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

Ranking method - Research Paper Example The users don’t have to scan through every webpage to find the relevant ones or those with relevant tweets or news. Many ranking functions have been developed for the purpose of evaluating the websites and the web contents. Each of these functions is based on a different algorithm which uses a certain criteria to evaluate the relevance of web content and the data. This paper will consider three separate papers that make an illustration of the use different criteria to apply the ranking algorithm to solve ranking problems based on different aspects. We will seek to find out the themes that are common in these papers, the non-overlapping concepts and any disagreements. We will also determine the various ranking algorithms and their use by researchers to improve ranking. The various aspects of the ranking algorithms will also be looked at to determine their importance to internet users. In the world today, there is an exponential increase in the demand for information which has been highly facilitated by the advancement of informational technology. This has resulted in the development of billions of online items and websites that try to satisfy the users’ needs. Most of these items and websites do not serve the interest of the users fully. Therefore there is the need to optimize these items by ranking them according to their usefulness and also gather information on the usefulness of various websites to users [2]. In this paper, we analyze three research papers which mainly revolve around improving the user experience in the online industry. The articles are Dupret etal [1], Feng etal [2] and Kumar etal [3]. Each one of them compliments the other in that they all propose how to optimize ranking of items in a website and how to evaluate the success by deriving the user engagement using a proposed metric. A summary of how to optimize the informational items found online will be provided which largely try to address the problems

Television Addicted Children

Television Addicted Children Television Addiction Children Children’s Television Addiction A lot of people do not realize the seriousness of television addiction. According to â€Å"Television Addiction Is No Mere Metaphor† written by Robert Kubey and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (2002), each person all over the world spends three hours a day watching television for half of their own leisure time. That means the total amount of the time for watching television is the same as 9 years to spend their time to watch TV if one lives up to 75. A more scary research is 40% of adult respondents and 70% of teenagers think that they watch television too much. Moreover, 10 percent of adults think themselves as TV addicts. Is this fact not surprising? Have you ever thought, â€Å"I think I am addicted to television?† When I was young, I did not consider myself as a television addict. If I did not have anything to do, I would have seen television for 6 through 7 hours in a day. At that time, I already knew I spent too much time watching television, but I did not care about it. However, as time went by, I entered high school, and I needed to study to pass the College Entrance Exam in Korea. Unfortunately, whenever I was studying, I could not take care of my desire to watch television. I tried to get away from the television and set time for viewing the TV. However, it was not that easy. The habit from the young age made me stick to this bad habit. That is why I am interested in television addiction, and why I want to know much about the television addiction. Like this, the impact from viewing television too much would affect not only children’s development in a variety of ways but also until they become adults. Above all, before getting started, we should make sure about the definition of addiction. Although there are a variety of definitions for â€Å"addiction,† all the meanings are the same. Of all, I chose the definition which is proposed by Lamai, â€Å"Addiction is a habitual repetition of excessive behavior that a person is unable or unwilling to stop, despite its harmful consequences† (2006). People can be addicted to drugs physically while people can be addicted to gambling psychologically. However, because the term â€Å"television addiction† is not precise and can be different in various situations, there are a variety of perspectives on television addiction. Nevertheless, the criteria of substance dependence, which are defined by psychologists and psychiatrists formally, decide as an addiction if someone spends their time using the substance too much, tries to use more than one’s intended amount, gives up to do social, family or occupational activities, more important thing than using it, and shows withdrawal symptoms when one stops using it (Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi, 2002). These phenomena are shown on television addicts as well. Because of the desire to watch TV, people who call themselves an addict appear to have all of these phenomena. Therefore, desire to watch television continuously can tell that it is obviously an â€Å"addiction.† Media has warned the impact of television, especially the impact of television to children. It is very unhealthy to children because children are in the progress of developing their brain and body. According to Dr. Young’s assertion, â€Å"All of the most crucial brain development of a child occurs before age 4.†(Morello, 2002, p.44). Hence, the effect from television addiction can lead children to become passive and try not to think creatively. Like this, it would affect in a variety of ways not only in childhood but also in the child’s entire life. First of all, the impact from television addiction is directly related to children’s attention span. A surprising fact is â€Å"Only 14 percent of teens who watch six or more hours of TV daily achieve reading proficiency by grade 12† (Daines, 2007). Somewhere you might hear that television is a strong stimulus clog. This is because television contains a great deal of â€Å"rapid-fire stimulation.† (Morello, 2002, p.44). Therefore, their brain would be trained by this level of stimulation. If they do not see enough of this level of stimulation, they are unable to be affected by the stimulation and they try to find more extreme stimulation for them. Finally, children cannot concentrate on something longer. In contrast, if children are interested in playing sports, games and crayons, they can improve cognitive abilities and develop crucial thinking (Daines, 2007). Secondly, the time for being with family and interacting with friends will be shortened. As society becomes modernized, all of family members become busy, so they can be together in only dinner time. However, television even makes this time shortened. When the TV is turned on, the family’s eyes would glue to the TV without expression, so that they will not chat with their story. Furthermore, studies show that the more TV preschoolers watch, the less well socialized they are in the first grade (Daines, 2007). This is because they spend their time watching instead of playing with friends. Thirdly, the biggest problem is the obesity. Children obesity is getting a bigger issue. Television addiction is a lot involved in this issue as well. Have you ever heard of â€Å"couch potatoes?† This word came from the expression of the person who always lies in the couch and watches TV. Likewise, think about the situation when you are watching television. What are you doing? You might be eating a snack. That is the key point of becoming obesity. There is the statistics related to this fact in TV and the Internet: Fattening for Teens? Dr, Susanna Kautiainen and colleagues at the University of Tampere, Finland surveyed a nationally representative sample of 721 teens 14 to 18 years of age to see if the time they spent on the Internet was tied to obesity or overweight. The result was that those who spent more time watching TV were more often overweight and obese than those who spent less time watching TV. The time without moving makes people obesity and overweight (2004). Fourthly, watching TV without caution can become children’s guideline how to grow. That means TV can ruin the childhood as a certain period in human development. If children constantly are exposed by TV’s harmful situations such as sex and violence, they take it granted that it is not a problem to live a fast life in youth and to kill people for justice. This is because children are not satisfying their knowledge to distinguish from this destructive aspect of television (Video Age International, 2001, pp. 2-3). If you unguardedly let children watch TV, it could lead children to fail in childhood. Then, why are we addicted to television? The origin of the addiction arises from â€Å"boredom,† and television can supply your demand. As soon as you turn on the TV, you can directly feel relaxed and cozy. However, according to electroencephalograph (EEG) studies which are laboratory experiments to monitor the brain waves, skin resistance or heart rate of people watching television, the result is astonishing. When participants turn off the TV, their feeling of relaxation and coziness suddenly disappears while the feeling of passiveness and lowered alertness continue. After participants turn off the TV, they somehow feel television makes their energy dry up and they are hard to concentrate compared to before. In contrast, participants can feel happy and improvement in mood after playing sport (Kubey and Csikszentimihalyi, 2002). Moreover, in â€Å"Television Anonymous† (2001), â€Å"Noise† and â€Å"Companionship† can be the reason why people are addicted as well. Then, what kinds of solution to get over television addiction? There are a lot of alternatives. However, above all, recognizing your habit and accepting is a top priority. After this, firstly set time limits. It should not watch more than two hours on qualified TV program. Also, under three year children should not be in front of TV because â€Å"the first two to three years of life are critical periods for the development of young children’s brains.†(Christakis, 2004) Secondly, this is the most important thing. Television should not be placed in children’s bedroom. Thirdly, put the TV and remote control which could not come into sight. Fourthly, do not use the TV to look after baby. Instead, do household chores with children and give them an opportunity to help. Fifthly, listen to favorite music or the radio as background noise. Lastly, set a good example. Because parents and guardians are usually a child’s most important role model, limiting your own TV viewing and choosing programs carefully through the lives of TV characters (Daines, 2007). In conclusion, the desire which wants to watch TV definitely should be seen as addiction. Nowadays, television addiction is becoming a big issue. The amount of time people viewing TV on average cannot say it is not the astonishing fact. I am sure that the number of television addicts is gradually increasing. Therefore, people should make an effort to diffuse the fact that the amount of television addict is increasing and it is really bad for children because television addiction have an opportunity to shorten children’s attention span, to narrow time with family and friends, to result in obesity, and to be a guideline during development. Therefore, keeping watching television incautiously should be reconsidered.

Social Security and Corporate Welfare Essays -- Papers Clinton Medicar

Social Security and Corporate Welfare 'Social Security—the nation's largest, costliest, and most successful domestic program has reached a critical juncture in its development. As its creators anticipated, nearly every wage earner now pays taxes into the system. In principle, all citizens may be eligible for "entitlements" at some point in their lives. Yet...senior citizens worry that their benefits will be cut; younger Americans are skeptical—if not cynical—about their own benefits upon retirement.' — W. Andrew Achenbaum This summation of the state of Social Security was written more than a twenty years ago. Looking back, it seems as though the Social Security system frequently reaches a state of crisis in which predictions of its end arise. Since it was enacted in 1935, Social Security has been amended often, most recently in 1983, when Congress imposed a tax on the benefits of high-income retirees, raised the retirement age, and revised the tax-rate schedule. Today, the future of Social Security is in the news again. The reason Social Security is of such concern is that the extremely large group of citizens born in the post-World War II period—the much-discussed baby-boom generation—is retiring. The generation that will take its place in the workforce is far smaller in proportion to the number of retirees, raising fears about the sustainability of Social Security. In the past, proposed solutions to the various problems facing Social Security aroused great debate. Each time, however, the arguments were stilled, repairs were made, and the system continued to fulfill its mandate. That uncertainty about the future has resulted in suggestions for change that range from minor adjustments to complete privatization of the ... ...6. Fisher Center for Information Technology & Management, University of California in Berkeley. June 1995 3. Mark E. Nissen. Commerce Model & the Intelligent Hub. CommerceNet CALS Working Group Presentation. November 1995 4. Michael Bloch, Yves Pigneur. The extended enterprise, a descriptive framework, some enabling technologies and case studies in the Lotus Notes environment. Ecole des HEC INFORGE, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. 1995. Jun. Report No.: TR-YP-91. 5.Don Tapscott. The digital economy. McGraw Hill, 1995 6.Brian A. Johnson, John H. Ott, Jack M. Stephenson, Paal K. Weberg. Banking on multimedia. The McKinsey Quarterly 1995. 7.Gregory Wester, Stephen Franco. The Internet Shakeout 1996. Interactive Commerce Research Bulletin. the Yankee Group, Boston, MA. December 1995 8. http://www.emarketer.com/eStats/welcome.html

Negotiation: Game Theory

Negotiation| | The use of Game Theory could be a powerful force in negotiation. Investigate the different ways that Game Theory can be used or manipulated to change an outcome in a negotiation. | | Negotiation| | The use of Game Theory could be a powerful force in negotiation. Investigate the different ways that Game Theory can be used or manipulated to change an outcome in a negotiation. | | Quentin Dutartre Yash Ruia Damien Canneva Kilian Bus Emilien Allier David Schil Quentin Dutartre Yash Ruia Damien Canneva Kilian Bus Emilien Allier David Schil Contents Introduction2 What is the Game theory? Theory4 Making commitments: promises and threats4 Basic situation4 Unique Win/Win situation5 Commitments and side payments5 Prisoner’s dilemma7 The Simplest Game: Two Person with a Fixed Pie8 Tacit Barganining8 How to act during a negotiation9 Breakthrough Strategy9 Tactics10 Limits11 The modelisation11 The interpretation12 Conclusion13 Sources13 Introduction Our group decided to work on the topic three: â€Å"The use of Game Theory could be a powerful force in negotiation. Investigate the different ways that Game Theory can be used or manipulated to change an outcome in a negotiation†.The modern Game Theory was created in 1944 with the book â€Å"Theory of games and economic behavior† by Oskar Mogenstern and John Von Neumann. It was also developed a lot in the 1950’s with several studies by John Nash. After our seminary about negotiation we thought it would be very interesting to make some research about the Game Theory. Indeed, we made some researches on the Game Theory in our first year in IESEG in our economic classes. That is why we were a bit surprised to see that this theory could be also used in a negotiation process to analyze it.It seems to be obvious that using the concepts of that theory could change the course of a negotiation and be understood as a manipulation or just a skill to achieve the goals of the agents in a negotiation . We decided to divide our work in three parts. First, we will define the Game Theory and make some examples. Secondly, we will make an synthesis on how to act as a negotiator during a negotiation. Finally, on the third part we will talk about the limits and the interpretation we can make on that subject. Generally, we can say that our goal is to extend the concept of Game Theory.Indeed, we imagined it only in an economic vision and we want to extend it to a negotiation vision. What is the Game theory? The Game theory is a method to study the strategic decision-making. More formally, it is  «the study of the mathematical models of conflict and the cooperation between intelligent reasonable decision-makers. † An alternative term suggested  «as a more descriptive name for the discipline † is the theory of interactive decision. The Game Theory is mainly used in the economy, the political science and the psychology, as well as the logic, negotiation and the biology.The s ubject of the (landed) at first sent zero-sum games, such as the earnings(gains) of a person equal exactly the clear(net) losses of the other participant (s). Today, however, the Game theory applies to a vast range of relations of class and developed in a term of umbrella for the logical side of science, to include both man and non-people, as computers. Classic uses include the direction of the balance in numerous games, where every person found or developed a tactics which cannot successfully better its results, given the other approach.Theory Making commitments: promises and threats The first assumption to be made is that the goal of any negotiation is to enlarge the pay off for both sides, and in most cases agreements has to be made in order to achieve getting a Win/Win situation. These agreements can be made by making either promises or threats. In both cases, the idea is to benefit from an enlargement of the total pie obtained by making commitments. Basic situation In the follo wing example, both sides are looking forward to getting the better pay off.At first sight, Neil seems to have a better hand since he is able to have payments by using both of his strategies while Bob can only win by using strategy 1. It is obvious that Neil would better use strategy 1 in order to maximize his payoffs expectations. But Bob would probably prefer using his second strategy than winning less than Neil, though it would result in a Loose/Loose situation. Bob will probably threatens to take strategy 2 if Neil chooses the first one. The only way to obtain a Win/Win situation though is for Neil to make a commitment: he must promise to choose 2 if Bob chooses 1.This is the most basic commitment example. Unique Win/Win situation In the following one, there is one only scenario which allows the two player to win, but commitments must be made buy both sides in order to reach the best situation for both. Here, Neil will probably initially chose strategy 1 in order to avoid loss, b ut he won’t be able to gain anything though. Bob would probably choose to maximize his payoffs expectations by choosing the first strategy. Finally, neither Bob nor Neil will get payoffs, so that we obtain a Loose/Loose result, which is not acceptable.They both have to promise to choose the second strategy in order to win. Commitments and side payments In this last example, it is not possible to reach a Win/Win agreement but by making side payment. Side payments allows to change the total pie, and though to reach the targeted situation. In this particular scenario, initially Neil would choose the first strategy, which is not acceptable for Bob in both cases. Moreover, Bob can’t threaten Neil to choose either a strategy or another. This is a very bad situation for Bob.He will probably choose strategy 1 in order to minimize Neil’s payoffs, and though gain nothing. But, fortunately he can also promise side payments, which could change the total pie. As a matter of fact, if he pays $2 for Neil to pick strategy 2, we create a Win/Win situation which will allow both sides to get payoffs. Through this part we’re going to apply the concept of promises and threats into a concrete situation of negotiation. We set the situation, we have two participants, one will be selling an apartment two a possible buyer. At first sight, the man in power is the seller as he fixes the price.Nevertheless, the buyer can use the threat technique, saying he won’t accept the offer. This decision would place our two actors in a lose/lose situation. Indeed, if the buyer is in the situation of losing the negotiation he will choose to make his opponent loose too. Thus in order to obtain a win/win situation, the seller must not be too greedy to convince his customer. In another way, if the seller wants to be sure to succeed, he can promise the buyer an offer that will automatically put the buyer in a state of winning. Prisoner’s dilemma The prisoner†™s dilemma is one of the most famous games.It is quite easy to understand and gives a good idea of different possibilities in negociation and the interest of cooperation. The main idea is that two burglars get caught by the police after a robbery, and they are interrogated separately. They have two options: either they say that the other guy is guilty or they say he’s not. Considering one’s interest separately, the best situation for him is to use the guilty option while the other chooses the not guilty option. In this case, the first guy will get only 1year of jail while the other one will get 5 years.Therefore it is very risky to choose the not guilty option. If we consider the two as one, the most interesting situation is that both of them choose the not guilty option, whereas the worst is both choosing the guilty option. This is one of the simplest examples of a Win/Win, Win/Loose or Loose/Loose situation. They can both act individually using the guilty option, a nd get 3 years of jail each, or they can cooperate, use the not guilty strategy and get only 2 years both. The major thing to be remembered is that trust is crucial in negotiations.It leads to the only Win/Win situation possible and credibility is needed to avoid defection. The Simplest Game: Two Person with a Fixed Pie When think of people negotiating, a very simple scenario comes into mind, where one person wins and the other fails to win. This is a very simple scenario and one of the first that game theory attempted to solve. Let’s take a very simple example where Nathan owes Barbara some money and they can’t decide on how much. Both of them have two options available to them, but the final decision depends not only on what strategy they choose, but also on what strategy is chosen by their opponent.Nathan will choose to pay a minimum of 40 and Barbara will want to take the maximum of let’s say, 60. This is a very simple scenario and one can easily figure out that the outcome will be 50. 40| 50| 50| 60| However this illustrated a very important concept called the Minimax theorem which tells us to pick the strategy the minimizes the opponents maximum gain. Nathan will pick strategy 2 in order to not pay 60 while Barbara would pick strategy 1 to avoid only getting paid 40. The more variables one has, the more complex the game becomes to solve.Therefore it is a good idea to have lesser number of variables, similarly we need to have a clear idea of what we need in order to reduce unimportant options. Reducing the number of variables one has is always a good idea, even if one is not really reducing the number of variables it is important to show to the opponent that you only have some variables to win. For example, when a customer asks for something one can refer to standardized guidelines or not having permission from the boss to reduce variables. Tacit Barganining. This term was first coined by Thomas Schelling.Who did some experimental res earch and found out the following facts: * When asked to pick any number, 40% chose the number 1. * When asked to pick any amount of money almost all people chose a figure divisible by 10 * When people were told that they had to meet someone else – but had to guess the time – almost all chose noon. We often succumb to a lot of convections even without doing it consciously. It is normal for people to follow the laws of fairness and equilibrium; no one wants to be seen as deviating from the norm.Therefore its usually a good idea to make the first move in a negotiation so that you can create the framework and make clear that you are precedent. In a negotiation, taking the initiative doesn’t seem to be the best thing to do when you start it. Indeed, when you ask somebody to start negotiations, generally he is reticent to do so. Nevertheless asking the first proposal allows you to be able to negotiate on this basis, that’s why you should do it first. Establish a precedence as we said before is a tool to start negotiating. The thing is, there is always a argaining whereas you don’t even notice it. It’s called the â€Å"tacit bargaining†. How to act during a negotiation Breakthrough Strategy In order to reach your goals through using the game theory to negotiate you will need to apply a strategy you will respect during the entire negotiation. That’s why we can use the breakthrough strategy. This breakthrough strategy is based on five steps and permits to solve issues during the negotiation process. Its aim is to offer the two parties the possibility to work together rather than appearing as two adversaries.Nevertheless, this strategy needs to be remembered and followed as it wouldn’t be the intuitive reaction. These five steps are to firstly stay focused. In fact, the goal is to have your mind clear and not be parasite by your emotions. You need to have an overall view on the entire negotiation and to not get lose on a specific point. Then, you need to accept the counter-party. Indeed, being as empathic as possible is very important throughout the negotiation process as creating a climate of exchange is primordial to obtain a win/win situation.This can be perfectly illustrated by the prisoner dilemma. Both parties searching for their proper interest without regarding his opponent situation will lead to lose/lose. Thereafter, the participant will reframe the negotiation. It is based on rephrasing the opponent arguments enhancing the common interest. This will permit that both side look for the fairest deal possible. Once again you need to look through the other negotiators eyes in building a â€Å"golden bridge. This means trying to understand if, in his situation, you will accept the deal as it is now.You will therefore see when to finalize the negotiation in order that the counter-party doesn’t feel pushed in the conclusion. Finally, to make it hard to refuse by using the p ower game as threats or bluff is the most common mistake made at the end of the negotiation. In fact, by using lowering his chance to refuse you also lower his chance to accept the deal. Thus, by having used the four precedent steps, you have create a negotiation climate that will present your golden bridge as the best common interest for the parties. Tactics Tactic is about anticipating what the negotiator is going to do.You have to prepare several strategies in order to obtain what you want from these negotiations. First, there are the behavioral tactics, whose aim is to differentiate the negotiation in its role of representation of a third person or a company and the person who plays this role. Negotiators when using these tactics can operate in many ways. They can use a spokesman for representation, or the executive person or a delegated representative. You have to create a positive frame if you want to obtain concessions from the person you’re negotiating with.Moreover, you have to establish limits in your area of negotiation. Anchoring is a tool that has to be established in order to be able to make adjustments between the two parties in the future. Adjustments and anchoring are important because they have an impact on negotiators. They lead them to what is possible and doable during the negotiation. Another mean is to influence the negotiator as an individual. As if, the negotiator is using its unique and common sense during an argumentation. Some tactics can be based on ethic and morality.If you think the proposition is unfair or contrary to the usual behavior or even illegal, you can use these tactics by pointing up the fact that the proposition is unethical. Tactics is not only about the human and the social part; there is also a part of a negotiation that is about the balance of power between the two parties. The main goal of this tactic is to let the other party know that accepting one request would have an important impact on the cost and t hat we are going to make them pay for that. The deterrence impact shouldn’t be ignored in a negotiation.Commitment in a negotiation is of paramount importance. It is one of the three strategic strikes with bluff and threat. The thing is that negotiators have naturally the tendency to commit themselves into the negotiation. Instead of trying to develop its requirements and modifying its position, he will start conflict in order to put pressure on its opponent. It puts the opponent in a tough position; accept our request or he will have to face the failure of the negotiation. And that’s exactly what he wants to avoid. Otherwise, its role would be useless.This tactic can lead to a dead-end, but it’s a stuck situation that doesn’t consider the balance of power between the two parties. Threats are different from commitment as they are more flexible and have a longer range of existence. They are various as they can be explicit or implicit. They are the direct c onsequences of the failure of negotiations and can be introduce by the company of the negotiator. They have to be used sparingly because threats without any actions discredited any negotiators and especially its company. In the future, it would have an impact on the approach of the opponent regarding the company.Limits The study of a complex negotiation situation with the help of a model places two major complementary problems: the modeling itself (the passage of the reality to a version idealized of this reality) and the interpretation (inverse approach) The modelisation Modelisation is a very hard job. We can resume it as the stage of transforming reality problem into a matrix. The modelisation consists in creating a representation simplified by a problem: the model. But as every transformation, problems could be highlight. Some characteristics, some influence can be overestimated or less estimated. How to model the respective influences of the parameters (functional dependence, i ndeed if such or such parameter exercises one dominating influence or on the contrary, unimportant in first estimate, etc. ) * How measure the values of the parameters (variables of situation or history of the previous negotiations for example) and how fire of a model of the theoretical results (or of experimental simulation). And at least the human factor is very difficult to imagine and to predict. The process of modelisation tries doing it.But through his experience, his character, his objectives or his approach, each human is different. So a model would try to simplify it but of course will make errors. The interpretation Indeed, we already possess a completely realistic model: it is the real world itself. Yet this model is too much complicated to be understandable. †¦ It is only when a simplifying postulate ends in a model which supplies incorrect answers to the questions which it is supposed to answer that its lack of realism can be considered as an imperfection. †¦ Otherwise, its lack of realism is then a virtue.In that case, the simplifying postulate allows to isolate certain effects and to facilitate the understanding. How to interpret the results supplied by the model, suppose that there is (problem of adequacy of the model to the reality). Does such result of the model express suitably the real situation, in spite of the simplifications and the untidy parameters? Like the modelisation, Interpretation is a tuff job. The human factor is a hard to forecast. Game theoretic predictions may not be confirmed in experiments (the real life). Is this a fault of game theory? Yes: people are simply not rational †¦ * No: maybe we get the information technology wrong (absentmindedness), or payoffs are not specified correctly (altruism). The advantage of assuming rationality is that we can think through situations (how can irrationality be modeled). The advantage of assuming selfish behavior is that it is â€Å"unique† (what means altruism, i nequity aversion etc. ). Conclusion As a conclusion we have studied all the aspects about the Game Theory and that helped us to understand that it is a useful tool not only about economic classes but also for negotiation.Indeed, we have made a link between the different sorts of Game Theory and the different cases you can face during a negotiation process. As it is often the case, we found that one of the strongest conditions to succeed in a negotiation is to be able to adapt your body language and attitude according to the characters and features of your contradictor(s). Using the Game Theory could help you to make a strategy and to adapt your goals to any case which is in front of you.However, it is never possible to make a perfect prediction of how the person who is just in front of you and it is very important to be cautious enough, that means that you must rank the risks of any strategy you will try during a negotiation. We can take a final example: You start a meeting being su re you will use the theory of the prisoner’s dilemma because you thought you perfectly understood the mood of the other agent. Imagine one second that you made a very big mistake because you don’t know that the person in front of you has just been left by his wife (for example) and he is very upset.That situation is a good illustration of the risks of using the Game Theory as a perfect and trusting strategy for negotiation. We can finally say that using the Game Theory can be very positive in a negotiation and you can consider it as a very useful tool. However, we have to be very careful because some parts of this theory can be assimilated as a manipulation and this theory is not a miracle solution: every negotiation is different and you can’t always predict the features and mood of your contradictors. Sources * http://dlhoh. hubpages. com/hub/Negotiation-Skill-Dilemma * http://hbswk. hbs. du/item/2773. html * http://www. digitaltonto. com/2009/game-theory-guide -to-negotiations/ * http://www2. warwick. ac. uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/academic/muthoo/publications/bargwc. pdf * http://www. negotiation. hut. fi/learning-modules/IntroToGTAndNego/index. html * http://www. economist. com/node/21527025 * http://www. google. fr/url? sa=t&rct=j&q=negotiation+game+theory&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CHoQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffaculty. haas. berkeley. edu%2Frjmorgan%2Fmba211%2FCourse%2520Overview. ppt&ei=vgibT_juBoek4AS8ys2pDg&usg=AFQjCNF5FpD-1CO77pM9Ae0oXFzY0SeGCQ&cad=rja

Music as Social and Political Instrument of Change in Latin America

Philosophers and critics have long argued over which way the maxim should read:   does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?   Historically, artists of every medium have contributed to the social dialogue via there works, whether through hieroglyphics depicting a successful journey to the underworld, a holy Requiem for the dead, or shock artist Robert Mapplethorpe’s sexually and religiously controversial exhibits.   Music transcends most art forms as a tool for unification because it inherently invites participation, even more so than dance or theater in the realm of the performing arts, which demand more individual preparation.   Songs and chants can be generated anywhere, and often hearken back to indigenous folk music that taps into a communal experience, thus strengthening the sense of interconnectedness. In Latin American, two similar genres of music developed out of the cultural music of the region in response to contemporary socio-political issues that personally affected in Chile and Cuba.   In Chile, Nueva Cancià ³n (â€Å"New Song†) emerged in the mid-1960s, just as Nueva Trova was taking root in Cuba.   In light of the New Song movement’s intimate relationships in the revolutions that rocked Latin America during the late 60s to mid 70s, one is urged to conclude that Eric Selbin’s assertion regarding revolutions being â€Å"made† not â€Å"arriving† more accurately reflects the inherent ideological influence in socio-political upheaval.   As Nancy Morris records a member of the musical movement saying, â€Å"’[Canto Nuevo is] not just a post-1973 way of singing.   In what is said and how it’s said poetically and musically, Canto Nuevo is a process’† (qtd. in Morris 118). Both musical movements stemmed from artistic reactions to the living and working conditions in Chile and Cuba respectively, and both embraced traditional folk music’s conventions as a platform to express politicized lyrics.   â€Å"New Song began as a fusion of traditional musical forms with socially relevant lyrics.   Although each country has developed variations of New Song that reflect local social and political conditions and musical styles, New Song as a whole can be characterized as music intended to support and promote social change† (Morris 117). In Chile, songwriter, activist, educator, poet and martyr Victor Para wrote songs that for many defined the atmosphere of the movement and the hope of the community. His song, â€Å"Plegaria a un Labrador,† which â€Å"uses Biblical language to convey a message of hope and change,† was chosen as the best song of the Primer Festival de la Nueva Cancià ³n Chilena in 1969 (Morris 120).   Jara’s music (and the music of the entire movement) was like a responding chorus to the political requests of Salvador Allende, the Unidad Popular (â€Å"Popular Unity†) coalition candidate.   In â€Å"Plegaria a un Labrador,† Jara wrote the following lyrics: levà ¡ntate y mà ­rate las manos,  para crecer estrà ©chalas a tu hermano.   Juntos iremos   unidos en la sangre.   Hoy es el tiempo que puede ser maà ±ana   rise up and look upon your hands,   so as to grow clasp your brother’s in your own.   We shall advance together united in our blood.   Today is the time/when we can shape tomorrow. These lyrics suggest a call to arms and a charge to unify (i.e., â€Å"Unidad Popular†) so that the many can affect positive change for the good of the citizenry.   Yet there is still a sense of hope in the song, that the working class have the capacity to stand together and â€Å"advance,† not simply battle meaninglessly against oppression.   Jara went on to openly support Allende, including performing free concerts. Only three years after Allende was elected, the US-supported military staged a coup on September 11, 1973.   Allende most likely committed suicide. â€Å"The music of the Nueva Cancià ³n was severely affect by this media censorship [after the coup]. It was banned from the airwaves, removed from record stores, confiscated, and burned†¦ musicians were exiled, imprisoned, and, in the well-known case of Victor Jara, killed† (Morris 123). On September 12, 1973, Jara and thousands of other Allende supporters were taken to the Chile Stadium, where Jara was tortured and murdered.   The new government tried to silence the Nueva Cancià ³n by forcing the musicians to hide, but the music was not the property of the musicians; as Jara so eloquently wrote, the music was for the working people of Chile, and thus is was not to be completely suppressed. In Cuba, the revolution began with in 1953 with the guerilla attack on the Moncada Barracks and culminated in the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista’s government on January 1, 1959 by a group, which included Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, and Ernesto â€Å"Che† Guevara.   After he assumed power, Castro spent the early part of the 1960s eliminating all Batista loyalists, including the mass execution of 70 Batista regime soldiers.   One crucial element of support for Castro’s social change, even in the wake of such brutality, was the proliferation of songs that supported the revolution and its progressive intentions. Artists such as Silvio Rodrà ­guez and   Pablo Milanà ©s were responsible for the Nueva Trova in the late 60s, and their efforts were directed to re-imagining the traditional music for the new culture under Castro’s political umbrella.   To this end, the government sponsored and supported those artists of the movement, because they were, in turn, supporting the progressive movements of the new party.   Both Rodrà ­guez and Milanà ©s wrote songs for Che Guevara, for example.   â€Å"By negotiating their way through Cuban cultural politics, Rodriguez's generation defined their politics in the process, proving Cuban culture to be diverse and inspiring,†¦challenging propaganda clichà ©s by creating the distinctive self- critical songs of the Cuban revolution,† (Fairly 15). In both countries, the music makers were part of the recipe for social and political change.   Their lyrics gave illiterate people a way to express their frustrations and concerns, and the musicians of the Nueva Cancià ³n worked with and against the political forces of their day.   As Fairly writes:  In a country not blessed with newspapers, the words of songs matter: songs like the iconic Ojala, a song about impossible desire and dreams that seems to capture all life's uncertainties in one, became the soundtrack of everyday life across the Spanish-speaking world. Although he was no apologist for the revolution, Rodriguez's popularity at home became so great that people joked that he had gone from being â€Å"banned† to â€Å"obligatory.† (15)  This sense of obligation is part of the way in which many people have a hand in creating and growing massive socio-political movements. Works Cited Jan Fairley. â€Å"Film & Music: Jazz, World, Folk etc†¦ An accidental hero: For Latin Americans, Silvio Rodriguez is the equivalent of the Beatles and Dylan rolled into one. Ahead of a rare UK visit, Jan Fairley met the Cuban singer.† The Guardian Sept. 2006: 15.  Ã‚   National Newspapers, London, UK. ProQuest. 6 Feb. 2007 ;http://www.proquest.com/;  Morris, Nancy.   â€Å"Canto Porque es Necesario Cantar: The New Song Movement in Chile, 1973-1983.† Latin American Research Review 21.2 (1986): 117-136. ; ;

Challenges Versus Constants Weighing Workplace Opportunities

Challenges Versus Constants Weighing Workplace Opportunities While author and business journalist Suzy Welch warns against complacency in what she calls a professional â€Å"Velvet Coffin,† arguing instead for the importance of taking risks in search of new challenges, writer and employment branding professional John Feldman responds with a more pragmatic point of view. According to Feldman, who describes himself as â€Å"neither an optimist nor a pessimist, but rather a realist,† before taking a plunge into a new career just for the sake of avoiding the ennui of the everyday, you should take stock of the variables and constants of your current position. If you don’t know for sure that another opportunity would provide a better salary, more convivial coworkers, and more challenging work, are you still willing to take the risk, or might it make more sense to trust the constants of the workplace you know? He suggests instead waiting out the inevitable fallow periods where work becomes predictable, or even making your own cha llenges by taking on more responsibilities, earning a new certification, or opening a conversation with your manager about pursuing other opportunities closer to home.Nobody should stay mired in a job that they find unsafe or unsatisfying, but there may be choices besides starting over from scratch that are right for you and your career. Good luck as you consider and pursue them!

Translating Since in Spanish

Translating Since in Spanish The English word since has several meanings and can function as at least three parts of speech - adverb, conjunction and preposition, and they cant all be translated to Spanish the same way. Following are some of the most common ways of translating since; this is not a complete list, although usually one of these can be used in most situations. Since When Since meaning from a certain time forward: When using a date or time, the preposition desde can usually be used: Nueve periodistas espaà ±oles han muerto en conflictos desde 1980. Nine Spanish journalists have died in conflicts since 1980.Desde hace una hora ya no tengo trabajo. I have been without work since an hour ago.Estn en huelga desde la semana pasada. They have been on strike since last week.Mi madre desde entonces no es lo que era. My mother since then isnt what she used to be. Note that as in the examples above, the present tense of the verb is used even though the action began in the past. When since is used by itself as an adverb, it usually is the equivalent of since then, so desde entonces can be used: No ha llovido desde entonces. It hasnt rained since. Desde que can be used in constructions such as the following: Parece que pasaron 15 minutos y no 15 aà ±os desde que nos fuimos. It seems like 15 minutes have passed and not 15 years since we went away.Desde que trabajà © aquà ­, he tenido muchas oportunidades. Since I started working here, I have had many opportunities.Desde que te vi no puedo dejar de pensar en ti. Since I saw you I cant stop thinking about you. Since Why Since as introducing a reason: When since is used to explain why something is being done or occurring, you often can use one or more of the words or phrases of causation. Other words or phrases can be used in addition to those below: Como porque tengo hambre. I am eating since I am hungry.Como Henry tenà ­a miedo a volar, rehusà ³ ir a Londres. Since Henry was afraid to fly, he refused to go to London.Dado que soy celà ­aco  ¿quà © alimentos puedo injerir? Since I have celiac disease, what foods can I eat?No importa, ya que es sà ³lo un sueà ±o. It doesnt matter, since its only a dream.

Bundling Campaign Contributions - How It Works

Bundling Campaign Contributions - How It Works Bundling campaign  contributions is a common practice in American congressional and presidential elections. The term bundling refers to a form of fundraising in which one person or small groups of people - they might be lobbyists, business owners, special interest groups or activists seeking legislative action  - convince  their wealthy friends, coworkers and other like-minded donors to simultaneously write checks to their preferred candidate for public office. It is not uncommon for bundlers to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in a presidential-election year and receive special treatment in return for their work. A bundler is the person or small group of people  who pool or aggregates these contributions and then delivers them in one lump sum to a political campaign. In the 2000 presidential campaign, Republican nominee  George W. Bush used the term pioneers to describe bundlers who raised at least $100,000 for his White House bid. Bundlers are often rewarded by successful candidates with plum positions in an administration or other political favors.  Four out of five of Democratic presidential nominee  Barack Obamas largest fundraisers in the 2008 presidential campaign received  key posts in his administration, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Responsive Politics. Bundling is a legal way for campaign supporters to circumvent  individual contribution limits set forth in federal campaign finance laws.  An individual can contribute up to $2,700 to a candidate for federal office in a single election cycle, or up to $5,400 a year. But bundlers can persuade like-minded donors to give at once, typically by inviting them to a fundraiser or special event and in turn rolling up those contributions into massive sums of money to federal candidates. Bundling Is Not Heavily Regulated The Federal Election Commission, the entity that regulates campaign-finance laws in the U.S.,  requires candidates for federal office  disclose the funds bundled by registered lobbyists. For everyone whos not a lobbyists? Disclosure is voluntary and sporadic. In the 2008 presidential election, for example, Obama and Republican nominee John McCain both agreed to make public the names of bundlers who raised more than $50,000. The FEC rules, however, are considered loose by government watchdogs and  easily circumvented by crafty bundlers and lobbyists wishing to remain out of the public eye. In some cases, bundlers are able to avoid disclosing their role in raising large sums of money for a campaign by never physically pooling and delivering the checks, just organizing the fundraising.   How Much Money Do Bundlers Raise? Bundlers are responsible for generating tens of millions of dollars to their preferred candidates. In the 2012 presidential race, for example, bundlers delivered about $200 million to Obamas campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Bundlers, who are often corporate CEOs, lobbyists, hedge fund managers or independently wealthy people, are able to funnel far more money to campaigns than they could personally give under campaign finance laws, states the good-government group Public Citizen.   Why Bundlers Bundle Bundlers who deliver large amounts of campaign cash to candidates have been rewarded with access to prominent White House advisers and strategists, official titles and privileged treatment in campaigns, and ambassadorships and other plum political appointments. The Center for Public Integrity reported that Obama rewarded about 200 bundlers with jobs and appointments. Bundlers play an enormous role in determining the success of political campaigns and are apt to receive preferential treatment if their candidate wins, Public Citizen wrote. Bundlers who direct money to presidential candidates tend to be first in line for plum ambassador positions and other political appointments. Industry titans and lobbyists are more likely to receive preferential treatment from elected officials if they raised large amounts of money for them. When Is Bundling Illegal? Bundlers seeking political favors often promise big money to candidates. And sometimes they fail to deliver. So in some cases, bundlers have been known to give large sums of money to employees, family members and friends with the implicit goal of having those employees, family members and friends turn around and contribute to a candidate for Congress or the presidency. Thats illegal.

An Investigation into A Particular Operation on a Set of 100 Numbers Essay

An Investigation into A Particular Operation on a Set of 100 Numbers - Essay Example (Determinants and Cramer's Rule for Linear Equations, Undated) Both A and B are square matrices and thus the laws of determinants are applicable to them. Definition: There is no stand-alone definition of a determinant but it is defined in terms of a series of matrices as is evident hereafter. The determinant of an n x n matrix is defined as a sum of +/-1 times determinants of (n - 1) x (n - 1) matrices. (Determinants and Cramer's Rule for Linear Equations, Undated) Now that the technique of calculating determinants of matrices of any order has been somewhat explained a singular property of A is being touched upon. A's Singularity Any 2 x 2 matrix derived out of any set of numbers in adjacent rows and columns of A has the same determinant. Example: Suppose, E = 78 79 88 89 Then, DetE = (78 x 89) - (79 x 88) = 6942 - 6952 = - 10 This proves that all determinants of 2 x 2 matrices comprised of numbers in adjacent rows and columns are the same (-10) in the large 10 x 10 matrix A. This allows a general formula to be derived for the terms of all such matrices where N is a 2 x 2 matrix within A. N = n n+1 n+10 n+11 Here the numbers in the left diagonal - n and n+11 - have a periodicity of 11 while the numbers in the right diagonal - n+1 and n+10 - have a periodicity of 10. This is true of all 2 x 2 matrices comprised of numbers in adjacent rows and columns within A. And, detN = [n(n+11) - (n+1)(n+10)] = ( + 11n) - ( + 11n + 10) = - 10 This singularity gives rise to another that is mentioned in the calculations section and these two will make it easier to calculate the determinant of A... For an n x n matrix if the 'i' order row is considered and the (n-1) x (n-1) matrix derived by crossing out the row and the column is also considered then the determinant of the original n x n matrix is as below. For the matrix A it is noted that all values of , where 'i' is the 1st row and the matrix is a 2 x 2 one, is -20. It is considered for the essay that is the difference and not the true determinant value. This assumption is now being checked out in the essay for any term. Thus, for calculating the value of the determinant of A it is also found that the value ofis alternately negative starting with the second term. This makes it extremely easy to calculate the required value. Also, the operation has to be on a (n-1) x (n-1) matrix - a 9 x 9 matrix, as mentioned in the formula. This signifies that all numbers from 1-89 have to be considered. It is noticed on the right hand side of the equation that all even numbers are negative and all odd numbers are positive. Using the summation formula for series' in arithmetic progression - n/2[2a + (n - 1)d] - where n is the number of terms in the series, a is the first term and d is the common difference. (Arithmetic Series, MathWorld, 2006) The singularities revealed by the investigation allows us to determine that any square matrix of any order n x n constituted of the particular sequence of numbers belonging to the set of all positive numbers starti

Drag racing in Terre Haute Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drag racing in Terre Haute - Assignment Example Nonetheless, I felt that we should have done more research before going to participate in the sport but we were too keyed up to be bothered. I hardly slept Thursday night as I anticipated the next day’s turn of events. Come Friday night and we were all geared up with our own street cars to take part in the race. Our excitement was however dialed down when we had to read the rules concerning the race. Any slight error could lead to disqualification. It was here where I learnt that drag racing was a type of motor vehicle racing where vehicles usually compete in sets of twos to cross a finish line that was set. The race followed a straight course that was short over a distance that was measured. Some of my friends were a bit disappointed with this information since they had hoped it would be a race like that of the world’s greatest drag race which involved more than ten vehicles at a time. Some even opted to be spectators in lieu of actual racing. I learnt that before a race began, each driver was given the permission to perform what was known as a burn out. This allowed the tires to heat in order to put down the tire’s rubber at the start of the track which helps improve traction. Both drivers then lined up at the starting point. I also learnt that the races were all started using an electronic system known as a Christmas tree. It consisted of six light columns for each driver. Three were amber, one blue, one green and a red one. They were all connected to beams of light on the race track. There was the blue light which was split into two halves. A vehicle’s front tires were what would break the light beam and would light up the blue light’s first half, staging the vehicle at the starting point which would then light up the blue light’s second half. Once there was this staged beam from the first competitor, the Christmas tree was automatically activated. The opponent then had less

Introduction to Business Law - legal system Essay

Introduction to Business Law - legal system - Essay Example It's not something that is justifiably in the normal life of a teenager but it doesn't mark him as a threat in regards to becoming a repeat offender. Either way this isn't something you have to worry about with this candidate. I assure you that you won't return to your complex one day to discover graffiti all over the front of your building. (Building Blocks for Youth, Fact Sheet 1, 2005). The other candidate that I do believe should be considered for a position placed within your company is candidate number 5. His background record shows that although he served 1 year in prison because of his crime involving credit card fraud, several years have passed since then and he seems to have been decently rehabilitated by the judicial and prison systems. After researching this candidate's background thoroughly myself I feel secure in advising you to offer him employment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation follows all white collar crime, especially those involving identity theft and credit card fraud among many other types of fraudulent activities.

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development Research Paper

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development - Research Paper Example Development of movements are often invisible and aren’t recognizable at an early age. These physical impairments create numerous challenges for children affecting their psychological and physical development. Thus, Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) enables slow motor development, in children. It affects both intellectual and physical progress of a child. Children born with extreme low weight are more inclined to motor, cognitive and behavioral impairments and they increase with age. Therefore, recent record shows that preterm children are persistently diagnosed with deficient motor skills. Children have to go through a neuro-motor exam, which establishes their standard of DCD for treatment (Dewey et al., 2011).  Ã‚   Lehman has described birth order as customary environment and parental influence on children. The difference in behavior and physical growth is directly affected by the presence of siblings. However, these affects can differ due to optimistic and pessimist ic environment around the child. It also includes school’s environment, and its impact on child’s psychological and motor development. However, evaluation of relationship between birth order and academic achievements has shown pessimistic results. Investment of quality time by parents with higher order sibling has been observed less, which has resulted in negative and measured development of children (Lehmann et al, 2012).Child’s position in the family and sibling’s gender are important factors that affect development. However, psychological.

Jencos Information System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Jencos Information System - Assignment Example Diversifications into other businesses are very important for business continuity and should be taken care really well to fetch more customers and provide them better and allied services for retention and indirect marketing. Most importantly the services can be rendered to a large variety of customers across a geographical region with B2B and B2C models. The feedback system can also be added so that future caterings can be handled better. The total sales and profit can be easily captured and produced to management with ease reducing a lot of manual operations. Why is it necessary for the organisation to become an e-business The reasons for converting 'bricks and mortars' into 'click and mortars' is as follows: 1. The visibility is improved which means more people get to know about it and often want to try it out for a change. Even if 10% of the people try it out in UK, it will generate huge sales. 2. The e-marketing helps to let people know about its various services it caters. 3. The business can spread in diverse fields so as to provide ancillary services to the customers along with grocery items so that they get served better. Helps for greater retention. 4. The supply chain management is better rendered through e-business. 5. People can access the online store at their convenience and make payment through loyalty card it wishes to introduce. What technology/systems can support good customer/supplier relations It is increasingly important to maintain good supplier and customer relations for business continuity and long term survival. Jencos have built their reputation from customers and need to continue doing the great job. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems could be used to track the... Diversifications into other businesses are very important for business continuity and should be taken care really well to fetch more customers and provide them better and allied services for retention and indirect marketing. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems could be used to track the production, procurement and logistics processes to supply goods and services from their source to final delivery to the customer. (Laudon, 2002) It eyes on Tesco which is an online grocery store and delivery service selling computers and furniture's, house dcor, entertainment stuff like DVD's and others and books, finance and insurance, phones and broadband services, flowers and other accessories. Tesco also provides a Tesco Clubcard for earning points on purchases where Jencos wants to introduce loyalty card. It also desires to get close to Sainsburys another supermarket giant which caters a lot of services besides grocery. It also incorporates a forum which puts across many interesting blog which a customer can participate and also acts like feedback, precisely a business strategy by the company. Creating a good market in other items than grocery will not be easier as others have already created the space really well.

Anti-Discrimination Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anti-Discrimination Act - Essay Example The dream of peace and prosperity is only imaginary if we do not acknowledge each other's identity. We share different cultures and beliefs inherited from our forefathers. It is one's sovereign right to gain entry to a job of choice that he has been prepared for. Title VII allows every man to share equal rights in the workplace by prohibiting racial discrimination of workers. Gone are the days when colored workers are separated from the whites. Asians and Mexicans are no longer restricted to work anywhere they like. Everyone is given the opportunity to exercise one's profession or training despite his racial origin. Title VII creates inter-dependence among men of different cultural backgrounds to share their expertise in the workplace thereby affording the country a stable economic stature. Employers can not also restrict the allowance of an employee's right to practice his belief. Religion bequeaths to man, a sense of right and wrong; which for centuries has been passed from one generation to another. Title VII recognizes the importance of religion in man's existence thus; employers are expected to extend willful allowance of an employee's observance of faith within reasonable accommodation. An employer can not fire a worker, because his prayer offends him or his religion is too eccentric.

Jencos Information System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Jencos Information System - Assignment Example Diversifications into other businesses are very important for business continuity and should be taken care really well to fetch more customers and provide them better and allied services for retention and indirect marketing. Most importantly the services can be rendered to a large variety of customers across a geographical region with B2B and B2C models. The feedback system can also be added so that future caterings can be handled better. The total sales and profit can be easily captured and produced to management with ease reducing a lot of manual operations. Why is it necessary for the organisation to become an e-business The reasons for converting 'bricks and mortars' into 'click and mortars' is as follows: 1. The visibility is improved which means more people get to know about it and often want to try it out for a change. Even if 10% of the people try it out in UK, it will generate huge sales. 2. The e-marketing helps to let people know about its various services it caters. 3. The business can spread in diverse fields so as to provide ancillary services to the customers along with grocery items so that they get served better. Helps for greater retention. 4. The supply chain management is better rendered through e-business. 5. People can access the online store at their convenience and make payment through loyalty card it wishes to introduce. What technology/systems can support good customer/supplier relations It is increasingly important to maintain good supplier and customer relations for business continuity and long term survival. Jencos have built their reputation from customers and need to continue doing the great job. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems could be used to track the... Diversifications into other businesses are very important for business continuity and should be taken care really well to fetch more customers and provide them better and allied services for retention and indirect marketing. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems could be used to track the production, procurement and logistics processes to supply goods and services from their source to final delivery to the customer. (Laudon, 2002) It eyes on Tesco which is an online grocery store and delivery service selling computers and furniture's, house dcor, entertainment stuff like DVD's and others and books, finance and insurance, phones and broadband services, flowers and other accessories. Tesco also provides a Tesco Clubcard for earning points on purchases where Jencos wants to introduce loyalty card. It also desires to get close to Sainsburys another supermarket giant which caters a lot of services besides grocery. It also incorporates a forum which puts across many interesting blog which a customer can participate and also acts like feedback, precisely a business strategy by the company. Creating a good market in other items than grocery will not be easier as others have already created the space really well.

How do Australian magazine advertisements portray the feminine ideal Research Paper

How do Australian magazine advertisements portray the feminine ideal for teenagers - Research Paper Example communication and journalism had always been experiencing quite freely to figure out ways and means that can impart the messages effectively through the use and employment of various tools of the trade. In this connection, presentation of feminine characters is an important consideration because of the impact and effect a correct and purposeful use of the gender can generate. However, feminine characters are subjected to stereotypes that are more traditional. Maurie & Sharon have identified the same fact and states, â€Å"Magazine advertisements are also same in theme. Women primarily have decorative or sexy role in magazine ad portrayal.† (2008, p.212) Moreover, age is an important factor as far the acceptability of a trend is concerned. Literature and specially magazines and advertisements for teenagers can play a vital role in developing new trends while safeguarding cultural foundations of a society. This research will focus Australian Magazine advertisements to gauge the impact of feminine characterization on teenagers because these characters occupy the front pages and major advertisements and serve as ideals for many young peoples. The research will examine and investigate how the varied portrayal of models can generate and develop images, symbols and forms and how far these images can arouse the fetish thoughts and desire for teenagers in Australian society. The research will focus the presentation and portrayal of feminine in Australian magazines in general and particularly the Dolly and Girlfriend magazines. These presentations serve  as ideals for Australian girls who want to  establish  their identity through some unique, desirable and enviable attire, style and glamour.   The popularity and fame of these two magazines among teenagers have helped these... The paper tells that experts from the fields of communication and journalism had always been experiencing quite freely to figure out ways and means that can impart the messages effectively through the use and employment of various tools of the trade. In this connection, presentation of feminine characters is an important consideration because of the impact and effect a correct and purposeful use of the gender can generate. However, feminine characters are subjected to stereotypes that are more traditional. Maurie & Sharon have identified the same fact and states, â€Å"Magazine advertisements are also same in theme. Women primarily have decorative or sexy role in magazine ad portrayal.† Moreover, age is an important factor as far the acceptability of a trend is concerned. Literature and specially magazines and advertisements for teenagers can play a vital role in developing new trends while safeguarding cultural foundations of a society. The research will examine and investiga te how the varied portrayal of models can generate and develop images, symbols and forms and how far these images can arouse the fetish thoughts and desire for teenagers in Australian society. The research will focus the presentation and portrayal of feminine in Australian magazines in general and particularly the Dolly and Girlfriend magazines. These presentations serve as ideals for Australian girls who want to establish their identity through some unique, desirable and enviable attire, style and glamour. The popularity and fame of these two magazines among teenagers have helped these magazines to qualify for the research.

Business Plan For Patel Electric Scooter Marketing Essay

Business Plan For Patel Electric Scooter Marketing Essay PATEL Electric Scooters will offer quality used electric scooters and electric scooter parts to a growing market of electric scooter hobbyists. PATEL Electric Scooters will sell new and second-hand electric scooters as well as accessories, such as jackets, boots, jeans, helmets, waxing products, childrens clothing, and spares. It will also repair and service electric scooters. Additional services such as insurance may be provided. Why are electric scooters better than gas ones?  · Environmentally Friendly: Zero tailpipe emissions. Save the planet!  · Lower Operating Costs: Approximately 1/20th of gas equivalents. And since gas prices continue to rise, this gap will only widen. Plus, most electrics require little or no maintenance.  · Quieter Usage: Electrics are extremely quiet, with no loud noisy engine, which means they can be used in areas which require quiet, such as corporate walkways between buildings of an office campus.  · Cleaner Operation: No gas, fumes, or smokes to deal with. Youll smell better.  · More Reliable: Fewer moving parts for less maintenance and less that can break.  · Reduced Oil Dependence: The more electric motors we use, the less we depend on gas motors, and hence the less oil your country depends on. In the beginning, Patel electric scooters will offer excellent value for the first scooters. These will not bust the customers budget as 50 to 75 percent of the costs for repairs and modifications will be reduced due to experienced riders and the quality parts that will be used. Sales of scooters continue to rise as they are seen as an answer to many traffic problems; they take up less space on the road, emit fewer harmful gases and are far cheaper to run than cars. Demand for touring and specialist scooters has also increased. Traffic schemes, which allow electric scooters, mopeds and motor scooters to use their own lanes to ease congestion, are likely to become more widespread. PATEL Scooters will specialize in scooter rentals for leisure and corporate travelers at discount prices. PATEL Scooters will offer a rental rate that is guaranteed to be the lowest among all scooter rental companies. This is PATEL Scooters commitment to customer satisfaction. Scooters are more efficient then cars in many ways: they have better fuel efficiency, go at low maintenance and have lower operating costs .And also the insurance is available for a cheap price of $30-$50 a year. The targeted customers for business will be about 125000 students from Connecticut State (USA). And so the word of the customer service will eventually spread There a lot of students who use the public transport to due the problem of finding parking spaces. As the public transport offer very few options we are expecting the economical moped and car services will come into action very quickly. There are a lot of students who cannot afford to buy a car or moped but they can afford to rent a car or a moped for $50 a month or can chip in for to rent one car together. Connecticut Scooters would purchase used scooters for less than $1,000 and lease them out. Patels connection with the electric scooter community and the growing demand for quality used electric scooters and electric scooter parts will make PATEL Electric Scooters one of the most popular shops in the city. Objectives The objectives of PATEL Electric Scooters are: Capture the majority of the used electric scooter business in the Connecticut State. give a good quality service for less. â‚ ¬Ã‚  a survey will be conducted for measuring customer satisfaction; repeat customers will be the targeted customers for surveys. Primary goal will be to achieve 45% of profit margin in first two years. Mission The mission of PATEL Electric Scooters is to become the primary resource for used electric scooter parts in Connecticut. Ways of Success The key ways of success for PATEL Electric Scooters are: Repeat customers Satisfaction. Maintaining the price, quality and time beyond customers expectation. Joining experienced professionals and putting them together to work in a team. Secure and busy location near by University. As supplier play main role in any business, so establishing a supplier network become a necessity. Somehow business also depends on employee moral behavior, so rewarding them at their success, is a step ahead in customer satisfaction direction. Company Summary PATEL Electric Scooters will offer quality used electric scooters and electric scooter parts to a growing market of electric scooter hobbyists. The shop will purchase used and damaged scooters as well as used electric scooter parts. Company Ownership PATEL Electric Scooters is owned by Sumitraben Patel Start-up Expenses A electric scooter sales, repair and servicing business costs will vary considerably, depending on services provided. By selling electric scooter parts, riders who undertake their own repairs will be attracted. The premises must be big enough to display several large scooters plus accessories. An existing business could be purchased, with established reputation and customer goodwill, etc. Electric scooter Trader Directory lists suppliers of machines, components, spares, auctioneers, etc, with contact names and addresses. Initial and ongoing costs could include: A range of electric scooters, scooters, mopeds, etc. A large range of accessories, clothing, spare parts, etc. A tool kit ($300-$700). Spot welder ($200). Paint stripping equipment (from $50). Other equipment, e.g. scales ($250), brake tester ($3,700-$4,750), headlamp tester ($495). Electric scooters lift ($520-$1,300). Paddocks stand ($150). Tire fitting equipment, e.g. tire changer ($1300-$1600), wheel balancer ($1500-$1900). Mig welder (from $350). Manuals. Promotion. Staff. Insurance. Start-up Summary Sumitraben Patel will invest and also secure a $20,000 loan. The focus of the initial inventory will be on engine and electrical parts. The source of these parts is electric scooter hobbyists who sell the parts in order to purchase upgrade parts for their own electric scooters. The following table and chart show projected initial start-up costs for PATEL Electric Scooters. Legal $1,000 Stationery etc. $500 Insurance $500 Rent $1,000 Display Equipment $3,000 Expensed Equipment $5,000 Total Start-up Expense $11,000 Start-up Assets Needed Cash Balance on Starting Date $24,000 Start-up Inventory $45,000 Total Assets $69,000 Total Requirements $80,000 Funding Investment Sumitraben Patel $80,000 Total Investment $80,000 Total anticipated annual turnover for first year: $250,000 Total anticipated annual net profit: $112,500 Products We believe it is important to have quality electric scooters at a low cost, and will back each cycle with a 30 day limited warranty. Our company will make a profit by generating sales. It will provide job satisfaction and fair compensation to its employees, and a fair return to its owners. Hard work and performance is rewarded through bonuses and commissions. Job satisfaction is very important for employees and owners; we will create a work environment that is enjoyable and profitable for all. Why are electric scooters better than gas ones?  · Environmentally Friendly: Zero tailpipe emissions. Save the planet!  · Lower Operating Costs: Approximately 1/20th of gas equivalents. And since gas prices continue to rise, this gap will only widen. Plus, most electrics require little or no maintenance.  · Quieter Usage: Electrics are extremely quiet, with no loud noisy engine, which means they can be used in areas which require quiet, such as corporate walkways between buildings of an office campus.  · Cleaner Operation: No gas, fumes, or smokes to deal with. Youll smell better.  · More Reliable: Fewer moving parts for less maintenance and less that can break.  · Reduced Oil Dependence: The more electric motors we use, the less we depend on gas motors, and hence the less oil your country depends on. Electric scooters are more preferable because they:  · Scooting desires are fulfilled;  · Easy and quick, fun making local errand; Environmental friendly while saves some bucks; Convenient point to point transportation; Solves problem of parking and helps with shortcuts; Brings more fun and freedom in ones life. In comparison to gas-powered scooters, electric scooters bring better advantages for transportation as well as recreation. Comparing to gas-powered scooters, electric scooters are allowed in train plane bus etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Reduction of Noise as well as air pollution. Maintenance is lowered due to use of simple electric motors. Quick and better response when starting or climbing on hill. Many times electric scooters are purchased as a toy, still they have long life as transportation. 1.(a) rules of safety while riding scooters.  · Riders do no duck out of the traffic irresponsibly.  · Friends should not let friends ride scooters when drunk.  · Riders should not ride at high speeds on the sidewalk.  · People should not let inexperienced riders ride soaped-up scooters.  · Riders should keep in mind that pedestrians always have the right to pass first.  · Responsible parents should be sure that their children wear proper safety gear when riding scooters. PATEL Electric Scooters offers the following products: Used Electric scooters: These cycles have been inspected and occasionally reconditioned in order to offer the customer the best value. Used Parts: These quality parts include engine parts, bodywork, gas tanks, electrical parts, frame, and chassis wheels and brakes. Used Electric scooters We will have at times 20 to 50 used electric scooters. Electric scooter crash repairs PATEL Electric Scooters offers a complete range of electric scooter crash and damage repair services: Fuel Tank Repair Damaged fuel tanks dent will be repaired by using needed stud gun which welds dent area with draw pins, with the use of side hammer the dent will be pulled, by these way it makes possible to remove dent without drilling or filling. After that area will be cleared by a thin coat of glazing surface, block sand, and then high premier quality coat will be added. When it dries, tank gets ready for wet sand and final base color coat which gives a perfect finish. Plastic Repair and Welding. We will Repair plastic body parts that are costlier, like parts having scathes, cracks etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ plastic welder and rods will be used of best quality to repair cracked parts. Surety for quality We get hundred percent guarantees when the parts are perfect. And there will be no sign of damage. We will occasionally be able to repair damaged race fiberglass. We will recommend replacing the with new parts if the body work has moderate to heavy damage. parts. It takes hours get a heavily damaged part into the right shape so that it can be painted. And if the job is not dome properly the paint will look ugly and we are very keen on having a good painting job done. The money spent on the repair of a heavy damaged part will be twice the cost of a new part and secondly the part will always have the mark of the crash or the signs of hairline cracks around the mounting holes. The cost to repair a less damaged part is  ¼ the cost of a new part. In such cases we recommend to get it repaired rather than replace it. Electric scooter Insurance Repairs We will handle insurance repairs and claims to get your electric scooter back in perfect shape. All repairs will be done using factory OEM replacement parts where needed. Pick-up will be available by appointment. Electric scooter Insurance Repairs and Claim Handling PATEL Electric Scooters will work with you and your insurance company. We handle everything from writing your repair estimate and handling your insurance claim to picking up your crashed electric scooter. The insurance repair process will work as follows: Once an scooter arrives at the Patel electric scooters it will be inspected for any crash damages and a detailed written document will be made that will cover all the all the damages that occurred before the scooter arrived. We call the insurance company once the estimate of the repairs is complete they will then send an adjuster to our shop to compare our estimate to theirs. Once the estimate has been approved by the adjuster and gives the approval for the estimate after that only will the insurance company sand us the payment for the Upon approval of the estimate by the adjuster, he will submit approval of payment to the insurance company. Factory oem replacements will be ordered for every part that need replacements for the scooter to get ready for re assembling when the the new parts arrive. Market Analysis Summary The traditional customers of a electric scooter retailer are young males. The number of riders taking basic training has risen, largely due to an increase in the number of older riders (25+). They may or may not have had scooters before, will buy for leisure purposes and also tend to buy higher price scooters which have higher profit margins for the retailer. They will be car owners, and being used to service from the car market, will want to buy from clean, smart dealerships. Higher prices could be charged, as they will generally be willing to pay for a high level of service and will have a higher disposable income to spend on accessories. Women are an increasingly important customer group, as the number of female riders rises. Customers are becoming more demanding of good service, back-up and information provision, so keeping ahead of the competition will involve rigorous training for employer and staff in order to keep abreast of new technology in the market. Only a small proportion of the population owns a electric scooter, therefore there is still a large potential market for sales. The number of full electric scooter licenses held in this country far exceeds the number of scooters on the road, so it is not essential to target new riders. It may be possible to persuade lapsed riders to take up the hobby again. There is also a business sector. As roads become more clogged, car speeds in cities are decreasing significantly, and a electric scooter courier industry has developed. In such conditions scooters are substantially faster. The police and paramedics have begun to use more electric scooters for the same reason. A shop could develop a relationship with a commercial or public sector customer, taking on supply and upkeep of a fleet of scooters. Some of the larger electric scooter dealers have suffered over the last year as consumer demand has decreased. Electric scooter dealers usually have multi-franchises; links with several manufacturers rather than selling the product of one manufacturer, as happens in the car dealership market. However, developing links with a manufacturer can be very difficult. Manufacturers are trying to increase profits, and this usually means developing and assisting existing successful franchise outlets. Most areas are now well covered for dealerships. Competition also includes the car market. Despite environmental concerns, for most people the car is still the first choice for independent travel. Over the past ten years, riding has developed an entirely new customer base among baby boomer men, ages 40 to 65. Last year, electric scooter sales for this age group were twice that of young men, ages 18 to 25. These two groups represent 80% of electric scooter sales. In Connecticut State, electric scooter sales exceeded $36 million in 2009 and sales are predicted to grow by 10% this year. The demographics suggest that there is a large market for used electric scooters and electric scooter parts, especially among experienced scooters. This is particularly important because the experienced customer will seek out a shop where the owner has a reputation for quality and service in the electric scooter community. Market Segmentation PATEL Electric Scooters will focus on two customer groups: Male baby boomers, ages 40 65. Young men, ages 18 25. Competitive Comparison The suppliers have the lot of power in negotiating and setting of the prices of the products on the shop. This is a fact that the suppliers earn the most money form these kind shops and companies. It is consolidate that the repair industry have the deepest pockets and a a limit numbers of substitute customers. Finally there are the only most important suppliers to Connecticut electric scooters industry. Market Trends The market demand for electric scooter sales, repair and service industry has been relatively stable over the past decade. However, the average price per scooter has seen a steady increase, especially within the last five years. These more expensive scooters have, on average, much higher repair costs per vehicle than any older scooters. This has upset the short-term equilibrium of the industry and given incentives for new firms to enter the market. Strategy and Implementation Summary The location of a electric scooter sales, repair and services business is very important in attracting customers. A site close to the centre of town will be easily accessible to potential customers in all areas of the region. Being located near public transport routes will make it convenient for customers to use alternative forms of transport while their electric scooter is being serviced. Early and evening opening hours will accommodate those customers who need to drop off their electric scooters on their way to work, or collect them afterwards. Good presentation of the shop and staff will be useful for attracting repeat business. Neat premises and helpful, friendly staff will instill confidence in customers and further promote the business through word of mouth recommendation. To target customers in the local area, advertisements can be placed in local publications. Listings in directories will be useful, e.g. the Yellow Pages. Advertising monthly special deals on certain types of repair work in the local newspapers, is another option. Some parts suppliers offer promotional support programs for independent garages in return for stocking only their products. Often these packages include signage, point of purchase support material as well as advertising support. An increasing number of businesses are advertising their services on the Internet. Competitive Edge Sumitraben Patel, owner of PATEL Electric Scooters is one of most respected and best known Business man in Connecticut, she also own three motels in different parts of United States. Marketing Strategy PATEL Electric Scooters will establish and maintain close links with a electric scooter rider training company. Licensing requirements mean most learners will look first for a rider training company; they may not approach a dealer until they have passed their test. A good reputation is essential. If the business establishes a reputation for a friendly, knowledgeable and helpful service, new riders (including women and older riders) will be encouraged to trust and buy from it in an ongoing relationship. There are many electric scooter exhibitions and festivals; these are a good place to meet customers and others in the trade. Advertising will be undertaken according to the target market. The majority of active motorcyclists in the US read a electric scooter magazine all of which have a Product and Services Guide, plus adverts from dealers. Listings in the Yellow Pages and local business directories will be worthwhile. Local electric scooter clubs will be contacted to inform them of the services. Sales Strategy PATEL Electric Scooters will open with a Customization Show and Competition. During the first month of operation, PATEL Electric Scooters will offer a 15% discount on all purchases over $50. Sumitraben will also offer a standard 10% discount to members of the citys seven electric scooter organizations. Management Summary Bhagvat Patel will manage the daily operations of the shop under sumitraben patels supervision. Yakub and zahgir are two motorcyclist specialist, will be handling all repairs, where there salary will be 1250/month for each. Besides Sumitraben Patel, PATEL Electric Scooters will have three additional employees. Strategic Direction SWOT Analysis This is a summary of the businesss most important strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths of the Business Excellent quality product Which means that Adds to reputation. Good management skills. Which means that Well run business Good ability to extract information. Which means that Can control the business.- Weaknesses of the Business New Player. Which means that Credibility problem may affect initial sales Lack of systems Which means that The Company needs to develop systemised operational sales techniques or sacrifice profits Opportunities in the Marketplace Add-on products such as ** Which means that A potentially enormous market for PATEL electric scooters to tap into. Growing market segments. Which means that PATEL electric scooters should target these segments. Threats in the Marketplace Increasing supplier prices. Which means that Resulting in reduced profitability. Declining size of the ** segment. Which means that Need to focus on growing segments to spread the companys portfolio The Actual Plan (annually) Business Objectives Corporate Objectives (Goals) Short Term Corporate To achieve a sales level of $250000 To achieve profit level of 45% Marketing Objectives (Goals) {your product} #1 Segment: To achieve sales to $30000 #2 Segment: To achieve sales to $60000 #3 Segment: To achieve sales to $70000 #4 Segment: To achieve sales to $90000 New Products To evaluate and launch new products or services which will turn over $120000 in the first year. Other Objectives (Goals) To not exceed a marketing budget of $4800 To not exceed a payroll budget of $42000 To not exceed a general overhead budget of $21360 The major task objectives for each area of the organization, together with responsibilities and timings are detailed in the Roll-Out Plan. Marketing Plan MARKETING OBJECTIVES Sales Objective To achieve sales by 45% Sales Objectives by Market Segment. #1 Segment: To achieve sales to $30000 #2 Segment: To achieve sales to $60000 #3 Segment: To achieve sales to $70000 PROMOTIONAL STRATEGIES Print Advertising Develop a corporate brochure. Advertise in local publications Advertise monthly in magazines that are specifically targeted to the ** and ** segments. Advertise monthly in magazines that are aimed at the general industry. Lead Generation Program Conduct monthly on-going lead generation program. Send out monthly direct mail leaflets with response coupons. Qualify leads and make appointments by using telemarketing staff. Centres Of Influence Program Personally contact at least ten potential partners each week. Produce a monthly newsletter that shows examples of (your products) and how customers have benefited from using them. PR Program PR release to be initiated each month to various trade journals and magazines. Sales Force Employ telemarketing staff. Implement a new structural program for the sales force, allocating sales reps to accounts and segments rather than area. Organize training program to be implemented. Lost Customers Contact monthly all past customers that have not re-ordered to ask why not and see whether we can win back their business. Follow up Enquiries Contact all enquirers monthly and determine if they have purchased from a competitor and, if so, why. Existing Customers Follow up all new customers two weeks after they purchase to ensure they are satisfied with the product. Send quarterly newsletter to existing customers to keep them informed of our other products. Try and up-sell all enquiries for our standard range to our premium range. Sales Promotion Develop an ongoing sales promotion to target existing customers. GENERAL MARKETING STRATEGIES Competitor Profile Keep updated competitor profile. Marketing information system Document on every enquiry How did you hear about us? Document on every order How did you hear about us? Produce monthly sales reports by product, by market segment, by territory and by sales representative. Financial Plan FINANCIAL Next Years Objectives Net Profit To achieve forecast net profit of $112500. Budget To not exceed the following expense budgets. Marketing Budget $ 4800 Payroll Budget $ 42000 Management Overheads $ 21360 FINANCIAL STRATEGIES Cash Flow Eliminate cash shortage in the traditional tight periods of December to January Collection Days Reduce the average collection days from 30 days to 15 days. Payment Days Maintain payment of bills, on average, to 20 days. Expenses Develop and implement new policies on approval and signatories on expenses. Leases Pay off the existing lease on PATEL equipment, thus reducing the monthly financial burden. Wages Pay all wages on a monthly basis instead of weekly. Inventory Improve the number of stock turns to 30000 a year. Rent Negotiate new terms on the premises and reduce existing payments by 10% Organizational Plan ORGANISATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT Next Years Objectives Budget To not exceed the payroll budget of $42000 HUMAN RESOURCE STRATEGIES Organizational Draw organizational chart. Develop incentive scheme related to job requirements. Policies and procedures Develop policies and procedures manual. Employ telemarketers. Training Carry out training needs analysis. Morale Install suggestion box. Organize monthly meetings to follow up tasks

Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic Essay -- Religion Religious Epic Gilgames

Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Gilgamesh Epic is an ancient Mesopotamian story about life and the suffering one must endure while alive. Included in the story, is a tale of a great flood that covered the earth, killing all but a select few of it’s inhabitants. This story of a great flood is common to most people, and has affected history in several ways. It’s presence in the Gilgamesh Epic has caused many people to search for evidence that a great flood actually happened. It has also caused several other religions and cultures to take the same basic story, claiming it for their own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether in Christianity in the form of Noah’s Ark, or through Mesopotamian history in the form of an immortal, the idea of a great flood has proven to be a common story throughout the world. Though Noah’s Ark may be the most popular form of the story, it is not the oldest. Many people believe Noah’s Ark was based on Utnapishnem’s flood story. The two stories are obviously based on the same thing, but one must wonder which one is true or which came first.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Utnapishnem in the Gilgamesh Epic starts with a dream that warns Utnapishnem of the coming flood. The gods are angry and want to rid the world of mankind. Utnapishnem built a boat large enough to carry his family, personal belongings, and â€Å"the seed of all other living creatures.† After Utnapishnem finished, the rain fell for six days and six nights, and it was so bad that the gods climbed into heaven for safety. After the rain stopped, the boat came to rest on Mount Nisir, and Utnapishnem released a dove and a swallow. Both birds returned because they could not find land. Then a raven was released and it did not come back, proving that there was land for it to rest on. Utnapishnem then came out of the ship and offered a sacrifice to the gods. When the gods smelled the sweet odor of the sacrifice, they blessed Utnapishnem and his wife to be like the gods and live forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Noah’s Ark begins with God being upset at mankind's wickedness. He decides to destroy it with a flood. God new Noah was righteous and told him to build an ark so he would be safe from the rain. Noah did so and took aboard his family and pairs of every kind of animal. It rained for forty days and nights, until the highest mountains were covered. Then God sent a wind and the waters receded, and the... ...tioned. What caused the tidal wave is still a mystery, although many people believe it was caused by volcanic eruption, or a large meteorite crashing into the Earth’s surface.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other theory is of universal flooding. The idea of a great flood has been found to be conclusive with geological findings all over the globe. A flood this large would have deposited sediment throughout the world. It has been scientifically estimate that more than seventy-five percent of the Earth is covered with sediment. Fossils have also been found in the Rockie Mountains that contain shells and fish. Many other petrified â€Å"fish beds† have been found all over the world, including Mt. Everest, suggesting that a global flood did indeed happen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though scientists cannot agree on whether or not a global flood occurred, the effect of these stories on science has been monumental, as well as the effect of the stories on cultures and religions throughout the world. If this great flood did , in fact, occur, it’s effect on history would have been great because of the huge numbers of people lost to it. Though they may be fables, one must keep asking themselves if they may have been based on fact.