Analysis Of Yevgeny Zamyatin s The Motif Of Imagination

Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We depicts a dystopian world ruled by the One State through the eyes and conscience of mathematician and protagonist D-503. We was written in 1921, after Russia saw the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917, led by the Marxist Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin. (Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.) Zamyatin’s constructed ideals of the One State parallels that of his own country, under the totalitarian regime imposed by the communist government, in order to convey his satirical political opinions of its worsening and limiting effect. In We, Zamyatin demonstrates the importance of imagination and free thought, developing the audience’s understanding of the limits of happiness under the rule of a totalitarian society seen through the eyes of D-503. The motif of imagination is seen within the novel through Zamyatin’s manipulation of D-503’s perception of his world, specifically his auditory perception and his description through mathema tical diction, critiquing the oppressive totalitarian society. Throughout the novel, Zamyatin establishes the limits of the coexistence between true happiness and true freedom through the lack of imagination and creativity perceived by the auditory perception of D-503. The One State promotes â€Å"mathematical [music] compositions,† (Zamyatin, 23) as a form of entertainment through which Zamyatin illustrates the impact of One State’s restriction of musical expression, ironically contradictory to the nature of music. One

Warren Pryor Free Essays

Poem Essay Warren Pryor From Farm to City Feeling like the grass is greener on the other side of the fence is a common feeling. In the poem, Warren Pryor, the protagonist’s parents sacrifice everything â€Å"to free him from the stony fields, the meagre acreage that bore them down. † Warren’s parents only want what they think is best for him — and that isn’t life on a farm. We will write a custom essay sample on Warren Pryor or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"They blushed with pride when, at his graduation, they watched him picking up the slender scroll, his passport from the years of brutal toil and lonely patience in a barren hole. † But Warren’s parents are pushing him to pursue a career he doesn’t want. They see a new life in the city as more desirable than working the stony fields — the grass really is greener on the other side. In the poem, Alden Nowlan suggests that the parents’ wish to ensure Warren escapes the farm is stronger than their son’s desire to choose his own path in life. Warren doesn’t fight his parent’s decision to send him away to school and off the acreage. â€Å"He was saved from their thistle-strewn farm and its red dirt,† they believe. â€Å"And he said nothing. † There are two views of the farm in this poem. His parents think of the acreage as a desolate wasteland and Warren sees it as home. While Warren is lucky to have parents who are willing to sacrifice to provide him a better life, it’s a sacrifice he doesn’t want. He should have told his parents how he felt. In his job at the bank, Warren feels powerless and angry, â€Å"like a young bear inside his teller’s cage. † He feels conflicted because he doesn’t want to betray his parents’ choices, but he’s unhappy with his life. His â€Å"axe-hewn hands† are wasted, just as a bear’s strength would be if it was caged. Warren feels caged by his city life and he has developed his own desire to escape. Warren Pryor shows how influential parents can be — in both positive and egative respects. If the poem were to be told from the parents’ point of view it would tell a completely different story. There is also a hint of irony in this poem because Warren’s parents are suffering to push him into a life that creates even more suffering. The poem tel ls us we must try to live our lives in our own way, and not allow others to choose our path. Warren struggles to cope with city life and his parents deal with the hardships of farm life. They both want to escape to a better place. But everyone has their own dreams of where that better place is. For some, that may mean working on a farm. How to cite Warren Pryor, Papers

A Comparison Of Coleridge’S Rationalism To W Essay Example For Students

A Comparison Of Coleridge’S Rationalism To W Essay ordsworth’S LiberalismAll friendships grow and nurture each other through time. The friendship between Coleridge and Wordsworth allowed for a special relationship of both criticism and admiration to develop. As their friendship matured, they would play important roles in each other’s works, culminating in their joint publication of Lyrical Ballads, which is said to mark the beginning of the Romantic period and be a combination of their best works. Despite their basic differences in poetic styles and philosophical beliefs, they would help each other create numerous works renown for their depth and creativity. Coleridge was a reserved dreamer, a true poet from the beginning. He was an eccentric young boy who found solace in the intellectual requirements of school. However, he did not have the discipline to continue through school, and eventually dropped out of Jesus College, Cambridge. Coleridge lived in dependence of his friends, clinging to them for support this explains the almost reverent attitude Coleridge held towards Wordsworth. The relationship they shared grew strongly from 1797 through late 1802, until Coleridge, as a result of an addiction to an opium-based drug and his decaying health, alienated himself from Wordsworth and his friends. Under these conditions, Coleridge would move into the second phase of his life, characterized by prolific writings and philosophical reflection. During this time he reflected upon his life and reconciled with his friends. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is recognized as Coleridge’s most influential poem; appropriately being one he published in Lyrical Ballads. The main theme of the poem concerns the actions a Mariner took and their consequences. However, an analysis of the poem reveals the imagination applied to create the poem and also the logic employed. The poem is broken into seven parts, but these parts can be characterized into the Mariner’s three main stages of realization concerning morality. Reflecting his Christian beliefs and strong philosophical ideals from the study of Kant, Coleridge incorporates the possibility of an afterlife, images of saints and angels and also the importance of moral behavior. Including these themes into his poetry leads us to believe he had a fascination with the more obscure aspects of life. The religious inclinations play an important role in determining the three stages of the Mariner’s rationale. The first stage consists of the first 2 parts of the poem. This is the period where the Mariner is oblivious to the spiritual aspect and importance of the Albatross’ life, which symbolizes hope and good fortune to the travelers. Coleridge, by advice from Wordsworth, would have the Mariner kill the Albatross, brining misfortune to him and the travelers. From this point on the Mariner and his crew suffer as a result of his carelessness. This is also a prime example of Coleridge’s demonic poetry, where he would break through his personal and moral fears through the use of immoral characters. Another example of his rationalism can be seen here. Requiring an outlet for his burdened conscious, he creates characters that are moral failures through which he copes with his moral dilemmas. The third stage takes place after part 5 when the Mariner is absolved by the Spirits, the boat is sent back on course and the Mariner continues to teach the love people should hold for all of God’s creations by his example. Coleridge is criticized for the way he ends the poem though. He changes the direction the poem seems to be taking, making it confusing for the reader to interpret his desired message. In the scene describing the Spirits attack on the ship, Coleridge wrote:Four times fifty living men,(And I heard nor sigh nor groan)With heavy lump, a lifeless lump,They dropped down one by one. (212-215)symbolizing the ruthlessness with which the Spirits kill his crew. Here Coleridge portrays God as a merciless god. Utilitarianism And Euthanasia Essay Coleridge in turn inspired Wordsworth. In the poem We Are Seven, along with a few other poems, Wordsworth is seen changing his conception of death to that of Coleridge’s; one more final and rigid. Both poets use their talents to give the reader and understanding of how deep his own sense of reality is. At times, Coleridge would help Wordsworth finish his poems, interjecting his more â€Å"down to earth† style of writing to make his seem less unbelievable. The pinnacle of their combined poetic effort can be seen in the dual publication of Lyrical Ballads. A combination of both poets’ works, this book brings into focus more of their similarities. As more poems are compared, it can be understood that both poets had a fascination with death and misfortune. It is clearly seen in both the poems mentioned earlier, but also in other poems. Wordsworth’s The Thorn deals with the withering of a thorn and its comparison to a beautiful hill showing the age-old comparison of youth and age. As for Coleridge, he deals with the theme of death in Misfortune. Both poets are also intrigued by the imagination of people. They explicitly use the theme of imagination and its relation to memory in Coleridge’s Kubla Khan and Wordsworth’s The Prelude. Wordsworth and Coleridge are two poets that deserve recognition for their literary talent. Taking into account the few, yet substantial differences between them, it can be said that they are more alike than not. The literary styles used are at opposite ends of a long spectrum yet they seem to compliment each other’s work so well it becomes difficult to establish where the lines are drawn. Both poets had the same goal when writing their poetry, and that is what brings them together more than anything else. BibliographyWorks Cited1) Abrams, Donaldson, David, Smith, Lewalski, Adams, Logan, Monk, Lipking, Stillinger, Ford, Christ, Diaches, Stalworthy. The Norton Anthology: English Literature 6th-ed. W.W. Norton Company ? 1996. Page 12692) Harold Bloom. Modern Critical Views: William Wordsworth. Chelsea House Publishers ? 1985. Pages 88-91, 154-1583) Harold Bloom. Modern Critical Views: Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Chelsea House Publishers ? 1985. Pages 3-8, 13-17, 201-208,4) The Oxford Authors. William Wordsworth. Oxford University Press ? 1990 Page 6895) Virginia L. Radley. Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Twayne Publishers ? 1966 Pages 17-26, 136-1436) Joseph Gibaldi. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 4th ed. The Modern Language Association of America ?1995 7) Electronic test Center, University of Virginia Library. Lyrical Ballads: William Wordsworth http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/lyricalballads.html English Essays

Recording Spoken Data

Introduction Data collection is one of the most important aspects of research that requires a lot of effort and accuracy. There are a number of ways through which data can be collected and recorded from the field. For a long time, questionnaires have been very popular.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Recording Spoken Data specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They have been used as a way of gathering and recording data from the field. However, technology has brought in better tools that can perform this task better. Blaxter (91) says that that emerging technologies have redefined the way data is recorded. New gadgets have been invented that have the capacity to record and store very large amounts of data. Recording spoken data has therefore become very popular in the current research, especially in linguistics. Many researchers have found that recording spoken data is the most convenient way of maintaining originality in the primary data collected. In linguistics, it is possible that at times the respondent will not be in a position to respond to the questions in the desired language. When such spoken data is to be recorded in a written form, it would force a researcher to translate the information into the desired language. The danger of this translation is that the data may lose its original meaning. There is a possibility that in the process of translating this data, a word or a phrase may be distorted hence rendering the whole data inaccurate. When such data is recorded in its spoken form, it would maintain its coherence and this would help validate the final report. Moreover, when data is recorded in a spoken form, the researcher is able to draw more information by analyzing the tone of the respondent. The researcher would be in a position to discern such features as sarcasm in the voice hence control bias in the research. Cohen (126) says that unlike the written form, recording spoken data provides a rich source for the analysis process, because besides the message it carries, the researcher is able to analyze the respondents and determine the suitability of the response given. Increasing Relevance of Recording Spoken Data Research has proven to be the key to solving most of the issue that bedevil our society. Many scholars have set forth to research on various issues with a view to coming up with solution to various issues. In this path, researchers have raised many concerns that hinder the process of gathering data.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the main concerns that have been raised is that some of the researchers are blind. These are individuals with the ability to conduct a meaningful research, but because they lack the sight, which is very vital in every single activity of human being, they find that it is practically impossible to conduct a research. E mergence of tools like audio recorders has proven to be the solution to this problem. With this device, a researcher who lacks sight can easily use it to record information for later analysis. The researcher can later analyze this recorded data at his own pace, allowing him to replay the record to clarify an issue that he did not get properly. Moreover, it allows the researcher to conduct the research at a faster pace. Because of this, recording spoken data has gained popularity among the blind. Greenfield (78) asserts that linguistics is a very rich field. For a researcher in this field, it is of importance to realize that there are numerous languages. In a small region, numerous languages that are so different in structure can exist. When data collection is done on a different language from the language used in data analysis, care should be taken to ensure that the process of translation do not change the meaning. This scholar gives an example of a possible distortion of a word or a phrase in the process of translation. Among the Kelnjin of the Eastern Europe, the word tong’ means an egg. However, the word also means a spear. This scholar gives an example of the following sentences. Alex ong’ieo tong’ nikech enkech (Alex bought an egg since he was hungry). (Rasinger 8) Alex ong’ieo tong’ mar lueny (Alex bought a spear for war). (Rasinger, 8) The two sentences are very different. The main issue is the purchase of this item referred to as tong’. In the first clauses of the sentences, the two words are very similar (Alex ong’ieo tong). It is therefore impossible to deduce which of the two items (spear or an egg) was bought. The meaning would only come in the second clauses. The second clause of the first sentence says nikech enkech (since he was hungry). We therefore overrule the possibility of spear because it cannot solve the problem of hunger. However, another twist comes in this sentence. Just like in Engli sh language where anger and hunger have similar pronunciations, the words enkech and ankech, which means he is hungry, and he is enraged in Kelnjin language, have similar pronunciations. In a spoken form therefore, the word tong in the first sentence could as well mean spear, for an enraged man would need a spear for war, not an egg. Recording this data would call for a prolonged explanation by the respondent in order to make the meaning of the word clear. Such complexities in language has made recording of spoken data more popular in linguistics. As Wilsen (87) observes, even a researcher who understands a language may risk misinterpretation in case an elaboration of a sentence with a word that is ambiguous is not done. A researcher recording data in a written form in the above-mentioned language risks making dangerous mistakes, say in the first sentence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Recording Spoken Data specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/ page Learn More He may erroneously record that Alex bought a spear because he was enraged, while what the respondent meant was that Alex bought an egg because he was hungry. When analysis is done on such a data, the result would be completely irrelevant and the effect of this can be adverse. If action is to be taken on the findings and recommendation of such a report, Alex may be put to task over an issue he completely do not understand. Having realized this shortcoming of the written data, many researchers have fallen in love with recording spoken data the way it is. Many researchers currently prefer recording such spoken data the way it is for a later analysis. Because of the large storage capacity of the audio recorders, the scope of the research is always broadened. The researcher would be in a position to probe the respondent more and get to the gist of the information. As Milroy (23) observes, recording spoken data is the modern way of recording data that resear chers have come to embrace because it is not only a faster method of data collection, but also an efficient way of ensuring reliability and validity of the research. Problems Associated with Recording Spoken Data Although recording of spoken data has been lauded by many researchers as one of the best ways of data collection and storage, it comes with a number of challenges. Dornyei (46) says that the strongest points of this technique of data collection are its source of weakness. This scholar points out one such advantage of this approach of data collection as the freedom it offers the researcher. This advantage comes with numerous challenges that can make a given process of research collect very irrelevant data. According to this scholar, linguistics as a discipline is very interesting. Once an individual sets forth to conduct a given research in linguistics, chances are high that he would meet information that are very interesting but irrelevant to the topic at hand. If caution i s not taken, such a researcher may get so involved in an irrelevant research that would not be of use. When analysis is to be done, such a researcher would come to the realization that the information he or she has is junk.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It would now demand that the researcher picks substance from the junk information, or even conduct another research. Wray (19) shares this opinion. He says that recording spoken data would demand a lot of discipline on the side of the researcher. The researcher would avoid being carried away by interesting but irrelevant information that is available in the field; otherwise, he or she would risk having data that is of no use. Another challenge of recording spoken data is lack of specificity. When a respondent is not restricted in the answers he or she provides, there is danger of having data that is full of speculation, but limited in substance. Such a data would be difficult to analyze because it would be lacking the important explanation needed and instead provide unnecessary information. Mason (110) says that unlike written research that uses pen and paper, recording spoken data uses electronic gadgets. The propensity of such electronic gadgets experiencing failure is much higher than experiencing a failure with a pen and a paper. Such failures may be due to power failures, complexity of the gadget or lack of expertise by the researcher. Unlike a pen that can easily be replaced in case of a failure, some of these tools used in recording spoken data cannot be easily replaced and in case of a failure, the researcher would have no otherwise but to call off the interview. This is very dangerous because at times a researcher may fail to get another appointment with the respondents who were to be interviewed at that particular time. Some of the recently invented audio recorders are so sophisticated that it would require a lot of time taken to understand its usage properly. This may take unnecessarily long time, which would have been used in the analysis process. How to Minimize the Problems Every research has its own challenges. Milroy (25) says that the most important aspect of a research is that the researcher should know how to handle his own ‘ratsâ€⠄¢. By this, this scholar means that in every research, there would be challenges. A researcher should be in a position to identify such challenges that are unique to his or her research and formulate custom-made solution on how to address such challenges. Recording spoken data comes with a number of challenges as stated above. It is important that a researcher understands these challenges and define the best ways of mitigating them. This paper would discuss some of the general ways that the above-mentioned problems can be minimized if success were to be achieved in any given research that involves recording spoken data. One of the main concerns raised about recording spoken data is the possibility of the researcher deviating from the main topic of the research. This problem can be minimized by setting question to be responded to and allocating time to each question. It would also require discipline on the side of the researcher. Discipline in the essence that no question would be a sked outside the field of study however interesting a researcher may find it. The researcher should also be keen enough to detect if the respondent has deviated from the topic of concern, in which case, the researcher should kindly direct him or her back to the focus of the research. During the process of data analysis, the researcher should further scrutinize the response of given by the respondents by analyzing their tone and other audio features of the data to eliminate possibilities of bias in the research. Another concern that may arise when using this method of data collection is the possibility of failure of the gadgets themselves. To minimize this challenge, it is required that a researcher should test and confirm that the gadget is in a good shape and can perform expected duty within the desirable duration. If possible, alternatives should be carried so that in case of failure, the research would continue using the alternative means that are available. The issue of technica lity of the gadgets can be addressed well before the research begins. When complex gadgets are used to collect data, it is important to ensure that the researcher develops a deep understanding of the gadget. The researcher should be aware of possible mechanical and electrical problems that can arise while using this gadget and the possible means of rectifying such errors. Before a researcher sets forth to conduct a study, care should be taken about the tools to be used in the field. A researcher should avoid complex gadgets that may bring difficulty in data collection. As Dornyei (51) simply puts it, a researcher should avoid carrying any tools whose usage is still a dream to him or her. Appropriateness of Recording Spoken Data as a Method of Data Collection According to Rasinger (20), data collection process is a very important stage of a research. This scholar holds that data collection process must be handled with appropriate care to eliminate any possible error. An error that oc curs at the analysis stage can easily be detected and rectified. However, if this error occurred at the field during data collection process, it might not be possible to detect it unless the researcher revisits the field again. Appropriateness of a method of data collection is therefore of great importance. According to Milroy (42), recording spoken data is one of the most appropriate methods of collecting data in the modern research. The need for accountability in the researches has increased in the recent past. Every researcher has the responsibility of publishing report that he or she can substantiate. Such may call for certain actions to be taken on the item under the study. If these recommendations are taken, it is expected that the result would bear positive fruits as suggested in the report. Recording spoken data has one main advantage of maintaining originality. The response is not changed and a researcher can reply such recorded tapes for clarity purposes. As Dornyei (56) n otes, a research that involves linguistics may find this approach very effective. As this scholar asserts, language is learnt by listening and speaking, and not be writing. At Chinese may take a lifetime learning to write French. However, he or she would never be in a position to speak the language unless he or she listens to a person speak the language and he or she makes an effort to speak it. When data collection is done using recording of the speech, this data can be very valuable in a class that learns that language. Other than the results gotten from the analysis of this data, a researcher would find this data useful in making others understand the language. Listeners would be able to understand the dialect, emphasis on the words, phrases and clauses, and the entire sentence. Mason (115) further says that with the invention of data recording tools like video recorders with the ability to record audiovisuals, a researcher’s work is made easier. During the process of data presentation, a researcher may use slides to show both the audio and the visual aspects of data to enhance clarity. In linguistics, users of such reports (especially students) would find the audiovisual data very important. With audio is accompanied by visuals, it becomes easier to understand a language for those who are beginners of the language. This method is also appropriate because the modern data analysis tools support it. Spoken data can easily be stored in the computers and the responses assigned specific values. Computers have in-built formulas that can be generated to analyze this data as per the assigned values. It eliminates the need for papers, which can be bulky and cumbersome to carry around. The ability to transfer this data directly into the computer from the device used in recording data (like video or audio recorders) saves the time that a researcher would have used to transfer this data manually into a computer. For a long time, questionnaires were very popular in data collection. This was because it could be delivered to the respondents and be picked later, say after a week. However, the effectiveness of this method has significantly reduced due to the increasing commitments of people. Greenfield (82) reports that an emerging crop of individuals, who have the allure to work for over 110 hours a week, can utilize the tool well. Such a person is left with approximately six hours in a day to sleep, eat, socialize and do all that is not related to his or her job. Such a person may not have time to go through a questionnaire. Recording of spoken data would be the most appropriate as it would take the least time of such heavily scheduled individuals. Conclusion Recording of spoken data is a relatively new method of collecting data from the field. The emergence of gadgets that are able to record sound has enabled modern day researcher collect data using this method. As is seen from the above discussion, recording spoken data has gained relevance , as many current researchers prefer it to the use of questionnaires. This is because of some obvious advantages it has over other methods. One such advantage is that it maintains originality of the data. The respondents’ answers are taken the way they are without any paraphrasing or translation. This further enhances reliability and validity of the research. This method is also time saving hence allows the researcher more time to conduct the analysis of the data. It is very appropriate among the linguistic researchers for the recorded data can be used directly to teach beginners of a particular language. Although this method is very advantageous, it comes with a number of challenges. One such challenge is the high propensity of deviation from the topic in focus. A researcher can easily be carried away and deviate from the focus because the respondent is allowed to narrate the scenario. The gadgets used in data collection may also fail, drawing the research into a halt. This can jeopardize the success of the research. Having realized this, researchers have come up with ways through which the above-mentioned shortfalls can be addressed. One such remedy is that the researcher should be disciplined enough to maintain focus on the issue at hand. Works Cited Blaxter, Lorraine. How to Research, Buckingham: Open University Press, 2001. Print. Cohen, Louis. Research Methods in Education, London: Routledge, 2000. Print Dornyei, Zoltan. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, Oxford: OUP, 2007. Print. Greenfield, Tony. Research Methods for Postgraduates, London: Arnold, 2002. Print. Mason, Jennifer. Qualitative Researching, London: Sage Publications, 2000. Print. Milroy, Lesley. Sociolinguistics: Method and Interpretation, Oxford: Blackwell, 2003. Print. Milroy, Lesley. Observing and Analyzing Natural Language, Oxford: Blackwell, 1983. Print Rasinger, Sabastian. Quantitative Research in Linguistics: An Introduction, London: Continuum, 2008. Print. Wilsen, John. â€Å"The sociolinguistic paradox: data as a methodological product.† Language and Communication, 7.1 (1987): 161-77. Print. Wray, Alison. Projects in Linguistics: A Practical Guide to Researching Language, London: Arnold, 1998. Print This essay on Recording Spoken Data was written and submitted by user Omari Diaz 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.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel essays

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel essays Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, was born on October 31st, 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat. His father, Jhaverbhai Patel, was a farmer. Vallabhbhai's early education was in Karamsad. A famous story about Sardar Patels strength takes place in his boyhood years. When he was young, Vallahbhai suffered from a boil. There was a man in his village who used to cure boils by touching them with hot iron. Vallabhbhai went to him to remove the boil that he had. The man heated the iron rod until it grew red but seeing how young Vallabhbhai was, he hesitated. Vallabhbhai fearlessly responded, "What are you waiting for? The iron will grow cold. Hurry up, brand the boil,". Vallabhbhai picked up the glowing rod and burnt the boil. Those who watched him were shocked. But there was not a trace of pain in the boy's face. Sardar Patel went to England to study law and returned to India in 1915. After returning he met Gandhi and soon joined him in many issues of the day including one in which he represented workers in a dispute with mill owners in Ahmedabad in 1918. Patel had a successful law practice, but as he became more influenced by the ideas of Gandhi he gave it up and threw himself into the campaign for Indian independence. In 1931, Patel was elected President of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi vested great confidence in him through all the years of their friendship. Gandhis assassination left Sardar Patel without the guidance of his political mentor and the "Father of the Nation. His memory as the "Iron Man of India", came from his steely determination and pragmatism. Nowhere was this more apparent than when, as Home Minister and Minister of States, he took action to consolidate the Indian Union and authorized the police to merge Hyderabad into India. Though a staunch Hindu, Patel had a deep appreciation for the diverse culture of India. Patel contributed very substantially to the deliberations of the Cons...

Choosing the Dreaded Day Job

Choosing the Dreaded Day Job Teachers-Teachers.com K-12jobs.com Higheredjobs.com Jobs.stc.org (Society for Technical Communications) Flexjobs.com/jobs/technical-writing PRSA.org/jobcenter (Public Relations Society of America) Journalism.columbia.edu/page/60-job-hunting-resources/60 Mediabistro.com sej.org/library/jobs/overview (Society of Environmental Journalists job links) ebizmba.com/articles/job-websites (list of top job websites)

The Problem of Increasing Litigation Costs Case Study

The Problem of Increasing Litigation Costs - Case Study Example The case of Weissensteiner was important in that it raised the issue of circumstantial evidence pointing to the accused’s guilt, however, the Court held that the failure of the accused to give evidence did not itself construe an implication of guilt. The Court stated clearly that in an accusatorial trial, the failure of an accused to give evidence â€Å"cannot fill any gaps in the prosecution case† (Weissensteiner @50) and it cannot be used as a factor in determining whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore the failure of a witness to give evidence was not to be associated with inferences of guilt.             Section 20(2) of the Evidence Act states clearly that the judge or other parties may comment on the failure of the accused to provide an explanation for evidence that exists against him. Therefore, the position taken by the judges in the RPS case was a valid one. Firstly, in their judgment, the silence of the accused was not excused in the manner of Weissensteiner. The prosecution, in this case, failed to call a witness that it should have and Justices questioned: â€Å"whether in the circumstances, the jury should entertain a reasonable doubt about the guilt of the accused†(RPS@633). Secondly, in this case, the Court applied a similar reasoning as it did in the case of Azzopardi v The Queen, where it stated that the position the Court adopted in Weissensteiner would be justified only if â€Å"there is a basis for concluding that there additional facts which would explain or contradict the inference which the prosecution seeks to have the jury draw.†   Thirdly,   Justice McHugh also commented on the history of the right to silence and adopted the position that the right to silence allowed to the accused was no more than an â€Å"invention of lawyers† to protect their clients from incriminating themselves. (Azzopardi @101). The position taken in the majority opinion of Judges in the RPS case was that the Jury could reasonably draw an adverse inference if the accused failed to give evidence since his silence would amount to a tacit admission of guilt.   

A research paper about business ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A research paper about business ethics - Essay Example Behaviors of organizational members also depend on the company’s ethics. In the present business environment business ethics has become a very important issue. Various new trends and processes are incorporated in businesses for enhancing their values. For performing business functions effectively organizations give importance on ethical behavior of its employees. This helps the organizations in avoiding various legal issues and enhancing their brand reputation. With the change in business environment, ethics of companies have experienced lots of changes. These changed ethical policies and practices facilitate the companies in holding their position in competitive business environment. In this essay new trends in business ethics will be discussed in detailed way. For explaining the new trends, traditional business policies and its issues will also be highlighted in this essay. The concept of business ethics was developed long back. Around 1970s companies started focusing on establishing various policies and principles ethics. Earlier the companies only believed in the concept on money making. They were not concerned about people, environment and society. As a result the rules and principles of the business were developed in such a way which helped them to archive the money making objectives of businesses. Earlier for enhancing the profitability and revenues most of the companies were involved in performing many immoral activities. That time ethical policies and practices were only implemented by religious organizations. Persons conducting business activities were not concerned about business ethics. The term business ethics was originated in USA (Lencioni 67). People were getting tortured in the name of business. So certain ethical policies and practices were established in business for conducting trade ethically. Traditional business ethics principles an d policies influenced the companies in developing strict

Imperialistic Africa Essay Example for Free

Imperialistic Africa Essay During the 19th century of the Industrial Age, many European nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Britain) sought for a source for raw material and a market for manufactured goods in Africa. This economic motivation helped drive the Scramble for Africa. The Scramble for Africa [1885-1910] was when many European nations competed for colonies in Africa. To take control of these regions, the European powers came up with the Treaty of Berlin. This stated that they would not sell firearms to Africa; which resulted in Europeans having a monopoly on guns in Africa. However, although it stated that they would not sell firearms to Africa making it easier to take it over, it also stated that they would suppress slavery. During the Scramble for Africa, or the imperialism imposed in Africa, there were great contributions that ultimately modernized Africa, as well as, bad influences, such as the carving of Africa without the influence of the traditional tribal boundaries, causing tribalism and civil wars. Many modernizing contributions were in medicine and education. The British built hospital and schools in Africa. They also contributed to putting an end to the slave trade. The access to basic medical care and education were, therefore, due to British intervention. This boost in medical care also heightened many African life spans. Also, some Africans were even allowed to have a western education rather than just basic education. Also, eventually, Britain allowed the African colonies to vote for power, realizing that the only way for safety in Africa was to rule with the people. This eventually concluded with many African nations liberating themselves from British control and becoming an independent nation, such as Republic of Congo (1958), and Tanzania (1964), Although there were some contributions that helped to modernize Africa, there were also many harmful effects from the imperialism of Africa, such as the methods they used to take control of some regions. In other cases, there was not a clear understanding of what the treaties were about or what the consequences of them would be. Secondly, military force was used in some cases when there was a large amount of resistance to colonial rule. Unit Two: Studying Africa through the Social Studies] This suggested that sometimes European nations would use brute force to impose their authority over the native people. For example, during the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors were killed for their land. This left only a remnants of a once strong tribe of warriors. This demonstrates how military force was used in some cases when there was a large amount of resistance to colonial rule. Also, according to The White Man’s Burden, by Rudyard Kipling, many native people did not like European imperialism. For example, in the 1st stanza 4th line, he states,† To serve your captives need† This illustrates how many natives thought themselves like prisoners. In another line, he states, â€Å"To seek anothers profit, and work anothers gain. † This demonstrates how rather than how Europeans said they came to protect them by signing the treaty; they actually used the colonies raw materials to help fuel their own economy. A major long-term negative effect that still affects Africa today are the arbitrary political boundaries which European nations established. The European nations never thought about the traditional tribal boundaries. This results with several different tribes in one nation that may feel ill towards one another causing civil wars and power struggles within national governments. For example, the 2nd Congo War involved eight African nations, as well as about 25 armed groups. By 2008 the war and its aftermath had killed 5. 4 million people, mostly from disease and starvation. By the turn of the 21st century, the economy of many African nations was suffering. They were battered by rapid population growth, declining export earnings, foreign debt, drought, floods, and civil war. The average African household consumed 20% less than it had in the 1950s. The continents birthrates and mortality rates were the highest in the world. More than half of all foreign aid was consumed by debt service. In addition, over 73% of the more than 40 million people infected with HIV (see AIDS) in 2002 lived in Africa; 30% or more of the populations of Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe were infected. Nevertheless, Africa largely escaped the financial turbulence that engulfed much of the rest of the world in the late 1990s and again in the early 21st century. [Africa, History of (II)] Because of the imperialism of Africa, many European countries have become powerful nations filled with wealth and prosperity and Africa now have many schools and hospitals. Many Africans can now go to school and get an education and may even one day start businesses. However, the negative aftermaths of European Imperialism on Africa has greatly affected its nations. Because of the long-term political borders dividing Africa, there are many civil wars killing millions of lives and spreading disease. Although Europe brought schools and hospitals, it does not make up for all the lives that could have been saved if the European nations had just considered the traditional boundaries rather than for their own profit. Even the education and health care were not substantial. They were the most basic forms of education and health care. Only very few were allowed to have western education. Therefore, overall there weren’t many positive impacts for the African people from European Imperialism.

Health and Fitness Magazines Negatively Impact Male Thinking :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Health and Fitness Magazines Negatively Impact Male Thinking Warning! Warning! Alarms go off inside your head. You’re at the mall walking around with one of your best buds looking at CDs, when all of a sudden you look up and see this drop dead gorgeous girl, whose looking at CDs in the next aisle. You grasp the CD case you were looking at firmly, and use the reflection quickly to make sure none of your pimples are ready to burst, and that your hair is fixed right. You glance down at you pants making sure they are set right on your shoes to make them look as cool as possible. Then you make sure that your shirt is straightened up. You take a breath and look up. She gives looks at you out of the corner of your eyes and you feel a skip in you chest. She looked at you! You automatically double checked with your eyes to make sure your zipper’s zipped and that she’s not laughing at you, but she’s really smiling at you. Wow, you think, she must really think I look cool! That was only a brief glimpse into the complicated life of a teenage boy. A boy who reads magazines, wants a car, plays video games, and watches a lot of TV. Every morning he wakes up and picks out his clothes sometimes taking them off and putting on others that match better. His ultimate goal is to look as good and cool as possible, like those guys in the Gap commercials on TV, with their perfect smiles and their arm always around that really hot girl. Why have we as males become more concerned about our looks and body? It seemed that only twenty years ago it was just the girls really worrying about their make up and nails. Even though we have not come so far as to put on make up and paint out nails weird colors to match our 300 dollar outfit to go to the mall, we have become more aware of looking cool and more attracting to the opposite sex. Yet it seems as if instead of looking to better out grades and get a good job to attract females we’ve started to look more and more at our looks then what we do and who we are.

Accepting Ones Heritage in Everyday Use

Accepting Ones Heritage in Everyday Use Ember Eslinger February 24, 2010 English219-M Essay 1 Individuals’ identities are formed and moulded by how he or she chooses to accept and preserve their culture. One might believe that it is important to have the chance to pass down the stories of their past and the significance of their family treasures. Another opinion one might have in saving one’s heritage may be simply possessing family heirlooms. This paper focuses on the importance of experiencing people’s heritage and being proud of it; despite hardships and stereotypes.In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker it is evident that the antagonist is interested in preserving her heritage for the wrong reasons. Common sense seems to dictate that Mama is more sympathetic towards Maggie because they have more in common and share the respect for their heritage. Some critics believe that Mama possibly favours Maggie when it comes to the admiration and respect of their heritage. Even though Dee claims she’s become more knowledgeable about her African-American culture, Mama doesn’t believe that her heart is in it.It’s almost as if she has shed her identity to satisfy this mistaken image that’s imbedded in her head of what being true to her African-American culture is all about. When Mama realizes the only reason Dee came home was to claim their family’s old quilts so she could hang them on the wall, Mama becomes resentful and disappointed towards her for not valuing the sentimentality behind her family’s heirlooms. Having the quilts hang on the wall of her house for everyone to see is essentially a reminder of her superior social and economic status.Mama believes Dee is ignorant and naive towards her own inheritance. By conforming to the white Americans view of the African-American traditions she’s cheating herself out of both cultures. She’s both and neither at the same time. Although Walker does not directly state, Dee’s character seems ashamed of how Mama and Maggie live their lives. The short story supports the fact that Mama puts her foot down when Dee tries to take the quilts even though they were promised to Maggie.When Maggie tries to willingly allow Dee to take the quilts Mama steps in and insists Dee take some of the other ones. Some might believe Mama is unfair when it comes to her daughters, when really she’s handling the situation as her mother and grandmother would have handled it, supporting her idea of preserving heritage. Maggie, the younger of the two daughters, is covered in scars from when their old house went up in flames. The scars symbolize the almost uncomfortable state in which Maggie lives. Although she is content with what she has, she will probably never have more.Her quiet, withdrawn character helps readers see the contrast between the two sisters. Similarly their complete opposite views of their heritage. Dee h as a superficial idea of her heritage and prefers appearance over substance; how things appear on the outside, rather than the in depth meaning. Maggie on the other hand has respect for and is very aware of where she came from. Evidence from the text supports the idea that Maggie knew a great deal more than Dee about the significance of many family heirlooms.Like Mama, Maggie is able to take pride in the practical aspects of her nature and their lack of education does not prevent them from appreciating their heritage and those who came before them. Maggie values the importance of experiencing her heritage rather than putting in on display. She’s an utilitarian whose everyday use of the quilts remind her of her family ties and especially of her Grandma Dee. Because Mama and Maggie share not only cultural beliefs but also physical attributes Walker makes it clear that Mama is able to better relate with Maggie over Dee.Along with accusing Mama of not understanding her own herita ge, Dee furiously states that â€Å"‘Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. ’† (Walker 253) Unfortunately for Dee, Mama sides with Maggie in hope that she would use them. Earlier in the story, Dee tries to prove her knowledge about the quilts but she only states how they were made from pieces of dresses her Grandma used to wear, nothing about either Grandpas clothing scraps.She finished her argument with what she thought was a strong statement about how they were all stitched by hand by her Grandma Dee, when in fact Mama and Big Dee also helped create the works of art. To Mama the quilts have a deeper meaning. When she moves up to touch the quilts, she is reaching out to touch the people whom the quilts represent. Mama is more willing to pass down the quilts to Maggie because she believes Maggie is able to make the same connection as she does to the quilts.Mama and Maggie are able share t he belief that the true meaning behind every family heirloom comes from the memories in which that item has made, so even when the object is no more, the memories are still able to live on through one’s bequest. In this short story, Walker indirectly focuses on the fact that Maggie is following in Mama’s footsteps and that it is very likely that she will lead the same lifestyle as Mama has. If one is able to take the time to recognize the recollections of the past through family heirlooms, he or she will more likely be able to understand and value their heritage.In conclusion this paper goes in depth about being true to ones heritage, furthermore, being true to oneself. When it comes to the topic of heritage, most of us will willingly agree that it takes more than knowledge of one’s grandparents’ names and a couple of old quilts to show ones passion and sentiment. In this case, Dee seems content with how she has decided to accept and portray her own herit age whereas most people, including Mama and Maggie, are on the opposite side of the spectrum since they believe it is more important to view your heritage as your entire lives experiences.When it is said that Mama is more sympathetic towards Maggie it is merely stating With that said, to actually have the personal satisfaction of being part of one’s heritage, they first need to accept their own purities and faults. Once you are able to do so, recognizing oneself as a part of one’s heritage should surge naturally.Works Cited Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use. † Making Arguments about Literature: A Compact Guide and Anthology. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2005. 247-253.

Community Health Assessment Essay

Riverside County is a vast geographical area in Southern California with a diverse population. It represents a melding area of different cultures, ideals and median income, resulting in a community full of variety. Geographically, Riverside County covers 7200 sq. stretches eastward from the Orange County border of Southern California to the border of Arizona. There is a variety of climate within the county, as it includes a section of the Cleveland National Forest including Mount San Jacinto Mountains with a peak of 10,800’ and the eastern portion of the county is made up of the arid Mojave and Colorado deserts. (Wikipedia) Population Economic Status Assessment The population of 2.3 million is made up of 46.5% Hispanics, 7% African Americans, 1.9% Native American’s 6.6% Asians and 38.5% whites. 27% of the population is made up of those under 18 years old, over 12% is over 65 and over 7% is under 5 years. Over 50% of the population is female. (Citydata) Healthcare challenges include a large population of Spanish speaking immigrants that often lack an understanding of resources available. There are over 54,000 people in the county enrolled in Low Income Health Plans but over 15% of the population, 620,000 people are uninsured. The county developed healthcare program for those individuals that do not qualify for Medi-Cal has 25,000 enrollees. In 2013 there were 33 reported non-business related bankruptcies filed, with a national average of 25% citing medical expenses directly as cause. Home sales peaked in 2008 in both median price and number of home sales. Following the recession, sale prices fell but has steadily risen since the end o f 2012, nearing the early high numbers. Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory Several types of crime present problems for the community. In 2005 there were 39 murders, 115 rapes, 416 robberies, 1577 assaults, 3829 burglaries, 8215 thefts and 3910 auto-thefts. Over 15,000 people are incarcerated in Riverside County. (Citydata)There is significant drug problems in the county increasing crime and resulting in family disruption. The manufacturing of  methamphetamines plagues the area especially in the rural areas and desert regions, which make it easier to perform unnoticed. Drug related crime is common in the inner city areas of the county including Riverside City, Jurupa Valley, Banning, Moreno valley and Perris. Air quality presents the primary environmental hazard due to smog and other pollutants that often exceed the state averages. Ozone 1 and 8 hour exposure, PM 2.5, PM 10, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxide levels all exceed the US average significantly. In 2005, Riverside County had the second highest levels of PM 2.5 and Ozone 8 hour exposure in the st ate of California. Other environmental hazards include heat exposure in the arid regions during summer months and the poisonous plants found in the region. Poison Oak, Oleander, Stinging Nettles, Jimson Weed and mushrooms are all poisonous plants identified in Riverside County. (Citydata) Vectors contributing to possible disease transmission include ticks, fleas, rats and squirrels. Plague has been identified in isolated squirrels, Hanta virus has been confirmed in mice and rats. The county does battle a considerable West Nile Virus risk with mosquito larva populations in stagnant water sources. (Vector) 2011 had 30,611 live births, with 2.9% late or no prenatal care in Riverside County. (CDPH) Birth rates have remained steady over the last ten years averaging 10-12 per 1000 persons annually. Deaths have followed a slight decrease in tend over the last ten years, as have infant deaths. Population growth has grown sharply over the last ten years, almost doubling the state average. (Citydata) Disaster As sessment Tool Because of the population makeup of Riverside County, with near half of Hispanic descent and many having Spanish as their primary language, there is a high likelihood that disaster response in this community will require a large Spanish speaking component. Another group that will require special planning for disaster response is the disabled. Riverside County has over 20,000 sensory disabled individuals between the ages of 21-64, 39,000 mentally disabled in the same age group and 55,000 physically disabled also in this age group. Because of the large immigrant population and the large number of imprisoned or jailed individuals, there is a higher risk for TB transmission which could affect persons staying at shelters in close proximity to one another during a disaster. Riverside County has a robust  Emergency Response Plan which is detailed in the two part document found on the Riverside County Fire Department webpage. The arid desert regions present flash flood risks when sudden rainstorms deliver water levels above that which the soil can absorb. Because of the overall arid environment, wildfires are a seasonal risk and have plagued the county considerable in recent years. The county is dissected by the San Andreas fault line, resulting in a 4711% rate of earthquakes over the US average. Natural disasters over the last 60 years include 22 fires, 15 floods and 7 severe storms. (Geology) Many of the rural areas of the county are adjacent to areas of denser population, and house communities based around having horses and other livestock. Disaster management in these areas will require additional resources and cooperation to facilitate moving personal animals, including horses, goats and other medium size livestock, to safe areas. These areas, usually possessing a strong cohesiveness, will likely work well together in such situations. Significant preparations have been made for notification of disast er information, utilizing state level disaster comms down to the local HAM radio operators, as well as satellite communications and personal cell phone notifications. Cultural Assessment Tool The majority immigrants come from Mexico at 66%. Just under half of the population identify with a specific religion at 43%, and by far the majority report as Catholic at 66%. Additionally 5% associate as Mormons, leaving 29% as members of all other religious sects and denominations. In all of California, Latinas overwhelmingly make up the group of mothers seeking late prenatal care, with white and blacks following. In 2002 this number was 41,000 for Latinas, 15,000 for whites and 5,100 for blacks. Riverside County has a considerable Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual and Transgender population at 70,747 persons. By far the most dense makeup of this group is in Palm Springs where the LGBPT population is estimated at 40% of the cities entire makeup.

German Verb Brauchen - Meaning and Conjugation

German Verb Brauchen - Meaning and Conjugation Transitive Verb Past Tense: Past Participle: Definition: to needHere brauchen is followed by an accusative object or phrase.Ich brauche einen neuen HutI need a new hat.Sie braucht mehr ZeitShe needs more time.Note: Do not confuse this definition of brauchen with gebrauchen. Even though you may hear it spoken at times (Ich gebrauche tglich acht Glser Wasser), it is still grammatically wrong. You can however substitute brauchen for gebrauchen and vice versa in the next definition as follows. Definition: to use/useful forWith this definition you can often use brauchen and gebrauchen interchangeably, particularly with the verb kà ¶nnen. There is no difference in meaning.Kannst du das Geld brauchen?Would this money be useful to you?Kannst du das Geld gebrauchen? Heute bin ich zu nichts zu brauchen.I am of no use today.Heute bin ich zu nichts zu gebrauchen.But always the infinitive form brauchen needs to be used, in order to stick with the meaning of to use/useful for. Definition: not need toIn German, this translates to brau chen nicht zu infinitive of second verb:Ich brauche nicht meine Hausaufgaben zu tun - I dont need to do my homework.Sie brauchen meinen Sohn heute nicht abzuholen - You dont need to pick up my son today.In spoken German however, it is common to omit zu such as in Du brauchst das nicht kaufen, even though technically it is not grammatically correct. In written German though, zu is imperative. In fact there is a well-known Eselsbrà ¼cke (a help phrase) repeated often in schools to remind students of this grammatical slip-up:Wer brauchen ohne zu gebraucht, braucht brauchen gar nicht zu gebrauchen.Basically this phrase says: Use zu when using brauchen otherwise dont use brauchen at all.Brauchen zu Used Only In NegationAs youve probably observed, there are no statements with brauchen that express need to (-brauchen zu), thats because brauchen doesnt have any. It is only used with negated sentences. If you want to say I need to eat, for example, then you express it as Ich muss essen and not Ich brauche zu essen. Strictly speaking, there is no literal translation in German of I need to eat, since mà ¼ssen, also means must.Du brauchst keine neue Schuhe zu kaufen. You dont need to buy new shoes.Du musst neue Schuhe kaufen.You need to buy new shoes. Phrases and Expressions with brauchen: gebraucht used, second-handein gebrauchter Wagen/ ein GebrauchtwagenEr ist zu allem zu brauchen.He is very handy to have around.

The Best Spotify Playlists for Study

The Best Spotify Playlists for Study Music researchers agree that music for studying should be free from lyrics  so the songs arent competing for your brains memory space. Fortunately, there are several lyric-free Spotify stations that are perfect for studying.   1.  Intense Studying   Creator:  Spotify The Review:  This station is perfect for keeping that brain sharp and focused, with a mix of sonatas, concertos, and more from  classical superstars like Bach, Mozart, and Dvorak. While some classical stations can relax you to the point of feeling like you might fall asleep, this playlist is full of upbeat tempos that will keep you awake and on track. 2.  Superior Study Playlist Creator:  Taylor Diem The Review:  In case you want to listen to a vast selection modern instrumentals (over 900 songs appear on this list), this Spotify station for studying focuses on soundtracks like those from movies like Amelie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,  and The Hours along with instrumental beats from artists like Explosions in the Sky,  Max Richter, and Levon Mikaelian.   3.  Workday Lounge Creator:  Spotify The Review:  Dont let the title fool you; this isnt boring elevator music. Chill out and listen to the mellow beats of artists like ST*RMAN and  Azul Grande, which just might be calming enough for someone with a crazy life to feel like they can take a deep breath and pop open the books.   4.  Acoustic Concentration Creator:  Spotify The Review: Plug in and open up this lyric-free Spotify station to enjoy music from Michael Hedges, Antoine Dufour, Tommy Emmanuel, Phil Keagy, and over a dozen more guitarists who mesmerize with quick arpeggios and harmonizing chords.   5. NO LYRICS! Creator:  perryhan The Review:  For those who are interested in hearing a mix of more modern songs reworked by instrumental artists, this station has you covered. From 90s grunge classics from bands like Nirvana to songs like Justin Timberlakes Cry Me a River  on violin by David Garrett or Adeles Rolling in the Deep  on piano and violin by The Piano Guys, theres something youll want to hear. 6.  Study Mix (No lyrics) Creator:  mogirl97 The Review:  This is also a Spotify station relying heavily on remixes of modern songs, remade by instrumental bands. The Vitamin String Quartet, Lindsay Stirling, 2 Cellos, and The Piano Guys play their versions of popular songs like Royals, Pompeii, Back to Black, Chandelier, Let It Go, She Will Be Loved and more. They are great for keeping you energized but wont be as distracting as if you were listening to the original versions. 7.  EDM Study No Lyrics Creator: coffierf The Review:  Electronic dance music might not be what first comes to mind when you think of studying, but for some students, possibly those kinesthetic learners out there- the kind who need to keep  moving  to concentrate- this station, with over 50 songs and growing, may be just what you need. Bounce along to tracks by Crystal Castles, Netsky, and Moguai.   The Effects of Music While Studying According to Nick Perham, a researcher published in Applied Cognitive Psychology,  the best music for studying is  no music at all. He says you shouldnt listen to music because it competes for your brains space. Perham recommends that you study in complete silence or ambient noise like from a white machine or even the muted traffic of a highway or soft conversation.  However, some disagree with this researcher and believe that music makes the  study experience  better since it can lift a mood or bump up positive feelings.

The ethics that support meat eaters and non-meat eaters Essay

The ethics that support meat eaters and non-meat eaters - Essay Example The paper tells that the ethics that support eating meat is the question of survival and leading a healthy life. Other than the preferences of taste and culinary matters, meat provides many proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients that are vital for people to lead a healthy life. Meat provides sufficient fat and nutrients, especially to people living in regions, where it is difficult to subsist on vegetarian food. Some examples of such regions include the Polar Regions and the desert areas, where it is difficult to grow plants in sufficient numbers, to support a growing population. The issue of killing living things becomes irrelevant since even vegans consume many products such as cosmetics, oils, medicines, wear leather shoes, and fur, all obtained from animals and their body parts. Countless animals are killed during farming, and these include insects, earthworms and others 'non-glamorous' animals, that thrive in their natural habitat. In fact, while clearing up forests for agricul ture, thousands of animals and birds are disrupted from their natural homes and literally 'left in the wild', where they have no chances of survival. The argument that it is unethical to kill an animal, therefore, falls flat. Therefore, vegans also kill animals, maybe unwittingly, but they do aid in their killing and exploitation, in one form or another. It is therefore obvious that the argument used by vegetarians against meat eating seem hollow and filled with sycophancy.

Analysis of Cloud HR Solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong Dissertation

Analysis of Cloud HR Solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong - Dissertation Example Cloud solutions have brought significant changes in the manner in which organizations run their applications and store their data from the conventional desktop network into servers which can be accessed remotely through the internet. Cloud solutions are technological revolutions which have a considerable effect on all the areas of IT industry as they allow companies to access applications and information at any time from any location all over the globe. Based on this dramatic change of technology, the present research seeks to investigate the aspects that impact the adoption of solutions based on cloud services by SMEs in Hong Kong. It has been noted that numerous studies or empirical researchers have focused on the global market, bigger enterprise as well as industry leaders; however, this paper will concentrate on SME instead of bigger organizations since the constraints they face differ from those of bigger businesses. Approximately 320,000 SME exist in Hong Kong and they have employed more than one million people accounting for forty-seven percent of the total employment when civil servants are not considered. In the globalized and competitive world, this study seeks to provide a platform for HR practitioners as well as business owners to appreciate the manner in which their companies achieve their HR goals, hire and motivate their workers along with how they manage staff performance, training, and organizational changes through the HR solutions already in existence to embrace cloud technologies so that the companies can be more competitive.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) Research Paper

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) - Research Paper Example This technique has made it possible for people that do have a specific genetic condition to avoid passing it on to their off spring (Ashcroft, 2013, p. 218). It is important to make a distinction between pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and preimplantation genetic screening. The diagnosis procedure refers specifically to the situation whereby one or both of the genetic parents of a child in question actually has one or more numerous types of serious genetic abnormalities. If this is the case, the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis procedure can be performed on a particular embryo to determine if it also carries that specific genetic abnormality as well. Pre-implantation genetic screening, on the other hand, is a procedure that is performed when embryos from genetic parents are thought to be normal from a chromosomal perspective, but the genetic parents are screened for aneuploidy (Ashcroft, 2013). The purpose of the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis procedure is, to a large degree, to ensure that only unaffected embryos end up being transferred to the uterus for implantation. This is a viable alternative to the current diagnostic procedures that are typically run after naturally conception has occurred. Examples of this include amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. These tests are often followed by difficult decisions having to be made if abnormal results are achieved, such as deciding to terminate the pregnancy. This issue is quite important today as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis remains the only option that is currently available for parents who are genetically predisposed to certain serious genetic diseases to avoid giving birth to a child that will have the same disease. This must take place prior to the embryo being transferred, or lasting psychological and emotional harm may occur (Dayal, 2010). The

New product development

New product development Need in the Market The need for an eBook in the market was evident. In the information age, where volumes of data and information need to be exchanged, created, examined and organized, there was a huge void to be filled by a handy device capable of being carried around, having an interface big enough like a book, but not the limited capacity of a paper book. The books were omnipresent, even though depleting in number with the internet coming up. But for extended reading, the computer screen was too inconvenient. It took too much time to load up. It was unwieldy to carry around. Not everything was available in a format youd want it in. To look into what exactly the need was, lets us look deeper into some specific points. To fill the current void, the market needed a product that: Was not heavy on the environment, like books. There was too much paper and ink being used for relatively miniscule amounts of information. Replicated the book in terms of readability. The computer screen was strenuous to look into for too long. Further, the computer screen could not be seen in sunlight. It also was very hard to read at angles. Facilitated exchange of information without necessarily the constriction of holding a device and keeping the users eye fixed on it. For example, in the ultra mobile culture that is emerging, many users are either driving a vehicle for a big fraction of the day. They may be users who are working around the house too. Books, because of the undivided attention they required, were slowly being drifted away from. Did not require storage space. Books took up a lot of space. Theres only so much information that can be kept in the library in the form of books. Was not heavy. Books are heavy if you realize that just to move from your living room to the park outside with a few big books is not inviting. If youre travelling, its almost impossible. Was updated in real time. Books cant be, and computers are, as we saw, unwieldy. We now see how the Kindle fulfilled these needs. The Amazon Kindle and how it filled the gap The answer was an eBook reader. One such product is the Amazon Kindle. A quick glance at its features, benefits and how it fits with the market demand identified above is presented. Amazon Kindle: a software/hardware platform by Amazon.com for displaying e-books and sometimes, other digital media. The 3 versions are: Kindle, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX. The Kindle First Generation, which was Amazons first device, was released in the US in 2007 (on November 19). The Kindle uses an E Ink brand electronic paper display. It downloads content using Amazons Whispernet (propriety online store) using mobile networks. The Kindle 2 devices use the American ATTs service and some roaming partners that give wireless access internationally. Kindle does not have to be connected to a computer, and Amazon Whispernet does not require a subscription. All Kindles come with free access to the Internet over mobile networks in the US. Here is a look at the features and benefits you can find with Amazon Kindle. The screen looks like real printed paper. Kindle also became desirable because of its 3G connection service in more than 100 countries. Users are able to get the first chapters of books before purchasing them. The actual download takes 60 seconds. The Kindle DX features a larger screen and more memory to hold more e-books. The screen size is 9.7 inches which is pretty large for comfortable reading. Even the available memory of 3.3 GB is enough to keep to the tune of 3500 books. The screen boasts not having any glare or illumination. This doubles up as a major power saver. In addition, the words of the book, once displayed on the kindle, remain that way without consuming any power. So, in the domain of utilization of power, it is very efficient. About 500,000 book titles are available at its Kindle Store for international customers. Competitive analysis Porters analysis for the eBook industry Entry Entry barriers to the e-book industry are few, if any. The manufacturing process is relatively simple; except for the screen, the technology is well developed. The Kindle uses an electronic paper display manufactured by E-Ink Corporation and this same display can be found in the Sony Reader, the iLiad, the Cybook Gen3, and the Readius. However, there is a challenge of signing agreements with publishers so that the material can be released as an e-book. Perhaps the biggest obstacle that all the companies are facing right now is the lack of growth in the industry. Jinke has been in the business since 2000 but has sold only 150,000 readers, the most of all the companies. Rivalry The e-book market is still in an early stage and because of this, market price levels are still uncertain. There are significant variations in price between different producers of e-book readers. Amazon entered the market at a significantly higher price than Sony and many other competitors, but there are also other readers selling at $700 or more. Because the consumer base is so small, all producers would rather see it expand than steal customers from other manufacturers. Consequently, there is more incentive for manufacturers to improve their product and increase interest in e-books than to compete on price. Supplier Bargaining Power Supplier bargaining power is derived from the number of suppliers, availability of substitutes, and costs associated with switching to alternative inputs. There are two main inputs to the Kindle: screen and network technology. The technology used to create the specialized display on the Kindle is manufactured by the E-Ink Corporation. E-Ink is the leading firm in the electronic paper market and is a supplier to a variety of companies, including Sony and other e-book manufacturers. Since the electronic paper market is relatively new and does not consist of many firms, substitutes are limited. Given the state of the electronic paper market and the fact that electronic paper is a recently developed technology, E-Ink needs customers and hence E-Ink does not have much supplier bargaining power over Kindle. This could change in the future, depending on the popularity of the Kindle and the development of the electronic paper market. Amazon uses EVDO network technology, supplied by the Sprin t network. Kindle users do not need to pay to connect to the network, as Amazon covers the cost. Large EVDO network providers also include Verizon and Alltel, with other competing networks using a standard other than EVDO. This means that Amazons choice of networks for Whispernet is fairly limited. While not an issue now, if Kindle becomes much more widespread in the future, the company could face a holdup problem with Sprint if Sprint wants more of Amazons profits. Thus Kindles display and network suppliers currently do not have much bargaining power, but it is highly likely that if Kindle succeeds, supplier bargaining power will increase and may become a problem for Amazon. Publisher bargaining power is also important to consider since the Kindle is fairly useless without e-books. To increase the size of Amazons e-book library, it needs to obtain publisher permission for each book it converts. Publishers have a great deal of bargaining power in this respect; while there are many publishers, for each title one publisher has a monopoly. Thus, if Amazon wants a specific book for its Kindle, it will have to pay monopoly prices to the publisher. This effect can already be seen in the market for printed books, where much of the profit on a book is retained by the publisher. For a large publishing company like Random House, its profits are on the order of 10% of its revenue. On the other hand, a book retailer like Barnes and Noble has drastically lower profitability, with profits less than 1% of revenue. Thus publishers have a great deal of supplier bargaining power since they essentially decide which books become e-books and whether those books will be availa ble for the Kindle. Publishers can also require that Amazon sell only versions of their books that include Digital Rights Management (DRM), an attempt to prevent illegal copying of the content. Consequently, all books sold through Amazon on the Kindle are available only in the proprietary AZW format. Most competing readers also specialize in their own DRM format. Buyer Bargaining Power Kindle buyers have little bargaining power. Bargaining power is derived mainly from the ease of switching to a competing product and the value of the product to the buyer. Because both the Kindle and competing readers use DRM schemes, books purchased for the Kindle cannot be transferred to other manufacturers devices and vice versa. This is not the primary reason for DRM, but it is advantageous from Amazons point of view because it increases switching costs and helps to create buyer lock-in. The market for e-book readers is still young and small, so the majority of e-book reader buyers do not have a significant existing electronic library. Existing libraries are not yet an important factor in shaping consumers purchasing decisions. However, once the market matures a significant portion of sales will be to existing owners of e-book readers. Thus buyer bargaining power will decrease over time and be very weak in the mature market. Substitutes The main substitutes for Amazon Kindle are libraries, both brick and mortar and online bookstores, and Google Books. However, unlike the online bookstores and Google books, Kindle does not require a computer. Kindles free wireless connectivity which uses the same network as advanced cell phones enables buyers to shop from the Kindle Store directly from the Kindle device. Instead of having to travel to the local library or waiting for books to arrive from online bookstores, this wireless network can download a book in 60 seconds providing customers a more efficient and direct access to books. Although Kindle does not yet have access to as many books as some of these substitutes, it is progressively adding more books. Also, the Kindle stores everything a purchaser buys online; in this way, if a customer loses the Kindle, the reading material will not be lost, as would be the case if you had a paperback. The readers also do not have to deal with heavy or numerous books because of Kindle s light portability. The Kindle display looks like ink on paper, which is easier on the eye than LCD screens and comparable to printed media. It can also increase text size which is a clear advantage over books. Physical bookstores allow customers to browse books before purchasing. Amazon attempts to emulate this feature by allowing users to download and read the first chapter of any book for free. E-book versions of new releases and New York Times Best Sellers are $9.99, saving on average 60%, and many other books can be found for less. As for Google Books, Googles aim is to help people find and discover books and learn where to buy and borrow them. Although there are books that can be read online from start to finish, this is only the case for books in the public domain and out of copyright. For these reasons, Kindle compares favourably to these substitutes. Complements The size of the e-book library, other file types such as .pdf, .doc, and .jpeg, and the service to convert files to Kindle format are all complements of Amazon Kindle. The most important compliment required is the number of books offered to Kindle users. The day Amazon Kindle was released last year, the Kindle Store had more than 88,000 digital titles available for download and now has over 115,000 Books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Amazon also offers an email-based service that converts .html, .doc, .jpeg, .gif, .png, and .bmp documents to their Kindle format, AZW, or can load unprotected Mobipocket or plain text content. This AZW format is only for the Kindle which is a good strategy on Amazons part to tie the complement to the product. Kindle also supports formats for audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or an SD card. With a variety of book options and supported formats to accommodate more customers a nd their various needs, the Kindle is a simple and convenient alternative to reading a paper copy book. Major Competitors This competitor analysis only compared the products on the basis of the technology but to sell the product, there is much more than mere technology which has to be projected. That is where marketing steps in and that is the area where Amazon has been at the forefront with its clear marketing strategy and its proactive and subtle innovations which keep them at the forefront of the E-book reader industry. Marketing strategy The marketing strategy of Amazon Kindle can be seen through the STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) analysis of the Kindle which would give way to the marketing mix followed by the brand. A typical buyer of a Kindle can be perceived as a businessman/businesswoman who does not have enough time and space to carry along the pile of books and newspapers when they go out on a trip or a business meeting. They want multipurpose equipment with no frills attached so that they can browse their favourite book whenever, wherever they can. The popularity of the Kindle can be seen in countries such as America and Europe where these kinds of users are easy in good number. The Kindle is sold on the website of Amazon that saves Amazon a lot of cost due to a direct supply chain. The communication is basically through a series of adverts whenever one goes to the website of Amazon. Amazon has positioned the Kindle as a book carrier for the people on the go. The product is marketed heavily in A merica and not so much in Europe as books have an aesthetic value in the Europe. It considers book as a form of art which is not a case with Americans. Methodology The methodology consists of both the primary and secondary research methodology. The basic aim of the methodology is to gauge the consumer perception of the Amazon Kindle and to analyze the gap between the Brand identity portrayed by the product and the brand image which is actually created in the mind of the consumer of an Amazon Kindle. Generally, it is seen that a new product has problems filling this gap and it is one of the major threat whenever the product is launched in the market. There is a need for the company to portray itself in a manner that the gap is minimized. In order to see the success of the Kindle we tried to visit the various blogs and the website of the Kindle to look for the consumer perception and the post purchase analysis. This methodology was validated by the questionnaire floated on various internet sites and the blogs in order to get maximum responses from the people. The scope of study was narrowed down on to finally three types of units: Users of Amazon Kindle Non-Users of Amazon Kindle People who havent heard of Amazon Kindle It is very important to gauge all the three responses in order to get the birds eye view on the product and the concept delivery. While hundreds of responses were analyzed in the secondary research, we came up with 54 responses in the primary research which was covering the geographical areas of USA, India, France, Germany, Greece, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Argentina and many more nations which make the study geographically significant. The responses were analyzed by the statistical tools such as excel and SPSS in order to come up with the impact analysis of Amazon Kindle and finally the recommendations that we came up to make this process of marketing the Kindle much more efficient and focused. Observations and analysis Secondary research observations: The secondary research was performed on the following web blogs and websites: inventorspot.com ireaderreview.com www.wired.com www.bestebookreaders.com reviews.cnet.com crunchbase.com blogs.techrepublic.com www.computerworld.com wiki.mobileread.com www.hanselman.com www.macworld.com gadgets.boingboing.net arstechnica.com www.digitaltrends.com Amazons Website The blogs are the major technology blogs which constantly receive the comments of the users and the non users and are a fair indicator of the trends and perception of the new product in the market. This is majorly significant in the case of the Kindle as the marketing mix of the product significantly enhances the importance of the blogs and reviews online. The product is sold online only and thus all the users or the people who are interested in the product are more likely to be avid internet users. The first step for adaptation of any new product is the search of the information about the product and the information, in case of Amazon kindle is majorly available on these websites and the Amazons site. The user therefore pays a lot more attention to these blogs in this case. Thus these blogs are very powerful in forming the perception about a product which is sold online. The E-Paper screen is slightly smaller than that on its primary competitor, the Sony Reader, but is still quite legible and roomy E-Paper has a long way to go before it replaces ink on paper, but its comfortably on the right path Youll need to use the Kindle in the same sort of well-lit environment that youd read a normal book or magazine Some of the features such as the expandable memory and the wireless services truly make using a Kindle an unforgettable experience. However, we can never call the Kindle a radical innovation as the concept was already put in to the market by Sony via their Sony reader. But as compared to its counterparts, it is perceived as a pioneer in innovation and technology. With the latest launch of the I-PAD, there has been a lot of speculation while we compare the I-PAD to the Kindle. While both Apple and Amazon maintain that the products are not in competition but there has always been a comparison made which can be unfair to the Kindle as it is not a multipurpose device as compared to the Kindle. But Kindle has been very proactive in ensuring that they come out with the subtle innovations that would keep their nose ahead at all times. This can be seen when they launched the Kindle application for the IPAD very recently just after the launch of the IPAD. Primary Research Observations The primary research was conducted on 51 respondents who were spread all over the globe on all continents of the world. The respondents were divided into 3 categories and the perception mapping was performed. The results show high involvement of Americans over the rest of the world. This can be easily explained by the history of the Amazon Kindle which launches the new version in America first and then another version is launched in the rest of the world. There is always an international version of the Kindle which is meant for the rest of the world except America. The research had 61 percent female respondents and 39 percent male respondents. There were many avid readers among the Americans who answered the questionnaire. The total avid readers were 55 percent and out of those, 80 percent were Americans. The value sought in the Amazon Kindle was very high among these groups of people which tell us that the Kindle is very popular among the people who love to read a lot. The people were mainly fond of the fact that the kindle is very compact and easy to operate. The peoples response was mainly hinting that the Kindle is surely a device that they would like to buy but the barriers that they have put either on the initial price and on the subsequent running costs is deterring them from having a Kindle with them. According to them, there is a special place of books in there and Amazon should not compete with them. The testimony of the fact is that the 90 percent of the people preferred paperback books instead of an electronic book if given a free choice. The reason given is that the book looks much more real and there is a sense of possession when we have a book in our hand rather than when we have an eBook in our laptops of our Kindle for that matter. The Kindle had the biggest advantage over the rest of its competitors due to its wireless capabilities which actually allow you to get your favorite books within a few seconds room anywhere in the world and anytime in the world. While Americans and Australians preferred the Kindle because it saved a lot of shelf space which in other cases would have been taken by the books, the Europeans preferred Kindle because it was su pposed to save a lot of paper and it looked elegant in the hand of the possessor. Some of the other findings include the fact that while 39 percent of the respondents were actually Kindle users, there were 21 percent of the respondents who were not aware of the Kindle at all. The reason that we could thought of was that it has something to do with the less popularity of Amazon in the countries of these people as most of these people were from India(50 percent) and Thailand and other parts of Asia. This throws light on the fact that for a product which mainly sells from the internet, it is very important for the parent company to have an established base of consumers who can then communicate with them and participate in the offerings given to them in the form of products such as the Kindle. There is no distribution channel where we can push the product. The other respondents who had heard of the Kindle but never thought of buying it thought that the price of the Kindle is the major factor that deters them from even thinking of having one. For the ones who want to b uy it and do not have it as of now, the major reason is that the people associate a lot of hidden costs with the product. This was a major finding as the company never projects the actual cost to consumer throughout the life of the consumers. While the possessors liked the fact that the Kindle has good connectivity which we too found out as the point of difference of the Kindle from its competitors, the non users liked the read without glare feature the most attractive one. This lead us to one more observation that the most attractive feature is not the unique feature of the kindle so the Kindle may or may not be the first choice of the people when they go on to buy an eBook reader. This is kind of disheartening for the company as the product is highly placed on the price and the technology table and the users may not find value for money once they look to buy a Kindle. There were some serious observations made in the value that the consumers attach regarding the price of the Kindle and that comes out to be around 140 Euros that is way less than the actual price of the kindle i.e. 250 Euros. This leads us to the observations is that the barrier is too high for a large amount of potential users which can be exploited if they agree to lower the initial cost. The people were very apprehensive of the actual cost to customer and Amazon can do well to enlighten the customers about the same. Success of the product to date The Amazon kindle is unarguably the best selling product for Amazon and the adverts on the website of Amazon are a testimony of this. It is the most wished for, most desired and most searched for product on Amazon site which tells us that the product is doing very well on the international scene as well. Some of the factual data released by Amazon can also be seen below. It tells us that the product is doing wonderfully well on the international scene. The product is a very successful one and the continual improvements that it has come up with are a major factor contributing towards such a success. The revenue percentage of Amazon is as high as 2.6 percent that tells us that it is the star performer for Amazon. The fact that is not taken into consideration is that there are huge running costs that are related to each Kindle that are unfortunately not mentioned in the data. But it is clear that the Kindle is doing cery well in the market since its launch in 2008. Recommendations Amazon should focus on advertising to attract new customers to the e-book market. A large potential for growth in its base of consumers is with commuters and business travellers, who will benefit from the convenience of the Kindles portability and also possess the disposable income to afford the device in its current price range. As Ron Hawkins, vice president for portable reader systems at rival Sony, points out, Digital readers are not a replacement for a print book; they are a replacement for a stack of print books. That is where we see people, on the go, in the subway and in airports, with our device. The Kindle delivers newspapers directly to users for, on average, $10/month. This enables commuters to easily read the newspaper on a smaller medium without the unwieldiness of the print version. Similarly, businessmen will find the Kindle appealing to avoid carrying multiple books while travelling. By targeting these consumers through increased advertising in subways, airports, and on airplanes, Amazon can expand the market and reach out to new adopters of e-books. In coordination with this advertising effort, Amazon should attempt to negotiate deals with major newspapers. At a time when newspapers are struggling with declining numbers in readers and revenue, Amazon can seek to capitalize on their situation. For example, the LA Times started a task known as the Manhattan Project seeking to investigate solutions to reinvent the paper for the future. Amazon has the opportunity to approach them with the Kindle as a new venue to revive their business through a younger tech-savvy audience. The primary goal of this advertising campaign is to increase the overall e-book market, rather than to steal customers from rivals, so competitors should not feel threatened by it. In fact, other firms may benefit from the increased awareness of e-book readers. Similarly, parallel campaigns by rivals do not pose a significant threat to Amazon, since the major challenge at hand is to grow the market and provide for future profitability. However, Amazon needs to ensure that rivals do not enter into exclusive contracts with newspapers or other content providers in general. These deals only serve to benefit individual firms in the short run and ultimately hinder expansion of a relatively small, nascent market. Long Term Positioning In the long run the market for e-books themselves is unlikely to support significant profits. The main issue stems from the large amount of publisher bargaining power that currently exists in the print book market. Publishers have a significant influence in the supply chain for books, retaining the largest portion of the producer surplus in print media. The retailer only receives a small fraction of the overall profits on the book, so it is presumable that Amazon will face similar difficulty in extracting profits from e-books. In addition, Amazons business model is reproducible and thus their current distribution advantage is not necessarily permanent. Amazons reputation would be their only substantial barrier to new entrants in the e-book sales market. Lastly, competition with free pirated e-books would present problems. Even if Amazon proves more successful than competitors in e-book retailing, as the market grows, piracy will inevitably emerge to erode profits. This has occurred o ver the last decade in the music industry as digital music and the Internet have matured. These pitfalls make it unwise for Amazon to pursue a partnership with a hardware-oriented company like Sony, in which Amazon would limit itself to selling e-book reader content. Instead, Amazon should continue to produce the Kindle itself. Due to the nature of the market, the selection of complements will not distinguish the Kindle from other readers. If Amazon can maintain comparable hardware quality to other manufacturers, switching costs and brand identity should allow Amazon to keep a stable customer base and to support some level of sustainable profits. Pricing It also might be tempting for Amazon to leverage their current advantage in e-book distribution into greater profits on the e-books. This trades larger short term profits for a weaker future position in the market, which will be much larger that it is now. Thus, Amazons pricing strategy should be consistent with the long term focus on hardware and a desire to prioritize market share over short term profits throughout the growth phase. Amazons recent price reduction from $399 to $359 reflects a shift from targeting quality sensitive early adopters to more price sensitive consumers. It should continue to drop prices in steady increments to attract wider consumer bases. Consumers are less sensitive to e-book prices than they are to hardware prices, and the decision to purchase a Kindle is more likely to be triggered by the cost of the Kindle itself. Hence, Amazon should not be overly concerned with further reducing e-book prices. These prices are currently lower than most hardbacks and trade paperbacks but higher than most mass market paperbacks. Attempting to compete with mass market paperbacks is infeasible because of publishers resistance to pricing e-books much cheaper than print versions. It already loses money on most of its e-books, priced well below what it pays publishers, and further price cuts would likely require Amazon to take losses unjustified by the small benefits in market share. However, if the Kindle is able to propel the e-book markets into a fast growing phase, publishing executives anticipate that it will not be long before Amazon begins using the Kindles popularity as a lever to demand that publishers cut prices. At this point , Amazons increased bargaining power will enable it to price more competitively without the losses from subsidies. Questionnaire Age Sex Male Female Nationality How much reading do you do in general? I am an avid reader, I cant live if I dont read I like to read, you would find me reading very often I like to read sometimes I read rarely I hate reading, i have better things to do in life What according to you is the most attractive feature of Amazon Kindle? Its sleek design and light weight The concept of an electronic reader The easy connectivity(Global 3G wireless) Long Battery Life Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight Holds up to 1,500 books Saves paper Lower prices than paper books Over 450,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books people Other: What is it that would deter you from buying the Kindle? Price The concept of buying an E-book and limited number of reads Lack of Knowledge(less advertizing) Other: What according to you is the biggest competitor of the Kindle? Apples I-Pad The paper books Barnes Nobles Nook The Nook book reader Sony pocket touch edition