Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Strategy of Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategy of Zara - Essay Example According to the paper strong financial backing is provided to Zara by the parent firm Inditex. The parent firm has touched revenue of â‚ ¬13.79 billion. The retail chain however holds various trademarks. While talking about trademarks it needs to be mentioned that very recently Zara had defeated Louboutin in France in battle related to the mark of red soles. This helped the high street retailer to boost sales of the shoes.This essay discusses that the exclusive logos and brands are the resources that have helped the company to achieve product differentiation. The communication system also integrates the management, designers, suppliers, manufacturers and customers. Zara also has a very unique inventory model as the company does not hold a large amount of stock at eh stores. The ability of Zara to adapt the rapidly changing trends of the fast fashion industry along with rapid rate of inventory turnover installs a sense of freshness and exclusiveness in the brand. Zara operates thr ough a flat organizational structure and self driven leadership model. The founders of Zara Ortega and Castellano believed that in order to be successful Zara has to respond quickly to the market trends and this only possible if the company has a decentralized decision-making model.  This is why the store managers of the company hold the power to select inventory for respective stores without consulting the head quarters. The main philosophy behind such organizational policy is to save time to support the JIT delivery model of Zara.  

Monday, October 28, 2019

African American Heritage Paper Essay Example for Free

African American Heritage Paper Essay This paper explores the African American heritage and also identifies the significance of nurses being culturally aware, sensitive and competent when caring for people of African American heritage. Although these terms mentioned above are used interchangeably, they have different meanings. Cultural awareness is appreciating the external or material part of the culture, such as the music, arts, and physical characteristics, and dress. Cultural sensitivity is the personal attitudes toward the culture, such as not saying things that is offensive to someone from a different ethnic or cultural background (Purnell,2013, p. 4). Cultural competence is putting it all together; by using your knowledge to provide culturally congruent care and to be able to work effectively with people in cross- cultural situations. African Americans are the second largest ethnocultural groups in the United States; however, it is one of the most misunderstood cultures. This culture is so unique because they have mixed their cultures from their different homes of origin in Africa, along with American culture. This paper overviews the history, communications, family roles, workforce issues, biocultural ecology, high-risk behaviors, pregnancy and childbearing practices, spirituality, health care practices, nutrition, and death rituals in the African American culture. It is important that nurses see themselves as becoming culturally competent when caring for African Americans, and this involves incorporating cultural desire, cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, and cultural encounter with the people of African American heritage (Campinha-Bacote, 2009). 2 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE One of the largest minority groups in the United States, African Americans culture includes the various cultural traditions of different African ethnic groups. â€Å"Data from the U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (2001) reveals that there are approximately 34,333,000 African Americans residing in the United States, representing 12. 1% of the total population† (Campinha-Bacote, 2009). They were forcibly imported into the United States as slaves from 1619 to 1860 (Purnell, 2013, p. 21). During slavery, they incorporated their culture from their homes of origin, and as a result, their culture included several cultural traditions of African ethnic groups. Many African Americans live in poverty due to discrimination and lack of proper education. Most families of African American heritage value education, but they still struggle to have equal representation in the workplace, and are more likely to work in a hazardous environment, resulting in job related diseases and illness. Due to the lower-level positions and the difficulty in achieving higher opportunities in the workplace, some African Americans continue to feel discouraged. Nurses need to address discrimination and also issues that create ethnic or racial tension in the workplace. English is the language spoken by African Americans, however, people of lower socio economical status communicate in an informal language known as African American English (AAE) (Purnell, 2013, p. 22). According to Campinha-Bacote (2009), the major problem that AAE speakers face is prejudice. Most people believe that AAE is inferior to Standard American English. As a result, African Americans who speak AAE are sometimes misinterpreted as being uneducated. Nurses should be aware not to stereotype African Americans as only speaking AAE, and also not to stereotype them as uneducated based on the way they communicate. African Americans are expressive when 3. A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE communicating and often use body languages to convey their feelings. Their expressive language and body movement can be misconstrued as anger or provocation. Nurses need to be familiar with these characteristics and not misinterpret them. As a nurse, when interacting with African Americans for the first time, be sure to address them formally, until given permission to use other names, such as their first name. The African-American family has evolved over the last two decades and still continues to evolve. A person that is brought up in a traditional nuclear family is more likely to continue that tradition. Whereas, a person that is brought up in a single parent home is more likely to continue that same tradition. Although these situations are more likely, they are not always so. To provide the most competent care, the best thing for the nurse to do would be to ask the patient in a non-judgmental way about family dynamics and also ask them what they would feel the most comfortable with when it comes to decision making for their care. The nurse should then accept this decision. Being knowledgeable about this cultural group’s family values and beliefs are crucial for providing care for the African American patient (Revell McGhee, 2012). A high percentage of African American households are matriarchal and fall below poverty level. With that being said, it is wise for nurses to make a point of including women when discussing health care issues. Nurses also should take note when dealing with homosexual individuals in this ethnic group, not to break confidence by sharing their lifestyles with others. This information can jeopardize and cause conflicts within the family and ruin relationships. Romantic relationships of the same-sex are not totally acceptable within this culture. 4 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE As in many culture, social status is important in African American community. African Americans are often met with negative atmosphere and prejudice attitudes based on their cultural background and skin color. Assumptions are made based on AAE spoken by some as an indication of unintelligence and the lack of education. These assumptions sometimes affect employment opportunities and job promotions. Nurses should be cautious not to fall into the stereotyping African Americans based on these characteristics. African American skin color ranges from light to very dark due to the combination of a gene pool of more than 100 racial strains (Purnell, 2013, p. 25). When assessing for cyanosis in dark-skinned African Americans, be sure to pay attention to the oral mucosa or conjunctiva. When assessing for pallor, note the absence of the underlying red tones that give the skin it’s glow. Lastly, when observing for jaundice, be sure to look at the sclera of the eyes, the soles of the feet, and the palms of the hands for any yellow discoloration (25). Health care is a luxury that low socioeconomic African Americans may not be able to afford. Meeting their daily needs takes priority over what they believe to be minor health issues. Consequently, diseases that could be treatable might end up being a life- threatening situation. African Americans are family orientated, because of this; some tend to initially seek medical attention from family members rather than going to a health care professional. Health care professionals need to be aware of this and work toward teaching and distributing health information via church and community centers. Most African American women are against abortion due to religious, cultural, and moral beliefs. As a result, there is a delay in making a decision until it becomes too late. 5 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE Family support is crucial for pregnant African American women. Gichia (2000) studied and found out that African American women look for role models such as older female relatives, or if they have none, they look for someone who seemed like a mother to them, such as a neighbor. These role models can provide the pregnant woman and new mother with needed support. According to Abbyad Robertson (2011), nurses caring for pregnant African American women need to be informed about the variety of ways in which childbirth preparation can occur, as in any other group of pregnant women. Moreover, nurses need to consider the ways in which their attitudes and behaviors send unwelcoming messages to African American women seeking prenatal care or childbirth classes. These attitudes can discourage the African American woman in seeking further care. â€Å"Culturally competent care for the childbearing African American woman includes addressing all components of care including the use of complementary and alternative medicine† (Revell, 2012). The childbirth nurse that is providing culturally competent care should be aware that the perceived norm is different for every family. African Americans are spiritual and are usually affiliated with some religious order. Historically, the church has played a major role in the life of African American culture. The church is a place where they can meet on common grounds. Faith and prayer is one of the most important attributes of Christian African Americans. They believe that God has the power to heal them, and he also has the power not to. They believe that whatever happens to them is according to God’s will. Food is very valuable in the African American culture. It symbolizes health and wealth. It is derived from African descent. When food is offered to someone, it means that the person is valued; and by offering food, they are given you something that is 6 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE valuable to them. When it comes to nutrition, some African American diets are high in cholesterol and fats. According to James (2004), â€Å"African Americans will need information on basic nutrition topics such as serving sizes and reading food labels†. Nurses that work in African American communities should be involved in programs that promote healthy food choices. These programs can specifically be developed for churches, neighborhood grocery stores, and local restaurants. â€Å"Health disparities among the African-American population include life expectancy, heart disease, hypertension, infant morality and morbidity rates, cancer, sickle cell diseases, HIV/AIDS, violence, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and asthma† (Campinha-Bacote, 2009). Unfortunately, they have the tendency to see a health care professional only when absolutely necessary. â€Å" Health is viewed as harmony with nature, whereas illness is seen as a disruption in this harmonic state due to demons† (Purnell,2013, p. 33). Recognize and support your patient cultural behaviors and believes to promote healthy interactions. In addition, always provide factual information about health practices that may not be understood due to their cultural believes and cultural differences. In conclusion, it is recommended that nurses familiarize themselves with cultural specific information in order to provide cultural competent care in African American community. Nurses should consider the following question: â€Å"In caring for African- American patients, have I asked myself the right questions. † It is important for nurses to be aware of their biases and prejudices toward African Americans. In addition, they should possess the needed skills to conduct a cultural assessment while possessing knowledge of this cultural group (Campinha-Bacote, 2009). Lastly, nurses should always 7 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE have the desire to become culturally competent not just with African American patients, but any patient that has been placed in their charge. 8 A NURSING METHOD TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE Resources Abbyad, C. , Robertson, T. (2011). African American Womens Preparation for Childbirth From the Perspective of African American Health-Care Providers. Journal Of Perinatal Education, 20(1), 45-53. doi:10. 1891/1058-1243. 20. 1. 45 Campinha-Bacote, J. (2009). Culture and diversity issues. A culturally competent model of care for African Americans. Urologic Nursing, 29(1), 49-54. Gichia, J. E, (2000), Mothers and others: African-American womens preparation for motherhood. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 25(2), 86-91, James, D. (2004). Factors influencing food choices, dietary intake, and nutrition-related attitudes among African Americans: application of a culturally sensitive model. Ethnicity Health, 9(4), 349-367. Purnell, L. D. (2009). People of African American Heritage. Guide to culturally competent health care (2nd ed. , p. 21-35). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Co. Revell, M. A. , McGhee, M. N. (2012). Evolution of the African American Family. International Journal Of Childbirth Education, 27(4), 44-48. Revell, M. A. (2012). Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the African American Culture. International Journal Of Childbirth Education, 27(3), 55-59.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

night Essays -- essays research papers

Night is an autobiographical novella written by Elie Wiesel a young jewish boy who tells of his experiences during the Holocaust. Elie is from the small town of Sighet, Transylvania. This book begins in late 1941 and chronicles Elie's life through the end of the war in 1945.He had two older sisters, Hilda and Beatrice Wiesel and a younger sister, Tzipora Wiesel. Elie spoke many languages including Hungarian, Romanian, German and he grew up speaking Yiddish. At the beginning of the book Elie has a very strong faith in God and the Jewish religion, but this faith is tested when he is moved from his small town by the Nazi's. Elie has to deal with the death of his family, the death of his, innocence and the death of his God at the very young age of fifteen. He tells us of the horrors of the concentration camp, starvation, beatings, torture, illness, and hard labor. He comes to question how God could let this happen and to redefine the existence of God in the concentration camp. In 1944, when Elie was fifteen years old, him, his parents and younger sister were taken to Auschwitz. There him and his father were separated from his mother and small sister. Within a year his father and him had been moved to several different concentration camps such as Buna, Gleiwitz, Auschwitz and Buchenwald. He tried his best to stay with his father every time they were moved. His father and him watched out for each other, till his father’s death in 1945. The Holocaust all began because Hitler blamed the Jews for Germanys defeat in World War 1. He also blamed the Jews for all the problems Germany had at the time such as poverty, unemployment, starvation and disease. In early 1942, Hitler decided to carry out what he called "The Final Solution," which he hoped would bring an end to the Jewish population. He ordered millions of European Jews to be arrested and deported to special camps. This is how concentration camps became death camps. In Night, the description, settings, presentation of exciting incidents and sadness was outstanding. Language was good. Elie wrote everything he saw and he heard and everything was straightforward. The plot of this book was good, as there was no false leads, no unexpected turns and no misleading information. Elie Wiesel was the main character and narrator of this book. The story takes place in many concentration camps or Europe. Elie sa... ...led them by their names. Think of yourselves their, running, behind u officers with guns. If u stop, you’ll die. It seemed to be the end of the world. After so much of struggle Wiesel n his father n many other of Jews were evacuted from Auschwitz just a head of the Russian army and taken on a long death-filled journey to Buchenwald. His father survives the trip but dies in early 1945 at Buchenwald. The story ends shortly there after, Wiesel freed from the camp in 1945. For the first time after 1944,Elie sees his own face. It is April 1945 and Buchenwald, the last camp he endured, has been liberated for a little over two weeks. Looking at himself, he sees someone, some thing he has never known. The dead eyes that stare at him confront him with all the lived pain he has endured and the destruction of his own selfhood - This passage is very powerful. It illustrates the horrendous crimes of the Nazis. In their Final Solution they succeeded in destroying the Jews- not only thos e who were massacred, but also those who survived. Elie Wiesel is unable to recognize the shell that stares back at him in the mirror. Although he has physically survived the Holocaust, Elie has also been killed.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Recollecting One’s Childhood Memory

Childhood is the most innocent time of someone's life. With the passage of time, childhood fades into adolescence and then adulthood, yet the sweet memories of childhood linger on. My childhood recollections are those of a carefree life, nurtured with love and concern. I was the baby of the family with only one older sister. I don't remember much from when I was little, but I have a few memories that have stuck with me throughout the years. My family lived in a one story, barn red house on 9th street.Two houses down the road lived my best friends' grandmother who babysat her almost every weekend; two houses up the road lived my sisters' best friend, her two younger brothers, and across the street lived our other two friends. All of us would hangout every afternoon before dinner. In my mind nothing could go wrong, we were children who went to school, played and slept. I was in preschool at the time and one day I went to school and found out that my teachers' cat had kittens and if my parents said it was okay, I was able to take one home.That night I asked my mother if I could bring one home, and she said when they were big enough, I could pick one out and bring it home. My favorite kitten was mostly gray with some calico spots, and I was able to take her home. I named her Call. I was so excited that I had my very own cat! I couldn't wait to see her grow up. When I first took her home she was an inside cat only, but when she got bigger she was aloud outside. One day after school my sister and I went across the street to play with our friends and Call allowed, she loved to follow me around and play with me.While she was crossing the road, a car came and Instead of slowing down, they sped up and hit my cat In front of my sister and me. I was heartbroken and started bawling. My parents heard our screams and ran outside and across the street. My father picked me up and carried me home covering my eyes as we passed Call. When my sister and I calmed down my dad went an d got Call, dug a hole next to our rose bush, and burled her. From that day on I never understood how people could be cruel to animals.I love all animals and my heart aches when I see a dead or hurt animal on the side of the road. This memory Is one of the few I remember from my childhood, I believe that this memory I have makes me love animals with my whole heart and subconsciously makes me treat my animals Like they are my children. My love for animals Is greater than the love I have for myself. Recollecting One's Childhood Memory By Camaraderie's spots, and I was able to take her home. I named her Call.I was so excited that I had school my sister and I went across the street to play with our friends and Call the road, a car came and instead of slowing down, they sped up and hit my cat in carried me home covering my eyes as we passed Call. When my sister and I calmed down my dad went and got Call, dug a hole next to our rose bush, and buried her. Road. This memory is one of the fe w I remember from my childhood, I believe that makes me treat my animals like they are my children. My love for animals is greater.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Leadership Lessons from D-Day: A Book Review

For this book review, I chose Victory Principles: Leadership Lessons from D-Day by Leonard Kloeber, Jr., a retired army officer.This book is not only a mere history book but it also provides a lesson on leadership principles based on what was applied by the Allied leaders during those crucial moments that characterized D-Day (also known as Operation Overlord) from the planning stage to the actual execution of the operation which was a success and eventually led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation.The first part is more of a historical narrative.   The Kloeber narrates the important events that were considered the defining moments of D-Day which are organized into chapters.   The prelude in included to set the tone and help put the reader on the proper perspective in approaching the book and what it is all about.Each chapter mentioned important leaders during the operation, not just for trivia but describing what they did that made success possible.   These are lead ers who were actually there with the men as they saw action.Such senior leaders were Brigadier General Norman Cota, assistant division commander of the 29th Infantry Division which landed on Omaha Beach and received the brunt of the fighting. It also featured junior leaders such as Lieutenant Richard Winters, of Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne who led the company to neutralize an enemy gun emplacement menacing the beaches (Kloeber, Jr., 2009, pp. 61-62, 83).   What these leaders had in common was they made crucial decisions under fire but since they were in the thick of the action, they had a grasp of the situation and came up with crucial decisions that led to victory.Part Two provides an analysis as Kloeber spelled out what he called â€Å"Victory Principles† which were applied by the above-mentioned leaders which were key to the success of D-Day. One example of these principles was resilience which was demonstrated by Generals Cota and Roosevelt when their m en were under fire.They did not panic and maintained their composure which was the glue that kept the men together even though they were taking casualties (Kloeber, Jr, 2009, pp. 208-209).Another principle discussed was making timely decisions as applied by Lieutenant Winters when he and his men carried out their mission which was successful (Kloeber, Jr, 2009, p. 186).   It can be seen that the author did a great job organizing his ideas by telling the story first and discussing the relevant principles.   He was able to establish a connection between the two parts.Part Three is what military leaders call the â€Å"Staff Ride† where military students would tour the battlefield to get a feel of what has happened though not necessarily during actual combat as part of applying the lessons learned in the classroom.The purpose here is to immerse them â€Å"spiritually† and by making them picture themselves being there and it is proven to be an effective method when unde rstanding the principles.   An appendix is added which provides supplemental details on D-Day.Overall, Kloeber’s book is not only for history students but also those who wish to be enlightened on leadership principles and the author has done a good job identifying them and showing how they were applied as well as mentioning their applicability in any kind of situation which need not be about combat.ReferenceKloeber Jr., L. (2009). Victory Principles: Leadership Lessons from D-Day. Garden City, New York: Morgan James Publishing, LLC..

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is considered a great American movie. It is from 1940, but people could not view it without controversy till 1950. It is typical of American films because it is in English, and its production refers to American culture. The film industry of the 1930s thrived on a felicitous circle of economic dependence on attendance, exhibition, and production. (226). The movie is pointed at William Randolph Hearst and the printing industry. When Hearst learned through gossip of Orson Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy the film in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort. Hearst's movement was successful. It would be nearly a quarter of a century before Citizen Kane was revitalized - before Wel!les would gain acknowledgment for having created one of cinema's great masterpieces.Arthur Knight said, "Less by imitation than by inspiration, Citizen Kane has altered the look not only of American films, but of films the world over." Formulas for story construction, characterization, casting, dcor, music, and photography dominated Hollywoods films. A key principle in the selection of story material was- and remains-simply that an idea that had worked before would probably work again. (228). Films were not seen special, individual conceptions but tended to bunch together as types, in cycles. Citizen Kane broke that tradition. The unique techniques, structure, and parallelism in plot change the way movies have been made in previous times. It was confusing and shocking to its audience. Every aspect of the production marked an advance in film language: the deep-focus, deeply shadowed cinematography; the discontinuous ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on ABC Murders

Agatha Christie’s â€Å"The A.B.C. Murders† and Kazuo Ishiguro’s â€Å"The Remains of The Day† are alike and different in many ways. Both novels that are centered on English characters or themes. The A.B.C. Murders focuses on the murders and how and why they’re being committed, and The Remains of The Day focuses on status and tradition. While one pokes fun at English customs and traditions the other may put those same customs and traditions on a pedestal. The A.B.C. Murders were centered on a group of murders that took place in England. While the detective himself was not English his counterparts are. The murderer himself was English as well as all those that played an active role in the mystery. The basic theme of the novel was to understand how and why these murders were being committed. To understand that one must understand how to gain this information and our protagonist, Mr. Hercule Poirot, knew how to do that. Being that he had to question a lot of residents in the area, who all of whom happened to be English, Poirot knew how to address them. â€Å" You yourself are English and yet you do not seem to appreciate the quality of the English reaction to a direct question. It is invariably one of suspicion and the natural result is reticence. If I had asked those people for information they would have shut up like oyster. But my making a statement and by your contradiction of it, tongues are immediately loosened†(page 34) Th is is the ongoing stereotype in the novel, that English people are not always willing to cooperate. In order to gain information one must use trickery. The Remains of The Day focuses of English traditions and status. Because the novel is told through the eyes of a butler it’s social experiences are very limiting, but like The A.B.C. Murders, it also has its stereotypes. One of which is that English people try to hold themselves up by a certain standard whether or not they have to falsify themselves to do... Free Essays on ABC Murders Free Essays on ABC Murders Agatha Christie’s â€Å"The A.B.C. Murders† and Kazuo Ishiguro’s â€Å"The Remains of The Day† are alike and different in many ways. Both novels that are centered on English characters or themes. The A.B.C. Murders focuses on the murders and how and why they’re being committed, and The Remains of The Day focuses on status and tradition. While one pokes fun at English customs and traditions the other may put those same customs and traditions on a pedestal. The A.B.C. Murders were centered on a group of murders that took place in England. While the detective himself was not English his counterparts are. The murderer himself was English as well as all those that played an active role in the mystery. The basic theme of the novel was to understand how and why these murders were being committed. To understand that one must understand how to gain this information and our protagonist, Mr. Hercule Poirot, knew how to do that. Being that he had to question a lot of residents in the area, who all of whom happened to be English, Poirot knew how to address them. â€Å" You yourself are English and yet you do not seem to appreciate the quality of the English reaction to a direct question. It is invariably one of suspicion and the natural result is reticence. If I had asked those people for information they would have shut up like oyster. But my making a statement and by your contradiction of it, tongues are immediately loosened†(page 34) Th is is the ongoing stereotype in the novel, that English people are not always willing to cooperate. In order to gain information one must use trickery. The Remains of The Day focuses of English traditions and status. Because the novel is told through the eyes of a butler it’s social experiences are very limiting, but like The A.B.C. Murders, it also has its stereotypes. One of which is that English people try to hold themselves up by a certain standard whether or not they have to falsify themselves to do...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Italian Quotation Marks (Fra Virgolette) Types and Uses

Italian Quotation Marks (Fra Virgolette) Types and Uses Italian quotation marks (le virgolette) are sometimes treated as an afterthought in the classroom and in textbooks, but to English-speaking natives reading Italian newspapers, magazines, or books, its obvious there are differences in both the symbols themselves and how they’re used. In Italian, quotation marks are used to give a word or phrase a particular emphasis, and they’re also used to indicate citations and direct discourse (discorso diretto). In addition, quotation marks are used in Italian to point out jargon and dialect as well as to denote technical and foreign phrases. Types of Italian Quotation Marks Caporali ( «  »): These arrow-like punctuation marks are the traditional Italian quotation mark glyphs (in fact, theyre also used in other languages, including Albanian, French, Greek, Norwegian, , and Vietnamese). Typographically speaking, the line segments are referred to as guillemets, a diminutive of the French name Guillaume (whose equivalent in English is William), after the French printer and punchcutter Guillaume le Bà © (1525–1598).  «  » are the standard, primary form for marking up quotations, and in older textbooks, manuscripts, newspapers, and other printed material, are usually the only type encountered. The use of caporali ( «  ») begin to diminish with the advent of desktop publishing in the 80s, since a number of font sets did not make those characters available. The newspaper Corriere della Sera (to point out just one example), as a matter of typographical style, continues to use caporali, both in the printed version and online. For instance, in an article about the high-speed train service between Milano and Bologna, there is this statement, using angled quotation marks, from the president of the Lombardia region:  «Le cose non hanno funzionato come dovevano ». Doppi apici (or alte doppie) ( ): Nowadays these symbols frequently replace the traditional Italian quotation marks. For example, the newspaper La Repubblica, in an article regarding the possible merger of Alitalia with Air France-KLM, featured this direct quote: Non abbiamo presentato alcuna offerta ma non siamo fuori dalla competizione. Singoli apici (or alte semplici) ( ): In Italian, single quotation marks are typically used for a quotation enclosed inside another quotation (so-called nested quotations). Theyre also used to indicate words used ironically or with some reservation. An example from an Italian-English translation discussion board: Giuseppe ha scritto:  «Il termine inglese free ha un doppio significato e corrisponde sia allitaliano libero che gratuito. Questo puà ² generare ambiguit ». Typing Italian Quotation Marks To type  « and  » on computers: For Windows users, type  « by holding Alt 0171 and  » by holding Alt 0187. For Macintosh users, type  « as Option-Backslash and  » as Option-Shift-Backslash. (This applies to all English-language keyboard layouts supplied with the operating system, e.g. Australian, British, Canadian, U.S., and U.S. Extended. Other language layouts may differ. The backslash is this key: \) As a shortcut, caporali can easily be replicated with the double inequality characters or (but which typographically speaking, though, are not the same). Usage of Italian Quotation Marks Unlike in English, punctuation such as commas and periods are placed outside the quote marks when writing in Italian. For example:  «Leggo questa rivista da molto tempo ». This style holds true even when doppi apici are used instead of caporali: Leggo questa rivista da molto tempo. The same sentence in English, though, is written: Ive been reading this magazine for a long time. Given that certain publications use caporali, and others use doppi apici, how does one decide which Italian quotation marks to use, and when? Provided that the general usage rules are adhered to (using double quotation marks to signal direct discourse or point out jargon, for example, and single quotation marks in nested quotations), the only guidelines are to adhere to a consistent style throughout a text. Personal preference, corporate style, (or even character support) may dictate whether  «  » or are used, but there is no difference, grammatically speaking. Just remember to quote accurately!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Bowling For Columbine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bowling For Columbine - Essay Example re does not give ready-made conclusions on the cause of this tragedy, he has identified some important pathologies of American society that inevitably leads to massacres of this kind. Moore makes a convincing case that gun possession in the United States is an identifiable cultural phenomenon, directly linked with the culture of fear prevailing in the country both at the micro and macro levels. What Moore identifies as the culture of fear is nothing but manufactured by the elites in the United States. This American reality is the result of the entrenched ruling of the politico-military-industry complex that has a substantial role in the emergence of this trigger culture. Extremely, Michele Moore was able to show that one could get a gun in America even for opening a bank account. The culture of gun ownership in the United States is certainly one of the important factors that makes tragedies such as Columbine School shooting not only possible but also a concrete possibility. However, it is not possible to empirically link the occurrence of crimes with the widespread ownership of guns since there are many countries that too have high gun possession rates but less related crimes. On the other hand, other factors such as the propagation of violence through media, especially new media technologies like those that video games could effectively be linked to the crimes. Michele Moore himself highlights the case of Switzerland where it is compulsory for the citizens to have guns as it has no standing army. Yet, high rates of gun possession related crimes have been not reported from there. Curiously, Moore points fingers to that fact that the United States has the worlds largest defense facilities which include weapons of mass destruction, while seeking the roots of C olumbine High School tragedy. Certainly, the cultural attitudes stemming from the violent past of the United States have a decisive role in the high gun ownership rates and related crimes. Nevertheless, there

Friday, October 18, 2019

Soldier's Heart Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soldier's Heart - Assignment Example People most likely to be affected by PTSD are individuals with an unstable family background, a history of low self-esteem, and prolonged exposure to the traumatic instances. People less likely to be affected by PTSD are those that have graduated high school or college and have a higher socio-economic status; however, regardless of their origins, veterans have one of the highest rates of PTSD of any group. According to Lt. Col. David Grossman, wars have far more psychological casualties than they do physical ones. Despite the high rate of PTSD among soldiers, only a small percentage of the afflicted actually seek psychological evaluation. Doctor and employee of Vermonts Department of Veteran Affairs Andrew Pomerantz reasons that most veterans with PTSD to not seek treatment because they dont want to be viewed as â€Å"weaklings.† Remembers Julie Proulx, girlfriend of late marine Jeff Lucey, â€Å"He didnt want the marines to think he was weak. He was very reluctant [to seek help].† Lucey ultimately committed suicide due to the effects of PTSD and subsequent depression. Not only do veterans fear that they will be labeled as weak, but many perceive the stigmatization of so much as seeking mental health evaluation as â€Å"job-ending.† Some soldiers, such as Rob Sarra, often fear that they will be discharged as mentally unstable. PTSD affects more than just the lives of the individuals who develop it: the disorder also takes a toll on the lives of their loved ones. The wives of returning soldiers often report their husbands to be more irritable and snippy. Sarra discusses his struggles with developing alcoholism and subsequent fights in bars. In one instance, he became so enraged that he almost killed a man, only to become re-aware of his surroundings. â€Å"If I had killed that man,† he notes, â€Å"there would be no getting around that.† Veteran Andrew Pogany reported that he developed anxiety and severe panic attacks, during which time he

Interspecific and Intraspecific Competition Among Alfalfa in in Shaded Research Paper

Interspecific and Intraspecific Competition Among Alfalfa in in Shaded and Unshaded Pots - Research Paper Example These variations were both put in pots that received the light, and ones which did not. The measure of length and weight of the germinated seeds were then recorded and compared. The outcome concluded that the length in the unshaded pots were much higher than those in the shaded, and the most competition in alfalfa was found in the 50 seed pot. Difference in weights however varied with alternating higher values in both shaded and unshaded experiments across the samples. Further, interactions among species are negative since length were longer in pure samples than in mixed samples. Introduction and Background Interactions among species of organisms within resource limited ecosystems leads to competition for the resources. Every species and individual within a species will seek to utilize the available resources for survival. This defines the concept of competition among organisms in an ecosystem that can be explored from two perspectives, intraspecific competition, and interspecific co mpetition. While intraspecific competition occurs among organisms of the same species, interspecific competition occurs among different species. It does not happen at individual level but organisms of the same species acts as a community to gain an advantage over a competing species. Intraspecific competition may be witnessed over resources such as â€Å"food, water, breeding sites† among others such as light and shade (Toole, 2004, p. 34). One of the important principles in competition is the exclusion principle. This principle, as established by Gauss, defines the basics of survival for the fittest. It provides that when more than one species are competing for limited resources, the species that can utilize the resources most economically will have an advantage over the other species that may end up being extinguished from the ecosystem. This defines a negative competition as it leads to destruction of some ecosystems’ elements in the extinguished species. If the dis advantaged species fails to find an alternative niche for survival then they face the threat of total extinction from the immediate environment. Competition, however, plays a crucial role in determining the size of organisms in an ecosystem among other positive interactions.This leads to a maintained balance of the population sizes of different species of organisms that can be supported by resources in an ecosystem. This is because the feeding rate will highly depend on the availability of resources that translate to the number of organisms that can be sustained by the available resources (Toole, 2004, p. 34). Abiotic factors in an environment also affect chances of growth and development of individual organisms and entire species of organisms in an ecosystem. Shade, for instance, is identified to enhance chances of survival among plants with respect to predators. This is because organisms under shade enjoy a level of freedom from predators as compared to those that grow in well lig ht areas (Kersch and Fonseca, p. 1). Even though shade enhances survival of plants, there has not been an established competition for shade among the organisms (Zobel, et al, p. 1). This paper seeks to investigate interaction between plants under shade and in light. The paper will apply statistical analysis to investigate existence of intraspecific competition and interspecific competition for shade and without shade within and among species. Experimental Designs and Results The project used primary data in which tomatoes, alpha, and rye were planted both separately and in pairs by species. The alpha species was planted with 25 seeds in one pot, 50 seeds in another, 25 seeds of alpha combined with 25 seeds of rye, as well as 25 seeds

Thursday, October 17, 2019

ROMANITC LOVE TOPIC IN BOTH RENAISSANCE LIERATURE AND MUSIC Essay

ROMANITC LOVE TOPIC IN BOTH RENAISSANCE LIERATURE AND MUSIC - Essay Example This has transcended to madrigal singers who originally only sang secular music but eventually took romantic love as part of their music repertoire. Thus madrigal singers took a turn with renaissance sonnets as they began singing love songs from the traditional sing of praise. The most plausible reason that be deduced is to this is that renaissance sonnets fit the well-crafted composition of madrigals not to mention that the loftiness of the theme of love nears the loftiness of Praise. Unlike a typical singer which we know today, madrigals are typically composed of several persons composed of four vocal parts – the soprano, alto, tenor and the pass. Soprano and alto are typically sung by women due to its high pitch while the tenor and bass are usually sung by men. A madrigal singer attempts to express strong emotion contained in a well composed line of which a celebrated sonnet makes a perfect fit. Madrigals can also be said as the highest form of music that typically appeals only to the cultivated and the learned due to the sophistication of its medium. It follows then that the words enunciated by a madrigal music must also be equal to its form and what better lines can be sung by a madrigal than the measured meter of a sonnet. Madrigals were traditionally sang for secular purposes but eventually evolved to also sing celebrated love sonnets of renaissance literature due to the loftiness of its words and purpose that equal to a praise. Its highly structured singing made love sonnets a perfect for the medium of a madrigal thus appealing to the sophisticated audience. Today however, madrigal has evolved further. It still sing love songs but no longer confine itself to the sonnets of renaissance literature albeit the sonnets of the renaissance literature set the bar of the lyrics that can be sang by

A Sports Development Work Programme and a Sports Development Action Essay

A Sports Development Work Programme and a Sports Development Action Plan - Essay Example A four year plan is published by the council. The council has been working in partnership to ensure that they deliver the most efficient and highest quality services to business, citizens and communities in the South Lanarkshire. There has been need of developing a leisure structure of NBG in South Lanarkshire such as a swimming. The reason behind the choice of area of work is to improve the quality of life of citizens in South Lanarkshire and at the same time improve the overall enjoyment of living and working in South Lanarkshire by providing equal access to opportunities. There is need to prepare a work programme when commencing any given new project. Many projects reach undesirable end results, such as structural collapse, cost overruns, and/or litigations reason because those with experience in the field did not make detailed plans and maintain careful oversight during the project to ensure a positive outcome. Hence, for our project we should establish a team of workers and advisors to create an overall plan to ensure that our project will proceed in an orderly manner to a desirable end. We will include advisors such as accountants, insurance brokers, mortgage bankers, architects and engineers. Effective planning is essential for the successful execution of a project. Those involved with the design and execution of the infrastructure will consider the environmental impact of the job, the successful scheduling, budgeting, site safety, inconvenience to the public caused by construction delays, preparing tender documents, etc. A SWOT analysis identifies factors that may facilitate or inhibit the proposed development of a leisure structure of NBG in South Lanarkshire. A SWOT Analysis to Development of a Leisure Structure of NBG in South Lanarkshire Strengths Weaknesses Good support network by sports fans Improved link with other partners Support by the council Difficult of development without support of the community If government support the project, then we account more also to it. Opportunities Threats Potential improved government funding Other partners may high jack the project The development of the leisure structure of NBG will succeed if it gets support from the sports fans and the required support from the council. It will also succeed if it gets funds from the government and other well wishers. On the other hand the project might fail if other partners high jacks the project before we implement it and also if the community will not support the project. Action Plan Action 1 Goals: Consultation with relevant organisation on the development of swimming Evaluation Strategy: I will know that the goals have been achieved if we reach to a compromise. Steps Necessary to Achieve the Goal Time Scale Resources Having consultative meeting with various stalk holders 3 - 6 Months Myself, Council, Community Leaders, Church Leaders, Government Representatives

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

ROMANITC LOVE TOPIC IN BOTH RENAISSANCE LIERATURE AND MUSIC Essay

ROMANITC LOVE TOPIC IN BOTH RENAISSANCE LIERATURE AND MUSIC - Essay Example This has transcended to madrigal singers who originally only sang secular music but eventually took romantic love as part of their music repertoire. Thus madrigal singers took a turn with renaissance sonnets as they began singing love songs from the traditional sing of praise. The most plausible reason that be deduced is to this is that renaissance sonnets fit the well-crafted composition of madrigals not to mention that the loftiness of the theme of love nears the loftiness of Praise. Unlike a typical singer which we know today, madrigals are typically composed of several persons composed of four vocal parts – the soprano, alto, tenor and the pass. Soprano and alto are typically sung by women due to its high pitch while the tenor and bass are usually sung by men. A madrigal singer attempts to express strong emotion contained in a well composed line of which a celebrated sonnet makes a perfect fit. Madrigals can also be said as the highest form of music that typically appeals only to the cultivated and the learned due to the sophistication of its medium. It follows then that the words enunciated by a madrigal music must also be equal to its form and what better lines can be sung by a madrigal than the measured meter of a sonnet. Madrigals were traditionally sang for secular purposes but eventually evolved to also sing celebrated love sonnets of renaissance literature due to the loftiness of its words and purpose that equal to a praise. Its highly structured singing made love sonnets a perfect for the medium of a madrigal thus appealing to the sophisticated audience. Today however, madrigal has evolved further. It still sing love songs but no longer confine itself to the sonnets of renaissance literature albeit the sonnets of the renaissance literature set the bar of the lyrics that can be sang by

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Role of the RN in operation room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of the RN in operation room - Essay Example To provide effective care, it is necessary to have some experienced and qualified nurses be placed, as the role is critical and complex. Having an inexperienced non-qualified nurse at this position may yield complexities and inconvenience as only basic education in nursing may not provide the level of experience that role of a registered nurse demands. The paper presents the role of registered nurses in the operation of health care organizations. RN is a registered nurse who has successfully completed the educational requirements to attain the competencies required for certified practice in nursing. A patient going for a surgery does not expect to have some inexperienced medical practitioner and health professionals in operation room. On the other hand, surgeons also get distracted by any kind of action irreverent with the surgical process and it may implore a freaked reaction in safety of the patient. These situations occur when operation rooms allow registered nurses to take places of licensed practice nurses or anesthesiologist (Lingard et al, 2004, 330; Riley, Manias, 2006, 1541). Operation room, also referred as Surgical Suite is generally an area in the hospital where surgeries takes place. These are special areas equipped with delicate and expensive apparatuses to provide sufficient support to the medical practitioners to perform their surgeries. The surgeries may range from minor cuts and sewing to major gun shots, transplants and deliveries. Therefore, the team required in an OR must be experienced and competent enough to deliver all phases of care to the patients, handle complications and change of patients’ status and procedures (Sneddon et al, 2006, 255). Simple surgeries require three key personnel in an OR that are: a surgeon, an experienced registered nurse and an anesthesiologist. Additional support and staff are required on the basis of the type and severity level of surgery. The registered nurse tasks

Some Things to Laugh About Essay Example for Free

Some Things to Laugh About Essay After reading the three articles one cannot help but realize that laughter is a serious but comical subject worth debating on. All in all, these three documents unite in one concept: that laughter can be used as a tool for social interaction for acceptance and as reinforcement to achieve certain positive responses. According to Richard Penson, et.al., many people believe that laughter is one of the best medicines that can cure not only physical ailments but human relationships as well.    Although laughing does not always result to healing, many consider good sense of humor as a great way to put their problems in better perspectives which in turn helps in better handling of awkward or grave situations. Gregory Berns supports Penson’s claim that laughter is a popular tool that is being used to gain social acceptance even though it can also jeopardize human interactions with misuse and abuse such as when jokes are delivered to embarrass a person. Jaak Panksepp’s article about rats supports Berns’ and Penson’s idea that laughter can be used in social interactions to gain certain rewarding results because his observations showed that rats tend to chirp (their version of laughter) when they are faced with threatening situations against fellow rats.   Panksepp implicates that rats try to lighten an aggressive encounter with a fellow rodent with their own way of laughing. Although studies about laughter and humor have been done, many researchers find it difficult to pursue their studies because of the ambiguity of how laughter originates from humans.   The scientific world has previously assumed that only humans experience emotional highs like laughing but Panksepp’s research on rodents can pave the way to show that other mammals also have their own forms of laughter.   Knowing that rats can also use their form of laughter called â€Å"chirping† as a tool for social acceptance and alleviating threatening situations can be helpful because this means that more research and observations can be done using animals instead of people which tend to be tedious and yield inconsistent results due to many uncontrollable factors. Panksepp’s frequent use of side comments such as referring to his insight as â€Å"delusion† was funny and it showed how humor can really help lighten even heavy subject matters like his research. However, his study needs to be validated and followed up by other scientists because as he has pointed out, it seems that he is the only one who can tell when rats are chirping even under direct provocation.   Although it is Panksepp’s perception that the scientific community is not very open to suggestions that animals can feel emotions, to reach out to his colleagues in the field by not mentioning this setback can probably boost his research’s acceptance. Berns’ article about how laughter or sense of humor says that â€Å"any discussion of humor would be incomplete without at least the mention of sex† because humor can actually originate from man’s hedonic brain processes. Berns’ assumption makes one realize that even common things such as laughter can be subconsciously used to gain social acceptance or even sexual attraction. However, it would take more studies to strongly validate these findings because of many uncontrollable factors that need to be considered when experimenting with human behavior.   Some of these factors include the personal family history of the participants, personality type and their probable experiences with the subject such as the comic strip’s theme.   Finding humor in a joke or comic strip relies on subjective perception. Therefore, many repeated studies must be done to show that these responses are really common enough to be validated as true. Although doctors and other caregivers showed how laughter can be a great tool to lighten the mood or atmosphere in their morbid situations, this writer believes that it is insulting to the patients when these professionals wager on the success of their treatments. The matter of life and death rests on the hands of these professionals and although gambling on a successful surgical operation may help lighten the stress the activity imposes, it comes across as disheartening to patients who would rather that their doctors pay attention to the risks involved and not on their wagers. More study on how medical professionals can use sense of humor in a better way to cope with their stressful jobs is evident so that gallows humor can be alleviated. More studies on laughter and how it originates must be done to help the human race use this very powerful tool to the fullest. The medical world will benefit from it by helping doctors, patients, and caregivers avoid or alleviate depression. The political arena, wherein everything is a serious matter, may also benefit if people become trained to use laughter as a device in peace talks and negotiations instead of dangerous artillery. More studies on laughter can be one of the most serious contributions that scientists can do to make the world a happier place.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

An Overview Of Societal Marketing Marketing Essay

An Overview Of Societal Marketing Marketing Essay The notion of societal marketing implies that an organization exists not only to satisfy customer wants but also to preserve or enhance individuals and societys long-term best interests. (Lamb, 1997 Page 9). This concept holds that the organization should determine the needs, wants and interests of target markets and deliver the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that maintains or improves the customers and societys well-being.(Kotler, 2006, Page 22). According to Kotler (2006, p 15-16), the societal marketing concept represents the highest level of evolution in marketing philosophies. This philosophy evolved from earlier hierarchal philosophies of product, production, selling and marketing. Kotler (1972, 1977b, 2006) suggests that the societal marketing concept encapsulates a more enlightened marketing philosophy which attempts to harmonize the goals of business to the occasionally conflicting goals of society. The concept of societal marketing is based upon a vital proposition that wants of the consumers do not always concur with their or societys long-run interests. Therefore, marketers should place the importance on long-run consumer and societal well being (Kotler, 1977b). Consequently, the societal marketing concept endorses and justifies the social responsibility of business in the society and refutes Friedmans notorious statement that the social responsibility of business is to make a profit (Friedman, 1962). The concept of societal marketing was catalyzed by the consumerism movements of later half of 20th century (Winsor, 1999). For the first seven decades of the 20th century, marketing was purely considered a business activity and it was almost unimaginable that marketing could be regarded as anything but a business activity until late 60s. Lazer (1969, P3) sparked the foundation of a new marketing concept by stating that marketing must not only serve business but also the goals of the society and that the contribution of the marketing extends beyond the formal boundaries of the firm. He served the view that marketers cannot be forgetful of individuals and societal norms. This contribution of Lazer was subservient in flourishing the boundaries of marketing from the sole objective of profitability to include intrinsic values of concern for society and the development of people. The work of Kotler and Levy (1969a) led to the broadening of the whole concept of marketing. They asserted that marketing was a pervasive societal activity and suggested that there are great opportunities for marketing people to apply their skills to wide range of social activity. Besides, the wave of consumerism in later half of the 20th century had virtually nullified all the previous marketing concepts. Barksdale and Darden (1971) found out in a survey that a significant circle of scholars and managers believed that the rise in consumerism was an expression of the deficiency of the prevalent marketing concepts. This failure of the marketing concept then sparked the consumerism to became the basis for a revised marketing concept which Kotler (1972) propounded as the replacement to the failed marketing concepts. Therefore, the societal marketing concept was apparently founded upon the leftovers of its predecessors. This is how the concept of societal marketing evolved in the later half of 20th century and progressed into 21st century. In 21st century, most organizations are becoming progressively interested about handling societal issues in marketing to provide benefits to all the stakeholders in the society, including organization, customer as well as society (McAlister Ferrell, 2002; Waddell, 2002;) and there is an increasing trend towards the concept of societal marketing and green consumerism among marketing departments of various organizations (Prothero, 1990). Today customers do not merely choose a product based on product and quality, rather they are keener in brand power and companies that are concerned about society and environment have an impact in customer purchase decision (Fellman, 1999). Societal marketing has grown in popularity and usage within various aspects of society and specific social causes could benefit from societal marketing such as public health, pollution control, mass transit, private education, drug abuse. (Andreasen, 1995; Grier Byrant, 2005; Kotler Zaltman, 1971; Ling, Franklin, Lindsteadt, Gearon, 1992; Siegel Doner, 1998). Various industry surveys conducted over the years have shown positive influence of societal marketing on consumer perception and corporate image (Cone Inc., 2002; Cone Inc., 2008a; Cone Inc., 2008b; Jayne, 2001). It has been found out that given price and quality are same, 75% of consumers exhibit willingness to leave the brands currently under their use and choose to rather buy products from brands that support a charitable cause (Lorge, 1998). In another study, 80% of the consumers favored companies that endorse a charitable cause while 86% were of the view that they would rather switch and purchase a product that supports a cause given that price and quality were equal. Moreover, it has been stated that organizations adopting the societal marketing concept are likely to be more profitable in the long run apart from being beneficial to society as a whole (Abratt Sacks, 1988). Companies that support charity and show concern regarding social issues invoke a better image on the market resulting in a better repute and higher sales (Mason, 1993). Societal marketing offers tremendous opportunities for organizations as well as the society. Several studies indicate that there exist ample market segments that are ready to switch brands for the right cause at the right price. Besides this, there also exist segments that are prepared to switch brands without caring about price and quality. Therefore, it can be stated that corporate image related to promotion of public good and specific causes can wield strong effect on customer behavior (Barone, Miyazaki, Taylor, 2000; Bloom, Hoeffler, Keller, Meza, 2006; Hoek Gendall, 2008). Cause-related marketing is highly implicated in the concept of societal marketing in which organizations extend specific amount of contribution to a certain cause when customers undertake revenue generating exchanges that meet organizational as well as individual objectives (Andreasen, 1996). Therefore, it is reckoned as a variant of societal marketing concept (Kotler, 2000) and implies connecting companys product or service to a relevant social cause for the mutual benefit of the organization and society (Pringle Thompson, 1999). There have been various reported business cases indicating that societal marketing lead to remarkable increase in the revenues and position of organizations (Adkins, 1999; Balabanis, Hugh, Lyall, 1998; Kotler, 2000). Cause-related marketing implies emotional and rational involvement of consumers (Bloom et al., 2006) which renders societal marketing advantageous for the company (Andreasen, 1996; Kotler, 2000). Another concept closely related to the concept of societal marketing is that of corporate social responsibility which includes corporate social actions whose purpose is to satisfy social needs (Brà ¸nn Vrioni, 2001; Moir, 2001). Realizing corporate social responsibility and undertaking cause related marketing is a tool for increasing customer loyalty and building reputation (Brà ¸nn Vrioni, 2001). The change in corporate image attributed to cause-related marketing campaigns appears to depend a great deal on how customers perceive the reasons for companys involvement in cause related programs and the amount of help given to the cause through a companys involvement (Webb Mohr, 1998). The concept of societal marketing and corporate social responsibility is relatively new as discussed above. Existing literature on the subject and observations indicate that this concept is not a common practice in Pakistan and a number of firms have started using this approach only recently. It has been noted that the concept of social responsibility as exhibit in the West is clearly nascent in Pakistan (Ahmad, 2006; Lund-Thomsen, 2004). However, there are external pressures driving the acceptance of societal marketing values and practices in the country and therefore there is recent evidence of substantial corporate socially responsible activity in Pakistan both in the corporate sector. The concern for employee welfare, health, and the environment has been found for Pakistan (Ahmad, 2006). Some of the leading companies in Pakistan practicing societal marketing and corporate social responsibility are Fauji Group, English Biscuit Manufacturers, Barclays, Procter Gamble, Hinopak, ICI Pakistan, Indus Motor Company, Mobilink, PTC, Shell and TetraPak. Despite the enormous growth of societal marketing practices and related concepts across the world, empirical research is still scarce in this subject (Berger, Cunningham, Koziets, 1999), particularly in Pakistan. SIGNIFICANCE RATIONALE The rationale and justification behind this research is that although a significant body of knowledge on societal marketing and corporate image exists, there is very little research on the concept of societal marketing in Pakistan. There are various questions particularly concerning the influence of societal marketing on consumer perceptions of corporate image and their purchase intention and behavior in the context of Pakistan which needs to be investigated through empirical research. Having reviewed the relevant literature, it may be propounded that this is the first research study on the influence of societal marketing on consumer perception of corporate image in the context of Pakistan. Besides, there has been a gap in the literature regarding impact of societal marketing with respect to demography this study will also attempt to disclose the influence of societal marketing efforts on young consumers. Apart from contributions to the theory, this research study will attempt to make practical share to the knowledge of societal marketing for the practitioners of this concept. This research will provide empirical information to marketers so that they take informed decision while applying societal marketing to distinguish themselves from competitors. Organizations may apply the findings to run successful societal marketing campaigns. OBJECTIVES To inquire into the research problem, the specific objectives this study is designed to address are: To understand the extent and nature of societal marketing programs in Pakistan. To estimate the effectiveness of societal marketing campaign of an organization working in Pakistan. To develop a framework for finding impact of societal marketing on attitudes of young consumers regarding corporate image. To have better understanding of demographic factors (gender, age, education level) that influence consumer attitudes toward corporate image. Kotler, Philip; Brown, Linden; Adam Stewart and Armstrong, Gary (2001), Marketing Creating Value, Marketing, 5th Edition, Chapter 1. Prentice Hall Publisher. Brown and Dacin (1997) find evidence to support the contention that a firm regarded as socially responsible will have a more favourable corporate evaluation from customers. Fellman, M. (1999). Cause marketing takes a strategic turn. Marketing News 33(9), 4. , Joseph F. Hair, Carl McDaniel 0 Reviews Cengage Learning, 2007 Business Economics 671 pages Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th Edition By Philip Kotler, John T. Bowen, James C. Makens ISBN-10: 0-13-119378-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-13-119378-9 Published by Prentice Hall  ©Ã‚  2006 Pub. Date: Jun 29, 2008 Format: Cloth Lorge, S., Brewer, G. (1998). Is cause-related marketing worth it? Sales Marketing Management 150(6), 72. Cone Inc. (2004). 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study. Retrieved March 28, 2007 from www.mybizwarehouse.com/2ndbusiness/2004ConeCorporateCitizenshipStudy.pdf Kotler, Philip; Brown, Linden; Adam Stewart and Armstrong, Gary (2001), Marketing Creating Value, Marketing, 5th Edition, Chapter 1. Prentice Hall Publisher. Robert Winsor, Social Responsibility, Consumerism, and the Marketing Concept. Social responsibility, consumerism, and the marketing concept RD Winsor Southwestern Marketing Association, 1999 Ahmad, S. J. (2006). From principles to practice: Exploring corporate social responsibility in Pakistan. Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 24, 115-129. Lund-Thomsen, P. (2004). Towards a critical framework on corporate social and environ-mental responsibility in the South: The case of Pakistan Development, 47(3), 106-113.  · ^ William Lazer, Marketings Changing Social Relationships, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33 (January 1969), pp. 3-9  · ^ Philip Kotler and Sidney J. Levy, Broadening the Concept of Marketing, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33 (January 1969), pp. 10-15

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Colombia Essay -- essays research papers

Columbia is a country wrought with poverty, corruption, and violence. It has gained notoriety for its drug trafficking and the scandalous dealings by the military. Five percent of Columbia (1.9 million people, 1.1 million of them children) have been displaced due to the fighting in a four decade old civil war. Columbia will need some serious rearranging politically, socially, and overall to get back on their feet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Columbia is located in the very northern part of South America, it borders the Caribbean Sea between Panama and Venezuela, and it borders the North Pacific Ocean between Ecuador and Panama. The capital city is Bogota. The population, as of July 1999, was estimated to be 39,309,422. As of 1999, their birthrate was estimated at 24.45 per 1,000 people, and their death rate is estimated at 5.59 per 1,000 people. The life expectancy for males is 66.54 years, and for females it’s 74.54 years. Women live longer because we have to suffer more during everyday life. Columbia has a high literacy rate; (91.3% of those aged fifteen and above can read ad write, compared to the United States 97%).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Columbia government is very similar to ours; in fact the recently enacted criminal code was modeled after U.S. procedures. The original legal system was based on old Spanish law. The New criminal code was set up in 1992- 1993. Elections are open to be on voted by all citizens aged eighteen and above, and there is universal suf...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Are Zoos Unethical to Animals Essay

Recently, contentious debates have risen over the ethical dilemma that zoos pose regarding animals’ rights, freedoms and natural behavior. Many people consider zoos amoral and cruel while others have the notion that they are ethical because they help in research, conservation and proper treatment of wild animals. This sensitive topic has induced different reactions and sparked great debates as people strive to do the right thing. According to Tuyl (2008), Zoos are enclosed spaces and cages that abode animals. Hutchins and Keele (2006), argue that, zoos provide excellent conditions for wild animals, as they are liberated from their natural habitats, which are harsh and unforgiving. They argue that wild animals are better placed in the zoos because they are provided with free meals and a life that is free from parasites, and harsh weather and predators. However, there are various reasons that explain why zoos are unethical. This paper explains why zoos are unethical to animals. To confine wild animals in enclosed spaces, denies them freedom and the ability to develop their natural behaviors. In addition, zoos promote the transmission of zoonotic diseases (Tuyl, 2008). Therefore, concerning animal rights and freedoms, zoos are highly unethical and should be banned to endow wild animals with an opportunity to lead lives free from human interferences. It is amoral to keep animals in the zoos because they act as cages that retract the wild animals’ freedom. Various animal rights organizations advocate for the freedom of animals, a condition that is only attainable when they are in their natural habitats. Zoos act as prisons because of their small sizes and restraining the ability as compared to wild jungles, therefore, denying wild animals their freedom to roam and act naturally. It is unethical to keep wild animals locked up in a cage, especially in this era when people have realized that every living being should be allowed to have its freedom. All living beings are entitled to their rights. Wild animals have liberty to live in the jungles because that  is their natural habitat, which is a fundamental right. To take animals away from their usual environment and confine them in cages and enclosed spaces provided by the zoos is a complete violation of animal rights. This denies wild animals the chance to act naturally and engage in the relationships that nature intended for them. Wild animals are unable to lead quality lives when they are taken to the zoos (Jensen & Holmes, 2007). They infringe on animal rights due to restrictions, therefore, causing some wild animals such as elephants to develop depression because of detachment from their herds (Hutchins & Keele, 2006). Human beings should allow wild animals to live in their natural habitats, in the same m anner that no individual would love to be transferred from the comfort of their home and re-located into the jungle. People claiming that it is just to keep wild animals in the zoo have the notion that this action is purposeful for research and the conservation of endangered species. However, appropriate actions can be taken in the wild animals’ natural habitats, therefore, leading to better results. It is unethical for human beings to interfere with the lives of wild animals for research. It is inappropriate to transfer a wild animal from its habitat to study it. The results would be skewed because the animals’ natural behaviors would change with the changing environment. Human interference is also leading to the cause of animal extinction (Tuyl, 2008). Therefore, the appropriate and ethical action to take in the interest of extinction and research is to reduce human interference to obtain the best results regarding both issues. In conclusion, it is not ethical to keep wild animals in a zoo. As indicated in the paper, zoos interfere with the wild animals’ freedoms, rights and the ability to live naturally. Some people argue that zoos are helpful in animal conservation regarding endangered species, but it is also crucial to consider the main problem, which is human interference (Jensen & Holmes, 2007). Zoos are unethical to animals. References Hutchins, M., & Keele, M. (2006). Elephant importation from range countries: ethical and practical considerations for accredited zoos. Zoo Biology, 25(3), 219-233. Jensen, D., & Holmes, K. (2007). Thought to exist in the wild: awakening from the nightmare of zoos. Santa Cruz, CA: No Voice Unheard. Tuyl, C. (2008). Zoos and animal welfare. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Goblin Market/Symbolism

Symbols in this poem vary from the use of fruits, the moon, flowers, sisterhood, money and water. Firstly, even though, the title of the poem: Goblin Market seems self-explanatory, as we can instantly assume that this poem is about a fruit-market which is run by goblins this sounds like it's a poem which sounds like a fairy-tale/fantasy or maybe a story which focuses on little kids. Although, it is strongly argued against that this Is not a story aimed at kids as most of the sexy-stuff which appends In the poem Is Implied, rather than It being explicitly described.This is because most lines are almost ‘ludicrously-erotic' thereby It cannot be said that this Is suitable for It being aimed at young children/SLD. So we can Infer that this title Is very deceptive as there Is a lot more going on under the surface of the Image of a fruit-market. Furthermore. The title Is very deceptive to the readers as from the title we are only told that the poem is about a market but we aren't giv en much detail on hat type of market it is and what is being sold by the goblins.The underlining deception of this poem is that this poem is about the Victorian ‘marriage-market' which is a term referred to the underhand manipulations many men and women undergo in order to marry and move up the hierarchy in society. The symbolism of fruit in this poem is that it symbolizes the temptation which is openly displayed in society. Alternatively, it could also be said that it is a metaphor for sex and because it's being advertised everywhere it is being perceived as a product which can be ought.This refers back to the fruit being a huge temptation as the ;fruit' Is a given object used In the poem to describe people who have been tempted and given Into temptation. Rosettes states, In the poem In line 406-407: â€Å"Held her hands and squeezed their fruits, against her mouth to make her eat†. This is an intense imagery being portrayed in the poem as the Goblins have pinned Lassi e's hand and are now trying to force-feed her, the juice of the ‘fruit'.This thereby, can be argued that the rut' is not in fact the actual fruit but instead it is a figure of speech which is being used to describe the action of the intense image of violence and rape. Alternatively, the use of the flowers in the poem symbolizes the fragile purity of women who haven't been married yet and have not given into temptation of those goblin fruit. However, in reality it is known that flowers can be ‘plucked' so in a sense this can represent the loss of purity from those individuals. The loss of purity can therefore indicate that the women have given Into temptation of the goblin fruit.Evidence of this Is given In the poem as Rosettes states In line 150-151: â€Å"ate their fruits and wore their flowers, Plucked from bowers† the use of the word ‘bower' can have multiple meanings as it can either be read to be a shady part of a garden or it is also used for suggested the loss of virginity when it says that the flower' has been ‘plucked' from a ‘bower' Furthermore, this poem primarily focuses on female heroism and sisterhood as the main characters- Laura and Leslie- are both living in a fantasy parallel universe with a distinct lack of human contact with men.So thereby, we can read the poem by closely understanding the relationship and bond these 2 sisters have. Rosettes states in the poem â€Å"for there is no friend like a sister†, this quote represents sisterhood as it infers that Laura and Leslie will always be there for each other and also it was with the help of Leslie that Laura was able to live a normal life after she had still given into temptation. This was purely because of the fact that she was lucky enough to have a sister to redeem herself from being a similar tragedy like the character of Jeannie.

Trends in Maritime Transport and Port Development in the Context of World Trade

Trends in Maritime Transport and Port Development in the Context of World Trade Carlos M. Gallegos 1. Structural changes in international trade and the evolution of maritime transport have a direct impact on port growth and expansion. Therefore, these elements and their recent characteristics must be examined, since they provide the frame of reference in which port reform in Latin America and the Caribbean has been carried out. These factors also determine future port development. A. Globalization, production, trade, and ports 2.Globalization, or the expansion of markets and hence of the economic prospects of societies, is taking place not only because of the supra-national nature of markets, but also because of the flow of foreign investment and the strategies of multinational enterprises. These multinationals today account for two-thirds of global exports of goods and services and nearly 10% of domestic sales worldwide. 3. In this environment of increasing interdependence in the wo rld, the international division of labor is changing as a result of structural changes in trade and unprecedented mobility of international capital.However, while the integration of goods and services and capital is progressing at a rapid pace, integration of the labor market is much slower. In addition, ever more sophisticated technologies are being disseminated, in a framework of spectacular streamlining in communications and telecommunications. The development of information technology has, in turn, boosted productivity and, in many cases, worker income. In general, electronic transactions and communications technology have been the necessary complement to full internalization and globalization and their major impact on production and world trade. . In mid-1999, developing countries began to recover from the 1997-1998 financial crisis in Asia, which had a severe impact on countries in Latin America. This recovery was spurred on in particular by growth in domestic demand in the Un ited States and other developed countries, low interest rates, and the Asian recovery. As a result, overall growth in gross domestic product (GDP) rose 3% (similar to growth in the developed countries). Countries are now back on the road to growth they embarked upon in 1993 that was interrupted in 1998. The global economy is projected to grow 3. % in 2000 (but only 3% in the developed countries). 5. In 1999, Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the worst economic indicators of the decade, due primarily to downturns in the Argentine and Brazilian economies. The region went into a recession (a drop on average of 0. 6% in GDP). The region’s estimated growth rate for 2000 is nearly 4%, spurred on particularly by sustained growth in recent months in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. 6. The global economic recovery in the second half of 1999 was also reflected in the upturn in world trade. World commodity exports in 1999 were valued at US$5. 6 billion — up 3. 5 % from the previous year when a negative rate of 1. 6% was posted. Export volume also grew, however at a similar rate to the previous year’s growth of 4. 5%; and for the third consecutive year, the average price of commodities fell (excluding oil). 7. World trade in services rose 2% in 1999, after last year’s sluggishness, with exported services valued at US$1. 3 billion, and there was a moderate rise in the international price of those services. 8. The regions of the world and the individual countries responded with quite varied demand and growth in their product in 1999.The situation in Latin America and the Caribbean was rather unique. 9. With the 1999 recession, the volume of Latin American and Caribbean imports fell 2% on average. However, performance in the region varied greatly by country. Imports rose 15% in Mexico, but fell 12% in the rest of the region. Similarly, the region’s exports grew 7% in 1999, but in Mexico the figure was almost double (13. 7%) . We should recall that almost 90% of Mexico’s exports (85% of which are manufactured goods) are to the US market, compared to 30% of exports from the rest of Latin America (40% of which are manufactured goods). 0. Intra-regional trade was also affected and fell considerably. The MERCOSUR countries experienced a downturn of 25% and the countries in the Andean Community, 28%. 11. Regarding the importation of services, the slowdown that began in 1998 persisted, and in 1999 there was a 9% drop on average (a 9% increase in Mexico, but a 13% drop in the remaining countries). 12. The outlook for the volume of world trade in 2000 is better; it is expected to rise 6. 5%, which is higher than the average increase in world production.Trade indicators are expected to improve in Latin America and the Caribbean, because of higher oil prices, increased investment in the region, better commodity prices and, especially, a major recovery in exports in general. 13. Foreign trade has gained ext raordinary strength and importance in the development strategies for the Latin American and Caribbean economies. Its expansion and growth is the engine of their economic growth. This is expected to continue, and what’s more the export structure is expected to be geared towards manufactured goods with high value added.Since nearly 90% of trade in this region is shipped by sea, port development is of the utmost important. B. Characteristics of maritime transport 14. Below are some of the characteristics of maritime trade traffic for containers, liquid and dry bulk cargo, and tourism (US$3. 5 billion). 15. Despite the changing, adverse conditions in production and world trade mentioned above, transport of maritime trade continued to grow in 1999, but only by 1. 3% — a slower rate than in previous years (2. 2% in 1998 and 4. 1% in 1997). This was the lowest level recorded since 1987.The volume of world trade transported on the seas was over 5. 1 billion tons, a similar fig ure to the previous year. Growth estimates for 2000 are roughly 4%, similar to 1997. 16. Containers. Use of containers has been on the rise since their introduction in 1956, and this market has the best growth outlook in the sector. As a result, high-capacity ships have been built; today more than 60 have a capacity over 5,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Container traffic was an estimated 190 million TEUs in 1999; of that amount the Port of Singapore moved 15. million TEUs. Studies forecast 6% annual growth in container traffic through 2005, as a result of continued expansion of the use of containers by the shipping industry in developing countries; increased trade in manufactured goods and products with a higher value added; the trend towards globalization by multinational manufacturers; and growth of megaships and the resulting rise in feeder and ferry traffic. 17. Liquid cargo. A total of 2. 159 million tons of liquid cargo was loaded in 1999, with an annual rate of change o f less than 1. 3%.Oil continues to be the main component, accounting for nearly 70% (roughly 1. 5 billion tons annually), followed by liquid gas and petrochemicals. Double-hull 300,000 ton supertankers are used the most to transport crude oil between its main axes, i. e. Asia, the United States, and Europe. 18. Dry bulk cargo. Maritime transport of trade in dry bulk cargo includes most notably: iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite/aluminium oxide, and phosphates. In 1999, together they represented 1. 233 million tons with an annual rate of change of 2. 8%; 70,000-ton bulk carriers are also important in this type of traffic.Many shipping companies build panamax ships to measure with cranes to load and unload bulk cargo, which reduces transport costs. Bulk cargo is still the largest segment of maritime transport, representing almost one fourth of total freight loaded annually. 19. Tourism. The cruise ship industry had grown and received massive investments in recent years. It is estimated t hat over 7 million persons will take a cruise this year, a similar figure to last year, and the American market is the main consumer. Recently, high-tonnage ships have been built, such as the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, at 130,000 tons with he capacity to hold 3,115 passengers, inaugurated last November, and the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas, which has the same characteristics and began service in October 2000. Regionally, the recipient markets are most notably the Caribbean and the new market in the Southern Cone. Ports are competing to attract these passenger ships and face the challenge of having the appropriate port infrastructure in place, as well as the complementary service facilities that passengers require, such as taxis, buses, guides, and shopping centers. This is certainly a growing market in every respect, but a very competitive, capital-intensive one.C. The shipping industry: characteristics and prospects 20. The main shipping lines in the world, such a s Maersk Sealand, Evergreen, P&O Nedlloyd, Hanjin, Cosco, and many others serve the most complex, profitable routes in the world, including some in Latin America and the Caribbean. 21. The 25 most powerful shipping lines control almost 60% of container transport capacity in world trade. In addition to growing concentration of container activity in the hands of the largest, most powerful shipping lines, there is an unrelenting process of consolidation and the forging of alliances among the main shipping lines.In other words, they are growing larger every day, but have also decided to work together. The two most powerful alliances that were recently renewed are the Great Alliance (among NYK, Hapag Lloyd of Germany, the Anglo-Dutch company P&O Nedlloyd, Orient Overseas Container Lines (OOCL) of China, and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)) and the New World Alliance (among Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) of Japan, APL/Neptuno Orient Lines (NOL) of Malaysia, and Hundai Merchant Marine (HM M) of Korea) which have focused primarily on reorganizing the main trade routes.The sphere of action of these alliances is broader, involving a global strategy and ground services. This raises questions about the ability of certain container port terminals to survive and particularly about whether or not the conditions for perfect competition are present in these markets. 22. Another characteristic of this industry is the production and servicing of mega container vessels. The number and size of postpanamax container vessels will continue to grow, which will increase the transport of containers, reduce stops in the main routes, and therefore increase the services of feeder ships.Ship capacity will continue to rise, and ports will have to adjust to their size. In 1999, over 120 postpanamax ships were operating. Maersk has ships that can transport nearly 7,000 TEUs (K and S classes) and 8,000-TEU ships are due out soon. Germanischer Lloyd is planning to operate a mega container ship o f 15,000 TEUs by 2010, when the volume of container trade is expected to be double the current figure (roughly 200 million TEUs). The ship would cover the East-West route and feed ships of 4,000 and 5,000 TEUs.This would reduce the number of port movements, but requires ports with enormous capacity. 23. Changes in container terminal operators. With the expansion of the container industry, the structure and organization of terminal operations have changed. Today there are three categories of container terminal operators: (i) port authorities that have decided to become directly involved in handling containers, such as the public ports of Singapore and the Virginia Port Authority or the private ports of Felixtowe or Freeport.However, this category has been on the decline with the emergence of port corporations; (ii) private port terminal operating companies involved in a process of concentration, including stevedoring. The 15 main operators have expanded their activities outside of th eir ports of origin, associating themselves with large stevedoring groups (e. g. PSA Corporation, Hutchinson, ECT, P&O Ports, and SSA); and (iii) the shipping lines that have decided to control and manage their own container terminals. This decision was made for two main reasons.The first was for strategic reasons, because these global transporters are involved in hub and transshipment ports and therefore need to control their operations, including docking priority and guaranteed availability of equipment for use. The second was to reduce costs, i. e. for savings, based on economies of scale and better control of terminal expenses. 24. The provision of port-to-port logistical services. As shipping lines (e. g. Maersk Logistics, Evergreen American Corporation) participate in ogistical service solutions, they absorb them or forge associations with these intermodal service providers to ensure consistent, regular service, meeting the client’s demands through the port-to-port supp ly chain. This range of logistical services, which includes the consolidation of containers, documentation services, and storage and distribution, will continue to expand and improve every day and will have a greater impact on reducing costs and enhancing efficiency. 25. Information and communications technology and electronic commerce.Port services will step up their use of computerized systems and information technology, such as the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system and the Internet. The increase in transport capacity will require immediate data on the exact location and status of cargo, as well as on all logistical and institutional aspects of port operations. In light of these requirements, all port and shipping industry sectors will continue to invest in new systems and channels of communication.The industry will be moving towards a paperless world in which all types of information are handled electronically. 26. Use of the Internet for electronic commerce is also import ant. That industry has shown impressive growth of 68% in the last year. This mode of commerce is affecting how the transport industry does business, and theories abound regarding its impact on the maritime port industry. Internet commerce was one of the topics discussed at the WTO negotiations, and the issue of taxes on e-commerce is still under study. 27.These characteristics and trends in the shipping industry are the result of the development of the world economy and globalization, resulting in demand for new standards of efficiency for maritime transport and creating new challenges for the world’s ports. D. Economic reforms and trade challenges for ports in the region 28. Macroeconomic reforms. The region has undertaken a series of macroeconomic reforms that prioritize export promotion, putting aside import substitution, which has been considered detrimental since the 1970s. 29.Important tariff reforms have been adopted that include marked drops in tariffs on finished pro ducts, and even lower levels for inputs for exportation; the adoption of fewer tariff tiers, with a single flat tariff; and the establishment of a positive, effective protection mechanism. This promotes the generation of value added, instead of punishing it. In terms of exchange rates, the various fixed exchange rates were eliminated, which were arbitrary and ignored market criteria. Real exchange rates govern currency exchange today.Tax reform has also been tackled, but not with the necessary vigor. Domestic taxes on income, assets, use, or value added are now contributing more to national public treasuries, replacing taxes on foreign trade as the main source of revenue. There is still a long road ahead for tax reform in most countries. Attracting foreign capital is another important element on the list of reforms that have sped up the growth of our economies, by helping external resources to complement low domestic savings and finance projects in new productive sectors.State refor ms complete the picture; they are an effort to redirect state leadership in the economic development process, where the state goes from being a major player, monopolist, and executor of economic activity to playing the role of a regulatory, control body that works with the private sector. State reforms also include the privatization of public agencies (ports have been in the forefront here) and other public institutions, such as customs. 30. Almost all governments in the region have made a major effort to move forward with economic liberalization, trade opening, and export promotion, allowing for major growth in the 1990s.Nonetheless the imbalance in wealth distribution, the inability of large segments of the population to overcome extreme poverty, and the still weak reforms of institutions and some branches of government are disturbing, destabilizing elements that are reflected in the serious economic malaise that many countries in the region are experiencing today. 31. FTAA 2005. The heads of government of the Hemisphere agreed at the Summits of Miami (1994) and Santiago (1998) to promote the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), in order to form a broad market stretching from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego that would be the largest international consumer arket, with 800 million inhabitants. Negotiations on customs rebates are geared towards complying with this date, and this mechanism is expected to substantially increase inter-American trade, thus intensifying the flow of hemispheric port traffic. 32. European Union. The policy of strengthening trade relations, particularly between South America and Europe, has been gaining major momentum; for example, trade negotiations with MERCOSUR are being promoted. Other plans, such as the free trade agreement between Mexico and Europe, confirm the trend towards increased trade between these two regions in the medium term. 33.Subregional integration systems. Another factor that has accelerated the flow of trade is the existence of several subregional integration systems, such as the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), MERCOSUR, the Central American Common Market (CACM), or the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). They must speed up subregional trade, but must also support the formation of the FTAA and facilitate the standardization of different trade policies. All of this will translate into increased movement in maritime and hemispheric port traffic. It is noteworthy that, at the Andean level, over 50% of commodities were shipped by sea in 1999. 4. Strengthening international trade negotiations. The World Trade Organization (WTO) tried unsuccessfully to promote a new round of trade negotiations at its Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle in November 1999. The proposed work program for the next five years consisted in negotiations on liberalizing trade in agricultural products, services, food security, electronic commerce, and other topics. Even though the differences of the developing and developed countries could not be bridged, important progress was made, indicating that a new round could be launched soon.The developed and developing countries also gave clear signs of their intent to continue with a policy of trade opening and economic liberalization, and there are no signs of a rebirth of protectionism. These indicators strengthen the foundation for the future growth and expansion of world trade. 35. Customs facilitating trade. Similarly, the World Customs Organization (WCO) is making progress in technical areas that facilitate trade, which favors the expansion of world trade in the short and medium terms.Significant progress has been made towards adopting revised standards on the origin of traded goods; the new and revised version of the Convention on Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (â€Å"Kyoto Convention†); standards for applying the Code to assess the value of goods in customs according to transaction value criteria; the ongoing amendments under the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System; and the application of new information and communications technology.All these customs instruments are essential complements for facilitating and expanding trade in our countries. E. Port actions for port development 36. Port reforms. The port sector in the region has exhibited change, but in different ways and to different degrees in each country. Generally speaking, the sector has been regulated and national port policies set, which in many cases had been absent. State monopolies in port operation and administration have been revised, by either totally or partially decentralizing port activity to local governments and/or granting the private sector concessions.Labor constraints have been overcome, and port authorities have therefore been playing a different role. This new environment is reflected in the revision of port tariffs, seeking to develop a more efficient, more flexible port system that is swifter, safer, and cheaper. The experts attending this event will more clearly and objectively illustrate how port systems operate in different countries in the Hemisphere. 37.I would like to reaffirm that, port reforms must be sped up for greater port efficiency and competitiveness, particularly in countries that have not yet done so, regardless of the ownership model the governments decide to adopt, since international trade will not wait, and the countries’ growth and development can not be put off because of undefined policy. Delaying this reform will only result in higher social costs in the medium term. While it is important to define a port system — be it public, private, or a combination of the two — it is essential to have the means and facilities or achieving levels of efficiency to be able to adapt to the requirements of world trade and compete successfully. Landlord ports are the most common arrangements in the region. That is where port authorities cease to serve as p ort operator, provide the necessary infrastructure, and grant concessions to the private sector to operate complementary services and terminals. Generally, in this situation, the central government grants financing to the sector, such as direct subsidies and credit guarantees. In general, this model promotes higher-quality service delivery. 38.The impact of ports on promoting national economic development. This is another consideration that I would like to reiterate, with a few examples of what is being done in other developing countries that have made progress in port reform. These countries have concessionaires and private terminal operators and have been adversely affected by the various financial crises. Their development strategy also depends heavily on exports. However, strategic development plans and specific recommendations are in place to strengthen the role of the port sector to ensure significant recovery of the national economy.They include: (i) operators reviewing their operating costs to eliminate unnecessary expenditures; (ii) enhancing the efficiency and productivity of port operations, particularly by shortening the time needed for container movement by crane or using more cranes for ships with higher cargo volume and employing information and communications technology in daily operations, bearing in mind the growing volume of cargo being moved and the corresponding volume of communications that must be executed; (iii) conducting more aggressive marketing campaigns to raise the volume of cargo sent directly from the country’s ports to its final destination; (iv) implementing infrastructure projects aimed at raising port capacity in the medium term; (v) conducting equipment and port facility maintenance campaigns to continue to ensure efficient operations; and (vi) continually revising the role of port authorities to cover changes in the market. In light of these reforms, their role is focused on planning and regulating port activity, fa cilitating the transport chain, controlling and supervising the activities of private enterprises by developing information systems, and promoting and working with the port community and foreign and international institutions. 39.Take into account trends and developments in the maritime industry and port operators in order to adjust port development strategies to the world challenges of this century. (i) Global port operators will continue to expand to new geographic areas and will maximize the use of technology to create worldwide port networks that can offer consistent levels of services and modes of operation. More alliances will be forged among port terminal operators to promote economies of scale and use of global capacity. (ii) Since capital investments will be high, only the most powerful enterprises with significant financial resources will remain in these alliances. iii) Port facilities will acquire new and better standards and advanced technology in order to serve mega shi ps. (iv) Container storage capacity must be improved through new systems and new facility designs. (v) There will be significant investment in communications and information technology for a world run electronically. 40. Finally, partnership for development. This mechanism will be crucial for the future of regional port activity, given the urgent need for information exchanges for decision-making in port operations on shipping companies and port operators, as well as on producing projects to be implemented jointly and meeting market requirements in general. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation must increase.The Organization of American States (OAS) has an Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) which serves as a forum for dialogue for the governments of all countries in the Americas and the port authorities, but also for port operators, shipping lines, and commercial, industrial, financial, academic, and scientific entities. Use of this mechanism is an effective, low-cost option f or strengthening hemispheric cooperation among ports in the Americas and contributing to their development. Port forums, such as those offered by the Andean Committee of Water Transport Authorities (CAATA) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), among others, work along the same lines for cooperation and to achieve port efficiency, which our government authorities must use to the fullest. 41. Conclusion. Ladies and gentlemen, my goal has been to provide you with up-to-date information on the ever-changing world of ports.What we are seeing in the world’s ports today we could never have envisioned 25 years ago, like 8,000-TEU megaships or ports with great capacity to move containers, such as the Port of Hong Kong with 16. 2 million TEUs per year. However, we often consider 25-year blocks in long-term investments in the maritime port industry. Changes in the industry in the next quarter of a century will be even more dizzying and spectacular, and our ports will have to ad apt. 42. In this globalized world and in our corner of the world where 90% of our trade goes through ports, it is the responsibility of the governments, operators, shipping companies, service providers, and workers to work together to support the development of both our ports and our economies. Let’s forge an efficient, competitive inter-American alliance for the future of our ports! CIP00106E