A Study of Brand Strategy for Supermarket Industry in Hong Kong

In the growing FMCG market of Hong Kong, the concept of brand strategy for supermarkets is the most vital variable of interest to retailers. This research makes an in-depth analysis of the dimensional aspects of brand strategy for supermarket industry with additional focus on the store image which is the antecedent for store loyalty.The research extends to examining the efforts of the supermarkets in Hong Kong to assess the effectiveness of such efforts in building a brand strategy for an effective store loyalty towards their stores.The research proposes to achieve the objectives of assessing the effectiveness of the efforts of the supermarkets in building a brand strategy by a review of the available literature on the topic of study and also by conducting a social research by employing recognized research methods to present a comprehensive and analytical report on the findings of the research.The study proposes to use qualitative methods for the collection of secondary data and info rmation including a collection of a wide range of resources for a review of the literature on the topic of the study. Quantitative method in the form on an ‘Online Survey’ of the customers of supermarkets by using a well constructed questionnaire to collect their opinions on the effectiveness of the efforts of the supermarkets in building a brand strategy in the supermarket industry in Hong Kong.The study will consider various attributes that promotes the brand strategy towards the supermarkets in Hong Kong.It will be astounding for the people who visit the Asian Cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok for the first time to witness the role, shopping plays in the culture of the local people in this region.Retail therapy can be considered to be a conspicuous national pastime of these regions. With the growing wealth in Asia and with the enhancement in the disposable income of the people in the continent, there are every chances that consumer based firms will emerge as the strongest sector in the coming periods.Under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) there had been a higher influx of tourists from China which has resulted in a growth of 9.7 percent higher sales in the departmental stores as of September 2006 on a year-on-year comparison.According to a survey conducted by ACNielsen the market research firm, on 22000 global consumers, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia were included in the top 10 markets in the consumer confidence. (ACNielsen Global Consumer Confidence Report, Jan 2006)With the increased consumer activities in the retail sales it becomes important for the supermarkets to assess the shopping habits of the consumers and adjust their marketing strategies to maximize the sales growth and revenue. This is especially necessary in a large consumer market like Hong Kong.The effectiveness of the actions from the supermarkets on improving the stores loyalty, though depends largely on the consumer buying habits there are seve ral other factors that determine the store loyalty like, proximity of location of the stores, brand awareness, quality of the products, pricing and promotional offers and other consumer habits.Being a highly sensitive issue getting the store loyalty of the consumers is a tough task for the supermarkets as switching to alternative stores by the customers costs nothing to them and is also less cumbersome. This poses a great challenge to the supermarkets. In this context this research makes a detailed study into the effectiveness of the efforts of the supermarkets in building a brand strategy for establishing store loyalty among the consumers. Â  

Macbeth: a Timeless Tale

Shakespearean Macbeth tells a timeless tale of ambition, greed and treachery. Its themes are universal in nature, as Is the construction of a tragic hero and for these reasons It continues to be relevant to audiences today. The litany of Interpretations and adoptions such as Polonaise's 1 971 classic, give credence to the argument that Macbeth remains relevant. Macbeth, In a fashion similar to modern teens (or so the media would have us believe) has a great deal of trouble deciding the difference between moral and moral during his rise to power. Consequently, Shakespearean message is as relevant today as it was during the Elizabethan era.Macbeth is introduced as a kinsman to the Scottish King and a brave and successful military general (l,ii, 15-23), thus earning the praise and esteem of the unfortunately though, he (perhaps Like many In my audience) allows himself to be Influenced by those â€Å"whose horrid image, doth unfix† his hair and â€Å"make his seated heart knock a t his ribs†, who prophesy both further titles and kingship, immediately arousing Machete's ambition (l, Ill, 127-129). This conflict between good and evil is not only confined to Shakespearean play. It is a theme that we see repeated over and over again in contemporary literature and film.As a character, Macbeth is magnificent. He represents the Internal battle that forms the plot for the ma]orally of highly regarded modern films and texts such as Pollack's Macbeth. Initially Macbeth is ambitious, but lacks the evil qualities that often see ambition fulfilled. He also, as his wife points out, is not unscrupulous enough (l, v, 4-24) nor ready to give up the honor and ‘golden opinions' he has won. He has hysterical courage but not the moral courage needed to stand against his more determined, strong willed wife who questions his love for her and his manhood (l, vii, 39-50).In committing regicide he violates the better part of his nature; he is so bent on putting evil on ev il he becomes â€Å"steeped â€Å"so far in blood that â€Å"returning were as tedious as go lb, 136-138). The troubling question of gender representation is one that continues to be debated. 1 OFF audiences. Initially, characters in Macbeth dwell on issues of gender. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by questioning his manhood, wishes that she herself could e â€Å"unsexes,† and does not contradict Macbeth when he says that a woman like her should give birth only to boys.Similarly, Macbeth provokes the murderers he hires to kill Banquet by questioning their manhood. Such acts show that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth equate masculinity with violence and aggression. Their understanding of manhood allows the political order depicted in the play to descend into chaos. As in the multitude of controversial texts today, female characters are the source of violence and evil. The witches' prophecies arouse Machete's ambitions and then encourage his violent behavior; Lady Macbeth provides the brains and the will behind her husband's plotting.Macbeth traces the root of chaos and evil to women. While the male characters are Just as violent and prone to evil as the women, the aggression of the female characters is more striking because it goes against prevailing expectations of how women ought to behave. Ultimately, however, the play ends with a revised and less destructive definition of manhood. Malcolm consoles Macadam on the news of his family murder by encouraging him to take the news in â€Å"manly' fashion, by seeking revenge upon Macbeth. Macadam indicates however, that Malcolm has a mistaken understanding of masculinity.To Malcolm suggestion, â€Å"Dispute it like a man,† Macadam replies, â€Å"l shall do so. But I must also feel it as a man† (IV. Iii. 221-223). Also, at the end of the play, Seward reacts to his son's death complacently. Malcolm responds: â€Å"He's worth more sorrow [than you have expressed] / And that I'll spend for h im† (V. 1 1 . 16-17). Malcolm comment shows that he has learned the lesson Macadam gave him on the sentient nature of true masculinity. It also suggests that, with Malcolm coronation, order will be stored to the Kingdom of Scotland.Macbeth with its frightening paranormal undertones will pique the interest of a generation already obsessed with the supernatural. No remake can match Shakespearean representation of the witches. Polonaise's opening scene for example, , was rather poorly done. He made the witches look so grotesquely ugly that they distracted the audience from the important plot element of the scene: what they were saying. Unfortunately, this too was clouded: their screeching voices and constant giggling made them difficult to understand.A witness to the film unfamiliar tit the play or Shakespearean dialogue would have been left without any idea as to the importance of the scene. Undoubtedly the underlining of the plot of Macbeth is highlighted with events that have paranormal roots. The witches, both the bloody dagger that entices Macbeth towards Dunce's chamber and the ghost of Banquet are mystical in origin. â€Å"Art thou not a fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight†¦? Or false creation† (II, l, 41 , 42). Shortly after Dunce's death, his horses eat each other in frenzy, symbolizing the murder of the king, which leads to this imbalance in nature.Another relevant lesson on life, we can learn from Shakespeare, is that appearances are often deceptive. In Macbeth, things are seldom what they seem; â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair†. From the beginning, the play is full of ambiguity and double meanings. The play opens on a day that is extremely foul in weather and extremely fair (the battle has Just been won). The subsequent prophecies â€Å"cannot be ill, cannot be good†. In order to disguise their real motives, Lady Macbeth advises her husband to ‘look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under i t†. One of Dunce's sons ladled out â€Å"Murder! In his sleep, but the other one laughed! Does Lady Macbeth really faint? Or does she simply pretend to faint to divert attention from her husband's overacting? Does Lady Macbeth commit suicide? What is Lady Macbeth writing in her sleepwalking scene? A confession? A suicide note? A last love letter to a neglectful husband? There is also much discussion about clothing clothes provide both an identity but also conceal who you are. Point being? Beware the wolf in sheep's clothing! In conclusion, Shakespearean deeper purpose is to show us our own lives and make s think.The key question that Shakespeare seems to ask is this: is human society fundamentally amoral? This is a question that continues to challenge audiences. Consequently, Shakespeare movies are so numerous; they form their own sub genre. With over 250 Shakespeare movies produced, Shakespeare film adaptations such as Bag Loran's â€Å"Romeo and Juliet†, prove that S hakespearean plays have an enduring appeal. Macbeth is the Dearth Evader of Star Wars, or if you like, Lord Voltmeter of Harry Potter; ignore his lessons at you own peril. Thank You

Ethical and Professional HRM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ethical and Professional HRM - Assignment Example Since that time, the organization has faced a number of lawsuits relating to provision of suitable seats which has proven costly due to budgets allocated for litigation matters. This situation means there is need for the organization to develop a framework that would help end complaints by employees based on the issue of suitable seats. I will assume that the employees have made a genuine claim about the working condition being detrimental to their health although there have not been medical any medical case concerning employees of Wal-Mart whose condition has been attributed to the working conditions provided by the organization. Consequently, I will argue that the Wal-Mart should introduce suitable seats to the employees to prevent further complaint that might arise in future. To achieve this, the report is organized into three sections where the first section makes an analysis of the conflict of interest between Wal-Mart and the employees. Second part will analyse available option s to determine what would be the best option to satisfy both the employees and the company. The third part is about which one among the presented options is the best ethical and professional option before making a brief conclusion. A number of organizations have in the past years faced legal suits because of the manner in which they have treated their employees. Class action on seating during working hours is among the areas of conflict between employers and their employees. There has been considerable law suits where employees have complained that they were not provided with seats in their workstations a situation which compromised their health due to being on their feet for long periods of time. A case in example concerns the employees at the giant retailer, Wal-Mart who have gone to court to protest the retailer’s requirements that workers should perform their duties

ENTERPRISE-WIDE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (ERP) BEST PRACTICES Essay

ENTERPRISE-WIDE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (ERP) BEST PRACTICES - Essay Example Hence, the essay intends to review and present the assessment of the Delphi study on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) towards assessing impact of ERP in the supply chain management (Akkermans et al., 2003). The review of the article propounded that ERP plays a vital role in the process of SCM of an organization. In the article, few prominent aspects regarding ERP in supply chain management are highlighted. The first aspect deals with the various problems that may arise in the near future, if enterprise resource planning gets implemented in the process of SCM. Accordingly, it has been postulated that the delivery of products gets integrated between suppliers and consumers in the process of supply chain. Thus, a need to enhance supply chain process is advocated due to the due to consistent change as per the requirements of the suppliers and customers. It has been argued that excess time is consumed in the supply chain process and inventory management. The second aspect is associated with the effectiveness of ERP in the enterprise-wide resource management. Accordingly, it has been determined that ERP not only deliver positive involvement in the four issues of the supply chain, but it also provides support towards the enhancement in customization of goods and services. In addition, the review of the article revealed that ERP leads towards increasing the level in the process of supply chain and information management. It also linked world-wide market through the support of IT systems and generates transparency of the market. At the same time, the review of the article rendered few major limitations of ERP implementation that may hinder the smooth functioning of supply chain process (Akkermans et al., 2003). The exploratory findings by European executives lead to the justification that implementing ERP in the supply chain management renders positive impact on the growth of an organization as well as it creates hindrances in terms of strategic businesses.

The implications of downsizing (rightsizing) to the employees, Research Paper

The implications of downsizing (rightsizing) to the employees, communities, and families of the employees - Research Paper Example Downsizing can have many implications on employees, their families as well as the communities in which rightsizing organizations operate. The impacts on employees may include loss of morale, financial loss and emotional and psychological stress among other effects. Similarly, their families are bound to suffer a reduction in standards of living and may also be subjected to psychological torture in the period that their bread winners remain jobless. Downsizing can also negatively impact on societies in which they operate. Through massive layoffs, the living standards in the societies decline and robbery may take lead in communities which are deficient of job opportunities. Irrespective of the motives, corporate downsizing may yield considerable consequences on the superficial corporate social responsibility of any organization. This paper explores the implications of downsizing on employees, their families and communities. How Downsizing (Rightsizing) Affect Employees Downsizing is a practice that has become synonymous with contemporary organizations. The experience of working in an environment with high likelihood of redundancy and seeing co-employees leave an organization has become part and parcel of workers. Downsizing in organizations makes employees to feel anxious. It affects the morale and also threatens the welfare of employees in numerous ways. In most occasions, employees may perceive the organization as unfair and behaving in unwarranted manner. Besides affecting the morale of employees, downsizing also thwarts trust, employee commitment, loyalty and performance. According to Redman and Wilkinson (2001), downsizing causes â€Å"downsizing syndrome† on survivors. It also imposes psychological impacts on leaving employees. i. Downsizing Implications On The Morale Of Employees Employee morale is a crucial determinant of organizational performance. In the event of downsizing, both surviving employees and downsizing victims tend to exhibit low work morale. Downsizing creates adverse emotions among remaining workers who feel withdrawn from executing their organizational duties. Moreover, surviving employees usually feel irritated, grief, betrayal and are psychologically estranged from their organization. Despite the fact that employees usually struggle to perform better in order to retain their jobs after downsizing, their attempt is usually compelled and not out of free will. Surviving employees are always ready to try new approaches to task execution. With few employees increasing, work burden increases and so does the stress level for employees. Consequently, a downsizing organization may fail to realize it anticipated better performance because of deteriorating morale of employees. In some cases, downsizing might even lead to protest and rampant absenteeism among employees, who feel uncertain as to what might become of them in the near future. The loss of longtime workmates and close friends adversely affect both leaving a nd surviving employees. The idea of separation flattens the morale of remaining employees, which in turn lowers the performance level. It is quite obvious that employees are bound to loss morale in the event of downsizing. Therefore, organizations should be ethical enough to mitigate the impact of downsizing on employees by ensuring adequate

Secure Webbased Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Secure Webbased Application - Essay Example A Research methodology is a set of underlying principles behind the collection of models, theories, ideas, and hypothesis. Collectively, research methodology is a technique of collecting data systematically (Rajeev, 2009). For this research the data was analyzed from the previous researches in the literature review section. The authenticity and contingency of this paper depends upon the validity of study data, the reliability of measures taken to collect the data, as well as the time taken to conduct the analysis. Here I would like to tell you that the data was collected from _________ number of respondents through _________(tool used). This data collection part of the research took approximately_________(time consumed for data collection). Basically Single Sign On system cannot accomplish the goals on its own. In order to triumph over the challenges in user understanding and security obstacles, security and usability professionals require putting efforts and working more strongly to gether (Connolly, 2002). In this research, the ultimate solution will be produced which will allow the creation of a "strong": password (contains letters, numbers and special characters) that will open all the authorized applications. As we are using here the Single sign on method so some of its benefits are listed over here: If an employee does forget their one password, he or she c... Frequently results in significant password help desk cost savings If an employee does forget their one password, he or she can easily reset it by using the preset authentication line. Both are factors that have need of extraordinary concerns. Our initial research was done on the internet to discover seller password synchronization tools that would fill our total requirements. We piled up a list of vendors that offer Single Sign On products. A new list of needs and wants was created to incorporate total requirements and other assessment criteria. Some of our initial requirements were that the security system must be able to synchronize password between different platforms, should be able to plot user ids from one platform to another, should provide password status synchronization between different platforms, to implement host platform password format rules across the diverse server platforms. Next step of our research methodology is to develop some evaluation criteria. Our analysis has shown that several flaws in the evaluation criterion and specifi cation can lead to vulnerable implementations (Thomas, 2003). Based on this comment of Thomas we have selected cost, Support for Tandem, Support for other security platforms, and lastly the clearness to application development as our evaluation criterions. Now these criterions were to be tested and verified. Verification of criterions (testing): As mentioned earlier the purpose of this paper is to develop a simple and secure web-based application sign-on method in order to increase the security, reduce the risk to identify theft by reducing the passwords number of the web- based applications and the tool for encryption which will be used here is ASP.net. So from the above

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Supply chain management - Essay Example To achieve this objective, there is a need of an organization to have an efficient supply chain that will make it possible for the organization to supply their products without passing on the extra costs of supply to their customers. In achieving this objective, the organization under consideration will manage to obtain a competitive advantage over its competitors. However, this is not the case, and it is because there are a variety of factors that determine the supply chain of a product. Some of these factors are beyond the control of business organizations (Lee and Lee, 2007). This is because they are influenced by the environmental conditions. This research paper is an examination of the global supply chain of coffee. It is important to denote that coffee is an important product, that is traded worldwide, and the balance of trade in regard to coffee production and manufacturing, is in favor of the developed countries, as opposed to the developing countries (Lindgreen and Maon, 2013). Coffee is one of the major sources of revenue for less developed countries, and it is always grown on large scale, for purposes of exportation. On this basis, coffee is a very valuable crop in less developed countries, since it is a source of livelihood. In analyzing the global supply chain of coffee, this paper will identify the power in which different actors in this supply chain hold in the market. It is important to denote that most production of coffee emanates from the third world countries, while the manufacturers of this coffee, popularly referred to as roasters are found in the first world countries. Global trade in coffee has been made possible because of the international liberalization of trade. Liberalization of trade involves reducing international barriers to trade in services and goods (Sherer, 2005). This principle is based on the concept that a market works better and most efficiently when competition existing in it, is less regulated. It is important to

Frustration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Frustration - Essay Example The discussion in this paper is intended to be inclined to the case AS v Wijsmuller BV (The Super Servant Two), [1989] EWCA Civ 6, [1990]. The doctrine of Frustration under the contract law intends to reveal a number of propositions contextualized in the case AS v Wijsmuller BV. Some of these propositions include evolving to ease the rigor of the common law’s avowal on factual performance of unlimited promises, outcome of frustration to end the contract and an event must occur without a liability on the side of the party seeking to depend on it2. The Purpose of this paper is to analyze the statement â€Å"Since the consequence of frustration is to eradicate the contract and eject the parties from supplementary burden under it, the doctrine is not to be unconscientiously invoked, but must be kept inside much contracted limits and ought not to be unmitigated†. The discussion in this paper is intended to be inclined to the case AS v Wijsmuller BV The doctrine of frustratio n exhibits complexity when determining the cases in this context3. Some of the examples of frustration include destruction of the specific object, which is fundamental for execution of the contract, personal incapability, and non-occurrence of a particular event, state interference, delay and supervening illegality4. For the case of the AS v Wijsmuller BV (The Super Servant Two), [1989] EWCA Civ 6, [1990], the aspect of frustration is inclined to personal incapability, destruction of the specific object and supervening an illegality5. This case remains one of the landmark rulings in the history of contract law practice. The aspect of liability when considering the frustration doctrine creates a concern of narrow limits because of numerous reasons. For instance, the express provision for frustration is limited to the scope of not superseding over the express contractual provision for the exasperating occurrence. In fact, it becomes difficult to ascertain the extent of a frustrating e vent, particularly when its occurrence is inclined to the self-inducement and foreseeability of the event6. In essence, the narrow limits of the frustrating events should be a fundamental consideration in the endeavor to minimize the extent of frustration effects. This study reveals that the effects of contract frustration can only remain relevant if the doctrine is applicable. The aspect of causation forms the epicenter of argument in this case. It is notable that, the contract undergoes frustration when Wijsmuller submitted a fortnight later that, the contact could not be performed. The question of causation is evident and any judge would consider a case in which a seller is in a position to aver the defense of a clause, which defends him in situations where fulfillment is stalled by the exempt threat7. The consequent delivery of his accessible stock to other clientele will not be considered as autonomous cause of inadequacy, as long as when making such delivery the seller acted i n a reasonable manner in all situations of the case. This consideration should be kept within narrow limits to avoid unwarranted liability. Considering that, Dan King contract had been accorded carriage by Super Servant Two without a substitute and in the event that, the vessel had been lost before the time of carriage, then with ultimate assumption of non- negligence by Wijsmuller, it is probable that, the con

Understanding the Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding the Concepts - Essay Example Concept of NPV/Payback Rule: The concept of NPV or Net Present Value of a particular investment represents the difference in its market value and its actual cost. The value of NPV is determined by estimating the present value of those cash flows that shall take place in the future. The cost is then deducted from the resultant to obtain the value of the NPV. According to the payback rule, a particular cutoff is selected and if the payback period is less than that cutoff, the project proves to be good to undertake. A payback period represents the time period when the cost of the project becomes equal to the total sum of the investments made on the project (Ross, Westerfield & Jordan, 2008, p.290). Thus, these two concepts can be utilized in the business in order to determine whether the investments made on the project and the costs being incurred are on a right track to provide the owner with sufficient returns. Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing and Issue of Stocks over Bonds: The first advantage of debt financing is that a business only requires repayment of the borrowed amount but it is the owners who are accrued for any rise in the firm’s value. Secondly, debt is less costly in comparison to equity and carries lesser amounts of risk. Thirdly, the availability of debt financing is more frequent and easy than equity financing. The disadvantages of debt financing lie with the fact that debts have to be cleared even if the firm has undergone any losses in its finances. Secondly, in debt financing the assets of a firm are required to be used a guarantee that limits the further borrowing of the firm. Thirdly, several restrictions might be presented by the lenders in the process of debt financing. Lastly, personal guarantee might also be required in some cases (Seidman, 2005, pp.32-33). An organization would choose to issue stocks than bonds since firstly a stock represents the share of the owners of the firm, while a bond is a debt instrument. Secondly, a stock does not have a maturity period unlike bonds that have a fixed maturity period. Thirdly, dividends are gained over stocks while bonds borne fixed rates of interests (Brown, 2011). Risk-Returns Relationship: Financial risks are considered to be any such uncertainty that might affect the positive outcomes of a firm. Such risks might be associated with the market which is external to a firm. On the other hand, internal problems might also give rise to risks. The primary relationship between financial returns and risk arise based on the fact that investors always prefer higher returns and lesser risks. Thus it can be understood in this context that if financial risks are higher in case of an investment, the investor would have expectations for higher returns. This reflects on a trade-off that exists between the risks and the returns. Such a trade-off enables determination of the added amount of ret urn that an investor would receive if he considers a higher level of risk in his investment measure (Brigham & Houston, 2012, p.258). Thus depending on the level of risks that an investor can consider in his investment, the financial returns vary and this throws light on the relationship that exists between financial returns and risks. Beta and its Use: The concept of beta has been used for the measurement of systematic

Comparative politics and Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative politics and Governance - Essay Example France is taken to be the birthplace of liberal democracy in the modern era, sharing leadership culturally in the development of democratic society internationally with Britain and the USA. The ideals of democracy can be found in literature and transported to any location, but their implementation as a system of government is most strong in the USA and France today. Britain still has the House of Lords and Monarchy which illustrate the feudal patterns of society which liberal democracy replaced, and Spain also has a Constitutional Monarchy and King. The patterns of democratic liberalism found in the USA and France are used as a basis for development of similar systems in nation-states around the world in the process of modernization that relates to democratization internationally. Jurgen Habermas (1994) discusses the process of democratization as it aligns with modernization in his work, â€Å"Three Normative Models of Democracy,† relating the different stages a nation may ent er into as the people emerge from feudal power relations. (Habermas, 1994) Following this theory, liberal democratic structures will increase in a society as the culture develops economically and through education, adopting scientific standards, and becoming globalized. This theory would suggest that the world’s most advanced economies, such as the U.S., France, and Spain, would be also the most free historically, or have the highest advocacy for democratic institutions. Yet, China has the second largest economy globally, and it is often found to be lacking in liberal democratic openness on these standards. Similarly, Russia replaced the Soviet regime with a technically democratic system, and still has a strong economy today, yet international watchdogs regularly report human rights abuses and undemocratic processes in the country. This leads to the conclusion that there is not a direct relation between the size or advancement of an economy and liberal democracy as a politica l system inherently, as seen particularly in Russia and China today, but also in historical examples from around the world. Nevertheless, the relationship between modernization and democratization does proceed together in many nations historically, as Barber and other show in their studies on political sociology. (Barber, 2003) 2: The separation of executive and legislature is a fundamental requirement of democratic government’. Discuss. The separation of the legislature and executive is not the fundamental characteristic of democratic government, because the Parliamentary system of government links the Prime Minister directly to the ruling party and its control of the majority of legislators. What is more important than the relationship of separation of powers and indicative of a liberal democracy historically is the use of a constitution in the establishment of the system of government itself. Habermas, in such works as â€Å"On the Internal Relation between the Rule of La w and Democracy† (1995), describes the existence of a constitution as a foundation document in a system of government as characteristic and a predictor of democratic liberalism. (Habermas, 1995) Yet, France, Spain, US, Russia and Nigeria all have constitutions and make claims to political liberalism, but in practice display

The Future of Books Essay Example for Free

The Future of Books Essay 1. Introduction Books have evolved greatly since the first writings in clay tablets a thousand years B. C. to nowadays with the digital versions of most books that were, not long ago, only available in paper. Even though stories have been carried and passed from generation to generation since the emergence of language, only until around the fifth century has it been heard about books and their use. In the antiquity, primitive materials in which to carve such as stone and wood were replaced by finer and more portable materials like scrolls, papyrus and manuscripts, which allowed the writing of longer texts with less effort, and which lead the reading experience reaching an elite minority until the invention of the print. The history of books in modern times is directly related to the creation of the print, in the mid 15th century, by Gutenberg. This invention allowed texts to be translated and diffused, reaching much wider audiences and narrowing the knowledge gap between different social classes. The first book that Gutenberg printed was the bible, which completely revolutionized the way in which religion was regarded by the then illiterate masses, and which’s impact was then followed by a series of not only religious, but also more general cultural transformations when all types of books were reproduced and made accessible for the people. Printing made it possible for stories and knowledge to be materialized and kept throughout the years. With the advancements of the printing industry, books became easier to publish, cheaper and more attainable to people. The first printing machine had been made of wood and required a lot of hand labor and time to print, so the available copies of a book were still relatively limited. However, as the years passed, innovators sought better alternatives to wood and created metal and later on iron printing machines, which later on became mechanized, speeding up the printing process and not depending on an extensive hand labor to function. In 1867 the typewriter was invented, facilitating the typing process. With this invention, the price of books became more affordable and an increased number of readers appeared. The paper book trend lasted for centuries, gaining more audience and strength with each print innovation that was made. From Gutenberg up to the late 20th century, print books had an enormous success and growing popularity. However, with the raise of computer technologies, in 1971 the first digital library was finally created. 2. From Papers to Screens Project Gutenberg was founded in 1971 by Michael Hart, who created the first electronic book ever, with the principle of making literature accessible to everyone and to decrease the levels of illiteracy in the world. The project gathered the most important books in history in various languages, converted them into an electronic form and made them available to the public for free. This was a turning point in the history of books, since books were no longer read only by those who could afford their price in bookstores, but also by those who did not have the means to buy hardcovers and who now had easy and free access to literature and knowledge. Without knowing, Project Gutenberg started what would become the digital age of books by leading the transition from print books to digital books. When the advantages and the success of digital books were seen, a whole new market of online retailers began to take place. The emergence of e-books attracted other authors as well as electronics businesses that saw an opportunity for innovation and big profits. Electronic readers were created, facilitating the electronic reading experience and allowing people to read mobile e-books instead of being fixed to big heavy screens. However, during the 70’s and the 80’s, e-books were mainly specialized, and they attracted segments of the population who were interested in a few available topics. As the internet progressed in the 70’s and the 80’s and e-book electronic reading devices hit the markets, the 90’s Internet advancements allowed the easy spread of e-books from computer to computer through the web, and also the digitalization of a wide variety of genres. This meant that books were made available for people with all tastes and not only for a specialized audience. Reading was able to become a means of entertainment and not only of education and knowledge for the less favored classes, like it had been up to then. Books went from being expensive and unaffordable by many, to being a commodity of which everybody could enjoy. The higher number of genres and of books in the Internet created an increasing demand for e-books, from which online retailers, such as Amazon, took advantage in the mid 1990’s. Businesses took the opportunity to digitalize books and sell them online for cheaper prices than those of their original paper formats. Another big player in the internet was Google, which decided to pay publishers to digitalize books and make certain parts, if not all of them, available for free. Apart from the digitalization of books, reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes Noble’s Nook, and Apple’s Ipad show the huge market that was created due to e-books, and the competition that took and still takes place in the digital world for the monopoly of e-books. 3. Reading experience As mentioned above, thanks to the invention of the print, reading became a common activity and was no longer reserved for a privileged majority. As books spread, illiteracy levels dropped and the audience for books became so diverse that it allowed for the distribution of books of all genres for all cultures and tastes. It was probably thanks to the digitalization of books that sub-genres gained popularity and were not left and forgotten in the shelves of bookstores and libraries. E-books, therefore, revived dead genres and gave an advantage to the ones that already enjoyed from a big demand in paper format. The reading experience has thus changed regarding new audiences reached and more genres available for cheaper prices. Another way in which e-books have benefited the audiences has been through the creation of digital libraries by physical libraries as well as online libraries. Since e-books do not occupy shelf space and they need only to be stored in databases, it is easy for libraries to organize their digitalized books and for customers to find specific topics and authors. In this sense, the process of finding books has been simplified compared to the regular library systems for non-digital versions. The process of digitalization is a long one but once all books become part of the digital library, they are easier to manage and to distribute when people look for them. Electronic libraries allow the storage of large numbers of books in a small memory space, without the need of bookshelves, space and a large staff. Thanks to this storage advantage, libraries can have more books readily available and people have a larger choice and are not limited by the physical space of libraries. At the same time, bookstores with e-book archives can save customers time by giving a faster service and avoiding queues and waiting lists for books that for instance, have no yet arrived to the bookstore or due to distances or to a large demand. Apart from the storage aspects, an important part of the transition from paper to screens has been the unwillingness of certain people to adapt to the electronic forms of books. Hardcover books have been part of cultures for so many centuries that for some people it is not so easy to accommodate to e-readings. The modern world is incredibly digitalized, from music to movies, so the digitalization of books appears to be natural, particularly to the youngest generations. The reading experience between paper books and e-books is clearly different since paper books offer the possibility of reading with more senses alert. For instance, when reading a handcover book, the reader can feel the pages’ texture and the smell of the book, and can see traits that are not present in e-readers, such as worn out and bended pages, which could be seen as a disadvantage, but they can also give a rewarding sensation to the reader who makes his way through the book and can perceive and appreciate how he gets closer to the end. Another element of the charm of paper books is the unhurried reading experience that they offer. This implies the easiness with which books can be transported and the little it matters where the reader is in order to be able to do his reading. Contrary to e-readers, paper books do not require battery charging, careful care from bad weather conditions, uploading or downloading of stories, among other factors. Thus, paper books can be said to be simpler to read and to offer a genuine reading experience that only requires a book and a reader. Despite these reading experience factors, future generations will very probably grow being increasingly familiar with e-books, which will be in favor for the expansion of the e-book market and will result in a further shrinking demand for print books. Children born in the digital age are not be aware of the long way that print books have come from if they are not taught about it, and they probably regard e-books as the initial state of books. Therefore, the reading experience is linked by large to former reading experiences and to the capability to compare e-books to non-digital books from an intellectual and also sentimental or sensorial point of view. 4. Writers and Cost Reductions For writers, the digitalization of books does not necessarily imply negative consequences, since there are several points which are in their favor. These include the possibility of self-publishing, no need for paper, easy editing, and no surpluses. Self-publishing is a great advantage for writers since publishing houses usually get most of the gains, leaving the authors with minimal profits from their own books. By skipping the intermediary, which in this case is the publisher, writers can put their books up in the internet for sale and get all the profits. This approach does have its risks since the advantage of going public through publishers is that they know about the business and they take care of all the steps. There is also the advantage of not needing paper, which again means fewer costs and thus, more gains for the authors. Writers can decide to publish their books directly online without having a print version if they do not wish to. This saves writers from the long lasting period of printing and book assembling before their book is launched. Also, no printing means one intermediary less in the process of book publishing. Working with publishers already costs a lot of money, so cutting any price, in this case paper, printing and assembling prices, is helpful for authors. Related to the paper advantage, is easy editing. Contrary to print books, e-books can be easily edited even if they have been already published; they do not face the inconvenience of having typos that would cost a lot of money to correct. In the case of print books, once the book is printed in big numbers, typos are not possible to correct until the next printings, but by then the public will already have the version with the typos in their hands. Editing also refers to bigger editing other than typos, such as whole passage modifications, which are possible to make in digital versions but not in paper. Writers can also benefit from the lack of book surpluses that result in money put into the rental of warehouses. Surpluses are very common for print books since at the moment of publishing, authors and publishers make an estimate of the books that will be sold, but they might not always be right or even approximate, due to the quality of the writing or of other external factors. In the case of e-books, no printing is necessary and purchases are done digitally so no warehouses are needed. This saves the authors money and allows for investment in other areas such as the advertising of their books. 5. More Readers for Writers. Concerning the readers, they have easy access to books and do not depend merely on the prices offered, since paper books usually cost a lot of money. Even if some digital books can be more expensive than others because of publishers, they are considerably cheaper than paper books. Another advantage for the readers is that they do not need to physically move if they need or want to get an e-book. As mentioned before, they have the advantage of avoiding long library and bookstore queues and waiting lists, and they can have access to the book they want directly from the comfort of their home or computer. These advantages mean that readers look for their books online more readily than they look for physical books, since these require more time, money and efforts. Therefore, writers can benefit for a wider, or at least more active, audience. 6. E-books and Different Genres In the case of the genres affected by the digitalization of books, academic books most probably will not increase their sales and will not be reaching a wider audience, since these books have a specialized audience that does not increase or decrease its demands with the availability of e-books. On the other hand, novels and books of popular genres like science fiction will most probably increase their demand numbers, since they do not require a specialized audience, but can entertain people from all social strata. Science fiction alone accounts for around 20% of all e-book purchases. At the same time, since digital readings offer the possibility of hyperlinks, search engines, and so forth, within or around the text, these distractions affect the reading quality of novels, but not so much the reading quality of dictionaries and cookbooks, for instance. 7. Concerning Publishers. Some of the players who are the most affected by the digitalization of books are publishers, since moving to digital forms has reshaped in the way in which books are marketed and also the costs involved and profits earned. Some of the advantages to publishers are the liberation from the constraints of printing and from surpluses of inventories. Another advantage is that older books that stopped selling on print can be published again in their digital form and reach wider audiences because of the cheaper prices, so profits can be made from book print inactive books. Despite these advantages, the disadvantages are also great. One of the biggest threats of publishing online is piracy, since pirates can easily take the book and distribute it illegally. Another disadvantage is the pricing for e-books in the internet, since different retailers and sellers have at times prices that differ greatly from one another and while big retailers can afford to cut costs and increase sales with some profit losses, small publishers cannot afford such a move. One more important disadvantage for publishers is that there are no more book displays in bookstore shelves that help advertise books. Publishers try, however, to create advertising for their clients through the social web in order to make up for this downfall. A technique used by publishers in order to keep their print sales alive is called â€Å"windowing† and it consists of publishing first the print version of a new book and delaying the e-version to increase the print sales. The idea is not to let people know when the e-version will be available so that they buy the print version and do not wait for the e-book to be published. However, this technique can go wrong and can create losses if the time length between the print and online publishing is not well foreseen. For instance, if the print book is sold out after a week, when the planned time was two months, then people will quickly forget about the book and once it is finally published digitally, it will not have the same effect it had back when there was expectation for the two publishes. A second technique that publishers are using is the publication of segments of a book, which the public can read, and if they like what they see, they are encouraged to make donations so that the author can finish writing the book and that it can be published. This is a very innovative idea, since it allows publishers to avoid surpluses, as well as printing if they decide to do this only with e-books. 8. Libraries Libraries are one of the most important stakeholders of the digitalization of books since they are usually decades all and have invested great sums of money on the local, the books, the maintenance, and so forth. For libraries, the conversion of books into e-books is very expensive because even though it is cheaper than storing physical books, there are far more e-books and therefore, the storage in a digital form is more expensive in the long run. Fortunately for libraries, literature will still be literature and regarded as such, no matter if it’s stored in bookshelves or in databases. This means that library clients would still frequent the library when looking for books, and also because libraries are not just places where books are stored, but also cultural places where people can gather and talk about literature or intellectual topics. At the same time, due to the creation of digital databases, libraries will have to start cutting down personnel and spaces in order to be able to afford the transition to digital forms. 9. Bookstores: Borders In the case of bookstores, they suffer more than libraries from e-books, since bookstores are not a place of consultation but of selling, and when money is involved, customers tend to turn where they can spend the least for the same service. One of the main concerns of bookstores is the low price that is charged for books in e-form, since for the same content there are significant price differences that clearly draw clients away from bookstores to the internet. Another main concern of bookstores is that the space that is used for storing and displaying print books will not be of any use, and even if they create digital databases to sell e-books in their stores, they cannot compete with online venders since they still need to cover local costs such as electricity, personnel, rent, maintenance, etc. Some of the strategies tried out by bookstores in order to survive the digital age is to host book clubs and social gatherings, as well as selling goods other than books. In the case of smaller bookstores, since they cannot compete with the others’ prices, have opted for offering writing classes, for instance, in addition to selling books in their stores. These strategies work in some cases but in others they have not been able to save bookstores from collapsing. On July 2011, the American bookstore giant, Borders, liquidated all of its stores after it went Bankrupt in February 2011. Next with its end went 11,000 lost jobs. In an interview to Border’s President Mike Edwards, he says, Following the best efforts of all parties, we are saddened by this development. We were all working hard toward a different outcome, but the head winds we have been facing for quite some time, including the rapidly changing book industry, [electronic reader] revolution and turbulent economy, have brought us to where we are now. It is clear that Borders was not prepared for the digital wave that hit the book industry, and when it tried to react it was already too late. Borders had big stores and advanced equipment to locate books clients looked for. However, when the digitalization of books started taking place, Borders did not focus on building its own e-book market, but instead it used one of the above mentioned techniques, which was selling other goods, such as CDs and DVDs. It also invested on the infrastructure of its shops instead of taking action in the digital book market. Its main competitor was Barnes Noble, which has managed to survive and keep up by focusing on the promotion of e-books and on the release of its own e-reader, the Nook, which put it directly into the digital market and which allows it to better promote its own digital books. There is still much to be achieved and much competition to achieve from the part of Barnes Noble, but if it continues to accommodate to the digital flow then it is very likely that it will manage to sustain itself. For Borders, for Barnes Nobel, and for all bookstores nowadays, the big competitors are online retailers, especially Amazon, which is considered to be the biggest e-retailer on the web. 10. Online Retailers: Amazon Amazon was founded in the mid 1990’s and started off as an online book seller. With the years, it started expanding its market to multiple areas such as music, software, videogames and toys. Today, it sells an infinite variety of products and covers an international market as one of the biggest online retailers in the world. With the emergence of e-books and the enormous competition that surrounded Amazon, it decided not only to sell digital versions of its books but also to launch its own e-reader, the now famous Kindle. Its main adversary in terms of e-readers was and still is the iPad. In order to keep up with the competition and be the number one on the e-book market, Amazon lowered the price of the Kindle to a level where it was making no profits and was in the contrary, creating losses. The reasoning behind this strategy was to encourage people to buy the Kindle instead of other e-readers, and by buying the Kindle they would be likely to buy the e-books from Amazon too. Up to now, Amazon has been able to keep on competing with Apple, however, both are directed at different customers, since Apple’s iPad is more about design than about e-books, while Amazon’s Kindle is all about the e-books Amazon offers with it. The online retailer has the advantage on making its profits from a wide variety of products and not having to rely completely on e-books only. However, it is today the biggest e-retailer online and its e-books account for an important part of its success, and thanks to its Kindle and its prices it continues its way to dominating the e-book market. The future of Amazon is tightly related to the future of Bookstores and the future of print books. While Amazon continues to offer low prices for digital books, people will keep on turning to the cheaper digital versions and the demand for print books will keep on decreasing. At the same time, the international scope of Amazon and its prices make it difficult for bookstores to compete with it, since they rely on books mainly, while Amazon relies on many other products that it sells successfully online. 11. Conclusion The future of books seems to be as e-books mainly, even though the print versions will most probably continue to play an important role in society due to the historical and emotional charge that they carry. The generations  that grew up with print books are not likely to turn to digital forms too quickly, but as every year since the late 1990’s a new digital generation is born, print books will not have the same meaning they have today, just as they do not have the same meaning today as they had before the rise of the internet. In order for print books to survive, prices need to be lowered, and the most successful way to do this for authors is by self-publishing and reaching the audiences directly. This entails risks, but if print books continue to cost as much as they do today, the demand for them will decrease further with time. In the case of bookstores, for the moment they have no other alternative than to adapt to the digital market and to try to find other sources of income. Perhaps in the future, once the world is used to e-books, just like it is used to CD’s and not to cassettes today, people will look back and start turning to print versions which will be seen as unique and which might gain back the initial prestigious status that they once had when the print was first created. Works Cited Adam, Nabil R. Digital Libraries: Research and Technology Advances : ADL 95 Forum, McLean, Virginia, USA, May 15-17, 1995 : Selected Papers. Berlin: Springer, 1996. Print. Amazon: The Walmart of the Web. The Economist [San Francisco] 1 Oct. 2011: 57-58. Print. Amazons 15th Anniversary: A History of Online Shopping. Time. 16 July 2010. Web. http://www. time. com/time/business/article/0,8599,2004089,00. html. Archiving the Web: Born Digital. The Economist 23 Oct. 2010: 67. Print. Auletta, Ken. The IPad, the Kindle, and the Future of Books. The New Yorker. 26 Apr. 2010. Web. http://www. newyorker. com/reporting/2010/04/26/100426fa_fact_auletta. Background to Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg Australia. Web. http://gutenberg. net. au/background. html. Barnett, Emma. Self Publishing Writer Becomes Million Seller Telegraph. The Telegraph. 21 June 2011. Web. http://www. telegraph. co. uk/culture/books/booknews/8589963/Self-publishing-writer-becomes-million-seller. html. The Books Business: Great Digital Expectations. The Economist 10 Sept. 2011: 63-64. Print. Brooks, Sofie C. Publishing Words: The Future of Books | Arts | The Harvard Crimson. The Harvard Crimson. 20 Sept. 2011. Web. http://www. thecrimson. com/column/innovation-and-art/article/2011/9/20/publishing-books-amazon-new/. Cohen, Dan. The Fight Over the Future of Digital Books Dan Cohen Technology The Atlantic. The Atlantic. 23 Sept. 2011. Web. http://www. theatlantic. com/technology/archive/2011/09/the-fight-over-the-future-of-digital-books/245577/. Crowd-funding Books: A Novel Idea. The Economist 23 July 2011: 58. Print. Eliot, Simon, and Jonathan Rose. A Companion to the History of the Book. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. , 2007. Print. The Endangered Bookstore: Edited Out. The Economist 3 Apr. 2010: 60. Print. The Future of Books: Not Bound by Anything | The Economist. The Economist. 24 Mar. 2007. Web. http://www. economist. com/node/8881446. The Future of Publishing: E-publish or Perish. The Economist 3 Apr. 2010: 59-60. Print. The History of the Internet. Investintech. com. Web. http://www. investintech. com/content/historyinternet/. Howard, Nicole. The Book: the Life Story of a Technology. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2009. Print. Kovacs, Maureen G. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. , 2004. Print. Menn, Joseph. Alliance Helps Google Finally Go into Print with 2m Books. The Financial Times [San Francisco] 18 Sept. 2009: 13. Print. Michael Hart. The Economist 24 Sept. 2011, Obituary sec. : 102. Print. Montgomery, Kathryn C. Children in the Digital Age. Media Awareness Network. Web. http://www. media-awareness. ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/digital_kids. cfm. Noguchi, Yuki. Why Borders Failed While Barnes Noble Survived. National Public Radio. 9 July 2011. Web. http://www. npr. org/2011/07/19/138514209/why-borders-failed-while-barnes-and-noble-survived. Postrel, Virginia. Amazon vs. Apple: What Should E-Book Prices Be? The Atlantic. 2 Feb. 2010. Web. http://www. theatlantic. com/business/archive/2010/02/amazon-vs-apple-what-should-e-book-prices-be/35131/. Printing Yesterday and Today. Harry Ransom Center. Web. http://www. hrc. utexas. edu/educator/modules/gutenberg/books/printing/. Project Gutenberg. Web. http://www. gutenberg. org/wiki/Gutenberg:About. Spector, Mike. Borders Forced to Liquidate, Close All Stores. The Wall Street Journal. 19 July 2011. Web. http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052702303661904576454353768550280. html. Sutter, John D. The Future of Libraries, with or without Books. CNN. 04 Sept. 2009. Web. http://articles. cnn. com/2009-09-04/tech/future. library. technology_1_metropolitan-library-librarians-books? _s=PM:TECH. The Transformation of the Book Industry: Disappearing Ink. The Economist 10 Sept. 2011: 15. Print. Wong, Jackie. Genre-fiction Fans Quell Hunger with E-books. Straight: Vancouvers Online Source. 7 July 2011. Web. http://www. straight. com/article-402353/vancouver/genrefiction-fans-quell-hunger-ebooks. [ 1 ]. Kovacs, Maureen G. The Epic of Gilgamesh (Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. , 2004) 13. [ 2 ]. Eliot, Simon, and Jonathan Rose. A Companion to the History of the Book (Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. , 2007) 87. [ 3 ]. Howard, Nicole. The Book: the Life Story of a Technology (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2009) 31. [ 4 ]. Printing Yesterday and Today. Harry Ransom Center. . [ 5 ]. Background to Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg Australia. . [ 6 ]. Michael Hart. The Economist 24 Sept. 2011, Obituary sec. : 102. Print. [ 7 ]. 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Economic Interdependence between European countries

Economic Interdependence between European countries Why is economic interdependence necessary? When we talk about economic interdependence between countries the first and foremost factor that comes to mind is the exchange of goods and services then the flow of labour, capital, technology, and finally the flow of funds. Helpman (2011) describes the economic fortunes of a country being intertwined â€Å"†¦via trade, foreign direct investment, and financial capital flows†. Helpman also talks about how the global crises of 2008 illustrated the importance of this interdependency between countries when it caused the volume of international trade to fall by almost a quarter which then adversely influenced even the countries with a sound financial system. Coming to the first aspect of the exchange for goods and services (trade); it is indeed, essential to trade in order to derive maximum benefit from the efficient use of scarce resources available and as economic development and progression takes place resultantly because of globalisation, international trade is becoming i ncreasingly popular particularly when it comes to European countries. Piggott and Cook (2006) talk about the need for international trade quite comprehensively: â€Å"exports and imports can smooth demand fluctuations in the domestic economy, and growth via exports could increase competition at home. Therefore basically trade allows firms to escape the confines of the domestic market, so reducing costs, improving quality and hopefully leading to higher sales and profits†. Furthermore, this leads to the countries’ then helping even their businesses or organisations obtain a competitive advantage through specialisation and giving them access to international markets which in turn helps boost the economy even more. Europe’s global economic position Most of the countries in Europe have a significantly high GDP per capita and are considered to have extremely developed economies when it comes to the Global market; examples of which include Germany, France, Netherlands, and so on. In fact, the International monetary fund in its latest report in 2018 places most of the European countries in the advanced economies’ category whether it is in final domestic demand, stock building, or foreign balance. It is especially impressive that most of these countries progressed themselves post communism particularly with European countries like Hungary and Latvia undergoing financial crises as Grzegorz Ekiert (2012) puts it â€Å"†¦these countries’ political and economic achievements have been in stark contrast to the failures seen in other post-communist states.† The most important role in economic development however, has to be acknowledged as well which is the economic interdependence between these European countries. Economic interdependence and its importance â€Å"Economic interdependence is occurring due to specialization of countries, as they are dependent on others in the purchase of products which are not manufactured nationwide.† (Surugiu, 2015) It should be of a common understanding that progress cannot be achieved by being alone or confining to a limited way of approaching desired economic objectives and it proves to be true in the global economy as well. As more countries pool in their share of different scarce resources and bring about extra demand as well from their economies they do in fact help in reducing the wastage of resources. Needless to say, this really does synchronise with efficiently allocating these available resources too. When we talk about globalisation and economic interdependence the most critical element to have are good international relationships between countries due to the aforementioned fact that it is not only international trade that influences the countries’ economies but also other economic factors such as the flow of labour, easing of trade regulations or even financial tie-ups. These relationships are usually quite diplomatic and do involve a collaboration from both sides, it could even be argued that this relationship in itself is an exchange in order to achieve mutually favourable growth thus, these can also be the difference between maintaining peace and economic well-being. Paul Wilkinson(2007) talks about how paramount these can be in his book â€Å"†¦some of the major problems and challenges of international relations reveals that we live in a very dangerous world, and that many of the most serious threats to our peace, security, and economic and social well-being are the result of human actions.† How and why European countries are economically interdependent Being geographically close such as the countries within Europe gives them an advantage to not only make trading easier and quicker but it also provides them with a strategic advantage of achieving their political missions and their businesses with a competitive edge in the international markets. When countries do intend to come together in order to achieve economic progression they usually end up forming an alliance/trading bloc or in Europe’s case most prominently a regional trading bloc (European Union) which overtime proved to be of immense significance to their   economic and political environment. This proved to be extremely pertinent in making sure that the countries involved not only maintained peace and excellent diplomatic ties but also that they assisted each other’s economies with regards to growth and exchanging of resources allowing them to specialise more distinctively and get an even higher trade advantage. This enabled the member countries to contribute to the union financially and in return the union invested in its members’ economies accordingly. As stated by European Commission (2018) the EU adopted budget aims to invest (in its member countries) about EUR 160, 113.52M in several areas including sustainable growth, competitiveness for growth and security amongst others. The European Union could arguably be one of the most powerful economic integrations. Over the years, it has not only helped its members in areas like capital accumulation, and technical progress but it has also maintained common and standardised policies for trade and as attested by European commission(2018) itself the EU making one of its main aims to become economically interdependent and avoid any future conflicts between its members. Consequently, countries such as Germany, Spain and France who were at war for centuries have now ensured that they now work in harmony to attain mutual benefit (Mankiw, 2016, p.528). Some other examples of European economic integrations include the European Economic Area (EEA) with around 32 members, European Union Customs Union (EUCU) with 28 of the EU and 3 non-EU members (Turkey, Andorra, and San Marino), and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with currently 4 members. The most compelling benefit however, is provided by there being a single currencies’ adoption by the European Union members which brings with it the convenience of eliminating transaction costs, reduction in price discrimination and the stability of the foreign exchange rate (Mankiw et al, 2016, pp.531). Threats economic interdependence presents While recognising the pivotal aspects of European countries having to be economically reliant on each other we must also look at the limitations it brings with it. Some of these limitations include a 5% decrease in intra EU trading during 2000-2014, Europe’s internal crises in 2015 which was triggered by the euro crises a few years prior, not giving the countries involved to make independent political decisions without undermining their relationships with a majority of their trading partners, and it taking just one opposing country to threaten a powerful alliance like EU as Greece tried to in 2015 against EU sanctions placed on Russia (The German Marshall Fund of the United States, 2016). This can also cause a free rider problem as well which Mankiw, Et al (2016) explains by giving the example of the Greek recession where the government borrowed more than they could pay back and eventually the EU had to bail them out. Most impactful though, are the difficulties that arise because of there being a single currency (Euro) adoption within the selected EU countries; these are including but not limited to fiscal federalism (Mankiw et al, 2016) describes it as the fiscal policy in the currency union working like that of a single economy, they also give up their right to have an individualistic monetary policy, and finally the macroeconomic adjustment generating from the external value of their currencies also known as automatic stabilisers (Investopedia, 2018). In conclusion, it can be said as Monnet (1978) suggests; the process of economic integration in Europe has always been incremental in nature, and often ‘forged in crises’. The main aims of these integrations also keep changing with respect to the challenges the economic environment brings with it and that being said, as long as these aims are met and all countries feel like they are benefiting mutually they will always understand that there are more pros than cons of economic interdependence for them, if not then they can always choose to leave like the UK did with the EU in June 2016. It goes without saying that trading blocs are an integral part of economic integration and political reasoning might also be a huge element in deriving its existence. However, as long as the collective European economies continue to prosper by depending on each other economically and the consequences of abandoning this interdependence do not surpass the benefits of remaining it would not make any sense for a country to be an independent economy. Reference List: European Free Trade Association (2018) About EFTA: The European Free Trade Association Available from: http://www.efta.int/about-efta/european-free-trade-association [Accessed 21 April 2018] European Commission (2018) Budget: Annual budget. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/annual/index_en.cfm [Accessed 19 April 2018] European Commission (2018) The EU in brief: From Economic to Political Union Available from: https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/eu-in-brief_en [Accessed 21 April 2018] European Commission (2018) Taxation and Customs Union: Customs Union Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/calculation-customs-duties/rules-origin/customs-unions_en [Accessed 21 April 2018] Helpman, Elhanan. (2011), Understanding Global Trade, Harvard University Press Available from: ProQuest EBook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/lsbuuk/detail.action?docID=3300975. International Monetary Fund (2018) World Economic Outlook cyclical Upswing, Structural change: statistical appendix table part A. Available from: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2018/03/20/world-economic-outlook-april-2018#Statistical%20Appendix [Accessed 20 April 2018] Investopedia (2018) Automatic Stabilizer: What is an ‘economic stabilizer’? Available from: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/automaticstabilizer.asp [Accessed 21 April 2018] Mankiw, G. Taylor, M. Ashwin, A.  (2016), Business Economics: The Global Economy, 2nd edition, Cengage textbooks. Monnet, J (1978),  Memoirs, London. Piggott, Judith. Mark, Cook. (2006), International Business Economics: A European Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan. Surugiu, M. and Surugiu, C. (2015) International Trade, Globalization and Economic Interdependence between European Countries: Implications for Businesses and Marketing Framework, Procedia Economics and Finance, 32 (1), pp. 133. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221256711501374X [Accessed 19 April 2018] The German Marshall Fund of The United States (2016) Policy Brief: How Economic Dependence Could Undermine Europe’s Foreign Policy Coherence. Available from: http://www.gmfus.org/publications/how-economic-dependence-could-undermine-europes-foreign-policy-coherence [Accessed 21 April 2018] The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration (2018), Home: EEA Member Countries. Available from: https://utl.is/index.php/en/eea-member-countries [Accessed 21 April 2018] Wilkinson, Paul. (2007), International Relations: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Early Growth And Development Of Islam Religion Essay

Early Growth And Development Of Islam Religion Essay The foundation of Islam can be traced back to 6th century Saudi Arabia. Islam is the youngest of the enormous world religions. Islam is the religion of loyalty to God, or Allah, and his prophet Muhammad. The word Islam itself means obedience to Allah. Muhammad is the central prophet of the Islamic faith. He was born into a noble Quraish clan, and he was orphaned at an early age. Mohammed lived from around 570C.-632C. He also grew up to be a successful merchant in his home town Mecca. The prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in 610 A.D. after experiencing what he declared to be an angelic visitation, which consisted of the angels command from God for Muhammad. Muhammad dictated the Quran, the holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the perfect words of Allah, their God. It is said, that beginning when he was around 40 years old, Muhammad was commanded by Allah to recite the words that would later become Islams book and Holy Scripture, the Quran. Mohammed is also said to have rece ived all of his revelations over a period of around 23 years from the angel Gabriel, who was repeating the word of God to Muhammad. However, to a spiritual Muslim, Islam began long before Muhammad ever walked the earth. Early Growth and Development: After Muhammud completed the Quran, he traveled back to his hometown to spread the news of his new religion. Soon, Arab conquests outside of Arabia began under the second caliph, Umar. The religion of Islam and the Muslim community began to stretch through the Middle East through invasion and the result in growth of the Muslim state offered the ground in which the newly exposed faith could thrive. The military occupation was encouraged by religion, but it was also motivated by gluttony and politics. But this combination of motives united to form a procedure that created Islamic and Arab ideals, and societies into a fast-growing spiritual and political uniqueness. The early progress of Islam quickly started with military expansion. Abbasid decline became evident in the second half of the ninth century as the conversion to Islam accelerated. Transition Period: After the death of Muhammad in 632 CE, the youthful Muslim alliance came under tension. Some of the tribes determined that their loyalty to Islam had been principally to Muhammad himself. His death approved them to conclude their faithfulness to Mecca and to Islam. This began to cause many new problems in the Muslim community because many had become sincere Muslim believers and began to fight amongst themselves over who should take control now that Muhammad had passed away. To make things more difficult, Muhammad had not left clear directions as to who should lead and take power of the society. Fortunately, the community immediately choose Muhammads close friend and father-in-law, Abu Bakr, as his heir. Abu Bakr was famous as the first caliph and a innovative monarch of the society. The title of caliph gave Abu the status of a spiritual leader, in addition to his political power. This can be seen as a similar role as the Judaic priest. Abu Bakr took hasty military feat in opposition to the communities that sought to break away. These campaigns, identified as the apostasy or ridda wars, effectively consolidated Arabia into a single nation under Muslim rule within two years. The political position of Islam, and the task Muhammad had given it as a political and religious strength was toughened in the military conquests. Within half a century of the prophets death, Islam had spread to more than three continents. By the 8th century, Africa, western Asia and even Europe had been influenced and conquered, in several regions, by the Muslim conquests. The original Islamic doctrine was not a faith of war nor did it multiply primarily by means of invasion. The wars and battles that took place around Saudi Arabia were targeted at controlling and correcting the many communities of people that worshiped false idols, in contrast to the real God, or Allah. Islam was spread by declaring war against those clans which did not accept the message of God. At first, Christians and Jews were not required to convert or were treated with disrespect. In addition to the region around Saudi Arabia, the vast lands of the Middle East dominated by the Arab armies in a small period were ultimately converted to Muslim by the appeal of the latest religion, instead of by the sword. It was faith in one God and stressed the importance of his mercy that brought immense numbers of people into the religion of Islam. The new faith did not oblige people to convert to Islam. Many continued to remain Jews and Christians and to this day, significant communities of the supporters of these faiths are found in Muslim lands. The expansion of Islam was not restricted to its astonishing early growth outside of Arabia. During later centuries the Turks accepted Islam calmly as did a great number of the citizens of the Indian subcontinent. Islam has stretched during the past two centuries even under the potent authority of European colonial monarch. Today: Islam is a large and powerful worldwide religion up to this day. Although the religion of Islam has spread to throughout the world, Indonesia is the country which has the largest population of Islamic followers. In addition to Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh each have an grand number of 100 million or more devotees. Today Islam persists to grow not just in Africa, but also in Europe and America where Muslims now encompass a well-known minority of people. Today, Muslims and Islamic followers face many new challenges. One of the biggest problems Muslims and Islamic believers are facing is other people having ignorance towards Islam. This ignorance has begun to lead to stereotyping, fear, and distrust towards the Islamic people. Muslim American citizens allegiance and loyalty to the United States has grown to be questioned. Muslims are given a bad name and therefore an easy target for prejudice and racism. Another danger resulting from ignorance of the religion of Islam is the omnibus anti-terrorism legislation that, which unfairly targets Muslims as widespread purveyors of terrorism. Although affected by various ideologies such as communism, during much of the twentieth century, the Islamic individuality and the supremacy of Islam on political troubles and arguments have dramatically increased during the early twenty-first century. The quickly expanding Western interests in Islamic regions, international conflicts and globalization have changed the pressure of Islam on the world of the twenty-first century. Muhammad was born in Mecca just around the time of 570 C.E. and was a affiliate of the Quraysh tribe. As with many famous people, almost nothing is known about his years of adolescence. His parents passed away when he was a juvenile. Something that was quite sad for Muhammad the great prophet was that as a child he was never taught how to read or write. When Muhammad was only twelve years old, he visited Syria and had his first introduction to other religions and other faith groups, Muhammad began to grow respect for these other people. At the age of twenty-five, Muhammad wedded a widow who was called Khadija. Khadija was a merchant, like many people of his time were, and soon enough he began to be a merchant himself. While he left home to go onto a trading expedition, when he was around the age of forty, Muhammad stumbled upon the angel Gabriel. The word of God was discovered to him through the angel Gabriel and Muhammad copied down everything he was told, in Arabic and was later kn own as the Quran. The angel Gabriel began to reveal to him, many special revelations. The revelations which the angel Gabriel revealed to him, said that he was to grow to be the herald of God and he would become a great prophet. Some of the revelations told to Muhammad incorporated that the world would end one day, that God would arbitrator humans fortunately if they gave in to His will, and that people should pray to demonstrate their gratitude to Allah. After his great experience and revelation, he began to follow the path of a prophet. Mohammed hurried to return home to his wife and city where he soon began spreading the teachings he learned. After his teachings began to spread, he started to create a system of conduct that he said had been spoken by Allah himself. The main beliefs of Islam were incorporated over time, as not everyone was eager to believe Muhammads claim to be Gods herald. People who believed in Muhammads knowledge came to be branded as Muslims. The religion that Muhammad had created became to be known as Islam, which means in Arabic, surrender (to the will of Allah). Muhammad was said to be one of the last and most perfectly spiritual prophets. However Muhammad was hated by many people at the time. In addition to having to hear and listen to the criticism of his ideas and what he believed, he also went through a great deal of pain, when his wife and uncle passed away in the same year. In 622, Muhammad left on a journey from Mecca, for an oasis that was known as Yathrib at that time. This trip became known as the hejira, or as the flight from persecution in Mecca. Muhammad soon gained a new home which was renamed Medina, Muhammad became a negotiator, arbitrating arguments and fights between different tribes. Muhammad had respect for the Jews, and his early knowledge appeared to be taken from the Jewish tradition. The Jews started to keep themselves from Muhammad; however, once it was clear that the Jews would not recognize him, Muhammad sta rted to eradicate the Jewish power on his viewpoint. Originally, he said the Arabs were offspring of Abraham through his son Ishmael, but in the Koran Abrahams correlation to the Jews is deprived of, with Muhammad saying that Abraham is only the patriarch of Islam. One of the instant consequences of Muhammads aggravation was the eviction of two Jewish clans from Medina and the execution of all the associates of a third Jewish clan. But what was even worse, was that for the long-term handling of the Jews were a number of provoking statements about them that Muhammad created that appeared in the Koran. Muhammad gradually began to construct his control by the persuasiveness of his confidence. He came to be in charge of the markets, which forced other traders and tribesmen to negotiate with him. During the two centuries after Muhammads death, the rules that all believers were to abide by were codified in the Shariah. Muhammad passed away in 632, and it was left to his followers to carry on the customs he had begun. His clique developed Islam, just as the supporters of Moses and Jesus created Judaism and Christianity over time. http://www.islamfortoday.com/beliefs.htm The Earth and Its People, Houghton Mifflin, Bulliet Crossley, Headrick Hirsch, Johnson Northup, Third Edition, 2005. In the Shade of the Quran, Sayyid Qutb, Islamic Foundation. The True Religion, by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.

Making Funeral Speeches More Dramatic in Julius Caesar :: William Shakespeare Julius Caesar Essays

Making Funeral Speeches More Dramatic in Julius Caesar As every schoolboy knows, Shakespeare’s play of Julius Caesar isn’t a play based on reality but is a play about ‘Was Brutus right to kill his beloved Caesar?’ Therefore, the funeral speeches were written to allow Brutus a chance to prove that he was right to kill Julius Caesar whereas it also gives Antony the opportunity to convince the Plebeians how it was wrong to assassinate Julius Caesar. For these speeches to become livelier and not dull, this scene will be changed into a thrilling play for the spectators to watch and enjoy! Firstly, the Roman-set play has the stage picture of fruits and used objects scattered all over the floors of the closed down markets to mourn Julius Caesar’s death (in other words an excuse for a holiday)! There is an elevated rectangular area in the middle of the stage and there also is a door to the elevated area. The Patricians (Antony and Brutus) have to open this door and go up a small flight of stairs to reach the top of this raised section. Here everyone all around them will see them. A red striped toga clothes these Patricians whereas the civil servants are wearing green striped togas. Dirty rags to show the audience what they earned from their worthless jobs are clothing the Plebeians. A balcony is used for speculation of the play. This is where a few Plebeians mix with the audience along with a few civil servants blending into the crowd of watchers. All of the Plebeians and the civil servants have a major role to play in the external part of the play, which shall be explained later. The stage is covered in debris and Plebeians are also scattered between and outside all four corners of the stage. Secondly, the properties, which are probably the most important aspects of this attractive scene, include a large proportion of Antony’s properties. However, Brutus doesn’t have any properties. In addition to these, there are also visuals and music. Antony’s assets are inclusive of: - 1) The Will- of Julius Caesar 2) The Corpse of Julius Caesar- that is put on the front of the raised rectangular area to create trepidation in the weak hearts of the gullible Plebeians. So as to cause more perturbation in the Plebeians hearts, the bayonet that Julius Caesar was killed by is laid by the corpse pointing vertically downwards. As for the music, an hautboy (oboe) is heard playing swiftly in the background- but not disrupting the funeral speeches. Ultimately, there is a spotlight shining up from beneath the orator’s feet and its

Not Just a Number: Critical Numeracy for Adults :: Numeracy Mathematics Education Essays

Not Just a Number: Critical Numeracy for Adults "It is difficult to understand why so many people must struggle with concepts that are actually simpler than most of the ideas they deal with every day. It is far easier to calculate a percentage than it is to drive a car." (Dewdney 1993, p. 1) To many people, the words "math" and "simple" do not belong in the same sentence. Math has such an aura of difficulty around it that even people who are quite competent in other areas of life are not ashamed to admit they can't "do" math. Innumeracy is more socially acceptable and tolerated than illiteracy (Dewdney 1993; Withnall 1995). Rather than discussing specific ways to teach math to adults, this Digest looks at emerging perspectives on numeracy and their social, cultural, and political implications as a context for new ways of thinking about adult numeracy instruction. What Is Numeracy? Numeracy involves the functional, social, and cultural dimensions of mathematics. Numeracy is the type of math skills needed to function in everyday life, in the home, workplace, and community (Withnall 1995). Although not always recognized as such, math is used in many everyday situations-cooking, shopping, crafts, financial transactions, traveling, using VCRs and microwave ovens, interpreting information in the media, taking medications. Different people need different sets of math skills, and their numeracy needs change in response to changes in life circumstances, such as buying a car or house or learning a new hobby (Gal 1993; Withnall 1995). Like literacy, numeracy "is not a fixed entity to be earned and possessed once and for all" (Steen 1990, p. 214), nor a skill one either has or doesn't have. Instead, people's skills are situated along a continuum of different purposes for and levels of accomplishment with numbers. Beyond daily living skills, numeracy is now being defined as knowledge that empowers citizens for life in their particular society (Bishop et al. 1993). Thus, numeracy has economic, social, and political consequences for individuals, organizations, and society. Low levels of numeracy limit access to education, training, and jobs; on the job, it can hinder performance and productivity. Lack of numeracy skills can cause overdependence on experts and professionals and uncritical acceptance of charlatans and the claims of pseudoscience (Dewdney 1993). Inability to interpret numerical information can be costly financially; it can limit full citizen participation and make people vulnerable to political or economic manipulation.

Marxism and Religion Essay -- Essays Papers

Marxism and Religion Throughout Karl Marx’s life he was not thought to be anything special, just a regular working man, but in reality Marx was a â€Å"philosopher, a journalist, an economist, a historian, and a moralist.†[1] Even with all of this hard work most people did not think that he would amount to much. Little did most of the people who lived during Marx’s lifetime know how big of an impact he would have on the world within the next century. Karl Marx, the philosopher, had to have one of the biggest impacts on the world to this day. Marx’s most well known following came from the Communist nation the Soviet Union. The Soviets believed in all of his philosophical writing and thoughts of religion. Not only did people back then believe him, but also his teachings are studied and followed by many people today. Karl Marx’s basic idea of religion is that there is â€Å"no need to deal extensively with religious phenomena.†[2] Karl Marx felt that there was nothing to be â€Å"distinguished between religious belief and superstition.†[3] In Marx’s writings and teaching he has a sort of war with different religions who disagree with his teachings. In Marxist teaching there are many levels in which debate occurs between Marxism and religion, such as, individually, within the family atmosphere, and in society at a national and international level. At an individual level there are many arguments that Marxism has for religion and vice versa. A very dominant principle of Marxism is that â€Å"the Communist can recognize no religion except his anti-religious doctrine.†[4] Any religion would recognize this to be one of the most offensive statements ever. It is obvious for anyone to see right away why ... ...d most, if not all, religious beliefs are not harmonious with the Marxist science.[13] Also, there are many different problems that occur within the different levels that have been discussed here. The major problem that religious believers have with Marxists is the Marxist idea that Communism is above God. There is not now, nor will any religion ever bow down to a government, because of their strong belief of God as a Supreme Being. While there are a few goals of Marxism and religion that are the same there is no way in which one has room for the other, because of the means of attaining these goals are so different. Marxism and religion will always have to be separate because they both have such strong ideas that they will not let go of and different ways of attaining their goals, but they will both continue to exist because of the varied beliefs of individuals.

Accounting for Decistion Makers Essay

The Question: Charlie and Maribelle Brown have owned and operated a retail furniture store for more than 20 years. They have employed an independent CPA during this time to prepare various sales tax, payroll tax, and income tax returns, as well as financial statements for themselves and the bank from which they have borrowed money from time to time. They are considering selling the store but are uncertain about how to establish an asking price. Prepare a brief written answer (no more than a couple of paragraphs) about what type of information is likely to be included in the material prepared by the CPA that may help the Browns establish an asking price for the store. Assignment #1 Reviewing the past and present financial statements prepared by their CPA, would allow the Browns to trend historical data such as cash flow and cost of operations. This, coupled with the current and projected economic climate as well as current and projected cost of living, would help the Browns to understand how much they spend to keep their business running as well as how much they’ve profited over time. Although the information provided in the financial statements is not a concrete indicator, it is a good gauge of how the Browns’ business will perform in the future. Unless major economic changes or other unforeseen circumstances occur, historical performance often tends to remain constant. The Browns would be able to use most of the information provided by their CPA to determine a fair asking price for their retail furniture store.

Discuss The Measures We Can Take to Prevent the Spread of the H1N1 Virus

As we all know, and are aware that, the H1N1 influenza, or the more commonly used name, Swine Flu, has been attacking various citizens throughout the world. This virus is spreading at a steady state and will harm many others unless measures are taken immediately. The world has been under attack from such diseases for an unimaginably long time. There is a long-standing history of viruses, epidemics and plagues blackening our past. Cures have failed; people have died, the major reason being that our ancestors did not take enough preventative measures to oppose the spread of such diseases. However, in today's world, where we have all the privileges a person can dream of, and all sorts of advancements in medical technology, we have a responsibility to make the best use of this awareness and use it to our fullest advantage. In 2005, people were frightened to go to poultry markets for fears of catching Avian Flu, or H1N3, and many precautionary measures were taken to eradicate that virus. With much struggle, we were finally successful. The same sort of preventative measures need to be taken with H1N1. This being a viral disease, in can be transmitted from one person to the next almost instantly. The consumption of pork should be minimized or completely stopped for the time being, in order to aid the prevention of the virus spreading. However, this is also an airborne, contagious virus, so the government should urge medical and pharmaceutical companies to produce a preventative vaccine. Everyone in the country must be inoculated no matter what the side effect are, as long as we eradicate the virus and stop it spreading. Schools should educate and inform children of the dangers of avoiding the use of preventative measures and should give special classes on cleanliness/hygiene and how to dispose correctly of used tissues, for example. These classes should be especially targeted towards children below the age of twelve, as they are more susceptible to the virus than adolescents. As individuals, we all have a duty to one another. We must be aware of the symptoms of this virus, which are a high temperature, a mucus-filled cough, drooping eyelids, weakness up to the point of fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and/or vomiting. If we spot a fellow classmate or anyone in a public area such as a mall or shopping market demonstrating any of these symptoms, we must inform the school nurse or ask for assistance in the public area immediately and without the slightest delay. This should not be neglected at all. These people deserve the opportunity for treatment as soon as possible. In school, we should ask our senior staff members to make sure there are hand sanitizers available in every corridor and soap in all the bathrooms, so that we may have clean hands at all times. Extra care should be taken to maintain the sanitation and hygiene of the school bathrooms. Also, everyone must keep a bag of antiseptic wipes in their backpack for times when hand sanitizer is unavailable. This will dramatically reduce the risk on infection and will greatly enhance the safety of the pupils and staff alike. This may seem like a lot of effort but to protect our health, and possibly our lives, these measures are extremely essential. Together, we will be able to prevent, or at least minimize, the spread of the H1N1 virus, so that we may live our lives healthily, and without fear.