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

Derm Project - Assignment Example Acne Folliculitis Acne, scientifically called Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition. It affects the hair follicles at the chest, face or even the back. It is manifested in the skin as congested pores called comedones, pustules, tender red bumps or cysts. Diagnosis of acne is on the basis of patient history and physical assessment. Initial pathology through microscopy is called microcomedo and, involves open or comedones referred to as blackheads and whiteheads respectively. These include Pillsbury acne grading scale, acne cook scale and acne Leeds technique (Gaeddert, 2003). Folliculitis is a common skin condition which is evident by several minute red or pink bumps predominant in at the hair follicles. This skin condition can affect any part of the body including the back, arms, legs, chest and cheeks. Ranging between 10 - 100 bumps, this skin condition appears as a scatter within the affected area. The spots or bumps can be slightly red indicating an inflammation. Accidental scr atching of the bump reveals a coiled hair engulfed within the bump. Diagnosis of Folliculitis basically involves the assessment of the skin’s appearance (Gaeddert, 2003). On rare instances is skin biopsies required so as to help the dermatologist on diagnosis. Additionally, the skin could be cultured in bacterial media so as to help in detection of the causative agent. Microscopic tests on the skin including fungal tests can be conducted using potassium hydroxide. This procedure helps in determining whether the condition is caused by a fungus or yeast. A histopathological procedure can be conducted to reveal epidermal hyperkeratosis as well as clustering of leukocytes. Rosacea Eczema Rosacea is a thriving skin condition which affects the eyes and the face. It is characterized by reddening of the affected region indicating a possible inflammation as well as emergence of pimples. This dermatological condition is most pronounced in women and individuals with fair skin tone. Usua lly, Rosacea is evident in the age range of between 30 to 60 years. Also termed as acne rosacea, this condition is characterized by symptoms of swollen nose, thick skin, red and itchy eyes. Moreover, there is a stinging facial skin on application of lotions as well as minute red veins on the face. The diagnosis of Rosacea is mostly dependent on physical examination categorized as primary or secondary features. A patient is diagnosed with Rosacea if he or she possesses one of the primary features of persistent flushing, pimples, visible blood vessels. Secondary features are manifest in several subtypes including Papulopustular, Phymatous Erythematotelangiectatic and ocular rosacea (Gaeddert, 2003). Eczema is characterized by vesicles that are small and which contain fluid substance. These vessicles are pimple like and are evident as reddish and swollen. When dried, the fluids leave behind dry patches on the surface of the affected areas. This condition occurs in the facial region in a majority of patients. Eczema can be diagnosed through microscopy. Seborrheic Dermatitis Scalp psoriasis A close relative psoriasis is the seborrheic dermatitis that affects the scalp as well. This condition is inflammatory and it leads to the production of flaky, white to yellowish scabs on the skin. Symptoms of this condition include reddish swollen patches around the nose, armpits and mouth. Others include itching, widespread

The Aftermath of World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Aftermath of World War II - Essay Example In the words of Cordtz, "Six years of the worst carnage ever inflicted on mankind. That was World War II. Between 35 million and 60 million were killed, and far more wounded. Property damage was literally incalculable" (par. 1). In terms of geopolitics, the aftermath of the war was a bi-polar world in which two Superpowers faced off from opposite sides of the world and of the ideological divide. The Cold War and nuclear arms race that followed the Allied victory constituted an incredibly costly military buildup that ended up diverting economic resources of the major countries of the world that might otherwise have been used for the betterment of humanity through education, economic growth, and cultural enrichment. All of these factors must be accounted for in any audit of the negative effects of World War II. The first and most important consideration in evaluating the consequences of World War II was the human toll, both civilian and military. From the six million victims of the Nazi extermination program to twenty-five hundred American service personnel who were lost at Pearly Harbor to the hundreds of thousands of Japanese whose lives were snuffed out by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it defies understanding to think about the potential each of those lives had to affect the world for the better. There are no words to describe the anguish suffered by so many loved ones who lost their family and friends during the war. Families were permanently shattered, and relationships were severed by the war. The moral cost of the war was also staggering. Not only did the German death camps obviously illustrate a new level of human degeneracy, but killing of civilians in the name of military necessity became and acceptable standard in the conduct of warfare, an unfortunate development that continues to be reflected in combat operations to this day. Richman contends that "area bombing of Germany and Japan set a new standard in the indiscriminate killing of civilians under color of combat" (par. 7). Thus, when evaluating the human cost of the war, it is essential not only to count the number of people whose lives were lost, but also to consider the impact on the moral standards of those who remained. The Economic Toll World War II was simply devastating from an economic perspective. The sheer destruction of entire cities had left little or no infrastructure to support economic stability of nearly every major economic power in Europe, as well as others around the globe. Nevertheless, the destruction left in the wake of the war ended up prompting a reconstruction and recovery effort known as the Marshall Plan that ultimately led to a far stronger global political and economic foundation than would otherwise have been possible. According to Cordtz, "even the losers ultimately emerged from the destruction and humiliation far better off than before. The people of Japan and Germany (most of it at any rate) escaped from totalitarian captivity to erect sturdy democratic political systems. Both countries rebuilt such powerful industrial machines that they can now successfully challenge their military conquerors. And both were able to accomplish all this in large part because of American assistance" (par. 4 ). The Marshall Plan was perhaps the most generous and successful foreign economic aid program in the history of the world. Without it,

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay The following report will provide a detailed analysis of John Lewis Partnership. The retailer has been very successful in the UK and has performed extremely well in spite of more negative financial issues and other dynamics impacting upon the retail sector at large, predominantly in light of declining consumer income, technological advances such as the internet and increased competition. The reason the company was able to achieve these was because of their commitment towards their clients in providing innovative solutions as well as improved awareness of customer needs and the significance of creating a reliable customer base which ensures positive word-of-mouth and the company has achieved this due to its commitment to providing innovative solutions to clients as well as a heightened awareness of customer needs and further recommendations to increase new revenue streams through an appropriate CRM system in place. Therefore, the reports provides an evaluation of the companys current marketing environment assessing how the external factors impact the retail sector largely and specifically on the strategies that John Lewis chooses to adopt. The report will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the threats and opportunities that the company is presented with and how best it can achieve a match with its own internal capabilities to the dynamics at play. The report will also look at how the John Lewis brand and customer proposition is placed in the UK market in comparison to other competitors, with an attempt to provide understanding in to how the company gains advantage through differentiation from other competitors, essentially highlighting how the company implements a differentiated strategy which allows it to maintain advantage. At the same time, the analysis has drawn attention to how the uncertainty which prevails and the continuous rate of change in the external market highlights the implications of continuous observation and continuous re-evaluation of the strategic options applied. Ultimately, the aim is to provide recommendations as to how the company can increase the probability of its advantage over the longer term. The John Lewis Partnerships 81,000 Partners own the leading UK retail businesses John Lewis and Waitrose. Our founders vision of a successful business powered by its people and its principles defines our unique company today. The profits and benefits created by our success are shared by all our Partners (John Lewis, 2012). Write the report as if you were working for an external management consultancy firm, reporting to the Board of Directors of your chosen company. The report should contain sections that address ALL of the main aspects of the module syllabus: that is the report should cover both strategic analysis (internal and external) and strategy formulation. It is essential that in undertaking your research and writing your report you make appropriate use of the strategic management tools and models to conduct internal and external strategic analysis and strategy formulation that you have encountered in this module. Credit will be given for analysis, evaluation and synthesis, and the appropriate selection and use of strategic management tools and models. 2.0 Introduction This report will discuss the strategic management tools demonstrating skills of analysis evaluation and synthesis of John Lewis. The report includes strategic analysis and an External Environmental analysis. The report also covers the strategy formulation in which the SWOT analysis and BCG Matrix will be discussed. John Lewis Partnership plc is one of the UKs top ten retail businesses. They operate amongst 2 sectors known as John Lewis and Waitrose. The company offers food as well as household products i.e. baked foods, fresh fruit veg, wines, household items, furniture, electronic items etc. The company functions in a chain of 287 Waitrose supermarkets, 39 John Lewis shops that include 30 departmental stores and 8 of them at home John Lewis stores. The company operates throughout the UK and is headquartered in London, they sell their products through retail stores, catalogues, and websites. The companys strategic focus is to accomplish its non-core business strategies through partnership with other firms. There are around 81,000 employees working in John Lewis stores who are partners in the business, they have a share in the companys profits and are given the opportunity to participate in the companys progress and growth. This is their unique source of competitive advantage as it encourages staff loyalty through being business partners (John Lewis 2012) 3.0 Strategic analysis 3.1 Mission statement The mission of an organisation highlights the broad directions they need to follow and provides a brief summary of the values and reasons that lie behind it (Lynch 2012). Like other organisations John Lewis also have a mission statement, it highlights their reputation established through their ownership structure as it is unique and they are very successful in being a profitable business. John Lewis aim to keep their staff satisfied so that their business can be a success. Their strategy is based on three key elements partners, customers and profit. (Refer to appendix 1) to see their full mission statement. 4.0 External Environmental analysis 4.1 PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis examines the macro-environment in which the business exists in. It is a helpful tool for understanding market growth or decline as well as the position, potential and the direction for business. It is also used for evaluating the Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental and Legal factors that a business operates in. The Political factors discuss government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations, tax policy and political stability. The Economic factors affect the cost of capital and purchasing power of an organisation. These factors also include economic growth, interest rates and inflation. The Social factors impact customers needs, potential market size such as John Lewiss goods and services, population growth and age demographics. Technological factors of John Lewis will discuss barriers to entry, making or buying decisions, investment and innovation and the technological change. Environmental factors include weather, clim ate and climate change. Climate change affects how John Lewis operates and the products they offer. Lastly Legal Factors include discrimination law, employment law and health and safety law. These factors can affect the way John Lewis operate their costs and the demand for their products. 4.2 Macro- environmental Factors It is commonly known, that those prevailing in the external environment of any firm shall have a significant influence in terms of decision making in the strategic options. Such analysis is known as PESTEL analysis and usually suggested as the first stage in the strategic planning process (Lynch, 2006). As Johnson et al (2008, pg.56) rightly declared, The key drivers for change are environmental factors that are likely to have a high impact on the success or failure of strategy. (Refer to appendix 2) to see the PESTEL analysis for John Lewis. It can be concluded that each factor of the PESTEL has had an effect on John Lewiss actions, some of them are now stated in their mission statement. Previous factors are used to analyse different factors, furthermore, these factors can give a prediction for the future, so can be quiet effective if they are applied correctly. There are also some restrictions in this model, e.g. when the procedure of the checklist is applied to John Lewis it may be tough. The emergent corporate strategies may well comment that the future is so uncertain that prediction is useless (Lynch 2012 page 84), however, some may still give words of caution but still predict the future. The PESTEL analysis isnt the only framework that John Lewis take into consideration, their organisation has many other internal and external factors that also have an effect on the strategy formulation, this is why Porters five Forces framework is applied. The PESTEL analysis has a lot of information but yet doesnt offer a detailed analysis of the business. Porters Five Forces (1985) observes factors that have an impact on competition in the organisation. 4.3 Strategic Options The external analysis undertaken has underlined how the focus and the landscape of the UK retail sector has changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Such developments clearly present both threats, primarily from new entrants and modes of distribution, as well as opportunities such as the increasing utilisation of technology within the current offering to customers. As Johnson et al (2008, pg.3) highlights, strategy is about exploiting the strategic capability of an organisation, in terms of its resources and competences, to provide competitive advantage and/or yield new opportunities. However, many competitors in the retail sector at large have managed to expand into other range of products as well as expanding internationally, John Lewis seems to have adopted a more thoughtful approach and stayed loyal to its customers as well as confident in terms of its offering to the market. At the same time it has also developed a wide range of products as a lower price range to attract more customers across a wider range of segments in society. In times of economic uncertainty this also appears to be a sensible strategy in terms of situations where its loyal customer base may be experiencing declines in disposable income, thus enabling John Lewis to maintain their business through customers trading down to less expensive ranges in store. The recent introduction for its Essential Waitrose Range in 2009 was both a reaction to external events including activities of competitors but was viewed as an effective strategy highlighting the companys attention to external research as well as its innovative approach to dealing with such negative events. Furthermore, Porter put forward the idea that there were three generic strategies; cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and the focus strategy, which companies follow. It is clear that John Lewis has embraced a combination of these, but essentially, differentiation has remained key to its business model which positions more favourably when compared to other competitors, particularly given the range and extent of the goods and services it provides as well as its highly effective branding and promotional events which appeal directly to customers and incite purchase. Its decision to introduce its Essentials range within its Waitrose stores may have been considered by some as an indication it was lowering its standards, but on the contrary, despite offering a cheaper alternative, quality remained key which ultimately implied that its position in the market would not be negotiated. 4.4 Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces framework highlights that the environment John Lewis is competing in is constantly changing, (refer to appendix 5). In this model it is believed that customers dont have more importance than any other aspect, however Aker, Baker and Harvey Jones argue that customers are more important than any other aspect of strategy development (Lynch 2012). Porters Five Forces of competition (1985) is a common tool often applied within the strategic management process to firms across several sectors. It is similar to the PESTLE analysis as it takes a predominantly external perspective of the firm within its given industry looking at how it is positioned against other competitors in the same sector. Recently many have criticised the ensuring importance of the framework given the changes that have risen, particularly with regard to the diversification of business which has ultimately created blurring across many previously distinct sectors. This is emphasized by the supermarkets entering into the clothing and electronics sector for example, as well as retailers including John Lewis expanding into financial services through insurance and credit facilities to customers. Barney (1995) and Henry (2008) underlined how Porters model is more helpful when it is applied at a strategic business unit level rather than at higher levels of industry analysis such as the sector at large as it cannot be expected that all competitors will be competing against one another. This tool is also believed to be useful in terms of assessing a companys strengths and weaknesses in light of how it stacks up against competition. As Barney (1995, pg.49) highlights, A complete understanding of sources of competitive advantage requires the analysis of a firms internal strengths and weaknesses as well. The importance of integrating internal with environmental analyses can be seen when evaluating the sources of competitive advantage of many firms. Looking at Porters five forces of competition, it is clear that John Lewis has attempted to not to just react to the external dynamics and actions of competitors, but actively be a step ahead. It has constantly adapted its business model, such as the introduction of store cards, its online offering and the Waitrose Essentials range in order to provide its business with a more appropriate fit to the market in line with Mintzbergs (1994) theory. A major element of its strategy however, is its reputation, branding and subsequent positioning in the market and how consumers view the business in its entirety. It has remained rather committed to its original proposition and further enhanced its appeal through appropriate branding and its reputation for quality and enhanced service to customers. 5.0 Internal Resource analysis 5.1 Value analysis chain The term Value Chain was used by Michael Porter (1985), the purpose of the value chain is to analyse the activities that are performed by the business, linking them to the competitive position. It also evaluates the particular activities to see which add value to the businesses products or services (quickmba 1999-2010) While many critics and leading authorities dispute the validity of Porters earlier theories, many of his ideas do still appear useful from the perspective of strategic analysis, particularly the notion of the value chain. Ultimately, it is within the value chain which John Lewis has created that it has succeeded in terms of sustaining advantage in its market sector. It has created efficiencies and synergies through the interrelationships within (Mintzberg and Ghoshal, 2003). Value Chain Analysis which is often compared to the RBV of the firm as it looks to both internal and external dynamics impacting an organisation. In recent years importance has also been given to joint ventures, collaborations and relationships which add value to the companys positioning. Elements of the chain such as HR which were previously considered as supporting elements are now viewed as core and this is demonstrated by John Lewis in terms of its commitment to and investment in staff. By enhancing the quality of its internal resources it can achieve distinctive competencies which are difficult to emulate by other competitors (Teece et al, 1997; Terwiesch and Ulrich, 2009). As Porter (1985, pg.36) emphasises, the way it performs individual activities are a reflection of its history, its strategy, its approach to implementing its strategy, and the underlying economics of the activities themselves. 6.0 Strategy formulation 6.1 SWOT Analysis: John Lewis Partnership A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for understanding and decision-making, businesses such as John Lewis use this tool in all sorts of situations, a SWOT summarizes the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This framework covers a crucial part of the strategic planning process a scan of the internal and external environment. Strength, Weaknesses are considered to be internal to the business whereas, Opportunities and Threats are part of the external environment. Looking at the SWOT analysis (refer to appendix 6) it can be concluded that John Lewis take this tool into consideration when making business decisions based on their customers. However, John Lewis need to expand their target audience because at the moment they are only targeting an older audience need to improve the diagnostic power of a SWOT analysis is to define the elements from a customer perspective rather than the organizational point of view. (Baker 2007, pg.267). By doing this they will generate a higher profit margin. If john Lewis wants to stay ahead of their competition they need focus on their weaknesses such as they need to ensure their prices are similar to their competitors. Also John Lewis need to focus on threats the business may have to face but they can avoid such matters by acting upon the threat before it occurs. Although the SWOT analysis tool is useful to businesses when making decisions, it has been criticized due to its simplicity and possible misleading approach to strategic analysis. This is because companies have failed to follow a few simple procedures. The SWOT analysis is a focused methodology (Baker 2007), therefore, when John Lewis the using this tool they need to ensure they are able to follow correct procedures of this tool to ensure they are able to achieve success. 6.2 BCG Growth-share Matrix The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix was developed by Bruce Henderson, founder of BCG, in the late 1960s (Baker 2007, pg.125). The BCG Matrix is a simple tool used to assess a companys position in terms of its product range. It simplifies how a companys thinks about the products and services and makes decisions about which it should keep and let go and which products to invest in further. It provides a useful way of seeing the opportunities that are open to the company and also helps to consider how the company can maximise the profits in the future. Below is the BCG Matrix for John Lewis, highlighting where in the market the different departments of John Lewis are positioned. John Lewis was voted Britains best retailer in 2009 and have won awards House Beautiful Awards 2008: Online Home Retailer of the Year Gold Award (washerhelp 2012), making them leaders in departments such as House and Garden, Electrical Appliances, Fashion, Gifts and Toys. They now have a high growth and a high market share in this segment, thus putting them in the star category. Further, technology and baby departments are between the star and question mark category this could be due to high growth and market share or high growth and low market share as they are faced with high demands but have low returns. Moving on to the sport department as it is in the cash cow category, as a markets it isnt growing but yet the market share for the products is high. Looking at the final category it can be said that John Lewis are safe as there isnt any products in the dog category. 7.0 conclusion Overall, the company has responded admirably to the changing dynamics impacting upon its market and customers, it is also clear that going forward, more challenges and threats shall be presented to it, particularly given persistent uncertainty relating to the global economy as consumer confidence within the UK. It would appear that in addition to a thorough and consistent approach to its markets in relation to external analysis of those factors deemed to impact most significantly; the company also adopts an internal approach, evaluating its inherent resources and competencies within the business. In line with the resource based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) and subsequent research by other authors such as Grant (2005), this analysis is often viewed as a more appropriate approach to the task of strategic management as ultimately, organisations have much more control over their internal resources than external market variables. Such an approach enables companies to incite the innovat ion process and thus create change in the wider environment as well as improvements to its value chain. This appears to be exactly what John Lewis has done to date through its expansion into other areas, as well as extending its range to customers through on-line facilities as well as credit, insurance etc. Threat of New Entrants This is considered to be fairly low for John Lewis given the original capital investment required as well as the regulations governing the market. At the same time, the fact that discount retailers and the supermarkets who benefit from vast scale economies can offer many of the same goods at substantially lower prices, is a concern and is perhaps indicative of why many retailers such as John Lewis now provide an electronic service in addition to their store offering. More entrants to the online space does seem inevitable though may become increasingly difficult given the variety currently in existence as well as the perception that customer service is often diminished. In this respect, John Lewis is clearly at an advantage given its reputation in the market. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes is low from a product viewpoint yet in terms of suppliers, is high and is underlined by the success of the supermarket chains in their clothing lines as well as the competitive landscape in the online space and the continuing popularity of price comparison websites and similar forums. Over time, online retailers could exert increased pressure on officials such as John Lewis, particularly in terms of pricing as well as sourcing of product ranges. Bargaining Power of Buyers This is considered as being extremely high given the range of suppliers in the market and the realisation that customers are faced with unprecedented choice. Price is clearly a key advantage for the retailers, but at the same time, in the particular segment in which John Lewis manages factors such as location, quality, customer service and atmospherics and added benefits to be derived from the in-store experience are significant. Such variables also assist in terms of differentiating the store from other competitors in the High Street. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Though it was just few years ago the retailers were considered as having a major effect over suppliers, this seems to be fairly changing, particularly with regard to restrictions in supply of some raw materials as well as other concerns in the global supply chain which might put the suppliers in a more favourable position and increase their bargaining power. Degree of Rivalry Rivalry is obviously intense mainly due to the immense choice available as well as the increasing pressure from on-line retailers. On this basis, competitors are ultimately jockeying for position (Porter, 1979) and increasingly retailers challenge themselves to differentiate in some manner through providing expanded ranges as well as complementary goods and other services. The success of John Lewis Christmas promotional campaigns in the last few years highlights how the company attempts to differentiate itself, particularly focusing on those matters which are considered to impact most on subsequent motivation of customers to make a purchase.

Ecobus Marketing Coursework - Nokia - The Wireless Giant Essays

Ecobus Marketing Coursework - Nokia - The Wireless Giant Ecobus Marketing Coursework "Nokia - The Wireless Giant" Introduction & Purpose For this coursework, I have decided to study the wireless giant, Nokia. Nokia is, unarguably, the leader in the world of mobile communications. The brand boasts a significant number of users from around the world, ranging from Europe to the Americas, and from Africa to the Asia Pacific. Nokia's success has been aided by its experience, innovation and its user-friendliness and thus, has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and other related products around the globe. The aim of this project is to identify how Nokia has approached its market and what has enabled the company to become a world leader in the world of wireless communications. This will include a study of the customer behaviour towards the brand and how Nokia has managed to secure a large share of the market, leaving its competitors far behind. Methodology In order to fill my purpose, I will collect both primary as well as secondary data from the appropriate sources. To collect the primary data, I will hand out questionnaires to a sample group of people varying in age and nationality. This is necessary to get a wider perspective of the possible customers of Nokia. Two samples of the questionnaire will be presented in the appendix. I will also carry out an interview with one of the staff of a Nokia Retail Outlet to further inquire about their aims and objectives in Hong Kong. The appropriate information from the questionnaires will be converted into graphs and then summarised. However, my study of Nokia will be based in Hong Kong and may contain a Hong Kong Perspective of the brand In addition to these data, I will create a S.W.O.T (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the company and also analyse Nokia's marketing mix. This will give a good overview of the company's marketing strategy. To add to the analysis, I will include a Boston Matrix of the brand, which will help determine the position of the company in the market. Following this, I will gather all the information to form a conclusion, which will include my own recommendations. A Brief Introduction to Nokia Nokia started in the communications service in 1865 establishing itself in the newspaper business, the original medi... ... a successful wireless giant aided by its strong marketing strategy. Its innovative products, appropriate placement, top notch promotion and suitable pricing has allowed it to hold the better share of the mobile communications market. In a world that is fast becoming reliant on technology, Nokia, with the help of its state of the arc technology, will create a new revolution in the industry. Locally, the telecommunication market is a thriving one and offers endless opportunities to the company. However, continuous market research and development needs to be done to keep Nokia where it is today. To eliminate any possible threats, Nokia can continue to develop new products and acquire a patent which will eliminate any chances of 'me-too' products from other companies. Acquisitions are also an option as a merge will make Nokia stronger as well as help remove competition. Organic growth can also help them guide towards more turnovers over a period of time. Nokia is, clearly, the hot choice of the mobile customers at present. By the looks of it, it is only a matter of time before its competitors are hunted down to extinction, at least in the field of mobile phones.

Crimson Tide film Essay

Crimson Tide film exhibits a theme of leadership case, is based on nuclear ballistic submarine order aimed to hit against Russia. The attack is aimed to silence threat of launching nuclear missiles which Russia is in possession. The combative action is in a problem since the army structure is loose due to dispute between executive officer and the captain over the course of action to be taken by the crew. This results to splitting of the crew in this mission hence formation of two confrontational factions for same combative mission. The warship is in problem as the rival group tries to take control of command. The situation turns desperate and speedy resolution in to this problem is requiring since the time is running up to launching moment. Success in this situation largely depends on the decision made since it has to be resolved in case of winning or face the disastrous consequences due to wrong decision (Kempley 1995). Crimson tide film exhibit the strength as well as weak point of the responsible leader in this film i. e. the captain and Executive officer. Different strategies and advices by the two leaders geared toward course of action to be taken results to potential conflict. In this situation leadership is required to guide the crew who are expected to follow the directives. But the situation changes due to the internal conflict affecting the crew to lose track of the event at hand since leaders hold diverse understanding of the mission as well as the organization. This film shows element of racial undertone in the leadership theme since captain and Executive Office are white and black respectively. On the other hand this film is designed to show sober mediation in the military setting other than an action thriller (Kempley 1995). This film is set on Archbury Airfield tries to reveal how people characters as well as effectiveness is affected by different leadership approaches. Based on American 918th Bomber Group the film show the fighting crew enduring from low morale, poor performance and bad luck as a result of unsuccessful fighting mission. This situation changes after the change of leadership which is dedicated and persistent toward improving crew’s morale through motivation and uplifting of crew towards actualization and pride. In this film different characters exhibits exemplary leadership as well as poor leadership trait (Maslin 2008). There are two characters in this movie designed to send theme battle and leadership based on different philosophies to ease tense military thriller. These leaders are Captain Frank Ramsey in charge of nuclear submarine, the U. S. S. Alabama. He is respected person almost getting to his retirement age and led his crew with an iron hand. As he puts it he requires the crew to pressure democracy even without practicing it. â€Å"Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is much younger than Ramsey, Harvard educated, and believes the goal of the military in the nuclear age is to prevent war, not fight it† (Maslin 2008 para 2). Ramsey career moving to an end when atomic era is rising while Hunter highly educated and very careful in handling of nuclear weapons. Crew in the ship becomes alert due to sprinter group of Russia decides to seize missile silo. The Alabama is allowed to fire but the situation at hand is distracted from taking of action due to receiving new external order the radio malfunctions. The leadership of Ramsey is geared to following the orders to the letter such that an order is an order and should be obeyed. Therefore the situation at hand required the crew to move forward and attack the enemy according to Ramsey leadership ideology. According to Hunter the situation required more scrutinizing of the situation to ensure there is no doubt in the course of action taken as well as waiting for conformation orders. Meaning he gave an allowance to analyze orders as opposed to Ramsey ideology who says that an order is an order and calls for action without a second of thought. There emerge differences between the two leaders where Hunter go to an extent of threatening Mutiny against his colleague Ramsey in case a missile strike is undertaken against the enemies. The two leaders become hostile toward each other on the direction to be taken. This is evident as shown from the eyebrow but the leaders are obliged to deliberate on the morality of the attacking Russia. The situation hot up and Alabama is given orders to fire its trident to the radicals and try to engage them. On the cause of fight between the rebels, second message is received delaying the order to fire at the enemy but this ends with loss of contact as well as command control. This results to Ramsey refusal to hold his fire waiting for second message confirmation but this time Hunter does not agree. This results to increase tension between the sailors as well as the officers on the board due to difference of there leaders had hyped and could result to a mutiny (Maslin 2008). Reference: Maslin, Janet (2008): Crimson Tide (1995). http://movies. nytimes. com/movie/134690/Crimson-Tide/overview Kempley, Rita (1995): Crimson Tide. Retrieved on 14th October 2008 from: http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/crimsontiderkempley_c015cb. htm

Hamburger and Wendy Essay

Introduction Wendy’s International (Wendy’s) is a restaurant company, which operates globally under Wendy’s brand of restaurant chain stores. The company’s headquarter is in Ohio, United States. Wendy’s was founded by Dave Thomas who opened the first Wendy’s restaurant on November 15, 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, United States. In 1972, the first Wendy’s franchise was sold. Wendy’s also stressed Wendy’s superiority through the â€Å"Quality Is Our Recipe† slogan and featured a red-haired, pig-tailed â€Å"Wendy† with dancing hamburgers. In mid-1975 Wendy’s opened its first international restaurant which located in Canada. In 1976, Wendy’s offered public stock with one million common shares sold at $28 per share. In November 15, 2009, Wendy’s celebrated its 40th year anniversary with more than 6,600 Wendy’s restaurant worldwide. Mission Statement â€Å"What We Believe† guidelines, which serve as both an internal mission statement and an external customer service goal, which include quality is our recipe, treat everyone with respect, do the right thing, profit means growth, and give something back. Vision. To continuously grow stakeholder value by leveraging the strengths of vibrant, independent restaurant brands. Products and Stores Old Fashion Hamburger Chicken and Wraps Garden Sensations Salads Fries and Sides Frosty Beverages Kids’ meal Wendy’s Restaurant Wendy’s SWOT Analysis Wendy’s is a leading successful restaurant operating and franchising company in North America. The company was ranked 562nd in the list of America’s largest corporation, as evaluated by the Fortune magazine, in 2007. A strong market position provides better visibility and increases the company’s bargaining power. However, Wendy’s faces strong competition from international, national, regional, and local retailers of food products. Competitors could affect to Wendy’s market share and its margins. STRENGTHS – Leading player in the U. S. – Market research strength – Strong management team – Effective advertising – Brand recognition WEAKNESSES – Fried food – Distribution problem – Weak research and development OPPORTUNITIES – Global expansion – Franchising Argentina, Chile, China – Mass customization THREATS – Strong competition such as McDonald and Burger King – Political environment. – Exchange rate – Health conscious consumer – Recession in economy worldwide . Analysis of Wendy’s Globalization Strategy There are more than 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in 26 countries worldwide (Appendix B). Since early 2009, the company is very alert for international expansion of Wendy’s with new restaurant development in Singapore, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Federation, the Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan. The company’s target is to open more than 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. New market expansion and further development within existing markets will continue to be major drivers of Wendy’s worldwide strategy. By maintaining superior quality, freshness, and operational standards worldwide, the customers could taste the quality Wendy’s hamburgers whether they visit Wendy’s in Dubai, Moscow, or Puerto Rico. In 2010 and 2011, Wendy’s was recognized by Zagat Survey as the food quality leader in the United States quick service restaurant industry, and also received their Top Overall designation. Wendy’s is also been awarded by the international organization. For example, in New Zealand Wendy’s has been voted as having the best tasting hamburgers for over ten years in a row. Wendy’s, Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), has experienced both competitive and economic challenges over recent years. However, the global QSR business has continued to grow significantly especially in emerging markets. According to Euro monitor International, this trend of category growth is expected to continue as show in Appendix C. According to the graph in Appendix C, the sales from previous year to future are a positive trend. In 2005, the global QSR sales were $376 billion and in 2010, it lifted up to $549 billion. The QSR sales in 2013 are forecasted that it could rise to $611 billion and it could go up to $678 billion in 2015. Franchising as Global Expansion Wendy’s provide new franchisees with the training and tools to run a Wendy’s restaurant. The franchisees will benefit from an image of leading brand in the quick service restaurant industry. Wendy’s provides support to its international franchisees through international corporate headquarters in Atlanta, and regional support offices in Miami and Hong Kong. The franchisees will benefit from Wendy’s expertise and ongoing support which including operations, training, marketing, engineering and site development, supply chain, quality insurance, and technology. Operations A skilled management team will help in preparing and opening the first restaurant and monitoring its progress as well as the future locations afterward. The reason of doing this is to ensuring that every restaurant in the system meets Wendy’s quality and service standards. Training The training is focused on how to exceed customer expectations and operate according to Wendy’s standards. Training will be provided for the head of operations and store managers at a regional training location. Marketing The franchisor marketing team will help franchisee maximize potential of the brand in that country market. Before the franchisees open the first restaurant, franchisor team will help to outline locally competitive aspects, identify key market opportunities, generate sales forecasts, and create a marketing plan. Franchisor will also provide an on-going support through existing marketing programs. Engineering and Site Development. When a location is selected, the engineering team will provide franchisees with guidance in developing the layouts and equipment plans. Supply chain Franchisor supply chain team will help in identifying efficient and safe suppliers. Franchisees will benefit from negotiated purchasing contracts with regional suppliers and be given support in developing a distribution system. Quality insurance The Quality Assurance team will approve new suppliers, local product adaptations and provide on-going monitoring of selected suppliers. Technology. Franchisor will help franchisees select restaurant technology tools to efficiently run and manage growing business such as manage labor costs, track food inventory, and analyze sales information. Wendy’s Strategy Map Wendy’s strategy map includes financial, customer, internal (operations), and learning and growth which Wendy’s needs to focus on to achieve its vision of growing stakeholder value and profitability can be readily identified and more easily accomplished. The strategy map presents a visual diagram and representation of the linkages among the four perspectives. Financial Perspective. Lower cost The basic instruction to lower cost is by reducing waste, improving reliability of orders, and increasing operational efficiency. This will very important considering during economic times as consumers are looking for a low cost with quality provider of food. Controlling for reducing waste, saving supplies, and ensuring ordering accuracy will allow the reduction in operational expenses and thus lower cost. Increase revenue Increasing revenue is a combination of raising prices and lower expenses. The revenue can be increased by expanding market share and penetrating the global market. Wendy’s should focus for expanding into overseas developed and emerging markets. Another way to increase revenue is to raise prices. Increase overseas expansion The building and expansion of more stores overseas, Wendy’s will not only able to help create stronger brand identity but also will allow increasing revenue through overseas stores while increasing market share. Moreover, it would be advantage to expand stores in the developed markets such as the U. K. , Canada, and Australia. It would be wiser for Wendy’s to expand operations in fast growing an emerging market such China, India, Russia and Easter Europe. Customer Perspective Lowest total price Wendy’s could provide the lowest total cost for price and value of service, which they effectively have been doing by offering comparable prices for products with superior service. Availability locations Wendy’s is currently the third largest provider of Quick Service Restaurant falling behind McDonalds and Burger King in the total number of available locations. Wendy’s can increase the number of available locations by focusing on urban and global markets to increase their presence in areas with the highest concentration of consumers which will allow them to achieve other goals of increasing revenue as well as creating stronger brand identity. High quality Wendy’s has storied past for providing high quality products. It already stood out when compared to competition. However, Wendy’s needs to continue to set high standards and organize initiatives such as always fresh ingredients and never frozen beef campaigns to ensure to customers that providing quality products. Internal Perspective (Operations) Increase operational efficiency As new technology is adopted, it is important to always stay at front of introducing and taking advantage of new technologies to increase operational efficiencies. Wendy’s can benefit over other competitors if they can develop a sense of timeliness and reliability for delivery orders. Improve reliability Other than providing the inexpensive offerings in a timely manner, what remains important is the expect reliability. Wendy’s needs to ensure that it provide a reliable product. Reduced waste As an operational perspective, reduction of waste is a huge concern. Wendy’s will have to focus on reducing waste as it has visions of becoming the lowest total cost fast-food provider. Moreover, reducing waste will allow more revenue as cutting expenses. Learning and Growth Perspective Management training programs Wendy’s currently has management programs. However, Wendy’s needs to create greater incentives for managers to attract brighter and more qualified candidates for management positions and to keep managers and hard working employees employed after training programs. Develop new products Wendy’s will need to focus on bringing out and introducing creative new products that will help stimulate excitement for their food offerings as well as take advantage of current trends towards healthier foods. Moreover, Wendy’s is suffering from poor menu diversity, thus the development of new products will help this issue. Open new stores Regarding to that Wendy’s needs to increase its total availability of location, this will allow for greater strong identity, increased revenue options, and greater penetration into capturing market share. Moreover, the opportunities as indicated in the brief SWOT analysis to create stores as a means to expand and grow. Wendy’s Enter Fast Food Market in Thailand. Fast food in Thailand continued to perform healthily during 2010 regardless of economic and political instability due to the strong financial positioning of leading chained fast food operators like CP All, YUM Restaurant International Thailand, Minor International, Central Restaurants Group, S&P Syndicated and McThai (McDonald), which accounted for 83% of fast food value sales in 2010. Although these players had to close down a number of outlets as a result of political instability in 2010, they still had sufficient cash flow to expand further, renovate existing outlets, and invest in marketing. In Thailand, there are many kinds of fast food. These are the major types of fast food industry in Thailand. First, Thai style fast foods include all main dishes of local food. Second, American style fast foods such as hamburger (number one market share), fried chicken, sausage, and bacon. The American fast foods are usually sold as a set with beverage. Third, other style fast foods such pizza, Japanese ramen (noodle), and Chinese streamed dim sum. Consumer Analysis These are some of the consumer surveys toward fast food in Thailand. – Group of age less than 20-30 is the main fast food consumer. This is because their perception toward fast food is convenient and easy to purchase. – The level of education is unaffected to fast food purchasing behavior. – Group of income less than 5000 Baht or 160 USD per month tend to consume fast food often. American Fast food already turned into world food. It is the fast growing business worldwide including Thailand. The changing of taste and lifestyle create the new trend of eating. Food for Thai people is the main factor and center of life. Since the globalization and technology entered along side with the changing of eating trend plus the creativity, the variety and development of food covered the entire nation. Thai people have obtained the Western eating behavior, thus this modern fast food has huger role in Thai people daily life. In the center area of tutor schools, the interview from two sample students says toward fast foods that â€Å"fast food is available everywhere† and â€Å"it’s the last-ditch choice†. From the center city to country side, fast food became a part of everyone which influences the growing of this western food business continually. Product Positioning Healthy Fast Food KFC Burger KingWENDY’S McDonaldSubway Marketing Mix Product Wendy’s offers fast food with reasonable price with good quality. The products are hamburger, chicken, salad, and fries. Wendy’s should emphasis on the fresh and good quality raw materials including beef, chicken, vegetable, and bread. Moreover, company need to do a product research and development in order to come out with new product which could meet with customer’s need. The term† fast food† should represent not only fast service food, but need to provide the nutrition and good for health. Price The price should be rely on the standard price of Wendy’s international and related to the local market price. In Thailand, the raw materials and labor cost are quite inexpensive, thus company could compete the price with the exiting competitors. Along with the price, company should offer the good service in order to impress the customer as a new coming. Place Wendy’s restaurant provides the eat-in service and take out which customer can buy back home. The restaurant location should locate at the general department store or business and tutor area. The store interior should be attractive with color and product photo. The other important thing is always keep the restaurant clean. Another channel is home service. Home service is a convenient for customers who unable to come to store. They can make an order through phone service. Promotion In order to get attraction from customer, Wendy’s should come out with the heavy sale support marketing activities last for about one to two months such as buy one get one free, and the souvenir. In order to remain the customers, company could offer the membership card for discount, collected point, and special event on the customer’s birthday. Conclusion Wendy’s is a fast food restaurant a chain store operates worldwide with 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in 26 countries. With the global expansion strategy, the company planned to open more than 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. Wendy’s has awarded from variety organization worldwide as a guarantee of efficient performance such as the Zagat Survey as the food quality leader in the United States and the Top Overall designation, and the best tasting hamburgers for over ten years in a row from New Zealand. With the good performance from the exiting restaurant, it could push up and help promoting for new coming and provide an easy chance for Wendy’s to go as a global brand. Appendices Appendix A. America’s largest corporation evaluated by the Fortune magazine in 2007 Appendix B Source: Wendy’s international franchise brochure There are more than 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in operation in 26 countries and territories worldwide. Since January 2009, we have aggressively laid the groundwork for international expansion of Wendy’s with new restaurant development announcements in Singapore, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Federation, the Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan. We are targeting expansion to over 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. Appendix C. Global Quick Service Restaurant Sale (Historical – Forecast) Source: Wendy’s international franchise brochure. Bibliography http://www. aboutwendys. com/Our-Company/Our-Story/Accessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://www. aboutwendys. com/International/Support/Accessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://nyjobsource. com/wendys. htmlAccessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://retailindustry. about. com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Wendy-s-Mission-Statement. HtmAccessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://www. docshare. com/doc/189567/WendysAccessed on Nov 5, 2011 http://franchises. about. com/od/w/fr/wendys-international-franchise.htm Accessed on Nov 5, 2011 http://franchises. about. com/od/fastfoo1/fr/wendys. htmAccessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/full_list/501_600. html. Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. nesdb. go. th/Portals/0/home/†¦ /scs/†¦ /scs-success-survey-bkk. pdf Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. fundinguniverse. com/company-histories/Wendys-International-Inc-company-History. htmlAccessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. gotomanager. com/news/details. aspx? id=2939Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. racing-club. net/board/index. php? topic=1177Accessed on Nov 6, 2011.

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL The Rise Of The Y2k Bug The Y2K problem is the electronic equivalent of the El Nio and there will be nasty surprises around the globe.John Hamre, Dep. Secretary of Defense When I was in the first grade, my elementary school invested in several computers and started Introduction to Computers classes. I remember playing math games and drawing with art programs, in awe of, and slightly intimidated by the beastly piece of technology in front of me. I had little idea of how it worked, and even less of an idea of what was in store. Over the years, the technological world has advanced rapidly, and humans have come to rely on computers for just about every aspect of daily lifefrom education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we depend on technology. The Y2K bug seems to be a vicious reminder that our technology is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have come to let run our lives. The Year 2000, or Y2K problem is caused by a shortcut imbedded into many computers and microchips. In the 1960s, to conserve what was then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers shortened the four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit methodfor example, 78 would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still use a two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When using data involving dates, the problem will cause failures in arithmetic, and can corrupt databases with incorrect information. These types of calculations are necessary in systems involving administrative information, scheduling, and billing. A statement issued by the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion states: This [Y2K bug] could cause [computers] to either shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic information-dependent society, that could be a big problem. At the time the two-digit year was first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was prepared for a problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today, technology was advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that the two-digit year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This, obviously, did not happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the two-digit method have been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are the basis of large corporations and other industries that run civilization as we know it. Computers are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our jobs. When one system fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems. Despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable. said Stephen Horn, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology Scratching beneath the surface frenzy of Will my home PC work? and Will my microwave make the transition? it is not difficult to find an even more threatening danger. The North American Electric Reliability Council sites four critical areas that pose the greatest direct threat to power production and delivery: energy management systems; telecommunications; protection systems; and power production itself. Their Y2K Coordination Plan for the Electricity Production and Delivery Systems of North America states that The threat is most severe in power plants with digital control systems (DSCs). Numerous control and protection systems within these DSCs use time-dependant algorithms that may result in unit trips. Despite extensive plans and endless explanations, the potentially catastrophic nature of this problem cannot be accurately figured. No one knows exactly what will be affected, or how much. While the government and its assorted departments and councils have taken to releasing longwinded, optimistic reports and coordination plans, computer programmers hired to seek out and fix the bug have been learning how to live in a world independent of technology. Bad news lurks in every corner and statistics are depressing. The consulting firm GartnerGroup has estimated that Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United States) are 12 to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K-compliance efforts. Being faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and unfortunately, any hope of technological stability is a serious matter that should not be dismissed quickly. Knowledge and preparation is the key

Achebe and Post-Colonialism in Anthills of the Savannah Essays

Achebe and Post-Colonialism in Anthills of the Savannah Essays Achebe and Post-Colonialism in Anthills of the Savannah Paper Achebe and Post-Colonialism in Anthills of the Savannah Paper In this line, Aba agrees that Is classified as a social realist?C,? (11). This Is not surprising, considering the fact the basic theory underlying post-colonialism Is sociology and culture as testified to by Shish in his statement that post-colonialism concerned with the study the coming together of two or more cultures and languages?C,-1?0 (4). Post-colonial authors use language and culture as tools for distinguishing their works and showing Its uniqueness. The importance of language is fundamental to post-colonial writings as Noggin states in his landmark book Decontrolling the Mind: The Politics of Language In African Literature. He explains that language carries culture, and culture carries particularly through orate and literature, the entire body of values by which we come to perceive our place In the (16). In the achievement of using language, there is the argument of whether to use a local language or to use the language of the imperials that is far reaching. This forms the crux of the debate between Achebe and Noggin. Noggin argues that the use of the English language would enrich It to the detriment of local languages. Achebe on the other hand argues for the use of English for Its several benefits. He says that the African writer aim at fashioning out an English which is at once universal and able to carry out his peculiar experience?C,-1? (Morning Yet on Creation Day 61). It Is In this light that he makes a summary of the use of English saying that he feels the English language will be able to carry the weight experience. But it will have to be a new English, still in full OFF communion Walt Its ancestral none out altered to soul t Its new Attract surroundings C,-1?0 (62). In this fashioning, other post-colonial writers make use of such linguistic strategies as the use of local untranslatable words (diplomacy), abrogation and appropriation. Abrogation refers to the denial of a set norm or standard (Imperial) language while appropriation refers to a seizure of the language, a remolding that localizes it. In this way, the language is made local either through the of the privilege of which involves a rejection of the metropolitan power over the means of communication [abrogation]? C,-1?0 (Empire Writes Back 38) or the seizure of the language which it under the influence of a vernacular tongue, the complex of speech habits which characterize the local language?C,-1?0 (Empire Writes Back 39). Post-colonial writers also use cultural tools such as affiliation and hybrid to in the achievement of their target. Affiliation, as the term suggests, is a derivative of Affiliation refers to a certain history pedigree, or ancestry. This is better explained by Edward Said who defines affiliation as or ancestry, as in a child being bonded to her/his [sic] parent by blood, body and soul?C,-1?0 (CTD in Aba 43). This shows literature to be connected afflictively to the discourse of (Key Concepts 106). Affiliation is a disclaimer of this norm and is the direct opposite of affiliation. Ashcroft, Griffith and Tiffin give a summary of this difference saying that affiliation refers to lines f descent in nature, affiliation refers to a process of identification through send the critical gaze beyond the narrow confines of the European and canonically literary into this cultural text can now be seen to be affiliated with the network of history, culture and society within which it comes into being and is read Key Concepts Hybrid refers to the combination of two or more elements. In post-colonial discourse, it shows the complex of the colonized who are a mixture of two worlds; that of the colonizers and that of theirs. To Ashcroft, Garret and Tiffin, it involves interaction of English writing with the older traditions of orate or literature in post-colonial societies, and the emergence of a writing which has a major aim, the assertion of social and cultural difference? (Key Concepts 118). Finally, the writers implore their personal voices as a tool for the reclamation of their literature. Authorial voice here, to borrow from Susan Lenses is presence and attitude of a textual voice [and the] stylistic, philosophic centre of a novel?C,-1?0 (CTD in Aba 13).

A Study Of Society Detachment In Henry David Thoreaus Life Without Principles

A Study Of Society Detachment In Henry David Thoreau's Life Without Principles In Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Life Without Principle,† Thoreau talks about separating ourselves from society as a whole and living life according to our own standards, not society’s. I believe that Thoreau’s thesis statement is, â€Å"If I should sell both my forenoons and afternoons to society, as most appear to do, I am sure that for me there would be nothing left worth living for.† Thoreau speaks of the ways people earn their living and the many trivial things people will do just to get more money. He believes that we should not get caught up in the ways of money and society. Personally I agree with the points that Thoreau makes in â€Å"Life Without Principle.† After all, what is the point of having money if you are not happy? Today, society paints an image of what the perfect life should be. However, the reality is that the average person would never achieve that portrayed lifestyle. Yet, people still strive to accomplish it. People work day in and day out, some methods more controversial than others, to make more and more money. At the end of the day, are those people truly happy? I believe that wealth does not equate to happiness. If all I have is one hundred dollars in my bank account, I am no less happy than when I have a thousand dollars in my account. Don’t get me wrong; money is a nice thing to have, and a very fun thing to spend. However, material things are just that, material. I would much rather spend money hanging out with my friends or taking a trip with my family than buying a two hundred dollar pair of shoes. Material things wear out, but memories last a lifetime. I believe that this mindset would be achievable in an ideal world. One in which no one truly cared about what others or society in general thought about them; a world in which we did not base our happiness on our bank accounts. But we do, and it is a very sad thing. Which is why from a generational standpoint, Thoreau’s ideas/beliefs in â€Å"Life Without Principle,† We live in a society in which everyone has principles. However, not everyone’s principles are the same. We all come from different backgrounds, religions, and families and each of those aspects influence what each of our principles may or may not be. I do not believe that my generation would ever fully agree with Thoreau’s thesis statement. We are a generation that is constantly competing against one another, and constantly wanting the newest versions of things. For example, I know many people who just bought the Samsung galaxy s6, but are already waiting for the s7 to be released so they can bye it. For no other reason than to say that they have the newest phone. Social media and television play a large role in this also. We spend so much time wanting to be just like our favorite celebrities, and wanting to have what they have. We forget to stay true to ourselves, and do what we enjoy doing. It is for those reasons that although I agree with Thoreau, that my generation would never be able to achieve his ideal way of living one’s life.

Political instability in the Solomon islands and Australias relations Essay

Political instability in the Solomon islands and Australias relations - Essay Example Australia is helping the Solomon Islands Government address continuing problems of lawlessness and economic decline.† (Year book, Australia, 2005, P. 82). Therefore, the diplomatic relations of Australia with the Solomon Islands have essential role in the peace keeping process of the nation as well as the region. To analyze the background information of the Solomon Islands, the British Government established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in 1893 and they provided some of the bloodiest land, sea and air battles of World War II from 1942 to 1945. The land achieved independence in 1976 following the struggles by the indigenous people after World War II. In a careful analysis of the history of the Solomon Islands, it becomes lucid that political instability was a ground reality from its establishment and the diplomatic relations of Australia played a significant role in this context. Various political situations and developments in the Solomon Islands required the interve ntion of a political power such as Australia and it has been seriously involved in working to promote stability and growth in the nation and the region. In this paper, Australia’s deep and longstanding relationship with the Solomon Islands is analyzed in detail in order to determine the various aspects of the nation’s relationship with the Solomon Islands. Australia’s relationship with Solomon Islands, which has been deep and longstanding, has played a major role in the attempts to promote stability and growth in the nation. The bilateral relationship between the two nations has been very significant and Australia maintains a serious business relationship with Solomon Islands. â€Å"Australia maintains a close business relationship with Solomon Islands†¦ Recognizing the scope and scale of the challenges confronting Solomon Islands, Australia continues to provide

Communication and CSR ethics Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Communication and CSR ethics - Thesis Example This paper shall discuss how businesses can effectively launch their CSR campaigns with effective communication, encourage their consumers to participate in their socially responsible initiatives while maintaining or even improving their profitability and stability as a business. For its case study, it will examine communication strategies of Kenneth Cole Productions, a footwear, apparel, and accessories company, of its CSR initiative called â€Å"Awearness†. Successful businesses have been known to harness goodwill and share their good fortune with those who they deem need their help the most. This practice earns them respect, admiration and a good reputation among their stakeholders. It is also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Hopkins (2007) defines it as a business practice of companies which aim to adopt socially and environmentally responsible behaviours as a way for their business to contribute to society in a socially relevant manner. Not to be known as purely profit-seeking entities, socially responsible organizations manifest awareness and accountability in the societal and environmental effects that their business may cause (Lantos, 2001). Hence, they embrace responsible business practices and strategies in promoting better living standards for their employees and their targeted beneficiaries while still maintaining their profitability as a business (Hopkins, 2007). In implementing CSR strategies, it is essential that companies are clear in communicating their objectives to the public so that they may not be misconstrued in their intentions. It is common for people to raise suspicions in the sudden goodwill of corporations who are doing so well in terms of profit, that they may have hidden agendas to further promote their image and attract more business. Koehn & Ueng (2010) explain that some companies are criticized for masking shady financial dealings by buying the public’s good will in order to counter the damage

Contract Law, Exclusion Clause Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contract Law, Exclusion Clause - Coursework Example Some of the examples of service contracts are providing accounting services , provision of health care , provision of legal services,etc.(Bradgate & White 2007 :211). A service provider who deals with his customer cannot enforce his own printed standard terms of conditions thereby cannot either restrict or exclude his accountability for infringement of contract or offer an incomplete service for which he has to demonstrate that exclusion clause is in line with â€Å" test of fairness or reasonableness.† If he has not taken any reasonable skill or exercise reasonable care, he will be held liable under â€Å"negligence† under the common or contractual law. The act of negligence engrosses any infringement under common law or any contractual duty to exercise reasonable skill or to show reasonable care. This study will analyse whether by including an exclusion clause in a service contract, a party to contract can avoid the liability for any loss caused by the negligence. Exc lusion Clause and Negligence In UK, service contracts do contain limitation or exclusion clauses. Sometimes, these limitation clauses are upheld in the case law. As regards to exclusion clauses pertaining to liability in a contract and in tort are normally valid only if they are rational which connotes in consideration with both contracting parties at the juncture of contract is made as per the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. An exclusion clause is like a double -edged sword since it will be construed against the party who relies on it as held in Curtis v.Chemical Cleaning Co. 1 (Barendrecht 2007 :685). A service contract may contain an exclusion clause thereby one party wants to restrict his accountability for his negligence or infringement of contract. Moreover, such clause can be relied by a party only if it has been included in the said contract, and for the purpose of elucidation, it is applicable to the loss in the question. Its validity will then be interpreted under the â₠¬Å"Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999† and under the â€Å"Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.† It is to be observed that the above laws are introduced in UK on the basis ofEU Unfair Consumer Contract Terms Directive. (Lawson 2011:57). A party desirous to trust on the exclusion clause must demonstrate that it is part and parcel of the contract. Through by a notice or by signature or through the process of dealing, an exclusion clause can be inserted in the contract. For exclusion of any liability for negligence, there should be clear words in a contract as held in White v John Warwick2. (Taylor & Taylor: 136). A service supplier is accountable under the statute only for not taking rational care in the provision of service. In normal parlance, there exists no implicit responsibility to accomplish any given outcome by a supplier of service and if a buyer wishes to have such undertaking, it should be provided in the service contract as an express term. (Bradga te & White2007:212). Under s2 (2) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977?accountability for any other variety of damage or loss can be kept out provided the notice or term fulfils the prerequisite of reasonableness. A service provider cannot control or exclude his accountability in negligence for loss originating from defects in services provided for either consumption or for private use by means of notice or term included in a guarantee. In an action of

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Leadership - Essay Example A Panic or Choke Moment My panic or choke moment is from a job scenario. It happened during a meeting in my workplace where I was supposed to give a presentation regarding a new project that our company wanted to initiate. That day turned out to be the most provoking and infuriating of my life. Before that time, I had experienced something similar, but this incident was more pronounced and baffling. The meeting was to take at least one hour since I was the only one presenting the project. I wanted to give a perfect presentation so I had to prepare adequately since my first presentation within my department had inadequacies and pitfalls. I had clearly mastered the whole presentation in my mind, but to ensure a sophisticated presentation, I brought along my laptop and projector. The meeting commenced, my boss did the introduction and thereafter called me to take the centre stage. I took centre stage, got ready by setting up my laptop and projector. I was so motivated and enthusiastic s ince I was sure that I had everything under control. However, five minutes into the presentation, a power surge occurred, which tampered with my laptop. The laptop failed to work; I realized that I could not access my presentation from the laptop, suddenly my mine went blank. Although, I had all the information in my mind, without my laptop, I could do nothing. Contending with the Situation After that incident, I resolved to get help in order to avoid an embarrassment like that again. Choking or panicking can be resolved through different methods. When Novotna faltered during her Wimbledon match, it was because she started to think too much about her shots, and thus, losing her fluidity. In my situation, when the power surge occurred, it tampered with my laptop, which had my presentation. I had put all my focus in presenting with the help of my laptop and projector. All I had to do was to give the presentation from my mind instead of thinking that using the laptop was the only in wh ich I possibly present. If I had relied on my mind, I would have easily avoided the stress and presented the project. Forgetting the past is very important, especially forgetting unpleasant incidences. Novotna, remembering her choke at Wimbledon was again culpable at the French Open in 1995. Forgetting disappointments in the past can help to avoid those affecting current events. Finally, it is important not to think too hard. Failure develops when an individual focuses too much on mechanical and technical procedures when carrying out an activity. As in my case, I focused too much on delivering a sophisticated presentation with my laptop and projector. In addition, contending with situations that bring about stress call for experience. Essentially, it means thinking something through with the objective of anticipating what might go wrong. Understanding Stress Reactions Understanding how a person reacts to stress is vital in making that person an effective leader. Emotional intelligen ce refers to the ability to comprehend and manage one’s emotions and of those around them (Vidula et al, 2012: p10). Leaders or team members who have good emotional intelligence normally know their feelings, what it means, and the manner in which this can affect the rest of the team. For a leader, being aware of one’s emotions is vital for success. A leader, who shouts at

New Public Management, Stakeholder Theory 1, Stakeholder Theory 2 Essay

New Public Management, Stakeholder Theory 1, Stakeholder Theory 2 - Essay Example This is being targeted by aiming to improve the overall performance functionality of the organization at hand. The main areas of target include eradicating the negative energies and low productivity of the organization, bringing about more advancements in terms of scientific and technological domain, creating an environment of global ambiance where decisions are taken in due consideration of outside elements involved, and finally the element of treating the citizens as customers where their demand and satisfaction is the top priority beyond anything else. Striving for improved output out of overall scenario is core function and objective of new public management scheme. Transparent operations, more participation, better results were few of the concepts and aims that were based on the idea of new public management. N.P.M’s origin can be traced back to days and decade after the Second World War. Economic prosperity and awareness towards people’s services in the developing parts of the world brought about this process and made it further speedy with the kind of opportunities and benefits it promised. Decentralization of the organization, clear roles definition, tasks accomplishment, stakeholders concerns addressing, reduction in overheads and costs of various form, better customers’ communication means, all these are the areas stressed and focused under the domain of new public management. N.P.M has largely been accepted because it gave a new dimension to the concept of people’s service and better outcomes in form of organizational operations with low inventory, low overheads and higher throughputs(HOOD 1991). N.P.M is often termed as a tool and weapon which will enable better outcome in any kind of organization with customers at back end., however the main focus is that of governmental institute with focus on reforming the pillar of bureaucracy in a holistic way by making it more effective and bringing the true value out of

Demonstrative Communication Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Demonstrative Communication Paper - Essay Example It also reveals how people relate to each other. Nonverbal or demonstrative communication accounts for about 93 percent of people’s communication. Types of demonstrative communication Demonstrative communication involves different types of communication. Facial expressions contribute a large portion to people’s communication. For instance, a smile or a frown can communicate a lot of information to the receiver. People throughout the world use facial expressions to express happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Gestures also contribute to non-verbal communication. These are movements and signals that that provide meaning during communication. Their meanings can be more important than words. Paralinguistic can also convey a lot of information during communication. These mainly involve the use of vocal communication such as tone of voice, loudness, and pitch. The type of vocal variation in a particular conveyance of information can bring out a different meaning depending on the context. Body language and posture can also convey a lot of information. Such nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and other communication cues. Demonstrative communication may start at an early stage in human development when people start to point at things. The making of gestures by small kids may be a start point for learning demonstrative communication in life. ... 470). Effective and ineffective demonstrative communication Depending on the context, demonstrative communication can be effective or ineffective. The effectiveness of demonstrative communication varies differently between the sender and the receiver. Demonstrative communication involves understanding the feeling of each stakeholder in the communication. There has to be an understanding between the sender and the receiver. Demonstrative communication can be very effective especially for teachers. Their line of work dictates that the teacher has to make the students understand whatever he/she is teaching. The best method to increase students understanding is the use of demonstrative communication in addition to verbal communication while teaching. Demonstrative communication can be very effective depending on the context at hand. For example, facial expressions can be very effective in warning kids. Whenever a kid does something wrong, it is common for parents to give the kids an angr y kind of look. Instantly, the kid stops doing the wrong thing. Such a scenario demonstrates the effectiveness of facial expressions in communicating to kids. Ineffective communication occurs when the speaker uses the wrong nonverbal message to deliver certain information. For instance, using hand gesture to point to a certain direction when the intention was to point to the opposite direction. Wrong choice of nonverbal message can send a different message to the audience. This may make the audience to perceive a different message from the intended Positive and negative effects of demonstrative communication The perception of demonstrative communication can be positive or negative depending on how the receiver. For instance, picture a company meeting where everyone is

New Public Management, Stakeholder Theory 1, Stakeholder Theory 2 Essay

New Public Management, Stakeholder Theory 1, Stakeholder Theory 2 - Essay Example This is being targeted by aiming to improve the overall performance functionality of the organization at hand. The main areas of target include eradicating the negative energies and low productivity of the organization, bringing about more advancements in terms of scientific and technological domain, creating an environment of global ambiance where decisions are taken in due consideration of outside elements involved, and finally the element of treating the citizens as customers where their demand and satisfaction is the top priority beyond anything else. Striving for improved output out of overall scenario is core function and objective of new public management scheme. Transparent operations, more participation, better results were few of the concepts and aims that were based on the idea of new public management. N.P.M’s origin can be traced back to days and decade after the Second World War. Economic prosperity and awareness towards people’s services in the developing parts of the world brought about this process and made it further speedy with the kind of opportunities and benefits it promised. Decentralization of the organization, clear roles definition, tasks accomplishment, stakeholders concerns addressing, reduction in overheads and costs of various form, better customers’ communication means, all these are the areas stressed and focused under the domain of new public management. N.P.M has largely been accepted because it gave a new dimension to the concept of people’s service and better outcomes in form of organizational operations with low inventory, low overheads and higher throughputs(HOOD 1991). N.P.M is often termed as a tool and weapon which will enable better outcome in any kind of organization with customers at back end., however the main focus is that of governmental institute with focus on reforming the pillar of bureaucracy in a holistic way by making it more effective and bringing the true value out of

Computerized Library System Essay Example for Free

Computerized Library System Essay Chromosomal aberrations are disruptions in the normal chromosomal content of a cell and are a major cause of genetic conditions in humans, such as Down syndrome, although most aberrations have little to no effect. Some chromosome abnormalities do not cause disease in carriers, such as translocations, or chromosomal inversions, although they may lead to a higher chance of bearing a child with a chromosome disorder. Abnormal numbers of chromosomes or chromosome sets, called aneuploidy, may be lethal or may give rise to genetic disorders. Genetic counseling is offered for families that may carry a chromosome rearrangement. The gain or loss of DNA from chromosomes can lead to a variety of genetic disorders. Human examples include: * Cri du chat, which is caused by the deletion of part of the short arm of chromosome 5. Cri du chat means cry of the cat in French; the condition was so-named because affected babies make high-pitched cries that sound like those of a cat. Affected individuals have wide-set eyes, a small head and jaw, moderate to severe mental health issues, and are very short. * Down syndrome, the most common trisomy, usually caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Characteristics include decreased muscle tone, stockier build, asymmetrical skull, slanting eyes and mild to moderate developmental disability.[51] * Edwards syndrome, or trisomy-18, the second-most-common trisomy.[citation needed]Symptoms include motor retardation, developmental disability and numerous congenital anomalies causing serious health problems. Ninety percent of those affected die in infancy. They have characteristic clenched hands and overlapping fingers. * Isodicentric 15, also called idic(15), partial tetrasomy 15q, or inverted duplication 15 (inv dup 15). * Jacobsen syndrome, which is very rare. It is also called the terminal 11q deletion disorder.[52] Those affected have normal intelligence or mild developmental disability, with poor expressive language skills. Most have a bleeding disorder called Paris-Trousseau syndrome. * Klinefelters syndrome (XXY). Men with Klinefelter syndrome are usually sterile, and tend to be taller and have longer arms and legs than their peers. Boys with the syndrome are often shy and quiet, and have a higher incidence of speech delay and dyslexia. Without testosterone treatment, some may develop gynecomastia during puberty. * Patau Syndrome, also called D-Syndrome or trisomy-13. Symptoms are somewhat similar to those of trisomy-18, without the characteristic folded hand. * Small supernumerary marker chromosome. This means there is an extra, abnormal chromosome. Features depend on the origin of the extra genetic material. Cat-eye syndrome and isodicentric chromosome 15 syndrome (or Idic15) are both caused by a supernumerary marker chromosome, as is Pallister-Killian syndrome. * Triple-X syndrome (XXX). XXX girls tend to be tall and thin and have a higher incidence of dyslexia. * Turner syndrome (X instead of XX or XY). In Turner syndrome, female sexual characteristics are present but underdeveloped. Females with Turner syndrome often have a short stature, low hairline, abnormal eye features and bone development and a caved-in appearance to the chest. * XYY syndrome. XYY boys are usually taller than their siblings. Like XXY boys and XXX girls, they are more likely to have learning difficulties. * Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, which is caused by partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4. It is characterized by severe growth retardation and severe to profound mental health issues. Cri du chat syndrome, also known as chromosome 5p deletion syndrome, 5p minus syndrome or Lejeune’s syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder due to a missing part ofchromosome 5. Its name is a French term (cat-cry or call of the cat) referring to the characteristic cat-like cry of affected children. It was first described by Jà ©rà ´me Lejeune in 1963.[1] The condition affects an estimated 1 in 50,000 live births, strikes all ethnicities, and is more common in females by a 4:3 ratio. Signs and symptoms The syndrome gets its name from the characteristic cry of affected infants, which is similar to that of a meowing kitten, due to problems with the larynx and nervous system. About 1/3 of children lose the cry by age 2. Other symptoms of cri du chat syndrome may include: * feeding problems because of difficulty swallowing and sucking. * low birth weight and poor growth. * severe cognitive, speech, and motor delays. * behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, aggression, tantrums, and repetitive movements. * unusual facial features which may change over time. * excessive drooling. * constipation. - Genetics Cri du chat syndrome is due to a partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome number 5, also called 5p monosomy. Approximately 90% of cases results from a sporadic, or randomly-occurring, de novo deletion. The remaining 10-15% are due to unequal segregation of a parental balanced translocation where the 5p monosomy is often accompanied by a trisomic portion of the genome. These individuals may have more severe disease than those with isolated monosomy of 5p. Most cases involve total loss of the most distant 20-10% of the material on the short arm. Fewer than 10% of cases have other rare cytogenetic aberrations (e.g., interstitial deletions, mosaicisms, rings and de novo translocations). The deleted chromosome 5 is paternal in origin in about 80% of de novo cases. Loss of a small region in band 5p15.2 (cri du chat critical region) correlates with all the clinical features of the syndrome with the exception of the catlike cry, which maps to band 5p15.3 (catlike critical region). The results suggest that 2 noncontiguous critical regions contain genes involved in this conditions etiology. Two genes in these regions, Semaphorine F (SEMA5A) and delta catenin(CTNND2), are potentially involved in cerebral development. The deletion of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene localized in 5p15.33 may contribute to the phenotypic changes in cri du chat syndrome as well. people with cri du chat syndrome Down syndrome (DS) or Downs syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is achromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy ofchromosome 21.[1] Down syndrome is the most common chromosome abnormality in humans.[2] It is typically associated with a delay in cognitive ability (mental retardation, or MR) and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics.[1] The average IQ of young adults with Down syndrome is around 50, compared to children without the condition with an IQ of 100.[1][3] (MR has historically been defined as an IQ below 70.) A large proportion of individuals with Down syndrome have a severe degree of intellectual disability. Genetics Karyotype for trisomy Down syndrome. Notice the three copies of chromosome 21 Down syndrome disorders are based on having too many copies of the genes located on chromosome 21. In general, this leads to an overexpression of the genes.[54] Understanding the genes involved may help to target medical treatment to individuals with Down syndrome. It is estimated that chromosome 21 contains 200 to 250 genes.[55] Recent research has identified a region of the chromosome that contains the main genes responsible for the pathogenesis of Down syndrome.[56] The extra chromosomal material can come about in several distinct ways. A typical human karyotype is designated as 46,XX or 46,XY, indicating 46 chromosomes with an XX arrangement typical of females and 46 chromosomes with an XY arrangement typical of males.[57] In 1–2% of the observed Down syndromes.[58] some of the cells in the body are normal and other cells have trisomy 21, this is called mosaic Down syndrome (46,XX/47,XX,+21).[59] [60] Trisomy 21 Trisomy 21 (47,XX,+21) is caused by a meiotic nondisjunction event. With nondisjunction, agamete (i.e., a sperm or egg cell) is produced with an extra copy of chromosome 21; the gamete thus has 24 chromosomes. When combined with a normal gamete from the other parent, the embryo now has 47 chromosomes, with three copies of chromosome 21. Trisomy 21 is the cause of approximately 95% of observed Down syndromes, with 88% coming from nondisjunction in the maternal gamete and 8% coming from nondisjunction in the paternal gamete.[58] The actual Down syndrome critical region encompasses chromosome bands 21q22.1-q22.3.[61] Edwards syndrome (also known as Trisomy 18 (T18) or Trisomy E) is a genetic disordercaused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. It is named after John H. Edwards, who first described the syndrome in 1960.[1] It is the second most commonautosomal trisomy, after Down syndrome, that carries to term. Edwards syndrome occurs in around one in 6,000 live births and around 80 percent of those affected are female.[2] The majority of fetuses with the syndrome die before birth.[2]The incidence increases as the mothers age increases. The syndrome has a very low rate of survival, resulting from heart abnormalities, kidney malformations, and other internal organ disorders. Signs and symptoms Children born with Edwards syndrome may have some or all of the following characteristics: kidney malformations, structural heart defects at birth (i.e., ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus), intestines protruding outside the body (omphalocele), esophageal atresia, mental retardation, developmental delays, growth deficiency, feeding difficulties, breathing difficulties, and arthrogryposis (a muscle disorder that causes multiple joint contractures at birth).[3][4] Some physical malformations associated with Edwards syndrome include small head (microcephaly) accompanied by a prominent back portion of the head (occiput); low-set, malformed ears; abnormally small jaw (micrognathia); cleft lip/cleft palate; upturned nose; narrow eyelid folds (palpebral fissures); widely spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism); drooping of the upper eyelids (ptosis); a short breast bone; clenched hands; choroid plexus cysts; underdeveloped thumbs and or nails,absent radius, webbing of the second and third toes; clubfoot or Rocker bottom feet; and in males, undescended testicles. of choroid plexus cysts, which are pockets of fluid on the brain. These are not problematic in themselves, but their presence may be a marker for trisomy Genetics Edwards syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality characterized by the presence of an extra copy of genetic material on the 18th chromosome, either in whole (trisomy 18) or in part (such as due to translocations). The additional chromosome usually occurs beforeconception. The effects of the extra copy vary greatly, depending on the extent of the extra copy, genetic history, and chance. Edwards syndrome occurs in all human populations but is more prevalent in female offspring.[7] A healthy egg and/or sperm cell contains individual chromosomes, each of which contributes to the 23 pairs of chromosomes needed to form a normal cell with a typical human karyotype of 46 chromosomes. Numerical errors can arise at either of the two meiotic divisions and cause the failure of a chromosome to segregate into the daughter cells (nondisjunction). This results in an extra chromosome, making the haploid number 24 rather than 23. Fertilization of eggs or insemination by sperm that contain an extra chromosome results in trisomy, or three copies of a chromosome rather than two.[8] Trisomy 18 (47,XX,+18) is caused by a meiotic nondisjunction event. With nondisjunction, a gamete (i.e., a sperm or egg cell) is produced with an extra copy of chromosome 18; the gamete thus has 24 chromosomes. When combined with a normal gamete from the other parent, the embryo has 47 chromosomes, with three copies of chromosome 18. with edwards syndrome Isodicentric 15, also called idic(15), partial tetrasomy 15q, or inverted duplication 15 (inv dup 15), is a chromosome abnormalityin which a child is born with extra genetic material from chromosome 15. People with idic(15) are typically born with 47 chromosomes in their body cells, instead of the normal 46. The extra chromosome is made up of a piece of chromosome 15 that has been duplicated end-to-end like a mirror image. It is the presence of this extra genetic material that is thought to account for the symptoms seen in some people with idic(15). Individuals with idic(15) have a total of four copies of this chromosome 15 region instead of the usual two copies (1 copy each on the maternal and paternal chromosomes). The extra chromosome is rarely found in mosaic state, i.e. some of the cells carry the marker chromosome. However, mostly because of the markers instability and tendency to be lost during cell division (mitosis), some cells are completely normal with 46 chromosomes. Occasionally, cells may have more than one idic(15), resulting in 48 or 49 chromosomes in all or some of their cells. A similar clinical picture albeit to a milder degree could be expected in individuals that have the extra chromosome 15 material as an interstitial duplication; not as a marker chromosome; thus having 46 chromosomes.[1][2] Signs and symptoms Individuals with idic(15) have delays in language development and motor skills such as walking or sitting up. Other traits may include low muscle tone (hypotonia), seizures, short stature, and mental retardation. Distinctive facial features associated with idic(15) may include epicanthal folds (skin folds at the inner corners of the eyes), a flattened nasal bridge, button nose, and a high arched palate (roof of the mouth). Some individuals with idic(15) also have features of autism, such as problems with communication, social interactions, and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors (e.g., lining up toys, playing with a toy in the same manner over and over again, hand flapping, rocking back and forth). These are some mild features but with a severe person there may be more such as inability to talk at all. Genetics Generally, idic(15) is not inherited; it is said to appear de novo; in one member of the family, by chance. In most cases, the abnormal chromosome is generated in the mothers germ cells; oocytes. This finding is due to ascertainment bias; i.e. cases with maternally derived idic(15) usually have clinical findings and attract attention but those with paternally derived idic(15) usually do not. Thus, established cases are usually patients with maternally inherited idic (15).[4] . The smallest markers appear to be harmless and they may go undetected. However, if they are large enough to contain a number of important genes, they may result in idic(15) syndrome which is characterized by mental retardation, autism and other neurological symptoms.[5] One of the regions responsible for the symptoms of idic(15)syndrome is the critical PWS/AS-region named after the Prader-Willi and/or Angelman syndromes. Jacobsen Syndrome, also known as 11q deletion disorder, is a rare congenital disorder resulting from deletion of a terminal region of chromosome 11 that includes band 11q24.1. It can cause intellectual disabilities, a distinctive facial appearance, and a variety of physical problems including heart defects and a bleeding disorder. The syndrome was first identified by Danish physician Petra Jacobsen,[1] and is believed to occur in approximately 1 out of every 100,000 births. Possible characteristics * Heart defects * Mild to severe intellectual disabilities * Low-platelets (thrombocytopenia) * Facial/skeletal (dysplasia) * Wide-set eyes caused by trigonocephaly * Folding of the skin near the eye (epicanthus) * Short, upturned nose (anteverted nostrils) * Thin lips that curve inward * Displaced receding chin (retrognathia) * Low-set, misshapen ears * Permanent upward curvature of the pinkie and ring fingers (camptodactyly) * Large great toes/Hammer toes Klinefelters syndrome, 47, XXY, or XXY syndrome is a condition in which a human has an extra X chromosome. While females have an XX chromosomal makeup, and males an XY, affected individuals have at least two X chromosomes and at least one Y chromosome.[1] Because of the extra chromosome, individuals with the condition are usually referred to as XXY Males, or 47, XXY Males.[2] This chromosome constitution (karyotype) exists in roughly between 1:500 to 1:1000 live male births[3][4] but many of these people may not show symptoms. The physical traits of the syndrome become more apparent after the onset of puberty, if at all.[5] In humans, 47,XXY is the most common sex chromosome aneuploidy in males[6] and the second most common condition caused by the presence of extra chromosomes. Other mammals also have the XXY syndrome, including mice. Patau syndrome, also known as trisomy 13 and trisomy D, is a chromosomalabnormality, a syndrome in which a patient has an additional chromosome 13 due to anondisjunction of chromosomes during meiosis. Some are caused by Robertsonian translocations, while others are caused by mosaic Patau syndrome. The extra chromosome 13 disrupts the normal course of development, causing heart and kidney defects, amongst other features characteristic of Patau syndrome.[vague] Like allnondisjunction conditions (such as Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome), the risk of this syndrome in the offspring increases with maternal age at pregnancy, with about 31 years being the average.[1] Patau syndrome affects somewhere between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 21,700 live births.