies across the world market. Here, you will find that the continuous advertising in these countries will make the product to be more familiar to the target audience hence meaning that the consumers in this case will have known the product for quite enough periods. This is because you find that most of the consumers are clever today since most of the greedy marketers who advertise bad products advertise it once and after selling it completely they disappear from the market completely. So with the continuous advertising of the products in to these countries you will that the consumers will be familiar with the product hence leading to huge profits by the company. (Albers-Miller, 2001) Disadvantages Despite the advantages tusker brewing company has had with the international marketing advertising, it has experienced some disadvantages. One is that international advertising is an expensive mode of advertising since it needs a heavy budget for it can start such campaigns. So when employing these agencies, these people need to be paid a lot of money since they are trying to market the product on your behalf. So a lot of money is required to pay such agencies who go marketing your product in to the many countries in which they visit. Also, it will involve internet advertising which is an expensive method to use by the producers of the tusker beer. So in this case you will find that since most of the consumers do not have access to the internet especially those people at the rural areas, then it will become a bit hard to communicate the product to them. The issue of a language barrier can occur when advertising hence meaning that if the marketers differ in their languages, then it wi ll be difficult for the international marketing to take place. (Grey, 2004) Conclusion International advertising can act as an integrating force across the national boundaries whereby the advertising of the new product tend to go beyond the bounders of the producing countries so that the product can be communicated to the target audience. This is because of the many consumption differences by so many people since people tend to differ in the consumption of such products. Reference Douglas, P 2001, International marketing strategy, McGraw Hill, New York. Grein, A 2004, International advertising management, Bacon and Allyn, Boston Rijkens, G 2000, Advertising strategies, Cassell, London Albers-Miller, N 2001, designing cross cultural advertising research: A closer look at paired comparisons. Journal of international marketing review Vol. 13(5) Alden, D 2001, Identifying global and culture specific dimensions in humour in advertising A multinational analysis, Journal of marketing. Grey, A 2004, â€Å"every market needs a different message†, IABC Communication World.

The Maturity of Men :: Media Movies Maturing Essays

The Maturity of Men It has been said that men mature slower than women and often become the joke of many conversations. Even Hollywood can sell movies based on this humor. Is it fair to say that all men are immature for their age? Of course it is not, but it seems that it is a growing epidemic among American jokes and allows a reasonable explanation as to why men are so different from women. Men take a little longer to process information and may need to make a few mistakes along the way in order to view the world as it exists. It is almost easier to say that men are immature than going into depth of how their mind works, and why they do the things they do. Although sometimes it may seem impossible for men to finally grow up, they eventually do because they realize from their own experiences what is proper and what is not. Many Hollywood films, including American Wedding and School of Rock, view men with an immature mentality but are able to explore a plot where they grow through their expe riences. In the film American Wedding, directed by Jesse Dylan, the plot follows the same theme as the first two in the American Pie trilogy. It has most of the same characters except now Michelle and Jim are getting married. The last person they would ever plan on inviting would be Steve Stifler because of his immature personality and obsession for sex. As the movie continues Stifler pretends to be sophisticated so that Jim’s future mother-in-law will invite him to the wedding. Of course there are other motives involved; but the tables turn quickly when Stifler realizes how important growing up is in order to finally settle down in life. Although in American Wedding the man characterized as immature is much younger than the one in School of Rock, it still follows the same path. This just proves that men can mature at all ages. This film, directed by Richard Linklater, has the famous Jack Black who is stereotyped as the immature male. Jack Black’s character is in his thirties but still lives in the dream that he will become a famous rock star.

Al Barzakh – Life after Death in Islam

Death is eternal. It is the biggest truth, the ultimate reality that we are born to face. According to the Holy Quran â€Å"Every soul shall have a taste of death. Hence, death is inevitable and its time and place is determined even before we are born.The following verse from the Holy Quran proves that there is life after death: â€Å"And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive† (2:154).Al Barzakh is an Arabic term which means barrier or veil. The word barrier implies the intermediary stage between death and the day of resurrection. As the Holy Quran mentions: â€Å"Between them is a Barzakh (Barrier) which they do not transgress† (Ar-Rahman: 20).Those who are alive cannot communicate with those who are in their graves. In return, the deceased cannot hear or see what happens in this world. To ask them for forgiveness is a sin since Allah alone has the power to forgive us. Life in this world and life in the grave are separate and the wall between them cannot be crossed (Islam, 2008).LifeHuman beings are curious and the mysteries of life and death have always fascinated them. Unlike death, life can be scientifically proven. Life for all human beings begins in his mother’s womb. After forty days of conception, life exists in the womb, and after another eighty days, life is blown into the piece of flesh and blood. At this time, the person’s deeds, destiny, religion and time of death are determined. Since Allah gives us our lives, He has the sole right to take it away as and when He pleases.DeathDespite being the greatest truth of our lives, death remains one of the biggest mysteries. Belief in life after death is crucial to being a true believer. The recent demise of my father intrigued me to answer certain questions about death. Life after death exists in a metaphysical world. It is questioned by people because it cannot be scientifically proven. However, there is suffi cient proof of it in the Holy Quran and in the sayings of the Holy Prophet (al-Jibaly, 2006).When a Muslim dies, he is bathed and wrapped in a clean white cloth, after which he is buried. Prayers are offered at a person’s death for his forgiveness. According to an interview conducted with a Muslim scholar, death is a transition that takes us from life that is temporary to life that is eternal. Life in the world is just there to prepare us for the life in the hereafter. It is then that actual and meaningful life begins. For those who did good in their lives, they will be rewarded with a life in paradise beyond their imagination (al-Jibaly, 2006).According to the Muslim scholar interviewed, when a person dies, he does not take his wealth with him into the grave. The only things he takes with him are his deeds. And it is his deeds that determine his final destination, that is, heaven or hell.

Quality Management: Cathay Pacific Airways Essay

Introduction Cathay Pacific Airways is an international airline registered and based in Hong Kong, offering scheduled cargo and passenger services to over 80 destinations around the world. They are deeply committed to Hong Kong, where the Company was founded in 1946. They continue to make substantial investments to develop Hong Kong’s aviation industry and enhance Hong Kong’s position as a regional transportation hub. In addition to their fleet of aircrafts, these investments include catering, aircraft maintenance and ground handling companies, as well as their corporate headquarters at Hong Kong International Airport; Cathay Pacific and its subsidiaries and associate employ 25,000 staff in Hong Kong. The airline’s two major shareholders are both Hong Kong companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, as is Cathay Pacific itself. Cathay Pacific is the major shareholder in AHK Air Hong Kong Limited, an all cargo carrier that offers scheduled services in the Asia region, and is a shareholder in Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited. They are also a founding member of the one world global alliance whose combined network serves over 570 destinations worldwide. Other members of one world are Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, LanChile and Qantas. Quality Management Defined In a total quality setting, Quality is as determined by the customer and employees produce it. Thus quality of a service is the customer’s perception of the degree to which the service meets their expectations Six-sigma quality is a standard and a philosophy of customer satisfaction. The six-sigma philosophy requires an ongoing audit mechanism that identifies opportunities for improvement and changes in customer expectations. Emphasize the importance of customer satisfaction. Define a quality goals and objectives and translate these into actual service and service delivery activities. There are some types of goals and objectives need to consider. -To satisfy customers. -To encourage continuous improvement. -To respect social and environmental needs. -To foster a collective commitment to quality. -To improve the efficiency of service delivery. -To clearly define customer needs and expectations. -To look for opportunities to improve service quality. Define service quality responsibilities and give your personnel the authority to carry out these responsibilities. Make sure that senior management retains the responsibility for developing, measuring, auditing, and improving your service quality system. Various interviews and customer surveys conducted throughout the year, customers are invited to participate in the Cathay Pacific Voice of the Customer survey, conducted multiple times per year to determine where customers are satisfied and where they can improve. These survey results are then used to develop plans to act on your suggestions, improving the solutions and experiences customer get from Cathay Pacific. They greatly increased customer satisfaction with Cathay Pacific service. Customer Expectation In a total quality setting, customers define quality and employees produce  it. Customers were considered outsiders who used a company’s products and suppliers were outsiders who provided the materials needed to provide the good service. Every organization has both internal and external customers. An external customer is the one spoken to in the traditional definition. An internal customer is any employee whose work depends on that of employees whose work precedes theirs. Cathay Pacific Airways have much different kind of customers and with any age. Cathay Pacific have sponsor young people from Asia to attend a special ecological course in South Africa. Over 190 students from around the world have traveled here to study Chinese language and culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In addition, they sponsor the student exchange programmers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong respectively. Also they can be a businessperson or people who is going just for tourist. Each year Cathay Pacific sponsor wheelchair athletes from Hong Kong to compete in the 10km wheelchair race in Vietnam. The organization’s survival depends on the customer. Customers who are satisfied with the quality of their purchases from an organization become reliable customers. So customer satisfaction is essential. Providing high quality service ensures customer satisfaction. Companies have to look to customers when they set standards for measuring quality. Products and services need to be improved with time to meet the varying need of the customers. To clarify how customers perceive quality, there are summarizes the four foundations of perceived quality: Product Quality, Service Quality, Brand Image and Personal Cost. Customers perceive quality on the following basic tangible principles: 1. Performance 2. Features 3. Reliability 4. Serviceability 5. Durability 6. Appearance 7. Customer service Customers expect to have a best service with lower price. Therefore Cathay Pacific always believes in Service Straight from the Heart. From their front-line staff to those behind the scenes, the dedication of every person at Cathay Pacific remains the driving force behind our service. It’s about treating people as individuals and treating them like your best friend. They call it Service Straight from the Heart because it stems from within. Thus their staff led their personal lives in the same way they embrace their professional one with fervor, integrity and optimism This positive lifestyle may stem from an exercise regimen in the quest to stay fit and alert and always ready for the next big challenge and to deliver expectations. It could revolve around a continuous thirst for knowledge that leads to self-improvement and improving the lives of others. Or else it may be a personal passion for traveling that offers incredible insight on what makes an unforgettable travel experience. Reputation is something that can be good or bad for a Cathay Pacific by customers. It is built upon the competitive elements such as quality, reliability, delivery and price. Once a Cathay Pacific acquires a bad reputation for quality, it takes a very long time to change it. Reputations good or bad can quickly become national reputations. Customers tend to remember only the bad quality they receive. For example: If 99 % of flights arrives is on time, the customer will only remember the 1%  of flight arrives late. Quality and customer satisfaction may not be enough to hold on to customers. Cathay Pacific must also build relationships with customers. Customer retention is a more accurate reflection of an organization’s success than quality or customer satisfaction. Customer retention is affected by factors that the company can control, like service improvements, and factors that are controlled by the marketplace, like pricing flexibility. Strong relationships with customers can increase retention by asking customers the right questions, really listening to what they have to say, and providing feedback to them on the results of action plans. Quality and customer satisfaction are still very important, but customer retention should be the organization’s ultimate test of success. Customer satisfaction is achieved by producing high-quality services that meet or exceed expectations. The key to establishing a customer focus is to put employees in touch with customers so that customer needs are known and understood. Scholtes’s six-step strategy for identifying customer needs is as follows: speculate about results, develop an information gathering plan, gather information, analyze the results, check the validity of conclusions and take action. Customer needs are not static. Therefore, constant contact with customers is essential in a total quality setting. Whenever possible, this contact should be in person or by telephone. Written surveys can use, but they will not produce the level of feedback that personal contact can generate. Measuring customer satisfaction alone is not enough. Many customers who defect are satisfied. Cathay Pacific should measure customer retention. They should go beyond satisfying customers to creating value for them in every supplier customer interaction. Cost of Quality Cost of quality as defined by Crosby â€Å"Quality Is Free†, Cost of quality is the amount of money a business loses because its product or service was not done right in the first place. In early April, Cathay Pacific reduced their passenger capacity in response to the fall in passenger traffic arising from the SARS outbreak. They cancelled 45% of their passenger flights and parked 22 aircraft. The integrity of their network was maintained, although services to Fukuoka and Sapporo were temporarily suspended. This is the business loses by the suddenly SARS occur or a badly performed service, businesses lose money every day due to poor quality. Quality is the confluence of customer expectation and realization. It is essential that every organization is aware of the cost of quality, which awareness must. In Cathay Pacific, the lowest possible level of defects, which can be achieved only by an aggressive search for and elimination of the sources of error, is a prerequisite for an internationally competitive performance. There have four major areas of the cost of quality: Prevention, Appraisal, Internal Failure, and External Failure. Prevention involves costs of any effort to eliminate defects in service. When providing service, an excellent service with strong planning can certainly prevent the occurrence of errors and other problems down the line. Appraisal includes the cost of measuring, evaluating and auditing services to assure conformance with requirements. If a defect occurred on the assembly line, the defect was thrown out irrespective of the cost of materials and labor. Internal failure refers to costs required to evaluate or correct service not conforming to requirements prior to furnishing services. This could include rework, operations corrective actions, re-inspections, and labor losses. In Cathay Pacific, this can include the need for rescheduling different flights when they are interdependent and errors occur, e.g., in the computer system. Reports have to be rewritten. Other internal failure occurs when errors in  wrong data affect other departments within the Cathay Pacific. External failure refers to the cost of failure after furnishing services to customers. This includes complaints, liability, goodwill, and both lost sales and customers. If customers are lost, this type of failure is most expensive, especially considering that new customers are estimated to be five times as expensive to acquire as the cost to maintain existing customers. Quality Program The reason of SARS arising in early April, Cathay Pacific reduced their passenger capacity in response to the fall in passenger traffic. Cathay Pacific Airways have to implement preventive measures to guard against the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) at airports served, in provision of in-flight service, and related to its ground and in-flight personnel. In any business, also need to continuous improvement to keep survival in the world. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is an approach to continual improvement that brings customers into the design of services. It translates what the customer wants into what Cathay Pacific provides. A QFD matrix takes shape of a house. An example will show in the next page. QFD yields the following benefits to Cathay Pacific that is interested in continual improvement: customer focus, time efficiency, teamwork orientation and documentation orientation. QFD also makes use of several specialized tools including Affinity diagrams, which are used to promote creative thinking. The interrelationship diagraph is used to bring logic to the process of identifying relationships among ideas. The tree diagram identifies all tasks that must be accomplished to solve a problem. Matrix diagrams are used to identify connections among responsibilities, tasks and functions. Cathay Pacific can use QFD to closely monitoring the SARS situation in adjustments to its flight schedule, according to passenger demand. That’s why they can identify the problems of SARS and find out the solution to eliminating the problem happen occur again. Cathay Pacific can implement measures to guard against the spread of the SARS virus as follows: Protective measures for all staff in all functions: ?Wear surgical mask and latex gloves every time that work is conducted on the aircraft upon flight arrival from an affected country as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO). ?Check-in staff providing passenger service at airports in affected countries must wear surgical masks at all times when providing service provision. -After work has been completed, staff must cleanse their hands thoroughly with clean water and disinfecting soap. -Used surgical mask and latex gloves must be disposed of in a specifically designated container, labeled accordingly. -Disinfecting spray must be used on all flights returning from countries considered affected areas. Measures related to in-flight service provision: -Disinfecting spray must be used on flights departing from countries considered affected areas. -Cabin crew must observe passengers for SARS symptoms related to the respiratory system, such as high fever, coughing, sneezing, and provide surgical masks for passengers to wear. -Cabin crew must separate the passenger suspected to have SARS symptoms from other passengers, or separate the passenger in a designated area, and inform  the International Communicable Disease Control Office under Cathay Pacific, before the flight lands. Measures related to customer service: Check-in and boarding gate staff working at airports in Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, China ?in Hong Kong, must observe passengers for SARS symptoms. If passengers are observed to have high fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, they must provide a doctor’s letter stating they are fit to travel. If the passenger does not have a doctor’s letter, the physician on duty at the respective airport must be contacted to examine the passenger with related symptoms. If there is any doubt to the nature of the passenger’s illness, the passenger may be denied boarding. Difficulties or Limitation Customer information is the most important for continuous improvement. We have to collect reliable information to identify the cause of problem. This is difficult to ensure all the information is reliable. Sometimes the information is according by the service-testing editor for magazine or newspaper gives the service a try and writes an article pointing out weaknesses. Customer information falls into two broad categories: feedback and input. Feedback is given after the fact. In Cathay pacific, this means after a problem has been occur. Feedback is valuable and should be collected. However, it comes too late in the process to help ensure that customer requirements are met. Input is obtained before the fact. In Cathay pacific, this means during the problem happening. Collecting customer input during service provides allows changes to be made before the worst problem occurs. Collecting input is more valuable than collecting feedback. Conclusion The outbreak in mid March of atypical pneumonia or SARS had a devastating impact on Cathay Pacific passenger business. The interim performance of Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Limited was badly affected by the outbreak of SARS. The company implemented stringent cost controls. All overseas flight kitchens were impacted by SARS and also implemented cost control measures. SARS had little effect on the airfreight business and the company reported a satisfactory interim profit. Hong Kong Airport Services Limited reported an interim loss due to the large number of flight cancellations. After an air quality monitoring programmed, undertaken in aircraft cabins, showed that the air is of a good quality. A comprehensive programmed to sort and recycle paper materials such as newspapers and in-flight menu cards has been implemented on all inbound flights. The impact of SARS resulted in a concerted effort to reduce energy consumption in Cathay City. Measures taken include temperature adjustments, reduced lighting and restricted availability of lifts and escalators. We can see the SARS had a little effect to the Cathay Pacific. Hence they need to use QFD to continual improvement that brings customers into the design of services. It translates what the customer wants into what Cathay Pacific provides.

Free Essays on Pools

The American media system is spinning out of control in a hyper-commercialized frenzy. Fewer than ten transnational media conglomerates dominate much of our media; fewer than two dozen account for the overwhelming majority of our newspapers, magazines, films, television, radio, and books. With every aspect of our media culture now fair game for commercial exploitation, we can look forward to the full-scale commercialization of sports, arts, and education, the disappearance of notions of public service from public discourse, and the degeneration of journalism, political coverage, and children's programming under commercial pressure. For democrats, this concentration of media power and attendant commercialization of public discourse are a disaster. An informed, participating citizenry depends on media that play a public service function. As James Madison once put it, "A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both." But these democratic functions lie beyond the reach of the current American media system. If we are serious about democracy, then, we need to work aggressively for reform. What kind of reform? In broad terms, we need to reduce the current degree of media concentration, and, more immediately, blunt its effects on democracy. More specifically, we need special incentives for nonprofits, broadcast regulation, public broadcasting, and antitrust. I present these proposals as the start of a debate about media reform, not as ultimate solutions. I am sure that spirited discussion will improve these ideas: my immediate concern is to get that discussion started. I will not dwell here on the weaknesses of the current US media system, beyond summarizing arguments that I (and many others) have made elsewhere. The point here is to begin answering the natural follow-up to such criticisms: "If the status quo is so bad, what do you propose that wou... Free Essays on Pools Free Essays on Pools The American media system is spinning out of control in a hyper-commercialized frenzy. Fewer than ten transnational media conglomerates dominate much of our media; fewer than two dozen account for the overwhelming majority of our newspapers, magazines, films, television, radio, and books. With every aspect of our media culture now fair game for commercial exploitation, we can look forward to the full-scale commercialization of sports, arts, and education, the disappearance of notions of public service from public discourse, and the degeneration of journalism, political coverage, and children's programming under commercial pressure. For democrats, this concentration of media power and attendant commercialization of public discourse are a disaster. An informed, participating citizenry depends on media that play a public service function. As James Madison once put it, "A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both." But these democratic functions lie beyond the reach of the current American media system. If we are serious about democracy, then, we need to work aggressively for reform. What kind of reform? In broad terms, we need to reduce the current degree of media concentration, and, more immediately, blunt its effects on democracy. More specifically, we need special incentives for nonprofits, broadcast regulation, public broadcasting, and antitrust. I present these proposals as the start of a debate about media reform, not as ultimate solutions. I am sure that spirited discussion will improve these ideas: my immediate concern is to get that discussion started. I will not dwell here on the weaknesses of the current US media system, beyond summarizing arguments that I (and many others) have made elsewhere. The point here is to begin answering the natural follow-up to such criticisms: "If the status quo is so bad, what do you propose that wou...

The effect of temperature on the permeability of beetroot cells Essay Example

The effect of temperature on the permeability of beetroot cells Essay Example The effect of temperature on the permeability of beetroot cells Essay The effect of temperature on the permeability of beetroot cells Essay Although an apparent trend is illustrated by the experimental data plotted, I am reluctant to formulate a valid conclusion on the effect of temperature on the permeability of beetroot cells due to the variability of the results obtained.  Although five repeats were performed, the data collected is not reliable because of variation within the sets of results. This could have been due to various limitations of the experiment. At 30oC for example, the reading for absorbance of light in arbitrary units, was 0.12%. When compared to the results collected from other repeats at this temperature, this appears to be an unusually high value. Further examples of possible anomalous data were 0.03% at a heat treatment of 40oC together with 0.06% at 50oC. If these anomalous results were not included in the mean absorbance plotted, this could have had a significant effect on the overall conclusion. For example, had the reading at 40oC not been included in the mean, the reading plotted at this temperature of heat treatment may not have been lower than the mean result plotted at 30oC, as is shown on the graph by a slight dip. The size of the range bars causes one to question the reliability of the experimental data. These are especially large at higher temperatures of heat treatment (i.e. 70oC) where the gradient is steepening. At the lower temperatures of 30oC and 40oC, the range bars are overlapping. This means that one cannot be sure whether absorbance of light by the solution at 40oC does indeed decrease when compared to the previous reading. The range bars can be seen to overlap for the remaining temperatures of heat treatment, which means that it is hard to say within the error of the apparatus, what the exact value is. I am reluctant to draw a valid conclusion from the experimental data due to the significantly large percentage range at each temperature of heat treatment. At 60oC for example, the percentage range of the data from each repeat is approximately 300%. The limitations of the experiment lead one to question the precision of the experimental data and the conclusions drawn from them. A mechanised cutter was used to produce pieces of beetroot with the same cross sectional area. It was made certain that we cut downwards so that the bores did not converge. However the beetroot samples were not all of the same length. This could result in the beetroot discs having different surface areas and so causing different volumes of anthocyanin to leak out into the surrounding medium at each repeat of every temperature. This source of inaccuracy would have contributed to the variation and unreliability of the results and could be avoided through a technical improvement in the experimental design. When the discs were impaled on to a mounted needle, a small volume of dye leaked out from the damaged cells. This could not be measured and could have been potential dye lost into the medium, thus affecting the majority of readings for the absorbance of light. To overcome this source of unreliability, the beetroot discs could have undergone heat treatment in a fully permeable bag.  The reliability of the results can be questioned because no accurate method for shaking the solutions before they were poured into cuvettes was employed. The resulting intensities of the solutions could therefore have been incorrect. To avoid this source of inaccuracy a mechanical technique could be used to shake the solutions. The scales of the apparatus employed influenced the results obtained. For both 70oC and 80oC a reading of 2.00% was recorded. This was not the actual absorbance of light by the solutions at these temperatures because the scales of the colorimeters did not exceed 2.00. As a result the mean value plotted was inaccurate, thus any conclusions drawn from the data are unreliable. The experiment should therefore be re-planned using either fewer disks, reducing the time periods the samples of beetroot were left in water for or alternatively leaving the discs in increased volumes of water for 20 minutes. The scale of the colorimeter was only accurate to 0.01%. This may have affected the results at 30oC and 40oC, where there was a 0.01 difference. To overcome this source of imprecision and therefore unreliability the scale of the colorimeter used could be altered to give a reading correct to three decimal place. Although it is not certain whether using different colorimeters would have had any affect on the readings obtained, to ensure precision of the experimental data, the same colorimeter should be used to measure the absorbance of light by the solutions. Although a graduated pipette with 0.1cm3 markings was used to measure 6cm3 of cold tap water, to ensure high precision of the experimental data, apparatus with finer divisions could be used. This would allow a valid conclusion to be drawn from more accurate results.  In order to improve the precision of the experimental data, a digital stop clock could be used. The usage of a manual stop clock meant that there were slight variations in the incubation and staggered timings, and even slight variations in timing would introduce a high percentage area. A one-minute delay in removing the disks from the test tube following heat treatment for example would result in an error of 5%.  Further improvements that would provide considerable additional evidence for the conclusion would be to investigate an increased number of temperatures including a wider range between 50oC and 60oC, as an increased number of intervals would show exactly where the phospholipid bilayer of beetroot melts.

Brief Guide on conducting projects involving Hazardous Materials

The faculty of projects involving dangerous biological materials (including recombinant DNA), radioactive materials or hazardous chemical waste must be approved beforehand and comply with all relevant government regulations. SIUC 's Environmental Health and Safety Center (453 - 7180) oversees the following approval committees and supervises compliance. In-house biosafety committee and biosafety officer of Biosafety SIUC are responsible for ensuring that faculty members engaged in dangerous biomaterial research comply with recently published federal and state research standards. Hazardous Substance Management 13. Harmful substances may be used as raw materials or produced by projects. In case unavoidable, the customer avoids or minimizes release of dangerous goods. In this case, it is necessary to evaluate the production, transportation, handling, storage and use of hazardous materials for project activities. If hazardous substances are intended to be used for manufacturing processes or other tasks, the customer considers a less dangerous alternative. Customers avoid manufacturing, trading and using chemical substances and hazardous materials prohibited by international ban or law. Toxicological effects of hazardous substances may be local or systemic. Local injuries include parts of the body that come into contact with dangerous substances and are usually caused by reactive or corrosive chemicals such as strong acids, bases, oxidants, etc. Systemic lesions include tissues or organs that are unrelated to or removed from the contact site when the toxin is transported through the bloodstream. Certain hazardous substances may affect target organs. Physical effects of substances also depend on acute or chronic toxicity. Acute toxicity can occur with a single brief exposure, but this is usually very rapid and usually reversible. Long-term repeated exposure can cause chronic toxicity. The effect is usually lagging progressive and may be irreversible Annex C Hazardous Materials HAZMAT In consideration of the technical nature of the threat, NRT-1 of the National Response Team, Dangerous Goods Emergency Planning Guidelines and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hazard Analysis Technology Guidelines to Address the HAZMAT Plan's Needs It must be used as a main source of information. Other useful guidelines include the Department of Transportation (DOT), the co-issued chemical analysis procedure manual of EPA and FEMA, and the planning part of the DOT agreement and coordinated FEMA's public sector hazardous material training guidelines. . The planning team should use the guide and this annex to complete the hazard analysis and to identify the unique planning requirements to be addressed at the EOP. Hazardous substance hazard work definition

Starbucks Cafe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Starbucks Cafe - Assignment Example Today Starbucks Cafà © has divided its product into multiple segments. The first segment is its core customer base that visits the establishments on a weekly basis. These customers are the bread and butter of the business since the generated the firm most of its revenues. The second segment the company is targeting is Starbucks enthusiasts that want to incorporate a daily routine of Starbucks coffee drinking without the hassle of going to the store. The segmentation strategy has been accomplished by selling Starbucks coffee products at supermarkets. The third market segmentation is the penetration of Starbucks into the low end coffee market. The strategy was implemented without hurting the brand value of the company by rebranding Seattle Best Coffee. Seattle Best Coffee was a perfect product to compete with the new players in the gourmet coffee industry such as Dunking Donuts and McCafe. The new product could be sold at locations that Starbucks in the past did not visualize as suita ble for its products such as fast foods and cinemas.Sometimes in business choosing an accelerated growth strategy can have consequences in the long run. The company simply grew too fast. The company became so large that they saturated the United States market with too many coffee shops. The growth was amazing and its founder and the shareholders that invested in the firm from the start should be proud of their accomplishment. Now the problem lies in the expectations of the current and future shareholders. It is unrealistic to predict that Starbucks will ever return to the profit growth it once enjoyed. The organic growth model saw its demise in 2008. The firm will continue to generate good solid profits. It is highly possible for the firm to experience negative growth. Some stores have been closed already and I expect more stores to close down in the United States in the near future. The only way for the firm to achieve sales growth in the future is by expanding its international op erations. The company has to identify the best locations that offer a good balance between population size, customer income, low competition, and the high demand for coffee.

Incentive pay as a way of compensating employees Essay

Incentive pay as a way of compensating employees - Essay Example According to the Vision Link advisory group, intrinsic rewards also allow employees to obtain a certain level of autonomy, provides opportunities for mastery in which employees may feel and see their progress, and it can establish purpose in their work so that they can feel that they are doing something good not only for themselves but also for the company. On the other hand, extrinsic compensation may include monetary and nonmonetary rewards. Examples of extrinsic compensation can be discretionary benefits such as paid time off and protection programs (Martocchio 86). Generally, â€Å"Incentive pay may come in the form of bonuses, profit sharing, or commission† (Business Dictionary). It is a monetary reward given to employees based on individual or group performances. This type of pay can reflect the way employees continue to pursue positive results in the workplace. In addition, incentive plans can inspire loyalty, commitment, and hard work. This type of plan will allow for recognition of outstanding workers and at the same time keeping track of the organizational goals (â€Å"Employee Incentive†). A company can decide on how they will design their incentive pay plans and on what criteria depending on what industry and type of the company. The most common types of incentive pay plans are individual incentive plans, group incentive plans, and companywide incentives. In many occasions, â€Å"Individual incentive plans reward employees for meeting such work-related performance standards as quality, productivity, customer satisfaction, safety, or attendance† (Martocchio 85). Organizations use individual incentive plans to motivate their employees by granting them the opportunity to receive additional income. These additional incomes can be given in forms of bonuses or commission (Joseph). There are different types of individual incentives the most common are piecework plans, management incentive plans, behavioral encouragement plans, and refe rral plans (Joseph). Piecework plans reward their employees for increases in productivity. It consists of the quantity and the quality of work produced. This criterion is based upon the supervisor’ or managers’ interpretation on the performance of the employee. Piecework plans can be used in industrial and production settings (Joseph). In contrast, management incentive plans involve several intricate objectives. This type of incentive only allows managers to receive their award when they reach objectives depending on sales, profit, production, or other criteria in the company (Martocchio 86). In addition, many companies may compensate their employees for referrals. Some companies use referrals to motivate their workers to recruit new employees into the company the employee will then be rewarded after the new employees has been in the company for a certain period (Joseph). Lastly there are behavioral encouragement plans where employees are given cash for specific behavi oral accomplishments. In addition to individual incentive plans, some companies choose to compensate or reward their employees as a group, in other words, based on collective performance. Group incentive plans are measured depending on customer satisfaction, labor cost savings, material cost savings, reduction in accidents, and services cost savings (Joseph). It is said that â€Å"well designed group incentive plans ultimately reinforce teamwork, cultivate loyalty to the company, and increase

Lucas-Phelps model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lucas-Phelps model - Essay Example Government’s interest in stabilising the economy is not only rooted on its political responsibility to control fluctuations in prices but equally to reign-in inflations that is brought about by temporary economic stressors as well. Ensuring the predictability of its economy will strengthen the job market and will also reinforce the collective confidence of the people to the government and its goals. Governments that are heavily involved in its country’s economic activity can, by its regular function, control interest rates that will restrict the liquidity of the market. By introducing temporary tax incentives however can create a situation that will lead to an excess supply of goods which circumstance will similarly bring down prices for that commodity. While enforcing stricter rules and regulation, the government can also influence the supply or the availability of goods in the market that will, in turn, force the prices of that commodity. These controls when implement ed on key economic indicator products such as oil or even wheat are effective tools in stabilising an economy. However, the end-results of these controls are not absolute due to the volatile nature of the economy. There are tangible variables that can be controlled through fiscal policies or through the degree in which laws are enforced but the collective consciousness of the market is very hard to control much less predict. The â€Å"rational expectation hypothesis† or â€Å"theory of rational expectation† posits that in uncertain conditions, the main players—composed of the people—in any economy make decisions based on their perceptions of how economic stressors will affect them (Muth, 1992). Meanwhile, economic agent’s rational expectations revolve around other market forces that would include government intervention, raw materials or input materials availability to create the best possible economic model for the future. Thus, the rational expec tation hypothesis propose that economic predictions based on the correlation of an infinite number of different variables are correct even if individual predictions made on the different variables turn out to be erroneous or inaccurate so long as the expected model holds. The primary reason why stabilisation policies are enforced or applied to a volatile market is to stabilise the economy, if not make it more predictable in order for economic agents to settle. However, if economic agents create an economic model base on the current economic values of economic stressors towards stabilising the economy, the introduction of a new variable from the government base on the â€Å"rational expectation hypothesis† will not make a huge impact. The primary reason for this is that over time, given that the economic agents also need to respond to the economic model they created the economy will eventually stabilise or settle. Cyclical Aggregate Demand Policy defines an economic systemâ₠¬â„¢s fluctuations as far as demands for goods are concerned. Counter cyclical or reversal of the economic system’s demand for goods to force it to follow a different path is not an absolute solution to stabilise prices in particular and stabilise the economy in general. This is especially accurate at full employment since the output of the work force will eventually find its way to mainstream market where its price is subject to market forces. The proposition that stabilisation policies are negated by rational expectati

Population and migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Population and migration - Essay Example The development of the mega-cities is immense as research shows that the megacities hold the richest 25 cities in the world. The endless city covers a small fraction of less that 18% of the world’s population but account for more than 66% of all the economic activities and more than 80% technology and scientific innovations, which is crucial to economic growth (Snarr & Snarr, 78). I support Neo-Malthusian because there has been immense growth of population over the years that have surpassed supply increase leading to catastrophic checks in the people. Without population control, the people will diminish by catastrophes such as drought or war (Snarr 44). To resolve this problem, the world should join and urge people to control population by using measures such as sterilization, abstinence, among others. China for instance, has introduced punishment for people who bear more than one child as the country is facing population overgrowth and many parents can barely support the children they

See assessment criteria below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

See assessment criteria below - Essay Example For many years the theology of forgiveness was just that a theological concept, as this research will try and show. However, as the purpose of this research has stated, forgiveness is needed to heal mentally and physically because it is intertwined within many other theories in health care, be it mental health or traditional health care. In conclusion, the research defines that compassion, forgiveness, kindness, and understanding are all societal emotions that fit well into the treatment of mental health care and of which promote a better well defined individual through the treatment process. Before the 1980’s the theology of forgiveness was not very central to the aspect of mental health care but in the past decade many mental health care providers have realized this societal emotion plays a dramatic role in many of the models of mental health. The idea of Spirituality, Physical Well-Being, and Philosophical thought all apparently have a part in the treatment program in mental health care, and the concept of forgiveness is the primary idea in this care paradigm (Scobie & Scobie 1998, p.374). The reason for this is quite logical, because it has been implemented to define sociological behavior as a state of mind affected by various emotions, and one’s actions sometimes require the response of forgiveness in order for a patient or an individual out in society to be able to move past their adversities. If they can not do this then they tend to focus on the adverse elements surrounding them. Their personality, behavior, and physical well being gradually become more attuned to a negative pattern, which then leads to a situation where it becomes harder to provide essential mental health care to help them recover from their disorder. In recent years there has been an abundance of psychotherapeutic information written in regards to this basic theory. One must let go of

Lucas-Phelps model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lucas-Phelps model - Essay Example Government’s interest in stabilising the economy is not only rooted on its political responsibility to control fluctuations in prices but equally to reign-in inflations that is brought about by temporary economic stressors as well. Ensuring the predictability of its economy will strengthen the job market and will also reinforce the collective confidence of the people to the government and its goals. Governments that are heavily involved in its country’s economic activity can, by its regular function, control interest rates that will restrict the liquidity of the market. By introducing temporary tax incentives however can create a situation that will lead to an excess supply of goods which circumstance will similarly bring down prices for that commodity. While enforcing stricter rules and regulation, the government can also influence the supply or the availability of goods in the market that will, in turn, force the prices of that commodity. These controls when implement ed on key economic indicator products such as oil or even wheat are effective tools in stabilising an economy. However, the end-results of these controls are not absolute due to the volatile nature of the economy. There are tangible variables that can be controlled through fiscal policies or through the degree in which laws are enforced but the collective consciousness of the market is very hard to control much less predict. The â€Å"rational expectation hypothesis† or â€Å"theory of rational expectation† posits that in uncertain conditions, the main players—composed of the people—in any economy make decisions based on their perceptions of how economic stressors will affect them (Muth, 1992). Meanwhile, economic agent’s rational expectations revolve around other market forces that would include government intervention, raw materials or input materials availability to create the best possible economic model for the future. Thus, the rational expec tation hypothesis propose that economic predictions based on the correlation of an infinite number of different variables are correct even if individual predictions made on the different variables turn out to be erroneous or inaccurate so long as the expected model holds. The primary reason why stabilisation policies are enforced or applied to a volatile market is to stabilise the economy, if not make it more predictable in order for economic agents to settle. However, if economic agents create an economic model base on the current economic values of economic stressors towards stabilising the economy, the introduction of a new variable from the government base on the â€Å"rational expectation hypothesis† will not make a huge impact. The primary reason for this is that over time, given that the economic agents also need to respond to the economic model they created the economy will eventually stabilise or settle. Cyclical Aggregate Demand Policy defines an economic systemâ₠¬â„¢s fluctuations as far as demands for goods are concerned. Counter cyclical or reversal of the economic system’s demand for goods to force it to follow a different path is not an absolute solution to stabilise prices in particular and stabilise the economy in general. This is especially accurate at full employment since the output of the work force will eventually find its way to mainstream market where its price is subject to market forces. The proposition that stabilisation policies are negated by rational expectati

See assessment criteria below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

See assessment criteria below - Essay Example For many years the theology of forgiveness was just that a theological concept, as this research will try and show. However, as the purpose of this research has stated, forgiveness is needed to heal mentally and physically because it is intertwined within many other theories in health care, be it mental health or traditional health care. In conclusion, the research defines that compassion, forgiveness, kindness, and understanding are all societal emotions that fit well into the treatment of mental health care and of which promote a better well defined individual through the treatment process. Before the 1980’s the theology of forgiveness was not very central to the aspect of mental health care but in the past decade many mental health care providers have realized this societal emotion plays a dramatic role in many of the models of mental health. The idea of Spirituality, Physical Well-Being, and Philosophical thought all apparently have a part in the treatment program in mental health care, and the concept of forgiveness is the primary idea in this care paradigm (Scobie & Scobie 1998, p.374). The reason for this is quite logical, because it has been implemented to define sociological behavior as a state of mind affected by various emotions, and one’s actions sometimes require the response of forgiveness in order for a patient or an individual out in society to be able to move past their adversities. If they can not do this then they tend to focus on the adverse elements surrounding them. Their personality, behavior, and physical well being gradually become more attuned to a negative pattern, which then leads to a situation where it becomes harder to provide essential mental health care to help them recover from their disorder. In recent years there has been an abundance of psychotherapeutic information written in regards to this basic theory. One must let go of

Discuss the ways in which Steinbeck explores the concept of the American Dream is central to the novel Essay Example for Free

Discuss the ways in which Steinbeck explores the concept of the American Dream is central to the novel Essay The American Dream was a dream that nearly everyone had throughout the twentieth century. It was hope for a better life and people believed strongly that it would come true. The main characters in Of Mice Men have a dream which was to get a plot of land and live on it and become self-sufficient. The American Dream was not an achievable goal for many people. Steinbeck shows this failure through the characters of Lennie George. The American dream was a great thing. We first heard about it when Lennie and George were sitting by the river at the beginning of the book. The dream was a hope that every rancher had an opportunity for a better life. Lennie and George, the two main characters, had such a dream, Some day were gonna get a little place and a couple of acres. The idea was to get a piece of land, grow crops and have an improved life there. They also new exactly what they were aiming for and what they wanted. They realised that their imagination should not be set too high for fear of disappointment. The two men also knew that they should not tell other people about the plot of land in case it was snatched from under their noses. This frequently happened then, as so many people were seeking the same desire., Well its ten acres said George. Got a little win mill. Got a little shack on it and a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, peaches, cots, nuts, got a few berries. This shows that Lennie and George had ambition and again, knew what they wanted. It also shows that there were places where the dream had a chance of coming true, and that affordable land was for sale. Lennie and George intended to get the land by working extremely hard for a couple of months. They would earn standard migrant labour workers wages which was of course not very much, as the great depression was around at the time the book was set. The men hoped to save money and put it towards the plot of land, Look, if me an Lennie work a month an dont spen nothing well have a hundred bucks. Sooner or later people started to realise that the American Dream was turning into a nightmare. This is shown in the book by all the travelling and unemployment. Steinbeck shows that people were determined to get a job and willing to travel around to find one, he reinforces this through Lennie and George. At the start of the novel Steinbeck told us that they were walking, so we obviously know that they have had a nomadic life. During their rest they have a conversation about their travels The first thing you know is that they are pounding away at some other ranch. This backs up the fact that people travel around for jobs. We know how Lennie and George frequently lose their jobs, this is due to Lennie constantly getting the pair of them into trouble which jeopardises their current job. Because of this they have to travel from one ranch to another in search of another job. Also you can corroborate the fact that people travelled by George quoting, The hell with what I says. You remember about us going into Murray and Readys and they give us work cards and bus tickets. Murray and Ready are a typical work agency that sprung up in America during the Great Depression. In the 1930s the Great Depression spoilt the American Dream, it damaged everything that had a promising future, from buying food to making investments in the stock market. Through out the novel we do not see this very much. It is shown only as a high unemployment rate. George is very passionate about work as he wants to achieve his dream. As you read on through the book George comments on other people in his situation, They aint got nothing to look ahead to. Implying that George is fed up of losing his job to other people. He now knows you should not think about looking ahead to long term ambitions as anything can happen. The rate of unemployment was a serious issue at the time of the book, as the economy was decreasing rapidly. It is shown through various characters such as Carlson, Slim, Lennie, George and many more. We know that they all have been travelling from ranch to ranch in search of jobs during this time, they have started to feel like they do not have a home and dont belong anywhere. Guys like us, they got no family and dont belong no place. They come to a ranch an work up a stake then they go into town and blow their stake. This was quite normal for young and old men in their quest, not just for the dream, but for survival. Because of that, it made it hard for people to keep a job as other people who were as desperate, came along and accepted less pay to work at the same job, just so they could get some money. The idea of the American Dream was to be happy but just as well as the Great depression, racism also crippled the illusion. The dream was merely for the whites, as many of the blacks were unlawfully discarded from the opportunity or status to achieve it. Steinbeck shows this in the book through a character called Crooks, who was a crippled Negro stable buck and had suffered years of abuse in his life. Although Crooks could read and write, he was very lonely and because he was black, he could not join in with the usual endeavours of other men on the ranch. Suppose you had to sit out here and read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it gets dark, but then you got to read books. This shows he only had books for company. It was still very racist in the 1930s so there was not much chance of Crooks achieving the dream by himself and certainly no one at that time would try to help. In the course of the book Crooks also tells us about his life in the past, how his father did actually achieve the dream, and how his family was the only coloured family in Soledad, which is where the book was set. There wasnt another coloured family for miles around. And now there aint no coloured man on this ranch. Crooks felt strongly about this, he was neglected by everyone and still felt as if he was being treated as an unequal by every other man. He wanted so much to be included in the games that everyone participated in. Suppose you couldnt go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you was black. Because Crooks was being denied these privileges he turned into a bitter man who was equally as malicious as the offenders. This portrays the dream in a bad way, which is unusual as the dream is usually portrayed as being happy and being the provider when it actually created tensions between different races and cultures and caused many tribulations between people. Although Crooks is abused by many people on the ranch there is one person in the book who does not discriminate him because he is black, that person is Lennie. Lennie does not understand or see the racism in the world and he sees everyone as being the same. Crooks feels he can talk to Lennie about many things, A guy can talk to you an be sure you wont go blabbin. Because of this it reassures Crooks and makes him feel better as he knows he can talk to some one instead of read books At first there was a chance of the dream coming true. One reason was because of Candy, willing to give his life savings so he would know that he had somewhere to go after he was incapable of working on the ranch, Tell you what suppose I went in with you guys thas three hundred and fifty bucks Id put in. This endorses the fact that he was willing to put every last coinage that he had, to assist him to have a happy finale to his life. Also Crooks, the negro stable buck, offers to help, If you guys would want a hand in work for nothing just his keep. He did this just so he could have a friendship with someone and feel liked. In addition no one else knew about this certain plot of land, which made it a secret of the group and easy to obtain. We know that the owners needed to get the money fast, The ol people that owns it is flat bust an the ol lady needs an operation. Because of all this Lennie, George and Candy stood a very good chance of achieving this reverie. The American dream ended due to a series of unfortunate events. Steinbeck shows this through Lennie and George not getting the land. They did not get it because of many things. The main reason for them failing was Lennie. He spoilt the dream for George, as he was constantly getting into trouble and destroying any chance that he had to achieve the dream. After a while other men on the ranch begin to question their past, for example, Slim, What happened in Weed. We know that they have been travelling around and losing jobs, but it was not just because of other men stealing their jobs only to get paid less, it was also Lennie destructively destroying their chances, because of this they, had to move on to another ranch. In the end they had no hope what so ever, of the dream coming true because of Lennie, once again, getting George into trouble, as he was responsible for Lennie, when he unintentionally killed Curlys wife. If given the chance most men on the farm would attempt the dream even if they thought it was impossible. A good example is Crooks, at one point in the story, he was putting down the fact of any one achieving their goal, Jesus I seen it too many time. Too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand. When Crooks found out that there was a chance of it happening, he decided on trying to get in on it, If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing, just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. You can see also that people always put down the achievement of the dream, but they all had a secret burning ambition to get it if the chance came around. Through out the book Steinbeck managed to portray the conditions of the Great Depression in the 1930s. He also gave us a glimpse of The American Dream that every one pursued and showed us that it was not an easy achievement. Steinbeck has managed to show the different levels of hardship and suffering that people faced during that period of time and also managed to show more hopeless situations of people from a minority. The concept of the American Dream is at the heart of the novel Of Mice Men and therefore allows Steinbeck to make comments on American Society and the time of the Great Depression.

Unemployment Rates in Australia

Unemployment Rates in Australia The key driver of poverty in Australia is unemployment. Unemployment rate is one of the economic indicators of the level to which Australian economy is operating to its full capacity. It defines the unemployment level divided by the labour force. Australia uses the standard definition of employment. The unemployment rate of Australia started increasing since World War I and II. Australia has taken great efforts to lower the unemployment rates all the time. The worst of the global recession was avoided by Australia but there was a steady increase in the unemployment since 2008. The strong effect of the fiscal stimulus package of Australia, tax cuts and public expenditure has cushioned the increase of unemployment created because of the global economic downturn. The working hours adjustments prevented large job losses, but this led to the growth of the discontentment in the workers. There was a quick rise in the youth unemployment rate. The bar chart shown above gives the present unemployment rates of the major economies in the world. When compared with unemployment rates of other major economies, we see the Australia has considerably lesser rate of about 5.3%. But this rise in the employment rate was less than the expected. This is one the lowest unemployment rates the country has had since the global economic recession hit Australia. The availability of the countrys resources and the global demand for them are believed to be the main reasons for the lowering of the unemployment rate from about 5.5 % (December). And this rate is less than the expected rate (5.6 %). The government reports shows that about 196,000 jobs were added by the Australian employers and about 16,000 full-time employees and additional 36,900 part-time workers are believed to have been hired to ease the unemployment rate. The trend estimates showing the recent monthly rates and figures of March 2010 related to the unemployment is given below:- There is an increase in the employment to 10,991,900 (ABS, March 2010) There is a decrease in unemployment to 611,000 (ABS, March 2010) The rate of unemployment is 5.3% (ABS, March 2010) The constant labour participation rate is maintained at 65.2%(ABS, March 2010) There is an increase in the aggregate monthly hours worked increased to 1,540.5 million hours(ABS, March 2010) The male employment rate is 5.4% and female unemployment rate is 5.3%.(ABS, March 2010) On a state breakdown, we see that there is a decrease in the unemployment rate eased in New South Wales from 6.8 % in March to 6 % in April. Victoria remained constant at 5.6 %, increase in Queenslands rate by 0.1 % to 4.9 %; fall in South Australias rate from 5.9 % to 5.5 %, and a drop in Western Australias rate from 4.9 % to 4.5 %. The small decrease in the unemployment rate has help to increase the growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Australia. This increases the output of the companies. The increase in the GDP has led to the increase in the price of the goods and services and this has led to the increase in the inflation rate. But, the Australian economy has a tendency to continue in an ongoing cycle of this and will continue in the future. It has been seen that staff retention issues or problems have occurred due to the low unemployment rate of Australia with important effects of business. A latest survey conducted by Drake Edwards, Strategic Manager of Drake international commenting (March 2010), has identified several areas of staff retention. The findings are:- About 80% of employees give much importance in having a challenging and a very satisfying work in order to continue their work; and 75 % gives importance to better work life balance, career development opportunity and better management and leadership; and comparatively less percentage of employees gives importance to increased salary in Australia. (Article: Unemployment rate unchanged at 5.3 %, by David Olsen on Thursday, 8 April 2010) The lowering of the unemployment rate has led to economic growth and wage growth and increase in the aggregate demand. That is, the deficient aggregate demand and the real wage growth predominantly produce changes in the unemployment. MEASURES TAKEN BY AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT The main strengths of the macroeconomic frameworks and the Australian governments commitment to well-functioning markets are its high labour force participation, low unemployment, and the solid productivity growth. The constant sustainable economic growth can only be achieved with stable and low unemployment and inflation. These outcomes can only be supported by a sound macroeconomic policy frame work for fiscal and monetary policy. The fiscal policy has great impact on the economic activity and employment. The political factors in the allocation of funds indirectly do affect the unemployment rate. For example, programs such as Roads to Recovery program during the period of Australian election in 2001-04 has improved the local economic activity and has reduced unemployment to an extent. This led to a decrease in the local area unemployment rates (Leigh, 2008). The introduction of such programmes is being utilized to reduce the unemployment rate in Australia. Government always maintain budget balance over the course of economic cycle, takes into account the fiscal risks, national saving adequacy, the financial effect of policy decisions in future generations and the integrity and stability of the tax system in order to attain sustainable economic growth which will reduce the unemployment. The government has placed emphasis on the policies that raise the labour force participation. Some of the policies are the introduction of the welfare to work package that has measures to reduce reliance on the welfare and increase incentives to enter the workforce. Personal income tax cuts with the marginal tax rates cuts and increased thresholds, the Family tax benefit changes have also increased the returns to work. Some measures are the recent superannuation reforms; labour market reforms to improve the labour market flexibility to reduce structural employment, introduction of labour market programmes and training programmes and the introduction of the mature age worker tax offset have improved the work incentives for the old people. Some policies are microeconomic reforms that improve resource allocation among industries and firms for output maximisation that improve efficiency and productivity of producer. They are introduction of industry reforms that provide innovation that i ncrease productivity and growth by improving efficiency growth and job creation; and taxation reforms. The Council of Australian Governments had announced the National Reform Agenda (NRA) for the productivity growth and labour force participation and to bring human capital improvements. Several models are introduced to develop different policy options to reduce the unemployment in Australia. REFERENCES: http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1239/HTML/docshell.asp?URL=02_Part_1.htm http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Unemployment-rate.aspx?Symbol=AUD http://www.bukisa.com/articles/101336_economic-policies-to-reduce-unemployment http://www.tradingeconomics.com/World-Economy/Unemployment-Rates.aspx http://www.ibtimes.com.au/articles/20100211/global-economic-recession-unemployment-rate.htm http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/mf/6202.0 http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[emailprotected]/mf/6202.0?opendocument#from-banner=LN

Proletariat vs. Bourgeoisie in Karl Marxs The Communist Manifesto Essa

Proletariat vs. Bourgeoisie in Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels attempt to explain the reasons for why there is class struggle and suggest how to prevent class separation. According to Marx there are two different types of social classes: the bourgeoisies and the proletarians. The bourgeoisie are capitalists who own the means of production and the proletarians are the working classes who are employed by the bourgeoisies. Due to their wealth, the bourgeoisies had the power to control pretty much of everything and the proletarians had little or no say in any political issues. According to Marx, the proletarians population would increase and they would eventually rise above the bourgeoisie and hold a revolt against them. The proletarians would base this revolt with the help of 'faith and reason.' With the help from The Communist Manifesto, the proletarians realize the conditions they are in by being overpowered by bourgeoisies. The proletarians now have the reasons to ask qu estions about origin, order, and their purpose of life. Also, they could raise questions about meaning, truth, and value. Through 'faith and reason' the proletarians will be able to overthrow the empowerment of the bourgeoisies.1 Marx expressed many views about the over empowerment of the bourgeoisies in The Communists Manifesto. Marx believed that the working class was not getting paid what they deserved for the quality of work that they were producing. Marx thought that the all workers should be paid the same rather than by social position. For instance, Marx thought that a mineworker should be paid as much as a doctor. Marx states, ?The average price of w... ...ower by the proletariat.2 Marx then tries to eliminate the power of the Bourgeois by eliminating property. Without private property the Bourgeois cannot control business and create capital. Overall, the proletarians had very different and more dreadful lifestyles then the bourgeoisie. The proletarians had very bad working conditions and were paid low wages. On the other hand, the bourgeoisie were the social power and could control mostly everything to keep them at absolute power. Works Cited 1 www.as.udayton.edu/hbase/themes.htm 2 Karl Marx. The Communist Manifesto 3 www.classicnotes.com 4 Dennis Sherman and Joyce Salisbury. The West in the World. 5 Briefs, Goetz A. The proletariat; a challenge to western civilizatoin 6 www.schoolhistory.org.uk/IndustrialRevolution/womenancchildren.htm 7 Sombart, Werner. Bourgeois.

Benefits of Social Networking Sites Essay -- Argumentative, Twitter, Fa

Throughout life, men, women, and youth meet people. These people will either leave a negative or positive effect on us and some will only be in our lives for a short period of time. However, once we start to lose contact with them questions arise and we begin to wonder: What does he/she look like now? ; Where has he/she been? ; How has he/she been? ; Why did we stop talking to one another? ; or what would our relationship be like if I had kept in contact with him/her? Well there is no need to wonder anymore. Ever since the invention of social networking tools, such as, Facebook, MySpace, AIM, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), Twitter, and Formspring, millions of people have been able to instantly notify others concerning their whereabouts, meet/make new friends, reconnect with old friends, blog, play games, and upload videos and pictures. Social networking has become a part of our daily routine and is a trend that will only continue to evolve as we grow old. Before the release of the highly popularized social networking websites, such as, Facebook in 2004, similar forms of social networking tools were used. Brian McConnell, an internet user since 1988, stated that â€Å"he used various sites, known as CompuServe, and Prodigy (McConnell, 2008).† I did some research on the sites he listed and found out that CompuServe was the first online service available in the 1980s and played a major role in the foundation of user i.d’s, email services, picture transfers and etc. As time passed by the second online service became available. It was called Prodigy and allowed users to access a number of different networking sites. They ranged from news and weather services to bulletin boards, games, polls, banking and a variety of other features. Since t... .../ Boyd, Danah. (2007) â€Å"Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life.† MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity, and DigitalMedia Volume (ed. David Buckingham). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Facebook.com. Retrieved February 15, 2010, from http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1226190648&ref=ts Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html McConnell, Brian. (2008). Social Networks from the 80s to the 00s. Retrieved February 17,2010, from http://gigaom.com/2008/01/20/social-networks-from-the-80s-to-the-00s/ Friendster.com. Retrieved February 15,2010, from http://www.friendster.com/

Should Conventions Be Made Law in the UK?

Conventions, in their own right, have a significant place in the constitution of the United Kingdom; despite being separate from the law and possessing only non-legal power, they allow a vast degree of control over the administrative responsibilities of the government. The degree to which the spirit of conventions can be enforced has always been a question of debate, as has the exact nature of that spirit. In their unwritten and uncodified form, conventions leave a great deal to be decided by contemporary views and the opinions of those in Parliament, which allows them to be both dynamic and reflective of current times. The questions remains, however, of whether this set of social rules ought to be provided the force of law, and by doing so, adopting them, with a certain degree of permanency, into the constitution of the United Kingdom. To determine whether conventions should be made into law (in their entirety or otherwise) we have to consider what conventions are, how they are different from laws, what it means to provide them legal force, and why, up until now, they have remained largely uncodified. According to A. V. Dicey, conventions are a collection of understandings and practices that control the conduct of members of the sovereign power, but which are not laws since they cannot be enforced by the courts. The evolution of constitution, over hundreds of years, has given rise to the current face of conventions, and it is prudent to wonder whether the natural development of conventions—with changing times and culture—should be halted through an incorporation of these understanding s into Acts of Parliament. The UK has never had historical interruption in the development of its constitution significant enough to warrant a written constitution; it has formed primarily through Acts of Parliament, Royal Prerogative and conventions. For conventions to be made into law, they must first be codified in a fashion that clearly delineates the spirit of the powers meant to be given statutory force. It raises a number of issues, chief amongst them the question as to which conventions will be made into law and which will not. The political implications of such a choice are many, considering the almost bipartisan nature of the UK Parliament. Where one party might see a convention as illustrative of modern needs, another might consider it outdated and not suited to becoming law. The Australian experiment in the 1970s resulted in a similar problem concerning the exact power of the conventions and their functions. What is to happen to those conventions which are not incorporated during the codification process? The Australian experiment led to the conclusion that the elegance of conventions lay in their flexibility and capacity to adapt with changing times. Even through the act of codification, the Parliament would fetter whatever dynamic nature conventions have by stating clearly where the boundaries lie; it would rid them of the nuances made available in their uncodified form. Conversely, supporters of legalizing conventions believe it is ill-advised to leave rules of such importance, which complement and bolster constitutional laws, undefined and without the power of courts behind them. In terms of liability, integrating conventions into Acts of Parliament will lead to a stricter and legal punishment for any breach of convention. The doctrine of ministerial responsibility concerns itself with accountability of cabinet ministers for the actions of their ministries and with how cabinet members must show a united front when it comes to collective decisions of the cabinet. Ministerial responsibility is governed by the power of conventions and any action contrary to it would likely lead to sanctions and the scrutiny of the public. The non-legal nature of conventions prevents criminal liability; however, the same cannot be expected if statutory force is given to these rules. By making conventions law, it will be expected that any violation of that law will be punished by the courts, which may even threaten the separation of powers. It will be in the hands of judges to punish members of Parliament and the executive who are seen to have failed to perform some duty or another that would have previously fallen under the purview of conventions. The provision of legal force to conventions would most certainly lead to a more thorough understanding of government regulation and perhaps provide a more stringent balance to governmental power. However, I believe not all conventions should be made into law. Codifying conventions will lead to conflicts as to which conventions are to be incorporated and will reduce their variable nature and capacity to accommodate changing times. Sir Ivor Jennings stated that conventions provide the flesh that clothe the dry bones of the law. He also said they kept the legal constitution in touch with the growth of ideas. By giving conventions statutory force, the Parliament will deprive it of that quality. Conventions can serve their purpose only by remaining unenforceable rules of conduct rather than laws written in stone.

British Chinese Relations Essay

Following the transfer of Hong Kong from the British effectively ended many remnants of British imperialism in China, and in the process ended much of Britain’s involvement/power in Asia. The turnover has also given China control over one of the world’s leading financial institutions, thus improving not only its economic standing but also its ability to use soft power. The opposite could be said for the effects on the United Kingdom, where the turnover effectively halted their control over the economic powerhouse and ushered in a new era of Anglo-Chinese relations, yet this is not necessarily a bad thing. Since the turn over of Hong Kong from England, relations between China and the United Kingdom have improved and a larger bond has come about. Before I can begin to speak on the effects of â€Å"The Turnover,† I must first give a history of the events that made the turnover possible. Due to the trade imbalance between China and the United Kingdom in the 1800s, th e UK thought it might be advantageous to sell opium to the Chinese. Within a few years, the UK had gotten China addicted to opium and was starting to close the trade deficit. This in tern made the Qing dynasty officials very angry and they decided that they would disallow the importation of Opium into China. The British saw this act as an insult and in return they attacked China. This act started the first Opium War. Due to the Qing Dynasty’s limited armada, the British effectively wiped out the Qing forces and took possession of the land where Hong Kong currently is. The possession and occupation would not be â€Å"legally† binding until a treaty signed in 1898 that leased the land to the British for 99 years. Following the fall of the Qing dynasty and the rise of the Republic of China in 1912, the relationship between China and the United Kingdom still remained fairly unequal. At this time, the British Empire was still the world’s hegemonic leader and they were not afraid to show their might. This was reflected in the lending p ractices (or lack there off) that the British showed the Republic of China in those years. In these years following the foundation of the Republic, it was commonly known that the British would treat the Chinese as second class citizens in their own country while taking advantage of China’s resources. This was also evident in the effort that the British put into protecting its Chinese workers during World War 1 and World War 2. During the World Wars the UK failed to protect Hong Kong from the powers that attempted to invade it and in the process failed to prevent many preventable deaths. After World War 2, all Anglo-Chinese relations came to a complete halt. This is due to Chairman Mao deciding to close off all foreign interaction with the newly founded nation. This is due to what Mao thought was the influence of a corrupted political ideology and to help heal the wounds of British imperialism. Deng like Mao believed that a communist China was a good China, yet they disagreed as to what extent communism should have on the everyday lives of the people. While Mao’s main concern was providing the bare essentials to every Chinese citizen then China’s outlook on the world stage, Deng on the other hand wanted China to become a world power, then wanted to cater to the Chinese people, even going as far to state, â€Å"some will become rich faster than others.† It was in this mind frame that he started divvying up the collectively run state property to create competition between Chinese citizens. Deng felt this was necessary because the Chinese economy has been lagging since the start of the Great Leap Foreword and due to Mao’s policies; it looked as if it would continue on that track. During Mao’s communist campaign throughout China, many British feared that he might also have his eyes set on Hong Kong. Many British knew that their influence on the world stage was starting to weaken and that another costly war, with a country as large as a Soviet backed China, would prove disastrous to the British bottom line. Yet at the same time, many British were not fearful of China’s new communist regime because they thought it lacked the legitimacy and power to effectively resist the West’s hold on Hong Kong. During this time in history, the United Kingdom still possessed a large area of the world’s land and had a large navy that was capable of at least defending itself if it felt threatened enough. Also because the United Kingdom refused to acknowledge the PRC as a legitimate country, any provocation towards Hong Kong from Mao would have proved disastrous, as it might have set the stage for a foreign backed coup by the Nationalist forces. The British knew about these ways of thinking and at the time did not feel China, in its current state, was a legitimate threat to any of its resources or power that it had vested in Hong Kong or Macau. By the time Deng to the reigns in China, the United Kingdom was a shell of itself during the Imperialism era, and its relationship with China was no more that of a superior to inferior but more so on the level of equals. Analysts began to predict that because China had large numbers of cheap labor and a safely stable government, trade and manufacturing exports between Britain and China would prove advantageous to both nations. This is one of the reasons why the British began to see China as more of a player on the world stage. But even before Deng came to power in 1978, the UK still began to show some favor towards China by signing and even advocating UN Resolution 2758 which transfered the â€Å"China† Security Council seat from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China, respectfully. It was in these diplomatic agreements that China and the UK could find equal ground to later speak on the transfer of Hong Kong from British authority to Chinese authority. During the talks with the United Kingdom, China remained steadfast and strong on the issue of the UK retaining any authority over the region after the handover in the late 1990s. This is due to the fact that many of the Chinese leaders at that time thought that the treaties which gave the UK rights over the region were not done equatibly and some went as far as calling them downright illegal. Moreover, many at the time were surprised that the strong U.S. friend ally would even agree with talks with a Communist nation but at the time Britian had no choice. Hong Kong received the majority of its water and power from the PRC, let alone many of it’s exported items. These aspects combined with the fact of without the help of the United States, the United Kingdom had no way of effectively defending Hong Kong if t he the PRC decided to invade. For one of the first times since contact between the United Kingdom and China began, China had the complete upperhand against the British. Following the handover, relations between China and the U.K. have been relatively calm. Without out any vested insterest in the region, the United Kingdom does not come in contact with China very often because there isn’t much to speak about. Although many British companies do still own many factories in China, the factories are running smoothly and regulations on them have not become more or less strengent since the turnover, so there isn’t much for the British and Chinese to quarrel over. However, during these peaceful times, the United Kingdom’s economic and military might have remained reliatively stagnent while the China’s continues to grow, yet China does not recpricate the sentiment that Britian gave to it for so many years. If anything China has gone above and beyond with talks to England with China offering money to help out the European economy and agreeing to billions in trade to England. From my earlier interviews, I gathered that most people were happy that China has taken â€Å"the high road† in dealing with the United Kingdom. Most were pleased to see China becoming more active on the world stage, so they’d be upset if the Chinese government did anything to upset this activity, and causing trouble with the British would certainly upset this peace. For the majority of its history, China has prefered to use soft power to deal with its problems and one could surmise that it would do the same if it ever had any confrentations with England, but as of recently, China has not had to use its influence with the United Kingdom because talks have been cordial. One could suggust that these talks will remain the way for the forseeable future.