Saturday, November 30, 2019

Teaming and real world situations

Abstract An organization involves the act of bringing together all the efforts or the work done by individuals or different groups using the available facilities so that the desired outcomes which are the goals set may be met efficiently. The goal of every organization is to attain a certain common purpose with maximum benefits.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Teaming and real world situations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For this common purpose to be attained, there needs to be a model of each individual or group that has a role to play in an organization to ensure that the organizations goals are attained. This means that each individual or different group is to be assigned different tasks of which if brought together will result in achievements. However, there needs to be management teams that have the mandate to oversee and give direction to the other junior teams so that there is an order in their perfor mances. These management teams need are supposed bring together any resources that are required. Introduction To explain the topic under study, sporting teams were considered for the essay because in sporting teams various functional groups are involved. Sporting teams are similar to management teams as they have authoritative figures who are charged with the mandate of setting targets for the whole team. A general manager who is the head of a management team executes the goals of a team and for the manager to perform his duties; he has to work closely with the technical bench of the team to ensure that the goals and objectives of the team have been achieved. The various teams that exist in the real world will be discussed in the following section. Teaming and Real World Situations In the consideration of one sporting team, which is football, the instructions given by the coach are meant to be transformed into actions. The players are divided into various groups that include the def ense, the midfield, and the strikers. The defense is supposed to prevent the opponents from scoring by creating a barrier at the back close to the target. These groups of players rarely play beyond the half field marked for them. The goalkeeper is among this group and his work is ensure that the ball does not go between the cross bar (Bronstein et al, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Once the ball is with the goalkeeper, he kicks the ball out to the field targeting his teammate who is meant to ensure that despite the opponent’s presence or tackle, he has to posses the ball. This player is then supposed to control the ball and safely deliver it to his other teammate. The teammate is then required to do the same with the ball. This task is usually done by midfielders who are trying to ensure that the ball reaches the strikers. Once the ball reaches the strikers, their work is to score and nothing less than that is expected from them. As the strikers take the ball, they are supposed to target the scoring point. If they fail to score then almost a quarter of the team is supposed to retreat back to their side to avoid the opponents from scoring. Mostly the strikers remain forward to wait for the ball in the event that they reposes the ball from their defense area. This means that they have to play in a synchronized network for them to score. This is a typical example of a sporting team that functions well (Bronstein et al, 2010). In a basketball team, the team comprises of managers who have to set team goals and targets that are mostly executed by the general manager. The general manager has to ensure that the coach and the players achieve the expected results by working on the necessary requirements. The basketball team has a technical bench that is headed by a coach and an assistant coach. They give different opinions and advice with regards to game s trategy and defense to the basketball players. In the basketball pitch, the players play as a team of five who are divided and assigned various positions. The positions are categorized as the defensive and offensive positions. The defensive positions are further divided as point guard and shooting guard. The offensive is divided as small forward and power forward (Legh Maynard, 2008). The defensive players consist of the players that play to guard their opponents from scoring. Offensive players are charged with the responsibility of moving the ball within the basketball field. This group of players has passes that are planned and in most cases, the players may move even without the ball so that they gain an advantageous position to handle the ball. They are also supposed to mark the opposing teammate so that they can navigate the ball whenever it is passed to them. For the ball to move from the defensive area until it is scored in the opponent’s basket, it has to move throug h the field with the players trying as much as possible to ensure that the ball is not intercepted by the opponents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Teaming and real world situations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However if the opponents intercept the ball, the defensive players are supposed to stop the opponents from scoring. In the event that the coach realizes a loophole where the team is at a risk of losing, he requests the referee for a time out so that he can organize his team well. The players are then expected to change for the better according to the advice given by the technical bench (Legh Maynard, 2008). In the American football team, there are eleven players on every side but they can be allowed to play fewer than the number required but they will be disqualified if they are more. This team has eleven players on the offensive side and eleven players on the defensive side. There may be times when three or more players might play on the defensive side and on the offensive side. There are always players meant for reserve and they usually do not play at the beginning of the game. These players are not listed among the twenty-two players in the lineup. Most of these reserve players are specialists. The team that has the ball is called the offensive team and their opponents are called the defensive team (Legh Maynard, 2008). The offensive team usually has only four attempts and if they fail to succeed in any of the four attempts, their opponents are given the possession of the ball immediately after the fourth attempt. These opponents then begin their advancement in their opponent’s direction which was initially the offender’s during the time the ball was being played by a snap. The defensive players and offensive players do a face lineup facing their opponents and for the game to start, the centre player has to snap the ball to a teammate backwards by passing it between their legs. The offensive players then pass the ball to ensure that it advances towards the team’s opponents. This is done in a forward manner only. The offensive player is then tackled by the opponents who force him down to the ground. This is the process of trying to achieve draw or score (Legh Maynard, 2008). When we consider music for instance a music band, for the flow, the theme, and the entertainment in the presentation to be given, there has to be various members of the team who have to bring their talents and understanding so that the goal is met. In a musical team, there are those who are supposed to sing in their voices and there are those that are supposed to play the instruments to give the entertainment value of the song.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that every person in the team has a role to play that is different from the other members of the band but they all want to achieve one goal, which is, to entertain the audience. The instrumental team usually comprises of people that play the guitar, keyboard, flute, drum, and many other instruments that are used in musical bands. This group usually has a leader that issues instructions to the other band members on what to do. This is because there has to be a sequence of how the tune is meant to be performed (Gibson, 2006). The soloists in a musical group are usually employed to pass out a message through the use of their voices. This group leads another group that is called the backup singers. In the backup, there is always a categorization of different voices which when mixed or sung in alternate voices, gives the audience a taste of the song. This comprises of the various voices that exist in a choir which include bass, tenor, alto and the soprano. These voices sing th e song with a certain sequence to give a smooth flow of the song. It therefore means that in each group of the musical team, there needs to be the harmonious bringing together of different individuals who have different functions to perform within the team to ensure that the team’s goal is met (Gibson, 2006). A consideration will also be done on the scientific teams that manage the ground data system required to carry out all the developmental aspects of ground systems in the TES which include the scientific facilities that compute data and the processing systems that use LED technology in scientific data processing labs. For all this work to be done successfully, the team that executes these jobs is made up of a configuration manager, SIPS operator, a data base administrator, project element manager in the processing system that uses LED technology, software engineer, project manager, system administrators. Each of these individuals have their own specific role to play that the other is not specialized in. This means that each member of the team needs the other so that the set goals and targets can be achieved (Gibson, 2006). Another typical place where a model organizational structure is seen is in the operating room where a patient is undergoing an operation. This team consists of the surgical members who include the surgeon, his assistants, and the scrub person whose function is to carry out the sterilization of the theater. The surgeon diagnoses and performs the surgery and manages the care of the patient. The assistant surgeon helps the surgeon to maintain the cleanliness of the surgery theatre by controlling the patients bleeding and also ensuring that their wounds are properly dressed. The scrub person makes sure that the place for surgery is properly sterilized to avoid contamination of the patient’s wounds (Bronstein et al, 2010). The other surgical group consists of an anesthesiologist who ensures that the patient is unconscious as the surgery is being performed and that the patient can be able to regain consciousness once the surgery has been completed. Biomedical technicians, radiologists and circulators usually monitor the performance of the patient during the surgery process. This therefore means that for the operation to be successful there has to be a combination of efforts from the different specialists during the surgical operation. This demonstrates a model of an organizational team in the real world situation according to Bronstein et al (2010). References Bronstein, M., Michael, C. D., Peter, E. (2010). Thriving in the work place: All in one  For Dummies. Indiana: Wiley Publishing Inc. Gibson, J. L. (2006). Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes. 12th Edition. Chicago: McGraw-Hill Publishers. Legh, A., Maynard, M. (2008). Leading your team. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. This essay on Teaming and real world situations was written and submitted by user Javon Rojas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Gross Domestic Product and Consumption Essays

Gross Domestic Product and Consumption Essays Gross Domestic Product and Consumption Essays Tutorial 1 Problem 5 I. Real GDP: $1474680 million Consumption: $789278 million Investment: $357001 million II. Consumption share of GDP: Consumption/Real GDP = $789278/$1474680 = 0.535 Investment share of GDP: Investment/Real GDP= $357001/$1474680 = 0.242 Therefore, consumption is greater than investment. The difference is household conduct consumption while firms hold investment. III. | C | I | Jun-2003 | 1.53 | 1.43 | Sep-2003 | 1.31 | -0.76 | Dec-2003 | 1.82 | 3.65 | Mar-2004 | 1.13 | 4.33 | Jun-2004 | 1.61 | 1.04 | Sep-2004 | 1.18 | -0.43 | Dec-2004 | 0.88 | -0.09 | Mar-2005 | -0.20 | 3.03 | Jun-2005 | 1.48 | -0.07 | Sep-2005 | 0.76 | 4.62 | Dec-2005 | 0.36 | 2.63 | Mar-2006 | 0.70 | 1.74 | Jun-2006 | 1.02 | -0.02 | Sep-2006 | 0.88 | 2.13 | Dec-2006 | 1.24 | -1.52 | Mar-2007 | 2.15 | 1.30 | Jun-2007 | 0.96 | 6.29 | Sep-2007 | 1.28 | 2.09 | Dec-2007 | 1.50 | 1.42 | Mar-2008 | 0.54 | 0.22 | Jun-2008 | -0.50 | 3.31 | Sep-2008 | -0.37 | 1.11 | Dec-2008 | -0.08 | 0.79 | Mar-2009 | 0.14 | -1.34 | Jun-2009 | 0.73 | -1.67 | Sep-2009 | 0.31 | -1.09 | Dec-2009 | 1.00 | -2.06 | Mar-2010 | 0.16 | 3.34 | Jun-2010 | 1.37 | -2.77 | Sep-2010 | 0.94 | 2.56 | Dec-2010 | 0.94 | -0.14 | Mar-2011 | 0.69 | 1.90 | Jun-2011 | 0.87 | 4.42 | Sep-2011 | 0.6 9 | 1.24 | Dec-2011 | 0.50 | 7.37 | Mar-2012 | 1.49 | -0.18 | Jun-2012 | 0.75 | 4.19 | Sep-2012 | 0.29 | 0.98 | Dec-2012 | 0.40 | 3.60

Friday, November 22, 2019

My Home of Yesteryear - Descriptive Essay

My Home of Yesteryear - Descriptive Essay In this descriptive essay, student Mary White imaginatively recreates her childhood home in the country. My Home of Yesteryear by Mary White Situated on the bend of a horseshoe-shaped dirt road that intersects a back country highway is the place I called home as a child. Here my elderly father raised his two girls without the help or companionship of a wife. The house is set back about 200 feet from the road, and as we saunter up the narrow dirt pathway, lined with neat rows of flamboyant orange gladiolas on each side, the tidy appearance of the small, unpainted frame house entices us to enter. Up the steps and onto the porch, we cant help but notice a high-backed rocker on one side and a bench worn smooth by age on the other. Both remind us of the many vesper hours spent here in the absence of modern-day entertainment. Turning the door knob and entering the parlor is like taking a step back in time. There is no lock on the door and no curtains on the windows, only shades yellowed with age, to be pulled down at nightas if you needed privacy out here in the boondocks. Dads big over-stuffed armchair is set beside the well-stocked bookcase where he enjoys passing a hot afternoon with a good book. His bed, an old army cot, serves as a couch when company comes. One lone plaque with the words Home, Sweet Home adorns the wall over the mantelpiece. Just to the left is a doorway, minus a door, beckoning us to investigate the aroma drifting our way. As we step into the kitchen we are overtaken by the rich smell of freshly baked bread. Dad is removing the loaves from the belly of Old Bessie, our coal-burning cookstove. He leaves them to cool in neat rows on our homemade plank table. Turning toward the back door, we see an honest-to-goodness ice box, and yes, theres a genuine silver quarter for the ice man to take in exchange for 50 pounds of dripping ice. I can picture him now as he snatches the tongs tightly into the frozen block, causing tiny slivers of sparkling ice to fly everywhere. Swinging it down off the back of his chug-a-lug of a truck and instantly throwing his other arm up to keep his balance, he staggers with his load toward the back door. Hoisting the block of ice into place, he gives a long, loud sigh of relief and drops the shiny quarter into his pocket. Stepping outside the back door, we suddenly realize there is no running water in the kitchen, for here stands the only water pipe around. The galvanized tubs, set upside down by the steps, indicate that here is where most of the bathing occurs. A little footpath leads us to a hand pump, somewhat rusty but still providing a cool refreshing drinkif we can prime the pump. As Dad douses its rusty throat with water, it gurgles for a minute or two, then belches back a flood of sparkling clear spring water, free from the chemicals the law requires of modern water systems. But the pathway doesnt stop here. It winds on out behind a dilapidated shack. No imagination is needed to know where it ends. As dusk approaches we must slip around to the front porch and relax as we enjoy a country sunset. The sky is absolutely breathtaking with its soft ribbons of orange and violet. The sun, ablaze with beauty, casts our long shadows across the porch and onto the wall behind us. Everywhere nature is praising its Maker and singing its night songs. Off in the distance the whip-poor-wills are just starting their nightly lamentations. The crickets and frogs join in while bats dart overhead in search of a juicy tidbit for breakfast. Bats, you see, begin their day at sunset. The house itself joins in the chorus with its creaks and cracks of contraction as the coolness of the evening settles around us. Indeed, a visit to the old homeplace brings back many fond memories, almost making us wish we could turn back the clock to enjoy a few moments of peace and innocence. Â   For practice in re-creating the sentences in Marys essay, see Sentence Combining: My Home of Yesteryear.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Write plan addressing principal's directives Essay

Write plan addressing principal's directives - Essay Example The responsibilities every affiliate of the family has. I will require from each student an essay on how their family celebrates holidays like, thanksgiving and birthdays. In so doing students get to be grateful for the value of family, and gain invaluable knowledge that is practical and they can put it on paper in case of an assessment test on the subject. My teaching methodology of family history, growth and change, will slightly be off tangent. Each student will be required to research on their family’s history and note down an essay. In the family’s history, I expect them to identify their family heritage and the changes their family has encountered over time. I expect some of my students to contribute their family tales, songs, dances and even legends; this will make the unit highly practical. They will do this in groups, whereby one student volunteers to share a folktale while the classmates will ask relevant questions. The aim is to have students share information freely and respect each other. The concept of communities can be introduced by getting the students appreciate the variety of their communities. They get to know their cultural uniqueness, religious difference, ethnicity and school is what makes them unique. In this unit, I will task my students to try and locate the country, state and country on a map. They should list down geographical features, natural resources, artificial resources and significant symbols that identify their community. Their task will be to try and locate the school from the global perspective, give the cardinal directions, and how the school affects the environment. The last unit will have students getting to know how people satisfy their wants and citizenship. Students ought to know what their parents do for a living to provide for them. They will discuss in groups the types of occupation people carry out. The issues of trade and exchange, science and

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Monetary Policy (Finance) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Monetary Policy (Finance) - Essay Example The Fed comes out with the monetary policy in order to ensure a certain key objectives like, delivering price stability with a low inflation level coupled with an objective to support the Government's economic objectives of growth and employment. To have a look on how the Fed monitors the price related regulations to keep a check on inflation, we can consider a small example of the regulation on house and property prices. To take any decisions related to interest rates keeping in mind the ongoing inflation rate, the Fed must be thorough with the booming property prices and must take steps to ensure that the prices are not artificial. Government intervenes through its central bank to regulate the prices of many commodities, similarly it also regulates the prices of houses like any other important commodity. Fed has the responsibility to keep a check on asset prices including the prices of houses. There can be a number of reasons why the prices of houses may shoot up, like the simple rule of demand and supply has a definite impact. (Demand and Supply for Housing). Other reasons behind a change in property prices can be Mortgages. A mortgage is the money borrowed to buy a house, as for most people buying a house is not easy. Over the years mortgage market has picked up greatly and the current scenario is totally different from the one that existed in the beginning. (The UK Housing Market - Factors Influencing the Housing Market: Mortgages) The Fed has a monetary policy and uses the same to regulate mechanism of the economy and deal with such erratic swings in the prices of property. Like when it decides to change the interest rate, the government is trying to check the overall expenditure of the economy. A change in interest rates is mostly used to contain inflation, which is the result of lavish expenditure by the country. The Fed sets a fixed interest rate at which it lends money to financial institutions and depending on this interest rate, individual banks and other financial institutions set up their own interest rates, which apply to the whole economy. This interest rate also regulated the savings in an economy, which eventually results in capital formation and reinvestment. It is note that when interest rates are high, people prefer to invest money in government deposits that are less risky in nature than the stock markets and similarly high interest rates boost up the savings. Lower interest rates make asset a nd real estate prices go up, as people start ignoring conventional saving instruments and make use of the high growth ventures like shares and houses, which pushes up their prices. Interest rate change also affects exchange rates, as an increase in the interest rate in US will yield better returns to the investors compared to their overseas ventures. This phenomenon usually makes US dollar assets attractive, which pushes up the value of the currency vis a vis other currencies, and a stronger US dollar would mean less money would be shed on imports and less quantity of exports will take place as there will a lesser demand for products made in US because of the currency being strong. It is interesting to have a look at the process of how the bank sets interest rates. The primary step in this direction starts with the estimates of the money flow that

Saturday, November 16, 2019

History of bootlegging Essay Example for Free

History of bootlegging Essay 1. Background on Bootlegging It has been said that â€Å"at its real level music belongs to everyone†. To claim ownership over music has been the subject of much analysis since music, after all, is available to each individual through our sense of hearing. Maintaining control or possession of â€Å"our† music is not as clear cut as meting out our rights to our land or property. To listen to a song someone else has written, for instance, does not necessarily constitute stealing or trespassing on someone else’s property. The best way to ensure our right and title over our musical creations is to get a copyright over the original piece. Yet it is not uncommon for a listener or a music lover or fan to record a favorite song or a particularly memorable concert attended. People record songs, concerts, and videos and keep such recordings for personal use, or make copies thereof to give to their friends. Songs and videos are also easily downloaded from the Internet. Fans also record different songs and performances, from different albums or concerts, into one CD or online play list to make their own personal collection. The problem is when such recordings are distributed and sold for profit without the artist and the record company’s consent. Generally, copyright violations involving musical creations may be distinguished into three different types : 1) professional counterfeit recordings (unauthorized duplication of sound and art work) 2) professional pirate recordings (unauthorized duplication of the sound, but with original art work, usually sold as â€Å"greatest hits† compilations 3) bootleg recordings (unauthorized recording of live performances) Bootlegging, as it was traditionally defined, involves â€Å"the illegal distribution or production of liquor and other highly taxed goods† In the 1920s, the United States had a Prohibition against alcohol, thus people resorted to bootlegging, or buying and selling an illegal product, from bootleggers. Organized crime consisting of gangs and mobsters in Chicago and New York, such as Al Capone, were deeply involved in bootlegging. In the music industry, music bootlegging involves the taking and trading of unauthorized live recordings of live musical performers either from concert or studio outtakes. Bootleg music albums are recordings transferred from tape to vinyl or CD. They become a bootleg product when a bootlegger undertakes to create an artifact or when a non-commercial recording is transformed into a commercial product in the form of an LP or a CD. Bootleg recordings are usually done without the artist’s consent ; however, making a recording of a concert is not illegal per se. Although an individual cannot legally record an officially release CD or cassette tape on to a blank tape, he or she may make an unauthorized recording of a concert and keep it for personal use. However, the sale of such a recording is deemed illegal.  The problems with bootlegging is that it prevents the artist and the record company from maintaining quality control over their product , and it prevents them from collecting their royalties to their right to their music. 2. Changes in Copyright Laws Copyright is defined as â€Å"a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’† . The U. S. has passed significant copyright laws to protect an artist’s right to his or her original creations. These creations include not only musical works, but literary, dramatic, artistic and certain intellectual creations. The U. S. Constitution itself provides that â€Å"the Congress shall have power†¦ to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. † The State thus allows Congress to pass copyright laws to protect an artist’s rights to his or her musical creations. The U. S. Copyright Act was amended in 1976 so that it now covers new technological advancements and extended the term of protection to cover the life of the author plus 70 more years. Copyright laws allow the author, artist, or whoever holds the copyright to a creation to sue those who infringe on their copyrights for damages. The complainant has to prove infringement of copyright by a) proving ownership of the copyright and b) copying by the infringer-defendant. In compliance with its Constitutional mandate of protecting original works of authorship, the Congress has passed several laws concerning music copyright infringement, piracy and bootlegging. Some of the relevant laws will be discussed in this section. The Audio Home Recording Act allows music retailers to sell all analog and digital recording formats. It also gives a consumer the right to use such recordings provided such use is for non-commercial purposes, and in such cases, no copyright infringement lawsuit may be brought against a consumer. The consumer and retailer is also exempt from making royalty payments on digital audio recording devices and media; the burden falls on U. S. manufacturers and importers only who must pay for digital audio devices designed or marketed primarily for making digital audio recordings for private use, whether or not these are incorporated in some other device. These royalty payments are administered and monitored by the U. S. Register of Copyrights and the Librarian of Congress, with the proceeds split between the featured artists and the record company, or between the songwriters and music publishers, depending on the circumstances. Musical artists or musicians thus receive royalties which are based on record sales and airplay during a prescribed period. The U. S. is also a signatory of both the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty and the Performances and Phonograms Treaty. In accordance with these international agreements, the U. S.  Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which makes it a crime to a crime to circumvent anti-piracy measures built into many of today’s commercial software and even most music CDs. The Act also limits the copyright infringement liability of ISPs for transmitting information over the Internet, but requires that ISPs remove copyright infringement materials found in users’ web sites. Despite legislative acts and proposed bills by well meaning members of the U. S. Congress, and jurisprudence laid down by the U. S. Supreme Court, infringers still find a way of getting around copyright laws by invoking the â€Å"fair use† doctrine. The U.  S. Code provides that the public is entitled to the â€Å"fair use† of copyrighted material. â€Å"Fair use† is â€Å"a privilege to use copyrighted material in a reasonable manner without consent, notwithstanding the copyright monopoly granted to the owner. † A copyrighted original creation may be reproduced for purposes of criticism, news reporting, comment, teaching, scholarship and research. The Code further provides that there are four factors in determining whether there is â€Å"fair use† of a copyrighted material or not : 1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes ) the nature of the copyrighted work itself 3) the proportion and substantiality of the copyrighted work actually used without authority 4) the potential economic detriment on the value of the work caused by such unauthorized use thereof. What makes it especially difficult to enforce the copyright is that information is so readily available through the Internet. As music is downloaded courtesy of digital technology, consumers are turning to the Internet to get their music rather than going out to music stores to buy the CDs. Bootlegged albums are also easily transmitted and shared through the Internet. Digital technology allows consumer to reproduce identical copies of digital music files, most commonly in compression formats such as MP3s. Such digital advancements not only pave the way for more widespread bootlegging, but for music piracy as well. 3. Advancements in Piracy Technology: File Sharing Piracy, as earlier discussed, is differentiated from bootlegging in that the former involve the unauthorized duplication of the sound, but with original art work. Piracy involves the reproduction and distribution of copies of original recordings. Advancements in digital technology have allowed music piracy to develop at an alarming rate. MP3s enable consumers to compress digitized music into smaller files, while ripping software allows them to copy music from CDs, store these on their hard drives, and then convert these files into compressed formats. Digital file reproduction devices, like CD players, in turn allow consumers to write these files into a CD and in effect create their own albums and compilations of copyrighted creations. Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks have also allowed increased music dissemination, as well as file sharing, as introduced by the infamous Napster software company. P2P networks basically offer users to access the hard drives of other users anywhere in the world by the installation of a piece of software. These networks allow users to search, copy and transfer music files typically through MP3 files. After Napster, subsequent P2P networks version, like KaZaA and Grokstar, which are collectively known as the FastTrack providers, allow users to access multiple individual computers instead of accessing just one single, centralized database of music files. The digital audio workstation (DAW) on the other hand, allows users to indulge in â€Å"sampling† – original music recordings, converted from analog to digital format, which users can import, cut, copy, layer and manipulate to create new musical work. Since samples may be in a band’s entire song, or merely passages from an instrument, in effect it allows not just users but even musicians and DJs to create, layer, expand and redefine music. Recording companies have resorted to copy-protection technology to protect themselves from piracy committed through file sharing and P2P networks. Copy-protected CDs is one answer, but public backlash and concerns about the technology’s effectiveness, have forced recording companies to limit use of such CDs in the U. S. and instead opted to release such CDs abroad in Europe and countries such as Japan. Five major recording companies in the U. S. use copy-protected CDs: BMG Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, EMI, and Sony. BMG in particular has made us of copy-protection advancements such the MediaMax CD-3 technology from SunnComm Technologies, Inc. located in Phoenix, Arizona. Through MediaMax CD-3, each song is written onto a CD twice. One format is readable by standard CD players while the other format is readable as a Windows media file playable on a computer. The technology allows consumers of BMG records to burn each track only three times per computer. The songs in BMG albums embedded with the MediaMax CD-3 technology may also be emailed to a limited number of people. However, each person in that limited list may only listen to ten times to each song in the album. In other words, songs in such CDs are locked and won’t be played even if they are downloaded from file-sharing networks if it exceeds the allowable number of times a person may listen to the track. Other developments are even more rigid. The CDS-300 developed by Macrovision, located in Santa Clara, California, allows CDs to be burnt and listened to online, but blocks other attempts to make copies or share music online. Recording companies thus are faced with a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, there is the need to respect a consumer’s desire to share, copy and hear songs in different ways. But on the other hand, there is the copyright to take note of and the bottom line – earning revenues through royalties by limiting the number of copies consumers make of copyrighted musical creations.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Role Playing in Ernest Hemingways A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

The Role of Role Playing in Farewell to Arms Listening to the radio today, I heard a song written a couple years ago that reminded me a lot of the relationship between Catherine and Henry in Hemingway’s novel Farewell to Arms. In this song, a girl asks a guy if he will be strong enough to be her man. She asks this question many times, each time changing the scenario for the worse in which she places them. Plaintively she implores, "will you be strong enough to be my man?" She seeks reassurance of her man’s strength by inventing roles for them to play just as Catherine and Henry invent roles in order to protect themselves from the discovery of their insignificance and powerlessness in a world indifferent to their well being. Role-playing by Henry and Catherine is their way to escape the realization of human mortality that is unveiled by war. Hemingway utilizes role-playing as a way to explore the strengths and weaknesses of his two characters. By placing Henry's ordered life in opposition to Catherine's upside-down one, and then letting each one assume a role that will bring them closer together, Hemingway shows the pair's inability to accept the hard, gratuitous quality of life. Hemingway's characters revert to role-playing in order to escape or retreat from their lives. The ability to create characters that play roles, either to maintain self-esteem or to escape, is exploited extraordinarily well in A Farewell to Arms. Hemingway is quite blatant in letting us know that role-playing is what is occurring through the thought and actions of the main characters. During Henry and Catherine's third encounter, Henry thought, "this was a game, like bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards. Like bridge you had to pretend you were playing for money or playing for some stakes"(30). This meeting becomes a turning point in their relationship for afterwards the two become increasingly comfortable with their roles and easily adopt them whenever the other is nearby. This is apparent also in that they can only successfully play their roles when they are in private and any disturbance causes the game to be disrupted. The intrusion of the outside world in any form makes their role-playing difficult. Evidence of this difficulty is seen at the racetrack in Milan, where Catherine tells Henry "I can’t stand to see so many people"(131).

Monday, November 11, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility in Automotive Industry

TEAM 1| COMPANY| Aziz| Ford Motors| Manyano| Daimler| Magally| Toyota| Anvesh| Tata Motors| Executive Summary Automotive Industry is one of the biggest economic sectors in the world and the impact they have to the communities in their best practices has a huge advantage promoting corporate social responsibility. We looked and discussed various issues of CSR in the report not limited but including: Investing in the Future, Technology Drives Change Electric cars, Materials and Workforce Implications. Global Automotive IndustryThe global automotive industry involves the manufacture and sales of automobiles and other retail activities, such as gas-station retail and the sale of car parts. The industry’s yearly growth rate is expected to exceed 5. 5% from 2010 to 2015, reaching a value of more than $5,132 billion by 2015, according to research from MarketLine. The industry is a leading employer throughout the world, with 9 million people involved in making 60 million vehicles, or 5 % of global manufacturing jobs. Indirect employment from automotive activity is fivefold, representing 50 million jobs connected indirectly to the auto industry.Regional Market Share * US vehicles sales and production account for around 40% of the global automotive industry, according to Global Automakers, whose members have contributed close to $45 billion to US automotive activity. The investment represents 300 facilities and employment for around 80,000 people with a combined yearly payroll of $6 billion. Leading US manufacturers include Ford, General Motors and Chrysler Group. * The European automotive market is led by production in Germany, Italy and France. In the EU, the industry employs 2. million people directly and almost another 10. 5 million indirectly, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The region produces more than 17 million vehicles a year, representing a quarter of overall global production. * Overall, Japanese market share fell around 4 % year-on-years to just under 35% in August 2011. Japan holds around a 45% share in both the compact car and compact crossover markets, and 48% in the mid-size car market, according to a Kelly Blue Book report AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY CSR ISSUES|Human Rights| * Commitment to HR and the UNGC, respect human rights delineated in the International Bill of Human Rights * Ensuring that HR and WC are met throughout the supply chain * Vehicles have to meet high quality and safety standards before being available for the public * Companies have to be committed to educational and health programs and work close with governments and NGO’s in this direction| Labor Standards| * Rejection of forced labor and child labor * Rejection of discrimination in employment and occupation * Low-Cost Labor and bad working conditions in developing countries * The manufacturing of vehicles is concentrated in developing countries due to the cheap labor and unskilled workers * Respecting the freedom of associat ions and unions * The companies should consider the flexibility and stability of employee’s job security when they shift from well-trained, high-skilled work force to low skill and wages job| Environment| * Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHS) * Developing advanced vehicle technologies * Hybrid vehicles and advanced diesel * Reducing the environmental impact of the plants * Reducing the impact of waste by recycling the products * Commitment to decrease global water use * Providing road safety in developing countries * The objective of these projects is reducing car accidents * Trainings aimed at increasing usage of seat belt and helmet * Ensuring that Green Supply Chain Management incorporating ecological aspects into the whole value chain| Anti-Corruption| * Expanding of automotive industry in BRIC countries, as well as Indonesia, Mexico and other developing countries * Auto companies may be vulnerable to bribery demands by custom clearance, government officials and third party agents * Transparency * Introducing mandatory online training courses for employees with focus on ethics, conflicts of interests, gifts and favors|COMPANY RANKINGS BY CSR ISSUES(10 is the highest rank)| FORD| DAIMLER| TATA| TOYOTA| Human Rights * Commitment to the UNGS * Product safety * Educational and health programs  | 8| 10| 3| 5| Labour Standards * Low-cost labor and bad working conditions * Respecting the freedom of trade unions * Rejection of forced labor| 8| 9| 2| 7| Environment * Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHS) * Reducing the impact of waste by recycling * Developing advanced vehicle technologies| 6| 8| 3| 7| Anti-Corruption * Transparency * Vulnerability to bribery demands by custom clearance * Providing training on ethics and gifts   | 7| 6| 2| 6| TOTAL| 29| 33| 10| 25| Rankings explanation TOYOTA Toyota deserves a medium ranking within their labor in Human Rights for two main reasons. First, two years ago Toyota had a big issue with product safety.Cons umers complained about situation but Toyota did not take responsibilities. After investigations were done, Toyota understood the big mistaken they have made and finally apologize to its consumers. Second, Toyota as s group has not signed the 10 principles of the UNGC. Particularly in China, Toyota has not respected workers in different factories. At the same time, there has been different complains in regards to the lack of respect towards labor unions. As mentioned previously, Toyota is one of the leaders for the development of friendly environmental innovative technology TATA Tata in general has poor performance regarding CSR issues discussed. There are many problems in all areas.Though environment sustainability drive is in the core business plan of Tata motors and CSR is incorporated in their article and memorandum, it is strongly recommended that monthly reports to be shared with public and also the ways how they measure GHG and other gases emission and what steps they are taki ng in future to reduce water and air pollution. Finally though Tata is transparent company in her act and it’s a visionary company, but in few instances employees of Tata found involved in some unethical trade practices just to get benefit out of it, i. e. in singur land acquisition case it is claimed that Tata motors are involved in bribery to west Bengal government machinery. Also in big government tenders or military purchases Tata motors involved in bribery to get that order. Tata is signatory to UNGC but there is no means to control and check anti-corruption reputation of Tata. DAIMLER Daimler gets a high ranking in human rights and CSR pillars implementation.Promote Daimler’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda in every country they have operations is by serving as liaison to UN Global Compact; organize Daimler’s annual Sustainability Dialogue to increase visibility as a leader in CSR and exchange ideas on innovation and environ mental stewardship, strategies for community engagement, and CSR in the supply chain.? Support EAPP sponsorships and events by ensuring compliance with corporate regulations, i. e. draft sponsorship agreements, oversee communications initiatives, monitor progress, and ensure contract provisions have been carried out as agreed upon; Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz, admitted to paying tens of millions of dollars of bribes to foreign government officials in at least 22 countries. The company said it had now reformed the way it did business. FORD Low ranking on environment and high ranking on human rights.Working with industry companies, governments to establish effective frameworks for reducing GHG emissions; In Europe since 1995, Ford has reduced CO2 emissions from passenger cars by 31 percent Ford-Firestone issue happened in 2000 when Firestone recalled 6. 5 million tires, mostly original equipment on Ford Explorer, the world’s top-selling sport utility vehicle. The lack o f safety in supply chain – a report by the Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights said that a 21-year-old worker lost three fingers in a stamping machine at one of Ford’s suppliers in China and was inadequately compensated. Ford continues making and marketing its SUV line vehicles which are fuel-thirsty. Conclusion Investing in the Future: Automakers have announced billions in â€Å"green† investment in the US, Europe and BRICs industries.But despite that huge investment a rebound in sales management appears to concerned management hence the slow pace of green about the rebound’s permanence. Technology Drives Change: The pace of vehicle technology change is accelerating. Vehicles are changing in response to consumer taste and expectations, higher safety standards, and the drive toward a low-carbon future. Greening of automotive transportation should focus the three sectors: Hybrid and electric cars, materials and electronics. Electric cars: The most noteworthy change is the re-emergence of the electric vehicle. The development of alternative forms of energy storage (primarily batteries) is rapidly progressing as is the case with the new Mercedes Benz E-class electric car.Materials: The focus on green supply chain management will make vehicles lighter for improved fuel economy is a major driver in the development of automotive materials and forming. Workforce Implications: Today’s auto industry workers need systems thinking. That means that individuals must possess the soft skills that enable cross-cultural communication, collaboration and teamwork. Production and skilled-trades workers must adapt to an increasingly fast cadence of new product, process and technology introductions. Many of the workers displaced? from the auto sector will? need to transition to alternate occupations and we recommended that companies be flexible and provide stability to this issue particularly where there is a high practice of â€Å"contra ct workers†. Bibliography

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A peak detector

Ac voltage to DC voltage and reduces the disturbance. The function can be explained as follow. The capacitor stores the current peak voltage.If he input voltage is larger, the op-amp output goes positive until the capacitor is charged up to the new peak value. If the input voltage is smaller, the diode keeps the capacitor from being discharged. This peak value of voltage that is stored on the capacitor will remain until this capacitor is discharged by a mechanical or electronic switch. Components of peak detector circuit Peak detector circuit consist of two operational amplifiers (op amps), by first op amps on diode Dn is connected in parallel manner and another diode Dp is connected in series manner.And this op amp is connected to the voltage supply. Another op amp and capacitor is connected with this circuit in series. A reset switch is added to the circuit by which the value of peak value that is stored on capacitor A resistor is connected between two op amps. When choosing the re sistor, the limits must be considered: rdf 12 l/fc, where fm is the modulation Frequency and fc is the carrier frequency. Working of peak voltage circuit: The typical peak detector uses voltage amplifiers and a diode or an emitter follower to charge the hold capacitor, CH, unidirectional.The diode conducts positive half cycles, charging the capacitor to the peak voltage value. When the input waveform falls below the DC peak voltage value stored on the capacitor, the diode is reverse biased, blocking current flow from capacitor back to the source. Initially the capacitor discharge(O V) by resetting the A that is negative in situation, Dp blocks current, TOB current is provided by 10 ohms and diode reverses leakage from drain capacitor and stop the output signal. If input inverting input exceed the voltage of the capacitor, he output of B races up to a positive value and current flows through Dp .The voltage drop of the diode is negated due to feedback voltage being after the drop. Th e capacitor charges until it has reached Vin or when Vin drops below its capacitor's voltage at the time of which A goes back into the negative saturation. The capacitor slowly discharge through the reset. This is a major source of droop on fast or low duty cycle signals since it will discharge some before. The next wave peak A- is a unity gain output buffer that prevents the next stage from draining the capacitor.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Margaret Beaufort, Kings Mother

Margaret Beaufort, King's Mother Continued from: Margaret Beaufort: Basic Facts and TimelineMargaret Beaufort: The Making of the Tudor Dynasty Henry VII Becomes King and Margaret Beaufort the Kings Mother Margaret Beaufort’s long efforts to promote her son’s succession were richly rewarded, emotionally and materially.   Henry VII, having defeated Richard III and become king, had himself crowned on October 30, 1485. His mother, now 42 years old, reportedly wept at the coronation.   She was, from this point, referred to in court as â€Å"My Lady, the King’s Mother.† Henry Tudor’s marriage to Elizabeth of York would mean that his children’s right to the crown would be more secure, but he wanted to make sure that his own claim was clear.   Since his claim through inheritance was rather thin, and the idea of a queen ruling in her own right might bring images of the civil war of Matilda’s time, Henry claimed the crown by right of battle victory, not his marriage to Elizabeth or his genealogy.   He reinforced this by marrying Elizabeth of York, as he had publicly pledged to do in December of 1483. Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York on January 18, 1486.   He also had parliament repeal the act which, under Richard III, had declared Elizabeth illegitimate. (This likely means that he knew that her brothers, the Princes in the Tower, who would have a stronger claim to the crown than Henry, were dead.) Their first son , Arthur, was born almost exactly nine months later, on September 19, 1486.   Elizabeth was crowned as queen consort the next year. Independent Woman, Advisor to the King Henry came to kingship after years of exile outside of England, without much experience in administration of a government. Margaret Beaufort had advised him in exile, and now she was a close advisor to him as king.   We know from his letters that he consulted with her on court matters and chuch appointments. The same parliament of 1485 that repealed Elizabeth of York’s illegitimacy also declared Margaret Beaufort a femme sole – in contrast to a femme covert or a wife.   Still married to Stanley, this status gave her an independence few women, and fewer wives, had under the law.   It gave her complete independence and control over her own lands and finances.   Her son also awarded her, over some years, considerably more lands which were under her independent control.   These would, of course, revert to Henry or his heirs on her death, as she had no other children. Despite the fact that she had never actually been a queen, Margaret Beaufort was treated at court with the status of a queen mother or dowager queen.   After 1499, she adopted the signature â€Å"Margaret R† which may signify â€Å"queen† (or may signify â€Å"Richmond†).   Queen Elizabeth, her daughter-in-law, outranked her, but Margaret walked close behind Elizabeth, and sometimes dressed in similar robes.   Her household was luxurious, and the largest in England after her son’s.   She might be the Countess of Richmond and Derby, but she acted like the equal or near equal of the queen. Elizabeth Woodville retired from the court in 1487, and it’s believed that Margaret Beaufort may have instigated her departure.   Margaret Beaufort had oversight over the royal nursery and even over the procedures for the queen’s lying-in.   She was given the wardship of the young Duke of Buckingham, Edward Stafford, son of her late ally (and her late husband’s nephew), Henry Stafford, whose title was restored by Henry VII. (Henry Stafford, convicted of treason under Richard III, had had the title taken from him.) Involvements in Religion, Family, Property In her later years, Margaret Beaufort was noted for both ruthlessness in defending and extending her land and property, and for responsible oversight of her lands and improving them for her tenants. She gave generously to religious institutions, and particularly to support the education of clergy at Cambridge. Margaret patronized the publisher William Caxton, and commissioned many books, some to distribute to her household. She bought both romances and religious texts from Caxton. In 1497, the priest John Fisher became her personal confessor and friend.   He began to rise in prominence and power at Cambridge University with the King’s Mother’s support. She is supposed to have had the agreement of her husband in 1499 to take a vow of chastity, and she often lived separately from him after that. From 1499 to 1506, Margaret lived at a manor in Collyweston, Northamptonshire, improving it so that it functioned as a palace. When the marriage of Catherine of Aragon was arranged to Margaret’s eldest grandson, Arthur, Margaret Beaufort was assigned with Elizabeth of York to select the women who would serve Catherine.   Margaret also urged that Catherine learn French before coming to England, so that she could communicate with her new family. Arthur married Catherine in 1501, and then Arthur died the next year, with his younger brother Henry then becoming heir apparent. Also in 1502, Margaret gave a grant to Cambridge to found the Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity, and John Fisher became the first to occupy the chair. When Henry VII appointed John Fisher as bishop of Rochester, Margaret Beaufort was instrumental in choosing Erasmus as his successor in the Lady Margaret professorship. Elizabeth of York died the following year, after giving birth to her last child (who did not survive long), perhaps in a vain attempt to have another male heir.   Though Henry VII talked of finding another wife, he did not act on that, and genuinely grieved the loss of his wife, with whom he’d had a satisfying marriage, though initially making it for political reasons. Henry VII’s older daughter, Margaret Tudor, was named for her grandmother, and in 1503, Henry brought his daughter to his mother’s manor along with the whole royal court.   He then returned home with most of the court, while Margaret Tudor continued on to Scotland to marry James IV. In 1504, Margaret’s husband, Lord Stanley, died.   She devoted more of her time to prayer and religious observance.   She belonged to five religious houses, though she continued to reside in her own private residence. John Fisher became the Chancellor at Cambridge, and Margaret began giving the gifts that would establish the re-founded Christ’s College, under the king’s charter. Last Years Before her death, Margaret made possible, through her support, the transformation of a scandal-ridden monastic house into St. John’s College at Cambridge. Her will provided for continuing support for that project. She began planning around her end of life.   In 1506, she commissioned a tomb for herself, and brought Renaissance sculptor Pietro Torrigiano to England to work on it.   She prepared her final will in January of 1509. In April of 1509, Henry VII died.   Margaret Beaufort came to London and arranged her son’s funeral, where she was given precedence over all the other royal women.   Her son had named her his chief executor in his will. Margaret helped arrange and was present for the coronation of her grandson, Henry VIII, and his new bride, Catherine of Aragon, on June 24, 1509.   Margaret’s struggles with her health may have been aggravated by the activity around the funeral and coronation, and she died on June 29, 1509.  John Fisher gave the sermon at her requiem mass. Largely because of Margaret’s efforts, Tudors would rule England until 1603, followed by the Stuarts, descendants of her granddaughter Margaret Tudor. More: Margaret Beaufort: Basic Facts and TimelineMargaret Beaufort: The Making of the Tudor Dynasty

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Test for Hyphenation in Phrasal Adjectives

How to Test for Hyphenation in Phrasal Adjectives How to Test for Hyphenation in Phrasal Adjectives How to Test for Hyphenation in Phrasal Adjectives By Mark Nichol One of the most frequent style errors among writers is the omission of one or more hyphens in a phrasal adjective, a phrase consisting of two or more words linked to show that they’re teaming up to modify a noun that follows them. There’s an easy test to help you see that the hyphen is necessary. When you write a phrase consisting of a noun preceded by two words describing the noun, confirm that the first and second word together modify the third, rather than that the second and third words constitute a compound noun modified by the first word. In the following sentence, for example, the latter holds true: â€Å"Indeed, the agency grants authority for community prevention efforts.† Here, â€Å"prevention efforts† is an open compound noun modified by community the sentence does not refer to efforts to prevent community so no hyphen is required. Also, note that not every phrasal adjective requires a hyphen. Many open compound nouns (for example, â€Å"high school,† â€Å"income tax,† and â€Å"real estate†) are so well established that they appear in dictionaries as terms in their own right and do not require hyphenation when they are converted into adjectives to modify a noun (for example, â€Å"high school student,† â€Å"income tax form,† and â€Å"real estate agent†). In a given sentence with a modified noun, ask yourself what kind of thing is being described, then hyphenate accordingly: 1. â€Å"This foundation has a feel good name.† What kind of a name does it have? One designed to make you feel good, not a good name that feels. So, it’s a feel-good name: â€Å"This foundation has a feel-good name.† 2. â€Å"The small Victorian beach town lifted a decades old ban.† What kind of a ban is it? One that has lasted for decades, not an old ban that is decades. So, it’s a decades-old ban: â€Å"The small Victorian beach town lifted a decades-old ban.† 3. â€Å"A truck and a car collided, triggering a seven vehicle crash.† What kind of crash was it? One involving seven vehicles, not a vehicle crash that is seven. So, it’s a seven-vehicle crash: â€Å"A truck and a car collided, triggering a seven-vehicle crash.† 4. â€Å"It’s the Bay Area’s fastest growing town.† What kind of town is it? One that is growing faster than any other, not a growing town that’s fastest. So, it’s the fastest-growing town: â€Å"It’s the Bay Area’s fastest-growing town.† 5. â€Å"The bumps have been causing two hour delays.† What kind of delays are they? Ones lasting two hours, not hour delays that are two. So, they’re two-hour delays: â€Å"The bumps have been causing two-hour delays.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs Past34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better Writer5 Erroneously Constructed â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Sentences

Saturday, November 2, 2019

International Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business Strategy - Essay Example Capital investments of Shangri-La is chiefly in Asia- Pacific regions. Apart from extensive hospitality and marketing strategies, some part of growth and expansion of Shangri-La is also due to increase in travelling tendencies of people. The fact that international traveling has become more hazardless has also contributed to this fact. Shangri-La is known for its business focus and capital investments. Like most other hotel chains in Asia, Shangri-La hotels do not engage in multiple business provisions. Shangri-La hotels and resorts are situated in 29 locations and have over 23,000 rooms. In order to compete in global market, Shangri-La has ventured beyond its business activities in Asian markets, and has entered other nations especially into China. Expansion was made in luxury segment as well as in business relationship between owner and operators. This was achieved by extension and well management of contracts. As per their extension programs, Shangri-La has established as many as thirty- five hotels in different and popular tourist destinations of Asia. Some of these destinations include Singapore, India, Malaysia, Japan, etc. Shangri-La has its branches in almost all prominent cities in these continents, like Chicago, Miami, London, Vancouver, Paris, Las Vegas, etc. These achievements have made Shangri-La one of the largest chains of deluxe hotels that are based in Asia. Business activities of Shangri-La, in fact, have not been constrained to Asia only. Over time Shangri-La branches has been established in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates first, and then to Muscat, Oman. Later on it was expanded to other Middle East, Europe, and North America as well. Shangri-La has also expanded in Australia. In 2006, the organization had approximately 40 future projects. (Campbel and Kazan, n.d., pp. 432- 438) However, as far as its expansion to China is concerned, Shangri-La has experienced huge benefits from China’s growing economy. Since 2006, Chinese economy h as turned towards a new growth. This has made China one of the most important concerns of Shangri-La. this concern is evident from the fact that since 2006, most of the projects regarding establishment of new hotel branches were set in China. The figure is estimated to be somewhere around 188 hotels. Another reason why Shangri-La has invested a major part in China is because, in recent times, China has introduced much relation in travel, and has withdrawn some travel restrictions also. It has resulted in significant growth in domestic and outbound travel in China. Also, international events like Olympics in 2008, held in Beijing have not only given China more exposure internationally but have also boosted the country’s economy. All these factors, combined, have prompted Shangri-La to invest more in China. (Campbel and Kazan, n.d., pp. 433) Shangri-La has been following a differentiation strategy as far as international competence is concerned. This chain of hotels had differe ntiated itself by establishing itself as a cultural brand. That is to say, overall brand strategy of Shangri-La is based on Asian hospitality and cultures. The chief aim is to please and delight the customers. Other objectives include consistent top- notch service that would keep up the brand image. Shangri-La Care is the best example of this. This unit has been set up by Shangri-La Hotels as a measure to ensure customer service. This program also included training and developmental