Thursday, December 26, 2019

Sprezzatura - Definition and Examples

The rehearsed spontaneity, studied carelessness, and well-practiced naturalness that underlies persuasive discourse. (The opposite of sprezzatura is affectazione--affectation.) The Italian word sprezzatura was coined by Baldassare Castiglione in The Book of the Courtier (1528): [T]o avoid affectation in every way possible . . . and (to pronounce a new word perhaps) to practice in all things a certain Sprezzatura [nonchalance], so as to conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it. Examples and Observations: Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee.(Muhammed Ali)And all you got to do is act naturally.(Morrison and Russell, Act Naturally)It takes a great deal of experience to become natural.(Willa Cather, interview in the Bookman, 1921)A good style should show no sign of effort. What is written should seem a happy accident.(W. Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938)Writers are not mere copyists of language; they are polishers, embellishers, perfecters. They spend hours getting the timing right--so that what they write sounds completely unrehearsed.(Louis Menand, Bad Comma. The New Yorker. June 28, 2004)In the presidential debates, everything that the candidates say will have been carefully rehearsed including the ad lib remarks. . . . What a candidate has to do is to memorize the answers to a bunch of questions and know how to look sincere. As a TV producer said, If you can fake sincerity, youve got it made.(Molly Ivins, 1991) Thomas Hardy on Calculated Carelessness The whole secret of a living style and the difference between it and a dead style lies in not having too much style--being, in fact, a little careless, or rather seeming to be, here and there. It brings wonderful life into the writing...Otherwise your style is like worn halfpence--all the fresh images rounded off by rubbing, and no crispness or movement at all.It is, of course, simply a carrying into prose the knowledge I have acquired in poetry--that inexact rhymes and rhythms now and then are far more pleasing than correct ones.(Thomas Hardy, notebook entry in 1875, quoted by Norman Page in Art and Aesthetics. The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Hardy, ed. by Dale Kramer. Cambridge University Press, 1999) Cicero on Artful Artlessness When Cicero recommends to the orator a kind of studied nonchalance, he does not mean it as a general rule, to be applied to all types of rhetorical performance; the term appears in the context of a discussion of a specific variety of rhetoric, namely the plain style  ... Castiglione appropriates from Cicero the notion of artful artlessness, as well as its seductive effect: that the audience, finding what it beholds ... is incited to suspect, and desire, the presence of something more than what is actually seen.(David M. Posner, The Performance of Nobility in Early Modern European Literature. Cambridge University Press, 1999) The Inherent Ambiguity of Sprezzatura As dissimulation or artfulness, sprezzatura, like irony, is inherently ambiguous and equivocal. This ambiguity necessarily introduces the question of the audience, for to be successful the courtier must conceal his artfulness, but for it to be appreciated as sprezzatura, his concealment must be perceived.(Victoria Kahn, Humanism and the Resistance to Theory. Rhetoric and Hermeneutics in Our Time: A Reader, ed. by Walter Jost and Michael J. Hyde. Yale University Press, 1997) Rehearsed Spontaneity Being prepared is the key to rehearsed spontaneity in public speaking. Before making a remark, pause and look up like you are searching for something to say. The audience will think you are creating the humor on the spot.   (Scott Friedmann, Public Speaking: Laws of Humor) The Appearance of Effortless Mastery Whether they have designed clothes, written poetry, composed operas, built public squares, painted for popes, hewn marble, or sailed the fathomless seas, many Italians of genius have placed a premium on achieving an appearance of effortless mastery, or sprezzatura, that is attained only by costly, concentrated effort and unremitting labor. In the end, says Giorgio Armani, the most difficult thing to do is the simplest thing.   (Peter DEpiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish, Sprezzatura: 50 Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World. Random House, 2001) The Gimmick of Straight Talk At the same time that his campaign was beholden to television, [Richard] Nixon was to denounce the medium and other media manipulations. Said the Nixon media strategy guide: [T]he sophisticated candidate, while analyzing his own on-the-air technique as carefully as an old pro studies his swing, will state frequently that there is no place for public relations gimmicks or those show business guys in this campaign.​  (Neal Gabler, Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality. Alfred A. Knopf, 1998) Pronunciation: SPRETT-sa-toor-ah or spretts-ah-TOO-rah

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Correctional Facilities And A Safe Environment For Both...

It is critical that correctional facilities have proper polices and procedures in place to ensure a safe environment for both the inmates and the staff of the facility. According to the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ), â€Å"Over 10,000 ex-prisoners are relased from America’s state and federal prisons every week and arrive on the doorsteps of our nation’s communities† (â€Å"Prisoners and Prisoner Re-Entry, para 1). Understanding and knowing what works within a facility can mean life or death. It is also important that society understands that these inmates will most likely re-enter society. How they react when they re-enter the community is dependent upon what they learn and how they are treated within the facility where they are housed. Correctional facilities and leaders create and test programs to make the transition into society easier for the inmate. The Federal Bureau of Prisons have reentry programs where the inmates learn skills that will be come crucial when they are job searching once released, writing a resume, and actually holding the job once they have accomplished it (Reentry Programs, para 2). Some inmates have no family or friends to support them because of their incarceration, which leaves them hopeless and homeless once they leave the facility. This paper will examine effective programs that are in place, and recommendations that will increase the effectiveness of correctional facilities and reduce recidivism of inmates with these programs. This topic ofShow MoreRelatedStructure of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections1604 Words   |  7 Pagesunder a function organization structure within state government that clearly separated services provided into two primary categories: prisons and parole services with both categories reporting to the agency Director. An organization structure based on functions provides a clear direction for job requirements, allows the opportunity for staff to become experts in their field of assignment, which increases productivity. Although this structure was successfully utilized by the DRC for many years, unintentionallyRead MoreInternal And External And Internal Stakeholders1428 Words   |  6 Pageslocal police decide to conduct a large sweep of offenders who have warrants or make mass arrests of people involved in the drug trade, their pre-trial facilities can expect a large night of intakes, many of whom may be under the influence or detoxing (Horgan , 2012). Our counts are reliant on the number of arrests that the police make and our medical staffs often are required to deal with a sick population (Horgan , 2012). Prosecutors: When the local District Attorney or Attorney General makes prosecutingRead MorePrivate Prisons1166 Words   |  5 Pages 2 Abstract Over-crowding in our federal, state, and local prisons, along with a depressed economy, has resulted in a trend toward privatization of these facilities. This paper examines the core issues surrounding private prisons in the areas of cost-effectiveness, recidivism, and the special needs of specific groups of inmates, including the elderly and mentally challenged. It explores problems related to the prison industry in general and whether privatization is the solution to theseRead MoreThe Law Enforcement And The Judicial System870 Words   |  4 Pagessystem to punish people who have violated the law. Often times people commit crimes that carry jail or prison sentences. This requires governments at the federal, state, and local level to establish facilities to house these individuals. In 2013 the total number of adults in some phase of the correctional system was around seven million, whether it be jail, prison, or probation and parole (BJS, 2015). Being incarcerated is the puni shment; being locked away, separated from loved ones, and removed fromRead MoreCja 484 Week 5 Learning Team Final Corrections Research Paper and Evaluation2298 Words   |  10 Pageshelp keep the environment safe from harm. After evaluating the past, present, and future trends of community-based corrections, the program has helped develop other alternatives for offenders. This will help the criminals from receiving the incarceration sentence and offer treatment programs for better results. Correctional facilities, involving the law enforcement agencies may require fiscal responsibilities within the facility. The security environment is different from other facilities as the systemsRead MoreBehind Bars: Pregnant Inmates and the Challenges of Care Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pagesrisk, in an environment that is both intimidating and routinely violent. (Hutchinson et. al., 2008) In 2012, the total number of inmates incarcerated in the state and federal correctional system for was 1,571,013, of which 108,866 of those inmates were females. In the last two decades, until 2009, women were the fastest growing population within the state and federal correctional institutions. Since 2009, the number of inmates incarcerated in state and federal correctional facilities has slowlyRead MoreWhat Are The Ethical Issues Of Solitary Confinement?1526 Words   |  7 Pagesdangerous and out of control inmates, which if used for a short period of time (a few days; 2-3days) is okay. But the issues come when inmates are housed in solitary confinement for long, extended periods of time that we see the effects it has on those inmates and how it can be seen as torture and inhumane for those enduring such cruel environments. Solitary Confinement used to Control Many prisons through the world use solitary confinement as a form of control for prison inmates that are out of controlRead MoreThe Implications Of The Criminal Justice System Essay1683 Words   |  7 Pagessystem, such as in relation to correctional personnel, the inmate population, and the community. Prison, as many sociologist see it, is a total institution. Total institutions, as defined in our text, Canadian Criminal Justice: A Primer by Curt T. Griffiths, are â€Å"correctional institutions, psychiatric hospitals, and other facilities characterized by highly structured environment in which all movements of the inmates or patients are controlled 24 hours a day by staff† (p. 245). The personnel in theseRead MoreFederal Prison Comparison Paper1771 Words   |  8 PagesAlderson Federal Prison Camp, which is a minimum security facility, located in Alderson West Virginia. Martha Stewart and Peter E. Bacanovic her former Merrill Lynch and Company broker, whose conviction charge of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators about her ImClone System Inc., Stock. The sentencing for each of these defendants netted five months a piece in prison. The judge informed them that they could both stay free on bail during the application process for anRead Mor eThe Old Public Health Model1546 Words   |  7 Pagesand/as Public Health. Prison and Inmates as Vectors of Health in the New Public Health Era. The Case of Canadian Penitentiaries† focuses on structural elements that explain the use of correctional health care in the prison setting today and how this plays a role in the broader public health strategies in the outside community. He does this by explaining factors such as â€Å"the mobilisation of prison as a tool for the new public health† and the production of inmates into healthcare ‘consumers’, along

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Restoration comed Essay Example For Students

Restoration comed Essay William Wycherley`s The Country Wife is a typical Restoration comedy; its main agenda is sex and how to find it. Not only sex, but STD`s, bed-swopping, adultery and whoring. The ancient critic William Archer once described it as the most bestial play in all literature. This did not frighten Laurence Boswell (director), his production of Wycherley`s debauched farce animated and enhanced the rife innuendo. The tale itself is not unusual in its interlacing of complicated plots and sub-plots. Horner (Patrick Robinson), notorious libertine, begins rumours that he has returned from France a eunuch. As the story spreads he is allowed unreserved access to all the wives of `honour` in London with the full consent of their unknowing husbands. Meanwhile the old fornicator Pinchwife ( Karl Johnson) has acquired a country wife (Sara Crowe) and unable to suppress his jealousy, he endeavours to keep her away from fashionable society. He does not have such control over his sister, Alithea (Jaye Griffiths), who intents to slight her genuine admirer and marry the foolish `wit`, Sparkish. Despite the variety of under-currents, Horner himself is at the centre of disruption and will stop at nothing in his devious quest for women, particularly the country wife. Though initially difficult to follow, the cast literally grabbed the play round the throat and mastered it uniquely. Set in modern London with fabulously outrageous costumes and stage, Boswell brought the hilarity of the Restoration to the context of the present day. The set, white and mobile, presented a canvas for the brightly attired actors and made the performance practically addictive. It sped along with such swiftness that it didn`t betray its length, a rather sore three hours. The characters themselves were a gaggle of camp, hammed up imbeciles, the portrayal of which created the hilarity of the performance. Sparkish (Crispin Redman), in particular, tickled the audience with his foppish stupidity and tin tin hairstyle. The big names Robinson and Crowe tackled the comedy effortlessly, transporting the sexual innuendo across the centuries as if the Restoration had been last week. The Country Wife is a shriek of genius, though much of its success is probably due to the quality of the actors appearing in it. The play only runs in Sheffield until Saturday 15th of November, but catch it sweeping the pox far and wide on a tour of Britain. Top tip: it`s probably best to leave Gran at home.  Deception and disguise, classic elements of comedy, are found in both William Wycherlys The Country Wife and Richard Steeles The Conscious Lovers. These devices rely on gaps of knowledge between different characters, or between characters and the audience, of a persons true identity, but the true natures of the two plays characters are very different. The Country Wife is a typical stage comedy; most of the characters, including the protagonist, are humorous, flawed people who wish to hide their faults from others. The Conscious Lovers is a sentimental comedy, in which, according to Oliver Goldsmith, the virtues of private life are exhibited, rather than the vices exposed (491). The good guys have no vices either to expose or hide; they are without flaw or stain, exemplars of virtue for the audience, and distance themselves from deception, all of which aims to have the right couples marry. Each play treats disguise in a manner consistent with the moral atmosphere; in The Country Wife, it is accepted as yet another human foible, whereas The Conscious Lovers seeks to eliminate and condemn it. Deception is prevalent in The Country Wife. Lady Fidget, Dainty Fidget, and Mrs. Squeamish value their reputations as respectable women, but only because reputation keeps them from being suspected. While they sleep with Horner, they maintain their appearances as virtuous women to their husbands and the rest of the world. In public, they act as their names would imply, but in private they carouse with Horner and even use honor as a euphemism for sex. They trick even the audience; the first time we see these women, they are sniffish and refined, saying things like, No, no, no! Foh, foh, foh! (1.1, 7) in the face of incivility. Only a few scenes later do we find them conceding that the crime s the less when not known (2.1, 25). As the play progresses, they seem ever fouler, not caring that Horner is carrying on with all three of them at once. These pretenders to honor turn out to be the most vulgar characters in the play. .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .postImageUrl , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:hover , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:visited , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:active { border:0!important; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:active , .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5de3f2dfe502392c2c9bed5739df182e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Poetry The Endangered Art EssayTheir opposite in pretense, oddly enough, is Horner, who, in order to have access to women without suspicion, starts a rumor that he is a eunuch. He endures the mockery of Sir Jasper Fidget, but receives the praise and favors of Lady Fidget for his willingness to, suffer self the greatest shame that could fall upon a man, that none might fall upon us (2.1, 28) which is true, even if it makes him appear more selfless than he is. Horner even risks his life later on to protect Mrs. Pinchwife, who loves him, from the wrath of her husband; he must save mistresscome what will ont (5.4, 80). Horner not only deceives husbands in appearing impotent, but is in some respects morally ambiguous, a more decent person than he first seems to us. Horner and his mistresses conceal themselves throughout the play, but other characters wear literal disguises. Mr. Pinchwife, for example, makes his wife sit with the prostitutes in the theatre, so that nobody will think her married to him, and that is precisely when Horner first sees her. Pinchwife next has Margery dress as a man when she goes out, to keep men from seducing her, but Horner sees through the disguise at once and uses it as an opportunity to kiss her without her husbands being able to protest. This pretense soon leads to another, in which Pinchwife leads his wife, whom he takes to be his sister, to an assignation with Horner. All of Margery Pinchwifes disguises bring her closer to an affair, and the audience cannot help but cheer her on and smile each time the tyrannical Mr. Pinchwife draws her closer to Horner. Not all such tricks lead to illicit affairs. Harcourt, hoping to wed Alithea, dresses up as a priest in order to marry her to Sparkish, her fianc. He speaks to Alithea in ostensibly religious but obviously amorous addresses, such as With all my soul, divine, heavenly creature, when you please (4.1, 48) and in departure from an ancient convention of stage disguise, she sees through the costume but cannot persuade Sparkish that Harcourt is the priest. Sparkishs obtuseness helps Alithea later, when he tells her he married her for money. The upright Alithea is shocked at his pretense, and the marriages invalidity allows her to wed Harcourt. The deception leads to a happy ending, but although we know Sparkish to be cowardly and stupid, we could not be sure until now that he did not love Alithea. Harcourts trick works because he is in a comedy, not because he knew (although he says so to Alithea) that he is saving her from a loveless marriage.

Monday, December 2, 2019

New York Times Company Overview

Company Overview The New York Times Company (NYT), formed on 1896, is a diversified media company that has stake in newspaper, Internet business, paper mills, and others (NYT, 2010). In 14 January 1969, NYT’s stock was first listed on American Stock Exchange (NYT, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on New York Times Company Overview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Throughout the 1980 to 2010 NYT expanded aggressively through series of mergers and acquisitions a few prominent of which are 2002 investment in Discovery Times Channel, 1991 acquisition of International Herald Tribune, 1981 acquisition of New York Time Daily Cable TV, acquisition of Times Daily, Daily World, The Messenger, etc. in 1982, and many others. The Boston Globe was launched on 30 October 1995. More recently in 2006, it acquired Baseline Studio System and Calorie-Count.com. In 2007, NYT formed a strategic alliance with Monster Worldwide for recruitment advertisements and acquired ConsumerSearch.com and UCompareHealthCare.com. Therefore, the company has undergone a series of changes within its businesses and strategy as it shifted its focus from the more print oriented media business to Internet based media as it started acquiring more of the .com companies with the advent of twenty-first century. Business Overview NYT is a diversified media company that has operated in the Unites States of America. In 2009, the revenue of the company was $2.4 billion. Broadly, it has two operating segments – News Media and the About Group (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The Media segment of the business has New York Times Media Group, Regional Media Groups, and New England Media Groups (Yahoo Finance, 2011; NYT, 2011). The New York Times Media Group comprises of the New York Times (a daily newspaper), International Herald Tribune (a daily newspaper), and NYTimes.com. The other areas of business under the group are Digital Archives Distribution, New York Times Index, and New York Times News Service Division. The New York Times New Service transmits photographs and news articles for The Times, the Globe, and other newspaper publications. It also delivers content for Epsilen, LLC, etc which are websites that provide education solutions. It also distributes content for social networking websites, mobile applications, digital platforms, and owns the Baseline StudioSystem, which is a website that provides database and research services to its subscribers (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The Regional Media Groups consists of 14 regional newspapers being printed and distributed under its wing (Yahoo Finance, 2011).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It operates in the state of Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The New England Media Group operates the Boston Glob e (a daily newspaper) and Boston.com (Yahoo Finance, 2011) and it has one newspaper under its wing i.e. the Herald Tribune (NYT, 2011). Figure 1 presents a more elaborate description of the business segments of NYT. The About groups of the company operates other segments like the online business of the company that includes UCompareHealth.com, ConsumerSearch.com and CalorieCount.about.com, etc. other than these the company also holds stake in Canadian newsprint company, Metro Boston LLC that publishes daily newspaper, New England Sports Network, etc. (Yahoo Finance, 2011). Figure 1: Business Segment of New York Times Company The News Media Group Segment’s revenue is derived mostly from advertisements in newspapers and other online media (NYT, 2010). In 2010, the overall revenue of company was $2.39 billion (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The quarterly revenue fell by 2.9 percent in 2010 (Yahoo Finance, 2011). There was a gross profit margin of $1.42 billion (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The profit margin of the company was 4.5 percent in 2010 and operating margin was 10.72 percent (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The source of revenue of the company has been dramatically diversified as compared to the 2005. In 2005 the revenue earned was mostly from the print advertisements and circulation that comprised of 61 and 27 percent of the revenue respectively. However, that of digital advertisement was just 5 percent. In 2010, the share of print advertisement and circulation in revenue fell to 39 and 40 percent while that of digital advertisement increased to 14 percent (NYT, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on New York Times Company Overview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There was an increase in digital revenue as a percentage of total revenue that increased from 12 percent in 2008 to 14 percent in 2009 to 16 percent in 2010 (NYT, 2010). From the above overview, it is clear that the NYT belongs to the newspaper publishing services industry. the performance of NYT as compared to the industry is it ranks 71 in the industry (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The main competitors of NYT are Gannett Co. Inc. (GCI), News Corp. (NWS), and Washington Post Company (WPO). As compared to its competitors, the revenue earned by NYT in 2010 is much less than that of GCI that is at $5.44 billion, NWS at $33.08 billion and WPO at $4.9 billion (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The number of employees working with NYT is 3,222 (NYT, 2010), and that with NWS is 51,000 and WPO is 21,500 (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The net income of NYT therefore is much less than its competitors that were $107.69 million in 2010 (Yahoo Finance, 2011). NYT is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The main strategies followed by the company are to diversify its revenue with increased focused on online and digital business segment. It also aims to increase and leverage the strength of the New York Times brand and increase profi tability of the circulation revenue. Further, the company aims at increasing their performance on cost and strengthens the core business areas of the company. (NYT, 2011) Figure 2 shows the performance of the NYT’s stocks in the financial market in 1986 through 2010. The stock prices increased throughout the 1990s. it peaked in 2004. Since 2005, there has been a fall in the prices of the stock. The figure clearly shows that the prices of the company stock increased significantly in May 2010 after which it fell considerably. The stock prices hit rock bottom in 2009 due to the recession. Figure 2: Stock Prices of NYT, source Yahoo! Finance Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The New York Times is one of the leading media companies of the US. Though compared to its competitors it lacks the scale and revenue of the giants, still it is competitive to them in terms of gross and operating margin. The company has not been performing too well due to its declining stock prices since 2005. That is why in 2009 when the stock prices fell to the maximum limit, the company adopted a strategy to diversify and therefore concentrated more on the digital revenue than on print-based revenue. This strategy reaped some success as indicated through the increasing stock prices. References NYT. (2011). About the Company. Web. NYT. (2010). Annual Report 2009. Web. NYT. (2010, December 7). UBS 38th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference. Web. Yahoo Finance. (2011, February 14). The New York Times Company (NYT). Web. This research paper on New York Times Company Overview was written and submitted by user Haylie Olson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Saudi International Students Essay Example

Saudi International Students Essay Example Saudi International Students Essay Example Saudi International Students Essay Example This study addresses the issues that the Saudi students may face as the international students in the UK. With the growing number of the international students worldwide and regular arrival of the Saudi students to the EU (particularly British universities), there are good reasons for studying the main negative influences on their identity and the ways of avoiding these challanges. A great difference between the Saudi and British world predetermined by the historical and religious realities is the main aggravating factor for the Saudi international students’ migration. The research also considers such possible complications as a cultural shock, academic and social adjustment, intercultural sensitivity and competence, international students’ security and rights, and internationalization. The paper explains how the educational institutions and fellow students can become helpful in raising the Saudi students’ intercultural competence, minimizing the barriers, and ea sing the adjustment process. Intercultural Education: Saudi International Students in a Mixed Gender Environment Modern world tends to increase pace in almost every aspect of life, including economic development, information flow, and resource exchange. This tendency inevitably results in the expansion and intensification of the globalization process, which provides benefits in a number of areas, but still might be a quite sensitive issue. Cultural peculiarities of people predetermine their worldview and behaviour in different situations. For the younger population, intercultural education is the most common way to get familiar with traditions and customs of the other nations and raise intercultural competence. Nowadays, such competence is obligatory for the citizens of different countries, who search for the personal and business development. Moreover, intercultural migration of young people has a serious impact on the identity formation as international students have to spend a considerable amount of time in the foreign environment. The most outstanding opposition between the cultural differences can be observed in the example of the females’ treatment in the Arab and European countries. However, the knowledge of such attitudes is only the top of the iceberg. The real differences that can become serious barriers to intercultural communication lie deeply and predetermine great disparities between the world perceptions. Even though the females’ upbringing and treatment are the most challenging differences between the Arab and European worlds, intercultural migration is a complicated process for both males and females. This paper focuses on the difficulties that globalization can present for individuals of different cultural and religious origins during their movement from one environment into another. The parts that would be helpful to consider, among the basic aspects of the problem, refer to the main characteristics of the Saudi international students and growth of their number, gender segregation in the Saudi society as a historical reality, factors that can influence students’ identity, barriers to intercultural adjustment and possible gender issues. Saudi Arabian male and female students can experience certain differences in the norms of two worlds while transitioning from the gender segregated society to a mixed one. As a rule, the intercultural competence of such students can become the key factor in the interaction and adaptation to the new environment. International students from Saudi Arabia face various obstacles when moving from a gender segregated environment to a mixed one. These obstacles have an impact on the results that they achieve while completing their course abroad. In order to understand the issue, it is necessary to define the starting point of a scholarship program that enables students from Saudi Arabia to study outside of their country and deepen the analysis to include religious and cultural reasons for gender segregation in Saudi Arabia. Since the introduction of the KASP program in 2010, the number of Saudi international students has sponsored more than 70,000 young individuals to study abroad. By 2015, this number is supposed to grow to approximately 140,000 (Ministry of Higher Education, 2010). Consequently, 25 countries of the world welcome more and more Saudi students each year. Among such, the UK deserves a particular attention for its widely known and highly ranked Oxford and Cambridge Universities, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London and other educational institutions. UKCISA (2015) reported that the number of the Saudi international students in 2013-2014 reached 9,060 people. Business, administrative and technological studies were the most popular choices of such students. In terms of gender division, the number of females from Saudi Arabia studying in the UK is slightly different than that of males (UKCISA, 2015). Anyway, the special position of the Saudi internationa l students in comparison to others is predetermined by two factors. Firstly, they are sponsored by the government and get both financial and academic support. Consequently, they have fewer problems with accommodation, employment, and university fees. Secondly, they represent a completely different segregated world that makes them face serious intercultural challenges. Mainly adjustment to the new norms and obtaining intercultural competence skills are the tasks they have to encounter together with the academic ones. Therefore, the research of the Saudi students’ experience should consider the two major issues: average international students’ experience and specific cultural challenges based on the oppositions determined by the mixed-segregated environments. Various simple situations can make such students perplexed. Gender Segregation in Saudi Arabia The history of the country shapes the values and beliefs of people throughout generations. Therefore, a particular attention of the research on the Saudi Arabian students has to be paid to the country’s history and formation of the Islamic religious communities that shape the worldview and expectations from the environment. The main norm in the Saudi Arabia society is its gender segregation that is evident in every public and private institution. There is no sphere that would be an exception. Be it schools, universities, entertainment places, or other sectors, one cannot meet the mixing of genders (Mayer, 2000). For instance, all schools regardless of being private or public are single-sex. Both universities and college system does not provide any possibility for the mixed gender studies. The only exception to this rule is the KAUST University that was founded for the international students. Even though it is widely criticized by the native dwellers, it provides citizens with some basic ideas about the mixed-gender education. As for the other public sphere, one can hardly find any that would unite males and females. The restaurants, for example, are commonly divided into two separate parts for males and families. Hence, women can hardly visit restaurants without their families. In the context of this st udy, there are good reasons for finding out the underlying reason for segregation in the public spheres. The historical perspective is the best one to explain such deep gender segregation in the contemporary Saudi society. As for the Saudis, their view on the gender roles can be defined as traditional one. They are strongly persuaded that a man has to provide security and wealth to the family while a woman is responsible for everything happening at home including the household, family, and children. Such worldview is common for most countries of the world and is not based on the Islamic principles only. However, the difference betweeb the Saudi life and the popular traditional view on the gender roles is supported by a strong division of two separate worlds. These worlds are not male and female, but private and public ones. The public world is associated with economics, business, politics, and religion, and it is dominated by men. On the contrast, the private domain of the home, family, and intimacy is associated with women. One of the key values for Saudi Arabian citizens is Ired, the concept that stands for the sanctity of family and chastity of a woman, and which might be lost in the case of adultery of any kind. The vast majority of citizens of Saudi Arabia are raised in the spirit of the sanctity of Ired and the necessity for its protection, which results in complete separation of males and females in their public lives. Primarily, these historically developed views shape the main difference in the values of students from different worldviews. Hence, the concept of Ired can be regarded as the main one that predetermines gender separation and complicate adjustment to the contradictive environment. The complexity of this notion is caused by secularity rather than religiousness. It does not originate from the Quran, but had existed even among the pre-Islamic Arabs (Baki, 20014). Even though it can be observed in various Arab countries, Baki (2004) defined the Saudis as the most sensitive to Ired nation s. Their society has been structured to behave in a way that makes it difficult or even impossible to lose Ired. In such a way, many restrictions are based mostly on the tribe’s and family’s honour that is passed throughout generations. Consequently, there is a great number of various restrictions for the Saudi women in the society. Among such, since the younger age, all Saudis know that women cannot stay close or spend time with a man unless he is her family member. Some scholars argue that gender segregation is based on the Islamic teaching and encourages respect towards chastity and person’s Ired (Baki, 2004). Accordingly, the existing norms of Saudi Arabia are aimed to protect people’s, and particularly women’s, virtue and Ired that in many cases, is associated with sexuality and eroticism related to one’s appearance or behaviour common in the mixed gender societies. As a result, it is obvious that the Saudi international students have to be prepared for the experience that awaits them in the Western world. Complete change of the societal norms presupposes an entirely different environment that practically denies one’s familiar rules and beliefs. An average Saudi Arabian male is used to communicating with the male friends and limiting his relationship with another gender only to a mother, sister, wife, and other family members. Hence, the first exposure to a new mixed gender environment in the UK or any other country would become a critical experience due to the presence of unrelated females and patterns of their behaviour that are not limited by Ired’s respect or other Quran virtues. The experience of such transition demands serious support to let a student develop necessary skills and communicate freely with the fellow students and professors. Influence on the Students’ Identity International education is a peculiar experience for student mostly because of its deep influence on the individual’s identity. The identity of the Saudi students is especially vulnerable to the influences of a foreign culture. Such a long-term intercultural migration can lead to various consequences. As the education in the UK lasts for at least several years, students need to undergo various changes in the process of adjustment to the new culture. Such issues as a cultural shock, academic and social adjustment, intercultural sensitivity and competence, international students’ security and rights demand particular attention when analysing the possible experiences and consequences. Hence, the main aspects of such experiences include, but are not limited to the social and academic experiences, psychological and sociological needs, students’ rights and security. Cultural shock is often predetermined by the cultural and social changes. This term is mostly used for the collective influence of strange experiences on cultural migrants. Even though changes in the environment are always stressful, they are less difficult when a newcomer is familiar with the differences in advance. At the same time, the false information or complete unawareness can make the migrated person behave in the way that is common to the home country. As a result, such people feel lost in translation (Zhou et al., 2008). According to Cullingford and ONeill (2005), primarily, the native-language instructions that would teach the necessary behaviour, academic and survival skills, cultural information and citizenship facts are the obligatory steps that would let students avoid many adjustment difficulties. Moreover, different degrees of the intercultural and educational competencies are also the essential features that can predetermine reaction of the international students (C ullingford ONeill, 2005). Zhou et al. (2008) supported a common view on the issue and emphasize such aspects as culture learning, stress and coping, and social identification as the major ones to be regarded when focusing on how to avoid the negative consequences of the cultural shock. Anrade (2006) has drawn particular attention to a close interconnection between the issues of social and academic adjustment. Primarily, the knowledge of the English language is one of the keys to easier adjustment due to the ability to ask and comprehend the necessary information. Moreover, the knowledge of language contributes to a better comprehension of the native speakers’ worldview. For this reason and due to the absence of friends and close people in a new country, university authorities have to provide special support to the foreign students. With regard to significant disparities between the UK and Saudi worldview, particular attention has to be paid to the formation of the newcomer’s cultural competence and awareness from the first days of studies. With the growth in the number of international students in the globalized world, the scholars pay more attention to the issue of intercultural adaptation and education. Gill (2007) has focused on the structure of the British higher education in order to investigate the possible means of facilitating and supporting international students’ learning experience in the UK. As a result, it was proven that such experience should be analysed with regard to three aspects of stress † adaptation † growth (Gill, 2007). As a result, it becomes obvious that intercultural adaptation is a process of intercultural learning. If such process is meant to bring more knowledge about profound differences in the lives and cultures overseas, the level of difficulty to adjust will depend on the number of differences between the two worlds. The students have to transform their understanding of self-knowledge, awareness of others’ values and worldview (Gill, 2007). Consequently, for th e Saudi students, understanding of the British values, worldview, and lifestyle will become an acquaintance with a completely different world. One more serious issue is security and students’ rights. Till nowadays, there exist a great number of unresolved issues that the foreign students face, including personal safety, language proficiency, finances, housing, loneliness, and racism (Margison et al., 2010). While many of these issues among the Saudi students are resolved by the scholarship programs, there still is a critical racism problem based on the Arabs and Muslims-related stereotypes. Islamophobia has become a true problem for many EU immigrants including the Arab students due to the terrorism issues and national security policy (Fekete, 2009). With the anti-terrorism legislation, selective migration regulations of the EU restrict immigration of undesirable people (Fekete, 2009). However, these policies contribute to the negative perception of the Arabs and particularly the Saudi students. As a result, students are vulnerable to hostility in the strange environment; they can become even less flexible to the exi sting cultural changes. Such a negative attitude may not only create additional barriers but also eliminate any possibility of the trouble-free adjustment. Due to the aspects mentioned above, one can conclude that the social identity of any international student will be definitely influenced by the exterior factors. However, the strength of such impact can depend not only on the personal sensitivity and vulnerability but also on ethnic and citizenship identities. The values and character of a person that have been shaping for entire life cannot stay unnoticed in this case. Moreover, if one regards the situation in the light of the social connections of a person, it will become obvious that any international student have to build new relations within the territory of a new country. However, the old ones do not disappear; they are supported by the ability to communicate via phone, social networks, and random visits. Faas (2009) considered such social connections complicated, dynamic, and dependent on ethnicity and citizenship. The reason is that these two categories may influence the strength and number of one’s connections. Moreov er, they predetermine the mode of students’ thinking about their identities (Faas, 2009). According to the research held by Faas (2009), one can conclude that international students should have not a singular but several identities unified in a hybrid ethno-national one. It is an outcome of the governmental policies, educational and social experience, social positioning, nationality, ethnical background, and migration history (Faas, 2009). In the context of this study, one can conclude that the Saudi international students in the UK are likely to have much in common with the Turkish ones due to the same religion. However, they would even acquire a higher ethnic dimension of hybridity as the rules within the country are stricter. To sum it up, investigation of the international students’ identity should be definitely supported by paying attention to social class, schooling, and consequent appearance of the hybridized cosmopolitan identities. Saudi Students Adjustment During the last decade, the internalization of the higher education has made the scholars study the process of students’ migration and its influence on their immediate and further life. This process is important for almost all spheres of young individuals’ lives including their motivation, goals, and experiences (Brooks Waters, 2011). Research conducted by Brooks and Waters (2011) is focused on the proficiency and life situations of students from East Asia, Europe, and the UK; it provides a deeper understanding of the common and controversial features of their experiences. Being representatives of different parts of the world, all students search for the better perspectives in higher education. However, the comparison of the Middle East students’ and the European or western ones shows that they commonly feel it more difficult to keep pace with the rapid changes and face much more barriers on their way of academic and social adjustment (Brooks Waters, 2011). The refore, one can consider the closed character of the Arab society the underlying reason for such a difficult adjustment. Moreover, additional policies and practices should encourage universities to provide support to such students. Another obstacle for the international students from Middle East and, in particular, Saudi Arabia is the low motivation level (Brooks Waters, 2011). Such issue is predetermined by the sponsorship as the responsibility-bearer that aims to simplify students’ life in a new country by providing financing and housing (Gauntlett, 2006). Even though there exist some pre-departure discourses for international students, they are proved to be not highly motivational (Gauntlett, 2006). In addition, the challenges these individuals face in the new country and inability to adjust to them quickly decrease the motivation level even more. The upbringing and life in the Arab country make most young people unwilling to search for help or support from their relatives, who stay abroad. Moreover, following strict religious rules while living in the segregated society limits the potential talents of a person or his/ her desires for changes or disobedience. In such a way, for young people, staying away from home becomes problematic in many ways due to the reserved mindset and social identity that are completely different from those of the Europeans around them. International students can face numerous academic, social, or personal problems during their adaptation to a new life in an unfamiliar academic and cultural environment. After reviewing relevant literature, it appears that there is not much information considering the experiences of the Saudi students in the UK. According to Shaw (2009), few studies on the topic are predetermined by the historical factors. For a long time, Saudi Arabia has been characterized as an isolated country with â€Å"significant percentage of nomadic Bedouins† (Shaw, 2009). Nevertheless, the situation changed in the end of the 20th century. Oil money became the main economic factor that penetrated into its deeply traditional life (Shaw, 2009). The nation had to open its barriers to the outside world and global influence. With the implementation of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program, the state began sending its students abroad quite massively. However, it was only one reason for Saudi Arabiansâ€℠¢ reluctance to help their young people to study in other countries. The second reason was the restrictive religious discussion on permission to travel to the lands of the unfaithful. Even though Muslims believe that education is a religious duty, studying in the native country has always been considered a better alternative. However, the later analysis of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings suggested another idea (Kandehlevi, 2008). The prophet asserted that for those, who leave their home to look for knowledge, â€Å"the angels spread out their wings†; these words can be interpreted as an obvious support of the international studies (Kandehlevi, 2008). Therefore, nowadays, the majority of Saudi Arabians share the idea that the abroad studies can become a useful and interesting experience. Finally, the development of such characteristics as personal adaptation resilience and intercultural competence is crucial for the Saudi students in order to get a successful international experience (Shaw, 2009). With a great number of changes that they have to pass, the resilience can be helpful to bounce the trauma and stress back. Additionally, intercultural competence is a significant contributor to cultural adaptation, realization of goals, and further life in a foreign country (Shaw, 2009). The knowledge and comprehension of the external and internal outcomes, in this case, becomes a key to success. Possible Differences in the Male and Female Reactions The Saudi sponsorship program does not divide candidates according to gender and gives females equal chances to study abroad (MHE, 2010). As a result, the UK CISA (2015) reports the equal growth in the male and female students from Saudi Arabia. Even though, this perspective ensures an equal view on genders, the Arab society obviously adds some serious differences into the process of their adjustment. There are different ways to merge with the new environment. The reactions of people and behaviour during the process of adjustment allow one understand the possible complications. Therefore, there are good reasons for finding some examples of the major themes or patterns, representing the Saudi students’ experience of getting accustomed to the mix-gender environment. Both male and female students have to overcome difficulties in the process of finding their place in a new socio-cultural environment while remaining loyal to their system of beliefs. Hence, one can study the possible differences with regard to a variety of attitudes and rules of the native country. Despite similar grounds for the discomfort at the beginning of the studies in the new country, male and female students would struggle with different sides of emotional confusion. Nyamayaro and Saravanan (2013) provided evidence that the gender differences really matter in the students’ adjustment to the new environment. While depression was not proved to have a significant gender-related prevalence, stress and anxiety among women had a considerably higher level (Nyamayaro Saravanan, 2013). Therefore, one can conclude that females find adjustment to the new environment more painful; they are more emotionally vulnerable and sensitive. Particular attention should be paid to the female students and their contact with the fellow representatives of the opposite sex. Having been previously segregated from men, they are not likely to be familiar with the social situations that involve males. While dealing with the motivation level that is low among the Middle East students, one should mark out that such motivation is suppressed in females even more (Brooks Waters, 2011). The rules in the segregated society, as well as upbringing that predetermines the inclination to be obedient instead of manifesting personal desires, are the aspects that impact the behaviour of the Arab females in their everyday life as well in making decisions. On the other hand, both male and female students may face such type of cultural difficulties as linguistic obstacles. It can even be hard for them to pick the vocabulary in order not to seem impolite or disrespectful. It would be necessary to arrange different preparation for the male and female students, who are planning to study abroad. English proficiency is crucial to their academic and communication success. With regard to considerable differences between Arabic as an official Saudi language and English as the UK official language, students face a double trouble. The languages belong to different language families and are absolutely different in syntax, grammar, phonetics, and writing. In his research, Alqahtani (2011) revealed the importance of an individual approach to the Saudi students that are studying in the UK. In addition, the difficulties related to the language learning are also tightly interconnected with the cultural differences. Implications Modern society is characterized as the rapidly developing and striving for globalization one. Nevertheless, the issues concerning gender segregation remain urgent. Speaking about the countries of Far and Middle East, a lot has been done with the aim to overcome the differences in the men and women’s treatment. At the same time, intercultural education that provides new experiences to young people is a great way to share positive skills and values among nations. Intercultural studies have a positive influence on both genders. Consequently, the development of their personalities and general perception of the opposite sex would be closer to that of the Western society. The result of such studies should be expressed by an increase of self-confidence and resilience and decrease in the levels of anxiety and uncertainty. Cots and Lludra (2013) emphasize that the aim of intercultural education is â€Å"to promote relationships, interaction and exchanges among people in a global socie ty.† Hence, such type of education provides more possibilities to a person by shaping a new identity and adding to the worldview. Although there still appear a number of controversial issues, people should get closer to realizing that globalization can bring a great number of advantages, and the liquidation of segregation, at least in the educational sphere and employment market, will lead to the country’s sustainable development. This research offers several possible solutions that should become helpful for the adjustment of the Saudi international students. As for the main features that become advantageous for the international Saudi students in the process of adaptation, one should point out assertiveness, flexibility, positive views, openness, and strong sense of goals (Shaw, 2009). The recommendations regarding the language studies are based on several advices: implementing preparation courses in the native Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, improving English for Academic Purposes and providing special advice services to the Saudi students in the United Kingdom (Alqahtani, 2011). To sum it up, there can appear a great number of different situations referring to the subject of a cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and other countries. This study focused on the issues that Saudi students may face being the international students in the UK. With the growing number of international students worldwide and regular arrival of the Saudi students to the EU, the notions of cultural migration, social identity, adjustment, and competence become more and more timely. There are good reasons for studying the main negative influences of the foreign environment on young people’s identity and the ways of avoiding these challanges. The great difference between the Saudi and British worlds predetermined by the historical and religious context is the main aggravating factor caused by migration of the Saudi international students. Hence, it is important to investigate peculiarities of interaction between the gender segregated and mixed cultures. Cultural shock, social and academic adaptation, rights and security issues demand particular attention in the cases of students’ intercultural migration. Apparently, most difficulties are connected with the preservation of cultural identity in an unfamiliar society, obtaining new features of identity, and overcoming linguistic obstacles. The possibility to get the new experiences and skills in a foreign society become a unique chance to develop a new mixed identity that can be defined as a hybrid one and provide new worldview. Developing intercultural resilience and competence is crucial in order to get prepared for the future adjustment problems. This research may help the Saudi students adopt to other cultures without losing own identity.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Business Email Salutations to a Group [Updated 2018]

Business Email Salutations to a Group [Updated 2018] I wrote about correct salutations for business letters and business email, prompting a few clients to ask about which salutations work well for a business email to a group. Small Group Salutations If the group is small enough – five or less – the very best salutation is to use recipients’ names. This also indicates the message is relevant for all of them. Dear Carmen, Anita, Sean, James, and Roland: Note: using Dear [title, last name] or [first name] followed by a colon is the preferred salutation for all business salutations in email for formal communication when communicating outside your company on first contact. If your subject is a more personal business issue, such as group congratulations, condolences or thanks, use Dear [title, last name] or [first name] followed by a comma. If you know your recipients very well, you are all in the same company, the subject is light, and your company culture informal, you can also use Hello or Hi [first name], followed by a comma. When in doubt about formality, opt for Dear [title, last name] or [first name] and a colon. Group Salutations to a Team If all your recipients belong to the same group, use the group name: Dear Sales Team: Dear Profile Committee: AcknowledgementGroup Salutations Sometimes, endearing or encouraging group salutations work well, but use discretion with this approach: Dear Marketing Mavens: (To a marketing group, in a message announcing a new contract, which compliments their ability and skills that earned the contract.) Dear Road Warriors: (To a sales group that had been traveling non-stop for the past month, with a message announcing the sales results. This salutation works because it sincerely acknowledges their hard work.) Dear Sales Dudes: (Be judicious using personalized group salutations. A sales rep shared this salutation with me recently, which his sales manager uses for all group messages to the sales team. He told me he â€Å"cringes† every time he sees this, which proves the importance of a good salutation. We really can lose a reader at hello.) Group Salutations for Positions If your recipients are in various positions or groups: Dear Colleagues: Dear Coworkers: Ladies: (if all the recipients are women) Gentlemen: (if all the recipients are men) Neutral, Classic Group Salutations Always Work â€Å"Greetings† as a group salutation is neutral, succinct and not too casual, so always a good choice: Greetings: Greetings All: Summer Greetings: (Suitable for a seasonal group announcement message.) For more informal business writing, these salutations are warm and engaging: Hello, everyone: Hi Team, Dear Friends:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

SWOT Analysis of High-End Consignment Clothing Store Essay

SWOT Analysis of High-End Consignment Clothing Store - Essay Example Consignment stores are managed in a way that both the consignee and the consignor are in the queue to make some money. As per the rule book a consignor has the right to scrap the partnership if it feels the business is moving at a tortoise pace and can take its goods back from the consignee as the deal is for a limited period of time between the two (Andre, 2004, p. 218-219). When consignment stores become part of any discussion then USA is surely to be highlighted as the country which has some popular high-end consignment stores which over the years have been a prime destination for many abstemious shoppers. Some of these big names are Her Friend’s Closet, Frugal Boutique, The closet, Clothes Circuit: Dallas Upscale Retail, etc. These stores offer brand with style at affordable price and are a big hit amongst consumers (Downtownbend.org, 2012). Consignment stores are popular hangout for a large segment of people and these stores are no less attractive than the branded stores down the street and have a friendly ambience for the customers who love to shop in these stores. To analyze such stores what better than to take a popular store as an example. Clothes Circuit: Dallas Upscale Retail is one such high-end consignment store for women and who are into this business for nearly 30 years. It would be interesting to know why this store is popular amongst women. What makes the store a strong competitor? What are its strengths and weaknesses? To analyze these queries a SWOT analysis can be a handy tool and provide a gist of Clothes Circuits business plan (Clothes Circuit, 2012) SWOT Analysis of Clothes Circuit: a) Strength: The biggest strength of the store lies in its low price for branded clothing range though used but in great shape to even confuse customers for first-hand product. b) Weakness: Weakness can be many but the major being that it doesn’t create hype through large section of the population which may affect the business. c) Opportunity: Th e weakness of the store can be turned into favorable opportunity by targeting a particular segment of customers through various promotional activities to create a better communication plan using promotional mix to its best use. d) Threat: The biggest threat for the store is limited deal between the consignee & consignor. Secondly if the clothes are not in proper shape then selling them becomes a problem. Also proper fitting becomes a problem with limited availability. But threat can be converted into opportunity if the store can provide a tailor for cloth fitting as per customers body shape & size and make sure that clothes available are in good condition (Dingell, 2009). Apart from SWOT analysis there are other factors also which plays a significant role in analyzing the credibility of Clothes Circuit store. The elements of analysis to get a picture perfect view of the business strategies implemented by the store can be divided into internal & external factors. Internal factors: i) Strategy: A proper strategy to attain higher market share in consignment clothing store

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Consumer Proection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Proection - Essay Example First of all, according to the Consumer Credit Act, a credit organization is now allowed to come into repossession of the goods bought in credit in case all payments and installments are performed in due time. According to the latest amendments, included into the Consumer Credit Act 2006, all agreements higher than  £25,000 are now subject to the regulation by this act and thus the Act statements can be used in Dove’s attempt to protect its rights. The case is in fact connected with the fact that the seller has used the misleading trade descriptions when selling the goods to Duck, and the seller in this case is subject to penalties according to the Trade Descriptions Law 1968. - the clause 17, on the basis of which Chicken Credit Ltd demanded the payment of the sum of  £13,629 in addition to the arrears of installments of  £5,043 is not valid, as Dove Ltd didn’t initiate the termination of the agreement, and just wanted the changes of the agreement on the basis of the dysfunction of the goods (the lorries) he has bought. - the clause 17 may be subjected by Dove Ltd under the statements and regulations of the Unfair Contract Terms Act as the agreement terms, which break the consumer rights of Dove Ltd and thus demand too high arrears sums and installments in case he decides to terminate the agreement with Chicken Credit Ltd; - even in case the actions of Chicken Credit Ltd were partially right, they had to keep to the term of 14 days before repossessing the goods, according to the Consumer Credit Act 2006. As far as the 14 days term has not been followed by the Chicken Credit Ltd after having sent the notice to Dove Ltd, it may address the court in his request to recognize the credit company’s actions as illegal. The same actions may be performed in relation to the clause 17 of the credit agreement, though there are some notes, which should be taken into account by Dove Ltd. First of all, under

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Total Knee Arthroplasty Essay Example for Free

Total Knee Arthroplasty Essay Etiology and Pathology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The knee functions as a type of biological transmission whose purpose is to accept and transfer range of loads between and among the femur, patella, tibia, and fibula without causing structural or metabolic damage. Arthritic knees are like living transmissions with worn bearings that have limited capacity to safely accept and transmit forces. Arthritis of the knee can be restricted to a monoarticular clinical manifestation, or it may be a part of an oligo-or polyarticular disease. A careful anamnesis and clinical examination will allow the clinician to classify the clinical presentation of arthritis of the knee into disease groups such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis spondyloarthropathy, or miscellaneous arthritic diseases. Infectious arthritis presents typically as an (sub) acute inflammatory monoarthritic disease. Up to 90 % of infectious arthritis cases present as monoarthritis. The only exception is gonococcal arthritis, which presents more commonly as a migratory polyarthritis. If the condition is unrecognized, joint destruction will occur rapidly. In confronting the athlete who will undergo the operation it is important for me to discuss a working hypothesis and ultimately critical to arrive to the most likely diagnosis. The clinical history of the patient is to be well studied it is a demanding task and a lot of circumstantial evidence can evolve from a full history of the current problem , past medical conditions, and the family history. Kinds of Pain The nature of the pain that he might encounter and the reason he needs to undergo TKA belongs to â€Å"the basics†, whether it is mechanical, inflammatory, neuropathic, or poorly defined.   Mechanical pain occurs when the joint is used; walking becomes difficult and especially climbing stairs causes problems. On resting, there is less pain. Starting pain and stiffness are very characteristics of a more advanced mechanical pain pattern. Inflammatory pain typically presents at night. More specifically, the second part of the night become troublesome, and patients need to go out of bed and move. They experience morning stiffness for at least one hour, and this stiffness diminishes progressively as the pain begins to move. When pain is neuropathic in origin, a typical distribution pattern corresponding to the innervations’ is found. Psychosomatic pain has no typical presentation or distribution. Complaints are always more impressive than the clinical findings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider asking the patient of how long the knee problem has existed, when pain and swelling have been present for less than 6 weeks, the problem is acute. Beyond 6 week’s duration, the term chronic is used and implies that spontaneous healing of the arthritis is unlikely.   It is also important to look for circumstantial evidence. Did the trauma occur just before the knee swelling began? Did the patient have an episode of fever such as angina, gastroenteritis, or arthritis? Does the patient have other clinical conditions that could be linked to the knee arthritis, such as skin problems (psoriasis, erythema nodosum), chronic diarrhea as seen inflammatory bowel disease, and eye problems such as uveitis or scleritis? In this setting a complete familial history can also add useful information. Advantages of Total Knee Arthroplasty Consistent reproducible results Correction of mechanical alignment Addressing all knee compartments Long term (greater than 90%) 10 year survivorship Drawbacks Postoperative pain which can endure for months Prolonged recovery sometimes inferior Patient satisfaction With extensive exposure required to align and implant the total knee arthroplasty, there is significant damage to the quadriceps muscle both in cutting into the musculature itself as well as damage with eversion of the patella and prolonged stretch to the quadriceps mechanisms intraoperatively. Muscle damage is permanent and can limit postoperative strength and/or function. Surgical Procedure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before the surgery is performed usually blood count, electrolytes, APTT and PT to measure blood clotting, chest X-rays, ECG, and blood cross matching for possible transfusion. Accurate X-rays of the knee are needed to measure the size of components which will be needed. Medications such as warfarin and aspirin will be stopped some days before surgery to reduce the amount of bleeding. The athlete may be admitted on the day of surgery if the pre-op work up is done in the pre-anesthetic clinic or may come into hospital one or more days before surgery. Recent improvements in technology have led to a confusing spectrum of choices for both the patient and surgeon in treating monocompartmental knee arthritis. The obvious need to get the surgery done right, there are now pressures to â€Å"do it quickly† and with a minimal scar and reduced disability time. The combination of patient’s demands and expectations with actual surgical possibilities may be challenging. To this end, a logical structuring of options is in this order: Osteotomies Unincompartmental knee arthroplasty Total knee arthroplasty The indications and more importantly, the contraindications of the surgical procedures often results in overlap of options that must be considered for any given clinical situation. The appropriateness of any of these procedures should be considered in light of their relative indications and problems. These include patient age, activity level, expected longevity of the procedure, reliability of the procedure to bring about the expected goal, and ease of revision in the event of failure. Of equal importance are the contraindications to the procedures including contracture, deformity, ligament contracture or insufficiency, and bone deficiency. The relative value of an osteotomy stands in inverse proportion to the patient’s age. Younger patient’s demands on an implant that will not stand the test of time, with failure due to wear or fixation failure. Considering that the patient is an athlete, athletic activities after the operation such as jumping and running are associated with surface loads in excess of the limits of the polyethylene.   The hazards of heavy or repetitive loading, deep knee bending and the lifting activities that accompany a variety of occupations and activities may loosen or damage prosthesis. Research Probability on Different methods on Knee Surgery Long term results of osteotomy show a gradual decline in function and recurrence of deformity. Hungerford et al reported that on ninety-two knees with a good or excellent rating after osteotomy at two years. At ten years only fifty-eight knees (61%) maintained this level 13. Parvizi et al reported on fifty-eight patients with a mean fifteen year follow up. There were only 55% good to excellent results. Twenty-six patients formed subsets that have been reviewed previously. At eight years, there were 73% good to excellent results, declining to 46% at eighteen years. Technical Problems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Technical problems of total knee arthroplasty after closing wedge osteotomy include: difficulties in gaining exposure, bony deficiencies necessitating grafts or wedges, difficulties in attaining ligament balance, prolonged surgical time and increased blood loss. Lonner et al recommended reserving the procedure for young, active overweight patient only 15.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Justification for the procedure in high demand patients is more difficult. Bellemans and Co author have reported range of motion between 120 and 130 degrees with enhanced functional potential for activities of daily living including stair climbing and transfer function.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Osteotomy has some contraindications including: various deformities greater that 10 degrees, flexion contracture more than 20 degrees, limited range of motion, ligament insufficiency including the anterior cruciate, and patellofemoral (Kurtz, 2004). Unicompartmental arthroplasty shares similar contraindications. Surgical treatments include tissue repair approaches, arthroscopic lavage and debridement, osteotomy, and unicompartmental and total knee replacement. There is little or no evidence that surgical reconstruction of torn cruciate ligaments or the meniscus prevents the development of the knee OA. It remains to be seen whether cartilage repair procedures prevent or slow down knee OA. The combination of tissue repair, such as the repair of cartilage defects, with an osteotomy, performed on the right patient and by a trained surgeon. In the case of knees with advanced degenerative arthrosis which undergo joint replacement surgery, the principle of functional restoration may be more properly stated as maximization of the functional capacity of the knee. As effective as current joint replacement techniques are at achieving pain relief and often associated increases in muscle strength and control, knees that have had joint replacement surgery do not replicate the functional status of a healthy, uninjured, adult joint. After the joint replacement the patient should avoid in running marathons or play tackle football. The structure of the knee is complex, and its behavior can be unpredictable even in the most experienced hands. However, the task of replacing the bone surfaces and balancing the ligaments can be made manageable by following a logical plan based on correct alignment throughout the arc of flexion and ligament release based on the function of each ligament. Optimal knee function requires correct varus-valgus alignment in all positions of flexion. This requires reliable anatomical landmarks for alignment both in flexion and extension. The long axes of the femur and tibia and the anterior and posterior axis of the femur are highly reliable and provide the guidelines for establishing stable alignment of the joint surfaces by placing the tibia and patellar groove correctly in the median anterior-posterior plane trough the entire arc flexion.   Knowing their function and testing their tension provides the information necessary to release only the ligaments that are excessively tight, leaving those that are performing normally. Fractional release does not destabilize the knee, because other ligaments are retained, and because the peripheral attachments of the ligament to other soft tissue structures such as the peristeum or synovial capsular tissue allow the released ligament to continue to function. Ligament release does not cause instability. Failure to align the knee and release the tight ligaments, however, does not cause instability, unreliable function, and excessive wear. With this knowledge, good instruments, and sound implants, the surgeon can align, balance, and stabilize the knee even when severe bone destruction and ligament contracture are present. CT scanning is an accurate way of measuring the component malrotation. Assessment of the rotatory alignment of the femoral component and the axial rotational relationship of the femoral and tibial components is part of the Perth CT protocol which is used routinely in total knee replacement surgery. The athlete will have preoperative clinical investigation and a radiological examination with standardized coronal long leg stance X-ray and standard lateral X-rays, adapted from the technique. Intraoperative complications will be recorded. The radiological evaluation was repeated between the 6th and 12th postoperative weeks by an independent observer at each center. The athlete should perform straight leg raises by the first postoperative day, by the second postoperative day research shows that 90% of patients have straight leg rise which suggest s good control of the quadriceps mechanism. On the third postoperative day the athlete should be able to independently transfer from a bed to a chair and on fourth postoperative day the athlete is able to navigate up and down stairs with assistance, and the mean postoperative discharge is 2.8 days.   The athlete is discharged to physical therapy which he will perform on his own home. Athlete should be averaging 10 days on a walker, 1 week on a cane, and independent ambulation is averaging approximately 3.5 weeks.    Rehabilitation Protocol To have the ability to perform physical actions task, and activities related to self-care is improved: Care is coordinated with patient, family, and other professionals.   Case is managed throughout episode of care   Integumentary integrity is improved   Knowledge of behaviors that foster healthy habits its gained Placement needs are determined   Risk factors are reduced   Risk of secondary impairments is reduced   ROM is increased   Standing balance is improved, stress is decreased To achieve this outcome, the appropriate intervention for this patient is determined. This will include coordination, communication, and documentation.    Is there evidence of total contact? If the person has a pelite liner, total contact maybe checked by putting a little ball of play dough at the end of the socket, the patient stands and bears weight and the displacement of the play dough indicates the extent of total contact, Too little contact may cause may cause distal end skin problems and a stretching pain. Too much may cause excessive pressure at the end of the stump and pressure pain. Is suspension maintained when patient’s lifts leg off the floor? Check that there is no excessive movement of the prosthesis away from limb when weight is removed. On weight bearing, make a small pencil mark at the anterior socket brim or, if sleeve or shuttles locks suspension, place lightly at edge of socket. Too much movement between residual limb and socket creates abrasions and may lead to toe drag on swing. CONCLUSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joint replacement surgery is designed to expand the entire envelope of function of symptomatic arthritic knees as safely and predictably as possible. Properly utilized, total knee replacement surgery is capable of substantial increases in the functional capacity of a given arthritic joint, but it is not designed to restore the full physiological function of a normal, uninjured adult knee. Future developments in the therapeutic management of arthritic knees may eventually involve biological approaches that could result in further improvements in maximizing the post treatment envelope of function over what can be achieved with the current technique of using artificial components. By tracking the loss of osseous homeostasis in knees starting at a time prior to the development of overt radiography identifiable degenerative changes Most patients can easily readily grasp the concept of the envelope and therefore can have a better understanding of what function is to be expected postoperatively. By this method they can more readily understand the joint replacement surgery is not designed to restore a knee to full, normal physiological function. Patients have responsibilities, as well to do all they can ( by participating in pre- and post operative physical therapy, for example_ to maximize their envelope and, once3 this is achieved, to not exceed the functional capacity of the joint following surgery by avoiding activities associated with supraphysiological loading. Cited Literature Hungerford MW, Mont MA. 2000. Nonoperative treatment of knee arthritis. In Insall JN, Scott NA (ed.). The Knee. CV Mosby, NY. Robertsson O. 2000. Unicompartmental arthroplasty. Results in Sweden. Orthopade 2000; 29 Suppl 1:S6-8. Lonner JH, Hershman S, Mont M, Lotke PA, 2000.Total knee arthroplasty in patients 40   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  years of age and younger with osteoarthritis. Clinical Orthopedic pp. 380:85-90. Mont MA, Chang MJ, Sheldon MS, Lennon WC, Hungerford DS, 2002. Total knee arthroplasty in patients less than 50 years old. J Arthroplasty 17: pp. 338-343. Romanowski MR and Repici JA. 2002. Minimally invasive unicondylar arthroplasty. Eight year follow-up. J Knee Surgery 15: pp. 17-22. Parvizi J, Hanssen AD, Spangehl MJ, 2003.   Total knee arthroplasty following a prior proximal tibial osteotomy. A long-term study identifying risk factors for failure. J Bone Joint Surgery (In Press). Hungerford, D. S. Kenneth A., Krackow, Kenna R.V. 1994. Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Comprehensive Approach. Williams and Wilkins. Kurtz, S.M.   2004. The UHMPE Handbook Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Academic Press. Rodriguez, E. C. 2003. The Haemophilic Joints: New Perspective. Blackwell Publishing. Delloye, C. and Bannister, G. 2004. Impaction Bone Grafting in Revision Arthropplasty. Published Informa Health Care. Bono, J.V., Scott, R.D. 2005. Revision Total Knee Athroplasty. Springer. Dutton, M. 2004. Orthopedic Examination, Evaluation, and Intervention. Mc Graw Hill Professional. Sculco, T.P., Martucci, E.A., 2001. Knee Arthropplasty. Springer Publising. Moffat, M. Rosen, E. Rusnak-Smit S., 2006. Muscuskeletal Essentials: Applying the Physical Therapist. SLACK Incorporated. Callaghan, J.J., 2003. The Adult Knee. Contributor Harry E. Rubash. Lippincott Williams Wilkins.

Friday, November 15, 2019

AMENDMENTS :: essays research papers

. Constitution: Fourteenth Amendment Fourteenth Amendment - Rights Guaranteed Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection Amendment Text | Annotations Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Section. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. Section. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. Section. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Teaching Of English To Young Children Education Essay

Vocabulary plays a really of import function in larning a foreign linguistic communication and is one component that links the four accomplishments: speech production, listening, reading and composing. Without learning vocabulary, many pupils can fall behind in other capable countries. In order to pass on good in a foreign linguistic communication, pupil should get an equal figure of words and should cognize how to utilize them right. Experienced instructors of English as a Second Language know really good how of import vocabulary is. They know pupils must larn 1000s of words that talkers and authors of English use.Fortunately, the demand for vocabulary is one point on which instructors and pupils agree. For many old ages, nevertheless, plans that prepared linguistic communication instructors gave small attending to techniques for assisting pupils learn vocabulary. Some books appeared to be stating instructors that pupils could larn all the words they needed without aid. In fact, instructors were sometimes told that they ought non to learn many words before their pupils had mastered the grammar and sound system of the linguistic communication. In journal articles for instructors, vocabulary was rarely mentioned. Pronunciation and grammar were emphasized, but there was small or no accent on vocabulary. The purpose of my MA thesis would be to demo how the cognition of broad scope of vocabulary is of import for scholar of Second Language but besides how to do it interesting and easy adaptable for immature pupils. During my work in Primary School I have observed how easy kids become distracted when they are non motivated. It is really indispensable to maintain them engaged in the lesson. I know from my learning experience that utilizing assortments techniques and methods are really of import while learning kids. I would wish to see some of them. A figure of techniques can be adopted to show new vocabulary points. Some techniques are more popular and more frequently used than others. Besides it is up to the instructor which techniques he or she decides to utilize but ever the effectivity of instruction should be considered. Every instructor tends to utilize and prefers some technique that he or she finds interesting. There are techniques that are peculiarly appropriate for certain types of words – for illustration actions can be explained through dumb show. Another factor that is deserving sing is the age of the scholars. Younger 1s respond rather good when we show them concrete illustrations, the older 1s can pull off reasonably good abstract accounts or even definitions.The presentation of new vocabulary can be classified for illustration harmonizing to verbal and ocular techniques. Among ocular techniques we can happen images – flash cards, exposure and magazine images, wall charts, postings, chalkboard drawi ngs, word images, several realia that instructors can keep up or point to. Mime, action and gestures can be used particularly for explicating actions and times. Learners can label images or objects or execute an action.Verbal techniques consist of utilizing exemplifying state of affairss, descriptions, equivalent word and opposite word, collocations, graduated tables, and utilizing assorted signifiers of definition: for illustration, definition by presentation ( ocular definition ) , definition by abstraction, contextual definitions, and definition by interlingual rendition. Explanation can go highly hard particularly with novice degrees. There are many different methods and approaches how to learn a foreign linguistic communication, including vocabulary. I will advert some of them that can be used for learning immature scholars. A small spot of flooring method is the direct method. The female parent lingua is ne'er used, there are no interlingual renditions. Merely mark linguistic communication is used and merely complete sentences. Culture is considered an of import facet. Suggestopedia is a really successful method in assisting scholars to memorise words. This method stimulates the learner?s encephalon by music while larning but nowadays instructors seem to be go forthing this method. What truly works particularly for immature scholars is the Entire Physical Response method. Very many kids are nowadays really hyper and physically active and to concentrate for a long clip can be really hard for them. Using this method, games, altering subjects and utilizing a assortment of activities is really appreeciated by them. .Communicative Language Approach ( Teaching ) – CLT – stresses the significance of a linguistic communication in context. Communicative competency is extremely developed h ere and scholars are encouraged to pass on. When learning immature scholars, the instructor has to be strong at the cognition but besides needs to link with the kids. They need to experience the instructor likes them and wants to learn them something new. The consequences are seen easy and the scholars at this age are really thankful when person invest clip in them. The instructor has to cognize his or her students. It is of import to understand their demands, their outlooks with which each kid comes to the lessons, besides ways how to actuate them and last but non least their learning manner. All this the instructor is larning while working with the scholars. The instructors get to cognize their households, their avocations and involvements and merely basic information about the scholars. Besides, particularly today, we as instructors have to see the acquisition disablements excessively. There are more and more chidlren with these jobs and we as instructors need to assist them to bask the lessons and assist them to larn exces sively. The instructor needs to understand their differences, their cultural and household background. The features of immature scholars will be besides needed. I want to demo that working with them offers many possibilities and we can utilize many methods and attacks. During my teacher?s preparation I have learned that it is of import to larn about their personalities and besides to acquire to cognize them. Every scholar is different and we need to see each individual separately.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Market Competitiveness Essay

Market competitiveness is the competitive edge an organization has over another. This competitive edge can range from employee salaries, growth, stock, and employee benefits. Competitive markets are good for companies to stay in business and to keep up with its competitors. Companies have to rationally establish a competitive edge by what the company can offer to exceed its competitors’ offers. This rationale usually comes from the company’s financial resources and if a company lacks financial resources the company has to develop alternatives. Each employee needs will be different and will look for many different things when looking for a job or career. There are hierarchies of employee needs that helps determine if the company will be a good fit for the employee. Some people need a good salary and not benefits and others need good benefits and a reasonable salary. Market Competitiveness Market competitiveness is when an organization has competition within the same category or market. In a competitive market, markets or organizations have to compete willingly and openly in order to be taken seriously in market competitiveness. Also by an organization being in a competitive market gives one an advantage over another. Organizations have to first research its competition to see what they are doing and to develop a better plan than their competitors. In a competitive market, the organizations have to understand how and why their competitors are able to do some things. For example, A. Offer competitive salaries,  B. Offer competitive training, C. Offer a good work facility, D. Offer growth within the company, and E. Offer a good work environment. Every employee has different needs and different aspects they for with in a company. An organization in a competitive market has to develop a rational salary structure and use the resources it has to appeal to the employees as well as potential candidates. According to Muthoo and Mutuswami (May 2011), â€Å"Moreover, increasing the competition beyond a certain degree increases the distance between the first-best and second-best levels of efficiency.† Market competitiveness has many aspects that aids with developing as well as considering the concept of market competitiveness in a pay system, competitive salaries and lack of financial resources, and alternative approaches. Concept of Market Competitiveness in a Pay System The concept of market competitiveness in relation to an organization’s pay system is developed by the company’s internal factors and external factors. The internal factors consist of salary rates currently, job value, job need, and employee need. The external factors consist of laws, the current market, and market need. According to Martocchio (2011, pg 150), â€Å"Market-competitive pay systems represent companies’ compensation policies that fit the imperatives of competitive advantage.† Companies have to develop some type of pay system or structure in order to remain competitive in the market. A salary structure is a good way for a company to determine if a hierarchy would help with determining market competitiveness. The internal and external factors aid the company with developing a hierarchy of jobs and their salaries. Competitive Salaries and Lack of Financial Resources Competitive salaries are very good ways of scouting or seeking for employees. In the economy today, candidates are looking for the best or the most competitive salary possible to be or feel financial stable. The reason for this is because people like to be financial stable more so than stress free. The position could be very stressful but if it pays enough someone would apply for the job. According to Martocchio (2011, pg150), â€Å"Market-competitive pay systems play a significant role in attracting and retaining the most qualified employees.† Most companies are unable to offer its employees market competitive salaries because of lack of financial resources. Companies have to be in a positive place or the companies’ financial budget has to be in order to offer competitive salaries. The lack of resources can come from the company having a bad year, someone miss managing the company’s funds, or simply a slow turnover. Many companies now set budgets for new positions that need to be filled by a certain date and time by using a financial forecasting system. Alternative Approaches The alternative approaches are the other ways the compensation for jobs or positions can be determined. Some of the alternative approaches are currently used to aid with justifying a positions value and need. A few alternative approaches for a company that has limited financial resources are: Step 1: Deciding a number of pay structures,  Step 2: Determining a market pay base, Step 3: Defining pay grades or levels, Step 4: Calculating pay ranges, and Step 5: Evaluating the results. According to Martocchio (2011, pg 151), â€Å"Compensation professionals create market-competitive pay based on four activities: A. Conducting strategic analysis, B. Assessing competitors’ pay practices with compensation surveys, C. Integrating the internal job structure with external market pay rates, and D. Determining compensation policies. Conclusion In conclusion, market competitiveness is the competitive edge an organization has over another. Market competitiveness is when an organization has competition within the same category or market. The concept of market competitiveness in relation to an organization’s pay system is developed by the company’s internal factors and external factors. Competitive salaries are very good ways of scouting or seeking for employees. The alternative approaches are the other ways the compensation for jobs or positions can be determined.