Direct, Interactive & Digital Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Direct, Interactive & Digital Marketing - Essay Example Direct marketing is highly contributing to the growth of digital marketing and social media in the following ways. First, direct marketing is leading many firms to move from the monopolistic nature of marketing to the competitive type of market. Most firms are doing so in order to reach many clients across the world. In addition, they agree into the competitive market to be flexible in terms of their production to meet the customers demand. For instance, Tesco offers its clients with variety of products in its various branches across the world. It enables its clients to buy products online thus making it more competitive market. Moreover, direct marketing leads to the development of information environment within the society. That is; it opened transmission between individuals. Moreover, direct marketing made socialization and the society possible. The transformation of information networks is another significant role of direct marketing in the development of digital marketing and social media. Direct marketing is highly transforming information into the market place therefore giving clear understanding between the individuals. For example, Tesco club card is offering more discounting to the employees depending on how the client will agree with company management. In addition, one will also receive a voucher depending on the frequency of using the Tesco Club card. Moreover, the information, will aid to remove old barriers in the marketing industry and thus reducing inconvenience in the marketing industry. The message sent will not be distorted. That is the message you sent will ever be saved because of the backup from the sent items from the sending company. In addition, direct marketing is a faster way that can enable an individual to reach the audience quickly and without many difficulties. In addition, the technique allows the firm to have personal communication with the clients hence getting better understanding of the customers’

A recent newspaper report Essay Example for Free

A recent newspaper report Essay The council had fitted a new toilet into Judy Weisss flat as part of a refurbishment. Ms Weiss noted that it looked good, but also complained that it smelled when the weather was warm. A workman was sent by the council to look at it, who then said they could not smell anything. No further action was taken regarding this particular issue.[S1] After some time, Ms Weiss then noted that a leak had started at the back of the toilet, where the floor and wall meet. It was miniscule at first and initially placed on the Low Priority list, before it then got worse to the point that the area always became flooded after the toilet was used, therefore becoming a High Priority problem. A professional was called again to look at it, and they turned off the water to stop the leak, but said Ms Weiss must use the toilet in the corridor instead. Ms Weiss complained that the toilet had been troubling her for two weeks now, and continuing leaks are resulting in emerging rotting on the skirting and stains on the floor tiles and hall carpet. She is now asking for compensation, and for everything to be fixed as soon as possible. This is a document to inform tenants of the councils policies about housing problems and how repairs to their homes are categorised, as well as advise tenants about how to report any problems which arise. This report has a mixed purpose to inform as well as to support readers on their case. Some positive points about the council are mentioned at the start of the article, but it mainly concentrates on highlighting negative points. It is positively mentioned that Westchester District Council came top in the Local Government rankings, mainly due to the recent refurbishment of all rented homes. There is a quote by Council Chief Amy Ayomola about how thrilled tenants are by the highly successful project. A spokesman from a local tenants association accused the council of window dressing and said that the upgrades are overdue and being done at the expense of normal repairs. It is said that the council is failing to meet targets for repairs, and that the council came 54th out of 72 in the rankings for tackling non-urgent repairs. CONCLUSIONS 1 The toilet smell in Judy Weiss home was dealt with correctly as per the councils repairs policy, with regards to Low Priority problems: there is a need for repair but this is not affecting the tenants ability to enjoy living in the property. This could include flaking paint, minor drainage smells or cracked tiles. 2 The start of the leak was initially correctly marked as Low Priority, due to its small size. However, as the leak increased so much to a point that the floors were being flooded and causing considerable damp damage in the area, it may have possibly been in the best interest of the council to deal with this in quicker time. 3 Since Ms Weiss had been contacting the council every week for the past six months with little response in return, more should have been done on our part to help her on time and not keep her waiting unnecessarily. RECOMMENDATIONS 1 In light of the problems highlighted by this tenants letter, the repairs policy should be properly reviewed and some amendments should be considered in order to improve it. 2 More investigation also should be done to find out whether these issues are truly a common occurrence for many more other tenants in Westchesters councils homes. A questionnaire would be a suitable method for this. 3 A letter of responsibility should be written and sent as soon as possible to the tenant, Judy Weiss, to acknowledge and apologise for her problems, as well as to inform her of what we can to do help and advise her of what actions she should make in future. 4 A response article should be written for the Westchester Gazette to let the public know the councils side of the story, and to portray itself in a more positive light.

She Held The Piece Of Paper And Looked At Me :: essays research papers

Jackie stared at the piece of paper with trembling hands and then back at me, her eyes danced uncontrollably with joy. Elated, she held onto the letter tenaciously and ran around the room in a frenzied madness. "Grandfather Morgan, is dead!" she proclaimed, her pale arms gesticulated wildly as she re-read short extracts from my grandfather's lawyer's letter in her formal tone, which was occasionally punctuated by short bursts of laughter. "He's dead," together, we proclaimed again and again in jubilation. Dressed in a somber suit to disguise our euphoric hearts, Jackie and I rushed to grandfather's opulent mansion, which was perched on the outskirts of Nome, a small district with big people. We entered the mansion only to be welcomed by wailing relatives who had suddenly remembered grandfather only after he had passed on. After a short sermon we gathered around the teak coffin to say our final farewells to Morgan. Eventually, Jackie strolled towards the coffin, bent down and kissed grandfather's ashen cheeks and hissed into his ears, "So glad you finally decided to die, old man, and you had better left me something worthwhile," Finally, we entered a glumly lit room filled with excited chatter. Obviously, they were all vying for Morgan's coveted treasures. This was the moment we were all eagerly awaiting; the will was going to be read .A scrawny lawyer hobbled into the room, sat on the leather sofa and loosened his strangling tie. Clearing his throat he fumbled for his reading glasses as he peered at us through his milky green eyes. Flashing a conspitoral smile, he started to read Morgan's will in a hoarse voice. After rambling on and on about what other relatives were to be given, he finally reached Jackie's name. " Lastly, to my loving granddaughter, Jacqueline, the one whom I had always doted upon, will be given the family heirloom." "What?" Jackie screeched in utter dismay. Immediately, she sprang up and rushed towards the will. Grabbing the yellowed paper from the bedlam lawyer, Jackie read the will again. Shaking her curly locks in disbelief she wailed, "It cannot be, I served him for so long and I end up with a worthless piece of junk." " Madam, you must understand that your grandfather's ring was worth much more to him than just money itself, he would expected you of all people to understand this, "the lawyer meekly retorted.

Present Value

Selling price The selling price would equal to the sum of the potential profits realizable by the purchased asset. In order to present a proper amount with respect to the time value and including the market risk and risk premium, the profits have to be discounted to the present value using the appropriate discount rate. The sum of the discounted cash flows for the next two years of the asset’s useful life is $299,021.75. The same number represents a fair price for purchasing the asset, as it includes potential benefits realizable by the investment, as well as accounts for the possible risks on the basis of the fixed discount rate. Price adjustment under higher rates and inflationThe higher inflation rate would require the appropriate price markup. Market interest rates as well as the risk rates are higher under the growing inflation. Therefore, the price of the asset will be increased, by marking the adjusting the dollar value using the appropriate inflation rate.LocationIf th e asset would be located in the area with unstable governmental and economic situation, it would cost less. The unexpected and sharp market prices fluctuations could alter the projected profit margins. The implementation of long-term contracts would be under a threat. However, with only two years of potential profits, the latter argument does not represent the most critical issue in determining the price level. The risks associated with the potential benefits are significantly higher than in the case of operating in a stable economy. Consequently, the asset would lose some of its value, and its selling price would be lower.BondsThe goal of the firm is to maximize present shareholder value. This goal implies that projects should be undertaken that result in the positive net present value, that is the present value of the expected cash inflow less the present value of the required capital expenditures. Using net present value as a measure, capital budgeting involves selecting those pr ojects that increase the value of the firm because they have a positive NPV. The timing and growth rate of the incoming cash flow is important only to the extent of its impact on NPV. The increase in the net present value means the decrease in the discount rate. This data can be observed in the financial plan section, using cash flows, where the present value of a cash flow stream is equal to the sum of the present values of the individual cash flows. Moreover, in determination of the net present value cost of capital percentage can be used.The cost of capital for any investment is the rate of return capital providers would expect to receive if they would invest their capital elsewhere (opportunity cost).  The annual financial reports for the two companies suggest at a first glance that Cisco systems would be a more sound investment, as it represents a more favourable income statement balance. General Motors Company shows very low profits for the last periods, however its profit m argins are steadily growing. A significant loss, which negatively affects the current credit rating of the company, is realized in prior periods due to discontinuing operations and losses on requisitions. However, the company’s liquidity shows a close to industry’s median value. General Motors shows a more confident overall stability of business operation, while Cisco system greatly depends on innovation and research and development, which is associated with greater costs and bigger risk involved.However, the business indicates less dependency on fixed costs, which allows to attain not only technological or innovative advantage on the market, but also to win better trading bargains offering more favourable prices to customers. The business operations of Cisco largely depend on the appropriate timing and immediate reaction.Cisco should have a higher discount rate than General Motors, because it requires a more profound analysis for determining the potential performance of the company. The higher risks associated with the investment should be accordingly accounted for including the calculation of the market rate and the risk premium. General Motors offers lower returns but higher stability, which means less risk. Making a long term investment in bonds with the same pay rate would be more sound and reasonable for General Motors Company, as it provides a less risky opportunity of return. However, its benefits are limited compared to the potential suggested by the Cisco systems company.

Famous Igneous Rocks

Writing Assignment: Famous Igneous Rocks  25 Points Some very famous stone products are made out of igneous rocks. Select  one  of the items in the list below and do some research on it. Then write a creative story about the travels or life history of the rock that makes up the item.Your story can be as creative as you like but must at least include: * An explanation of the conditions under which the igneous rock was formed in the first place * What the product is today, where it is located, and why it is famous For example, if you choose an item made of granite, explain under what conditions granite forms, and then explain how your item is used today or why it is famous and where someone could find it. Do not exceed one typed page in length. Choose from the following items: * Mt. Rushmore (made of granite) * Plymouth Rock (the actual rock, not the place) (made of dacite) * the Rosetta Stone (made of dacite) the Easter Island Statues (made of several igneous rocks, including ba salt) * the Code of Hammurabi (made of diorite) * the Roman Pantheon (made of granite) * rock samples brought back from the moon during the Apollo 15 mission (made of anorthosite, an igneous rock that has a texture and composition similar to granite) Submit your completed assignment to the  Writing Assignment: Famous Igneous Rocks  assignment link for grading. For more information on how this assignment will be graded, review the  Writing Assignment: Famous Igneous Rocks Rubric.

American Psycho vs American So essays

American Psycho vs American So essays American Psycho vs. American society Director Mary Harrons American Psycho, portrays a man who appears socially, financially, and culturally successful to the outside world. But the same culture that he strives to conquer seems to lead him to horrible acts of violence. The mere idea of committing the acts of violence shows the downfalls of our current society. Some of these downfalls may be loss of respect for others, and a money driven mentality. Driven by Greed, Harrons Patrick Bateman is continually striving for improvements in his physical appearance, financial/social status, and masculinity. This continual need for improvement and desire for perfection by Patrick mirrors our American work ethic. American Psychos Patrick illustrates how his economic and social stature can mask his serial killer mentality. In a scene where he discusses movie reviews with his secretary while holding a nailgun to the back of her head. She has no idea of the nail-gun and thinks he is a normal, sane person because of his high social status. As he lures women back to his fancy apartment, he is using his money and nice things as a tool to commit these acts of violence. This ironic twist of a mans mentality relates to how what Newitz refers to as economic performance anxiety could force someone to do strange things as a result of a fear of imperfection. The interest of watching the cinema of serial murders may relate to an insanity caused by our own culture. Our capitalist society, although leads to some very financially successful people, may have deep emotional drawbacks to those that choose to participate in its workforce. The book Mythologies of Violence in Postmodern Media, edited by Christopher Sharrett discusses a desire to consume infinitely that is present in our current economic societys mind. This need for things, such as expensive cars, and nice houses logically lea...

Free Essays on Histoy Of American Mafia

THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA Throughout history, crime has existed in many different forms and has been committed by not only individuals, but by groups as well. Crime is something that knows no boundaries; it exists in all cultures, is committed by all races, and has existed in all time periods. Crime exists as a part of the economic institution and is a lifestyle for many people. Crime also exists in both organized and un organized forms. Since the early 1900's, "organized" crime has existed in the United States. The following will show where, when, and why the Mafia came to the United States, who organized it in the United States, and how it differed from its origins in the European mafia. By showing this you will see how this specific type of organized crime has In the ninth century, Arab forces occupied Sicily. The native Sicilians were oppressed and took refuge in the surrounding hills. The Sicilians formed a secret society to unite the natives against the Arab and Norman invaders. This secret society was called Mafia after the Arabic word for refuge. The society's intentions were to create a sense of family based on ancestry and Sicilian heritage. In the 1700's, pictures of a black hand were distributed to the wealthy. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection. If the money was not paid, the recipients could expect violence such as kidnappings, bombings, and murder. By the nineteenth century, this society grew larger and more criminally oriented. In 1876, Mafia Don Rafael Palizzolo, ran for political office in Sicily. He forced the voters to vote for him under gunpoint. After being elected into office, he promoted Mafia Don Crispi as Prime Minister. Together the two put Sicily under government control an d funneled government funds to the society known as the Mafia. In the 1800's, New Orleans was the largest Mafia site in the United States. It was while investigating the murder of a... Free Essays on Histoy Of American Mafia Free Essays on Histoy Of American Mafia THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA Throughout history, crime has existed in many different forms and has been committed by not only individuals, but by groups as well. Crime is something that knows no boundaries; it exists in all cultures, is committed by all races, and has existed in all time periods. Crime exists as a part of the economic institution and is a lifestyle for many people. Crime also exists in both organized and un organized forms. Since the early 1900's, "organized" crime has existed in the United States. The following will show where, when, and why the Mafia came to the United States, who organized it in the United States, and how it differed from its origins in the European mafia. By showing this you will see how this specific type of organized crime has In the ninth century, Arab forces occupied Sicily. The native Sicilians were oppressed and took refuge in the surrounding hills. The Sicilians formed a secret society to unite the natives against the Arab and Norman invaders. This secret society was called Mafia after the Arabic word for refuge. The society's intentions were to create a sense of family based on ancestry and Sicilian heritage. In the 1700's, pictures of a black hand were distributed to the wealthy. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection. If the money was not paid, the recipients could expect violence such as kidnappings, bombings, and murder. By the nineteenth century, this society grew larger and more criminally oriented. In 1876, Mafia Don Rafael Palizzolo, ran for political office in Sicily. He forced the voters to vote for him under gunpoint. After being elected into office, he promoted Mafia Don Crispi as Prime Minister. Together the two put Sicily under government control an d funneled government funds to the society known as the Mafia. In the 1800's, New Orleans was the largest Mafia site in the United States. It was while investigating the murder of a...

All About the Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City

All About the Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City Located in the heart of Mexico City, Chapultepec Castle is a historic site and local landmark. Inhabited since the days of the Aztec Empire, Chapultepec Hill offers a commanding view of the sprawling city. The fortress was the home of legendary Mexican leaders including Emperor Maximilian and Porfirio Diaz and played an important role in the Mexican-American War. Today, the castle is home to the first-rate National Museum of History. Chapultepec Hill Chapultepec means â€Å"Hill of the Grasshoppers† in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. The site of the castle was an important landmark to the Aztecs who inhabited Tenochtitlan, the ancient city which would later become  known as Mexico City. The hill was located on an island in Lake Texcoco where the Mexica people made their home. According to legend, the other people of the region did not care for the Mexica and sent them to the island, then known for dangerous insects and animals, but the Mexica ate these pests and made the island their own. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Spanish drained Lake Texcoco to control flooding issues. On the grounds near the castle, at the base of the hill in the park near the  Nià ±os Heroes  monument, there are ancient glyphs carved into the stone during the reign of the Aztecs. One of the rulers mentioned is Montezuma II.   The Castle After the fall of the Aztecs in 1521, the hill was largely left alone. A Spanish viceroy, Bernardo de Glvez, ordered a home built there in 1785, but he left and the place was eventually auctioned off. The hill and assorted structures upon it eventually became the property of the municipality of Mexico City. In 1833, the new nation of Mexico decided to create a military academy there. Many of the older structures of the castle date from this time. Mexican-American War and the Hero Children In 1846, the Mexican-American War began. In 1847, the Americans approached Mexico City from the east. Chapultepec was fortified and placed under the command of General Nicolas Bravo, a former president of the Mexican republic. On September 13, 1847, the Americans needed to take the castle to proceed, they did, then secured the fortress. According to legend, six young cadets remained at their posts to fight off the invaders. One of them, Juan Escutia, wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and leaped to his death from the castle walls, denying the invaders the honor of removing the flag from the castle. These six young men are immortalized as the Nià ±os Heroes or â€Å"Hero Children† of the war. According to modern historians, the story is likely embellished, but the fact remains that Mexican cadets did defend the castle bravely during the Siege of Chapultepec. The Age of Maximilian In 1864, Maximilian of Austria, a young European Prince of the Habsburg line, became emperor of Mexico. Although he spoke no Spanish, he was approached by Mexican and French agents who believed that a stable monarchy would be the best thing for Mexico. Maximilian resided at Chapultepec Castle, which he had modernized and rebuilt according to the European standards of luxury at the time with marble floors and fine furniture. Maximilian also ordered the construction of Paseo de la Reforma, which connects Chapultepec Castle to the National Palace in the center of town. Maximilian’s rule lasted three years until he was captured and executed by forces loyal to  Benito Juarez, the president of Mexico, who maintained he was the legitimate head of Mexico during Maximilians reign. Residence for Presidents In 1876, Porfirio Diaz came to power in Mexico. He took Chapultepec Castle as his official residence. Like Maximilian, Diaz ordered changes and additions to the castle. Many items from his time are still in the castle, including his bed and the desk from which he signed his resignation as president in 1911. During the Mexican Revolution, various presidents used the castle as an official residence, including Francisco I. Madero, Venustiano Carranza, and Alvaro Obregà ³n. Following the war, Presidents Plutarco Elias Calles and Abelardo Rodriguez resided there. The Castle Today In 1939, President Lazaro Cardenas del Rio declared that Chapultepec Castle would become the home of Mexicos National History Museum. The museum and castle are a popular tourist destination. Many of the upper floors and gardens have been restored to look as they did during the age of Emperor Maximilian or President Porfirio Diaz, including original beds, furniture, paintings, and Maximilians fancy coach. Also, the exterior is renovated and includes the busts of Charlemagne and Napoleon that had been commissioned by Maximilian. Near the entrance to the castle is a massive monument to the fallen during the 1846 Mexican-American War, a monument to the 201st Air Squadron, a Mexican air unit which fought on the side of the Allies during World War II  and old water cisterns, a nod to Lake Texcocos former glory. Museum Features The National Museum of History includes pre-Colombian artifacts and displays about ancient cultures of Mexico. Other sections detail important parts of Mexican history, such as the war for independence and the Mexican Revolution. Oddly, there is little information about the 1847 Siege of Chapultepec. There are numerous paintings in the museum, including famous portraits of historical figures such as Miguel Hidalgo and Josà © Marà ­a Morelos. The best paintings are the masterpiece murals by legendary artists Juan O’Gorman, Jorge Gonzlez Camarena, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros.

Strategic Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Human Resource Management - Essay Example Strategy has over the time replaced the use of planning to illustrate a well laid down pattern of making decisions and taking actions by the upper management in an organisation towards a specific goal. Therefore, SHRM is critical in determining the success of any business entity and in steering the entire material and human resource in the organisation towards the common goal. Strategic management is mainly determined by three factors in an organisation, which are the resources, environment and the management that has to control and allocate resources towards the success of an organisation. An organisation has to operate in an uncertain environment with external factors such as economic and socio-cultural factors affecting decisions and operations in the company. Consequently, strategic management requires that the HR manager defines measures to facilitate organisational performance through strategies address the prevailing socio-cultural and economic forces. Economic and social-cult ural factors have an active role in determining the effectiveness of a human resource strategy in an organisation. For instance, while politicians are responsible for making tax decisions and other decisions that lead to policy formulation in a country, such policies affects economic factors in the business environment. Moreover, exchange rates, income growth, unemployment, industrial classification and customer confidence in an organisation are all factors that are closely rated to political dynamics, which affects economic factors in an organisation (Thompson, 2002). In addition, these factors have an effect on social aspects, while social factors do impact on them as well. Social factors are responsible for determining the dynamics in a society and include demographics and the overall population dynamics, which comprise of factors such as education level, income distribution, age distribution, mobility, customer behavior and entrepreneurial dynamics (Thompson, 2002). Pollution, g ender roles, fashion, harmful factors, lifestyle, among others are examples of socio-cultural factors that affect operations in an organisation (Pearce & Robinson, 2005). Moreover, the human resource manager has to put in place strategies to address the health services of the workers their social security in pensions, and has to consider work force mobility and work culture dynamics. These social-cultural factors translate to increased costs to the organisation, and the HR has to come up with strategies to ensure perform while at the same time cutting down costs. There are varying changes in the business operating environment that are caused by increasing forces of globalization, changes in demographics of the company’s workforce, intellectual capital and other changes that force an organisation to have a different approach in mangling human resources(Wright, 1998). A highly performing human resource approach that fails in establishing strategic integration lacks the competit ive advantage for survival, and would gradually lose its ground in the current market (Kazmi & Ahmed, 2001). In order to have operational excellence, research has shown that human resource managers have to align with the business strategic goals. Considering that a business is affected by external environmental factors such as economic and social-cultural factors, an effective HR manager has to pu

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

Research - Essay Example Based on the data from World health organization cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco use kill more than 4 million people worldwide every year, with about 1.25 billion active smokers worldwide. With the same trends of tobacco use it is estimated that tobacco smoking will kill 8.4 million people a year by year 2020 (WHO 2000). Now even though these numbers are alarming the advertising of tobacco smoking is increasing in volume and specificity. It is estimated that in year 2006 in United States, the 5 largest tobacco companies spend 12.50 billion dollars on advertising, or more accurately more that 34 million dollar per day in advertising and promoting cigarette smoking. What is most important is that the as the cigarette smoking declines, the amount of money spend on advertising is drastically increasing (Slater et al 2007). Also some new price strategies that are designed by the tobacco companies, like price discounts that are paid to wholesaler and large distributors to lowe r the price of the cigarettes, actually lead to increased number of smokers among youth and adolescents in United States (Federal Trade Commission 2006). The advertising in tobacco industry goes as far as designing cigarettes that are specially attractive and appealing to women, where the targeting of women as smokers goes beyond marketing because the companies try to find specific factors of motivation, patterns of social activities associated with smoking, specific product preferences etc. in order to produce gender or age specific products (Carpenter et al 2005). As we can see the tobacco industry is a strong factor that is promoting the use of tobacco neglecting the negative effects of smoking in the process. Since tobacco smoking is a major health problem, the health system has very important role in promoting the negative effect of smoking and its participants: doctors, nurses, public health workers and other medical personnel. As stated by World health organization the public health community and health professionals should lead the way in solving the problem of tobacco use (WHO 2000). The role of health professionals is important because there are studies that show that the chances of smoking cessation increases after a patient receives advice from a health care professional (Fiore et al. 2000). There are many programs in the world designed to reduce the incidence tobacco use among physicians and other health care professionals around the world. There are information’s that indicate that maximum 10 percents of physicians in Australia, Norway, Canada, United States, United Kingdom and other developed countries smoke tobacco. This incidence is much higher among the countries in Europe. As opposite of this up to 40 percent or more of the physicians smoke in France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and other countries in Europe (WHO 1993). This is interesting because the study conducted by Emanuela and Anna 2009 also showed that incidence of tobacco use

Analyzing Fed Policymaking 1996-1998 Term Paper

Analyzing Fed Policymaking 1996-1998 - Term Paper Example With upward rising of the aggregate, there are favorable conditions to drive economic growth such as high job creation, high production, and business expansion. The Federal Reserve policies between 1996 and 1998 were aimed at stimulating growth in ensuring increased productivity, which resulted in increased employment and reduced inflationary rates through control of interest rates. A report by Federal Reserve Board (1999) showed that, economic growth between 1996 and 1998 was remarkable and stronger than many had expected. The economy growth was more than 3.5% in 1997 and between 2.5 and 3.0 % in 1998. By 1998 the real GDP growth was at 3.5%, and was expected to rise further in the following years (Lewis, 1998). According to Lewis, at the start of October 1998, the S& P was abnormally high having risen from about 1000 in earlier years to about 1400 by July 1999. The Fed had to impose a 40% increase in the S &P by hiking interest rates from 4.75 to about 6.5 in the following years. T his rise resulted from an â€Å"irrational exuberance’ where too much money was being injected into the booming internet and technology industries (Lewis, 1998). Figure 1 portrays the general trend of interest rates during this period, Figure 2 portrays the relations between money supply and price levels between 1950 and 2008, while figure 3 shows the dollar performance compared to German’s in 1998. The major driver of the U.S economy that resulted in a high economic growth between 1996 and 1998 was capital spending. Many organizations continued to invest heavily in information technology and modernizing communication equipment to improve their productivity (Lewis, 1998). The market interest rates affect borrowing and lending policies, which affect the production and consumption of goods, products and services. The Federal Reserve Board (1999) explains that, these factors largely influence employment and job creation; high interest rates will discourage investors henc e low job creation opportunities. For example, during this period, Fed decided not to hike the interest rates to control the exponential market growth in preventing the economy from tending to inflation. This is observed in graph 1. In the year 1996, it was expected that inflation and interest rates would be on the rise towards the end of that year, but it turned otherwise (Federal Reserve Board, 1999). As Mishkin (115) explains, the demand for money and interest rates are inversely related using the opportunity cost aspect. This is the expected return sacrificed by an investor by not holding the alternative asset, which refers to a bond in this case. Moreover, demand for money is determined by the wealth or income and the price levels in the market (Mishkin, 116). The federal authority polices during this period were aimed at robust growth in employment, recovery and strengthening of the dollar, and regulated interest rates, which increased wealth and lowered the interest rates mak ing the demand of money to increase. There was a general fall of the domestic interest rates and national debts over this period (Mishkin, 11). In the third quarter of 1998, uproar in financial market globally resulted in a sharp drop in value of the dollar, having dropped from DM 1.7993 to DM 1.6718, which could have shifted the economic growth as well as interest rate policies towards encouraging more borrowing. Low interest rates contributed

Warring States assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Warring States - Assignment Example Xunzi According to Xunzi, otherwise known as Xu Qing, education was the key to growing a nation politically, socially and economically. He argues that for a person to be morally upright he/she must first understand the Way, approve of it and abide by it. The Way in this case being a path that leads from personal obsessions and inclinations. As a result of adhering to the set of laws bound in the Way, the person would then both morally and intellectually stable. From most of his writings Xunzi is seen to promote learning through borrowing from his personal experiences and generally nature. It is during the Zhou Dynasty that the kingdoms realized a dramatic shift in weaponry with the introduction of iron-ware in the form of helmets, arrows and spears. Politically this was a game changer for the kingdoms that embraced this new technology as opposed to the traditional wooden weaponry. This in turn led to a more skilled infantry and advanced kingdoms and warfare (Hobson, 2004). Xunzi thro ugh his scholarly exploits inclined towards educating the ordinary population as well as nobles through his odes and poems on the importance of embracing education without compromising governance. Through his teachings and promotion for education, Xunzi apparently became one of the most sort after philosophers of his time and was soon elevated to the position of magistrate by Lord Chunshen of Chu the prime minister of Lanling. Confucius Confucius was regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of his time and his wise teachings still echo up to this day. It is from Confucius that great minds such as Xunzi and Mencius arose and the great Chinese revolution after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty. In his philosophy, he is accredited for promoting personal and social morality as well as justice and honesty within the society and the government at large. Through his teachings the Zhou Dynasty was able to remain as one of the biggest ruling dynasties in the history of China. His fundamental teachings led people to value life more than property as opposed to that time when ordinary people were more inclined into acquiring personal property. As a result of his teachings, the Zhou emerged as undoubtedly one of the best political civilizations of its time (Creel, 1949). It is from his idealistic principle of loving one another that most of the Warring States managed to coexist with each other in spite of their differences and moreso noticeable economic growth between the kingdoms. Mencius Although both Xunzi and Mencius shared the same teacher they ultimately did not share the same sentiments on how people were to live. Apart from defending the Confucian principles and teachings, Mencius fostered four main ethical themes in his teachings; humaneness, wisdom, propriety and observance of rites. Mencius combed the land moving from one kingdom to another pleading for the lives of prisoners and smaller kingdoms based on his ideal teaching ‘human nature is good’ whi ch was strongly refuted by Xunzi. However, it is from his teachings that most kingdoms were seen to be united through a common political point of view. Contrary to Xunzi’s teachings which promoted people to learn new ways, Mencius teachings promoted a much stable way of political governance of the kingdoms by holding fast to the basic of life’

Role of marketing in a consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of marketing in a consumer society - Essay Example Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it.Marketing plays a vital role in mediating between the producers and the consumers of goods and services. Without marketing, the consumers would not be able to get information regarding the products that the producers are producing and hence be bereft of the information needed to make informed purchases. Without marketing, the producers of goods and services would be unable to communicate the benefits of owning products and hence they would not be in a position to relay the necessary information to the consumers. Ever since the advent of the mass produced modes of production and patterns of mass consumption, marketing has been regarded as the indispensable medium through which the â€Å"conversation† between the producers and consumers happens. This is the reason for the hug e marketing budgets that producers have and the way in which the media is used to broadcast images and advertisements is another facet of the consumer society that we live in (Mooij, 1998, 15). This paper addresses the question, â€Å"what is the role of marketing in a consumer society?† by analyzing the case of Apple Inc., which is renowned for its innovative and sophisticated approach to marketing. The readings assigned for the course as well as the textbooks that are prescribed are referred to for this paper as well as external research into the marketing methods of Apple and the way in which it has established a position for itself in the contemporary hi-tech marketplace. Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it. As the readings make it clear, the era of mass produced goods and the consumer society we live in has seen marketing as a force for good as well as something that has negative connotations. The focus of this paper is on a critical examination of how marketing is practiced in a consumer society with an emphasis on how Apple has used marketing to further its interests. Segmentation Apple focuses mainly on users who are 30 years or younger and as a study by Rubicon (2008) found out, 50% of the users who use Apple’s products fall into this segment. Hence, it makes sense for Apple to orient its marketing strategies towards this segment and as can be seen from the branding and marketing strategies that Apple employs to target its core customer base. Further, it has been found that Apple has one of the highest return customers or customers who buy another Apple product and hence can be considered as giving repeat business to the company. The typical strategy followed by Apple is not horizontal marketing like making a special type of peanut butter for every customer but in engag ing in vertical marketing where it produces a specific product for each type of use. This can be seen in the way that Apple has produced an IPod for listening, IPad for reading and IPhone for apps. The point here is that Apple does not add features to target individual customers in each segment. Rather, they target specific user experiences and build the product around that user experience accordingly. This approach of Apple towards market segmentation makes for a study by itself. Apple’s approach of targeting a specific market and then producing high quality products for that market segment is novel and something that has been successful for the company. As the following quote about market segmentation shows it is the conventional theories of segmentation that usually dictate the strategies of the companies, â€Å"In the real world of building products and attacking market opportunities, market segmentation is the process of defining and sub-dividing the aggregate, homogene ous market into addressable, targeted needs and aspirations buckets, which are in turn, defined by thresholds according to demographic, psychographic and/or budgetary constraints. Market segmentation strategy enables a company to drive complete, unified product solutions that are harmonious with messaging,

How organised is Organised Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

How organised is Organised Crime - Essay Example ?How organized is Organized Crime?†, it is difficult to provide a straightforward answer, given the complexities and flexibility that signify these groups. Hence, this essay will try to present to the reader those aspects of Organized Crime groups that is well organized and also point to those elements in it that is more fluid. One of the notorious crime groups of the twentieth century is the Medellin Cartel of Columbia. The perennial political instability of Columbia is a key factor for the evolution of this group. The civil war of 1948-1958 had the harshest impact on the country and its surrounding areas. The civil war was essentially one of struggle between poor campesinos and the rich landowners. It is no coincidence that most of the populace of Medellin are poor and are à ©migrà ©s from the countryside. The industrial city of Medellin served as the operating base for the Medellin Cartel, whose founders include Pablo Escobar, the Ochoa clan, and Carlos Lehder-Rivas. The city is also notorious for smuggling and picks pocketing (Griswold 2005). Some of the leaders of the Medellin cartel were even involved in active politics, which ironically gave the cartel an air of legitimacy. In 1982, Escobar was elected as an alternate Colombian representative in Envigado, a region nearby Medellà ­n. There he established himself as a saviour of the underprivileged by implementing construction projects for slum dwellers and soccer fields for the youth. He even had his own newspaper, which acted as his public relations equipment. It portrayed him as an up-from-the-slums statesman. Escobar enjoyed immunity from arrest as long as he was a public representative. Hence, in this Columbian example, organized crime was part and parcel of mainstream politics. In this sense, we can call the cartel a sophisticated, powerful and well organized group. (Griswold 2005) Having said so, not all underworld groups achieve popular recognition the way Medellin cartel did. For most

Role of marketing in a consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of marketing in a consumer society - Essay Example Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it.Marketing plays a vital role in mediating between the producers and the consumers of goods and services. Without marketing, the consumers would not be able to get information regarding the products that the producers are producing and hence be bereft of the information needed to make informed purchases. Without marketing, the producers of goods and services would be unable to communicate the benefits of owning products and hence they would not be in a position to relay the necessary information to the consumers. Ever since the advent of the mass produced modes of production and patterns of mass consumption, marketing has been regarded as the indispensable medium through which the â€Å"conversation† between the producers and consumers happens. This is the reason for the hug e marketing budgets that producers have and the way in which the media is used to broadcast images and advertisements is another facet of the consumer society that we live in (Mooij, 1998, 15). This paper addresses the question, â€Å"what is the role of marketing in a consumer society?† by analyzing the case of Apple Inc., which is renowned for its innovative and sophisticated approach to marketing. The readings assigned for the course as well as the textbooks that are prescribed are referred to for this paper as well as external research into the marketing methods of Apple and the way in which it has established a position for itself in the contemporary hi-tech marketplace. Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it. As the readings make it clear, the era of mass produced goods and the consumer society we live in has seen marketing as a force for good as well as something that has negative connotations. The focus of this paper is on a critical examination of how marketing is practiced in a consumer society with an emphasis on how Apple has used marketing to further its interests. Segmentation Apple focuses mainly on users who are 30 years or younger and as a study by Rubicon (2008) found out, 50% of the users who use Apple’s products fall into this segment. Hence, it makes sense for Apple to orient its marketing strategies towards this segment and as can be seen from the branding and marketing strategies that Apple employs to target its core customer base. Further, it has been found that Apple has one of the highest return customers or customers who buy another Apple product and hence can be considered as giving repeat business to the company. The typical strategy followed by Apple is not horizontal marketing like making a special type of peanut butter for every customer but in engag ing in vertical marketing where it produces a specific product for each type of use. This can be seen in the way that Apple has produced an IPod for listening, IPad for reading and IPhone for apps. The point here is that Apple does not add features to target individual customers in each segment. Rather, they target specific user experiences and build the product around that user experience accordingly. This approach of Apple towards market segmentation makes for a study by itself. Apple’s approach of targeting a specific market and then producing high quality products for that market segment is novel and something that has been successful for the company. As the following quote about market segmentation shows it is the conventional theories of segmentation that usually dictate the strategies of the companies, â€Å"In the real world of building products and attacking market opportunities, market segmentation is the process of defining and sub-dividing the aggregate, homogene ous market into addressable, targeted needs and aspirations buckets, which are in turn, defined by thresholds according to demographic, psychographic and/or budgetary constraints. Market segmentation strategy enables a company to drive complete, unified product solutions that are harmonious with messaging,

Apple Inc. in 2010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Inc. in 2010 - Essay Example As such, Jobs turned the focus of Apple towards producing and developing non-PC compliments and applications. This was so unbelievably effective that by 2010, over 60% of all of Apple’s revenue was derived from non-PC devices; such as the iPad and the wildly successful iPhone (Bland 58). Ultimately, the Apple brand has a litany of different competitive advantages. One of the first of these is with respect to the seamless level of integration that exists between the hardware and software that Apple provides to its consumers. Taking same song and/4 Microsoft as an example, it can quickly be seen that the designer of the hardware and the designer of the software are oftentimes two different entities; oftentimes creating a situation in which the level of integration between these two leaves something to be desired. However, due to the fact that iOS operates on a native platform utilizing hardware that was designed for no other function but to perform iOS, this represents a noted strength with respect to the degree and extent Apple continue to exert a competitive advantage on the market (Beech 47). Another noted competitive advantage is with respect to Apple’s youth and simplicity of use. Although it is true that competitors have come a long way in recent years in seeking to simplify and improve their interface, Apple has long represented an intuitive design that leaves hardly any room for confusion on the part of the user. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, it should be noted that Apple’s sleek and appealing design is one of the competitive advantages that has driven the firm to the level of success that had experienced over the past decade. Ultimately, if it were not for the fact that Apple’s products were sleek, appealing, and even â€Å"sexy†, it is doubtful that the company could experience anywhere near the degree of success that it has currently enjoy. Finally, another competitive advantage that Apple

Indigenous Australians and Native Hawaiians Essay Example for Free

Indigenous Australians and Native Hawaiians Essay Indigenous Tourism is about reciprocity among humans and landscapes–learning to responsibly manage the impacts of tourism activities in ways that benefit local communities economically, socially, culturally and ecologically1. Indigenous Tourism encompasses tourism product that provides consenting contact with Aboriginal people, culture or land. The term is also applied to businesses that are either Aboriginal owned or part owned or that employ Aboriginal people. Indigenous Tourism encompasses all tourism product opportunities – Cultural Heritage, Adventure, Rural, Leisure, Educational, Arts and Crafts and provision of tourism services2. Indigenous History of the Australian and Hawaiian people The Indigenous cultures of Australia are the oldest living cultural history in the world, going back 50,000 – 65,000 years3. Their heritage was kept alive by passing their knowledge, arts, rituals and performances from one generation to another3. Similarly, the Indigenous Hawaiians had no form of writing and preserved their history through chants and legends. Both cultures suffered heavy losses from the discovery of their lands by European explorers, with Indigenous Australians facing trauma such as the stolen generation, and the Native Hawaiians having their culture and language discarded and forced into speaking English and adapting to the European culture45. In more recent times, both cultures have experienced resurgence in encouragement to embrace their cultures. Gatherings and addresses in Australia now acknowledge the original custodians of the land they stand on,6 and there are now Indigenous Australian Football and Rugby League teams, both called the Indigenous All Stars7. In the 1990s for Native Hawaiians, several factors led to big changes. The majority of sugar and pineapple plantations shut down, while different agricultural crops like macadamias and coffee beans took over. Film and television also contributed to the growth of Hawaii’s tourism industry. Similar to the official apology issued to the Aboriginal People by Kevin Rudd in 2008, President Clinton passed a public law in 1993 formally apologizing for the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. 8 Land is important to Indigenous Australians as it is fundamental to the wellbeing of Aboriginal people. For Indigenous Australians, the land is the core of all spirituality and this relationship and the spirit of country is central to the issues that are important to Indigenous people today9. In contrary, the Native Hawaiians view family or â€Å"ohana† as important. The ohana provides food, shelter, and education for their children, giving them emotional support, love, and security. 10 Attractions The most popular activities undertaken by tourists who travelled to Australia in 2009 for the purpose of Indigenous tourism were Aboriginal art/craft, visiting Aboriginal sites and attending an Aboriginal performance. Experiencing Aboriginal art/craft or a cultural display was the most popular activity with 75% of Indigenous Tourism visitors participating in this activity. Second popular was visiting an Aboriginal site with attracted 39% of the visitors, while attending and Aboriginal performance attracted 27% of visitors11. In Hawaii during 2011, Local shop/artisans (71. 3%) were popular with U. S. West visitors, particularly on Kaua‘i (77. 4%), Maui (75. 4%) and Kona (71. 4%); but less so on O‘ahu (61. 4%), Hilo (42. 6%) or Lana‘i (19. 8%). 12 Economic Impacts Nationally, the nature-based tourism sector contributes $23 billion to the Australian economy each year. It is estimated that Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta national parks alone contribute more than $320 million a year to regional economies in the Northern Territory, with about 740 jobs either directly or indirectly associated with park visitation (Gillespie Economics and BDA Group 2008)13 Tourism is one of the few sustainable livelihood activities accessible to rural or remote indigenous Australian communities. This also means that actual wealth is created, rather than wealth created through Government handouts. 14 Contrary to the positive impacts Indigenous tourism has on Indigenous Australians, tourism in Hawaii isn’t as beneficial to its native residents. Most money made through the Indigenous tourism industry goes right back to owners of the land and hotels, who are often foreign as almost every major hotel in Hawaii is owned by foreign investors and is being funded by foreign investment. 15 Environmental Impacts Indigenous tourism in Australia for the most part has no environmental impact, as most indigenous activities involve respecting the land. Also, the Australian government has worked with the Indigenous Australians to return land to them that was taken over twenty years ago. 16 In Hawaii however, as many foreign investors move to Hawaii to start large business, such as hotel chains or casinos specifically designed to make money off of tourists, many Native Hawaiians have been evicted from their own land to make way for these developments. The surrounding beaches of Hawaii also become polluted from the boats people use to get to the island, as well as the jet skis people ride along the coastline. 17 Socio-cultural Impacts While the economic and environmental impacts of Indigenous tourism on Indigenous Australians are mostly positive, the socio-cultural impacts aren’t always positive. Lack of information, false impressions, misinformation, poor communication and poor knowledge can lead to Indigenous Australians feeling as though people aren’t properly appreciating or respecting their culture. 18 In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians feel alienated from their own land, as it is taken from them and turned into hotels and resorts. Many Native Hawaiians also feel as though their culture is losing meaning as it is being used increasingly more as tool to make more money. 19 Analysis of bias in sources Most sources used in this assignment were Government sites or reports done by experts, which are free from bias and simply present the facts. However a few sites were written from the perspective of locals in their respective countries and it is likely that these sources were not free from bias as many locals, especially those in Hawaii, who felt quite hostile towards those in the tourism industry. Conclusion Indigenous Tourism in Australia appears to be on the right track, as the Government has and still is working with Indigenous Australians to develop tourism in a way that is considerate of their beliefs and customs. In Hawaii, however, much work is needed to develop tourism in a way that considers the customs and traditions of the Native Hawaiians, as well as their feelings. Some control of the tourism industry needs to be handed back to the traditional custodians of the land, and more intervention from Governments is needed to protect the environment from pollution and overcrowding. Bibliography Culturalsurvival. org. 2014. The Aloha Industry: For Hawaiian women, tourism is not a neutral industry. | Cultural Survival. [online] Available at: http://www. culturalsurvival. org/ourpublications/csq/article/the-aloha-industry-for-hawaiian-women-tourism-not-a-neutral-industry [Accessed: 3 Mar 2014]. Hawaiitourismauthority. org. 2014. Historical Visitor Statistics Hawaii Tourism Authority. [online] Available at: http://www. hawaiitourismauthority. org/research/reports/historical-visitor-statistics/ [Accessed: 4 Mar 2014]. Indigenous Tourism in Australia. 2014. [pdf] Australian Government. http://www. waitoc. com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Indigenous_Tourism_in_Australia_FINAL. pdf [Accessed: 5 Mar 2014]. Slideshare. net. 2014. Tourism Impacts on Indigenous people. [online] Available at: http://www. slideshare. net/guest809599/tourism-impacts-on-indigenous-people [Accessed: 5 Mar 2014]. Sustainabletourismonline. com. 2014. Indigenous Tourism Sustainable Tourism Online. [online] Available at: http://www. sustainabletourismonline. com/indigenous-tourism [Accessed: 5 Mar 2014]. Waimea. com. 2014. All about Hawaii Culture. [online] Available at: http://www. waimea. com/culture. html [Accessed: 4 Mar 2014]. www. hawaiiactivities. com. 2014. Hawaii tours activities, fun things to do in Hawaii | HawaiiActivities. com. [online] Available at: http://www. hawaiiactivities. com/ [Accessed: 3 Mar 2014].

Criminology Essays Crime Deprivation Strain

Criminology Essays Crime Deprivation Strain Crime Deprivation Strain Since the dawn of human civilisation, we have wondered about why certain people act in certain ways. We all carry in our minds images of the deviant and where these deviant minded people operate and live. With regard to the relationship with crime and deprivation, broken windows theory, strain theory, relative deprivation theory and concentric theory all explore how the two variables contrast with one another and to what extent the two are linked. ‘Neutralization’ theory (Walters, 2003) explains that the deviant was helplessly ‘pushed’ into the behavior of deviance and that under the same circumstances; any other person would resort to the same actions. Criminals who ‘choose’ the deviant career in the most deprived areas defend their actions by suggesting that there is no future, jobs, prosperity and no opportunity for a bright future, but of course as we all know, poverty is no excuse for a crime to be committed. People who live in the most deprived areas realize that they have no hope to advance in society (Walters, 2003). Merton’s ‘strain’ theory can be directly connected with this theory as his ‘strain’ theory explains that by the time the lower classes reached the mode of rebellion (least legitimate opportunities for achievement) they have completely rejected the story that everybody can achieve success and have loomed into the state of frustration an d anger (Walters, 2003). According to a study by Houchin, a quarter of all inmates in Scotland’s jails come from just 53 council wards, most of which are in poorer areas of Glasgow (McNeil, 2005).It is very clear that in this particular study ‘social deprivation’ could well be a factor in these offences. According to Houchin, being in prison is just another element of social exclusion, the same as having bad housing, getting poor educational opportunities and having bad health. The study can be concluded along with the ‘Neutralization’ theory that all of the prisoners ended up in prison due to a lack of opportunities. ‘Strain’ theory (Merton 1939) attempts to explain why deprivation and crime is or not linked. The theory assumes fairly uniform economic success aspiration across social class and the theory attempts to explain why crime is concentrated among the lower classes that have the least legitimate opportunities for achievement. The lower classes are the most vulnerable to this pressure, or strain, and will maintain their unfulfilled economic aspirations in spite of frustration and failure. â€Å"There has always been a link between deprivation and crime, but we need to be very careful and recognize it is a very complex issue.† (Houchin, 2005). Merton suggested that by the time people reach the mode of rebellion, they have completely rejected the story that everybody can achieve success and have loomed into the rebellious state. They neither trust the valued cultural ends or the legitimate societal means used to reach success. According to Merton’s final mode theor y, ritualism, people realise that they have no real opportunity to advance in society and accept the little relevance that they have. It is in this mode that people concentrate on retaining what little they possibly gained or still have in place of concentrating on a higher yield of success (Merton, 1939). Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers According to Cohen’s view of the ‘strain’ theory he points out that except for the category of rebellion, Merton’s strain theory is incapable of explaining purposeless crime, just for the ‘fun’ of it (Walters, 2003). Losers in the competition for status experience strong feelings of frustration of deprivation. Most of them, accept their fate, but a significant number turn to crime. For Cohen as opposed to Merton, the working class and qualitatively similar middle class are more or less, incapable of revising their aspiration downwards. Shaw and McKay devised the ‘Concentric Zones’ theory. Shaw and McKay argued that any city (Canterbury for example) could be divided into various concentric zones emanating from the centre of the city. The concentric zone can be visually (mentally) pictured as rings as an archery target with the central arch key zone 1 and each successive ring being named successfully. The middle zone (zone 1) is the central business district in any city. The next is the inner city (zone 2) and zone 3 is the working class housing, zone 4 being the middle class (suburbs) and zone 5 being the city fringe (rural, semi-rural areas) inhabited by the rich. In examining crime rates in relation to each zone, Shaw and McKay found that one zone in particular (zone 2) exhibited higher rates of crime than any other zone. This zone had a consistently higher rate of crime than any other zone, regardless of which immigrant group dominated the cultural life of the area. This led Shaw and McKay to argue t hat the high crime rates were not a consequence of the behaviour of any one particular ethnic group. Rather, they argued that something about the fact of living in such a zone was the root cause of the high levels of crime. Zone 2 can be regarded as the zone with high ‘deprivation’ levels with a higher rate of crime than other zones. Zone 2 is known as the ‘transitional’ zone which is made up of abandoned buildings, factories and deteriorated housing along with high rates of recent immigration groups (eastern European, and Muslim background). It is interesting to note here that zone 2 having a high deprivation level attracting a high crime rate (a zone with very few opportunities). The ‘concentric’ zone theory appears to give an insight into the fact that deprivation and crime is linked very closely with regards to zone 2, which shows a high level of poverty. The concentric zone theory shows quite clearly that the transitional zone (zone 2) shows a high level of deprivation which shows a high level of crime. However the ‘Residential’ zone shows, according to Shaw and McKay, has low levels of deprivation and crime. We can see that the ‘concentricà ¢â‚¬â„¢ theory shows a link between crime and deprivation where the transitional zone in comparison to other zones is concerned. ‘Relative deprivation’ theory explores the negative feelings people feel when they compare their positions to those more financially richer than their self. According to this theory, social movements arise when people feel deprived of what they perceive as their ‘fair share’ and similarly, individuals engage in deviant behaviours when their means do not match cultural goals (Merton, 1938). Feelings of deprivation come from a comparison to themselves the more ‘richer’ persons in question. This differentiates relative deprivation from objective deprivation, a condition that applies to all people with fewest opportunities (lowest income, the least education). Relative deprivation is unlikely to change as long as humans are better off than others. Source; Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2006, (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood.asl) The graph above shows a broadly ‘linear’ core to the relationship with one or two values that do not correspond well with the general pattern of increasing deprivation matched by increasing levels of street crime. The relationship used is the link between deprivation and street crime in London, using all London boroughs as the units for which values of both crime and deprivation have been obtained. The data has been obtained from the government’s neighborhood statistics website. We can clearly see from this graph that there is a strong relationship between crime and deprivation. Borough Deprivation scores Robbery City of London 15.99 8.8 Barking and Dagenham 37.85 4.7 Barnet 16.63 3.1 Bexley 16.97 1.9 Brent 33.53 7.7 Bromley 12.64 2.3 Camden 36.56 9.7 Croydon 21.04 4.6 Ealing 26.78 4.9 Enfield 26.79 4.3 Greenwich 37.87 2.2 Hackney 57.26 11.4 Hammersmith and Fulham 31.57 5.6 Haringey 42.3 10.5 Harrow 16.03 2.6 Havering 16.62 1.7 Hillington 18.3 1.9 Hounslow 25.76 3.4 Islington 45.27 8.6 Kensington and Chelsea 20.7 5.5 Kingston upon Thames 9.83 1.6 Lambeth 38.29 17.2 Lewisham 36.79 6.3 Merton 18.37 2.1 Redbridge 56.18 8.9 Richmond upon Thames 21.92 3.9 Southwark 7.5 1.2 Sutton 44.54 9.2 Tower Hamlets 64.72 17.3 Source; Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2006, (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood.asl) As we can see from the table above showing deprivation score figures, Tower Hamlets and Hackney particularly, being well known for a crime hot-spot scored a very high deprivation score as well as scoring a very high robbery type crime score. There does appear to be a strong relationship showing boroughs with high deprivation scores with high robbery score figures. Judging from the table above we can assume that high deprivation levels attract crime, but attracting a ‘certain ‘type’ of crime is more the accurate way of explaining how crime and deprivation is linked as you will see below in the following tables. However, it is interesting to note that Lambeth gained a score of 38.29 attracted a crime score of 17.2, reasonably the same as Tower hamlets although with half the deprivation score. As previously discussed, not all types of crime are attracted to one area but there does seem to be a relationship between crime and deprivation for the majority of the boroughs in the above table and graph. Source; Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2006, (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood.asl) As you can see from the graph above, the crime ‘assault’, is more common in deprived areas whilst burglaries are more or less equally common in all areas whether be the most or least deprived areas. It appears that areas with high deprivation levels attract assault type crimes more so than burglaries. As you can see from the graph the number of reported assaults decreases when compared with ‘less’ deprived areas with burglary becoming slightly more common in the most least deprived area. The likelihood of assault increases steadily with the areas level of deprivation. Thus, the rate of recorded assault in the most deprived tenth of wards is, at 30 per 1000 populations, twice the average rate and five times the rate in the least deprived tenth (Walters, 2003). However, there are other forms of crime where the link with deprivation is much weaker. Although it is true that the burglary rate in the most deprived tenth of local areas is, at 10 burglaries per 1000 population, some what above average, for all other levels of deprivation, the rate fluctuates between 6 and 8 per 1000( National Statistics, 2007). As far as there being a link between crime and deprivation is concerned, deprivation does attract certain types of crime (assault) but not all crime only exists in areas with high deprivation levels, and even the least deprived areas (as the graph dictates) attracts more burglary than assault. Source; Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2006, (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood.asl) As you can see from the graph above there is a strong relationship between the state of the local outdoor physical environment and the level of deprivation. However, the relationship between housing quality and deprivation is much weaker. Also, it would appear from the above graphical results that over half of areas with the worst physical environment are in the most deprived of all local areas. The theory known as the ‘Broken Windows’ theory, which argues that small indicators of neglect, such as broken windows promote a feeling that an area is in a state of decay. Anticipating decay, people likewise fail to maintain their own properties. The theory suggests that abandonment causes crime, rather than crime causing abandonment. â€Å"If a window is broken and left un-repaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge†. (Murray, L. 2007). According to Murray, the ‘Broken-Windows’ theory promotes an explanation towards w hy such areas in dense urban cities, such as the example taken from above, attract and sustain crime in particular excluded areas. The ‘Broken-Windows’ theory (Matza, 1969) appears to be proven to be accurate, in relation to the results from the above graph when looking at the condition of the physical environment in comparison to the housing quality (broken windows). From looking at the graph above it clearly shows that the higher the housing quality the lower the deprivation levels are, which coincides with the ‘Broken Windows’ theory (Matza, 1969). Where deprivation is evident, crime is sure to follow suit. â€Å"Deviance varies systematically by physical and geographical location. Where located residentially determines the likelihood that that person will commit deviances and criminal behaviour.† (Matza, 1969). In relation to the quote, deviant behaviour varies upon the physical and geographical location. Where high levels of deprivation and poor physical environment is present, deviant behaviour is sure to follow as no authority nor order is in place to stop such deviant act ivity, and so, crime occurs in the more deprived areas, which is proven to be so in the above graph. Source; Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2006, (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood.asl) As the title of the graph above states, the graph above shows that over half of areas with the worst physical environment are in the most deprived of the local areas. The ‘broken windows’ theory can be directly related to the graph above, a sit gives a relatively clear view on the fact that areas with the worst physical environment are in the most deprived of all local areas. The three graphs clearly show a strong link between deprivation and its tendency to attracting crime. In conclusion, it is quite possible to say that there is a ‘form’ of link between crime and deprivation. Deprived areas are ‘deprived’ of opportunities and aspirations to achieve educational and economical success. This creates deviant behavior to occur, thus creating crime in deprived areas. Although there is a link between the two variables it is important to note that with deprived areas the people are deprived of the chance to succeed in life. Strain causes people to be deviant because of this limited chance of success and in turn Neutralization theory was born to explain the fact that these deviant people have no other choice but to commit such deviant acts as there is no other option. To combat such limited opportunities more jobs and better health and educational standards are to be made available to the members of society who live within these areas. This in theory limits the excuses for crimes to be committed in deprived areas. There is a link betwe en crime and deprivation, however as discussed, not all crimes are committed in these areas. The debate about the possible link between crime and deprivation is one that has been rumbling for many years and will continue to do so.

Mythical Gods :: essays research papers

Mythical Gods Zeus - GÃ ¸d of the sky, the clouds, and the rain. Normally seen holding a thunderbolt. Represented by an Eagle. Married Hera and had many children from many affairs. Poseidon - Brother of Zeus, and ruler of the sea. Seen with a trident and connected to horses and bulls. Hera - Sister and wife of Zeus. Protector of marriage and ally of married women. Cow and Peacock were important to her. Hades - Ruler of the underworld and of the dead. Also lord of wealth (his Latin name means rich). Owned a helmet that made people invisible. Married Persephone who became queen of the underworld. Athena - Born from the head of Zeus in full armor without a mother She was his favorite child. The Goddess of the City she domesticated horses for human use. Represented by owl and olive tree. Apollo - Love child of Zeus and Leto. GÃ ¸d of music, art, archery, and sometimes the sun. Portrayed as many animals, crow and dolphin to name a few. Artemis - Twin sister of Apollo. Goddess of the wild and hunter for the GÃ ¸ds. Partial to all woodland creatures especially the deer. Aphrodite - Goddess of Love and of Beauty. Born from the foam of the sea. Irresistible to man and to GÃ ¸d alike. Represented as a dove or a swan. Hermes - Grandson of Atlas. Messenger of Zeus. Shown wearing a small helmet and sandals with wings on them. Also an expert theif. Most commonly used GÃ ¸d in all mythology. Ares - GÃ ¸d of war. Hated by his parents, Zeus and Hera. Most ruthless and forceful of the GÃ ¸ds. Shown as the vulture and as the dog. Hephaestus - GÃ ¸d of Fire. Often said to be ugly as opposed to the other rulers. Created women out of gold that helped him at home with his chores. Hestia - The Goddess of the hearth or the home.

Fighting in Hockey

Still today, there is a continued debate on whether fighting should be allowed or banned in the National Hockey League (NHL). In generalization, most people see that physically fighting someone, fist-to-fist, is a negative conflict. However, in certain sports fighting is the main objective of the sport. For instance boxing, kickboxing, or the rising sport of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Then people look at NHL, and point out that fighting is not the main purpose or goal of the sport. People who disapprove of the fighting also believe that getting rid of the fights in hockey may draw in new fans. Fans that may see this newly constructed form of hockey as â€Å"family-friendly†. Although these people are trying to persuade the league into banning fights, there main focus as fans of the NHL, and maybe even the parents of the kids who play hockey, are to argue that fighting invokes a unsafe playing environment for the players, and also gives a bad national image to the sport of hockey and the good fundamentals of sportsmanship in general. Hockey may be a full contact sport, but many concerned people believe that banning fights in hockey leads to a safer environment for athletes to compete in, and can also have many other benefits to the sport. Although banning fights in the NHL may have its benefits, fighting should not be eliminated from the sport of hockey in the NHL because of the tradition it upholds, the loss of fans, the fact that hockey is already â€Å"physical† and entertains people. So why is the issue of hockey fights being debated in the NHL? It’s mainly due to the concern for the safety of the athletes, who by the way are professionals, which means that money is involved if injury was to occur. With economics being meshed into the issue, fighting becomes a huge reason why this topic is highly argued amongst the fans, players, general mangers, and even the team owners. With possible money issues and athlete injury risks on the line, why not just get rid of fighting now? EVIDENCE SECTION) In my major essay to counter act the fact that fights can lead to money loss due to the injury of a player, I will state that many people that watch the NHL are mostly intrigued and excited by the fights. According to the National Hockey League Fans Association (NHLFA) 91% of the fans oppose the full ban of fights in NHL games (www. nhlfa. com). So with the absence of fights in the NHL, there will be a loss of fans that watch the sport on television, and also a loss in attendance of fans at the sporting event. With less people interested of the sport, and less people watching the game either at home or at the event, there will be greater economic loss to a team with less revenue and income, than just losing a player for an amount of time. Another piece of evidence that will be brought in is the fact that fighting in hockey is a tradition. By removing fights, you are essentially removing a part of the sport itself. I will also mention that athletes who go into the profession of hockey realize that fighting is tolerated, and are aware of the risks. Not to mention it’s already a physical sport that involves a lot of risks. Back to fighting being a tradition of the NHL. Fighting has been tolerated for the NHL’s history of 94 years, but I must point out that it is penalized and regulated. So fight someone at the risk of your health, and the risk of your team winning the game. Another way to look at this is that fighting adds flare to the game. Kind of like how dunks in basketball adds flare. Essentially fighting and dunking are there to make the game more entertaining for its fans/audience, which means that if it’s more entertaining maybe a higher fan base can be achieve. Which of course leads to more money. It’s all about the money! (www. hockeyhistory. org) So why did I choose this topic and why is it an important issue? Personally I have never played hockey (competitively), but I am an avid sports fan and have seen some NHL games on T. V. I was watching ESPN one day and there was a debate on this issue between a hockey analyst and a former player and found the topic very interesting. This debate/topic is important because in the future if the rules of the game were to be changed, whether fighting stays or leaves, it could drastically change the sport itself, its fan base, and may even hurt the NHL greatly in an economic sense. Bibliography http://www. usatoday. com/sports/2004-09-02-pros-cons-fighting_x. htm http://sports. espn. go. com/nhl/columns/story? columnist=buccigross_john&id=2724254 http://www. nhl. com/ice/news. htm? id=413089 http://www. nhlfa. com/news/nr04_09_07. asp http://www. hockeyhistory. org/

Concept of Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development is based on the rising environmental problems, socio-economic issues to do with poverty and inequality, and concerns about a healthy future for humanity. There is no definitive definition of sustainable development as it is thought of differently by many other people throughout the world. Sustainable Development is founded on the principle that mankind should advance without causing permanent damage to ecosystems and the resources they provide, how these resources are used, the processes that are used to get these resources and who has access to them.All the above stated should be taken into consideration without posing risks to future generations. Sustainable development can be seen as as the connection between environment, society and economy, which is thought of being separate yet connected bodies. The economy is often given priority in policies and the environment is viewed as apart from humans. They are directly linked where the economy is dependent on society and the environment, and society is dependent on, and within the environment. Issues to do with society such as sustainability of communities and the maintenance of cultural diversity are often sidelined.Economics came to be the leading issue of human relations with economic growth, defined by increasing production, as the main priority. Changing the quality of growth, meeting important needs, merging environment and economics in decision making while emphasizing human development, participation in decisions and equality in benefits are things that can be done to eliminate poverty, meet human needs and ensure that all get a fair share of resources. Social justice today and in the future is a key component of the concept of sustainable development. This is seen as the key to humanity’s well-being and, through growth, poverty would be reduced.Most countries have no programs or policies that offer any real hope of narrowing the growing gap between rich and p oor. This has caused damage to the environment which we depend on, with a downward spiral of poverty and environmental degradation. Environmental problems threaten people’s health, livelihoods and lives and threaten future generations. Global prosperity and human well-being can be achieved through increased global trade and industry. Green engineering is designing, building and manufacturing of products and processes including energy utilization and waste production that has the least negative impact on the environment possible.It includes all of the engineering disciplines, and is based off of current engineering design principles. Green Engineering can be defined as environmentally conscious attitudes, values, and principles, combined with science, technology, and engineering practice, all directed toward improving local and global environmental quality. It is usually used when referring to buildings, but it can be used for automobiles, lights or any other sort of system or device that requires engineering. Current design concepts in automobiles that are considered environmentally friendly are hybrid technologies; flex fuel vehicles, and even electricity.Though green engineering is somewhat more expensive, many countries, recognizing the value of this type of engineering by offering tax breaks and other incentives to the people and companies that incorporate its use. Green engineers need to understand how building materials, techniques and other components can be made in an environmentally-friendly way. This may include the use of solar powered appliances, especially water heaters, solar lights or windows and other design elements. Elements outside the building, such as the irrigation system and other landscaping features need to be taken into consideration also.It is likely that in the very near future we will be seeing â€Å"green cities† where cities are constructed to be healthy and environmentally friendly environments thus alleviating iss ues such as poverty in inequality within society. References 1. Abrahammson, K. V. 1997. Paradigms of sustainability. In S. Sorlin, ed. The road towards sustainability, A historical perspective, A sustainable Baltic Region, The Baltic University programme,Uppsalla University, pp. 30-35. 2. Hanna, S. & Munasinghe, M. 1995. eds.Property rights in a social and ecological context, Case study and design apllications, The Beijer International Institute of Ecological Economics and the World Bank, Washington D. C. 3. OECD. 1997. Environmental indicators for agriculture, Paris. 4. Robinson, J. & Tinker, J. 1995. Reconciling ecological, economic and social imperatives: Toward an analytical framework, SDRI Discussion Papers Series, 1995-1, Sustainable Development Institute. Vancouver, Canada. 5. Anastas, P. T. , and Zimmerman, J. B. , â€Å"Design through the Twelve Principles of Green Engineering†, Env. Sci. and Tech. , 37, 5, 94A-101A, 2003.

Information and Decision-Making Essay

Individuals in the world make decisions every single day of their lives. Decision-making, however, is even more important in the lives of leaders because they are running an organization which relies on their judgment and discretion for such decisions. Decisions have to be made carefully and based on the most accurate and updated information available. Otherwise, the quality of the decision would be affected by whim, suppositions, and assumptions, which might be difficult to quantify and verify. Because of the understanding of the importance of decision-making in an individual’s and an organization’s life, Maruska and Wheatley (2003) wrote How Great Decisions Get Made. Through their book, they address the different factors affecting the decision-making process—those factors intrinsic to the decision-maker as well as factors that are found in the extrinsic environment. Furthermore, they highlighted the importance of gathering information, no matter how difficult and routine it might seem. In addition to this, the authors proposed ten simple yet comprehensive steps that can help a leader in the decision-making process. The basic framework that the authors seek to establish is that decision-making should not be made out of fear, where the leaders and the decision-makers feel backed into the corner and that they have little choices left. Rather, they espouse hope-based decision-making no matter how difficult a situation may seem at first. The authors carefully explained the different outcomes and procedures that happen to people who make decisions out of fear as opposed to making them based on hope. In this regard, the case studies offered freely throughout the book are helpful in elucidating the message that the authors were promoting. The book’s language and layout are simple to follow yet it offers profound insight into an otherwise difficult process. Ten Steps to Making Effective Decisions The first step that the authors posited is the importance of enlisting the help of everyone in the decision making process (Maruska & Wheatley, 2003, p. 36). By doing this, more people would be able to provide inputs on how to make the decision. Moreover, they can provide additional information, which would eliminate fear out of the decision-making equation. Furthermore, by enlisting everyone, the leaders can avoid making enemies in the process. The second and third steps relate to discovering the shared hopes of everyone concerned and listening to the real issues that have to be addressed. By discovering the hopes and the fears of the people who will be affected by the decision, the perspectives of leaders will become less biased and will be grounded on what the situation really is (p 54). Based on the hopes and fears, it would be necessary to identify the options available for the group (p. 74). These options, however, should be backed up by data and by relevant information that could aid the decision-making process. Maruska and Wheatley (2003, p. 90) highlighted the importance of right information. The world is teeming with information nowadays, thanks to the Internet. However, not all available information is relevant to the issue being decided upon. As such, by taking into account the hopes and the fears of the stakeholders in the decision-making process, the right information will be identified and they will be helpful in mapping out the solution. The authors further believe that if there is 100% information, there would be zero debates. The task of the leader therefore would be to gather information and make sure that these pieces of information are indeed relevant. The authors also advised that decision-makers should foresee difficulties along the way and be prepared with alternatives that were not originally planned. But even in these cases, information gathering is still very important as they can steer the decision-makers to the right or wrong decision (p. 118). Conclusion Maruska and Wheatley (2003) were able to describe fully the decision-making process and the importance of gathering the right information. The case studies that they cited were also helpful in highlighting the importance of this process. For people who are in government whose decisions are crucial to the life and death of individuals, literally, or to CEOs upon whom the life of the organization has been put, How Great Decisions are Made is a great textbook for decision-making. This process is never an easy one. Rather, there are a lot of complications along the way. However, the authors were able to present a simple but not simplified view of the decision-making process and how information can make or break the effectiveness of the decisions made by leaders. They also highlighted the importance of teamwork and the process of discovering the shared hopes, dreams, and fears of the people serving with the leaders making the decision. After all, leaders are not only deciding for themselves. Rather, they are making decisions on behalf of their subordinates and of all the people who will be affected by the decisions made by these leaders. The presentation of the book is also easy to follow and would be accessible to anyone interested in improving their decision-making skills.

Pressure groups in U.K. and U.S. politics Essay

Pressure groups in U.K. and U.S. politics - Essay Example Pressure groups are essential part of democratic process - they provide a real possibility to influence governmental decisions and transform public views into actions which often assert government to change its policy, but there are also essential lacks: the groups often defend their interests ignoring other sections of population and making misbalance in governmental policy. Pressure groups activity is widely developed in such democratic states as the United States and the United Kingdom. There are differences and similarities of pressure groups activity features in these countries, and the aim of this paper is to analyze and compare the roles played by pressure groups in U.K. and U.S. politics. The paper will be referred to common trends of U.K. and U.S. pressure groups development, as well as specific organizations and their activities in the both countries. 2. The main difference between U.K. and U.S. pressure groups activities is that there are more such groups in the United States than in the United Kingdom. ... So, pressure groups features in Great Britain are determined by its political system. One more feature of U.K. pressure groups activity is that groups and parties in Great Britain cannot influence governmental policy so much as in the United States because of partial secretiveness of the British political system, and the range of pressure groups is not so widely presented as in the USA with their constitutional and more democratic traditions. Some of the most powerful British sectional pressure groups (groups which present interests of some sections of the population) are the National Union of Teachers, Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry, the Nation Farmer's Union and some others. There are also promotional pressure groups in U.K. politics. These groups are fighting for real aims, and they can consist as well of small amount of members as great amount. The examples of such groups are Liberty and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), but their influence on British political parties and governmental decisions is limited unlike such groups in U.S. political life. One of the reasons of this situation is that the British government is not so fragmented and decentralized as that of the United States where the policy of federalism is prevailed. So, "in the early 1980s over 250,000 supporters of CND marched in London on several occasions. Despite this show of popular support, CND failed to influence the government's defense policy" (What are promotional pressure groups). As was mentioned before, pressure groups in the political process of the United Kingdom provide wide developing of democratic processes and allow public opinion to be heard. Political parties in Great Britain cannot represent the

Financial statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial statement - Essay Example (Strategos, 2014) An inventory turnover is the number times per year inventory is replaced. A quick turnover is desired in business because it is a reminder that inventories should not stay in the shelves too long. A high ratio means that sales are doing good and shows lower risk of too many unsold stocks. Inventory turn-over that is out of proportion to the industry norms is an indication of marketing problems of management like poor customer services 3. Current Ratio. Although the Current Ratio for 2013 is lower than 2012, this should not be a matter to be worried about by creditors, because the ratio is still high. This means company can still pay its maturing obligations. The accounting rule states, â€Å"the higher the ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations and a ratio of below 1 means company would not be able to pay its obligations† (Accounting Coach 2014) 4. Debt to equity ratio. The D/E shows a slighter decrease in 2013. A 0.25 D/E ratio means the company has not been aggressive in financing its growth. A low D/E is favorable to stockholders because it does not use a lot of debt to increase its operations. A D/E is the â€Å"proportion of company’s asset supplied by company’s creditors vs. the amount supplied by the stockholders.†(Accounting Coach 2014). 5. Gross profit ratio. As in previous ratios, the 2013 GPR shows variance with 2012 exhibiting a lower ratio. GPR is the % of sales available for expenses and profit after the cost of goods sold is deducted, it is otherwise known as gross profit margin. I believe the average is not risky because Industry average of 33.91% is not very far from 0.3461 our case.(CSIS Market, 2014) . 6. Return on assets means the number of cents earned for every dollar of assets. A high value of ROA high means business is profitable. Comparing the 0.41% ROA to the industry average, which

Logistics Problems Generated by Crossrail and Their Solutions Essay

Logistics Problems Generated by Crossrail and Their Solutions - Essay Example to be able to solve these problems it is necessary to identify the root cause of the problem and try to tackle it so that it does not come up again. Crossrail has managed to realize some of these problems and has already provided solutions to them. This paper will give a brief introduction to crossrail and its intended advantages, it will then discuss the logistic problems that will be generated by the construction work, and it will follow by outlining solutions to these problems before making a conclusion. Introduction Crossrail is an ambitious project to build a major railway link in central London. The name is used to refer to the first two routes which are under the responsibility of Crossrail Limited. It is based on a different and new east-west tunnel with a central section from Paddington to Liverpool street station. This project was approved in 2007 after a very long time of debate. The crossrail act received royal assent in July 2008 (Crossrail, 2011). The services offered w ill complement the enhanced north-south Thames link route. Ten-car trains are expected to run at frequencies of up to 24 trains per hour in each of the channels through the central tunnel section. In the original plan the first train was scheduled to run in 2017 but in a comprehensive review in 2010 that saw the saving of ?1 billion changed the initial plan to 2018. Fig. 1 Crossrail route Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CrossrailLine1Map.svg#filehistory Crossrail benefits The benefits of constructing the cross rail are many. The first benefit is easing transport problem in London which has been a huge headache for London. The second benefit is that it will provide better access to the capital for over 750,000 workers who are said to commute daily into London. Lastly the project is also aimed at providing job opportunities to many people who will be employed in the in the construction process and after the completion of the project to manage the various services offered by the train service. It is estimated that crossrail will generate up to 14,000 jobs when the construction reaches peak (Crossrail, 2011). Fig 2 source: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=158506&page=7 Fig 3 source: http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/33 Fig 4 source: http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/flickr_api/set_list.php?page=2&uid=72157627734615808&title=Crossrail%20Royal%20Oak%20Portal Fig 5 finished product Source: http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/flickr_api/set_list.php?page=2&uid=72157627734615808&title=Crossrail%20Royal%20Oak%20Portal Logistics in construction Logistics refers to the efficient transfer of goods and services from the source of supply through that manufacturer to the consumer in a cost effective manner that will provide service to the customer (Rushton, Croucher, & Baker, 2006, p. 6). Logistic management tries to minimize costs by providing a cost effective system across the whole process and ensuring the evaluation of facilities and issues tha t may have any impact on logistic costs and make the product conform to the customers’ requirements. Many construction projects ranging from the small projects to the major projects like the crossrail project face many logistic problems that contractors work hard every day to avoid. The proper management of logistic issues will either lead to the successful implementation of a project or lead to its failure. Research has shown that effective logistic management has rarely been applied in construction