Research Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation Among Paper

Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation Among Nurses - Research Paper Example Keywords: smoking, cessation, nurses. Research Support for the Project Proposal of Smoking Cessation among Nurses Smoking is a serious problem among nurses. Much has been written and said about the role and importance of smoking cessation programs in clinical settings. Smoking causes profound impacts on the quality of nursing care. In some instances, smoking among nurses is justified by the amount of stress they constantly experience in the workplace: Tagliacozzo and Vaughn (1986) established a direct relation between work-related stresses and smoking among nurses. This however does not mean that nurses are secured from the risks and negative consequences of smoking. A facility-based smoking cessation program has the potential to reduce smoking among nurses, through counseling support, monetary incentives, nicotine-replacement therapies, and Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. The role and significance of counseling support in smoking cessation was discussed in abundance. Individual, group , or telephone counseling was extensively used to raise smoking cessation rates in various population groups. Lancaster and Stead (2008) reviewed previous studies and concluded that individual counseling increased the likelihood of smoking cessation. ... Those results were also supported by Stead, Perrera and Lancaster (2009), who found that both reactive and proactive telephone counseling was responsible for increased rates of smoking cessation among individuals. The rationale behind telephone counseling and its efficacy in smoking cessation are difficult to explain: most probably, smokers perceive telephone support as both reliable and anonymous, and which gives them a sense of confidence in dealing with the problem of smoking. It is also possible that telephone lines provide that assistance which smokers really need in their long and troublesome way to cessation. Whatever the rationale, individual counseling, either personal or telephone, can benefit nurses who are willing to quit smoking. Unfortunately, individual counseling is always associated with additional costs (Lichtenstein et al, 1996). New technologies provide the flexibility and communication opportunities required to reduce smoking among nurses. Yet, they also add to t he burden of financial and technical expenses on hospitals. This is why individual counseling can give place to group counseling strategies. Group counseling is believed to be a better alternative to individual smoking cessation counseling. The current state of literature suggests that individual counseling alone cannot increase smoking cessation rates (Stead & Lancaster, 2009). Unfortunately, evaluating the benefits and outcomes of group counseling interventions is not possible, due to the heterogeneity of subjects involved in study samples (Stead & Lancaster, 2009). Moreover, group counseling is by itself not without controversy, since groups demonstrate limited reach to smoking populations and are characterized by low participation rates (Stead &

Customer relationship management Essay Example for Free

Customer relationship management Essay Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to provide insights into the development and management of a customer community, informing product innovation and engaging customers in co-creation of a consumption experience. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the state of current knowledge about co-production, co-creation and customer communities is followed by discussion of the case study methodology. The case history of a leading player in the UK and international â€Å"sportkiting† market focuses on product innovation and customer-community development. Discussion re? ects in more detail on the lessons from the case for application of the principles in practice. Findings – The case company’s innovative product development strategy provides the catalyst for co-creation of a customer experience. Its marketing actions extend beyond product development and innovation to actively co-creating experiences with customers, fostering a sense of community among users, facilitating communication within that community, acting on the feedback, and continuously developing and maintaining the community relationship. Research limitations/implications – The company’s marketing strategy can be summed up as â€Å"customer community leadership†. This paradigm proposes a new role for businesses in sectors where there is a potential to develop and engage communities. It provides a context for the effective facilitation of customer knowledge management, within which marketing intelligence plays a signi? cant role. The ? ndings offer scope for further research into the nature of this phenomenon and its relevance to co-creation in other industry sectors, and into numerous aspects of the processes and impacts associated with customer communities. Originality/value – The case contributes to the literature of co-creation, demonstrating how it has been achieved through a marketing strategy and marketing mix in a particular customer community. Keywords Customer relations, Innovation, Relationship marketing, Leadership Paper type Case study Marketing Intelligence Planning Vol. 25 No. 2, 2007 pp. 136-146 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0263-4503 DOI 10. 1108/02634500710737924 Introduction. The increased complexity, globalization and knowledge-intensity of marketplaces require all businesses to make better use of their technological, organizational and marketing competences in order to survive. Contemporary organizations in highly competitive and highly innovative markets must be able to build market share quickly, by delivering fast, high quality, innovative solutions. The changing organisational environment has driven interest in organisational learning and knowledge management (Drucker, 1993; Prusak, 1997). Many studies have con? rmed customer knowledge as one of the most important knowledge bases for an organisation (Bennett and Gabriel, 1999; Chase, 1997), and there is a considerable interest in the potential of â€Å"co-production† and â€Å"co-creation† either individually or in community contexts, to enhance innovation and business performance (Gibbert et al. , 2002). Focus on the engagement of customers in organizational learning, innovation and knowledge processes heralds the dawn of a new paradigm of marketing intelligence in  which data and information are not simply gathered into databases and distilled to inform management decision making, but rather marketing intelligence is embedded in dynamic co-creation processes that involve customers as partners rather than subjects. Through a case study analysis and critique of a leading manufacturer of kiteboarding equipment, this paper seeks to provide insights into the engagement and management of a customer community, to inform product innovation and to engage customers in co-creation of a sporting experience. The case contributes to the literature of co-creation and speci?cally to the way in which communities can be enlisted in the co-creation of experiences. It begins with a literature review, outlining the state of current knowledge on co-production and co-creation and on customer communities, followed by a description of the case study methodology. A pro? le of the company, with particular reference to its product development and community development follows leads to re? ection in detail on the contribution from this case. Finally, conclusions and recommendations provide a summary of the issues. The concept of â€Å"customer community leadership† is proposed, and agendas for further research identi? ed. Literature review This section draws together current knowledge on two key themes: co-creation, or co-production, and customer communities. Research on both of these themes ? ts broadly within the paradigm or philosophy of relationship marketing. As the main plank of a marketing strategy, relationship marketing aims to build long term, mutually satisfying relations with customers, suppliers and distributors with the key objective of earning and retaining their long-term preference, loyalty and business (Foss and Stone, 2001; Peck et al., 1999; Buttle, 1996; Massey et al. , 2001). In discussing the absence of a consensus on the term relationship marketing, and on the appropriateness of the term, other authors have suggested that a focus on interactions and networks of interactions between businesses and their customers might be more meaningful (Healy et al. , 2001; Zoliewski, 2004). The concepts of co-production and customer communities both focus on interactions. Communities, in particular, involve networks of interactions. The theme of interaction between customers and organizations in product and service innovation is developed in the literature on co-production. Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2000) suggest that companies have to recognise that the customer is becoming a partner in creating value, and need to learn how to harness customer competences. One aspect of this will be the engagement of customers in co-creating personal experiences. The body of work on co-creation and co-production has grown in recent years. Kristensson et al. (2004) have examined the bene? Ts of involving users in suggesting new product ideas, ? nding that ordinary users created signi? cantly more original and valuable ideas than professional developers, whilst professional developers and advanced users created more easily reliable ideas. At a more modest level of customer engagement, Salomo et al. (2003) found that customer orientation in innovation projects (not necessarily, in this case, customer engagement) had a positive in? uence on NPD success and that the impact increased with the degree of product innovativeness. Similarly, Hsieh and Chen (2005) showed that new product development performance can be enhanced by interacting with users, and capitalising on user-knowledge management competences. Matthing et al. (2004) suggest that the Customer community and co-creation 137 MIP 25,2 138 value of customer involvement in new service development resides in the opportunity to facilitate proactive learning about the customer, and to understand and anticipate latent customer needs. Lilien et al. (2002) suggest that user contribution to the idea generation process is optimised through the careful selection of â€Å"lead users† to participate in the process. Dahlsten (2004) discusses customer involvement in the case of a product development project at Volvo Cars, which allowed the project management team to acquire an understanding of the customer through â€Å"customer presence†. A study comparing the sources of product and process innovation in large and small technology-based ? rms found that product developers in SMEs valued customers, co-workers, marketing and journals more highly, whilst suppliers were particularly valued by large ? rms (Bommer and Jalajas, 2004). Co-creation might be viewed as an aspect of customer-knowledge competence, the processes that generate knowledge about speci? c customers (Campbell, 2003). Gibbert et al. (2002, p. 460) describe customer knowledge management as a process in which organisations seek to â€Å"know what their customers know† and de? ne it as: . . . the strategic process by which cutting-edge companies emancipate their customers from passive recipients of products and services, to empowerment as knowledge partners. CKM is about gaining, sharing, and expanding the knowledge residing in customers, to both customer and corporate bene? It is thus concerned with an understanding of how to elicit and leverage knowledge from customers. Their emphasis on interacting with customers and co-production, extending to co-learning, lifts the focus from collecting data and information in order to learn about customers to learn with customers. They discuss ? ve different styles of customer knowledge management, including â€Å"prosumerism† where the customer acts as co-producer, and â€Å"communities of creation† in which groups of people work together, have shared interests, and want to jointly create and share knowledge. The focus of co-production research is often on product innovation and new product development, with some contributions relating to service development (Matthing et al. , 2004). However, Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2003), suggest a future in which the locus of innovation and co-production will shift from products and services to â€Å"experience environments†. This suggestion aligns with other proposals that the â€Å"experience marketing† era is on the horizon, and that it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to respond to the needs of the experience consumer (Li and Wei, 2004). Co-creation may take place in the context of customer communities. There is a considerable literature on customer clubs (Butscher, 2002; Gustafsson et al. , 2004; Stauss et al. , 2001) and loyalty schemes (Bolton et al. , 2000; Mauri, 2003; Passingham, 1998; Worthington, 2000). Only a small sub-group of such clubs and schemes can properly be described as customer communities, however, which should at the very least exhibit C2C interaction. To convincingly justify the use of â€Å"community† they should furthermore share a culture with norms, values and identity, and mutual interests and objectives. Fan clubs, interest clubs, and software user groups may constitute customer communities. Butscher (2002) identi? es the Kawasaki Riders Club, The Volkswagen Club, and Swatch The Club as examples which might be described as customer communities. On the other hand, loyalty schemes such as Tesco Clubcard, American Express, Airmiles, and Marriot Rewards are focussed on the B2C dimension of relationship marketing, and do little to cultivate or in? uence C2C interactions. Therefore, whilst they may be able to identify a relatively stable group of users, they have not created a community. One context in which there has been more discussion of customer communities is the virtual environment (Armstrong and Hagel, 1996). Some loyalty schemes use this channel to support C2C interaction. Virtual customer communities enable organizations to establish distributed innovation models that involve varied customer roles in new product development (Nambisan, 2002; Pitta and Fowler, 2005). Nambisan (2002) suggests that the design of virtual customer environments needs to consider interaction patterns, knowledge creation, customer motivation, and integration of the virtual customer community with the new product development team. Dholakia et al. (2004) explore the impact of group norms and social identity on participation in consumer communities. The wider literature on virtual communities and their role in learning and knowledge creation is also substantial, and may have perspectives to offer on the role of virtual communities in innovation (Hall and Graham, 2004; Davenport and Hall, 2002; Wenger, 2000). In conclusion, the themes of co-creation and customer communities have been identi? ed as important in the literature, but there remains a scope for considerable further work, speci?  cally relating to: . co-creation of experiences; Customer communities that exist in both physical and virtual space; and . the mechanisms and processes through which organizations can engage customer communities, as opposed to individual members of those communities, in co-creation. Methodology Case studies are a valuable way of looking at the world around us, and asking how or why questions (Yin, 1994). The case study design adopted in this paper may be described as a holistic single case design. Typically, single case designs are appropriate when the exercise has something special to reveal that might act as a point of departure for challenging received wisdom, prior theoretical perspectives and untested assumptions. A specialist in sporting kite technology was chosen as the basis for the case analysis in this paper for four reasons in particular, as follows: (1) The stated mission of Flexifoil International is to: â€Å"provide our customers with the ultimate Kitesports experience† (www.? exifoil. com/company). (2) Flexifoil has been consistently committed to product innovation. (3) Flexifoil works with customers and proactively builds customer communities to support customer engagement in co-creation of the kiting experience. (4) The active and extensive participation of one of the authors in the kiting community formed the basis for an in-depth understanding of the community building and co-creation processes observed. Company pro? le: Flexifoil International Through product innovation, the company seeks to design and develop the highest performance products, with new designs and products that support new kite-based Customer community and co-creation 139 MIP. 25,2 sporting experiences and events. Flexifoil build both their own customer community and the kite boarding community in general through customer service, distribution networks, sponsorship and promotion of the sports for which their products are used. They provide opportunities for the kite sporting community to interact, online and in other ways. Their community is thus built through B2B, C2B and C2C relationships and channels. 140 Product development Until the early 1970s, a kite had for hundreds of years been a piece of fabric controlled with one or two lines, designed to be hand-?own in windy conditions. What is now Flexifoil International started when two English university students effectively â€Å"invented† the two-line power kite by producing the ? rst to be sold commercially. Two larger kites with the evocative names â€Å"Pro Team 8† and â€Å"Super 10† established Flexifoil’s market position, and enabled the company to enter upon a period of innovation and experimentation that explored a range of different potential applications for power kites. Some of their innovations were successful, others less so, such as three-wheeled buggies designed to be pulled by a power kite or traction kite. The successful developments in materials and design technology by Flexifoil and its followers allowed this basic product to support today such diverse activities as kite boarding (water-based), snow kiting, kite land boarding, buggying, recreational power kiting, and sportkiting (â€Å"traditional† kiting). The company’s own product range now comprises: power kites, recreational kites, traction kites, and water re-launchable kites; buggies and boards; lines and control gear; and miscellaneous accessories such as clothing. Following the launch of a web site, with associated forums in which enthusiasts could meet and exchange ideas, Flexifoil’s sales increased by around 25 per cent each year between 1999 and 2004. Innovation continued, with the development of water-based kiting or kitesur? ng, and later kites for land boarding and snow kiting. Over the last thirty years, the company had thus effectively created a market, and maintained leadership in its particular niche, by means not only of product innovation but also engagement with and cultivation of a power-boarding community. Community development Distribution. The community development process begins with the company’s distribution network of authorised retail outlets. Initially, those were mainly windsur? ng and sur? ng shops, but more recently specialised kiting shops have entered the market. Signi? cantly for Flexifoil, some of those have developed into â€Å"kitesports centres† where customers can â€Å"? y before they buy†. At three Premier Kite Sports Centres, the most comprehensive Flexifoil range is available for trial in an environment characterised by knowledgeable staff and extensive facilities in a good location; activity training is also on offer. A smaller range of Flexifoil kites is sold through high street shops. The company also moves the product to market through training schools, academies and university kite clubs, to whom equipment is available at discounted rates or even free of charge if the outlet becomes an of? cial Flexifoil training centre. In addition to these bricks-and-mortar outlets, the company transacts a signi? cant proportion of its retail sales through internet distributors. It also sells spare parts,  branded clothing and a selection of promotional merchandise via Flexifoildirect. com, but restricts distribution of core products to distributors who can offer a full after-sales service. The objective of the company’s distribution strategy is to build, support and maintain an effective customer community. Promotion and marketing communication. The main platform of Flexifoil’s promotional programme is to communicate their commitment to after-sales support, and their ambition to maintain good relationships with both customers and dealer outlets. This strategy, in turn, generates positive word-of-mouth communication, and often act as a channel for customer feedback that can inform future product innovation and development. In pursuit of that objective, Flexifoil make extensive use of specialised advertising media, including every kite magazine in circulation, often running double-page spreads. A branded display stand for Flexifoil product catalogues is distributed to every dealer. To keep the brand at the centre of the kitesporting world, the company sponsors a team of kite boarders who compete around the world. The promotional mix thus embraces advertising, publicity, sales promotion and point-of-sale. Flexifoil furthermore use their web site and its forums proactively to develop the UK kiting community, especially pre-launch. Previews of new kites provoke discussion in the forums, and a level of interest that builds up over months of anticipation and typically generates high sales volumes immediately on the release of the product. This online communication channel brings customers together to exchange experiences, and sell equipment to each other. The company lays claim to the largest online kiting community, of nearly 7,000 members. The variety of forums available to its members specialise in the full range of sportkiting activities. The clear aim of the marketing communications strategy is, like the distribution strategy, to create a community of interest rather than one based simply on transaction. Discussion This discussion will draw out two themes from the case study analysis: co-creation, and customer communities. The study contributes a perspective on the co-creation of experiences, which  is a central element in the emerging paradigm of experience marketing. By continuing engagement with their customer community, the subject company has been able not only to gather feedback on the experiences associated with the use of its products, but also to add to them by offering opportunities, in both the real and virtual environments for customer to enjoy interactions with others who share their interests. It monitors and enhances the experience through the same channels. Whilst product innovation is stepwise, the dialogue and interaction with customers on which that innovation is based is continuous. This is not â€Å"co-production† in the sense that the term is used in new product development contexts, but rather in the service context, where the term refers to the fact that customers have a hand in the development of their own service experience. Nevertheless, experience â€Å"co-creation† in this case, embeds product innovation. The impact of this approach to co-creation is dif? cult to disentangle from the impact of other business and marketing actions. The signi? cant increase in sales in the years since the launch of the web site could be taken as one indicator, but it  Customer community and co-creation 141 MIP 25,2 142 is important to acknowledge the spiral nature of the community creation process. This increase in sales will have expanded the community, and probably also have intensi? ed customers’ engagement with the experiences that community members co-create with the company. The case also contributes some insights on the nature of customer communities. Though the company does ask customers to register their product and thereby collects personal contact details, it does not operate a customer community, club or loyalty scheme. Rather, the innovative and interesting products act as a catalyst for community creation through the medium of the â€Å"experiences† they deliver. The customer community comprises those who have participated in those experiences, enjoyed them, and wish to develop the interaction. Customers work in partnership with the company to build excitement and develop skill, and by sharing the experiences with others, add to the totality of the customer community. The company has taken a number of actions to facilitate this process, including working with distributors, sponsorship, engagement in events, training courses, and an interactive web site. Speci? cally, their approach to communication with their customers is sophisticated. The common view of marketing communications as a one-way transmission is replaced by a marketing communications strategy designed to build and reinforce the company’s position as a leader of a community. Traditional channels such as advertising, sponsorship, and even brand building are only elements in a complex web or network of marketing communications activities, involving C2C and B2B as well as B2C relationships. The company communicates directly with its customers, but also provides contexts which encourage them to â€Å"talk† among themselves. In addition, the marketing communications effort is â€Å"pushed† through distributors, not just in terms of the traditional advertising and branding, but also through the selection of distributors that can offer appropriate support and advice. These actors in the system have a role in welcoming new members into the community. They are supported in doing so by the existing on-line community, and various company-sponsored events at which members are encouraged to gather. The customer community has built gradually as the business has grown. As new products have been added to the product range to support new sports, new sub-communities have formed around them. The process of community development goes hand in hand with product development. Conclusions and recommendations The entrepreneurs behind Flexifoil International have simultaneously created a sport, and an associated sporting community. The company is clear that its mission as not simply to develop and distribute the best products but rather to deliver the most exciting kiting experience. This case study has demonstrates that the entire marketing mix is focussed not on transactions, or even relationship building, but rather on community creation. That community includes both consumers and dealers. Product innovation, distribution and promotion are tightly coupled with community creation. Community building is not just about increasing membership, or even about the engagement of members with the community, but focuses on the creation of a level of mutuality in which there is ongoing dialogue between community members and the company. Flexifoil has neither annexed an existing community, nor do they â€Å"own† one, although they do manage a virtual space through which the community can interact. Rather, their product innovation and the experiences that their product range provides have the potential to act as the catalyst for the community, whilst sponsorship, engagement in events, and the virtual space all facilitate the enhancement of the experience for community members. Other companies compete with Flexifoil for leadership of the power kiting community, both rival manufacturers and others keen to enhance the sportkiting experience. Many of these have web sites through which they seek to capture an online community. For example, one casts itself as â€Å"the kite ? yer’s portal to the internet† offering links to kite manufacturers and kite stores in the USA and Canada, to other power kiting web sites, to other kite ? yer sites, kite teams and clubs, and to magazines and newsgroups. Another claims to be â€Å"the online community that brings ? yers together† and a third promotes itself as â€Å"the internet magazine for kiters†. All offer different services and bene? ts to their customers, but for some, their engagement with the sport kiting community will be restricted to virtual space. Though Flexifoil has a strong brand presence as a manufacturer, it needs to encourage members to participate with it in â€Å"co-creation† if it is to deliver on its mission of providing customers with the ultimate kite sports experience. The approach to marketing strategy described in this case study can aptly be described as customer community leadership. By leading the sport kiting community, but not owning it, Flexifoil has created a community that will buy their products, co-create kiting experiences, provide insights that can inform innovation in the product, the experience and the community innovation, look forward to the next product release, and mutually enhance community members’ experiences of the company’s products and services. Embedded in this approach to community leadership are a number of more traditional marketing actions, such as new product development, advertising, and commitment to after-sales support. The distribution channels are designed to offer the support and training that is likely to enhance sport kiting experiences, but also to build relationships with dealers, and to bring sports kiters together. This is supplemented by opportunities for interaction in virtual space. Community development is achieved through a network of relationship-building actions, at the heart of which are enjoyable and shareable sports kiting experiences. Through community leadership, the company has created a context in which customers are thus from being passive recipients of products and services, and empowered as knowledge partners (Gibbert et al., 2002). In other words, it has thereby created a context that facilitates the processes of customer knowledge management. This is an approach to marketing intelligence and decision making embedded in dynamic co-creation processes that involve customers as partners. It is worth noting that the term â€Å"customer community leadership† can have two different meanings in practice. First, it may mean leadership of a community, in the sense of making it work, setting its direction, and participating in the shaping of experiences of community members. In this context, the focus is on factors such as member engagement, culture, norms, identity and community viability, in terms of the value delivered to all parties. Second, it can describe an avenue to market leadership, in which the business performance of an organisation over the longer term is de? ned and determined by the extent to which its leadership of a community of potential customers, or its power and capacity to lead, is greater than that of its competitors. Customer community and co-creation 143 MIP 25,2 144 In taking the development of the concept of customer community leadership forward, it will be important to explore the different styles and approaches that are and can be adopted by different ? rms and organizations. Given that another essential of successful leadership is followers, an important phenomenon for further study is the nature of â€Å"followership† in this context. This case study has focussed on the actions and strategies adopted by one business to build and bene? t from a customer community and to engage customers in the co-creation of an experience. In addition, it has demonstrated how both online and real-world communities can be enlisted to contribute to building the experience. There is a scope for considerable further study of the processes associated with the co-creation of the experience, and the details of how communities operate. Such research needs both to cover a wider range of organizations and business sectors, and to examine in more detail aspects of communities, co-creation and customer knowledge management. Some potential areas of investigation are: . Perceptions and views of different stakeholders as to the impact of the community and the contributions of different parties in the co-creation of the experience. . The pro? le of such customer communities in terms of loyalty, retention and customer lifetime value, including comparisons between online and real-world communities. . Community processes, including models of key processes of in? uence, knowledge and learning, identi? cation and role of â€Å"node† members, and the role of celebrity voices and endorsement. . The marketing actions that contribute to the cultivation of effective co-creation communities. References Armstrong, A. G. and Hagel, J. (1996), â€Å"The real value of online communities†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 74, pp. 134-40. Bennett, R. and Gabriel, H. I. (1999), â€Å"Organisational factors and knowledge management within large marketing departments: an empirical study†, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 212-25. Bolton, R. N. , Kannan, P. K. and Bramlett, M. D. (2000), â€Å"Implications of loyalty program membership and services experience for customer retention and value†, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 95-108. Bommer, M. and Jalajas, D. S. (2004), â€Å"Innovation sources of large and small technology-based ? rms†, IEEE Transactions of Engineering Management, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 13-18. Butscher, S. A. (2002), Customer Loyalty Programmes and Clubs, 2nd ed. , Gower, Aldershot. Buttle, F. (1996), Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice, Paul Chapman, London. Campbell, A. J. (2003), â€Å"Creating customer knowledge competence: managing customer relationship management programs strategically†, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 375-83. Chase, R. L. (1997), â€Å"The knowledge-based organization: an international survey†, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 38-49. Dahlsten, F. (2004), â€Å"Hollywood wives revisited: a study of customer involvement in the XC90 project at Volvo Cars†, European Journal of Management, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 141-9. Davenport, E. and Hall, H. (2002), â€Å"Organizational knowledge and communities of practice†, Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, Vol. 36, pp. 171-227. Dholakia, U. M. , Bagozzi, R. P. and Pearo, L. K. (2004), â€Å"A social in? uence model of consumer participation in network- and small-group-based virtual communities†, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 21, pp.241-63. Drucker, P. F. (1993), Post-capitalist Society, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Foss, B. and Stone, M. (2001), Successful Customer Relationship Marketing, Kogan Page, London. Gibbert, M. , Leibold, M. and Probst, G. (2002), â€Å"Five styles of customer knowledge management, and how smart companies use them to create value†, European Management Journal, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 459-69. Gustafsson, A. , Roos, I. and Edvardsson, B. (2004), â€Å"Customer clubs in a relationship perspective: a telecom case†, Managing Service Quality, Vol. 14 Nos 2/3, pp. 157-68. Hall, H. and Graham, D.(2004), â€Å"Creation and recreation: motivating collaboration to generate knowledge capital in online communities†, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 24, pp. 235-46. Healy, M. , Hastings, K. , Brown, L. and Gardiner, M. (2001), â€Å"The old, the new and the complicated – a trilogy of marketing relationships†, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 35 Nos 1/2, pp. 182-93. Hsieh, L. F. and Chen, S. K. (2005), â€Å"Incorporating voice of the consumer: does it really work? †, Industrial Management Data Systems, Vol. 105 Nos 5/6, pp. 769-85. Kristensson, P. , Gustafsson, A. and Archer, T. (2004), â€Å"Harnessing the creative.

Human Function: Aristotle’s Basis for Ethical Value Essay -- Philosoph

Human Function: Aristotle’s Basis for Ethical Value I. Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Depend on the Human Function Aristotle presents a system of virtue ethics in Nicomachean Ethics. This work presents a prescriptive theory with the aim of showing how humans may reach a proper state of happiness in which the natural human end is fulfilled. This end is regarded as an end in itself to which subordinate ends are related. This master end itself is understood as a type of activity rather than a state that can be achieved with a limited series of actions, and this activity is described as a general practice of acting well in accord with reason. The Ethics launches an inquiry into what makes human happiness, or eudaimonia, possible, and Aristotle believes this is the highest good for mankind. Aristotle expresses this good as being the highest end that action reaches for, which is something self-sufficient, and he suggests that to understand action we should understand function. He presents his concept of the human function and says that humans must function well in order to reach the highest good. Funct ioning well is what is understood as virtue, and so his system of virtue ethics is overall concerned with humans functioning well. Functioning well is seen as aiming at a mean between excess and deficiency. The virtue of a thing is understood in terms of its function. A function fulfills a need, and a need is met by being provided the right amount of something but not too much or too little. This is why a craftsman designs goods without excess or deficiency — so that they will function well — and likewise human virtue must be understood as aiming between excess and deficiency. So the Nicomachean Ethics develops a system where all val... ...ve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1998. Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. David Ross. New York: Oxford University Press, 1925. Irwin, Terence. Aristotle’s First Principles. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Kraut, Richard. Aristotle on the Human Good. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. MacIntyre, Alasdair. After Virtue. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1981. Plato. Protagoras. Trans. Stanley Lombardo and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. Reeve, C. D. C. Practices of Reason: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. 1 C. D. C. Reeve, Practices of Reason: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992) 124. 2 Richard Kraut, Aristotle on the Human Good (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989) 313-16. 3 Reeve 125-26.

American Pit Bull Terriers

The history of modern American Pit Bull Terrier, often abbreviated as APBT, started in England and the early 19th century. The breed resulted from crosses of terriers with bully type dogs. In those times, the ancestors of modern American Pit Bull Terriers were used as working dogs to control unruly bulls for butchers and farmers. They were also used for the cruel sport of bull baiting. However, the historians point out the year 1835 as the turning point in the history of pit bulls, when the practice of bull baiting was replaced by the practice of another bloody sport of dog fighting.That’s why it won’t be a mistake to say that the breed has fighting origins. The first breed registry for the registration and acceptance of pit bulls was started in 1898 by Chauncy Bennet and called the UKC. He wanted to create an organization that would represent the breed as performance dogs and he added â€Å"American† and tried to eliminate â€Å"Pit† from the APBT’ s name but â€Å"Pit† was added back soon. The requirement for a dog to become a part of the UKC was the victory in three fights at minimum, but this requirement became history with the time.Second oldest organization dedicated to pit bulls, American Dog Breeders Association, was formed in 1909 by Guy McCord. The ultimate goal of the association was to probe the performance quality of a pit bull without actual dog fight. Around that time the AKC registered pit bulls under the name of the Staffordshire Terrier. This was changed to the American Staffordshire Terrier in the year 1972. Pit bulls and American Staffordshire Terriers displayed physically identity until 1936.It was the year when American Staffordshire Terriers were bred for conformation only and their breed requirements were moving to more and more stringent, while pit bulls were bred for both fighting and conformation shows. American Staffordshire Terriers became flashier with blockier heads, larger chests and a thi cker jaw, and pit bulls varied phenotypically. Modern pit bulls can be easily recognized by the following characteristic: they are â€Å"blocky and broad, the head's classic chiseled appearance, packed with bulging muscle, combines character with strength.† (O'Neil, 1995, p. 5) Breed standards say that an ideal dog should be medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The dog can be of all colours and colour patterns, except merde. The head of pit bull is the pivotal element of breed type, being large and broad to create the impression of great power, but never disproportionate to the size of the whole dog.The head should be shaped like a broad and blunt wedge when viewed from the front. The neck should be of moderate length and muscular. The shoulder blades should be muscular as well, and also long, wide, and well laid back. The chest should be deep, well fille d in, and moderately wide, but the chest can’t be wider than it is deep. The feet have to be round, proportionate to the size of the body, well arched, and tight.Faults of the dog include bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy appearance, level bite, snipey muzzle, flews, weak lower jaw, short or thick or weak or ewe neck, dewlap, upright or loaded shoulders, elbows turned outward or tied-in, down at the pasterns, front legs bowed, wrists knuckled over, toeing in or out, narrow hindquarters, hindquarters shallow from pelvis to crotch, lack of muscle, straight or over angulated stifle joint, cow hocks, sickle hocks, bowed legs, splayed feet, long tail, curly, wavy, or sparse coat, legs not moving on the same plane, legs over reaching, legs crossing over in front or rear, rear legs moving too close or touching, rolling, pacing, paddling, sidewinding, hackney action, pounding. Serious faults are bulging eyes, both eyes not matched in color, blue eyes, undershot, or oversh ot bite, wry mouth, missing teeth, gay or kinked tail.Disqualification is bobbed tail, long coat, merle, albinism, unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid, viciousness or extreme shyness, unilateral or bilateral deafness. As for the temperament, pit bulls are bred to be exceptionally sturdy and extremely human friendly, athletic, courageous, and tenacious. Pi bulls are also â€Å"known for being highly adaptable. They can change owners and move to another home with ease, provided their new family gives them attention and love. Pit Bulls are excellent at discerning when to show affection and when to show aggression. † (O'Neil, 1995, p. 33) What is true, however, is that an owner should carefully socialize and obedience train the dog because pit bulls can occasionally exhibit some level of dog aggression, which is different from human aggression anyway.But in general, these dogs show strength, indomitable courage, and gentleness with loved ones. This is â€Å"a dog that combined t he gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the Bulldog. † (The Rare Breed Dog Association, 2004, para. 1) As for the breed specific legislation, it generally bans or restricts particular breeds or mixes. A dog of a banned breed can be confiscated by the authorities and killed. A dog of a restricted breed must be confined, muzzled, chained, or restricted in other ways and owners must provide proof of liability insurance that covers dog bites. In some jurisdictions, dogs of restricted breeds and mixes must be identified by microchip or tattoo and have mug shots on file with police.Pit bulls are banned in Lynnville, Tennessee; Chamberlain, South Dakota; Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Minot, North Dakota; Salisbury and Carl Junction, Missouri; Inman, Kansas; Lockridge, Iowa; Stone Park and Buffalo Grove (restricted), Illinois; North Little Rock, Arkansas. Ohio state declared pit bulls as dangerous and vicious dogs. Many people believe that the application of breed s pecific legislation is unfair, because it often rests on myths and misconceptions. Breed specific legislation is a regulation of the right to own a dog based solely on the breed of dog, not one’s responsibility as an owner. Pit bulls are largely misunderstood and misrepresented by the public today, and there is a clear and consistent need to debunk some myths and falsehoods about the breed.One of the most widespread myths about pit bull terriers is that they are inherently aggressive. However, the facts say the opposite. While pit bulls were bred to be courageous and utterly devoid of pain sensations, they were never bred to be aggressive. Pit bulls were not only fighting breed, but family pets as well, therefore no aggression towards humans has ever been tolerated. Moreover, it would be simply impossible to control an aggressive dog before or after a fight. Pit bulls that showed human aggression were typically shoot, that’s why only human friendly lines were desired a nd perpetuated. Indeed, â€Å"[a] Pit Bull with the correct temperament will not threaten to attack a human without a very good reason†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O'Neil, 1995, p. 32)The facts clearly show that pit bulls â€Å"are not the stereotypical devil dog put forth in media myths. They are companion animals who have enhanced the lives of many through their devoted people-loving natures, positively channeled physical prowess, bravery, and intelligence. Pit Bulls have served key roles in search-and-rescue efforts, excel in agility training, and work nationwide as therapy and service dogs. † (PAW, n/d. , â€Å"The Truth About Pit Bulls†, para. 1) Another popular myth about pit bulls is that they have a locking jaw and 1600 P. S. I. in jaw pressure. But these dogs don’t â€Å"have a triple-hinged jaw capable of extraordinary feats of strength.As any owner of a ball-crazy Golden retriever will tell you, the clamp of the jaw is as much a function of psychology as physiolo gy, and any dog can clamp down beyond the capability of a human to pry open. † (Keith, 2005, para. 10) Still, there are some important facts an owner should know about his or her dog. Training is very important for pit bulls. â€Å"Training is the jewel in the crown-the most important aspect of doggy husbandry. † (O'Neil, 1995, p. 98) American Canine Temperament Testing Association organized special tests for dogs’ temperament, and 95% of the American Pit Bull Terriers passed, compared to a 77% passing rate for all breeds in general.Moreover, APBTs had a passing rate that was the fourth highest of all 122 breeds tested. (PAW, n/d. , â€Å"Myth-Busters†, para. 5) But there are several things each owner should consider about his or her pet. â€Å"Pit Bulls are strong and energetic, so we recommend that owners take them to obedience classes as soon as they are up to date on shots. Pit Bulls suffer from prejudice and misunderstanding, so ownership requires a willingness to consider your neighbors' concerns and educate them. † (PAW, n/d. , â€Å"Being Aware and Prepared†, para. 1-2) Life with a well-trained pit bull is a sheer pleasure. These dogs â€Å"are wonderful, loyal, intelligent companions and are truly people-dogs; they want and need companionship of their owners.One of their most prominent breed traits is reliability with and friendliness to people, so some people call them ‘pet bulls. ’ Pit Bulls are extremely affectionate and love to cuddle. Pit Bulls also make great athletic partners and often excel in obedience work. † (PAW, n/d. , para. 1) The dog â€Å"is usually very friendly, but has an uncanny ability to know when it needs to protect and when everything is okay [but] can be willful and needs a firm hand. † (DogBreedInfo. com, n/d. , â€Å"Temperament†) So pit bull owners experience so much joy in being with their dogs. However, these dogs are suitable for people possessing certain traits of character.â€Å"If dogs could choose their owners instead of the other way around, American Pit Bull Terriers would probably look for owners who are blessed with high spirits and the joy of living. † (O'Neil, 1995, p. 37) These dogs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their devoted love of children. Still, pit bulls are not recommended for those who don’t have enough (or at least some) experience with dogs; wants a dog as a macho status symbol; tends to be irresponsible, lax or neglectful; is not very familiar with the breed; expects to let their dog run around off-leash in public places. (Kovary, 1999) Dogs do well in urban settings but should have enough exercise and other positive outlets for their energy and vitality.They are generally good with children, but a senior dog is recommended for the households with small kids. Pit bulls are loving and very loyal companions for owners, especially if the owners establish thei r leadership in a humane and consistent way. Pit bulls should always respect and obey the owner. Therefore, we see that American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog with its peculiar history and characteristics, surrounded by many myths and ambiguities. References O'Neil, J. The American Pit Bull Terrier: An Owner's Guideto a Happy Healthy Pet. New York: Howell Book House, 2nd ed. , 1995. The Rare Breed Dog Association in the United States of America. â€Å"American Pit Bull Terrier: Official U. K. C.Breed Standard. † 21 October 2004. 17 October 2005. PAW. â€Å"Pet Bull Corner. † N/d. 17 October 2005. Keith, C. â€Å"Triple-Hinged Jaws of Doom†¦ And Other Myths About the Pit Bull. † 2005. 17 October 2005. DogBreedInfo. com. â€Å"American Pit Bull Terrier. † N/d. 17 October 2005. Kovary, R. â€Å"The St. Francis Terrier — Rediscovering The American Pit Bull Terrier. † American Dog Trainers Network. 1999. 17 October 2005.

Dbq- Scientific Revolution

DBQ – The Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution of the sixteen and seventeenth century were affected greatly from the contributions of the opposing voice and ideas of the Church and their disagreement with the uprising of scientific studies. Despite the rejection from the Church, the Scientific Revolution was heavily influenced by those in society who felt differently, and believed the benefits the Scientific Revolution would bring. This view however, was unequally agreed in when it came to the view of it politically.Still during the sixteenth and seventeenth century, religious and the Church played a great role in the ways of people. Till the time of the Scientific Revolution, many things were not questioned, but once scientists began to question the traditional beliefs, many people of the church were outraged and spoke openly against it. Even people like Copernicus, who was the great contributor to the heliocentric idea, denied himself and submitted to the church e ven dedicating a part of his book to Pope III which showed his fear and actions in pleasing the pope to avoid condemnation. doc. 1) His situation greatly exemplified how the Scientific Revolution although was growing but many times stunted because of fear from the disapproval from the Church. Italian monk Giovanni Ciampoli also expressed his disapproval in a letter to Galileo stating with much urgency that the nature of the world should just be left alone for the Scripture to explain it and that man should not go about their ways to reason why. (doc. 3) Similar to Copernicus, Walter Charleton a English doctor and natural philosopher who studied the balance of science and religious.He makes it clear that science is only possible with religion. Although he does not completely push the idea of scientific studies, he does believe it is only possible with the power of God. (doc. 8) The conclusion as you interpret out of Charleton is that no matter what man upholds through science or idea s are not sufficient enough to differ or oppose what God determines it to be. The views of secular people and society also bought about significant influence upon the Scientific Revolution, but just on the other side of the scale.Francis Bacon, a English philosopher of science made it evident in his advocacy of science. In fact, in the document, he expresses his eagerness of the goal people need to bring achievement in human society. (doc. 4) The document shows that despite the lack of support from the church was given, many people chose to stray away tradition and venture out into new ideas. Another document that poses the same suggestion as Bacon as to improving the community of scientific studies was that of Henry Oldenbury, Secretary of the English Royal Society in his letter to Johannes Hevelius.Oldenbury emphasizes the need in cooperation, and that scientists shouldn’t just focus on one’s study, put into consideration with the studies of others to develop the edu cation of science. (doc. 6) Oldenbury in saying â€Å"friendship among learned men is a great aid to the investigation and elucidation of the truth† only shows him hinting that a society of scientist should be raised. Both Bacon and Oldenbury were men during the seventeenth century who viewed science as a way to improve and enhance society, but others had a different view.Margaret Cavendish’s Observations on Experimental, shows her demand in questioning why women were not allowed to be a part of the revolution and contribute as men could, and her willingness in building upon the study of natural philosophy of women if she were allowed. (doc. 9) Her partake show’s that the influences of the Scientific Revolution did not solely come from different men of different social communities, but it had even spread to the other gender, which shows involvement. Political figures serve as a voice and power of the people in their society. In this case, politics took a great p art in the uprise of the Scientific Revolution.Document 5 is a letter from French monk Marin Mersenne to his noble patron in which he asks for the approval of his patron on his statements based on his experiments. His letter expresses a sense of meekness and humbleness Mersenne has for his patrons. He feels pressure in doing things correctly for his patrons, and is hindered from sharing what he has experimented on without winning the approval from his patrons. The power of political figures still remained throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth century, which from this document, shows how some studies were hindered because of the political authority.Political influences on scientific studies included personal beliefs on how scientific research should be controlled and suppressed. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher believed that any scientific findings that would interfere with the authority of rulers should be rid of. (doc. 7) Hobbes, a strong believer in an absolute monarch emp hasized the power of rulers to overpower the research of scientists. Unlike other documents, the depiction of the drawing that commemorated Louis XIV’s visit to the French Royal Academy, although not a very reliable source still portrayed how Louis XIV’s support in the scientific studies.Since a ruler takes up such a huge part in a country, the people of the country, in this case France, would naturally follow in the steps of their ruler. Louis XIV from this painting would’ve initiated a message that showed The work of scientists were affected by religious, social, and political ideas and influences in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. All these affected in ways that encouraged the study of science, while others felt that all scientific research should be stopped and suppressed.

The Planning Exercise To Identify Some Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen Essays

The Planning Exercise To Identify Some Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen Essays The Planning Exercise To Identify Some Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen Essay The Planning Exercise To Identify Some Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen Essay In this practical I will try to identify some unknown organic compounds using chemical tests. The compounds tested are known to have three carbon atoms, six or eight hydrogen atoms, one or two oxygen atoms, and no atoms of any other elements. We also need to make sure that the compounds can only be alcohols, carbonyl compounds, carboxylic acids or esters. Six different compounds that follow the above criteria are used, and these are propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol, propanal, propanone, propanoic acid, and methyl ethanoate. An aldehyde, propanal, can be identified by first a positive test with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, showing it is a carbonyl compound and nothing else, where the solution would turn yellow, then a positive test with Tollens Reagent, where a silver mirror would be formed, showing that the compound can be oxidise. A ketone, propanone, can be identified by first a positive test with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, showing it is a carbonyl compound and nothing else, where the solution would turn yellow, then a negative test with Tollens Reagent, where no reaction would occur, showing that the compound cannot be oxidised. A carboxylic acid, propanoic acid, can be tested with sodium carbonate, a base, and carbon dioxide would be released, showing that the compound is an acid. This is a valid proof of a carboxylic acid in this group of compounds, as propanoic acid is the only acid. A primary alcohol, propan-1-ol, can be identified by first a negative test with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, showing it is not a carbonyl compound, then a positive test with acidified potassium dichromate, where the solution turns green. The solution is distilled from the acidified potassium dichromate, and then is tested positively with universal indicator paper, which turns red, showing the presence of acid. A secondary alcohol, propan-2-ol, can be identified by first a negative test with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, showing it is not a carbonyl compound, then a positive test with acidified potassium dichromate, where the solution turns green. The solution is distilled from the acidified potassium dichromate, and then is tested negatively with universal indicator paper, which dont change colour, showing the absence of acid, and thus can only be a ketone, meaning the original compound is a secondary alcohol. An ester, methyl ethanoate, can be identified by first a negative test with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, showing it is not a carbonyl compound, then a negative test with acidified potassium dichromate, where the solution do not change colour, showing it can not be oxidised, as it can only be propanoic acid or methyl ethanoate, then a negative test with sodium carbonate in which no gas is produced, shows that it is methyl ethanoate. Apparatus 1 test tube rack, 7 test tubes, 1 pipette, 1 distilling column, 1 beaker, 1 small conical flask, 1 Bunsen burner, 6 unknown organic solutions, 1 safety spectacles, 1 heat proof mat, 1 gauze, 1 tripod, solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, universal indicator paper, solution of Tollens Reagent, solution of acidified potassium dichromate, solution of sodium carbonate. Method Do the following sequence of tests for all the unknown solutions: -Add 1cm3 of the unknown solution into a test tube, add 3 drops of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine solution, heat in boiling water bath, record the colour change. -Add 1cm3 of the unknown solution into a test tube, add 3 drops of Tollens Reagent, warm in hot water bath, observe the presence of silver mirror. -Add 20cm3 of the unknown solution into a small conical flask, add 1cm3 of acidified potassium dichromate into the solution, heat the solution for 5 minutes and observe the colour change. Distill the solution in the conical flask, and test the distilled solution with universal indicator paper. -Add 1cm3 of the unknown solution into a test tube, add 1cm3 of sodium carbonate into the solution, heat the test tube in a water bath, observe the presence of gas produced. Analysis of observations obtained Test Unknown organic compound 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine Tollens Reagent Potassium dichromate Sodium carbonate Solution turns yellow Silver mirror Solution turns green, makes universal indicator paper red No reaction Propanal Solution turns yellow No reaction No reaction No reaction Propanone No reaction No reaction No reaction Gas is produced Propanoic acid No reaction Silver mirror Solution turns green, makes universal indicator paper red No reaction Propan-1-ol No reaction Silver mirror Solution turns green, universal indicator paper turns green No reaction Propan-2-ol No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction Methyl ethanoate Safety precautions and risk assessments Some of the chemicals used are irritant if not corrosive, therefore safety spectacles must be worn at all time during the practical investigation. At no point of the experiment should the person be sitting down, this is because hot water and fire is being used, and being sated would make escape slower. As all of the organic compounds used are extremely flammable, do not let the compounds near naked flame, and be very careful during heating, must use a hot water bath as a medium for heating. Bibliography -Cambridge Advance Science Chemistry 2, p25 for the reactions for 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. -Heinemann Revise A2 Chemistry, p9 for the reactions for Tollens Reagent. -Heinemann Revise AS Chemistry, p56 for the reactions for alcohols.

Overview of the Xiongnu Nomads

Overview of the Xiongnu Nomads Xiongnu was a multi-ethnic nomadic grouping from Central Asia which existed between about 300 B.C. and 450 A.D. Pronunciation:  SHIONG-nu Also Known  As:  Hsiung-nu The Great Wall The Xiongnu were based in what is now Mongolia and frequently raided south into China. They were such a threat that the first Qin Dynasty emperor, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of huge fortifications along the northern border of China- fortifications that later were expanded into the Great Wall of China. An Ethnic Quandry Scholars have long debated the ethnic identity of the Xiongnu: Were they a Turkic people, Mongolian, Persian, or some mixture? In any case, they were a warrior people to be reckoned with. One ancient Chinese scholar, Sima Qian, wrote in the Records of the Grand Historian that the last emperor of the Xia Dynasty, who ruled sometime around 1600 B.C., was a Xiongnu man. However, it is impossible to prove or disprove this claim. The Han Dynasty Be that as it may, by 129 B.C., the new Han Dynasty decided to declare war against the troublesome Xiongnu. (The Han sought to re-establish trade along the Silk Road to the west and the Xiongnu made this a difficult task.) The balance of power between the two sides shifted over the next few centuries, but the Northern Xiongnu were driven out of Mongolia after the Battle of Ikh Bayan (89 A.D.), while the Southern Xiongnu were absorbed into Han China. The Plot Thickens Historians believe that the Northern Xiongnu continued west until they reached Europe under a new leader, Attila, and a new name, the Huns.

The JonBenet Ramsey Murder Investigation

The JonBenet Ramsey Murder Investigation On Dec. 26, 1996, JonBenet Ramseys 6-year-old body was found in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home after a ransom note was found demanding money for her return. Family members came under suspicion in the investigation, although a strangers DNA was found on the girls clothing. No one has ever been officially charged with a crime in the case, which remains unsolved. Here are the latest developments in the JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation: Chief: Cops Botched JonBenet Crime Scene Feb. 25, 2015 - A former Boulder, Colorado police chief says his officers should have done a better job of securing the crime scene at the home where JonBenet Ramsey was found killed. Mark Beckner said a lack of manpower due to the Christmas holiday was partly to blame for the confusion at the scene. In an online question and answer session, Beckner said detectives should have separated the parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and taken full statements from each of them on day one. Instead, when the couple lawyered up they were released and allowed to go home and were not formally interviewed again until five months later. Beckner called that decision a big mistake. During the online session, Beckner also criticized the Boulder district attorneys office for getting too involved in the investigation. Beckner said that he believes the DNA found on the 6-year-olds clothing is the key to finding a suspect in the case, but he also said he does not think anyone will ever be convicted of the 1996 murder, due mainly to mistakes his department made that first day. Previous Developments Jury Indicted JonBenets Parents, But D.A. Balked in 1999Jan. 28, 2013The grand jury investigating the death of JonBenet Ramsey indicted both her parents in 1999, but the district attorney refused to sign the indictment and prosecute the case. District Attorney Alex Hunter did not believe he had enough evidence to convict John and Patsy Ramsey for child abuse resulting in a death, according to an investigative report by a Boulder newspaper. Police Plan Interviews in JonBenet CaseOct. 4, 2010Investigators have planned a new series of interviews in the unsolved JonBenet Ramsey case, but it may not be new evidence that has prompted the activity. An advisory committee, made up of investigators from several state and federal agencies, recommended the new round of interviews after meeting in 2009. JonBenet Ramsey Case Returned to Boulder PoliceFeb. 3, 2009Saying they will use new technology, expertise, and an advisory task force to try to solve the crime, the Boulder Police Department has taken the reins again in the investigation of the JonBenet Ramsey murder. For the past six years, the investigation has been handled by the district attorneys office. Ramseys Cleared in JonBenet Murder CaseJuly 9, 2008The Boulder, Colorado district attorney has released a letter officially clearing members of the Ramsey family of any involvement in the December 1996 death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey after newly discovered DNA evidence points to a male perpetrator not associated with the family or law enforcement. The DNA evidence, found on another piece of JonBenets clothing, matches previous evidence found on her panties in 1997. John Mark Karr Arrested in Domestic DisputeJuly 7, 2007The man who gained the national spotlight by confessing to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey has been arrested and jailed following a domestic dispute at his fathers house in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Atlanta. Police said they arrested Karr after they received a 9-1-1 call reporting an argument between Karr, his girlfriend, and his father. John Mark Karr Now Free to RoamOct. 5, 2006John Mark Karr, the substitute elementary school teacher who falsely confessed to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey to get out of Thailand, is now a free man after child pornography charges were dismissed against him in California after prosecutors admitted they did not have enough evidence to go to trial. Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Rene Chouteau ordered Karr released immediately. Karr Turns Down Pornography Plea DealSept. 22, 2006John Mark Karr, who gave a false confession in the JonBenet Ramsey case, has rejected a plea deal from California prosecutors that would have allowed him to walk out of jail and serve a probation sentence on child pornography charges. His lawyer said Karr maintains his innocence and refuses to plead guilty to a crime that he did not commit. Charges Dropped in JonBenet Ramsey CaseAug. 28, 2006Colorado prosecutors have decided not to charge John Mark Karr with the murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey on December 26, 1996, after DNA tests failed to link the suspect to the crime scene evidence. The warrant on Mr. Karr has been dropped by the district attorney, public defender Seth Temin said. They are not proceeding with the case. Arrest of JonBenet Suspect Raises Many QuestionsAug. 17, 2006The arrest of 41-year-old John Mark Karr in Bangkok, Thailand for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey in 1996 and his statements to investigators have raised concerns about the validity of his confession. A news conference by Boulder, Colorado District Attorney Mary Lacy today revealed no insight into the investigation, as she refused to make any comments on evidence in the case. Teacher Arrested in JonBenet Ramsey CaseAug. 16, 2006A man currently being held in Thailand on unrelated sexual charges has been arrested in connection with the murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in her Boulder, Colorado home almost ten years ago. The suspect, who authorities say has confessed to the murder, will be returned to the United States within the next week. JonBenet Ramsey Investigator Changes AgainMarch 20, 2006The lead investigator for the JonBenet Ramsey murder case is about to change again, but the new detective is one who once worked exclusively on the Christmas 1996 death of the six-year-old daughter of John and Patsy Ramsey. Tom Bennett, a retired detective from the Arvada Police Department, joined the Boulders prosecutors office in 2003 working exclusively on the Ramsey case, working 20 to 30 hours a week. JonBenets Killer Linked to Another Rape?Dec. 20, 2004Investigators in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case believe the intruder who killed the six-year-old may have struck again nine months later, sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl, who was in the same dance class with JonBenet, in her Boulder, Colorado bedroom. A CBS 48 Hours Mystery report also says DNA evidence in the JonBenet case points to a male not associated with the Ramsey family. For most of the eight years since the murder, the investigation was focused almost exclusively on members of the Ramsey family. The JonBenet Ramsey Murder Investigation Around 5:30 a.m. the morning after Christmas Day, 1996, Patsy Ramsey found a ransom note on the familys back staircase demanding $118,000 for her six-year-old daughter, JonBenet, and called 911. Later that day, John Ramsey discovered JonBenets body in a spare room in the basement. She had been strangled with a garrote, and her mouth had been bound with duct tape. John Ramsey removed the duct tape and carried her body upstairs. The Early Investigation From the very beginning, the investigation into the death of JonBenet Ramsey focused on members of the family. Boulder, Colorado investigators went to the Atlanta home of the Ramseys to search for a clue and served a search warrant on their summer home in Michigan. Police took hair and blood samples from members of the Ramsey family. The Ramseys tell the press there is a killer on the loose, but Boulder officials downplay the prospect that a killer is threatening city residents. The Ransom Note The investigation into the murder of JonBenet Ramsey focused on the three-page ransom note, which was apparently written on a notepad found in the house. Handwriting samples were taken from the Ramseys, and John Ramsey was ruled out as the author of the note, but police could not eliminate Patsy Ramsey as the writer. District Attorney Alex Hunter tells the media that the parents are obviously the focus of the investigation. Expert Prosecution Task Force District attorney Hunter forms an Expert Prosecution Task Force, including forensic expert Henry Lee and DNA expert Barry Scheck. In March 1997 retired homicide detective Lou Smit, who solved the Heather Dawn Church murder in Colorado Spring, is hired to head the investigation team. Smits investigation would eventually point to an intruder as the perpetrator, which conflicted with the DAs theory that someone in the family was responsible for JonBenets death. Conflicting Theories From the beginning of the case, there was a disagreement between investigators and the DAs office about the focus of the investigation. In August 1997, Detective Steve Thomas resigns, saying the DAs office is thoroughly compromised. In September, Lou Smit also resigns saying he, cannot in good conscience be a part of the persecution of innocent people. Lawrence Schillers book, Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, describes the feud between police and prosecutors. Burke Ramsey After 15 months of investigation, the Boulder police decide the best way to solve the murder is a grand-jury investigation. In March 1998, police interview John and Patsy Ramsey a second time and do an extensive interview with their 11-year-old son Burke, who was reported as a possible suspect by some in the press. A leak to the news media indicates that Burkes voice could be heard in the background of the 911 call Patsy made, although she said he was asleep until after police arrived. Grand Jury Convenes On Sept. 16, 1998, five months after they were chosen, Boulder County grand jurors began their investigation. They heard forensic evidence, analysis of handwriting, DNA evidence, and hair and fiber evidence. They visited the Ramseys former Boulder home in October 1998. In December of 1998, the grand jury recesses for four months while DNA evidence from other members of the Ramsey family, who were not suspects, can be compared to that found at the scene. Hunter and Smit Clash In February 1999, District Attorney Alex Hunter demanded that detective Lou Smit return evidence that he collected while he worked on the case, including crime scene photographs. Smit refuses even if I have to go to jail because he believed the evidence would be destroyed if returned because it supported the intruder theory. Hunter filed a restraining order and got a court injunction demanding the evidence. Hunter also refused to allow Smit to testify before the grand jury. Smit Seeks Court Order Detective Lou Smit filed a motion asking Judge Roxanne Bailin to allow him to address the grand jury. It is not clear if Judge Bailin granted his motion, but on March 11, 1999, Smit testified before the jury. Later that same month, district attorney Alex Hunter signed an agreement allowing Smit to keep the evidence he had collected in the case but prohibited Smit from relaying prior conversations with Ramsey prosecutors and not interfere with the on-going investigation. No Indictments Returned After a year-long grand jury investigation, DS Alex Hunter announces that no charges will be filed and no one will be indicted for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. At the time, several media reports suggested that it was Smits testimony that swayed the grand jury to not return an indictment. The Suspicions Continue In spite of the grand jury decision, members of the Ramsey family continued to remain under suspicion in the media. The Ramseys adamantly proclaimed their innocence from the very beginning. John Ramsey said he thought that someone in the family could be responsible for JonBenets murder was nauseating beyond belief. But those denials did not keep the press from speculating that either Patsy, Burke or John himself were involved. Burke Not a Suspect In May 1999, Burke Ramsey was secretly questioned by the grand jury. The following day, authorities finally said that Burke was not a suspect, only a witness. As the grand jury began to wind down its investigation, John and Patsy Ramsey are forced to move from their Atlanta-area home avoid the onslaught of media attention. Ramseys Fight Back In March 2002, the Ramseys released their book, The Death of Innocence, about the battle they have fought to reclaim their innocence. The Ramseys filed a series of libel lawsuits against media outlets, including the Star, the New York Post, Time Warner, the Globe and the publishers of the book A Little Girls Dream? A JonBenet Ramsey Story. Federal Judge Clears Ramseys In May 2003, an Atlanta federal judge dismissed a civil lawsuit against John and Patsy Ramsey saying there was no evidence showing the parents killed JonBenet and abundant evidence that an intruder killed the child. The judge criticized the police and the FBI for creating a media campaign designed to make the family look guilty.

Envision the sustainability city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Envision the sustainability city - Essay Example The trees grown at an equal distance of San Gabriel Valley portrayed a view of an entrance gate with street lamps replaced with trees. A big tractor-like vehicle would come and water the flower-pots in front of each house. The water would wake them up from their slumber. In Rowland Heights the buildings were not very huge which would easily let the sunshine fall into the streets. I used to spend my time and would roam around in California Hacienda Heights, downtown, shopping malls, which had sparkling ponds in which rare fishes of different kinds would swim. The water was crystal clear and one could easily see the movements of fishes beneath the water surface. Their swift movements and struggle to live life out of their habitat enabled me to think of sustaining the life I had. I the mall, I used to meet immigrants from China, Taiwan and Korea and was able to widen my vision of diverse cultures to some extent. The shopping malls had green bushes growing in the corners and from the top of their ceilings, which made it more natural and ever alive. Next to the city area was the small region known as ‘mini safari’. One could find a wide variety of animals including tigers, elephants etc. There they happily roamed around. All the species of animals were available in their natural habitat. The people who lived there were very social and used to arrange social gatherings every week. Also, there were marathons every month, NO-Tobacco campaigns and Zumba Classes every week, which made the people healthy and they lived longer. Part 2 A few blocks away were the houses built in circular dome shape so that all sunshine would concentrate on it for the production of electricity. These circular domes were numerous and they were surrounded by green belt. The tiny trash bins were available at every step and anything thrown inside would automatically be recycled. There were some robots, which with their laser visions would search for the dirt and remove it if they fou nd any. The silent electric cars would pass by without signalling their arrival and had black solar cells covering their whole body. Covered with silicon solar glasses all over, the people working inside would park their bicycles in a parking lot and start working. From a distance, one could see the gigantic windmills moving with the speed of wind on lofty mountains. Alongside the roads were the street lamps which were quite high with pitch-black solar cells attached to them. At night, they gave a beautiful view of a dark city sunk in a river of illumination. Under the ground were the sewage pipes totally invisible to the people, which transported the sewage from the houses to the specific depressions in a far off city so that the filth can be converted into recycled manure to be used by farmers. Cleaner air meant that the ecosystem was healthy and the animal habitat survived longer. No doubt, people used to live ages more than 100 years. Although, technological advancement has gene rated communication gap by offering virtual identity and life style, the city I envision would be a habitat of diverse ethnic groups living closely together. The community would adapt old fashioned social norms to communicate and live. Close knitted family system would enable people to cherish the joy of living together and would enliven the sentiment of compassion towards others’ sorrow and pain. My vision is not impossible to achieve but requires a little

Histology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Histology - Case Study Example However, the epithelium does not contain any blood vessels. The native parenchyma has bloods in contrast to the invasive melanocytes tissue. The melanoma cells exhibits the features by rapid regeneration forming a pattern beneath the epithelium. The invasive tissue such as the carcinoma grow and break out of the bronchi structures and are not confined in the within the required acini structure of the lung, which possess a great danger as they can migrate to other human body parts or metastasize. The lung parenchyma is curbed within the bronchi structure and only grows and regenerates within the confined region of the bronchi. The characteristics of invasive tissue to grow out of the bronchi bock the airways hence are responsible for the tumor as they invade the adjoining tissue. Invasive tissue cause stellate arrangement of the cells in a spiral structure compared to the lung parenchyma tissue compactly arranged in rows. The case of the Caucasian woman in the case study requires more aspects in determining the cause of solitary lung metastasis after five years since the surgery of primary melanoma of the oesophagus Lung. Schueller and Herold spiral explains how the hamatogeneous spread is frequently found in tumors with venous drainage that is direct into the lung, which includes melanoma, testes, neck and head, adrenals, and osteosarcoma malignancies (126). The differential diagnosis of the lung metastases from this source indicates that patients initially known to have melanoma are frequently exposed solitary pulmonary nodule development later in life. Casciato affirms that the resection of a solitary Lung metastases in patients who fulfill the criteria of having history of Primary melanoma of the oesophagus (598). Keshamouni, Arenberg, and Kalemkerian emphasize on the question whether a tumor is primary or metastatic is of great significance for the

Ifagovernmentcanhinderorharmapersontopreventharmtoothers,whynotforthat Essay

Ifagovernmentcanhinderorharmapersontopreventharmtoothers,whynotforthat person'sowngoodCriticizeMill' - Essay Example However, the harm principle bars individuals from continually harming themselves and their property, since doing so may have severe implications on other societal members. The harm principle states that freedom of speech is essential because every individual possesses liberty of thought (Eisenach 117). However, he did agree that although freedom of speech is justified, it should not cause any harm to others. Mills argues that tyranny is a democracy form of government for uncivilized countries, on the best people on condition that they look into the interests of their subjects. He introduced the various tyrannies that included the majority and the societal tyrannies (Mill 156). The harm principle proves to be democratic, since it equates individuals, with the reigning regime ensuring the law is upheld. Mill’s principal on liberty also safeguards people from being downcast and keeps them content, thereby promoting a self-sacrificing society (Mill 156). The harm principle thus se ems to promote fairness among member of the society. It precludes selfish behaviors and makes an individual aware of the consequences if they were to hurt others. Mill’s principle on liberty appears to promote individual’s liberalization and a free society. However, critics argue that the principle may have some loopholes (Linklater 104). Mills principle fails to elaborate the meaning of harm, and only tries to quantify physical harm that can be effortlessly measured, thereby failing to address other forms of harm, including physical harm. The theory highlights the significance of safeguarding individuals from harm emanating from their fellow societal members’ acts. However, it fails to explicate on issues of self-harm, as well as individual harm from external aspects. Besides, the affected parties may be willing to be harmed for the own pleasure (Linklater 105). The principle only safeguards individuals from harm from others, thereby failing to address the fate of animals, plants and other natural resources that are of significant interest for the survival of humanity. The society may perceive various individual acts as amorous, as well as detrimental to its ultimate development. This renders the principle incompetent and it highlights its inability to govern a country alone. As such, the reigning regime ought to intervene and implement other laws that safeguard individual and societal rights, thereby promoting development. Philosophers conducted in-depth research, in their quest to refute Mill’s principle on liberty (Eisenach 117). Such include Durkheim, who stated that the self-freedom may not always be for the benefit of involved parties. He indicated that self-gratification did not always lead to contentment. Thorough research compelled Durkheim to assert that societies that upheld Mill’s principle faced the predicament of several individuals committing suicide. Instances where the harm principle may appear incomplete in clude drug abuse, abortion and gay marriages (Linklater 105). Various activists may apply the harm principle in promoting such incidences. These activities may pose adverse impacts in individuals. The role of the government is to protect individual rights, thereby promoting societal growth. Such incidences obligate the government to implement measures that discourage such acts. These activities may seem to be harmless to parties that are not actively involved in them. However, severe indirect

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 26

Research Paper Example Their first entry is recorded to be around 793 CE during which they ambushed the Christian monastic community who were residing in the Lindisfarne Island. There well designed long ship helped them move around the coast invading and attacking inhabitants of the Europeans coasts, in harbors and other river settlements. However, the aim of the paper is to describe in details the ‘Vikings art’ during the period between 800 CE and 1100 CE. The Vikings artist focused majorly on the durability of the material they used hence most of their artwork are made of stone, wood, metal ,bone, ivory and textiles. In some cases, they use human skin to present their art inform of Tattoo’s. Wood: This is the material that dominates the Vikings art due to the well-known advantages of wood to the art industry like easy to carve, durability, cheap cost and availability. Evidence of the extensive use of wood is in the Oseberg ship burial carvings in the 9th century, and the Urnes stave church (Grancsay, 21). Stone: use of stone began late in Scandinavia and a few memories of its use are like in the Gotlandic stone pictures and the royal monuments at jelling in Denmark though most of its use came late in the middle of 10th century. The spread of use of stone in the Viking art is related to the spread of Christianity (Grancsay, 59). Metal: Various archaeological evidences showed the presence of various decorations especially of metallic ornaments. The use of metallic art was also reflected on the jewelry that was worn by both men and women. The respectable women were identifiable from the matching brooches that were used just below their shoulder. Therefore, the evidence of the metalwork decorations were in the regained artwork in various designated graves. This is because they believed in accompanying the dead with material possessions. Therefore, it was common to extract jewelry, tools, household goods and weapons from the Vikings graves. Other

The Home Depot, Inc. Annual Report in Fundamentals of Financial Essay

The Home Depot, Inc. Annual Report in Fundamentals of Financial Accounting - Essay Example Interest paid on borrowed money is deducted from total operating income to get earnings from operations before making provisions of income taxes. Earnings net of tax are known as net earnings that can be appropriated among shareholders. The income statement is extremely important for any business operations; otherwise, one cannot know whether one makes profit or loss. The statement has been so designed that it informs about gross profit, operating profit and net profit that enables decision maker to understand weaknesses in its business operations by noticing any extraordinary over expense in percentage terms in relation to peer companies. For example, gross profit in percentage terms is higher or lower indicate whether its raw material procurement is efficient or not. Incidence of above normal selling or administrative expenses can be found from the operating profit and decisions can be taken to reduce those expenses to improve the results. Depreciation is another head that is deducted from the gross profit to arrive at the operating expense. Depreciation is not an out flow of cash; on the contrary it generates cash for the firm. A. The balance sheet is important financial statement that provides information about the companys assets and its liabilities. Financial structure of any company is made of venture capital (equity) and loans (debt). Usually, debt part is kept to a level where interest payment does not become so much that the firm find it difficult to pay for it. Balance sheet informs about how funds have been used to create its assets – current and fixed assets. It is the nature of business that decides what proportion of funds will be deployed to create fixed assets or current assets. Hospitality business needs more significant amount to create fixed assets and little for current assets. Conversely, capital intensive businesses such as steel or aircraft manufacturing need more funds to create fixed assets that

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict - Essay Example On the other hand, Iseroff, 2008, mentions that Sykes Picot Agreement of 1916 planned to divide Ottomans holdings between France and Britain after the war. The revolt by Arabs led by T.E. Lawrence led to partial Arab self-determination. However, many feel that Arabs had been short-changed by British promise to give Syria to French and Palestine as Jewish homeland. British denied any such promise that included Palestine in the area promised to Arabs. The conflict thus began. In November 1917, The Balfour Declaration highlighted British support for creation of Jewish homeland in Palestine without disturbing civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in the region. The Arabs opposed the idea for fear of dispossession by Zionists or the fear of living under Jewish rules. The British wanted to establish regions of self governing Palestine as well as Israel. However, while Israel feared Arab majority in such councils, Arabs displayed their displeasure by non-participation and instigating pogroms and rioting during 1920s. The violence led to formation of Hagannah Jewish self defence organisation in 1920. Future immigration of Jews into these territories led to protests from the Arabs against Jewish settlers despite direct benefit due to investment and infrastructural development in the region. Religious aspects like false rumours of synagogue on Wailing Wall or Jewish encroachment of Muslim rule over temple mount compound further fuelled rioting leading to evacuation of Jewish people from Hebron. An attempt to resolve situation through 1929 Passfield white paper to stop further immigration by British was however opposed vehemently and immigration of Jewish people continued unabated and in fact swelled during 1930s due to Jewish persecution well...The o wnership, demography and area have greatly fluctuated during this long history. Present Israel extends from Jordan river to the Mediterranean, with Egypt in the south, Lebanon in the north and Jordan in the east. The identified borders are about 78% while the rest is land occupied during operations like 6-day war of 1967 and some autonomous Palestinian regions. Gaza strip is another stretch of 141 square miles south of Israel controlled by Palestinian Authority. (Iseroff, 2008) Historically speaking, Israel came into existence starting from Abraham, 1272 BC and Jews claim their dominion over the land for about 1000 years randomly while continuous presence during past 3300 years. Romans conquered Jerusalem over 2000 years back and expelled the Jewish to Diaspora. The land has thereafter been ruled by the Romans, Islamic and Christian campaigners, by the Ottomans and British Empires. The present crisis involving small land of Israel as described above involves Israel and 24 Arab nations as shown in the map below. The genesis of this modern history can be traced back to massive immigration of Jews from Arab countries and Europe during first 3-4 decades of the 20th century All major countries and particularly UN have to play a supportive role to evolve a consensus. The solution can only be evolved by sitting across a table and talking to each other peacefully.

The Home Depot, Inc. Annual Report in Fundamentals of Financial Essay

The Home Depot, Inc. Annual Report in Fundamentals of Financial Accounting - Essay Example Interest paid on borrowed money is deducted from total operating income to get earnings from operations before making provisions of income taxes. Earnings net of tax are known as net earnings that can be appropriated among shareholders. The income statement is extremely important for any business operations; otherwise, one cannot know whether one makes profit or loss. The statement has been so designed that it informs about gross profit, operating profit and net profit that enables decision maker to understand weaknesses in its business operations by noticing any extraordinary over expense in percentage terms in relation to peer companies. For example, gross profit in percentage terms is higher or lower indicate whether its raw material procurement is efficient or not. Incidence of above normal selling or administrative expenses can be found from the operating profit and decisions can be taken to reduce those expenses to improve the results. Depreciation is another head that is deducted from the gross profit to arrive at the operating expense. Depreciation is not an out flow of cash; on the contrary it generates cash for the firm. A. The balance sheet is important financial statement that provides information about the companys assets and its liabilities. Financial structure of any company is made of venture capital (equity) and loans (debt). Usually, debt part is kept to a level where interest payment does not become so much that the firm find it difficult to pay for it. Balance sheet informs about how funds have been used to create its assets – current and fixed assets. It is the nature of business that decides what proportion of funds will be deployed to create fixed assets or current assets. Hospitality business needs more significant amount to create fixed assets and little for current assets. Conversely, capital intensive businesses such as steel or aircraft manufacturing need more funds to create fixed assets that

Acquiring Business Communication Skills Necessary for Business Essay - 5

Acquiring Business Communication Skills Necessary for Business Graduates - Essay Example 112). However, when one delves on communication skills in the context of the business graduates, they need to realize that in the current time when the technology is poised to enhance the speed and urgency of business communication, business communication skills are expected to play a major role in influencing the career graphs of the future managers (Sigmar & Cooper 2011, p. S1). Thereby, this report intends to identify salient general communication skills and the form and scope they acquire in the arena of business communication, while proceeding to elaborate on the value of these communication skills and their role in the world of business. In the light of this analysis this report eventually facilitates recommendations aimed at helping the undergraduate students hone the specific business communication skills. The undergraduate students do need to bear in mind that the discipline of business communication happens to be a subset of the general communication, and hence, the proficiency that the business students acquire in business communication happens to be a great extent subservient to their expertise in the general communication skills. Thereby it will be pragmatic to consider the salient general communication skills, before proceeding to introduce the business communication skills. Verbal Communication- Verbal communication relies on the potency of the spoken word to convey meaning and content (Gallagher 2013, p. 58). They require the ability for using language in a clear, concise and straightforward manner Nonverbal Communication- It is a fact corroborated by many communication experts that nonverbal communication happens to be more important and complex aspect of communication (Gallagher 2013, p. 58). Nonverbal communication comprises of the use of body language and nonverbal cues in communication. Written Communication- Written communication is

My Grandparents Essay Example for Free

My Grandparents Essay One favorite place from my childhood that I remember fondly is my grandparents house. On one hand, its marvelous location is unforgettable to me. On the other hand, I have a lovely remembrance of all the fun activities my family and I did there. In addition, other memories include the delicious meals we enjoyed there. To begin, it had a marvelous location. My grandparents house was in Punta Cuna, one of the eastern beach cities in the Dominican Republic. The house was very near to the beach, on the top of a hill: for that reason, a fresh breeze was always blowing. It was surrounded by beautiful gardens and a huge back yard with many fruit trees on which lived a lot of birds that would delight with their trills. The view from all of the windows, which included the sea or the backyard, was marvelous. Also, my sisters and I could see the sunrise from the portal. Being a woken up by the sound of the neighbor rooster was my favorite. Not to forget the different aromas coming from the prevalent peddlers made you just want to savor all the different bouquets coming there my little pink bedroom window. In addition, my grandparents planned a lot of activities to keep us amused. We and our friends used to go to the beach every morning, and sometimes we went in the afternoons too. We played a lot of board games such as dominoes, canasta, continental and monopoly. Also, we used to play outdoors for example we did races, played hide-and-seek, and took refreshing hose showers at the backyard. My grandfather would send us out on mini scavenger hunts around the yard for different things he would hide. While we would search for them he would change them locate and then yell out â€Å" Your so freezing cold ; wrong direction† in creole, then start laugh. My grandmother would take us with her on occasion to the Marche aux Puces and we would go around and view the different Merchants who enticing fragrance would wake me up in the morning. At night we would lay under the stars in the backyard and enjoy what we bought from the Marche aux Puces. Last but not least, was the exquisite meals that we ate there. My grandfather was a wonderful cook, and he used to prepare tasteful dishes for us. We tried vegetables, seafood, and all kind of meat made for him. Sometimes, my grandparents and we went out to dinner and could taste a wide variety of meals. The beautiful location left indelible marks in our minds. The amusing time that we passed there is unforgettable. I never try again a meal with the delicious taste of my grandfathers meal. For all of that, my grandparents house was in my memory as the most favorite place that I visited during my childhood.