The Fashion Channel HBS Case Notes

Introduction The protagonist of this case is Dana Wheeler who is the senior vice president of marketing for TFH She was looking into preparing a new Segmentation and Positioning Strategy If her boss liked what he heard then they would move forward with a 60 million dollar MIMIC campaign utilizing national advertising, promotion, and public relations.This was an increase of 15 million dollars from last year. Background TFH was a successful cable network that was the only one who broadcasted up-to- date news about fashion 24 hours a day, 7 days a week It was founded in 1996 It has had consistent and constant growth since the beginning, revenue was projected to grow to 310 million dollars in 2006 marking another steady year of growth.The channel was one of the most widely available niche networks reaching 80 million US households (this number represents the number of people who had TFH in their package not those watching it) Women between 34 and 54 years were its most avid viewer accord ing to its annual demographic survey Beyond basic demographics the network had no other information on its viewers Nor did it attempt to market to any viewer segments in particular Early on the network had chosen a something for everyone† type of strategy in its programming and advertising TFH has clearly grown quickly despite it lack of targeted marketing, however at the beginning of 2006 TFH had realized that other networks were taking note of its success Some of its biggest competitors became Lifetime and CNN who had added fashion programming to their lineup This is what prompted Tech's CEO to want to change up TFH marketing and be more strategic with their marketing, this is why they hired Dana who extensive experience with marketing packaged consumer goods as well as broad experience in advertising.Tech's CEO and other executives felt some urge to resist change and didn't want to â€Å"fix what wasn't broken† Wheeler's Plans Frazier (senior up of ad sales) had warn ed that TFH would need to drop the price of a unit of advertising by 10 % if changes weren't made in Tech's performance He mentioned that CNN and Lifetime's fashion shows were achieving notable ratings (EXHIBIT 1) Frazier was a great salesman and was Justifiably worried about sales Wheeler knew that in order to hold or increase the price it would be crucial to attract a critical mass of viewers who were interested in the network's content and were attractive to advertisers The key would be targeting the right viewers and offering advertiser an attractive mix of viewers when compared to their competitors BUT if she changed the network's offering in a way that disappointed too many consumers it could risk losing its distribution support Her plan was to build a strategy for segmentation and use it as a base to employ all marketing tools at her disposal, traditional/internet ads, PR and promotions to reach targeted consumers Everyone felt that advertising was TFH primary growth opportun ity. Tiff's Advertising Revenue Model TFH was on target to generate 230. Million dollars in 2006 from advertising The advertising business model was built on attracting a mix of male and female viewers on a regular basis – think â€Å"something for everyone† strategy Tuft average rating was 1. 0 with 110 million households or 1. 1 million people people watching at any given time.The ad sales team sold access to viewers through 30 to 60 second spots to a variety of advertisers which included automobile manufacturers, clothes companies, and cosmetic companies There were usually 6 minutes of advertising per 30 minutes of programming (20 percent); 24 hours per day; for a total of 2016 minutes per week In 2006 industry data showed that advertisers spent 20 billion dollars on advertising in cable industry, however there were over a hundred networks competing for these dollars which made competition fierce. TFH was the only dedicated fashion network If CNN and Lifetime are su ccessful more channels may copy them creating more competition for TFH The network based ad unit prices on several factors The number of viewers (ratings) The audience characteristics (demographics and lifestyle)Both of the are hurting ad sales and hurting Tech's CPM TFH was facing additional competitive challenges in its attractiveness to cable affiliates. On a scale of 1 to 5 TFH achieved a 3. 8 whereas fashion programming on CNN scored a 4. 3 while Lifetime scored a 4. 5 On awareness TFH scored 4. 1; CNN 4. 6; and Lifetime 4. 5 On perceived value TFH scored 3. 7; CNN 4. 1; and Lifetime 4. Memo's use the aforementioned data to determine Affiliate Fees and which package to offer TFH in. If TFH continues to underperformed it may be offered in less appealing packages making it seen in even fewer households, ruining its prospects of revenue growth or even survival.The Data strongly indicates that change in programming need to happen so that TFH can increase consumer interest, awarenes s, and perceived value This change could result in upsetting some of the existing loyal viewers The Management team had been with TFH for years and experienced large amount of their growth arguing safe marketing strategies where Wheeler is asking them to take a risk. Attitudinal Research Findings The Following Data can be found in Exhibit 2 and Exhibit 3 There are four unique groups of viewers Factionists Planners & Shoppers Sustainability Basics While the segments varied in size, Wheeler quickly noticed that the smallest -The Factionists- had a high degree of interest in fashion Most of the male interest occurred in the Basics cluster- the least likely to be engaged with TFH content. Factionists, Planners, and Sustainability all had cluster of women between the ages 18 to 34, the premium demographic.By investing in a major marketing/advertising campaign it would be reasonable to expect that awareness and viewing of the channel would go up This could deliver a ratings boost of 20% a nd would take the rating from 1. 0 to 1. 2 If the current audience mix stayed the same, ad sales were predicting a ten percent drop to $1. 80 Wheelers Preferred Strategy Targeting Factionist's, Shoppers/Planners, and Situational All segments mentioned have clusters of the desired age group but both Planners and Situational are made up of older women their existing audience and they would all be targeted It is likely to assume that ratings would increase from 1. 0 to 1. No clear data is given about CPM No clear data is given about the increase in cost of programming Alternative Strategies Focusing on Factionists This segment was strong in the highly valued 18-34 female demographic It was smaller that other segments representPrimarily targeting Men Pursue a desirable demographic as men of all ages are a premium demographic No data on ratings No data on CPM No data on Programming costs, however it would be likely to assume that costs would pike as all current programming is geared to s lightly older women (their current primary demographic) They would likely and very quickly lose all of their current audience due to shift in programming for a demographic that they are unsure they can even secure. High short-term risk as all current audience will be lost and could result in ratings loss and being taken off the basic cable package Long-term if this strategy is successful, men could be a larger audience than women as more age groups are desired by advertisers. This could result in greater affiliate fees and ad sales.

Economics Commentary Essay

The article concerns the price war in the airline business in China. Air companies sell tickets at lower than cost price to drive out competitors. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) wants to prevent this and will set a price floor for seats on 699 flights. In this commentary I will explain the situation and discuss the consequences of this issue. Air companies try to attract the necessary numbers of passengers to stop their routes from being canceled by the CAAC. Offering discounts is one of the ways to attract people to buy air tickets. In this case, discounts of 70 to 80 percents had been offered to consumers over the last few months, while a regulation made by the NDRC and CAAC in 2004 states that airlines should not sell tickets at less than 45 percent of the nominal price. Although this regulation, China Eastern continued the price war by still giving these huge discounts which were meant to provoke counterattacks from other airlines. Firms usually want to determine prices to maximize profits and one option is predatory pricing. Predatory pricing means that firms cut prices below costs to drive out competitors. As soon as firms have driven out competitors, obtained a bigger market share, they raise the prices again. Predatory pricing makes the industry more concentrated, because there a fewer firms in the market. With other words, the market becomes less competitive and more monopolistic. The CAAC tries to prevent this in order to keep the air business competitive. Options are price floors, as will be explained later. However, travelers are against the idea, as price wars are profitable for them in the short run. They can buy relatively cheap tickets now. Though the tickets will be more expensive in future, in the long run. This happens when the firms have driven out their competitors and have raised their prices again. Then producers will charge higher prices than the normal price and the consumers would therefore be worse off. Although this predatory pricing , also rumors about government intervention made consumers already unhappy. Some insiders have implied that China Eastern used funds injected by the government to subsidize its losses on ticket sales. The reaction of the CAAC was that the government had injected several billion yuan into China Eastern to maintain its daily operations, but not so it could cut ticket prices. The reaction from the travelers on the implementation of a price floor was also negative. A price floor means that a government introduce a minimum price that can be charged for a product. With an implementation of a price floor, the demand will decrease from Q0 to Qd and the price will increase from P0 to Pmin. The firms which are still in the industry will now charge higher prices at lower outputs. They pay more and get less. If the CAAC decides to implement this price floor it causes that there will be a excess supply, the area Pmin-(Qd-Qs) . The costs can be higher than the profits and therefore producers will leave the industry. This will lead to a shift in supply and to less excess supply in the long run as shown in figure 2. Secondly there is a problem with unemployment. By implementing a price floor, unemployment will occur. This is because the supply will shift to left in the long run. There are fewer suppliers and therefore people will get unemployed. People who were working in the area Qd-Q0 will lose their jobs. On the other hand, people who are working in the area 0-Qd will keep their jobs and will gain more. Consumers are obviously not happy with this and some people reacted with statements as, ‘We don’t want to pay extra just to fund some senior manager’s salary’, as mentioned in the article. Predatory pricing is a difficult task to prevent, since price floors do not benefit consumers neither in the short run nor in the long run. The CAAC probably needs to find other regulations and restrictions manners to prevent this ‘malicious competition’.

English skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English skills - Essay Example udying abroad, a lot of students are able to develop optimistic attitudes to other countries, as they are able to interact with other persons, and appreciate their way of living through research. An exposure to international experience is useful as it allows for international understanding. Crossman and Clarke (2009) say that working or studying abroad allows individuals have knowledge and awareness on the issues that relate to national and global issues. The benefit of global experience is in this case, one that allows individuals become accustomed, solve and expand their cultural scope of analysing issues. Through working and studying abroad, it is palpable that intercultural competence will be attained. Crossman and Clarke (2009) are of the opinion that having a touch with the international world allows for intercultural know-how. This competence relates to an ability to communicate well in various cultural contexts, as opposed to the usual native or indigenous context. Through the international curriculums set for the training institutions require an application of a singular language for all the various participants from the different contexts (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). Comprehensive learning is then achieved, as the diverse persons are able to comprehend the need of being a people as opposed to one cultural community. However, it is vital to note that attaining global competence is not only focused on the physical presence in countries in the abroad countries, but through other means like developing contacts with other individuals in these countries (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). With peer to peer education successful in numerous instances, Crossman and Clarke (2009) would not be wrong to argue that studying and working abroad allows for international patriotism, especially with individuals being more open minded with issues touching on international significance. Conclusively, it is warranted to say that working and studying abroad have a myriad of

Write about the picture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Write about the picture - Essay Example These techniques allowed Kirkland to create entirely new visualizations for his ideas that were true to his artist’s vision His work is divided into these categories: Designed Realism,   Surrealism, Hard Edge Abstraction/Abstractions, Abstract Expressionism  and The Dot Paintings, with the latter ones focusing on depictions of the physical universe beyond earth’s atmosphere (Kirkland Muesum). Kirkland’s unique technique is clearly visible in the â€Å"Conception of Space Mysteries† painting which is designed to evoke the sense of inscrutability, grandeur and awe of the unknown space in the viewer. Kirkland himself was an avid fan of the discoveries of the cosmos and the advancement taking place in space exploration. His paintings try to depict the wonder of the yet unseen space as conceptualized through basic human senses of sight. The Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Vienna, Là ³rà ¡nd Hegyi had this to say about the painter â€Å" in his later work, he developed a visionary art which mystically empathized with the entire universe, gavecosmic universality visual form in explosive images and used panel painting to convey the perpetually changing state of the universe.† (Hegvi, p65) The painting masterfully uses the bold shades of red and purple as the background to convey the awesome power and force of the galaxies, contrasted against lighter, more subtle shades of blue, green and yellow to give the painting depth. By mixing oil and water, Kirkland is also able to provide a textured surface to his painting that provide a different feel to his space era paintings; the surfaces even resemble the rugged surfaces of a moon’s crater to the more imaginative. It can certainly be implied that the painter carefully formed the style of painting that would allow him to project visuals of the space as he conceived them- as something very different

Allemande Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Allemande - Essay Example Allemande is played through the musical voice of the cello, giving a reverberatingly cool voice somehow imitating in voice the cool gush of winds on the forests. Musical notes seem to dance in a waltzing style through the fast and happy beat of the classic, making use of the cello’s wide voice range to construct a melody playing from the lower end of the pitch range, to the higher end and on the middle. Allemande’s composition consists mostly of repetitive movements or of movements with somehow similar style as the master style of the song. The song does make use of a lot of vibrato that it adds up to the regular yet well-placed interval pauses from the rapid and graceful movement of the lower notes. The ritardando placed from the transition from one movement to another adds up to the smooth switch from the two movements. The song seems to require a high-level technique of switching hand positions and powerful bowing and strumming of the cello. ... The thick musical background song of drums percussion and electric overdrive characterizes the up-beat and metallic rhythm to convey a message of a New World Pop Culture based on Rock ‘n Roll and Metal Gore. The song portrays a protest against the classics that is primarily based on techniques, forms, and structure, by changing everything and basing the song on expression and not just on the technique of the song. The use of untraditional sound effects of the song on the intermission part of the song where the lead guitar and the drummer bangs their instrument portrays an unconventional utilization of sounds to produce a musical composition that appeals to the ears of the public mass. Lyrically, the song seems to convey a testimonial of a user addicted to depressant drugs, or maybe an obsession to a beautiful girl. Crazy Crazy, like the previous song, Purple Haze, does not follow a uniform pattern for its movements, and just like the previous song, it expounds more on the expre ssion of the message rather than the technique used on the song. Unlike Purple Haze, however, Crazy makes use of a soft harmonizing background to relay the message of the lyrics effectively to the audience for a smooth and understandable listening even for just a single run of the song. Patsy Cline’s soft tremble voice, projecting the subject as innocent and pure, makes the lyrics more powerful to the audience, and thus, the impact more intense. As for the background tune, on the other hand, makes use of repetitive chords to harmonize with the melody of the song, which eventually adds up to the aesthetic value of the song. The bass guitar further thickens the harmony, along with the second bass vocals. The bass, the vocals, the percussions, the keyboard, and other instruments mix up

Concepts of Population Health, Primary Health Care and Health Essay

Concepts of Population Health, Primary Health Care and Health Promotion - Essay Example The rate of unemployment has shot over 20% and theft incidences in the grocery store have markedly increased in the past year. As a community nurse, I also noted multiple signs of anemia, fatigue, and a high level of susceptibility to respiratory infections among members of families of various ages. Smoking is also prevalent in this community, which requires an urgent intervention. There are also concerns about diet adequacy and insufficient funding from the Social Services unable to meet their basic food needs. This requires sensitization and financial support to be accorded to the community. It is also certain that due to the distant urban center where large stores are located, the families cannot make it there to do their shopping and end up purchasing food items in the local stores where food prices are significantly higher. However, such families have accumulated huge debts in those stores and the owners, though sympathetic, cannot extend their customer’s credit lines. Th e community has also grown pessimistic about both the economic and unemployment situation in the community; however, some parents are still expecting things to turn around. These mentioned situations are demanding and as a community health nurse in the region, I have decided to work closely with the community to promote the situation in collaboration with the small group of local businessmen and farmers who have expressed their concern in developing a food bank to ensure needy families help each other. Therefore, this proposal seeks to integrate the concepts of primary health care, population health promotion, and health promotion in addressing the existing situation in the community. According to the World Health Organization, health promotion strategies can be applied to multiple population groups, diseases, risk factors, and other settings. This is because the strategies of health promotion are neither limited to a particular health related problem nor to a set of specific behavi ors. As a community nurse in this case study, I advocate health promotion that will put emphasis on community education, food policy development, community development, and regulations and legislation which are vital in preventing high poverty levels as well as communicable and non-communicable diseases. Action needs to be taken in this community so as to improve the health of the people, especially those who have shown the signs of anemia, fatigue and respiratory infections. The health promotion strategies influence most of the underlying factors and those that determine the health of the community members. This approach is recognized by both health promotion and population health. As a nurse, I would work with the community in constructing a population health promotion model in order to develop strategies that would curb the deteriorating health status of the community. In reference to the population health promotion, the following action areas need to be addressed in order to cur b the existing situation in the community: Building healthy public policy which ensures that all the public and private sectors are committed to health promoting situations Creating a supportive environment that recognizes the nature of the rapidly changing society Strengthening the community action in order to facilitate the ability of the community members to make decisions and set priorities on issues affecting their health Developing personal skills to impart knowledge and skills on community members that can help them meet their daily life challenges and make contributions to the society Reorienting health services in order to create systems focusing on the

How Families Deal with a Loved One Who Has Alzheimer's Research Paper - 1

How Families Deal with a Loved One Who Has Alzheimer's - Research Paper Example Mild cognitive impairment is viewed as a form of forgetfulness attributed to aging. While this disorder is a symptom of the AD it is not a must for people who suffer from mild cognitive impairment, to contract AD. The well-known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is old age, mostly when people hit the age of sixty years. It is not considered normal for aging people to suffer from the disease. It is also easier for one to have the disease if a close relative such as your sister or mother had suffered from the disease. One can also contract the disease if you happen to have certain genes that are linked to the disease. Other susceptible factors include suffering from blood pressure; however, this is yet to be proved. The disease is classified into two types which include the late and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Late AD disease affects people who are at the age of 60 and above (â€Å"Coping with Alzheimers Disease†). The early onset of Alzheimer's disease is k nown to affect people before they attain the age of sixty. This type of disease has a fast rate of getting worse. The role of genes in this type of disease has already been established that is why it is prevalent among family members.The common symptoms of the disease are associated with the functioning of the brain. One of the symptoms of this disease includes the individual’s inability to communicate properly. The patient will forget how to read or write or even talk. They also are emotional, increasingly aggressive and paranoia. This is as a result of increased memory loss. When the disease has progressed Alzheimer's patients require assistance in almost all tasks which includes bathing and dressing. They will often forget their relatives’ names and forget occurrences that take place. Their judgments and thinking capacity reduces to a substantial level and will not realize they are in danger when something arises (â€Å"Alzheimers Disease & Dementia Alzheimers Asso ciation†).

Discipline policy in elementary schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discipline policy in elementary schools - Essay Example It is seen to promote the art of cramming as opposed to reading and understanding the concept. Giving students tests that require them to fill in the blank spaces as opposed to those test that they are required to explain a particular concept is not advisable (Greenwood, Kratochwill & Clements, 2008). This makes the students not to be able to develop the art of making sound decision on their own. It degrades their level of thinking critically about what they have learned in class. When the students get involved in the process of decision-making, they get to learn how they will be able to make their own sound decisions with ease. This is a very important aspect in a person’s life since it goes a long way in helping a person in his/her own personal as well as career life. Group work enables the students to be able to discuss a given issue in unison. It enables the students to dispute an issue in an acceptable way. It enables a student in a group to appreciate the point raised by another student in the group, and not to only be in favor of the point that he/she has raised. It enables a student to be able to understand that another student’s point is just as good as his or hers. Parents should support the school fraternity in instilling discipline in their children’s life. Most of the parents usually leave this task for the teachers, and this can be overwhelming for them. The parents should also take up the responsibility of disciplining their children. Therefore, the parents and the teachers should work hand-in-hand to ensure that the students are well disciplined. The teachers should take up their role diligently. They should use proper methods of disciplining students. They should not punish the students severely. They should give them punishments that are mild and proper. In case a student goes out of line, then the teacher should get the student’s parents and they

PERSONAL FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PERSONAL FINANCE - Essay Example The two children attend a nearby secondary school and likely to attend university. As a planner, I will ensure that the advice give to the Jameson family is suitable to the financial circumstances, and situation of the family and the financial plan will match their level of financial literacy. This paper will produce a comprehensive financial plan for the Jameson family under the following headings: 1. Current financial situation Before setting goals and strategies, it is important for the Jameson Family to determine its current financial standing. Determining the current financial position is the first step in the creation of a personal financial plan (Gitman and Joehnk, 2008). Having a thorough understanding of ones current financial position will help in the formulation of well informed and realistic goals. Therefore, the Jameson will need to determine the family’s current net worth by getting the total of their current liabilities less the total current assets. The followi ng charts will be used in the calculation of the net worth of the Jameson Family- it is simply a family balance sheet for the Jameson Family. ... wner Value Cash expenditure Joint $80,000 Insurance premiums Phillip Belinda 1,546.48 478 Total current Bills 82,024.48 Outstanding Debt Owner Value Mortgage loan Joint 100,000 Personal loan Belinda 17,000 Credit Card Joint 5,000 Total outstanding debt 122,000 Total liabilities 204,024.48 Net worth of the Jameson Family Total assets less the Total liabilities= 1,312,641- 204,024.48= $1,108,616.52 A net worth of $1,108,616.52 for the Jameson family is an indication of a better financial position for the couple/family. The client’s situation Broad category Age Group (years) Characteristics Middle age 45-55 Children usually leave home or attend tertiary education. Level of income increases. Superannuation, debt reduction, asset accumulation and risk management would be important in this stage. 2. Objectives Setting financial objectives and goals is the second step in the preparation of a personal finance. Setting of goals or objectives will give the couple a direction for their p lan as well the destination toward which they should head (Gitman and Joehnk, 2008). Some of the obvious objectives include monthly savings and retirement investments. The goal should be very smart, measurable, realistic, time based, attainable and specific. The objectives of the Jameson Family will be categorised as short term, long term or even intermediate. The development of these objectives will allow the family to achieve successes early in the plan while keeping their eye towards the future (Koh, 2012). It is also quite important for the family to establish its priorities, consider its net worth in order to make realistic objectives which align with their financial situation (Melicher and Norton, 2011). The objectives or goals should be stated as dollar amount against its future date or

How change in oil prices affect the stock market of GCC prices Assignment

How change in oil prices affect the stock market of GCC prices - Assignment Example The abrupt fall in oil prices has a varied effect on the world economies. Most of the oil producers will face economic recessions, and the value of their currencies will depreciate, owing the reduction in the purchasing power. Major oil producers will lose their funds, owing to the abrupt decrease in value of oil. However, the US and other oil consumers have no major worries, and the drop in the prices of oil proves to be a positive movement for betterment of the economy (Mirhaydari, 2014). The history of oil prices encompasses varied changes though this may appear as the major decrease in the 21st century. Before the industrialization and increased dependence on oil, prices were low. However, the increased demand for oil resulted in an increasing value of the crude oil. It has remained this way for a long time until now. Much of the world still depends on oil, though major economies, such as China, USA, and Europe as a continent, have minimized their consumption, narrowing the market (Stefanova, 2014). The price fall may be attributed to this demand change. The stock markets of GCC will be adversely affected by the decrease in the oil prices worldwide. The reduction in the GDP of these nations will amount to decreased spending, and thus there will be a reduction in the demand for shares and stocks, minimizing the trade occurrence. A stock market crash may be possible since there will be significant effects on the countries’ economies. The prices of stocks will fall, because of the prevalent low oil prices. Oil is the largest export in these countries, and thus a reduction in the money in circulation, which limits consumer spending, resulting to poor performing stock markets (Morris, 2015). Oil prices are at their lowest state in the 21st century, resulting in varied effects on the economies of different countries. The US, Europe, and China are some of the

Critical thinking Essay Example for Free

Critical thinking Essay 1. State the four logically possible ways in which evidentialism could go about justifying its beliefs? Briefly evaluate each of the options. [20] Evidentialism holds four logical possibilities in an attempt to justify their beliefs. There is historical evidence, negative apologetics, minimal evidence, and the Holy Spirit. The first step is Historical Evidence. Evidentialists tend to resort to historical evidence as a very important method (i. e. the resurrection). The reason historical evidences are so important is because, as long as minimal facts (those agreed upon by all) are used, the audience cannot deny the conclusion of the premise. Historical evidence allows for a one-step process for converting one to Christianity. Historical evidences have a lot of credibility. A second step is negative apologetics. This form attempts to debunk those arguments said against Christianity. Negative apologetics defends the faith against outsider claims to Christianities fallacies. A third step is minimal evidences. This is used primarily in reference to the resurrection. In an attempt to prove the legitimacy of the resurrection, an evidentialist would use facts and concepts which all people agree on (i. e. the tomb was empty, eye-witnesses, etc. ) and lead the individual into the conclusion that the resurrection took place. If one accepts these minimal evidences, then the conclusion of the resurrection has to follow. It is important for evidentialists to find common ground with the people whom they are speaking with to prove their point. A fourth step is the recognition of the power of the Holy Spirit. The bible is absolutely clear that it is only through Him that one can be regenerated; it is not by the will of the flesh. Due to this concept, evidentialists understand the importance and reliability they have on the Holy Spirit. It is only Him who can use to evidences to illuminate the heart. These are the four steps of an evidentialist. 2. What is foundationalism? What makes foundationalism in general something which Plantinga calls â€Å"classic foundationalism†? How would Plantinga critique such a view? [25] Foundationalism is a belief which is based on another belief. It is the concept that one belief always has to have a reason to be believed; for it is based off of a previous belief. Evidentialists hold to this method of reasoning, asserting the great importance of always having a defense for one’s beliefs. Plantinga explains this method of reasoning starting from the Enlightenment, and was promoted by Plato, Aristotle, etc. It is referenced as classical because it is old and has been the method of reasoning for a very long time. Plantinga separates himself from this view, believing it to be fallible. While it is important for certain beliefs to be based on rational thought, Plantinga does not agree that all should be. He would claim that there has to be at least one thought or one set of beliefs which are basic. Plantinga explains basic beliefs as those which are not based on a previous belief, but rather accepted through experience or memory (i. e. eating breakfast). Plantinga critics Foundationalism by stating that there has to be at least a certain amount of beliefs which are basic (not based on a previous belief) because all people need a starting place for rationalization. Despite those who hold to Foundationalism, it is important for all to understand that there are always certain beliefs which we take for granted; simply because somebody told us so. We will not have a reason for every belief. 3. Explain Frame’s concept of rationality (the linear progression, narrow versus broad circularity). Explain each concept fully. [10] Frame’s concept of rationality is interesting. The circular explanations of his thoughts are explained as following: My faith is based on my rationality, and my rationality is based on the rationality of God. The reason this is circular is because, if our faith were based on our rationality, and our rationality was based on the rationality of God, one could connect the dots and say that God’s rationality enables our faith. This is the circular reasoning which Frame explains. The linear progression states that, due to God’s rationality, we have faith. As our faith is based on God’s rationality, our rationality is based on our Faith. Hence, our rationality is based on the rationality of God. This linear progression was stated in Frame’s chapter as following: God’s rationality Our Faith our rationality. This is the linear explanation of Frame. 4. How does Bahnsen evaluate Stein’s epistemological criterion – â€Å"one can justify a belief only by the use of logic or reason†? [10] As Stein claims that one needs logic or reason to have a justified belief, Bahnsen accuses Stein of borrowing this concept from the Christian world-view. Before engaging on the grounds of logic and argument, Bahnsen clearly states that the atheistic worldview cannot be based on reason for there is no room for that within the theory of evolution. Due to the fact that one accepts that world view, they cannot begin justifying it based on logic and reason which are fundamentals within the Christian world-view. Bahnsen accuses Stein of borrowing from the Christian world view, making him epistemologically self-aware of his paradox. 5. State three differences between compatibilist and libertarian views of freedom; explain each of the differences. [15] 6. State four reasons why we accept genetic information as being structured or specified. Briefly explain each reason. [20] Genetic information is stated as being structured due to the process of elimination. The first question would be to discover whether it was formed by Law. Due to the fact that it is not contingent, the question of design would fall to the next level which is that of chance. When one questions whether it was done by chance, the immense complexity within the cell eliminates this possibility and brings it to the concept of design. When looking at DNA (A=T, C=D) or proteins (amino acids), and seeing what is required for human life, the immense complexity within the cell would eliminate the possibility of law or chance. It must be structured. Also, the concept of time and fossils do not allow for the immense amount of time demanded by evolutionists for the process of life to have evolved. The more complex we understand the cell to be; the less likely it is that it wasn’t structured or specified.

Business plant of E T Enterprise

Business plant of E T Enterprise E.T Enterprise is a partnership which manufactures traditional cake , bahulu. This company is established on Jun 2008 and commenced on July 2008. This partnership costs RM 323,857.00 which mostly the amount is contributed by the six partners and the rest being financed by loan from bank. The location of this company are at the Meru and it is a base to produce the bahulu because it is near to the raw material and labour sources which is the village people. The target market consists of the population in Shah Alam and Klang area. Theres no restriction in terms of the age group of the target market for its bahulu as bahulu can be enjoyed by many , regardless of ethnicity and social background. From our survey , the estimated size of our market is approximately RM1, 379,413. There are 3 main competitors that sell bahulu in Shah Alam Kelang which consist of J.K. Enterprise , S.U. Enterpise and S.A. Enterpise. The types of bahulu that this company offer to the customers are bahulu with cream ( strawberry , vanilla and chocolate ), cup bahulu with cream and topping , birthday bahulu and wedding cup bahulu. For each types of bahulu , this company put the price by using the cost based pricing. In order to promote the bahulu , they do sales promotion like giving bahulu sample and discounts to the customers. Hence , they advertise the bahulu in some local magazines. This company also have their own website to enable the customers to gain information about their product. The company distribute their product through retailers around Shah Alam , Klang and Meru. They estimate the sales based on the customers awareness about their product and seasonal factors like Hari Raya and wedding seasons. For operation , they apply the Just in Time concept where the entire of finish product is sent immediately to their intermediaries and final users which help them in minimize the storage cost. All production is produce based on sales forecast. This company choose Meru as the location because it fulfils the business basic needs. The suppliers are located throughout Klang and Shah Alam. PURPOSE OF BUSINESS PLAN The main purposes of this business plan are : To evaluate the project viability and growth potential. To apply for loans from bank as company capital and to know how much each shareholders need to invest. To act as a guideline or reference for the management of the proposed business. To allocate business resources effectively. To forecast the business performance for better decision making. For better understanding of in and out of the business. BACKGROUND OF THE BUSINESS Name of the business ET Enterprise Sdn Bhd Business address Lot A-2, Jalan Kemboja, Taman Meru Indah, Kg. Meru, 42200 Meru, Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan Correspondence address Lot A-2, Jalan Kemboja, Taman Meru Indah, Kg. Meru, 42200 Meru, Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan Telephone number 03-33925544 Form of business Patnership Main activity Manufacturing Date of business commencement 1st July 2008 Name of bank Bank Islam Bank account number 13-456-01-556634-1 Equity contribution RM 263,643 The above is the logo of this company business. The word E stands for modernization. It relates to their business where them want to introduce the bahulu to the wide global market. Furthermore , their also do some innovation to their bahulu in order to modernize it so that it can be accepted globally. Traditional stands for the type of business that thier run which is the traditional malay food , bahulu. This company choose the word traditional so that people will easily relates to their business with the traditional malay food. In their logo , they have chose two colours which are blue and red. Blue stands for innovation that they do to the bahulu in order to modernize it and to attract people to buy it. While red stands for the spirit to develop the traditional business and to introduce bahulu to global market. Hence , this comapany also include their motto in the logo so that people will actually know that they offer them with delicious , quality bahulu and they also care for the relationship that their have with the customers. BUSINESS NAMECARD Lot A-2, Jalan Kemboja, Taman Meru Indah, Kg. Meru, 42200 Meru, Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan. No. Tel : 03-8885258 Website : www.et_enterprise.com.my LOCATION OF COMPANY This company located at Meru , Klang. THE ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN Vision To internationalize traditional cakes ( bahulu and others in the future ). Mission: To modernize traditional food. Objective: To market traditional food ( for now bahulu ) in whole Malaysia. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART MOHD.ABD.HALIM BIN SALANI (GENERAL MANAGER) MOHD EFI BIN TASNIMUDDIN (Financial Manager) ASMA BINTI RUSTAM (Operational Manager) MOHD HASHAMUDDIN BIN HASSAN (Administrative Manager) IRMAWATI BINTI ROSLAN (Marketing Manager) ADIBAH BINTI AHMAD DAUS (Direct Workers) FATIMAH BINTI HASSAN (Direct Workers) MOHD MUADZ BIN MAHMOOD (Direct Workers) NURUL ATEKAH BINTI MUHAMAD ALIAS (Asisstant Marketing Manager) JOB DESCRIPTION Position Responsibilities General manager Act as a superior of company that monitoring all activities in the company. Act as authorized person that approve the activities and financing. Have a power to control the companies. Ensure the performance of company is always good. Always care about society of employee and partner. Administration manager Help the entire department in area of administration. Determine the rate of employee and partner. Always keep the office clean. Help the General Manager. Marketing manager Find the target market for the production. Ensure all the goods are sold. Do forecast sales for the company. Find the best strategy to attract customer. Find the solution to become a winner in competition between competitors. Find the potential market for the company. Assistant marketing manager Helps the marketing manager Operation manager Find the best supplier for the company. Ensure the operational is operating wisely without problem. Ensure all the goods in a good quality. Ensure the all production is following the planning. Make sure all production is enough to support the demand from customer. Financial manager Prepare the financial statement. Ensure the company has sufficient cash to do an activity. Always find the solution to cut the cost and expenses. Workers Produce the product Ensure the factory in clean and clear after working THE MARKETING PLAN PRODUCT CONCEPT The product that this company offers to the customers is bahulu. They have done some innovation to the bahulu in order to make it look different and attractive than other ordinary bahulu. They also modernize the bahulu so that in the future it can be accepted globally. The types of bahulu that their offer to the customers are Crà ¨me Bahulu ( strawberry , vanilla and chocolate ), Cup bahulu with Crà ¨me Topping , Birthday Bahulu and Wedding Cup bahulu. Crà ¨me Bahulu is the main product which will be distributed to the retailers. While for Cup bahulu with Crà ¨me Topping , Birthday Bahulu and Wedding Cup bahulu are the types of products that their offer to the customers for ordering purposes. With these varieties of products , theis company hope that they are able to compete with other competitors and able to gain more customers. Besides that , they also ensure that our bahulu is delightful so that customers will satisfy with the taste and quality. Below are the packages that t his customer offer to the customers. a) Crà ¨me Bahulu b) Birthday Bahulu c) Wedding / engagement / other occasions i) Gift to the guest: Crà ¨me Bahulu ( 1 box contains 3 bahulu inside ) ii) Cupbahulu with Crà ¨me Topping iii) Wedding Cup bahulu TARGET MARKET Since the factory is located in Meru , Klang and its also near to Shah Alam , target market would be the customers in Klang and Shah Alam. Most people are already familiar with bahulu as one of Malay traditional cakes which are served during Hari Raya and are enjoyed by many. Therefore this company bahulu and cup bahulu can also be enjoyed by all age groups. It means that , in term of demographic segmentation ,their focusing on customers from all age groups who live in Klang and Shah Alam area. Since they also accept customized orders for certain occasions such as birthdays and weddings , they give a bit more focus on those in the age group of 1 35 years old as they are at the age where they like to have birthday celebrations with their group of friends and families as well as getting married. This is where they will focus to sell the birthday and wedding cup bahulu. Besides that , they also segment our market into separate psychographic profiles. Since the bahulu and cupbahulu are modernized version of the traditional bahulu , they seek to first capture the interest of those who are adventurous and love to try out new things besides being food enthusiasts. This company hope that through them , it could reach out to other more conservative customers by recommending our delicious and unique bahulu and cup bahulu to others. MARKET SIZE Market size is the total potential purchase that is expected from the target market. According to a July 2006 census , the population of Shah Alam stood at more than about 580,000 while Klang population stood at 683,000 which make the total population amounts to 1,263,000. This company estimated that 50% of the total population eat bahulu. Therefore , 50% x 1,263,000 = 631,500 Among the 631,500 who eat bahulu , their estimated that 39.5% of them would pick bahulu as their favourite snacks or deserts and thus eat more bahulu than others. Therefore : 39.5% x 631,500 = 250,000 From this 250,000 people , the estimated percentage of those who are more adventurous and would like to try the modernized version of bahulu is 25%. Therefore : 25% x 250,000 = 62,500 To conclude , from the total resident of 1,263,000 in Shah Alam and Klang, 62,500 people would be interested to buy modernized bahulu. After determining the market size , they calculate the estimated value of the market size. Usually the bahulu are sold in packets of 10 or 20 per packet. From the survey conducted , they found out the average price for a packet of bahulu is around RM 6.00. The survey was conducted by comparing the prices of the packets of bahulu which are sold by various manufacturers. Therefore the value of the estimated market size is: 62,500 x RM 6.00 = RM 375,000 STRENGTH OF THE COMPANY They could reach both the customers in Shah Alam and Klang with the help of the distributors. This company offer more varieties of bahulu and its safe to say that this coampany among the first company to invent cup bahulu. They strategically located near them raw materials and source of labours which enabled them to minimize the cost of production. MARKETING STRATEGIES The next step in marketing plan is marketing strategies. There are four key variables of marketing strategies which are product , price , promotion and place. This company realize that marketing strategies will give big impact to the companys sales. Therefore , they have developed specific strategies for each factor of the marketing strategies. PRODUCT As stated before in the product concept , this company offer several products to the customers which are Crà ¨me Bahulu , Cupbahulu with Crà ¨me Topping , Birthday Bahulu and Wedding Cup bahulu. With the motto quality , delicious and relation , they are not only focusing on the taste of the bahulu , but also care about the quality of their bahulu. In order to attract customers to buy the product , this company have design the bahulu with different design according to the types of order. Besides that , they packing the product with clear colorful plastic for those products that will be distribute to the retailers shops. The purpose is to allow customers to see the product clearly. While for ordering packages , the packing are in colorful box and ribbon so that it will look more special , simple yet beautiful. PRICE Basically , this company use cost based pricing to put price on the product. For different types of bahulu , they put different price for it. This is because the amount of material used for different types of bahulu is different from one another. Besides that , they also consider the quality and the preparation steps of the bahulu before putting the price. Below are the price for 1 unit of bahulu and the selling prices of our products. Price per unit: RM 0.27 + ( 45% x RM 0.27 ) = RM 0.40 / unit Therefore , the price for 1 packet of bahulu which consists of 10 units bahulu will be : RM 0.40 x 10 = RM 4.00 Selling prices : Bahulu with cream ( for distribution to the retailers ) : RM 4.00 per packet ( 10 units ). : RM 8.00 per packet (20 units ). 2. Orders : Birthday bahulu RM30.00 pe r set Bahulu with cream ( gift to the wedding quest ) RM 1.50 per box Cup bahulu with cream and topping RM 1.00 per unit Wedding cupbahulu RM 360.00 per set PROMOTION Like many other businesses , they also use few types of promotion tools in order to accomplish the sales promotion objectives. This company use advertising in magazines to promote their bahulu. They also choose to advertise the bahulu in magazine like Rasa because this magazine has its own readers who are interested to know about new foods. Besides that , they also have a own website. The purpose of this website is not only to promote the bahulu , but also to get feed back or any new ideas from the customers in order to improve the bahulu. Moreover , this website is also use to introduce new kind of bahulu to the customers. This website will make the customers closer to our product because it is easy to access and customers will easily get information about our bahulu. Other than that , they also do sales promotion like giving bahulu sampling and discounts. This company supply their bahulu sampling to the retailers at Kompleks PKNS and Shah Alam Mall , Shah Alam because at shopping mall people usually are interested in testing food and they tend to buy the food if it tastes delicious. For discounts , they only give discounts for order bahulu. For example , if a customer buys cup bahulu with Crà ¨me Topping for more than 1000 units , then , 10% discounts will be given out of the total price. Lastly , the sales team also do personal selling by communicate face to face with the customers and explain to them the types of bahulu that their offer. Not only that , they also give pamphlet and name card to the customers so that easy for them to contact with them for detail information about their bahulu. PLACE The factory and office are located at Meru which is near to the town and city like Klang and Shah Alam. Therefore , it will make them easier to promote the product to more wide market including the town people. Besides that , this location is strategic because it is near to the raw material and labour source which is the village people. This company also realizes that distribution strategies are important as it is one of the factors that will contribute to whether the product can be sold effectively or not. To distribute the product , they use two types of distribution strategies which are : Manufacturer retailer consumer Manufacturer consumer For distribution that use retailers , they choose four places to sell their bahulu which are Klang ( Pasar Jawa ) , Meru and Shah Alam ( Kompleks PKNS and Shah Alam Mall ). For all the retailers , this comapany agrees to pay them some commission every month. They use retailers to help them to distribute the bahulu in certain places. By using this way , this company could save some cost from renting a shop to sell the bahulu at every place that we want. For direct distribution to the customers , they use this kind of distribution when receive orders from customers. This company will deliver the orders to the customers and no transportation cost is charge for area around Klang , Meru and Shah Alam. But if the delivery is outside from these areas , transportation cost will be charged.

Synthesis of Substituted Quinazolinones

Synthesis of Substituted Quinazolinones 6. DISCUSSION Heterocyclic compounds, widely distributed in nature are very essential to life. They play a vital role in the metabolism of all living cells. With their high degree of structural diversities and broad spectrum activities, they have proven to be one of the most economically useful chemotherapeutic agents. Synthesis of novel heterocyclic compounds with more potent activities, better efficacy and lower toxicity is the need of the day to the modern synthetic and medicinal chemists. In the present work, a total of 90 newer therapeutic compounds with heterocyclic rings like quinazolinonyl isoxazole and thiocarbamoyl pyrazolines were synthesized by conventional heating. In the 1st step, a total of 18 substituted quinazolinones were synthesized followed by 18 substituted acetylated quinazolinones in the 2nd step by acetylation of 1st step compounds. Treatment of various substituted acetylated quinazolinones with benzaldehyde lead to 18 substituted quinazolinonyl chalcones respectively. Further, when the chalcones were treated with thiosemicarbazide and NH2OH.HCl lead to synthesis of a total of 36 compounds with complex quinazolinonyl thiocarbamoyl pyrazolines and quinazolinonyl isoxazoles. All the above synthesized compounds were structurally confirmed by the IR, 1HNMR and mass spectral analysis. After structural confirmation by physical and spectral characterizations, they were evaluated for pharmacological activities like antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. 6.1 Structural characterization of synthesized compounds Reaction of anthranilic acid and its derivatives bromo, iodo anthranilic acids with aromatic amines (aniline, p-chloro aniline, p-bromo aniline, m-chloro aniline, p-fluoro aniline and p-methyl aniline) and carbon disulfide in the presence of potassium hydroxide in methanol under reflux for 3hr afforded the corresponding 3-(un)substituted phenyl-6-(un)substituted-2-thioxo-4(3H)-quinazolinones 1a-r. Absorption bands in the range 3210-3445 cm-1 and 1505-1590 cm-1 in the IR spectrum of the synthesized compounds (1a-r) indicated the presence of N-H and a thioureide group (N-C=S) in the thioxoquinazolinone system. Strong absorption band in the range of 1600-1690 cm-1 and a medium band at 1100-1290 cm-1 were also observed due to C=O stretching and C=S stretching respectively [66]. The absence of any band in the region 2600-2550 cm-1 (characteristic of a thiol group) indicated that the compound exists in the solid state in the thione form. The 1HNMR spectrum of 2-thioxo-quinazolin-4(3H)-one in DMSO-d6 showed a singlet of 1H intensity at ÃŽ ´13 ppm for the proton attached to the nitrogen at position 1, and a complex multiplet of 14 protons between ÃŽ ´ 6.0-8.8 ppm. All the above results correlate and confirm the formation of thioxoquinazolinone ring system in respective compounds 1 a-r. When compounds 1 a-r treated with acetic anhydride, N-acetylation was took place and acetyl group was introduced at 1st position of the thioxo quinazolinone nucleus and gave compounds 2 a-r. Acetylation was confirmed by the appearance of peak at ÃŽ ´ 1.72 ppm and disappearance of a peak corresponding to NH in between ÃŽ ´ 9.7 ppm to ÃŽ ´ 13.0 ppm due to the protons of acetyl group. Claisen-Schmidt condensation of 2 a-r with benzaldehyde in alcoholic alkali gave corresponding quinazolinonyl chalcones 3 a-r. IR spectrum of the quinazolinonyl chalcones showed a peak at 1670 cm-1 characteristic of à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡, à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢-unsaturated keto functional group [255] of chalcones. Appearance of doublets in the range of ÃŽ ´ 6.7-6.9 ppm and ÃŽ ´ 7.44-7.56 ppm, disappearance of singlet corresponds to 3 protons of the N- acetyl group confirmed the 2-propen-1-one moiety of the titled compounds 3 a-r. 5-Phenyl-3-[3’-(un) substituted phenyl-6’-(un) substituted-2’-thioxo-4’ (3’H)-quinazolinon-1’-yl]-1-thiocarbamoyl-2-pyrazolines 4 a-r were prepared by refluxing quinazolinonyl chalcones with thiosemicarbazide in the presence of sodium hydroxide. Disappears of peck corresponds to ÃŽ ±, ÃŽ ²-unsaturated keto functional group of chalcones at 1670 cm-1 and appearance of pecks at 709.92 cm-1, 1067.42 cm-1, 1386.89 cm-1,1517 cm-1 and 3239.62 cm-1 confirmed the thiocarbamoyl-2-pyrazoline nucleus. Appearance of singlet at ÃŽ ´ 8.46 ppm indicated the two protons of thiocarbamoyl group (NH2-C=S) at 1st position of 1-thiocarbamoyl-2-pyrazoline ring [256]. Cycloaddition of chalcones with hydroxyl amine hydrochloride (NH2OH.HCl) gave isoxazoles 5 a-r. Absence of C=O band and appearance of new bands in the range of 1210-1270 cm-1, 1560-1610 cm-1 in the IR spectrum of all the compounds indicated -C-O-N- and C=N of isoxazole ring respectively [257, 258]. Appearance of a peek in the range of ÃŽ ´ 5.9-6.9 ppm in 1HNMR spectrum correlates with IR spectrum data and confirms the formation of isoxazole ring in the respective compounds. 6.2 Biological activities 6.2.1 Antibacterial activity All the titled compounds (1 a-r, 2 a-r, 3 a-r, 4 a-r and 5 a-r) were evaluated for antibacterial activity. The results were given in Table 5.29, 5.30, 5.31, 5.32 and 5.33. In all compounds basic skeleton and the electron withdrawing halogens played a key role in pharmacological activities. Compounds with electron withdrawing F, Br, Cl groups at para position of phenyl ring and electron releasing CH3 group at para position of the phenyl ring displayed maximum activity against Bacillus subtilis 6.2.2 Antifungal activity All the titled compounds (1 a-r, 2 a-r, 3 a-r, 4 a-r and 5 a-r) were evaluated for antifungal activity. The results were given in Table 5.34, 5.35, 5.36, 5.37 and 5.38. In all compounds basic skeleton and the electron withdrawing halogens played a key role in pharmacological activities. Compounds with electron withdrawing F, Br, Cl groups at para position of phenyl ring and electron releasing CH3 group at para position of the phenyl ring displayed maximum activity against Candida species. 6.2.3 Anthelmintic activity All the titled compounds (1 a-r, 2 a-r, 3 a-r, 4 a-r and 5 a-r) were evaluated for anthelmintic activity. The results were given in fig 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5. In all compounds basic skeleton and the electron withdrawing halogens played a key role in pharmacological activities. Compounds with electron withdrawing F, Br, Cl groups at para position of phenyl ring and electron releasing CH3 group at para position of the phenyl ring displayed maximum activity against Perithima posthuma. 6.2.4 Analgesic activity All the titled compounds (1 a-r, 2 a-r, 3 a-r, 4 a-r and 5 a-r) were evaluated for analgesic activity. The results were given in fig 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9 and 5.10. In all compounds basic skeleton and the electron withdrawing halogens played a key role in pharmacological activities. Compounds with electron withdrawing F, Br, Cl groups at para position of phenyl ring and electron releasing CH3 group at para position of the phenyl ring displayed potent analgesic activity. 6.2.5 Anti-inflammatory activity All the titled compounds (1 a-r, 2 a-r, 3 a-r, 4 a-r and 5 a-r) were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. The results were given in fig 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 5.14 and 5.15. In all compounds basic skeleton and the electron withdrawing halogens played a key role in pharmacological activities. Compounds with electron withdrawing F, Br, Cl groups at para position of phenyl ring and electron releasing CH3 group at para position of the phenyl ring displayed maximum anti inflammatory activity.

European Settlement of the Americas †The True Story :: American America History

European Settlement of the Americas – The True Story One of the most important events in the history of the last half millennium is the European "discovery" of the Americas. The traditional story of the contact explains the Europeans' eventual success by crediting the superior technology and military prowess of the Europeans. If the traditional story mentions luck at all, it is in explaining the Europeans' good fortune at finding such a sparsely populated "pristine" continent. While it is true that European ship technology was more sophisticated than that of the native peoples of the Americas, European conquering and exploration of the Americas was as much the result of three non-technological factors as of the sophistication of European ship technology. The first was Europe's relative backwardness in comparison to the Middle and Far East, the second was macro-evolutionary factors such as geography and relative lack of natural resources, and the third was plain dumb luck. Europe's biggest motivation for westward exploration was a desire to access trade with the Far East. It was the continent's relative backwardness that prevented their achieving this access through eastward movement. The land route to the Indies was blocked because of European inability to compete with the Turks, whose Ottoman Empire stretched across the main trade routes. Carlo Cippola remarks on the irony that as Europeans were expanding on the sea, "on her eastern border she was spiritlessly retreating under the pressure of the Turkish forces." (Note 1) As a result, European nations who wanted the ability to trade with China and the rest of the Indies for goods such as silk and spices were forced to find another route, since they were not strong enough militarily to fight the Turks on land and gain access through the Middle East. The second factor of backwardness that spurred westward exploration was the fragmented nature of Europe's political system. Because the continent was home to many separate and competing nation states, each country was forced to find its own route. This competition also increased the desire for Eastern goods, since these goods represented wealth and thus the ability to pay for expensive wars and triumph over neighboring states. If the European continent had been one united body politically, the desire for Eastern goods might have been less, and westward exploration of the Americas might never have occurred since all of Europe could have benefited from the Portuguese route to the Indies around Africa.

Feeding the Ghost Essay -- essays papers

Feeding the Ghost WE ARE BETTER The novel Feeding the Ghosts, by Fred D'Aguiar, exploits the terrible conditions black people were put through while being transported from Africa to the Americas. It examines the thought process of the captain, the crew, the captives, and the legal system of England. D'Aguiar clearly illustrates the hell that was forced upon the blacks and how even the highest court system of the time saw nothing wrong with it. The whites were the ones who made the laws; the laws were meant to protect the whites. The high court had laws in place about proper procedures on these voyages, but the law wasn't meant to protect the blacks, or stock as they were referred to, just the well being of the white people involved. The common conception is that a courtroom is where the truth comes out and justice will be served. It is a safe haven for the innocent and a prison for the guilty. But when the hearing of the investors of the Zong vs. the insurers starts, Lord Mansfield states, "As you know, gentlemen, this is not a criminal trial. It is a hearing". No, this would never be a criminal trial. It wasn't illegal to murder black slaves if there was good enough reason. Blacks didn't have human rights like the whites did. Laws weren't created to protect the black man; they were there for the well being of the white person. Anyways, the black person was stock in the eyes of the law so the treatment of stock was the question at hand. "Which law did the captain break? None according to English statutes. What is being disputed here? Whether his actions were within the law that describes the treatment of slave stock." (p. 171) Whites made the laws, whites enforced them, whites benefited from them. ... ...mmunication there is still an underlying prejudice against the black person. Things haven't changed enough to say we are equal. Time is the main component in changing this. Something that has been rooted in white backgrounds and common laws for hundreds of years doesn't change in a few decades. Here at UW-La Crosse students are required to take a minority studies class and similar programs are underway at other colleges. Education is the first step to closing the gap. The second step is changing how one perceives another who is different from them. Will the world ever be able to do away with prejudice? Or is prejudice something that is like second nature. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, so wouldn't that entitle everyone to having a prejudice? Bibliography D'Aguiar, Fred. Feeding The Ghosts. A Novel. New York: The Ecco Press, HarperCollins, 1997.

Untraditional Students Essay -- Education College Adults Learning Essa

Untraditional Students "What can a college education offer me?" Contemplating a return to school after years of childrearing and paid labor is both daunting and invigorating. Entering college as an adult is a life-changing decision. It requires shifts in perception that jar us out of the familiar patterns of our lives. The American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) reports that the enrollment of adults aged 25 and above has risen dramatically over the past two decades. Adult students now make up 42 percent of all college graduates. What motivates these students? What do they hope to gain from their college educations and what do they actually receive? For many returning students, the motivation is economic. We have heard over and over again that the world is changing, that we are entering the information age, that being in possession of knowledge--and a degree--are the keys to open any door. Some students know just what door they want to walk through. They enter college with a career chosen and a degree plan carefully mapped out. For others, the future is less certain. We aren't sure what we want to do, but we see college as the pathway into "the good life." Sometimes this faith in the economic reward of higher education is naive. Once upon a time a college degree did carry with it a high probability of eventual economic success. A bachelor's degree in almost any field was a guarantee of a good job. The belief that a college degree equals economic security is planted deep in our cultural psyche and hangs on with tenacious roots. We believe this component of the American Dream even as it erodes around us. With corporate downsizing, restructuring, and conglomeration, job security is muc... ...rough the whole program?the time pressures, the deadlines, the whole process. I found that I could actually accomplish something." J. William Fulbright, scholar and U.S. senator, wrote that the goal of education is "the teaching of things in perspective, toward the purposes of enriching the life of the individual, cultivating the free and inquiring mind, and advancing the effort to bring reason, justice, and humanity into the relations of men and nations." On the one hand, statements such as these may seem impractical, idealistic, and unattainably high. On the other hand, we want these things in our lives. Human beings need purpose and meaning just as we need shelter and food. The task for any student, and particularly for non-traditional ones, is to synthesize these often disparate needs into a whole that suits the circumstances of our individual lives. Untraditional Students Essay -- Education College Adults Learning Essa Untraditional Students "What can a college education offer me?" Contemplating a return to school after years of childrearing and paid labor is both daunting and invigorating. Entering college as an adult is a life-changing decision. It requires shifts in perception that jar us out of the familiar patterns of our lives. The American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) reports that the enrollment of adults aged 25 and above has risen dramatically over the past two decades. Adult students now make up 42 percent of all college graduates. What motivates these students? What do they hope to gain from their college educations and what do they actually receive? For many returning students, the motivation is economic. We have heard over and over again that the world is changing, that we are entering the information age, that being in possession of knowledge--and a degree--are the keys to open any door. Some students know just what door they want to walk through. They enter college with a career chosen and a degree plan carefully mapped out. For others, the future is less certain. We aren't sure what we want to do, but we see college as the pathway into "the good life." Sometimes this faith in the economic reward of higher education is naive. Once upon a time a college degree did carry with it a high probability of eventual economic success. A bachelor's degree in almost any field was a guarantee of a good job. The belief that a college degree equals economic security is planted deep in our cultural psyche and hangs on with tenacious roots. We believe this component of the American Dream even as it erodes around us. With corporate downsizing, restructuring, and conglomeration, job security is muc... ...rough the whole program?the time pressures, the deadlines, the whole process. I found that I could actually accomplish something." J. William Fulbright, scholar and U.S. senator, wrote that the goal of education is "the teaching of things in perspective, toward the purposes of enriching the life of the individual, cultivating the free and inquiring mind, and advancing the effort to bring reason, justice, and humanity into the relations of men and nations." On the one hand, statements such as these may seem impractical, idealistic, and unattainably high. On the other hand, we want these things in our lives. Human beings need purpose and meaning just as we need shelter and food. The task for any student, and particularly for non-traditional ones, is to synthesize these often disparate needs into a whole that suits the circumstances of our individual lives.

Marriages are made in heaven Essay

â€Å"Marriages are made in heaven†, so it is said, but they are solemnized here on earth. This is a great occasion that comes in our only once and therefore, calls for a celebration anywhere in the world. In our country this is a very solemn occasion, accompanied with numerous customs associated with it, making it all more exciting and memorable. It a wonderful mixture of traditions blended with modernity that is even admired by foreigners. Last month my best friend Alex, who lived in my neighborhood got married to her fiancee, a software engineer in the United States. I being her best friend was assigned the responsibility of looking after the bride and chaperoning her at her wedding. On the appointed day since morning there was hectic activities beginning from the Haldi ceremony, vermillion was applied on her followed by ladies sangeet. Then I applied mehendi on her hands. By the time this was over, it was already lunch time. Immediately after lunch, we had to go to the market to collect her bridal wear that had been given for some last minute alterations. Thereafter we went to the bridal beauty parlour, where we spent some time. By the time they were finished, it was difficult to recognize Alex, and for so striking was her beauty, that even tinsel heroines would have had a complex. It was now getting late; we rushed home to find our family members anxiously waiting for us. The barat was on its way and we could hear the drum beats. We all rushed outside to see the barat as it approached the gate. The bridegroom was astride on a horse bedecked with flowers. His tall figure with a golden sehra on his head, made him look like a proverbial prince. There was the ‘Dwar Puja’ at the gate followed by religious ceremonies performed by the pundit. Thereafter the groom was escorted to the dais†¦

Nursing and Family Stress Theory

Critique and Analysis of Family Stress Theory Nursing theory explains the relationship between concepts to enhance understanding and knowledge about a phenomenon (Walker & Advant, 2005). Theoretical frameworks for nursing of families provide a foundation for guiding the development of family centered care and research (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones, 2003). The application of theory helps to guide nursing practice, education, and research and supports the development of evidence-based nursing strategies and interventions for both the individual and the family as the client. This paper will critique and provide an analysis of the family stress theory. A brief introduction of the history and author of this theory will be provided and the major concepts and assumptions of the theory described. The rationale for selecting this theoretical model as it relates to family nursing practice will be provided and its strengths and weaknesses identified. In addition, a discussion of the application of the Family Stress Theory in current nursing research will be presented. Finally, ideas for future research needed to continue to develop this theory for its application in family nursing practice will be explored. Family Stress Theory The family stress theory was introduced by Professor Reuben Hill in the late1940s after the Great Depression (McDonald, n. d. ). McDonald (n. d) explains that Hill based his observations on families who survived the economic challenges of the Great Depression and those families who did not. Friedman, Bowden, and Jones (2003), explain that Hill based his research on the effects of separation and reunions as a result of war time on families. In both cases, the Family Stress Theory helps to explain why some families are able to adapt and survive when faced with stressors while other families encounter crisis. Hill’s Family Stress Theory has served as a framework for the development of more contemporary family stress models, such as the Resiliency Model, and as a foundation for clinical practice and crisis intervention (Friedman, Bowden, and Jones, 2003). Major Concepts Hill describes the importance of social relationships and positive perceptions which serve as buffers in protecting the family from crisis (McDonald, n. d. ). In developing the family stress theory, Hill formulated an ABCX framework which helps to define the stress, identify the family resources, explore the family’s perception of the stressor, and the crisis. The A variable is identified as the provoking stressor or event that the family encounters. Family experiences and strengths as well as family and community resources represent the B variable. This variable includes the family’s social support structure, both internal and external, which impact the magnitude of the stress on the family (McDonald, n. d. ). The family perception of the degree of stress produced by the provoking stressor or event represents the C variable. Combined, these three variables influence how a family copes, reacts, and manages the situation and determines whether or not the situation becomes a crisis, the X variable. Past experiences, adequate and available resources, time, and support all impact how a family is able to adapt and change to the situation. The application of the family stress theory helps to predict the potential for a family crisis. According to McDonald (n. d. ), â€Å"the combination of high stress with social isolation (the â€Å"B† variable) for families has been highly correlated with many forms of dysfunctional family outcomes† (para. ). Hill’s family stress theory provides a framework for a family as client focused assessment and the development of evidence-based nursing interventions that strengthen the family and promote positive outcomes. Family Stress Theory’s assumption about Family and Nursing The Family Stress theory is middle range theories developed by Hill and as th e variability of families are recognized through research, the traditional ABCX theoryevolved to different family stress theory and developed the conceptualization and the assumption of what family is about. In 1996, McCubbin and McCubbin outlined the theory’s assumption of a family in crisis (Smith & Liehr, 2008, p. 227) : Families over the course of life face hardships and changes as a natural and predictable aspect of family life. Families develop basic competencies, patterns of functioning, and capabilities to foster the growth and development of family members and the family unit, and to protect the family from major disruptions in the face of transitions and changes. Families develop basic and unique competencies, patterns of functioning, and capabilities designed to protect the family from unexpected or non-normative stressors, and strains and to foster the family’s recovery following a family crisis or major transition or change. Families draw from and contribute to the network of relationships and resources in the community, including its ethnicity and cultural heritage, particularly during periods of family stress and crises. Families faced with crisis situations demanding changes in the family’s functioning work to restore order, harmony, and balance even in the midst of change. In the Family Stress theory’s metaparadigm, nursing is responsible in assisting families in the process of adaptation by promoting the family member’s health, help to recover from illness, assist the family member to function within the specific health limitation, support and develop family’s strengths, assist in the use of community resources available, facilitate the family in appraisal of the situation and help the family decide what is best for the situation (Beckett, 2000) . The Family Stress Theory in Family Nursing Stress can affect intimate relationships in the family setting. Although stress is normal and natural in the family setting, severe stress can lead to serious family situations such as domestic violence, alcoholism, substance abuse, and even child neglect. The outcome of the family’s situation during the stressful event depends on how the family responds and thrives to the stressful situation. A stressful event can be in the form of an acute or chronic illness in the family, sudden role changes,hardships in the family life cycle, separation, and death of a family member. The use of Family Stress Theory in Family Nursing assists the nurses in exploring the family system’s behavior and response to situational stressors and transitional events. The Family Stress theory was useful in the family’s coping ability regarding the care of the child with extraordinary needs (Crawford, 2002) . A child with special needs is a stress to both parents because time is needed to develop competency in caring for such child in the family. The use of community and family resources should be offered and considered to adapt to the crisis. One literature also applied the theory in remarriage in families and suggested that â€Å"remarriage and adjustment to step family living are conceptualized as life transition in the framework of the Family Stress Theory † (Crosbie-Burnett, 1989, p. 323) . Identifying all the variables present in any stressful event and the family’s capability of adapting to the stress using all resources available will assist the nurse in developing the nursing process by making a thorough family internal and external environmental assessment, assist the family in creating a goal and planning for strategies to resolve the issue, providing the family possible interventions in managing the stressor event, improving coping abilities, and enhancing the family’s strength during the stressful event. The nurse is also responsible in following-up and evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention to either continue the current management or change the coping strategy. Family Assessment In the use of qualitative and quantitative studies, families have different patterns to the response of stress. Assessing family resources, coping strategies, and processes provides the function for assisting families in adaptation and attainment of a higher level of wellness (Friedman, Bowden & Jones, 2003, para 3). Families engage in different management and coping strategies when dealing with stressful events. The nurse will have to assess the healthiness or dysfunctional aspects of the family. During the assessment period, the nurse set specific goals that will help the family with coping mechanisms of stress. The foundation for achieving the goals will depend on family support, financial resources and coping strategies. Families remain strong and durable even during today’s economic crisis. Despite all the economic, social and political pressures, most families can e considered to be functioning satisfactorily (Friedman, Bowden & Jones, 2003, para 4). The theoretical model family stress identifies two types of situations that will cause a family to enter into a crisis. Those situations are classified as developmental and situational events. Events that are identified as psychosocial growth of a family are noted as developmental events. Some examples are retirement, a child entering hi gh school or college, or adoption. The examples denote the normal life cycle affecting the entire family unit. Unexpected events are considered situational events such as death, loss of job, or the loss of the home due to fire. The family’s financial resources and coping mechanisms will help the family adapt and work through the crisis. The nurse can take the listed examples and help the family develop goals in becoming healthy and strong family again. Critique of the Family Stress Theory The use of the family stress theory by nurses with advanced training is a key indicator for creating care paths that enhance the effectiveness of outcomes for positive family health. Family clinicians use the stress theory to facilitate a collaborative learning process between family members with special emphasis on the different family processes: parenting, balancing work, dealing with childhood issues, and maintaining stability in home life. The stress theory is used as a helpful tool for identifying sources of stress that lend a head start for developing strategic plans to assist with managing them. Further applicability of the stress theory offers a supportive resource for identifying coping mechanisms of individual family members and determining how effective their coping strategies are during stressful family situations. The theoretical framework for the stress theory also serves as a tool for explaining how families adjust and adapt as one system during stressful events (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones, 2003, p. 470). Information for identifying coping mechanisms for families of culture can be acquired by using a cultural genogram to gather information about their trengths and weaknesses. The clinician uses the information to apply it to the stress theory framework to assist the family with developing feasible ways of dealing with stressful events. Continued research efforts incorporating the use of the stress theory critical for developing innovative family care plans for helping families avoid and decrease stress levels. Further family-focused research can be generated to addres s the coping behaviors of culturally diverse families during stressful situations (Friedman et al. , 2003). The new wave of multi-types of families supports the need for intervention research that serves as evidenced-based practices to help not only culturally diverse families but also all families to deal with stress. Strengths The strengths identified in using the family stress theory are that the model is easy to understand and easy to translate into therapy and intervention. During the assessment period of explaining the model and how it relates to the situational crisis of the family, it is important that families understand the system. The nurse will explain adaptation, family adaptation, family coherence and family resilience. During the educational process, the concepts can be defined and described in a manner the family can view the crisis and place the event in the family unit’s perspective. As the nurse translated the model into therapy sessions and intervention processes, the family will not have difficulty working together needed to heighten family growth. The nurse and family will work together to establish goals. During the intervention session the family will engage with the stressors affecting the family. The family will work extensively to return the unit to the whole family concept. Weaknesses Weaknesses identified are limited to the discussion of aspects in the family dealing with stress and punctuation or interruptions. The family may be limited on providing pertinent information in the discussions. The nurse can help set goals based on the provided information. Shame and guilt play intricate roles in how much information is provided. The family will need to engage in the discussion and work sessions in order to return to the functional family unit. Punctuation or interruptions occur during the meetings with the nurse and family. Unforeseen activities causes disorganized scheduled meeting. A specific time should be allotted for the meeting to alleviate interruptions. The nurse and family can make stride if the sessions are uninterrupted. Family Nursing Research The trends of nursing care have evolved over the years from being a patient centered care industry into an industry focused around family centered care. The focus of providing family centered care has resulted in an emergent need to develop concepts, assessment measures and clinical skills customized to the care being provided. For this reason, family nursing research has detonated although much of the research is in its infancy stages. Much of the current literature on family nursing pertains to pediatric nursing and family, however the call for family nursing research for the adult world of nursing is emerging as well. One particular study conducted by staff researchers at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill spotlight on how families care for a child with chronic illness and debilitating diseases. The byproduct of this research study is the FaMM (Family Management Measure). Although the FaMM was cultivate through the use of the Family Management Style Conceptual Framework (FMSF), the FaMM measures how a family manages during stressful situations, which is a direct correlation to the family stress theory. In addition to spotlighting, the purpose of the study is â€Å"that it will further the development and testing of interventions and the comprehensive assessment of families' efforts to manage chronic conditions† (Knafl et al. , 2007). Based on analyzing the investigations leading up to the FaMM, researchers had ne primary question and challenged themselves to discover a way to make the eight conceptual dimensions of the FMSF into a measureable assessment tool with a high percentage of reliability and validity. Second, an evaluation tool (FaMM) and a hypothesis was developed to support the inquiry. The hypothesis converged to explain how â€Å"data from the FaMM will contribute to clinicians’ and researchers’ ability to understand more fully family functioning in the context of childhood chronic conditions† (Knafl et al. , 2007). Even though the research study appears to be qualitative in methodology with its categorical approach to establishing measurements it is overwhelmingly quantitative. Each of the established measurement guidelines or categories becomes conclusive with a percentage score as a means to evaluate against ranges. The ranges help to determine whether the family has the ability to manage many of the stress factors associated with care of a chronically ill child. The results of the research demonstrated a high validity as well as reliability. In particular, the reliability of the test ranged between 72% to 90% for mothers and 73% to 91% for fathers, both demonstrating above 50% reliability. The future of family nursing research should branch out to include all forms of family; for example, children being raised by grandparents, homosexuals, foster parents and,other forms of guardianship. With the Family Stress Theory more research is needed to determine the long-lasting effects of stress on the family unit and ways to offset these effects. Furthermore, the research from family stress theory is useful to family nursing practice in that it gives nurses a starting point to initiate interventions, treatment and, other diagnoses. Conclusion Family stress theory provides nursing staff with both intrinsic and extrinsic information to use in providing better services, care,and outreach to families. The concepts and assumptions identified in the theory arecurrently being researched for efficiency in providing the best application measures for family nursing practice. Despite the weakness identified in the theory, the strengths of the theory far outweigh. In closing, the family stress theory can be used to guide nursing practice in acute care settings but also can provide in sight on primary prevention methods. References Beckett, C. (2000). Family theory as a framework for assessment. Unpublished manuscript, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona. Retrieved from http://jan. ucc. nau. edu/~nur350-c/class/2_family/theory/lesson2-1-3. html Crawford, D. (2002). Keep the focus on the family. Journal of Child Health Care, 6, 133-146. doi: 10. 1177/136749350200600201 Crosbie-Burnett, M. (1989, July). Application of Family Stress Theory to remarriage: A Model for assessing and helping stepfamilies. Family Relations, 38, 323-331. Retrieved from http://www. jstor. org/pss/585060 Friedman, M. M. , Bowden, V. R. , & Jones, E. G. (2003). Family Nursing: Research, Theory and Practice (5th Ed. ). Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Knafl, K. , Deatrick, J. , Gallo, A. , Dixon, J. , Grey, M. , Knafl, G. , & O’Malley, J. (2007). Family management measure (FaMM). Retrieved December 5, 2009, from http://nursing. unc. edu/research/famm/ McDonald, L. (n. d. ). Hill’s theory of family stress and buffer factors: Build the protective factor of social relationships and positive perception with multi-family groups_. Retrieved December 5, 2009, from http://cecp. air. org/vc/presentations/2selective/31mcdon/HILL’S_FAMILY_STRESS_THEORY_AND_FAST. htm Smith, M. , & Liehr, P. (2008). Middle range theory for nursing (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. Walker, L. O . , & Avant, K. C. (2005). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.

Government Regulation Essay

Government regulation in business today is vital because it attempts to create a level playing field for companies competing against one another and regulate honest business practices toward the consumers. It is important to for any business to understand how government regulation affects their industry and how they intend to run their company. Industrial regulation is the government regulation of an entire industry. The purpose of industry regulation is for a an entity to watch an industry’s prices and products to make sure that they do not create a monopoly or take advantage of consumers. There are basically two kinds of regulation, price regulation and social regulation. Price regulation is regulation directed towards industries that have tendencies that may produce a monopoly. The industries that price regulation agencies monitor are: the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which are basically responsible for monitoring gas and oil pipelines and other energy based industries; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who are supposed to regulate television, telephones, and other areas of communication; and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who regulates financial markets. Social regulation monitors the conditions where goods and services are produced, the safety of those items produced, as well how the production of those good might affect society. The industries that social regulation agencies are worried about are: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The main purpose behind these organizations is; to stop monopolies from being formed and to control the pricing of the products or services because these industries have elements that may potentially create a monopoly. The affect that government industrial regulation has on the market will vary depending on several different variables such as how antitrust laws are interpreted, the administration enforcing the laws, taxation, and how strictly the laws are enforced. The purpose of the government regulation is to ensure monopolies aren’t formed and to make sure  that prices and products aren’t taking advantage of customers. They also want to make sure that oligopolies are not formed to make sure there is not too much power over pricing and also to promote fair and heal thy market competition. Depending how the laws are enforced will help decide how much of an impact there is to a certain market. The idea is to strive for equality and integrity in certain industries. Knowing how courts are interpreting antitrust laws and how they affect a firms specific industry is important to understand when making business decisions for a company along with knowing the boundaries for where regulatory agencies may consider a monopoly or oligopoly could potentially be formed by having too much control. Social regulation is served with monitoring the conditions under which goods and services are produced, the safety of the goods being produced, and any effects production may have on society. The social regulatory agencies are; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Social regulation is different from pricing regulation because social regulation applies to almost all firms and is not designed for the specific purpose of stopping a monopoly. One example would be when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) decide to issue a requirement that all worke rs have periodic break from work, it would apply to all firms in the United States who are under OSHA’s control. On the other hand, pricing regulation would not. People who are opposed to social regulation believe that regulation carries a steep administrative cost and that those costs actually hurt consumers more than the regulation actually helps. They think this happens because the social regulation laws are often poorly written and very difficult to interpret or enforce. Those who back social regulation do agree with some of what the naysayers think but they believe that the benefits of social regulation are worth the high costs and that regulation just needs to be improved. They think that social regulation has made manufacturing a lot safer in the United States and reduced discrimination within the workplace. Both sides have valid arguments however to actually judge between these two views is very difficult because accurately figuring out the costs or benefits is pretty much impossible. (Colander 2010). A natural monopoly is an industry in which significant economies of scale make the existence of more than one firm inefficient. An  e xample of a natural monopoly is AT&T. Up until 1982; AT&T was what was called a regulated monopoly. It had the exclusive right to provide telephone service in the United States. AT&T controlled 90 percent of the telecommunications market: long-distance and local telephone service, and the production of telephones themselves as well as other communication equipment. AT&T was given this right because it was felt that economies of scale made supplying telephone service a natural monopoly. Telephone service required every house to be connected with lines. These lines had to be buried underground or strung overhead on poles so it didn’t make sense to have more than one company installing separate lines. The government also decided that telephone service should to be available to all everyone, even those who live in remote areas, where service costs more to provide. An unregulated company in a similar position probably would have practiced skimming, which in this case would have been to provide service to low-cost areas and avoiding high-cost areas. AT&T was allowed to continue as a monopoly but they were subject to regulatory control by the Federal Communi cations Commission. This government regulation was put in place in order to limit the company’s profit to a fair level and prevent AT&T from abusing its monopoly. AT&T’s business was also limited to telephone service. Under AT&T’s monopoly, phone service in the United States was the best and cheapest in the world at the time. Even if phone service was more expensive than it actually needed to be, most agreed that the system worked well. (Colander 2010). Antitrust policy is essentially the government’s policy towards the competitive process. The United States antitrust laws were put in place by both federal and state governments in order to regulate corporations. These policies intend to keep companies from becoming too large and stop them from fixing prices. These laws also attempt to give businesses an equal opportunity to compete in a market. There are four major parts of legislation that are known as the antitrust laws. In the United States these laws basically began with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. The Sherman Antitrust Act stopped limits on competitive trade and made it illegal to form a monopoly. The nest next antitrust act was the Clayton Act, which was passed in 1914. The Clayton Act protects against mergers or acquisitions that would either greatly decrease competition or offer the threat of becoming a monopoly. Another major piece of legislation was the  Robinson-Patman Act from 1036, which made it illegal to practice price discrimination by allowing some businesses to purchase products at lower prices than other businesses. The last of the four pieces of legislations to the antitrust laws is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which was formed in 1914. The FTC was created to enforce the country’s antitrust laws. Many of the antitrust laws are not very specific and can be hard to interpret. The FTC’s job is to interpret the laws and enforce them. The three main regulatory commissions of social regulation are: the Food and Drug Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These three commissions watch over social regulation in different ways. The FDA stops drugs from being sold until there is enough information about the effects of the drug can be determined. The FDA often takes a long time to test and go through the approval process. They FDA can take up to five or even ten years to approve a drug and it is a very costly process. Because this is such a lengthy and expensive process it usually means higher priced drugs fo r consumers. The next commission to discuss is the EEOC. This is the commission that regulates discrimination in the workplace. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on criteria such as: individual’s race, color, nationality, religion, sex, age, or disability. The final commission to look at is OSHA. OSHA is essentially responsible for regulating health and safety of workers within the workplace. The five primary federal regulatory commissions that govern social regulation are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The major functions of these agencies are to monitor the conditions under which goods and services are produced, the safety of those goods, and the side effects of production on society. Works Cited Colander, David C. Economics: Eighth Edition San Francisco: McGraw-Hill Irwin 2010.