Writing and Researching Skills Self-Assessment Essay - 3

Writing and Researching Skills Self-Assessment - Essay Example In this regard, the aim of the writing and researching skills assessment is to proffer pertinent details that one has learned about oneself in terms of the skills developed for writing and research through the completion of these activities. The course has given one ample opportunities to write three-page articles and the required research paper where pages ranged between eight to ten pages. At the onset, the number of pages to be written seemed to be an ominous task. As one received appropriate instructions on the writing techniques and guidelines for effective writing, confidence is slowly developed. The skills in selecting an appropriate topic for discussion, choosing the most effective authoritative references, and developing a cohesive paper were progressively honed. Due to the need for regular proofreading and reviewing the written drafts, one likewise developed proofreading skills and the chance to enhanced one’s vocabulary. There was recognition for the need to use synonyms and expand comprehensive abilities through searching on meanings of unfamiliar terms that were encountered in secondary sources. Further, there was emphasis on adhering to literary form and structure through the observance of grammatic al rules and tips for effective essay writing. One developed the skills in research through discerning authoritative and academic sources of information and the need to acknowledge other research through proper citation and referencing. Also, given the magnanimity of information available from diverse sources, one was able to discern which references to use and which ones would be most beneficial for the identified research study. The skills of introspection were thereby aptly developed through the writing and research experiences throughout the course. Despite the number of articles and research paper written, one strongly believes that there is still a need to further develop both skills

The role of government in an economy

The role of government in an economy 1. What do you understand by an economic system? Discuss the role of government in a market economy. Do you think that your government should play a more active role in the economy? Elaborate why and why not? An economic system deals with the structure of production, distribution of economic outputs, and consumption of goods and services in an economy The development of economic system is needed in the national community that address the problem of economics like allocating resources and scarcity of the resource. The economic system arranges the relationship among people, institutions and government in order to resolve the problem of economic. It confronted with the different basic economy questions that require answer such as what to produce, how to produce it and for whom to produce. The contemporary economic systems is classify into 4 type including capitalism economy, socialism economy, mixed economy and Islamic economic. In capital economic system, all main economic decision is determined by private owners in capital market with minimal government interference also know as free market economy or laissez faire. Transaction on the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system by the buyer and suppliers in open markets. The socialism economy is an economic system in which the central government controls most of property resource and major economic decisions regarding the production and distribution of goods and services through a central planning boards. The central planning boards decide on the output between capital and consumers goods, and the capital goods are allocated among industries and enterprise according to government directives. A mixed economy reflects both capitalism and socialism to solve basic economic problem involve by both private and public sectors in allocation of good and service. Problem face by some of the public and private ownerships on the resource is based on supply and demand conditioned by price mechanism and economic growth of the country development. Therefore, government intervention in the economy for certain essential service such as illegal product categorized as unsafe goods like military items, and requirement such as schools, hospital, police force and army. And execute certain project or produce products that private sectors consider unbeneficial e.g conduction of low cost house in Malaysia. The role of government in a market economy deals with problem associated with market failure. Market failure has negative effect on the economy because allocation of goods and service by a free market is not efficient. One of the causes of market failure is the existence of monopoly of power by certain party such as the price of resources is higher than marginal costs can lead to allocation of inefficiency and pareto sub-optimal equilibrium in the market. Inequality may also cause market failure through the economy, as the income of different group of individual lead to wide gaps of living standard. Market failure can be corrected through government action or decision to reduce inequality by changes in tax and benefit system such as national minimum wage. Government has the authority to enforce property rights of ownership, protecting public property, encourages production and exchanges of goods and service [1]. Government has the roles to achieve economy stability and growth by attempting to maintain steady growth, provide high level of employment, and ensure price stability in the market. Through vital support in spending and tax rates it can slow down or speed out the economy growth [2]. Malaysia government play significant role in the economic growth of the country, by providing knowledge to the public on the current market and economic development through various tools such as through education and media. Malaysia government has the role to provide goods and service to public such as highway, education, national deference, security etc. Malaysia is the 29th world biggest economy in the world and based 16th largest in the world trading economy with a growth rate of 5% to 7 % since 2004. Malaysia government provides the basic necessities to the public such as clothing, rent, fuel, utilities and transport and communication, where Malaysia government help reduce poverty among the rural population. The effective involvement of government in service and implementation of development program give a huge transformation to the nation growth. . The involvement of Malaysia government in too many firm and industries could lose concentration and less focus on the development of several industries, this factor could lead to unhealthy competition among the private sector without control by the government. [1] Mike P. McKeever, The Mckeever Institute of Economic policy, San Francisco in 2003 [2] Governments Role in the  Economy U.S Department of State. Taken on 10 March 2011 http://economics.about.com/od/howtheuseconomyworks/a/government.htm. 2. What are the characteristics of the Malaysian economy. Discuss its weaknesses and suggest appropriate policy proposals to srengthen the economy in order to realise the objective of becoming a developed country by 2020. Malaysia economic system is based on mixed economy system that both free market and governments have significant effect on the economic development of the country [1]. By year 2009, Malaysia has reached per capital income (GDP/PoP) of RM 24,541(USD 6,812) and from 2004 to 2010, Malaysia economy growth performance at a sustained rapid growth averaging 5% to 7 % annually [2]. Malaysia economy is highly trade dependent of goods with several countries especially in the western market and Asian market such as China, Japan, Korean, and etc. Malaysia government also promote an open developing economy to private enterprises to take part in country development projects [3]. Malaysia is commonly known as a middle-income country, it functions by well distribution of wealth among the country population and equality among the public. Malaysia economy has been depend on export of product from raw material driven by manufacture exports such as electrical and electronic products, petroleum and gas (14th biggest world gas producer), palm oil products, rubber products and timber products. Malaysia economy also focuses on minor products to be export such as agriculture products, tourism, education, ICT, consultancy and etc. In the early economy of Malaysia in year 1957 till 1994, Malaysia economic resource of product tin and rubber is exploit by the British. And in late 1970s, the economic is export oriented industrialization stared with electronic industry at Free Trade Zone. The evolution and development of economy from year 1995-2009, based on knowledge-based economy (KBE) provide the platform where growth is focus on acquisition, utilization and dissemination of knowledge. These accelerate economy to a higher development of knowledge-based activities, innovation of product and intensification of Research and development activities. The changing of economy would strengthen Malaysia toward achieving the government vision 2020 to propel Malaysia to being as an advanced nation with sustainability of economy growth. Malaysia government depends highly on the trade and export system economic, which expose Malaysia to worldwide economy recession. During recession period, economic hardship remain in the country and high rate of unemployment among the workforce affect the living of people in the country. The introduction large scale of foreign labour cause shortage of skilled workers in certain sectors such as construction and manufacturing leading in Malaysia work force whereby a foreign exchange exits drain in Malaysia economic. The domestic private sector failed to deliver target set by the Malaysia plan, where the domestic investors feels that the government is not focusing on domestic investment [4]. The government development plan, called the Malaysian Plan given way to strengthen the growth of Malaysia economy to achieve the ultimate objective aim for Malaysia by the year 2020[5]. The plan was focus on accelerating the growth of economy structure, divided into three sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and services. A unit of agency under the Prime Ministers Department called as Economic Planning Unit, is responsible for driven Malaysias through various measure such as policies and strategies for socio-economic development. [1] Shri V.Mahalingam, First Secretary HOC from University Grants Commission 2006-07 U.G.C [2] Economic of Malaysia, from Wikipedia the free encycolopedia taken on 10 March 2011 http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Economy_of_Malaysia [3] Malaysia Information taken on 10 March 2011 http://www.asia-planet.net/malaysia/information.htm [4] Malaysia Information and Communication Technology taken on March 10 March 2011 http://www1.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/nationalictpolicies.htm [5] Joseph Chin of the edge Malaysia article on Guan Eng wants allocation detail under Tenth Malaysia Plan on Monday,14 february 2011 16.44 mtbh 01032011 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Where I Work :: essays research papers

Where I WORK (Case #1) The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was established as a place for people to buy or sell stocks. It was started in May of 1792 underneath a buttonwood tree on Wall Street. The expansion of the ideas and dreams of the 24 men is the reason why I have a job today. I would like to share with you the inside of the NYSE from an employee’s point of view. At the NYSE there is a division called Securities Industries Automation Corporation (SIAC), I am an online lead operator. I am responsible for the monitoring, troubleshooting, and resolving of online issues pertaining to the many host system (other computers) that interact with the New York Stock Exchange. I work in the Switching and Order Processing section, whose sole purpose is to maintain zero (0) down time for all of the equipment of the exchange. By this I mean making sure all the computers, printers, handheld devices, overhead screens, etc. are all connected to its proper ports and they are up and functioning properly. In addition to that the department has to keep track of all the orders that are handled through the exchange and check the orders integrity as governed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The NYSE must also meet the operational requirements of the member firm (the companies that trade on the NYSE floor). The organizational culture of my company is set by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Due to the SEC’s constraints it is difficult to change the culture. According to the 7 dimensions of organizational culture I would rate my company as such: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Innovation and Risk Taking – (rating 1) Due to the restraints and standards set by the SEC there is little room for this. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attention to Detail – (rating 5) This is the platform on which the organization is structured. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outcome Orientation – (rating 5) the organization is â€Å"Procedure Driven† but the wrong outcome could affect the entire investment community. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People Orientation – (rating 2) Due to the rules and compliances. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Team Orientation – (rating 5) This is a very important dimension of the organization. For a project to succeed it needs the contribution of different resources. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aggressiveness – (rating 3) As in most organization there is a need to climb the corporate ladder. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stability – (rating 5) Because of the ever-increasing demands of the many customers. As an employee of the New York Stock Exchange for over 13 years, I have observed much of the organization’s culture.

Brownie Baker: Case Analysis

One of the ways The Brownie Baker accomplishes this effort is through its use of product packaging and design. However, based on the company's overall performance history and strategic business maneuvers, low-cost leadership is what truly Is In motion. The Brownie Baker relies heavily on achieving maximum value through its products. One of the many ways that this is achieved is through product quality control. The Brownie Baker has placed a lot of effort into making sure higher grade ingredients are implemented into the production of their food products.Another way that I live quality and value are achieved is through the strict guidelines followed to assure product freshness. Customers find exceptional value In The Brownie Baker's products not only for the amount of product they receive for their dollar, but also the consistency of a delicious fresh product. The Brownie Baker company has consistently made changes over the years to drive down costs while maintaining product quality. From changes to its production processes to the establishment of third-party business partnerships, The Brownie Baker has strives for efficiency to promote a sustainable and profitable business. Referring to the list of operations strategies in the Powering booklet, which does The Brownie Baker use? Please cite examples from the case to support each strategy that you mention. There are a multitude of operational decisions that a business must utilize Its operational management strategy. The Brownie Baker clearly uses the low-cost leadership business format in its day to day business processes. For example, The Brownie Baker has been very decisive with the distribution points for its products.The company has identified its target markets and the consumer types for effective reduce placement that have proven successful. The company Initially defined Its Because The Brownie Baker has maintained its value and quality over the years, management has realized further market potential to ex pand its reach into the super market industry. To accomplish this task the company has had to also maintain cost production to keep pricing competitive. The Brownie Baker has partnered with a multitude of third-party resources to ensure efficiency, product development and maintenance of external costs.Another way that The Brownie Baker has practiced the low-cost leadership strategy is n the internal production of its products. The company has found a number of methods to refine the production process and lower overhead expenditures with inventory control. For instance, the company used to produce food products for future sales but now has shifted too production by order process. This strategy has lowered production costs through better inventory management and reduced the likelihood of overproduction and waste. . Referring to the Powering slide which shows various patterns that can be found in historical demand, which can be observed at the Brownie Baker? How can you tell? The Brown ie Baker has experienced steady growth volume in sales over the years by paying close attention to commodity price fluctuations and adapting its business strategies appropriately. Historically the company has embraced a steady stream of demand from the consumer market with only a slight deviation normally seen in the month of January.Management has come to see this slight differentiation of the norm possibly due to lack of consumer expendable income and dieting after the holidays. This pattern in the normal trend of demand behavior would be considered an irregular variation. 4. What changes have been made in production scheduling and inventory management? Why have these changes been important? The Brownie Baker has taken advantage of several new technologies and techniques to enhance product consistency and productivity over the recent years.Some of the most critical strategies the company has revamped are in production scheduling and inventory management. The company began this res tructure in scheduling by increasing employees and modifying work hours to optimize production output and cleaning maintenance. Another significant change the company took was to reduce the overproduction of its rodents. Since The Brownie Baker's food products have a 21-day shelf life they had to remain frozen in storage until shipment. The company was lumping orders together and baking goods for future distribution; this was keeping money tied up while products waited to be shipped.Instead, the company now prepares its shipments and freeing assets frozen in inventory and storage costs. Finally, I believe another important change to The Brownie Baker's production process was the implementation of cross-training its employees in product production. At one point the company had 10 to 20 workers that were trained to reduce one type of product. Having this new strategy in place has increased the flexibility needed for shorter production runs and increased overall efficiency. 5.How are c hanges made to deal with increasing commodity prices also related to sustainability issues? (Cite three examples of changes AND how each change is related to sustainability. ) There are several measures The Brownie Baker has taken through use of low-cost leadership operational decisions to sustain itself successfully over the years. In an ever-changing external environment with some changes that are predictable and there unforeseen, a company has to consistently forecast, prepare, innovate and refine its processes.One way that The Brownie Baker has found sustainability in the volatility of commodity prices was the establishment of Third-party partnerships with other companies to offset transportation costs due to the increase in fuel prices. The Brownie Baker has also implemented newer technologies, utilizing newer servers, computer hardware and financial software to provide them vital reports on costs. To have this current computer technology at dispose is crucial in today's busine ss market and environment. These systems provide management the tools accessory to monitor and optimize purchases for necessary commodities in real time.Having the ability to research cost data provides sustainability through purchase cost savings potential. Current technology and powerful software offers the company better flexibility, efficiency and purchasing effectiveness. Lastly, I believe a key element that The Brownie Baker has carefully managed is the accuracy and timeliness of its product pricing. The company has been able to sustain itself by properly adjusting its product pricing to remain not only competitive but also offset increases in commodity costs and other economic factors.

Compare and contrast Abercrombie & Fitch and the Gap – company overview

Abercrombie & Fitch and the Gap are premier men's and women's clothing retailers in the United States and around the world. Both companies possess long histories of success and have their fair share of failures. I will compare and contrast how each company has their own distinct characteristics that set it apart from the other, which allows each of company to target specific markets. Via my presentation, I intend to analyze for the reader how each company gains their customers through advertising, target markets, brand segmenting, and pricing strategies, so that the reader may gain a better understanding of each respective company. Marketing the Brands Abercrombie & Fitch Gap Target Market 18-24 year old segment General Appeal for whole family Advertising Images Very sexual, Young, All American Multi-cultural, Brand Segments Abercrombie & Fitch , Hollister, Abercrombie kids Gap Stores, Old Navy, Banana Republic Pricing Strategy Moderate Value to Moderate Chart 1 Criterion for Evaluation Abercrombie & Fitch Abercrombie & Fitch is a leading specialty retailer encompassing three distinct product segments: Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids and Hollister Co. The company focuses on providing high-quality merchandise that compliments the casual, classic American life style. The brand was established in 1892, and sold under the name David T. Abercrombie Co., a small waterfront shop in downtown New York City owned by David Abercrombie. Abercrombie, born and raised in Baltimore Maryland, was a true outdoorsman; as well as an inventor and an ingenious tent and rucksack designer. His love of the great outdoors inspired him to begin Abercrombie & Co., a shop dedicated to selling only the highest quality camping, fishing and hunting gear. His clientele consisted mostly of professional hunters, explorers and trappers, as well as a man named Ezra Fitch. Ezra Fitch was a successful lawyer in Kingston, New York, who loved to spend his free time hiking the Adirondacks and fishing in the Catskills. In search of exceptional outdoor gear, he had come to rely upon David Abercrombie's shop and became one of its most devoted customers. Fitch was so devoted to the brand that in 1900 he convinced Abercrombie to let him buy into the business and become a partner. By 1904, the store was incorporated and the name was officially changed to Abercrombie & Fitch. The store changed locations at this time moving from the waterfront to downtown Broadway, in the heart of New York City. David Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch were both stubborn, hot tempered men, who held vastly different views about the future of their business. Abercrombie was more conservative, he was content how the store was, selling professional gear to professional outdoorsmen. On the other hand, Fitch was more of a visionary; he believed that the two should take the business and expand, selling the â€Å"outdoorsmen† way of life to the general public. The two partners could never come to a conclusion about their business, inevitably the partnership came to an end, and David Abercrombie resigned in 1907 (www.yahooshopping.com). Under the sole leadership of Ezra Fitch the store's focus was expansion. Fitch decided to change the shop so that it would not be an ordinary sporting goods shop, he was determined that the store have an outdoor feeling. Through his imagination and creativity he set up a shop where stock was not hidden behind glass, instead it was displayed as if in use. Displays were set up to feel as if the customer were in the middle of the Adirondacks, with a campfire blazing in one corner and an experienced guide in attendance. The clerks hired by Fitch were not professional salesman, but true sportsmen who listened and talked with the customer, and who sold the products only on the customers' insistence. By 1913, the store moved again, this time to a more fashionable and easily accessible midtown address, off Fifth Avenue. At this time the store expanded its inventory to include sport clothing, becoming the first store in New York to supply such clothing to men and women. Fitch, shortly after Abercrombie's resignation, decided to begin selling merchandise through a catalog. This catalog featured 456 pages of outdoor gear and clothing as well as camping, hunting and fishing advice to over 50,000 prospective customers around the world. Orders started coming in across the globe, thus bringing international status to the store. As the store continued to expand, it needed more and more space to occupy its increasing inventory and product lines. By 1917, Abercrombie & Fitch moved to Madison Avenue and 45th Street, where it occupied an entire twelve story building. At this time A&F, had become the largest and most impressive sporting goods store in the world ( www.Yahooshopping.com). Both the inside and the outside of the store were amazing, a sign proclaiming â€Å"Where the Blazed Trial Crosses the Boulevard†, was placed in front of the shop and a log cabin was built on the roof, which Fitch used as his townhouse. Next to the cabin he had a casting pool installed where serious fishermen could sample the store's collection of rods and flies while in the basement he set up an armored rifle range for hunters. Fitch capitalized on all of his innovative ideas, a golf school was set up, a floor dedicated solely to completely set-up camps, and a dog and cat kennel as well. Not wanting to miss any opportunity to grow, Fitch decided to capture the more exotic sporting goods equipment; hot air balloons, yachting pennants, portable trampolines, treadmills for exercising dogs, throwing knives, and everything a person could possibly need for falconry, were brought into the store. This made Abercrombie & Fitch a true sportsmen's haven (Hoover's 10-15). Not only did Abercrombie & Fitch outfit the general publics' outdoor needs, it outfitted many great hunting and exploration expeditions, such as Theodore Roosevelt's trips to the Africa and the Amazon and Robert Peary's expedition to the North Pole. The famous clientele did not stop with these two men, Ernest Hemingway brought his guns there, Presidents Hoover and Eisenhower relieved on A&F for the best fishing equipment. Other famous clientele included Amelia Earhart, Presidents Taft, Harding and Kennedy, the Duke of Windsor, Bing Crosby, Howard Hughes, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo and Clark Gable. After twenty four years creating and expanding Abercrombie & Fitch, Ezra Fitch decided to retire from the business to enjoy the outdoors life. When Fitch retired the store continued to grow, with stores opening up in Chicago and San Francisco. But by the late 1960's the store begin to falter and went bankrupt in 1977. A Houston, Texas based company, Oshman's Sporting Goods, brought the company but business was not good. The company eventually sold it to The Limited Inc, in 1988, which repositioned the company into a more fashion-oriented casual apparel business with around 25 stores. Michael Jeffries, the current CEO of Abercrombie& Fitch, took over the company in 1992 and transformed the still money losing chain into an outfitter for college students. He micromanaged the company, issuing a 29 page handbook on everything from how A&F salespeople must look to exactly how many sweaters can be placed in a stack. This strategy worked and the company began to see profits in fiscal year 1995. The company went public in 1996 with more than 110 stores (Hoovers, 1-5). Today, Abercrombie & Fitch has been repositioned as a lifestyle brand, targeted at college students and is focused on high quality casual apparel in a classic American style. It targets preppy college students and makes them feel at home in its stores by hiring a college aged sales staff and decorating its stores with posters of twenty-something models. A&F's image as the clothier for a social elite class has, in some circles, earned its clientele the nickname â€Å"Aber-Snobbies†. The concept behind targeting the college age student is that by doing so Abercrombie & Fitch will attain a much broader customer base. â€Å"The younger high school age children aspire to be college kids. And then if you are targeting a young, active lifestyle that attracts older customers as well, people want to think of themselves as active and young.† Seth Johnson, Executive Vice President and COO of Abercrombie & Fitch. The Abercrombie & Fitch lifestyle is portrayed not only through company management, but also through the celebrities that patronize the brand. Many high profile celebrities wear A&F, thus giving free advertisement to the brand. These contemporary trendsetters, in terms of sports personalities, actors, actresses and musicians wear the Abercrombie label and thus people see these trends and want to become a part of them. Since the retail outlets are easily accessible in major malls in every state, these â€Å"trendy† and â€Å"luxurious† are now readily available to common folk, at a premium market price. Abercrombie & Fitch sells the lifestyle across three distinct brands: Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie and Hollister. Currently there are over 597 stores throughout the United States across the three brands, and this number is increasing, in 2002 alone the company opened 112 new stores. Each brand is geared to a different age set, this way as the individual grows up, Abercrombie & Fitch is there to clothe all of the stages. The children's store, abercrombie kids (with a lower case A) was introduced in 1997 and targets the age group of 7-14 year olds. Today there are over 170 abercrombie stores located in malls throughout the United States. The newest concept, Hollister, is based on the West Coast lifestyle and is geared toward the high school age, 14-17 years old. It is also priced significantly less than its parent store, Abercrombie & Fitch. Introduced in July of 2000, Hollister already has 129 stores and Abercrombie & Fitch plans to open at least 70 more stores in the next year. In 2002, Hollister improved its sales productivity and gross margin, and the business is now making a solid profit contribution. Hollister is doing so well that projections indicate Hollister to be a 600-800 store business. As the individual becomes ready for college, Abercrombie & Fitch is there. Today the namesake operates 352 stores across the United States, gearing its brands, as mentioned above to the college age set, 18 years and older. Through the use of three separate brands, Abercrombie & Fitch is able to smoothly transfer brand loyalty and retain customers of all ages. Abercrombie & Fitch stores are placed amongst high end trendy stores, with established brand names. It would be unusual to find an Abercrombie store nestled in a far away corner of a mall, next to a food court. Typically it is located in a high customer traffic area, around other designer stores which also serve to enhance its reputation and face value. Placing its stores in these key areas brings Abercrombie & Fitch the exposure and type of customer it is targeting. Abercrombie & Fitch not only sells through its 597 stores, but also via the internet at www.abercrombie.com, as well as the A&F Quarterly. The internet and the A&F Quarterly made up 4.7% of 2002 net sales and have steadily been increasing since the introduction of the two sales mediums (A&F Annual Report, 6). The online experience for Abercrombie & Fitch not only offers e-commerce, but provides entertainment features that seek to mimic virtual store shopping. The website includes downloadable features including wallpaper and photos that can be found in retail stores as well as the ability to download songs that are heard in the stores. The online changing room allows for mixing and matching throughout the store without the hassle of real fitting rooms, hangers and lines. As far as payment is concerned, checkout is hassle free by using the A&F credit card or any variety of credit cards. Delivery is as efficient as payment, since teaming up with UPS; orders can be processed and delivered within 24 hours. The internet has proved an important medium for gaining and retaining customers for Abercrombie & Fitch, coupled with the A&F Quarterly, combined sales will steadily grow and become a significant amount of total sales for the three brands over the next ten years (A& F Annual Report, 8-11). The Company's catalogue, the A&F Quarterly, appeared in late 1997, and became an immediate success as a marketing tool. The first catalogue â€Å"Naughty or Nice† Christmas was so popular that sales rose by 27% (www.Youthtools.com). A&F sells around 300,000 copies a year charging around seven dollars an issue, the company is able to make a sale even if the customer only looks at the catalogue, which is also considered to be a magazine. The Quarterly is a mixture of feature articles, pages displaying the product and page upon page of nearly naked twentysomethings photographed by the famed photographer Bruce Weber. â€Å"Much like Vogue and GQ, the Quarterly serves as a means of aspirational and inspirational living for young men and women all over the country† (Johnson, 4). The company has created quite a stir with the introduction of the catalog as a marketing medium, when the Quarterly comes to circulation four times a year, it usually becomes the talk of parents, Religious Groups, the news media etc., bringing more attention to Abercrombie & Fitch. The company has found a way to combat this negative image, by only allowing persons over the age of 18 to purchase the magazine as well as producing a â€Å"cleaner† catalogue. This â€Å"cleaner†, free catalogue only shows the clothing in a straightforward manner, minus the photography of Bruce Weber and the articles. Abercrombie & Fitch uses both catalogs to gain customers and show the â€Å"lifestyle† through its models. â€Å"This publication is meant to be the voice of the American youth, a chronicle of the college experience. It conveys the image of the brand – it is sexy and beautiful and healthy and energetic†- Hampton Carney A&F spokesman (Nolan, 2). Spring Catalogue Cover 2002 Abercrombie & Fitch understands and is able to target its specific markets through a variety of ways. The company sends out around 30 staffers each month to visit college campuses to chat up students about what they play, wear, listen to and read, whereas store managers visit fraternities and sororities to recruit â€Å"brand representatives†, who work as few as five hours a week. These brand representatives, must all have the all American look, blond, blue-eyed and preppy, pervasive in its stores, catalogues and websites. â€Å"Brand representatives are ambassadors to the brand, we want to hire brand reps that will represent the Abercrombie & Fitch brand with natural classic American style, look great while exhibiting individuality, project the brand and themselves with energy and enthusiasm, and make the store a warm, inviting place that provides a social experience for the customer†- Tom Lennox A&F Communication Director (Greenhouse, 2). Abercrombie & Fitch is a lifestyle brand; it is targeted in such a way as to make people want to belong to it and show loyalty to the brand. â€Å"A&F shrewdly understands that teens want to belong, and therefore has captured their dollars by making sure they want to belong to the beautiful, exclusive world that the Abercrombie image projects† (www.youthtools.com). By continuously pursuing this marketing strategy it is clear to see that Abercrombie & Fitch will be in the marketplace for a long time. GAP Inc. Gap Inc. is a leading international specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy brand names. The company's stores aim to offer a shopper-friendly environment with an assortment of casual apparel and accessories that emphasize style, quality and good value (www.Gap.com). Gap Inc. was founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and his wife Doris. The couple named their store after the â€Å"generation gap† and concentrated on selling Levi's jeans. When Gap first opened its doors it was unique and new. It prided itself in having the â€Å"individual style†. At this time the Gap's hottest seller was its â€Å"basic look†, which consisted of its signature blue jeans and white cotton t-shirts. The first store was opened near what is today San Francisco State University and the second store was opened in San Jose, California, by the end of 1970 there were six Gap stores. The Gap went public six years later (Hoovers, 1). In the beginning the Fishers catered almost exclusively to teenagers, but in the 1970s they expanded into activewear that would appeal to a larger spectrum of customers. Nevertheless, by the early 1980s the Gap, which had grown to about 500 stores, was still dependent upon teenagers but less dependent on Levi jeans, because of its growing emphasis on private label makers (Levy, 1-3). In a 1983 effort to revamp the company's image, Donald Fisher hired Mickey Drexler, a former president of Ann Taylor as the Gap's new president. Drexler changed the old clothing lines of plain blue jeans and white t-shirts so as to concentrate on sturdy brightly colored cotton clothing. He also consolidated the stores' many private clothing labels in to the Gap brand. Lastly, Drexler replaced circular clothing racks with white shelving so clothing could be neatly stacked and displayed. During this time Gap Inc. bought Banana Republic, one its three distinct brands the company owns. At this time the brand was a unique chain of jungle -themed stores that sold safari clothing. Gap expanded the chain, which enjoyed tremendous success in the mid 1980s but slumped after the novelty of the stores wore off late in the decade. To counter this slump, Drexler introduced a broader range of higher priced clothing and got rid of the safari lines in 1988. By 1990 Banana Republic was again profitable. In 1985, the first GapKids opened in 1985 after Drexler could not find clothing that he liked for his son. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company grew rapidly, opening its first stores in Canada and the UK. In 1990 it introduced babyGap in 25 GapKids stores, featuring miniature versions of its GapKids line. Also during this time the Gap announced it would no longer sell Levi Jeans and would sell nothing but private label items (Hoover's, 2-8). During the early 1990s earnings fell because of Gap division losses brought on by low margins and high rents. The company rebounded by opening Old Navy Clothing Co., named after a bar Drexler saw in Paris. The company also opened two Banana Republic stores outside the United States in Canada. For the last couple of years, the Gap had begun to stray away from its former vision of classic clothing, and during this time the company had hit a record sales slump. Gap's CEO Drexler seemed to have lost his touch, since he did most of the merchandising for the company he choose clothing with flair and design: bolder colors, low rider jeans, small form fitting tops, and stretchy materials. Gap went from casual to very trendy, alienating and displeasing many of its core customers. In May 2002, Drexler decided to salvage the company and thus began a â€Å"Back to Basics† campaign. Drexler wanted to bring back the old apparel, the old ads, and the old management style. He wanted to bring back everything that was once Gap Inc. and its identity (Gap Annual Report, 10-15). Today Drexler is no longer the head of Gap Inc. but his â€Å"Back to Basics† campaign still lives on through the current CEO, Paul Pressler, the former Chairman of Walt Disney's Global Theme Parks. The company is bringing back all of what made Gap unique when it first opened. It is reemphasizing the basics and promoting its classic fit jeans, signature khakis and cotton tops, as well as simplifying its mix of colors and fabrics and remembering that 90% of the tops it sold were the color blue. Through this campaign the Gap has regained some of its previous customers and plans to evolve from this point (Levy, 1-3). Gap Inc. must remember who its target market is, the family, and their market strategy is such that from babies to adults Gap has something for everyone. This target marketing is seen through the three distinct brands Gap Inc. operates: Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. All three brands target different price ranges and different styles; from chic stylish apparel to everyday relaxing pants Gap Inc. has a product for everyone. Banana Republic was bought by the Gap in 1983, and it is known for casual luxury with high quality apparel for men and women. It has also introduced a sophisticated line of seasonal collections of accessories, shoes, personal care products, intimate apparel and gifts for the home. Today there are over 430 stores in the United States and Canada. The brand caters to the 30 years and older consumer who is more affluent and fashion-oriented. Banana Republic stores are primarily located in major cities, however the introduction of the catalogue has enabled the brand to expand its consumer reach to cities without a store location. The brand also has its own website and high-image advertising that help promote the idea of the high profile Banana Republic lifestyle (www.Gapinc.com). Old Navy, launched in 1994, was created to capture an even broader audience then the Gap with its moderate prices. It has quickly become the Gap Inc.'s portfolio star. Old Navy's strategy differs from the Gap because it offers a product mix with an edgier fashion look but with a broader fashion range. Old Navy makes shopping fun and fashion affordable to the whole family. The stores sell everything from basic denim, khakis and graphic tees to casual clothing for work and play. Today the company has more than 840 locations in the United States and Canada and customers can also shop around the clock at www.oldnavy.com (www.oldnavy.com). The Gap stores sell through a variety of namesake stores including Gap, GapKids, babyGap and Gap Outlet. With 2,608 stores throughout the world, the company strives to be the world's headquarters for khakis. Customers expect classic styles from the Gap for the whole family, by having different segments of the Gap, the brand is able to grow up with the consumer and gain brand loyalty. The Gap is also easily accessible through its website www.gap.com, which only offers e-commerce (Brady, 112-113). Gap Inc. prides itself on the individual, and constantly challenging itself to think about what the customer wants instead of what other stores are selling. Under the guidance of Pressler, Gap Inc. is no longer targeting teens, who change their minds rapidly, but rather its initial target the family as individuals. Gap wants to win back the trust of the customers it had lost. Through advertising the Gap is emphasizing the individual and that everyone no matter what age, color, sex, or ethnicity the Gap has something for them. â€Å"Gap is a brand people can make their own, and now Gap Inc. is offering a chance for everyone to be in one of the Gap print ads. They are looking for individuals who personify the Gap brand-intriguing people with personal style† (Levy, 3-6). Gap Inc. is one of the most successful retailers in the world and now that it has gone back to its target market will continue to gain market share through its three distinct brands. Conclusion Abercrombie & Fitch and the Gap Inc. are both highly respected international brands that hold large market shares in the retail industry. Each company targets different markets through different mediums. Abercrombie & Fitch focuses on the younger age groups with sexy, more stylish clothing while the Gap targets to the family with basic, sturdy clothing. Both companies have three distinct brands which cater to individuals in their target markets, whereas A&F's segmentation is more age based, Gap Inc. is more monetarily segmented. Looking towards the future both companies seem to understand what they have failed to accomplish in the past and are looking toward the future on how to improve their marketing strategies to their target markets to gain sales and brand loyalty.

Incan Empire Essays

Incan Empire Essays Incan Empire Essay Incan Empire Essay Afghanistan Opium Production October 1347, the Europeans were greeted with the black plague which wiped out about one third of the whole population in Europe nearly 20 million people. (History) Far before that in about 3400 B. C. the cultivation of the new age plague was being planted by the Mesopotamians which is known today as Opium. Present day, Afghanistan controls nearly 90% of all opium growth and distribution which is a $65 billion market. (Sites) Opium is a dried condescended form of poppy Juice which has a narcotic effect and if used in large doses it may be poisonous. Opium is most opularly found in Heroin, which is a street drug that was once used to sedate soldiers in war. Today Heroin controls the lives about 15 million addicted users worldwide, and in Afghanistan alone about 1 million users. This is due to the availability and cheap price of the drug throughout Afghanistan. (Sites). Just in the past three years Afghanistans poppy industry began resurfacing. And with Afghanistans ever increasing cultivation of the opiate producing poppy plant, we are seeing the effects of the cultivation and drug use getting worse. Thus making Afghanistan the biggest opium producer today. Addiction is a common thread for mankind everybody craves some form of something. Ranging from that cup of coffee you drink every morning to the television programs you watch at night, theres always a void that needs tending too. In Afghanistan however, the voids they face differ greatly from most Americans. Notoriously known for their rap sheet of wars the people of Afghanistan have been plagued by terrorism and the failure of their government for years. Creating a poverty ridden war traumatized environment for people to live in. Causing voids we as Americans so much take for granted such as income, clean water, and food. These everyday burdens have a heavy toll on the physical and mental well-being of many. Belittling them to succumb to the control of the pain killing derivatives of the poppy plant. Opium is no stranger to the afghan people, many users today have been addicted to the drug for years. l started to use the drug for pain relief after my husband died. says Mesoma, a 25 year old woman from Kabul, Afghanistan. (Cohen) That very response seems to be the common thread between addicts who try opium for the first time. It seems for a majority of users, opium helps them cope with something they lost. But why opium? And not a doctor prescribed drug? According to the World Health Organization or WHO Afghanistan has one of the worst health care systems worldwide. This is due to underfunding and neglect to their health care program, which has been an ongoing theme for years. (WHO). In saying that without the financial backing of the government for health care and the already struggling economy, many people dont have the money to treat their physical and mental illness. Which is when they turn to the cheap alternative heroin which is sold by the half gram for about $4 U. S. (Cohen) Ironically the same thing thats helping addicts ope with their problems is in turn causing them bigger problems in the end. A prime example is a 28 year old addict name Reza who was also a part of Anna o en CNN news report. Reza nad this to say using drugs made me leave my nome and my family, if I didnt use drugs I would have a family and a good life. Reza turned to drugs after a so called bad friend introduced him to heroin a year ago and hasnt stopped ever since. His last words for cameras were l would like to give up but at the moment I cant. (Cohen) Reza like many users has become so addicted to the potency of heroin that he no longer has control over the drug . With no money for food or the necessities to live addicts like Reza are beginning to flood the streets of major cities and abandoned buildings to find some type of shelter where they can shoot up and get high. As it stands it is estimated that one million or eight percent of Afghanistans population is addicted to opium. Lumahieu) And the thirty six percent increase of poppy cultivation could be to blame for this spike of users. And the worst is yet to come according to Gwen Lighter an author for the Moscow Times, she reports that after all foreign military forces depart in 2014 Opium will become the eading economic activity in Afghanistan. (Lighter). When this happens Afghanistans already struggling counter narcotics program will be under more scrutiny by farmers and Taliban and wi thout the backing of foreign forces. This may cause another potential rise in addicts due to the strengthen corruption within the Taliban and government. One potential solution thats got the world leaders stirring is the possibility of a Joined force operation of two countries such as Russia who has one of the worst Heroin addiction problems and the US to go in and defuse all turmoil appening in Afghanistan surrounding the Opium plague. (Lighter) The actuality of this actually happening is unknown. One thing we do know is as long theirs money to be had the opium will never stop flowing. Opium production in Afghanistan annually rakes in about $2 billion, which makes up about a tenth of Afghanistans economy. (Quraishi) What makes up Afghanistans rapidly growing opium production are farmers, the Taliban, and corrupt government officials. Afghanistans opium production first relies heavily on farmers. Before poppy, Afghanistan had their fair share of wheat farmers. But once they found out that poppy could make them 10 times more money than wheat could they began growing poppy. In 2012, there were about 200,000 farm families that grew 90 percent of all the worlds opium. Quaraishi) And with the rapid increase within the past year the number of farm families may have significantly risen. The average bottom of the business farmer makes about $2,500 which is still more than most Afghanistan families earn. Which is why many farmers are turning to the Taliban for help. In the documentary Opium brides they share stories of farmers who borrow money from rug lords to manifest thei r own poppy in hopes of earning money for their families. But when the government driven eradication programs come in to sweep out their crops they become in debt with the drug lords. When this happens and the farmers cannot pay back debts the Taliban begin kidnapping the farmers daughters to sell as brides for the Taliban. (Quraishi) Many farmers are outraged about the eradication because of the debts they will have to owe. Some farmers even believe that the same officials eradicating their crops are the ones splitting up seeds among themselves to sell. It is a harsh reality but farmers need to do what they have to, too survive. While, the poppy production funnels in $2 billion annually for the country. The rest of the $4 billion of the $6 billion industry is being put into the hands of the Taliban who control these grow ops and heavily tax and drive up opium prices tor buyers outside of the country. With this money the Taliban can continue to strengthen their forces and become an ever lingering problem within the Afghanistan community. Making them a more lethal threat too many including the US. The worse part about all of this s that the government is in on the whole thing, making the issue more difficult to fix. Based upon my investigation of the Opium problem in Afghanistan I see two trends that for see this industry to grow more than it already is. The two main reasons for this go back to the backbone of what makes up this business, the money and the addicts. The demand of Opium throughout the world will never stop growing for the simple reason of addiction. Once addicts begin using its a known trend throughout my investigation that is extremely hard to shake. With that said the demand will forever stay high. Making for virtually a never ending need of opium. Meanwhile suppliers or Afghanistan at this rate cant stop because they got the bitter sweet taste of income. Which feeds not only the corrupt but the country as a whole. They would be looking at a 10 percent decrease of national income to their which would be a terrible blow to an already struggling economy. Which brings me to the conclusion that this problem will forever linger throughout the existence of Afghanistan. In saying that although the opium market will never be stopped, the efforts to slow down opium production and addiction is being discussed critically worldwide today. Bibliography 1. Black Death. History. com. A Television Networks, n. d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. 2. Sites, Kevin. Afghanistans Opium Plague. VICE. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. 3. PSS. PSS, n. d. web. 05 NOV. 2013. 4. Norland, Rod. Opium Production in Afghanistan. Ny Times, n. d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013 5. ZAFAR, MORWARI. Oblivion In Afghanistan. New Internationalist 442 (201 1): 27-31. Academic Search Premier . Web. 19 Nov. 2013. 6. Afghanistan. WHO. World Health Organization, n. d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013 7. United Nations. Drugs and Crime. Afghanistan Opium Survey 2013. By Jean-Luc Lumahieu, Sandeep Chawla, and Mohammad Ibrahim Azhar. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. United Nation Office of Drug and Crime. United Nation Office of Drug and Crime. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. 8. Lighter, Gwen. Looking for the Reset Button in Afghan Opium Fields. The Moscow Times. N. p. , 18 NOV. 2013. web. 19 NOV. 2013. 9. opium Brides. Dir. Najibullah Quratshi. PSS. PSS, 03 Jan. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.. 10. Holzehu, Nicolas. Addict Smokes Heroin off Tinfoil. [Online image]. Flickr. com. Winter 2010. Thurs 16 Nov. 2013 11. Howard- Gibbon,J. A. Orientale Poppy. [Online image] namethatplant. wordpress. com. 23 May 2010.

Free Essays on Political Science

In the 18th century Liberalism help in the American Revolution by challenging the Absolute power of the Monarchy. (Political Ideologies p.24, 25) Liberalism were tired of the notation of â€Å"divine rights of a king† and an â€Å"accident of birth† for the social class statuses. Liberalism pushed for a government of representation and constitution, which is the opposite of Monarchy. In the United States the Declaration of Independence is a liberal idea. It state that all men are crated equal, have the rights to life, liberty and property. (The US Constitution p. 59) Declaring ones independence is an act of rebellion, which is self an act of one liberty. The US Constitution followed the Declaration of Independence in 1778, it was written by James Madison the â€Å"father of the Constitution†. (The US Constitution p.6) The US Constitution is a liberal document. One reason why is the separation of branches, it limit the power of all three branches, by a system of â€Å"checks and balances†. (The US Constitution) The19th century was a goriest time for liberalism, the US’s Constitution add new additions with the Bill of Rights which has liberal values. Under the Bill of Rights are civil rights are protected. Example would be the 1st amendment the right to religion, speech, assembly petition and press. (The US Constitution p. 45) These rights give us the liberties to openly/publicly speck our minds, without the worry of being kill for it. The US’s Constitution adds in the 13th, 14th, and the 15th amendments that free all men to have liberty, nor was it limited to just white men 21 year old land owners. With these additions black men were free to work for who they wish, vote, and own land without the state taking it away without due process. (The US Constitution p. 49) The early Liberalism can founded in the writing of Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government, and Adam Smith’s The Wealth o... Free Essays on Political Science Free Essays on Political Science In the 18th century Liberalism help in the American Revolution by challenging the Absolute power of the Monarchy. (Political Ideologies p.24, 25) Liberalism were tired of the notation of â€Å"divine rights of a king† and an â€Å"accident of birth† for the social class statuses. Liberalism pushed for a government of representation and constitution, which is the opposite of Monarchy. In the United States the Declaration of Independence is a liberal idea. It state that all men are crated equal, have the rights to life, liberty and property. (The US Constitution p. 59) Declaring ones independence is an act of rebellion, which is self an act of one liberty. The US Constitution followed the Declaration of Independence in 1778, it was written by James Madison the â€Å"father of the Constitution†. (The US Constitution p.6) The US Constitution is a liberal document. One reason why is the separation of branches, it limit the power of all three branches, by a system of â€Å"checks and balances†. (The US Constitution) The19th century was a goriest time for liberalism, the US’s Constitution add new additions with the Bill of Rights which has liberal values. Under the Bill of Rights are civil rights are protected. Example would be the 1st amendment the right to religion, speech, assembly petition and press. (The US Constitution p. 45) These rights give us the liberties to openly/publicly speck our minds, without the worry of being kill for it. The US’s Constitution adds in the 13th, 14th, and the 15th amendments that free all men to have liberty, nor was it limited to just white men 21 year old land owners. With these additions black men were free to work for who they wish, vote, and own land without the state taking it away without due process. (The US Constitution p. 49) The early Liberalism can founded in the writing of Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government, and Adam Smith’s The Wealth o...

Most useful tips for productivity from incredibly busy people

Most useful tips for productivity from incredibly busy people Productivity throughout the day starts with you. Time is something we never seem to have enough of but with organization and time management you can help boost productivity throughout the day. With simple changes such as wake up earlier or even make a priority to-do list you will be surprised on how much more you can fit into your day. These 5 productivity  tips from leaders and entrepreneurs can help you organize  your time throughout the day to best maximize it.  Source [ American Express Open Forum ]

The Historical Formation of West Virginia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Historical Formation of West Virginia - Essay Example According to Lessing (1996) "West Virginia basically consists of two areas: namely, the western area which is called the Appalachian Plateau Province, a plateau of relatively flat-lying rocks and the eastern part in which the Valley and Ridge Province lay which consist of folded and faulted rocks. These two areas are divided by the Allegheny Front. In the eastern part of West Virginia the oldest rocks can be found and as one proceeds westward, the rocks are younger and younger". At the beginning of the Devonian Period the Helderberg group was being formed, followed by the Oriskany Formation, the Millboro Formation, the Brallier Formation, the Foreknobs Formation and the Hampshire Formation. In this report the most important geological features are being explained in a historical order. At the beginning of the Devonian time (Upper Devonian) the Helderberg Group was being formed. Baedke and Fichter (2000) state that "during the end of the previous period (which is called the Silurian Period) West Virginia had been a desert since the sea had regressed. But by the beginning of the Devonian Time the Tippecanoe sea began its major transgression, which caused a rise in sea level and as a result of this the land flooded". According to Dorobek and Read (1986) the Helderberg Group is a "is a mix of siliciclastic-carbonate sediments that was formed during a relativ stable tectonic environment, namely on a slope that consisted of low-relief tectonic highlands on the eastern side of the Appalachian Plateau Province. Dorobek at al. state that the Helderberg Group lasted bout 8-10 million years. In this timeperiod three transgressive-regressive eras can be distinguished from each other. Each sequence was shaped over 2-3 million years. Finally the Helderberg Group was buried by t hick Middle Devonian siliciclastic sediments". "By the end of the Upper Devonian Period the sea level had reduced again because of a major regression of the Tippecanoe sea. Rocks that had been deposited in West Virginia were removed because of erosion. Pure black quartz sand was spread across West Virginia through which the Oriskany formation was formed. This all happened during a rare period of tectonic stability" (Baedke and Fichter (2000)). "Brame 2001 claims that at the beginning of the Middle Devonian Period the sea level changed again because of transgression of the sea. Through the rise of the sealevel the Millboro sequence, a deep water black shale, could be formed" (pp25-26). During the end of the Middle Devonian Period (when the tectonics where unstable again) and the beginning of the Lower Devonian Period the Brallier sequence was formed. According to Brame (2001) "a part of the Brallier Formation, namely the Back Creek Silt-stone Member, has been formed by a tectonically caused clastic wedge. Brame (2001) states that another sequence of the Brallier Formation, namely the Minnehaha Springs Member, has been formed by erosion as a result of sea-level regressions" (pp27-29). During the Lower Devonian Period, when the shoreline was shifting, the Foreknobs Formation was deposited in a shelf environment. "The Foreknobs exist according to Brame (2001) of siltstone and sandstone. Brame (2001) adds that "the Foreknobs Formation was separated into five sequences: namely, the Mallow, Briery Gap, Blizzard, Pound Sandstone, and Red Lick. The Foreknobs Forma

Environmental science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental science - Research Paper Example Nowadays, 10% of the world is legally protected in one way or the other. In conservation practice, private fundraising is insufficient to pay for the effective management of so much land with protective status hence government assistance should intervene. This paper discusses in depth some environmental issues that negatively affect the Galapagos Island. Galapagos Islands have unknown waters surrounding the famous volcanic archipelagos that consist of natural wonders of a realm that is truly a living natural laboratory. These islands portray a range of mysteries of the deep, caverns buried beneath the earth and primitive wildlife entirely unknown to humanity. These islands remain as hosts for biological mysteries to date. They extensively portray unique geographical features, organisms, and locales. Scholarly research depicts that quite a range of animal species found on these islands seem so unreal to human beings. Charles Darwin, who once visited the islands, formulated a theory embarking on natural selection due to the curious unique species he came across. He used the theory to refer to the evolutionary changes that enables both plants and animals to adapt to the environment. For instance, different environments in the islands have different characteristics that the inhabitants have to get adapted to them. Moreover, Charles Darwin’s perception of natural selection based its argument on the feeding habits of different animal species, climate of the environment and genetic inheritance. Some of the animal species observed from these islands include Blue-footed booby, Waved albatross, Flightless cormorant, Galapagos tortoise, and Galapagos penguin. Although these beautiful sceneries act as tourist attraction sites, they are pessimistically affected by humanity. For instance, several environmental issues such as fishing, poaching of both plants and animals, and introduction of foreign species of plants and animals to the environment

Health care trend article summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health care trend article summary - Assignment Example serve an essential purpose in patient education as it presents to them an in depth understanding of their problems along with the guidelines that are required to be followed by them with regard to medications as well as other important instructions that need to be followed after they are discharged from the hospital. This can serve an important function by creating awareness amongst the patients and preventing them from wrong conceptions about their condition and thus they prevent mishaps. They are widely used in the hospitals in America and it is stated that around 3000 hospitals employ this form of patient education. The availability of these care notes in different languages has proven to be of assistance to eighty percent of the patients who do not have command over English. Thus the accessibility of Care Notes in many languages, that a person can understand easily, can serve as an important step in health care and prove to be beneficial for the patients. It has served as a step to improving the quality of health services provided by the hospitals. It has not only proven beneficial for the patients but for the medical staff as well because they can convey their message in a more precise and clear manner. Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters Expands CareNotes ® Patient Education System To Support 15 Languages. Retrieved from:

The Patriot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Patriot - Essay Example Benjamin is made the leader of the Colonial Militia to fight a course for both his country and family. Story being told The director of the movie is basically trying to tell the story of commitment for one’s nation. The effectiveness of this lesson that the director was trying to put across could however be said to have been plagued by the fact that the commitment or otherwise theme of patriotism that the director was presenting was not based on personal or self conviction of the character who was made to play the role (Warhurst, 2007). This is because the sense of the character’s patriotism was called to task only because he had a personal family mission of vengeance to undertake. Watching the movie, it could be seen that the director chose the American Revolution of 1776 as the historical piece with which to tell the story because that is a piece of history that has a very strong bearing of the ordinary American to his or her origins of freedom and independence that h e or she enjoys today (Gauja, 2010). This means that the historic piece was selected as one that could appeal to the sense of American patriotism in a more touching way. Most important Moments depicting Director’s Story There is a common saying in local parlance that it is only a fool who doe not change his or her mind. This adage is used a very momentous scene by the director to depict the director’s story. This is because in the judgment of Benjamin Martin, nothing would have made him fight for his nation if he had not lost his son through events of the war. This was an important moment depicted in the film because the call for patriotism is most often not heeded by most American unless they have a sense of urgency to respond to it (Rubin, 2010). The director therefore used that moment to drum home to all countrymen and women that the need to stand and fight for one’s nation should be something that is innate and inspired by personal convection rather than cir cumstantial events and happenings. Present Research and Point of View presented in Movie Research on the actual American Revolution, shows that the director of the film did not depict the exact events of the revolution in the film. This is because there were critical aspects of the wars and acts of violence that are more aligned to the Nazis in the 1940 than to the American Revolution in the 1770s (Jaensch, 2008). The role that was played by the Nazis was therefore made to be played by the British in the film. This somewhat contradicts the point of view presented in the film. However, further research show that the theme of the director that depicts the fact that the patriotism of most Americans are provoked by circumstantial factors such as the need to retaliate in terrorism; rather than an innate call of commitment is true about present day America (Gauja, 2010). This could have been fixed if the director told the American Revolution story just as it was without having to create t he story from a fictional point of view. Personal Lessons and Further Recommendation Before watching the movie, I had no idea of how sophisticated the British rule over the American was. Indeed, to the extent that the British would fight till the drop of last blood to ensure that their colonization of the Americans remained intact means that the British saw America as a real treasure that

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library Essay

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library - Essay Example As such is its scope, the basic questions this study intends to address are: For this study, the researcher will be relying heavily on books, academic journals, and electronic sources. The possible bibliographic tools that the researcher will need in the conduct of the literature research are the title, the author, the date of publication, the place of publication and abstract or summary of the book or article if there is one. At the same time, the researcher believes that the footnotes or endnotes or in-text citation used in the books or articles will be a lot of help in the search for topics pertinent to the study. In terms of the date of publication, the researcher thinks that it will survey works for the thirty or forty years for the purpose looking at theories that are considered a landmark in the field of our concern which was predominantly developed within this period. Although the researcher knows that coverage spans for a few decades whereas there are many contemporary developments the area, still the researcher thinks that understanding the landmark theories is pivotal in the understanding of the current trends in our field of studies. The possible constraints that the researcher may encounter in the literature search are first how will he be able to delimit the number of his references in the midst of numerous sources and references that he may find relevant to the study. This is an important concern since it is of equal gravity with research being conducted with very few available sources. And lastly, the concern with sources that seems to be weaving from one file to another without clearly delineating the boundaries. The article of Locke (1978) speaks of the fundamental error of scholars and managers alike in assigning goal setting as the fundamental mover for employees in participating in the fulfillment of the objective of the organization.

Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family - Essay Example Pi is a Hindu child. Nevertheless, his curiosity and passion to know God more drives him to pursue three different religions at a go, i.e. his native Hindu, Islam, and Christian religions (Castelli, 2012). The Life of Pi exhibits several examples of the Feminist Family Theory as well as the Structural Functionalism Theory. Feminist Family Theory refers to the search of rights, identities, opportunities and privileges that women think and believe they deserve. This theory tackles issues that make women be second-class in the society, such as being inferior to men. On the other hand, the theory of Structural Functionalism proposes that division of family roles should take a natural course, generally basing on gender affiliations of family members. In this regard, Structural Functionalism proposes that men work in order to provide basic needs for their families such as earning money to buy food, clothes and pay rent. On the other hand, the tasks of women are expressively taking care of family members, especially household chores (Hamon, Ingoldsby, Miller & Smith, 2009). Feminist Family Theory is very evident in the movie the Life of Pi. One of the major incidences occurs when Pi’s mother supports her son to pursue multiple religions even though this was against the family and religious values of Hinduism. The family belongs to the Hindu religion. As such, they have to adhere to only one religion, and this is what Pi’s father, a strict follower of traditions, ensures by forbidding his son from pursuing any interests in any other religion apart from Hinduism, i.e. Islam and Christianity. Pi’s mother argues that God is the same in all religions. Therefore, her son is not wrong in following his interests in exploring other religions. She therefore allows her son to follow his religious interests only for the father, as the head of the family, to overrule the decision and forbid Pi from doing so (Hamon, Ingoldsby, Miller & Smith, 2009). This is a p erfect example of a case proving that the society considers women as the second-gender behind the men. As such, they were not to make any decisions that would go against the decisions made by the first gender, i.e. the men in their lives, and in this case the father of the boy. Consequently, the decisions made by Pi’s mother do not have any authority because she is a woman. However, the directive given by the father of Pi overrules the permission given to him by his mother to pursue different religions because he is the man. Most societies consider men as the head of the family. This is contrary to the feminists’ movements that advocated for equality in gender and appreciation of the roles women play in the society, i.e. as supporters to the men and not as their subordinates. Women have every right to make decisions that they consider fit to benefit their household, just as advocated for in the Feminist Family Theory (Castelli, 2012). This case is very important to wom en because it clearly indicates the way the society disregards decisions or opinions voiced by women. This is clear evidence of oppression against women, far against the movements championed by women to fight for equal rights and privileges as their male counterparts. There have been several movements to fight for the emancipation and empowerment of women as equal partners in the society. Some of the modern feminist movements witnessed in the 1960s to the 1970s include liberal, Marxist,

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library Essay

Professional Staff Training in the Academic Library - Essay Example As such is its scope, the basic questions this study intends to address are: For this study, the researcher will be relying heavily on books, academic journals, and electronic sources. The possible bibliographic tools that the researcher will need in the conduct of the literature research are the title, the author, the date of publication, the place of publication and abstract or summary of the book or article if there is one. At the same time, the researcher believes that the footnotes or endnotes or in-text citation used in the books or articles will be a lot of help in the search for topics pertinent to the study. In terms of the date of publication, the researcher thinks that it will survey works for the thirty or forty years for the purpose looking at theories that are considered a landmark in the field of our concern which was predominantly developed within this period. Although the researcher knows that coverage spans for a few decades whereas there are many contemporary developments the area, still the researcher thinks that understanding the landmark theories is pivotal in the understanding of the current trends in our field of studies. The possible constraints that the researcher may encounter in the literature search are first how will he be able to delimit the number of his references in the midst of numerous sources and references that he may find relevant to the study. This is an important concern since it is of equal gravity with research being conducted with very few available sources. And lastly, the concern with sources that seems to be weaving from one file to another without clearly delineating the boundaries. The article of Locke (1978) speaks of the fundamental error of scholars and managers alike in assigning goal setting as the fundamental mover for employees in participating in the fulfillment of the objective of the organization.

I.T. Assesment of ABC Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I.T. Assesment of ABC Inc - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is ABC Inc., a multinational corporation based in the United States of America and deals with the designing and selling of computer software, personal computers as well as consumer electronics. The company has produced some of the well-known types of computers that are being used allover the world. The company has more the four hundred retail stores in fifteen nations, together with an online store. The company is the largest publicly traded worldwide by market capitalization. Whereby it overtops the Exxon Mobil by about sixty billion dollars, and also the largest and most popular technology corporation in the world in terms of profit and revenue, making it worth more than Microsoft and Google put together. As of November 20, 2011, the corporation had more than sixty five thousand permanent employees working around the clock and three thousand temporary full-time workers all over the world; its total annual sales hit the sixty five billion dolla r mark, moving up to one hundred and eight billion dollars in the year 2011. The company was even in the year 2008 named by the Fortune magazine as the most admired company in the United States of America. Therefore, this means that this is the biggest company in the industry of the production of computer-related products. The assessment of the company’s general control environment should be done determining the level at which the General Accounting Office management control standards are included in the plans, strategies, procedures and guidance that govern operations and programs. In its assessment, the following have been ensured (English 87). Compliance with the law: All costs, obligations and operations adhere to the applicable regulation and law. The allocation of resources is effectively and efficiently done for the rightly authorized purposes. Reasonable safeguards and assurance: The management controls give rational assurance that the company’s assets are prot ected or safeguarded against misappropriation, loss and waste. The management controls are rationally complete, logical, efficient and effective in the accomplishment of the objectives of management. Competence, attitude and integrity: Personal integrity is encouraged among the workers and managers. All personnel are compelled to support the programs of agency ethics. There is also effective communication between and within offices. GAO Specific Management Control Standards The following specific control standards have been addressed: Delegation of Organizational responsibilities and Authority: The management has ensured that there is appropriate definition and delegation of responsibility, accountability and authority in accomplishing the company’s mission statement. The company also has an appropriate organizational structure for the purposes of effectively carrying out the program responsibilities. Supervision and Separation of Duties: The key responsibilities and duties i n authorization, recording, reviewing and processing of official agency operations are separated or delegated among different individuals. There is proper managerial supervision for the purposes of ensuring that duties and responsibilities assigned to various individuals are not abused or exceeded (Albrecht and Albrecht 63). Accountability for and Access to Resources: There are some measures in place for limiting

Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS: Legality

Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS: Legality The Legality and Efficacy of Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS Extra-judicial killing is often referred to by the United States in the case of its enemies as â€Å"exporting terrorism,† and has gained special notoriety since its employment by the State of Israel in the years of the two Palestinian intifadas, or â€Å"uprisings.† The political assassinations and recent attempts by the Israeli government, disputed by many in the international community, are argued by Israel and the United States as legally sanctioned by Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations Charter. Israel claims suicide bombings against its civilians have been curbed significantly by successful assassinations to which it fully admits, albeit each of these assassinations has resulted in â€Å"collateral damage† in the form of innocent bystander casualties. Others, such as Member States of the EU and the Arab League, have denounced Israeli assassinations as illegal. Whether or not the targeted killings were the factor behind the drastic reduction in suicide b omb and other terrorist attacks on Israeli citizenry is a point of major contention; several other factors including HAMAS’ calling of a hudna, or ten-year truce, in hostility and the construction of the separation wall along the UN-recognized â€Å"Green Line† demarcating Israeli from Palestinian land should be taken into consideration. One of Israel’s most impenetrable arguments in favor of the practice of targeted assassination is not deterrence, but rather preemption: â€Å"On November 9, 2000, Fatah leader Hussein Abayat was assassinated by fire from a helicopter, along with two women who were walking nearby. The killing initiated a new Israeli policy of publicly acknowledging assassinations—officially termed ‘targeted killings,’ ‘liquidations,’ and ‘pre-emptive strikes.’ This policy was premised on a set of interconnected justifications: 1) that Palestinians were to blame for the hostilities, which constituted a war of terror against Israel; 2) that the laws of war permit states to kill their enemies; 3) that targeted individuals were ‘ticking bombs’ who had to be killed because they could not be arrested by Israeli soldiers; and 4) that killing terrorists by means of assassination was a lawful form of national defense†[1]. The legality of Israeli targeted killings relies on a fine balance of situational interpretation of international law; while the Israelis never argue the validity of a law in the UN Charter, their political stance on the Palestinian territories often contrasts their approach in dealing with the Palestinians as a sovereign entity. Lisa Hajjar dissects the varied Israeli responses to intifada in her Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza, noting Israel’s relative position of morality and transparency in comparison to nations in similarly enduring conflicts. Hajjar notes that â€Å"what distinguishes the Israeli model from many other states embroiled in protracted conflict is that Israel does not repudiate or ignore international law†; â€Å"rather, it ‘domesticates’ international law by forging interpretations of its rights and duties in the West Bank and Gaza to accommodate state practices and domestic agendas†[ 2]. The Israeli government currently administers authority over the West Bank (referred to as â€Å"Judea† and â€Å"Samaria† in Israeli political circles), and since it controls Palestinian air space, borders, natural resources, and collects taxes from the Palestinian people, both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would erstwhile be considered under Israeli sovereignty. However, the international community (which includes the UN) does not recognize the Israeli occupation, leaving the Palestinian situation somewhat in political limbo. The UN Charter, in Article Two, states â€Å"all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state†; since â€Å"Palestine† is not a state under international law, this aspect of Article 2 does not apply. However, the simultaneous objections by the UN in the past, including the passing of more than sixty resolutions of which Israel is currently in violation[3], do not apply as according to the same Article, nothing â€Å"shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement,† including the â€Å"application of enforcement measures† taken by any given member state. By these technicalities, Israel is not breach of international law, since few international laws can apply to the occupied territories (OT) which have yet to be recognized as a sovereign state. Article 51 adds that â€Å"nothing in the present charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security†; moreover, â€Å"measures taken by members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council† in order to â€Å"maintain or restore international peace and security.† Israel is transparent regarding its attacks and since the Jewish state technically is not attacking the Palestinians as a whole (hence the phrase â€Å"targeted assassinations†), it is not in breach of the UN Charter. Given Israel’s membership in the UN and the absence of sovereignty on behalf of the Palestinians, no claim can be made to the contrary vis-à  -vis international law. According to Hajj ar: â€Å"Many states engage in practices that deviate from and thus challenge prevailing interpretations of international law. However, when powerful and dominant states like the US and Israel do so, this cannot simply be written off or criticized as â€Å"violations† because it produces an alternative legality. Contrary to the claims of both critics who take prevailing interpretations of international law as their point of reference and political realists who disparage the relevance of law, neither state ignores the law. Rather, both use laws and legal discourse to authorize and defend the legality of policies such as military pre-emption, indefinite incommunicado detention, abusive interrogation tactics, assassinations, and targeting of areas dense with civilians†[4]. The efficacy of the targeted killings is disputed from a purely number-oriented statistical study. According to The Alternative Information Center on Palestine/Israel and the Israeli human rights organization B’tselem, Israeli deaths spiked in mid-2002, decreasing steadily through 2006[5]. Three cases of successful targeted assassinations on HAMAS (an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, or â€Å"Islamic Resistance Movement†) to consider are those of former Izzedine al-Qassam (the militant wing of HAMAS) leader Salah Shehade in 2002, HAMAS spiritual founder and figurehead Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin, and HAMAS co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, who was killed within months of replacing Sheikh Yassin as the organization’s head. Between the established spike in violence in 2002 and the assassination of both Rantisi and Yassin in 2004, several events transpired. Between the assassinations of Shehade in 2002 and al-Rantisi in 2004, the Israeli army engaged the Palestinians with an incursion into the intifada stronghold of Jenin and began the construction of the West Bank separation barrier. Though the physical number of casualties decreased, the number of attempted attacks did not subside until as recently as December 2006[6]. While the execution of figureheads such as those named above are undoubtedly a positive force in the dissembling of HAMAS and other terrorist organizations’ leadership, the question of whether they are an effective means of deterrence and prevention is another issue, especially given the religious component of suicide bombing in the OT and its culture of martyrdom. To some extent, the system of targeted assassinations has been â€Å"marginalized as extrajudicial executions (i.e. assassinations) have come to vie with prosecutions as means of punishment and deterrence for suicide bombings by Palestinian militants†; both â€Å"suicide bombings and assassinations have a history that predates the second in tifada, and both emanate from human rights claims—dystopian in the extreme—to kill to survive†[7]. Perhaps more contested from a legal standpoint than the act of targeted assassinations is the factor of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The area most targeted by Israeli assassinations, especially by aircraft, is the densely-populated Gaza Strip whose population of approximately 1.3 million is estimated by many to be the most densely-populated region in the world. The case of Shehade is one of the more notorious in recent Israeli history, whose death sparked the protests of â€Å"tens of thousands vowing revenge†[8]. According to CNN and other sources, a squadron of F-16 jets dropped an armament of significant magnitude on the apartment building in which Shehade lived; sources claim the armament deployed weighed nearly a metric ton. As a corollary of the attack on the â€Å"three story building in which Shehade lived,† fifteen other people, including women and children, were killed in the residential complex[9]. Justifying the attack that killed the archite ct of attacks that resulted in the murder of â€Å"hundreds of Israelis,† the assassination of Shehade prompted speculation that Israel had to have been cognizant that an attack of such magnitude would certainly result in â€Å"collateral damage†[10]. Active awareness of civilian death as a measured loss in such an action prompts the question as to whether or not Israel should have been held accountable on the same counts as groups like HAMAS, despite the difference in the nature of the attacks. Hajjar, whose writings lean toward the side of the Palestinian cause, nevertheless concedes unconditionally that â€Å"suicide bombings and assassinations can by no means be considered equivalent except in their effects (death)†; while the two are not the â€Å"only forms of violence that characterize the exchanges during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, â€Å"together they illustrate with brutal clarity the human costs of unbearable justice and intractable conflict†[11]. I n order to adequately address Israeli culpability in targeted attacks, one must first put into larger context the timing of such attacks. Unlike the first intifada, the roots of the second are â€Å"entwined in the military court system, which has been a central setting for the conflict†[12]. The second intifada in particular marked the change in Israeli occupation of the OT, an expansion from a predominantly â€Å"law enforcement model to a war model†[13]. Since the attacks on both sides escalated in both nature and cost, the Israeli retaliatory actions also warranted a change in their degree of severity. The deterrent component of Israeli retaliation to the first intifada was surmised to have failed, given the reorganization of additional terrorist organizations that despite their political competition inside the framework of Palestinian government collaborated in their attacks on Israeli citizenry. There existed a perception that â€Å"the duration of the first int ifada had forced the Israeli government to make concessions to Palestinians and that these concessions, namely the redeployment from Palestinian population centers, had weakened the military’s ability to provide for Israeli security, creating a reliance on the Palestinian Authority that was ineffective in preventing suicide bombings and other types of attacks on Israelis†[14]. A low-intensity, small-arms confrontation, the first intifada was dwarfed by the weaponry and frequency of attacks inside Israel proper. Where the first intifada was characterized by stone-throwing at tanks, the second is today notorious for suicide bombs and gruesome lynching of Israeli settlers and soldiers. While deterrence may not have been achieved, the escalation in the degree of Israeli retaliatory measures and those of pre-emption undoubtedly carried with it the intent to assert Israeli military dominance. Targeted assassinations took place long before the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. While the legal ramifications of such assassinations are as yet to be officially disputed, the moral indignation inside Israel and abroad has been considerable. Opinions clash over the morality of such assassinations, even among Israel’s populace. Detailed by Nachman Ben-Yehuda in Political Assassinations by Jews: A Rhetorical Device for Justice, targeted assassinations should hardly be a significant point of contention in the international community. Though assassinations may be equated with executions (albeit doled out without formal trials), targeted attacks are not murder. Ben-Yehuda points out that â€Å"a political assassination event is typically carefully planned and cold bloodedly executed,† despite the large numbers of â€Å"collateral damage† as previously mentioned[15]. Israel has done well in the past to point to its critics the fact that â€Å"at the risk of seeming to provide a ‘justification’ for political assassination events in the form of executions, one must be reminded that selecting the route of political executions was in fact taken by governments in different cultures as a useful and pragmatic tool†[16]. Unlike Syria’s Asad regime, which in 1982 massacred nearly 40,000 members of the Islamic Brothers following an assassination attempt on then-President Hafiz al-Asad, Ben-Yehuda is careful to make note of Israel’s use of targeted assassination in specific cases when no other course of action will spare its soldiers’ lives. He makes a point to note that â€Å"while it is inaccurate to assert that political executions were a major tool used by Israel, it was used whenever the decision makers felt that executions could achieve specific goals like revenge, or in preventing future occurrences of aggres sion and violence against Israel†[17] . Ben-Yehuda also observes how some equate â€Å"a government’s reliance on assassinations to a ‘desperate gambler’s stroke’†; political analysts have speculated that â€Å"assassination is the tactic of the resource-less† and that â€Å"a government which cannot pursue foreign policy by conventional means and uses assassins instead is likely to be a government so vulnerable that its weapons perform like boomerangs in the hands of the inexperienced†[18]. America has recently endeavored to use the Israeli model of late, adopting the tactic of assassination in 2002 â€Å"which had been prohibited by executive orders since 1977†[19]. Studying Israeli legal arguments, the US militarily justified its assassination of suspected al-Qaeda member â€Å"Ali Qaed Sinan al-Harithi and five others (including a US citizen) in Yemen by a pilotless drone†[20]. Unlike, Israel, however, the US violated Yemeni airspace, a questionable act given distinction in its targeting of an American citizen. Targeted assassinations executed by the United States should not be conflated as a purely Israeli export, however; missions that transpired in the Vietnam conflict’s notorious Project Phoenix â€Å"neutralized 8,104 Viet Cong cadres† and was considered so potent a practice that the â€Å"Saigon interior minister set goals for 1969 noting the United States’ hope for 33,000 neutralizations through the rest of the year†[2 1]. While Israel used assassinations as a relatively domestic tool and was met with criticism, the majority of the world remained silent for several reasons in the case of America’s Project Phoenix. First, Israel has yet to officially declare war, as such a declaration would imply the sovereignty of Palestine as a nation. Second, the US was embroiled in a conflict that would later claim in excess of 50,000 soldiers and countless hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. As a preemptive measure, Phoenix was morally admissible due to the magnitude of the conflict and the fact that Vietnam, official or not, was a multi-national, regional conflict and full-blown war. It should be noted that even in war, however, â€Å"Phoenix had become known and increasingly controversial in the US, a problem that would never cease† and added to the long list of grievances the American public would take with the war in general[22]. Robert Freedman recalls the Israeli public opinion of targeted assassination, stating â€Å"public opinion in Israel is characterized by high levels of knowledge and personal involvement regarding issues of security and by low levels of perceived influence†; â€Å"the public relies on the leadership and is aware of its own ineffectiveness† despite such reliance[23]. An open society, Israel’s actions are not only carried out on behalf of the people, but are approved by the people. As per the international outcry abroad, those who defend Israel’s actions—namely states embroiled in similar conflicts such as Serbia, Cyprus, and Russia—remained staunch allies and knew the endorsement of Israel’s actions would lessen international reaction to their own respective situations. Among Israel’s political adversaries, however, the escalation of the violence in the second intifada, along with well-documented media coverage of bus and cafà © bombings, changed the character of international outcry significantly. Unlike the PLO’s activities in the late 1960s through 1980, HAMAS and its extreme tactics of suicide bombing after 2000 earned the Palestinian cause worldwide antipathy as well as scorn directed at the Israeli state. Such changes in threats, Freedman argues, precipitated changes in responses which varied in intensity. The escalation of targeted assassinations was a two-fold public relations strategy. On the one hand, it showed a change from the popular perception of Israeli indiscriminate fire on the Palestinian population, and on the other, it showed a general concern for IDF soldiers and law enforcement, starkly contrasting the willingness of HAMAS and Islamic Jihad to knowingly detonate and kill its own members. Freedman notes how â€Å"the Israeli response to the threats posed by the PLO, particularly during the height of its armed struggle in the 1968-1971 period, was based on a combination of admin istrative, economic, and military actions†[24]. The military component and predominance of assassinations reflects the difference between PLO secularist attacks and HAMAS-style religious branding, adding more weight to the conflict and another dimension of severity. To date, the Israelis have been able to continue in their targeted assassinations, owing to a combination of brutal Palestinian aggression as well as the language of ambiguity adhered to in the UN Charter. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ben-Yehuda, Nachman. (1993) Political Assassinations by Jews: A Rhetorical Device forJustice. Albany: State U of New York P. Freedman, Robert Owen. (1991) The Intifada: Its Impact on Israel, the Arab World, andthe Superpowers. Miami: U of Florida P. Hajjar, Lisa. (2005) Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the WestBank and Gaza. Berkeley: U of California P. Hirst, David. (2004) â€Å"Obituary: Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1175854,00.html. Prados, John. (2003) Lost Crusader: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby.New York: Oxford U P. Rice, Edward E. (1988) Wars of the Third Kind: Conflict in Underdeveloped Countries.Berkeley: U of California P. Various. (2007) â€Å"Al-Aqsa Intifada Enters Sixth Year.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://www.alternativenews.org/aic-publications/other-publications/al-aqsa intifada-enters-sixth-year-20050929.html. Vause, John. (2002) â€Å"Israel Takes Heat for Gaza Airstrike.† [Online Resource] Availableat: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/07/23/mideast/index.html. Various. (2004) â€Å"Hamas Chief Killed in Air Strike.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3635755.stm Watson, Geoffrey R. (2000) The Oslo Accords: International Law and the IsraeliPalestinian Peace Agreements. Oxford: Oxford U P. Note: UN Charter available at: www.un.org/aboutun/charter Footnotes [1] Hajjar 2006, p. 238 [2] Hajjar 2006, p. 243 [3] Hajjar 2006, p. ix [4] Hajjar 2006, p. 246 [5] http://www.alternativenews.org/aic-publications/other-publications/al-aqsa-intifada-enters-sixth-year-20050929.html [6] Hajjar 2005, p. 244 [7] Hajjar 2006, p. 236 [8] CNN 2002 [9] Ibid [10] Ibid [11] Hajjar 2006, p. 36 [12] Hajjar 2006, p. 235 [13] Hajjar 2006, p. 236 [14] Hajjar 2006, p .237 [15]s Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 354 [16] Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 318 [17] Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 354 [18] Ibid [19] Hajjar 2006, p. 246 [20] Ibid [21] Prados 2003, p. 210 [22] Prados 2003, p. 214 [23] Freedman 1991, p. 269 [24] Freedman 1991, p. 47