Teenage Drinking

Lots college students each year die in alcohol-related accidents both traffic crashes and other types of accidents. Students suffer injuries under the influence of alcohol. Not does Drinking cause accidents but also assaults and rapes. Alcohol interferes with academic performance too. About half of college students report academic consequences from their drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall. Alcohol consumption poses problems not only for the drinking students themselves but also for their friends and fellow students and for a campus in general.Many of these things happen simply because people confuse myths with facts. As college students we can come together to change these things. We can help people realize what’s true and what’s not. I can still be in control! This not true because drinking does impairs your judgment, which increases the like-hood that you will do something you'll later regret such as having unprotected sex, being involved in date rape or some sort of assault, damaging others property like their car or house; or being harmed by others. Sometimes there is no physical damage its can be verbal.When you drink you tend to move and function slower than normal and your speech is slurred. These simple things can make a big difference. I'd be better off if I learn to â€Å"hold my liquor. † If you have to drink more and more large amounts of alcohol to get a buzz or get high, you are developing a tolerance for alcohol. This increases your chances of developing several serious problems, including alcoholism. People often say that they have a high tolerance for their alcohol which is why they can hold it better. That is not true.Your body has just gotten use to the alcohol and after so long you are going to want more than just those 3 beers that normally get you drunk. Now it could increase to 6 or 7 beers. I have to drink to fit in! Your peers don't drink as much as you think they do. Some college students only drink little or no alcohol on a weekly basis. Some people often think that they have to drink to have fun as well. If you have to drink to have fun than you’re not really having fun. People who get completely wasted at party are only doing it to fit in as well. They should just be themselves.

History of Las Vegas, Nevada Essay

Las Vegas, translated from Spanish as â€Å"the meadows† was discovered and thus established in 1829 by the Mexican merchant Antonio Armijo, who led a trade caravan of 60 men creating a trade route to Los Angeles. Ironically, what historically was established as a mere transition point on a route, became one of the most remarkable places in the United States, â€Å"a pearl in a desert. † Practically, the rapid growth of Las Vegas as both a tourist destination and a community is directly related to the development of the image of Las Vegas. Even though Nevada was the last state to outlaw gambling in 1909 and the first state subsequently to legalize gambling in 1931, Las Vegas city fathers were more concerned with the divorce laws than reinstating gambling, and throughout most of the 1930s, gambling remained a sideline for Las Vegas. But the eighth wonder of the world, as Boulder Dam was then billed, â€Å"began to funnel a torrent of tourists† to the Las Vegas Valley (Boorstin, 1987:3). Las Vegas leaders envisioned their town as a Nevada Palm Springs. Alan Hess, in his book Viva Las Vegas, observes, â€Å"They began to promote their characteristic western identity, the desert scenery, a social mix of laissez-faire government and neighborly hospitality embodied in speedy divorces and easy gambling† (Hess, 1993:19). In 1932, a year after the legalization of gambling, the then-luxurious, three-story Hotel Apache opened in downtown Las Vegas. With a motif of Native American design and an elevator to the supper club on top, the Apache was the most modern for its day. By 1936, the dam was completed and Las Vegas, with no more big payroll checks from dam workers, was beginning an economic slump. But, between 1938 and 1942 several changes occurred to avert the slump. In 1938, Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Brown had begun enforcing the no gambling laws in California and many California gamblers moved to Las Vegas. Guy McAfee, a police captain and commander of the vice squad, was one of these California gamblers who moved into Las Vegas where he purchased the Pair-O-Dice Club in 1939. McAfee is credited with naming that part of the Los Angeles Highway which came into Las Vegas as â€Å"The Strip† in fond memory of the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. It would be several years before ‘The Strip† would gain its present day fame. Federal intervention also assisted the Las Vegas economy when President Roosevelt’s administration ordered air bases throughout the country. In 1940 Las Vegas received an air training station on the outskirts of town, and in 1941, Basic Magnesium, Inc. (BMI) was built, which created the city of Henderson. † Las Vegas found itself with two new industries-recreation provided by the dam and lake, and defense, provided by the training station and BMI. The recreation (tourism) and defense industries would shape many western cities throughout the rest of the century. Fremont Street, Las Vegas’s main thoroughfare, boomed. As Don Knepp said in Las Vegas Entertainment Capital, â€Å"There also emerged the image of Las Vegas as the glamorous hub for vacations in the Southwest† (Knepp, 1987:31). The city leaders had begun promoting Las Vegas as a tourist Mecca, and the WPA Guide to Nevada, the Silver State, 1940, seemed to approve of the methods when it said of Las Vegas, â€Å"No cheap and easily parodied slogans have been adopted to publicize the city, no attempt has been made to introduce pseudo-romantic architectural themes, or to give artificial glamour and gaiety† (Hess, 1993:20). 941 saw further growth for the Strip and downtown. The El Rancho opened with a dude ranch theme and atmosphere. Built by Californian Thomas E. Hull, the El Rancho established a pattern of roadside landmarks, vistas and signs that broke with the tradition of downtown Las Vegas hotels and realized a vision that would mold the city’s current form. The El Rancho duplicated the easy accessibility of the roadside motel, but with much more grandeur. While the downtown Hotel Apache was fancy, the El Rancho was lavish. Downtown, the El Cortez opened. Built by Californians Marion Hicks and John Grayson and although multistory, as most downtown hotels were, the El Cortez also kept to the western or Spanish theme. After stopping at the El Rancho, William J. Moore and R. E. Griffith, realizing the potential of thousands of gambling customers from the gunnery school, built the Last Frontier. Opening in October 1942, the Last Frontier also western in theme, was larger and more opulent than the El Rancho. McAfee, not satisfied with owning just the Pair-O-Dice Club, tried to upstage the El Rancho by building the Pioneer Club at Fremont and First Streets. Also consciously western in style, the Pioneer Club opened in 1942. Even though western in design, as late as 1947 Las Vegans were amazed that something so lavish as the El Rancho could succeed so far from downtown. The success of the El Rancho, the Pioneer Club and the Last Frontier was impressive enough that the city boosters considered making the western theme mandatory for Fremont Street. Although many downtown casino owners followed suit, the idea was never formally adopted. As Las Vegas became more savvy about the potential of a tourist economy, it began to exploit its western heritage more consciously. In keeping with the western motif, dude ranches replaced motels to provide divorce seekers a place to stay until their six weeks residency requirements were met The western influence provided a successful venue for divorce interests and gambling, two of the leading economic factors for Las Vegas. Close behind McAfee was Bugsy Siegel, who began by taking over the Las Vegas race betting wires, and, as a representative of Al Capone, â€Å"muscled out the Continental Press Service and gained part ownership of several Fremont Street Clubs including the Pioneer Club. Although there was already an obscure element of â€Å"gangsters† in Las Vegas, Siegel was publicly known for his ties to organized crime. Siegel brought with him the negative aspect of the influence of organized crime, but he also brought the positive aspect of establishing a landmark luxury resort with the building of his Flamingo which broke with the western theme. The half-finished Flamingo officially opened with Jimmy Durante as entertainment in 1946; finances forced closure of the resort four weeks later, but the Flamingo reopened in 1948. Knepp credits Siegel with bringing extensive national exposure to Las Vegas; the notoriety attached to â€Å"the Fabulous Flamingo† branded Las Vegas as an underworld haven, a reputation that has persisted (Knepp, 1987:32). World War II created a shortage of construction materials which also created most of the financial difficulties Siegel experienced while building the Flamingo. But the federal government, including the war and defense spending, contributed greatly to Nevada, especially Las Vegas. Eugene P.  Moehring states in his book, Resort City in the Sunbelt, that â€Å"Defense spending was an obvious by-product of the worldwide conflict. But, like the dam earlier, World War II strengthened the town’s recreational economy† (Moehring, 1995:40). The war also brought some disadvantages such as curfews, which cut profits by closing casinos from 2 to 10 a. m. and meat rationing, which caused some restaurants to close. â€Å"Clearly, the national emergency cr eated many problems for Las Vegas† (Moehring, 1995:40). Yet, much the same as Hoover Dam before it, World War II represented a bonanza for the small town’s economy. The war helped confirm gambling as Las Vegas’s main postwar industry; â€Å"By partially depriving the city of tourists for almost four years, the war magnified their [tourists] importance in the minds of promoters† (Moehring, 1995:40). The end of the World War II brought an end to the shortages of construction materials which had plagued Siegel and the 1950s brought the largest growth expansion in American history. This expansion occurred in the western United States, led by the state of Nevada. As 1950 opened, Nevada contained approximately 160,000 residents: by 1955, the population was about 245,000, a rise of more than 53 percent (Glass, 1981:39). By the end of the 1950s, Nevada’s population had increased 75 percent, to 285,000 residents, making it the fastest-growing state in the country. During this expansion, Nevada’s economy flourished thanks to mining, to the Freeport Law and to the test site in Las Vegas. But, it was gambling that brought about the unprecedented growth. By 1955, mining still outstripped gambling by just under $100,000, but as Jane Glass, in her book Nevada’s Turbulent 50% asked, â€Å"Who noticed? Well, of course the people who were working the mines noticed and the tax collectors who pulled in the highest amount on record but, â€Å"almost nobody else† (Glass, 1981:92) which seems to imply that Nevada, especially Las Vegas, had forgotten the rich economy of mining, preferring instead to credit gambling as the biggest bo on the state’s economy. The Freeport Law was the legacy of Edwin Bender, an administrator for a federal agency in charge of storing strategic war material, when he discovered a shortage of space in which to store the items. By the end of the 1940s, Bender found himself with a surplus of space and a shortage of goods. Later, when the county tax assessor evaluated some of the items for tax purposes, Bender felt the taxation to be unfair. He wrote a proposal for what became the Freeport bill and with the help of Nevada Attorney General Alan Bible, who drew up the bill. Owners of warehouses and light manufacturing firms found Nevada’s tax climate substantially to their liking and, the Freeport Law became a significant economic advantage. After twenty-five years, three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of goods were being shipped yearly by truck and rail from the warehouses in the state (Glass, 1981:44). Although initially slow to move, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce became deeply involved in designing and planning for tourists as early as 1944. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and its boosters, fearing for the postwar economy sponsored a fund raiser to raise $75,000 as a budget for promoting the city as a tourist destination. During the war, the two largest industries had been the Army Air Base and Basic Magnesium, Inc. Surveys and research led the Chamber to the conclusion that tourism was now the best means to a good economy and the Chamber set out to attract visitors. Before long however, Las Vegas found it had to deal with the underworld image that had grown up thanks to â€Å"Bugsy† Siegel and others. The Chamber of Commerce tried several different public relations firms and advertising firms to draw attention away from the negative publicity of gangsters as well as the wild city image previously promoted. When these firms failed to promote the city in what Las Vegans and the Chamber felt was a positive way, the Chamber hired the West Marquis Agency to handle promotion. The West Marquis Agency was subsequently replaced when the Chamber felt it too had failed. It appears the Chamber need not have worried. Surveys now have shown that during the time of heavy gangster influence, tourists came to Las Vegas in the hopes of actually seeing a gangster. Knepp supports this view, â€Å"For most visitors in the 1940s, however, the reputed underworld ties seemed only to highlight the city’s wide open appeal. † (Knepp, 1987:32). Nevertheless, by the 1950s, promoting Las Vegas and creating the acceptable image had become a concerted effort of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the city and the casinos who hired their own communication specialists. Contemporary Las Vegas is a place famous for extremely high concentration of world largest and what is more important, famous, casinos, among which are Stratosphere Hotel and Tower, the Las Vegas Hilton, the Rio Suites, the Gold Coast, the Maxim, the San Reno, the Continental, the new Paris and the smaller Hard Rock, Luxor, and the Circus Circus. Las Vegas Valley and its dominant industry generate a great many statistics, some misleading, others conflicting. In 1995-96, gamblers left behind $3. billion at the machines, tables, and sports books of the Strip compared to $683 million Downtown, a fact that gives some idea of the relative importance of the two in the industry that created and still runs Las Vegas (Littlejohn and Gran, 1999:2-3). Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other city in the world (more than a hundred thousand in 1998, with twenty thousand more either planned or under construction), and the highest average hotel-occupancy rate (87 to go percent) of any American city. In 1995, the Zagat Guide estimated that it offered the lowest average daily hotel room rate of the thirty-three leading U. S. visitor destinations. Moreover, Las Vegas currently contains nine of the world’s ten largest hotels. Las Vegas claims to be the number-one tourist destination in the U. S. , with more than 30 million visitors a year. Nevada had in 1996 both the highest marriage rate (ten times the national average, due primarily to out-of-state couples who come to Las Vegas and Reno to marry) and the highest divorce rate (more than double the national average). According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports for 1995, Las Vegas had the highest total crime rate and the highest rate of crimes against property among all American cities with more than 250,000 people (Littlejohn and Gran, 1999:5). Police reports for that year placed Las Vegas fourth among U. S. metropolitan areas of over a million population – after Miami, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City – in the rate of all serious crimes; 14. 7 percent of these were called â€Å"violent. †

Directors liabilities and duties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Directors liabilities and duties - Essay Example The liability of the directors for statements in reports has also been covered in the new regime. The objective of this study is to bring out the salient aspects of liabilities and duties of the directors as set out in the current regime of Company Law legislation. The objective of this chapter is to present an overview of the topic chosen for study as well as the aims and objectives of the research. The chapter also details the structure of the paper to have a comprehensive understanding of the text of the report. However it is not possible to limit the functions of the company only to the above as there are number of other areas to which the scope and application of the company law legislation can extend. Moreover these functions as well as any other functions have associated costs and benefits. Hence it can be stated that the role of the company law is to maximize the benefits while minimizing the costs of implementation of the various provisions. It is also necessary that these key policy choices are examined within the context of the relationships that might be formulated between the various parties with which the company law legislation deals with. Illustrations of these

Procurement & Contracts Coursework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Procurement & Contracts Coursework - Assignment Example 57). One of the key attributes of PPP is that it not only facilitates public-private partnerships during the construction phase, but it provides for post-construction services to be managed by a private agency. It has been argued that by taking this approach, the construction design is usually conducted contemplating subsequent services which ultimately lowers the cost of services. Moreover, the nature and duration of the PPP encourages a relationship of trust and facilitates the free flow of information (Hoppe & Schmitz, 2013). Likewise, Private Finance Initiative (PFI), project procurement, a form of PPP, is particularly important when the public budget is constrained by economic difficulties such as the current economic downturn. PFI is a method by which the public sector secures â€Å"value for money† and the private sector â€Å"service provider† assumes the risks associated with the project (Akintoye, Hardcastle, Beck, Chinyio, & Asenova, 2003, p. 461). Given that the global economic downturn has impacted the UK government’s ability to deliver and meet the demands for health services, a PFI-PPP procurement route is the more innovative and least costly option over traditional procurement routes. ... Traditional procurement routes will also be discussed. The Principles of Public-Private Partnership Procurement Definition PPP is defined by the OECD as: †¦an agreement between the government and one or more private partners (which may include the operators and the financers) according to which the private partners deliver the service in such a manner that the service delivery objectives of the government are aligned with the profit objectives of the private partners and where the effectiveness of the alignment depends on a sufficient transfer or risk to the private partners (OECD, 2008, p. 17). PPP therefore takes the involvement of the private sector to more proactive level and does not merely involve a limited contractual arrangement. PPP is best understood when compared to traditional procurement routes. PPP vs Traditional Procurement Routes Instinctively, the concept of PPP invokes ambivalence over the idea of the private sector becoming involved in the construction and man agement of public infrastructure. However, as Grimsey and Mervyn (2007) point out: †¦the old command and control structures of the public sector are breaking down and are being replaced by interrelationships between government and private sector entities (p. 171). Although traditional procurement routes use the private sector, PPPs can be distinguished in a significant way. Traditional procurement routes usually involve private entities constructing roads, hospitals, schools, public buildings and schools and so on. Private companies also manage and maintain the infrastructure. However, with PPPs, rather than use individual agreements, the agreements are combined in

Television in modern society has more negative effects than positive Outline

Television in modern society has more negative effects than positive effects. Discuss - Outline Example promoting truthfulness and as a source of highlighting societal issues and problems but with the passage of time, it evolved into the form of a central piece of global politics. Nobody is really concerned about the reality and everybody is casting his or her votes on the basis of a whim. The whim that is created in public by media (Jansen, Zhang, Sobel, & Chowdury, 2009) and the so-called social workers are promoting their meaningless activities as beneficial acts for the society. The media and television has recently transformed into a curse rather than a blessing in the current point in time (Kietzmann, Hermkens, & McCarthy, 2011). The audience has to realize the fact that media is indeed promoting violence, untruthfulness and even sexism in the youngsters in order to get higher ratings. Based on the above argument, it can be established that parents must intervene in the lives of their children on a deep level so that the damage that is done by media can be controlled and managed accordingly. Jansen, B., Zhang, M., Sobel, K., & Chowdury, A. 2009. Twitter power: Tweets as electronic word of mouth. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology Vol 60 No. 1,

Unintended Consequences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unintended Consequences - Essay Example Although some countries like Cuba and China maintained it. The aim of the country was not to create enemies and stir conflicts such as the Korean and the Vietnam Wars but, such were the unintended consequences. One notable blemish that the US sustained was the infamous massacre in Mr. Lai. In this incidence, platoons marched into the village and killed every person in the village including mothers, children, and infants. Since such occurrence was not something to be proud of, the country imprisoned the man who commanded the execution of the locals in the village. President Richard Nixon, sometime later, ordered that he be transferred to a better and comfortable apartment under house arrest. Ultimately, his sentence was reduced, and he served three years only. The deaths of such huge numbers of innocent people forced America, however powerful it was in the Vietnam War, to retaliate. The idea of subduing more nations through â€Å"foreign aid† and military is still witnessed today, something that is currently referred to as â€Å"Neocolonialism†. The rivalry between the capitalist US and the communist China is still witnessed

Sustainable Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sustainable Design - Essay Example It is first remarkable that, as Yeang, p. 413, 2007, puts it concisely - "Nature regards humans as one of its many species. What differentiates humans is their capability to inflict devastating changes on the environment".3 One of the major human activities that hugely and adversely affect the environment is the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy for other down line human activities. It is now notable that fossil fuels, even in the first parts of the 21st century, still remain the major energy source. Thus, it stands to good reason that any project that can run on low energy consumption is a profitable one. This is in two senses - firstly, with low consumption of fossil fuels low emission of harmful gases is possible and, secondly, the low consumption of fossil fuels enables energy planners to buy more time to develop alternate sources for future consumption when it is believed that all fossil fuels on Earth will be completely exhausted. This paper, thus, is concerned entirely with one such human project - human architectural activity - that is being designed to consume low energy and produce low emissions. This is what is currently being defined as sustainable architecture. The first part the paper discusses sustainability, its definition and global perceptions and the second part is a critical review about a sustainable development in London, called BedZED, as a successful example, its analysis and evaluation of its various environmentally friendly features. Ecodesign: Yeang4 defines ecodesign, which may be taken as sustainable design in this case, as a built environment that is fully integrated within its natural environment. It is taken here that the concerned 'built environment' is the sustainable architecture that this paper is in search of. Yeang (2007), furthermore, severely cautions against misconceptions that technology alone can provide sustainable architecture. He states that simply putting a set of technologies commonly acknowledged as green such as solar arrays, photovoltaic, biological recycling systems, building automation systems and double-skin facades into a building can merit the term ecodesign. Also, if a high mark in a green-rating system can hardly be construed as satisfactory reason to call the built environment sustainable architecture(Yeang, 2007). Instead, Yeang (2007) implies that ecodesign, or sustainable architecture, can only be operational when the entire building interacts with its natural environment in such a manne r that all its inputs and outputs sustain the ecosystem within which it is built without upsetting its delicate balance of secure survival. In this sense Yeang (2007) believes that not only the building but all its associated activities, such as transportation, for example, must be integrated into its ecosystem where he implies

Effectiveness of Carling Marketing Campaign Coursework

Effectiveness of Carling Marketing Campaign - Coursework Example The above lines are not only mere scholarly phrase from two renowned research scholars but core essence of this piece of work. According to the above phrase of Mizik and Jacobson (2008), modern marketing managers face challenges regarding quantifying the outcome of marketing effort such as promotional campaign, advertising campaigns etc. Nias (2013) reported that Carling has launched  £10m campaign of â€Å"refreshingly perfect' strapline† on 1 June, 2013. Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd is parent company behind the Carling brand (Carling, 2013a). In the next section, the researcher will shed light on background of the research problem in this piece of work. Background Section Carling has launched a new advertising campaign, which has budget estimation of  £10 million, and they have hired a professional market research agency in order to conduct consumer research regarding the effectiveness of the campaign. In the background section, the researcher will not only try to understand alcoholic beverages market of UK in order to understand competitive positioning of Carling but also try highlighting theoretical aspects like how advertising works/how advertising effectiveness is measured. Part A- Marketing Environment of Carling Major market for Carling is UK hence the study will analyze the marketing environment of Carling in context to overall market for alcoholic beverages of UK. Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) reported that UK households spend  £15 billion/annum for consuming alcoholic beverages. Hence, total market size of alcoholic beverage industry of UK is  £15 billion. UK based consumers spend at least 15% to 18% of their total expenditure food and drink on alcoholic beverage consumption.... c beverages market of UK in order to understand competitive positioning of Carling but also try highlighting theoretical aspects like how advertising works/how advertising effectiveness is measured. Part A- Marketing Environment of Carling Major market for Carling is UK hence the study will analyze the marketing environment of Carling in context to overall market for alcoholic beverages of UK. Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) reported that UK  households  spend ?15  billion/annum for consuming alcoholic beverages. Hence, total market size of alcoholic beverage industry of UK is ?15  billion. UK based consumers spend at least 15% to 18% of their total expenditure food  and  drink  on alcoholic beverage consumption. Carling is known for their beer products while UK government has imposed tax duty in the range of ?5.09 to ?19.12/ hectolitre on beer products depending upon the extent of alcohol (HM Revenue & Customs, 2013). Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) pointed out that price elasticity for Beer products lie in –0.25 to -1.00 which shows that beer is seen as substitute of alcohol by British customers and price plays significant role forecasting the demand for beer products. Price elasticity of beer products in UK for last 50 years can be depicted in the following manner. Figure 1: Price Elasticity of Beer in UK (Source: Collis, Grayson and Johal, 2010) It is evident from the above econometric estimation, demand for the beer decreases by two fold by one fold increase in price. As UK is still struggling with lag effect of previous economic recession and sovereign debt crisis, price of the beer products has significantly increased which negatively affected demand for beer products. Stagnant sales growth of UK alcoholic beverages industry can be depicted in the following

Project Management for Business--The failure of Fire Control Essay

Project Management for Business--The failure of Fire Control - Essay Example Moreover, in December 2010, the department cancelled the project after reviewing that it would not be delivered within the planned timeframe. The project examines why the department failed to convey the project and the extent to which it minimized the waste arising from the final decisions to terminate the project. Project management advances the coordination, control and planning of diverse and complex activities of commercial, industrial, management change, and IT projects.Moreover, thedevelopments of projects share common similarities in the projection of ideas and activities into new ventures’. This report entails a fire control project, aimed at improving the efficiency, technology and flexibility of English fire and rescue service by replacing forty-six local control rooms with an effective network of nine purpose-built regional control centers. Besides, the control centers use national computer system that handle calls, manage incidents and mobilize equipment. Consequently, the main purpose of this project was to predict and foresee many dangers’ and problems as possible during the planning and organization of activities to finish the project successfully. It started before the incorporation of any resource and continued until all work was finished. The development of the project incorporated other parties such as a project manager and relevant stakeholders in information technology (IT). According to the National Audit Office (2011), suggests that the aim of a project manager is to ensure that the result satisfies project sponsors or purchasers and principled stakeholders within the promised timeframe. Furthermore, the project was not to use more money and other resources than those originally included in the budget. Following the cancelation of this project, the report addresses the department for communities and local government, to ensure that organizations learn lessons from mistakes

Pricing policies Essay Example for Free

Pricing policies Essay The main Factors that affect the price being charged by your chosen business for their product/service The pricing decisions for a product are affected by internal and external factors. A. Internal Factors 1. Cost While fixing the prices of a product, the firm should consider the cost involved in producing the product. This cost includes both the variable and fixed costs. Thus, while fixing the prices, the firm must be able to recover both the variable and fixed costs. 2. The predetermined objectives While fixing the prices of the product, the marketer should consider the objectives of the firm. For instance, if the objective of a firm is to increase return on investment, then it may charge a higher price, and if the objective is to capture a large market share, then it may charge a lower price. 3. Image of the firm The price of the product may also be determined on the basis of the image of the firm in the market. For instance, HUL and Procter Gamble can demand a higher price for their brands, as they enjoy goodwill in the market. 4. Product life cycle The stage at which the product is in its product life cycle also affects its price. For instance, during the introductory stage the firm may charge lower price to attract the customers, and during the growth stage, a firm may increase the price. 5. Credit period offered The pricing of the product is also affected by the credit period offered by the company. Longer the credit period, higher may be the price, and shorter the credit period, lower may be the price of the product. 6. Promotional activity The promotional activity undertaken by the firm also determines the price. If the firm incurs heavy advertising and sales promotion costs, then the pricing of the product shall be kept high in order to recover the cost. B. External Factors 1. Competition While fixing the price of the product, the firm needs to study the degree of competition in the market. If there is high competition, the prices may be kept low to effectively face the competition, and if competition is low, the prices may be kept high. 2. Consumers The marketer should consider various consumer factors while fixing the prices. The consumer factors that must be considered includes the price sensitivity of the buyer, purchasing power, and so on. 3. Government control Government rules and regulation must be considered while fixing the prices. In certain products, government may announce administered prices, and therefore the marketer has to consider such regulation while fixing the prices.

Pressure Pulse Production of Train Passing to Adjacent Line

Pressure Pulse Production of Train Passing to Adjacent Line This topic concerns the pressure pulse produced by one train on another being passed on an adjacent line. Although studies of this phenomenon had been undertaken for research and development purposes during the 1970s, a need to quantify the magnitude of the effect for existing and future high speed service routes arose in the late 1980s due to adverse comments from train users. The comments were relatively rare, but mainly centred around passengers being startled by the banging of doors (particularly of external sliding doors used on some types of Multiple Unit) and windows (particularly hopper windows) when passed by other trains at high speeds. In addition, coffee and other drinks resting on tables on the side adjacent to the Fast line, mainly in other HSTs, were regularly spilt by passing HSTs. This was caused by a rapid displacement of the coach wall against which the tables rested. Although the events could not be called serious, it was evident that a criterion was needed for the design of new trains for the: i) Door and window mounts and for the structural side-wall stiffness of vehicles likely to be operating on high speed routes ii) Future high speed train nose shapes, (as it was known that it was the aerodynamic shaping, as well as speed, of the source train that sized the pulse magnitude). Subsequently, tests were undertaken by the Research Division of BRB in 1988 to assess the magnitude of the largest pressure pulses produced by service trains at that time. Tests were undertaken on ECML with a test vehicle being passed, during both static and moving tests, by a number of service trains. Of particular interest was HST, as it was often the offending train and was operating at speeds up to 125 mi/h on tracks at a nominal spacing of 3.4m. In some places, track spacing was known to be less than this and, of course, considerably more than this in other places. In addition, the Class 91 loco was being produced and it was necessary to choose a criterion bearing in mind future operation of the IC225 train (also on ECML). In that event, it was decided during discussions between the senior managements of the Research Division and the IC225 Project Team that IC225 operation at 225 km/h should form the limiting condition for defining the pulse limit. At that time, prior to tests being undertaken with Class 91, it had been assumed that the pulse characteristics generated by the nose shape of the Class 91 would be similar to HST, and therefore that a criterion based on an HST result scaled up from 125 mi/h to 225 km/h (140mi/h) should be adopted. Results from the tests produced a mean value, (taken over several passes at different track spacings and speeds of both trains), for the HST normalised to 3.4 m nominal track interval, which was given by the non-dimensional parameter, à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾CP = 0.6. At 225 km/h, this equated to 1.44 kPa peak-to-peak amplitude. Subsequent tests with IC225 showed the Class 91 to have slightly better characteristics than HST, but the 1.44 kPa value was adopted for future project design purposes. An indication of this is given in the attached letter involving a proposed lC250 development for WCML operation written by the Technical Director (Research) of British Rail Research to the Project Director IC225. It is important to note that, in this letter and elsewhere, the 1.44 kPa criterion was defined in association with 3.4 m track spacing. Similarly, acceptance tests undertaken during development work on new train designs were checked against a limit of 1.44 kPa at 3.4 m track spacing. Further, BR Research advised that, for practical purposes during track tests, compliance with the criterion was to be checked against a measurement taken at mid-window height on a stationary observing train on straight track on a calm (no wind) day. The result then was to be corrected to nominal 3.4m track spacing. Observations In the same way as for the original tests and for the nominal service condition chosen by Research and DMEE management, there will be circumstances now when 1.44 kPa is exceeded. For example, movement of the observing train, the presence of cross-winds, reduced track spacing and track curvature can all increase the pulse amplitude. Thus, it is important to adopt this specification of the reference set of conditions under which the criterion is to be met. Note that the above implies that rolling stock operating on high speed routes should be structurally designed to a criterion in excess of l.44kPa for the train passing pressure pulse case. For the proof load case of unsealed trains, this will usually be covered by the Q.5kPa specification for vehicle body structures (see Railtrack Gp. Stds. GM/TT0l22, GM/TTOl23, GM/RC2504). Sealed trains will be covered by their own more stringent limits. However, fatigue load cases particularly for unsealed trains may need to incorporate higher values associated with regular exceedances of the 1.44 kPa value. It would appear, therefore, that the original Railtrack Spec. for WCML mistakenly omitted reference to 3.4 m track spacing in its definition of the conditions under which the 1.44 kPa criterion   should be met. Incidentally, the corresponding Railtrack Spec. for ECML does define 3.4 m as the reference condition.

Politicians and Poachers Essay -- Zambian Wildlife Policy, Government

In his book Politicians and Poachers, Charles Gibson analyzes the origins and effects of governmental â€Å"institutions† on Zambian wildlife policy. Keeping in mind his definition of what an institution is- it’s origins, what it does, and what it represents- one can apply his analysis to the nature of tourism. When so much of the tourist industry relies on what is seen as â€Å"authentic† and how it is determined, it is important to focus on how various institutions shape Western and local thought. Charles Gibson puts forth a definition of â€Å"institutions†, on which he bases his argument about Zambian wildlife policy. He says that, essentially, they are the result of â€Å"voluntary exchanges between relatively equal actors who are seeking mutually welfare-enhancing outcomes† . This definition is rather broad; it includes almost any organization with a common goal. However, Gibson narrows this too a more self-serving sense, saying that in addition an institution â€Å"features individuals†¦who seek to†¦augment their private well-being, not society’s†(Gibson 11). Moreover, they seek to â€Å"protect their streams of benefit from uncertainty† (Gibson 11). Therefore, a definition that once included any and all groups of people is now limited to a collection of people who not only seek to further and protect their own gains, but those who do so with only themselves in mind. Such an institution, according to Gibson’s definition, can prove to be very problematic, especially in a political realm. A leader of any sort, in office through election or use of force, who adheres to this sort of government institution, can do little to no good for their country. Such an institution does not have to stem from an individual; â€Å"weaker groups could agree to instit... ...ups of Kenya are equally valued†. This performance is not meant for foreigners; it is â€Å"an ethnic theme park for domestic tourists† (Bruner, Gmelch 209). Those cultural institutions that seem farfetched or overproduced are less likely to be deemed legitimate because they strive not to benefit the community but themselves. Charles Gibson, in his book Politicians and Poachers, establishes the framework of political and governmental institutions and their role in wildlife policy. However, it is not limited to state action; one can apply his basic definition to social and cultural institutions and their influence on the tourist industry. Because tourism, where people go, and how they spend their money are dependent on the concept of â€Å"authenticity†, it is vital that tourist attractions seem genuine, but not to the extent that this legitimacy seems falsified.

The Marx Brothers :: Research Papers

The Marx Brothers In his book entitled Creating Minds, Howard Gardner (1993) engaged in a thorough study of creativity. He did this by studying the lives of exceptional creators in seven different domains in search of trends that could be readily identified and, perhaps, even help to paint a clearer picture of what the ingredients for creativity are. After examining these creators' lives he came to some conclusions based on the trends he identified and formed a model of creativity. In order to test both his model and his findings, it is necessary to extend the search (and study) beyond his initial seven great creators. In doing this it becomes possible to refute or add credence to his conclusions. This extension also allows for further questions to be asked. During the reading of Creating Minds I happened upon an interesting thought: Could Gardner's model for creative individuals be applied to the study of a creative group? Furthermore, would a group show similar trends in their creative development? If I was going to attempt to answer this question I decided I would have to qualify what a creative group was. I defined a creative group as a group of individuals producing a single creative work. The creativity of this work must be a result of the combination of the individuals' strengths being pooled (as equally as possible) to produce an output that could not have been produced by any of the individuals on their own. The group would be analogous to Gardner's individual creator, and the group's combination of mental talents would parallel the individual creator's personal array of intellectual strengths. Having defined what a creative group was, it became necessary to ask perhaps an even more important question: Could such a group exist? If so, could an example be found? The answer to both questions, I decided, was yes. But who? My ponderings on this subject invariably brought me to the Marx Brothers, kings of comedy. My Method In his study Gardner had followed the lives of his chosen creators and examined the progression of their works as a function of the creator and his or her surroundings. It would be difficult to treat the progression of a group in precisely the same manner. If I chose to treat the group as a single unit and reported on its progress and surroundings, the workings of its component creators could be lost.

Martin Luther King as a Role Model Essays -- Civil Rights Papers

Martin Luther King as a Role Model Everyone has someone that they look up to. It may be a hero or a role model. Martin Luther King serves as a role model for many African Americans because of his contributions and fight towards civil rights. King became very popular and touched the lives of many. According to Robert A. Divine and other authors of America Past and Present, the arrest of Rosa Parks sparked a massive protest movement that witnessed the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr., as an eloquent new spokesman for African Americans. King led a prominent bus boycott in honor of Mrs. Parks. The boycott successfully ended a year later when the Supreme Court ruled the Alabama segregated law unconstitutional. As a result, King became well known around the world with his belief of passive resistance. He visited Third World leaders in Africa and in Asia and paid homage to Ghandi. He led a victorious Prayer Pilgrimage to Washington in 1957 on the third anniversary of the Brown decision. He held many vigils and led many protests to end segregation. King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to promote others to fight against segregation a year after the bus boycott. Then, in April 1960, he found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). These newly formed coalitions led to "dramatic success for the movement, but also ushered in a period of heightened tension and social turmoil in the 1960s. By 1968, he was winning the hearts and minds of more and more Americans on both sides of the color line. His efforts successfully merged the a... ... Select Committee also concluded that "James Ray fired one shot at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; the shot killed King." After the House Select Committee released its final Report in 1979, Committee Chairman Louis Stokes (D-Ohio) and Chief Counsel G. Blakey ordered that all of the committee's backup. Credits Branch, Taylor. Parting the Waters : America in the King Years, 1954-63. Simon & Schuster, 1988. Divine, Robert, et al. America: Past and Present. 5th edition; volume II, Addison Wesley, New York: 1999. Garrow, David J. bearing the cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Confrence. Morrow, 1986. Jakoubek, Robert E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Chelsea Hse., 1989 For younger readers. Lewis, David L. King: A Biography. 2nd ed. Univ. of Illinois Pr., 1978. Martin Luther King as a Role Model Essays -- Civil Rights Papers Martin Luther King as a Role Model Everyone has someone that they look up to. It may be a hero or a role model. Martin Luther King serves as a role model for many African Americans because of his contributions and fight towards civil rights. King became very popular and touched the lives of many. According to Robert A. Divine and other authors of America Past and Present, the arrest of Rosa Parks sparked a massive protest movement that witnessed the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr., as an eloquent new spokesman for African Americans. King led a prominent bus boycott in honor of Mrs. Parks. The boycott successfully ended a year later when the Supreme Court ruled the Alabama segregated law unconstitutional. As a result, King became well known around the world with his belief of passive resistance. He visited Third World leaders in Africa and in Asia and paid homage to Ghandi. He led a victorious Prayer Pilgrimage to Washington in 1957 on the third anniversary of the Brown decision. He held many vigils and led many protests to end segregation. King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to promote others to fight against segregation a year after the bus boycott. Then, in April 1960, he found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). These newly formed coalitions led to "dramatic success for the movement, but also ushered in a period of heightened tension and social turmoil in the 1960s. By 1968, he was winning the hearts and minds of more and more Americans on both sides of the color line. His efforts successfully merged the a... ... Select Committee also concluded that "James Ray fired one shot at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; the shot killed King." After the House Select Committee released its final Report in 1979, Committee Chairman Louis Stokes (D-Ohio) and Chief Counsel G. Blakey ordered that all of the committee's backup. Credits Branch, Taylor. Parting the Waters : America in the King Years, 1954-63. Simon & Schuster, 1988. Divine, Robert, et al. America: Past and Present. 5th edition; volume II, Addison Wesley, New York: 1999. Garrow, David J. bearing the cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Confrence. Morrow, 1986. Jakoubek, Robert E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Chelsea Hse., 1989 For younger readers. Lewis, David L. King: A Biography. 2nd ed. Univ. of Illinois Pr., 1978.

GAP company information

It was the year of 1969 when man has taken its first step toward the moon and â€Å"Doris and Don Fisher opened the first Gap store in US in San Francisco. † The fast change in style between teenagers and adult lead to formation of company name called â€Å"GAP†. From Justa single store In 1969. our story Doris and Don Fisher opened the first Gap store in 1969. The reason was simple. Don couldnt find a pair of jeans that fit. They never expected to transform retail. But they did. Guided by humility, compassion and a strong desire to win, the Fishers grew their company thoughtfully. ustomers responded.Today, Gap Inc. Is a leading International specialty retailer with six brands – Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta and INTERMIX – more than 3,500 stores and more than 137. 000 employees. We're growing globally, and Just within the last few years, we opened our first stores In china and Italy. we're expanding online shopping to customers, too. T oday, customers in about 90 countries can buy our products. While many things have changed since 1969, the principles on which we were founded have stayed the same: creativity, delivering results, doing what's right and lways thinking of our customers first.Key Facts Founded: 1969, with a single store in San Francisco The original brand that brought American casual style to the world. Founded In 1909 In San Francisco, cap offers Iconic, yet modern clothing and accessories for adults, kids and babies. Gap gives customers the freedom to express their individual sense of style. Brand Includes Gap, GapKids, babyGap, GapMaternity and Gap30dy. Franchise stores: More than 350 stores in locations across Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa Brands: cap Intermix Old Navvy PiperlimeAthleta Headquarters World HQ: San Francisco Bay Area Product Design: New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London Store Management, distribution and product manufacturing: Worldwide. Stores Total: More than 3,500 stores worldwide Fun Facts The average cost of a pair of Jeans at Gap in 1969? About $7! Gap's 1988 Individuals of Style campaign was the first time the company specifically hired celebrities as models. In 2004, Banana Republic was among the first sponsors of the Emmy-nominated sleeper hit â€Å"Project Runway. † Gap has about 10 miles of storefront windows around the world. Old Navvy was named after a bar in Paris! Retired New York Times fashion editor Carrie Donovan was tapped to be the â€Å"Old Navvy Lady† in 1997 after Joking in one of her columns that she'd be great for TV spots for the brand. After a wildly successful pilot, Gap Factory Outlet was founded and opened its first store in August 1994. Glenn Murphy is our fourth CEO since our founding in 1969. (Bob Fisher served as interim CEO in 2007 before Glenn was hired. ) Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe can be found on Piperlime. com, where she shares her picks on her favor ite fashions from the site. ? Athleta, which has served women thletes since 1998, opened its first full-sized store in 2011. How They Do Business: From the start, Gap Inc. ‘s story wasn't going to be limited to Just selling Jeans. Doris and Don Fisher made certain that integrity would become a hallmark of their business. As they continue to expand their presence internationally, They're more aware than ever how their decisions affect the communities in which they do business. And their philosophy is simple: They seek to make a positive, lasting impact on the people and in the places where they operate.They listen to their customers around the world, and share their expectations. For hey, that means looking deeper into their supply chain to ensure that they take a responsible path throughout the product lifecycle, from the source to their stores. Financial and Strategic Analysis Company Overview The Gap, Inc. (Gap) is a specialty apparel company. The product line of the company consists of casual apparel care products, accessories and fashion apparel. The company distributes its products through its retail stores, internet and catalog stores. The company is also operates wholesale and franchisee businesses.Gap operates company owned stores in the US, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan and the I-JK. Financial Performance: The company reported revenues of (U. S. Dollars) USD14,549. OO million during the fiscal year ended January2012, a decrease of 0. 78% from 2011. The operatingprofit of the company was USD 1,438. 00 million duringthe fiscal year 2012, a decrease of 26. 93% from 2011. The net profit of the company was USD 833. 00 millionduring the fiscal year 2012, a decrease of 30. 81% from2011 Share Data THE GAP, INC. , Share Data pnce (USD) as on 01-NOV-2012 35. 5 EPS (USD) Book value per share (USD) 1. 56 5. 68 Shares Outstanding (in million) 533 Performance Chart SWOT Analysts THE GAP, INC. , SWOT Analysts Strengths Weaknesses Strong Liquidity Posit ion Strong Product Portfolio and Brand Recognition Wide Geographic Presence Product Recall Dependency on Third Party Manufacturers Decreasing Comparable Store Sales Opportunities Threats Growing Apparel Market Increasing Online Presence Expansion into New Markets Competitive Environment Changing Consumer Behavior Decreasing Shopping Trips SWOT Analysis – Overview The Gap, Inc. Gap) is a specialty retailer of apparel, footwear and accessories. The I-JK, France, Ireland and Japan. The company also has online and catalog stores. The company's broad product portfolio and brand recognition and wide geographic resence provide strong foundation for its future growth . However, intense competition and changing consumer behavior are the major areas of concern for the company. THE GAP, INC. – strengths Strength – Strong Liquidity Position The company's liquidity position strengthen significantly during the fiscal year 2010.The company recorded current ratio of 2. 19 at th e fiscal year ended 2010, as compared to 1. 86 in 2009. Gap had significant increase in its cash and short term investments during the fiscal year 2010. It recorded cash and short term investments of USD 2573. 00 million in 2010, as compared to USD 1715. 0 million during the fiscal year ended 2009. Moreover the company reported a net change in cash of USD 633. 00 million in 2010, as compared to a negative net change in cash of USD 9 million at the fiscal year ended 2009.This was principally due to increase in cash inflow from operating activities. The company' cash flow from operating activities increased 36. 54% to USD 1928. 00 during the fiscal year ended 2010. Increasing cash and cash equivalent represents the companys ability to fund its business opportunities, working capital needs, meeting short term obligations and other capital requirements in the future. Strength – Strong Product Portfolio and Brand Recognition The company's strong product portfolio and brand recogni tion ensures financial stability through a diversified customer base.Gap through its retail and online stores engaged in providing a wide range of apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The company markets its products under the well known brands, namely Gap, Old Navvy, GapKids, babyGap, GapBody, Banana Republic, and Piperlime. Under the Gap brand, the company provides denim, khakis and T-shirts, fashion apparel, accessories and personal care products. The company also provides a wide collection f apparel and accessories under the brand names GapKids and babyGap.Under the Old Navvy brand, the company offers apparel, shoes and accessories for both children and adults. The company also provides casual and tailored apparel, shoes and accessories for men and women under its Banana Republic brand. In addition, the company also offers its products through its websites. The company, through its multiple store banners, caters to a wide range of customers across the world. Stre ngth – Wide Geographic Presence The company's wide geographic presence insulates it from the risk of operating in a single economy. Gap operates 3,082 stores across North America, Europe and Asia.In products across several geographies. The company's franchised stores are located in Bahrain, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Oman, Qatar, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia. The company also operates its online stores through www. gap. com, www. bananarepublic. com, www. oldnavy. com, and www. piperlime. com websites. The company's global presence enables it to build its brand image and maintain its strong position in the market.THE GAP, INC. – Weaknesses Weakness – Product Recall The company's various product recalls not only generate substantial negative publicity about its products and business, but also prevent commercialization of other future prod uct candidates. During April 2010, the company recalled its babyGap Marrakesh and Gap Outlet baby one-piece swimsuits . This recall was mainly due to presence of a halter straps that were manufactured too short causing the plastic ring located at the center of the swimsuit to press against the child's throat and obstruct the airway.This poses a strangulation hazard to the child. Weakness – Dependency on Third Party Manufacturers The company is highly dependent on the vendors outside the US, which may adversely affect its ability to meet any urgent requirements. The company purchases private label merchandise from approximately 650 vendors and non-private label merchandise from approximately 350 vendors having facilities in approximately 60 countries. During the fiscal year 2010, approximately 98% of the merchandise was produced outside the US.These outside vendors require to comply with certain vendor conducts and environmental, labor, health, and safety standards in domestic and international markets. Any noncompliance with the standards might delay the delivery of the goods and significantly affect the company's reputation. Thus, the company's high dependence on third party manufacturers may have an adverse affect on its business operations. Weakness – Decreasing Comparable Store Sales The comparable store sales have been decreasing over the past few years, which is adversely affecting the growth of the company.The stores segment accounts for more than 90% of the company's total revenue. During the fiscal year ended 2010, the company generated USD 13,079 million as compared to USD 13,496 million in the iscal year ending 2009, a decrease of 3. 18%. Over the past three years, the comparable store sales figures have been declining as demonstrated by a decrease of 9. 17% in the fiscal year 2009 and a decrease of 2. 19 % in the fiscal year 2008. As a result, Gap recorded a negative CAGR of 2. 97% during the period 2006-2010.The decrease has been pri marily due to a decline in net sales in all the brands due to the weakening retail environment and a shift of consumers from department stores to supermarkets and discount stores. THE GAP, INC. – opportunities The performance of the industry is forecasted to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR rate of 2. 6% during 2006-2011. According to research, the US apparel retailing industry is expected to drive to a value of USD336. 7 billion by the end of 2011. Gap's stores and direct segments provide branded apparel, footwear and accessories for men, women and children through their retail and online stores.The company offering state of the art products and solutions through their wide distribution channel is likely to utilize opportunity of the growing apparel industry and thereby boost their top line growth. Opportunity – Increasing Online Presence With the rising trend of e-commerce business, there is huge potential for the ompany to increase its profitability through the direct-to-customer segment. In the fiscal year ending 2009, the direct-to-customer segment accounted for 7. 87% of the total revenue of the company and it increased by 8. 4% as compared to the sales at the end of the fiscal year 2010. The company can increase the contribution of this segment to the revenue by increasing its online presence. According to Forrester, online sales are expected to increase 13% to about USD 176. 9 billion in 2010. The growth is forecast to be 10%, 9% and 8% for 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. Moreover according to a report published by U. S. Census Bureau the non-store retail sales for the 10 month period from January to October 2010 increased by 12. 7% from the same period in 2009.Such web-based store concept provides consumers the convenience of shopping from home, doing away with the time consuming Journey and saving on the transportation cost. Thus, web sales are expected to register substantial growth in the coming years as e-commerce continues to capture market share from physical stores. The company stands to benefit from the growth trend of e-retail, which is supported by rising internet penetration and increasing familiarity o online shopping. Opportunity – Expansion into New Markets The company has taken several initiatives to enter new geographies in recent financial years.During November 2010, the company opened its firsh Gap store in Italy. This new store is located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Milan's premier shopping district. It also entered into an agreement with Armin Systems Limited to bring Gap stores in Thailand. Moreover during November 2010, the company announced to open its first store in Latin America during the fiscal year 2011. The store will be located in Santiago, Chile. The company also had taken initiatives to launch its Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navvy online brands in Canada, and Gap and Banana Republic online in the UK and nine other European countries.The company also has renewed inter est for a possible foray into India's specialty clothing market through possible venture with Reliance Retail. The company's several initiatives to enter new markets may provide significant exposure to more diversified customer base and strengthen its brand image. THE GAP, INC. – Threats Gap operates in a highly competitive specialty apparel retail industry. It faces intense ompetition from local, national, and global department stores, specialty and discount store chains, independent retail stores, and online businesses, which are dealing with similar products.The company also faces significant competition from the local players in European, Japanese, and Canadian markets. The company's franchisees also faces competition in the respective markets. Increasing global competition in the apparel retailing market may significantly affect the company's market share in the future financial years. Threat – Changing Consumer Behavior Owing to recession, consumers in the US are left with lesser disposable incomes. It is showing in their purchase attitude Consumers tend to reduce their discretionary shopping.According to a consumer survey conducted in the US by Harris Interactive, more than half of adults (54%) say they would reduce discretionary spending during an economic recession and the majority (63%) of adults said they would not make a purchase if there was no deal attached. It clearly states that during an economic recession, consumers would cut budgets, yet will continue to shop when discounts are available. The scenario is a threat to specialty retailers like the company, which ell discretionary products. They will see a decreased footfalls and reduced revenues.In order to attract customers, these retailers will have to spend more on coupons and discounts, which will reduce their margins. Threat – Decreasing Shopping Trips The business of Gap may significantly affected due to decreasing shopping trips of consumers in the US. The US operati ons contributed to 82. 1% of the total revenue of the company in the fiscal year ending 2010. According to a study by Nielsen, outlet shopping trips in the US has shown an average monthly decline of 4% from July 2008 o February 2010.The company has already been recording a decline in comparable store sales over the past few years, which accounts for Change Factors: In the beginning Gap was sell only Levi's products where they have to depend on that particular brand by and large. Later on when they realized depending too much on a particular product may harm the business in the future, they have changed there course of depending on a single particular product . Gradually they have came up with there own product name and different supplier in order to reduce risks. In 1983 Gap purchased Banana Republic

Legalization of Marijuana: Should be Approved? Essay

American people have debated over the legalization of marijuana for many years. This discussion is an example of how the united states have struggled to reach an agreement about the use of marijuana. In recent year’s drug policy have been increasingly challenged, especially in America. In the United States a group of nearly twenty states has allowed the medical use of marijuana, even though neither the federal government nor the United Nations Convention recognize that marijuana has medical uses. In the election of November 2012, Washington State passed a referendum, and Colorado an amendment to its Constitution, which allow the recreational use of marijuana. A result of the legalization of recreational use in Denver, Colorado, have entered more than $ 1.2 million with a mechanism for maximum sales per consumer than an ounce profit status, worth $ 200, a strategy that is used to regulate the individual consumption. For instance, according to Jacob Sullum (2013), author of The Cannabis Is Out Of The bag, â€Å"People 21 or older already are allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.† Nowadays Marijuana users in the United States may finally, starting this January 1, legally have it for recreational purposes in two states in the West, Washington and Colorado. Probably the most controversial news until today is that many companies would begin to distribute marijuana in vending machines as if they were sodas this will be addressed to the public who use marijuana for medical purposes, a patient with a serious medical condition that approaches a vending machine to get a dose of marijuana to cope better with certain symptoms of their disease or treatment is an increasingly common act thanks to the progress achieved by the automatic distribution. But you can still go further. Hence Smart Ventures, a company that invests in mining projects in medical marijuana and playful side, has signed an agreement with Mobile Vending, dedicated to developing mobile technology for control of vending .The objective of this joint venture is to expand and renovate the distribution process with the latest equipment and advanced techniques of identification in order to cash in on the recent legalization of marijuana  and the resulting high demand in the state of Colorado. Both formulas will drive new technology payments and cashless biometric identification methods, either through credit cards, electronic wallets and mobile payment. The new company is called Cannabis Funding Group, Inc. and is now a subsidiary of activity as Smart Ventures. One person who is clearly opposed to medical marijuana is Scott M, Arden. He suggests that there is no incentive to fund clinical trials nor advocate the use of marijuana for medical purposes. he expressed her views in the article †Å"Clinician Reviews† journal. For instance, he says, The negative side effects of medical marijuana pale in comparison to the laundry list associated with numerous prescription drugs that are FDA approved—not to mention tobacco and alcohol, much more addictive products on the market that possess no medicinal value, only detrimental. Additionally, currently available pain medications have been proven highly addictive, and their use and proliferation have led to an epidemic of chemical dependence and related crime. If the big players in the industry had significant potential gains from medical marijuana, it would have been legalized at the federal level years ago. What Scott M. Arden is saying is that it makes no sense the idea of medical marijuana. So, obviously that it will be the same as with the other drugs on the market that are addictive. There are some people who think that more states should legalize at least medical marijuana for the people who really need it. One of the strong supporters of medical marijuana is Karen Bender. She is sure that with additional research medical marijuana may benefit many people. In fact, she says, â€Å"Medical marijuana, like prescribed drugs, may benefit people with MS†. What bender means is that, if the American government is willing to continue prohibiting medical marijuana, American people would never know if is the right thing to do. It is simply means that laboratories and people specialized in the field of medical marijuana should do more research to determine the good things about it and the bad things and how will affect society. Second, another controversial reason to support or oppose legalization of marijuana is based in the economics of execution. Legalizing marijuana will save the government $ 41.3 billion a year in law-enforcement and generate $ 46.7 billion in tax according to The Libertarian Cato Institute but Chris Kennedy a spokesman of the journal â€Å"NEWSWEEK† tells that â€Å"all of our scholars definitely support an end to drug  prohibition.† He thinks that instead of prohibiting marijuana government should legalized it, according to The Libertarian Cato Institute. It is simply means that legalizing marijuana is the best thing to do for economic reasons, that’s why there’s so many controver sy in the economic execution, too much money involved. There are not many people, who support the legalization of marijuana, mostly because they think is not going to help American economy. Most people care about the national security because of terrorists and drug dealers. One person who clearly opposes legalization of marijuana is Pat Buchanan, an advisor to presidents Nixon, Ford, and Reagan , he sure believes American people is financing terrorists and drug dealers. He expressed his opinion in â€Å"NEWSWEEK† journal. For instance, he says, How does one win a drug war when millions of Americans who use recreational drugs are financing the cartels bribing, murdering, and beheading to win the war and keep self-indulgent Americans supplied with drugs? There are two sure ways to end this war swiftly. Milton’s way and Mao’s way. Mao Zedong’s communists killed users and suppliers alike, as social parasites. Milton Friedman’s way is to decriminalize drugs and call off the war. What Buchanan is really talki ng about is that most Americans are supporting and financing the cartels, and that Americans are arguing at the same time for the security when they are the cause of drug cartels having power, that’s why criminals continue enriching illicitly. There are not that many politicians who support the legalization of marijuana. One politician who supports the legalization of marijuana is Tom Tancredo who was running for governor of Colorado on the constitution party ticket. He declares that marijuana should be (Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it) He expressed his opinion in â€Å"NEWSWEEK† journal. For instance, he says, With regard to marijuana, I have no plans to push for its legalization. I simply believe that taking money away from the drug cartels, taking the incentive out of pushing marijuana to kids by imposing the most serious penalties possible on those who do so, focusing our resources on stopping illegal aliens and hard drugs from entering the country, and reducing t he corruption now eating away at our law-enforcement establishment has merit and deserves to be debated. Another main argument has to deal with the Mexican border. There is another politician who supports the legalization of marijuana. It’s Grover Norquist, president of Americas for tax reform, he declares that the legalization of marijuana will  end with drug cartels. For instance, he says, First, there is the mess that is Mexico. Narcoterrorism is made possible by our drug prohibition in the U.S. Then there is the cost of incarceration, Proposition 19 has the opportunity to be the domino that could bring about rational drug policy nationwide. What Norquist is really taking about is that next vote in California for or against Proposition 19, which seeks to legalize the use, distribution and sale of marijuana has led, in the United States and Mexico, a debate on the legalization of drugs. Proposition 19 also plans to allow the cultivation of marijuana by adults in an area not exceeding 25 square feet in their homes and allowed local governments to regulate and collect taxes on commercial production and distribution of the drug. The Uni ted Nations (UN) estimates that one third of the cannabis consumed in the U.S. is produced domestically. Under the new laws of legalization, marijuana stores should produce their own cannabis, and will take several months for some power to make its first crop of recreational marijuana. $ 600 million annual leave year the sale of marijuana in Colorado. A study by Colorado State University estimated that the market for legal marijuana state will be about 600 million dollars annually and generate about $ 130 million in new taxes. The study also estimated that Colorado residents consume about 100 grams of marijuana per capita annually, under the new rules. One person who clearly declares that combating drugs is not the way to solve all problems related with drugs as violence, is James A. Inciardi, a director of the center for drug and alcohol studies. He expressed his views in the book, The Drug Legalization Debate. For instance, he says, â€Å"War on Drugs† is not the answers to the many problems of drug abuse in this country. I reach this conclusion by observing that during the entire time the country has been at war against drugs there has been no attempt in any administration to place the federal agencies and the American people on a wartime status. There are several characteristics of a country at war that have not been met. Although it is very obvious for most people, Legalization is not a magic formula to end violence, it may resolve other serious problems in the country but it is a necessary step in the right direction for a new paradigm that means more security. Marijuana it’s not the illegal drug that leaves more profit, but it is the most trafficked and consumed in the world. The blow to organized crime by removing these revenues vary, according to estimates, 15% to 60% of  the â€Å"profits† of t he drug. The opinion of the people in this area is very diverse, from which there are radically opposed to it until its legalization there are supporters unconditionally. These views depend on many factors, such as age, as the person it’s older the more is opposed to the legalization of these substances, another factor that determines a lot is its political ideology. The people on the left political side tend to approve the legalization of these drugs and the right side tends to reject it, it also depends on the sex gender, men usually supports more its legalization. Also people are influenced by the fact that they tried the drug before. Most of the people who have tried the drug before tend to support the legalization of marijuana. Legalizing cannabis would have the advantage that we can all imagine, a greater product quality, if we smoke or use marijuana as this should not be adulterated because going through some health checks, a much lower cost, as there would be many intermediaries as there are now and also end with the black market and drug trafficking networks. While many of these benefits would not be such, because, for example the black market and drug trafficking networks would not disappear, but still try to sell the cheapest product to make the competition to the government. The failure of prohibitionist and punitive strategy against illicit drugs, we still see an overview of production and consumption worse than in the beginning. It is necessary to create useful tools to combat drug use, which must be accompanied by a more flexible-but not libertarian-use and production perspective. Works cited Conant, Eve. â€Å"Pot and the GOP.† Newsweek 1 Nov. 2010: Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Sullum, Jacob. â€Å"The Cannabis Is Out Of The Bag: Why Prohibitionists Have an Interest in Allowing Marijuana Legalization.† Reason Aug.-Sept. 2013: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Arden, Scott M., and Meg Helgert. â€Å"Opposing Views of Medical Marijuana.† Clinician Reviews Apr. 2011: 2. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Bender, Karen. â€Å"More Support for Medicinal Marijuana.† Momentum Spring 2011: Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Inciardi, James A. The Drug Legalization Debate. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1991. Print.

Psychoanalytic, Jungian and Individual Psychology Theories Essay

The counseling roadmap for this learner essentially begins on an angle, with a number of major theories of degree. Some of the major counseling theories the learner will study, in this course, include: classical psychoanalysis, individual psychology, analytical theory, person-centered therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, existential therapy, solution focused therapy, behavior therapy, gestalt therapy, cognitive therapy, reality therapy, interpersonal approaches to psychotherapy, feminist therapy, and family systems therapy. The learner believes that there will be periods of time with clients, in which one theory will work more effectively than another, or even where eclectic combinations of two or more theories are most appropriate used. Because of times like these, the learner supposes, it is imperative she be well-versed in the foundational elements of a number of major counseling theories, in order to provide the greatest assistance to her future clients, regardless of if she finds herself currently aligned with only one or two of said theories. So, whether you turn out to be an eclectic or a single-theory proponent, knowing the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy is essential. Even eclectics need to know the approaches from which they borrow. † (Murdock 2009) â€Å"According to Maddi (1996), theories are meant â€Å"to foster understanding of something hitherto not understood† (Murdock 2009). The learner is also of the opinion that counseling theories should elucidate and even forecast, to some degree, the client’s behavior in hopes of contributing to the therapeutic end. The learner accepts as true that utilizing one or more recognized counseling theories makes the forecast unambiguous and more open to assessment. The client’s hopes, goals, perceptions, actions, personality, individuality, creative opinion/s about oneself and his or her problems and attitudes towards treatment will contribute greatly to the theory or theories used. In order to utilize the client’s theory of change and to effectively guide the choice of technique or integration of various therapy models best, the learner must be cognizant of the client’s uniquely personal presentation, in theoretical terms. The client is actually the single, most potent contributor to outcome in psychotherapy – through the resources they bring into the therapy room and what influences their lives outside it. † (Andrews 2007) One of the primary reasons clients theoretically attend and seek out counseling is to reach a therapeutic goal, tangible result, or change that they were unable to accomplish on their own. â€Å"All of these theories attempt to explain the process of helping clients change; they all offer some sort of prescription for what one person, the therapist, can do to help the other person, the client, who has sought assistance. (Murdock 2009) As the learner finds the connection between learning theory and its’ application in professional practice, with regards to client therapy, theory must in time, take on a real human experience, a life of its’ own, so to speak. Counseling theory and professional practice should work for her as ideally complimentary partners, changing, growing and adapting, as needed, and over time. The learner recognizes the benefit and reality that one or more of the counseling theories she adopts will likely be amended or change at least once during her profession career. As her client base grows and changes and as she personally and professionally develops, so will her theoretical models, structures, assumptions and predictions. â€Å"Theory should be applied in a critical way, with the recognition that other approaches exist (and are apparently valid, too) and that theories contain biases that can be dangerous to clients. Also, starting with one good theory does not mean you will stay with that theory forever. † (Murdock 2009) For any counseling theory to be effectively applied, the learner believes, a positive alliance with one’s client is foundationally vital. In order to effectively utilize studied counseling theories and apply one or more of them successfully, the client must be on-board. â€Å"We now consider our clients’ worldview, their map of the territory, as the determining ‘theory’ for therapy (Duncan et al. , 1992), directing both the destination desired and the routes of restoration, and all but ensuring the experience of a positive alliance. (Duncan, Miller, Sparks 2007) The learner understands that an open and meaningful association with her clients is so essential for any counseling theory or theories she adopts to be effectively utilized, in professional counseling treatment. The learner is obliged, as a future counselor, to form a close and sincerely, authentic connection with her clients, through various measures such as active listening, evoking empathy, compassion, and conveying an almost absolute sense of acceptance of her clients; These measures are in essence crucial in creating a positive alliance with her clients. In summary, the learner has determined she must study quite a few major counseling theories to create her foundational map from which to work from. The learner will begin the application of the fundamentals of one or more of these theories and superlatively navigate her way on the roadmap towards a degree of diminished psychological symptoms in her future clients. â€Å"Good psychotherapy results in increased self-understanding and, ultimately, can produce changes in lives that increase happiness. †

Cancer

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