Purposes of police patrol Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purposes of police patrol - Research Paper Example Purposes of police patrol Knowledge about the neighbourhood is the essence of every police patrolling function. â€Å" Knowledge about the physical structure of the neighbourhood, Boundaries and adjoining areas, Alleys, Businesses, Layout of streets, dead end streets, geographical directions† etc would enhance the patrolling functions very much. â€Å"Foot Patrol, Motorcycle Patrol, Motorized Patrol, Bike Patrol, Horse Patrol, Aircraft Patrol, Watercraft Patrol, Routine Patrol, Directed Patrol, D-Runs, Saturation Patrol, Split Force, Suspect-Oriented Patrol† etc are some of the most common patrolling programs undertaken by police force. Increased probability of accidents is the major issue in high speed pursuits. â€Å"Research from the 1980s indicates that nationwide property damage occurs in about one of every five pursuits, personal injury in one out of seven, and death in approximately one out of every thirty-five pursuits†. Moreover increased rate of law suits against the patrolling officers is another issue associated with high speed pursuits. It should be noted that in high speed pursuits, the possibility of causing damages to the innocent people is more. Casualties in the form of death and injury can occur to the innocent people while the police officers chase criminals at a high speed using different types of vehicles. â€Å"California police chased more than 7,000 drivers in 2003. The chases resulted in 58 deaths, including 18 innocent individuals who werent involved in the pursuit".

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

Stereotype - Research Paper Example Our society is plague with stereotypes, and even though we live in a world that is deemed civilized, prejudice will never be extinct. The turn of the nineteen century witnessed a new era for women. No longer were women contented to stay in the background, or fade in the shadows of their husbands. Having been in the air-force I have witnessed and heard how men view women in a mans world. They resent the fact that they will have to take orders from a woman superior. They have biases that have no foundation, other than the fact that they grow up hearing over and over the criteria that make women women. A woman should do what she does best―nurturing her husband and children. During my service in the air-force, one case in particular has a ineradicable imprint in my mind. My squadron had a woman drill sergeant; and my team-mates resented having to salute a woman or take orders from her. Many times they would pretend to forget and addressed her as â€Å"sir.† She was well aware of their hostility and that made her more militant than most male officer. Their reaction to her was predetermined, she knew it, and was determined to change their minds. Only the best she would accept, she had to prove herself, to show us that she can do a â€Å"mans job. She was dauntless, consequently, my team was first in all training exercise. My colleagues were using a hand-me-down stereotyping. They were perpetuating a myth, a myth that held its ground for many centuries, It was only in 1976, less than fifty years ago, that the first woman was allowed to register in the air-force. The logic that was displayed here is dogmatic. According to the book Introduction to Logic, â€Å"Dogmatism is the position taken by a person who asserts his or her belief as what should be the case: no room for disagreement is possible in this case, and if there is no room for disagreement, the possibility of argument also disappears. (please put the author(s) of the book, the publication

CompInnova System Project Requirements

CompInnova System Project Requirements The CompInnova project is focused upon the development of an innovative inspection methodology, with automated and manual capabilities, for any type of composite and metallic aircraft structures. Within this report, project requirements and specifications related to structural integrity, damage repair and development of a vortex robot, are presented and discussed in the following order: A qualified Phased Array (PA) method related to the structural integrity approach, is an advanced non-destructive testing method used to detect component failures (i.e. cracks), and can be used to assess the component condition. It is presented in chapter 2. An Infrared Thermography (IRT) method, also related the structural integrity approach, is used to determine the presence of flaws by monitoring the flow of heat over a surface, and is presented in chapter 3. A Damage Tolerance (DT) structural integrity assessment technique is used to fracture load for a specified defect size, and predict the required length of time for a sub-critical defect to grow to the size that causes fracture at given load. The DT is presented in chapter 4. Following the structural integrity assessment, a preliminary assessment of the specifications of the repair module of the vortex robot is presented in chapter 5, with the repair module envisaged to perform scarfing or stepped lap repairs on composites as well as bonding repairs on metals. The repair module, as well as the structural integrity assessment systems, is a part of a vortex robot, for which a detailed overview of the existing state of the art in NDT robotic technology is presented in chapter 6. In addition, an overview of the determined project requirements and specifications related to the proposed NDT novel vortex robotic mechanism is presented as well. The project requirements for the CompInnova system has been drafted and agreed by all the participants in this document. Phase Array (PA) technique is an advanced non-destructive testing method used to detect component failures. PA is used for in service inspection and characterization of faults in metallic, as well as composite components. PA uses transducers made up of individual elements that can each be independently driven, by which it is able to decrease the complexity and the handling of an ultrasonic testing system. The PA probes are connected to specially adapted drive units with independent, simultaneous emission and reception along each channel. 2.1 Phased Array Transducer The PAUT transducer should be a linear array transducer with number of elements between 16 and 128 and the central frequency should be ranged between 2 and 5 MHz so that minimum ultrasonic inspection requirements are satisfied for a range of different material structures. The element pitch would be between 0.5 and 0.8 mm (high resolution probe) and it will be defined according to the minimum detectable defect, the properties of the scanned samples and the quality of the acquired ultrasonic images. Furthermore, the array aperture (coverage area rate parameter) and the element length would be finally determined according to the final array specifications. The moving velocity for the array would be approximately 20mm/sec and dependent on the characteristics of the scanned sample for flat or slightly curved surfaces. The transducer would be able to be connected with any PA system via an array interface (i.e. 128 element Hypertronics generic array interface) with cable length that will be defined by the needs of the outdoor inspections required (i.e. required manipulation region of the probe, especially on large structures) and the quality of ultrasonic data acquired. The array should have the capability to directly be integrated in any manipulator for automated operation however it would also be possible to be used in manual inspection procedures with encoded capability along the movement direction with the aid of special encoding configuration that will be continuously attached with the array. By marking the necessary inspection paths on the sample surface and performing several passes with the probe, large areas can be inspected manually. The wedge coupled with the array would have a thickness between 30 and 35 mm and with an angle that is always dependent on the inspection sample thickness (i. e. make sure that reference signals like front and back wall echoes are detectable and visible) and the type of incidence wave required (i.e. longitudinal or shear wave). Precautions will be taken in order to maintain the array at a proper contact arrangement with the testing surface. Water mist, gel or combination of both, are used as a couplant before scanning. The phased array probe would have potential to be interconnected with PA instruments and effectively all the necessary functions for ultrasonic inspection procedure can be performed by the integrated system, which are: automatic recognition of the installed ultrasonic transducer by the PA instrument, ultrasonic array element configuration, system calibration for reliable inspections, gathering of acquired ultrasonic data, A-scan, B-scan and C-scan imaging of data, real time or post processing of acquired data, interconnection with manipulators for acquisition of probe X-Y-Z position, mapping software development for the acquired ultrasonic data, and editing, storing and loading of array configurations. 2.2 Ultrasonic Data Acquisition Mapping Software Ultrasonic data acquisition mapping software would be developed with the aid of installed software environment (i.e. Labview environment) on the PA instrument and therefore processing and visualization of the acquired ultrasonic data can be obtained. All the element firing and probe-wedge configurations can be modified within the software environment. More specifically the user determines the scanning method (linear, half step or FMC) and the number of active elements. This is a procedure that allows the user to adjust all the involved parameters of the ultrasonic hardware by carefully interfacing with the software. Figure 2.1: Representation of an Ultrasonic Data Acquisition Mapping Software The parameters of array and wedge operation can be adjusted. Operating frequency, active aperture elements, beam step, acquire elements and wedge geometry can be set according to the inspection requirements. Array and wedge geometries can be saved or loaded. After the setting of the array-wedge configuration and all the data from PAUT and manipulator are available the scanning can commence. When operating, any type of acquisition display (A scan, B scan or C scan) would be available and so watch the progress of the inspection. Sizing of defects or regions of interest can take place using different image processing techniques or by simply implementing the typical 6db method. 2.3 Conclusion The PA technique will be employed within the advanced defect detection software for detecting very small size flaws in aircraft structures, while achieving a high POD without increasing the scanning time dramatically. This is achievable with the PA technique, since it is able to reduce the amount of sensors as well as the overall complexity of the system applied, while enabling independent and simultaneous emission and reception along each channel.

Free Essays - Development of Theme in Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Development of Theme in Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he uses several different themes. His themes help to portray the meaning and message of the novel. Twain's major theme in the novel is man's inhumanity to man. He develops this theme through the inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck, the dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls, and the betrayal of Jim for money by the King and the Duke. Twain uses the inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck to help develop the major theme of his novel. "' I'll take you down a peg before I get done with you'" (20). This quote shows how man is inhuman to other men, even if they are related and supposed to love each other. Pap talks and acts mean towards Huck, even though Huck is his own son. Not only is Pap mentally abusive toward Huck, but he is also physically abusive toward him. "But by and by pap got too handy with his hick'ry, and I couldn't stand it. I was all over welts"(24). The way that Pap treats Huck shows the inhumanity of man toward other men and helps to develop the major theme of the novel. The dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls also help to develop the major theme of the novel. The Duke and the King take their cruelty to another level because they steal and lie to the Wilkes girls, who are left all alone with no parents. And not sell the rest o' the property? March off like a passel of fools and leave eight or nine thous'n' dollars' worth o' property layin' around jest sufferin' to be scooped in?-and all good, salable stuff, too. (170-171) The Duke and the King are so inhumane that they will go as far as stealing from three innocent girls. "And he said of course him and William would take the girls home with them"(176). Not only do the Duke and the King steal money from the girls, but they also lie to them about bringing them to England just so they can have more money. Free Essays - Development of Theme in Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays Development of Theme in Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he uses several different themes. His themes help to portray the meaning and message of the novel. Twain's major theme in the novel is man's inhumanity to man. He develops this theme through the inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck, the dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls, and the betrayal of Jim for money by the King and the Duke. Twain uses the inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck to help develop the major theme of his novel. "' I'll take you down a peg before I get done with you'" (20). This quote shows how man is inhuman to other men, even if they are related and supposed to love each other. Pap talks and acts mean towards Huck, even though Huck is his own son. Not only is Pap mentally abusive toward Huck, but he is also physically abusive toward him. "But by and by pap got too handy with his hick'ry, and I couldn't stand it. I was all over welts"(24). The way that Pap treats Huck shows the inhumanity of man toward other men and helps to develop the major theme of the novel. The dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls also help to develop the major theme of the novel. The Duke and the King take their cruelty to another level because they steal and lie to the Wilkes girls, who are left all alone with no parents. And not sell the rest o' the property? March off like a passel of fools and leave eight or nine thous'n' dollars' worth o' property layin' around jest sufferin' to be scooped in?-and all good, salable stuff, too. (170-171) The Duke and the King are so inhumane that they will go as far as stealing from three innocent girls. "And he said of course him and William would take the girls home with them"(176). Not only do the Duke and the King steal money from the girls, but they also lie to them about bringing them to England just so they can have more money.

Chemistry of Anti-money Counterfeiting Technology Essay

I. Abstract Counterfeiting money is a big business for criminals. Nearly $70 million of fake currency gets used daily, costing consumers millions. In the present day, there are many new technologies that have been discovered and studied in order to help put counterfeiters out of business. Our currency is something that we must protect, which is why these technologies and discoveries are very important in the safety and development of our economy. The new generation of Philippine banknotes includes new and more advanced technology to ensure the safety of the genuine Philippine banknotes. This is to prevent money counterfeiting in our country. These new features include more advanced photo editing, which features micro printing on the different images and texts on the banknotes, a unique rough texture, a new system of serial numbering, advanced security fibers and security threads, watermark technology, and optically variable ink. These are the most advanced and efficient methods of preventing mon ey counterfeiting today. Provided in this paper is a detailed explanation and description of each security precaution and a detailed review of the methods used to execute them. II. Denominations of Currency The new generation Philippine banknotes composes of the denominations twenty, fifty, one hundred, two hundred, five hundred, and one thousand peso bills. The new twenty-piso bill honors President Manuel L. Quezon, the first President of the Republic of the Philippines on the front of the bill while the reverse shows the image of the breathtaking Banaue Rice Teraces and the Palm Civet from the Cordilleras. The fifty-piso bill commemorates President Sergio Osmeà ±a who led our country at the critical stage of World War II. The reverse shows an image of the Taal Lake, one of the world’s smallest active volcanoes and the Maliputo Fish. The one hundred-piso bill pays tribute to President Manuel Roxas who prioritized the crafting of the Central Bank charter then provided the leadership for the reconstruction of our country after the devastation of the Second World War. On the reverse, the near perfect cone-shaped Mayon Volcano and the Butanding or Whale Shark is also featured. The two hundred-piso bill features President Diosdado Macapagal who restored the celebration of Philippine independence on June 12. The reverse features the unique icon of Bohol, the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsier. The five hundred-piso bill is a salute to the champions of Philippine democracy, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and President Corazon Aquino. The reverse features the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Finally, the one thousand-piso bill features three of our war heroes, Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, Josefa Llanes Escoda, and General Vicente P. Lim. The reverse features the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park and the world famous South Sea Pearl. Figure 1 The money denominations come in specific color schemes of orange for the twenty-piso bill, red for the fifty-piso bill, violet for the one hundred-piso bill, green for the two hundred-piso bill, yellow for the five hundred-piso bill, and blue for the one thousand-piso bill. III. Security Features The Philippine Banknote or the Philippine Peso Bill finds the need to be current with the use of new technology to enhance the security of banknotes to remain impossible to replicate by criminals. The new generation Philippine banknotes incorporates the latest available technology in banknote security. This is the reason that they have developed new designs and upgraded the security features of all our banknotes. A. Photo Editing The Central bank of the Philippines uses a special photo editing software to ensure specific prints that are impossible to copy by criminals. Some of these specifications include nano prints on the images, lines, and words on the banknotes. B. Texture The note is not smooth to the touch, but a bit rough. This is because the bank notes are made of 80% cotton and 20% Philippine Abaca. Aside from that, the raised prints that are embossing from the Intaglio printing process give the bill a unique tactile feel. Intaglio printing is a printing technique in which the image is incised into a surface. Normally, copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn) are used, and the incisions are created by etching ot engraving the image. In printing, the surface is covered in ink and then rubbed vigourously with tartalan cloth or newspaper to remove ink from the surface, leaving it in theincisions. The very sharp printing obtained from the intaglio process is hard to imitate by other means. Intaglio also allows for the creation of latent images, which are only visible when the document is viewed at a very shallow angle. Figure 2 C. Serial Numbers The serial numbers are composed of one or two prefix letters and six to seven digits in asymmetric or increasing size. Serial numbers are not difficult to forge; yet they make banknotes easier to track and audit. Figure 3 D. Security Fibers The paper used to print our currency has tiny threads of fibers embedded into the paper. These red and blue fibers glow under ultraviolet light. If the bill has no red and blue fibers that glow, then it is probably a fake bill. Fluorescent marks are the invisible phosphor dyes on banknotes that glow under UV or blacklight. This glow will be visible under a money detector device. There are two kinds of security fibers. The first one is the visible security fibers. These are easily seen in current Philippine banknotes as the blue and red fibers that are randomly spread throughout the front and back of the paper. The other kind is the invisible security fiber. These glow a fluorescent yellow under ultraviolet light. Genuine security fibers in Philippine banknotes can be easily plucked out (yes, try it!) with the aid of a needle. Counterfeit money usually only prints the fibers on paper, thus they cannot be plucked out. Figure 4 E. Watermarks The watermark shows a shadowed image of the portrait and the banknotes’ denomination on the blank space when viewed against the light from either side of the bill. This is possible due to paper density variations. Figure 5 The word â€Å"Pilipino†, written in our ancient Filipino alphabet, Baybayin, can be seen in its complete form when the banknote is viewed against the light. F. Concealed Value When the banknote is rotated at a 45-degree angle and tilted downwards, we can see the concealed denominational value super imposed on the smaller version of the portrait. Figure 7 G. Security Threads Both the twenty-piso and the fifty-piso have a 2mm wide security thread that can be visible when viewed against the light. The one hundred, two hundred, five hundred, and one thousand-piso bills have a 4mm wide stich-like security thread embedded on the bill and when viewed from different angles, its color changes from red to green. The embedded security thread is a special thread vertically implanted off center of the note during the manufacture of the banknote paper. The front of the thread carries a clear text – the initials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the numeric denomination of the bank note. The back of the thread is also printed with the initials BSP. There are two kinds of security threads. One is a thin aluminum (Al) coated and partly demutualized polyester film thread with microprinting, which is embedded in the security paper as banknote or passport paper. The other kind of security thread is the single or multicolor sewing thread made from cotton or synthetic fibers, mostly UV fluorescent, for the bookbinding of passport booklets. Figure 8 H. Optically Variable Device Patch The five hundred-piso bill and the one thousand-piso bill have the optically variable device patch, a reflective foil. For the five hundred-piso bill, it reveals the small BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) logo and the blue parrot, while the one thousand-piso bill reveals the small BSP logo and the South Sea Pearl inside a clam. The patches change color from red to green when the note is rotated 90-degrees. Figure 9 I. Optically Variable Ink A security feature exclusive to the one thousand-piso note is the optically variable ink for the embossed denomination value on the lower right corner on the face of the banknote, which changes color from green to blue when it is viewed in different angles. Color changing inks are inks containing pearlescent pigments that change color when viewed at a different angle. The color of the ink does not actually change, but the angle of the light to the viewer’s eye changes and thus creates the change in color. A number of types are available, including green to purple, gold to green and green to lilac. Optically variable inks (OVI) are very expensive inks applied on banknotes as a security feature. So far, only the 1000 peso bills have this. There are two versions of OVI printing on the 1000 peso banknotes. This is an excellent security feature because counterfeiters will need a lot of effort and money to replicate it. They are called optically variable inks because tiny flakes of color-shifting film are incorporated in the intaglio ink. Thus, prints of OVI change color when viewed from different angles.

Identifying Key Factors for New Product Success

Identifying key factors for new product success It is well known for us that new product development is always the key for companies’ success or even survival. And the new products don’t need to be the totally new products, companies can just make some improvements, improve customers’ experience, or exchange a new color, shape to bring to customers new satisfaction and benefit. Then customers will not be tired of something, and customers are always the focus of marketing.But new product development process is not a simple process. It is a very complex process needs many correlative departments such as marketing, designing, developing, and manufacturing departments work together. What’s more, a new product takes a high risk, because nobody can guarantee that this is going to be sold well. It is very important to follow a scientific development process, this can reduce the risk as much as we can. At the beginning, we need some ideas, some kinds of inspiratio n.When customers have some new needs or new technology is invented, there could be an opportunity for company’s new products. These ideas may also come from one of employees, competitor’s new product, or government’s new policy. In other word, the opportunity maybe in everywhere, whenever we think customers need something new, we can develop a new product. Second, the company needs to estimate and analyze those ideas, compare with them by each advantages or disadvantages. And then choose the most hopeful one from many ideas.Try to find a potential profitable project. And the way to pick it is building a model that can measure technology advantage, marketing attraction and earning power. A good opinion is a kind of right direction, can lead the following process. Third, since we got the idea, I think it’s time to set a market strategy before the deign part. We need to analyze the target market, see what are the size, structure and behavior, and what the le vel that customers need it, the frequency of Purchase.Describe who would be the potential customers, and then set the cost based on it, and the general price strategy, promotion strategy, marketing budget, and the possible product mix for the new product. Fourth part is design and testing part, the reason why I put them together is that I think after a fail testing, the prototype always need to be redesigned. And before the final product, there always be lots of testing and redesign job to do to transfer the idea to a real valuable product. It can also be called the key of the entire new product development process.Fifth, when the new product is ready, all tested by engineers and employees. It’s time to be introduced to market. However, sometimes we need to do the Test Marketing, this is a real final testing, and the testers are customers. In general, company would choose a small place, like a small town, and try to sell the new products to those customers, and analyze the fe edback. Then market department can adjust its market strategy based on the feedback. The test marketing always lasts several months, or can be one year.After the final test, the new product can be introduced to the whole market. This is a scientific way to develop a new product. But as I said before, nobody can guarantee that this is going to be successful, even if it did a great job in test market. But what reasons cause a fail product? I think one of those reasons is fail to estimate the true potential of the market, if exaggerating the market potential, in which can bring some very serious problems like over-investment, over-manufacture, and product backlog.Another reason to fail could be the wrong design. Design part is the key of the whole development process, because customer is the key of market. If the design of new product can not satisfy customers’ need, the product would be fail, no question about it. Company would lose market share. But if company set a wrong pric e level, higher than the value of product, or made to much high cost, the profit would go down. A product can’t create profit would be fail too. And some people may not notice that a good promotion helps the new product a lot.A good and impressed promotion process can really fly a product, on the other hand, a awful promotion process can be a disaster for a new product. In short, developing a new product is a required process for a company. A new product’s success in market may indicate corporation’s bright future. But new products mean high risk, we need to do everything to do to reduce the risk. Like following the scientific development process, try to get the key need of customers. And a very important one, company needs to have self-confidence for the new product.

Synonymy Definition and Examples

Synonymy Definition and Examples Pronunciation: si-NON-eh-mi Definition: The semantic qualities or sense relations that exist between words (lexemes) with closely related meanings (i.e., synonyms). Plural: synonymies. Contrast with antonymy. Synonymy may also refer to the study of synonyms or to a list of synonyms. In the words of Dagmar Divjak, near-synonymy (the relationship between different lexemes that express similar meanings) is a fundamental phenomenon that influences the structure of our lexical knowledge (Structuring the Lexicon, 2010). Examples and Observations The phenomenon of synonymy is a central interest for both the semanticist and the language learner. For the former, synonymy is an important member of the theoretical set of logical relations existing in language. For the latter, there is a good deal of evidence to suggest that vocabulary is often best acquired by analogy, in other words, remembered as being similar in meaning to previously acquired forms... In addition, what we might term definition through synonym is a central feature of most dictionary organisation (Ilson 1991: 294-6). For motives of stylistic variation, non-native learners and translators have a pressing need to find lexical alternatives to express a particular concept, especially in writing. Harvey Yuill (1994) found that searches for synonyms accounted for over 10 percent of dictionary consultations when learners were engaged in a writing task. However, given the rarity of absolute synonymy, learners also need to know which of the particular synonyms given by dictionaries and thesauruses is the most suitable for any given context.(Alan Partington, Patterns and Meanings: Using Corpora for English Language Research and Teaching. John Benjamins, 1998)​ The Productivity of Synonymy - The productivity of synonymy is clearly observable. If we invent a new word that represents (to some extent) the same thing that an existing word in the language represents, then the new word is automatically a synonym of the older word. For example, every time a new slang term meaning automobile is invented, a synonym relation is predicted for the new slang term (say, ride) and the standard and slang terms that already exist (car, auto, wheels, etc.). Ride does not need to be inducted as a member of the synonym set- no one has to say ride means the same thing as car in order for the synonym relation to be understood. All that must happen is that ride must be used and understood to mean the same thing as car- as in My new ride is a Honda.(M. Lynne Murphy, Semantic Relations and the Lexicon. Cambridge University Press, 2003)Synonymy, Near-Synonymy, and Degrees of Formality - It should be noted that the idea of sameness of meaning used in discussing synon ymy is not necessarily total sameness. There are many occasions when one word is appropriate in a sentence, but its synonym would be odd. For example, whereas the word answer fits in this sentence: Cathy had only one answer correct on the test, its near-synonym, reply, would sound odd. Synonymous forms may also differ in terms of formality. The sentence My father purchased a large automobile seems much more serious than the following casual version, with four synonymous replacements: My dad bought a big car.(George Yule, The Study of Language, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 1996) Synonymy and Polysemy - What defines synonymy is precisely the possibility of substituting words in given contexts without altering the objective and affective meaning. Inversely, the irreducible character of the phenomenon of synonymy is confirmed by the possibility of providing synonyms for the various acceptations of a single word (this is the commutative test of polysemy itself): the word review is the synonym sometimes of parade, sometimes of magazine. In every case a community of meaning is at the bottom of synonymy. Because it is an irreducible phenomenon, synonymy can play two roles at once: offering a stylistic resource for fine distinctions (peak instead of summit, minuscule for minute, etc.), and indeed for emphasis, for reinforcement, for piling-on, as in the mannerist style of [French poet Charles] Pà ©guy; and providing a test of commutativity for polysemy. Identity and difference can be accentuated in turn in the notion of partial semantic identity.So polysemy is defi ned initially as the inverse of synonymy, as [French philologist Michel] Brà ©al was the first to observe: now not several names for one sense (synonymy), but several senses for one name (polysemy).(Paul Ricoeur, The Rule of Metaphor: Multi-Disciplinary Studies in the Creation of Meaning in Language, 1975; translated by Robert Czerny. University of Toronto Press, 1977)

Theoretical Perspective - Definition Examples in Sociology

Theoretical Perspective s in Sociology A theoretical perspective is a set of assumptions about reality that inform the questions we ask and the kinds of answers we arrive at as a result. In this sense, a theoretical perspective can be understood as a lens through which we look, serving to focus or distort what we see. It can also be thought of as a frame, which serves to both include and exclude certain things from our view.  The field of sociology itself is a theoretical perspective based on the assumption that  social systems  such as society and the family actually exist, that culture,  social structure, statuses, and roles are real. A theoretical perspective is important for research because it serves to organize our thoughts and ideas and make them clear to others. Often, sociologists use multiple theoretical perspectives simultaneously as they frame research questions, design and conduct research, and analyze their results. Well review some of the major theoretical perspectives within sociology, but readers should bear in mind that there are many others. Macro versus Micro There is one major theoretical and practical division within the field of sociology, and that is the division between macro and micro approaches to studying society. Though they are often viewed as competing perspectiveswith macro focused on the big picture of social structure, patterns, and trends, and micro-focused on the minutiae of individual experience and everyday lifethey are actually complementary and mutually dependent. The Functionalist Perspective The functionalist perspective  also called functionalism, originates in the work of French sociologist Émile Durkheim, one of the founding thinkers of sociology. Durkheims interest was in how social order could be possible, and how society maintains stability. His writings on this topic came to be viewed as the essence of the functionalist perspective, but others contributed to and refined it, including Herbert Spencer, Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton. The functionalist perspective operates on the macro-theoretical level. The Interactionist Perspective The interactionist perspective was developed by American sociologist George Herbert Mead. It is a micro-theoretical approach that focuses on understanding how meaning is generated through processes of social interaction. This perspective assumes that meaning is derived from everyday social interaction, and thus, is a social construct. Another prominent theoretical perspective, that of symbolic interaction, was developed by another American, Herbert Blumer, from the interactionist paradigm. This theory, which you can read more about here, focuses on how we use as symbols, like clothing, to communicate with each other; how we create, maintain, and present a coherent self to those around us, and how through social interaction we create and maintain a certain understanding of society and what happens within it. The Conflict Perspective The conflict perspective is derived from the writing of Karl Marx  and assumes that  conflicts arise when resources, status, and power are unevenly distributed between groups in society. According to this theory, conflicts that arise because of inequality are what foster social change. From the conflict perspective, power can take the form of control of material resources and wealth, of politics and the institutions that make up society, and can be measured as a function of ones social status relative to others (as with race, class, and gender, among other things). Other sociologists and scholars associated with this perspective include Antonio Gramsci, C. Wright Mills, and the members of the Frankfurt School, who developed critical theory.

A report on the Implementation of Standard Costing

A report on the Implementation of Standard Costing In current years, various tools such as activity-based costing, the balanced scorecard and target costing have been used in the business community. However, traditional management accounting systems continue to be widely applied. One example is standard costing, which has been used on a wide front during the last century. The purpose of this paper is to examine the widely use of standard costing system. Despite it is less relevant than newer accounting methods, standard costing is far from obsolete. Because of its simplicity, flexibility and affordability, standard costing remains a favorite cost accounting method among accounting and finance professionals. Introduction: In today’s time of rapid technologic change, tough global and domestic competition, total cost management is central to sustained corporate profitability and competitiveness. The management focus today is to minimize cost. The cost leadership strategy does not mean compromise on either quality or technology o r product differentiation. Low costs are no advantage, if the customers are not willing to buy the product of low cost firm. Cost management has to be driven with customer as the focus. The survival way for any company is how to manage its product/service cost, quality and performance. The customers are continuously demanding high quality and better performance products/services and at the same time, they want the prices to fall. The shareholders are also demanding a required rate of return on their investment with the company. Thus, cost has become a residual. The challenge is being able to manufacture or provide service with the stipulated cost framework. Thus, cost management has to be an ongoing continuous improvement program. Standard Costing In recent years, various tools such as activity-based costing, the balanced scorecard and target costing have been used in the business community (Kaplan Kaplan Ansari et al†¦1997). However, traditional management accounting systems continue to be widely applied (Brewer, 2000). One example of traditional management accounting is standard costing. Standards can be used with either job order or process costing system to provide important information for managerial planning, controlling, and decision making. Standard costing assists in setting budgets and evaluating managerial performance. The major motive to use standard costing is because it facilitates product costing estimation (Ask & Ax, 1997). Ask and Ax’s study is supported by a study conducted by Puxty and Lyall (1989), which reported that 76 percent of the UK commercial and industrial companies operate a standard costing system. Although it is used widely, people recently criticize it could not provide the information needed in today’s competitive environment. Despite the criticism, there are few signs that the use of standard costing tends to decrease. The survey from Ask and AX (1997) showed that 12.6 % of the companies investigated state d that they would abandon standards but on the other hand, 9.9 % stated that they would like to convert to standard costing system. The History of Standard Costing The standard costing system was developed in the early 1900s. According to Drury (1992), it was the scientific management principles recommended by F.W. Taylor and other engineers. Scientific engineers built up information about standards to set up â€Å"the best way† to use labour and material resources within manufacturing. Engineers used the standards to provide information for planning the flow of work so that the waste of materials and labour was minimized. Interestingly, engineers did not consider standards as a tool to control financial costs at that time (Drury, 1992)

Salt Marsh and Mangroves (for Coastal Defence) Essay

Salt Marsh and Mangroves (for Coastal Defence) - Essay Example Mangroves provide a good site for fisheries as the nursery grounds for young fish (fingerlings) and for laying their eggs. Mangrove forest cover is a crucial part of the bio-diversity of a locality such as giving a good habitat for a host of marine life. This is proven by the presence of three types of fauna found in mangroves which are resident species (living primarily among the mangroves), the seasonal migrants and the occasional species which visit the mangrove stands once in a while. The scientific study of mangroves and salt marsh as part of the conservation efforts is now a recognized field in engineering and of studies in ecology and oceanography. Mangrove forests are natural ecosystems in many coastal areas around the world and provide a natural coastal defence system which is often overlooked by country planners. Mangroves are a good deterrent against erosion caused by higher sea levels due to global warming and a changed wind pattern from various directions and velocities. Unfortunately, mangroves are under threat today from human activities and expansion. This paper will discuss how mangroves and salt marsh are crucial components in the coastal defence of areas threatened with erosion from tides and strong winds. It will then also tackle other issues concerning mangrove forests such as clearing them for firewood, charcoal and the other human needs such as for certain coastal developments like resorts. (Crossland & Kremer 47). Humans today are increasingly seen as major catalysts for change among coastal processes which had not been examined very closely before. Human interventions in areas of the coast form part of the larger anthropocene in which larger ecosystems are impacted. Various threats to Mangrove Forests – mangroves are under pressure from us humans especially in developed mangrove areas of the world such as those located along the Niger and delta areas of the Ganges-Brahmaputra and the Irrawaddy in Burma (Kathiresan 476). Other threats identified are degradation and destruction of the mangroves, plant disease and glo bal warming from climate changes. Some 90% of identified global mangroves are located in developing countries which make these mangrove forests particularly vulnerable to human exploitation and expansion of human activities. The estimated 18 million kms2 of mangroves in 1997 has since been reduced to a mere 15 million square-kilometres; it takes a long time for mangrove forests to recover once these are destroyed. Human Encroachments – this is perhaps the greatest threat to mangroves due to the various activities of humans such as urbanization (like in Singapore), Bangkok, Rangoon and in India (Calcutta and Bombay). Another is agricultural expansion from reclamation activities and for aquaculture purposes such as building ponds for shrimps. Other reasons are cutting the mangroves for firewood, charcoal and lumber (mangrove timber is highly resistant to the usual deterioration of wood because of high phenol content). The mangrove areas are usually drained of their salt water c ontent using rain water and protected from salt water intrusions. Degradation – this results when the health and productivity of the mangrove areas had deteriorated significantly from various causes. Among identified causes are oil pollution, dumped

How television advertisements affect children's purchase Essay

How television advertisements affect children's purchase psychologically - Essay Example This "How television advertisements affect children's purchase psychologically" essay outlines the impact of the advertisement on the consumers' behavior as children of today are tomorrow’s adult consumers. 1998; How Markets Target Kids, n.d). The autonomy of children in making decisions regarding family purchases has greatly increased compared to previous generations (How Markets Target Kids, n.d). The casual and friendly approach of parents towards their children has immensely contributed to such behavior. Children are not hesitant to openly voice out their needs in today’s households and parents yield to their requests either due to constant pestering from the child or to overcome their guilt about not having enough time to spend with their kids (How Markets Target Kids, n.d). In addition the changing family systems such as dual income, nuclear families and having children later in life have also influenced the buying capacity of the parents (How Markets Target Kids, n.d; Bhattacharyya & Kohli, 2007). However, in families where there are financial constraints such pestering can lead to child-parent conflicts which could have an impact on their relationship (Hoek, & Laurence, 1991). Constant pestering and crying f or long periods could have an irritating effect on parents especially after a hard days work. The pester power of children is increasingly seen in consumption of food products especially junk foods such as burgers, pizzas and fries. Other products include clothes or choosing holiday destinations of their interest.

Self-perception of young female and male students from Somali ethnic Essay

Self-perception of young female and male students from Somali ethnic group in Britain today - Essay Example Because of the changing structure of the education institution in Britain as well as the failure of several schools to sufficiently and fairly train or educate marginalised ethnic groups, such as the Somalis, an emphasis on issues of ethnic identity has emerged in relation to curriculum (Rutter, 2003, 29). Motivating a great deal of ethnic identity literature is frequently inherent and at times clear assumption that exposing students from disenfranchised ethnic groups to academic discussions of their own culture improves their mental and emotional security (Desforges, 2003, 42). Hence, the purpose of this study is to find out the current perceptions of Somali students in Britain of their own ethnic identity in order to ascertain the ‘best practices’ that may be applied to diversity management in the British education institution. 1.2. The researcher is confident that this study will provide an opportunity that would encourage critical reflection in Somali students of the ir ethnic identity. This study hopes to raise issues of group belongingness, conflict with the mainstream group, and individual identity. Certainly, the researcher views this subject matter as one valuable response to counteracting the failure of the British education institution to adequately and justly educate Somali students. ... r acknowledges that ethnicity is just one level of ethnic identity of students and that a variety of other variables influence how students understand their history and sense of group belongingness. 1.4. The potential users of this research are education practitioners such as school administrators and teachers. Understanding of the phases of ethnic identity development can aid teachers in correctly interpreting their students’ responses when they experience culturally or ethnically charged problems. And most importantly, Somali students as well as their families can use this research to understand their current situation in Britain and the possible means of dealing with issues of ethnic identity. 1.5. This study will try to answer the following research questions: 1. How do Somali students in Britain perceive their ethnic identity today in terms of their: a. relationship with their teachers; b. their socialisation experiences in school; c. their experiences with instructional practices and classroom curriculum. 2. Literature Review 2.1. Introduction London has the biggest Somali population at present. Somalis, in 2002, were reported as the biggest immigrant groups in London schools (Rutter, 2006, 177). Settlement patterns in the UK are influenced by ethnic identity. That ethnic identity establishes settlement patterns in UK schools possibly will have distinct groups of Somali children, with different experiences (Kassem, Mufti & Robinson, 2006, 91). A UK-born Somali child, for instance, will have distinct experiences from a child who immigrated from Mogadishu (Rutter, 2006, 177). Clan membership in the UK is less significant among migrant groups before 1988 but it remains extremely significant among new immigrants (ibid, p. 177-178). Memories of violence and

The Concept of the Ecological Footprint Assignment

The Concept of the Ecological Footprint - Assignment Example At the same time, communities and society need to grow in their concern and understanding about the environment while providing more access to resources that provide sustainability and lower numbers in ecological footprints. There are several concepts and factors that are attributed to the ecological footprint. The main concept is based on the behaviors, social expectations, and trends that are within a culture. The amount of knowledge that one has about the environment also creates a different approach to the ecological footprint that is used. The first factor that determines an ecological footprint is based on the capacity that a human has to use different types of resources and how this directly impacts the environment. The main concept that has to be looked into is based on the amount of resource consumption that an individual uses per year. As economic growth continues to emerge and as rising material standards rise in demand are also problems with ecological deterioration. The more in which one demands to have specific resources available, the more it contributes to environmental changes as a use of resources on the planet (Wackernagel, Rees, 1996). Even though it is required that each individual uses a specific amount of resources, there is also a rising concern with the way in which these resources are impacting the environment. If the ecological resources that are available continue to rise, then it will create unsustainable communities. The first places that are affected are urban settings, which require substantial resources to work with agriculture and to produce resources for different nations. If this increases, then the percentage of resources needed also increase. At the same time, the environmental needs don’t match the number of resources that are needed within a community.  

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 30

Marketing - Essay Example There is a detail description of the objectives that TSL is having. Objectives are goals for the organization. Also, the paper encapsulates the strategies as well as the action plans that must be implemented for effective operation of the company and to beat competition. Last but not the least financial figures have been analyzed in order to understand the company’s performance. The research paper ends up with a dedicated concluding section. Triumph Spares Limited (TSL) was established in the early 1980, as a small family owned business. The company deals with spare parts and the business is run from two sites, one is the factory and the other is the small shop. The factory deals with the spares that are assembled from subcontracted components. The prime stakeholders of the company are Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smith who are the main owners of the company. In the early 1990s, TSL developed mail order business in United States. From the very day of commencement of the business, it was found that TSL was successful in building strong reputation by providing quality spare parts. The license for preparing the spare parts was obtained from Standard Triumph Ltd (Triumphs, 2008). There has been steady growth in the business of TSL from the day of its commencement with turnover of  £ 4000000. The profit margin for TSL is estimated to be 50% for those who buy in bulk from the factory. Triumph Spares Limited provides spare parts to other shops as well as commercial car restoration businesses. On the other hand, the profit margin for TSL is expected to be 100% for those who buy from the shops. The shop provides spare parts to small commercial purchaser and to the general public. The company turnover follows Pareto rule, where 20 % of the turnover comes from the shop and 80 % of the turnover depends on the factories direct sales. Although the main customers for TSL are Classic Components, Spare Parts, Classic Spares, and Spare Shops and Add

Self-perception of young female and male students from Somali ethnic Essay

Self-perception of young female and male students from Somali ethnic group in Britain today - Essay Example Because of the changing structure of the education institution in Britain as well as the failure of several schools to sufficiently and fairly train or educate marginalised ethnic groups, such as the Somalis, an emphasis on issues of ethnic identity has emerged in relation to curriculum (Rutter, 2003, 29). Motivating a great deal of ethnic identity literature is frequently inherent and at times clear assumption that exposing students from disenfranchised ethnic groups to academic discussions of their own culture improves their mental and emotional security (Desforges, 2003, 42). Hence, the purpose of this study is to find out the current perceptions of Somali students in Britain of their own ethnic identity in order to ascertain the ‘best practices’ that may be applied to diversity management in the British education institution. 1.2. The researcher is confident that this study will provide an opportunity that would encourage critical reflection in Somali students of the ir ethnic identity. This study hopes to raise issues of group belongingness, conflict with the mainstream group, and individual identity. Certainly, the researcher views this subject matter as one valuable response to counteracting the failure of the British education institution to adequately and justly educate Somali students. ... r acknowledges that ethnicity is just one level of ethnic identity of students and that a variety of other variables influence how students understand their history and sense of group belongingness. 1.4. The potential users of this research are education practitioners such as school administrators and teachers. Understanding of the phases of ethnic identity development can aid teachers in correctly interpreting their students’ responses when they experience culturally or ethnically charged problems. And most importantly, Somali students as well as their families can use this research to understand their current situation in Britain and the possible means of dealing with issues of ethnic identity. 1.5. This study will try to answer the following research questions: 1. How do Somali students in Britain perceive their ethnic identity today in terms of their: a. relationship with their teachers; b. their socialisation experiences in school; c. their experiences with instructional practices and classroom curriculum. 2. Literature Review 2.1. Introduction London has the biggest Somali population at present. Somalis, in 2002, were reported as the biggest immigrant groups in London schools (Rutter, 2006, 177). Settlement patterns in the UK are influenced by ethnic identity. That ethnic identity establishes settlement patterns in UK schools possibly will have distinct groups of Somali children, with different experiences (Kassem, Mufti & Robinson, 2006, 91). A UK-born Somali child, for instance, will have distinct experiences from a child who immigrated from Mogadishu (Rutter, 2006, 177). Clan membership in the UK is less significant among migrant groups before 1988 but it remains extremely significant among new immigrants (ibid, p. 177-178). Memories of violence and

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 30

Marketing - Essay Example There is a detail description of the objectives that TSL is having. Objectives are goals for the organization. Also, the paper encapsulates the strategies as well as the action plans that must be implemented for effective operation of the company and to beat competition. Last but not the least financial figures have been analyzed in order to understand the company’s performance. The research paper ends up with a dedicated concluding section. Triumph Spares Limited (TSL) was established in the early 1980, as a small family owned business. The company deals with spare parts and the business is run from two sites, one is the factory and the other is the small shop. The factory deals with the spares that are assembled from subcontracted components. The prime stakeholders of the company are Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smith who are the main owners of the company. In the early 1990s, TSL developed mail order business in United States. From the very day of commencement of the business, it was found that TSL was successful in building strong reputation by providing quality spare parts. The license for preparing the spare parts was obtained from Standard Triumph Ltd (Triumphs, 2008). There has been steady growth in the business of TSL from the day of its commencement with turnover of  £ 4000000. The profit margin for TSL is estimated to be 50% for those who buy in bulk from the factory. Triumph Spares Limited provides spare parts to other shops as well as commercial car restoration businesses. On the other hand, the profit margin for TSL is expected to be 100% for those who buy from the shops. The shop provides spare parts to small commercial purchaser and to the general public. The company turnover follows Pareto rule, where 20 % of the turnover comes from the shop and 80 % of the turnover depends on the factories direct sales. Although the main customers for TSL are Classic Components, Spare Parts, Classic Spares, and Spare Shops and Add

Mildred Taylor Essay Example for Free

Mildred Taylor Essay The weather plays an important role in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Its importance is emphasised by its presence even in the title. It was also an important part of the lives of rural families. When they ploughed, sowed and harvested all depended on the weather. This importance is included in the book. The weather reflects on events that are happening and the mood in each part of the book. It also indicates what will happen in the future, building up tension and giving warnings of danger. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry begins in October. The Logan children are traipsing to school on a day which Cassie describes as, A bright August-like October morning made for running the cool forest trails Cassie is oblivious to racism and this reflected in the mood of this section. The weather is sunny and cheerful and although the children do not appear to be cheerful, the worst of their problems is school. It isnt until chapter 3, towards the end of October, that the weather begins to change. The rain falls heavily on the dust making it turn to red oozing mud. When they are forced into the slimy gullies by the white schools bus, the Logan children decide to get revenge. They dig a hole into the road, which they hope the school bus will drive into. However when they return after school they find that the rain has turned their hole into a trench that the bus drives into and breaks down. Without the rain, the Logan children wouldnt have been able to get revenge on the school bus. In this situation the weather is used to their benefit. However, the rain also brings the nightriders, which Cassie sees and is frightened by. The Logan children fear that the nightriders are after them, trying to get revenge for the bus incident. The rain is a bad omen and creates an atmosphere of fear and worry. It is during the rain that Mr Tatum is tarred and feathered by the nightriders. In chapter 5, the rain has gone but at the beginning of chapter 6, it says that the night was a thick blackness and smelled of coming rain. This adds tension and anticipation of bad things to come, as last time there was rain the night men rode. The arrival of Uncle Hammer adds friction to the situation, as the whites do not like to see a successful black person. The weather is getting colder, which is indicated by Uncle Hammers gift of a coat to Stacey. At Christmas, it is very cold and the family huddle round the warmth of a fire in their home.

Social Policy Essays Social Policy For Sex Offenders

Social Policy Essays Social Policy For Sex Offenders Social Policy For Sex Offenders Children’s protection and safety has become a prominent legislative issue of the 90s and for the millennium. It appears that more and more legislation will continue to be introduced and passed for the best interest of children. The goal is to stop crime against our children in this generation, but for some children it is too late: Anthony Martinez, Polly Klaas, Megan Kanga, the children we did not read about and, unfortunately, those we will be reading about. This paper will discuss Megan’s law (See Appendix A), which requires the registration and notification to communities of released sex offenders. Child abuse legislation proved to be an agenda leader for two other sets of issues: those relating to child care and those relating to personal violence. Child abuse, especially sexual, has infused parents and communities with renewed moral outrage and provided intellectual and political connections to long-standing issues, such as child safety and protection. But perhaps more interestingly, crime legislation gave legitimacy and currency to the consideration of the allied issues of violence, autonomy, and physical safety, including the sexual abuse of children, domestic violence and rape ( Nelson, 1984). Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Bierker (1989) defined sexual abuse as a sexual activity perpetrated on a child by an older person through coercion. The child lacks the emotional and physical maturity to resist what amounts to abuse of the older person’s position of authority and power. Abuse, by definition, causes pain to the child at the time of the abuse and, unless the abuse is disclosed and dealt with, later in his or her life. In recent high profile cases, the children all appeared to have been sexually abused before they were murdered. Sexual abuse of a child generally moves through increasingly intimate activity. Perpetrators carefully plan not only the abuse, but also arrange for a private place to do it. Parents often give the perpetrator access to their child unwittingly. For example, they may allow their child to engage in group activities which are lead by an unknown perpetrator. Megan’s Law seeks to identify known pedophiles and allow parents to inform and teach their children to avoid these offenders. Sexual offenders are a large and growing part of the prison population. In 1980 state prisons held 20, 500 sex offenders; in 1990 there were 63,600; and in 1994 their were 88, 100. They grew not only in number, but also as a percentage of an expanding state prison population: 6.9 percent of 295,819 inmates in 1980; 9.7 percent of 906, 112 in 1994. In 1991, at least 20 percent of the adult prison population in ten states were sex offenders. Community in-patient and out-patient programs specializing in treating sex offenders have proliferated. Still, it appears that relatively few incarcerated sex offenders actually receive treatment. There is insufficient research to establish consistent estimates of recidivism or to identify effective treatments ( Department of Justice, statistics, 1996). The current climate is severely punitive. Many citizens’ approach is to lock-up all the criminals and never release them. The public seems determined to prevent these individuals from committing new crimes no matter the cost. As a result, by August, 1995, 43 states had enacted statutes requiring offenders to register with a central agency or with a law enforcement agency located in the community into which they are released. In late July 1994, seven-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and strangled to death. Such tragedies are periodically reported in our daily periodical across the country, but the difference here was that Megan’s killer lived across the street from the Kanka family in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Further, the neighbor had served time in Avenel, a facility for sex offenders in New Jersey. The man had been convicted of molesting children twice previously, but the community knew nothing of his background. Megan’s parents and neighbors learned of Jesse Timmendequa’s history only after he was arrested on July 30, 1994, and had confessed to the murder. Megan’s parents, Richard and Maureen Kanka, and their neighbors organized and angrily confronted their city council as to why they were not informed as to the establishment of this â€Å"house for sex offenders† in their family-oriented community. They demanded that the laws be changed so as allow communities to protect themselves from released sex offenders. Jansson defines policy practice as â€Å"efforts to influence the development, enactment, implementation, or assessment of social policies† through the utilization of policy practice skills (which he identifies as analytic, political, interactional, and value-clarification), and the performance of policy practice tasks (setting agendas, defining problems, making proposals, enacting policy, implementing policy, and assessing policy) (Jansson, 1994). With the fall elections approaching, and several Republican anti-crime initiatives stalled in the Senate, Republicans pushed four bills through the House on May 7, 1995 to crack down on sex offenders, witness tampering, stalkers and those who prey on children and the elderly. The Senate cleared the bill (HR 2137) on sex offenders by voice vote May 9, 1995, and President Clinton signed the bill into law. Republicans were hoping that the bills, which dealt with relatively small issues, would resonate with the public and help their party in November. They spotlighted members that were facing tough reelection campaigns as sponsors of three bills. The sexual offender bill was sponsored by Dick Zimmer, Republican from New Jersey, who was in a tight race for the senate seat being vacated by Bill Bradley. The House debate began on an emotional note, and members quickly passed legislation that would require states and localities to inform communities when dangerous sexual offenders were released from prison. The vote was 418-0 . (See Appendix B). The 1994 crime bill (Pub. L 103-322) requires sex offenders to register their address with local police, and it allows this information to be publicized to preserve safety. The House bill sought to make release of this information mandatory. States that did not comply could lose part of their federal crime fighting funds. The bill also would change a section of the crime law that required states to classify as private all information collected when registering sexual offenders. The bill would allow each state to determine what information is private and what is public (Congressional Quarterly, May 11, 1996). President Clinton strongly supported the bills respecting crimes against children and the elderly. On May 17, 1996, he signed Megan’s Law. He has been an advocate for children since he was governor of Arkansas. The following is an except from the ceremony that took at the White House: â€Å"This has been a week in which our country is moving to combat crime and violence. A couple of days ago we awarded over 9, 000 new police officers to some 2,500 communities. That brings us to 43,000 police officers in 20 months along the road to our goal of 100,000. We’re ahead of schedule and under budget.† â€Å"But today, the valiant presence of five American parents reminds us that this fight against crime is so much more a fight for peace and for safety for our people and especially for our children.† â€Å"I thank the Congress for passing it. I thank those who led the fight. And I thank these families more than anything else. God Bless you all.† (See Appendix C). The Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act provides a financial incentive for states to establish effective registration systems for released child molesters and other sexually violent offenders. States that fail to establish conforming registration systems will be subjected to a 10 percent reduction of formula Byrne Grant funding, and resulting surplus funds will be reallocated to states that are in compliance. Unlike Megan’s Law, the Jacob Wetterling Act permitted, but did not require, states to release registration information to the extent necessary to protect the public. In California, state legislation implementing Megan’s Law was passed in September of 1996 (AB 1562 ). The California Department of Justice issued policy and training procedures for local law enforcement agencies directing implementation of Megan’s Law beginning in July, 1997. As of July, 1997, any citizen can request from their local law enforcement agency, a CD ROM containing information, including photographs, of sexual offenders released into the local community. Police and parole agents will be required to notify the community of sexual offenders residing in the neighborhood. In California, Governor Wilson has attempted to go further still, proposing that sex offenders be required to register for life. The rationale underlying such laws is simple: identify all convicted and released sexual offenders, and the community will be able to take action to protect themselves. Notification, according to some, â€Å"could prevent some tragedies from happening again.† Notification is also expected to improve public safety because the public will be able to identify and report risky behavior by sex offenders (e.g. conversing with children, buying sex-oriented magazines) that might escalate into criminal behavior if ignored. The effectiveness of notification probably depends to a considerable degree on the provisions of the state statute, the resources that states and localities are able and willing to provide for implementing the statute, and the dedication and expertise of probation officers, police officers and prosecutors. Notification is most likely to be effective if it is accompanied by extensive community education and carried out by specialist. ( Finn, 1997) Agenda setting stage. Laws regarding sexual abuse came into being in the late 1970s as professionals and the public became aware of the prevalence of this form of child abuse. Since that time, the legal framework has developed dramatically in response to vicious crimes against children. Perhaps no type of crime has received more attention in recent years than crimes against children involving sexual acts and violence. Several recent tragic cases have focused public attention on this type of crime and resulted in public demand that government take stronger action against those who commit those crimes. Specifically, it was the murder of a little girl at the hands of this â€Å"unidentified† sex offender that served the purpose of getting legislators’ and the public’s attention. A victim of sexual abuse himself, Mark J. Welsh argued that identifying offenders would protect children and help prevent molesters from abusing again. Further, he argued that molesters would be recognized everywhere they went, and no one would allow them to be near children. There was no real opposition to this argument— the laws had to be changed. Another important component of the agenda setting stage is the political demand exerted by large voting constituencies and lobbyists. Children do not vote, but parents, relatives, teachers, grass roots organizations, the Child Welfare League of America, and others do strongly represent them in the political arena. In the case of Megan’s Law, support was bipartisan and unanimous. Further, Congress passed Title VII of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-322). That law, entitled the â€Å"Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act,† encouraged states to establish a system where every person who commits a sexual or kidnapping crime against children or who commits sexually violent crime against any person (whether adult or child) would be required to register his address upon release from prison. As further protection, the 1994 Act required states to allow law enforcement agencies to release à ¢â‚¬Å"relevant information† about an offender as necessary to protect the public (Columbia Law, 1995). This community notification provision has been the subject of considerable controversy. Megan’s Law has been challenged by civil libertarians as a violation of sex offenders’ constitutional rights. However, Megan’s Law has thus far survived court challenges. Yet, this has not stopped the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a legal organization dedicated to defending the Constitution, from attacking the constitutionality of notification requirements. The ACLU and others argue that it is unconstitutional to treat sex offenders differently from other violent criminals. Further, the ACLU argues, most sex offenses are committed by people we are not aware are dangerous: friends and relatives and others we do not know about. Community notification tends to generate hysteria about a small group of people for a short period of time. It does not solve the problem, it merely moves ex-offenders around as they are driven from community to community. Moreover, although the ostensible purpose of notification is to permit citizens to take precautions to protect themselves, these laws tend to encourage a state of anxiety which is not helpful to rationally addressing the issue. They also tend to encourage vigilantism. In Washington state, a a released child molester, who had presumedly paid his debt to society, was himself a victim of death threats, assaults and the burning of his home by enraged residents who took the law into their own hands (ACLU, press release, August, 19, 1994). In addition, critics aruge, this law often treats gay men as child molesters and rapists. Years ago, gay men were routinely arrested on felony lewd conduct charges. These were people who were basically engaging in consensual sex with other adults. Although Megan’s Law ostensibly targets sexual predators, the gay community fears that persons arrested for being gay will be identified as sex offenders. Problem defining stage. The problem is whether all released sex offenders should register or not. Different states have relied on different methods of developing notification criteria and as a result, have come up with different criteria. The focus is on developing guidelines for classifying offenders according to the risk they present (low, moderate, high). States have adopted varying criteria to be employed in this classification process. These include the seriousness of the offense, offense history, characteristics of the offender and community support. Proposal writing stage. The bill was included as a special provision in the Federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the â€Å"Act†). At the time it was probably written from an ecological perspective due to Megan’s brutal death and the elections. The bill does potentially â€Å"sweep up† too many people. Policy enacting stage. Congressmen Zimmer and the Republican party seized upon Megan’s death to raise an issue during an election year that no one could possibly oppose: protecting neighborhoods from persons likely to commit heinous sexual crimes. Such conditions encourage politicians to introduce bills that are supported by little, if any, responsible research. In my research for this paper, I spoke to Mr. Greg O’Gorman, an aide to Senator Feinstein. He confirmed the obvious: no politician would oppose Megan’s Law because no one wanted to be identified with sexual offenders. Furthermore, he reported that Senator Feinstein has introduced a bill that will â€Å"lock up† a sexual offenders convicted twice of sexual crimes. He stated that the senator has received no opposition from her colleagues. It is unknown if she consulted with mental health practitioners, social workers, or other professionals in order to determine the efficacy of her bill or alternatives to incarceration, such as treatment to prevent recidivism. The policy implementing stage. Law enforcement agencies, parole agents, and other designated practitioners are being directed to enforce Megan’s Law. Each state is implementing Megan’s Law differently. For example, in California all sex offenders—whether adult or juvenile—must register. Communities will be notified of adults classified as â€Å"high risk† or â€Å"serious† sex offenders. (See Appendix D). There are 70,000 sex offenders in California. It is uncertain how many of these will eventually be classified as â€Å"high risk† or â€Å"serious† offenders. Policy assessing stage. The ACLU and Lambda Legal Defense and Education fund (LLDEF) have joined together to challenge this law on constitutional grounds. The ACLU and LLDEF argue that in many cases notification does more harm than good. They conclude that if information is to be disclosed publicly, it must be limited to that necessary to counteract the offender’s dangerousnous. ( ACLU, press release, August 19, 1994). Still, Megan’s Law is being implemented. In Placencia, California, police notified the community that a twice-convicted child molester, Sid Landau, was residing in their community. The community responded by organizing demonstrations in front of his residence. Some threatened him. Mr. Landau had to obtain legal representation in an attempt to stop the harassment. According to his lawyer, T. Matthew Phillips, Mr. Landau has been through â€Å"hell.† He argues that his client has been unfairly singled-out, that he paid for his crimes and should not be permitted to reenter society. Detective Corinne Loomis of the Placencia Police Department had hoped that people would eventually accept that Mr. Landau and others like him are going to be living in the community, and to appreciate that the best response is be aware and protective. That is what Megan’s Law was designed to do,† she said. â€Å"It was not designed to whip people into frenzy and have them run somebody out on a rail† (L.A. Times, 3-8-97). On April 25, 1997, Sid Landau was arrested for assaulting a cameraman who was following him. In another case, an 18-year-old male from Wisconsin was convicted of a â€Å"lewd act with a minor.† He faces 40 years in prison and, if convicted, he will have to register as a sex offender for life. This young man’s crime was having consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend. The girlfriend got pregnant, and the young man dropped out of school in order to marry and support the girl. A social worker reported this case to the prosecutor’s office, and he was charged and convicted. The young man has the support of his community and plans to appeal his conviction. THE INTERVIEWS In this section I disucss two interviews I conducted regarding Megan’s Law. I could have interviewed anyone because we will all be involved with this law: law enforcement, which will be responsible for notifying citizens, as well as average citizens who happen to live in communities into which sex offenders are released. 1) Jacqueline Waltman Parole agent, California Department of Corrections. Ms. Waltman supervises adult parolees in the San Fernando Valley. 2) Gail Blucher Mother and President of the local Parents and Teachers Association (PTA). Ms. Blucher is resident of the Santa Clarita Valley. Ms. Waltman does not agree with Megan’s Law as it is written. Although she will be obliged to enforce it, she believes that many sex offenders will go â€Å"underground† in order to avoid registration requirements. Once underground, Ms. Waltman argues, these individuals will be more likely to molest more children. Further, she believes that a state of anxiety will be created in the communities encouraging the growth of vigilante groups. She believes her job will be more difficult as a result of supervising parolees in a community that is openly hostile to the parolees’ presence. She recognizes that the Department of Corrections does not provide sex offenders with effective therapy, if it provides any at all. Moreover, she stated that many sex offenders are warned by prison guards not to disclose their crime to fellow inmates so as not to provoke attacks upon themselves. Therefore, many do not request therapy during incarceration. Parole agent Waltman believes that sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated and should remain in prison for the rest of their lives. She nevertheless hopes that they can be treated and rehabilitated. She stated that her priority will always be the safety and protection of children. Jacqueline Waltman works part-time for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services at the Emergency Response Command Post (ERCP). She worked full-time for more than twenty years for the same department. Mrs. Blucher is a full-time homemaker and she is very involved in her seven-year-old daughter’s extracurricular activities. She is married. She has recently gotten involved with the â€Å"neighborhood watch† community program that works with the local sheriff’s department. Mrs. Blucher is anxiously anticipating Megan’s Law. She believes, quite obviously, that children need a safe neighborhood, and supports notification . However, she stated that she could not participate in â€Å"evicting† anyone from her neighborhood, but did not want sex offenders to live anywhere near her family. She strongly believes that sex offenders never change. She stated that the criminal justice system releases criminals too early, especially sex offenders. She supports Assemblyman Bob Margett’s (R-Arcadia) bill requiring that convicted child molesters wear electronic monitoring bracelets upon their release from prison. (I contacted the Assemblyman’s office regarding this bill. His aide reported that the bill passed without any opposition). She is looking forward to working with the â€Å"neighborhood watch† program to make children aware that her house is a designated safe house and that they are allowed to request assistance if they needed too. LETTER TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RAMONA RIPSTON- ACLU 15920 Calle El Capitan Green Valley, CA 91350 Ms. Ramona Ripston Executive Director American Civil Liberties Union 1616 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, California, 90026 April 24, 1997 Dear Ms. Ripston My name is Xiomara Flores-Holguin and I am a graduate social work student at the University of Southern California. I am writing you in support of the American Civil Liberties Union, Southern California chapter’s position on Megan’s Law. I agree with the ACLU’s argument that notifying communities of sex offenders’ presence may cause more harm than good. First, released sex offenders are going to live somewhere. I am concerned about â€Å"not-in-my-backyard† vigilantism that will encouraged if citizens are not properly educated on bounds of appropriate action to take when notified of the presence of a sex offender in their communities. Second, there is little evidence that the Department of Corrections addresses the problem when the sex offenders are in prison. They cannot reassure society that these sex offenders are rehabilitated because they do not provide them any treatment. Also, we cannot forget that many former â€Å"sex offenders† have never presented a threat to society. I refer to gay people convicted of lewd acts for engaing in consensual sex with other adults. Will Megan’s Law require that these victims of homophobia be identified as â€Å"sex offenders† living in our midst? I wanted to express my appreciation and gratitude to the American Civil Liberties Union for your ongoing work in defending the Constitution of ALL people, whether we like them or not. Thurgood Marshall once asked, â€Å"Mental health and the law what if anything do they have in common?† He responded that both are concerned with the aspirations and problems of the human condition, and both deal with human rights and human responsibilities. Let us continue in our commitment to work on behalf of ALL people. Thank you. Sincerely, M. Xiomara Flores-Holguin MSW Graduate Student CONCLUSION At the beginning of this assignment, I believed that I had a strong position as to Megan’s Law and felt that this law was almost perfect. However, as a social worker, I recognized that the law was supported by little empirical research. I realize that no policy analysis is ever complete, that it is impossible to discover all of the data (data are essentially infinite) and to ask all of the possible questions. Policy analysis is always an approximation of the ideal and, as such, decisions are always made on the basis of incomplete data (Karger Stoesz, 1994). Karger and Stoesz (1994) argue that despite a nominal reliance on an analytical framework, social policy analysis in the â€Å"real world† is to some degree always biased. Because policy is analyzed by human beings, it is always done through the mirror of the analyst’s value system, ideological beliefs, and particular understanding of the goals and purposes of social welfare. Subjectivity is reflected in the omission (conscious or otherwise) of facts or questions, or in the relative weight given to one variable at the expense of others. Also, political pressure may be put on the policy analyst to come up with recommendations that are acceptable to a certain interest group. Regardless of the causes of subjectivity, policy analysis is always an approximation of the ideal, in effect an informed anticipation as to the effects of a policy or a set of policies. I believe that we need to stop crime against children in this generation. Furthermore, we need to identify and help those children that will be capable of continuing this cycle of crime as adults. The imprisoned sex offender, the released sex offender, and the unknown sex offender were children once, too. We should therapeutically treat the juvenile as soon as they are identified as potential offenders. We should not give up on people by â€Å"locking them up† An African proverb admonishes us, â€Å"It takes a village.† Let us take more responsibility. I will be pursuing a Community, Organization, Planning and Administration, concentration next year. I realized long ago that I wish to empower clients and advocate for them. I want to do so at the macro level. REFERENCES American Civil Liberties Union. (August 19, 1994). Press Release. Registration and community notification of convicted sex offender. ACLU Washington Office publication. Bierker, S.B. (1989). About sexual abuse. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas Publisher. Brown, J.M. , Gilliard, D.F., Snell, T.L. , Stephan, J.J., Wilson, D.J. (1996). Correctional populations in the United States. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics : Washington, D.C. publication. Finn, P. (1997, February). U.S. Department of Justice, Statistics on sex offender community notification. Rockville, Maryland: National Institute of Justice Publications. Jansson, B. (1994). Social policy: from theory to policy practice. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole. Karger, H.J., Stoesz, D. (1994). American social welfare policy: a pluralist approach. New York: Longman. Nelson, B. J. (1984). Making an Issue of Child Abuse. Chicago: The University Press. Palmer, E. A. (1996). GOP pushes four crime bills through the House. Congressional Quarterly. p. 1305. Richardson, L. Target of Megan’s Law Moves, Causing Stir. Loa Angeles Times, March 8, 1997, p.A20. Schopf, Simon (1995). â€Å"Megan’s Law†: Community notification and the Constitution. Columbia Journal of Law. 29 (117), 118-146. Welch, M.J. (1994). Press Release. Publicizing child molesters in your community. Personal mailing.

Gunsmoke: Character of the Old West Marshal, Matt Dillon :: Radio

Gunsmoke: Character of the Old West Marshal, Matt Dillon The American West. Full of opportunity and danger. Out on the prairie there was always a need for those that were willing to "serve and protect". No ordinary lawman would do though. The needs and demands that were placed on those in authority during that time called for someone extraordinary. The people in the few scattered cities here and there depended on marshals and their ability to uphold the law. Dodge City was no exception, in fact it was the rule. Many ruffians came and went through Dodge and therefore the City needed a lawman like no other. What they had was Marshal Matt Dillon. Marshal Dillon embodied everything that was asked for in the typical "old west" lawman. He did his job and did it well. There are many characteristics that are required of such a man, in such a position as he was in. Marshal Dillon was indeed so like the typical lawman that he was fictional in and of himself. However he is very real in the minds and hearts of all those who have ever experienced the t hrill of hearing the words, "there is only one way to tame... (the west). With a six shooter, and the smell of Gunsmoke."(Radio Spirits). Anyone who has ever heard, watched, or read about Gunsmoke understands the vital role that the character of Matt Dillon plays to the unfolding of almost every episode and tale. Dillon is the portrayal of all that was valued, respected, envied, and romanticized in the stereotypical old west lawman. Marshal Dillon has several characteristics about him that require scrutiny however to do so properly would require a virtual novel of research, as can be seen by the myriad of different traits observed by an Andrews University Lit. class on the American West (www.andrews.edu/~closserb link to Gunsmoke summaries). Therefore examining a few traits that seem to be most frequently observed in a broad way is more reasonable. Marshal Dillon is above all else strong or tough. In this sense strong is to be applied to both the physical prowess and mental resolve. Time and time again Dillon is called upon to be strong. In the radio episode of Gunsmoke "How to Kill a Friend" Dillon shows his strength of mind by refusing a bribe as well as having the strength to stand up to an old friend even if it meant having to kill him.

Advertisement for Ghost Creek Golf Course :: Advertising Marketing

Ghost Creek, A Great Place to Play The July 4, 1998 issue of Golfweek magazine contains an advertisement about a well-known golf course in Cornelius, Oregon. The golf course is called Ghost Creek and the owners’ claim of policy is that they want people to come and play their golf course. The owners’ use a beautiful picture of the course to entice the reader to come and play the golf course. The advertisement uses claims of both fact and value, to further the claim of policy as well as offering supports and warrants to give credibility to the claim of policy. To further Ghost Creek’s claim of policy in the advertisement, the owners offer many claims of fact. One claim of fact that is offered by the advertisement is that the magazine, Golf Digest, chose Ghost Creek to be the best new public golf course for the year, 1992. Likewise, another credible golf magazine, Golf Magazine, ranked Ghost Creek 13th out of the top 100 one can play for the year, 1998. Furthermore, many very prestigious golf tournaments have been played on Ghost Creek, including the Nike Tour Championship in 1993 and 1994 and also the 1996 United States Amateur Championship, which was won by the great Tiger Woods. These claims of fact, as one can, see are used to further Ghost Creek’s claim of policy, which is to come and play a great championship golf course. Once more to further Ghost Creek’s claim of policy in the advertisement, the owners offer not only claims of fact, but also many claims of value. One claim of value Ghost Creek offers is just the sheer beauty of the golf course, as seen in the picture of the advertisement. This claim of value lets the reader feel as if he or she is there in real life. Another claim of value the golf course offers is that Tiger Woods has played and won a major tournament there, the 1996 U.S. Amateur Championship. This claim of value provides the reader with knowledge that one of the great pros in the game today has played there. Many readers would want to come and play a golf course where one of the best has played and won. Other claims of value that the advertisement entails are how relaxing, still, and quiet it is at Ghost Creek.

Environmental Scan Paper

Internal and external environments of two real-world companies should bring further information towards research of an environmental scan. Through the environmental scan the research will bring to sight the reasonable advantages of the companies and plans of use in the company structure. Understanding each company creating value and tolerate competitiveness through business strategy will be written out. Measurements the companies use to validate the strategic effectiveness will show the organizations strategies, and the effectiveness of those strategies.The research should propose more knowledge of the environmental image when ready to move through the competitive business worldwide or local structure. With the environmental scan you have to know the purpose of a SWOT analysis. The SWOT will give you a better view of your company and gives you a deeper understanding of an environmental scan. We have to keep in mind companies in the 21st century have changed a lot to companies back in the days.Starting from the structure of the organization itself, how they plan, how they make decision, up until how they doing things but one thing that has not changed is that organizations which perform with an outstanding result never mistreat their planning. Each organization contends with each other to perform better according to others. These changes are made in order to practice a better organization each day as well as better results at the end of development.A way to get started is a drawing or a diagram showing the preparation in horizontal section of a structure, piece of ground. In planning, the very first step is to set a goal which is defined as â€Å"statements of intended results that are general in nature and are measureable on a naming or ranking scale of measurement. It is important to plan every single step and thing that is needed to be done to evade failure. Later, the importance to understand the purposes to plan which is providinga way about what the organ ization does, and what and why it needs to be accomplished so that the organization as a whole knows exactly what they are required to do. Therefore when they know what to do, they can work together with other staff to accomplish the goals that have been set to achieve. One of the companies that I chose is coca cola FEMSA. Coca-Cola FEMSA is the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages in the world, with operations in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and the Philippines (â€Å"Coca Cola â€Å", 2014).Coca-Cola FEMSA is working together with The Coca-Cola Company to develop more innovative joint business models to continue discovering and participating in new lines of beverages, ranging existing product lines and successfully advertising and marketing products. Cokes strategy is transforming their commercial models to focus on their customers’ value potential and using a value-based segmentation approa ch to capture the industry’s value potential.Implementing well-planned product, packaging and pricing strategies through different distribution channels (â€Å"Coca Cola â€Å", 2014). Driving product innovation along our different product categories and achieving the full operating potential of our commercial models and processes to drive operational efficiencies throughout our company. Looking at this company they really do look after what actions they do. Especially since they are trying to expand Coca Cola. The second company I chose is Sony. I chose Sony because technology is big in today’s day.Competitive Advantage of Sony’s unbelievable rise in the field of electronics is due to their innovation and high technology products. Sony prides itself on its history of â€Å"imagination and innovation† in the business â€Å"How Can Sony Regain Its Competitive Advantage? † (2012). Sony has come a long ways making a product better and better each ti me. From camcorders to re-invigorating the home gaming market, Sony has had a history of achieving a competitive advantage over its competitors through the use of innovation. Sony has used this for years in order to survive and grow.Business Strategy class breaks down into a two-by-two environment that consists of: Cost Leader, Differentiation, Focused Low-Cost, and Focused Difference. For example, if a company has a cost advantage as compared to its competitor, they produce same product at a lower cost and through differentiation they can make higher profits â€Å"How Can Sony Regain Its Competitive Advantage? † (2012). Competition in the customer electronic industry is mainly needy on barriers to entry, patent protection, access to capital, and cost & differentiation advantages.Even though Sony is well known for their products they are not the only ones out there making new technology. Their competitors are giving them a hard time like Microsoft with the x box or companies that make televisions also. Besides losing its ability to innovate, Sony also has been to slow in answering to the shift of market demand â€Å"How Can Sony Regain Its Competitive Advantage? † (2012). Lower-cost manufacturers from South Korea, China and South American companies, are increasingly undercutting Sony making it harder for them to charge a premium for its products.In 2001, Sony went into a combined venture with Swedish telecommunications equipment company Ericsson. There was no stimulus on the part of Sony to create a superior smartphone product which could gather a premium as the Apple iPhone did. If Sony is to recover its competitive advantage, they need to get back to creating innovative products that consumers see as unique and provides value. Consumers have much more choosing power and competition is fierce.