Hobbes and Locke Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are indeed, two of the most brilliant philosophers that ever existed. They may have similarities and differences between them, but it is undeniable that their ideas contributed a lot in shaping the modern world. Both Hobbes and Locke perceive man as a central figure in a society. For Hobbes, it is man’s nature to be mindful of him exclusively, with self-interest going above everything else. On the other hand, Locke perceives man as both self-interested and concerned about other people. The two really have similarities and differences, but in order to know more about them, we need to compare their stand about various aspects of society. One important aspect that we could consider is sovereignty (Williams, 2006). Hobbes made it clear in his Leviathan that a political society’s sole task was to identify a person or a group as the sovereign. This pertains to an election of some sort, which would determine who would be the sovereign. Hobbes regards this sovereign as someone with absolute power, and that every person in the society should give him/them their absolute obedience. For Hobbes, the only time that the people would be sovereign is when they choose who will be the distinguished sovereign of all. Locke on the other hand, would put the public good above all else, thus affecting his notion of sovereignty (â€Å"John Locke,† 2004). In Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he recognizes the permanence and irrevocability of the social contract, but this limits the legislation only for public good. If and whenever the public trust is violated, say perhaps the people in power overlooked the public good, then they would have to answer to the people. They retained the power to remove or replace the legislative, considered to be sovereign, with a new legislative. Though it is unclear in Locke’s writings, he somehow deposits sovereignty in the people. He recognizes the sovereignty that a legislative may have, but still, it is in the hands of the people to correct any inappropriate actions that violate the public good. Another aspect that we could use to compare Locke and Hobbes is their idea about government. But before that, we need to consider first how these two look at the natural law that all men follow. For Hobbes, man follows a naturally law that eventually leads to a state of war. Their equality leads to conflict between each other, eventually leading to war and chaos. Locke on the other hand, would consider man’s natural law as a movement towards equality and freedom. Both men draw their ideas about the government from their concept of natural law. For Hobbes, government is important because it can be used to control natural law. For Locke on the other hand, government is important in order to preserve natural law. In relation to this, another aspect that we can consider in comparing Hobbes and Locke is their idea about rights. Thomas Hobbes believed that the natural law that man follows result from the rights possessed by each person to do everything in the world. Since they’re allowed to do whatever they want because of the rights they possess, conflict would be unavoidable. In order to avoid this state of war, man follows a social contract in order to create a civil society. This requires them to forfeit or cede some of their natural rights in order to be protected. This somehow controls them from exercising all of their rights, but somehow protecting them from the impending destruction that results from conflicts and wars. As for John Locke, he believes that all of us possess Natural Rights, which is brought about by the state of nature that we follow in the society. These include the right to life, liberty, and property. Both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke believe that all men are equal according to the natural law. For Hobbes however, this equality is seen in a state of war, caused by man’s right to everything. These rights lead them into conflict and boils down to chaos. Still, Hobbes believe that this state of war to be an equal field, wherein the weakest can still kill the strongest. There is no one above others in this state of war. He also believes that all man is sensible by nature, and can agree upon each other to avoid these constant wars. Locke on the other hand, sees man optimistically, wherein they are governed according to reason, thus coexisting equally and peacefully. They are all equal in terms of the rights they possess, thus putting them on the same level as everyone else. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both agree on the importance of civilizing man. It either control or preserve natural law, either way, it is beneficial. Putting this on the idea of â€Å"the savage†, we can see that they give emphasis on the importance of civilizing man because it makes him better. We can say that for these two, man can’t do away with the social establishments that he created, including the government and their notion of sovereignty, as it preserves and promote order in the society, something that both philosophers can somehow agree upon.

Reimbursement and Pay-for-Performance Essay

Introduction As we come into the 21st Century, we find Healthcare is at a crisis level. Every agency is working on healthcare reform from policymakers to the public and private sector, as well as federally funded Medicare and Medicaid. The business of Medicine is greatly influenced by the government (federal, state and local levels) and private health sections that initiate policies. Pay for Performance is a reimbursement method where physicians and hospitals can receive a higher reimbursement for duplicate services based on the fact that they deliver better quality care with better results and outcomes. This payment reform offers initiates intended to improve efficiency, value, and quality of health care (Hood, 2007). If all doctors receive the same dollar amount as a doctor with poor outcomes, then the doctor with great outcomes should receive a little more and there will be patients that do not mind paying a higher deductible for better medical services (Mayes, 2006). Definition for Pay for performance Kimmel (2005), â€Å"Pay for performance is a payment approach used in healthcare that is based on clinical information-driven reform. The fundamental concept is to tie payment to how well providers adhere to practice standards. The practice standards are evidence-based and tied to clinical outcomes. The primary areas of focus are preventive care delivery and disease management for chronic illnesses†. Effects on Reimbursement Pay for performance (P4P) is literally a group of performance indicators that are coupled with an incentive. The performance indicators supports the performance aspect of P4P while the incentive indicator is the pay component. Measuring patient outcomes and understanding the variances that  they have, has in part lead to the increasing rise in how pay for performance reimbursement is looked at. This style of reimbursement allows health plans and employers to pay increasing reimbursements to medical providers that have the better outcomes, give average outcome medical providers a chance to improve, and pay those medical providers with the lowest outcomes the least amount of money or not pay them at all (Cromwell, Trisolini, Pope, Mitchell, & Greenwald. 2011). In order to have a pay for performance system in place, you must decide what domains or areas you wish to track, measure, and reward. Some areas in this domain are clinical process, quality and patient safety, access to and availability of care, cost efficiency or cost of care, cost-effectiveness, administrative efficiency and compliance, adoption of information technology, and reporting of performance indicators. These can be set up as a single performance tracker or a multi-domain performance tracker and the measure needed for improvement, importance, and cost. Performance indicators should be valid, reliable, and informative (Cromwell, Trisolini, Pope, Mitchell, & Greenwald. 2011). The Incentive Schemes reward the performance measures, and is another important part of a pay for performance system. Funding proves to be another important part of this type of a reimbursement system. Types of funding include redistributing existing payments where additional funds will not have to be made and the quality of service is already high; however, medical providers with a lower quality of service will receive lower reimburs ements. Generated Savings and New Money are other sources of funding for performance measures. Generated savings claim that an increased quality of service will generate savings, although there are others who feel that new money should be used to fund the performance system. (Cromwell, Trisolini, Pope, Mitchell, & Greenwald. 2011). Impact of System Cost Reductions on the Quality and Efficiency of Health Care The Medicare Physicians Group Practice (PGP) was the first physician pay for performance model used by the federal government. The PGP believes that higher quality and better cost efficiency could be achieved by managing and coordinating patient care and by engaging in wider choices of care management that are able to improve cost efficiency and quality of health care. Interventions include; chronic disease management, high risk and higher cost care management, transitional care management, end-of-life and palliative care programs. If there were a more  successful payment and delivery method to increase the value of health care and improve quality of care, the cost would grow at a slower pace. The American people would be more likely to purchase health insurance coverage that is affordable and more valuable. (Kautter, Pope, & Trisolini, 2007). More progress toward effective delivery and system reform is one of the key elements to achieving the goals to push expanded coverage. Information technology is one of these key elements and a major part of pay for performance system. Information systems uses electronic medical records and patient registries have been created to improve the efficiency and quality of health care delivery. These type of initiatives that are being tested to see if cost savings are generated by reducing avoidable hospital stays, cutting down on readmissions and emergency room visits, while simultaneously improving quality of care (Kautter, Pope, & Trisolini, 2007). Effect of Pay for performance on Health Care Providers and Their Customers Meredith B. Rosenthal states, â€Å"Pay for performance will not replace the existing payment structure in either system, but it does allow payors to take into account a set of quality indicators, in addition to volume of service (as fee-for-service does now) or the nu mber of covered lives (in the case of capitation). In this view, pay for performance can be viewed as a mechanism to correct some of the distortionary incentives that already exist in the reimbursement system†. Physicians in the United States are paid on a fee-for-service basis. This encourages high volumes of services, where there is no regard to the value of services in regards to a patient. When services are reimbursed more generously than others it allows the payment system to influence additional medical services with a heavy emphasis on procedure-based care. Since the physicians pay is not attached to medical services provided, there is really no direct incentive to provide any services (How Will Paying for Performance Affect Patient Care?. (2006, March). Virtual Mentor, 8(3), 162-165). Effects of Pay for performance on the Future of Health Care Goldberg lists three points regarding the most significant implications of the movement toward paying for quality outcomes. These are that the quality and value become real parts of contractual reimbursement, the differences based on quality outcomes will be more evident grouped with provider tiers,  and quality metrics evolve to outcome-based and chronic disease management (Goldberg 2006). P4P is an incentive-based reimbursement system that rewards the best players. This pay for performance system is currently active in health systems, managed care settings, and private and group physician’s practices. P4P is likely to impact the entire health care environment and will provide yet another opportunity for pharmacy to become an active role player and leader with improving quality and efficient health care. The focus is not on value but on quality and cost. Pay for performance is not a new program, but in the age of informed choice, evidence based medicine, and patient safety, it can become the solution to our current health care dilemma (Pay for performance (P4P): Evaluating Current and Future Implications). Conclusion These pay for performance systems and programs will lead expansion across the United States health care industry in the near future. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there has been a great amount of provision made to encourage continued improvement with quality of care. â€Å"Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of providers that agree to coordinate care and to be held accountable for the quality and cost of the services they provide† (James, 2012). There needs to be a consensus as to how much of an incentive will have to be given in order to affect the needed change and how should these incentive’s be paid out monthly, quarterly, or yearly; and how can these improvements be sustained over time. Continued experimentation with the pay for performance model should begin to incorporate monitoring and evaluation in identifying design elements that will also affect outcomes in a positive way. Variations in health care markets should be evaluated and include comparison groups to isolate pay for performance from other types of factors. Pay for performance has some great attributes to it and could definitely be the beginning to improvements in quality of service. If physicians are receiving patients and referrals based on their ability to provide quality of service with reduced readmissions and more satisfied consumers, then the care they take in providing services to patients from admission to discharge will create positive change. References Cromwell, J., Trisolini, M. G., Pope, G. C., Mitchell, J. B., and Greenwald, L. M., Eds. (2011). Pay for Performance in Health Care: Methods and Approaches. RTI Press publication No. BK-0002-1103. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI Press. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.rti.org/rtipress Goldberg, L. (2006). Paying for performance a call for quality health care. Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/us_chs_p4p_032806%281%29.pdf Hood, R. (2007). Pay-for-Performance-Financial Health Disparities and the Impact on Healthcare Disparities. Journal of the National Medical Association, 99, 1-6. James, J. (2012). Pay-for-Performance. New payment systems reward doctors and hospitals for improving the quality of care, but studies to date show mixed results.. Health Policy Brief, 1-6, Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.healthaffairs.org/healthpolicybriefs/brief.php?brief_id=78. Kautter, J., Pope, G., & Trisolini, M. (2007, Fall). Medicare physician group practice demonstration design: quality and efficiency pay for performance. Health Care Financing Review, 29(1), 15-29. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Demonstration-Projects/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/downloads/PGP_ Demo_Design.pdf Kimmel, K. (2005). Pay for Performance: An Economic Imperative for Clinical Information Systems. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.himss.org/content/files/PayForPerformance.pdf Mayes, R. (2006). The Origins of and Economic Momentum Behind â€Å"Pay for Performance† Reimbursement. Health Law Review, 15, 17-22. Pay for performance (P4P): Evaluating Current and Future Implications. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from https://www.ashp.org/DocLibrary/Policy/QII/Pay for performance.aspx Rosenthal, M. (2006). How Will Paying for Performance Affect Patient Care?. Virtual Mentor, 8, 162-165.

Why is a consideration of culture important for strategy formulation Essay - 2

Why is a consideration of culture important for strategy formulation and implementation - Essay Example Cultures also determine the services and products that are viable for business in the region. Hence, the strategy must be in line the products and services that the culture allows. Various business undertakings need to consider the culture to become successful an example is a business advertisement. In the advertisements, different cultures have a specific point that they look for before considering the products are good for use (Aswathappa, 2010). If the advertisement is capturing the area of interest, then the services and product can easily sell in the area culture. Strategy for the advertisement of the same product of the same company may vary  to fit the cultural requirement (Aswathappa, 2010). An example being advertisement used in the developed countries such as those in Europe may differ from those in underdeveloped ones. In channeling the adverts in a proper manner, the people in a particular culture will take the product as their own. This kind of strategy will make the business of an organization thrive in a different location while exploiting cultures. Understanding of the culture is a good strategy in the business becoming competitive in any giv en region. Understanding the culture in the region is an important strategy for managing the organization workers in different regions. Most of the individuals who work in a given region for an organization come from the same area. Understanding their culture as a strategy for managing the workers is very crucial in having sustainable working environment. If the local workers feel no respect for their values that arise from local cultures may cause low morale in the work hence, they become less productive (Rajasekar, 2014). Such kind of problems will sabotage the company goals and affect prosperity. Considering the cultural influence on workers, any business organization management needs to understand the cultures in the region to be sure of prosperity. Hence, it is important to

Company Profile Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Company Profile - Assignment Example It is in California that its first registered restaurants were started. Out of the many restaurants, it operates under different registrations with about one hundred and sixty-five registered as ‘Cheesecake brands’ while the others put as ‘Grand Lux Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. As at today, the company has expansively stretched, and it has pierced through foreign countries to the Middle East. I define the company’s mission statement as an orientation towards customer satisfaction aimed at gratifying the consumers’ needs through effective service delivery.As provided for in the theory of consumer behavior, customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand through satisfaction. It is this realization that underpins the company’s mission statement. It seeks to create an enabling environment that ensures that customers are fulfilled by the services offered. The purpose and vision of the company can be defined as an existence to outdo others and emerge the best in the industry in the highly competitive industry. It seeks to achieve this through its determination to provide high-quality food. As given in the theory of comparative advantage, this will enable the company to record high sales since customers would want to be part of a high quality producing company. Vision and purpose list include high quality food, good customer relations, and high-profit generation. Effective leadership is one area that has seen Cheesecake grow to what it is today. According to Pinnington (2011), leadership is defined as the act of winning a team and persuading them to follow one into carrying out a certain task or project so as to meet the objectives. Behavioral theory as leadership perspective conceptualizes that effective leadership is achieved when an effective strategy and actions are used in approaching the leadership task. Cheesecake Factory’s leadership

Glass ceiling and glass border are terminologies often used to Essay

Glass ceiling and glass border are terminologies often used to describe barriers women might face in the labour market. Do we see any evidence of these barriers disappearing - Essay Example Since little is known about these challenges, there is a lack of coping strategies developed to avert them. This deficiency in coping strategies limits the availability of opportunities for women’s progression to senior management positions by creating both covert and overt barriers (Donald and Hartmann, 2005, p.478). However, with the advent of globalization, issues of gender equity and gender equality are progressively gaining popularity (Donald and Hartmann, 2005, p.480). This has resulted in an increase in women’s participation in the labor force as they progressively get acceptance in professions, careers and occupations previously reserved for men. However, most of the results from the efforts fall short of set targets and expectations (Thomas and Sally, 2005, p.490). This has necessitated a proper understanding of the covert and overt barriers to women’s progression to top management positions. The slow but progressive disappearance of these barriers will form the major part of this document. IHRM is a practice that encompasses all the activities revolving around coordinating employees and their efforts towards attaining pre-determined goals and objectives at a global scale (Thomas and Sally, 2001, p.89). IHRM also entails the process of sourcing for human resources, allocating them appropriate roles, and effectively putting their skill sets to use to maximize on the organizational effectiveness and efficiency of international firms (Thomas and Sally, 2001, p.89). The term â€Å"glass ceiling† is used to describe the invisible and intangible barrier that prevents women or ethnic minorities from getting into top-level management in a hierarchical system (Olga and Rà ­o, 2012, p.160). A glass ceiling can also be defined as a set of attitudes that fosters the unjust prevention of women and ethnic minorities from getting into highly influential positions (Olga and Rà ­o, 2012, p.163). In most organizations, the existence of the discriminatory barrier in

Canadian coporate law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Canadian coporate law - Essay Example property rights protection and regulation is necessarily founded on the concept that ‘increased innovation† makes it possible for the production of: Canada subscribes to these concepts and its array of intellectual property rights laws adequately prove this. However, in an article written by Myra J. Tawfik, Canada by its ascension to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been forced to reconcile its domestic intellectual property rights laws with those of its trade partners under NAFTA3. This paper examines Canada’s intellectual property laws and how its obligations under NAFTA have influenced its developments as discussed by Myra Tawfik in the article Intellectual Property Laws in Harmony with NAFTA: The Courts as Mediators Between the Global and the Local. Cumulatively, Canadian intellectual property rights are contained in several difference types of property which include, trademarks, patents, copyright, â€Å"industrial designs, integrated circuit topography and plant breeders’ rights.†4 The breadth of the Canadian Intellectual property rights protection encapsulate the exclusive right of the licensed owner of intellectual property to permit others to use the protected property and to take steps to prevent unauthorized use of the protected property.5 Essentially a trade mark is a unique identifying element such as words and/or designs that distinguishes the product from any other.6 Canadian intellectual property laws recognize two distinguishing features of note, the â€Å"distinguishing guise† and the â€Å"certification mark.†7 A distinguishing guise generally refers to the manner in which the product is presented to the public. In Daniel Shear’s example, the unique shape of the Coca Cola bottle is a distinguishing guise.8 Likewise the certification mark is a distinguishing mark used to identify a product which meets minimum standards.9 Under Canadian law, a trade mark can be protected under the tort of passing off

Data Mining (mining for gold) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Data Mining (mining for gold) - Assignment Example This way, the data is understood or is used for any future marketing campaigns. This type of technique is usually used by many analysts. Issues relating to security of the information obtained by companies about individual customers. This information is prone to crimes such as hacking creating major security concern for both customers and companies. Many customer do not give out their information easily because of privacy complains. This way it is not possible to accurately draw relationship or trend in any particular data as the data may be considered incomplete. Airline companies use data mining techniques to improve their servicing towards customers. The data that is mined to find hidden patterns is about frequent fliers. The issues selected for mining in the frequent flier program are firstly to identify customer characteristics, their most frequent flying zone, class and period of the year in which they usually fly. Secondly, to discover pattern between the sectors based on the activities of the customers. The data mining technique is applied to customer data in three ways: category type, booking type and sector type. Category type revealed that discretionary and invitees were having lower than average use usage whereas members flew more. Booking type disclosed that about 88% of the customers booked their tickets via agents. Data mining can be used by many different industries. One of the types of industry is the super market industry. Data mining can help them identify customer buying patterns i.e. to place products in such a way that can lead to an increase in the buying behavior of the customer e.g. Wal-Mart’s case of nappies and beer. The other industry that can use data mining is the automobile industry. Customer preferences can be found and all future automobile can be based on aspects usually preferred by customers (e.g. low CO2 emission cars and increased promotion of hybrid cars to control

Les Maitres Fous Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Les Maitres Fous - Essay Example They kill and eat a dog; in traditional Nigerian culture, it is forbidden to eat dogs, so this element is a transgressive ritual that demonstrates the forbidden power the men are channeling. They make noise with the clapping of wooden guns, representing both the formal (marches and parades) and informal (death and destruction) powers of the guns from the British colonial perspective. Only â€Å"pure ones† can participate in the ritual; whether this is because of a belief that the spirits can only fill the pure ones or because of a belief that only the pure should be trusted with the power is not clear, and the answer is probably some admixture of both. Finally, the possessed are tested by burning and boiling: Proving that they have become more than men. It is noteworthy that the vast majority of the film's subjects (or objects, as Rouch extorts and invites the audience to truly participate in the ritual and essentially become Hauka for some minutes) are men. Rouch doesn't note this extensively, but this further complicates an already complex ethnography. It is all well and good to talk about what African colonial memory might be, but this seems to be African male colonial memory and coping mechanisms. Women seem to be reacting differently.

Conference Decision Week 1 Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Conference Decision Week 1 Case Analysis Essay 1) Define the decision problem? This case describes the problem of an accounting system user’s conference cannot be held on time due to the Hurricane Katrina, and the management has to come up with a decision of either moving to a new location or to switch to other dates under all circumstances at a short period of time. 2) What is the general nature of the problem? The most significant aspect of the problem is that due to the Hurricane Katrina, the conference will probably not be held, and the last minute announcement of switching location will make the company lose customers and reputations due to the cancellation of flight and hotel and all other costs. 3) What event triggered the situation? In fact we see from the root, Hurricane Katrina triggered the situation which is an irresistible natural disaster. Actually I believe that the management board should be liable for this situation as well since the weather is foreseeable, why wouldn’t able for them to prevent this situation, for instance, they can make a plan B in case the unforeseen event happens. 4) What are the imposed constraints on the situation? The imposed constraints from the attendees who had prepaid the attendance fee  will have to decide if they will still go to the conference, the fact is that people might have to change or cancel their flight and hotel which might be a potential cost, or they are not coming at all which might affect company’s profit and reputation because if the location or dated has been rescheduled, they maybe not attend. Furthermore, things that considered being constraints are things cannot be controlled, such as the unforeseen natural disaster, hurricane. 5) What are the underlying elements of the problem? The underlying elements can be for instance, the city has been destroyed by the hurricane and it will cost some time to rebuilt the fundamental, also for the company, it takes time to reorganize the conference. During the process, the company might lose profit from the disaster. 6) Describe the dependencies on other decisions? Attendees are expecting the sponsor to make a satisfied decision with regarding to the current situation. However, it is easy to neglect important factors, miss desirable options, or base the decision on unreliable information. Company’s dependency is the profit lost from the prepaid attendance as well as the potential new customers. On the other hand, the conference attendance’s dependencies are looking for their business opportunities from the conference, and to find a better way to prevent the loose from not going to the conference.

The United States of America Essay Example for Free

The United States of America Essay A glimpse of the multiple experiences of the author truly negates the circumstance that the United States of America has undergone for the past years and at this moment in time. There were several occurrences that the citizens felt that there is a bit change the way the country’s system is running which positively affects their manner of living. As the author, Anthony Burgess touches quite a few areas of Politics and Religion in his masterpiece â€Å"Is America Falling Apart? † he provide his readers a sense of sensuality as regards to dealing life and accept the practical world of transformation hand in hand with an articulate connotation of being realistic not just have an animalistic point of views. Burgess started his inscription in such a straightforward approach of looking back to things he had experienced when he stayed for about a year in New Jersey, and now that he came home to Bracciano, he can’t help but notice a huge difference towards the system he perceived of proliferating the system of life and living a gay but practical existence. Given the fact that it was quite hard to tackle living in an unstable realm together with harsh approach of survival, the author still paved a way of appreciating what life could have been if there is something to look forward to, â€Å"the quality of life has nothing to do with the quantity of brand names, what matter is talk, family, cheap wine in an open air, the wrestling of minimal sweetness but of the long-known bitterness of living† (Burgess, 286). The Author extremely enlightens his readers on how the United States of America deals with life – and that is full of extravagant material things which sometimes not necessary in building a true meaning of living. It has been said that in a year or two, the possessions that we have could be easily replaced due to a very fast paced transition of what’s in and what’s hot and certainly, these material possession would leave us with nothing but just a temporary and fake notion of fame, â€Å"Let me stay for a while on this subject of consumption. American individualism, on the face of it an admirable philosophy, wishes to manifest itself in independence of the community. You don’t share things in common; you have your own things. A family’s strength is signalized by its possessions† (Burgess, 287). You can easily sense that the author wishes to embark with its readers the realization of what life is all about giving emphasis on the platform that the realm he had been for quite sometime shares a positive impact of being realistic. Not all our naked eyes can reach is imperative to adopt in our system, we also need to scrutinize things and know what we really need and not just coping with what we desire, â€Å"America made me develop new appetites in order to make proper use of the supermarkets† (Burgess, 287). Bits and pieces around us can truly fascinate our subsistence but it is still in our discretion on how we say no to what we believe is not essential for us. The author epitomized how such thing made him feel as to what extent his self discipline reaches his soul – a good point to consider in dealing with life in order to proliferate. As we grasp the first statement of Anthony Burgess in his first paragraph, noticeably, he was depressed as he brings to mind together with his arrival in Bracciano the negative atmosphere of an unstable Italian government and a disheartening mode of living, â€Å"I find the Italian government still unstable, gasoline more expensive than anywhere in the world, butches and bank clerks and tobacconist ready to go on strike† (Burgess, 286). But as we approach the second paragraph, he revived his negative statements as he tries to put some positive air of giving hope, â€Å"It is delightful to be back. People are underpaid but they go through an act of liking their work, the open market are luscious with esculent color, the community is more is more important than the state, the human condition is humorously accepted† (Burgess, 286). A fastidious alteration of a structure wherein the readers would not just suffer the feeling of depression but at the same time it gives hope to find courage in battling what life has to offer as well as what our nation has in store for us. The author’s chose of style mutually with the use of language tends to adopt unfathomable terminology which translate to its reader to go deep as well which leads them to have intense feelings as regard to the controversy of the subject matter, â€Å"Consumption, on one level, is turning insipid, especially as the quality of the artifacts themselves seem to be deteriorating. Planned obsolescence is not conducive to pride in workmanship† (Burgess, 288). The structure of the essay exemplifies a voice of echoing scream of transformation in lieu of the way the nation lead its people. Practically, the usage of comparison connotes a strong hold to the statement that would merely strike the emotions of its readers. The effectiveness of the arrival of syntax was such of great use in terms of embodying the premise of the author, â€Å"A character in Evelyn Waugh’s Put Out More Flags said that the difference between prewar and postwar life was that, prewar, if one thing went wrong the day was ruined: postwar, if one thing went right the day would be made. America is a prewar country, psychologically unprepared for one thing to go wrong. Now everything seems to be going wrong. Hence, the neurosis despair, the Kafka feeling that the whole marvelous fabric of American life is coming apart at the seams. Italy is used to everything going wrong. This is what the human condition is about† (Burgess, 287). Intensely, the Burgess conveys how America seems to approach the downfall if it wouldn’t responsible enough to prepare for what unexpected occurrence will come transversely. Analogous to this, the strength of the words seems to hit the heart of the readers as it is very unyielding as the author stresses how the norm of the United States of America seems to be alike with other nation, which in turn leaves a mark of doubt and fear if it really shares a positive impact, â€Å"America is no longer Europe’s daughter nor her rich stepmother; she is Europe’s sister. The agony that America is undergoing is not to be associated with breakdown so much with the parturition of self-knowledge† (Burgess, 290). The relentless insights of Anthony Burgess indeed provide an enormous impact to its reader. We cannot deny the fact that his masterpiece was truly a focal deliberation of passionate clamor for transformation and readiness to what may come at hand. He uses diverse area of discussion such as Religion, Politics and even Literature. â€Å"America was built on a rejection of the past. Even the basic Christianity which was brought to the continent in 1620 was of a novel and bizarre kind that would have nothing to do with great Rank River of belief that produced Dante and Michelangelo. America as a nation has never been able to settle to a common belief more sophisticated than the dangerous naivete of the Declaration of Independence† (Burgess, 289). It was believed that there was something far beyond producing money and proliferate the luxurious material possessions that the people have in their homes. There’s a lot to explore like that of the Religion that will give the people a strong faith which will help them better to achieve the abundance that they really want in their lives. Political arena comes to mind as well as Burgess stressed how powerful the United States of America had become during the past years which give them the height of admiration, â€Å"When Europe, after millennia of war, rapine, slavery, famine, intolerance, had sunk to the level of a sewer, America became the golden dreams, the Eden where innocence could be recovered† (Burgess, 289). Accordingly, as we have been saying all through out the paper, the hope that eventually, everything will be put in its proper place and that the transformation and change will be put into account, not just have a one track of doing what we want – doing what the leaders want in their realm – maybe then a bright day full of hopes and dreams will inspire every individual in the nation that they belong, as the literary text expound â€Å"Shakespeare’s period was one of poverty, unemployment, ghastly inflation, violence in the streets. Twenty-six years after his death there was a bloody civil war, followed by a dictatorship of religious fanatics, followed by a calm respite in which the seeds of a revolution were sown. England survived. America will survive† (Burgess, 290). Anthony Burgess gives us a very good way of enlightenment – a profound illumination for America to have a clamor for change as well as a vibrant implementation of platforms that they have in order to propagate their nation.

Comprehensive Study on Big Data Technologies and Challenges

Comprehensive Study on Big Data Technologies and Challenges Abstract: Big Data is at the heart of modern science and business. Big Data has recently emerged as a new paradigm for hosting and delivering services over the Internet. It offers huge opportunities to the IT industry. Big Data has become a valuable source and mechanism for researchers to explore the value of data sets in all kinds of business scenarios and scientific investigations. New computing platforms such as Mobile Internet, Social Networks and Cloud Computing are driving the innovations of Big Data. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the concept Big Data and it tries to address various Big Data technologies, challenges ahead and possible. It also explored certain services of Big Data over traditional IT service environment including data collection, management, integration and communication Keywords— Big Data, Cloud Computing, Distributed System, Volume I. INTRODUCTION Big Data has recently reached popularity and developed into a major trend in IT. Big Data are formed on a daily bases from Earth observations, social networks, model simulations, scientific research, application analyses, and many other ways. Big Data is a data analysis methodology enabled by a new generation of technologies and architecture which support high-velocity data capture, storage, and analysis. Data sources extend beyond the traditional corporate database to include email, mobile device output, sensor-generated data, and social media output. Data are no longer restricted to structured database records but include unstructured data. Big Data requires huge amounts of storage space. A typical big data storage and analysis infrastructure will be based on clustered network-attached storage. This paper firstly defines the Big Data concept and describes its services and main characteristics. â€Å"Big Data† is a term encompassing the use of techniques to capture, process, analyze and visualize potentially large datasets in a reasonable timeframe not accessible to standard IT technologies. II. Background Need of Big Data Big Data refers to large datasets that are challenging to store, search, share, visualize, and analyze the data. In Internet the volume of data we deal with has grown to terabytes and peta bytes. As the volume of data keeps growing, the types of data generated by applications become richer than before. As a result, traditional relational databases are challenged to capture, share, analyze, and visualize data. Many IT companies attempt to manage big data challenges using a NoSQL database, such as Cassandra or HBase, and may employ a distributed computing system such as Hadoop. NoSQL databases are typically key-value stores that are non-relational, distributed, horizontally scalable, and schema-free. We need a new methodology to manage big data for maximum business value. Data storage scalability was one of the major technical issues data owners were facing. Nevertheless, a new brand of efficient and scalable technology has been incorporated and data management and storage is no longer the problem it used to be. In addition, data is constantly being generated, not only by use of internet, but also by companies generating big amounts of information coming from sensors, computers and automated processes. This phenomenon has recently accelerated further thanks to the increase of connected devices and the worldwide success of the social platforms. Significant Internet players like Google, Amazon, Face Book and Twitter were the first facing these increasing data volumes and designed ad-hoc solutions to be able to cope with the situation. Those solutions have since, partly migrated into the open source software communities and have been made publicly available. This was the starting point of the current Big Data trend as it was a relatively cheap solution f or businesses confronted with similar problems. Dimensions of Big Data Fig. 1 shows the four dimensions of Big Data. They are discussed below. Fig. 1 Dimensions of Big Data Volume refers that Big Data involves analyze huge amounts of information, typically starting at tens of terabytes. It ranges from terabytes to peta bytes and up. The noSQL database approach is a response to store and query huge volumes of data heavily distributed. Velocity refers the speed rate in collecting or acquiring or generating or processing of data. Real-time data processing platforms are now considered by global companies as a requirement to get a competitive edge. For example, the data associated with a particular hash tag on Twitter often has a high velocity. Variety describes the fact that Big Data can come from many different sources, in various formats and structures. For example, social media sites and networks of sensors generate a stream of ever-changing data. As well as text, this might include geographical information, images, videos and audio. Veracity includesknown data quality, type of data, data management maturity so that we can understand how much the data is right and accurate 000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes Big Data Model The big data model is an abstract layer used to manage the data stored in physical devices. Today we have large volumes of data with different formats stored in global devices. The big data model provides a visual way to manage data resources, and creates fundamental data architecture so that we can have more applications to optimize data reuse and reduce computing costs. Types of data The data typically categorized into three differ ­ent types – structured, unstructured and semi-structured. A structured data is well organized, there are several choices for abstract data types, and references such as relations, links and pointers are identifiable. An unstructured data may be incomplete and/or heterogeneous, and often originates from multiple sources. It is not organized in an identifiable way, and typically includes bitmap images or objects, text and other data types that are not part of a database. Semi-structured data is orga ­nized, containing tags or other markers to separate semantic elements, III. Big Data Services Big Data provides enormous number of services. This paper explained some of the important services. They are given below. Data Management and Integration An enormous volume of data in different formats, constantly being collected from sensors, is efficiently accumulated and managed through the use of technology that automatically categorizes the data for archive storage. Communication and Control This comprises three functions for exchanging data with various types of equipment over networks: communications control, equipment control and gateway management. Data Collection and Detection By applying rules to the data that is streaming in from sensors, it is possible to conduct an analysis of the current status. Based on the results, decisions can be made with navigation or other required procedures performed in real time. Data Analysis The huge volume of accumulated data is quickly analyzed using a parallel distributed processing engine to create value through the analysis of past data or through future projections or simulations. IV. BIG DATA TECHNOLOGIES Internet companies such as Google, Yahoo and Face book have been pioneers in the use of Big Data technologies and routinely store hundreds of terabytes and even peta bytes of data on their systems. There are a growing number of technologies used to aggregate, manipulate, manage, and analyze big data. This paper described some of the more prominent technologies but this list is not exhaustive, especially as more technologies continue to be developed to support Big Data techniques. They are listed below. Big Table: Proprietary distributed database system built on the Google File System. This technique is an inspiration for HBase. Business intelligence (BI): A type of application software designed to report, analyze, and present data. BI tools are often used to read data that have been previously stored in a data warehouse or data mart. BI tools can also be used to create standard reports that are generated on a periodic basis, or to display information on real-time management dashboards, i.e., integrated displays of metrics that measure the performance of a system. Cassandra: An open source database management system designed to handle huge amounts of data on a distributed system. This system was originally developed at Face book and is now managed as a project of the Apache. Cloud computing: A computing paradigm in which highly scalable computing resources, often configured as a distributed system provided as a service through a network. Data Mart: Subset of a data warehouse, used to provide data to users usually through business intelligence tools. Data Warehouse: Specialized database optimized for reporting, often used for storing large amounts of structured data. Data is uploaded using ETL (extract, transform, and load) tools from operational data stores, and reports are often generated using business intelligence tools. Distributed system: Distributed file system or network file system allows client nodes to access files through a computer network. This way a number of users working on multiple machines will be able to share files and storage resources. The client nodes will not be able to access the block storage but can interact through a network protocol. This enables a restricted access to the file system depending on the access lists or capabilities on both servers and clients which is again dependent on the protocol. Dynamo: Proprietary distributed data storage system developed by Amazon. Google File System: Proprietary distributed file system developed by Google; part of the inspiration for Hadoop3.1 Hadoop: Apache Hadoop is used to handle Big Data and Stream Computing. Its development was inspired by Google’s MapReduce and Google File System. It was originally developed at Yahoo and is now managed as a project of the Apache Software Foundation. Apache Hadoop is an open source software that enables the distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of commodity servers. It can be scaled up from a single server to thousands of clients and with a very high degree of fault tolerance. HBase: An open source, free, distributed, non-relational database modeled on Google’s Big Table. It was originally developed by Powerset and is now managed as a project of the Apache Software foundation as part of the Hadoop. MapReduce: A software framework introduced by Google for processing huge datasets on certain kinds of problems on a distributed system also implemented in Hadoop. Mashup: An application that uses and combines data presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services. These applications are often made available on the Web, and frequently use data accessed through open application programming interfaces or from open data sources. Data Intensive Computing is a type of parallel computing application which uses a data parallel approach to process Big Data. This works based on the principle of collection of data and programs used to perform computation. Parallel and Distributed system that work together as a single integrated computing resource is used to process and analyze Big Data. IV. BIG DATA USING CLOUD COMPUTING The Big Data journey can lead to new markets, new opportunities and new ways of applying old ideas, products and technologies. Cloud Computing and Big Data share similar features such as distribution, parallelization, space-time, and being geographically dispersed. Utilizing these intrinsic features would help to provide Cloud Computing solutions for Big Data to process and obtain unique information. At the same time, Big Data create grand challenges as opportunities to advance Cloud Computing. In the geospatial information science domain, many scientists conducted active research to address urban, environment, social, climate, population, and other problems related to Big Data using Cloud Computing. V. TECHNICAL CHALLENGES Many of Big Data’s technical challenges also apply to data it general. However, Big Data makes some of these more complex, as well as creating several fresh issues. They are given below. Data Integration Organizations might also need to decide if textual data is to be handled in its native language or translated. Translation introduces considerable complexity — for example, the need to handle multiple character sets and alphabets. Further integration challenges arise when a business attempts to transfer external data to its system. Whether this is migrated as a batch or streamed, the infrastructure must be able to keep up with the speed or size of the incoming data. The IT organization must be able to estimate capacity requirements effectively. Companies such as Twitter and Face book regularly make changes to their application programming interfaces which may not necessarily be published in advance. This can result in the need to make changes quickly to ensure the data can still be accessed. Data Transformation Another challenge is data transformation .Transformation rules will be more complex between different types of system records. Organizations also need to consider which data source is primary when records conflict, or whether to maintain multiple records. Handling duplicate records from disparate systems also requires a focus on data quality. Historical Analysis Historical analysis could be concerned with data from any point in the past. That is not necessarily last week or last month — it could equally be data from 10 seconds ago. While IT professionals may be familiar with such an application its meaning can sometimes be misinterpreted by non-technical personnel encountering it. Search Searching unstructured data might return a large number of irrelevant or unrelated results. Sometimes, users need to conduct more complicated searches containing multiple options and fields. IT organizations need to ensure their solution provides the right type and variety of search interfaces to meet the business’s differing needs. And once the system starts to make inferences from data, there must also be a way to determine the value and accuracy of its choices. Data Storage As data volumes increase storage systems are becoming ever more critical. Big Data requires reliable, fast-access storage. This will hasten the demise of older technologies such as magnetic tape, but it also has implications for the management of storage systems. Internal IT may increasingly need to take a similar, commodity-based approach to storage as third-party cloud storage suppliers do today. It means removing rather than replacing individual failed components until they need to refresh the entire infrastructure. There are also challenges around how to store the data whether in a structured database or within an unstructured system or how to integrate multiple data sources. Data Integrity For any analysis to be truly meaningful it is important that the data being analyzed is as accurate, complete and up to date as possible. Erroneous data will produce misleading results and potentially incorrect insights. Since data is increasingly used to make business-critical decisions, consumers of data services need to have confidence in the integrity of the information those services are providing. Data Replication Generally, data is stored in multiple locations in case one copy becomes corrupted or unavailable. This is known as data replication. The volumes involved in a Big Data solution raise questions about the scalability of such an approach. However, Big Data technologies may take alternative approaches. For example, Big Data frameworks such as Hadoop are inherently resilient, which may mean it is not necessary to introduce another layer of replication. Data Migration When moving data in and out of a Big Data system, or migrating from one platform to another, organizations should consider the impact that the size of the data may have. To deal with data in a variety of formats, the volumes of data will often mean that it is not possible to operate on the data during a migration. Visualisation While it is important to present data in a visually meaningful form, organizations need to consider the most appropriate way to display the results of Big Data analytics so that the data does not mislead. IT should take into account the impact of visualisations on the various target devices, on network bandwidth and on data storage systems. Data Access The final technical challenge relates to controlling who can access the data, what they can access, and when. Data security and access control is vital in order to ensure data is protected. Access controls should be fine-grained, allowing organizations not only to limit access, but also to limit knowledge of its existence. Enterprises therefore need to pay attention to the classification of data. This should be designed to ensure that data is not locked away unnecessarily, but equally that it doesn’t present a security or privacy risk to any individual or company. VI. CONCLUSION This paper reviewed the technical challenges, various technologies and services of Big Data. Big Data describes a new generation of technologies and architectures, designed to economically extract value from very large volumes of a wide variety of data by enabling high-velocity capture. Linked Data databases will become more popular and could potentially push traditional relational databases to one side due to their increased speed and flexibility. This means businesses will be able to change to develop and evolve applications at a much faster rate. Data security will always be a concern, and in future data will be protected at a much more granular level than it is today. Currently Big Data is seen predominantly as a business tool. Increasingly, though, consumers will also have access to powerful Big Data applications. In a sense, they already do Google and various social media search tools. But as the number of public data sources grows and processing power becomes ever faster and c heaper, increasingly easy-to-use tools will emerge that put the power of Big Data analysis into everyone’s hands.

The Healing Power of Music Essay example -- Music and the Brain

In December of 1992, David Ott’s father was dying of cancer. On Christmas Eve morning he went into a coma. The family gathered in the small hospital room knowing that their beloved husband and father would not be with them long. Since it was Christmas Eve, carolers were going through the hospital quietly singing. As they walked past the room singing â€Å"Silent Night†, a single tear fell across the comatose man’s cheek. His family stated that after seeing him just lay there all day without moving, that the single tear was his way of telling them goodbye. Ott stated that â€Å"music can go where words cannot† (Griffen). Research shows that music is to the brain as physical exercise is to the human body. Some form of exercise is necessary for a healthy body. People know what to do to tone their body but do they exercise their minds regularly and properly? Do they know that listening to Mozart can help increase their memory? Music has a greater impact on hum an lives than we think; it assists in releasing or creating strong emotions, strengthens the brain increasing the ability to learn, and has the power to heal. Music has a larger affect on feelings and emotions than most people realize. It is an automatic response for the human body to react to music in certain ways. Miller explains that â€Å"By the age of five, almost all healthy children have developed an unconscious framework for listening that will form the basis of their emotional response to music.† Sometimes the emotion that the music brings is very noticeable. For example, if someone is attempting to recover after the death of a loved one and they hear a song that reminds them of that person it can create different emotions quickly. The song could make that person remember the good ... ...The Australian 2011: 3. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 14 Oct. 2015. Millar, Aaron. "Music & Emotion: Why Do Sad Songs Make Us Cry?" Odyssey 22.7 (2013): 14. Middle Search Plus. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. Munz, Michele. "Music Support Program for Teen, Young Adult Cancer Patients." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 26 Sept. 2013: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Nov. 2015. â€Å"Music Therapy as a Treatment Modality for Autism Spectrum Disorders.† Music Therapy. American Music Therapy Association. June 2012. Web. 14 October 2015. O’Donnell, Laurence. â€Å"Music and the Brain.† Music Power, N.p., 1999. Web. 8 October 2015. Sacks, Oliver. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. New York: Vintage Books, 2008. Print. Weinberger, Norman M. â€Å"Music and the Brain.† Scientific American Special Edition 16.3 (2006): 36-43. Health Source- Consumer Edition. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.

A Sociological Approach To The Simpsons :: essays research papers

I’m going to start off by saying that until now I never actually thought there was a difference in the way those cartoon characters (the Simpsons) were approached, depending on their gender (not that I watched them too often or anything). First of all I’ll have to break the characters in two groups, because you cannot compare old people with children. So the first group will be composed of Lisa and Bart (the children) and the second one of Marge and Homer (the parents). Just by taking a glance at the show you see that it portrays the typical image of the â€Å"traditional American family† of the last decade: mom stays home to cook, clean and take care of the kids, while the husband provides for the family. The little boy is very violent doing a lot of â€Å"cool† things, and of course never studies, while the little girl is very quiet and smart. There are certain traces of stereotypes in almost all the activities in which the characters engage and that seems to be meant in a funny way. For example, in one episode, Lisa and Bart are taken hostages by a prison escapist in a zeppelin. Using a computer inside the zeppelin you could write on an electronic board outside the zeppelin. Lisa discovers that and writes a message to let everybody know that they are in there and in the middle of it she puts these flashing red hearts... I wonder if they would have done that if Bart were the one writing the message! This other time Bart gets himself a fake ID, rents a car and goes away for spring break with some friends (he of course lies to his parents); meanwhile Lisa stays home and has fun by going to work with her dad. What’s the message here? ‘Boys go off and do crazy things, but girls must stay home, close to the family.’ Bart is always the one who has all the adventures and does all the exciting funny things and Lisa is the smart quiet one always getting him out of trouble. She never holds any grudges, while Bart is mean to her most of the times and always gets his revenge; in other words ‘girls, you be silent, boys have the right to do anything.’ But enough of the youngsters, lets talk about the adults too. As I’ve said before, Marge is a housewife; she never directly disagrees with Hommie, her husband, and she’s always the one spoiling the children.

Beowulf: A Comparison between Hrothgar and Beowulf Essay

Throughout history, kings have been the primary figure in kingdoms and territories. People looked to these authoritative figures for many different things ranging from religion to leadership and guidance. The heroic epic Beowulf takes the concept of kingship and elaborates on it through the roles of two very different characters: King Hrothgar and Beowulf. In doing so, it reveals the differing values instilled within each man. Very early on in Beowulf, it is evident that the German and Scandinavian world that exists at this time is both hostile and unpredictable. The constant upheaval between the differing cultures force the people of these villages to look to a higher power for a sense of well-being. King Hrothgar of Heorot embodies the necessary characteristics of a leader at the beginning of the tale: strength, bravery, and leadership. The introduction of Grendel, however, eliminates any sense of stability in the King of the Danes. Instead of standing up to fight Grendel, Hrothgar cowardly retreats and allows the monster to terrorize and pillage his kingdom for many years. As a result of this, the people lose their sense of trust and security. It is at this point that they place their belief in pagan rituals, turning their backs on God. Beowulf, the hero of this epic, demonstrates what a hero truly represents. He first and foremost places his trust in God rather than in other humans or pagan rituals. His strength, bravery, and self-sacrifice shine through his underlying persistent optimism. This drive stems from Beowulf’s ultimate goal of being remembered after he is long gone and time has passed. As he tells Hrothgar, â€Å"We must all expect and end to life in this world; let him who can win fame before death, because that is a dead man’s best memorial.† When Beowulf hears of the turmoil Grendel is causing in Heorot, he immediately responds to the call, against his father’s wishes. He determines that he will fight the creature without any weapon or armor. This confidence only demonstrates his faith in God and fate. He believes that if something happens, it will happen, and there is no way of preventing the inevitable.  Beowulf’s fight with Grendel represents the beginning of his journey as a hero. Grendel is the most evil foe for Beowulf, because he is a direct descendant of Cain. Beowulf’s character through this difficult first task establishes a foundation for him to build on with each increasingly arduous task. After having defeated Grendel, Heorot once again returns to a peaceful and serene place. The halls within the Danish kingdom grow joyous and jovial. All of this jollity quickly dissipates, however, when Grendel’s mother begins murdering and ravaging the town in a fit of rage over her son’s death. This is the second struggle that Beowulf is faced with. In this particular situation, he is forced to travel into a hostile environment down into the mother’s lair. This second act of heroism shows how Beowulf goes one step further in securing his place as a genuine hero. When he defeats the mother with a sword that he did not come equipped with, it becomes very clear that divine intervention makes up a large part of his success. Once Grendel’s mother is defeated, peace is once again restored in the Danish kingdom. Fifty long years pass before any other major act of heroism occurs in Beowulf’s life. During this time, he becomes King of the Geats, and establishes himself as a great ruler. When a dragon interrupts the tranquility of the kingdom, Beowulf truly secures his place as a legend. Unlike King Hrothgar, Beowulf does not shy away from danger, and aggressively pursues the dragon. This is by far the most difficult task Beowulf faces and he soon realizes it. Not only is the beast more powerful and dangerous than its predecessors, Beowulf is now an old man and does not possess the strength and energy that so freely flowed through him as a younger man. The twelve â€Å"companions† that accompany Beowulf on this quest desert him in the face of danger, except for Wiglaf, the only true and loyal servant. These cowards can be looked at in much the same light as King Hrothgar. They act brave and mighty, but when confronted with real danger and risk, coward away. All of these factors combine to ultimately defeat Beowulf. He defeats the dragon, but dies in doing so. Even as he dies, Beowulf exudes his humbleness and faithfulness to God and the people he watched over. â€Å"I speak with words of thankfulness to God the king of glory, our eternal Lord, for all the wealth that I see here, and because I was permitted to win it for my people before my death.† Countless times in history, people are faced with tough decisions that unknowingly affect an entire society. It is how these people respond to these situations that truly reveal their character. Attempting to hide or run away does not solve the problem, much to the dismay of people like King Hrothgar. If anything can be learned from this, I think it is that when we are faced with these decisions in life, we must trust in what we firmly believe in and fully put our reputation or life on the line. In doing so, we too have the ability to become heroes in our own right, whether it be a controversial choice or just something very simple. By focusing on the same principles as Beowulf did, we can affect the society around us as well.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 3

No sooner had I left the park when a hansom cab flew around the corner, followed by a policeman on horseback. I fell back into the shadows, for one breathless moment overwhelmed by the clamor. I had thought New Orleans was big – and compared to Mystic Falls, it was. Buildings, businesses, and boats were crowded into a small, frenetic area by the Mississippi River. But it was nothing compared to Manhattan, where alabaster buildings rose high in the sky and people from Italy, Ireland, Russia, Germany – even China and Japan – walked the streets, selling their goods. Even at night, New York City pulsated with life. Fifth Avenue was lit by a row of happy, hissing gas lanterns that gave a warm, rich glow to the cobbled street. A giggling couple bent close together, wrapping their coats more tightly around themselves as the wind whistled past. A newsboy shouted out headlines about factories on fire and corruption in city hall. Hearts beat in a frenetic cacophony, thumping and racing. The trash, the perfumes, and even just the simple smell of clean, soapy skin clung to the streets like ropy vines of kudzu back home. After I regained my calm, I ran into the closest shadows beyond the light cast by gas lamps, the girl heavy in my arms. There was a doorman at a residency hotel up the block. As soon as he unfolded a newspaper, I staggered past him as fast as I could with my burden. Of course, if I had been at the peak of my Power, if I had been feeding on humans this whole time, it would have been nothing to compel the doorman to forget he saw anything. Better yet, I could have run straight to Seventy-third Street and been no more than a blur to the human eye. At Sixty-eighth Street, I hid beneath a damp bush as a drunk stumbled toward us. In the close confines of the branches, there was nothing to distract me from the sweet scent of the girl's blood. I tried not to inhale, cursing the desire that made me yearn to rip her throat out. When the drunk passed, I dashed north to Sixty-ninth Street, praying no one would see me and stop to question me about the unconscious girl in my arms. But in my haste, I kicked a stone, sending it clattering louder than a gunshot down the cobbled street. The drunk whirled around. â€Å"Hulloo?† he slurred. I pressed myself against the limestone wall of a mansion, saying a silent prayer that he would continue on his way. The man hesitated, peering around with bleary eyes, then collapsed on to the pavement with an audible snore. The girl let out another moan and shifted in my arms. It wouldn't be long before she woke and realized – with a loud scream, no doubt – that she was in the arms of a strange man. Steeling myself, I counted to ten. Then as if all the demons in hell were after me, I broke out into an uneven sprint, not even bothering to try to hold my charge gently. Sixty-ninth Street, Seventieth . . . A stray drop of the girl's blood spattered my cheek. A footstep echoed behind me. A horse whinnied in the distance. Soon we were at Seventy-second Street. Just one more block and we would be there. I would drop her off at her doorstep and sprint back to the – But One East Seventy-third Street made me pause. The house I grew up in was enormous, built by my father with the money he had made after coming to this country from Italy. Veritas Estate had three floors, a wide, sunny porch that wrapped around the entire structure, and narrow columns that stretched high to the second story. It was equipped with every luxurious feature available during the Northern Blockade. But this house – or mansion, rather – was enormous. A chateau made out of bone-white limestone, it took up nearly the entire block. Close-set windows lined every floor like watchful eyes. Wrought iron balconies, not unlike the ones that adorned Callie's house in New Orleans, hung at each level, dry brown vines clinging to the metal curlicues. There were even pointed, European-style pinnacles that boasted carved gargoyles. How fitting that the house I had to approach was guarded by monsters. I walked up to the giant front door, which was carved from dark wood. Depositing the girl gently on the stoop, I lifted the brass latch and knocked three times. I was about to turn on my heel to return to the park when the massive door flew open, as if it were no heavier than a garden gate. A servant stood at attention. He was tall and rail-thin, and he wore a simple black suit. We looked at each other for a moment, then at the girl on the stoop. â€Å"Sir . . .† the butler called to an unseen figure behind him, his voice surprisingly calm. â€Å"It's Miss Sutherland . . .† There were cries and shufflings. Almost immediately the entryway was crowded by far too many people, all of whom looked concerned. â€Å"I found her in the park,† I started. I got no further. Petticoats and heavy silk rustled as what seemed like half a dozen screaming women, servants, and men rushed out, fluttering around the girl like a flock of panicked geese. The smell of human blood was thick, making me light-headed. A richly dressed older woman – the mother, I assumed – immediately put a hand to her daughter's neck to feel for a heartbeat. â€Å"Henry! Get Bridget inside!† she ordered. The butler gently scooped her up, unflinching when the blood began to soak into his cream waistcoat. A housekeeper followed, taking orders from the still-bellowing mother, who waved maids on their various tasks. â€Å"Winfield, send the boy to fetch a doctor! Have Gerta draw a hot bath. Get the cook to prepare a cosset and some herbed spirits! Remove her bodice immediately and unlace her corset – Sarah, go to the trunk of old linens and cut us some bandages. Lydia, send for Margaret.† The crowd filtered back through the door, one by one, except for a young boy in knickers and a cap who went dashing off, his shoes hitting the street with sharp taps as he ran into the night. It was like the house, having spewed forth a few moments of life and family and vitality, now sucked its occupants back inside to its warmth and protection. Even if I had wished to, I would have been unable to follow after them. Humans must invite their doom in – whether they are aware of it or not. Without an invitation inside we vampires cannot enter any home, exiled from the warm hearths and friendly companionship that houses promise, left out in the night to simply watch. I turned to go, already having stayed far longer than I had intended. â€Å"Hold there, young man.† The voice was so confident, deep, and stentorian that I was pulled back as if compelled by some Power. Standing in the doorway was a figure I surmised to be the man of the house and father of the girl I had saved. He was happily fat, with the kind of girth that causes a man to stand back on his heels. He wore expensive clothes made from wool and tweed, well tailored but in casual patterns. Comfortable summed up his entire demeanor, from his ginger muttonchops to his sparkling black eyes to the half-smile that pulled at the left side of his mouth. It seemed he had worked hard for a large portion of his life; calloused hands and a redness about his neck attested to the fact that he hadn't inherited his wealth. For a moment the thought flashed through my head: How easy it would be to lure him out here. One more step . . . His corpulent body would provide me with enough blood to sate my hunger for days. I felt my jaw ache with the desire that would coax my fangs out, that would bring this man his death. But despite the many temptations I'd faced tonight, I had left that life behind me. â€Å"I was just leaving, sir. I'm glad your daughter is safe,† I said, taking a step backward toward the shadows. The man put a meaty hand on my arm, stopping me. His eyes narrowed, and though I could have killed him in an instant, I was surprised at a sudden nervous fluttering in my stomach. â€Å"What's your name, son?† â€Å"Stefan,† I answered. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore.† I realized immediately that telling him my real name like that was stupid, given the mess I had made of things in New Orleans and Mystic Falls. â€Å"Stefan,† he repeated, looking me up and down. â€Å"Not going to press for a reward?† I tugged on my shirt cuffs, embarrassed at my disheveled appearance. My black pants, with my journal tucked into the back pocket, were frayed. My shirt was pulled out and hanging in loose folds around my suspenders. No hat, no tie, no waistcoat, and above all that, I was dirty and smelled faintly of the outdoors. â€Å"No, sir. Just glad to help,† I murmured. The man was silent, as if he were having trouble processing my words. I wondered if the shock of seeing his daughter, bloodied and frail, had put him in something of a fog. Then he shook his head. â€Å"Nonsense!† He clasped my right shoulder. â€Å"I would give anything to keep my youngest safe. Come inside. I insist! Share a cigar and let me toast your rescue of my baby girl.† He tugged me into the house, as though I were a stubborn dog on a leash. I started to protest, but fell silent the moment I stepped into the grand foyer. The dark wainscoting was cherry wood. The stained glass windows that were meant to illuminate the doorway during the day sparkled even at night, their colors jewel-like under the gaslight. A giant, formal stairway climbed to the next floor, the balustrade looking as though it had been carved from whole trunks. In my human life, I'd wished to be a scholar of architecture, and I could have gladly studied this home for hours. But before I could fully appreciate the entryway, the man herded me through a hall and into a cozy parlor. A roaring orange fire commanded attention on the far wall. High-backed chairs with silk cushions were scattered around the room and the walls were papered in pine green. A snooker set was discreetly placed behind a couch, and cabinets of books, globes, and assorted curiosities framed high casement windows. My father, a collector of books and fine objects, would have loved this room, and my chest tightened at the realization that I would surpass my own father in life experience. â€Å"Cigar?† he offered, pulling out a box. â€Å"No thank you, sir,† I said. The cigars were the finest quality, made from my home state's tobacco. At one time, I would have been more than happy to accept. But even the sound of a bird's beak scraping against bark almost overwhelmed my heightened senses; the thought of sucking in clouds of black smoke was unbearable. â€Å"Hmmm. Doesn't partake.† He raised a craggy eyebrow doubtfully. â€Å"You'll not bow out on some spirits, I hope?† â€Å"No, sir. Thank you, sir.† The proper words came out of my mouth even as I paced back and forth. â€Å"That's my boy.† He prepared my drink, an apricot-colored liquid poured out of a cut crystal decanter. â€Å"So you found my daughter in the park,† he said, offering me the brandy. I couldn't help holding the sparkling glass up to the light. It would have been beautiful even without my vampire senses, scattering every stray beam like iridescent dragonflies. I nodded at my host and took a small sip, sitting down when he motioned to a leather chair. The warm, sweet spirits poured over my tongue, both comforting me and making me feel strangely uneasy at the same time. I had gone from living in a park to sipping fine liqueur in a mansion with a very wealthy man in the course of one short night. And at the same time that I longed to sprint back into the darkness – the loneliness that pervaded my very being begged me to linger. I had not spoken to anyone in two weeks, but here I was, invited into a veritable palace of human activity. I could sense at least a dozen servants and family members in the few rooms nearby, their heady scent indistinguishable to all but myself, and the two dogs I knew were in the kitchen. My benefactor regarded me strangely, and I made myself pay attention. â€Å"Yes, sir. I found her in a clearing by the remains of the old Seneca Village.† â€Å"What were you doing in the park so late at night?† he asked, fixing me with his eyes. â€Å"Walking,† I said evenly. I braced myself for what would come next, the uncomfortable series of questions that would assess my station in life, though my ripped clothes surely gave some indication. If I were him, I would have pressed a few dollars into my hand and sped me out the door. After all, New York was not short on predators, and though he couldn't know it, probably could not even imagine it, I was the worst sort. But his next words surprised me. â€Å"Down on your luck, son?† he asked, his expression softening. â€Å"What was it – tossed out of your father's house? A scandal? Duel? Caught on the wrong side of the war?† My mouth gaped open. How did he know I wasn't just some vagrant? He seemed to guess my thought. â€Å"Your shoes, son, show that you are obviously a gentleman, regardless of your current, eh, circumstances,† he said, eyeing them. I looked at them myself – scuffed and dirty, I hadn't shined them since Louisiana. â€Å"The cut is Italian and the leather is fine. I know my leather.† He tapped his own shoe, which looked to be made from crocodile. â€Å"It's how I got my start. I'm Winfield T. Sutherland, owner of Sutherland's Mercantile. Some of my neighbors made their money from oil or railroads, but I made my fortune honestly – by selling people what they needed.† The door to the study opened and a young woman I'd seen downstairs came in. She was composed and graceful, with a step that was both regal and efficient. Her cap was simple – almost like a servant's – but it accentuated her refined features. She was a rarefied version of the girl I had found in the park. Her hair was a more subtle golden shade, and her curls fell naturally in soft ringlets. Her eyelashes were as thick but longer, framing blue eyes with just a touch of gray in them. Her cheekbones were a trifle higher and her expressions more subdued. My human appreciation of her beauty fought with my vampire's cold appraisal of her body: healthy and young. â€Å"The doctor has just arrived, but Mama thinks she will be fine,† the girl said calmly. â€Å"The wound is not as deep as it first seemed, and appears to be mending itself already. It is by all accounts a miracle.† I shifted in my chair, knowing that I had been the reluctant source of that â€Å"miracle.† â€Å"My daughter Lydia,† Winfield introduced. â€Å"The most queenly of my three graces. That was Bridget whom you found. She's a bit . . . ah . . . tempestuous.† â€Å"She ran off by herself from a ball,† Lydia said through a forced smile. â€Å"I think you might be looking for a slightly stronger word than ‘tempestuous,' Papa.† I liked Lydia immediately. She had none of the joie de vivre that Callie had, but she possessed an intelligence and sense of humor that became her. I even liked her father, despite his huff and bluster. In a way, this reminded me of my own home, of my own family, back when I had one. â€Å"You have done us a great service, Stefan,† Winfield said. â€Å"And forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn, but I suspect that you don't have a proper home to return to. Why don't you stay the night here? It is too late for you to go anywhere, and you must be exhausted.† I held up my hands. â€Å"No, I couldn't.† â€Å"Surely you must,† Lydia said. â€Å"I . . .† Say no. The image of Callie's green eyes rose before me, and I thought of my vow to live apart from humans. But the comforts of this beautiful house reminded me so much of the human life I'd left behind in Mystic Falls, I found it difficult to do what I knew I should. â€Å"I insist, boy.† Winfield put a meaty hand on my shoulder, forcing me out of the room. â€Å"It's the least we can offer as a thank-you. A good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast.† â€Å"That's very kind, but . . .† â€Å"Please,† Lydia said, a little smile on her face. â€Å"We are ever so grateful.† â€Å"I should really – â€Å" â€Å"Excellent!† Winfield clapped. â€Å"It's settled. We'll even have your clothes cleaned and pressed.† Like a horse being steered through a series of groomers before a race, the Sutherlands' housekeeper ushered me up several flights of steps to a back wing of the house that overlooked an east-facing alleyway. Instead of my usual hollow in the rocks by the stolen gravestones, I would sleep on a giant four-poster feather bed in a room with a roaring fire, in a house of humans that welcomed me happily and quickly as one of their own. The vampire in me remained hungry and nervous. But that didn't prevent the human in me from savoring a taste of the life I had lost.

Case Study: Organisational Development Essay

As a means of accurately comprehending the issues in this case it is essential that analysis takes place using a range of managerial perspectives in relation to the implementation of change in order to understand the deficiencies in BA management’s implementation of change. A classical Organisational Development (OD) approach is focuses on changing attitudes and behaviour whereas in this case focus was solely upon improving effectiveness of organisation. According to this perspective BA disregarded several key steps in implementing this change as no feedback was gathered from staff. The OD practitioners in this case have ineffective intrapersonal and interpersonal skills as management have failed to gain the trust of its employees and do not display personal integrity. In relation to a sense making perspective BA did not understand that the change they intended to implement needed to have plausibility in the eyes of employees. Hence management’s approach to abandon talks over the introduction of smart cards and announce their forced implementation at just five days notice [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. BA did not effectively convey to positive plausible aspects of this change as employees still thought that the system would be used to make staff alter their working hours at little notice [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. Common to various change management approaches are that they highlight the need for communication to be not just about passing on information but allowing different voices to be heard. BA by abandoning talks with unions and employees and also in the lack of provision of appropriate information to their American customers during the strike demonstrates an inherent incapability of BA management to convey information effectively [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. Also apparent in this case is the lacking of one strong leader of multiple leaders not one person in BA’s management structure took control of the situation and it seems that BA management participated in groupthink to the detriment of the organisation namely its loss of 40 million pounds. According to this perspective it is argued that the style of change will depend on the scale of change and the receptivity of organisational members [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. In the case of BA the style of change was not matched to the needs of the organisation. The situation called for a collaborative style of change drawing upon input from a range of sources including employees, unions and management but instead drew upon a coercive approach thus adding further fuel to an already flamed situation, the layoff of 13000 employees. Viewing this case from a processual perspective this approach highlights a number of stages in engaging in the management of change. The third stage of this approach involves gaining acknowledgement and understanding of the importance of the problem. In relation to the BA case study example BA management fail to effectively understand the problem at hand, instead they made the choice to ignore underlying cultural issues within the organisation and proceed ahead with what they considered as the best course of action from an efficiency perspective. Evidence is found through CEO Rod Eddington’s comment that he was unaware that there was even a respect deficit to be plugged [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. In order to address the issues relating to the implementation of change in this case analysis of why BA has failed should take place. In doing this BA management should attempt to understand why their method of implementing change failed from a range of perspectives. From this BA can develop new strategies for implementing change for example using a particular change management perspective and moulding it to fit the needs of the organisation. A solution to the problem encountered by BA in this case would be to be more proactive in their change management strategies. If BA are continuously working toward change making use of employee opinions and feedback within the organisation, large scale changes such as the implementation of smart card technologies in this circumstance would encounter less resistance to change as BA would gain the trust and support of its employees due to their participation in the design and implementation of change within the organisation. In conclusion it can be identified that BA in this case have managed their implementation of change very poorly from analysis of a range of approaches relating to implementation of change and it is proposed that BA being more proactive and making use of a participative approach would be beneficial to the continued organisational development of this business. Bibliography Palmer, Ian, Richard Dunford, and Gib Akin. Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Fast food †Ice cream Essay

Almost everyone enjoys to eating fast food because it is cheap. Many people these days prefer to eat food that makes their food fast and also they do not have to spend more than five dollars. This nation is surrounded with fast food restaurants and there is no one way people can miss one down their street and in every mall. I work at the mall and I tend to eat fast food since it is the only thing near me. My three favorite fast food restaurants which are Wendy’s, Dairy Queen and Steak –n- Shake. One of my favorite fast food restaurants is Wendy’s. When I was in high school at the beginning of my senior year I worked at Wendy’s and of course I ate their food since I had a fifty percent discount so the food was really cheap. I always craved the spicy chicken nuggets with sweet and sour dipping sauce. Ever since I worked there I know how each dipping sauce taste when I always ordered the spicy chicken nuggets. I love the honey, barbeque, honey mustard, ranch and of course my favorite sweet and sour sauce. I also loved how my manager prepared the sweet tea because it was not too sweet and actually tasted like homemade sweet tea. I am a fanatic of sweet tea and pretty much have tried it at every fast food restaurant I have eaten at. Also I love to enjoy my combos with a dessert. I usually get a small chocolate frosty. I love the taste of it because it reminds me of chocolate milk. Also because it is very creamy and sweet this is a great combination for dessert. These are all the many favorite things I love to eat at Wendy’s. My second favorite fast food restaurant is Dairy Queen. They have the best desserts there such as the blizzards, the sundaes, banana splits, their famous waffle cone ice creams and the DQ ice cream sandwich. I always tend to eat the ice cream cones because I do not have to spend that much money the cones cost one dollar depending on the size. When I am at my aunt apartments my cousins and I always walk to Dairy Queen since it is not too far from the apartment just three to five minutes walking. We go there every time when we are hungry or we just go there to talk and eat some food. It also provides free internet which is great to check Facebook or our emails. Also it has a great video game player for when we bring our little sister and cousins so they will not get bored. Another reason I love eating at dairy queen is their chili cheese fried burritos. They are so delicious and juicy especially when they put the chili all over it and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese. I love to eat at Dairy Queen. My third favorite fast food restaurant is Steak-n-Shake. I always wish Mesquite had one but they do not so I have to drive all the way to Rockwall to go to Steak-n-Shake which is 20 to 30 minutes from my home. I love it there especially there juicy Cheddar Cheese Steak Burger combo which is good money spent because it is only $4. 99. I love how the food is very affordable and of great quality. I also love to get their famous milkshakes. My all-time favorite is the chocolate chip cookie dough. It has chunks of cookie dough mixed with tasty creamy vanilla ice cream. This fast food restaurant is not like not ordinary fast food place because it provides waiters and it provides amazing fast food service. It usually takes 5 to 10 minutes to have my food ready which overall is great. I never get tired of going to Steak-n-Shake because of its great quality of food and service. Fast food may not be good for us at times but it is delicious. All three of these fast food restaurants Wendy’s, Dairy Queen, and Steak-n-Shake are my favorite because reasons I enjoy eating their food. They all provide great quality of food, fast service and cheap prices. I enjoy these fast food restaurants.

A Look At Principal Beliefs And Ethical Teachings Religion Essay

A Look At Principal Beliefs And Ethical Teachings Religion Essay Principal beliefs and ethical teachings are essential ideas and inspirations depicted and conveyed in a particular religion. Principal beliefs and ethical teachings define and alter the one’s decision making and way of life. Completely understanding, accepting and following the beliefs and teachings of a particular religion would enable an adherent to reach the optimal and ideal stage of obedience and faithfulness to one’s religion. Buddhism and Judaism are examples of some of the world’s most known and followed religions. They both have their own Principal Beliefs and Ethical Teachings which in some cases may be conflicting. Both religions have a large population of followers and adherents and their teachings impact greatly on their day to day choices. Judaism The principal beliefs and ethical teachings of Judaism play an immense role in the lives of their adherents; they contribute fundamentally to the way of life of these individuals and alter their decision making skills and lifestyles. Abiding by all the ethical teachings and beliefs of a particular religion will inevitably result in a substantial impact and influence on every aspect of one’s life. Jews believe in the oneness of God and that everything revolves around God as he is all knowing and all powerful. He is the Lord the creator who formed the whole universe and all things in it; he is the one and only God and all other Gods are false gods which means that no other Gods are to be worshiped. As an adherent it is an obligation and a duty to pursue with this teaching as it is a source of aid for individuals who are seeking a connection with the one true God and aiming to gain insight on the Judaist way of life. The God of Judaism demands, that his adherents do good acts in order to achieve happiness in the afterlife and those who are unsuccessful in doing so will be punished. This teaching therefore greatly impacts on the decision making of the followers. It encourages the m to contribute to good deeds and to change their negative way of life. In doing good deeds individuals are lead to an eternal life of peace with the one true God as a reward for their humbleness. To rebel against God, means refusing his goodness and love. When God first formed nature including human kind, he made everything essentially good. By sinning and violating his good nature, adherents and followers are rejecting God and his teachings. Suffering and pain are the main consequence of sin which is the disobedience of God. According to the Jewish faith, the Sabbath day is the most important day, as God ordained it a holy day. It is a tradition that this day is devoted for rest and spiritual refreshment. This belief and tradition greatly influences adherents and followers, in relation to the engagement in any kind of work on that day. This belief impacts immensely on one’s schedule, financial well-being however it enables them to set their priorities and consider what is m ore important in life.

Financial statement analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial statement analysis - Essay Example The general rule is for a current ratio to be good it must be above 1.0. Both the current ratio and quick ratio of the company are excellent. The net margin of Happy Hospital is 6.49%. A net margin measures the profitability of a company. In order to determine whether a net margin is good or not one must consider the industry in which the company participates. A good database to find the industry ratios for different business industries is the Dun & Bradstreet database. If a company has a net margin that is higher than the industry standard this company is performing above the industry norm. Another element to consider is whether a company is a non-profit organization or for-profit company. The net margin in a non-profit organization is irrelevant since the strategy of the company is to break even. On the other hand for-profit organizations seek to maximize its profitability. The asset utilization of Happy Hospital was 63.56%. Firms seek to have high asset utilization because this me tric illustrates how much revenues are being generated with the assets of a firm. The financial leverage of Happy Hospital is 10.22%, while the financial leverage of St. Agnes is 86.40%. The financial leverage ratios show how much debt a company is using to finance its operation. The financial leverage position of Happy Hospital is much lower than St. Agnes Hospital.

Understand the role of personal selling with marketing strategy Essay

Understand the role of personal selling with marketing strategy - Essay Example The face-to-face interactions experienced in this type of selling allow the sales people to observe the specific reactions of consumers to specific products. Sales people act as product introducers, brilliant communicators and demand pushers as they add exclusive utility to the commodities and services they are selling. These people play a very important role in determining the success of the marketing strategy of the company that they work for (Marks, 2008, p.5). Personal selling can be considered to be a form of product or service promotion (The Times 100, 2012). As they meet with the clients/consumers, sales people are expected to carry out a product promotion exercise through the employment of the right attitude, proper appearance and above all share some specialist knowledge about the product with the customer. They can tell the customer about the importance of using the product and how to use it. Personal selling is happens every day and everywhere, for instance, things that ar e sold through the counter like cosmetics or on the departmental stores. According to Balsley and Birsner (2007, p. 88), products which are highly priced and with technical features such as photocopiers, fridges and cars, require personal selling where a customer can get a chance to ask questions on the usage of the product. Promotion mix strategies do not aim at satisfying only the prospective or regular customers, but also aim at other customers who are ignorant of the product as well as those who are aware of the product and have the ability to buy it (Kotler, 2006, p.248). Let us consider a person who is unaware of computer operations but wants to buy a computer. Such a person will go out in search of computer information; he/she will pay attention to computer adverts, will attend computer exhibitions, computer company reputations or even contact sales people from different computer companies. Consequently, the aim of promotions is to reach out for new customers, retain the curr ent customers, reward loyal customers and even induce the buying action (Marketing Knowledge Center, 2009). Personal selling may be the most appropriate in achieving this since it involves direct contact between the sales people and the consumers. For any marketing strategy to succeed, a thorough understanding of consumer buying behavior has to be done (Balsley and Birsner, 2007, p. 91). Without such type of understanding a company may not know what exactly their customers want or even how much they supply to the market. Buying can take two forms: the common consumer buying and also the organizational buying such as retail outlets. Consumers buy their products specifically for personal use thus most companies are usually concerned about consumers’ reactions to their marketing efforts. For instance a company needs to know how pricing their products may affect their consumers (The Times 100, 2012). In cases where the consumer market is very price sensitive which means a small a lteration on price will have a very high impact on sales, a company will need to adopt appropriate pricing strategies. A lot of theories have been put forward in order to explain consumer buying behaviors. The buying behavior model which studies the buyer’s black box (Zandl and Leonard, 2002, p. 106). The black box contains external stimuli which influence his/her buying decisions as well as buying characteristics. Moreover, it contains buyers’ responses that are determinants of his/her attitude, product choice and amount to purchase and when. The model presents some of the key factors that influence a buyer’s buying decision. To start with, are the sociological factors which include