Gucci Company Advertising

Introduction In the contemporary world, both teens and young adults tend to identify themselves with particular brand names in the clothing sector. This is basically because they believe that, it promotes a certain image to them as individuals. One of the most common brand names is â€Å"Gucci†.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gucci Company Advertising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This company is often referred to as the House of Gucci or just Gucci. It is famous for its luxurious designs in both clothes and accessories that are coveted globally. The original designer of the Italian fashion house was Guccio Gucci and the company logo thus consists of the ‘G’ letter. Two ‘G’ letters face each other interlocked in such a way that, one ‘G’ is reversed. The teens and young adults today perceive attires from the Gucci Company, as the ‘main thing’ that make s them look classy and cool by virtue of the company’s good reputation and fame. This classy and cool image they acquire in wearing Gucci clothes can be said to have been created by both the company advertising, and the Gucci users themselves. The Connection between Advertising and Cultural Values Advertising and particular cultural values connect in such a way that, the way a product is advertised ought to be in line with cultural values for it to be accepted and sold easily. According to Hovland, advertising often impacts the choice of brand customers decide to utilize versus the advertisement’s capacity to add the product’s generic demand. The way a certain product is advertised plays a big role in fostering the standards of a certain product. However, it is still uncertain as to how much advertising remains a reflection of what already exists, or it actually sets standards that are followed by others. Even in the Gucci Company, it is paramount that its adver ts utilize values as well as symbols relevant to teen’s culture. Despite the fact that advertising may reflect the already existing culture, the fact that it reflects can actually shape culture because there is no equal reflection for everything. It is therefore true to say that, as much as advertising reflects on certain cultural values, it is very selective on this because it echoes as well as reinforces certain behaviors, attitudes and values more frequently than others (Hovland 164). Impact of Advertising on Brands and young Adults The cultural values of teens or young adults ought to be in line with a particular urge to be cool and classy at the same time. This has largely been identified with the way the Gucci clothing is advertised to make the consumer feel that its products are classy and most cool in the fashion trends. It is thus very crucial that an advert attracts customers to buy its products, and also that these products also meet the standards claimed in the ad vertisement.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As much as its adverts are good, the Gucci clothing can be said to have acquired merit in that, they have quality products that have over years gained much reputation. The young adults tend to have a culture of coolness, they want to have and wear the latest designs around and not just any imitations there is. It is because of inter alia, such cultural values within the young generation, that the Gucci Company has increasingly gained market for its clothing. Conclusion In a nutshell, the teens and young adults of today love the Gucci brand name when it comes to clothing. This is because the youth have over time developed a culture to always be fashionable and cool, at the same time to be classy or original as the Gucci clothing depict. The youth thus believe that, wearing the Gucci products promotes this image of coolness and clas s. This is something created by both the existing cultural values of young people, as well as the influence of advertisement such as Gucci. The two factors therefore connect in bringing interest to young customers in purchasing Gucci clothing. Works Cited Hovland, Roxanne. Advertising, Society, and Consumer Culture., New York: M.E Sharpe, 2010. This essay on Gucci Company Advertising was written and submitted by user Sophie Morton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Retarded isnt stupid Mom essays

Retarded isn't stupid Mom essays I am capable, a quote from the mentally retarded Nicole Kaufman to her mother, could have been an alternate title for the book, Retarded Isnt Stupid, Mom. Nicole was a very resilient girl right from the beginning. Rarely did she fail to achieve what she set out to achieve. It wasnt always the simplest and quickest of processes but somehow, someway she would get it done. Nicoles drive and ambitions were something to be desired by anyone. Sandra Kaufman, author and mother of Nicole, expressed her familys frustration with Nicole but at the same time commended and proved that Nicoles family couldnt be prouder after seeing all that she had accomplished. Dancing in the ballet and teaching operations of armored tanks, were not professions that Sandra and Matt Kaufman had gone into to prepare themselves for parenting a child with mental retardation. After meeting in Los Angeles, then being shipped to the Panama Canal Zone, Matt and Sandra decided to make an addition to their family. Their first daughter Nicole was born in 1955. Is she all right, escaped the mouth of Sandra just seconds after Nicole was brought into the world. It was a routine question. One could say it was even the anesthesia talking because it had never entered Sandras mind that her baby would not be 100% healthy. There was, however, some room for concern since Nicole, who was a full term baby, only weighed 4 lbs and 7 ounces. The countless hours of crying and tantrums that came from Nicole for the next 2 years or so were thought of as just the normal noisiness of having a baby. It was in fact Matt and Sandras first child. They were new parents not quite knowi ng the ropes of parenting yet. There was more than just an obsessive amount of crying though. Nicole didnt seem to be developing at a rate that Matt and Sandra could be comfortable with. This led to denial; some babi...

Business Law Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Law Questions - Essay Example The third element of a contract is Contractual capacity. Those entering contracts must be legally competent and have the legal capacity to enter a contract. The fourth element of a contract is legality. The contract has to be legal and not against public policy (211). Thank you for contacting me regarding the unsolicited order and invoice that you received from Hot Air, Inc. I have reviewed the information you presented and can provide you assurance, based on the information given, that you are under no obligation to Hot Air, Inc. for the receipt of the mentioned merchandise. One of the four elements of a valid contract would be ‘agreement’, which would consist of an offer, and an acceptance of that offer. (Clarkson et al. 225) No authorized representative of your company accepted this unsolicited offer, which provides a solid defense. This would fall under the category of an implied-in-fact contract, if you had not returned the merchandise. With an implied-in-fact contract, the conduct of each party, rather than words, would define the terms of the agreement. (215). No words were used, so the remaining question would be is if your actions after receiving the unsolicited goods could constitute a binding contract. (215). This appears not to be the case. In contract law, an offer is â€Å"a promise to or commitment to do or refrain from doing some specified thing in the future.† (Clarkson et al. 225) One of the terms of an offer is â€Å"it must be communicated by the offeror to the offeree, resulting the the offeree’s knowledge of the offer† (225). The ‘reasonable person’ standard is important. Under the reasonable person standard, someone’s words or conduct are taken to mean what a reasonable person in the offeree’s position would think or do. (228). I understand that the blower was held in the mailroom for a couple of weeks and at least one or more people in the receiving department

Company Law in the UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Law in the UK - Assignment Example The ruling of Lord Halsbury seems to uphold the company law that provides that whenever a company is registered, it acquires a separate legal entity and that it can no longer be termed as an agent of its members. In the case of McDaid Development (Ireland) Ltd Company, Mr. Peter McDaid, also the director of the company, was the sole shareholder of the company. On bankruptcy, Mr. McDaid owed the Ireland Bank over  £38 million and about  £800 thousand to small stakeholders. When the company was put under administration, Mr. McDaid was relieved of his duties as a director for a period of eight years on the grounds of misconduct. From the court’s decision in Mr. Salomon’s case, Mr. McDaid cannot be held liable for the company’s debts. Lord Halsbury defended Salomon by the words, â€Å"Company’s debt is Company’s debt† (Wooldridge, 2009, p. 58). As such, company’s debts and the shareholders have little, if not no connection. However, in the U.K. Company law act of 2006, the director is liable to accountability in matters concerning company assets, which Mr. McDaid had failed to provide. On this ground, the removal of Mr. MCDaid is justified. In brief, Company law perceives the company as an entity that is completely isolated from its shareholders. Therefore, it is upon the members, shareholders, and debtors, to evaluate the company’s viability. Though this aspect of the law has been criticized, there is still a lot of support to this ideology of the law.... In the case of McDaid Development (Ireland) Ltd Company, Mr Peter McDaid, also the director of the company, was the sole shareholder of the company. On bankruptcy, Mr McDaid owed the Ireland Bank over ?38 million and about ?800 thousand to small stakeholders. When the company was put under administration, Mr McDaid was relieved of his duties as a director for a period of eight years on the grounds of misconduct. From the court’s decision in Mr Salomon’s case, Mr McDaid cannot be held liable for the company’s debts. Lord Halsbury defended Salomon by the words, â€Å"Company’s debt is Company’s debt† (Wooldridge, 2009, p. 58). As such, company’s debts and the shareholders have little, if not no connection. However, in the U.K. Company law act of 2006, the director is liable to accountability in matters concerning company assets, which Mr McDaid had failed to provide. On this ground, the removal of Mr MCDaid is justified. In brief, Compan y law perceives the company as an entity that is completely isolated from its shareholders. Therefore, it is upon the members, shareholders and debtors, to evaluate the company’s viability before engaging in its operations. Though this aspect of the law has been criticized, there is still a lot of support to this ideology of the law. Question 3 The U.K. company law provides clear guidelines on the duties of Company directors and the consequences of breach of the duties so stated. The expectation of the law is that the director works in the best interest of the company and does not contribute directly to any actions that would hurt the company and its shareholder. Consequently, there exist liabilities and penalties for a

New York and Caribbean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New York and Caribbean - Essay Example lationship between the Europeans and the Amerindian people was affected due to the policies that were put in place by the Europeans who also became the rulers in the region. The Europeans were quite aggressive and they changed the way of life of the people in North America. The paper is thus a reflection of the European settlement in the Caribbean and North America. The non indigenous communities including the Europeans settled in the region due to various reasons. One of the reasons for settling in the area was to spread Christianity. Christopher Columbus was a Christian of the catholic faith and he thought that it was his duty as a good Christian to spread the Christian religion (Cantwell & diZerega Wall, 2003). This led to the settlement of the missionaries in the region. The authorities in Spain were also for the idea of spreading the catholic faith and they sent missionaries who settled in the region. The missionaries from Spain were accompanied by the soldiers who were sent by the authorities. This led to the colonization of the indigenous people as the settlers stated forming the administrative units. The indigenous people were also forced to abandon their religious and cultural practices. The Europeans also intended to establish trade routes along the coastal region and hence leading to the settlement. T his is considering that the Euro peans at the time were mainly involved in trading activities. The coast areas were import for the trade as there were good habours a long the coastal area. The presence of the good habours indicated that the area was good for carrying out the trading activities. The economy of the region at the time was not good as the indigenous people were not actively engaged in economic activities. The explorers were able to come up with the conclusion that the region was not developed economically as compared to the other parts of Europe. Developing the region economically was therefore considered important as it would have

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland Wonderlands history dates back to 1950s when it was started in Germany as a partnership business between a chemist and a child psychologist. These toys flooded the German and the Scandinavian markets in their initial years of launch. The market extended to cover the US and UK in the 1960s. Currently, the company enjoys the largest market share with its toys being available in more than 80 countries worldwide. The company is headquartered in Frankfurt and it has regional head offices in New York, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires. The offices in Frankfurt, Montana and Bute are dedicated solely to the creation of new toys to improve the companys brand. However, China, Taiwan, India, Korea and Honduras do most of the manufacturing works. Wonderland has recorded admirable growth both in its scope of operation and in its revenues. In 2009 for example, the company recorded total revenue of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬850 million from all its regions. In a bid to serve the customers even better, the company diversified its activities in the 80s and 90s to include other childrens items such as school bags, board games and party items. The company has also employed more than 10,000 people who work in different centers. For instance, 3,000 people work in Montana while 2,000 work in Frankfurt. Others work in the local offices as marketers, sales representatives, retailers and distributors of the companys products. LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS Wonderland has been very successful as a result of the contributions made by its stakeholders. These stakeholders are categorized into two divisions; primary stakeholders and secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders These are stakeholders who are directly affected by the company activities and vice versa. They include: Employees Shareholders Customers and Suppliers Secondary stakeholders These have interest in the company but their effect is not felt directly by the company. They include: The government, Media, Competitors, Lobby groups and The local community COMPANY PURPOSE AND STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Company Purpose The purpose of this company is to produce high quality branded children items and distribute them globally so as to reach our target customers and hence fulfill their educational and recreational needs. Stakeholder analysis Primary stakeholders A) Shareholders Shareholders are the owners of Wonderland Company. They invest their money in the company so as to propel it to achieving its objectives. Wonderlands shareholders are categorized into two: institutional shareholders and individual shareholders. Institutional shareholders refer to organizations that have bought shares in this company with the hope of realizing returns from their investment. Examples of such organizations might include Virgin Airlines Company and Sony International Corporation. Individual shareholders, on the other hand, are the individuals who purchase shares of a given company with the aim of making profits. The founders are the major individual shareholders since they contributed the start-up capital. They possess majority of Wonderlands shares and have greater voting powers. In addition, the company has offered shares to other individual shareholders in Frankfurt (Turner, 2011). Interests of shareholders in the company Shareholders have a great interest in Wonderland, as noted above. They invest their money in the company with the hope of realizing returns in the short and long term. They are therefore concerned with the profitability of the company. Wonderlands managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that shareholders are contented with the performance of the company. When making decisions about the company, they ought to be very careful with the outcome since any loss made by the company will be felt by the shareholders. Managers ensure that both the short term and long term effects of their decisions are beneficial to the company so as to improve the value of shareholders investment. Powers of the shareholder In Wonderland, shareholders greatly influence the way it is operated. They decide who will be the company manager and who will be in the board of directors. Shareholders have voting rights on a variety of issues concerning the company. This means that the important decisions affecting the company, such as mergers, cannot be made without their consent. They vote for or against the proposal by the board of directors. Shareholders decision in the company is final. Notably, managers cannot change what has been jointly agreed upon by the shareholders (Worthington, 2007). Shareholders also have the power to make by-laws of the company. By-laws refer to a set of rules and regulations that govern the operation of the company. All the employees of the company abide by these by-laws. Any violation of these by-laws is sanctioned and necessary actions taken. The company holds annual meetings with its shareholders to discuss and review the performance of the company. In this meeting, they review the companys accounts for transparency and profitability check. During these meetings, the appointed auditor presents periodic reports. Members have powers to either endorse or refuse to endorse these reports. Nonetheless, the powers of shareholders in Wonderland commensurate with the number of shares held in the company. For example, an individual shareholder with 1,000 shares in a company has more powers than the one with 50 shares. This means that if the majority of Wonderland shareholders have 20 shares and one of the shareholders has 1,000 shares, it will requir e the company to have 50 shareholders with 20 shares so as to match the voting powers of one member with 1,000 shares (Worthington, 2007). B) Employees Employees refer to the workers in a company. They are directly associated with daily operations and therefore determine the output of the company. They can be categorized into different levels depending on the nature of the company. They include individual contributors, professionals, managers and senior technical professionals, directors and company presidents. In Wonderland, each employee fits in his place in the organization depending on the level of education and skill specialization. In order to effectively achieve the objectives of the company, managers have a duty of ensuring that work is well structured so as to avoid collision of employees. Similarly, it is important for the managers to communicate the vision of the company so that employees work collectively towards achieving this vision (Shukla, 2006). Interests of employees There are various interests that employees have in Wonderland. One of the most important ones is having their fundamental rights respected. These rights include the right to remuneration, right to associate with others, right to fair treatment, freedom from discrimination and freedom of expression, among others. Therefore, they will be productive if these rights are honored and if they feel that they are being respected. To achieve this, managers need to cultivate a working environment that will compel employees to give their best so as to achieve the objectives of the company (Shukla, 2006). Wonderland employees just like in any other company want to receive competitive pay. Competitive pay refers to the payment that is made to employees and that which commensurate with the employees skills, level of education and motivation in the work place. They expect a pay that is consistent with the market rates (Shukla, 2006). The companys employees also want to be given an opportunity to earn more. This is made possible by increasing their pay with time, paying them for overtime work and commissions where necessary. Another expectation of employees is regular review of their pay. This means that employees do not expect to stagnate in one pay scale. In addition, they need to be given a chance to participate in the decision making process as this will motivate them to work towards the enactment of these decisions (Shukla, 2006). Employee powers Employees have a great influence on the direction that a company takes. As highlighted above, managers, as the employees of Wonderland, are mandated to run the company. They therefore have powers to make decisions on the day to day running of the business. If these decisions are sound, the company stands to benefit. However, if they make misguided decisions, the performance of the company will deteriorate. It is the duty of Wonderlands human resources manager to hire junior employees to carry out middle and lower level activities of the company. If the human resources manager hires skilled and qualified people for this work, then the company will yield good results. However, if he hires under-qualified staff, Wonderland will not achieve its objectives (Shukla, 2006). The motivation of the employees in the company also plays a big role in the achievement of the company objectives. It is the duty of the employee to carry out the decisions made by the shareholders and the top management. A positively motivated workforce will carry out its duties with passion thereby enhancing the realization of the goals communicated to them. Negatively motivated employees on the other hand may affect the reputation of the company by producing poor quality commodities. It is therefore the duty of the company managers to cultivate a participative culture where an employee will be free to communicate his feelings about the company (Shukla, 2006). C) Customers Customers are the buyers of Wonderlands products. They are the end users of its product. They include the parents of children in pre-schools and primary schools. Throughout the manufacturing process, great care is taken so as to produce products that are competitive in the market and they that add value to the customer. It is important for the business to understand the behavior of its customers. Satisfied customers are pillars of any successful business. They also contribute to the reputation of the company if their needs are met as they desire. The customers determine the growth potential of a business (Akinnola 2011). Accordingly, every business manager who has the desire to generate income from the business must strive to ensure that the desires of the customers are met. Though customers are not included in the decision making process of the company, they play a big role in enhancing the achievement of the set business objectives. Interests of customers The interest of the customers in Wonderland is to maximize the utility derived out of the consumption of its products. They want the company to meet their needs in a way that creates value for their money. In order to fulfill this demand, the company must ensure that they first survey those needs before embarking on production. Through this, the company will be assured of ready market. However, companies that go ahead to make production without consulting from the customers risk market failure (Akinnola, 2011). Power of the customers Customers have a greater influence on the success of the company than any other stakeholder. It is a known fact that the profits of the company are out of the customers spending. If the spending by the customers is low, then the profitability of the company also declines and the opposite is true. The influence of the customers is so strong that managers must consult before making any decision affecting them (customers). In the toy industry, customers tastes play a big role. It is imperative for the Wonderland to carry out a research so as to understand the tastes of customers in different parts of the world. Cultural influences also affect the customers decision making process. As the companys products target different cultures, it is important to study these cultures so that the toys which will be produced meet the demands of these markets (Akinnola, 2011). D) Suppliers Suppliers are the firms and the individuals who deliver the resources that the company uses in the production of goods and services. Wonderland establishes specific suppliers so as to ensure consistency in the provision of the necessary resources. If resources are not supplied on time, production delays will be inevitable and consequently the customers will not receive finished goods on time. In establishing the relationship between the suppliers and the company, it is important to note that this relationship is based on value. Value in the sense that if the suppliers deliver quality resources, the end products will be of high quality and therefore goods delivered to customer will reflect value for his money. Interests of suppliers Suppliers are businessmen and therefore their main interest in the company is profits. The second interest of suppliers in the company is to secure a contract that will shield them in case the market fluctuates. Suppliers desire to be in business throughout the year. However, there are seasons when the prices go down making them to operate at a loss. Securing a contract to supply resources to the company means that the prices will not fluctuate and therefore the supplier will make profits all through. Powers of the suppliers Sometimes suppliers may join forces to dictate the terms of their supply to the company. This is especially in situations where suppliers are few and the buyers are concentrated. When the supplier has a strong brand name, he may have greater influence in the company than other factors. Nonetheless, mutual agreement between the supplier and the company is required to ensure that a sustainable relationship exists. To neutralize these powers, Wonderland can contract for its needed resources in advance so as to prevent the supplier from misbehaving as the market changes. Secondary Stakeholders A) The government The role of the government in Wonderland cannot be overlooked. Being an external stakeholder, it plays an important role in shaping the external environment within which the company operates. The roles of the government in the company are executed by a specially formulated agency that is answerable to the government. The main interest of the government in the company is to regulate its operations so as to ensure that consumers do not suffer loss as a result of business activities. The government therefore regulates the competitive practices, and the industry-specific practices. In addition to its regulatory roles, the government has powers over the Wonderland Company. It can revoke its license and subject it to legal actions in case its activities are not acceptable in the country where it operates (Enotes, 2011). B) The media Media plays an important role in Wonderlands growth. For example, the company will use media to reach out to the target customers. Media also creates a forum whereby the customers express their views about given company. The media can influence the image of the company among the customers and therefore influence their purchase decision. The company must therefore cultivate a positive relationship with the media so as to have a positive image in the face of its stakeholders. As far as Wonderland is concerned, efforts have been put in place and agreements achieved with Disney and childrens TV programme producers so that the company will use the character of these programs in designing toys and accessories (Liss, 2000). C) Competitors Competitors are other important stakeholders in the company. The presence of competitors in the industry help in improving the quality of products produced and services rendered. The interest of the competitors in a company is to learn its weaknesses and capitalize on them. There is competition for customers as well as market share. Our companys managers therefore need to be cautious when disclosing information about the company that can be used by the competitors to the disadvantage of the company, especially in a market where there are many competitors (Carlson 2004). It is important for our company to take a survey of the market so as to identify competitors, their weaknesses and strengths. In the toy market, Wonderland faces stiff competition from Mattel and Hasbro. Both have been in the market for many years and therefore offer stiff competition to Wonderland in its bid to capture the promising markets all over the world. In addition, the two companies have strong brand names be sides offering a variety of products targeting different customers. D) Lobby groups A lobby group refers to a collection of people who come together to advocate for certain interests that they feel are threatened by the decision made by the company leaders. In as much as lobbying affects the performance of the companies, it is one of the trusted means through which proper functioning of the businesses can be achieved. Environmental activists are examples of a lobby group that greatly influences the operations of Wonderland. With the issue of global warming taking priority, they seek to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide that the company releases in the process of modeling the toys. Their interest is to ensure that the operations of the company do not negatively affect the environment. Lobby groups have powers to influence the activities of the company. They can influence the consumers to boycott the products of the company. It is therefore imperative for the company to establish a positive relationship with the lobbyists so as to avoid instances of being accused for undertaking illegal activities (Hart, 2004). E) Local community When the company undertakes corporate social responsibility activities, its intention is to create a positive impact on the local people directly related to the company. In Wonderland, local communities are the people who surround the company. In case of harmful emissions from the company, the local community would be the first to receive the effects. Local communities offer the local infrastructure that the company needs in order to achieve its objectives. On the other hand, they expect the company to pay back by carrying out activities that do not adversely affect them. These stakeholders have powers to influence the company to either continue with its activities or to stop its operations. They are able to unite and stop the company from causing negative effects to the community (BusinessLink, nd). The Global Society Global society, in its most basic definition, refers to the society that is integrated together into a single community with improved levels of interaction. Global society is a consequence of the globalization process. Human beings are social by nature and would embrace any means that brings them close to each other. Courtesy of internet technology, people can communicate with other on the far side of the world just by a click of the mouse. Nonetheless, global society deals more with the individuals in the society than it does with the general society. It is the efforts of individuals that lead to the development of global society. The vision of the founders of Wonderland was to reach customers in all parts of the world. Globalization has speeded the achievement of this vision by facilitating prompt marketing and distribution of the company products. Generally speaking, global society has improved efficiency with which people in the society interact (Taylor Francis, 2011). Integrating the concept of global society into the operations of any business raises issues that are not consistent with the goals of the company. Some of these issues favor the accomplishment of the business objectives while others hinder this accomplishment. These issues include: Cultural differences Inequity in development Environmental degradation Human rights abuse Government structures 1) Cultural Differences Culture refers to a set of beliefs that a given group of people has adopted as their way of life. No culture is greater than the other and attempting to change peoples culture is an effort in futility. Founders of Wonderland decided to launch their operations in areas with a culture different from that of the companys home country so as to be more competitive and more profitable. They also wanted to outsource raw materials from other countries where the cost of acquiring those resources are lower than in the home country. (Smith Ethel, 2007). The most successful companies are those that have understood the cultural differences of target customers. These companies keep abreast of the importance of these differences and will research ways to fulfill customer needs without interfering with their cultures. Wonderland understands that people from different cultures might have different approaches to the same issues (Smith Ethel, 2007). 2) Inequity in Development This refers to the differences in the levels of development in different countries. It is measured both in economic and infrastructural terms. Inequity in development affects the running of international companies. Factor endowment contributes more to this inequality whereby companies that are endowed with more resources excel better than those with fewer resources. With development inequality being experienced in the global society, it is hard to achieve a fair play ground where all companies can compete favorably. Also, as a result of differences in the factors of production, massive movement of labor from one country to another is affecting the operations of the company. For this reason, a difference in Wonderlands prices is justifiable. In countries where cost of operation is low, our products are low and vice versa. In general, companies operating in the global environment are as competitive as their resources can allow (Taylor Francis, 2011). 3) Environment Degradation Environmental degradation is another issue that global society has brought. The issue of global warming is being addressed and measures being put in place to combat global warming. The Kyoto protocol of 1997 that sought to regulate the percentage of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the industries is still in discussion with companies being forced to adhere to the restrictions imposed by this protocol. Wonderland therefore checks on its processes to avoid legal actions from being instituted against it. Notably, in the toy companies, modeling plastics releases smoke into the atmosphere. Being part of the global society, the company will take measures to ensure that it honors this requirement (Taylor Francis, 2011). 4) Human Rights Abuse When operating in a global society, it is possible to unknowingly promote the abuse of human rights. Much business is done via the internet without necessarily knowing the processes that take place at the other end. For example, a company may order a product online. The supplier will send the consignment to the buyer. Without proper research the buyer may not know how this product has been manufactured. The supplier may have used child labor, which is in contravention of basic human rights. Wonderland will ensure that it chooses suppliers that do not engage in such activities. 5) Government structures in a global society Another issue that Wonderland faces when operating in a global society is the difference in government structures. The structure of the local government where the company is located may be different from the structures of the other country. An example of this is where the local government embraces socialism economy and the foreign country embraces capitalism economy. Secondly, a government may be aristocratic while another one may be democratic. Operating in varying government structure may be difficult therefore companies will need to understand this from the outset (Taylor Francis, 2011). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Frederick Douglass revolutionary novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; An American Slave, sent a seismic shock through American society, altered many peoples perception of the â€Å"peculiar institution†, and utilized a stylistic combination of flawless rhetoric and his poignant first-hand account of childhood shattered by slavery. Douglass childhood was marred by an all-encompassing sense of nothingness, he did not know his parentage, mother, age, or birthday; he felt inferior to white children, and lusted after the simple knowledge about themselves the whites regarded so casually. Through revealing specific details of his childhood experiences Douglass creates an emotional connection with his intended audience, Christian, white, Northerners, and by use of pathos, strengthens that bond with every paragraph. Douglass begins his haunting tale with one of the few cemented truths of his childhood; his birthplace. He was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, to Harriet Bailey, an attractive slave woman with a dark complexion and light, loving demeanor. However, these small truths were overshadowed by dark, looming clouds of uncertainty, which posed more questions than it ever answered. A young Douglass was left confused; Who was his biological father? Why was he so cruelly separated from him mother? What was his true age? Was the master actually his Father? These questions pestered Douglass for years, and as the excerpt explains, he had no venue through which to glean the information. â€Å"I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master†¦He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent.† Douglass spent his childhood swathed in mystery, he never had the chance to enjoy the warmth of a mothers love, swathed, bundled, protected. Douglass accounts his separation from his mother for a variety of reasons; including an effort to solicit pathos from his readers, illustrate the magnitude of inhumanity bestowed upon slaves, and to appeal to white mothers, who would deem the action both barbaric and unforgiveable. Douglass reflects upon his mothers death with very little emotion, and states â€Å"She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my masters farms, near Lees Mill.† This quote exemplifies an understatement at its best; Douglass remarks upon his mothers death the way one talks about the weather, matter-of-fact and resigned. The casual way he speaks of his mothers absence in his life is directly conflicts with the sacred bond betweenmother and childset forth through countless books and artworks, such asLa Pieta.According to Douglass, separating a mother and child before twelve months was a common practice in Maryland, an action which most likely would have been deemed irreprehensible by sympath etic northerners. Douglass also tackles another large and unsolved topic; the mysterious identity of his father. Although Douglass is mostly uncertain of the details of childhood, one concrete fact remained a constant; his father was white. Douglass writes â€Å"The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing†¦the means of knowing were withheld from me.† This quote is perhaps the most profound piece of the provided excerpt, not only did it add a new and puzzling aspect into the glimpse of Douglass childhood, but it also provided ammunition to enrage the pious, abolitionist, Northerners. Douglass rawappeal to emotionspeaks volumes, the scope of slavery knew no bounds, and bent the moral code of the 19thcentury to suit its depraved ways. Douglass non-existent father is introduced alongside the death of his mother, conjuring up feelings of sympathy and pity for Douglass among his intended audience. Douglass innocence was snatched away by the poisonous talons of slavery, leaving him vulnerable to the plights facing the adult world while still within the confines of childhood. By recollecting thetraumatic eventsof his early years he solicits a barrage of emotions from his intended audience, ensuring the success of his slave narrative. The death of his mother and hidden the identity of his father, Douglass paints a picture of heartache, loneliness, and uncertainty. In conclusion, Douglass detailed recollection of his past created pathos within his intended audience and undoubtedly opened the eyes of a plethora of ignorant Americans who simply believed slavery was a natural practice within Americas boundary lines.

Reducing the Harm of America?s Drug Problem Essay -- essays research p

The use and abuse of non-prescription drugs has been a problem in America since colonial times. Historically, the reaction to this problem has been the enforcement of prohibition laws and providing total abstinence education. This has resulted in big business in America; according to the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, the federal government spent $19.2 billion dollars in 2003 on the war on drugs (1). Unfortunately, the abstinence based education and prohibition laws that are incorporated in the war on drugs have been wholly ineffective in slowing the demand for illicit drugs, and have had the opposite effects of driving up demand, street value, and drug-related crimes. The U.S. war on drugs bases its success on a decrease, and eventual eradication of the prevalence of drug use, a goal that has yet to be met. Detroit chief of police Jerry Oliver, in a 2002 interview with ABC news, said â€Å"Clearly, we’re losing the war on drugs in this country [and] i t’s insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over again† (qtd. in Stossel). As the war on drugs continues to fail and cost this country billions of dollars, it has become clear that a new approach to the problem is needed. By changing the focus from trying to decrease the overall use of drugs to focusing on decreasing the negative side effects (both personal and societal) of drug use, our country will finally be able to make significant steps forward in our drug problem. This approach is known as harm reduction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harm reduction is a multi-faceted philosophy that includes various strategies to help lessen the negative impact of drug abuse on our society. These negative impacts include death, disease, suffering and crime. One of the basic assumptions which harm reduction is based on is â€Å"there has never been, is not now, and never will be a drug-free society† (Drug Policy Alliance). Some of the approaches endorsed by harm reduction are science-based, rather than scare tactic education, treatment for drug addicts instead of imprisonment, and the reduction of health risks for addicts still actively using drugs. The programs which have grown out of these ideals will not only reduce the cost of the drug war through reduction of imprisonment and law enforcement costs, but will reduce the spread of diseases associated with drug use such as HIV/AIDS.   Ã‚   ... .... Drug Policy Alliance. â€Å"Treatment vs. Incarceration† Drugpolicy.org 2004. 21 July 2004. Myers, Jim. â€Å"Just Say Less.† Youth Today May 2003. Pew Research Center. â€Å"Interdiction and Incarceration Still Top Remedies† People-Press.com 21 March 2001. 25 July 2004. Riley, Diane & O’Hare, Pat. â€Å"Harm Reduction: Policy and Practice.† Prevention Researcher 2000. 25 July 2004. Rosenbaum, Martha. â€Å"Kids, Drugs, and Drug Education, A Harm Reduction Approach† Drugtext.org 1996. 22 July 2004. Stossel, John. â€Å"Just Say No: Government’s War on Drugs Fails.† ABC News.com 30 July, 2002. 25 July 2004. United States. Office of National Drug Control Policy. National Drug Control Strategy: FY 2003 Budget Summary. Feb 2002. 25 July 2004. United States. Partnership for a Drug-Free America. A Snapshot of the Teen Drug Problem in America Today 2002. 25 July 2004. < http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/ Templates/Article.asp?ws=PDFA&vol=1&grp=NewsCenter&cat=Feature+Stories&top=Articles&tit=A+Snapshot+of+the+Teen+Drug+Problem+in+America+Today> Zernike, Kate. â€Å"Anti-Drug Program Says it will Adopt a New Strategy.† The New York Times on the Web 15 Feb. 2001. 25 July 2004.

Shouldice Hospital Case Study

Shouldice Hospital Case Study Calvin Barron Liberty University March 2, 2010 Respectfully submitted to Prof. Scott McLaughlin Overview The Shouldice Hospital serves as a glaring example of extraordinary service and care for the impaired and needy. From carpeting and soft lighting to doting personal care from the staff, the Shouldice experience sets a standard of excellence for the industry. Dr. Earl Shouldice displayed an early desire for medical understanding with an age 12 exploratory of a farm animal. Medical training at the University of Toronto led to a private practice after World War One. An appendectomy of an obstinate young child led to questioning of his medical training concerning surgical recovery. The child’s refusal to remain still and bedfast after surgery led to the present â€Å"Shouldice method†. The consideration of immediate ambulation promoting quicker recoveries was proven by the observation and inspection of numerous cases following the stubborn child who refused to sit still. Dr. Shouldice used the following years to study and improve on these observations. The Shouldice Hospital was founded to use these observations to promote and capitalize on his proven method of hernia repair. In something of an assembly line method, Dr. Shouldice designed and developed his current factory type facility. Textual Concepts Competitive Service Strategies from pages 38-41 of the text offers strategies to further the expansion of the Shouldice hospital service methodology. Service and Design Elements from pages 68-69 highlight Shouldice Hospital in the text specifically. Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act system of continuous improvement on page 146 of the text seems the basis of Shouldice’s methodology. Deming’s 14 Point program from page 154 of the text offers some important steps which could be used to softly promote progress within the Shouldice program. Franchising from page 343 of the text offers an answer to immediate inexpensive expansion to the current model. Strengths The Shouldice Hospital has an easily identifiable surgical procedure, recovery practice and service known by the Name of Shouldice worldwide. The hospital experiences a backload of patients for the better part of the year due to simply word-of-mouth advertisement. The hospital has an â€Å"Alumni† of 140,000 clients assumed to be satisfied with the procedures. Out of the 140,000 just . 8% is reported as be reoccurring hernias. Compared to the United States alone, noted as having the best health care in the world, the report indicates a 10% U. S. reoccurrence problem. The relatively low cost of services provided including the operation and travel is small to say the least and serves only to increase demand for the experience. The increase in patient applications prompted an expansion in productivity which only served to increase the demand the more. Shouldice is as supportive to their staff as they are to their patients. Above average pay, benefits, and profit sharing serve to entice a dedicated performance out of the staff. Doctors are said to find the Hospital desirous due to the light workload and the ability to live a full home life with their families. Weaknesses Only external hernias are repaired by the program. The inclusion of internal hernias has been discouraged due to the increased amount of time needed to deal with the more extensive procedures in such a fast paced environment. The chances of extenuating circumstances create an unpredictable outcome as well as increased recovery time. The only site offering these unique services is located in Canada. Cases such as that of the author of this report are found to be excluded from such a procedure due to the need for international travel, governmental barriers, and monetary relations with foreign entities. Dr. Obney has resisted changes based on his inability to be on hand in case of an emergency or on his personal preferences. The ability to add another surgical day or an additional floor to the Hospital and take on more patients is as well off-set by the age and availability of Dr. Obney to be there at an increased rate. Only healthy average weight individuals are accepted as patients. The hernias are chosen as quick and easy repairs to maximize the ability for a greater quantity of patients and a quicker turnaround time. Doctors are taught and expected to adhere to the Shouldice method barring any deviation from the routine. Any deviation from the norm is required to demand a conference with other surgeons before continuance. Free thinking is frowned upon and the motto of â€Å"Excellence is the enemy of Good† is taught and adhered to there. Suggestions From page 39 of the text, Standardizing_ a Custom Service_ offers an ideal prospect for the Shouldice Hospitals’ expansion of services. â€Å"†¦family health care centers are attractive means of delivering routine professional services at low cost. (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2008, p. 39) Considering the profile listed in the text concerning Shouldice Hospital and the service design element of the Facility being highlighted as the discussion topic from pages 68-69 any further discussion of the facilities design would be counterproductive. The ability to reproduce the factory type facility in Canada should be simple enough due to the strict discipline followed and the highly controlled and co-productive nature of the clientele, the operation techniques and procedures, and the strict recovery process. The relocation to different countries would be the obvious next step since patients worldwide seem to flock to their present location. The garden acres typesetting would indicate a rural setting for additional locations which would allow the lesser expense of non commercial and non prime real estate for typical settings. The feasibility of offering franchises with the demand to strictly duplicate the Canadian model would allow a swifter expansion to a global market. The franchiser retains the right to dictate conditions. Standard operating must be followed. Materials must be purchased from either the franchiser or an approved supplier. No deviation from the product line is permitted, training sessions must be attended, and continuing royalty fees must be paid. (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2008, p. 343) The Harvard business case of Shouldice Hospital includes a reproduction of a Boca Raton Florida advertisement for a knock-off Shouldice experience; â€Å"The Canadian Hernia Clinic† featuring â€Å"no overnight stay†Ã¢â‚¬ . (Heskett, 2003, pg. 8) This could be avoided with simple advertisement and a franchise offering to the popular and lucrative Canadian model. The Plan-Do-Check-Act prospect introduced by Deming in the text appears to be the process indicated in the case study that Dr Shouldice employed in the facilities development, or at least some variation thereof. To use W. Edwards Deming’s 14-point program as a model for the implementation of progressing the service model implemented by Dr. Shouldice would only be appropriate. On point Ten with the â€Å"Excellence is the Enemy of Good† Shouldice employs serves to allow and promote mediocrity as opposed the Deming’s point of striving toward excellence. From Deming we find statements such as; Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs†¦Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs†¦Institute leadership. The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of an overhaul, as well as supervision of production workers†¦Eliminate slogans†¦Remove barriers that rob the hourly paid worker of his right to pride in workmanship. (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2008, p. 154) The leadership and allow worker pride in their workmanship all seem to go against the Shouldice model. Followers and automated pre programmed automatons are seemingly encouraged at The Shouldice Hospital. The situation seems to discourage the exact kind of innovation which was responsible for the Hospital and the method and the experience developed by Dr. Shouldice through innovation and improvement on the status quo of his day. Deming said â€Å"Innovation in all business of should be expected† (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2008, p. 154) this is not the practice of Shouldice. Instead they repeat a proven function and disallow any deviation or improvement. It is suggested that Dr. Obney step aside and allow the Facility to be globalized as well as the process. Expanding upon the process as well as the facility should open up new avenues of improvement and innovation such as that which Dr. Shouldice noticed, explored, developed, and expanded upon so many years ago. The Shouldice Hospital serves as a glaring example of extraordinary service and innovation and should be reproduced and made available to the rest of the world. References Fitzsimmons, J. A. & Fitzsimmons, M. J. (2008). _Service Management: Operations, Strategy, and Information Technology_ (6th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Heskett, James (2003) MBS-Harvard Business Case, Shouldice Hospital Ltd. , Harvard Business Cases MBS Direct, Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163

Essay Sample on Software and Copyrights

Essay Sample on Software and Copyrights Sample essay on Software and Copyrights: Current copyright and patent laws are  inappropriate for computer software; their imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin  foils and witched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we havent done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and  films, which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on a computer, it is considered writting, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). It is generally covered today by copyright laws, for most mass market software at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results in many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain the protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bobs Graphic Program. With copyrighted material, one is able to write software similiar to someone elses, so long as the programming code is their own, and not borrowed from the others (Del Guercio 22-24). This keeps the industry competitive, and thus results in better software (because everyone is greedy, and they dont want to fall behind). With patents no one is allowed to create software that performs a similar functions. Take AutoCAD and TrueSpace 2, two 3D modeling programs. TrueSpace 2 would be a violation of patent laws, as it performs a very close task to AutoCADs, which came first. Luckily for us, CAD programs are not new, they have been around for more than 10 years, and no one thought to patent them. Thus, you can see the need for change in the system. The current laws regarding the protection of intellectual material cannot adequately protect software, they are either too weak or too strict. We need a new category of protection. The perfect protection law would most likely last for 10 years, renewable. This is long enough to protect a program for as long as it is still useful, and allows for sequels and new versions just in case. It would also have to allow for others to make similar software, keeping the industry competitive, but it would have to not allow copying of portions of other software (because you cant quote something from someone elses software like you can with a book). However, there are many who dispute this, and I can see their point. Current copyright laws have and will protect software effectively, it can be just as protected as other mediums (Cosgrove). This is true sometimes, however, to copy a book would take time. You would have to type up each page to make a copy of it, or at least photocopy or scan each page, and it would most likely take up much more time than its worth. To copy a computer program however, takes seconds. Changing the law would take time and money, you might be saying. It would be a tremendous hassle in Congress to have a new law written just to cover that Information Superhighway thingy. Yes, thats true too, but to not change the laws will cost more. With the ability to patent new and non-obvious software functions comes serious problems. The latest new technology, be it ray-tracing 3D engines, anti-aliasing software, or a new internet exploring fad can be patented. This would mean that only one company and its software could use it. Any other companies that wanted to use the software would have to pay them a large sum of money for the rights. Also, since patent hearings are conducted over a period of 3 years, and in secrecy, company a might create a software package and then apply for a patent, and company b may create better software during that period, and might become quite successful, and then bam, the patent is given to the company a, who prompty sues the pants off company b. T his stagnates the computer industry; it used to be that company a would retaliate by making better software (Del Guercio 22-24). For example, Lotus software. They used to make data organization software. Up until I did this report, I thought they had gone out of business, because I hadnt heard about anything new being done by them. Well, while I was researching, I found the appalling truth. When patenting of software became acceptable in the early 90s, they closed up their RD departments and called in a bunch of lawyers to get them patents on all their programming techniques (Del Guercio 22-24). Ever since then, theyve been selling out the rights as their primarily (and Im willing to bet, only) business. This could even be taken to the extremes of actually patenting simple methods of handling data, such as say, mouse support. Now, it cant happen to mouse support as it is today, but in the future, something  undoubtedly will replace the mouse as the preferred method of input, for instance, in what may be a virtual reality future, the glove might be the input device. Anyway, say it did happen to mouse support. Every single program that uses mouse support would have to pay a fee for the rights to do so. This would result in higher software prices (arent they high enough?), and reduced quality in the programs, as they have to worry about the legalities more (Del Guercio 22-24). Needless to say, the patenting of software is not a widely loved policy, mostly embraced by large corporations like Lotus and Microsoft (Tysver Software Patents). Smaller companies and most often consumers are generally against it. Even with all the legal problems Ive mentioned that arise with current laws, thats not all. The complexity of software protection laws brings up a large degree of confusion. I myself thought that copyrights lasted 7 years until I read this. I asked 15 people in a chat room on the Internet what they knew about software protection laws, and only one of them knew that software could be patented. 12 of them thought that it cost lots of money for a copyright, which it doesnt. Its $20 for a copyright at most, and $10000 at most for a patent. 5 of them thought that software copyrights lasted 7 years (hey, its a popular misconception, I thought so myself at one point). And last but not least, 10 of them believed that there was no laws regarding the copying of software (there are, but theyre virtually ineffective). Now that you know all about the legal and business aspects of software protection, lets take a look at how it can affect you. Say youve got a web page, and youve got a link on your web page to your friend Bobs web page, and hes got a link on his page to JoeS LeeT PiRaCY aND WaReZ, and on that site, there is a link to a pirated copy of AutoCAD. Then Joe gets busted. Joe will almost certainly be in trouble, Bob will likely be either questioned or considered responsible, depending on the blatancy of the link, and YOU will likely be questioned and your page might be monitored for a time (Bilodeau). One such example is my web page. I had a link from my page (the Wierd Wide Web) to Archaic Ruins, which is a site regarding information on emulators of old video game systems. When the operator of Archiac Ruins got sued by a video game company (I think it was Konami), I too got questioned, and had my page had ANY questionable material on it, I would have been sued. Thankfully, I was too lazy t o work on the page, as I had planned to put up a page that had really old videogames. Who said procrastination was bad? How can you prosecute someone for a crime that is undefined? Thats a question many people are asking. What is a copy of software? Is it a physical clone of the media it came on? Or is it the code duplicated to someplace else? If so, where else? Currently, software copying is generally considered a copy of the code someplace else but thats a problem. We all know that a backup of software is a copy, but did you know that even running the software creates a copy of it? Yes, it does. When you load a program, it goes into your computers memory, and is legally considered a copy. While the copy does not stay indefinitely, it does stay long enough to perform a certain task, and can and has been looked upon as a form of software piracy, as stupid as that sounds. (Tysver Software Patents) BBS (Bulletin Board Systems, small online services run by normal people) Sysops (system operators) are legally considered responsible for all the files that are available on their system (Elkin-Koren). While at first this seems like an obvious thing, after all, it is their computer, they should know whats on it. However, if you had ever run a BBS before, which I do, youd know that its hard, if not impossible to know whats on your computer. Planet-X, my friend John Morses BBS, which I co-run, has 50 calls a day. Of those 50 calls, about 35 of them upload or download software. Neither one of us is constantly monitoring the system, nor is there a way to make the computer automatically check to see what happens. Thus, about half of the public files on the BBS we dont know about. Lets take a look at an example of BBSs and copyright, and how they oh-so-beautifully coincide. Sega Ltd., maker of the Sega Genesis and Sega Gamegear, recently sued the Maphia BBS for making Sega Genesis ROMs publically available in a download section. This section was a type of digital rental as it is commonly known in the BBS community. Commercial software publically available for download, on an on-your-honor system, you had to delete the files after a short period of time (24-48 hours). Unfortunately for the Maphia BBS, they did not have a disclaimer, stating that the files must be deleted after a trial period, and thus, Sega was able to sue them for it, as without the disclaimer, there was no proof that they had used the digital rental system, and thus it was not fair use, as it could be used for monetary gain by the downloader (not having to buy the game). Of course, it could be used for that purpose WITH the disclaimer, but the disclaimer does just that, disclaims the BBS operator of the responsibilities of that copy of software (Elkin-Koren). Another such case was the case between Playboy (I think we all know who that is), and the Frena BBS. The public file areas on the Frena BBS frequently contained image files, and more often than not, they were adult image files. Well, I dont know exactly how it happened, but Playboy somehow found out that this BBS had some scanned photos from a Playboy magazine, and because they have the copyright to all their photos, they w ere able to sue the operator of the Frena BBS. The operator had no idea that there were any Playboy images on his system (Elkin-Koren). Speaking of image files, they too can be a problem with software protection. Say youve got an image file that someone had copyrighted. You load it up in a photo-retouching program, and add a big old goat in the background and paint the sky red. Then you remove the artists file name. Viola, the picture is now semi-legally copyrighted to you, as it has been significantly changed from its original, although I wouldnt recommend going to court over it (Grant 12). All you have to do is change a very large portion of the image files coding. Technically, darkening or blurring the image, changing the file format, or interlacing the file changes the file entirely, and thus, its yours. Sounds too easy? It is. Copyrights and patents are designed to help the media it protects. But in the case of technology, its actually hindering it. CD-ROMs contain a lot of information, and are the perfect media for music. A lesser known media, the Digital Video Disc, or DVD, is much more versitile, containing 26 times the storage compacity of a CD-ROM, and 11500 times more than a standard floppy disk, or about 17 gigabytes (the largest hard drives are 9 gigs). However, DVDs are not available to the public. Why? Because of the ease of copying them. Weve all dubbed tapes, its easy to do. However, we often opt for higher quality originals, because there is always a bit of degradation in the copies (although its very small now). With DVDs, a copy is exactly that, a copy. No degradation, no reason to buy an original. All the big companies are really scared by this technology, because it will take another five bucks out of their pockets. DVDs would be one of the greatest advancements in the short history of computers, but because of the shadier uses it could be used for, well never see it. I like to compare it to the Internet, its very useful, but it can be used for illegal purposes. You be the judge (Ross 134-140). Luckily, we may yet someday see DVDs, because several companies are developing copy protection schemes for them, to stop the casual home hacker/copier. Macrovision, for instance, is producing hardware for the DVD player that will make them incompatible with VCRs (the easiest dubbing-to platform, the equivilant of CD to audio tape). It will send output through the audio/video out ports that when played on a TV, will appear normal, but when played through a VCR, will have color stripes running sideways across the screen. This is due to the differences between the ways the two work (Ross 134-140). So as you can see, current methods of protecting software are a hinderance on the software industry. The problems outweigh the benefits, but with a new law, the industry would be able to keep the benefits and minimize any drawbacks. Instead of having to nitpick over who wrote something that did something similar, it would be back to who wrote something more powerful than the other guy, and thats what makes the industry great, competition. Oh, and Id like to add that I broke copyright law a total of 13 times in the making of this report, when I made a copy of each reference with the school copying machine (James 16), although it was fair use, so Im not in any trouble (Ruth). You can order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on Software and Copyrights topics at our professional custom essay writing service which provides students with custom papers written by highly qualified academic writers. High quality and no plagiarism guarantee! Get professional essay writing help at an affordable cost.

Kafka on the Shore Essays

Kafka on the Shore Essays Kafka on the Shore Essay Kafka on the Shore Essay The final interaction between the main characters of the book and Japanese myth and legend occurs when Kafka discovers his father is dead and the police are looking for him. He flees to Oshima’s family cabin in the woods for a second time. It is there he finds a door to the Japanese underworld. It is here that he discovers what happened to his Japanese Dreams mother and sister. He also encounters Miss Saeki’s ghost, and in the process of wandering the underworld discovers himself in the process. This ties into the Japanese myth of Izanagi and Izanami (Izanagi, and Izanami: Mukashbanashi Library website: mukashibanashi. org) They are comparable to Zeus and Hera in Greek mythology. At one point in this myth Izanami gives birth to their son Ho-Musabi, or fire. In the process of birthing fire Izanami is burned to death. Izanagi travels to Yomi or the underworld to find her. This is very similar to Kafka’s journey of self discovery in the forest near the cabin in the mountains. Conclusion Japanese mythology has played a very important part in both Japanese literature and film in the fifty years since World War II. It is through the eyes of writers like Haruki Murakami, and the artistic vision of directors like Hayao Miyazaki that Western cultures can come to understand and love the myths and legends of Japan. I feel that the story Murakami tells in Kafka on the Shore (Vintage Paperbacks, 2005) is universal. Everyone goes through a journey of self- discovery as they enter adolescence. Not all adolescents go on this journey in quite as spectacular a fashion as Kafka Tamura but, it is a journey we all must make. I have discovered several things from reading this book. First, myth and legend can always play a role in everyday life. Second, it is never a bad thing to dream since this is how we discover who we are both as individuals and entire cultures. Finally, life is a journey and like Nakata we must travel whatever road we choose of follow and never look back. Japanese Dreams References Murakami, Haruki: Kafka on the Shore: Vintage Paperbacks 2005 Murakami, Haruki: The Wind Up Bird Chronicles: Vintage Paperbacks, 1997

Design a total rewards program based on the organization that you have Essay

Design a total rewards program based on the organization that you have studied thus far in the course - Essay Example ply goes to the scheme telling that organization wants to obtain productivity and outcome from its employees and in turn it will provide its employees valuable experience and reward. The following paper will represent the total reward program for the certain organization and will recommend changes to it. It will further assess and discuss the risks of implementing the program and the opportunities it can give to the organization. Certain metrics will be provided for evaluating the total rewards program. For the Sport & Health fitness center it is vital to provide the best services for its clients through excellent work of their employees. As it puts into practice different activities that are connected with the health improvement, it should take into an account professionalism in the execution of its employees’ duties. The organization offers affordable services and is aimed on people from all occupations and life styles and involves everyone from children to the elderly. Since modern life cause people to feel stress more often, for some individuals it is also the monotonous and inactive life and going in for various sport and fitness centers will be the way out that will provide them healthy life. These facts put fitness Centre in the forehand as one of the growing industries. However, the modern technologies and improvements in the recruitment spheres require deeper understanding of how such business should conduct its activities. Thus, Sport & Health fitness center experi ences currently certain financial problems, as the technology is advancing and it requires better acquisition of more modern equipment. It is also facing the challenge that is connected with the people’s understanding of fitness and its role in their lives. Along with it, the organization should revise its policy of providing service, as in the future it can face with the competition because health issue is obtaining more attention and thus more fitness establishments open its doors to

Winslow Homer and his Eight bells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Winslow Homer and his Eight bells - Essay Example The essay "Winslow Homer and his Eight bells" explores Eight bells of Winslow Homer. Some major artists create popular stereotypes that last for decades; others never reach into popular culture at all. Winslow Homer was a painter of the first kind. Even today, 150 years after his birth, one sees his echoes on half the magazine racks of America. Homer was not, of course, the first ‘sporting artist’ in America, but he was the undisputed master of the genre, and he brought to it both intense observation and a sense of identification with the landscape — just at the cultural moment when the religious Wilderness of the nineteenth century, the church of nature, was shifting into the secular Outdoors, the theater of manly enjoyment. If you want to see Thoreau's America turning into Teddy Roosevelt’s, Homer the watercolorist is the man to consult. That’s perhaps the most apt description of the man who have been a sincere chronicler of natural life in fin de sià ¨cle eighteenth century America, almost in a similar way that Thomas Hardy’s Edwardian poems related to that of England. But Homer was also in elements when he drew the sea, especially how humans react and relate to it when the water universe is at its most fierce. Homer’s place in Amercian art is secured though he was largely a self-taught artist who in the beginning of his career worked as a commercial illustrator. â€Å"†¦(Homer) received little instruction from masters or in art schools. He has studied nature faithfully and he has found his way.