Introduction to Christology

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Theo 530: Systematic Theology II Lesson 1 Dr. Daniel R Mitchell, Professor Introduction to Christology Contemporary Issues in Christological Method Overview Christ and History The Search Christology from Above vs. from Below The Person or Work of Christ, Which is Prior? Christ and Myth I. Introduction to this Study A. Relation to other Theological Study 1 Theology Proper (above) 2 Man and Sin (below) Three Issues Addressed Here 1 Faith and History/Reason 2 Ontology vs. Function 3 Myth and the Nature of the Biblical Witness II. Search for the Historical Jesus Key Players: Strauss, Renan, Harnack Harnack’s Presuppositions NT and Superstitious Culture Ancient Miracle Claims are Commonplace Anti-supernaturalism Miracle Claims are Rooted in Ignorance Harnack and the Essential Message of Jesus The Kingdom of God and its Coming God the Father and the infinite value of the human soul The higher Righteousness and the Commandment of Love III. Critique of the Classic Liberal Position A. Schweitzer, Search of the Historical Jesus Jesus in the NT is thoroughly Eschatological. It is Presumptuous for Moderns to try to Reinvent Him. Jesus was â€Å"wrong,† but his essential message is not lost on the NT reader. Kahler 1 Distinguished Historie and Geschichte 2 Contrasted â€Å"Jesus† of Historie and the â€Å"Christ† of Geschichte. IV. Above or Below? 1 Kahler’s Distinction led to the question: Which is prior—Historie or Geschichte? 2 The Neo-Orthodox Theologians such as Barth, Bultmann, and Brunner begin with the Kerygma—from Above (the NT w itness). 3 Kasemann (â€Å"New Search†) and Pannenberg begin with Historie (probable facts)—from Below. 4 Erickson wants to use both in dynamic tension. 1 Following Augustine he begins with faith (from above) 2 He proceeds â€Å"from below† to test the reliability of his faith-given â€Å"hypothesis. V. The Person vs. the Work of Christ The NT seems to Link these 1. (e. g. Messianic Mission and Divine Sonship) Classic Theology Separated them and Stressed Ontology (the Person) Reformers (Luther/Calvin) followed Classic theology, but emphasized the Soteriological significance (Work) of Christ. Modern Theology Continued and Exaggerated this Distinction and Emphasis. Schleiermacher— â€Å"feelings† Bultmann/Tillich—â€Å"existential† question VI. Pros and Cons of the Two Approaches Christology from Above Strength—Emphasizes â€Å"Who† Christ is in evaluating the significance of His Work. Weakness—Tends to become bogged down in philosophical questions, which have no relevance to practical life. Christology from Below Strength—Relevance to Life Weakness—Driven by â€Å"felt needs† and Risks blindness to Issues of Importance that are only secured â€Å"from above. † VII. Christ and the Incarnation Myth Bultmann and â€Å"demythologization. † Builds on the philosophy of Idealism Links Christianity and World Religions Erickson’s Responses The Incarnation is a Mystery The Doctrine is Rooted in Jesus’ own Claims of Himself. The NT teaching is entirely unique to the World’s Religions.

Eating Disorders: Disease or Choice

This desire for perfection is one of the main causes of eating disorders for both men and women around the world. While there are many different organizations and reatment establishments, the aid required in overcoming an eating disorder is very expensive. Many insurance companies deny coverage for the treatment of eating disorders because they view it as a choice, because the treatment is too costly, as well as the uncertainty of the treatment for each individual patient.The standards for qualifying as having an eating disorder are very high; it is very difficult to qualify for covered treatment. The government needs to rectify this by providing more health coverage for people with eating disorders, because with the growing impact of the edia, the death rate from eating disorders will only increase. The worldwide role model for generations of women, Barbie, does not fall short of perfection. Although, what many girls do not know, are the horrors of what a real, life-size Barbie woul d be like. Dr.Margo Maine, in her book, Body Wars, reveals the truth behind a human Barbie: â€Å"If Barbie were an actual woman, she would be 5'9†³ tall, have a 39†³ bust, an 18†³ waist, 33†³ hips and a size 3 shoe† (â€Å"Barbies† 1). While these characteristics might sound appealing to some women, this â€Å"perfect† frame would cause a woman many roblems (â€Å"Barbies 1). With these proportions, Barbie would not likely menstruate and would need to walk on all fours as if she were a household pet (â€Å"Barbies 1). The doll's head, hands and feet are also not to scale (â€Å"Barbies† 1).Seeing someone, such as Barbie as perfection is a true example of a distorted body image. The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine refers to body image as â€Å"a person's mental opinion or description of his or her own physical appearance† (Davidson 690). A falsified body image, the fear of becoming overweight, the refusal to eat foods, and/or bi nge eating ollowed by purging through vomiting, heavy exercise or the use of laxatives are all symptoms that characterize the worldwide epidemic of eating disorders (Prescott 104).Although eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, only 1 in 20 people with eating disorders receive treatment (Kulkarni 1). The lack of federal and state laws encourages the low incidence of treatment (Kulkarni 1). The Federal Mental Health Parity Law only requires health insurance plans (that already offer mental health coverage) to provide the same level of benefits for mental llnesses as for other physical illnesses and diseases (Kulkarni 1). This law does not accept that these insurance plans must provide mental health coverage (Kulkarni 1).The law also allows states to determine which mental illnesses they will provide coverage for (Kulkarni 1). While some states, such as Arkansas, have laws providing coverage for all mental illnesses, some states limit the coverage to à ¢â‚¬Å"serious mental illnesses† or a specific list of â€Å"biologically based† mental illnesses, such as Iowa (Kulkarni 1). These categories have been used by states and insurance companies to estrict or exclude individuals, including those suffering from eating disorders, from receiving life-saving treatment (Kulkarni 1).

Assisted Suicide Mercy Or Murder Essay Research

Assisted Suicide: Mercy Or Murder? Essay, Research Paper Assisted Suicide: Mercy or Murder? It is good recognized that there are ethical, moral and legal differentiations between assisted self-destruction and mercy killing. Like abortion or racism, mercy killing is a hot issue that is long debated. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. There are many factors driving the assisted self-destruction argument. Should people be free to make up ones mind for themselves if they wish to decease? Does the patient have the right to do that determination for himself? In Oregon, mercy killing has been accepted morally and lawfully. Western Torahs have by and large # 8220 ; considered the act of assisting person to decease a signifier of homicide topic to legal countenances. Medical moralss have been stuck in the center of this het argument, as physician assisted self-destruction is incompatible with the doctors function as a therapist. For physicians, # 8220 ; the lone option to allowing the patient to decease is to coerce intervention on them. # 8221 ; Euthanasia is non a simple or individual issue, but really involves four distinguishable state of affairss: voluntary active mercy killing, nonvoluntary active mercy killing, voluntary passive mercy killing, and nonvoluntary inactive mercy killing. This paper will concentrate on voluntary active mercy killing, peculiarly assisted self-destruction. I think the job with aided self-destruction is that many people are unnecessarily losing their lives, hence assisted self-destruction should be illegal.For the intent of treatment, it is critical to specify footings. Euthanasia # 8220 ; besides mercy killing # 8221 ; , is the # 8220 ; pattern of stoping life so as to let go of and single from incurable disease or unbearable suffering. # 8221 ; Assisted suicide # 8220 ; the proviso of aid ( medicine, kiping pills, deadly injection, etc ) with the purpose that the patient will utilize these agents to perpetrate suicide # 8221 ; , this can be done by a doctor, household member , or some other individual. Many terminally sick patients, who encourage assisted self-destruction, experience that the right to take aided self-destruction should be based on freedom of pick, such as the right to acquire married or have an abortion. Every individual does merit the right to do picks for themselves. # 8220 ; Peoples have an involvement in doing of import determinations about their lives in conformity with their ain construct of how they want their lives to go. # 8221 ; Possibly if the attention of these patients becomes more efficient, the patients would non experience like such a load to society. The patients could perchance hold less subjective believing about self-destruction. Some terminally ill besides feel that when they are faced with decease they want to be involved in the determination of how their decease will come approximately. The argument of this peculiar issue is will the patient be able to do a rational determination, will their province of head ( f or illustration, are they depressed ) let them to do a clear opinion. Is the deceasing individual able to warrant their petition for decease? It is hard to happen grounds to find if the patient is being rational or irrational. I do non believe that agony is good in itself. The terminally ailment should be spared hurting every bit far as possible. This includes the power of drugs. Much more can be done, and should be done to extinguish the hurting of those who are deceasing. Given these considerations it is urged that aided self-destruction is unneeded. At the nucleus of this issue, What does the Bible state? If slaying and self-destruction were incorrect, would help suicide be incorrect? The first commandment # 8220 ; Thou shalt non kill # 8221 ; is the most basic of God-orientated commandments. Before building a hierarchy of human value, we must see, what is God # 8217 ; s sentiment? In his eyes, are people # 8217 ; s lives, no affair how short or hard is life worth populating? Principles that are of import in this statement are value of human life , death, pain and pain relief, and compassion and mercy. Though we are not directly told God’s view of the whole issue, it is obvious that any form of euthanasia is condemned in the Bible. It comes down to the value of human life, and as a Creator and Sovereign, God alone has the ultimate prerogative of giving and taking human life. The worth of each human being is determined by its intrinsic God-given nature, the fact that it is created by him and in his image. Unfortunately today, we live in a somewhat secular society. Not everyone believes in God, therefore if you do not believe in God, this argument is irrelevant. With this in mind, remember that death is still a universal experience of mankind. To me every person is an image and likeness of God, entrusted by God with the gift of life, and sustained into being by the action of God. In view of these principles we have examined regarding God’s sovereignty over life and death, however, the relief of pain could never justify actively taking a human life. Assisted suicide is wrong because it infringes on clear biblical principles. Life is a valuable gift that has been bestowed on all living creatures we must respect it and be thankful. To think that we should be able to write the script of our whole life is to deny God’s commandment: â€Å"I am the Lord your God.† In birth and in death we follow the Lord. To follow the crucified Lord means give us trustfully into God’s hands. After all God freely accepted a death that he did not choose, and he showed us the path to life. It is important to recognize that if pain is controlled, as it can be in virtually all cases, very few terminally ill people ask to be put to death. The patients benefit by having a shorter pain-free life rather than a longer, even more painful life. â€Å"The greater good for the patient is relief of pain, and the lesser evil is loss of life† , â€Å"a person has worth in and of itself and is not mer ely a means to an overall balance of others goods over evils in the person’s life.† To me a request for assisted suicide is a cry for help, a call for assistance to positive alternatives as solutions for very real problems. Modern medicine has the ability to control pain, and should be used to help ease the pain of a dying patient. Helping a patient kill themselves is to claim that we are a law unto ourselves, and that every possible choice is good as long as we choose it. It is to consecrate â€Å"choice† and to make it God. There are some life decisions that are not ours to make. A wise man once told me, life is not always fair, and what appears to be fairer is not always right, therefore one should protect the soul. That includes living the life that God has chosen for us, and accepting our natural death. While it is not for me to judge, if it were my life I would feel obligated to with these factors, even if they were somewhat pragmatic, in my decision. We mu st not simply act on our subjective feelings of what seems to be merciful and what does not. It is important to be objective, after all we are dealing with people’s lives. References†Euthanasia† Microsoft ? Encarta ? 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation.†Euthanasia, Voluntary† Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 1996 Robert Young La Trobe University.†Voluntary Active Euthanasia† D. Brock. Hastings Center Report 22. No. 2(1993) pg.10-22.†A Right to Choose Death?† F. M. Kamm. Boston Review. 1993-1998.†Causing Death or allowing to die? Develops in the Law† Pamela R. Ferguson. University of Dundee Scotland. 1997 pg. 368-372.†A Rational Approach to Rational Suicide† Joseph Richman, Ph.D, Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, Vol 22, 1992. The American Association of Suicidology.†The Holy Bible†By Tanya L. Vissia

Benjamin Franklin and his contribution to US Essay

Benjamin Franklin and his contribution to US - Essay Example He is favourably considered by many historians as a person who valued personal freedom and fought to see the wishes of the people prevail. This paper is dedicated to the analysis of the contributions of Benjamin Franklin to the country he played a role in founding. Fire was very a dangerous threat to Philadelphians therefore Benjamin Franklin created the Union Fire Company in 1736 to remedy the situation. The company became one of the first volunteer firefighting companies in the United States of America. In 1752, Benjamin created the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance against Loss by Fire to help those who often suffered irreversible economic loss because of fire damages (Brands 83). Those who had insurance policies were lucky because they could not be wiped out financially by fire damages. In London Benjamin opposed the Stamp Act but failed to prevent its passage. Consequently, he made a political miscalculation by recommending a friend of his to the post of stamp distributor for Pennsylvania. This act annoyed the Pennsylvanians and they threatened to destroy his home in Philadelphia because they believed he had been supporting the measure that they were against all along. However, Benjamin soon realized the extent to which the colonies were resistant to the Stamp Act and gave a testimony before the House of Commons that led to its repeal as noted by Brands (56). In his testimony he said that the Americans would not pay taxes if the Stamp Act was adopted. This made Benjamin the leading American spokesman for American interests in England. He wrote famous essays on behalf of the colonies and was appointed by as an agent of many other colonies to the crown. In 1773, Benjamin wrote two essays that were his most celebrated pro American satirical writings. His essays were An Edict by the King of Prussia and Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One (Houston 312). After the return of Benjamin to Pennsylvania, in 1963, the western frontier

6TH AMENDMENT REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

6TH AMENDMENT REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT - Essay Example Understanding and observation of the guarantees & rights in this amendment is important to operations in law enforcement at all levels of the criminal justice system. Speedy trial as a right of the accused person is very important in safeguarding against unnecessary and unjustifiable incarcerations pending trial. It removes anxiety as well as public concern and limits the possibilities of prolonged delays interfering with the defendants’ capacity to defend their cases; delays can result into loss of key witnesses due to deaths or other factors or blur the witnesses’ memories. The society is also interested in seeing trials speeded and this could sometimes be against the wishes of accused persons. This is because jailed individuals as well as their families receive support at the expense of the public, those free in the society could engage in other criminal activities or bargain for sentences which are not just as per society expectations and delays may hinder deterrence & rehabilitation which are crucial goals of punishment. Speedy trial is a fundamental liberty in both the Bill of Rights and the constitution of America and applies to states through the 14th Amendment. Activation is only possible when the prosecution of a crime has commenced and only applies to the accused individual. It starts to apply right from the time and point of arresting a suspect and statutes of limitation guard against possibility of prejudice due to delays. The courts have condemned malpractices by states in cases where states preferred charges on already incarcerated individuals in prison facilities with different jurisdiction for conviction on different charges. An example is the case of the United States vs. Henry in which the state was found to violate the defendant’s right to have counsel assistance. States should thus respect the accused persons’ right to a speedy trial, request prison facilities for custody of the individuals in order to constitute

Classical American Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Classical American Literature - Essay Example Taking advantage of the portrayal of Whitman's amorous love aching to a steam engine Lawrence resembles him to a lifeless, cruel mechanical device with no feelings. Referring to "Song of myself" where Whitman's openness to everything is given Lawrence appears judgmental. He resembles him to a mush, rather than a self; a mix of flesh and blood, a confused personality rather than a clear-minded person whose death has sucked individuality out of him. Lawrence contents Whitman could not talk of sympathy since he could not get out of his personality to feel any other feeling or sensation. Emulating the situation of one's position Lawrence would merely act as if he lived the sensation. Caught up in his own view of the world, the Oneness, Whitman thought he knew sympathy. On his poems Democracy, En Masse, One Identity, where Whitman again refers to allness as everything being part of a unit and the unit being everything, it is again assumed that everything is part of the unit without having understood the uniqueness of each part or what is this part of the unit. Whitman assumes everyone and everything to be member of this unit and as his self is also part of it then everything is part of him.

ESTELLE v. GAMBLE, 429 U.S. 97 (1976) Annotated Bibliography

ESTELLE v. GAMBLE, 429 U.S. 97 (1976) - Annotated Bibliography Example After a few days of treatment Gamble was reinstated to his normal duties but still complained of pains. He was sent to administrative segregation under the care of another doctor. He was taken to the prisons’ discipline committee for scrutiny and admonished to work but declined with complaints of intense back pain. While in confinement, Gamble asked for a chance to meet the doctor for further treatment but the prison but was denied the opportunity by a prison warded. This left him with no option but to continue suffering the pains. Gamble sued W.J. Estelle who acted as the Junior Director in the Department of Correction, H.H. Husbands who was a prison warden and Dr Gray Ralph, a medical practitioner in the Texas Department of Corrections. In the presentation, Gamble claimed infringement of his right to fair treatment envisioned in the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution by the triple when he was subjected to inhuman punishment leading to his back injuries. The court had to determine if the prisoner was subjected to deliberate indifference treatment by the prison officials. The court also had to determine whether the complainant received any medical attention after the injury as per the requirement of the law. In addition, the court had to determine if the complainant had access to a health professional within or after the timeline when he placed his request. Furthermore, the court had to find out whether the patient was relieved of his duties immediately after reporting the injury and during treatment. The most fundamental issue was to determine if at any case the prison officials violated the cruel and unusual treatment clause of section 42 of the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution. Since the plaintiff, Gamble had been subjected to harsh and severe treatment while in prison, the legal principle most applicable is the Eighth Amendment protection

Research into impro system and human resource organizer system Dissertation

Research into impro system and human resource organizer system - Dissertation Example One of the changes that are to be expected from installation of the IMPRO system to the mobile works organization is an increase in performance, which shall be brought about by the renewed element of management. This allows the organization to gain control over the employees as well as data and the maintenance of customer relations, thus the efficacy of the system. The works hit sectors when it comes to the use of technology is the SME industry, largely due to limited finances. The industry is a huge paper pusher and as a result drags along in productivity due to limitations in management (Mitchel, 2008, p. 281). The effect of lagging denies the industry the opportunities associated with better performances especially relating to customer organization relations. Background An information system (IS) is a set of interconnected components working together to process collect, store, retrieve, and distribute information in order to facilitate the analysis, planning, control, decision-mak ing and coordination in companies and other organizations (Burnham, 2001, p. 192). A shift towards the IT sector, IS integration, is the SME industry is hindered by the low productivity levels associated with the organisations and the nonexistence of competitive advantages between the [players in the sector. This compared to the larger organizations in business is a challenge to efficiency and efficacy of the business models. However, the largest backdrop to the lack of a proper IT system with the SMEs is the financial constraints that are involved in business start up, which often culminate to starting the business without the IT frontier. Technological improvement exhibits the necessity of intertwining the business models with IS technology, since communication plays a huge role in the success of the sector as it is a requirement to pass down or on information from one terminal to another. The IS technology offers the business model the advantage of unlimited geographic coverage w hich facilitates globalization of the industry as management of the business sector can be achieved under the channels provided by the IS technology. Specific to the increased communication is the networks, which allows sharing of data within or with other companies. The Intranet technologies are one of the inventions in this field where communication between terminals is enabled by the use of IP (Internet Protocols) in data sharing, and the computerized and operational activities of the company that are a necessitate to the organization. Networks are also responsible for initiating ecommerce. The online intranets as well as the internet has enabled the business operant the advantage of being able to conduct business through the networks via data sharing and collaborations between the consumers and the producers, which proves effective in the field. The websites are mere instruments, which are used in conveyance of the

Stalking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stalking - Research Paper Example Any violence the victim relates, past or present, should be taken seriously. Stalkers will only become more violent if violence is already present. Damaged property should be taken seriously only after violence. The pattern of stalking can be very important in predicting future attacks. Any stalker information can help create a profile. This profile can put the stalkers in one of five categories. Davis (2005) reports the five categories as: 5. The predator. This is about sex gratification, control, and violence. The stalker doesnt necessarily know the victim. The victim may not know she is being stalked. But a predator plans their attack, rehearses it, has lots of sexual fantasies about it. The intake form above creates an evaluation as unique as the assessment. This type of form will need to be assessed and evaluated based on the answers. Since the answers are going to vary, the evaluations will also vary. If the assessment above finds violence, property destruction, and the characteristics of the predator or intimacy-seeking stalker, these should be given priority. These stalkers will not go away or stop. If there is no violence, property destruction, and the characteristics of a resentful stalker, these should be given less priority. However, every stalker has the potential to be violent. Each case should be studied individually. In conclusion, it should be noted that not every stalker will be stopped. Some cases will end up in fatalities, casualties, and other harm done. Some cases will be solved and the behavior stopped. There is no assessment and evaluation miracle. Not all behavior can be predicted. The above intake, assessment, and evaluation should be used as tool. It should never be used to convict a stalker. It should only predict

Orion Nebula Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Orion Nebula - Research Paper Example It was the first nebula to be photographed (1880), by Henry Draper in the United States† (Encyclop?dia Britannica, 2013). Orion is amongst the simplest to be found patters of star in the sky on the evenings of the winter season. The feature that defines Orion is a three stars’ row that constitutes Orion’s belt. The bright reddish star called as Betelgeuse is located above the belt. The bluish star called as Rigel exists just underneath the belt. A dimmer stars’ sword hangs straight from this belt. The ancient astronomers were impressed to observe a splotch of blood upon the stars’ sword, that can be seen with the naked eye in the dark; that is Orion Nebula. Although Orion Nebula can be seen with the naked eye, it was not until 1610 that its actual nebulous nature was identified. â€Å"As a vast and active star-forming region of bright dust and gas located a mere 1,500 light-years distant, the various stars within the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) has g iven astronomers invaluable benchmarks for research on many aspects of star formation† (Major, 2012). Orion Nebula appears as a web of dark dust and glowing gas when observed with the help of a large telescope or when its processed images are seen. â€Å"As a region of gas and dust coalesced under its combined gravity, stars began to burst into life and lit up the rest of the cloud resulting in the bright and colourful swirls of gas and dust that you can easily see through binoculars and telescopes† (Active Astronomy, n.d.). Inside the Orion Nebula forms the adolescent stars’ energy. Trapezium is the conglomerate of four bright stars that exist in its center. Observations made with the help of telescope have led to the conclusion that 11 stars exist inside the central group whereas the number of immediately neighboring stars is more than 2000 (Fraknoi, 2007). These surrounding stars are very small in age; their age is less than one million years which is why they can be considered as babies according to the astronomical standards. Nebula gains its glow from the energy provided by one of the stars, that is known as Theta-1C Orionis. Theta-IC Orionis can make up to 40 stars like Sun. The glow it contains is equal to the brightness of 210,000 Suns. The width of nebula is around 30 light years. A certain number of infant stars can be seen throughout the nebula. Disks of darker material surround the infant stars. These disks make a planet system that is similar to the system of planets that surrounds the Sun. â€Å"Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed over 150 such "getting-ready-to-make-planets" disks, an indication that the birth of stars is frequently accompanied by the birth of planets† (Fraknoi, 2007). The Orion Nebula entirely extends over the sky’s one degree region. It consists of numerous associations of stars, neutral clouds of dust and gas, reflection nebulae, and ionized gas volumes. Orion Nebula i s a constituent of a larger nebula called as the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex that includes Barnard’s Loop, Flame Nebula, M43, Horsehead Nebula, and M78 and extends all across Orion’s constellation. The heat-intensive process of star formation inside the Orion Nebula makes it prominent in the infrared. The roughly spherical cloud formed by the nebula that reaches its peak in the density close to the core. The temperature of the cloud ranges up to 10,000 K that

Importance of Xylem and Phloem Tissues Essay Example for Free

Importance of Xylem and Phloem Tissues Essay The primary xylem and primary phloem tissues are pushed inward into the] pith and outwards respectively by the continuous production of secondary tissues cut I off by the cambium ring. The primary xylem is gradually pushed inward and is found at the centre of the axis; whereas, the primary phloem, being soft in nature, gets completely crushed. These activities in the stelar region exert a great pressure outwardly. The cortex cells, the pericycle and the epidermis divide anticlinally to cope with the production of tissues in the stelar region. Formation of annual ring or growth ring The activity of the cambium ring is under the control of series of physiological and environmental factors. For example, in spring the cambium becomes more active and forms a greater number of vessels with wider cavities. In winter, the temperature is low due to which the cambium also becomes less active and forms narrow pitted vessels, tracheids and wood fibers. The xylem (wood) formed during the spring is known as spring wood or early wood and which is formed in winter is called autumn wood or late wood. The spring wood is lighter in color and exhibits low density where as the autumn (or winter) wood is darker and has higher density. These two kinds of wood appear together, in a transverse section of the stem, as a concentric ring known as the annual ring or growth ring. Successive annual rings are formed year after year by the activity of the cambium. Each annual ring corresponds to one years growth. Thus one can estimate the age of plant to some degree of accuracy by counting the total number of annual rings. Annual rings are readily seen with naked eye in the logs of a tree trunk. Heart-wood and sap-wood: In old trees, the greater part of the secondary wood is filled up with tannins resins, gums, essential oils, etc. , which make it hard and durable. It looks dark or brown. This region is known as heart-wood. The heart wood gives mechanical support to the stem. The outer region of the secondary wood is of lighter color and is known as sap-wood or alburnum. It helps in conduction of water and mineral salts from the root to the leaf. (B) Secondary growth in extra-stelar region Secondary growth in the extra stellar region occurs to cope with the addition of tissues in the stellar region. It occurs in the cortex and helps in the formation of periderm. It occurs by the formation and activities of a secondary meristem called cork cambium or phellogen. Origin and activity of the cork-cambium or phellogen Due to the addition of secondary phloem and secondary xylem elements, the outermost layer of the cortex becomes highly stretched and may crack open. During this process a few layers of meristematic tissue arise in the cortex. This is called the cork cambium or phellogen. The nature of cambium is secondary. Commonly it arises in the outer layers of the cortex i. . hypodermis. It may also arise in the epidermis itself, or in the inner layers of the cortex, or even in the pericycle. The cork combium consists of narrow, thin-walled and roughly rectangular cells. It is of few layers in thickness. The cork cambium cuts of cells on both the sides and secondary cortex on the inner. The cells of the secondary cortex are parenchymatous in nature and often contain chloroplast. Cork The new cells cut off by the cork-cambium on its outer side are rough rectangular and soon become suberized. They form the cork of the plant. Cork cells are dead, suberized, thick-walled and brown in color. They are arranged in radial rows being suberized, cork is impervious to air and water. Functions of Crock (i)It acts as a waterproof covering to the stem (ii) It also protects the plant] against the attacks of parasitic fungi, (iii) Cork cells, being dead and empty, containing air only, are bad conductors of heat. This being so, a sudden variation in outside] temperature does not affect the internal tissues of the plant; (IV) Cork is also made use of by the plant for the healing of wounds. The bottle cork is obtained from the cork] cells of Quercus suber. ) Bark In restricted sense, all the dead tissues lying outside the active cork cambium constitute the bark of the plant. It, therefore, includes the epidermis, the lenticels and cork, and sometimes also hypodermis and a portion of the cortex depending on the position of the cork-cambium. Thus the deeper the origin of the cork-cambium, the thicker would be the bark. The term bark in a wider since is used to describe all tissues outside the vascular cambium of the stem. Phellem, phelloderm and phellogen layers are collectively called periderm. Thus periderm is a protective multilayered structure of secondary origin. On the basis of function, two types of barks are distinguished- ring barks and scale bark. When the cork cambium appears in the form of a complete ring the bark that is formed comes away in a sheet; such a bark is known as the ring bark as in Betula. When the cork-combium appears in strips the resulting bark comes away in the form of scales; such a bark is known as the scale bark as in (guava) Psidium. Function of bark The bark protects the inner tissues (i) against the attack of fungi and insects (ii) against loss of water by evaporation and (iii) against variation of external temperature. Lenticels These are small aerating pores formed in the bark of stems through which gaseous exchange takes place. Externally they appear as scars or raised portions on the surface of stems. Lenticels are first formed below the stomata. A section through one of the scars shows that the lenticels consists of a loose mass of small thin walled cells called complementary cells or filling tissue.

Tata Nano Cars In The New Zealand Market Marketing Essay

Tata Nano Cars In The New Zealand Market Marketing Essay Globalisation is the trend which has an impact on countries, organisations and peoples. Global markets help organisations to do their business on a worldwide scale (Bradley, 2005). This report is divided into five sections. In section first it describe about the chosen Indian automobile company which is Tata motors and the chosen product which is Tata Nano car. It also discussed the rate in which the car is sold and who are target customer and where product is marketed. In section second it describe marketing situation about the car. Further, it presents a review of the product and explaining its features as to why the car has to be launched in New Zealand which is the target country. Moreover, pricing strategy is mention which is followed by the promotion techniques. In section third it consists of objectives of it and in section fourth implementation of the marketing strategy is done by analyzing the present marking and giving ideas to market the car. Finally, in section fifth futu re research about the product is carried out. 1. Overview about the company Tata Nano is the cheapest motor-car in the world. It is traded in domestic nation, India for about Rs 1 Lakh (Guardian, 2010). It is constructed by Tata motor limited, the biggest vehicle industry in India. Its chairperson, Mr. Ratan Tata envisions that Tata Nano to turn out to be a peoples car which is cheap for everyone (Tata, 2010). Tata Nano was started in India on 1st April 2009 and anticipated in Indian marketplace by July 2009(Tata, 2010). While launching, it has made an enormous buzz among the Indians. By the initial of launching, it has encountered by 5500 registrations for the car (Tata, 2010). Since from launching, the production of the car is still growing high. Target market and customer If 4 wheels cost as small as two wheels, that would quickly alter among the people. Last year about seven million scooters and motorcycles were traded in India, generally among 30,000 INR to 70,000 INR, about 936 NZD to 2185 NZD (Times of India, 2010). Tata is aiming a cost of 100,000 INR as a single of 100 thousand, by Indian conditions of evaluation or about 3122 NZD at present to replace the rates, for that motor-car. Its impossible that which is affordable in the west however persists three times upper than Indias yearly per capita money. The medium wage for industry employees at Tata motors is just $5500 per annum (Gupta, 2009). There are three kinds of model available of Tata Nano car that are Tata Nano, Tata Nano cx and Tata Nano lx (Tata, 2010). In most of the countries the Tata Nano car is introduced. Here the target place is New Zealand marketplace. So, due to warm climate in New Zealand, exclusive Tata Nano cx shall be launched in New Zealand. The retailing cost of Tata Nano cx in New Zealand will be NZD 5746.90 as a whole. With this price, the focus of the marketplace is wide for the company as the average income of the people is NZD 838.70 per month (New Zealand Income Survey, 2009). So, the company can target the people who need their own transportation facility and desire to have luxurious in a very low cost. 2. Situational Analysis 2.1 Product review à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There are three variants in the Tata Nano stage: Tata Nano, Tata Nano cx and Tata Nano lx (Tata, 2010) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Exclusively the Tata Nano cx variant could be prefaced in the New Zealands marketplace for the initial phase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Tata Nano lx shall prefaced in the New Zealands marketplace since the subsequent years the motor-car has attained its base expense by minimizing costs on needless luxuries, the fundamental Nano car approaches unless frontage and back fog glows, unless a heater or ambience disciplining, unless anti-lock brakes, single windscreen wiper, manually functioned windows, guidebook steering with nothing ambience purses, small 12 wheels, plastic body portions added with paste besides of more traditional metal and welding and a two cylinder 623 cc locomotive that renders a big highest speed of 65 mph (approximately 105 km/h) (Dhingra,2009). 2.2 Stylish and comfortable The peoples car, planned with a component of mind, has a spacious passenger compartment with benevolent leg gap and head room. It can be contentedly placed by 4 members. 4 doors with elevated seating places create ingress and egress. Length with a distance of 3.1 meters, breadth of 1.5 meters and an altitude of 1.6 meters, with sufficient land clearance, it can effortlessly access on busy roads in metropolises as fine as in countryside fields(Infibeam, 2010). Its mono-mass plan, with wheels at the corners and the power train at the back, facilitates it to unique aggregate of the couple space and the ability of movement that shall group a standard between little cars. 2.3 Fuel-efficient engine The peoples car has a back-wheel drive, all aluminum, two-cylinder, 523 cc, 33 PHS, multi point fuel infusion petrol locomotive (Infibeam, 2010). This is the initial occasion that a two-cylinder gas locomotive is being applied in a car with a one balancer ray. The lean plan strategy has availed to minimize the load that aids to maximize the activity as a whole expended and renders elevated fuel accuracy. Activity is ascertained by particularly planned electronic locomotive administration. 2.4 Environment-friendly The peoples car tailpipe releases the activity beyond the restrictive necessities. In conditions of total pollutants, it has a less pollution than the two-wheelers being constructed in New Zealand nowadays. The elevated accuracy also assures that the motor-car has less carbon dioxide emissions, thereby offering the twin advantages of a cheap transportation solution with a less carbon footprint (Guardian, 2010) 3. Financial Analysis 3.1 Pricing strategies The cost expense is an approximated USD 2,420 that involves importing revenue, responsibilities excise, trades revenue, shipment costs and gathering cost. The retailing expense for the New Zealand marketplace is comprehensive of principle supplements; however omit road revenue (NZD 29.40), listing payments (NZD 62.90), number plate (NZD 21.00) and possession endorsing payment (NZD 21.00), trades revenue (NZD 574.70) that numbered to NZD 134.20(New Zealand Govt., 2010). The on-the-road expense shall be NZD 6624.80.those issues replicate a strategy for accepting a portion from found competitors, such as peroduas paradigm of kancil and viva (Farris, et al 2009). 3.2 Setting the price selecting price objectives Tata Nano New Zealand has a group of three aims in its attempt to place itself in the New Zealand moving marketplace. The aims are: survival, highest current incomes and highest market income. Survival Strong contest from New Zealands latter motor-car producer, perodua for a portion of the moving marketplace chapter for the under 1,000 cc sort shall spur Tata Nano New Zealand to assure that the motor-car expense conceals the variable costs and certain determined costs. In this example, existence is a concise word goal as in the lengthy execution, Tata Nano New Zealand shall append rate such as joined security characteristics to the Nano stage (Omar, 2009). Highest current incomes Tata Nano New Zealand has a group of expense that shall enlarge the present earnings, currency run and continues on asset, later than accepting into assumption the requirement and costs committed. As this sort of little overseas cars chapter has not been absolutely tested by other producers, hence the requirement is alternatively hard to approximate however Tata Nano New Zealand is self-assured of a better acknowledgement that towards the entrance in the New Zealand markets (Times of India, 2010). Highest market income For the New Zealand marketplace, Tata Nano shall execute the marketplace-diffusion pricing that is to group a low expense for a recent motor-car in sequence to lure a huge number of customers and a huge marketplace portion. This shall be finished by accomplishing the elevated trades and their outcomes in low costs, admitting the industry to reduce its expense. The base-expense entrance shall render New Zealand customers with a feasible option to perodua -New Zealand latter federal motor-car. More relaxation is anticipated as New Zealand implements the Asian independent sale domain contract that commits the New Zealand regime to reduce the overseas motor-car taxes (Michael, 2009). 3.3 Total sales estimation The expenditure choice of 100 thousand INR is absolutely moving to create a numerous people that transit to four-wheeler fold and that will burst the requirement (Tata, 2010). The fundamental cause was the certainty that the aim of the expenditure will modify the four wheeler sector. It was chosen to group the organisation with 500 thousands car per year capability and increase upward in levels, with expand of small car in marketplace requirement (Fill, 2006). 4. Advertising and promotion 4.1 Promotion strategies The actual missions are to boost the Tata Nano in New Zealand and to expand the trades periodically. Tata Nano is very recent for New Zealand, they sense new with their recent trademark and procedure of this motor-car. Thus the goal for promotion plan is their objective to build trademark consciousness and procedure/information of this recent motor-car Tata Nano. This is the cheapest motor-car in the world and explodes into the global marketplace in the concise occasion. However this is the recent trademark for the New Zealand, thus it performs the announcement and manages the occasion or operation in adequate information to constitute the better trademark approaches (Gillespie et al, 2007). Trademark consciousness is essential to render the establishment for trademark fairness. The target to build, preference, certainty, and buy a Tata Nano motor-car it can perform the evaluation with other cars that are very expensive. However, company shall convince the consumer that the company will provide a trial to drive the Tata Nano for before purchasing it and will also render its guarantee for Tata Nano (Shah, 2008). 4.2 Promotion tag line Tata Nano peoples car Why we constitute this label line? This is to create that all the New Zealand people to memorize that Tata Nano is for the people. Tata Nano is for security and it can migrate universally by Tata Nano name with the peculiar entertaining for the people, however it just want to wage all of this at lesser expense -pay fewer and obtain more. Along that the people can enjoy their globe size and cost expenditure (Cadbury, 2008). 4.3 Online advertisement Initially, the launching of Tata Nano in New Zealand will be done by online announcement. The company will develop a website for intercommunication with their customer. In the website, the company will upload photos and videos of the car and will ask for the feedback from the customer. These help people to get latest news about Tata Nano and gap for common acknowledgement. More than that, blogs have turned out to be an essential outlet that is routinely updated by online diaries. Blogs is bestowing collectively by people with general interests. They differ in broad and can impact enormous listeners due to numerous web clients to study blogs. The company can constitute the web blogs network and cautiously supervising to determine out what is on peoples mind. This is a cheapest and better manner to construct trademark consciousness (Schmidt Hollensen, 2006). 4.4 Television advertisement Television announcement is very costly however this is the most effectual to carry out the Tata Nano to the common people by showing Tata Nano properties and persuasively explaining their equivalent customer advantages. By lesser announcing spending plan, the company cant perform the TV announcement in altogether day (Srivastava, 2008) thus it can select the occasion time (7pm 11pm) for the announcement. 4.5 Radio advertisement Most of the New Zealand people hear to the radio day-to-day. Presently they have numerous services suchlike as mp3, hand phone and so on, is expedience for the people to hear the radio anytime at anyplace; this is an affordable and pervasive average for manufacturers to build the trademark consciousness by often hearing the announcement and the trademark identity. Benefits of the radio announcement are versatility, fast acknowledge and also more effectual media for reaching teens (Mooij, 2003). 4.6 Newspaper advertisement Along with the radio, most of the New Zealand people also read the newspaper daily. Thus this is better way for marketing the product (Alexander, n.d). Due to it company can obtain wide adoption and better reputation among the local people and it is cheaper also. 5. Objectives The objective of company is to fast-grow and accomplishing the aims for three years of the markets. First year goal is to accomplish 25,000 units of trades acquiring the market and to obtain the highest percentage. Second year goal is to accomplish 10% for expanding in periodical establishment (NZD 20381.00). Third year goal is to accomplish major people using Tata Nano by the end of 2014. 6. Implementation 6.1 Business and marketing analysis Tata motors limited is Indias biggest vehicle industry, with incomes of Rs. 35651.48 crores (used 8.8 million) in 2007-08(Brokersreport, 2008). It is the organizer in marketable automobiles in every chapter, and between the peak three in passenger automobiles with succeeding commodities in the constriction, midsize motor-car and usefulness vehicle sectors. The industry is the worlds 4th biggest truck producer, and the worlds latter biggest motorbus producer (Guardian, 2010). In March 2008, Tata motors adopted Fords UK depend motor-car brands Jaguar and Land rover (BBC news, 2008). As per the Ratan naval Tata (chairperson of Tata team), the requirement for the creation which is similar to Nano that has obtained to perform somewhat for the people of India and for their traveling, unavailability and bad feature of long travel is a general difficulty in India. So with this, Tata Nano is made as a safer mode of travel (Tata, 2010). The following will be key strengths and weakness within the company and describes the opportunities and threats facing Tata Nano. 6.2 SWOT Analysis Strengths The internationalization strategy thus distant has been to retain native directors in recent gains, and to exclusive transplant a pair of superior directors from India into the recent marketplace. The advantage is that Tata has capability to replace the expertness. The industry has a prospering federation with Italian bulk manufacturer fiat since 2006(Marketingteacher, 2010). This has improved the merchandise portfolio for Tata and fiat in conditions of generation and information change. For instance, the fiat polio elegance is started by Tata in 2007, and the parties have a contract to construct a select-upward that was aimed at middle and South America (Yoginvora, 2009). Weaknesses The industrys passenger motor-car commodities depends on 3rd and 4th production platforms, which places Tata motors limited at a demerit with opposing motor-car producers. It is frequently not recognized that in English the term tat implies garbage (Marketingteacher, 2010). Opportunities In the summer of 2008 Tata motors proclaimed that it have profitably purchased the Land Rover and Jaguar brands from fords motor (Marketingteacher, 2010). Two of the worlds comfort motor-car trademark have been joined to its portfolio of brands, and shall undoubtedly to the industry. The opportunity to marketplace automobiles in the comfort sector Tata motors limited adopted Daewoo motors marketable vehicle trade in 2004 for approximately used $160 lakhs (Marketingteacher, 2010). Nano is the cheapest motor-car in the world selling more than a motorbike. The recent and emerging industrial countries suchlike India, South Korea and china shall have a thirst for low-cost passenger and marketable automobiles. The stage of wonderful Milo fuel proficient buses is powered by wonderful-proficient, eco-friendly engines. The motorbus has optional biological grab with booster aid and best ambience intakes that shall decrease fuel expenditure by 10% (Marketingteacher, 2010). Threats Other opposing motor-car producers have been in the automobile industry for more than 40-50 years (Marketingteacher, 2010). Hence the Tata motors have to grasp in conditions of feature and lean generation. Sustainability and environmentalism would imply additional costs for this base-cost manufacturer. This would influence its underpinning spirited benefits. Apparently, as Tata globalizes and buys other brands this difficulty would be improved (Doole Lowe, 2005). Since the industry has concentrated on the marketable and little vehicle sectors, it has to explicit to the contest from abroad parties for the emerging Indian comfort sectors. Recently, in Pune city Mercedes Benz has decided to build 5000 car per year (Marketingteacher, 2010). Other participants of growing comfort cars aimed at the Indian marketplace that contains ford, Honda and Toyota. Growing companies in the international financial system which would pose a danger to Tata motors limited on a pair of faces. The rise in the cost of steel and aluminum is putting force on the costs of generation. The Tatas commodities which run on diesel fuel are turning very expensive for internationally and for inside its conventional domestic marketplace (Yoginvora, 2009). 6.3 Product strategies The product strategy that shall be accommodated direct product elongation that is trading the motor-car in an additional overseas marketplace unless some alteration was made. This is due to the products growth and its cost, constructing alters, or recent promotions (Bhanot, 2008). The Tata Nano cx, consisting of all the characteristics explained in the previous product study division, shall be traded with 3 yr guarantee or 100,000km guarantee, either approaches the initial stage. The company shall preface the Tata Nano lx since the subsequent annum, later than we have found our Tata trademark. The trademark and logo shall be showed on the motor-car as fine as in all trading sectors. 6.4 Branding Brands analyze the resource or producer of a product and permit the customers Persons or organisations which will allocate its problems for its activity to a specific producer. Marketing is endowing with commodities and facilities with the influence of a trademark. Its all about making dissimilarities among commodities. For marking plans to be prospering and trademark rate should be made, customers should be satisfied and there are significant dissimilarities between brands in the product or sustainable sort. In Tata nanos example, the marketing strategy is applied to the companies identity merged with single product names. This companys identity legitimizes and the identity individualizes the recent product (McDonald, 2007). 6.5 Marketing analysis Launching code is very essential for placing that the role of planning Tata Nano and picture to employ in New Zealand in the minds of the targeted marketplace. Launching code is also a single for the promotion plans to construct consciousness, via launching at common midpoint Tata motor shall preface the Tata Nano to marketplace. The company focus on trading operation that shall take position at all the IPTA and IPTS that can manage the convocation, by offering merchandise show and sign; and the people can have the knowledge with Tata Nano by rendering the chances to drive Tata Nano in the campus (Doore Lowe, 2005). For this operation, the title is better outlook with Tata Nano. In their processing existence however they cannot provide to purchase the too costly motor-car; multinational young people just want the motor-car that is under their financial system and by it in concise period for about 2-3 years for their adolescent existence in New Zealand. This is the cheapest cost by o ccasion or operation in the campus (Baden, 2008). Thus it can focus on lesser money team with module particularly these are arrived from New Zealand or India. By the e-mail, telephone, fax, email to intercommunicate with them. Low on historical, more of the Malay or India shall purchase the motor-car in some reasonable cost. Raya with Tata Nano can be the topic for our operation at this era, and boost the Tata Nano as the cheapest and security (Cadbury, 2008). After the arrival of Nano, New Zealand will have the mega trades due to the recent annum in the stop of the annum at altogether New Zealand thus that they have numerous people and shall move for purchasing. The company can manage the occasion at purchasing in midpoints. In New Zealand such as klcc, mid-valley, betrayal and sungai wang by offering merchandise show and sign (Bradley, 2005). Very soon most of the employees in New Zealand shall obtain the incentive in this era thus for buying influence will expand. The company shall perform the road display at each state (altogether New Zealand). The company can used the road display at the midpoint of the market such as the entire marketplace at all the state. Numerous people come to the marketplace for purchasing vegetable and essential entities. Among, them most of are ladies or housewife. Certain of them move to markets by motorcycle or by motorbus. So, they are aim trades for the company (Cadbury, 2008). The company can boost Tata Nano to it such as, Tata Nano is the cheapest motor-car in the world, obtain the Tata Nano to be latter motor-car for their module person particularly for their kids or senior root, simple existence with Tata Nano. Housewife or mother can move to market or anyplace by Tata Nano best than motorcycle or by motorbus for their total day-to-day issue more efficiently. When, the ladies obtain this news, they pass on others very instantly. This will support the company in boosting Tata Nano efficiently in the native com munity. At the road display, people also can obtain the knowledge regarding Tata Nano by having the chances to drive the Tata Nano motor-car. 7. Future Research To be successful, Tata Nano would be required to spend a handful of time in researching its target market. Firstly, it would be required to indentify what information is needed about its target audience, secondly, it is required to collect the essential data and finally to analyse the information which in return would help Tata Nano with its decision making. It is agreed that it is a matter of indentifying and understanding the customers choices, thoughts and behaviors which would play a large part in successfully launching its new product. Using the data collected, Tata Nano would be able to adjust or mould its product to make it most suitable for the customers experience. For the most effective approach, Tata Nano would be required to take a methodological approach to market research including qualitative and quantitative research. A qualitative approach could include the interviews of target consumers to see what opinions on the product are, this is normally done on a small scale to give a detailed response. A Quantitative approach would include random sampling of the target audience in the form of surveys or questionnaires. A mix of both forms of research should give them the information and knowledge to penetrate the market with their new product.

Mental Health Policy Thesis Statement Social Work Essay

Mental Health Policy Thesis Statement Social Work Essay An abusive, compelling and dominating behavior in a dating relationship among the teenage youngsters is termed as dating violence. Students susceptible to dating violence suffer greatly in terms of their academic performance, social and extra-curricular activities. They may show poor results and isolate themselves from colleagues and friends. They may show lack of interest in extra-curricular activities. All these activities are results of poor mental health. Such students have a profound effect on their psyche due to being exposed to some kind of in-home violence in their childhood. They exhibit anger management disorders and have a history of aggressive or fighting attitude. An even greater consequence of dating violence may be suicides (Maryland School Mental Health Alliance). Background There may be several categories in dating violence like sexual, emotional, psychological or electronic. Physical violence may involve pushing, beating or grabbing ones partner. Psychological violence comprises of controlling behaviors like preventing him or her to involve with other people while electronic violence is the name-calling or bullying through texting. A latest survey has revealed that psychological and physical abuse is a common aspect of dating among the American youngsters. Among 1400 seventh grade students being interviewed by the researchers showed that about 37% of 11-14 year olds had been susceptible to some type of psychological violence while almost one sixth had experienced physical violence during an on-going relationship. About three-fourth of students had a boyfriend or a girlfriend during their middle school. The survey provided a number of conditions related to dating violence. Among the students being surveyed, there was a large number who believed that it is fine to hit ones girlfriend. A moderate number of them had undergone sexual harassment through physical or verbal means by touching in a wrong way or by joking (Dating Violence Common by 7th Grade). However, teenage dating violence is not restricted to westernized and industrialized countries. A study carried out on international level revealed that dating violence extended among males and females was high in all the countries under study. Dating violence was studied through a number of variables like assaulting a partner, depression, injury and sexual coercion. The behavioral acts that were reported in the study were hitting partner, pulling his/her arm or hair, using weapons to harm, burning him/her on purpose, forcing him/her on doing sex when he/she does not intend to do so etc. The rate of physical assault was higher in Asia, while it was significantly lower in New Zealand and Australia while victims of sexual coercion were greater in Canada and the United States (Chang et al.) Significance of Mental Health Mental health is a state of efficient performance of brain contributing to productive activities, healthy relationships with people and adaptability to changes and dealing with challenges in a better way. Mental disorders are considered to be health conditions that are attributed by mood swings related to stress or decreased functioning of brain. Mental disorders may lead to diverse complication which includes pain, disability or death. Mental illness is a broader term encompassing all the identifiable mental disorders. Mental disorders are a major contributor towards disability. The disease burden because of mental illness is the greatest among all diseases. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has reported that approximately 13 million American adults suffer from serious deliberating mental illnesses. Mental disorders contribute to 25% loss of life time through disability and premature mortality and in Canada and United States; they are leading cause of disability. Suicide is the 11th most dominant cause of death in America where it takes away almost 30,000 Americans. There is a strong correlation between mental and physical health. A good mind leads to good health. Ability of people to engage in health promoting activities reduces as a result of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety (Mental Health and Mental Disorders). Thus, it is really important to deal with mental health problems arising as a result of dating violence because in severe cases it may lead one to self-harm or even suicidal attempts. Aggression personality disorders are a common phenomenon with the victims of dating violence which involves increased expression of anger, anti-social behavior and self-harm personality disorder etc. About 20% of suicidal persons have a history of violence. Other than that, the victims of dating violence are more likely towards the use of drugs, alcohol and smoking which further deteriorates mental health. Also, there is a trend of using laxatives, dieting pills, fasting and binge eating for weight management among such individuals which lead to eating disorders. Also there is an increased risk of getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases like HIV because the individuals may fear the use of condom because of the violent partner and unprotected sex may lead to such diseases (Teen dating violenc e). Thus, to alleviate such symptoms and personality disorders among such people and other health associated risks, a mental health policy is demanded. Mental Health Policies Followed around the world A number of school and community based programs are operating. Most common are the primary prevention programs that aim at preventing abuse before it starts. The program emphasizes upon providing clear knowledge and suitable behaviors regarding the dating abuse. Its curriculum is based upon increasing awareness of dating violence, fighting violence beliefs, encourage help seeking and skill development in order to improve the communication strategies and management of conflicts (Teen dating violence-awareness and prevention). Such initiatives may lead to improvement of mental health. Other than program initiatives, there has been a limited reporting in the legal arena for reforms of legislative and judicial nature in dating violence. Only a small number of teen victims knock the door of law to seek legal remedies like protection orders against dating partners who are abusive. The local anti-violence non-profit organization Between Friends in Chicago is striving to offer counseling, legal aid and health-care awareness within the city to fight domestic violence (U.S. high schools unequipped). Novel ways are devised by the White House and Vice presidents office in order to prevent dating violence at the initial stages by providing assistance to young men for ending up violence. The Office of Adolescent Healths Pregnancy Assistance fund grants aims at improving services for the pregnant teens that are experiencing or at the stake of sexual or any other type of violence (Teen dating violence-awareness and prevention). Safe dates is a curriculum designed for high school and middle school students which is organized in a set of 10 sessions, each of which is almost of 50 minutes. This curriculum gives definitions on caring and sound relationships and also provides information on the dating abuse regarding its causes and effects. It teaches the students how to assist a friend who has an abusive dating partner. It describes the methods in which gender stereotypes affect dating relationships and explains in what ways sexual assault can be prevented. The curriculum comprises of a play on dating violence, poster presentation, and source material for parents and a general outline for teachers (Teen dating violence as a public health issue). My mental health policy proposal In my understanding, a mental health policy should first of all address the psychology of the middle and high school students. There should be a compulsory subject on issues related to dating violence. The teachers should observe the students keenly. If the psychological problems are observed in some students, they should be provided counseling in the school. Parents should also play an important role in dealing with dating violence. They should develop a strong bonding with the children so that they could share what is going on in their life. Also, the parents can then help them coping with their particular situations through their own lifes experiences. The peers are most aware of dating violence. So the peer groups should be educated about the negative and ill effects of it so that they can assist their friend who is experiencing it. The legislative body on part of dating violence should become more active and efficient in resolving the dating violence cases and there should be a system of penalties and punishment to those who commit this crime. Conclusion Dating violence is a serious and wide spread problem worldwide. Other than violating the human rights, it affects the physical, sexual, reproductive, mental, emotional and social welfare of individuals and families. Physical injury, abortion, sexually transmitted infections, mental disorders like aggression, anxiety and depression are the immediate and long term health effects associated with sating violence. Other than that, use of illicit drugs and smoking are very frequent among the victims of dating violence. A number of initiatives are being under taken by the U.S. government in order to eradicate this issue from the general population. The most important is the mental health policy that aims at improving the mental health of the susceptible individuals that in turn improves their physical health. With a healthy psychology, they can deal with life in a suitable way and serve their country as effective citizens.

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front       Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, deals with the many ways in which World War I affected people's lives, both the lives of soldiers on the front lines and the lives of people on the homefront. One of the most profound effects the war had was the way it made the soldiers see human life. Constant killing and death became a part of a soldier's daily life, and soldiers fighting on all sides of the war became accustomed to it. The atrocities and frequent deaths that the soldiers dealt with desensitized them to the reality of the vast quantities of people dying daily. The title character of the novel, Paul Bà ¤umer, and his friends experience the devaluation of human life firsthand, and from these experiences they become stronger and learn to live as if every day were their last.    The killing and death of WW I depicted in the novel desensitizes Bà ¤umer to the reality that death is now a regular and driving force in his life, and that each human life is no longer sacred and precious. Bà ¤umer feels great emotion and sadness when one of his childhood friends, Kemmerich, dies early in the war. Bà ¤umer expresses his emotional despair after Kemmerich's death, stating, "I become faint, all at once I cannot do any more. I won't revile any more, it is senseless, I could drop down and never rise up again" (Remarque 32). Because this is one of the first deaths that Bà ¤umer witnesses personally and because Bà ¤umer and Kemmerich were childhood friends, the emotional impact is even greater. However, not all the deaths of his comrades effect him in such a powerful manner. The fighting gets to a point at which Bà ¤umer... ... him. Death, which he once agonized over, is now a daily occurrence and seems commonplace to him. Life, which he once took for granted, is now cherished beyond belief, and holding on to it becomes his greatest preoccupation. These effects are not limited only to Paul Bà ¤umer, but extend to all the millions of people that are involved, directly or indirectly, in the war. WW I has far-reaching impact. It not only touches those in combat on the front lines, but also those who support the soldiers and help to make munitions and supplies on the homefront. Bà ¤umer, and the millions of other people involved in WW I, learn the difficult lesson that the most trying experiences in life, or in this case death, are what make us the strongest and what drive us to survive. Works Cited Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Balantine Books, 1928.

Beowulf V. 13th Warrior :: compare contrast poem movie film

After reading the epic poem Beowulf and watching the movie The 13th Warrior, I find that the differences greatly outnumber the similarities. However, the theme of good versus evil reflects the values of the Anglo-Saxon people in both the poem and the movie. Numerous differences exist in the poem and the movie including the characters, the bloody battles, and the deaths of the heroes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many differences occur in the poem and movie. The difference in the heroes names becomes obvious. In the poem the heroes name is Beowulf. In the movie, Boulvine is the hero’s name. Another difference occurs in the monsters. In the poem the head monsters name is Grendle. In the movie though, the monster is called the leader of the Ven. Also, in the poem, Grendle is just one person. In the movies the Ven consist of a group of humans that act like animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another difference in the poem and movie is the bloody battles. In the poem, Beowulf has supernatural powers when he is at battle. In the movie, Boulvine battles with human strengths and power. In the poem Beowulf fights all of his battles alone. In the movie Boulvine battles with several men. One of the famous warriors is the 13th warrior, played by Antonio Banderes. He helps Boulvine fight the Ven. In the poem Beowulf does not fight his third battle until 50 years later. In the movie Boulvine fights his third battle immediately after the second. The last difference that occurs is the difference in the deaths of the heroes. In the poem Beowulf dies form a slash to the throat from a dragon. In the movie Boulvine dies from poison. Beowulf dies as an old man in the poem. In the movie though, he dies as a young man. In the poem, Beowulf kills Grindle and then Grindles mother.

Sociological Theories Essay -- Papers Sociology Class Power Conflict E

Sociological Theories One of the sociological theories is conflict theory. The conflict theory deals with people's level on wealth, or class. The conflict theory says that social change is beneficial, contrary to focuses on social order. In the story of the woman and her children, the conflict theory plays a big role on the situation. Police of higher class are threatening the homeless woman. The conflict theory is a constant struggle of people of higher class over powering people of lower class, or the weaker. The police are trying to over power the woman by telling her to leave. Even though the woman and her children were doing nothing wrong, the police used their power to tell her to leave. Also the people of the area showed their conflict theory by telling the police officers to come. They must have felt embarrassed to have a woman of such lower class to be around them. They used their power of class to have the woman removed from their community. The woman wants to be there because she has no home and it is a good community to be in, but the people look at it as an embarrassment to them because it makes their area look bad for someone of such lower class to be around them. The conflict theory is unique to all other theories because it separates people into categories determined by their wealth and standards. Their status is the element that categorizes them, weather it is class, race, or gender. The conflict theory do not always use class, race, and gender all at once. In this situation race and gender is not a main issue, although gender could be a reason, but it would fall under the feminist theory. This story is mainly dealing with class. Through all this conflict the woman feels over powered and domina... ...one another and how they depend on each other. The last sociological theory is the feminist theory. This theory deals with human life through the experience of a woman. The woman in this situation may have felt proud at first for trying to take care of her children and keeping them in a good area. She was doing all she can to keep her children in good care. But then when the cops came she might have felt upset and independent. She may have felt like the cops didn?t give her a chance to help her children out and get back on her feet. The women in the area may have felt sorry for the homeless woman and saw her as too independent. So they might have wanted to give her help for her and the children by finding a good shelter home for them. The feminist theory is unique from all the other perspectives because it expresses things from a woman?s point of view.

Divergent by Veronica Roth Response To Text Essay Essay

The novel â€Å"Divergent† written by author Veronica Roth is a thrilling story about the love and sacrifice of two teenagers (Tris and Four) living in dystopian America. This novel follows the hardship of citizens living in a community where everyone must be separated into groups called factions. The members of each faction must live their lives according to the value of their faction, whether it be Bravery for Dauntless, selflessness for Abnegation, knowledge for Erudite, honesty for Amity or peace for Candor. When each faction member turns 16 they must choose a faction they wish to live the rest of their lives in, whether they choose to remain in the faction of their birth or join a completely different faction is up to them. I found this novel to be very rich in important ideas or themes that can be closely linked to today’s world. Themes, such as love and sacrifice or separation of the social classes. In this book I find it interesting how author Veronica Roth has managed to include today’s ways of social separations into this novel and emphasizes it to a point that shows all the â€Å"flaws† that there are in the way in which today’s society judges and separates everyone into different rankings on the social ladder. The book shows that even though each faction is supposed to be equal to one another there is always one faction that believes they are better than the rest because they believe their way is the â€Å"right† way of life. The Erudite faction believes that knowledge is power and because they have more knowledge than everyone else that they are superior. The feeling  of superiority becomes more than just a feeling for the character Jeanine Mathews, head of the Erudite faction. She believes that because of their knowledge that they must rule the factions and remove those who she feels are â€Å"not worthy† for her new way of life. This aspect of the book greatly reminds me of Hitler and how he was aiming to achieve one master race. Hitler believed that the Jews were inferior and were considered less than human therefore he did not want them to be a part of his â€Å"master race.† Jeanine Mathews thought that the Abnegation faction was not worthy enough to be a part of her plan for a new community and way of life therefore she launched an attack on the Abnegation. Throughout history you see many leaders, groups, races and religions trying to take the metaphorical throne of superiority and try to live above the rest of society. I believe that all of this is caused by one thing, separation. In today’s society no one is equal and we are all being discriminated against by each other. It is through our judgemental ways that we continue to stay separated. Even now if you look at the wars in countries such as Iraq, it is the separation of different religious beliefs that is causing many deaths. It became clear to me that, author Veronica Roth has similar views on seperation. I felt like this after reading her quote where she talks about the effects the separation of the factions had on some of the characters, â€Å"Because it forced people to become narrower, twisted versions of themselves, and they ripped each other apart.† This quote really does sums up what I believe the separation of the factions did to the character Jeanine Mathews . I think that this novel really depicts the theme of separation and the problems it causes in a strong way that really sends a message of equality to the reader. This theme is not only prominent in this novel; the theme of separation plays a large part in other novels such as â€Å"The Hunger Games† trilogy written by Susanne Collins. In â€Å"The Hunger Games†, much like in â€Å"Divergent†, everyone is separated into 12 different districts with one district (The Capitol) ruling over the others. I believe that the idea of equality and how badly we need it is summarised by this quote from Joss Whedon, an American actor and director. â€Å"Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women.† This quote points out that the human race will not be able to progress through life if  we keep separating ourselves, discriminating others and putting ourselves in different groups. I feel that â€Å"Divergent† has really shown this in a way that really connects to the readers. I have found that, author Veronica Roth, has really developed her characters throughout the plot of her book. She also shows the effects that one character can have on another and how other characters can influence the character development of another. It was the character Four that has really given me a sense of this development. At the beginning of this novel Four was portrayed as having a hard â€Å"exterior† and not having much emotion. It is not until the character Tris becomes a part of Four’s life, does he start to develop into a more affectionate character. As Tris and Four’s relationship grows into something more than student and instructor, you can see Four becoming softer and really starting to show his emotional side. Four has been living in the Dauntless faction since he left his birth faction (Abnegation) two years ago. In the Dauntless faction the transfers from Abnegation are bullied just because they came from the faction that is least well off. Because Tris has also come from Abnegation that Four feels sympathy for her in the sense that he has had to go through the same â€Å"bullying.† Four feels that he can relate to her because of this and I think that it is this that really kicks off their relationship and is why Tris and Four become such a strong pairing. By Four finally being able to relate to someone, he feels that he can open up to Tris and â€Å"lower his walls.† This really shows how the character Tris has had an impact on Four and how Tris has developed Four into a â€Å"two dimensional† character by bringing out his softer sides. This change in Four is not only noted by the readers but even by some of the characters in the book. This is told when the character â€Å"Christina† says to Four â€Å"The person you became with her is worth being.† This q uote really shows that it was Tris that has changed Four and that this change is a positive one. The idea that a person can influence a change in another is not just something that happens in books but in reality too. It doesn’t always have to be a person that you know that can influence a change in someone’s life. It is quite often that, celebrities or other public figures that can influence a change. For example, when I was going through a tough time in my life, it wasn’t family members or friends  that helped me through it but the supportive words of celebrities I look up too. Again it was all about connecting with someone who you can relate to. In my case it was my favourite musician. This musician had been through similar things and I felt as if they understood, even though we had not met, let alone even spoken to each other. This also shows what a big influence media has on people of today’s society. The media’s opinion and views on how people should live their life are everywhere; in magazines, television shows and on social media and are hard to be ignored. So it is not only people that can influence a change in someone’s life but other things su ch as media. To conclude, â€Å"Divergent† is an exciting novel that is rich in themes and will keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. The theme of separation showed many links to today’s society and even to events in history, as well as pointing out many problems that occur with separation in our society. Veronica Roth has not only given a huge amount of depth to her themes in this novel, but has been able to develop her characters throughout the story, morphing them from what you would call a â€Å"one dimensional† character into a â€Å"two dimensional† character. A character, with more than one side to them. This novel has really made me think that how, as an individual, can I not take part in this separation. Whether it is separation of social classes, religious groups or even the separation of people through lifestyle, I believe that everyone should be viewed as equal and not be discriminated against. This novel has also shown me (through the character development of Four and how the character Tris influenced this development ) that people or other things that we find we can relate to or care about, can play a large role and influence some of the personal choices we make as well as influence how we grow as people. Veronica Roth has written this novel in a way that really gets the reader thinking about the themes and/or main ideas as well show important links in these themes and ideas that can relate to the outside world.

Healthcare Reform and Its Impact on the Delivery System

If you are in the healthcare industry, you have probably heard some rumblings about the Health Care Reform of 2010, coolly referred to as Affordable Care Act, or Obama care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was enacted by the United States Congress and signed by President Barack Obama. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) became public law in March 23, 2010. The health care reform was enacted with the goals of â€Å"increasing the quality and affordability of health insurance, lowering the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reducing the costs of healthcare for individuals and the  government† (Frost and Sullivan, 2011). The law is passed by US congress provide universal access to healthcare, control the rising costs of healthcare, regulate the private insurance industry through online marketplace and improve the quality of healthcare. The purpose is to â€Å"make healthcare choices more consumers friendly and easier to unde rstand. It is intended to make sweeping changes to healthcare in the United States† (White, 2013). The law also â€Å"requires insurance companies to cover all applicants within new minimum standards and offer the same rates regardless of pre-existing conditions or sex.Additional reforms aimed to reduce costs and improve healthcare outcomes by shifting the system towards quality over quantity through increased competition, regulation, and incentives to streamline the delivery of healthcare† (Monheit, 2010 ). The Congressional Budget Office projected that â€Å"the ACA will lower both future deficits and Medicare spending† however upheld â€Å"the law in promoting strategies and solutions to encourage health care reform that lowers cost, improves quality, and expands access to health care† (CBO, 2013).According to U. S Chambers of Commerce, â€Å"the United States spends $2.  7 trillion a year on health care. More than 170 million Americans receive healt h insurance through voluntary, employer-sponsored plans. The government was on the hook for $38. 6 trillion in unfunded liabilities for Medicare in 2011 as a result of the entitlements created by the health care reform law† (U. S. Chambers of Commerce, 2013). For the purposes of this research, it may be a good idea to have a common understanding of the recent legislation and Health Care Reform Act.I plan to highlight its impact on the delivery system at Montefiore Medical Center, thoroughly discussing its effect on access, cost and  quality, with special focus on how the recent legislation and health care reform will affect the health care facility. Montefiore Medical Center is a health care facility which is covered by the Health care reform. Health care reform compliance at Montefiore Medical Center is a central concern of their delivery system. The health care reform is a law that needs continuous regulation. Montefiore Medical Center and other health care facilities such as private clinics, home healthcare providers and small healthcare associated businesses, are in a prime position  to comply with the healthcare reform, and the law must ensure that these healthcare institutes are rigorously controlled, and are in compliance of the affordable care act.The Healthcare reform and all its provisions are already making the facility â€Å"find new ways to increase facility efficiency, better manage care and streamline costs† (Montefiore. org, 2012). One item the facility is focused on is renovating to cut down on operating expenses because of the impact of the healthcare reform. In a study by Amadeo Kimberly (2013) about access to healthcare on the delivery system  found that â€Å"more than 600,000 new young people became insured as of May, taking advantage of the Act's provision that children up to age 26 could be covered by their parents' insurance.†Rather than â€Å"employer-sponsored insurance offering the sole source for guarante ed issue insurance, coverage for preexisting conditions, and generally affordable coverage,†(Geyam, 2012) many employees may have alternative sources of coverage through expansion of Medicaid eligibility or premium subsidies through the state or federal exchanges. A report by economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) noted that â€Å"the health  care remake will achieve the aim of expanding health insurance – adding 34 million Americans to the coverage rolls† (HHS, 2013).This shows that on the potential positive side of the health care reform, there would be a continuous increase in access to healthcare. This increases â€Å"profits for the insurance companies, which should translate to lower premiums, since the new insures pay into the system but require fewer health services† (Kimberly, 2013). Geyam (2012) observed that â€Å"the healthcare reform will extend insurance coverage by 32 million people by 2019 (including 16 millio n on Medicaid);Will provide subsidies starting in  2014 to help many lower-income people afford coverage; will eliminate cost-sharing for many preventive services; will provide new funding to increase the capacity of community health centers; will put in place some limited reforms of the insurance industry, such as prohibiting exclusions based on pre-existing conditions and banning annual and lifetime limits; and will establish a new non-profit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute charged with assessing the relative outcomes, effectiveness and appropriateness of different treatments. †As a result, millions of previously uninsured people will soon have access to healthcare, causing an increase in the number of potential patients requesting treatment from healthcare facilities such as Montefiore Medical Center. Healthcare costs are expected to â€Å"rise 7. 5 percent in 2013, even with healthcare reform,† according to a study by Price water house Coopers (2012). The Affordable Care Act focuses â€Å"more on getting people insured than on lowering costs overall,† says Jeff Munn, vice president of benefit policy development at Fidelity (2013), â€Å"But it's going to take a while to see if those provisions work,† he says..Another analysis by Barina (2013), also found that â€Å"the law falls short of the goal of controlling runaway costs, rising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, however, since the report also warned that Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, forcing lawmakers to roll them back† (p. 18). The rapidly rising costs of health care keep going up unabated. Under the health care reform, the market still rules on prices. The cost of health care will increase by about â€Å"20 percent because of new technology and new initiatives† (Wright, 2010).In addition, analysis by both the Congressional Budget Office and the CMS actuary shows that â€Å"the health care reform will substantially reduce the federal deficit, only slightly increase national medical spending (despite an enormous expansion in insurance coverage), begin to reduce the growth rate of medical spending, and introduce various new initiatives that may lead to more fundamental reductions in the long-term rate of health care cost growth† (CBO & CMS, 2010). The health care reform will not solve our health care cost problems, but it is a historic and cost effective step in the right direction.It will introduce a range of payment and delivery system changes designed to achieve a significant slowing of health care cost growth. Throughout the health care reform debate, consumers and providers alike at Montefiore Medical Center and other healthcare facilities asked how they would be affected by the new law. Given how many types of facilities make up the delivery system, it is likely that the effects of reform will not fix all problems. Any â€Å"hosp itals that have historically provided more care to uninsured patients is likely to gain the most in terms of revenue increases for the mostly  uncompensated care they have been providing to these patients† (Berenson and Zuckerman, 2010).The Healthcare providers in the hospital and other healthcare facilities understand that their former ways of doing business are bound to change because of the healthcare reform. As observed by Berenson & Zukerman (2010) â€Å"the introduction of new, marginal incentives is designed to move in the direction of rewarding better performance. † In this way, there is a modest move in the direction of paying for value rather than volume.As indicated by Cutler David (2013), â€Å"the law begins to change how providers are paid and care is delivered, so that  they are rewarded not for the volume of services they provide but for the value they offer. † Of greatest effect is the expectation that future provider revenues will have less to do with patient volumes and more to do with clinical outcomes, quality and cost efficiency. Most hospitals will likely benefit financially because of the coverage expansions. â€Å"Providers that get good results for their patients and keep costs in check stand to be rewarded with performance bonuses, shared savings and other revenue enhancements† (Monheit, 2010).Those providers  that fail to do these things can expect financial penalties which will affect revenues and ultimately tarnish a provider's credit profile. â€Å"Accountable care may still be gestational in most areas of the nation, but the concept appears to be taking hold and will eventually replace large portions of our existing fee-for-service system† (Berenson & Zukerman, 2010). Moreover, the health care reform will also call for more care to be provided outside of the hospitals with specific provisions focusing on increasing the quality of preventative care. This will likely result in a major rise i n demand for ambulatory, or outpatient care.At the same time, Montefiore Medical Center and other hospital care facilities will shift a greater focus on critical care patient. In conclusion, the health care reform, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, may make some marginal gains in the area of access, cost and quality, but will not remedy all access, cost and quality problems in the health care delivery system. Experts also believe the added demand of the health care reform will mean a major increase in job openings within the healthcare industry.Some  predict as many as â€Å"250,000 to 400,000 jobs annually over the next ten years – as well as an increase in scope and location of available jobs† (Katz, 2013). For example, hospitals like Montefiore Medical Center will be staffing more critical care nurses while registered nurses and other patient care positions may have more opportunities at outpatient sites, such as clinics or other non-critical medical facilities. The health care reform changes are right around the corner and subsequently there will likely be a lot of transformation happening in the healthcare delivery system over the next few years.

Second Life Ready for Business

1. What problems can Second Life help businesses solve? Second Life provides businesses with tools for online conferencing, online collaboration, knowledge management, and prototyping. Companies can test new products using Second Life’s 3-D rendering programs. They can experiment with new marketing and advertising campaigns to see how people react. They can receive feedback on real-world products or services. 2. Considering what you have learned about Second Life, how could you, as an individual, create a modest start-up business on the Grid? What goods would you sell? Why would this be a good choice of product? What, in simple terms, would your business plan be? Why would it work? One potential new business would be to sell furnishings for online spaces. People inherently want to furnish and decorate their private spaces. The products could be bought and sold using Lindens. The start-up costs could be low since there aren’t any inventory costs. You can create the furnishings as they’re ordered. A business plan would include advertising ideas, marketing ideas, how to deliver the products, customer follow-up ideas, and financial planning. 3. Visit eBay on the Web and see what Second Life items you can find listed for auction. How would you rate the activity surrounding these items? Are you surprised by what you see? Why or why not? Obviously the information for this question will fluctuate. As of this writing, eBay offered 211 items. They included how-to manuals for making money on Second Life, a guide to selling land, and business opportunities on the site. One item in particular was a vending machine business package available for $4.99. The individual offering the item was an eBay Power Seller with 6,483 feedback postings. He was obviously an established eBay seller. Other items for sale include a Gym Workout package for $4.99 and a macro that makes navigating the skies of Second Life easier. It sold for $12.99. Answers to the last three questions will vary by student. The point is to have them realize how advanced and pervasive sites like Second Life have become. 4. How important is interoperability between 3-D worlds like Second Life and other Web sites such as Amazon, MySpace, and YouTube? Do you think that Second Life can survive and prosper on its own? What is the future of these entities? Separate or integrated? Interoperability between 3-D worlds and other Web sites is very important because of the increasing popularity of all the sites. People don’t want to continually learn new and different skills. Rather they want to transport their skills and software from one site to another. It’s doubtful that Second Life could survive and prosper on its own. Demand for the site will increase if it becomes more entwined with other sites and even real life. As people continue to combine offline and online activities, they want easy ways to transition from one to the other. This is where the people component of the three dimensions of information systems becomes apparent. Obviously this leads to more integration in the future. 5. What obstacles does Second Life have to overcome in order to become a mainstream business tool? Does it face fewer or more obstacles to become a mainstream educational tool? To what do you attribute the difference? Second Life needs to overcome the idea and perception that it’s â€Å"just another game site.† Other obstacles include ease-of-use, interoperability between pre-established business systems and Second Life’s proprietary system. It needs to create ways to import and export data between its system and external business systems—don’t require data to be re-input into either system. Second Life faces more obstacles in trying to become a mainstream educational tool. Educators are inherently opposed to online, distance education because it supposedly lacks the face-to-face communication between teachers and students. However, as more education is carried online, Second Life has all the tools in place to make it easy to conduct classes, especi ally its online collaboration tools. 6. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from a presence on Second Life? Why? Retail businesses that are already used to doing business online may have an easier time of establishing a viable presence on Second Life. They are used to advertising and marketing to customers online and have the systems built for taking orders, accepting payments, and shipping products. Other companies, like IBM, that have established online collaboration systems and online knowledge management systems will probably have an easier time using Second Life as another outlet for these activities. 7. would you like to interview for a job using Second Life? Why or why not? Obviously the answers to this question will vary from student to student. Some may prefer interviewing for a job using Second Life since they may see face-to-face interviews as extremely nerve-wracking. Other may prefer a face-to-face interview rather than trying to create an avatar that adequately represents them. 8. Is Second Life a precursor of how business will be conducted in the future or a corporate experiment? Justify your answer. Second Life probably is a precursor of how business will be conducted in the future. Online presence and activity is increasing, not decreasing. Businesses are continually turning to online services to change the way they do business and move many of their offline activities to online ventures.