Village Life vs City Life

It is a firm belief on the part of people that there is a big difference between village life and city life. It is absolutely true that the life in a village and that in a city varies so much that the difference is glaring at times. In fact it can very well be said that people living in cities are different from people living in villages. It is normal feeling amongst us that city life is more enjoyable than village life. It is only an assumption. City life is endowed with a lot of advantages. This is because of the fact that there are a number of opportunities open to you in a city. City life is provided with a lot of facilities too. You would not find many facilities and opportunities in a village. Parents would be happy to send their children to cities for higher studies rather than to villages. Cities are endowed with quality higher education institutions whereas villages are not endowed with high quality colleges and universities. In addition to schools and colleges, city life is preferred for improved medical facilities. If someone falls ill in the family, you tend to take him or her to a popular hospital in a city since villages are not equipped with the best of medical attention. The number of hospitals in a city and the facilities are far more when compared to that in a village. A city has banks, cinema theaters, parks, golf courses, sports stadiums, clubs, hostels and shopping malls. The behavior of people in a city is different from that of the people in a village. People in a city are generally unfriendly and they maintain distant from others. The people in villages on the other hand are warm-hearted and friendly. Villagers receive you well where as city-dwellers tend to be within doors. People in villages are very helpful in nature whereas people living in cities tend to be more selfish in their attitude. A city is characterized by various kinds of pollution such as noise pollution, visual pollution and air pollution. This is due to that fact that there a number of factories, industries and mills in a city than in villages. Hence villages are endowed with pure air devoid of pollution. Visual and noise pollution are also less in villages. Since village life is calm and quiet and bereft of pollution of any kind, older people tend to settle down in villages after their retirement from service

Racism, Asian American, and Everything in Between Essay

Have you ever watched the news about racism on television? News on racism on a certain race of people has been a news breaker a couple of times this last few years. This issue is now global and is concerning quite a lot of people. Imagine if you are suffering the same faith as this people. We don’t need people with IQ level of 160 to conclude that it is not the situation most people want to be at. If you then think that racism is only limited to the harassment of African American, then you are definitely wrong. Racism is universal; it could be done to any group or type of people. Yes, this matter is definitely not off-limit to the Asian American group. You might be asking, as you have read the paragraph above, what is racism? Racism is when someone believes that one or more person is less than human (Anti-Defamation League). Cases of racism are big trouble in America nowadays. The averages of 20000 racial discrimination cases were filed every year (Racial Discrimination). And in 2009, number of Asian American bullying incident in Fels High school reached the number of 138. These large numbers have increase 60 percent from the amount of assault that happen last year (Miller). On October 6 2009, massive incident involving Asians students broke out at South Philadelphia High. Around 30 kids simultaneously attack five Asians students at the Synder Avenue subway station. This attack sends a couple of victims to the hospital. Asians students continued living in fear after that incident (Miller). These types of assault didn’t only happen in the 20th century. One of the most famous cases was probably the case of Vincent Chin in 1982. Two white American, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz beat Vincent to death. He was mistaken to be a Japanese, although he was actually a Chinese American. The two men who murdered Vincent were put on trial but came out of court with no time in jail at all. They were only told to pay $3.700 fine and two years probation. Even though what they did was equivalent to second-degree murder, the judge reduced the charges of manslaughter, leaving them free out of jail (Asian Nation). The many cases involving racism to the Asian American have brought a birth  of a couple organizations. One of them is the Asian American Justice Center, found in 1991. Their goal is to move forward the human and civil right of Asian American. They are also struggling to create an equalize society for everyone. Their programs include, Anti-Asian Violence & Race Relations, emergency preparedness, health issues, and many more (Asian Justice). Other organizations include Yellow Face, Asian Law Caucus, Asian Nation and others (National Resources). Every problem in this world must have they own resolution. Problems need to be brought to closure and not be left hanging without a solution. We had seen a couple of organization working towards this problem. One of the actions is the campaign that had been done by the Asian American Justice Center. They conduct classes to taught adult English, watch out for lawsuit that is showing injustice to all Asian American (Asian Justice). School in Philadelphia have switch staffs and strictly prohibited racism in the school. Assaults involving Asian students have now been acknowledged and it was a forbidden act that will not be repeated. Parents, teachers and students that had been harassed all gathered and talk about these problems together (Miller). This is a very clever solution, where everyone then could work together to bring an end to these racial issues. Cases involving the racial assault toward Asian American are a definitely tremendous problems. These problems have now gone too far, and a proper settlement is needed to stop this complication. Unresolved matter like this will only drag people deeper to the hole. Numbers of cases involving racism will just keep on piling up. People who are hurt and is living in fear will be forced to do that longer. If we don’t stop this mess then it will keep on entangling people in it. We can help and fix this problem. We can fight it back, and we can then one day shout freedom right at the ears of those Asian American. Works Cited Anti Defamation League. Anti Defamation League, 2011. Web. 22 Sept 2011. Advancing Equality. Asian American Justice Center, 2011. Web. 22 Sept 2011. Civil Rights Law Firms. Civil Rights Law Firms, 2011. Web. 22 Sept 2011. Embracing The Oneness of Humankind. The National Resource Center for the Healing of Racism. Web. 22 Sept 2011. Le, C.N. Anti Asian Racism and Violence. Asian Nation, 2011. Web. 22 Sept 2011. Miller, G.W. Philadelphia Weekly. Philadelphia Weekly, 1 Sept 2009. Web. 15 Sept 2011.

Warhorse: World War I

Explain how the combination of two of the following elements was used in one live production that you have seen and assess their contribution to the creation of specific mood(s) and atmosphere(s) at moments: set design, lighting, sound. The live performance I have chosen to write about is ‘Warhorse’ which I saw on the 3rd February at the New London Theatre. In this essay, I am going to explain and analyse how the staging and the lighting together created the different atmospheres and moods such as fear and tension. Throughout the play, numerous themes are illustrated such as the barbarity of war and the cruelty of man. The themes of loyalty and hope are also illustrated and portrayed. Not only did the set and lighting help portray these themes and atmospheres, they also helped making the transitions fluid and the change between the two locations were easily interweaved due to the composite set. The staging used was thrust upon stage with a circular revolve in the centre. The revolve in the centre allowed for separation of the two sections along with the outside edge. The revolve was also used in holding frozen images when other action was taking place along the edge. The use of the no-naturalistic staging in the non-naturalistic theatre form was effective in portraying the different journeys from the likes of Joey. Even the flooring of the stage was a fundamental part of the set. The shades of grey and black gave the look of creased and uneven farmland and also the floor distinctively helped with making the trenches and war land look effective. The different appearances depended a lot on the lighting. At one point, on the back wall, there was a projection of a page torn out from Major Nicholl’s notebook along with projections of dates. This helped the audience follow the events of the war in chronological order. The page torn was also accompanied with different pictures inspired from Paul Nash, the World War One artist. Poppies were also projected to highlight the deaths that were caused by World War One. At the back of the stage, there was a large black area. The depth of this area gave the idea of the vastness of war space and the large scale of war. It also gave the illusion that the actors appeared from nowhere. We saw the transformation and transition of Joey from foal to adult in this black area. This moment was marked by the adult horse jumping over he foal in slow motion. Another big and memorable moment when this black area was used was when the new soldiers first arrived in France and they entered walking through the black space and into the wounded soldiers. This action was accompanied with a harsh white light which made the men look skeletal. The revolve helped in creating different locations and atmospheres and also helped mark key moments. One example of this is the ploughing scene. The struggle of the horse was emphasised by the turning of the revolve as it gave the illusion of a far distance. When Joey got caught on the barbed wire, the revolve was elevated and raised to a higher level to emphasise it. Another example of the use of the revolve was during the enlistment scene. As the announcement of war was made, men were encouraged to sign up along with their horses. The fun and exciting atmosphere at the funfair was highlighted by the revolvement. Flags were put up on the stage and also in the first few rows of audience. This made the audience feel involved and echoed how many people were involved in the war. There was a sense of dramatic irony as we saw the celebration of glory while one of the main themes of the play is barbarity of war. The striking, frozen image was held on the revolve and the image of triumph and glory was hugely contrasted with the action outside as Joey is being enlisted without the knowledge of Albert. We see the father receive money and the uncle giving his son the hand-me-down knife and also we see Albert frantically search for Joey – each of these moments being marked by a spotlight. The non-naturalistic frozen image held on the revolve juxtaposed the naturalistic action and images that were performed outside of the revolve. When Joey gets caught in the barbed wire, I found this moment very moving and it was one of the key moments on the revolve. The revolve emphasises the struggle from the horse. When Joey is ploughing for Albert, the revolve is again used to emphasise his struggle and also it gives the illusion of the long distance Joey had to plough for. The puppeteers who manipulated Joey in these scenes had the tough job of lowering his head and making all of his body parts move as if they were real. When he stumbles backwards, his legs shook and it looked very realistic. At the moment where he is stuck in the barbed wire, there is a projection of barbed wire on the back wall and this really enhanced the illusion that Joey was really stuck. The audience were tense watching this as they really worried about whether he would be able to escape. This was also the moment when the revolve was elevated as it stressed how much pain Joey was in and the fear he would be been feeling. He was lifted higher than the trenches and this showed how much pressure the horses were under and also how much they suffered too; it wasn’t just the soldiers and their families that suffered. Joey was helped freed by the two sides of the war came together. This exemplified the unity of men. By having a composite stage, it was effective as two different scenes were allowed to take place at once. One example of this is when Nicholls dies; men’s bodies and horses bodies were lying dead on the stage as Albert’s mother walked through in Devon; her life had not changed unlike the lives of these men. This moment illustrated how while these men and horses were fighting in the war, the families and people at home were safe at home going about as usual. When these two locations and atmospheres were combined it was really effective. At one point, in no-man’s land, black sticks were lowered from the hatches in the ceiling and they portrayed dead trees as it resembled the amount of deaths that were caused. The trees were representations of the lack of life; this created a reminiscent mood and made the audience reflect on those that died. Paul Nash was also the inspiration behind this. Images of silhouetted men were projected; this also reflected the vast amount of soldiers that died. The lighting used was effective in illustrating the change of location as we moved from Devon to France. It also assisted the set in creating the different moods and atmospheres. The lighting used for Devon was warm and gave homely atmosphere. The audience generally received a warm sense when Devon was visited. In comparison however, when in France, the lighting was dramatically different as it changed from cal, to quiet harsh white lights. The monochrome lighting that was constantly used in France really emphasised the gloomy and startling nature of the war. The bright lights intensified to portray key moments such as Nicholls’ death. Strobe lighting was also used to partner the repetitive gun shots. Nicholls’ death was a major key moment and was marked in numerous ways; he was thrown off Topthorne and a spotlight was focused on him as he and his horse fell in slow motion. A green light was also used to represent the mustard gas attack. As the gas leaked towards the soldiers, the audience felt the climax as we watched it approach them. To show the transportation from Britain to Franc, blue gels were used and also a yellow glow shone on Joey and the others as it demonstrated the life within them. This contrasted hugely with the bright white lights that were used to portray the skeletal look of the men and horses at battle in France. These same bright white lights were used in representing the explosions. Projections were also used alongside the lighting to effectively portray settings. The projection of Joey galloping freely in the open land was juxtaposed with the lack of freedom he got while at war. There was a projection of a tank during the scene where Joey is on stage with a huge tank. This was to done to portray the intimidation Joey must have felt as it was man vs. machine. As I have previously mentioned, the projection of Nicholls’ notebook created a sincere atmosphere for the audience as they reflect on the reason why Albert has gone to war; to find his horse. The only projection that was not in black and white were the poppies; this represented the bloodshed caused and again, the audience were left with a solemn and reminiscent mood. However, the colour also gave the audience the chance to reflect as the red illustrated remembrance. To conclude, I thought that through the set design and lighting of ‘Warhorse’, a variety of moods and atmospheres were successfully created. Tension, hope, remembrance were all enhanced and the audience were often left feeling reminiscent of the horrors of war.

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

Journal - Essay Example and meditate on the contents pf the reading materials in order to understand clearly and to be able to make them valuable by relating them to everyday life. Writing involves a lot of thinking which is time-consuming but definitely productive. Thus, although the task is difficult, it has been helpful for the improvement of my writing skills. In relation to analysis, one has to think how to start and end the process. This means that knowing the parts of an essay makes the ordeal easier. As I came to understand more clearly the different parts of an essay and how they should be written, I have not only improved in expressing my thoughts through the written form but I also learned to organize my thoughts. Referencing also made writing difficult. When one uses references in his texts, those sources should be correctly cited to avoid plagiarism. This is very important because is stealing a writer’s intellectual property and is punishable by the law. I have learned how to correctly c ite my references in this class. Overall, I have not just improved my writing abilities. I also learned how to write in a professional manner. I learned to organize my thoughts well and to put them into writing so that readers will be able to understand me. I have learned to question the ideas I read and reference them when I use them in my

International ManagementCase Study and Set the strategies Essay

International ManagementCase Study and Set the strategies - Essay Example It cannot also modify the product that it offers to the European market. The company will also have to deal with the high marketing expenses and will need to deal with the government authorities in keeping with their regulations on exporting. 2. Enter into an alliance with a large European company. Entering an alliance with a European company offers myriad of benefits for Dale. For one, this will enable the business organization to share risks and costs associated in entering the European market. Since, it will be dealing with an established firm which is already prominent in the target market, its entry will be much easier. Conforming to government regulation is also facilitated by the partnership. It should be noted that governments often favor local companies than foreign ones. Through the partnership, Dale will also benefit from the European company's knowledge and brand equity in the market together with the technology and other expertise of its partner. However, drawbacks can include mistrust in sharing proprietary technology and cultural clashes. Dale also has to deal with how to split the profit noting the asymmetric investments by the partners. 3. Manufacture the product in the United States and set up a wholly owned subsidiary in Europe. Manufacturing the product in the home country will enable Dale to reap economies of scale in production. Setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in Europe will allow the company to control marketing tactics and building brand image. It will also enable Dale to learn more about the market and tailor its product according. However, this will present concerns over government regulation and having to deal with a workforce with a different culture. 4. License a European firm to manufacture and market the phone in Europe. This will benefit Dale with a high return on investment as it will be given a high fee for the manufacture and marketing of the revolutionary wireless phone. No intervention in the foreign market is required as the licensee shoulders all the risk involved. The only downside is its inability to reap returns on manufacturing and marketing activities. It is recommended that Dale chooses to partner with a large European firm in manufacturing and marketing its product abroad. This partnership will enable the company to enter the market easier while using the strong brand equity of the large firm. Sharing the risk with another entity is a potential way of mitigating risk. It should be noted that its partner's knowledge about the market will allow it to tailor its product according to unique needs of its target market. Section 2. 1. How does expanding internationally benefit Wal-Mart In the international arena, Wal-Mart recognized that opportunities in the home country were becoming constrained. Wal-Mart is benefited from the international expansion through capturing a wider market base. It should be noted that as most developing economies improve their condition, opportunities abroad abound. The higher income in foreign markets represents profit prospects for retailers. The company also reaps economies of scale in purchasing and ordering due to its strategic partnership with merchandise suppliers. International expansion also enables it to employ its expertise and capabilities while banking on its strong brand equit

Possible solutions for tobacco usage in UK Essay

Possible solutions for tobacco usage in UK - Essay Example e tobacco tend to start at a very young age, mostly in their teenage, and these normally begin mainly because of the influence of their friends as well as peer pressure, especially in the school environment. Moreover, it has become the norm for these individuals to continue smoking for the rest of their lives since once they pick up the habit from such a young age; it is often very hard for them to stop. The result is that a large chunk of the population of the UK are tobacco users and this has created a situation where despite the best efforts that the government has taken, it has become difficult to control the use of this substance. Some of the largest tobacco companies are based in the UK and because it is a lucrative market for their products, these companies have worked hard to ensure that those laws that are not in favour of the reduction and at times abolishment of tobacco usage are not passed. These companies have powerful lobbies, which work hard to ensure that only laws which are in their favor are passed as a means of retaining their dominance over the UK market (Neuman, Bitton & Glantz, 2002). Therefore, it has become imperative for the government of the UK to take direct and effective measures which are meant to promote a reduction of tobacco usage within the country so that the population can stay free of the medical complications that are related to tobacco usage (Jha & Peto, 2014). Among the biggest steps that the UK government can take to curb the power of tobacco companies is to ensure that legislation that reduces the consumption of tobacco products is introduced and strictly implemented becaus e to do otherwise would mean that the health of the public would be at risk. In addition, the government should require that it make requirements where tobacco companies in the UK have to label their products as being dangerous to the health of those who use them ("Adding harm reduction to tobacco control", 2007). Moreover, the government should take an

Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy Assignment

Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy - Assignment Example We target males and females ageing between 13 to 21 in eastern Canada. In order to create awareness and drive sales for our product, we need to create an integrated marketing communication strategy. Body Integrated marketing communication strategy refers to coordinating and integrating various communication channels of the company in order to deliver a consistent, clear, compelling message about the company and its products. It refers to recognize all such touch points where the customer can encounter the company and its brands. Each contact with the brand will give a message, good, bad or indifferent. The company will want to deliver a positive and consistent message with each of the contacts. It will lead to total marketing communication strategy which will aim at building stronger relationships with customer by showing how the customers can get help to solve their problems from the company and its products. The integrated marketing communication strategy will make a tie of the com pany’s images and messages. A blended mix of the promotion tools can be used for promoting our company’s products. It can be advertising, personal selling, public relations, direct marketing and sales promotion. Now a day, customers get bombarded with the messages of company from all directions. The company’s print advertisement and television will have the same look, message; feel similar to its personal selling communication and email. The material of its public relation will project the same image like its social network presence and website. Under the plan of overall marketing communication unique roles played by different media must be coordinated carefully by the company in order to attract, inform and persuade consumers. It must coordinate all the touch points of customers for ensuring clear brand messages. Provided with a marketing budget of $1million for 6 month period, different kind of promotion tool can be used according to the following allocation: Advertising $0.40 million, personal selling $0.20 million, public relation $ 0.18 million, direct marketing $0.10 million, sales promotion $0.12 million. More spending should be made towards advertising as advertising is a very good form of informing and persuading customers about a company’s products. It is a paid form of non personal promotion and presentation of goods, services and ideas by an identified sponsor. Advertising can be informative, persuasive and reminder. Creating an advertising strategy needs two major elements. It consists of creating advertising messages and selecting a media for advertisement. Public relation is another promotion tool which aims at building good relations with various publics of company by building up a good corporate image, obtaining publicity, handling off unfavorable stories, rumors and events. Several tools can be used for public relation like news, speeches, special events, written materials, audiovisual materials, corporate identity materials, public service activities, marketing campaigns and social networking processes. Personal selling is an interpersonal arm of promotional mix. Through the process of personal selling, the sales people of a company communicate and create customer value through personal interaction with the customers. It is a form of personal presentation by the sales force of firm for the purpose of boosting up sales and to build relationship with

The international monetary and finance structure Essay - 2

The international monetary and finance structure - Essay Example It was with the end of the war that developed nations came up with a new system, which sought a free flow of capital, stable exchange rates, and open trade. These three principles were fundamental in globalization and liberalization of the global economy. There were a number of concepts, which underpinned this new liberal economy. Liberal economics were premised on the recognition that there were inherent differences in the endowment of resources for different countries (Balaam & Veseth 127). Therefore, international wealth could only be maximized if countries participated in global trade. In addition, national currencies were to be sold and bought in a system of free markets, in which floating exchange rates enabled the markets to determine a currency’s value in relation to another. This system would ensure market equilibrium and the IMF was tasked with stabilizing rates of exchange with the IMF originally founded on the fixed rate system. However, this financial system faile d to keep up with the dynamism of various national economies, which meant the fixed exchange-rate system changed to a more flexible system and less capital transfer control. Under these conditions, the value of national currency was determined by interactions between supply and demand present in foreign exchange markets (Balaam & Veseth 127). ... These include the Gold Standard until WWI, the Bretton Woods system for fixed-exchange rates, prior to the end of WWII, and the floating or flexible regime of exchange rates (Balaam & Veseth 132). Economic liberalism that characterizes today’s international monetary and financial structures has been supported by; the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank. The World Bank was created with the aim of stimulating economies following the destruction of WWII on Europe (Balaam & Veseth 133). However, the institution’s emphasis shifted to development away from reconstruction as it began to generate capital funds from contributions made by its member states, as well as that made from financial market borrowing. Currently, most of the funding from this institution is used in the development of infrastructure. On the other hand, the IMF was formed in order to stabilize economies and exchange rates. Initially, the IMF was established as a fixed exchange-rates system. However, the system went out of use after an announcement by the US that they would stop guaranteeing the system. Finally, it formalized the currently in use floating exchange-rates system. Finally, the WTO, formerly the GATT, was instituted for the management of trade. The initial GATT was formed based on support for liberalization of trade, protection of home markets exclusively through tariffs, national treatment for MNCs, and non-discrimination in trade (Balaam & Veseth 134). It established multi-lateral negotiations among nations that had similar interests at hand, before being extended to all participants of the GATT. Much of its work was done over 8 rounds of negotiations, which progressively cut back on tariffs and addressed arising issues like copyrights and

Qs (Organizational behavior ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Qs (Organizational behavior ) - Essay Example This forces such groups to undertake large risks that may result in failures such as the Challenger disaster in 1986. Also, such groups tend to forego warnings collectively since they hold that their group is unquestionably right in its decisions without any real need for an analysis of consequences. Other groups are seen as being controlled by leaders that are enemies of the groupthink group. This promotes a hostile environment since negotiations and other amicable means of settlement are off the table leading to wasted time at defeating the other group. Members who tend to question the stereotypical group environment are pressurised since this is seen as a sign of betrayal from the group’s cohesive environment. 2. Describe, discuss, and give examples of the various stages of group development. Groups develop using four stages that are (1) common recognition (2) communication and taking decisions (3) impetus and output and (4) management and organisation. In the first stage, the group members interact with each other on various issues in order to gauge each other opinions in order to build a common image. In the next stage, group members collectively communicate together in order to make decisions to benefit the group overall. Thirdly, groups are motivated enough to become productive as a whole since group members know their roles and responsibilities and how to deliver in the existing environment. Lastly, groups begin to assign roles and responsibilities on criteria of achieving results and perform corrective measures to enhance productivity. 3. Which types of teams discussed in Chapter 10 could successfully operate as virtual teams? Provide support for your answer. Quality circles, problem solving teams and product development teams could successfully operate as virtual teams. Quality circles need to meet at intervals in order to monitor performance using statistics derived from the physical workplaces. On the other hand, problem solving teams need to come together only when problems arise. Given that the problem may require interaction from various areas, a problem solving team may require by design to be a virtual team. Product development teams are formed at differing horizontal and vertical levels and require constant interaction from various locations such as the manufacturing floor, the corporate head office etc. so using virtual teams is preferable. 4. Discuss and give examples of the opportunities and challenges of communicating across international cultures. Communication across international culture opens up new possibilities for trade, commerce and business as well as providing new learning areas. A business can avail a number of new different opportunities through cross cultural communication to enhance organisational aims and objectives. However, communication between cultures is also problematic since various cultures have different expectations and structures. This presents a large number of problems that must be scaled in order to allow cross cultural communication. Language is the primary barrier followed by expectations on how a business is organised. For example, a Japanese salesman may require input from superiors before making decisions while an American salesman may initiate a sale himself. 5. Describe, discuss, and give examples of the ways that the source and the receiver can improve the communication process. The first and foremost issue of importance is language. The sending and the receiving ends should mutually agree to a language that

Pelagian Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pelagian Culture - Essay Example Original sin and overemphasized necessity in Divine aid were considered as the fetters for human. Therefore, the essence of traditional Pelagianism was in negation of original sin influence upon human nature and in neglecting of Divine aid role for human salvation. Promptly these ideas were transformed into several moral principles, namely that human will is capable of choosing good or evil without Divine aid, and that humanity has full control and responsibility for its own salvation in addition to full responsibility for every sin. These old ideas are in a heart of modern society. Indeed, most of us live inspired by ideas of independence, self-sufficiency, and also responsibility for our free choice. However, allegorically some of us build our houses upon the sand. "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:26-27). Are we strong enough to make the right choice between good and evil without God's will inside of us Are we so wise to disclose consequences of our actions hidden in future Last Last questions are contra-Pelagian for the "no" answers. It is interesting that these questions will become pro-Pelagian rhetoric for the "yes" answers assumed. It seems that psychologically Pelagian culture is a culture of self-confident and active individuals. And vice versa, non-Pelagian culture is "suited" for submission and confidence in God's will. For instance, Pelagius places free will at the basis of all turning to God for grace; see St. Augustine's critique in (Book I, chapter24). Then, doctrine of Pelagius somewhat conflicts with the words of Christ: "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5); see details in St. Augustine (Book I, chapter 30). It seems that for modern human being non-Pelagian culture is too passive and internal oriented. However, I suppose that this is essential feature of true Christianity. Of course, both Pelagian and non-Pelagian cultures have positive and negative aspects. To disclose these ones, let us consider the case of real person which tried to balance between own freedom and responsibility. This is the case of Albert Speer, the first architect of the Third Reich. He was talented designer having numerous architectural ideas. And he wished to realize them all. This was the case when individual wants to be self-fulfilled, but self-fulfilled at any price. It is important that this is a typical case for Pelagian (sic!) culture. Moreover, Speer was capable to understand and then realize monstrous architectural visions of Hitler. Therefore, he had access for almost all intellectual, financial and human resources of Nazi Germany. In other words, his free will was supported by external forces. And Speer worked. He felt oneself as a creator of beautiful, perfect and immense constructions. But simultaneously he agreed with the forced evictions of Jews from their houses t o make room for his plans, and also agreed with usage of the slave labour to build his constructions. After years, Speer acknowledged his own guilt, but as guilt of blinded creator with "see no evil" attitude towards the

Factors related to strategic management and leadership that make the Essay

Factors related to strategic management and leadership that make the company highly successful - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that business strategy is an extremely important and perhaps one of the most frequently used buzzwords in the contemporary business literature. Business firms are finding their ‘strategies’ as pathways to success because the strategy of an organization necessarily incorporates planning, people, processes, patterns, procedures, and perspectives. Strategy within an organization is a specific pattern of decisions that defines and determines the objectives of the firm to provide certain structures related to achieving the goals Managing human, as well as non-human resources and utilizing the organizational capabilities effectively, are at the very heart of formulating and implementing the business strategy. Deckers Outdoor Corporation designs manufacture and markets stylistic, innovative and high-quality footwear for men, women, and children with causal and outdoor wearing. The company was founded in 1973 by a student of California University to produce sandals for beachgoers and surfers. The company markets its footwear products and accessories such as handbags and outerwear under three brands, namely UGG, Teva and Sanuk primarily through U.S retailers and international distributors. The company also markets its products directly to end-users both in a home and abroad through its website. Deckers Outdoor gives more importance to finding and building niche brands into global lifestyle leaders through its innovative design and brand differentiation. Its brands are designed with a view to meet specific needs of different groups, activities, jobs, and people around the world. What makes the company and its brands different is that it never caters ordinary outwears. Apart from the three major brands- UGG, Teva and Sanuk, it markets TSUBO, Ahnu, MOZO, Hoka etc. TSUBO is designed for providing a line of casual footwear and Ahnu for outdoor performance and lifestyle footwear. MOZO is developed with a view to providi ng a line of footwear that combines running shoe technology with work shoe toughness for people who spend long hours working on their

Globalization and Implementation Plan Essay Example for Free

Globalization and Implementation Plan Essay This report will provide business and demographic information to determine a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter or abandon the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot must be very specific and strategic to try to re-enter the market due the abject failure in entering the market in 1997 and existing the market in 2001 from the lack of profits and community acceptance. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. (Home Depot. 2013). Home Depot: Home Depot is the 4th largest retailer in the US, the 5th largest retailer in the world and ultimately the worlds largest home improvement specialty retailer. In 35 years, Home Depot operates 2,257 retail stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and Mexico. The foreign locations (294) generate just 12% of Home Depots’ total revenues. They have engineered entry and expansion into foreign markets through acquisition of smaller retailers and expanded upon their success. The Home Depot, Inc. operates as a home improvement retailer. It sells building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, as well as providing installation, home maintenance, and professional service programs to do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, and professional customers. It serves home owners, professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, small business owners, and tradesmen. From the beginning, The Home Depot has developed strategic product alliances directly with leading manufacturers delivering the most exclusive products and national brands. They also provide a combination of proprietary products like Ryobi ® tools, RIDGID ® tools, BEHR ® paint, LG ® appliances, and Toro ® lawn equipment. Home Depot has set the standard for innovative merchandise for the do-it-yourselfer and the professional contractors. In addition, they can provide exporting servicing for products worldwide. (Home Depot. 2013). Argentina: This portion of the report will review the demographics, economic markets, income levels and currency values, culture and along with the legal and political environment in Argentina and South America for Home Depot reentrance. The total population of Argentina is just over 42 million people covering 2.8 million square kilometers (km). It is the 8th largest country in the world and speaks primarily Spanish and Italian along with English, German and French. The population is primarily located among five largest cities of the country in northern 30% of the country and within 600 km of the capital Buenos Aires with 13 million citizens. It has less than 1% population growth and the average age is 30 years old with a 98% literacy rate and 16 years of formal education. Regretfully, the average unemployment rate is estimated to be 10.2 and higher for females. The income level for individuals per capita is $18,820 and ranks 73rd in the world. The labor force is comprised of 17M workers and ranks 36th in the world. The percentage of the population below the poverty line is 30%. Between the poverty line and the percentage of unemployment and contraction in the economy is does not provide a lot of discretionary money to be used for purchasing homes, maintenance, and remodeling. The culture of Argentina is based upon traditional Roman Catholic values (92% membership) centered upon family values and 100’s of years of religious beliefs, values, dependence and fostering upon local relationships. The culture is also driven by personal relationships with the expectation of working with you to find solutions to consumer needs. Many Argentinians do not like the big box impersonal retail stores that do not have the personnel to spend time creating trust and loyalty with customers. (CIA Factbook. 2013). International Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot: The economy of Argentina is the 22nd largest in the world with a growth rate of 2.6% with a GDP of $475B in 2012. It has a diversified economy due to the many natural resources available to them. Manufacturing is the largest segment of industry with 20%; agriculture with 5% and the remaining in the services and tourism sector. The currency in Argentina is based upon the peso and the current exchange rates ranges for US dollars range from 1 peso to 4.1 to 4.6 dollars. Argentina is a member of Mercosur with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay implementing a Common External Tariff (CET) for non-members to pay tariffs up to 35%. This was implemented to protect those economies from the dumping of cheaper foreign goods. Argentina defaulted on its debt in 2002 leading foreign investors to flee and take their investments elsewhere. Since then, Argentina nationalized the $24 billion pensions fund and limited the amounts of foreign purchases of land. Argentina has not been able to pull out if the economic slump and economic growth has completely stalled. The optimistic view point for economic growth in Argentina in 2013 will be less than 3.5% for consumer demand, industrial production and exports. This will apply additional economic pressure for homebuyers to make purchase homes and banks willing to lend. They have implemented a number of measures to keep dollars in the country restricting foreign currency exchanges and debt obligations in defending the value of the peso. These restrictions have effectively made it almost impossible to obtain US dollars for the purposes of real estate purchases. The federal tax agency’s authorization is now required before making any foreign exchange purchase. The implementation of these tight policy measures has the real estate activity in 2012 fell approximately 40%, making it one of the sectors worst performing years in the country in a decade. â€Å"The number of commercial real estate transactions in Buenos Aires fell 46% to 6,315 and residential transactions fell 15% in 2012. (Bifani. 2013) The legal system for Argentina has become very restrictive over the years to protect their business and economy from inflation and currency issues. They have the Argentina’s Customs Code (DGA), which registers all foreign importers and exporters. They apply import duties and taxes to all imports along import duties, statistical taxes, value-added taxes and excise duties. Argentina has strict regulations and fees regarding the purchasing of property by foreign interests, which limits the potential for revenues and growth. (CIA Factbook. 2013). Market Considerations for Argentina and Home Depot Is Argentina, the best possible country for Home Depot to reinvest into? Argentina ranks in the bottom 10 countries in the world for foreign businesses to do business in. Specifically for Home Depot, it takes 12 months for a construction company to obtain a construction permit, which double what it takes throughout the rest of South America. This would greatly impact Home Depot ability to build stores and expand within Argentina. The majority of businesses hours operate between 9am 7 pm and can run to 9 or 10pm for retail stores. The business hierarchy is top down with ideas and instructions come from the top. They are very respectful of business protocol and will not break those social norms or status structure. With these facts in mind, it demonstrates Argentinians require time to develop trust and familiarity, especially for foreigners. Negotiations will take a considerable amount of time and you must be willing to argue and debate to get their support and consensus. They will no t hesitate to interrupt and argue for the finer points of agreements before proceedings to the next step. (Communicaid. 2009). The following are business points regarding the desire to potentially expand into Argentina. They have a value added tax (VAT) across the economy and a wealth tax. These taxes discourage both internal and external business to invest in larger business ventures due the country’s desire to confiscate profits from business people from investing. The government has huge political swings of ideology and purpose. This creates an environment that can propagate corruption, bribery and short term political or economic decisions to encourage voting support. They are a 60% tax evasion rate, which is triple that of US citizens. For many of the key economic indicators, Argentina ranks the bottom 25% in the world for doing business, economic freedom, human rights, taxes, and corruption. The inflation rate is about 10% and outside economists are reporting about 20%. Credit cards have low credit limits restricting higher purchases and up to a 45% interest rate. This does not encourage businesses to take any risks or initiatives for business growth i.e.: construction businesses. (Chafkin, M. 2001). Overall according the financial reports, Argentina is now considered a third world country due to its difficulty with globalization and working with foreign countries. * They have established strict foreign investment guidelines prohibiting foreign ownership. * They have restricted construction companies for building and developing business areas. * They have high tax rates and low reinvestment rates back into their country. * They have problems with government corruption, bribery and ethics. Entry Modes (Globalization Implementation Plan) This portion will cover the various possibilities for establishing the Modes of Entry for Home Depot to reenter Argentina. Home Depot’s expansion in foreign markets has been less than successful such as the ones in South America, China and Southeast Asia. They have had some success in Canada and Mexico due to being substantial trading partners in the NAFTA agreement and similar ideology of home ownership and access to credit, Exporting: This mode of business entry will not effectively work for expanding and opening home improvement stores in Argentina at this time. Local competitors will prefer to source construction products from local suppliers rather than to purchase from foreign suppliers. They have implemented restrictions for international trade with tariffs and entrance barriers, which will increase the possible competitive pricing to become less attractive for Home Depot. Turn-Key Operations: This mode of entry will not be a viable alternative due to the fact that Home Depot does not provide any explicit technology over the local DIY businesses such as EASY. This mode could damage Home Depot by training and possibly improving competitor’s ability to compete with Home Depot in other markets in South America like Mexico. Licensing: This mode of entry is similar to Turn-Key due to the lack of control over the foreign business and again Home Depot cannot provide any real production improvements other than economies of scale to existing or new business. It would only provide royalty fees to Home Depot and would not warrant the business investment. Franchising: Franchising is similar to licensing. It works when companies have a strategic production process like such as mentioned in the text with Fuji-Xerox or even McDonalds. Home Depot does not provide the specialized processes or supply chain to support the development of franchising into foreign markets. Wholly Owned Subsidiary: This is the method and mode of entry Home Depot tried before and failed. At that point in time, Argentinians ability to own and purchase property was very restrictive for a majority of the population. Argentinians are not accustomed with reinvesting into their homes or dwelling. They did not have the incentives to reinvest or the desire to learn how to perform the tasks that it would take to complete a successful DIY project. Also, Home Depot is not an Argentinian or Latin American business, which creates a lack of respect and loyalty. The Easy company growth is due to Home Depot building the model and Easy taking them and restructuring them for Latin American consumers. (Hill, C. 2011). Joint Ventures: This is the only method or mode of entry that makes sense for Home Depot to pursue. In the textbook, there are examples of Tesco and Jollibee competing with bigger more entrenched businesses by using joint ventures and investments to establish a foothold. For Home Depot to renter the South American market and specifically Argentina, I believe the only choice Home Depot has is to engage in joint ventures with smaller DIY businesses in Argentina and gain some traction similar to Tesco in Europe and Asia. Also, EASY is now the big player in the market with 49 DIY stores. It is doubtful they would entertain any joint ventures without the ability to be the controlling partner or give up its majority interest. Monetary Systems: This portion will evaluate Argentina’s history of monetary policy and its effect upon the potential desire or ability for Home Depot to reopen home improvement retail stores there. Argentina history relating to financial and monetary policy has been turbulent and at a crisis stage numerous times. Argentina is working hard to revamp their economy and currency ratings. It has a GDP of $475B ranking 22nd in the world and one of the largest economies in South America. In 1998 Argentina entered a four year depression resulting from governmental tax increases, devaluing of its currency, freezing bank deposits, defaulting on foreign debt up to $93B, and finally removing the linkage between the peso and the US dollar. Some of international issues relating to Argentina’s reputation have been reducing the international trade/currency exchanges have been their protectionist’s policy and rated the worst in the world by the World Bank. They have seized control over the largest oil and airline companies in the country. They are also being censured by the IMF for dishonest reporting of national statistics specifically inflation rates. (Singer, H. 2013). Argentina has attempted practically every single monetary system known today to their economy and all have failed resulting in financial crisis over the last 35 years. The flexible exchange rate system led to a hyperinflation and the currency board has led to dramatic recessions. During the first three crises, Argentina was using a fixed exchange rate to allow government control. The first crisis was in 1975 with the collapse of that stabilization plan resulting in the devaluing of their currency by 100% and more than a dozen followed the next year. The second crisis was to the Tablita plan in 1981; the Tablita plan was to reform banking regulations and capital account restriction affecting its currency and exchange rates. It still ended with an 82% devaluation of its currency in one year. The third crisis occurred within 12 months in 1982 with Alemann Plan. This plan was designed around the banking and insurance industries connected to foreign currency exchanges. At this time, Argentina abandoned the fixed exchanges for a floating exchange system. The next strategy Argentina attempted was after the 2001 crisis and implemented a dual exchange rate system to manage and control their economy and currency values. This allows them to use both fixed and/or floating system with the ability for different fixed and floating rates during the same period of time. The fixed exchange rates are used for essential imports and exports account transactions. The floating exchange rates are used for capital account transactions determined by the market critical to providing foreign cash reserves for the country. Usually, countries implementing dual exchanges rates are using protectionist control to protect their economy and financial markets such as China. (Investopedia. 2013) Business Strategy for Home Depot to enter Argentina This portion of the report is to provide a platform of business strategies and alternatives for Home Depot to re-enter the Argentinian retail market for home improvement centers. Home Depot cannot afford another failure in Argentina or South America. From the beginning, The Home Depot develops strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufacturers to deliver the most exclusive products assortments to customers. Home Depots expansion strategies have been very successful throughout North America when they have used acquisition strategies. Their expansion in Argentina did not produce the same results due to the lack of a substantial home improvement company to purchase. They chose to organically grow the market in Argentina. This strategy failed due to many different situations occurring during the same time frame: political failure of the government and presidential resignations, huge drop in their GDP, default on the foreign debt, currency failure, widespread unemplo yment and public riots. It was like the perfect storm for the country and Home Depot. (Home Depot. 2013). In reviewing the many strategies that are available for Home Depot to re-enter the market in Argentina, there are many limitations based upon the history of Argentina and Home Depot. They definitely have the ability to leverage economies of scale for providing home improvement products at almost any price point that the consumers is willing to pay. These economies of scale would be too large for any competitive business to ignore. Their major competitor, Cencosud is the company they sold their four stores to in 2001. It is the largest retailer in South America with over 1,045 retail store in a variety of markets. It is a $19B company with 125,000 employees. Home Depot is a $70B corporation with 331,000 employees in about 2,294 stores. This would be an extremely difficult acquisition and inevitably against their acquisition strategy of buying smaller businesses and expanding through gradual growth. This also limits the amount of exporting potential to Argentina through Cencosud due to the lack of exporting profits. (Cencosud. 2013). Recommendations All of these factors leave The Home Depot with a limited amount of possibilities to re-enter the Argentinian market. The best possibility is to partner with Cencosud in a strategic alliance or find smaller specialized retailers that are currently competing with Cencosud in Argentina and offer them very attractive distribution, pricing and profit sharing. I would find it difficult to invest in this country’s economy due the protectionist ideology of the government. Their policies have not created real economic growth and restrict the ability for foreign companies to invest without excessive tax on profits. The current business environment, banking system and construction restrictions are not conducive for foreign involvement or investments. Home Depot has already attempted once, I believe it would take an even larger investment to overcome the negative perception in 2001. Also, they have a major competitor Sodimac in place and have had double digit growth since 2005. Their best expansion strategies for Home Depot to get back into go into Argentinian markets would be establishes strategic alliances with the smaller retailers for exportations, joint ventures directly with Fallabella and foreign direct investments to invest with either of the businesses if available depending upon the political complexity of the government. (Forbes. 2011). References: Bifani. (2013). Argentine Real Estate Activity Sharply Falls. Retrieved from http://www.homechannelnews.com/article/hd-expounds-plans-mexico-latin-america Castro, G. (2012). Chile’s new Sodimac home improvement store continues to break ground underground. Retrieved from http://blog.kimcorealty.com/2012/02/chiles-new-sodimac-home-improvement-store-continues-to-break-ground-underground/ Cencosud. (2013). Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.cencosud.com/nuestra-empresa/descripcion/?lang=en Chafkin, M., (2001). Inc. magazine. A Constant Feeling of Crisis. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/magazine/201106/doing-business-in-argentina_pagen_5.html CIA Handbook. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html Communicaid. (2009). Doing Business in Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Argentina.pdf Easy. (2013). Easy Argentina. Retrieved from https://www.easy.com.ar/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/es/easyar/information-pag e?identifier=mapa_locales.html Encyclopedia of Business. (2013). Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Int-Loc/Joint-Ventures-and-Strategic-Alliances.html#ixzz2SRvvAulT Forbes. (2011). Home Depot Remodels Its Growth Plans. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/30/1130homedepot_print.html Global Property Value. (2013). Argentina. Retrieved from http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/argentina/Price-History Hill, Charles W. L. (2011). Global Business Today. (7th ed.). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. ISBN: 978-0-07-813721-1. Home Depot. (2013).About Us. Retrieved from https://corporate.homedepot.com/OurCompany/History/Pages/default.aspx Kaminsky, G., (2009). Thirty Years of Currency Crises in Argentina. External Shocks or Domestic Fragility?. George Washington University. Retrieved from http://home.gwu.edu/~graciela/HOME-PAGE/RESEARCH-WORK/WORKING-PAPERS/argentina.pdf Isora, M., (2009). Importan ce of Strategic Alliances in Company Activity. Retrieved from http://www3.mruni.eu/~int.economics/5nr/Isoraite.pdf Sprawl Busters. (2008). Argentina. Adios, Home Depot!. Retrieved from http://www.sprawl-busters.com/search.php?readstory=821

Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform

Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform Kristen Addington According to research conducted by a team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine about 10% of deaths per year in the United States are caused by medical errors (Sternberg, 2016). This makes medical errors the third leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease being the first, and cancer the second (Sternberg, 2016). The medical errors for this study were defined as: lapses in judgment, skill or coordination of care; mistaken diagnoses; system failures that lead to patient deaths or the failure to rescue dying patients; and preventable complications of care (Sternberg, 2016). 10% is a decent percentage that should not be ignored. Tort reform in the area of medical malpractice has many arguments for it and against it. Many think the tort system causes an undue financial burden on the medical system, others think that those harmed by medical errors deserve compensation and perhaps the medical system should be looked at. Medical Malpractice Proof Negligence is defined as the breach of duty that all persons should act reasonable and with a reasonable amount of care with others (Lau Johnson, 2014). Medical malpractice is a category of the negligence tort in which medical professionals commit negligence (Lau Johnson, 2014). Therefore, medical malpractice is a specific type of negligence. The following must happened in order to make a claim of medical malpractice: the duty owed by the defendant to the plaintiff must be established, proof that this duty was breached must be shown, proof the defendants actions caused this breach and lastly the damages sustained by the plaintiff must be shown (Lau Johnson, 2014). Medical professionals have a duty to perform medical care to their patients. If an error is made during their medical care that causes injury or death to a patient, their duty has been breach. Proof of this error and that it was the doctors responsibility must be shown. The injury or death must be explained as a result o f the doctors error. Medical Malpractice Defenses Defenses for any type of negligence are: assumption of risk, contributory and comparative negligence and the Good Samaritan Law (Lau Johnson, 2014). Assumption of risk notes that the plaintiff knowingly assumed risks in the duty that is being performed (Lau Johnson, 2014). Comparative and contributory negligence means the plaintiff was at least partially responsible the negligence of duty (Lau Johnson, 2014). The Good Samaritan Law covers those who are trying to help others (Lau Johnson, 2014). Tort Reform for Medical Malpractice From the research I conducted, tort reform is less of the issue and medical reform is where the focus should be. According to the article by Chad Terhune, the cap of $250,000 in California is not relation to inflation and should be closer to $1 million (2016). It also seems the errors that are happening are not tracked nor is much being done to fix the issue at hand (Sternberg, 2016). Conclusion Medical malpractice effects hundreds of thousands of people a year. Tort reform in way of limits and making it more difficult to make a claim do not need to happen. Instead the effort needs to be put into reforming medical care and practices. References Doroshow, J. (2009, Nov. 9). Medical malpractice tort reform-we are already suffering and dont  need more. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-doroshow/medical-malpractice-tort_b_350573.html Word Press. Tort Reform: The loss of the civil justice system. Retrieved from  https://kourtneyplmr14.wordpress.com/colin-gourley/ Kenney, K. (2009, Aug. 9). Fixing health care reform requires tort reform. Retrieved from  http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2009/08/fixing_health_care_requires_to.html Lau, T. Johnson, L. (2014). The legal and ethical environment of business. Washington, DC:  Flat World Knowledge Inc. Olsen, S. (2003, January 27). Statement of Scott Olsen regarding his son Stevens medical  malpractice story. Consumer Watchdog. Retrieved from http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/feature/statement-scott-olsen-regarding-his-son-stevens-medical-malpratice-story-january-2003 Sternberg, S. (2016, May 3). Medical errors are third leading cause of death in the U.S. US  News. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-05-03/medical-errors-are-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-the-us Terhune, C. (2016, December 30). Top Republicans say theres a medical malpractice crisis.  Experts say there isnt. The Washington Post. Retrieved from  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/12/30/top-republicans-say-theres-a-medical-malpractice-crisis-experts-say-there-isnt/?utm_term=.9fbd69c92a86

The Path to Knowledge :: Philosophy Papers

The Path to Knowledge Recent ethnographies suggest that tribal cosmologies address topics of philosophical relevance and offer valuable insights into the nature of perennial philosophical problems. For example, while postmodern and feminist thought has argued that the verification of knowledge is directly related to political interests, I argue that there are other vantage points not related to such interests that serve as valuable measures for the acceptance of knowledge. Direct empirical verification of the ontological presuppositions that govern the assessment of anthropos in the context sub species aeternitatis empowers an individual to understand his or her role within culture as well. The methodological bounty described in ethnography signals for philosophers to question the categorization of transcendence merely as 'religious experience.' This paper argues that humans may have the capacity both to recognize the divine and to give objective descriptions through symbols and language which allow for t he development of methodologies in order to access that knowledge at will. Many postmodern and feminist thinkers place knowledge into the domain of politics and power. Such insights allow for the deconstruction of social realities and for postulating democratic principles in accepting multicultural philosophies. The recognition of form, however, cannot substitute for content. The educative function of politics reveals important insights into the human condition and allows one, for example, to see postmodernity in the context of historical events, such as the resourceful relationship between reason and capitalism, the transition from living law to positive law (cf. Northrop 1960), and the shaping of thought through liberalism and nihilism. An important feature of postmodern thought is its acceptance of multiplicities of viewpoints. By entertaining disparate claims for truth that originate in diverse methodological and historical origins, postmodernitsts learn to employ creative strategies to solve conceptual disjunctions much like anthropologists must learn to cope with the collapse of their worldviews when 'going native.' Such experiences, however, can be fertile ground wherein new scientific methodologies might have a chance to blossom. A recent study on tribal epistemologies (Wautischer 1998) demonstrates a type of understanding that stands outside the methodological scope of naturalistic observation. The exploration of human consciousness beyond linguistic thought will caution any philosopher to claim that behavior and intelligence can be understood by referring to deterministic principles. In this context, philosophical discourse continues to fulfill a vital role in educating humanity. It is misleading to assume that philosophical inquiry is primarily a political enterprise. Rather, a philosophical sense of wonder gives value and respect to diversity, gives empathy for other human beings, and concern for other life forms.

Nazi Propaganda Essay -- World War II WWII

Nazi Propaganda "Propaganda attempts to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea." These words of Adolf Hitler are taken from his book Mien Kampf (My Struggle) published in 1926. Propaganda was an elaborate and essential tool used extensively by Hitler and the Nazi's during their terrorizing reign of Germany and throughout Europe. Not only was it used to promote and endorse the party and its leader's extreme anti-Semitic values, but also to mask the horrifying truths of what was to become known as the Holocaust. Anti-Jewish measures and programs have taken place numerous times throughout history, but never to the extent and successfulness attained by the Third Reich. A clear reason for this level of success can be attributed significantly to the abundant amounts of misinformation released by the Nazis prior to and during World War II. The degree of importance these public-swaying devices were to Hitler became particularly evident when he created the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, announcing a man by the name of Joseph Goebbels as the head. This was a section of his fascist regime devoted solely to spreading lies. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's websites describes, "The Ministry's aim was to ensure that the Nazi's message was successfully communicated through art, music, theater, films, books, radio, education and press." The measures that were taken to spread these hateful ideas and values are quite astonishing. Anti-Jewish books were even brought into classrooms, one famously called "Der Gifpiltz" meaning "The Poisonous Mushroom." The book contained differe... ...nd heartbreaking. While, fortunately their complete goal was never reached, it is alarming and shocking how successful and influential these campaigns were. Hitler's fervent hate of the Jews and passion for power mixed with intelligence and great oratory skills illustrates the power of persuasion and authority of propaganda in modern societies. Ultimately, the massive use of videotaped lies and printed fabrication non-directly aided in killing an estimated 6 million Jewish persons during World War II. Works Cited Giesen, Rolf. Nazi Propoganda Films: A History and Filmography. McFarland and Company, 2003. Hiemer, Ernst. The Poisonous Mushroom. Der Stà ¼rmer-Nurnberg, 1938. Powell, Lawrence N. Troubled Memory: Anne Levy, the Holocaust and David Duke's Louisiana. The University of North Carolina Press, 2000. www.holocaust-history.org www.ushmm.org

The Tragically Paradoxical Role of Women in Ancient Roman Society :: Essays Papers

The Tragically Paradoxical Role of Women in Ancient Roman Society In nervous preparation for the essay section of my history final, I found myself fascinated by Livy’s anecdotes concerning the common thread of violence against women. Livy, a Roman historian, wrote a significant number of volumes concerning the ride and fall of the Roman Empire. Three stories in particular, the rape of the Sabine women, the rape of Lucretia, and the death of Verginia, shed light on the ancient Roman female as a surrogate victim blamed for her gender and sexuality in relation to men. While considering the themes of March’s Women’s HerStory Month and now April’s Domestic Violence Awareness month, I thought it might be relevant to raise awareness of women’s struggles during this time. Such a reflection would spur progress towards a society that fosters nonviolence and gender equality. One should note how the women involved in these stories face a fundamental and perhaps ethical paradox in their situation. Many articles in learned journals refer to Livy’s rape of the Sabine women as a myth, but I believe a kernel of truth shines through this supposed fiction to reveal how the aggressive and selfish character of the early Romans imposed themselves on the lives of unknowing, innocent Sabine women. In 715 BC, Rome was experiencing rapid expansion so Romulus, the current leader, faced a problem in his ambition to increase the population. There existed no intermarriage among neighboring communities and consequently, the Romans felt resentful. Due to a shortage of woman, the Romans actually faced extinction at this time. So Rome staged a celebration of the Consualia, a festival in honor of Neptune, patron of the horse. Citizens came from nearby towns such as Caenina, Crustumium, Antemnae, and all the Sabines. However, when the show began, all the able-bodied Roman men rushed through the crowd and seized all the young women. As a result, war broke out between the Sabines and the Romans and it was the woman who actually emerged to unite their husbands and fathers, blaming themselves for the war (while they were the true victims). Livy claims that the nature of a women’s heart caused them to sympathize with their husbands, who had kidnapped them and taken them from their homes. â€Å"The men, too, played their part: they spoke honeyed words and vowed that it was passionate love which prompted their offense. No plea can better touch a woman’s heart† (Livy 44).

J&J Automotive Sales

1. Explain how you think the stereotype of used-car dealers developed. Stereotyping is like Building what is not thought to be said about the product, assuming that the used cars certainly will break down and others see it like purchasing used cars is not sensible because of maintaining it will be more expensive instead others will buy a brand new car. 2. What, if anything, can Joe do to counter this stereotype? Joe, say’s that building a good relationship with all his customers is compulsory, and He should be concerned about their Sensitivity and to be aware of their needs and wants for purchasing a suitable car, knowing what is the need of the customer is knowing what is the best car fit to their need. It is also showing concern for them. Joe will spend extra time in his work to achieve great customer satisfaction and high quality. He will also find a way to interact with his customers for future needs. 3. In what ways might this stereotype be beneficial to Joe? To potential customers? Stereotyping could be helpful if it can give Joe a positive effect to increase his sales and customers. To have more potential customers positive stereotyping is helpful; because the sooner customers are satisfied with their own needs the more the effect will encourage their friends to see them that the used car they bought to Joe is good as new but absolutely not as expensive as buying a brand new car. 4. AutoNation is #93 on the 2003 Fortune 500. It has created a huge business by exploiting the public’s perception of used-car dealers. What do you think they have done to change the stereotype? One of the largest retailers in America is Auto Nation, I think what they need to do is to change the awareness of their product to the public. They are more clear to their product and they are setting series of tests and doing over – all set-up to their used cars so that buyers will certainly be satisfied. AutoNation builds its integrity for the public to be aware of how safe and secure their vehicles are that they purchased. Testing others to try their products to know what is slowing their system down, I think they are testing their critics in front of the public to try their product and tell to the public the problem and the perception of the public to that experience will have make it a positive effect Also if the used car will encounter some problems. On this Case Base on the class debate the idea of awareness is people only see what is on the outside and in that scene they are assuming or inferring what is the behavior of an individual only to find out they are wrong.

Dth Services in India

Introduction to DTH Services DTH stands for Direct-To-Home television. DTH is defined as the reception of satellite programmes with a personal dish in an individual home. How does DTH work? A DTH network consists of a broadcasting centre, satellites, encoders, multiplexers, modulators and DTH receivers. A DTH service provider has to lease Ku-band transponders from the satellite. The encoder converts the audio, video and data signals into the digital format and the multiplexer mixes these signals. At the user end, there will be a small dish antenna and set-top boxes to decode and view numerous channels. On the user's end, receiving dishes can be as small as 45 cm in diameter. DTH is an encrypted transmission that travels to the consumer directly through a satellite. DTH transmission is received directly by the consumer at his end through the small dish antenna. A set-top box, unlike the regular cable connection, decodes the encrypted transmission. Difference between DTH & Cable TV :- The way DTH reaches a consumer's home is different from the way cable TV does. In DTH, TV channels would be transmitted from the satellite to a small dish antenna mounted on the window or rooftop of the subscriber's home. So the broadcaster directly connects to the user. The middlemen like local cable operators are not there in the picture. DTH can also reach the remotest of areas since it does away with the intermediate step of a cable operator and the wires (cables) that come from the cable operator to your house. As we explained above, in DTH signals directly come from the satellite to your DTH dish. Also, with DTH, a user can scan nearly 700 channels! DTH offers better quality picture than cable TV. This is because cable TV in India is analog. Despite digital transmission and reception, the cable transmission is still analog. DTH offers stereophonic sound effects. It can also reach remote areas where terrestrial transmission and cable TV have failed to penetrate. Apart from enhanced picture quality, DTH has also allows for interactive TV services such as movie-on-demand, Internet access, video conferencing and e-mail. History of DTH in India :- DTH services were first proposed in India in 1996. But they did not pass approval because there were concerns over national security and a cultural invasion. In 1997, the government even imposed a ban when the Rupert Murdoch-owned Indian Sky Broadcasting (ISkyB) was about to launch its DTH services in India. Finally in 2000, DTH was allowed. The new policy requires all operators to set up earth stations in India within 12 months of getting a license. DTH licenses in India will cost $2. 14 million and will be valid for 10 years. The companies offering DTH service will have to have an Indian chief and foreign equity has been capped at 49 per cent. There is no limit on the number of companies that can apply for the DTH license. Growth Potential of DTH in India :- Today, India has about 120 million television homes, out of which 75 million are cable TV homes, with the majority share on analog mode. There is a gap of approximately 45 million between these two figures alone. DTH currently caters to about 8. 9 million subscribers . There would always be a lot of areas that cable still cannot reach but DTH can between MSOs (multiple system operators) and DTH. Given the size of the Indian market there would be large volumes in both cable and DTH. In this industry, 10 years is too long; hence a five-year view would be more realistic. DTH will grab a major share and be at about 20-22 million subscribers by 2013. CAGR (compound annual growth rate) for DTH in India is 30%. DTH Players in India. Sr. No. DTH Service ProvidersOwner 1DD Direct +Prassar Bharati 2dish TVEssel Group. 3Tata SkyTata + Star (JV) 4BIG TVReliance (ADAG) 5Airtel Digital TVAirtel 6Sun Direct Marans and Astro group (JV) 7Videocon D2HVideocon 8ETH Air TVSterling Group Major DTH service Providers in India DD Direct plus :- Honorable Prime Minister of India inaugurated the service on 16/12/2004. Presently the DD DIRECT+ is envisaged to telecast 56 free-to-air TV channels (containing both Doordarshan and private channels) Satellite Earth Station for uplink of signals has been setup at Delhi. The high power Ku-band transponders of Indian Satellite INSAT-4B at 93. 5? E are being used for hosting the DD DIRECT+ services. DD Direct+ is a free Direct to Home (DTH) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the Indian subcontinent, owned by parent company Doordarshan. It primarily competes with cable television and other DTH Service providers such as Dish TV, Tata Sky, Sun Direct, Airtel digital TV and Big TV throughout India. Advantages : (1) DD Direct Plus is India’s first and only DTH service that offers its services absolutely free of cost. No monthly subscriptons to be paid when you are with DD Direct Plus. (2) Small one-time initial investment on STB and Dish and you can use it life-long. (3) Apart from all DD chs, DD Direct Plus offers several popular private FTA (Free-To-Air) chs. (4) As a bonus, DD Direct Plus also offers additional chs, from Dish TV’s satellite which are FTA from time to time. Disadvantages : (1) DD Direct Plus does not offer any EPG (Electronic Program Guide) facility, which all other DTH operator provides. Due to this, users are not able to check schedules on channels before-hand. (2) New channel addition process is very slow. Several ch wait for approval from Prasar Bharati (DD Direct Plus), but its sloggish attitude makes the addition of new chs too late. (3) DD Direct Plus revises and hikes its carriage fees all of a sudden due to which some channels tend to quit the platform. 4) Signal fluctuation issues occur at certain times, due to which some chs black-out temporarily. dish TV :- dishtv is an Essel Group venture. Essel Group has a vast range of national and global business interests that include media programming, broadcasting & distribution, speciality packaging and entertainment. The businesses have close synergies in the areas of content, distribution and infrastructure. Continuing with the same path-breaking tradition, the group now brings to you a new era of digital quality TV viewing. It not only broadcasts high quality programmes straight from the satellite to your home, but also gives you absolute and complete control of what you watch and pay for. It is almost like having your own satellite up in the sky. dishtv takes television viewing to the next level as it supports various futuristic features like Electronic Programme Guide, Parental Lock, Capacity up to 400 channels, Games, Interactive TV, Movie on Demand etc. Brought to you by a Zee Network Enterprise, dishtv has changed the face of the Indian television home, bringing it at par with the global entertainment ndustry. Dishtv Becomes India's First DTH Service To Cross 4. 5 Million Customer Mark 23 Million Happy Indians Have Made Dishtv No. 1 About Dish TV India: Dishtv is India’s No. 1 direct-to-home company and part of the biggest media conglomerate – Zee group. Dishtv has on its platform 225 channels & services including 21 audio channels with registered 4. 5 million subscribers, which is gr owing. Dishtv has a vast distribution network of about 650 distributors & 45,000 dealers that spans around 6500 towns across the country. Dishtv has 24* 7 call centre with 1600 seats in 11 different languages to take care of subscriber requirements at any point of time. Today, Dishtv is the leader in DTH sector with a market share of more than 53 per cent of the total subscriber base of 8. 9 million. Dishtv’s footprint covers 5400 towns across India bringing smiles to 23 million Indians. Today every 50th Indian out of the total population of 115 crore is enjoying the Dishtv experience. Advantages : (1) The biggest advantage of Dish TV is its cost. (For old or existing customers at this point). It offers most of the popular chs at low cost. The highest pack costs Rs. 325 per month, after which only 1 or 2 add-on packs are required to all almost all chs, unlike other DTH where you need several Add-on packs even after subscribing to the highest pack. (2) Dish TV’s satellite being located very near to DD Direct Plus’s satellite, all Dish TV users enjoy the complete ch offering of DD Direct Plus as well. So any new ch added in DD Direct Plus automatically gets added to Dish TV channel offering. (3) The software of Dish TV STBs are stable at the moment. This makes the switching speed between chs pretty fast. Also very less hang-ups of STBs reported till now. Thanks to Dish TV STBs’ great software. (4) Only Dish TV gives its users access to exclusive never-before seen international channels which are not available even in cable till now. The platter includes MGM, TCM and Boomerang. Airtel Digital TV provides MGM India unlike Dish TV which still carries the direct international feed of MGM. (5) Several new channels added recently are provided at no extra cost for the highest pack users, except for a few chs. (Currently only for existing or old customers). Whereas other DTH operators, have added the new launches in seperate Add-on Packs. (6) Dish TV has a good no of Transponders to offer more chs to its users, including the recently contracted Protostar which means more chs for its customers. Disadvantages : (1) One of the biggest problems of Dish TV is its Customer Care and Customer Service which is definately not upto the mark. The CC executives lack professionalism in their attitude and after-sales support in certain areas are allegedly poor. (2) Another serious issue is its audio and video quality. Quality on several (but not all) channels on Dish is not upto the mark. Too much of pixelation is seen on some chs and the audio standard is of course not of true CD quality. (3) Dish TV misses out on few important ch packages which includes the Neo bouquet and the UTV group of chs. Due to this exclusive cricket matches and world TV premier of latest movies on these chs are missed by the Dish TV users. (4) New ch addition process is extremely slow when it comes to Dish TV. It takes a huge amount of time for Dish TV to enhance its bouquet offerings. (5) The time taken for activation of packages after renewal is too long sometimes. Users had to wait for as long as 5-6 days for activation even after making payments on time. (6) Official website is not updated regularly. Official weblog which was meant for the interaction of Dish TV users, too does not work till date. Tata Sky :- Tata Sky is a JV between the TATA Group and STAR. It was launched on 8th August, 2006. Tata Sky endeavours to offer Indian viewers a world-class television viewing experience through its satellite television service. The Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and distinctive in their adherence to business ethics and their commitment to corporate social responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the Group the trust of many millions of stakeholders in measure few business houses anywhere in the world can match. STAR is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. STAR’s parent company, News Corporation, owns an International group of DTH businesses that include BSkyB in UK, Sky Italia in Italy and Foxtel in Australia. How does Tata Sky work? 1. Tata Sky uplinks all channels from broadcasters to its satellite (INSAT 4A). 2. The satellite sends these channels in digital format to the minidish fixed outside your home. . The minidish relays the channels to the digicomp which decodes the channels and sends them to your television, giving you an unparalleled television viewing experience with DVD quality picture and CD quality sound. Does the service get affected by rains? A few minutes of outage might occur during rains. This phenomenon is called RAIN OUTAGE and occurs in DTH platforms across the world. It will result in your televisio n losing reception for some time. We have tried to cut down this time so it might happen only for one or two minutes in a year. This too is automatically detected and gets corrected by itself. Tata Sky offers :- Tata Sky offers over 160 channels and services, designed to suit the varying needs of our subscribers. The packages include a wide array of television channels in DVD quality picture and CD quality sound and a host of new-age interactive services (Actve Cooking, Actve Wizkids, Actve Learning, Actve Stories, Actve Sports, Actve Games, Actve Matrimony, Actve STAR News, Actve Astrology, Actve Darshan and Actve Doordarshan). Showcase can be ordered with any of the Base packages. Different packages available on Tata Sky :- Base packages, designed to offer maximum choice.  » Super Hit Pack: Rs 99 per month  » South Starter Pack: Rs 125 per month  » Family Pack: Rs 200 per month  » Super Saver Pack: Rs 260 per month  » South Value Pack: Rs 260 per month  » South Jumbo Pack: Rs 310 per month Tata Sky also offers Add-On packages in addition to the Base packages. We can choose from  » Education Gold Pack: Rs 30 per month or Rs 300 per annum  » Lifestyle Gold Pack: Rs 45 per month or Rs 450 per annum  » Sports Gold Pack: Rs 30 per month Sports Platinum Pack: Rs 65 per month  » ESPN & STAR Sports Pack: Rs 40 per month  » A La Carte Channels: Ten Sports Rs 15 per month, STAR Cricket Rs 25 per month ,Topper Rs 1010 annually Tata Sky's SMS number :- SMS number is 56633. You can SMS only from your Registered Mobile Number (RMN). To register, send RMN to 56633 from your mobile phone. Advantages : (1) India’s first and only DTH service to have made a joint venture with a reputed international DTH brand, Sky, which is famous for its exquisite technology. 2) The audio and video quality of TataSky stands up to the expectations of its users. Customers have reported about TataSky’s true DVD quality picture and CD quality sound. (3) Only TataSky gives its users an exclusive access to some authentic international channels which includes BBC Entertainment and Ceebebies. (4) TataSky offers uniform volume level across all channels, unlike other DTH services where the volume level keep varying with each ch. (5) The STB of TataSky is stable enough. There has been very less or no reports of TataSky STB bugs or issues till date. (6) TataSky users argue that its Customer Service is satisfactory. Issues are addressed on time and the after-sales support is great. Disadvantages : (1) TataSky has too many Add-on packs. Several add-on packs need to be subscribed to for enjoying all the chs, even after going with the highest pack. This makes the over-all package too costly. (2) The channel strength of TataSky is less compared to other DTH operators. This is because of the less no of Transponders purchased by them. Reliance BIG TV :- 9th Aug. 2008. Launched. Launched in August this year, Big TV is available at over one lakh retail outlets across 6,500 towns along with over 2,000 exclusive Reliance branded stores. Big TV to slash prices by over 40% Ashish Sinha / New Delhi October 17, 2008, 0:07 IST (Business Standard 15/12/2008) Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG) is all set to begin a price war in the direct-to-home (DTH) market by offering its connection about 43 per cent lower than any of the existing players. Big TV will offer its DTH service for Rs 1,490, while the lowest-priced connection is currently being offered by Dish TV at Rs 2,190, followed by Tata Sky at Rs 2,400. Big TV, which is the fourth entrant in the DTH space, is selling its service Rs 700 lower than its competitors. â€Å"This will be one of the biggest price cut offer by a DTH player for the coming Diwali season,† says Arun Kapoor, chief executive of Big TV. Reliance ADA Group has launched its DTH/satellite TV venture BIG TV, with 202 channels including 50 subscription VOD channels. The company says it is targeting 40 percent of the market within a year of launch, a very ambitious target, but will use all its muscle to promote it, including broadband Internet, mobile phones, home video, film production and the Adlabs cinema chain, reports Variety. Meanwhile, the company also mentioned that its IPTV service is ready and will launch within this year. Reliance has a deal with Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) under which the software giant supplied the IPTV software to the company for a $500 million licensing fee. BIG TV – 1 Millian. As on 25/11/08. (Source :- Televisionpoint. om) Future Investment Plan Right now this is the stage where the industry is in a phase of building the market. Just a few months ago when we launched BIG TV, the market penetration was in the range of 5–7% and today it has crossed 10%. So this is the stage when everyone is investing in terms of building and expanding the market and I am pleased to inform you that in the three months that we have been in the market it has expanded by 60%. In June-July the net addition in the month was around 600,000 and now we have crossed a million or will be around a million this month Advantages : 1) Big TV is has incorporated MPEG-4 technology unlike other DTH who are still on MPEG-2. The most basic difference between the two is that MPEG-4 is capable of carrying more chs in its offerings which means more chs can be added within a short span of time. After Dish TV, Big TV offers the highest no of chs. (2) Another merit of Big TV is its awesome picture and audio quality which are much better than any other existing DTH. For the first time, a DTH that lives up to the expectations for a true digital quality experience. (3) Big TV is perhaps the only DTH that offers several chs in its base pack. In fact, Big TV’s package and pricing is absolutely tailor-made to suit the exact needs of the customers. With this advantage, customer get more chs by paying less. (4) The Active or rather â€Å"Select† services on Big TV allows users to watch 12 chs at a time on a single screen unlike other DTH where you can watch a max of 6 – 8 chs. (5) Rain-fade is an issue that is common for all DTH. But its Big TV, so you can enjoy your favourite programs even when it rains. Big TV’s advanced technology lets you watch chs even when it rains heavily. Chs may blak-out for just about 5-6 seconds whereas in other DTHs, ch black-out lasts the entire length of the rain. Disadvantages : (1) The biggest problem of Big TV is its STB software which is still now not stable. Customers across India have reported about STB hanging problems innumerable no of times. STB gets over-heated, hangs several times, slow channel navigation, does not work after a manual update are some of the many issues that keep occcuring to the Big TV STBs. (2) Another demerit of Big TV is its Customer Care and Customer Service. The CC Executives lack professionalism in their behaviour. The after-sales support is too not good. (3) Incorrect package activations have happened with several users at times where the customer was wanting one pack and some other pack was activated instead. (4) The Big TV logo placed on the top left corner of screens is quite big and not transparent which is irritating. Whereas the logos of other DTH services are relatively smaller and of watermark type. Airtel Digital TV . (â€Å"Come Home To The Magic†) Bharti Airtel Limited announced the launch of Airtel digital TV , its Direct To Home (DTH) Satellite TV service. Airtel digital TV, which is a perfect blend of latest technology, unique features, and great content, promises to redefine the digital home entertainment experience. The service will be available to customers through 21,000 retail points including Airtel Relationship Centres in 62 cities across the country starting October 9, 2008 . With over 175 channels, the packages will start from Rs. 2499 for a six-month subscription in which the channel price band will range from Rs. 99 to Rs. 424. Vision & promise By 2010 Airtel will be the most admired brand in India: Loved by more customers Targeted by top talent Benchmarked by more businesses Airtel always think in fresh and innovative ways about the needs of our customers and how we want them to feel. We deliver what we promise and go out of our way to delight the customer with a little bit more Besides the latest technology, Airtel digital TV brings many firsts to the DTH segment in India : †¢Universal remote for both Set Top Box and TV that offers enhanced viewer convenience; †¢Highest Set Top Box memory enabling more interactive applications; †¢Exclusive content such as World space Radio; Interactive applications such as iMatinee (Book cinema tickets), iTravel (Browse and book travel packages), iShop (Shop on TV for your favorite brands), iCity (Get your city's information) and Widgets (Update yourself on latest stock news). 8 screen iNews, 2 / 4 screen iSports . †¢Amazing games with high quality graphics, refreshed every 6 weeks †¢Audio gain control for uniform audi o levels across all channels †¢Simple and intuitive search †¢On screen account meter †¢Last viewed channel in case of power disruption/switch off †¢Low battery indicator on the screen These great viewing experience and unique features are backed by 24Ãâ€"7 customer care available in 8 different languages and a team of 800 professionally trained service engineers. Market Shares: Currently, the market is dominated by Essel Group's Dish TV DTH service (about 4 million subscribers) followed by Tata Sky (2. 7 million subscribers), Sun Direct (1 million subscribers) and Big TV ( half million subscribers). State-owned Prasar Bharati's DTH service DD Direct Plus is the only free-to-air service, where consumers do not pay any monthly subscription fees. According to sources, DD Direct Plus has a subscriber base of about 3-4 million subscribers, mostly in the remote corners of the country not connected by terrestrial or cable television. Advertising Strategy: Airtel has also launched a teaser campaign for its DTH service, called ‘See you at home soon’. It has four teasers – Masai (infotainment), Cowboy (movies), Band (music) and Meercats (kids). The common element is all these teasers is a big, red couch. Advantages : (1) Airtel Digital TV offers true DVD quality picture and CD quality sound which are absolutely flawless. So its customers can be assured of its crystal-clear video and stereophonic sound. (2) The external appreacnce of Digital TV STB is sleek and stylish unlike the STB of other DTH operators which are huge and bulky. Digital TV’s STB proves to be a fantastic eye-candy. (3) For the first time, Digital TV is a DTH that offers universal remotes for its users. So no more hassle of using two remotes at a time. (One for TV, the other for STB). Digital TV’s STB remotes (after programming) will work with both your TV as well with the STB. (4) Only Digital TV exclusively offers 10 popular and premium World-Space satellite radio chs to its subscribers. There is so much to hear, when you have World Space Radio with you, another first from Digital TV. (5) The Dish antenna of Digital TV is considerably bigger than other DTH dishes. This makes sure that you dont loose connectivity even when it rains wild. The bigger dish has been brought up keeping this aspect in mind. Disadvantages : (1) The only disadvantage of Digital TV is its price which is comparetively higher than any other DTH. The highest pack goes up to Rs. 424 per month which comes out to be too costly keeping in mind the present cut-throat competition in the DTH market.