Charlotte's Webb marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Charlotte's Webb marijuana - Essay Example Their argument is based from scientific study that has proven that there are chemicals in marijuana that are active called cannabinoids. This controversy is kind of a fact because cannabinoids which are a big family of chemicals related to delta-9-tetrahydrocannanibal (THC) which is marijuana’s major psychoactive ingredient. Apart from THC the marijuana plant contains more than one hundred cannabinoids. Scientists and makers of drugs have also synthesized many cannabinoids in the testing ground .this however is used to treat pain and nausea at some countries Charlotte’s web is a name that originated from a child known as charlotte Figs who was the first to attempt the strain around two years ago. This child suffered about 60 seizures for a period of 24 hours. Her parents confidently say that the child has no strain anymore.Cannabidiol is conceived to hinder or act as a barrier on parts of the brain that lead to epileptic seizures and as excitants in other parts that decrease them. Says Igor Grant, he is a director of the university of California’s center for medicinal cannabis Research though this remains unproven (Myma, 2001). When a an epilepsy patient and his doctor agrees that they will use marijuana to treat epilepsy.it follows that they should consider legal matters and safe access to medical marijuana and they should take it before they act or decide to use it.This bases are derived from Charlotte Fig, who came up with this issuewho suffer from DraveSyndrome, it is known to be a genetic disorder that causes more severe epilepsy. It was noted that there has been instant decrease in Figs seizures and removal of her need for seizures drugs that has been caused by high number of CBD and low THC that is found in medical marijuana (Mitch, 2002). Pros and cons in my opinion are full support to patients and families

Dystopia In Film | Metropolis Vs Utopian Art Deco

Dystopia In Film | Metropolis Vs Utopian Art Deco The 1920s in Germany were a transition time, World War I had recently ended, and it was precisely the war that showed the destructive potential of modern technology. Invented and first used by the Germans in 1915, machine guns and poison gas showed the deep split between technology and humanity, it was the first modern war in which machines decided the outcome. In this time in history, it was the embracement of technology in other parts of the world, the Art Deco movement was the Utopian new way of living. After the war in Germany, American modernity became a powerful agent in the economic and cultural modernisation. America represented the New World, since Germany had a lack of national identity, the idea that mass culture might be a secret American weapon, one that would enslave the world by distracting it made sense according to Isenberg (2009, p.182-183). Combining these two facts, the German loss of dignity during the first World War, and modernity rising, it created a certain c omfort for the German culture to accept the modern movement, since it represented the ideal of living in the present which made it easier to forget about the harsh past. At first America was seen as a good idea, but by the mid-1920s Germany faced a stability in politics and economy, which questioned American way of living, its technological progress began to be seen as inhuman. Germany was beginning to feel threatened by America, with its focus on materialism and mechanisation of life, seeing it as a way to kill the human side of humankind. In 1927, the German film director Fritz Lang, created a movie analysing just that, our future with machines and its possible outcome. It was a film created to show the comfort Germany first took in accepting modernity but in a way where humanity would lose it all to it. The Art Deco movement at the time, stood for the modern world and the evolution of people through the new inventions of machines. Metropolis, still believed in this Utopian life but created its own, showing how human and machines can work as long as one important factor is not forgotten, which the modern world seemed to have already done. In comparison to the Art Deco modern views, Metropolis created its own view, which can be seen as its own naà ¯ve Utopian world, but also showed the Dystopia that could occur from this fast modern movement. In order to see how the two go hand in hand, one must look at important elements which happened at this time, the introduction of new technologies which affected almost all the aspects of life. From architecture to fashion, people and their ways were changing, since freedom was now praised upon, everything that used to be taboo or conservative was now in the open. Taking into consideration that the major elements, which make up Art Deco, are present in the film; this is to show how they were used to portray the negative side of this modern vision. We all believe in a Utopian way of life, in perfection, but the consequences are most of the time overlooked, and the film Metropolis was that vision, showing the effects of the new technologies people were praising and how it would forever change people, life and the world. Without further ado, lets see how the film has proven itself to be a masterpiece but most importantly how a purely imaginative vision may have foretold our future, from began as a Utopian idea to what may have changed the fundamentals of humankind. The late teens and early twenties in Germany was a time of rampant inflation, decadence, personal liberty, violence and insecurity. It was followed by the unfortunate rise of the Nazis during the late twenties and early thirties, which saw a severe clampdown on freedom of expression is all walks of life, especially the arts and politics according to Organ (2009). The central theme of Metropolis is that of a separation between working class and higher-ups and the need for a mutual understanding of each is presented both abstractly and directly through the image rather than the word. This theme of workers revolting against domination by exploitative management, their soulless machines, and new technologies, also struck a chord with reviewers and the general public, though many critics in America and Britain objected strongly to this anti-Fordism / anti production-line tale. As such, Metropolis, with its many themes and sub-texts, including the almost obligatory boy meets girl, boy loos es girl, boy finds girl was a controversial film from day one It garnered both positive and negative comment wherever it was shown, and generated much critical discussion in the press upon release according to Organ (2009). In order to understand the importance of the visual work accomplished in the film, on must look at different scenes from the movie where this is proven, such as the opening shot of line upon line, file upon file, of workers marching down the hallway towards the elevator that takes them down into the depths of the citys machines and inner workings. Each worker wears the same uniform, shuffles their feet in the same manner as if they were a military unit, and each slouch and hold their heads down in unison according to Simon M (2010). Such images as workers being fed to a giant monster, masses upon masses of slave labor building the biblical Tower of Babel, and Death itself swinging its scythe indicate the possible fall of this turbulent society in a stark and shocking way not possible through ordinary images or even the written word. They give this story something of a mythic and fantastic property, portraying its message through symbolism rather than realism, exaggeration rather than realism according to Simon M (2010). The pleasure garden in which Freder (the main character) indulges in the most hedonistic of pleasures, providing a stark contrast with the metallic, grimy world of the workers. This fluid and happy-go-lucky world is immediately interrupted by the entrance of Maria and the worker children. Here is the direct conflict and contrast between workers and elites, high and low, heaven and hell. Later on in the film Freder witnesses one of these machines at work, each worker mechanically pushing buttons and pulling levers in uniform, fixed motions. It is as if these workers are themselves machines, as Lang uses the image of uniform, unnatural motion to represent a lack of humanity, hopefully inspiring repulsion in the audience according to Simon M (2010). Such exaggeration is arguably necessary in the case of a silent film in order to make up for the lack of proper dialogue, but it also may add to the raw symbolism of it all, going to every last length t o show the divide between worker and elite. This exaggeration practically defines Metropolis in many instances. Along with the aforementioned portrayals of Freder and Maria, there is the near-comically evil Rotwang, who inspired just about every mad scientist portrayed in popular culture since then according to Simon M (2010). Another important factor is the characteristics of the appearance and behaviour of Rotwang which does not fit the stereotype of a modern scientist, and there are indications that he may be in league with the devil. The personality of the scientist Rotwang belongs to one of the most interesting antagonists of the screen. The possibility of an ambivalent interpretation of his character, he is a scientist, but also something of a sorcerer allied with satanic forces, which gives him greater complexity according to Urgosà ­kovà ¡ (2009). In 1924, Fritz Lang visited New York City, where the big-city architecture struck him, and the luminous cityscape influenced the visual design and electrifying energy for the film. Originally an architect, Lang was a man of unusually sensitive visual perceptions. His films of those years show an expressionistic sense for the plastic and the lighting, which emphasized architectonic lines and conveyed a sense of geometric construction that not only extends to the sets and the depicted milieu but even influenced the positioning of the actors in individual shots. In keeping with the conventions of expressionism, the inhabitants of the subterranean city have no individuality, and the crowd represents a compact mass from which personality projects only as a stark exception and only in a definite rhythm according to Urgosà ­kovà ¡ (2009). The introductory sequences present this social organization in a very attractive light. In a magnificent, gigantic city with gleaming skyscrapers, suspension bridges, and bustling street, people live in comfort and plenty, with every possibility for intellectual and physical development. However, Metropolis is not a city of freedom and equality. Below ground, working for the chosen elite, are masses of nameless workers who have no more value within the social order than a cog in a machine or a tool or production. It is for this reason that the workers revolt and almost destroy the city; only then is there a reconciliation and an equalization of rights for the two strata, the elite and the workers. Lang honestly believed in this idea of reconciliation, and his attitude to a certain extent reflected the German reality, in which there were growing indications of stabilization and attempts to resolve social problems. The uneven lines, contrasts of light and dark, half-shadows and silhoue ttes, which serve to suggest mysterious and menacing actions, events, and emotions. Lang applied these techniques effectively and successfully to one of the varieties of the fantasy genre, what he created to be utopian work, or in modern words influenced the genre of Science Fiction according to Urgosà ­kovà ¡ (2009). What can also be factored is the importance of architecture in the Art Deco movement, where the advanced of technology was introduced, which made the construction of skyscrapers possible. This new way of building up rather than out, gave the illusion that we could reach the sky, giving a high expectation for our future. In the film Metropolis, the main building is the Babel tower, where the legend is told that it was made to reach the stars and on the top it would be written Great is the world and its Creator! And great is Man! but in the sequence of the film where this is explained, it shows how in order for a building or any structure to be built, one must first think of the idea, which is not always possible. Once the idea is put on paper or into small scale, it needs labour to be produced and this is when the hands come in, and it is shown that in order for the Babel tower to be built, it would take a lot of man power and therefore some blood would have to be shed in order for th e man who had thought of this building, could see it built. This is Metropoliss view on the built of skyscrapers, since they were using new techniques, which were not already perfected, and what it would take to build such things, the cost of human lives? That it is great for such ideas to ever be thought up, but is it necessary? At the time yes, since it showed the greatness of man and what he could achieve. When a director creates a film, its main purpose it to communicate a message through visuals and dialogue, which can be expressed in different ways, such as speech, facial expressions and written words. Its main focus is to make the audience feel exactly what the director has in mind, therefore when Fritz Lang created this film, these elements could not be forgotten or not be taken seriously, or else the film would have not gotten so much attention or gained so much success. In a way if unprofessional work had been done, we would not even talk about this movie today, but the push for a different genre in film and the motivation to build a realistic set and using the right lighting, made this film not only a work or art but a movie that will continue to affect people in generations to come. Interiors How does one judge anothers financial status? by the furniture and interior of their home, it is not always true, but when exposed to someone elses lifestyle and home, one can easily put a social status on the other. In Metropolis, the interiors of both the upper and lower worlds are very distinct. The upper shows a high usage of Art Deco elements and the lower is very cold and style-less. The Art Deco elements showed the high class, therefore representing the people who could afford such extravaganzas. The Utopian concept is very much present, from using such interiors, which were very popular with the American style of the time, showing how the exploiters can manage to hide the bad and only show the good, or in other words the output. As seen in the office of Joh Fredersen and in Freders bedroom, all the highest technology was available for their usage. From the bed shape to the lamps, as well as the desk, all the geometric elements can be seen. This was done to show how the upper class were able to live, compared to the lower class, which lived under ground, with not much to rely too, since their living space was limited to brick walls and constant work, were the luxurious Art Deco furniture would serve no purpose to them, since they did not have the time to appreciate it. All these elements were to show, the Utopian life lived by the people who ran the city, compared to the Dystopia it created by asking such a request from other human beings, it analyses the two points of society and how people live. Based on the concept of capitalism and materialism, where it can only be reached by the officers and not the workers, which tends to be a common theme in any point in history. The main point of using such distinct style or interiors and exteriors, was to show the freedom and lack of appreciation from the upper class, since they had everything, they forgot to think about what it took to give them this luxury. It is an important factor in the film, since the whole point is to show, how and why workers would revolt against their superiors, and making such a big contrast between the quality of life between the two made the impact of the workers revolt more powerful, since it showed what they were deprived from and how it affected them. Running a city and taki ng all the profits can only generate unfairness, therefore creating a created desire of unneeded things to people who do not pocess them. If the interior design had not been considered for this movie the different views of both classes would have not been so powerful, and taking into consideration that the film depended a lot on visual and not words, such things needed to be accentuated to create its full point, to be clear to the viewer, what people were being targeted and illustrated. For her all 7 deadly sins Many biblical references can be seen in this film, one of the most important element in Metropolis is the robot version of Maria, which carries on her all 7 deadly sins. This image of the woman can be interpreted on many levels, one can be to show how women were acting in the 1920s since it was a time where more open behaviours were accepted, their dresses got shorter, they started to smoke and drink in public and freely exposed their sexuality, a way for them to celebrate the modern woman. The emergence of emancipated and sexually liberated women, as well as organised feminist activities in the mid-1920s. The robot Maria, stylised as the New Woman, rips the social fabric asunder, inciting the workers to rebel and seducing them into self-destructive acts. Her punishment, once she is uncovered as an agent provocateur, is to be burned at the stake according to Isenberg (2009, p.181). The most important scene is when the robotic doppelgà ¤nger of Maria , with her twitchy eye, sexually dances in front of the upper class men, this behaviour was meant to distract and manipulate them, done in an exaggerated way, when all the mens eyes are seen, their mouths are open, they become more violent to the point where they all run to the podium on which she dances, she tricks them to be a temptress who is out to deceive those who fall for the illusion of a replica. This nexus of technology, visual pleasure, and fantasy also lay at the core of modern American mass culture, which, according to some cultural critics, had seduced Germany into renouncing its classical canon of high culture according to Isenberg (2009, p.181). This robotic Maria was meant as metaphors, one being the threat the modern woman would have on men and community with her new sexual manipulating techniques, second she represents America and how it first seduced Germany into mass culture, through the same kind of pleasurable ways. The artistic beauty which Lang made the robot, with its glittering female bod y, stylised breasts and inhuman mask instead of a face perfectly represents this theory, it was made on purpose to be sexual, since it needed to represent the power of womans new sexual behaviour and how it could impact communities. She is treated as being a witch when she is discovered to be an imposter, which again shows how this new act is unnatural and dangerous to the evolution of people and if practiced a woman is as good as dead and should be burned alive for her sins of manipulation. The beauty of woman was openly recognised, therefore women seemed to take advantage of this new attention they were getting and getting away with it, showing how soon women could have the same rights as men, since they could manipulate them, showing an unbalance to how people use to live and statuses between men and women were already established. Visual Communication Typography and movie poster Art Deco typefaces are composed of geometric forms, an influence from the geometrical formal language of the Constructivists, but the love for elegance at the time gave it a decorative touch. With this new style of type design, readability sometimes wasnt too clear, since the letters seemed flat and ornamental, where they received additional spacial and graphic embellishments. One characteristic change was type going from narrow to wide, sometimes the lower cases were completely ignored to embrace the thin, long stroked capital letters, but antique and fractured scripts remain the standard despite the eras prevailing tastes. At times they were the mouthpiece of twenties modernism, with its technology, communication, transportation and its dynamism; at other times, of mundane elegance and luxury transposed into a fantastical world of unadulterated glamour that takes precedence over typography according to Stawinski (2009, p.131). This became a graphic language of exotic cultures, whic h embodied themes of modern technology and ways of life. One distinct font of the Art Deco movement, is Broadway; designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1925: (show type) Comparing it to the font used for the Metropolis title, one can see where the Art Deco elements of type are visible but how they have been altered to create the feel for the movie. This obvious alteration, created a sort of horror feel, but how? The descenders of the M, T, R, P and S have elongated, the bowls of the O have been evenly distributed, the I, L and E have been distorted, an also distorted dot has been added to the I, but all the most important factor is that each letter finishes with a point as can be seen in all the descenders and the arm of the T. These strong angles, visible in all the letters, even on the O since it not perfectly round but mostly choppy lines formed into a circle, have given this title its unique character, where it is only composed of angles, no smooth lines are present, respecting the geometric language of the time but going against elegance. Taking into consideration that Fritz Langs 1927 film Metropolis is a silent film, the written word used in intertitles played a large role in story comprehension. Intertitles are important in silent films, since they need to give the audience information through text, which should be both appealing and readable, to clearly express to the audience what is being visually shown. Metropolis would be particularly hard to understand without the on-screen narration, since the actors faces and movements can express only so much. The font chosen for the Metropolis intertitles is very artistically stylized, which goes against the futuristic city storyline, where a more straight-lined font may have been more appropriate. Even though Metropolis inspired the Science Fiction film style, it was not meant to be one, but rather an art film, therefore it makes sense to use artistic intertitles, as a way to make the movie balanced in the style it was creating. Throughout the films city the same stylise d font it used as well as numbers, which indicate the style used throughout Metropolis, which shows that typography played a big part in the films mood, is was careful placed and used to make sure all the information needed was clear and stylised accordingly. All these traits put together have created an abstract version of typical Art Deco font, but on purpose, in order to catch someones attention, one must stimulate that sense, the way to promote the art form of film was through making a poster for it, what better way to give it an identity and a feel. When a poster is designed, it is composed of information for its viewer, which is also targeted, to inform them of what is happening, this information is read through the usage of words, which is where typography comes in. This powerful tool of type design, is the cherry on top of a poster design, since it is also composed if imagery to trigger another kind of feel, but type when used correctly can automatically create the ambience to describe the art form as a whole. In the case of Metropolis, this alteration of type was used just for that purpose, to trigger the imagination of its viewer, to show something different then the typical Art Deco posters created at the time of its production . Since the films theme was also an alteration of the life views of the time, if a typical Art Deco font had been used, it would have not shown the effect the film as a whole was trying to reach. So going back to 1927, as someone is walking in the streets and sees the Metropolis poster advertising the film on a wall, one can imagine the attention it must have gotten, since everything else around was produced to support positivity and evolution, here comes something scary and negative, therefore triggering the curiosity of people to see why it was so different. In order for a poster or any other sort of advertising elements to be successful, they need to properly represent what it is symbolising, which the one of a kind font used for the title of Metropolis did, it was the introduction to the movie before someone went to the theatre to see. Going to the next visual element, posters are a very powerful advertising tool, since they can be placed literally anywhere, therefore making them reachable to any eyes and to any audience. Typography as said before is one of the most important elements of a poster, since it makes the audience aware of what the poster is about, since it will surely cary a title. The other element is imagery, which is usually the background, and is used to go along with the title, to create a unified theme and helps the viewer reach a conclusion of their own to what the poster may mean. Posters are an art, since they need to work in a way where they need to be noticed at first glance, and briefly inform the viewer with all the important information in a couple of minutes. For such a film as Metropolis, which is in fact a two hour viewing of moving images, the poster had to illustrate all of that into one image, basically giving away the whole movie in a single view. Typical Art Deco posters were colourful, vibrant, energetic, showed a lot of movement, basically they illustrated and embraced the new technologies being introduced. They were drawn and printing with the latest techniques invented, showing people living in this new modernity, such as travel, fashion, drinking and smoking. What used to be taboo, was now in the open and people were showing off this new lifestyle full of luxury and advancement, which had never been seen before. This perfect lifestyle, mostly only affordable by the higher class, was praised upon, everyone had to be part of this new movement, exposing their inner desires, or letting all hell break lose. This new freedom of expression, and new possibilities had to be reflected, mostly through abstract views, such as people were usually drawn through geometric forms, almost not real, like this movement was too good to be true, in a way it showed the fear of people, since it used fantasy images to show what was really going on, things were moving too fast and the population did not really have time to digest all of this, therefore showing people though geometric elements, was a easier way to accept it. The imagery of the Metropolis poster distributed at the time, was duotone, illustrating only buildings in the background and the robot in the foreground, the title of the film at the top and all the information at the bottom. The duotone, was against all the colourful posters at the time, since the movie was showing the dark side of the Utopian philosophy of Art Deco, the robot in the middle represented the most important part of the film, but also to show people how they would evolve, but the answer to how lied in watching the movie. The information at the bottom, gave the regular film info; who directed it, the main actors, music composer, production house and writer. The drawing of the robot used a lot of curved lines, and showed an emotionless face, making it obvious that humans were being interpreted as robots. Conclusion Lets start with the quote The mediator between head and hands must be the heart taken from the film Metropolis, from this analysis it can be said that Art Deco is the head and the hands and Metropolis is the heart. The Utopian idea of Art Deco was a way to celebrate the new world and its technologies whereas Metropolis was the Dystopian view hidden behind this philosophy. It can be seen through all the elements stated, as a warning or a reality to what the world may evolve to be, that without the heart a life cannot function, but without the head and the hands a world cannot evolve. Therefore they both go hand in hand, but never one without the other, that humans may never forget their real values. This is the message that the film portrayed, that there is beauty in evolving, but we must never forget who we really are and our true powers, that if we rely too much on machines (technology) then what is left of us? Art Deco, was a time when everything was changing, the excitement of a n ew life, the embracing of a freedom given to people by machines doing jobs for them. These two art forms, have proven themselves through history and have shaped the world we now live in, but without art, how could anyone in the future know how a community evolved or lived, this is why it is important to analyse all the details of one element and how it fits into the time period it was produced, to better understand its message and value. The naà ¯ve way people were living during the 1920s, was in a way beautiful and pure, they had no worries except live and explore their new identities, Metropolis showed the difference between the high class or in other words the heads versus the lower class, the hands, and how they would live in two different worlds, one above and one below. This shows, that once an idea is conceived, the inventor takes all the credit, whereas the hands who built it, are never recognised for the hard work and risks it took to construct it. People in the higher class would be the only one to appreciate the hands work, since they would be the only ones would could afford it, they would be the only ones who could have the luxury to live in such buildings reaching the stars and afford such extravaganzas in their homes. But where did the workers fit in, in all of this? This is what Metropolis, was showing, that for such a Utopia to exist fairness should be placed between the heads who conceive ideas and the hands who built them, and yes in order to do that, the only power is our hearts. When speaking about art, the philosophy behind it must always be talked about, since it explains why it was created and what it was meant to represent, without one, you cant have the other, which is also another strong point about the quote, since people tend to concentrate on the most important facts but forgetting how it became important. Metropolis also created its own Utopia, where as long as the heart is present and the human side in humankind is never lost, we can live in an harmonious world. The hand shake in the end, also could represent the labour giving in again to capital. Metropolis inaugurated a series of utopias on film that attempted to resolve the difficulties of the contemporary state of society by projecting them into a story with a futuristic setting according to Urgosà ­kovà ¡ (2009).

Interpersonal Conflict :: Human Resource Management

Hocker (1991) defined conflict and specifically interpersonal conflict as an expressed struggle involving a minimum of two interdependent individuals who have incompatible goals, scarce resources, and they perceive obstruction from the other party in achieving their goals. Hocker’s definition of conflict is criticized for its ambiguity. Rather than being a source of incompatible goals, conflict is caused by incompatible positions. When the term power is used in connection with communications between opponents, it is understood to mean the ability to control some other individual’s behavior (Burgoon & Dunbar, 2006). Individual perception is an important key concept to understanding the origin of conflict between parties. Conflict has also been de-fined as â€Å"a breakdown in the standard mechanisms of decision-making so that an individual or group experiences difficulty in selecting an action alternative† March and Simon (1993). Jehn and Mannix (2001) described conflict of an interpersonal nature as a recognition shared by two people in a dispute that they have irreconcilable needs, incompatible goals, and incongruity. During group situations, conflict frequently manifests itself when members of the group express opposing opinions and goals (Eisenhardt & Schoonhoven, 1990). Research by Amason (1996) revealed that conflict manifests itself in a group’s decision-making processes in spite of everyone in the group sharing the same goals. Amason (1996) and later Jehn (1999) theorized the reason for this disconnect was due to each person in the group having their own unique perspectives, varying levels of knowledge, and different life experiences that created an environment ripe for the collision of values. Interpersonal conflict is viewed by a vast majority of people as dysfunctional and costly to companies because of the time and money spent on conflict resolution strategies. Furthermore, many believe conflict stifles performance, reduces group cohesion, and it ultimately hinders the process of decision-making (Gladstein, 1984). Language also ascribes negative attributes to the word conflict. Typically, dysfunctional be-haviors whether they are verbal or physical like disputes, quarrels or hostilities -- all are associated with the word â€Å"conflict.† With the word â€Å"conflict† being used in great abundance globally to describe

Bestbuy’s Strategy

In the last few years, BestBuy has been experiencing fierce competition and has been fighting to gain dominance in the consumer electronic market. Apple, Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Target are the current competitors that are giving them the most problems. A lot of people are coming into BestBuy’s stores to try out the products and then leaving the store to buy online or at a slightly cheaper price. C. E. O, Brian Dunn, is left with many questions about keeping customers in his stores and how to develop and sustain a competitive advantage in today’s economy.According to the case, BestBuy is trying to create a competitive advantage in three areas: customer-centricity, employment policies, and exclusive branding. After studying the VRIO framework, I have found that BestBuy’s three areas of strategy do fit into the VRIO framework. BestBuy believes that an effective strategy is a commitment to customer-centricity. A business that implements customer-centricity caters to sp ecific customer needs and behaviors.According to the book, BestBuy wants to steer away from a product-centered marketing approach to a more customer-oriented marketing approach which will have them asking what problems its customers are facing, and then providing solutions. Furthermore, BestBuy wants to segment its customers into four different profiles: Upscale Suburban, Urban Trendsetter, Empty Nesters, and Middle America. In different regions around the U. S. you will find these diverse groups.BestBuy has been able to utilize the rare attribute of the VRIO framework with its ability to serve the needs of the predominant customer segment in a given region. BestBuy is unlike any company in the consumer electronic industry because as the book mentions, â€Å"Nearly all companies claim to be customer oriented, but being customer centric required a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. † BestBuy has reformatted the physical space in its stores and related produc ts have been bundled together to meet the needs of certain segments.Store teams have also been trying to answer the following questions: What kind of traffic do we have coming in our stores today, how effectively are we selling to the people in the stores, what does our customer information look like, what segments do we have coming in, and what kind of market share do we have for those segments? To answer those questions BestBuy has been investing in the right tools so that the field knows what to focus on. BestBuy has taken customer interest a step further, and so far it has given them a rare advantage. BestBuy has also done a good job of organizing its employment policies to capture value.According to the book, BestBuy has set up an employee listening program that uses open communication to better understand the needs of its workers. This program has done a great job of exploiting the company’s capabilities because it is implementing tools such as annual company-wide surve ys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. BestBuy is capturing value because they are listening to their employees and discerning information that was previously unknown to management. The final area that BestBuy is focusing its strategy on is exclusive brands.This last area is very important to BestBuy because it is valuable, rare, and costly to imitate. BestBuy currently owns these private labels: Insignia, Dynex, Init, Rocketfish, and Geek Squad. As far as background goes, Insignia produces TVs, monitors, home-theater systems, and portable video/ audio players. Dynex produces storage media, data and power cables, webcams, and office supplies. Init produces media storage, equipment bags, totes and furniture for home theaters. Rocketfish is a top notch producer of cables that are mostly used for TVs. And most famously, Geek Squad provides computer repair and installation services.BestBuy realizes that they cannot solely rely on these small private labels to create, on their own, enough revenue to stay in business. But nevertheless, these private labels are valuable because they add attractive features to the company. Most of the products offered by these small labels are accessories that add value to the more expensive products which in turn increase the profitability of BestBuy. In particular, I think Geek Squad is valuable because a lot of older people do not know how to set up the more complex electronics and often run into problems.Easy-to-setup installation and troubleshooting is a very attractive feature to most consumers. Along those same lines, these small labels are rare because their products are only being sold in BestBuy stores. If you’re a huge fan of Rocketfish cables or really appreciate the helpfulness of Geek Squad then you have to come to BestBuy to get you want. These private labels are also costly to imitate I imagine because it could be costly to implement and staff a repair and installation service in all o f your stores like BestBuy has done with Geek Squad.Also, these private labels have a few unique products that could be hard to replicate. I know that Init has created some nice, high quality equipment bags and furniture for home theaters. I believe that after weighing the benefits of all three of these areas that BestBuy has indeed created a competitive advantage. In one way or another they have valuable, rare, costly to imitate, or are organized to capture value with their products and services. BestBuy’s business level strategy is to focus on its people through customer centricity and employment policies.The managers in both areas want to listen to the people and discern how to best appeal to them. Managers have planned to become customer centric by profiling its customers and then design the stores and provide products according to the profiles in the region. The cost driver associated is the cost of input factors because it requires a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. Stores need to be reformatted and related products need to be bundled. The main value driver for this focus has been customer service.BestBuy has excelled at customer service because they are able to identify customer needs and appeal to their wants because of the unique profiles that have been created. The main cost driver for employment policies has also been cost of input factors because I imagine it has been costly to implement the new annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. The main value driver for the employment policies is customer service. BestBuy has created distinctive techniques for company-wide communication that in turn provide better customer support.Managers now know what the consumers are thinking because the employees are able to share information with their superiors in an efficient way. The competition between BestBuy, Amazon, Apple, and Wal-Mart has been fierce over the last several years. Best Buy has found itself to still be at the top of consumer electronics in the minds of its customers with 40% of the votes. However, BestBuy comes in 11th place in the Top 15 most valuable retail brands. Furthermore, Apple has recently made a large push in the race by reaching $2. 8 billion in sales in 2010 which puts them in third place behind BestBuy and Amazon.However, BestBuy is in last place according to share performance in 2010 and 2011. After looking at all of the different results and surveys I would say that BestBuy is right in the thick of things and battling for the top spot. Amazon may be more a valuable company but the consumers still view BestBuy as the leading consumer electronic company. One of the critical problems facing BestBuy is people coming into the store and testing the products and then leaving and buying the product elsewhere. I think that BestBuy’s strategy to become customer centered is a good strategy.Many of the same products are sold by multiple c ompanies, but if BestBuy can appeal to the segments and profiles of people coming into their stores then they can get people to buy the products in their stores. Identifying the profiles of people coming in is the first step and then being able to bundle products and arrange displays in an appealing way is a good strategy. If BestBuy continues to value its consumers I think they will find a way to sustain a competitive. After all, people want to feel important and be given what they need and desire.

“Spellbound” a Cinematic Representation of Psychoanalysis

The movie â€Å"Spellbound†, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, encompasses several Freudian concepts manifested in the characters; including amnesia, guilt complex, repression, and psychopathology. Psychoanalysis is a major element of the film and is used in the pursuit of â€Å"truth†; the â€Å"truth† being what happened to the real Dr. Edwards. Also, dream work is a major tool used in the film to uncover the â€Å"truth†. Though â€Å"Spellbound† has several characters that embody Freudian concepts, I believe the four main characters are most important. John Ballantyne exemplifies amnesia, guilt complex, and repression; Dr.Constance Peterson represents the process of psychoanalysis; Dr. Burlov is a depiction of Freud; and Dr. Murchison conveys Psychopathology. The film, â€Å"Spellbound†, begins in the setting of green manors, a mental asylum. The head of the facility, Dr. Murchison, is retiring and a famous psychiatrist, Dr. Edwards, is to ta ke his place. Shortly after â€Å"Dr. Edwards† arrives another psychiatrist, Dr. Constance Peterson, discovers that the man claiming to be â€Å"Dr. Edwards† is an imposter. This imposter is suffering from a guilt complex which causes him to be an amnesiac.Thus begins the pursuit of â€Å"truth†, using psychoanalysis, to uncover who the imposter is and what happened to the real Dr. Edwards. We find out that the imposter is John Ballantyne, a patient of Dr. Edwards, and an amnesiac; which is why he believes he is Dr. Edwards in the beginning of the movie. John Ballantyne’s amnesia is related to the guilt complex from which he is suffering. We know that Ballantyne experienced a traumatic event, this triggered repression of memory, bringing conscious truth to the unconscious to protect the mind from the trauma; this caused his amnesia.Dr. Constance Peterson believes that by using psychoanalysis she can tap into Ballantyne’s mnemic trace, or unconsciou s memory, and uncover the Primal scene. The primal scene being the trauma that Ballantyne suffered. Dr. Peterson and Ballantyne embark on a journey, evading the authorities, to answer the question of what happened to the real Dr. Edwards. Dr. Constance Peterson, portraying the process of psychoanalysis, is of course mentored by Dr. Burlov who is a representation of Freud; both aesthetically and conceptually. Dr. Peterson brings Ballantyne to Dr.Burlov to help uncover the aforementioned primal scene. This portion of the film encompasses all aspects of Psychoanalysis. Ballantyne, suffering from amnesia due to his guilt complex and repression, is analyzed by Burlov in a few ways. First Burlov uses transference, saying, â€Å"I’m going to be your father image†, then he uses free association, asking Ballantyne, â€Å"Whatever comes into your head just say what it is†. When Ballantyne has no response Burlov turns to dream work saying, â€Å"maybe you dreamt something ? † This analysis of Ballantyne’s dream, or dream work, is an integral scene of the film.The dream sequence, designed by Salvador Dali, contains several symbols; these symbols allude to the truth which is buried in Ballantyne’s unconscious. Freud believed that dreams were the connection to the unconscious, and tapping into it could relieve someone of their psychological sufferings. The most important symbols are the bearded man, the proprietor, the sloping roof, the wings, and the wheel. The bearded man is Dr. Edwards. The sloping roof symbolizes a mountain. Dr. Peterson and Burlov deduce that the trauma occurred at a ski resort. The symbolism of the wings and sloping roof gives them the name of the resort, Gabriel Valley.Constance, Ballantyne, and Burlov go to Gabriel Valley to trigger memory. Ballantyne suddenly remembers that at the bottom of the hill there is a cliff, over which Dr. Edwards fell. It is also revealed that Ballantyne’s true primal scene is not the trauma of Dr. Edwards’ death. His true primal scene is the recollected memory of sliding down a rail and accidentally killing his brother, this is the initial trauma that causes his guilt complex, which is why he was a patient of Dr. Edwards. When Dr. Edwards’ body is uncovered it is discovered that he did not die from the fall, but from a gunshot. Ballantyne is sentenced and incarcerated.This does not sit well with Constance. She looks over her notes on Ballantyne’s dream and realizes that the proprietor is Dr. Murchison, the chimney he hid behind was a tree, and the wheel is a revolver which he used to kill Dr. Edwards. Dr. Murchison is clearly an example of psychopathology. In conclusion, Hitchcock’s â€Å"Spellbound† is a cinematic representation of many Freudian concepts such as psychoanalysis, dream work, and guilt complex. The characters embody these concepts. The pursuit of â€Å"truth† is a major element of the film; this is also the case in psychoanalysis, which is used to uncover repressed memories; or the â€Å"truth†.

Concept of Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Immigration History

Concept of Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Immigration History Although the concept of race has a long history of conceptualization, its significance has become tangible during the last two centuries, with the rise of such issues as slavery, racial discrimination, and stereotypical thinking. Racial distinctions are initially premised on biological differences that specifically concern the physical appearance. However, these differences do not spread over other features, including genetic attributes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Immigration History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The biological distinction between races obviously exists, but it should not influence the equality in distributing human rights and freedoms. Perceiving race is a social construct does not create favorable grounds on defending humanitarian law. The history shows that the concept of race has always been accepted from a sociological perspective and, as a result, m any challenges occur to society composed of several races and ethnicities. The reference to the U.S. immigration history shows that people were bound to the concept of race while building social organization and treating people. Inappropriate treatment of African Americans refers back to the history of slavery, when African population was transferred to the United States and has long been considered inferior groups that should serve white population. Inferior attitude to black population has long been affecting the community and, therefore, the existing negative stereotypes and prejudices can be explained. Using race in a social environment could be regarded as a human invention for the prevailing group to take control of the minorities. Distorted perception of races led to the development of racist principles predetermined by cultural, individual, and intelligent perspectives. Racial distinctions are strongly associated with ethnicity groups because both phenomena refer to cultural perception and social beliefs. Similar to racial distinctions, ethnic groups adhere to a sense of community and cultural element, which shape the critical aspects of ethnicity. Due to the fact that the U.S. population consists of various ethnic communities, most of them will have to adjust to the dominating system of social and cultural beliefs. Such a tendency, however, is not encouraged among ethnic minorities that are afraid of losing their cultural identity. The emerged contradiction has created substantial grounds for blending ethnicity with race that led to the scientific bias as well. Nowadays the synthesis of two notions provides sociologists and anthropologists with the right to use the concept of ethnicity instead of race. The choice, however, produces more controversies to evaluating the nature of the identified terms due to their long history.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn M ore Considering ethnicity to be a type of race is relevant to the contemporary attitudes to minorities. Owing to the development of globalized trends in treating culture and society, these two definitions are rarely utilized in a negative meaning. Rather, the ethnic groups are now more respected and accepted in society because they create new perspectives for developing cultural heritage and encouraging individuals to restore their traditions, customs, and beliefs. Long history of U.S. immigration has had a potent impact on shifts in understanding such concepts as race and ethnicity. Transition from natural to negative perspective occurred during the period of enslavement, when African Americans were limited in their human rights. These isseus in racial discrimination of black population have turned into the fight for freedom and equality, which has led to a new perspective of understanding. Ethnicity is often associated with racism due to their restrictions imposed on the m inorities. Superior communities will always dominate the inferior ones, but recent trends in globalization provide better vision of a multi-cultural society.

7 Myths About Freelance Writing Online

7 Myths About Freelance Writing Online 7 Myths About Freelance Writing Online 7 Myths About Freelance Writing Online By Ali Hale You want to earn a bit of extra money. Or youd love to be a published writer. Or youre looking for an exciting and rewarding career. Whatever your reason, youve started to think about freelance writing online. It sounds like a dream come true: you could work from home, at any time of the day (or night), and get good money for writing about topics that interest you. Except somethings stopping you. Youve started believing one – or more – of these harmful myths. Today, I want to show you that these myths just arent true. Theres no reason to let any of them hold you back. #1: Its too late to make money freelance writing online All the good jobs are already gone, right? And bloggings dead anyway Wrong. The fact that huge numbers people are making money online as freelance writers should encourage you. Theres plenty of work out there – and as more and more businesses realize the importance and the potential of the internet, new writing jobs are appearing every single day. In fact, now is a great time to start freelancing. Writing online is a growing area, particularly as more and more print magazines fold, and as the demand for online content grows. #2: Online writing gigs dont pay as well as print ones This is a gross generalization, without much truth in it. Some print publications dont pay anything – local newspapers and specialty magazines often rely on volunteers, because of printing and distribution costs. But online, even tiny operations can afford to pay writers, since their overheads are so low. Some online writing gigs pay very little – but there are others which pay a hundred dollars or more for a short article. Its up to you what jobs you take, so you never need to work for a low rate. In my experience, online writing gigs pay very well in terms of time spent. They may pay less per word – but they often dont require the same level of research and fact-checking that print publications want. #3: You need technical knowledge to freelance write online This myth puts off a lot of people. Theyre convinced that online freelance writing requires technical skills like knowing HTML code or being a whizz with different systems. The truth is, you almost certainly already have all the technical skills you need: Ability to use email (to send articles to an editor) Basic word-processing skills (e.g. using Microsoft Word or Open Office) Ability to use search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo) for research It really is that simple. Of course, there are some gigs where youll be at an advantage if youre comfortable with uploading content into your clients software – for instance, WordPress – but there are plenty of writing jobs which dont require anything techy beyond the ability to create a document and send it by email. #4: You need an English or Journalism major to be a freelance writer Maybe you majored in math or a science, or maybe you didnt go to college at all. It doesnt matter. All that editors care about is your ability to write – whether or not you have a degree makes no difference to them. If youve studied English, Journalism or a related subject, youll probably be a confident and fast writer – which will serve you well. However, you can easily develop your writing skills outside the college world – and academic writing bears very little resemblance to the sort of writing that online gigs will want! #5: Receiving payments is hard. Youll need an accountant and a merchant bank account This myth really frustrates me, because its so out of date! All you need to receive money online is a PayPal account – almost every single online gig Ive ever had has paid through PayPal. The one gig which didnt, with an online magazine, sent me a check which I just deposited straight into my bank account. Opening a PayPal account takes minutes, and allows you to receive money in many different currencies without having to pay the hefty fee that your bank would charge for a foreign transaction. #6: Only people living in the US can become successful freelance writers Im living proof that this is untrue – I live in the UK, and have worked with editors in the US, in Canada and in Australia. I know of many successful freelance writers around the world. Most online gigs will take writers from anywhere. All that matters is that you can write good English. If you live in a country with a low cost of living, then youre actually at an advantage – as youll be getting paid US rates for your work. #7: You need to be an expert in one field before you can find freelance jobs You already have certain areas where youre knowledgeable, just from your life experience. For instance, you might have children – and there are scores of jobs looking for people who can write about parenting. Many online gigs are open to any writers, and dont require any particular expertise. You might have to do extra research to begin with, but if you keep writing on similar topics, youll soon become a self-taught expert. So – seven myths busted! I hope youre feeling more optimistic about your own chances of freelancing online. Writing is a great way to make a living (or just make some extra cash on the side) and theres always going to be a demand for good writers and new content. Notice: Due to popular request we have finally released our Freelance Writing Course. Come check it out if you want to get started freelance writing online. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 10130 Baseball IdiomsOne "L" or Two?

How To Use Adverbial Phrases in Spanish

How To Use Adverbial Phrases in Spanish Native Spanish speakers often prefer phrases that act like adverbs over the corresponding adverbs themselves. Using Phrases That Function as Adverbs Heres why:  Adverbs can often be formed in Spanish by adding -mente to many adjectives, just as -ly can be used to form adverbs in English. But the creation of adverbs using -mente has its limits. For one, there are plenty of times where one needs an adverb (a word that modifies a  verb,  adjective, other adverb or an entire sentence) when theres no adjective that will do as a root word. Also, sometimes for no apparent reason, some adjectives in Spanish simply arent combined with -mente. Finally, many Spanish speakers  tend to frown on the use of several -mente adverbs in one sentence, especially in writing. The solution is one that is also used in English: use of an adverbial or prepositional phrase. These phrases are typically formed by using a preposition and a noun, sometimes including an article. For example, we might say anduvo a la izquierda for he walked leftward or he walked to the left. In that case, a la izquierda and to the left are adverbial phrases. The difference is that in Spanish, there is no one-word adverb that can be used. Adverbial phrases seem to be more common in Spanish than in English. In many cases, the same thought can be expressed using either an adverb or an adverbial phrase. Spanish tends to prefer the phrase, while English tends to prefer the simple adverb, even though both are grammatically correct. For example, it is possible to say either ciegamente or a ciegas for blindly or in a blind manner. But Spanish more often uses the phrase, English the one word. Even so, in most cases there is no practical difference in meaning between a -mente adverb and a corresponding adverbial phrase, so they are freely interchangeable. In many contexts theres no distinguishable difference, for example, between perfectamente (perfectly) and sin errores (without mistakes). What can be particularly confusing for Spanish students who have English as a first language is that the two languages frequently have similar phrases that use different prepositions. For example, the phrase for on horseback is a caballo, not the en caballo you might expect if translating the English on literally. Similarly, the phrase for kneeling or on the knees is de rodillas, not the en rodillas that might seem logical. Common Adverbial Phrases Spanish has countless adverbial phrases. Here are some of the most common, as well as some that are included simply because theyre interesting or could be confusing for the beginner, or because they provide examples of alternative ways to translate English adverbs: a bordo - on boarda caballo - on horsebacka carrera abierta - at full speeda chorros - abundantlya conciencia - conscientiouslya continuacià ³n - right afterwarda destiempo - inopportunely, at a bad timea empujones - pushingly, intermittentlya escondidas - covertly, secretlya gatas - on hands and kneesa la derecha - rightwarda la fuerza - necessarilya la izquierda - leftwarda la larga - in the long runa las claras - clearlyal fin - finallyal alimà ³n  -   jointly, togethera lo loco  -   like a crazy persona mano - by hand, manuallya mquina - by machinea matacaballo - at breakneck speeda menudo - frequentlyante todo - primarilya pie - on foota quemarropa  -   at point-blank rangea regaà ±adientes - unwillinglya sabiendas - knowinglya saltos - jumpinga solas - alonea tiempo - on time, in timea todas horas - continuallya veces - sometimesbajo control - under controlbajo cuerda - underhandedlycon ansiedad -   anxiouslycon audacia - daringl ycon bien - safelycon cuentagotas - stingilycon esperanza - hopefullycon frecuencia - frequentlycon prisa - hurriedlycon valor - courageouslyde buena gana - willinglyde continuo - continuouslyde costumbre - customarilyde frente - head-onde golpe - suddenlyde improviso - unexpectedlyde inmediato  -   immediatelyde locura - foolishlyde mala gana - unwillinglyde memoria - by memorydentro de poco - shortlyde nuevo - again, anewde ordinario - ordinarilyde pronto - suddenlyde puntillas - on tiptoede repente - suddenlyde rodillas - kneelingde seguro - certainlyde veras - trulyde verdad - truthfullyde vez en cuando - occasionallyen balde - pointlesslyen broma - jokinglyen cambio - on the other handen confianza - confidentiallyen la actualidad - presently, nowen particular - particularlyen secreto - secretlyen seguida - immediatelyen serio - seriouslyen vano  -   vainlyen voz alta - loudly (said of speaking)en voz baja - softly (said of speaking)p or ahora  -   for nowpor cierto - certainlypor consiguiente - consequentlypor fin - finallypor la puerta grande  -   in grand stylepor lo contrario - on the contrarypor lo general - generallypor lo regular  -   regularlypor lo visto - apparentlypor suerte - luckilypor supuesto - of coursepor todas partes - everywheresin empacho - uninhibitedlysin reserva - unreservedlysin ton ni son  - without rhyme or reason

Social Media and the Affects on Personal Relationships Research Paper

Social Media and the Affects on Personal Relationships - Research Paper Example Such a framework of ethics is especially important in a scenario where there is a world where multiculturalism is an important part. In such an environment, it is important that there are many ways in which people from all over the world are able to understand the methods that are used by one another at least at the virtual plane that social media exists at. This is then an important part of the entire enterprise of social media and its use by people of a particular organization. The paper shall look at the ethics of politicization of media and the role of social media within this. It shall also look at how personal relationships are affected by all of this. Relationships between customers and sellers have been fast changing as a result of social media. In traditional approaches to the ways in which customers and the people who used to sell commodities and services interacted, there would often be a system that would enable consumers to talk to the managers of their companies and the managers would then be able to talk to the consumers. This would be different in a modern setup as the consumers are able to talk to each other through social networking sites (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). They are able to communicate with each other the problems that they may face in dealing with the managers of a company. This would alter the paradigms of the relationships between the consumers and the managers of the company. Apart from this, it would also alter the paradigms of the relationships between the different consumers of the same product. This would then need to adhere to certain norms of ethics to lead to a constructive process. Rules of professionalism need to be adhered to even in such circumstances. If not, there would... This report approves that relationships between customers and sellers have been fast changing as a result of social media. In traditional approaches to the ways in which customers and the people who used to sell commodities and services interacted, there would often be a system that would enable consumers to talk to the managers of their companies and the managers would then be able to talk to the consumers. This would be different in a modern setup as the consumers are able to talk to each other through social networking sites. There are plenty of such websites that are willing to provide information free of cost to people who wish to access it. This then becomes a point where several people from different parts of the globe can converge and possibly even, through an exchange of information regarding places, build persona relationships. This can then point towards a situation where people from different parts of the world can form bonds merely on the basis of knowledge. One then see s the importance of knowledge and an ethical and honest use of it within the space of social media for it to be constructive for it users across the world. This essay makes a conclusion that political relations between people too form a part of the matrix of personal relations that people form amongst themselves in the society. This then points to the role that social media plays in the creation of political relationships between people. Clay Shirky talks of the different roles that are played by forms of social media in creating new forms of political relationships in the world. Shirky attributes the development of political awareness to a certain extent to social media and the different forms of it

Apple and Samsung Competitive Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple and Samsung Competitive Strategies - Essay Example In order to identify the difference in corporate culture at Apple and Samsung, both the organization’s corporate culture would be assessed to elaborate the difference. The corporate culture of Apple and Microsoft is as follows;According to Tim Cook, Acting CEO at Apple, the company believes in providing its customers with innovative and simple products to provide its customers with the best product available in the market. Furthermore, the company believes in controlling and owning its primary technologies and to focus on only those markets where the company can make contribution. At Apple, importance is given only to the accomplishment of personal goals not 100 percent but 110 percent. This indicates that Apple value what is important for the organization (Tobak, 2011). At Apple, collaboration and cross-pollination are the source of its success and by doing so; the company is able to provide the customers with innovative products that other in the technological industry canno t. The greatest and the most interesting thing about Apple is that it does not care about its competitors and at Apple things are done when the company feels right. At Samsung, employees are provided with opportunities to pursue their dreams and the company takes full advantage of the talent and knowledge of its employees. In order to provide the customers with great and innovative products, employees at Samsung are encouraged to develop creative ideas that would attract customers. At Samsung, speed and adaptability are the center of focus of corporate culture. The company has extra-ordinary marketing campaign due to which it has a competitive edge over Apple; its fiercest rival in the technological industry. Diversity is another major part of corporate cult

Strategic Management Analysis The Thomson Travel Group PLC Essay

Strategic Management Analysis The Thomson Travel Group PLC - Essay Example The company in 2002 changed its formal name from Thomson Holidays Limited to TUI UK, Ltd. Presently it is operating as Thomson Holidays, a brand of its parent company TUI Travel Plc. delivering their services to vacation travel retailers. It is primarily a UK based group serving both travel and tourism packages in the national as well as international markets. The group operates its air-line services in European region, Australasia, Asia, the Middle East, and America, employing nearly 18000 people at present. (Bloomberg L.P., 2010). Apart from airlines the group also owns a number of cruises named as Thomson Cruises, offering lower cost Europe tour through water. Additionally, the group also feature many holiday resorts to serve their customers a cheaper and comfortable holiday experiences. With a difference to the prospects of mere holiday packages, the group has also destined its path in publishing several magazines and brochures defining the types of packages offered and there pricing thereof giving its advertisement sector an effective touch. Some of the published magazines are, Thomson Destinations and Summer Sun, Thomson Destinations Florida among others (My Holiday Co. 2010).

Expression Of Recombinant Tick Histamine-Binding Protein Lab Report

Expression Of Recombinant Tick Histamine-Binding Protein - Lab Report Example To facilitate further studies regarding the structure and function of HBP, there should be an efficient means by which HBP can be made available. For this, Pichia pastoris expression system was assessed for its competence in producing recombinant HBP. This was chosen for its effectiveness in glycosylating recombinant proteins. On the other hand, the HBP gene sequence used for this particular study was from cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, which is considered to be an agricultural pest. If found to have therapeutic effect, the despised insect will be given a newly-discovered purpose. Culture and induction of transformed P. pastoris was able to produce c-myc epitope-containing proteins, potentially containing TC11485, as detected through dot blot and Western blot analysis. Future researches involve purification and characterization of the recombinant TC11485. Introduction Lipocalins 1. The structure-function relation in lipocalins Lipocalins are monomeric globular proteins compris ed of a single polypeptide with 150-200 amino acid residues, and ubiquitous in all life forms. In fact, these proteins are abundant in plasma, tissue and secretory fluids of humans. Despite its weak sequence homology, they are characterized by a tertiary structural level of a conserved ?-barrel configuration with an amino-and carboxy-terminal ?-helix attachment, contributing to their similarities in function, which will be discussed in the later sections. The barrel is shaped like a cone, in which the tip is a hydrophobic core that protects the parcel, and the base open to solvent acts as an entry point into the cavity. In fact, the term lipocalin is derived from ‘calyx’, which is the Greek and Latin word for drinking vessel (Cheng, 2010; Schlehuber and Skerra, 2005). Classification of lipocalins is based on variations in the length of the terminal segments. Aside from the highly conserved tertiary structure, lipocalins also exhibit similar arrangement of exons and intr ons in their genes’ coding sequences (Cheng, 2010). Understandably, each lipocalin has a distinct amino acid sequence. For human lipocalins, a single unpaired cysteine (Cys) residue allows intermolecular covalent binding of a lipocalin to another protein. Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) binds with apolipoprotein A-II, and NGAL associates with matrix metalloproteinase IX Other than being differentiated based on amino acid sequence, lipocalins vary in the shapes that their structures can assume. Logically, capability for such changes influences the function of the protein. For example, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) opens more widely to become more funnel-like, while the mouse major urinary protein (MUP) closes the opening of the barrel to totally encapsulate the ligand (Schlehuber and Skerra, 2005). 2. Physiologic role of lipocalins This family of proteins primarily functions to transport or store compounds that are insoluble or chemically sensitive. Among the compo unds transported by lipocalins are hydrophobic vitamins, pheromones, bilins, retinoids, lipids and steroid hormones, play significantly in transcription, enzymatic reactions and metabolism (Schlehuber and Skerra, 2005; Cheng, 2010). They deliver their ligands to the cell membrane receptor or to the targets (such as DNA) themselves. For example, the human plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP), the first lipocalin structurally characterized, transports the insoluble and highly oxidative vitamin A from the stores in the liver to the target tissues . ApoD transports progesterone and arachidonic acid, while NGAL has Fe(III)-enterobactin as its ligand (Schlehuber and Skerra, 2005). 3. Medical significance of lipocalins Because of their

Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example Internal Analysis X 5.1 SWOT Analysis X 5.1.1 Strength X 5.1.2 Weakness X 5.1.3 Opportunity X 5.1.4 Threat X 5.2 Value Chain Analysis X 6. Problem Definition X 6.1 Primary Problem - Unable to Respond to the Dynamic Market Trends X 6.2 Secondary Problems X 6.2.1 Emerging Preference for Sports Apparel Materials X 6.2.2 Intense Rivalry Among Competitors X 7. Recommendations X 7.1 Develop Alliance with Competitors X 7.2 Participating in Sports Events X 7.3 Expand the Research and Development Function X 8. Selected Recommendation X 9. Implementation X 10. Evaluation and Control X 10. Appendices X 11. Reference List X 1. Executive Summary In this report, the authors have critically analysed Bossini International Holdings Limited’s (BIHL)’s external and internal environment of Hong Kong’s apparel industry. The external analysis highlights the key current environmental factors through PEST Analysis and Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis. Such external analysis are aimed t o assist the company in remaining relevant and sustainable within the the dynamic external environment. An internal analysis of BIHL’s internal environment is then performed through SWOT analysis and Value-chain Analysis. The capabilities and shortcomings of BIHL are surfaced consequently. This allows for tailored strategies to suit BIHL in facing challenges within the industry. Subsequently, the key problems are highlighted from the external environment analysis. Through the internal environment analysis, relevant strategies are proposed and selected to counter the problems. The report concludes with the implementation of the selected strategy, featuring issue involved in evaluation and control. 2. Introduction The apparel industry in Hong Kong has flourished during recent times wherein the residents are not only inclined to buy more clothes but more ready spend on more expensive ones. The apparel industry in Hong Kong offers fashion wear, sportswear, casual, kids as well as footwear and footwear accessories. The list of consumers is not limited to the locals; it also includes international buyers and tourists. International brands have also entered into the Asian market by making first entry into the Hong Kong(HK) market. This suggests that HK presents a reliable and stable market to sell both locally and regionally (Euromonitor International 2011b). The overall size of the industry is over HK$53 Billion as of 2011 with more than 12,200 retail stores offering different apparels targeted at market segments. With growth of almost 22% per year, the Apparel industry in Hong Kong is one of the significant and growing industries in the economy (Yi Li & Jones 2001). Bossini International Holdings Limited (BIHL) is one of the leading apparel firms in HK. Established in 1987, BIHL has been an important player for the casual wear market for low and mid ranged consumers. Listed on the HK Stock Exchange in 1993, the firm has been able to achieve dynamic growth an d opened new stores around the world with major presence in regions like Asia, Europe and Middle East. Having near 1400 stores in 36 countries, BIHL has developed into a recognizable international brand. The   global presence outlines its drive towards becoming a global brand in the apparel industry (Bossini Enterprises Limited 2012). The overall market appeal of BIHL is based upon its recognizable casual wear that is not only colorful, but also soft in texture. Based on the motto of â€Å"

The Western Treatment of Illness versus Alternative Therapies of Essay

The Western Treatment of Illness versus Alternative Therapies of Probiotics, Herbs and Cleansing Regimens - Essay Example Bacteria which are immune to the traditional treatments of antibiotics have become a serious issue for practitioners and the general public. Over-reliance on antibiotics by family doctors, and non-compliance by patients (usually through lack of understanding about the nature of antibiotics and bacteria) has produced infections such as Clostridium difficile, known as C. dif, which require very intensive therapies and are very resistant to treatment. It therefore makes sense for scientists to consider whether alternative therapies are of any benefit in providing an alternative to antibiotics. Complementary therapy such as herbs may actually cheaper than conventional medications. A study comparing standard anti-depressants with St John's Wort found that the side effects of the herb were only 10 percent that of the medications, and the herb was only one-fourth the cost of the anti-depressant. (Jonas, W. 209). Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori through antibiotics is : The side effects of antibiotics often result in a significant failure to complete the course - this has repercussions both in the duration of the illness, and the likelihood of the bacteria becoming resistant to treatment. Studies have shown that probiotics act rapidly (Mattila-Sandholm et all, 2000). In addition, it is widely acknowledged that patients are complacent about antibiotics, (Guardian 2005), and complementary therapy could provide a solution to that problem (Jonas, 208) Alternative therapies also provide a 'holistic' treatment, though some clinicians feel that it is nonsense to claim that conventional medicine does not treat the whole person (Baum, 1988)However, there is evidence that probiotics strengthen the immune system (Kailasapathy, Chin, 82; Senok, Ismaeel, and Botta, 959-960), providing long-term benefits for the patient. In cases where the patient is vulnerable to infection, this may be of particular interest. Problems with CAM Although many people take CAM without problems, there are safety issues which mean that alternative therapy is not benign. Firstly, the herbs themselves may be toxic in large doses (Silverstein et al, 162), they may be contra-indicated with conventional medication (Silverstein, 162; Jonas 209), and generally less well regulated (Senok, 959). There is also little hard evidence that CAM's are more effective than conventional treatments (Mattila-Sandholm, 394; Langmead, Rampton, 348), and despite some clinicians' feelings that CAM's have a beneficial effect, some studies seem to show the opposite (Gionchetti, et al, 492). The biggest concern over the use of CAM in treating bacterial diseases, however, is the fact that many probiotics and herbal medicines are targeted at the healthy

Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example Internal Analysis X 5.1 SWOT Analysis X 5.1.1 Strength X 5.1.2 Weakness X 5.1.3 Opportunity X 5.1.4 Threat X 5.2 Value Chain Analysis X 6. Problem Definition X 6.1 Primary Problem - Unable to Respond to the Dynamic Market Trends X 6.2 Secondary Problems X 6.2.1 Emerging Preference for Sports Apparel Materials X 6.2.2 Intense Rivalry Among Competitors X 7. Recommendations X 7.1 Develop Alliance with Competitors X 7.2 Participating in Sports Events X 7.3 Expand the Research and Development Function X 8. Selected Recommendation X 9. Implementation X 10. Evaluation and Control X 10. Appendices X 11. Reference List X 1. Executive Summary In this report, the authors have critically analysed Bossini International Holdings Limited’s (BIHL)’s external and internal environment of Hong Kong’s apparel industry. The external analysis highlights the key current environmental factors through PEST Analysis and Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis. Such external analysis are aimed t o assist the company in remaining relevant and sustainable within the the dynamic external environment. An internal analysis of BIHL’s internal environment is then performed through SWOT analysis and Value-chain Analysis. The capabilities and shortcomings of BIHL are surfaced consequently. This allows for tailored strategies to suit BIHL in facing challenges within the industry. Subsequently, the key problems are highlighted from the external environment analysis. Through the internal environment analysis, relevant strategies are proposed and selected to counter the problems. The report concludes with the implementation of the selected strategy, featuring issue involved in evaluation and control. 2. Introduction The apparel industry in Hong Kong has flourished during recent times wherein the residents are not only inclined to buy more clothes but more ready spend on more expensive ones. The apparel industry in Hong Kong offers fashion wear, sportswear, casual, kids as well as footwear and footwear accessories. The list of consumers is not limited to the locals; it also includes international buyers and tourists. International brands have also entered into the Asian market by making first entry into the Hong Kong(HK) market. This suggests that HK presents a reliable and stable market to sell both locally and regionally (Euromonitor International 2011b). The overall size of the industry is over HK$53 Billion as of 2011 with more than 12,200 retail stores offering different apparels targeted at market segments. With growth of almost 22% per year, the Apparel industry in Hong Kong is one of the significant and growing industries in the economy (Yi Li & Jones 2001). Bossini International Holdings Limited (BIHL) is one of the leading apparel firms in HK. Established in 1987, BIHL has been an important player for the casual wear market for low and mid ranged consumers. Listed on the HK Stock Exchange in 1993, the firm has been able to achieve dynamic growth an d opened new stores around the world with major presence in regions like Asia, Europe and Middle East. Having near 1400 stores in 36 countries, BIHL has developed into a recognizable international brand. The   global presence outlines its drive towards becoming a global brand in the apparel industry (Bossini Enterprises Limited 2012). The overall market appeal of BIHL is based upon its recognizable casual wear that is not only colorful, but also soft in texture. Based on the motto of â€Å"

For one more day by Mitch Albom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For one more day by Mitch Albom - Research Paper Example Charley’s mother Posey had died some years ago though he wished to spend additional time with his mother. According to the book, the love between a child and his mother is strong because it can save a child. The major theme of the story is family because it reflects occurrences in many families today as evident in themes, viewpoints, and characters. Character The main characters of the book are Charley’s family members. Charley is the storyteller and the major character of the story. The story reveals pertinent concerns focusing on the relationships between children and their parents in the current society (Albon 2). Most male children like to be associated with their fathers though they have difficult relationships with them. Charley always sided with his father. He always wanted his father’s approval though he was always hard on him. He made Charley believe that he was never good enough. This made him try hard with the intent of affirming his worth. This happen ed in his childhood and adulthood when he was at the Old Timers baseball team. Charley’s father in the novel represents the fathers who live their dreams through their children. It is true that parents like to achieve their targets through their children by forcing them to do what they do not like. Charlie’s father wanted him to realize his vision of playing baseball. He bullied his son though he was growing up. This is shown when the father ordered him to leave his mother’s birthday party for a baseball game. He told Charley that he should choose either his mother or him. The father told him that he could not choose both. Charley discovered later that his father was a hypocrite who led a double life. This is because his father has a second alcohol store, a second wife, and another child (Albom 17). Charley’s relationship with his mother in the novel shows that mothers support their children though they tend to make serious mistakes. His mother always mad e him realize that he should return to his life. Charlie discovered that his mother was considerate compared to his father. This was evident when Charlie told his mother that he made a wrong mistake when they visited the Italian wife. He told his mother that he loved and admired her. Charlie thought that he should have chosen his mother over his father. However, his mother opposed by indicating that it was not his culpable because he never had a chance to choose. She knew that his son was confused throughout his life because he failed to acknowledge whether to support his mother or to please his father. She also knew that his son was pressured by his father to choose him as his role model (Albom 43). Charlie’s relationship with his daughter was also poor because he felt guilty for neglecting his mother making him an alcoholic. His wife left him because of this habit. This shows that a child’s life is immensely affected by his parents’ behaviors. Charlie had prob lems with his wife and daughter because of the effects of his relationship with his parents. He never saw his daughter after his wife left him. His daughter got married but he was not invited to the wedding. This made Charlie to feel so lonely that he wanted to kill himself. During their meeting, Charlie’s mother helped him realize that he should reclaim his relationship with his daughter (O’Hara 1). Setting The novel is set in a fictitious village where Charlie had created good and bad

An Overview Of Meningitis

An Overview Of Meningitis Meningitis is swelling and inflammation of the protective membranes that cover brain and spinal cord. Depending on the duration of symptoms, meningitis may be classified as acute or chronic. Acute meningitis denotes the evolution of symptoms within hours to several days, while chronic meningitis has an onset and duration of weeks to months. Meningitis is mainly caused by infection with viruses, several different types of bacteria, or sometimes by a fungus, and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammations proximity to the brain and spinal cord. All types of meningitis tend to cause symptoms that include fever, headache and stiff neck. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ depending on the cause. Viral meningitis, the most common form of meningitis, is less severe than bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is usually more serious than vira l meningitis and is sometimes fatal, particularly in infants and the elderly. Bacterial meningitis is a major cause of death and disability world-wide. [1] b. The etiology and risk factors Meningitis is usually caused by infection from viruses or micro-organisms. Most cases are due to infection with viruses, with bacteria, fungi, and parasites being the next most common causes. It may also result from various non-infectious causes. The etiology of bacterial meningitis varies by age group and region of the world. Worldwide, without epidemics one million cases of bacterial meningitis are estimated to occur and 200,000 of these die annually. [1] Before antibiotics were widely used, 70 percent or more of bacterial meningitis cases were fatal; with antibiotic treatment, the fatality rate has dropped to 15 percent or less. Bacterial meningitis is most common in the winter and spring. Beyond the perinatal period, three organisms, transmitted from person to person through the exchange of respiratory secretions, are responsible for most cases of bacterial meningitis: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) can be fatal and should always be viewed as a medical emergency. About 10% of infected people die from the disease. [5] In non-fatal cases, those affected experience long-term disabilities, such as brain damage, loss of limb, or deafness. Preventing the disease through the use of meningococcal vaccine is important. Although anyone can get meningitis, pre-teens and adolescents, college freshmen who live in dormitories and travelers to countries where meningitis is always present are at an increased risk for meningococcal disease. Before the availability of effective vaccines, bacterial meningitis was most commonly diagnosed in young children. Now, as a result of the protection offered by current childhood vaccines, bacterial meningitis is more commonly diagnosed among pre-teens and young adults. As children reach their pre-teen and adolescent years, protection provided by some childhood vaccines can begin to wear off. As a result, pre-teens and adolescents are at a greater risk for catching certain diseases. Introducing vaccinations during the pre-teen years increases the level of protection during adolescence. College freshmen, especially those who live in dormitories, are at a slightly increased risk for bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) compared with other persons of the same age. vaccination against bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) is recommended to persons who travel to or reside in countries in which the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is hyperendemic or epidemic, particularly if contact with the local population will be prolonged. Meningococcal meningitis, caused by Neisseria meningitidis, is primarily a disease of young children, with the incidence of cases declining in those older than 1 year of age. The disease is most common during winter and spring. In some persons, the bacteria can cause a severe blood infection called meningococcemia. N. meningitidis is classified into serogroups based on the immunological reactivity of the capsular polysaccharide. Although 13 serogroups have been identified, the three serogroups A, B and C account for over 90% of meningococcal disease. [1] Meningococcal disease differs from other leading causes of bacterial meningitis because of its potential to cause large-scale epidemics. A region of sub-Saharan Africa extending from Ethiopia in the East to The Gambia in the West and containing fifteen countries and over 260 million people is known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“meningitis beltà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  because of its high endemic rate of disease with superimposed, periodic, large epid emics caused by serogroup A, and to a lesser extent, serogroup C. [1] Haemophilus meningitis is most frequently caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, also known as Hib. Before effective vaccines became available and widely used, Hib was the most frequent cause of bacterial meningitis in children 5 years of age and younger. While most children are colonized with a species of H. influenzae, only 2-15% harbour Hib. [1] The organism is acquired through the respiratory route. It adheres to the upper respiratory tract epithelial cells and colonizes the nasopharynx. Following acquisition of Hib, illness results when the organism is able to penetrate the respiratory mucosa and enters the blood stream. This is the result of a combination of factors, and subsequently the organism gains access to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), where infection is established and inflammation occurs. An essential virulence factor which plays a major role in determining the invasive potential of an organism is the polysaccharide capsule of Hib. Pneumococcal meningitis, caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci), generally strikes infants, the elderly and individuals with certain chronic medical conditions. Younger adults with anatomic or functional asplenia, haemoglobinopathies, such as sickle cell disease, or who are otherwise immunocompromised, also have an increased susceptibility to S. pneumoniae infection. S. pneumoniae, like Hib, is acquired through the respiratory route. Following the establishment of nasopharyngeal colonization, illness results once bacteria evade the mucosal defences, thus accessing the bloodstream, and eventually reaching the meninges and CSF. The term aseptic meningitis refers loosely to all cases of meningitis in which no bacterial infection can be demonstrated. This is usually due to viruses, but it may be due to bacterial infection that has already been partially treated, with disappearance of the bacteria from the meninges, or by infection in a space adjacent to the meninges (e.g. sinusitis). Endocarditis (infection of the heart valves with spread of small clusters of bacteria through the bloodstream) may cause aseptic meningitis. Aseptic meningitis may also result from infection with spirochetes, a type of bacteria that includes Treponema pallidum (the cause of syphilis) and Borrelia burgdorferi (known for causing Lyme disease). Meningitis may be encountered in cerebral malaria (malaria infecting the brain). Fungal meningitis, e.g. due to Cryptococcus neoformans, is typically seen in people with immune deficiency such as AIDS. Amoebic meningitis, meningitis due to infection with amoebae such as Naegleria fowleri, is contracted from freshwater sources. [2] Like bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis can affect anyone but infants younger than 1 month old and people whose immune systems are weak are at higher risk for severe infection. People who are around someone with viral meningitis have a chance of becoming infected with the virus that made that person sick, but they are not likely to develop meningitis as a complication of the illness. Viral meningitis is common and often goes unreported. It is a central nervous system (CNS) infection characterized by signs and symptoms of meningeal inflammation in the absence of positive bacterial cultures. The incidence varies with season, and the clinical presentation often includes fever, headache, and stiffness of the neck accompanied by symptoms typical of the specific causal virus. Viral meningitis is usually self-limited and resolves without treatment, although case reports suggest that treatment is indicated and beneficial in certain clinical scenarios. Viruses that can cause meningitis include enteroviruses, herpes simplex virus type 2 (and less commonly type 1), varicella zoster virus (known for causing chickenpox and shingles), mumps virus, HIV, and LCMV. [3] In the absence of a lumbar puncture, viral and bacterial meningitis cannot be differentiated with certainty, and all suspected cases should therefore be referred. Lumbar puncture and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid may be done primarily to exclude bacterial meningitis, but identification of the specific viral cause is itself beneficial. Viral diagnosis informs prognosis , enhances care of the patient, reduces the use of antibiotics, decreases length of stay in hospital, and can help to prevent further spread of infection. Over the past 20 years, vaccination policies, the HIV epidemic, altered sexual behavior, and increasing travel have altered the spectrum of causative agents. [4] A parasitic cause is often assumed when there is a predominance of eosinophils in the CSF. The most common parasites implicated are Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Gnathostoma spinigerum. Tuberculosis, syphilis, cryptococcosis, and coccidiodomycosis are rare causes of eosinophilic meningitis that may need to be considered. Meningitis may occur as the result of several non-infectious causes: spread of cancer to the meninges (malignant meningitis) and certain drugs (mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and intravenous immunoglobulins). It may also be caused by several inflammatory conditions such as sarcoidosis (which is then called neurosarcoidosis), connective tissue disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, and certain forms of vasculitis. Epidermoid cysts and dermoid cysts may cause meningitis by releasing irritant matter into the subarachnoid space. Mollarets meningitis is a syndrome of recurring episodes of aseptic meningitis; it is now thought to be caused by herpes simplex virus type 2. Rarely, migraine may cause meningitis, but this diagnosis is usually only made when other causes have been eliminated. [2] c. Pathophisiology d. Clinical signs and symptoms Meningitis infection is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status. The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within 3-7 days after exposure. Infants younger than one month old are at a higher risk for severe infection. In newborns and infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to notice. The infant may appear to be slow or inactive, irritable, vomiting or feeding poorly. In young children, doctors may also look at the childà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reflexes, which can also be a sign of meningitis. Although the early symptoms of viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis may be similar, later symptoms of bacterial meningitis can be very severe (e.g., seizures, coma). Viral meningitis is an infection of the meninges (the covering of the brain and spinal cord) that is caused by a virus. Enteroviruses, the most common cause of viral meningitis, appear most often during the summer and fall in temperate climates. Viral meningitis can affect babies, children, and adults. It is usually less severe than bacterial meningitis and normally clears up without specific treatment. The symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those for bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal. Symptoms of viral meningitis in adults may differ from those in children. Common symptoms in infants include fever, irritability, poor eating and hard to awaken. Common symptoms in adults include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to bright light, sleepiness or trouble waking up, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. The symptoms of viral meningitis usually last from 7 to 10 days, and people with normal immune systems usually recover completely. Symptoms of fungal meningitis are similar to symptoms of other forms of meningitis; however, they often appear more gradually. In addition to typical meningitis symptoms, like headache, fever, nausea, and stiffness of the neck, people with fungal meningitis may also experience dislike of bright lights, changes in mental status, confusion, hallucinations and personality changes. [5] e. Diagnosis and laboratory findings If meningitis is suspected, samples of blood or cerebrospinal fluid are collected and sent to the laboratory for testing. It is important to know the specific cause of meningitis because the severity of illness and the treatment will differ depending on the cause. In the case of bacterial meningitis, for example, antibiotics can help prevent severe illness and reduce the spread of infection from person to person. If bacteria are present, they can be grown (cultured). Growing the bacteria in the laboratory is important for confirming the presence of bacteria and for identifying the specific type of bacteria that is causing the infection. For viral meningitis, the specific causes of meningitis may be determined by tests used to identify the virus in samples collected from the patient. To confirm fungal meningitis, specific lab tests is performed, depending on the type of fungus suspected. e. Therapeutic management of disease, medical treatment, pharmacologic, dietary Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. If bacterial meningitis is suspected, initial treatment with ceftriaxone and vancomycin is recommended. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of the most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly. [5] There is no specific treatment for viral meningitis. Antibiotics do not help viral infections, so they are not useful in the treatment of viral meningitis. Most patients completely recover on their own within 7 to 10 days. A hospital stay may be necessary in more severe cases or for people with weak immune systems. Fungal meningitis is treated with long courses of high dose antifungal medications. This is usually given using an IV line and is done in the hospital. The length of treatment depends on the status of the immune system and the t ype of fungus that caused the infection. For people with immune systems that do not function well because of other conditions, like AIDS, diabetes, or cancer, there is often a need for longer treatment. g. Teaching self care h. Health promotion strategies to prevent Keeping up to date with recommended immunizations is the best defense. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not coming into close contact with people who are sick, can also help. There are two kinds of vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Menomune) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and available since 1981. Meningococcal conjugate vaccines, Menactra and Menveo, were licensed in 2005 and 2010, respectively. Each vaccine can prevent 2 of the 3 most commonly occurring strains in the US. Meningococcal vaccines cannot prevent all types of the disease, but they do protect many people who might become sick if they didnt get the vaccine. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is routinely recommended for all 11 through 18 year olds and for certain high-risk children and adults. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine currently available: a polysaccharide vaccine and a conjugate vaccine. The pneumococcal c onjugate vaccine, PCV7 (Prevnar) was the first pneumococcal vaccine for use in children under the age of 2 years. PCV13 (Prevnar 13), which was licensed in early 2010, replaces PCV7. [5] Pneumococcal vaccines for the prevention of disease among children who are 2 years and older and adults have been in use since 1977. Pneumovax is a 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) that is currently recommended for use in adults who are 65 years of age and older, for persons who are 2 years and older and at high risk for pneumococcal disease (including those with sickle cell disease, HIV infection, or other immunocompromising condition), and for persons 19-64 years of age who smoke or have asthma. The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is highly effective against bacterial meningitis caused by a type of bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b. The Hib vaccine can prevent pneumonia, epiglottitis, and other serious infections caused by Hib bacteria. It is recommended for all chil dren under 5 years old in the US, and it is usually given to infants starting at age 2 months. Hib vaccine can be combined with other vaccines. People with certain viral infections can sometimes develop meningitis. There are no vaccines for the most common causes of viral meningitis. Thus, the best way to prevent it is to prevent viral infections. However, that can be difficult since sometimes people can be infected with a virus and spread the virus even though they do not appear sick. Following are some steps recommended by CDC [5] to help lower the chances of becoming infected with viruses or of passing one on to someone else: Washing hands thoroughly and often, especially after changing diapers, using the toilet, or coughing or blowing nose. Cleaning contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs or the TV remote control, with soap and water and then disinfecting them with a dilute solution of chlorine-containing bleach. Avoiding kissing or sharing a drinking glass, eating utensil, lipstick, or other such items with sick people or with others when sick. Making sure of vaccinations. Vaccinations included in the childhood vaccination schedule can protect children against some diseases that can lead to viral meningitis. These include vaccines against measles and mumps (MMR vaccine) and chickenpox (varicella-zoster vaccine). Avoiding bites from mosquitoes and other insects that carry diseases that can infect humans. Controlling mice and rats. There is little evidence that specific activities can lead to developing fungal meningitis, although avoiding exposure to environments likely to contain fungal elements is prudent. People who are immunosuppressed (for example, those with HIV infection) should try to avoid bird droppings and avoid digging and dusty activities, particularly if they live in a geographic region where fungi like Histoplasma, Coccidioides, or Blastomyces species exist. HIV-infected people cannot completely avoid exposure. Some guidelines recommend that HIV-infected people receive antifungal prophylaxis if they live in a geographic area where the incidence of fungal infections is very high.