Monday, September 30, 2019

Markowitz Portfolio Optimization Essay

Introduction Markowitz (1952, 1956) pioneered the development of a quantitative method that takes the diversification benefits of portfolio allocation into account. Modern portfolio theory is the result of his work on portfolio optimization. Ideally, in a mean-variance optimization model, the complete investment opportunity set, i.e. all assets, should be considered simultaneously. However, in practice, most investors distinguish between different asset classes within their portfolio-allocation frameworks. In our analysis, we view the process of asset allocation as a four-step exercise like Bodie, Kane and Marcus (2005). It consists of choosing the asset classes under consideration, moving forward to establishing capital market expectations, followed by deriving the efficient frontier until finding the optimal asset mix. We take the perspective of an asset-only investor in search of the optimal portfolio. An asset-only investor does not take liabilities into account. The investment horizon is 5 – 10 years and the opportunity set consists of twelve asset classes. The investor pursues wealth maximization and no other particular investment goals are considered. We solve the asset-allocation problem using a mean-variance optimization based on excess returns. The goal is to maximize the Sharpe ratio (risk-adjusted return) of the portfolio, bounded by the restriction that the exposure to any risky asset class is greater than or equal to zero and that the sum of the weights adds up to one. The focus is on the relative allocation to risky assets in the optimal portfolio. In the mean-variance analysis, we use arithmetic excess returns. Geometric returns are not suitable in a mean-variance framework. The weighted average of geometric returns does not equal the geometric return of a simulated portfolio with the same composition. The observed difference can be explained by the diversification benefits of the portfolio allocation. We derive the arithmetic returns from the geometric returns and the volatility. a) The CIO has sent some of the results you have done above to the IPC. After the members of the IPC perused the results, some of them asked the CIO to explain why the equal-weighted portfolio underperformed the mean-variance optimal portfolio for the periods studied. Explain to the CIO using only the whole period results. First, let’s quickly look at some of the values of the fields that are used to draw the capital allocation line. As an example to my explanation let’s go through 2 possible capital allocation lines from the risk-free rate (rf = 3.5%). The first possible CAL is drawn for naively diversified portfolio for the whole period with rf = 3.5%. The expected return for this portfolio is 0.006224053, and its standard deviation is 0.025002148, the reward-to-volatility ratio, which is the slope of the CAL is 0.132284095. The second CAL is drawn for the Optimal portfolio for the whole period with rf = 3.5%. The expected return for this portfolio is 0.009508282, and its standard deviation is 0.00734826, the re- reward-to-volatility ratio is 0.897030832. We can see from the numbers that the optimal portfolio does better than the naively diversified portfolio because the RTV is higher for the optimal portfolio. The reason for that is that we’ve identified the optimal portfolio of risky assets by finding the portfolio weights that result in steepest CAL. The CAL that is supported by the optimal portfolio is tangent to the efficient frontier. The bottom line is that we have chosen the optimal portfolio that has the portfolio weights that lie on the capital allocation line that is tangent to the efficient frontier. Which means a portfolio of risky assets that provides the lowest risk for the expected return and thus this selected portfolio is bound to outperform the naively diversified. b) The IPC has noticed that the optimal allocations of sub-period 1 and sub-period 2 are very different (based on different scenarios of target returns and investment limits). They asked why. Would you please explain (using the set of results for 3.5% risk free rate)? This entails an analysis of the economic conditions for different periods. The most important insight we get is that in a diversified portfolio, the contribution to portfolio risk of a particular security will depend on the covariance of that security’s return with those of other securities. If you see the correlation matrix for the 2 sub periods, we can see that the economic-wide risk factors have imparted positive correlations among the stock returns for Sub Period 2 (03 – 10). This was the time of economic crisis (08-10) and since most of the risk was economic, the optimal portfolio incorporates less risky assets. While the sub period 1 (95 – 03) went through a healthy growth period, had mostly firm specific risk and lesser economic risk. c) The CIO wants to propose investment limits on certain asset classes to the IPC for consideration, but the CIO may not be aware of the likely impact on the performance of the Fund. Since you have run some analysis above based on the proposed limits, present your analysis and make a recommendation regarding investment limits for the historical arithmetic average (target) return and the 6% p.a. target return. The fundamental concept behind MPT is that the assets in an investment portfolio should not be selected individually, each on their own merits. Rather, it is important to consider how each asset changes in price relative to how every other asset in the portfolio changes in price. The optimal portfolios derived from the analysis are tangency portfolios and represents the combination offering the best possible expected return for given risk level. If we change the investment limits it could result in sub-optimal portfolios. This can be easily from the tables from (comparing naà ¯ve allocation to optimal allocation): Optimal Portfolio: When we draw the CAL and the efficient frontier using the above values, we see that the weights in the optimal portfolio result in the highest slope of the CAL. We can see this with the improved reward-to-volatility ratio of the portfolios. We also saw from the analysis where we constrained the portfolio return to 6% pa, the weights of the optimal portfolio changed and the RTV was lower than the un constrained optimal portfolio. Constrained:Unconstrained: d) The CIO would like to test the sensitivity of the mean-variance optimization to a change in the portfolio target return. Since you have done some runs using the historical arithmetic average return and 6% p.a. target return, present what you’ve learned from your analysis to the CIO using your results. We have tested the sensitivity of the mean-variance analysis to the input parameters. Table below shows the impact on the optimal portfolio of an increase and a decrease in the expected volatility of an asset, all other things being equal. Note that a change in volatility affects both the arithmetic return and the covariance matrix. Again, this table demonstrates the sensitivity of a mean-variance analysis to the input parameters. An increase in expected volatility leads to a lower allocation to that asset class. High yield even vanishes completely from the optimal portfolio. It is noteworthy that commodities are hardly affected by a higher standard deviation. A decrease in volatility mostly leads to a higher allocation. Government bonds, despite their expected zero risk premium, add value due to the strong diversification benefit. In this analysis, they appear to be insensitive to a change in their expected volatility. Credits and bonds are quite similar asset classes and, in a mean-variance context, the optimal portfolio tends to incline towards one or the other. In short, the mean-variance analysis suggests that adding real estate, stocks and high yield to the traditional asset mix of stocks and bonds creates most value for investors. Assets| Optimal Portfolio| Optimal Portfolio (6%)| SPTR Index| 0| 0| RTY Index| 0| 0| MXEA Index| 0| 0.747626014| MXEU Index| 0| 0| MXEF Index| 0| 0| SPGSCITR Index| 0| 0| FNCOTR Index| 0.862665445| 0.179140105| H15T3M Index| 0| 0.05| WOG1| 0| 0| C0A0| 0| 0| H0A0| 0| 0| G0Q0| 0.137334555| 0.023233881| e) Could we use the optimal weights from a previous period, say sub-period 1 or sub-period 2 or the whole period, as the recommended asset allocation for the next 5 or 10 years? Explain your answer with the out-of-sample test results you have done. No, we cannot recommend asset allocation based on the out-of-sample test results. The in-sample MV efficient frontiers overestimate the return associated with portfolio optimization not only with respect to resampled efficiency but importantly with respect to out-of-sample investment performance. Even with good inputs, MV efficiency error maximizes the risk and returns inputs, creates upward biased estimates of future performance, and substantially underperforms resampled efficiency. f) Based on the above analyses, what lessons and implications can be learned from your analysis on the mean-variance portfolio optimization? Key lessons: The fundamental goal of portfolio theory is to optimally allocate your investments between different assets. Mean variance optimization (MVO) is a quantitative tool which allows you to make this allocation by considering the trade-off between risk and return. Markowitz Portfolio Optimization The single period Markowitz algorithm solves the following problem: Single Period Problem * Inputs: * The expected return for each asset * The standard deviation of each asset (a measure of risk) * The correlation matrix between these assets * Output: * The efficient frontier, i.e. the set of portfolios with expected return greater than any other with the same or lesser risk, and lesser risk than any other with the same or greater return. The Markowitz algorithm is intended as a single period analysis tool in which the inputs provided by the user represent his/her probability beliefs about the upcoming period. The expected return, standard deviation, and correlation matrix are computed using standard statistical formulae. The expected return represents the simple (probability weighted) average of the possible returns for each asset, and the standard deviation represents the uncertainty about the outcome. The correlation matrix is a symmetric matrix, with unity on the diagonal, and all other elements between -1 and +1. A positive correlation between two assets A and B indicates that when the return of asset A turns out to be above (below) its expected value, then the return of asset B is likely also to be above (below) its expected value. A negative correlation suggests that when A’s return is above its expected value, and then B’s will be below its expected value, and vice versa. Input Data Issues A major issue for the methodology is the selection of input data. The use of historical data provides a very convenient means of providing the inputs to the MVO algorithm, but there are a number of reasons why this may not be the optimal way to proceed. All these reasons have to do with the question of whether this method really provides a valid statistical picture of the upcoming period. The most serious problem concerns the expected returns, because these control the actual return which is assigned to each portfolio. Failure of underlying hypothesis When you use historical data to provide the MVO inputs, you are implicitly assuming that * The returns in the different periods are independent. * The returns in the different periods are drawn from the same statistical distribution. * The N periods of available data provide a sample of this distribution. These hypotheses may simply not be true. The most serious inaccuracies arise from a phenomenon called mean reversion, in which a period, or periods, of superior (inferior) performance of a particular asset tend to be followed by a period, or periods, of inferior (superior) performance. Suppose, for example, you have used 5 years of historical data as MVO inputs for the upcoming year. The outputs of the algorithm will favor those assets with high expected return, which are those which have performed well over the past 5 years. Yet if mean reversion is in effect, these assets may well turn out to be those that perform most poorly in the upcoming year. Error in the estimated mean Even if you believe that the returns in the different periods are independent and identically distributed, you are of necessity using the available data to estimate the properties of this statistical distribution. In particular, you will take the expected return for a given asset to be the simple average R of the N historical values, and the standard deviation to be the root mean square deviation from this average value. Then elementary statistics tells us that the one standard deviation error in the value R as an estimate of the mean is the standard deviation divided by the square root of N. If N is not very large, then this error can distort the results of the MVO analysis considerably. Summary The above discussion does not mean to imply that the Markowitz algorithm is incorrect, but simply to point out the dangers of using historical data as inputs to a optimization strategy. If you make your own estimates of the MVO inputs, based on your own beliefs about the upcoming period, single period MVO can be an entirely appropriate means of balancing the risk and return in your portfolio.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Victors and Vanquished

The Spanish conquest of Mexico is an epic story that is understudied. The historical documents recounting the events are either written through the memory of the conquerors or the conquered, and as a result there is a great disparity in the facts, those facts changing depending on which side produced the documents. We will take a look at several of the documents published in Victors and Vanquished from both the Spanish and Nahua perspectives, analyzing them for bias, lessons learned, as well as the different contrasts between different perspectives. In addition I think it is important to look at the overall motivation behind the Spanish conquest. In Bernal Diaz second writing in the book he speaks of the Spanish movement from Santa Maria de la Victoria to San Juan de Ulua. When The Spaniards arrive they have their first meeting with representatives from Moctezuma. According to Diaz, Cortez treats the ambassadors very well, and it seems that Cortez is quite intended on making a good impression with Montezuma as well as the locals, confessing that they are there to simply trade with the Indians. When Montezuma’s ambassadors return from delivering Cortez’ message to their king, they bring back a good amount of treasures with them. The ambassadors also tell Cortez that Montezumadoes not think an interview is necessary. This is an interesting statement and something that I believe may have shown the hidden motivations behind Montezuma’s thinking. I have to wonder if Montezuma was hoping that if he sent an acceptable amount of gold and some kind words the Spaniards would accept it graciously and be on their way. When a person in power says something along the lines of, â€Å"an interview is not necessary (pp 90),† it is a nice way of saying, â€Å"I do not want to be interviewed. † Political correctness is not something that is new to modern times. Unfortunately for Montezuma, by sending all that gold, his plan backfired as the Spaniards noted that with the helmet filled with fine grains of gold it, â€Å"showed us that there were good mines there. † (pp 89-90) Shortly after this, Cortez informs Montezumaof his strong intentions on meeting him. Another interesting fact is that Cortez seems very focused on imparting the idea that he is there with peaceful intentions, despite the eight hundred Indians he had left dead in Tabasco. I can understand Cortez’ desire to trade and explore a new country with new people, but the bottom line is that he had more on his mind than trading and exploration. He and his men had received a less than warm welcome in Tabasco, and rather than find another route or turn back (which of course they couldn’t do) they opted instead to kill around eight hundred of the indigenous peoples. When Montezuma sent that helmet filled with gold to Cortez I believe he sealed his fate. Cortez’ acts of kindness from that point forward were a means to an end, a necessary deposit on what he hoped to be a big payoff. The next few writings I’d like to look at deal with the Chalula massacre. In Adres de Tapia’s account of the incident the Cholulans put up a very friendly front, but are however plotting to kill the conquistadors all along. The Plot is uncovered through Dona Marina (Cortez translator and mother to his son) once the conquistadors are informed of the plot they confront the Chalulan warriors (who were at the time under the guise of slaves). They end up locking the warriors in a courtyard and then according to de Tapia, â€Å"he ordered most of the lords to be killed. † (pp 118) Then the Spaniards and Indians (Tlaxcalans) went throughout the city, â€Å"killing warriors and burning houses. † (pp 118) De Tapia makes it sound as if the Spaniards were simply executing those guilty of treason and lies. However I think one has to question if the destruction of the entire city was necessary. Along with this, the Tlaxcalans were cited to have made off, â€Å"with a great amount of plunder. † (pp 118) It is hard for me to believe that while the Tlaxcalans were making off with all that plunder, the conquistadors were standing by not indulging themselves. In my opinion, the Tlaxcalans provide a good scapegoat for the conquistadors. The other side of this story written by Sahagun offers some key differences (as expected). Sahagun’s story is much simpler than de Tapia’s with the conquistadors arriving in Cholula and having been previously warned by the Tlaxcalans that, â€Å"the Cholulans are very evil; they are our enemies. † (pp 121) They simply issue a general summons for the higher ranking officials and warriors to assemble in the courtyard and slaughter them followed by the city. According to Sahugun the Chalulans were not even armed. Sahagun goes on to describe the conquistadors as a war machine. Mentioning all the iron incorporated with their weapons and armor, and making it sound like they steamrolled through Chalula which was a small bump on their way to Mexico. One interesting fact is that in this account there is no mention of the plunder that Diaz had mentioned. Given the Nahua’s obvious spite for the conquistadors it seems likely that they would take every opportunity to mention all the negative aspects of the Spanish conquest. This leads you to believe they either did not know about it, or it didn’t happen (most likely the former. They do make mention of the conquistadors greed when shortly after Montezuma sent them gold gifts and, â€Å"Like monkeys the grabbed the gold. It was as though their hearts were put to rest. † (pp 122) The Spaniards entry into Tenochtitlan was initially surprisingly peaceful. With each leader feeling out the other, Montezuma especially seems to be very cordial toward the Spaniards treating them as teules (gods). This sh aky peace ends abruptly with a bloodbath during the fiesta of Huitzilopochtli. There are three documents dealing with this massacre that I’d think are important to look over. All the documents are fairly short in length, but there are a lot of things to consider. The first document written by Francisco Lopez de Gomara (whom Bernal Diaz often mentions with disdain) discusses the fiesta covering some of the rituals and dances, then quickly progresses to the Indian murders. The only motivation Gomara offers as to why the Spanish so abruptly decided to abandon peace was that, â€Å"they coveted their gold and jewels. (pp 162) Thus the Spaniards locked the doors to the temple and murdered all that were inside taking from them their treasures. Given the conquistadors track record up to this point it is not unbelievable that this could happen, but I find myself wondering if there wasn’t something more persuading them. The Florentine Codex and the Codex Aubin which both cover the massacre from a Nahua perspective are very similar to that of Gomaraâ€℠¢s with no real outstanding differences. This begs the question, was the treasure present at the ceremony reason enough to attack? I think that question is answered in another source. Bernal Diaz while describing the initial entry of the Spaniards into Tenochtitlan seems to be fairly peaceful as mentioned before. There is, however a turning point is his writings. The Spaniards find a cemented door near there quarters in the city and end up breaking into it, only to discover a large storehouse of treasure. The description of the vast quantities of gold was like a dream. Immediately after this discovery the Spaniards start to feel like they are wearing out their welcome, and that the Aztecs are becoming more hostile toward them. This should not be surprising given that they had broken into the Aztecs treasure vault, of sorts. However the conquistadors discovery of the chamber seems to be the major turning point in the relations between the Aztecs and the Spaniards and is what I believe led to the massacre and ventual conquer of the empire. In my opinion the Spaniards greed was ultimately one of the biggest driving forces behind the destruction of the Aztec empire. When analyzing historical documents it is very difficult to try and read between the lines and separate fact from fiction. Undoubtedly emotions and time cloud people’s memories. However with so many various sources I think you begin to realize the truth stereotypically resides somewhere close to the middle.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Career as an Animator

Animation is a series of paintings of objects, such as dolls and models, computer graphics, or pictures. These are different, bringing a variety of entertainment to the audience. Animation brings excitement and mystery and attracts viewers interested. It adds color to the eyes and soul in the form of 'magic' living in the eyes of those living in these ordinary, ordinary living things among things that are not real but in their imagination. The creators of these wonderful arts and works are animators. By choosing a computer animation program at the MediaTech Institute in Dallas, Texas you can learn everything you need to start a career as a computer animator. For most computer animators, the Holy Grail of animation professionals is making feature films, and your guidance at MediaTech Academy will lay the foundation for those dreams. In the computer animation project of MediaTech Institute in Dallas, Texas, you can have practical experience in developing and creating animation projects and find half of the process of creating computer animation projects including animation movies, without animation-containing content can do. The basic steps involved in the process are as follows: In the early 21st century, I met animation as a career choice. I decided to become an animator, and I did not know anything about animation. This is exactly the same as what happened with my parents' marriage arrangements - in both cases it is a blind day and there are surprises on the way! Let's talk the whole story. I went to residential school and the system made all the choices. Even if it is not a doctor, like Cliche, it seems that we all want to be an engineer. We do not want to be an evolutionary biologist or an adventurous underwater photographer. The majority of my extraordinary friends became an ordinary engineer in the walls of the crowd pretending to be another brick. There must be a potential genius among us; we just encourage us to find our own call. When I refused the proj ect, I was very lost. My dream of becoming an engineer got even worse, everyone Choosing a career for many people is not easy. I am enthusiastic working from animals to small animals to large animals. Handling animals is what I dream of. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of studies on animals that make my career search more complicated. After a few hours of search, I really chose the career of two careers, veterinarians and animal rescue which I attracted my attention. - Itching and scratching are not only Simpsons cartoon characters, but they are the main symptoms of most types of Mange. Symptoms of this symptom such as mottled hair loss, decreased eating habits, animal sleepiness and unsteady behavior are easily detected, but on the other hand it is far more difficult to diagnose. In order to receive appropriate treatment, the animal must receive medical care from licensed and certified veterinarian immediately.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Identity and Representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Identity and Representation - Essay Example It will further highlight the tensions encountered in entering an unfamiliar group and how the values brought in are affected. Some electronic, print and social media have linked Islam and, inevitably, the Arab world to intolerance and violence while ignoring its commonalities to other religions (Cote & Levine 57). Some cultural groups immediately associate the mention of an Arab with negativities such as barbarism, terrorism, religious fanatics, cruelty, oil wars in deserts and belly-dancing women. As an Arab student in the US, where a multicultural philosophy conspicuously prevails in the education system, I was shocked at how different it is with Arabs. Some students are driven into an identity crisis and take frantic measures, some extreme, to adopt or reject the host culture with a risk of ending up in depression. However, I decided not to lose my culture, which is the source of my identity and at the same time not give stereotypes, in contrast to their expectations, a chance to confirm their perceptions. The best way to maintain a positive identity is to preserve my heritage while respecting that of others by fully interacting with them. As a new member of the university society, it is my duty not to let the behaviors, feelings and thoughts of those I interact with be influenced by their wrongly adviced perception of my cultural background. I chose to view the diversity of the American culture as the true source of knowledge, beauty and richness that it is. At the same time, I expect the US Constitution to support the desire of all minorities, including Arabs and Muslims, to conserve their heritage. That will be in accordance to the values upon which the US was built (Leary & Tangney 24). I do not intend to let go of my cultural roots, and I opted for a problem-oriented approach towards the stereotype, rather than an emotion-oriented one as stereotypes would expect. An emotional approach would make me want to â€Å"fit into† the American culture an d resent anything linking me to my culture. This leads to attempts to attain a culture that I do not belong to, with a possibility of rejecting my own people. Instead, I chose to be proud of my identity and heritage and contribute positively to a country populated with a myriad of cultures. I attend and invite friends to my cultural functions as well as others that are foreign to me. I never point out any negative aspect of other cultures, especially in culturally polarized areas or around people that can be offended by my remarks. I make it my policy to participate, and invite others, to community service whenever time allows. I further realize that an emotion-oriented approach towards an identity representation can lead an individual or a cultural group to create a defense mechanism, albeit unconsciously. They attach themselves fully to their homes or community and vehemently reject everything else not perceived as part of their heritage. Such rejection of outside cultures often c ulminates into violence, which contributes towards confirmation of the stereotype. Studies have shown that this group even has a tendency of rejecting other Arabs who adopted foreign cultures (Leary & Tangney 31). It is further shown that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Information System - Essay Example In spite of maintaining a high performance on the business parameters, Comair was simply grounded for a full 3 days during the peak holiday season because it faced a highly damaging IT risk issue on December 24, 2004, when the company’s Information system for managing the scheduling of the crew and flights crashed. It is impossible for an airline to fly when its mission critical crew scheduling system fails. In case of Comair, this IT failure resulted in a loss of approx $20 million which was actually wiping out it previous quarter earning of $25.7 million. This report is a study in the Comair Information systems and highlights the gaps between the IT strategy and business strategy. The report also attempts to suggest an information system which can take care of the gaps between business and IT strategy so that such failures as mentioned above are prevented as much as possible as well as identifies the people, technology and organization issues which Comair must take into account before building a resilient information system. Comair information system was purchased from SBS international in the year 1986 after union and federal regulations forced Comair to meet higher standards in its management procedures. To comply with the regulations, Comair leased software from SBS International to track & schedule its flight crews. The system worked admirably and was a welcome relief for the staff who were managing the schedule using the pen & paper until then. As the business started growing, Comair felt a need to upgrade its information system as the existing system was written in FORTRAN for which there was no in-house expertise available. Moreover it was the only system using old IBM AIX platform compared to current HP UNIX. Following table lists down the milestones in Comair’s IT journey until Dec 24, 2004 against their business strategy. As can be clearly seen from the comparative

Argumentative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative Research - Essay Example Content not driven at the ideology of this political group or the government as a whole (for example either Tibetan or Taiwanese independence) is suppressed in the interests of the state (Hughes). Search engine giant Google has recently come under fire for complying with China’s standards of censorship. Opponents, like Frida Ghitis, accuse Google of selling out on its lofty and righteous corporate responsibility to the oppressed people of China. They claim that as Google puts profits above the people of China, they are compounding the problem by promoting a low standard of corporate ethics. Nevertheless, this view of Google and its ethical responsibilities is itself destructive and contradictory. Claiming that any corporation has a moral duty to serve the interests of anyone besides stockholders is patently absurd. Additionally, to think a corporation does have a moral duty threatens to subordinate businesses to the whims of societies (and, by proxy, their governments): the ou tcome Google’s opponents argue against. The question of Google allowing the Chinese government to censor its content drives a deeper issue: that of corporate social responsibility. This term refers to the moral kinds of obligations, if any, that businesses and corporations are committed to by virtue of being such entities. Obviously, many are favorable to the idea of corporations contributing in some way to social change, other than what some have called â€Å"economic imperialism†, where corporations â€Å"exploit† workers in third-world countries. Nevertheless, the ethics of corporate responsibility have not been well-justified, and are typically found only in the businesses’ models for making profit. Thus, on its face, it seems that â€Å"being responsible† for a corporation is good for business. It can benefit, first of all, brand

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

You Decide-Scenario 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

You Decide-Scenario 1 - Assignment Example The consumer goods manufactures will need to reach to this target market by introducing and developing the products that promote the healthy and fitness attributes (Lee, 2004). The young generation also needs to be addressed by providing them the goods that will help them in getting stronger and fitter. The young people need to be given guidance on finding their paths and encouraged to bring new and fresh ideas in the market. Regarding the marketers who are selling to the government, they need to tell the concerned authorities that now they have abundant human capital and they need to be utilized in the right way. Since the children are heavily dependent on their parents, the children need to be encouraged to bear their own expenses and help their parents so that they can acquire the education in timely manner and even start their families soon (Longman, 2004). According to Retherford and Ogawa (2005), the marketers need to help the government in designing the policies that will make right use of the available human capital and ensure that the aging population is given proper health benefits. The government and consumer goods’ marketers will have to create awareness in the young generation about the issues regarding proper planning and implementation of their quality education acquiring phase and early starting of their families. The growing population is a major concern for the developed countries and the number of old aged people is increasing at an accelerating rate. Lee (2004) has rightly stated that the old population is reluctant to take risks and try new ideas and hence, they are less willing to start new ventures. According to Longman (2004), the developed countries have abundant supply of human capital and it is better that the young generation is provided adequate guidance and resources so that new ventures start in the countries which will

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Confidential medical information and parties who should have access to Research Paper

Confidential medical information and parties who should have access to medical records - Research Paper Example Electronic health record systems, though identified with advantages of improved efficiencies in care provisions, and recommended by legal provisions, establishes diversified challenges to confidentiality. Specialization among care personnel and the need to transfer patients from one personnel or care department to another is one of the causes of confidentiality challenges because data may be compromised along the chain with difficulty in managing such proliferation (Mermelstein and Wallack 97- 103). An assessment of implementation of electronic health records in health care facilities supports the position that despite the system’s benefits that both care personnel and patients appreciate, cases of information sharing is popular among care personnel. While data systems allowed for physician’s freedom to maintain privacy of patients’ information as their personal notes, most physicians preferred incorporating their patients’ information in medical records ( Beverly et al. 22-25). The issue of confidentiality in health care further goes beyond legal scope because of the profession’s nature and traditions. ... breach is therefore imminent under the current regulatory measures and the threat has possible consequences such as patients’ forfeiture of sensitive health care services for fear of breach of confidentiality (Slive and Cramer 348). Problem statement Significant knowledge exists on the role of health care information systems such as medical records and their consequences on patients’ information. Existing studies further identifies popularity of the emerging information systems despite their weaknesses as tools towards confidentiality breach and ineffectiveness of regulatory measures in ensuring confidentiality. Limited studies have however been conducted on strategies for ensuring confidentiality of medical data. The literature review therefore identifies the need to develop a model for ensuring confidentiality of patients’ information, at care personnel level. Aims The study’s core objective is to develop a psychological model for ensuring confidentialit y of patients’ health information. The following aims explore the objective. 1. To determine patient medical information that should be considered confidential 2. T determine the right people to access the confidential medical information Research questions The proposed study will investigate the following research questions 1. What medical information should be held confidential and why? 2. Who should have access to patients’ confidential information? 3. What are some of ethical issues concerning confidentiality of medical information? Methodology Research method and research design The study proposes quantitative research method with a non-experimental design. Survey techniques will be used in data collection. Sampling Stratified random sampling approach will be used to select research participants.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Case study - Essay Example The move by Kevin to uphold his ethical standards by unveiling the medicine theft was a good decision despite the ringleader of the theft being his immediate superior. Despite the repercussions of the decision made by Kevin, it was an honorable ethical step to take. On a legal front, the nursing home can be sued for the theft of patients’ medicine and nurse R together will all others involved will be charged since there is evidence of the video recording. If Kevin had ignored the ethics of psychology and nursing that were required of him, then he would have been part of the legal lawsuit when the incident is discovered later. Nurse R whose theft was caught on recording may lose her license to practice nursing due to ignoring her oath of ethics on non-maleficence thereby exposing the patients to harm (Grace, 2009). Other than the patients and the nursing home employees for example doctors, nurses, psychologists, volunteers among others being directly affected by the drug theft scam, the others affected indirectly include the family members of the patients and employees, shareholders of the nursing home, administrators (board of members), and policy makers among others. CCTV cameras should be installed in the nursing home and all employees subjected to a training emphasizing ethical

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Resembling peace Essay Example for Free

Resembling peace Essay In the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad the author condemns the colonization of the Europeans on the African islands of Congo, eminently focusing on the barbarous and inhumane treatment of the natives. In this passage though, the central character Marlow narrates to the other men on his ship about his perspective of the experience he had when he went up the river Congo passing through the wild jungle in order to reach the inner station. The tone throughout the passage suggests a negative connotation of the wilderness of Congo because of the choice of words Marlow uses to describe the jungle. Phrases such as unrestful and the noisy world of plants portraits the jungle as being quite sinister instead of peaceful and quiet as the readers would expect it to be. This passage is a composition of similes, allegory, symbolism, dark and light contrast and hyperbole which Marlow uses abundantly to describe his journey. Marlow compares going up the river as being like traveling back to the earliest beginning of the world. (1) He uses a simile to describe the jungle as being how the world was earlier before the technology and civilization was born, when the world was pure as it was when it was created by nature. But then he continues the remark by saying when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. Marlow paints this picture as the wilderness having the ability to fight against each other and when there was power between the trees. He uses the word king to describe the variation of power between the trees much like how the Europeans were being superior by trying to civilize the natives through brutal means. Marlow adds to the description of the jungle as having a great silence. (2) The phrase silence is inserted in his description to give a contrast of whats happening inside the jungle. Inside the jungle, in the inner station, it has been said that Kurtz uses unconventional methods to obtain the ivory he makes. This suggests that Kurtz is probably using violence or manipulations which are contrasts of silence. More ever, as Marlows journey proceeds further and further into the jungle and closer to the inner station, Marlows streamer gets attacked by the natives. Moments before they are being attacked, Marlow describes to have heard voices crying wildly coming from the jungle. The diction silence not only is a contrast of what is happening inside the jungle, it is also a contrast of a future scene where they are being attacked. Marlow further describes the river as being facile to get lost in as you would in a desert. This phrase shows that Marlow is confused as to his purpose in this voyage, why he wanted to come on this journey and what he was expecting to find. This phrase also indicates that Marlow perceives the river to be mysterious and that is one of the qualities of the river that urge him to continue his journey because of his curiousness. Later in the passage, Marlow indicates that the river as this stillness of life which did not in the least resemble peace. (9) This description of the river as not resembling peace connects directly to the journey that Marlow has been traveling in. Ever since Marlow decided to come on this voyage, he has been uncertain as to whom he really is and what he wants to do or what need to be done. Marlow has strong opinions about the Europeans as being fools, devils, and folly, for not knowing what they are doing. Not for being racists or discrimination of the natives as they are being tied up and worked to death. Marlow considers him self as being not especially tender towards the Africans which contradicts to what he has been saying all along through out the novel as Africans as not being our enemies. This passage describes the wildness and the sinister appeal of the river and the wilderness which is a comparison to the mind of Marlow. Inside his head, Marlow is confused, unrestful, and not in the least resembling peace. This journey takes Marlow to the places he has never been before in order to find himself inside.

Friday, September 20, 2019

National Effluent Limitation Regulations At Nigerian Breweries Environmental Sciences Essay

National Effluent Limitation Regulations At Nigerian Breweries Environmental Sciences Essay Nigeria, a country with thirty six states situated in the western part of Africa, rich in mineral and natural resources, having a size of three hundred and fifty six thousand, six hundred and sixty nine square miles of land area, with ecological zones ranging from the dry savannas in the north, to the water abundant Niger Delta (about nine hundred and twenty three thousand, seven hundred and seventy three square kilometres) She is more than half the United States of American state of California, Nigeria has placed her name on the globe for recognition in exportation of petroleum oil, groundnut, palm oil and cocoa. Gaining her independence in 1960, she has been ruled and governed under the military and civilian era, with the later still in rule, also known as the era of democracy. Nigeria, like many other former British colonies operates a common law. The main sources of law in Nigeria are customary law (which was the legal system operating in Nigeria prior to the advent of the Briti sh colonial rule), the Nigerian legislation, and common law. The composition and nature of our environment has greatly been altered by activities such as industrialization, transportation, construction and other activities. Nigeria is a developing country and so, has industries situated in urban and rural areas, most of these industries are manufacturing and producing industries, and as such, tend to give off waste products which acts as pollutants to the immediate and surrounding environment. This essay covers air pollution control laws in Nigeria caused by brewing activities. BREWING ACTIVITY AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Brewing is a complex process with several stages, that tend to produce pollutants in form of fumes and effluent that causes environmental air pollution. The raw material collection process, produces dust which when inhaled makes the victim to sneeze and cough, for this reason, handlers are given protective gears to cover their nose, failing to realise that this dust particles still float in the air and pollutes the environment. The steam produced when the milled grains are boiling (wort production), and the addition of yeast to the cooled wort for fermenting the wort into beer, (the aeration process), the bottling and packaging which deals with water that is in turn converted to waste water that gives a stench before treated. Waste water from the industry (effluent), which is later on recycled and used to wash equipments in the factory, gives out a stench that offends neighbouring surrounding. In the effluent tanks, the odour produced poses as a nuisance to the surrounding environmen t in the form of air pollution. The law relating to air pollution in Nigeria is contained in numerous instruments as obtained in The National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act 2007, an Agency of the Ministry of Environment Housing and Urban Development is charged with the responsibility of enforcing environmental Laws, regulations and  standard in deterring people, industries and organization from polluting and degrading the environment. According to the Environmental Law Research Institute 2007, (ELRI) for Nigeria, the synopsis of laws and regulations aims at inducing responsible attitudes and behaviours towards the environment are embedded in NESREA Act 2007 which replaced the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) Act, notes in Section 7, that it provides authority to ensure compliance with environmental laws, local and international, on environmental sanitation and pollution prevention and control through monitory and regulatory measures. According to the regulations under NESREA on National Effluent Limitation Regulations, Section 1 (1) requires industry facilities to have anti-pollution equipment for the treatment of effluent, but because policies are not given out to the general public, perhaps due to companys work ethics or policy, one can not say if the treatment of effluent is properly met in the brewing industry, however, because of the air pollution caused by this activity, it is recommended that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comes into act to check if the industry has exceeded its limit in polluting the environment as stated in The National Environment Protection (Pollution Abatement in Industries and Facilities producing Waste) Regulations (1991), Section 1 Prohibits the release of hazardous substances into the air, land or water of Nigeria beyond approved limits set by the Agency. Also, the need for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to measure the level of impact and damage done to the environment is not applied, it is for this reason that both small and big industries still generate a lot of pollution to the environment. The E.I.A Act, as it is informally called, deals with the considerations of environmental impact in respect of public and private projects. Sections relevant to environmental emergency prevention under the EIA include:- Section 2 (1) requires an assessment of public or private projects likely to have a significant (negative) impact on the environment. However, this is not the case when compared with the activities of brewing, as it gives a negative impact on the immediate environment. Mwalimu in his text states The common law supplements statutory control and regulation of air pollution in Nigeria for example concerning tortuous liability under torts of nuisance and negligence. This means that the law is there to control and regulate air pollution. A tort is an injury incurred by one or more individuals, and it may involve mere inattention by the air polluter who allowed the injury to occur. The different stages are powered with generators which emit fumes into the air, the stages involved also releases fumes into the air, effluent water which is before treated acts as another means of air pollution. The fumes produced from the industry, derived as a result of the production from brewing, running of diesel operated generators (commonly known as diesel fumes) are a mixture of gases, vapours, liquid aerosols and substances made up of particles. They contain the products of combustion including: carbon (soot); nitrogen; water; carbon monoxide; aldehydes; nitrogen dioxide; sulphur dioxide; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This gases acts as pollutants and are suspended in the atmosphere where they cause greenhouse effect and lead to global warming. Most of these gases damage vegetation, respiratory system, product of complete combustion of organic compounds; implicated in global climate change. In other words they damage and pollute the environment; it is safe to say that brewing activities contributes to one of the major sources of pollution. Environment is a very broad concept and involves everything that affects an organism during its lifetime. According to Srinivasan our environment comprises atmosphere, water, earth, and space. In his book, Chauhan defined environment in different ways; 1. It is in totality of all social, biological and physical or chemical individually as well as collectively that compose the nature and man-made surroundings. It refers to the sum total of conditions which surrounds man at a given point in space and time. It is the representative of physical components of the earth where in man is the important factor influencing his environment It would appear that what the author means by environment is the totality of the surrounding body (air, land and water) that can be seen and felt by living organism. Pollution is when different activities done by man makes the environment (air, land and water) dirty, Saunders in his text defines Pollution as The introduction by man of waste matter or surplus energy into the environment which directly or indirectly causes damage to man and his environment other than himself, his household, those in his employment or those with whom his has a direct trading relationship. This means that for every action man has taken has caused pollution directly or indirectly. Olanrewaju and Chukwukere defined air pollution as the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, biological materials that may cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere and further classified sources of air pollution into anthropogenic sources and natural sources. Tiwary and Colls stated in their book that air pollution has been with us since the first fire was lit, although different aspects have been important at different times. While many would consider air pollution an issue that the modern world has resolved to a greater extent, it still appears to have a considerable influence on the global environment. It would appear that the authors mean to say that air pollution, has been in existence from the beginning of time where fire was discovered and possibly before then. Vallero in his text defined air pollution in page three of his book as Air Pollution is the presence of contaminants or pollutant substances in the air that interfere with human health or welfare, or produce other harmful environmental effects. Hill in his text said Pollution occurs because no process is one hundred percent efficient the author means that pollution is inevitable but can be managed. As stated above, there is no process or activity done by any living organism that does not result in one form of pollution or the other. A good example of air pollution includes failure to inspect the operation and maintenance of electrostatic precipitators or failure to design and size an adequate abatement technology. Effect of Air Pollution on Health of Humans Olarenwaju and Chukwukere, the effect of air pollution and disturbance of natural air causes different health problems such as difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions, pulmonary exacerbations, vascular dysfunction, increased thrombus formation, brain damage, cancer, and increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. For this reason, legislations and regulations have been made for producing industries to abide in, and breach in this has its consequences. This legislation in relation to environmental law constitutes interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that, very broadly, operate to regulate the interaction of humanity and the rest of the biophysical or natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human. The polluter can be held responsible for the damage to human health. These laws and regulations are in the constitution but are not enforced in the country, because pollution is still on the increase in this developing country. The use of generators to power the factory, or a house or machineries has led to not only air pollution but also noise pollution. According to Abdulkareem in his case study on Urban air pollution by computer simulator, Urban Air pollution due to activities of process industries is one of the main problems faced by the industrial area of the world. This means that, as long as there is an industrial process going on, air pollution would still be present. The action carried out by the brewery industry does not promote clean air, and therefore pollutes the air and this causes discomfort for the inhabitants of the surrounding environment, and the regulatory bodies are not efficient in carrying out their duties, unlike the United Kingdom, where Legislations are constantly reviewed and put into place to fish out industries and companies that are exceeding the pollution limit, environmental permits are in place, pollution prevention and control permits are also in place to check for stake holders that breach laws and to check for hw air pollution is regulated. As earlier said, there is no process that does not pollute the environment. The Pollution Prevention and Control permits (PPC) of the United Kingdom states that If a business operates in Northern Ireland or Scotland, the business would require a PPC permit from an environmental regulator before such business would be allowed to operate. The NEW Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) HYPERLINK http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2172/contents/madeRegulations 2010 SI 675 pHYPERLINK http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2172/contents/maderovides a consolidated system for environmental permits and exemptions for industrial activities, mobile plant, waste operations, mining waste operations, water discharge activities, groundwater activities and radioactive substances activities. It also sets out the powers, functions and duties of the regulators.HYPERLINK http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2172/contents/made Unlike the United Kingdom where the public has the right to know the legislation for air pollution control, the public is unaware of this legislation in Nigeria. Very little is put in place for the public, there is no clean air act, which gives powers to local councils to control domestic and industrial smoke to improve local air quality and meet EU air quality standards for sulphur dioxide and particulates. The English air legislation controls emissions of gases, dark smoke and other airborne pollutants that harm the quality of the atmosphere. It includes environmental permitting and authorising regimes and, via the climate change framework, establishes financial incentives to switch to less-polluting ways of working. NEW Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009 SI 2824 aims to protect public health by prohibiting the supply or possession of aerosols not marked as conforming to safety standards. RECOMMENDATION: This regulation has been in place to meet up to the cleanliness of the environment, but because of the corruption of the land, such laws are not enforced and therefore, it is ignored. The industries still run and release aerosols and fumes into the atmosphere, damaging the immediate environment.

Tinnitus :: Health Hearing Loss Noise Loud Essays

Tinnitus A police officer fires his handgun while target practicing. He forgot to put on his ear muffs and suddenly after the shot, he hears a faint buzzing sound. In this example, over time, the ringing will probably fade for the officer. Almost everyone will experience tinnitus in their lifetime. After all, loud noises are impossible to avoid completely. There is only a problem when the sound from the tinnitus does not stop, or it continues to get louder with time. For many people around the world, the ringing, buzzing, hissing or chirping sounds that make up tinnitus (tin-Night-us; Tin-nit-us) or acoustic trauma never go away (Alliance). There are several definitions of the word tinnitus. Tinnitus Away defines it as "a noise heard in the ear, or the sensation of noise as a ringing that is purely subjective." Hear USA says tinnitus is "a noise heard in the ears." According to Tinnitus.com, Tinnitus was defined in 1999 as a sensory disorder. What does all of this mean? Basically, tinnitus is the perception of sound by an individual when there is no external source of that sound. Sound burst hearing loss is due to damage to the auditory receptors, the hair cells, inside the ear. The vibration of these hair follicles is what allows humans to hear so when they become damaged, the auditory sense is set off, and the resulting noise is the sound heard by millions of tinnitus sufferers. The other damage done to the ear by sound bursts that creates hearing loss is the deflation of the cochlea. This damage is usually caused by prolonged exposure to a continuous loud noise. Acoustic traumas are caused by an explosive sound, sudden and loud, that can cause hearing loss (Goldstein, 2002). The effects of these traumas can fade. However, they do not always go away. A college student who had a fire cracker explode in his hand only fifteen inches from his ear still had a ringing sensation two years after the incident. According to the Internet Armory, sound is physically just a rapid change in air pressure above and below the atmospheric pressure. The decibel, dB, named after Alexander Graham Bell, is used to describe this change in pressure. Zero dB is the threshold of human hearing, and 120 dB is the pain threshold. Decibels increase logarithmically so 10 dB is 10 times as powerful as one dB, and twenty dB is ten times as powerful as that.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Tale of the Pardoner in Chaucers Canterbury Tales :: Pardoners Tale

A Look at the Pardoner: the Genius of Chaucer   The Canterbury Tales is a literary masterpiece in which the brilliant author Geoffrey Chaucer sought out to accomplish various goals. Chaucer wrote his tales during the late 1300’s.   This puts him right at the beginning of the decline of the Middle Ages.   Historically, we know that a middle class was just starting to take shape at this time, due to the emerging commerce industry. Chaucer was able to see the importance and future success of the middle class, and wrote his work with them in mind.   Knowing that the middle class was not interested in lofty philosophical literature, Chaucer wrote his work as an extremely comical and entertaining piece that would be more interesting to his audience.   Also, Chaucer tried to reach the middle class by writing The Canterbury Tales in English, the language of the middle class rather than French, the language of the educated upper class.   The most impressive aspect of Chaucer’s writing is how he incorporated into his piece some of his own controversial views of society, but yet kept it very entertaining and light on the surface level.   One of the most prevalent of these ideas was his view that certain aspects of the church had become corrupt.   This idea sharply contrasted previous Middle Age thought, which excepted the church’s absolute power and goodness unquestionably.   He used corrupt church officials in his tales to illustrate to his audience that certain aspects of the church needed to be reformed.   The most intriguing of these characters was the Pardoner.   Chaucer’s satirical account of the Pardoner is written in a very matter-of-fact manner that made it even more unsettling with his audience.   Chaucer uses his straightforwardness regarding the hypocrisy of the Pardoner, suggestive physiognomy of the character, and an interesting scene at the conclusion of the Pardoner’s Tale to inculcate his views of the church to his audience. The way that Chau cer used these literary devices to subtly make his views known to an audience while hooking them with entertainment, shows that Chaucer was truly a literary genius.   The first of these devices, his straightforwardness and matter-of-factness regarding the Pardoner’s hypocrisy, is used first to appall his readers, and then to cause them to take a second look at the church in their own society.   Chaucer knew that most of his audience lacked the ability to fully understand his views, but he hoped that by using this device he could plant seeds of reason in them that would lead to reform of corruption he saw among church officials like the pardoners.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Computer Network Management Essay -- Networks Telecommunications

The Basics of Network Management In the computer world, networks are the primary means of inter-computer communications. The building and maintenance of a network is the responsibility of the network manager. The network manager must have the expertise to design and implement an appropriate network for his client. The proper design of a network is based on more than a few principles. However, the job of the network manager encompasses more than simply building a useable network, although that is the end result. The network manager must have many characteristics in order to fulfill his job. After years of training, a network manager will know how to select the proper network topology for the client. After some investigation into the company’s needs, the topology should become more apparent. Being able to choose a configuration means nothing, however, if the network manager is unable to convince the client. Persuasion is a necessary trait, but a strong sense of ethics must also be present. If a network manager tries to sell something other than what the client needs legal proceedings may be close behind. Selecting a network topology and convincing the client of their needs are the technical functions of the job. After selecting a network plan, the network manager needs to assemble a staff that is capable of implementing the network and maintaining that network. A crew with the appropriate training is a must, but the network manager has to find the best candidates. The network can grow to be a large and complex web. Job specialization will increase productivity and the total amount of knowledge available to the company. A network manager is also a personnel manager. Most clients have a limited budget set aside ... ...Accounting management collects the information about the clients’ usage of the services to keep track of billing. Tariffs, pricing, and collections may also be controlled. Finally, common management is applicable across more than one area of management such as autonomous events. The external communications functions are those necessary to convey the management information, to provide an infrastructure to the network. Together, these functions, the logical, management, and external communications, are the building blocks of a network. A network manager is responsible for being aware of the functions of each aspect of network management in order to build a successful network. Bibliography Ramon, Lakshmi. Fundamentals of Telecommunication Network Management. New York: IEEE Press, 1999. Rhodes, Peter. Building a Network. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Embroideries on Gujrat

Embroideries of Gujarat: ARI work Printing and embroidery in Gujarat reveals a cultural tradition that has evolved through centuries. Most of the best and earliest textiles were created in Gujarat. Printing and embroidery in Gujarat has a huge world market. Varieties of embroidery in Gujarat include: * Toran, the embroidered doorway decoration with hanging flaps, which is said to ventilate good luck. * Pachhitpatis, hanged from the corners as a welcome symbol to the visitors. * Chaklas, used as furniture covers. * Bhitiya, a wall hanging. Abhala, where small mirror discs are fixed with closely worked silken thread. Printing and embroidery in Gujarat is an inherent talent that passes through generations. They excel in making the following: * cholis (bodices) * gaghras (skirts) * odhnis (shawls) * bed spreads * bags * wall hanging * Variety of ornamental pieces for home decor. Source: http://www. blog. gaatha. com/? p=1467#content Ari work and its origin Once adorned by the royalties o f the country, on the sheen of silk and the softness of velvet, the designs always would stand out like a peacock on a rainy day.Of Persian motifs enthralling the costumes and wares creating a luster of luxury and elegance, the art of aari embroidery, zari and zardosi has come a long way,  since its royalty days. Ari embroidery is very old and known for its heavy work. It is done with a cobbler's stitch, which needs much skill and practice. The royal ladies of Kutch who were moved by the Persian motifs like peacock and flowers became great patrons of Ari embroidery. Rabari Embroidery is the most conspicuous work and available easily.The Kutchi Rabaris employ mirrors of different shapes and sizes. Applique or Katab is another form of decorative needlework, more pronounced in Saurashtra, it is done with pieces of colored and patterned fabric, which are nicely cut to make the motif and then stitched on to a plain background to make quilts, curtains and wall hangings. Another very imp ortant aspect of the printing and embroidery in Gujarat are the fabrics with Block Prints. They especially fascinate the foreign tourists. It is the printing of cloth with carved wooden blocks. Needles used for aari workLooking at each of these distinct patterns of work, they are created with precision and a method best known to their artisans. The Aari embroidery, a celebrated and muchadored work of Gujarat, requires not just the perfect stitch but also the understanding of the innate technique by which it is created. The thread is held with a finger at the reverse of the fabric and the  aari, an awl-like needle with a sharp point, is held on the top. How it is made: The aari is pierced through the cloth and the thread is brought to the upper side and used to secure the previous stitch.This  unique stitch, similar to the cobbler’s stitch, is repeated until the desired form is created on the surface of the fabric. The best pieces of fabrics used for this embroidery are of ten  silk or a locally made satin called Gajji. Atlash, a special silk-satin is also used for the purpose. Ari work being done on fabric Threads used Dotted with bootis of various shapes and sizes,  motifs and designs of peacocks, flowers, these embroidered sarees, suits, dupattas and traditional Gujarati ghagra-cholis find themselves to be the centre of  attention for the women across the world.Whereas, the roots of this art in India go as deep as the time of the  Rig Veda  , it prospered during the Mughal Emperor,  Akbar. And with this, came the  Persian influence, which we see in the motifs, materials and the nomenclature today. Zari Zari, a special  gold/silver thread, is often used for  aari embroidery. A fine hook needle is used to make quick chain stitches with the zari. The artisan needs to not only manoeuver the needle with a rapid hand but also make sure that this pace is withheld and is kept  standard for picking the material and meshing with the fabri c. NAKSHAPatterns cannot be directly created on to the fabrics. First, a complete and clear pattern has to be drawn on a  butter paper, designing the same is done by a naksha naviz, who only helps in creating a unique pattern. The paper is then perforated along the lines of the pattern and placed on top of the fabric. Next, the artisans, using chalk, rub the pattern over the fabric, imprinting the required design. Once this has been done, around  six to seven craftsmen take a portion  of the fabric and start the process of embroidering the zari, using a  wooden frame called the â€Å"Hadda†, â€Å"karchop† or â€Å"Khatli†- in Gujarati.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Different stakeholders Essay

Every organisation has Stakeholders; these are groups or individuals that affect or are affected by the business. The number of stakeholders of a business varies and so does their importance and influence on the company. The type of organisation and the product or service it supplies also determines the stakeholders. An organisation such as Lidl has far more stakeholders than family business; it is therefore much more influenced and affected by the actions, aims and objectives of its stakeholders. In this report I will evaluate the influence that the different stakeholders exert within Lidl. Employees are very influential stakeholders of Lidl and they are crucial for the running of the organisation. They have around 315,000 employees worldwide. The quality of an employee’s performance depends on the way human resources are managed within the company. An employee’s main interests are salaries, wages and job satisfaction; all of these factors influence the company’ s staff turnover. When employing new staff, and managing existing staff the employers must consider a lot of different elements. Employees can affect and influence Lidl in various ways and due to different reasons, some are; skills and qualifications, personal views and opinions, employee performance, training and redundancy. As employees are one of the main stakeholders and are the human resources of the company; their performance highly affects Lidl. If the employees are not satisfied with their wages or the working environment the products and services will not be of a satisfactory standard which could result in poor publicity. Motivation is one of the methods used to improve employee performance as when employees feel unmotivated they tend to perform inadequately e.g. the shop floor could be untidy, shelves un-stocked or a lack of people on the tills. An employee’s skills and qualifications are crucial aspects because if an employee doesn’t have the right skills or knowledge to perform a certain task essential for the consecutively of Lidl; it could slow down the whole production process therefore decreasing the quality of the presentation within the store resulting in Lidl making less profit than they could have. Customers contribute to profit levels and turnover through buying products and services.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Two Unlikely Women in British Literature

Two Unlikely Women in British Literature Rachael Haines British Literature Summer Term Critical Essay Allison, the Wife of Bath in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, are two bold women in literature who abandon the expectations of society on women of the time and instead use manipulation to gain power and control. These two women, Allison and Lady Macbeth are significant female characters because they represent upheaval in their respective societies both in their behavior and in their expected societal roles.Allison, a cloth-maker, lives in a time following the Norman Invasion. The Anglo-Saxon ways including the more even playing field between sexes gave way to â€Å"frenchified†, male-dominant way of life. Women were expected to serve their husbands yet Allison expects her men to serve her. Lady Macbeth also acts unexpectedly when she takes things into her own hands and doesn’t act as a submissive and noble woman shoul d. Following the delivery of the three witches’ message to Macbeth regarding his fate, Lady Macbeth instantly realized what is being threatened and desperately wants to change his fate.Instead of acting honorably and as a servant to her husband, she devises a plan in which she will commit regicide and kill Duncan herself. She instead decides to convince Macbeth to commit the murder himself. At first glance, the Wife of Bath may seem to be in support of feminism yet Chaucer describes her in explicit ways when he writes about her headdress, her scarlet dress, her hips and particularly her gapped teeth which were commonly associated with lust during her time. Allison comes off as experienced and knowledgeable about men because she has had five husbands.Unlike the women of her time, Allison is dominant. She uses her body and sexuality to manipulate and gain control over her men. During her fifth marriage even a traumatic blow to the head at the hands of her husband doesn’t stop her controlling behavior and she lies on the floor as if she is dead. She dramatically pretends to be dead from the blow in order to incite concern with her husband. Lady Macbeth quickly jumps into the thick of things when she learns about her husband’s predicted fate. She and her husband both want the wealth and power.Lady Macbeth devises a plan to murder the king so that fulfillment of the witches’ message might not be met. Lady Macbeth is desperate. She feels her husband is too loyal and not ruthless enough; too weak. Lady Macbeth, although bold and ambitious recognizes that she isn’t really capable in her current state of carrying out murder. Instead she asks for the supernatural ability to be unsexed; to rid herself of feminine qualities so that she can murder the king. Instead of gaining supernatural power, Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to commit the murder†¦freeing her from the burden of actually committing the crime.Lady Macbeth becomes m erely the catalyst for her husband’s out of control murderous behavior. Both women use manipulation to get what they want and both women live outside the societal norms of their time. However, Allison ultimately is a much more durable character. Allison presents herself as a promoter of sexual freedom and not a promoter of feminism. She uses her sexual skill and her body to gain what she purports that women want most; sovereignty over their husbands at a time when servitude by the woman was expected. For Allison, her sexuality was her biggest shock factor.At first meet, Lady Macbeth paints an image of herself as a villainous queen; both strong and ambitious to retain her power. Yet it isn’t long before we realize that Lady Macbeth cannot handle the guilt associated with being a murder and committing regicide even though her hands didn’t actually commit the murder, she pushed and supported her husband in completing the acts. Before long, the power hungry spree be gins to take its toll on the ambitious Lady Macbeth. The audience witnesses her deteriorating health and mental stability as she fruitlessly tries to wash her hands of the guilt.In this comparison, I find that while both women were women outside of the norms of society they did convey an upheaval. They may have represented the frustration that women and men might have felt over the ever-changing society that both writers endured. However, regarding our leading ladies, Allison is a much stronger character who is able to endure the ill effects of her manipulation, while Lady Macbeth falls victim to them in her quick demise. Neither of these bold, unforgettable ladies were typical ladies of their time.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Campuses of colleges

A century ago,the campuses of colleges and universities across the United States might as well have hung out a sign that read â€Å"Men Molasses's all of the students and faculty were male. There were a small number of women's colleges, but many more schools-including some of the best known U. S. Universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Princeton-barred women outright. Since then,women have won greater social equality. By 1 980, the number of women enrolled at u. . Colleges finally matched the number of men. In a surprising trend, however, the share of women on campus has continued to Increase. As a result, In 2005, men accounted for only percent of all u. s. Undergraduates. The gender gap Is evident In all racial and ethnic categories and at all class levels. Among African Americans on campus, only 33 percent are men. The lower the Income level, the greater the gender gap In college attendance.Meg Delano noticed the gender Imbalance right away when she moved Into her dorm at the uni versity of Georgia at Athens; she soon learned that just 39 percent of her iris-year classmates were men. In some classes,there were few men, and women usually dominated discussions. Out of class, Delano and many other women soon complained that having so few men on campus hurt their social life. Not surprisingly, most of the men felt otherwise. What accounts for the shifting gender balance on U. S. Campuses?One theory is that many young men are drawn away from college by the lure of Jobs, especially in high technology. This pattern is sometimes termed the†Bill Gates syndrome,† after the an who dropped out of college and soon became the world's richest person by helping to found Microsoft. Thus,many boys have unrealistic expectations about their earning power if they don't have an education. In addition, analysts point to an anti-intellectual male culture. More young women are drawn to learning and seek to do well in school, whereas some young men attach less Importance to studying.According to Judith Killed,in the Journal Gender Issues, stereotyping is also holding boys back, Because girls generally have more plopped social skills and are better behaved than boys, they perform better In school, which then prÐ ²?pares them for college. Boys,on the other hand, are often labeled as less cooperative and more likely to act out In classrooms, which can affect their grades. Rightly or wrongly, more men seem to think they can get a good Job without Investing years of their lives and a considerable amount of money In getting a college degree.Many college officials are concerned about the lack of men on campus. N an effort to attract more balanced enrollments† some colleges are adopting what amounts to affirmative action programs for males. But courts In several states have already ruled such polices Illegal. Many colleges,therefore, are turning to more active recruitment; admissions officers are paying special attention to male applicants stressing a college's strength in mathematics and science-areas striving to increase their share of minority students, the hope is that they can also succeed in attracting a larger share of men.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 12

Research paper - Essay Example Most of them lived in difficult conditions and sacrificed their lives for others. Their life was tempered with the values of socio-spiritual values. Sacrifice is a great virtue of humankind. Firstly, there should be cause for the sacrifice; secondly there should be the heart fort the sacrifice; thirdly there should be the will, the grit and the stamina to do the sacrifice; and finally one must accept the rewards and punishments of the sacrifice with a balanced mental attitudes-- again ask Kate for the veracity and truthfulness of this statement. Her viewpoint is why women only are asked to do sacrifice? In the hectic pace of activities of her personal life how Kate Chopin was able to fight for the cause of women through her powerful literary creations? â€Å"Kate Chopin was born on February 8, 1850. She was blessed by having many female mentors throughout her childhood; either the strong and independent widows in her family or the intellectual nuns of her school, who taught Kate to live a "life of the mind as well as the life of the home."(Search....)She was admitted to the Academy of the Sacred Heart at the young age of five and a half. Her father Thomas OFlaherty was a successful businessman. Her stint at the Sacred Heart lasted for just for two months. She came home and her great-grandmother became her teacher. Eliza Faris OFlaherty, Kates mother,was just 27 when her 50 year old husband died. Eliza did not remarry after her husbands death. Kates grandmother Madame Charleville mothered fifteen children. Her husband, Joseph Charleville was a merchant. Apart from teaching music, history and French, she taught Kate the true perspectives of life, to live clearly and fearlessly. By the time Kate was 24, she was witness to many family tragedies, her half brother George died of typhoid fever,her grandmother passed away, lost all sisters and brothers and she was the only survivor. Such grim experiences one after another, would make

Thursday, September 12, 2019

How Horses were still used in WWI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How Horses were still used in WWI - Essay Example Still, the distinguished armed forces’ officers receive a sword as an award against exemplary performance. The ancient warfare was primarily based on courage, strategy, and strength of character. But, the computer technology took charge of major military operations in the world and therefore, the focus shifted towards technological proficiency and the element of courage and manhood became secondary in the context of current and prevailing warfare standards in the world. Still, the value of traditional weapons and tactics is being recognized in the literature (Treherne pp.142). The so-called modern Armies still train their soldiers in horse riding so that they should know the traditional and classical way of commuting when needed. However, the concept of warfare is becoming and transforming into something highly mechanized. In few decades from now, the traditional war will become a permanent resident of history books, as human soldier will be replaced with a robot. Thusly, it c an be established that human involvement in wars will become extinct in the future version (Bernard and Jones pp. 1036). But, in the context of World War I, the horses were used as a means of commuting. The timing of the featured war was considered concurrent with major technological and theoretical breakthroughs but the commuting infrastructure was not largely institutionalized and neither was it available to general public. The abovementioned shortages of mechanized transportation contributed significantly towards forcing armed forces to use natural resources a great deal (Treherne pp 140). Additionally, the vehicles of that time were low on the most important dimension of fuel economy and therefore, the authorities followed the notion of economic rationality in terms of deciding to use the most efficient source of transportation at their disposal. Humans’ profound inclination towards saving money and exercising tight control on cash outflows translated into vast scale use of horses in World War I. Furthermore, the Armies were not trained to use vans and other vehicles but they had a profound and notable efficacy to effectively use horse as a strategic tool in the panicked conditions that are associated with the perception of war. The two major reasons supported the application of horses in World War I. Firstly, the ill-developed industry of mechanized transporters and secondly, soldiers of that era did not have the appropriate training needed to use the modern way of transportation. Moreover, it is important to note that the other historically known war based on volume was fought with the help of mechanized infantry and tanks. Yet, in the case of the First World War, the fight was fought with the help of rifles and other simpler and elementary equipment. The idea of war was partially based on courage and leadership abilities when the maiden global military confrontation was being fought and the warriors’ best companion was also significantly i nvolved in its proceedings as well. The art and science of war transformed into highly technological endeavor by the time, the world entered into the terminal years of the 20th century. The major economic powers of the world managed to develop and perfect their nuclear technology by late 1990s and therefore, the world’s ability to destroy itself grew substantially over the past decade. In the view of political specialists, the probability of war has

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Managing Email Security in Organizations Research Proposal

Managing Email Security in Organizations - Research Proposal Example The information security system helps to protect the integrity, confidentiality availability and credibility of the information being received and sent via the internet (Sehun, 2008). Spywares: these are programs that monitor keystrokes and other activities being performed by the computer and send the information to others without the consent of the computer user. Spywares also play adverts on the computers and are privacy invasive software. Trojans: these programs steal information from the infected computer and send it to a third party by pretending to perform a given task. They also alter the computer and the information and other programmable devices. Malware: this is a generalized term, used to describe software that maliciously damage the computer and other programmable devices as well as spying and sending information to another person without the consent of the user. Viruses: these programs are able to replicate themselves. They integrate themselves to the existing programs and files. By doing this, they hinder the information from the user and also corrupt the information. The ISO/IEC 2700 series consist of a set of information standards which were formulated and published by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and The International Organization for Standards (ISO). The following standards are commonly used; ISO/IEC 27000; which contains information about the family of standards and contains the terminologies used ISO/IEC 27001; it contains the standards for the establishment, implementation, improvement and control of information security management. The are based on British standards, BS 7799 part 2, they published ISO/IEC 27002 ISO/IEC 27005; these standards are designed to aid in the implementation of information security system. They are based on the risk management methods. ISO/IEC 27006: these acts as guides to the process of certification and registration. ISO/IEC 27011: they contain the guidelines for the security management of information for the telecommunication industry. ISO 27001 provides information about standards used for Email security systems (ISO 27001). This information is contained in the fourth chapter of the standardization report. Other standards are being prepared. (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2005) Problem statement Network insecurity problem is experienced in most corporations and organizations and

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

How are women represented in Things Fall Apart Research Paper

How are women represented in Things Fall Apart - Research Paper Example African women are merely sex toys in the hands of African men. Each African male has the authority to select as much as wives he needs. On the other hand such liberties are not given to the female community. â€Å"Chinua Achebe shows women as having little to no power in society in his book, Things Fall Apart. Women are not only without protection, but also denied social status. They cannot meaningfully participate in social affairs† (Kramer). This paper analyses the women representations in Things Fall Apart. â€Å"In Igbo culture, women are considered weaker than the men and thus it’s an insult to men to be called an agbala (Agbala represents a person with no titles). Okonkwo is acutely aware of what it means to be a man in the Igbo tribe and is ashamed that someone might call him or his male relations agbala† (Things Fall Apart Gender Quotes). Okonkwo, the main male character in Things Fall Apart treated his wife as a servant. Because of his short temper and aggressive nature, his wife led a miserable life under fear. Okonkwo never allowed his wife to ask questions to him about any matters, including personal, social or family. Weak men in Ibo culture were insulted by others by calling them as women. For example, Okonkwo considered his father as a woman because of his laziness and carelessness. In a meeting which included so many other dignitaries, Okonkwo asked his father to leave the meeting saying; "This meeting is for men" (Achebe, p.28). The above fact clearly underl ines how severely Ibo women were humiliated by their male counterparts. â€Å"In fact, women count for so little in Igbo society that they are often not even addressed by their given names, but referred to by their relationship with men† (Things Fall Apart Gender Quotes). Women in Ibo society were treated as the second class citizens. Unlike other women in other parts of the world, Ibo women were not respected much in

Monday, September 9, 2019

An investigation into Chinese consumers' reasons for purchasing luxury Literature review

An investigation into Chinese consumers' reasons for purchasing luxury brands in the UK - Literature review Example In spite of having such a strong presence and considerable purchasing power, this ethnic minority has not been studied as much as it deserves. Through this research we should be able to establish: Impact of Western Values on Chinese Traditions. The reasons and perception behind making such purchasing decisions. Chinese perception of brands and role a brand name plays Brand Image Journey towards brand management starts with the development of brand identity and concept and determining the way the public should perceive the brand by communicating a distinct brand image and personality (Okonkwo, 2007). According to Scholz (2012), luxury brands focus on the top two tiers of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid: Self-esteem and self-actualization. A luxury brand as opposed to a mass brand has fewer versions and products so that the brand can retain its superiority and uniqueness (Fich, 2011). Furthermore, in most cases the luxury brands are manufactured by hand or have a certain element of customization, making it one-of-a-kind product. However, on key feature of luxury brand is the fact that they are always very high-priced and are not affordable by the masses (Schloz, 2012). This fact alone retains the exclusiveness of a luxury brand as it is unreachable by masses and can be afforded by the very few with the purchasing power. In spite of what may be perceived, luxury brands are seldom bought spontaneously. Thus the majority of consumers of luxury brands put significant effort in the buying decision. In other words, the spontaneous buyers of luxury brands represents a small percentage as opposed to 70% of luxury consumers that plan in advance for buying a luxury product (Scholz, 2012). Thus luxury goods cannot be exclusively restricted to price, where the consumer is seeking bargains for convenience goods but is willing to pay a significant sum for luxury product. This is where the concept of Brand Image comes in; brand image involves the marketer to brea the life into an inanimate product, thus creating a perception of human characteristics and distinct personality in the eyes of the consumers (McLoughlin, Aaker & McLoughlin, 2012). Brand image is on the receiver’s side. Image research focuses on the way in which certain groups perceive a product, a brand, a politician, a company or a country. The image refers to the way in which these groups decode all of the signals emanating from the products, services and communication covered by the brand (Kapfere, 2004). Brand image plays a positive role in boosting the product choice when the consumer forms a congruency between their self-image and the brand personality. The marketer’s aim is to create a clear positioning of their brand in the minds of the consumer by means of brand image, thus the brand image is the most powerful tool that can be used by the luxury brand. Luxury Brand Consumers Nicole Fich (2011) in her book Brand Management for luxury goods distinguishes clear ly between a â€Å"product† and a â€Å"brand†, the product can be a car but a brand would be BMW. It is the brand name that makes a huge difference in terms of price that the consumer is willing to pay and the key feature that distinguishes the brand from competition. China and the Europe have a very rich and old civilization, and so is their long relationship. Presently this relationship is strengthened by the

The Role of Accounting on Business and Our Society Research Paper

The Role of Accounting on Business and Our Society - Research Paper Example The balance sheet is the most effective tool in communicating the financial health of a business. The balance sheet reveals the financial position of a business and reports the assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity as at a given point in time (Allee & Yohn, 2009). This financial statement also reveals the resources that remain unused at the end of the period and available for use in the following periods. Additionally, the balance sheet reports the claims for resources that remain unpaid at the end of the period and the capital represented in various forms it is constituted. The functions of accountants include recording, analyzing, and reporting the financial status of a company or a person. Either an accountant or a certified public accountant can perform accounting. Accountants do not legally have to acquire any degree or any form of accounting license for them to perform their duties; any person over 18 years old and is good in numbers can be an accountant (Seetharaman, Sun & Wang, 2011). A certified public accountant must earn an accounting degree from an accredited institution, pass the CPA Examination, pass the professional Ethics Exam from the American Institute of CPAs, and work for 1,800 hours in one year under supervision of a licensed CPA. The accounting function in the organization is critical because it enables identifying, measuring, and communicating economic information to permit informed judgments and decisions. However, the accounting function is expensive to maintain because of high costs of installing systems and paying salaries and wages for accountants. I would prefer to form a merchandising company to a service company. Charts of accounts provide a list of all accounts in the company’s system (Seetharaman, Sun & Wang, 2011). Merchandising company charts of accounts have more code numbers than the charts for service industry. Charts of accounts in a service industry provides a list of

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Eating disorder in adolescent Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Eating disorder in adolescent - Research Paper Example Eating disorders tend to develop during adolescence and are much more common to girls and women, where the causes of these disorders are related to psychological and medical issues such as low self esteem, depression, anxiety, trouble coping with emotions and substance abuse. Additionally, eating disorders start by eating less or more than the usual, where the behaviour goes out of control and gets taken over by the person’s life. Smolack and Thompson (32) argue that although the symptoms of eating disorders are known to originate primarily in adolescence, most studies have revealed that these disorders emerge due to lack of solid knowledge on how to eat well and live healthy. Obesity in adolescents has now become a very serious matter, leading to health risks such as hypertension, respiratory problems, mellitus and orthopaedic disorders (Cooper and Stein 76). Matsumoto and Herrin (32), discuses the three types of eating disorders Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge eating disorders , where Anorexia is a condition where an adolescent refuses to eat adequate calories out of an intensive and irrational fear of becoming fat and this condition has greatly risen in the past years among these adolescents. Few cases of Anorexia lead to recovery since some experience alternative bouts of weight gain and weight loss and through this conditions tend to emerge as a result of treatment such as depression and low self esteem among the adolescents. Anorexia has been known to increase risks of deaths among these adolescents and they come as a result of starvation, suicide, and severe low levels of potassium, (Matsumoto and Herrin 33). Anorexia is better when discovered and treated in early stages, since it prevents against mortality among the adolescents. Effective treatments for disorders in eating have been availed to, because Anorexic

Saturday, September 7, 2019

The British Way of Town-making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The British Way of Town-making - Essay Example The elements which have influenced Egyptian, Chinese and Islamic architecture will be explored. The influence. The elements which compose places will be explored with regards to urban design. The influence of philanthropic organizations on built constructions. The philanthropic organization which will be discussed is the Prince of Wales Foundation. Introduction To each individual, a town represents a variety of concepts. It may be the place of residence or occupational endeavors, a town may also represent a public policy structure. These concepts are implicit, especially today when many residents of the United Kingdom reside in a municipality of some classification. A town may be perceived as a collection of edifices surrounded by a park which form a silhouette with the sky. A town may also be perceived as a political structure which is composed of constables and a cul de sac. What are the characteristics of a village? If an area is established as a town, what are the factors that in fluence its development and how long may the locality be designated a town? This becomes a subject of deeper inquiry. The responses have been clarified by archaeologists who discuss the attributes. (De La Bedoyer 1992). The concept of town in the society which has been demonstrated from the legacies of the Graeco- Roman civilization continue to exist today. In Britain, there is a pronounced distinction from the oriental, central and southern regions of the landscape. There has been a geographical dividing line which is characterized as â€Å"Fosse Way†. The manner in which a town develops is equated with the environment in which it inhabits. Greece has been administered by the city- state government in where cities administered their suburbs. The city and the land which composed it became the elements of a constitution system. The same phenomenon occurred in the formation of Rome. Rome became the geographical capitol of Italy. The fact that the location of Rome enabled the fo rmation of a military system. The location of Rome also enabled the sense of citizenship and community which was expressed in the Senatus Populus Romanus which is translated into the Senate and People of Rome. Rome was acknowledged as â€Å"the City† (De La Bedoyer 1992). Discussion The construction of municipalities is one of the most recognized accomplishments of modern society. Cities have always been demonstrative of the conditions of the society in which they partake. This demonstration is manifested by the number of decisions which must be made by its inhabitants on a daily basis. In some situations, these decisions have become integrated to synthesize the perspective of clarity and form which is worthy of what has been conceived. It is the premise of concept which enables the additional comprehension of the implications of these choices. These concepts may be applied to the formation of cities in the present day. This perspective will explore the motivations of these c hoices as they have transpired in the history. The external factors which have caused the formation of cities will also be examined. The changing nature with which cities have been conceived and their synthesis will be explored. The aspiration is to dissipate the concept which has been traditionally perceived, that the cities are a unique phenomenon which occur outside of the scope of consciousness of its members. The members of these cities