Consumer Behaviour Essay

Art consumers in the modern world have increased their buying capacity of art as paradigms shifts to knowledge and information based concepts. Cultural diversity and technology are developing new forms of art and ways to market these art pieces to a wider range of art consumers. However, there is no room for complacency in art managers of art galleries. It is still best to incorporate sound motivational theories that guide marketing efforts towards being robust, effective and efficient. Three motivational theories had been highlighted forming a well-rounded strategy to approach art gallery marketing. Maslow’s heirarchy of needs gives a step-by-step escalation of man’s satisfaction levels. It was noted that although art cannot satisfy physiological needs, consumers can still be motivated to buy art as objects to satisfy their needs of self-esteem, belongingness and need to self-actualize. McGuire’s advice on motivating people offers looking into the cognitive and affective factors of man’s thinking process. The more art gallery marketing efforts cater to affective faculties of their consumers, the more selling will take place. And lastly, the theory of Freud has been chosen as another guidepost in defining what makes the consumer buy. Innate biological elements found in man such as sexual desires is the most commonly known Freudian motivation that is closely related to selling art. Construction of marketing strategies to sell art does not end in incorporating concepts from these motivation theories. These motivations must further zoom in on the consumer eventually. The way to fine tune the marketing strategy is to incorporate concepts found in the five-step decision making process that all consumers go through.   As the art buyer goes from recognizing his need to gathering information that will lead him to a possible purchase, to evaluating criteria affecting his possible purchase, to his actual purchase and to coming up with insights that happens during his post purchase, the marketing strategy of the art gallery is put into a test. INTRODUCTION The art market is slowly evolving. Art has evolved into many forms and galleries have transformed to accommodate a wide range of consumers. With the entrance of innovative technology, cultural diversity and faster access to information, art galleries been challenged to study and understand consumer behavior of this widening niche. â€Å"For the last few years, the media have trumpeted contemporary art as the hottest new investment. At fairs, auction houses and galleries, an influx of new buyers–many of them from the world of finance–have entered the fray. Lifted by this tidal wave of new money, the number of thriving artists, galleries and consultants has rocketed upwards.† (Spiegler, 2006) But amidst all this buying frenzy, sellers have remained steadfast to the consumer behavior theories that guide the markets. Buying behavior theories have not changed and remained formidable in figuring out what buyers want, why they want, how they avail of these wants and the factors that affect these decisions. Consumers of art hold special focused studies. Consumers who buy art also buy gas, groceries, basic services and insurance. Though there is culture in gas, groceries, basic services and insurance, these commodities does not directly fall under art. Art products and services are born out of a cultural industry. These consumers have their own consumer behaviors. â€Å"Consumer behavior is the process involved when individual or groups select, purchase, use, and dispose of goods, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and desires. It is important that marketers understand consumer behavior because wants and needs are satisfied best when marketers understand the behaviors of consumers.† (Hawkins, 1998) Therefore, appropriate buyer behavior theories must be employed to so that marketing strategies to sell products in art galleries will be most appropriate, effective, efficient and economical. THE PRODUCT AND SERVICE Marketing strategies start with knowing the product or service. Characteristics of these items for sale will be essential in finding the consumers who would want to buy them. Art encompass a wide variety of products and services. Art galleries themselves have evolved into stores that sell different art genres depending on how one beholds something as art, from the flea markets selling antiques to the fine art galleries bidding by the millions. Applied and decorative art are products found in advertising, architecture and urban design. Crafts, jewelry, fashion, industrial, product and interior design fall under this art category. Entertainment art provides enjoyment services such as film, recording and TV programs. â€Å"Fine art is motivated by ‘art-for-art’s-sake’. It is the primary research and development segment of the arts industry. It generates ‘enlightenment’, i.e. it sheds light on the nature of the human condition – on the individual and society. â€Å"It is primarily in the fine arts that new talent and technique are developed; new scripts and scores created; and, new images and styles set. Results of fine art ‘R&D’, like the results of scientific research, are sometimes adopted by for-profit enterprises in and out of the arts industry. And, as in pure science, fine art is not financially self-supporting. The right to fail is an essential artistic and scientific freedom – a freedom that requires patience and risk-taking on the part of patrons, investors and audiences.† (Chartrand, 2000) Heritage art subsumes all kind of art. It feeds contemporary art and is the one that sets standards of the following generations. This art inspires creators and enriches artists through its integration of scarcity and aesthetic value while employing a sense of social relevance and cohesion.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Between 1969 and 1989, heritage art yielded the highest return of all financial investment opportunities (The Economist July 1, 1989). Furthermore, theft of antiquities is the most lucrative international crime. Ounce for ounce, an antiquity can be more valuable than drugs. It can yield a higher return, at lower risk of being caught, and generally produces less jail time if one is convicted† (Chartrand 1992a). MOTIVATIONS OF THE ART CONSUMER A person who walks into an art gallery is differently motivated compared to a person who walks into a McDonald’s burger store. A company who buys a 10 million art work does so with objectives different from its putting up a building worth about the same cost. Consumers of art are motivated differently and theories defining these motivations can help marketing strategist clear marketing goals and activities. Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) has been one of the century’s great inspiration in personality theories. The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as illustrated in Figure 1 has helped both researchers, scholars, scientists and most specially marketing executives on how to motivate clients and consumers. Maslow believes that man is motivated based on the level of satisfaction he can achieve at a particular time when the product or service is offered him. And the levels of satisfaction starts from getting his physiological needs, then his safety needs and subsequently his belonging needs, esteem needs until he arrives at his self-actualization. Figure 1. Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs (Boeree, 1998) â€Å"Maslow suggested the intuitively appealing notion that humans must satisfy the most basic objectives before they can move onto â€Å"higher level† ones. Thus, an individual must satisfy physiological needs (such as food and liquid) before he or she will be able to expend energy on less fundamental objectives such as safety. Only when basic objectives have been met will a person move on to seek such objectives as love and belonging, and only a small minority of people make it as far as seeking self-actualization.† (Boeree, 1998) Art consumers at the art galleries are motivated to satisfy a certain level of need as illustrated in Maslow’s diagram. Art definitely cannot be eaten and cannot quench physical thirst. Consumers who are still struggling to satisfy their physiological needs in the normal circumstances will not buy Art. Art buyers are usually motivated to consume art to satisfy safety, belongingness, need for self-esteem and to perform their self-actualization. A person will buy art to safeguard savings. Certain works of art appreciate in value as the artist becomes more popular or when he dies. More than once, the cultural scene has witnessed these value increases and rich people have coveted owning these masterpieces not for their artistic magnificence but more for their financial value.   A person will buy art to satisfy belongingness especially if he or she finds himself trying to get into company of art buyers. Belongingness would sometimes overpower physical hunger especially in these modern days when people have gone towards the limits of individualism isolating themselves from social groups that provide comfort in belongingness. In the early years of high art, kings and queens would have their portraits painted by in house artists such as Michael Angelo and Da Vinci. These portraits help a person increase his self-esteem. Coffee shops, banks and other commercial establishment hang works of art in their walls not so much for decorative purposes but these products increase the company’s self-esteem. Their clients are able to admire the company knowing that the company they chose is of the cultured type and can afford these works of art. Based on the Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs, the marketing strategy must realize that in order for art galleries to sell their products, it has to appeal to the motivations of the people walking into the gallery. These gallery visitors are basically interested in art and the curator must work on satisfying needs. Marketing campaigns must cater to satisfying client’s need to raise his self-esteem or need to satisfy his belongingness. Strategies such as knowing the client’s kind of groupie or the client’s thoughts of himself will be a few effective tactics towards forging a sale. FREUDIAN THEORY Though highly controversial and continuously debated upon by psychoanalysts, Sigmund Freud has been the most popular theorist of the century due to the sexual nature of his findings. Basically, he suggests that â€Å"(1) much behavior has a biological basis which is (2) often sexual in nature, and (3) that early experiences in childhood will have a profound, but unconscious effect on later life–e.g., people who are rejected in an early, â€Å"oral† phase of development may become â€Å"oral retentive† and end up as wine connoisseurs later in life.† (Hawkins, 1998) For Freud, people are motivated by their sex drives. Though some sectors of the scientific communities do not believe this, advertising, film and marketing have used the Freudian theories and have remained successful in the promotion and selling of their products. Cars, cigarette, alcohol and other vices have used sex at one point or another in their commercials, posters or corporate IDs. MTV’s have evolved into using pretty boys and sexy girls to get the maximum buying power of teenagers and young adults. Even new generation anime features voluptuous heroes, heroines and villains. Wonder Woman has never been as seductive and Superman has been redrawn to sport more muscles that spell musk. Though Freud never really thought sexuality in the new millennium context, evolutionists understands this kind of sexual motivation due to the inherent nature of human beings to help the species survive and sustain power over the natural kingdom. The only way to keep from extinction is to continue procreation. In Darwinian logic, motivation to procreation is as sensible as breathing. Sex has always helped sell art. Art from ancient Greece such as sculptures Adonis or Venus were sometimes seen as pornographic. Though these artworks of nudity became monuments of great cities and tourist destinations that earn millions of dollars, parent of little children still become uneasy explaining nudity in these kinds of art works. Marketing art with tactics from the Freudian theories that sex sells would make marketing of art forms planned in a way that it attracts sexual motivations from the buyers. Art galleries, when opening an exhibit usually employs wine, beautiful ladies in little black dresses and music that appeals to the possible clients. This type of marketing style that is guided by Freudian motivation theories supports art works that have sexual undertones already in them. Bar owner Schrager narrates the reason for buying an artwork. â€Å"According to Schrager, the decision to commission Clemente for the ceiling mural and lamps was an easy one. â€Å"I love Clemente’s work, and I thought a ceiling mural would be appropriate for the place and location. For me, a lot of Clemente’s work has sexual undertones, and I thought it would fit in perfectly in the bar.† (Silberman, 2001) MCGUIRE THEORY OF MOTIVATION McGuire’s psychology of motivation stems from his cognitive and affective experimentations. Thinkers are seen to carry out directed-thinking tasks. These thought systems in people illustrate their motivations.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Five dimensions that together provide an inclusive description of thought systems were identified. Two dimensions are cognitive: (1) size; and (2) cognitive-affirmational bias. Two others are affective: (3) affective desirability bias; and (4) people-favorability bias. The fifth dimension is (5) cognitive-affective congruence.† (McGuire, 2006) McGuire believes that affective stimulus influence the cognitive aspect of human motivations more. Men and women have different thought patterns since they react differently to stimulus. Knowing this, it is important for art galleries to note who has the buying power when couples walk into the gallery to purchase the artwork. At culturally diverse markets, art managers need to address what could stimulate affective motivations in their clients. Sometimes, talking to an art manager who understands the client’s affective stimulus like race or culture is effective. â€Å"More buying power translates into more art-buying ability. Art dealers and publishers are keenly aware of this. But what they also need to understand is that while African Americans are looking to buy more high-quality art, they’re also looking to buy from dealers and publishers who understand them and will cater to them.† (Hagan, 2004) 5 STAGES OF DECISION MAKING PROCESS Equipped with the three motivational theories above, the next important part of the marketing strategy is integrating the promotional or advertising activities to the five stages of the decision making process that each art buyers goes through whenever they are in making a decision whether to buy, to buy later, or not to buy. Source: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~renglish/370/notes/chapt05/ Problem recognition is the stage where the buyer becomes aware of his need. Awareness of needs does not happen like magic. Need is stimulated. The client must be aware of his need from its unconscious state to the conscious and articulate status. Commercials that stimulate problem recognition are effective because they can visually show what the client does not have and therefore, just by looking at advertisement, the client realizes his lack of that product thereby moving towards the process of coveting the product for himself. A blank wall will stimulate a need to buy art. An empty corner can stimulate a person to acquire a statue. Occasions and celebrations from birthdays to monthly anniversaries to grandmom or grandpop days and other more outlandish occasions can also create the rationale to make the consumers think of buying art. The second phase is where the client begins to look for information that will lead him into being able to find the product or the service that can quench his need. In the case of art galleries, a person must be able to find the art gallery. This ease of art gallery access will be attained with proper promotions and advertising. Art gallery accessibility geographically will also be essential in attracting buyers who are currently looking for information so satisfy their needs. The Internet is the latest virtual shop where buyers from around the world can be tuned in at the same time. With the Internet platform as marketing tool, selling is definitely without borders and without pressure of time. The buyer from spread of mouth information can also acquire details on how to locate the art gallery. Employers had always stressed good service because positive feedback is the gateway of businesses. With the information at hand, the consumer goes to the third stage of the decision making process which is the evaluation stage where alternatives are ranked. â€Å"This stage establishes the criteria for evaluation, features the buyer wants or does not want. Rank/weight alternatives or resume search. May decide that you want to eat something spicy, indian gets highest rank. If not satisfied with your choice then return to the search phase. Can you think of another restaurant? Look in the yellow pages etc. Information from different sources may be treated differently. Marketers try to influence by â€Å"framing† alternatives.† (classnotes, 2006) Art galleries’ marketing strategy must make sure that the criteria set by its consumers are achieved. After product characteristics, price is usually the next criteria that the client considers. For art, the prices depend on a flexible standard. Other pieces are â€Å"priceless† while other art products are set by how the community valuates the artist. This is where the talent of the art manager or the curator comes in. Framing the art product, literally and figuratively spells putting on more weight on the piece or turning the off the client’s needs which will surely fail selling the product when the fifth decision making process starts. The fourth stage is the purchase stage. The buying value is affected by three possibilities as the client decides from whom to buy, when to buy or if the client decides not to buy. Purchase from art galleries will be affected by the terms of sale, credibility of the establishment and return policies. Tax information on artwork is an important information that will tip the scales towards the sales. A news clipping shows reaction of buyers and galleries on impositions of added tax to art pieces. â€Å"Paying an 8.8 percent tax on art doesn’t discourage him or his wife, Virginia, from buying, but he said he could imagine â€Å"it would slow some people down.† That’s what worries the Seattle Art Museum.† (Hackett, 2005) The atmosphere of the art gallery, and happiness of the shopping experience influences the time of sale. Some galleries maintain calmness in the gallery depicting unstressful experience for the buyer. Especially with purchases of millions of dollars, the atmosphere must be as much stress free as possible. The last stage of the process is the post purchase stage where the client reflects on the purchase that he did. The buyer usually compares the purchase with his expectations based on the need he originally formed. In the post purchase stage, either the art consumer is satisfied or unsatisfied with the purchase. Customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is affected by his value perceptions. Art buyers know there is inherent value in art works. Physically, art is just a piece of paper or canvass with pigment but the images and visualization that the artwork shares to the consumer is what is of value that have been purchased. For artwork, one piece may create more value to another person depending on the level of beauty value he gets from the work of art. His satisfaction therefore depends on the value that the art product or experience in buying the artwork communicates to the buyer. Art galleries are cultural venues where patrons are soon established. The repeat-purchase behavior found in the art galleries must be high and excellent because these repeat buyers are also automatic promotional agents of the art gallery. Appreciating an art piece in a hotel lobby, an interested consumer would normally ask where the piece was bought. And that is first lead of the art gallery that happens outside the gallery. Patrons of the art help in lessening the cognitive dissonance of art consumers. When there is a feeling of anxiety after purchase, the consumer looks for elements outside his decision that would help him be assured of his purchase and publicity of the art gallery’s success or social responsibility or how famous people patronize the gallery helps in relieving cognitive dissonance in post purchase stages of consumer decision making process. CONCLUSION Everyone buys art at one time or another. The time and cost of art that an individual buys depends on his motivations as incorporated in many studies in consumer behavior backed by psychological discourse and experimentations. With the need for the art industry to profit and keep the industry afloat, marketing strategies benefit from these motivational theories. It is safe to note that whenever a painting or a piece of art lands in a hotel lobby, or a financial establishment, a museum or simply in a living room wall, much human activity has been put into it that basically further increases it s social and cultural value. References Boeree, George. 1998. Abraham Maslow. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/maslow.html Chartrand, Harry Hillman. 2000. The Public Life of the Arts in America†¨Joni Cherbo and M. Wyszomirski (eds),†¨Rutgers University Press, April 2000 Classnotes. 2006. Consumer Buying Behavior. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from http://www.udel.edu/alex/chapt6.html Silberman, Vanessa. 2000. Results of Consumer Survey Shed Light on Art Buying Behavior. Art Business News, Nov, 2000 Hagan, Debbie. 2004. Black buying power shows strength in art: growing incomes and more national exposure of African-American art translates into a widening base of art buyers – news. Art Business News, Jan, 2004 Hackett, Regina and Michelle Nicolosi. 2005. Art collectors fault state agency on tax issue. Seattle Post – Intelligencer Reporters. Friday May 27, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/226106_reactart26.html?source=rss Hawkins, Del I., Roger J. Best, and Kenneth A. Coney (1998), Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 7th ed., Boston: McGraw Hill. McGuire, William J. & Claire V. McGuire, Yale University. 2006. Cognitive versus affective aspects of phenomenal thought systems focused on persons. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from http://www.sydneysymposium.unsw.edu.au/1999/abstracts.htm Spiegler, Marc. 2006. Time to Reform the Art Market? The Art Newpaper. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from http://www.forbes.com/collecting/2005/05/30/cx_0530conn_ls.html

Hard Skills Vs. Soft Skills Essay

Introduction One million dollar question, which project and human resource management have asked for several years while doing recruitment, is whether do recruit individual endowed with hard skills or soft skills. This leads to asking the quest that between the two is the most important for an organization. Hard skills can be defined as technical know how or specific abilities that relate to the core business that an organization does to networking, machine operations among others. Soft skills, on the other hand, are subjective and undefined (Peggy, 2007).   It mostly deals with issues like communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution among others. However, everybody agrees that both skills are necessary for the success of an organization, which between the two is most crucial? The crucial character of a manager is the ability to be flexible, a manager who can understand organization process, tools and techniques being utilized within the organization. Managers should be able to adapt to all types of organization and project process and have technical know-how on running team operation. This characteristic emphasizes on the soft skills and portrays technical skills as added advantage (Peggy, 2007) Managers spent most of their time almost 90% communicating, solving problems, negotiating planning among others. These are mostly soft skills that are being put to use. One can, therefore, argue that although both skills are essential, soft skills are being required in a higher percentage to help in coordinating hard skills for an organization success. Peggy (2007) states that whenever one wants to stay competitive and ahead of the game, one need to keep his or her hard skills sharp. However, for one to succeed faster, he needs to keep his soft skills updated. Therefore, in conclusion, soft skills always precede hard skills for an average person and training institution should ensure more soft skills in their employees. Motivation is one of the key elements for the performance of organization employees, as individuals who are highly motivated performs more than individuals who are not highly motivated. The motivation factors come from soft skills which when combined with hard skills then individuals can be in a position to achieve or reach self actualization. All employers needs employees who could deliver assignments in time and factor of time management plays very important aspect of project success. It also brings the idea of planning within organization which is an aspect of soft skills. Therefore we can conclude that even if one possess greater aspect of hard skills, without elements of soft skills the project can not be successful and always hard skills plays second place to soft skills. Good leadership calls for effective communication and without effective communication, project cannot pick off and starts operating smoothly, most researchers have argued that one with soft skills can assembly individuals with technical know-how and operates organization smoothly while individuals with only technical know-how could not manage an organization. This supports the arguments that human beings in terms of labour are the most valuable asset of an organization and if well managed then the organization will realize success. Hence soft skills are superior to hard skills. Reference Peggy K. (2007) THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SOFT SKILLS: WORKPLACE LESSONS SMART PEOPLE WISH THEY’D LEARNED SOONER by.   Klaus & Associates, Inc.

Balancing Family & Work Life Essay Example for Free

Balancing Family & Work Life Essay A. Thesis Statement Attending school as an adult, and maintaining a source of employment can be a daunting task, as many adults who had to delay their college education must know. One of the most challenging aspects of adult life consists of learning how to adjust accordingly to the rigors of life at home as well as the workplace. Failure to do so can lead to a life of complete disarray, stress, illness and exhaustion. II. Body Paragraph #1 – Topic Sentence #1 Traditionally the typical age group for freshmen in college was between 18 to 19 years of age. That reality has slowly changed as more young adults are finding their way back in the classroom, while holding down a job. The information I found in P.14 of the ebrary book: Families and Work: New Directions in the Twenty-First Century, by Fredriksen-Goldsen, Karen I. states: â€Å"Of the more than 69 million American parents with children under the age of 18 (Famighetti, 1998), almost 90 percent are employed (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1998).† At the same time, there are working professionals attempting to achieve a college education in order to refine their skills, or to gain new ones. Among those working adults, young couples typically tend to have a harder time with managing the broad aspects of life, especially those who are in the early stages of their relationship, which has the potential to result in a lot of growing pains. The information found in an article from the following website; http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2421/T-2233web.pdf states: â€Å"Family and work settings have a built-in potential for conflict. Adults may get overwhelmed with the excessive demands that are required of them from either end of the spectrum, leaving them with the feeling of having very little time to accomplish those tasks.† Finding a balance between work and home involves finding ways of accomplishing the tasks at home as well as duties at work. Those responsibilities are often shared among couples in a healthy relationship. The equality of the shared house  chores, however, is up or debate. It has long been stated that the task of maintaining the home primarily fell on the woman’s shoulders, while the man focuses mainly on duties in the workplace. For some married couples, trying to get their husband to help with the housework typically led to domestic disputes. In recent years however, men have been getting more involved with parenting than ever before. A passage from (Giraffe 2011) states: â€Å"The recession of 2008 contributed to this arrangement because increased unemployment left more fathers available to care for their children and the reduced family income made outside childcare services unaffordable.† The traditional view of the American household should change because of an increase in the number of two-parent families entering the labor force. One of the primary services built around that change in society is the daycare system. Many of those two-parent families, as well as single parents may not have direct support from their families to take care of the children while they’re away at work. While some of the household work, such as childcare and housekeeping, has transitioned to outside providers, many working mothers cannot afford to employ these services (Giraffe, 2011). Unfortunately a big portion of their income goes to high daycare fees. III. Body Paragraph #2 – Topic Sentence #2 When the constants demands of life are far too much to bear, employees tend to feel the need to escape, and seek an alternate reality. We must look at the adverse effects that those long work hours have on the human body. Overworked individuals can suffer from work related illnesses as a result of excessive stress. Work related stress can result from extended hours due to mandatory overtime in some case. An employer’s rigid work hours which can prevent employees from tending to occasional issues at home can also be blamed for stress on the job. Employees suffering the effects of stress in the workplace tend to have bouts of absenteeism. Absenteeism in the workplace is a major issue, with tangible and intangible costs. Although the absentee loses wages in the process, the major loss is at the expense of the employer. The ebrary book by Lynn  Tylczak, (Attacking absenteeism 1990), describes the intangible costs of absenteeism as follows: â€Å"Absentee costs are difficult to quantify. Experts estimate direct wage loses of more than $30 billion per year, and that’s just the beginning. Employers also need to consider the costs of supplementary or replacement workers. These costs include: Regular wages, overtime wages, and company benefits Supplementary benefits, such as Social Security, worker’s compensation, and unemployment compensation Administration of recruitment, selection orientation, and training Penalty costs resulting from delays.† The author (Lynn T. 1990) also gives the following explanation from the tangible cost of absenteeism: â€Å"It forces managers to deal with problems of morale, discipline, job dissatisfaction, job stress, team spirit, productivity, turnover, production quality, additional administration and overhead.† Many employers have become more cognizant of the disastrous effects of having stressful employees in the workplace. This is not only calculated in monetary losses based on productivity, but also in the valuable asset (the employee) which could potentially offset those losses. IV. Body Paragraph #3 Topic sentence # 3 Those who value their time with their families certainly appreciate the value of being away from work. This is particularly why a lot of us look forward to our vacation time. It us the opportunity to recharge our batteries and gives us the courage to return to our regular lives. Many employers have adapted to the changes in society by implementing new ways for employees to earn vacation time from work. While some of us are comfortable being â€Å"working stiffs†, most people would rather look forward to their time away from work. An ebrary book by ANDERSON, NELS titled Work and Leisure states: â€Å"Although leisure reflects and supplements work, it is also used as a release from work. Some are of the view that unless a man has worked he cannot really enjoy leisure. They hold that while a man is working to earn a wage or salary, he also ‘earns’ leisure.† It is absolutely true that in order to fully enjoy our vacation time, we must work hard for it. That time of leisure can then be considered our reward for achieving the demands required of us in the workplace. Those who properly plan their vacation can benefit from sights  rarely seen in everyday life. Most people find it more beneficial to take their vacation in some exotic location. The topic on how to enjoy a proper vacation will vary from one employee to the next. V. Body Paragraph #4 Topic sentence # 4 Employers have devised lots of ways to keep valuable talent within their workforce, while allowing them time to accomplish their house work. Those arrangements can be profitable to the employer as well as the employee in some cases. Some of the sensible ways employers provide to employees are flextime, teleworking, and employee incentive just to name a few. Flextime is highly valuable to employees because it allows them to have more control over the balancing act of work and home life. It also provides them the option of choosing when to complete their work. Flextime allows employees to handle personal business such as doctor appointments or school functions without having to take sick leave or vacation time. Employers’ personnel needs are met and they get employees at their best. In highly skilled positions where competition for employees is fierce and employee turnover costly, flexible schedules can also reduce attrition by making employees more content with their jobs (Giraffe, 2011). Teleworking provides some lucky employees the opportunity to work remotely. With this system employees can either work from home or in some shared work spaces. In most cases employees would prefer to work from home because it is the ideal place to work from. This reduces the work commute, and the amount stress to the employee. It takes an especially disciplined employee to work from home, because of the constant distractions from home can cause the employee’s work performance to suffer. Employers must be careful when considering the type of employees they provide that opportunity to. Through teleworking, some employees do get to achieve balance between family and work life. Balancing Family & Work Life. (2016, Oct 18). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Globalization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Globalization - Assignment Example The primary reason for this is greed, because most of those businesses literally rip off their workers. They make huge profits through exporting their products but still expect their employees to work for meager wages under tough conditions. Because of this, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has instituted punitive and very harsh sanctions that are meant to prevent workers in developing countries from being exploited. This, however, has put Western governments and consumers at crossroads. This is because the governments want consumers to be able to purchase the commodities they need, but at the same time they do not want to appear to be supporting the oppressive business owners (Stabile, 2008). Local companies generally produce similar goods but at much higher prices, therefore they are not popular with consumers (Waltman, 2004). I mean, why buy a carpet manufactured in America for $50 when you can buy the same carpet for $30 if it is Chinese-made? Eventually, consumers will pay more to support the living wage for overseas workers. This is because even if they were to pay more, it would still be considerably lower than the prices they would have to pay for similar products manufactured in the Western world. Governments are aware of this and therefore they will press upon the exporting countries to ensure that factory and business owners’ wages meet the minimum requirements. This, I believe, would be satisfactory for all parties

Teens and young adults covet certain brand-name clothing because they Essay

Teens and young adults covet certain brand-name clothing because they believe it promotes a particular image - Essay Example The brand image is a key factor that determines the success in marketing a brand. The image helps products associated with a particular brand to stand out from competing products. A good brand creates a connection with the customer as the sole total solution to the customer’s wants. It positions itself as being the consumer’s first choice. This essay will outline the role of companies and their consumers in branding. By means of examples, it will seek to establish who drives a brand image. Company role in branding Brands like Coca Cola, Gillette, Pepsi and Adidas are successful all over the world. This success and positive reception by the consumers can be attributed to quite a number of roles played by the companies. Strategic marketing, with an objective and a target audience is essential in developing a positive brand image. A key example is Adidas’ association with sports. Adidas has over the years sponsored sports competitions such as the Adidas Championship Football and hence increased its brand’s visibility. Adidas also place big sized shoes at public places. These Adidas branded shoes increase the company’s visibility and hence a stronger brand image. A simple slogan and company symbol are also essential in creating a permanent association to the brand by the consumer. Symbols such as Adidas’ three blue stripes and Nike’s tick are easily recognizable. These two symbols are associated with sports in the eyes of the consumer (Philip 2006). Building a strong brand image also entails endorsements and association with the right persons. Association with well known, successful and trusted personalities increases the chances of a brand having an edge over its competitors. Association with well known persons may give the customer a sense of security on a product and a feeling of attachment to the star. This is especially true when the consumer is a fan of the endorser. Such endorsements come mostly from sports pe rsonalities, such as Jordan’s endorsement for Nike. David Beckham and Zinadine Zidane, two legendary football stars remind one of Adidas. Along with these roles, manufacturing quality products that satisfy consumers’ needs, having a good public reputation as a company and delivering promises on a product helps create a strong brand image (Philip 2006). The brand name Adidas is easy to recall. It stands out from competitors’ names and the logo is easily noticeable. This creates a distinct identity hence image of Adidas on consumers. Adidas has dedicated resources to aid in optimization of its products so as to be able to deliver the best sportswear and equipment a sportsperson can access. This has led to production of quality products and hence reinforced Adidas’ brand image in sports. Adidas CEO, Adi Dassler ensures personal presence at important sports functions thereby creating a connection between him and consumers. This earns Adidas consumer loyalty a nd more attachment to the brand (Aaker & Joachimsthaler 2006) Consumers’ role in branding The consumer’s role in branding cannot pass un-noticed by companies. Consumers have needs and expectations on a product. They tend to choose the product which meets their needs and fulfils their expectations. With online forums and social networking sites, consumers can discuss and rate various brands of a product. The shared opinions form an image of the respective brands to new consumers. This image governs the new consumers’

Public Broadcasting Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Broadcasting Service - Essay Example The lingering question is how can PBS best position themselves to compete with broadcast networks and non-premium cable channels. With the rules of corporate underwriting having changed and with the public funding of PBS slashed with the arrival of Republican control of Congress and the White House, public broadcasting finds itself moving toward the acceptance of standard advertising techniques. The demographics of those who watch PBS strongly suggest that there will always be sponsors who wish to exploit that high end buying power. All of this does not mean that PBS needs to position itself to act like other TV selling organizations, however. Viewers of PBS are accustomed to a minimum of advertising and a prime selling point is the lack of interruption of those programs except for the semi-annual fundraising drives. To venture PBS toward a situation in which a Masterpiece Theater production of a Dostoyevsky novel is interrupted for commercials for tampons or beer would be to risk losing a primal attraction for the very audience seeking out that kind of prestige programming.

Biotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biotechnology - Essay Example However, a more specific approach of the upstream processes will be adopted in this essay. Downstream processes refer to the processes that take place after the fermentation process of purification to the packaging of the Biopharmaceuticals. Moreover, the issue of quality control techniques in a bid to ensure successful product analysis will receive attention in this essay. One of the critical steps in the upstream processing is the choice of an effective culture and expression system.There are three types of culture systems that may be adopted in the fermentation process. One of them is the batch culture, which is the commonest culture system that used in many industries because of lack of complications. The fact that batch bioreactors are easily available explains why many companies have exhibited preference for it. Batch cultures need to be loaded with all the required nutrients and substrates, and then inoculated with the selected microorganism. Although it is commonly referred to a closed system, there is an evident need to maintain a measure of exerting control on factors such as pH and aeration. After fermentation runs to completion, product removal follows (Boudreau & McMillan, 2007). Although the batch system has been highly preferred, it presents certain challenges, especially because of the surging lack of constancy in the producing formation. In the initial phase when the microorganism is undergoing growth, there is no productivity. Moreover, accumulation of the product also limits further production (Buckel, 2001). In other cases, the presence of a high substrate concentration in the initial phase serves as a form of inhibition. In a bid to address this challenge, the development if fed batch where an inflow is introduced was a benchmark of success. Although the batch culture still has some of the outstanding disadvantages of the batch culture, the fed-batch

Public policy administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Public policy administration - Essay Example The opponents of the bill are the republicans who state that the passage of the bill would add to the budget deficit of the US government. The Democrats counter this by stating that the overall budget gap would be lesser by $100 Billion if the bill is passed and hence they are asking for support in pushing the bill through. Both sides of the debate on reforming healthcare as well as continuing the status quo are vocal and vehement in their stance. The PBS (2009) website gives further evidence of this, while the proponents of Health Care reform call for the state to play a more proactive role and the insurers to cover pre-existing conditions and make the process of claims easier, the opponents are adamant that this would erode the competitiveness of the service providers. This is akin to the debate on patents for new drugs that is on similar lines with one side insisting that drug costs be lowered and the other side touting the benefits of research and development essential for the discovery of new drugs. (Pbs.org, 2009) After considering the various options, it is my personal opinion that the Health Care reform bill must be passed. In order to stem the rising tide of medical expense related bankruptcies and the increase in the number of people not covered under the existing system, the proposed legislation must be passed. As a US Citizen, I want to ensure that I am taken care of when ill and would also like the same for others as well. If we consider the issue from an ethical perspective, it makes it clear that we should not deny medical care to the needy for whatever reason that the health care system currently does. The Huffington Post (2009) states that 1 in every 5 bankruptcies in the US are because of reasons to do with medical expenses being too much for the families to take (Huffington Post, 2009). Further, the data from the OECD website (2009) also talks about how a million people are pushed into the ranks of the uninsured every year as

Back to the Basics in the United States Military Essay

Back to the Basics in the United States Military - Essay Example We have not had time to focus on these topics as the stress and vital importance of war time action has directed our focus elsewhere. Accordingly, things such as daily uniform inspections, barracks inspections, drill and ceremonies, proper counseling, and many similar items have, at least to a certain extent, been disregarded in favor of more pressing needs and goals. However, these performance duties are referred to as â€Å"the basics† for a reason; as such, it is our duty to get back to them. Because of the lack of focus on these points over the past few years, our junior NCOs and Soldiers are suffering and we as senior NCOs are responsible for correcting these deficiencies. Emphasis should be placed on the importance of sitting down with junior NCOs and showing them the proper ways to lead soldiers. Perhaps one reason for the current lack of concern is the fact that many NCOs appear to be only interested in promotion. This fact coupled with the self interested notions of m aking more money has taken away from the prime directive of leading and protecting the soldiers under ones supervision. This lack of concern is illustrated in the fact that few SGTs really know where to take their Soldiers if they have pay issues, family issues, budget issues, etc.? There are many who would have no idea. This results from several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that as soon as the promotion board is complete, these soldiers often do a brain dump and purge their minds of all the information they accrued while studying for the board. Obviously, this should not be happening; soldiers must remember what they learned from studying and be able to take knowledgeable care of the soldiers under their charge. In order to get back to these basics, there are several steps that must first be implemented. First, we must recognize that the Soldiers standing in our

Data Warehouse Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Data Warehouse Project Management - Essay Example To understand the various nuances of Data Warehouses in real time implementation, we studied the data warehouse implementation of DePaul university. This report aims at presenting the various data warehouse development and management features that were put in to effect while developing the data warehouse for the university. Certain roles specific to data warehouse development such as DW SDLC, construction of Data Marts when needed, ETL, Optimizations and Reporting are analyzed in detail. No data warehouse comes with a certain guarantee off success. The volume of implementation itself is many a times a reason for a DW failure. Therefore this paper also looks at the various risk factors involved in the development of the data warehouse for De Paul University. DePaul was founded in 1898 and is named for a 17th-century French priest, St. Vincent De Paul. The university has an enrollment of 23,149 students, 1,521 full time and part time professors and more than 125,000 alumni worldwide. At DePaul, students, faculty and alumni come together to form an environment that is welcoming and inclusive. The rich mix of heritages, experiences, interests and aspirations of its students and faculty help make the DePaul community one of a kind. To credit all its worth, in 1999 and 2003, the Princeton Review ranked DePaul students as â€Å"the happiest in the nation†. In 2007, Entrepreneur magazine ranked DePauls undergraduate program seventh and graduate program fifth, among the nations top entrepreneurship programs. DePaul is the ninth-largest private, not-for-profit university in the nation. Among those 10, all except DePaul are classified as "research extensive" universities, making DePaul the nations largest university with a primary mission of teaching and service. DePaul intends to become one of the finest urban, Catholic universities of the United States. Resolute in its Vincentian mission to make an extraordinary education

He Desire to Change the Subservient Role Essay Example for Free

He Desire to Change the Subservient Role Essay The Desire to Change the Subservient Role of Women in Old Chinese Society Chinese women stayed in an unequal status with men in old Chinese Society. Shen Congwen’s â€Å"Xiao Xiao† and Ding ling’s â€Å"When I Was in Xia Village† are two stories about village women’s lives during modern time in China. The stories in both of these works present an important traditional Chinese belief that it is profitable to raise geese than to raise daughter. In â€Å"Xiao Xiao†, she is a twelve-year-old girl who is married with a two-year-old husband, Chunguan, and as his caretaker in her youth. While â€Å"When I was in Xia Village† is a period when narrator spends his/her time in Xia village and make friends with a village girl Zhenzhen. She is sent to Japan to spy Japanese government after she is raped by Japanese soldiers. When she goes back village due to her disease, people look down upon her and laugh at her. Finally she runs away from Xiao Dabao’s propose and seeks for a fresh life in city. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen have something in common that they are both independent-minded woman; also they are from village and ever desired to live in city to find new life and to have education; they live under the tradition of gender discrimination in old China. While their experiences are different, and, at the end, Zhenzhen is seeking for her new life in another place, yet we see Xiaoxiao and her husband’s family is still within traditions in their small village. In men’s world, women are like a tool which they can use to make their life good, but we see some of women have desire to change their subservient role to become independent in Chinese society. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are independent-minded women compared to other women at that time in Chinese society. They are not afraid of break down the present life and live in their owns. When Xiaoxiao’s grandpa and other relatives make joke on her about figuring out her should become a coed when she grows up. Then she has thinking that how coeds’ life is, â€Å"†¦she felt vague stirrings of unrest, and took to imagining herself as a ‘coed’. Would she behave like the ‘coed’ Grandfather talked about? In any case, there was nothing frightful about these ‘coeds’ and so these notions began to occupy this smile girl’s thoughts for the first time† (Shen 86). Although the author does not mention Xiaoxiao’s desire to become a coed directly in the story, I feel that Xiaoxiao wants to have a different life from her present life as a caretaker in village. She is young and hopes her life to be colorful and meaningful. After her stomach gets bigger, she wants to have a new life in city, â€Å"After a while, Xiaoxiao would finger her snakelike black braid, and, thinking of life in the city, she said: ‘Brother Motley, why don’t we go where we can be free in the city and find work there? What do you say? ’† (Shen 91). She knows if she keeps living with her husband’s family, she would go to dead. No more clearly than herself that she knows her situation is worse. If she elopes with Brother Motley, she could be same as those coeds in the school and live her own life with a normal marriage. Obviously, Xiaoxiao has her idea what her life she wants. In â€Å"When I was in Xia Village†, Zhenzhen is an independent-mind woman as well. Even though she has been raped and treated unrespectable. Zhenzhen does not care about surrounding people’s misunderstandings. For others’ sneer, she thinks she need to find another life but not surrender to marry Xiao Dabao, so she said to narrator â€Å"I feel that living among strangers and keeping busy would be better than living at home where people know me†¦ It’s better for each of us to go our own separate ways than it is to have everyone stay together in one place. I’m doing this for myself, but I’m doing it for the others â€Å" (Ding 146). Just like Xiaoxiao, Zhenzhen wants a new life in city and to start over. She hopes in a new place where not many people know her, so she could start over, â€Å"A person’s life is not just for one’s father and mother, or even for oneself. Some have called me young, inexperienced, and bad-tempered. I don’t dispute it. There are some things that I just have to keep to myself† (Ding 146). From these two stories, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are two women who have their own thought instead of under control of traditions. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen have the same desire which moving from village to city. On one hand, Xiaoxiao wants to escape from her offence, on the other hand, she has desire to have sex with a real man, she cannot wait her little husband to grow up when she is twenty years old. So she cheats on her little husband â€Å"involuntarily† on surface. In addition, her husband’s families take her in but she never drops the idea to be like a coed, â€Å"One day, word spread that the coeds were back again. When Xiaoxiaoheard this, she eyes stared out unseeing, as if in a daze, her gaze fixed on the eastern horizon for some time† (Shen 93). She bent on joining the coeds on their way to the big city in search of freedom, unfortunately she is discovered. I guess Xiaoxiao does not have any ideas about having education in the city; she just has to get away from village. However, from her grandpa’s description on coed, she is interested in coed’s life and she thinks if she becomes a member of coed, she has holidays and does not need to do farm works. Zhenzhen is different. Although she is from village too, she has live in Japan many years. So she knows she goes to city because she wants a bright future and escape the sad village then to be educated in order to get a job with other communists, â€Å"What I do feel is that after I go to [Yan’an], I’ll be in a new situation. I will be in a new situation. I will be able to start life fresh† (Ding 146). Their movements illustrate that new Chinese women are changing people’s views and have sense of education is more and more important. Life in city is realistic and bright for them. Gender roles is very similar between â€Å"Xiaoxiao† and â€Å"When I Was in Xia Village†, they both present that women stand subservient role in society. Starting from Xiaoxiao’s marriage, her marriage is arranged by her uncle when she is only twelve. People at that time set this tradition because they think girl is useless because daughters will be others’ sooner or later, so it is better to send her earlier to save family’s food. To the bride’s family, accept a girl into their family is not only a way to take care of children, but also add a worker to help farming as a free labor. That’s why to be contrast with other female students in town, Xiaoxiao is adulterer. To punish Xiaoxiao’s cheating on her husband and families, Xiaoxiao is arranged to wait for her second marriage but no one come. Nevertheless, Xiaoxiao is lucky that her child turns out is a boy; she does not have to be married off after all. This tradition does not change after Xiaoxiao, then her son who is ten-year-old and have his wedding ceremony. Women in tradition could not hold any position of power. In the other story, people in Xia village are uneducated, so when Zhenzhen came back from Japan, they laughed at her and think she is dirty. Women have physical disadvantage than man, therefore, chastity becomes extremely crucial especially at that time. People in the village can not understand her grievance, this is one of the reason why Zhenzhen wants to go to [Xi’an] where most people are educated, at least not so care about her background. No matter from which aspect, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen seems like a tool in men ruled the world. Xiaoxiao is portrayed as â€Å"object† sold from a place to another. She could not have her own happiness because she belongs to her husband’s family. Zhenzhen looks like more freedom than Xiaoxiao physically, but in fact, she is slaved by internal. Something she cannot shake off is her hatred and interiority, â€Å"†¦in a very calm voice, she said, ‘I can’t say that I hate him. I just feel now that I’m someone who’s diseased. It’s a fact that I was abused by a large number of Jap devils. I don’t remember that exact number. In any case, I’m unclean, and with such a black mark I don’t expect any good fortune to come my way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ding 146). Zhenzhen is used to her reputation and body to help Chinese government but at the end, she could not get any sympathy. These things always happened to women, but not men. In conclusion, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are two uneducated women living in old Chinese society where unbalanced gender roles and old traditions exist. They both from village and dream to move to city meanwhile they have â€Å"sins† could not be excused. Through their different experience, they have similarities that they both independent-minded to change their lives to take education in big city. The ending of stories are different that Zhenzhen’s regardless of objection enable her goes to city as she wants, but Xiaoxiao still stays in village and keeps her original life. In old Chinese society, woman is absolutely not profitable than men. So people use women like a functional object to help working or take care of family. I think women are living a hard life and very powerless in society. Even thought they want to take education to change their lives, reality makes them difficult. However, women play many different roles which cannot be ignored. The authors express their thought and show the current situation through these good works.

Effects of Early Marriage Essay Example for Free

Effects of Early Marriage Essay Mark and Jane got married eight years ago. They have two young children. Their initial love and attraction has turned into constant bickering and argument. They now realize how different they are from each other. Every interchange seems to be a battle and is affecting every aspect of their lives. They wonder what happened to the love and affection they felt towards each other at the beginning of their relationship. They have been arguing about money, and how to spend it. Mark thinks his hard work is not appreciated. Jane feels overburdened with taking care of the children, her part-time work and taking care of the most of household duties. They each feel the other is not contributing enough. They do not want to give up on their marriage, and have heard that mediation can be effective in working through the practical problems they face. They hope by learning to appreciate each other’s efforts their love for each other will start to grow again. They have tried individual therapy, marital counseling, and group therapy, without results. The first few years of a marriage are a very intense period of adjustment. It’s very common for the couple to learn differences about each other and encounter extreme bouts of negativity that they never imagined possible. A newly married couple (and any married couple, for that matter) should try anything at their disposal. Sometimes marriage counseling does not work. It does not mean that the marriage is over or that the counseling was insufficient or even that marriage counseling may not work at a future time. Couples need to try different things at different times in order to break the log jam of disillusionment. Marital Mediation or other professional support may help break the impasse. The mediator will explain to Mark and Jane that, just like a new hobby, learning how to be married is a learnable skill. The mediator will teach them conflict resolution skills that they can begin to practice at home. Things can improve at home, and Mark and Jane can continue to work on (and enjoy) their marriage. They might even try counseling again (perhaps with a different therapist), and may find that they are ready to gain insight from it.

Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law

Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) has played a part in the malady of a womens life for many years. The development of Biological Theories has made law enforcement, attorneys, and even society study the connection biology has with individuals, particularly women for this manuscript, who commit crime. With the research gathered and studies performed, the court system has yet to adopt PMS as a suitable reason for defense. Until further evaluations of PMS can be studied, the validity of the previous test results will more than likely be questioned when introduced in court and it will be less likely to be generally accepted. Biological Theory Analysis: Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law Crime in America happens any and everywhere, all the time and there will always be a lawyer out there trying to get criminals a lesser punishment or no jail time for their crime. An individuals biology comes into question when attorneys are trying to build a defense against any type of criminal activity. Schmalleger (2007) states that Biology Theory is a theory that maintains the basic determinants of human behavior, including criminality, are constitutionally or physiologically based and often inherited. There are several aspects that biological theories cover; however, the focus of this manuscript will be on body chemistry. Body Chemistry is the category that Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) would be classified under. The definition of PMS will be examined, in depth and how it is connected to a womens life. Next, there will be a discussion on the symptoms that can occur in a womens body and further investigations on PMS cases that have been tried successfully. Furthermore, there will be a section addressing the opposing views of using PMS as a defense. Literature Review In order to discuss PMS, a definitive definition of this syndrome was needed. The definition was acquired from a known and highly recommended site called WebMD (20010) and this website has been providing informative information for many years. Along with the PMS definition, there was also a list of common symptoms that were provided that occurs when women are on their menstrual cycle. Cullen and Agnew (2006) essential readings have an article that was delivered by David Rowe and it discusses the biological theories of nature and the exposure to individuals physical counter parts. Schmalleger (2007) speaks about the many aspects of biological theories of crime causation and its many assumptions; along with the body type of criminals and its beginning stages of phrenology. Phrenology was first introduced in the 19th century and had the western world thinking more about the minds of criminals and punishment (Rafter, 2008). There has been some debate among professionals when addressing the disorder of PMS. Gallant, Popeil, Hoffman, Chakraborty, Hamilton (1992) have performed a study that showed no significant difference between women under the influence of PMS to women who were not. Despite this, there have been studies performed on the effects of other syndromes that have been connected to PMS. Gehlert, Song, Chang, Hartlage (2009) studied the prevalence of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and the effects it has on women and Gallant, Popeil, Hoffman, Chakraborty, Hamilton (1992) have participated in daily studies to confirm Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD). Other research has been reviewed and compared to Dr. Katherina Dalton, an expert on PMS analysis and the effects that woman have while experiencing Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Downs (2002) researched the Culpability of the PMS defense and its evolvement into psychosis if not treated. Ostovich, and Sabini (2005) performed a study that compared men and women and the effects gender has when going through or reaching puberty in its final stages. Easteal (1991) discusses PMS in the courtroom and how the effects of PMS may cause automatism in certain women. There are sections that cover the controversy the disorder brings to women in society and its credibility issues men have about women and crime. Davidson (2000) explores several cases that have been tried in different judicial system and have had successful outcomes while trying to introduce a hormonal defense that connects PMS and postpartum psychosis. Discussion Biological Theory Biological Theories make several assumptions which include (1) the brain being an organ of the mind and the locus of personality, (2) the basic determinants of human behavior, include criminal tendencies, constitutionally or genetically based (3) observed gender features may be partially the result of biological differences between the sexes and racial groups, (4) much of human conduct is fundamentally rooted in instinctive behavior, (5) basic determinants of human behavior, include criminality, from generation to generation (inherited), (6) biological roots have become increasingly disguised, (7) some human is the result of biological propensities from developmental stages, and (8) interplay among heredity, biology, and the social environment provides the nexus for any realistic of crime causation (Schmalleger, 2006). With that being said, biological theories began being dissected into stages to focus on the brain. Franz Joseph Gall was one of the first criminal anthropologists that studied the human skull and that study was called Phrenology. Many followed after his discovery and Rafter (2008) developed a book that described a diagnosis of criminality and other abnormalities by studying the contours of the skull. Although the skull had a number of interesting assumptions, phrenology eventually phased itself out as one of the crucial theories in identifying biological connections in crime. In time, analyst such as David Rowe gathered data on certain aspects of research that focused on the chemical messages, or neurotransmitters that transmit signals between neurons in the brain, e.g., serotonin, and the hormones that help regulate such things as responding to stressors (Cullen, Agnew, 2006). PMS means what? PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome and the debate over using this ailment as an acceptable defense has been the topic of many argumentative discussions between professionals. WebMD (2010) defines PMS as the physical and psychological symptoms that occur in the week before a womens menstrual period. There are over 150 common symptoms of PMS that most women experience and they categorized into three parts: Physical, Emotional, and Behavioral. Some of PMS symptoms include leg and stomach cramping, abdominal bloating, pack pain, Acne, breast swelling, anxiety, dizzy spells, anger, crying, Libido changes, accident prone, social isolation, hysteria, headaches, depression, mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, and many others (Easteal, 1991). For most women these symptoms appear for a short period of time, usually a week before the menstrual period and they disappear during or right before the cycle begins. Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder The American Psychiatric Association (APA) began indentifying mental disorders of individuals and recording the data to one day create a manual that would assist medical professionals on how to classify certain syndromes by their symptoms. Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD) was developed to the DSM III-R to provide a systematic set of criteria for establishing a premenstrual mood disorder (Gallant, et. al., 1992). Some of the symptoms that women have to have include being sad, tearful, angry, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, change in appetite, difficult concentrating as well as many other physical maladies. LLPDD was created so that professionals would be able to distinguish it from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and diagnose criteria that included psychological disturbances that seriously interfered with work, ordinary social activities, relationships, and arise during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, ending within a few days of the onset of menstruation (Downs, 2002). Pr emenstrual Dsyphoric Disorder (PMDD) became the new name for LLPDD and the new studies aimed to determine the prevalence of PMDD using all four DSM-IV research diagnostic criteria (Gehlert, et., al., 2009). For the full diagnostic criteria of LLPDD, see Appendix A. PMS Based Defenses There have been cases as early as the late 1800s where a case of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) have been used in court. The cases used PMS as a opener for the suspect to eventually plead temporary insanity. Insanity has many variations of its clinical interpretation, however, this manuscript will utilize the WebMD (2010) definition, which states insanity as the lack of understanding or having the mental capacity to enter into a rational state of normal responsibility. In the United States (US) two fundamental requirements are common to test for when determining insanity. The two fundamental elements are: (1) the defendant must suffer from a mental disease or defect, and (2) a casual relationship must exist between the disease or defect and the criminal offense (Downs, 2002). There is a defense that the US has recognized that is somewhat similar to an insanity plea and it is called automatism. Those who have studied insanity have connected the definition of automatism to insanity which states that individuals have an unconscious state of mind when committing a crime. Some researchers, such as Ostovich, Sabini (2005) have tried to link the beginning stages of puberty to account for some of the outburst of crime latter scene in women and men. The study explored the young adults first encounters with adult social and sexual behavior, attitudes, and work environment but the examination did not have enough evidence to support its claim. Another defense strategy is the diminished capacity (DC) diagnosis. Unlike automatism, a DC diagnosis is to focus on trying for a lesser sentence for the criminal act and not the conduct. If the defense handles the case with care and understanding, charges for heinous crimes will be reduced, which has been proven in several cases in England (Downs. 2002). Use in the Courtroom The studies that have been performed on women and their experiences with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) have evolved into PMS being used as a defense in criminal cases. Davidson (2000) devised a section in his research that takes a deeper look into PMS in the courtroom. The majority of these cases took place overseas and has people across the globe interested in how the system had derived at some of their conclusions. One of the most notorious cases involved a woman named Craddock. Craddock was a barmaid in 1980 and she had murdered one of her co-workers. Craddock had many other crimes under her belt and she possessed a diary that kept a record of her violent behavior. An expert on PMS, Dr. Katherina Dalton was asked to review Craddocks case and determine if PMS had played a part in her crime. Cradock was found guilty of manslaughter (based on a plea of diminished capacity) and not murder due to the experts testimony that PMS turned Craddock into a ranging lunatic. Later, a judge had further reduced her sentence by allowing Cradock to not receive any jail time but to be placed on probation and medical treatment of progesterone. Progesterone is one of the medications that has been given to women to alleviate some of their symptoms bring them back to some form of normalcy. In the following year, 1981, Craddock had changed her name to Smith and managed to stay out of trouble until her dosage of progesterone was reduced. Smith had threatened to kill herself and a police officer on two separate occasions. Smith was once again convicted of all charges and still not awarded prison time. In the case of Regina v. Smith, Smith received probation relying on Smiths PMS in mitigation. The first American case that used Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) as a defense occurred in People v. Santos in 1982. Santos was being charged of child battering. The case was resolved through a plea bargain because Santos admitted to beating her child at the pre-trial. However, Santos claims that she suffered a black out due to PMS. This information was presented by the defense to the judge who still decided to plea in favor of the defendant and the case ended with Santos getting probation. Controversy PMS being applied to criminal law has bought about some resistance from a variety of people. The groups with the most to say about this topic are feminist groups. Feminist groups have their beliefs on this matter and do not want to give off the wrong impression of being un sympathetic. PMS is a disorder that should be considered under the proper conditions, as long as it does not stereotype all women and is not used frivolously for the defendants or the attorneys amusement in criminal proceedings (Easteal, 1991). There is also the concern that men who are being charged with domestic abuse will start to take advantage of PMS and use it to their advantage. In other words, men can claim that their wife become so annoying that he had to do something to make her stop. The fear of society not understanding Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and not realizing that all women falter to the same symptoms is what makes this syndrome so controversial. Conclusion Premenstrual Syndrome is a disorder that affects many women physically and in some cases, mentally. Several cases have applied PMS to a criminal defense and have been successful but the success came attached with mitigation to some form of insanity and as we all know, insanity is difficult to prove, not a frequently used defense and almost always raises some kind of controversy (Davidson, 2000). If more research and funding can be applied to the study of biological theories and the connection it has to women and PMS, maybe the acceptance of PMS as a criminal defense will be taken more seriously.

Sons and Lovers Essay -- essays research papers

In the novel, Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence, the protagonist, Paul Morel, represented the epitome of the phrase â€Å"mama’s boy.† Mrs. Morel was very demanding, and smothered Paul to the point where he felt it was wrong to love anyone else but her. Paul’s disturbing infatuation with his mother became an obstacle in what could have blossomed into successful relationships with two very important women in his life, Miriam and Clara. In Chapter 7, Paul shows a yearning for some connection beyond what he shares with his mother. In his free time, Paul is a painter, and he still needs his mother to do his best work, as he tells her. But Miriam allows him to take his work to another level. She makes him feel an intensity he has never before experienced. Miriam seems to have a sense of this connection. She was probably Paul’s most suited candidate as his wife. He knew her and her family for years, talked and visited her frequently, and eventually fell for her. He could not love Miriam completely because his mother did not approve of her. The connection between Paul and Miriam may be one reason that Mrs. Morel dislikes Miriam. "She could feel Paul being drawn away by the girl"(168). She seems to view Miriam as direct competition for her son's love and attention. Mrs. Morel felt that Miriam was the type of woman who would suck the soul out of a man. She’s not like an ordinary woman, who can leave me my share of him. She wants to absorb him. She wants to draw him out and absor...

Hollywoods Attack On Religion :: essays research papers

Hollywood's Attack on Religion The section that I have chosen to analyze from the book Hollywood vs. America is "The Attack on Religion." In this part of the book, Michael Medved discusses the shift in attitude Hollywood has made toward religion, from acceptable to contemptible. He takes a look at the messages being sent in films, music and television in the last 15 to 20 years and analyzes their effects. In general, Hollywood depicts religion in an unfavorable manner, according to Medved. Moreover, Medved also argues that, not only has Hollywood taken a hostile stance toward religion, but it has paid the price, literally, for doing so. All of Medved's arguments are well supported and documented, making them seemingly futile to argue against. Yet, Hollywood, which includes films, music and television, continues to disregard the obvious facts that Medved has revealed. In the first chapter of this section, "A Declaration of War," Medved discusses the facts surrounding the protest which took place on August 11, 1988, in opposition to the release of the motion picture The Last Temptation of Christ. MCA/Universal, which funded the Martin Scorsese film, called the protesters a "know-nothing wacky pack" (38). However, as Medved points out, the protest was "the largest protest ever mounted against the release of a motion picture" (37) and included such groups as the National Council of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives and prominent figures such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Ken Wales, former vice president at Disney studios. Even with such strong opposition from these respected groups and people, the studio refused to listen and stood behind its First Amendment rights. MCA/Universal was even supported by the Motion Picture Association of America, which stated that "The . . . MPAA support MCA/Universal in its absolute right to offer to the people whatever movie it chooses" (41). However, Medved rebukes this statement, arguing that "absolute right" wasn't the issue; the issue "concerned the movie company's choices, not its rights" (41). He supports this argument further by indicating that the MPAA would never support a film portraying Malcolm X as a paid agent of Hoover's FBI or portraying Anne Frank "as an out-of-control nymphomaniac" (41). By releasing The Last Temptation of Christ, the studio positions Jesus, God and Christianity below these prominent figures in history because it is portraying Jesus and other religious figures in uncharacteristic situations that would never be associated with these historical figures. This is supported by past experiences when movies were edited so as to not offend animal rights activists, gay advocacy groups, and ethnic

Executive Information Systems :: Technology Work Technological Essays

Executive Information Systems Executive Information Systems (EIS) is a system designed to supplement the current company’s information system for their executives. The standard textbook definition of executive information system is â€Å"an information system that provides strategic information tailored to the needs of executives and other decision makers† (O’Brien 24). EIS is thought to help with knowledge management. Knowledge management is the â€Å"set of practices aimed at discovering and harnessing an organization’s intellectual resources – fully utilizing the intellects of the organization’s people† (Bateman, Snell 8). In research there is one other basic term that is used to interchangeably with Executive Information System. That term is Executive System Support (Kaniclides, Kimble 3). Executive Information Systems software expands on all of the other business software out there for managers. There are some main differences between EIS and other information systems. The main difference is that EIS is aimed towards executives so it is specifically customized towards their needs. Another difference is that EIS is â€Å"able to access data about specific issues and problems as well as aggregate reports† (Kelly 2). EIS is not as limited to a particular field or area of the business. Executive Information Systems allow for access to an array of data from both inside the company and outside from difference sources. EIS also is user friendly so the senior management members do not need assistants to access the information for them and they can make use of their assistants for other tasks. The systems usually can be used with a mouse or a touch screen computer and information is presented in a graphic format (Kelly 2). The people that use EIS have been mentioned above. These people are those who are senior level managers, such as CEOs, CFOs, COO, Presidents, and so on, with loads of information to sort though. The executive information system helps them sort though the information provided to them by lower level managers. This information usually includes such things as efficiency reports and other production reports relevant to the field of the corporation. These senior level managers use this information that has been summarized and put into a form that the manager wants to make important decisions for the company. For executives that do not utilize executive information system might feel overwhelmed with the papers and reports they receive daily.

New Industries in the Caribbean Essay

Caribbean economies from their earliest periods of colonization were essentially agrarian based (during slavery). Economical activities included livestock farming and small farming done by the peasants. There were also trading and commerce which included the establishment of shops, inns and taverns. Large plantations were worked by a mass of slaves with the premier crop being Sugar Cane. When the colonizers first came to the West Indies they mainly grew crops such as coffee, cotton, ginger, banana and cocoa mainly for export. However during the second half of the 18th century, these crops lost their comparative advantage to sugar. When sugar experienced its depression the planters relaxed their stronghold over control of the land and some estate workers turned their attention to the peasant sector and other industries. NEW INDUSTRIES By the beginning of the twentieth century, the peasantry had begun to play a very important role in the diversification of the West Indian economies. The Royal Commissions before the Norman Commission, and the Norman Commissions had made recommendations for the development of the peasantry (Curtis: p 32). Many of the export crops recommended by the Norman Commission were already being cultivated by the peasantry. For these crops to have greater success, the peasantry would need capital for greater investment. But this capital was not forthcoming. This was due to the fact that they had limited capital, occupied small plots of land because they were charged a lot for these lands. Additionally the peasants cannot produce at subsistence level. The black peasantry in particularly faced a number of obstacles which included the increase in land prices, eviction from lands, refusal to subdivide and sell lands and also heavy taxations. The planters most of the times sold large pieces of lands for lower cost to the whites in comparison to the ex-slaves. Rice, which had been cultivated earlier as a subsistence crop in Guyana began to assume importance as a cash crop in the late nineteenth century. The abandonment of sugar cultivation on some estates made more land available, as did the opening up of riverain crown lands in 1898 on what for some were manageable terms of purchase. By 1900 government interest was being channeled through the board of agriculture ith conducted experiments in different rice varieties and supplied seed to the growers. A more objective was to develop a uniform grain size to reduce wastage in the milling process and by 1908 this had been substantially achieved. All of this stimulated further expansion so that, whereas in 1891 the land under rice amounted to only 4000 acres, there was a tenfold increase in the following two decades, and by 1917 for every ten acres planted in sugar, Guyana, eig ht acres were planted in rice. Expanding rice acreage was accompanied by the mushrooming of small mils. In 1914 there were 86 of them in existence. They were hardly elaborate structures but they were linked to the large mercantile firms in the capital and they controlled growers in the villages through a system of advances. Many of the millers, like many large rice growers were Indians who employed Indian labour, and the evidence suggests that ethnicity hardly guaranteed favourble treatment. In 1905 it was exporting to the Caribbean. Rice enjoyed considerable prosperity during the first war. In the inter-war period alternative sources of supply to the Caribbean market dried up and this provided the main basis for the steady expansion of the industry in Guyana. Guyana is by far the most important producer of rice in the Commonwealth Caribbean. There were about 20 thousand peasant farmers in 1952; by 1965 their numbers were believed to have more than doubled, reaching 45 thousand. There were 222 rice mills in 1960 and 199 in 1970. All were privately owned, except two which were owned and operated by the Rice Development Company. Bananas were first introduced into Jamaica in 1516. However the first exports took place in 1869 after the depression of sugar. As the industry flourished American companies came in to handle the trade as the peasants supplied bananas to a US [Boston] banana trader Lorenzo Dow Baker. Boston Fruit Company later formed to trade in Bananas with Caribbean and Central America which later became the United Fruit Company [UFCo]. By 1890 the value of Banana exports exceeded that of sugar and rum, and it retained this position except for a few years until the Second World War. By 1937 Jamaica provided twice as many stems as any other country in the world. It thus became a plantation crop-corporations and large entrepreneurs. Banana soon became the principal exports from Jamaica, and Windward Island. Trading partners also changed-Destination was now USA. During the war the industry declined because the ships could not be spared to transport the product. By the beginning of the nineteenth century coffee was also an important crop in Jamaica (The Banana production was done mainly by the Middle class mulattoes). During the depression sugar farmers in Trinidad turned their attention to cocoa which was the first major export of the island, and by 1900 it had become the major export once again. It retained this position until 1921 when Ghanaian cocoa began to swamp the world market. During that time too cocoa was also an important crop in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Vincent. In the 1930’s citrus, which had been cultivated in the stricken cocoa areas became important. So too did Pineapples in the 19th century. Relatively small scale farmers earned cash for production of bananas, coffee, cocoa and pimento for exports. They also produced tubers, fruits and vegetables for domestic markets. A substantial part of small farming was for subsistence with relatively small surpluses for sale. Bauxite, tourism and urban-based manufacturing and services replaced export agriculture as the dominant sectors of the economy in the post-war era, as the British West Indies pursued a programme of â€Å"industrialization-by-invitation† The mineral resources which include bauxite, aluminum, gold et cetera have been developed by foreign capital and for the export market, to a much greater extent than the main agricultural products. In Guyana the American-owned Bauxite industry shipped its first load of ore in 1922. Expansion was steady throughout the inter-war period but it was not until the second war that bauxite became an important force in the economy. The Jamaican bauxite industry was developed by American companies after the second war. Demand for aluminum by the United States military and space programmes and by the automobile and other consumer goods industries created a lucrative market for bauxite and aluminum. As of such in 1957 Jamaica became the world’s leading bauxite producer and the main U. S. supplier. The U. S. dollar earnings from this new export financed the import of capital goods manufacturing industries that were set up to produce for the growing domestic and regional markets. The investment cycle of the multinational bauxite mining companies began topping offs as the decade of the 1960s drew to a close. Bauxite and aluminum thus replaced sugar and bananas as the leading export product after the Second World War. In 1964 Jamaican bauxite industry had over 800 registered manufacturing establishments including a cement factory, cigarette factories, breweries and bottling plants, extiles, clothing factories and plant producing soap, margarine and edible oil. In February 1967 an agreement was announced between the Jamaican government and an American metal-fabrication company to erect an aluminum plant in Jamaica. The petroleum industry in Trinidad and Tobago is the oldest mineral industry in the common-wealth Caribbean. The first successful well dates back to 1857 but it was not until the first decade of this century that the industry was established. By 1909 the country was exporting oil and by 1919 five refineries were in operation. The industry is largely owned and controlled by foreigners. The production of crude oil is mainly in the hands of four companies-Texaco, Shell, Trinidad Northern Area owned by Trinidad Tesoro, Shell and Texaco as equal partners. However by 1980 the government had purchased all foreign operations except Amoco. The tourist industry was developed after the Second World War, and this two is foreign owned and controlled. This industry is an offshoot of the banana and bauxite industry especially in Jamaica. The establishment and development of the tourist industry were facilitated by incentive legislation and special institutions. Jamaica passed the Hotels Aid Law, 1944, granting accelerated depreciation allowances and duty-free importation of materials for the construction and furnishing of hotels, and the Hotel Incentives Law, 1968, granting tax holidays and other concessions. The Hotel Aids Act passed in Barbados in 1967 allows duty free importation of building materials and equipment and grants a tax holiday of ten years. And all three territories set up Tourists Boards to promote and service the industry. As in the other generating sectors of the economies, there is a large proportion of foreign ownership in the tourist industry. In 1971 thirty-five per cent of the hotels in Jamaica were wholly foreign owned, 56 per cent wholly locally owned and 9 per cent joint ventures. Foreign ownership was more pronounced in Barbados. Foreigners owned 61 per cent of the capacity there: 33 per cent was owned by nationals of the United Kingdom. 16 per cent by Canadians and 12 per cent by Americans. Barbadians owned 34 per cent, and 5 per cent was jointly owned. Local ownership was dominant (80 per cent) among the smaller establishments which provided 25 per cent of the total capacity. Trade and commerce was also taking place in many places in the British West Indies as well. According to Beckles and Shepherd (1993) â€Å"export trade in the British Islands showed in a number of the units spectacular increases to the peak of prosperity between 1929 and 1940. † British Guiana traded with Europe and North America, commodities such as sugar cane, coffee and fruits. Trinidad exported petroleum products such as oil to places such as North America and the United Kingdom. Jamaica too traded tropical fruits, sugar cane, coffee, cocoa and other commodities with Europe and North America. In the late 1950s, Jamaica became the biggest supplier of bauxite to the United States. RACE: The Indians are concentrated mainly on the sugar estates while the Africans are concentrated in the villages and the towns. The Africans have always been more mobile geographically and socially and the chief supporters of the urbanization movement. They provide the overwhelming majority of the labour force in the bauxite industry and mining camps in the interior of Guyana, and the petroleum industry in Trinidad, and the bulk of the factory and service workers in both countries. Until the 1950s they occupied a somewhat monopolistic position in the white-collar and professional positions. The Indians supply the bulk of the field sugar workers and also the rice producers in Guyana. -Europeans owned most of the wealth-producing assets in the colonial economy. The indigenous Ihere, imported labour] populations were allowed to engage in small-scale peasant farming on the fringes of large white-owned plantations but mainly relegated to providing cheap labour for the white settlers in the expanding corporate economy. Where this posed problems, intermediary racial groups (Chinese, Indians, etc. ) were brought in to fill the gaps in labour supply. As export staples increased the wealth base of the colonial economy and as some diversification into minerals, tourism and manufacturing increased that wealth base further, commerce and services expanded. This opened up opportunities for small-scale capital and smaller entrepreneurial firms to operate alongside the large white-controlled corporations. (Thompson: p 244). In Jamaica, this intermediate minority group comprised immigrant â€Å"white ethnics† like the Lebanese and Jews (who joined a much older community of Jamaican Jews dating back to the period of colonization and settlement) and the Chinese, whose upper and middle echelons, occupying a â€Å"shopkeeper† niche, secured for the group the real and/or symbolic function of â€Å"social whites†. A racially mixed â€Å"brown middle class† also formed a component of this â€Å"minority, intermediary ethnic group†. The traditional white planter class was displaced both by foreign corporate capital, whose interests were concentrated on sugar, and later bauxite and tourism, and the intermediary ethnic groups with whom they eventually merged. The latter groups formed a domestic merchant and manufacturing sector alongside the transnational enclaves. A black rural middle class emerged on the basis of medium-sized holdings concentrating on export crops such as bananas, pimento, coffee and citrus. They comprised a tiny minority of the rural population, however, most of whom occupied a range between full-time peasants and full-time proletarians. The race related dualism of Caribbean economy was classically exhibited in the division between the (TNC or â€Å"Jamaica-white†-owned) plantation and (black) peasant economies of rural Jamaica. In 1938, this division was reflected in a tenure system which â€Å"concentrated over fifty per cent of agricultural land into some 800 holdings and left nearly 100,000 poor peasants and their families with twelve per cent of the land* (Post, 1981: 2-3). In addition, the black peasant economy was itself internally stratified, partly along the lines of the division between export production and domestic food crop production, which was itself related to size of holding. In addition, there were roughly 80,000 households at the lower margins of the peasantry with an average of a quarter of an acre each. .A significant bureaucratic and professional black middle class emerged, but Blacks failed to challenge the entrenched economic positions of the intermediary-ethnic elites. In the meantime, economic frustration and disfranchisement led large numbers of peasant and working class Blacks to participate in â€Å"a massive outward migration to Britain and a large-scale exodus from rural to urban areas, which translated rural poverty into urban ghettoes and urban poverty† (ibid. : 252). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many ethnic elites from the BWI began migrating abroad. This â€Å"created unanticipated and unexpected new openings for black entry into the entrepreneurial class and facilitated large-scale entry of Blacks into the middle and upper levels of private sector management† (ibid: 254). Blacks became well established within the corporate managerial elite and gained a foothold in many sectors of the economy manufacturing, construction, business services, tourism, commerce and agriculture alongside the still dominant minority ethnic groups. Their enterprises tended to be smaller, but a few were large. Other developments were the growth of import-trade higglering, which represented an expansion and in some cases a very lucrative enhancement of a traditional female working class role. The big corporate sector enterprises in insurance, banking, distribution, manufacturing, hotels and services remained under the predominant ownership of the economically dominant minority Jews, Whites, Lebanese and Browns†. Indeed, migration of some of the less important families appears to have facilitated a consolidation and expansion of corporate ownership among the biggest capitalist families.

Under Armour Case Write Up

Problem downstairs outfit has become one of the most victorious performance groom bulls eyes in the fall in States. Despite its recent successes, Under outfit does stupefy a few problems that could adversely affect its future sales. One prevalent environment issue is how the current economical situation in the United States forget affect Under fits sales. As consumers change their buying habits it could wrong its sales severely. Two, Under armor take to consider how its lack of a diversify supply group impacts its bargaining force out. some 75 percent of its fabric is purchased from wholly six distributors.Three, the company should consider diversifying its yield line beyond its current sports apparel majority. Under armor doesnt become as much brand deferred payment in spring/summer sports such as soccer and basketball. Lastly, Under Armour should be more aggressive in expanding to European and Asian markets. Currently, Under Armour heavily relies on U. S. mark et and on that point are tremendous potential consumer power in Europe and Asia. General purlieu Analysis There are a variety of different external factors that put to work the amount of success Under Armour is able to achieve.One of the biggest factors negatively affecting the tight is in spite of appearance the economic sector. Consumers are expense less money in the retail market. This decrease in spending is do a broader economic downswing. As a company who sells its products at premium prices, this downturn threatens to damage the companys sales and decrease profits. There are likewise several different opportunities offered by the familiar environment. Under Armour products are utilitarian to athletes. Regardless of the country in which a sport is played, high quality, breathable apparel and durable, forward-looking equipment are always useful.Because of the cultural favorable position of its products, Under Armour is pursuing internationalist diversification. Their strategy is one of regionalization, allowing top managers within each region to run some like a subsidiary, reacting to local preferences and competitors. Researchers have found that international diversification end lead to greater operational efficiency, which lastly leads to higher financial performance. The move toward a more global firm should back up the firm to grow, increase profits, and improve brand recognition worldwide. Additional threats and opportunities facing Under Armour are exhibited in appurtenance A.