CCTV Cameras - Criminal Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

CCTV Cameras - Criminal Investigation - Essay Example This paper shall discuss CCTVs and their general impact, as well as their impact on criminal investigation. An initial discussion on the use of CCTVs will first be discussed, followed by the application and implications in the use of these cameras. The use of these CCTVs for criminal investigation will then be presented, alongside a discussion on whether or not these CCTVs are advantageous or disadvantageous. Concluding remarks shall summarize and end this article. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a clear understanding of CCTVs and to add to future knowledge regarding CCTVs and their general applicability in criminal investigation. In 1942 Germany, the first CCTV system, which was designed by Walter Bruch, was setup by Siemens AG as a means of observing V-2 rockets (Dornberger, 1954). In the United States, CCTVs were first used in 1973 at the Times Square in New York. They were first installed as a crime deterrent; however, crimes committed in the area did not drop by much even with the presence of such cameras (Yesil, 2006). In a few years time however, the use of these cameras gradually expanded to other parts of the country, most especially the public spaces (Roberts, 2010). These cameras were also considered a cheaper alternative in crime prevention, discarding the need to increase police presence in public areas (Roberts, 2010). Businesses also realized the benefit of these cameras in terms of improved security. This technology improved throughout the years, especially with the advent of digital technology which allowed for simultaneous recording as well as time lapse or motion-only recording (Roberts, 20 10). More cameras have also been installed in schools, parks, parking lots, malls, and since the 2001 terrorist attacks, more surveillance videos have been secured in various parts of the country (Yesil,

The importance of recruitment and selection of sales people Essay

The importance of recruitment and selection of sales people - Essay Example Effective recruitment involves the identification of certain qualities which spell success. Certain people are imbued with that quality of good salesmanship and have the ability to out forth that quality of sincerity and integrity that certain people are imbued with that quality of good salesmanship and have the ability to out forth that quality of sincerity and integrity that encourages customers to purchase a product. The focus of good recruitment is in matching the capabilities, talents and skills of a particular candidate with the demands and requirements for the job. There must be transparency and uniformity in the recruitment process, in order to identify the most meritorious candidates available for a sales job. The manner in which the recruitment is carried out will affect the kind of candidates who get selected finally. During the process of recruitment, the selectors need to match up the best candidate for the job by an evaluation of the needs of the job and the qualities o f the candidate, in order to determine which candidate is best likely to fulfill the needs of the job.

Physical Education in School Essay Example for Free

Physical Education in School Essay In the last ten years, our culture has changes dramatically. Our nation was once a physically active nation, yet now it seems that society discourages physical activity. Everyone knows that physical fitness is important to his or her health. Physical education helps students improve their knowledge about health issues and practices that will lead to a more enjoyable life. Some schools do not require students to participate in physical education classes, but it is important for young kids to stay physically active. The rise of obesity in young children has become a growing concern in America. Physical education should be required every year for all public school students. Some students are physically unable to participate in physical education. I agree that if a student has a note from their doctor that it is fine for them not to participate. All the others should be required to participate though. Their involvement in physical education teaches them about lifelong fitness. While I attended grade school, physical education helped play a valuable role in my life. I became involved in several different sports because of participation in physical education classes. During school we played football games during physical education. In addition, we learned some of the basics of baseball and softball. I played football and baseball for years because of my involvement in physical education classes. After graduation, I still kept the same habits from grade school, by continuing to stay physically active. I participate in softball tournaments occasionally to keep myself in shape. In addition, I try to lift weights four or five days a week. Read more:Â  Physical Education Essay Students who do not participate in physical education more than likely will not be physically active as adults. By not teaching children about physical education, it almost certainly adds to the problem. Some students do not want to participate in physical education because they are worried about sustaining injuries. Their argument is children participating in physical activity are at a higher risk of injury than those who are in academic classes. By not being physically active, a student is at greater risk for sustaining an injury. It is important to stretch and warm up before starting any work out. Students learn this from their participation in physical education class. Stretching helps in developing overall flexibility, particularly in the spine, shoulder, and hip areas. The kind of stretching depends on the type of activity a person plans to engage in. For instance, if one is about to play sports, the recommended kind of stretching would be the ones that mimics the movements of the activity the student engages in. Warming up also helps to avoid injury. To warm up start at a gentle pace, and then slowly increase the pace until the heart rate increases and the body temperature rises. Warming up also helps to loosen up muscles and jump-starts the fluids in the joints. If a student is not required to participate in gym class, they may not be aware of warming up to prevent them from sustaining injuries if they decide to start a workout regimen or any kind of physical activity. Obesity is becoming a concern among young kids now. The Southeast now has a new name. Instead of the Sun Belt, some call the Southeast the diabetes belt. Almost every time I turn on the news there is a story about the rising epidemic of obesity. With teenage obesity as prevalent as it is, it is imperative that physical education classes be mandatory at all grade levels nationwide. The amount of obese youth has steadily risen in the last twenty years. It is an obvious fact that physical education classes, when made mandatory, would help improve the physical health of the youth across America. It is important for the student to learn how to keep ones self in proper physical condition. In addition, by making physical education mandatory for all schools nationwide it will help make the students realize how important it is to stay physically active. Obesity also leads to hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, asthma, and many other serious problems. Physical education classes can help to reduce the chances for those problems, but there are other steps to take. Exercise is important, but diet is also a major factor in health. Eating healthy foods and exercising will make students be much healthier. In conclusion, all schools should make it mandatory for students to have physical education classes every year. Our society is becoming unhealthier every year because of students lack of exercise. They need to be educated in physical fitness. They can achieve this by participating in physical education classes, learning how to warm up, stretch, and exercise. Obesity is growing in our population every year. Everyone should participate in physical education classes to learn about, and prevent obesity. If we continue with the lack of physical education in schools, we will continue to contribute to the poor health of students.

Plato on Gender: An analysis

Plato on Gender: An analysis Plato on Gender Platonic advocacy of female public engagement as articulated in Republic V challenges an organizational ethos by which the activities, movement, and behavior of women were severely restricted. Indeed the role of women in Plato’s political philosophy is arguably at odds, not only with the negative and oppressive depiction of women in Athenian philosophical thought at large, but also with the broader Platonic corpus which seems to speak to the natural inferiority of females. Plato advances the radical argument that insofar as the body and soul are distinct, women and men may serve coequally in the guardianship of the state. That is, assuming that the nature of a person is independent of his/her body, and to such an extent as each individual should be assigned work suited to his nature, both sexes will be capable of performing all the functions needed by the city, including philosophy, despite the innate and inevitable inferiority of women (Okin, 1979). Yet however progressive hi s embrace of women in terms of their capacity to assume political, ethical, and intellectual responsibilities alongside men; the evidence suggests that Plato did not stand for a liberationist philosophy that elevates women to the moral status of men. Only by examining the proposals of Republic V with an eye toward the overriding aims and structure of the ideal society do Plato’s apparent contradictions in his views toward women become apparent. While his views on women were no doubt revolutionary for the day, the degree to which Plato was motivated by an egalitarian ethic remains an open question. We must remember that Plato was a product of a society locked into a rigid patrimonial order in which the confinement of respectable women was de rigeur and where upper class women were valued primarily as instruments of reproduction and legitimacy (Pomeroy, 1975). The Athenian woman of citizen class was secluded within the parental home until she became a ward of the matrimonial household, where she was expected to exercise her maternal responsibilities, especially the breeding of sons. She was likewise controlled and deprived with respect to her sexuality, without the compensation of any participation in life outside the domestic sphere (Okin, 1979). Socialization with men at any level, even within the confines of the home, was not consistent with her service to the household and commitment to chastity, frugality, and silence (P omeroy, 1975). In conceptual terms, meanwhile, emotionalism and lack of self-control were seen as products of female nature; reserving bravery, norms of reason, and objectivity for men within the intellectual and institutional structure (Just, 1989). Thus to the extent that women were devoid of moral agency and self-possession, they were subject to the authority and guardianship of men, effectively disqualifying them from the ruling class as a condition of â€Å"natural† dependency. The recurrent theme in the literature is of female subordination and loss of autonomy as a result of excessive physical indulgence: â€Å"women are in bondage to their physical appetites as much as those who are legally bound† (Just, 1989, p. 186). A woman, as such, is unable to subordinate her appetites, desires, and emotions to reason (i.e. higher-order valuations) in pursuit of virtue. A man however, presuming the opportune socio-economic conditions, is free, and hence is arguably considerably less, if at all, inclined to fall victim to akratic action. By this reasoning, men maintain the ability to act in accordance with their decisive better judgments, while women are seen in connection to and dependent upon their appetitive urges (Politics, 1260a2-12). Hesiod’s Theogony, for example, likens the woman to a gluttonous and sexually licentious â€Å"stomach† inflicted on the man to consume the fruits of his labor and weaken his resolve to self-govern, which, as a free man, he is presumed capable of (Just, 1989, p. 164). Aristotle confirms; noting in the Politics that, â€Å"the woman has [a deliberative faculty], but [that] it is without authority† (Politics, 1260a12-14). Correspondingly, he submits that â€Å"to a woman, silence brings refinement – whereas this does not apply to a man† (Politics, 1260a30-31). Hence, as Just comments, â€Å"the opposition between those innately possessed of self-control, and those who lack it . . . ideologically r enders women’s subordinated place within the social structure of the polis a ‘natural’ one† (Just, 1989, p. 166). Against this backdrop, it seems unrealistic to believe that Plato was immune to the influences of the historical and cultural standards that underscore his dialogues. In fact, in the Timaeus, Plato himself explains the inferiority of women in terms of devolution from an original creation consisting of men. Those able to master their passions and live virtuously on Earth are granted passage back to the stars from which they came; cowardly and unrighteous men are reborn as women to account for their failures. â€Å"All male-born humans who lived lives of cowardice or injustice were reborn in the second generation as women† (Timaeus, 90e7-8). Indeed victory of the rational over the irrational was the means by which a debased soul may return to â€Å"his original condition of excellence,† and avoid further degeneration into an animal form appropriate to the evil nature which he had acquired (Timaeus, 42b1-d2).Plato continues to explain that, ultimately, procreation results from the union of the â€Å"woman’s desire and the man’s love;† an explanation that speaks to appetitive/reason distinction discussed above (Timaeus, 91d1). Thus Plato builds a hierarchy of goodness and rationality in which woman is positioned midway between man and beast, a sentiment echoed in the Laws (Okin 1979). The dialogue of Republic V, however, suggests that while human beings can differ in many ways, certain attributes have no bearing on the assignment of different functions to different persons in accordance with their natures. For example, whereas a man with a full head of hair is known to be a good cobbler, the bald man is not necessarily incapable of practicing the same profession (Republic V, 454c1-6). There seems, therefore, to be no reason to consider the difference between the sexes in terms of procreative function relevant to whether they should play equal roles in the guardianship of the state (Okin, 1979). Plato thereby manages to reconcile the dialectical opposition between the belief that different natures ought to accord with different pursuits, and the suggestion that the same pursuits be open to both sexes in spite of female inferiority. Thus although he asserts that women are generally less capable than men, especially in physical strength, he maintains that individual members of both sexes are capable of concurrently performing all the city’s functions, including rule and defense (Okin, 1979). The collective good therefore seems to demand that individual pursuits and education be in keeping with the merits of each, irrespective of sex. That â€Å"women bear . . . and men beget,† Plato reasons, is not tantamount to proof that women ought to be denied the ‘guardian-rearing’ education provided to their male peers (Republic V, 454d5-12). Accordingly, Plato maintains that the guardians of his state, along with their (collective) wives, ought to enjoy the same pursuits. Just as a â€Å"male and female doctor have souls of the same nature,† so to would Plato’s purported male and female guardians (Republic V, 454c10-d1). Plato does, however, prescribe a lighter share of defensive duties to women, in keeping with their relative physical weakness and consistent with their assumed level of strength (Republic V, 455d7-e2). Thus although Plato expands the range of activities open to women, the notion (articulated in the Timaeus) that the female form embodies a wicked soul certainly calls into question Plato’s embrace of the egalitarian ideal as such. To be sure, Plato grounds his emancipation of women in the metaphysical assertion that the body and soul are distinct, such that the body becomes an obstacle to the ambitions and potential of the soul. If a male soul can reside in a female body and vice versa, it follows that a female with a philosophical nature may aspire to re-enter life as a man to the extent that she severs her attachment and dependence on the body in favor of philosophy (Bar On, 1994). In effect, since the desired quality of one’s soul may be incongruous with one’s sexual identity, Plato implies that manliness is not necessarily a function of the body. If â€Å"female† refers to someone connected to the world on a bodily level, and â€Å"male,† to a p erson elevated to a philosophical plane (Bar On, 1994), then anyone of a suitable nature can be considered male as a matter of statecraft. In this vein, Okin argues that Plato shared his fellow Athenians’ contempt for women, suggesting the emancipation of female guardians was a necessary byproduct of the dismantling of the family: â€Å"The most important consequence of Plato’s transformation of the guardian class into a single family is the radical implication it has for the role of women† (Okin, 1979, p. 37). Sensing the antagonism between the state and the family, Plato seeks to disengage the guardians from all connections and motive which may undermine their dedication to the state, thereby extending the primary ties of kinship throughout the ruling class (Okin, 1979, p. 37). Thus Rousseau points to a causal link between the abolition of the family and the granting of equal opportunities to women, such that â€Å"having dispensed with the individual family in his system of government, and not knowing any longer what to do with women, [Plato] finds himself forced to turn them into men† (Ok in, 1979, pp. 37-8). Indeed the need for unity within the ruling class – which eliminated private property and the wifehood, and minimized the role of maternity – is critical to the involvement of women in the administration of the city. â€Å"If for the female guardians the relationship to particular men, children and households has ceased to be crucial, there seems to be no alternative for Plato but to consider women as persons in their own right† (Okin, 1979, p. 38). Thus the utilitarian ethic by which Plato’s seeks communal â€Å"happiness† (eudaimonia) is not built on modern notions of liberty, justice, or equality of the sexes. Plato appeals to the efficiency, harmony, and moral goodness on which his politics rest – the oppression of women notwithstanding. â€Å"Excellence, not liberty, is his goal, and he rejects liberty as the enemy of excellence† (Vlastos, 1994, p. 22). The discharge of women from the confines of their traditional domestic role – absent a suitable outlet for the excesses of female nature – would constitute a threat to civil accord, leaving Plato no choice but to rethink the matter of woman’s role and her potential abilities (Okin, 1979). Allen, who explains Plato’s acceptance of women in the context of a political agenda that does not tolerate any manner of civil discord, and which thereby aims to eliminate potential sources of disorder in the city, also shares this in terpretation (Okin, 1979). Arguably then, Plato intends to foster harmony and unity of purpose by resolving the problem of selfishness and contentious interests through the elimination of private property. Thus where property, inheritance, and marriage are reintroduced – as prescribed in the Laws of Plato’s second best city – the proprietary status of women renders immaterial Plato’s frustration with the â€Å"irrational† maintenance of rigid sex roles (Okin, 1979). â€Å"Given these basic features of the social structure of the city, it is not surprising that Plato, in spite of general pronouncements to the contrary, is not able to treat or use women as the equals of his male citizens† (Okin, 1979, p. 46). Further, and of importance if one is to fairly evaluate Plato’s concern for all women, though Republic V validates the notion that female talents may extend to other crafts under the rubric of maximum efficiency, it proffers nothin g toward applying this notion to any but those fortunate enough to be of aristocratic decent.Hence, even if we were to absolve Plato of his (perhaps more subtlety) biased inferences observed in conjunction with his emancipation of the female-elite, a comprehensive feminist portrayal of the great philosopher demands that one reconcile his violently opposed views on feminine potential as a function of class. What emerges is a Platonic distinction between similarities in the potential range of men’s and women’s talents and similarities in ability, with the related distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Whereas â€Å"women share by nature in every way of life just as men do,† there exists no pursuit of mankind in which the male sex maintains not the gifts and qualities to a higher degree than the female, save for absurd examples of household production (Republic V, 455c4-d7). This distinction helps to explain why Plato defines male guardians as the â€Å"best of the citizens† and the female guardians as less-than, i.e. the â€Å"best of the women† only (Republic V, 456e1-5). By extension, Plato asserts that the female-guardians – despite their having been educated in tandem with the males – will serve as assistants (i.e. ‘secondary companions’ of sorts) to their male compatriots (Republic V, 471c2-d 4). His description of the optimal brigade arrangement, whereby the guardians would be â€Å"less likely to desert each other†¦if their woman joined their campaigns†¦.positioned in the rear to frighten the enemy, and in case their help should ever be needed† indubitably indicates this much, while further implying that men harbor greater capability and potential in warfare than do women (Republic V, 471d1-4). Therefore, in constant reference to the â€Å"wives† of the guardians, and by defining female guardianship in terms of its value to men, Plato betrays the cultural predispositions embedded in language throughout his work. Unsurprisingly, the notion that ‘a woman can do what her fellow man does, but is nonetheless incapable of doing it as well,’ lies at the heart of feminist objections to Platonic thought. Some suggest that Plato’s apparent hostility toward women can be explained by appeal to an elitist contempt for a corrupt and inefficient social order under which women fail to meet their potential. Vlatos, for example, adopts a minimalist and conservative conception of personal rights that intends to reconcile the equality Plato provides for women with the philosopher’s negative portrayal of women elsewhere (Vlastos, 1994). On Vlastos’ account, if Plato’s policies reflect a belief that â€Å"equality in the rights of persons shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex† – a claim that bears contrary to the norms governing the status of Athenian women at the time – then Plato is aptly characterized as a feminist (Vlastos, 1994, p. 12). On attempting to reconcile the emancipation of the female-elite in Republic V with the reproachful remarks targeted at women – as evidenced throughout the broader Platonic corpus – Vlastos suggests that the â€Å"‘womanish’ traits [Plato] denigrates are those of the great mass of women, not of those brilliant exceptions from whom the guardians would be recruited; and, moreover, they are the traits common to women now [i.e. Plato’s time], under conditions [then] prevailing which [did not] foster the development of energetic minds and resolute characters† (Vlastos, 1994, p. 18). Arguably, Vlastos’ explanation does not merely ‘explain away’ Plato’s irreverent tone toward women; a tone persistent throughout his works and, notably, targeted at the general female body. Ultimately, Vlastos’ approach fails to satisfy those who subscribe to a liberationist ethic that values women’s preferences and needs for thei r own sake (Annas, 1976). On this account, Pomeroy calls attention to contempt for women throughout the Platonic texts, either expressed directly, or implied through images and metaphors; and points to a proprietary canon that positioned women as property, prizes, and slaves under the custodial care of men (Pomeroy, 1975). Moreover, noting that Plato’s liberation of women resides within a metaphysical framework in which a woman’s opportunity to pursue â€Å"knowledge of the good† depends on the intrinsic value of the soul, Annas poses a consistent hostility toward women throughout Plato’s dialogues. Accordingly, she argues against the feminist thesis; namely pointing to the facts that Plato does not reject inequality between the genders as such, nor does he suggest, in any way, that he genuinely cares for the desires of women, as women (Annas, 1976). Clearly, the broader Platonic corpus fails to transcend the gender stereotypes and sexist notions that circumscribe its time. However, in so much as Plato gives voice to a class of citizens that remained mute for ages – barred by the values of a rigid societal construct – some may deem Plato a revolutionary proponent of female-actualization. While his overall presentation may offend modern feminist sensibilities, Plato’s policies are attuned to the potential of females in the face of a disparaging cultural opposition. And, although the evidence suggests that Plato does not consider women as the moral equals of men – by any measure – he nonetheless deserves credit for being among the first to promote the equality of women in meaningful aspects of social status and function. References Annas, Julia. (1976). Plato’s â€Å"Republic† and Feminism. Philosophy, 51, 307-321. Aristotle. (1995). Aristotle Politics: Books I And II. (Trevor Saunders, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press. (Original work written 350 B.C.E.). Bar On, B. (1994). Engendering Origins: Critical Feminist Readings in Plato and Aristotle. New York: State University of New York Press. Just, R. (1989). Women in Athenian Law and Life. New York: Routledge Press. Okin, S. (1979). Women in Western Political Thought. Princeton: Princeton University Press Plato. (1997). Complete Works: The Republic. (J.M. Cooper D. L. Hutchinson, Eds.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. Plato. (1997). Complete Works: Timaeus. (J.M. Cooper D. L. Hutchinson, Eds.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. Pomeroy, S. (1975). Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Random House, Inc. Vlastos, Gregory. (1994). Was Plato a Feminist? In Nancy Tuana (Ed.), Feminist Interpretations of Plato (pp. 11-23). University Park, PA: Penn State Press. Walmart: Everyday Low Prices Strategy Walmart: Everyday Low Prices Strategy Wal-Mart is the worlds largest retailer stores emerged in Arkansas, USA since 1962 by Sam Walton with his belief that the future of retailing lay in discounting, focusing on value drivers: price and service, convenience and a wide rage of product all in one store. The successfully of implementation is to adapt innovative practice selling the brand with slogan Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) mixed with other philosophies into its pricing. In early days, One of the key strategy was concerned on small town locations: open discount stores in small town and spread out its stores and filling un-served gaps avoiding from competition radar. As, Wal-Mart saturated its market and effectively barred new competition. With the prospect of low price policy, Wal-Mart is relentless cost control. Non-stop of reducing of their price parallel with cost control. Including of being the partnership with suppliers, they claimed that it helped the suppliers improve inventory management and efficiency as win-win partnership. Another core competence is logistic management. Wal-Mart very early demonstrated commitment to technology in the industry. Being the earliest to adopt satellite technology connection the chain to one big network. Moreover, Wal-Mart has been seeking for the continuing development by adoption RFID in the system. In term of service, Wal-Mart understands the art of motivating its employees from all level to perform their best. For instant, under the ten-foot rule, any member of staff within ten feet of a customer must offer them assistance. Its labor relations are exceptional. Workers are not plain employees but associates, eligible for a share of the profits and stock options in the company. This has created a famously loyal and highly competitive workforce. Now, Wal-Mart is facing a change to their business in China. Over the past few years Chinas retail industry and its distribution and logistical infrastructure have opened up significantly with decreased government regulation. For Wal-Mart this will mean a large change in its business strategy and it will now look to profitably expand with Chinas booming economy. In order to set a new strategy Wal-Mart will need to identify what issues it will face in the short and long term. One such issue is the fact that the business model used in America will not directly transplant to China. For example, in the U.S., Wal-Mart places stores in small towns to gain a competitive advantage. China, on the other hand, will not support such a structure. In China, the economic growth has been concentrated exclusively in coastal regions supporting urbanites. The U.S. business model also uses Wal-Marts distribution, logistics, and IT networks to gain economies of scale and competitive advantages. China does not have the infrastructure for Wal-Mart to gain the same scale economies and advantages. Instead, Wal-Mart China will need to find alternative ways to turn core competencies into competitive advantages. Other issues Wal-Mart China faces are differences in consumer preferences habits between American and Chinese consumers, increasing competition among foreign and domestic firms, and overcoming local protectionism obstacles. SWOT Analysis of Wal-Mart (S)trengths Wal-Mart is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. Wal-Mart has a lot of suppliers, since the company claimed that it had always treated its supplier as partners and also helps suppliers improve inventory management and efficiency. Wal-Mart has a competitive strategy. For example everyday low prices (EDLP) or Always Low prices, this helped to drive the concept of EDLP and drew a million customers to its door. (W)eakness The biggest obstacle Wal-Mart faced in Mainland China was lack of an information-technology network with suppliers making the purchase and distribution difficult. (O)pportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region.   The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets.   New locations and store types offer Wal-Mart opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centres, to local and mall-based sites.   Opportunities exist for Wal-Mart to continue with its current strategy of large, super centres. (T)hreats Very high competition in china market, especially the local brand. The Buying behavior of Chinese consumers, Chinese consumers always compare the different of the price before they make a purchase. Regulatory restrictions, in china the constraints on a foreign retailers operation directly limited the regional expansion of Wal-Mart stores and the efficient use of distribution centers. Local protectionism, it is serious problem faced by many multinational firms trying to expand operations through china. The Infrastructural Deficiency, Wal-Mart distribution system depended on transportation, but china transportation were no well connected and were serious fragmented. Case Questions: Why is Wal-Mart successful in the US? What are Wal-Marts competitive advantages and its sources? Wal-Mart has the critical strategy such as Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) to capture demand of consumers and brand reputation and trust of customers make Wal-Mart become outstanding firm. Two key developments made the success possible: Distribution: Wal-Mart set up highly automated distribution centres, cutting down on delivery time and costs. Inventory flow: The companys computerized inventory systems gave managers real-time information on their stocks, speeding up the re-ordering of goods. The competitive advantages of Wal-Mart are technology, being the earliest to adopt satellite technology connection the chain to one big network. Besides, Wal-Mart has been seeking for the continuing development by adoption RFID in the system. Using the inventory management over the competitors and a lot of suppliers that deal with Wal-Mart. Also, the main successful of Wal-Mart is cost-control. Wal-Mart can control and avoid unnecessary cost very well, therefore Wal-Mart can offers a low price than competitors to consumers as a result of economic of scale. 2. Should Wal-Mart replicate its domestic model in its original form in China? Why? Can it build the same competitive advantage in China through its successful domestic model? Wal-Mart should not use the same strategy form in china. Because it is different in culture , environment, legal and politics. The original might be success in US but the characteristic of Chinese people is totally differently from USs people. It is hard to build the competitive as the same as in United state because due to local supplier, distribution or supply chain is not the same as in USA. Also, Wal-Mart might lack of technology in china, so I think the original model might not work in china 3. Provide suggestions on potential strategies that Wal-Mart China should consider in going forward. Creating Guanxi Conducting marketing expansion research: a critical role in global success. It permits the company to take into account different environments, attitude and market conditions and hence to minimize risks. To get information for possible business expansion To monitor the political climate To review various ways of market To evaluate the business partners Alternatives Wal-Mart has many options when determining what strategy to set going forward in Chinas newly deregulated market.    One such option is to accept defeat.    Wal-Mart has attempted to transplant its American business model in other countries such as Germany, South Korea, and Japan and realized huge failures.    Japan is consistently a loss making operation for Wal-Mart, and Wal-Mart has already completely retreated from Germany and South Korea due to its inability to.. http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/297.aspx http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/325922.stm

19th-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom Essay -- European History

19th-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom Professor comments: In this paper, the student synthesizes several sources about nineteenth-century medicine and medical education into a focused and coherent essay that provides information about aspects of this topic especially relevant to understanding Lydgate's position in Middlemarch: the differences among physicians, apothecaries, and surgeons, both in terms of training and duties on the one hand, social status on the other; the processes by which someone obtained a medical education and became a licensed practitioner; and the differences in English, Scottish, and French training. In doing so, the student displays an awareness of the importance of the contextual material for more than merely factual purposes, and she employs a principle of selection, concentrating on material that will facilitate her interpretation of Lydgate's role in the novel--especially in the connection between medical and political reform--in a separate essay. Nineteenth-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom At the turn of the nineteenth century, medicine was hardly the enlightened profession it is today. Medical practices were often barbaric, employing methods that had been used for centuries, yielding little or no results and often killing the patient with a different affliction than the original ailment. Leeching (or blood letting), purgation, poor liquid diets, and cold water dousing were common practices as late as the 1850's. Even after newer, more effective methods of medical treatment had been introduced, many of the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries hesitated to use them. Fearing the loss of their reputations, they hung on to superstitious beliefs, doubting the effectiveness of su... ...l student: surrounded by books, a model of human skull at his elbow, he labored over his studies with gravity and decorum late in to the night" (Peterson 40). Because of the efforts of the enlightened few, and because of the discoveries happening in other European countries, the United Kingdom was finally able to give the medical profession the much desired respect and reform that it needed, making medicine a profession to be revered and a source of pride to all those who practiced it. Works Cited Peterson, M. Jeanne. The Medical Profession in Mid-Victorian London. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: U of California P, 1978. Pfeiffer, Carl J. The Art and Practice of Western Medicine in the Early Nineteenth Century. Jefferson, NC, and London: McFarland, 1985. Youngson, A.J. The Scientific Revolution in Victorian Medicine. New York: Holmes and Meier, 1979. 19th-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom Essay -- European History 19th-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom Professor comments: In this paper, the student synthesizes several sources about nineteenth-century medicine and medical education into a focused and coherent essay that provides information about aspects of this topic especially relevant to understanding Lydgate's position in Middlemarch: the differences among physicians, apothecaries, and surgeons, both in terms of training and duties on the one hand, social status on the other; the processes by which someone obtained a medical education and became a licensed practitioner; and the differences in English, Scottish, and French training. In doing so, the student displays an awareness of the importance of the contextual material for more than merely factual purposes, and she employs a principle of selection, concentrating on material that will facilitate her interpretation of Lydgate's role in the novel--especially in the connection between medical and political reform--in a separate essay. Nineteenth-Century Medicine in the United Kingdom At the turn of the nineteenth century, medicine was hardly the enlightened profession it is today. Medical practices were often barbaric, employing methods that had been used for centuries, yielding little or no results and often killing the patient with a different affliction than the original ailment. Leeching (or blood letting), purgation, poor liquid diets, and cold water dousing were common practices as late as the 1850's. Even after newer, more effective methods of medical treatment had been introduced, many of the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries hesitated to use them. Fearing the loss of their reputations, they hung on to superstitious beliefs, doubting the effectiveness of su... ...l student: surrounded by books, a model of human skull at his elbow, he labored over his studies with gravity and decorum late in to the night" (Peterson 40). Because of the efforts of the enlightened few, and because of the discoveries happening in other European countries, the United Kingdom was finally able to give the medical profession the much desired respect and reform that it needed, making medicine a profession to be revered and a source of pride to all those who practiced it. Works Cited Peterson, M. Jeanne. The Medical Profession in Mid-Victorian London. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: U of California P, 1978. Pfeiffer, Carl J. The Art and Practice of Western Medicine in the Early Nineteenth Century. Jefferson, NC, and London: McFarland, 1985. Youngson, A.J. The Scientific Revolution in Victorian Medicine. New York: Holmes and Meier, 1979.

Euthanasia Essay: Assisted Suicide and Dr. Kevorkian -- Euthanasia Phy

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Jack Kevorkian was sentenced fifteen to twenty years in jail for a second degree murder charge.   There is no doubt that Dr. Kevorkian injected lethal drugs into Thomas Youk, killing him within minutes.   But was the murder committed as an act of rage?   No, it was done as an act of kindness.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the past ten years, Dr. Kevorkian has been performing assisted suicides.   In that time, Kevorkian claims to have eased the suffering of 130 patients.   He has also been fighting to legalize euthanasia.   There are some people that support Kevorkian’s views of euthanasia, yet there are still many people that think that what Kevorkian is doing is wrong.   Until the later part of April, when he was convicted of second degree murder, Kevorkian had been found not guilty of assisted suicide charges on four separate accounts.   Is Jack Kevorkian’s actions one of a hero or of a madman?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Currently, the only state that assisted suicide is legal is Oregon.   Euthanasia is illegal everywhere in the United States.   Euthanasia is a better option than assisted suicide.   Euthanasia differs from assisted suicide in that the physician actually injects the lethal drug instead of prescribing it.   Because patients are required to take the lethal drug themselves, there is the chance that they may take the drug the wrong way.   This could cause the patient to survive the lethal dose and do more harm.   There is a twenty-five percent chance that a patient will fail to kill themselves by assisted suicide (Smith 37).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Kevorkian, the most outspoken euthanasia activist in the United States... ...is argument is wrong.    Works Cited Corry, John.   "Who is Jack Kevorkian, Really?"   Reader’s Digest.   April 1999:   87-92. Goldstein, Frederick J.   "Dr. Jack Kevorkian:   Friend or Foe?"   The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.   January 1997:   1-3. Grace, Julie.   "Curtains for Dr. Death."   Time 5 Apr. 1999:   48. Lessenberry, Jack.   "Death Becomes Him."   Vanity Fair July 1994:   102-113. McHugh, Paul R.   "The Kevorkian Epidemic."   The American Scholar.   Vol. 66.   1997:   15-27. Nelan, Bruce W.   "Fasting for the Right to Die."   Time 15 Nov. 1993:   89. Shapiro, Joseph P.   "Dr. Death Has Yet Another Day in Court."   U.S. News and World Report 29 Mar. 1999:   37. Shapiro, Joseph P.   "Dr. Death’s Last Dance."   U.S. News and World Report.   26 Apr. 1999:   44. Smith, Wesley J.   "Death Wars."   National Review 14 Jul. 1997:   36-37.   

Examine the view that theoretical issues are the most important factor influencing sociologist’s choice of research methods Essay

Many sociologists argue that theoretical issues are the most important factors to affect choice of method. Theoretical issues refer to what we think society is like and if we can obtain an accurate and truthful picture of it. There are four different concerns regarding theoretical issues which influence sociologist’s choice of research methods. Validity is a method that gives a true or genuine picture of what something is really like, which helps the researcher easily find out the truth. Sociologists argue that the use of qualitative methods such as Participant Observation gives a more valid, truthful account as it provides us with a deeper insight through firsthand experience. The next issue that influences sociologist’s choice is reliability which comes from Latin, replica meaning an exact copy of something. This results in the method being able to be repeated and creates a less bias and more accurate research again and again. Quantitative methods such as written ques tionnaires can be used as they are more reliable results than qualitative methods such as unstructured interviews. Another theoretical issue is representativeness which refers to how much of the characteristics you are looking for is represented by the people being studied. For example if a sociologist is researching single parent homes, you will not interview nuclear families, because they are not representing the variables they are looking for. Similarly if someone is investigating delinquency, they will not conduct their research in a place that is very well developed or a place that has a lot of wealthy people living there, because it would not be representative of the phenomena they wish to study. The last theoretical issue is methological perspective which is a choice of method that is influenced by their perspective – their view of what society is and how we should study it. There are two contrasting perspectives on choice of methods: positivism – which prefers quantitative data and seeks to discover patterns of behaviour and see’s sociology as a science. Whereas the interpretive perspective prefer qualitative data and seek to understand social actors (those who exercise free will) meanings, they reject the view that sociolog y is a science. However with practical issues may be seen as an important factor which influences sociologists choice of research methods. It is important to understand the topic or group being studied. For  example, if the topic is sensitive, such as domestic violence, bullying, grades at school etc. For sensitive information, unstructured interviews would be the best research method as the researcher can build up a rapport with the participant, meaning that the participant would be more likely to open up to the researcher. For example, Dobash and Dobash carried out informal interviews on women who had experienced domestic violence. Another practical factor that affects choice of method is the social characteristics of the researcher. For example a 30 year old man from the upper middle class would find it impossible to pass off as a 17 year old female sixth form student from a working class area. This would mean that they wouldn’t be able to use covert participant observation as a research method. Instead, they should use questionnaires for information if they need quantitative data (e.g. roughly how many hours they do homework for) or semi-structured interviews if they wanted qualitative data (e.g. to talk about if they were happy with their subject choice). Lastly some sociologists may agree that ethical issues has the biggest impact on the choice of research methods – ethical issues involve right and wrong or what is considered good, and what is considered evil in a society. The methods that sociologists use to study people may raise a range of ethical questions. There has been a guideline put in place by The British Sociological Association for the conduct of research. Vulnerable groups which special care should be taken where research participants are particularly vulnerable because of their ethnic background, age, physical or mental health. For example when a researcher is studying children at school, they should regard an issue of child protection and need consent from both the child and the parent/career and provide information that children can understand. Confientiality and privary where researchers must keep the identity of research partipcants secret in order to help prevent possible negative effects of them. They should also respect the privary of research participants. Personal information conserning any participant should be kept confidential. In conclusion Theoretical issues is the biggest influence of their choice of research methods because of the major influence on the choice of research topic; for example a new right research er will want to study the effect of welfare benefits on the growth of lone-parent  families, since the idea of welfare dependency is central to their standpoint. Contrastingly, a feminist researcher will likely be more inclined to choose to study domestic violence, as opposition to gender oppressions lies at the core of feminist theory