The issue of regional currency unification Essay

The issue of regional currency unification - Essay Example However, the important and fundamental differences between the European Union and the other regions needs to be viewed critically, because the circumstances obtained in the case of EU with regard to the regional currency unification is significantly different compared to the other regions mainly in terms of political background, level of interactions among the member states, diplomatic relationships, cultural differences, historical political relationships among these countries, the level of maturity and understanding on the part of the various stakeholders with regard to the benefits that might arise out of currency unification. Apart from the economic considerations, which are not insurmountable in any case, the political situations in the different countries in the region both domestically and in relation to the neighboring countries and the leadership issues in these countries could act as a stumbling block in the progress towards regional currency unification. Economic integrati on in the developing world Currency substitution in the backdrop of globalization is the common phenomenon in many countries. US Dollar has been used in several countries outside the US, and Euro outside EU countries simultaneously alongside the local currencies. This practice is prevalent in most of the countries in travel, tourism and hotel industries, where the US Dollar and Euro are accepted freely. There are many full- fledged money changers registered with the centrals banks of various countries doing business around the world, who exchange currencies of a country for currencies of other countries. Currency movements across the borders have substantially increased over the period of time on account of remittances by the nationals residing in foreign countries consequent upon liberalization and globalization of economies. In the integration process of the global economy, absolute control over supply and circulation of money by the state has given way to the unification of regio nal currencies, which may subsequently pave way for common currency for the world as a whole or at the best few currencies. Debates on replacement of national currency with the common currency by all the countries in a specified region, as in the case of Euro, have gathered momentum at regional level in various parts of the globe. For instance, the idea of common currency for SAARC countries (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), ASEAN countries, regional African countries and so on are on conceptual level at various stages. Regional unification of currencies The move towards regional currency regime need not be considered as a surrender of sovereignty by the nations in the unification process. Rather it is a process of coming together by various nations recognizing the need for unification, justified by the benefits of currency unification in the economic development of the constituent countries. According to Cohen (2003, p. 2), the emergence of regional currencies can be regarded as a logical corollary of the intense competitive contest among monies – a Darwinian struggle where, ultimately, only the fittest may survive. The decision of a country with regard to unification of currencies is dependent upon several factors such as size of the economy, stability in the financial markets, and its exposure to international trade, political situation in the country and its diplomatic relationship with the other countries in the

Starbucks Corp Clouds In Your Coffee Case Study Essay

Starbucks Corp Clouds In Your Coffee Case Study - Essay Example Most prominently the company has sought to rapidly expand while they balance efficiency measures with the Starbuck’s Experience. In addressing Starbuck’s dilemma a number of elements are considered and recommendations advanced. The company’s overarching operating model is examined. In these regards, it’s indicated that Starbucks has a number of unique aspects in comparison to franchises. For instance, Starbucks maintains ownership control of their stores. Other aspects include the way employees are treated and clustering mechanisms. Ultimately, it’s determined that Starbuck’s has become overly corporate-centric in image and must undergo significant structural changes to remedy this problem. In these regards, the report indicates that Starbucks must allow increased franchisee responsibility and greater decompartmentalization in-terms of store models. Background Starbucks Corporation faces a number of contemporary business issues in regards to their overall organization. Specifically, operational management concerns have posed a number of pressing concerns for the coffee conglomerate. A proper understanding of the issues the company is facing requires a brief background understanding of the company’s evolution. ... As such, Starbucks adopted the tall and venti sizes, with a large variety of coffee options. These options coupled with the aura the original ownership had fostered constituted the company’s core ‘Starbucks Experience.’ From 1987 until the present day, this model was widely successful and the company witnessed substantial expansion throughout the country and, indeed, world. With the company’s rapid expansion and commodification a number of significant changes had to be instituted. Most prominently, the company instituted wide efficiency measures as a means of speeding coffee production and increasing bottom-line profits. While these efficiency measures served their purpose, a recent memo by company president Howard Schulz to key executives indicated that many of the efficiency measures have compromised the Starbuck’s Experience. For example, Schulz pointed out that in changing espresso machines the company achieved increased efficiency measures, yet lost the aroma and intimacy that constituted a particular Starbuck’s aura. Another challenge the company recognized was the increased demand for hot food while retaining the stores’ aroma and efficiency levels. In addition to balancing the in-store Starbuck’s Experience with the need for increased efficiency, the corporation’s has international expansion ambitions. Perhaps most prominently, the company has expanded into China through a hybrid partnership model with local stakeholders. This has posed challenges as in cooperating with the local stakeholders the company has had to give up a modicum of control onto internal store elements. Ultimately, Starbucks

Perelmans Argumentation Theory And International Relations Philosophy Essay

Perelmans Argumentation Theory And International Relations Philosophy Essay The purpose of this essay is to outline the main notions of Chaim Perelmans philosophy as presented in The Realm of Rhetoric. Let it be mentioned here that Perelman never intended his book to be a methodological study book, but a concise work on what justification of values looks like in practical discourse. Still, his works have been widely applied as a methodological tool in the field of international relations. From outlining Perelmans philosophy I will proceed onto how it has been applied in international relations research. In the last part of my essay, I will study how to use Perelmans work in my own research. 2. BACKGROUND Initially, the Polish-born philosopher Chaim Perelman carried his research in law and philosophy along the lines of logical positivism. In 1944, Perelman completed an empiricist study on justice, De La Justice  [1]  . In his research he concluded that the applications of the law always involve value judgments, and as values cannot be subjected to the rules of logic, the foundations of justice must be arbitrary. Perelman found his own conclusions untenable since value judgments are an integral part of all practical reasoning and decision-making. To deny the value judgments would mean denying the rational foundations of philosophy, politics, law and ethics. As a result of his own empiricist study, Perelman rejected his positivism, absorbing influences from the philosophies that provided a rationale for value judgments  [2]  . According to him, the usefulness of logical positivism was limited to the applications of pure science  [3]  . Regressive philosophies that provide a rationale for value judgments were just as untenable for him because metaphysics self-evident axioms only one perceived error would cause the metaphysical construction and its claims for universal truths to collapse  [4]  . Prevalent alternatives, especially the existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, do not elicit any sympathy from Perelman either: Perelman says that Sartre merely replaces absolutes of metaphysicism with absolute skepticism  [5]  . In 1948 Perelman met with Madame Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca, with whom he set on a collaboration project, the purpose of which was to develop a philosophy that avoided the absolutes of both positivism and radical relativism. Their basic question can be expressed as: What does justification of values look like in actual, verbal discourse?  [6]  In other words, they set on to research non-formal arguments. Together with Olbrechts-Tytega, Perelman created a theory of rhetoric and argumentation, based upon Greco-Latin rhetoric, as the foundation for a logic of value judgments. Their multidisciplinary study, Traità ¨ de largumentation la nouvelle rhà ©torique was published in French in 1958  [7]  . This work, where Perelman and Olbrechts-Tytega create their theory of rhetoric and argumentation, is the basis of Perelmans The Realm of Rhetoric, where he broadens the original work further. Relying heavily on the works of Aristotle, Perelman concludes that instead of aspiring to universal truths, philosophy in reality is more concerned with persuading specific audiences to accept its claims. For Perelman, a functioning philosophy (which would induce action and essential aspects of being) should be constructed on probabilities, not universal truths, and it should also be able to carry propositions of values stemming from its reception by particular audiences.  [8]   3. THE NEW RHETORIC AND THEORY OF ARGUMENTATION Rhetoric and theory of argumentation form the central core of Perelmans thought. Perelmans study of argumentation is the study of discursive techniques that induce or increase the minds adherence to the theses presented for its assent  [9]  . As Arnold  [10]  proposes, Perelmans realm of rhetoric is the entire universe of argumentative discourse. Perelmans rhetoric is based on the idea that since argumentation aims at securing the adherence of those to whom it is addressed, argumentation is relative to the audience to be influenced  [11]  . Thus, rhetoric is an art of persuasion. 3.1. Audience and the premises of argumentation Argumentation is a person-centered activity it is personal because it starts with the premises that the audience accepts  [12]  . As for the audience, Perelman sticks to the twin concepts of a particular audience and a universal audience; while every argument is directed to a specific individual or a group, it is up to the speaker to decide what information and data will win the greatest adherence according to an ideal audience  [13]  . The aim of all argumentation is to move an audience from an agreement on the premises to an agreement about some conclusion, to modify an audiences convictions through discourse, gain a meeting of minds instead of imposing its will through constraint or conditioning  [14]  . Thus, all argumentation must begin from bases of agreement adequately accepted by the audience prior to the argument. Perelman differentiates between two categories of bases of agreement: the first category consist of facts and truths, the second of the values and hie rarchies  [15]  . Facts and truths here can be understood as supposedly having been accepted by the universal audience, whereas the second category, the values, which can be concrete and abstract, are not universal  [16]  . Establishing values as a starting point of argumentation is important as they may influence action and define good behavior. Values are usually arranged in hierarchies, for instance the superiority of the just over the useful; as a starting point for argumentation an audience may value both but in argument set a preference between the two  [17]  . The last argument starting point, to draw the attention of the audience, is creating a presence. Perelman refers to creating and evoking presence as a technique belonging uniquely in the realm of rhetoric, reaching beyond space and time; convincing an audience through their imagination.  [18]   3.2. Techniques of argumentation As the non-formal argument depends on the adherence of an audience, the orator must see to it that his successive elements of an argument will be accepted or adhered to by the audience. Perelman offers two basic techniques to achieve this: firstly, the association through quasi-logical arguments, and appeals to reality; secondly responding to incompatible opinions through dissociation of concepts.  [19]   Quasi-logical arguments resemble logical, mathematical thinking. However, a quasi-logical argument always presupposes adherence to non-formal theses which alone allow the application of the argument  [20]  . An example of this would be a parlamentarian presenting budget figures in the Parliament, with the aim of initiating an additional rescue package for banks. He/she presents actual figures but purports them in a certain way in his argumentation, in order to convince his/her audience. Association through appealing to reality, on the other hand, refers to affirming of a causal tie between phenomena. From this vantage point argumentation can be directed toward the search for causes, the determination of effects, and the evaluation of a fact by its consequences, which in some cases leads to further inquiries  [21]  . A simple example of this could be a discovery of a corpse and the consequences that follow this particular action. Other ways of argumentation by appealing to reality include examples, illustrations, models and analogy  [22]  . The second technique dissociation of concepts the orator uses when the tenets of an argument are incompatible with accepted opinion. Perelmans view is that when faced with the incompatibilities that ordinary thought encounters, a person tries to resolve it in a theoretically satisfying manner by reestablishing a coherent vision of reality by dissociating the ideas accepted in the start. An example of this dissociation to an appearance vs. reality, a practice found directly or indirectly in all dissociations, could be an oar plunged into the water it appears broken but when we touch it, it is straight. Accordingly, appearances have an equivocal status some of them correspond to reality but sometimes they are only a source of an illusion.  [23]   4. PERELMANS ARGUMENTATION THEORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS First and foremost, Perelman was a philosopher, not a theoretician in the field of international relations. Secondly, as far as I have understood it, he never aimed his project on rhetoric and argumentation theory, neither his book The Realm of Rhetoric, to be used as a book of methodology in any academic discipline per se. Anyway, during the past two decades there has been a lot of research in the field of international relations that focus on the impact of the politics of talk, or linguistic practices on world politics. Rhetoric and argumentation theory have been used extensively as a method. However, in my opinion, different scholarly communities seem to be pursuing different agendas on different forums, and despite the overlaps, complementarities and possible unification of how language matters in politics, seems to be beyond reach. The different forms of talk bargaining, rhetoric, commonplaces, legal argument, verbal fighting take place in different forums in the sectarian field of international relations. The different forums vary in the degree to which they are public, or rule-governed/institutionalized. The talk of politics also exerts its effects through different mechanisms legitimization, representational force, grafting, framing, persuasion, coercion. The political effects of talk are manifold: the resolution or the escalation of the conflict, the acceptance of or resistance to authority and domination, the construction and transformation of identities and narratives, etc.  [24]   What I would conclude about Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation in the realm of international relations, is that as a method it is extremely adaptable and flexible, and it has thus been used extensively. An itemized listing of using Perlmans philosophy as a method in the different studies in international relations, apart from on the general level, as in the previous chapter, would run tens of pages. When trying to find examples of studies in the field of international relations, where Perelmans philosophy had been applied as a method, the most interesting one I stumbled upon was a study by the Viennese researcher Markus Kornprobst, called International Relations as Rhetorical Discipline. Kornprobst proposes that the irreconcilable differences and debates inside the fragmented discipline of international relations are not that irreconcilable and immeasurable at all if we understand the discipline in Perelmanian terms. He proposes, borrowing from Bakhtin and Gadamer that we should understand international relations as a field of overlapping paradigms, which are not hermetically sealed and sectarian. Speechlessness, non-communication inside the discipline can be overcome by uncovering overlaps. Secondly, he argues that this can be applied even to the most irreconcilable epistemological differences (positivism/postpositivism) inside the discipline. His heuristic vehicle for uncover ing overlaps is a classification of epistemological stances in Ancient Greece, which in Kornprobsts study starts from the thesis that international relations is a rhetorical discipline; based on its Aristotelian truth claims, the modes of reasoning and its manner of disseminating what is taken to be knowledge. Thus, the epistemological differences inside the discipline are actually not irreconcilable at all. Dialogue can develop out of the overlap of the horizons and (re)produce the shared language across horizons on which a scholarly community depends.  [25]   5. PERELMAN AND MY OWN RESEARCH I have planned to write my Masters thesis on Thailands democratization process and the national identity of Thainess. I am still at the early stages in my thesis. However, I am planning to use an interdisciplinary theoretical framework in my thesis, along the lines of the political thought of Robert J.Cox, Antonio Gramsci, Karl Polanyi and Gianbattista Vico. Let it be mentioned here that I am only beginning to outline the theoretical framework of my thesis, so the method I am going to use is still open. However, my intention is to study how the Western concept of democracy has been implemented in the local Thai context so that the concept of democracy has been assimilated to the strong nation state by the local competing elites. In this process, the local elites have used the concept of democracy as an instrument of order and discipline. This elite liberal democracy has been used to create Western-style projects, of which creating a national identity of Thai-ness -project is a prime example to suppress diverse segments of population. Thus, the liberal democracy is a kind of ideological tool to secure hegemony to control and discipline the population. An important part of the hegemonic process is immersing for instance the civil society, various peoples movements and democracy it into creating obedient citizens, who will act as guardians to the elite and their interest. In the centre of the national identity project in Thailands particular case is the monarchy. My emphasis would be on the socio-cultural interplay between rulers and ruled within state struggles over hegemony leading to different ways along which domination and resistance can be studied. Initially, I thought my emphasis would not be on economics and on the economical analysis, however during the research process my research is directing me more and more towards the international political economy and critical geography.  [26]   When it comes to the applicability of Perelmans rhetoric and argumentation theory to my thesis as a method, the argumentative approach would be easily applicable. As footnote here: Gramsci offers a very elastic frame of thinking, which calls for interdisciplinarity and open-mindedness just like Perelmans philosophy does  [27]  . A good starting point to use Perelman in my own research would be the central notion in Gramscis thinking, namely hegemony. Hegemony is a multilayered concept; it operates within the duality force/consent and violence/persuasion that to Gramsci characterizes the nature of power. It acquires concrete structure and specific content particularly during those periods in history in which the people or the masses either form the ground for political action or become a force in politics  [28]  . According to Gramsci, capitalism maintains control not only through political and economic coercion and force but also ideologically, through a hegemonic culture  [29]  . Any class that wishes to dominate in a society, has to move beyond economic-corporate interests, to exert moral and intellectual influence and to make alliances and compromises with different social forces to create a counter-hegemonic historic bloc  [30]  . Applying Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation in analyzing Gramscis notion of hegemony would mean analyzing everyday argumentative discourse in public policy, in my thesis it would involve the dichotomy between the struggle of the subaltern classes versus the dominant elites. What is the dominant discourse in holding onto power of the different elites and how is it used to solidify the sovereignty of the authoritarian state over different segments of society struggling for power? What are the aspects of the dominant discourse, political, economical and cultural? As Gramsci sees the society as an organic process, much like the modern physics, he also sees the prevailing hegemony as a process on many levels, including the struggle between the authoritarian state and subaltern classes. Thus, the history of the subaltern classes and counterhegemonical forces is bound to be sporadic, depending on the political space that the subaltern classes manage to create for themselves at certain periods of history. What is the public discourse and the argumentative discourse of the subaltern classes like, and what are its implications when the space the subaltern forces create for themselves at these historical periods? How to interpret the talk of politics in my own research? In many respects, Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation offers an extremely interesting and fruitful tool for my own research. However, as I am still writing my own research plan and doing the background research, I will leave the option of which method to use, open. 6. CONCLUSIONS In this essay, I have tried to outline Chaim Perelmans sometimes obscure philosophy on rhetoric and theory of argumentation. Perelmans theory has been widely applied as a methodological tool in the overlapping fields of research in the academic discipline of international relations. When it comes down to my own research, I find that Perelmans rhetoric and theory of argumentation is definitely one possible option I can as a methodological tool. 7. SOURCES OF REFERENCE: Agnew, J. (2001): The New Global Economy. Time-Space Compression, Geopolitics and Uneven Development. Journal of World Systems Research VII, 2, Fall 2001, 133- 154. . Accessed 15/12/2010. Arnold, C.C. (2008): Introduction. In Perelman, Ch. : The Realm of Rhetoric. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press, vii-xx. Cox, R. (1987): Production, Power and World Order: Social Forces In Making the World History. New York: Columbia University Press. Fontana, B. (2005): The Democratic Philosopher. Rhetoric as Hegemony in Gramsci. Italian Culture 23 (2005), 97-123. Accessed 15/12/2010. Gramsci, A. (2007): Selections from the Prison Notebooks. Edited and translated by Q. Hoare and G.N. Smith. London: Lawrence and Wishart. Gross, A.J. R.D. Dearin (2003): Chaim Perelman. Albany, N.Y.: SUNY Press. Kornprobst, M. (2009): International Relations as Rhetorical Discipline. International Studies Review 11(1), 1-22. . Accessed 14/12/2010. Perelman, Ch. (2008): The Realm of Rhetoric. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press. Perelman, Ch. L. Olbrechts-Tytega (1969): The Treatise on New Rhetoric and Argumentation. Notre Dame, IN: UND Press. The Politics of Talk in International Relations. A Workshop at the Research Centre Transformations of the State.University of Bremen 27-28 July 2010. . Accessed 14.12.2010.

Technology in Mathematics Classrooms :: Education School

Technology Views NCTM summarizes the technology principle by saying, â€Å"technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning.† I’m not sure that I agree with the entirety of this statement. Technology is important; it allows students to quickly make connections that would be lost without the speed and precision of computers. Technology also allows for thoughtless reproduction of facts already known. Imagine how long it would take to solve a college level mathematics problem without the aid of calculators for division, multiplication, exponents, and logarithms. Although I feel that technology is an important tool for enhancing mathematics, I feel that technology is replacing the foundation required for understanding mathematics. I am a firm believer that mathematics is more of an ability to solve problems than it is a solution to a given problem. Students must be required to think mathematically for themselves if they are to be successful at mathematics. All too often, math is reduced to formulas and specific ways of solving problems. I believe that meaning and reason are the two most important qualities of mathematics. Without these tools, mathematics may as well be left out of schools. I feel that it is vital for students to learn the â€Å"why† before they learn shortcuts. Imagine a test without calculators in a high school class. Most students would experience great difficulty in working with simple operations such as division. (Fractions may in fact be the work of Satan in the minds of some students). It is of the utmost importance for students to learn how to approach problems without the aid of technology. The great minds of the past did not have computers, calculators, or even chalk boards; yet, they were able to develop a world of reason that we call mathematics. If past scholars could do complex proofs without the aid of today’s technological advancements, I do not think it is nonsensical to expect a student of algebra to be able to graph a function with pencil and paper. Although many may feel I have focused on what is wrong with technology, they are mistaken. Technology itself is a good thing; it is only through poor instruction that technology becomes a vice. The most important word that NCTM uses to summarize its technology principle is â€Å"enhance.† Technology is meaningless without proper instruction, but with an excellent guide, the mathematical possibilities are endless. According to NCTM, â€Å"Students can learn more mathematics more deeply with the appropriate and responsible use of technology.† It is necessary for technology to be used appropriately and responsibly. Teachers cannot just give a student a calculator and

Japanese Kimono

The  kimono  is a traditional form of clothing worn by Japanese women and men. There are many different forms of Japanese kimono. The word kimono literally as known as â€Å"clothing†, and up until the mid 19th century it was the form of dress worn by everyone in Japan. Between 30 and 100 days after a child is born, the parents, siblings, and grandparents visit a shrine together to report the child’s birth. The baby is dressed in a white under-kimono. On top of that kimono, the baby wears a brightly coloured yuzen-dyed kimono if it is a girl, and a black kimono decorated with the family crest if it is a boy.Another key event in a kid’s life is the SHICHI-GO-SAN(seven-five-three) Festival, which takes place in November. On this day, they are dressed in kimonos and parents will take their 5 years old boys and 7 or 3 years old girls to the local shrine to thanks the gods for keeping their children healthy and making them grow. Japanese women wear different kind of Kimono throughout the different stages in their life. When a young Japanese woman reach 20 years old, she is recognised as an adult.Many parents buy the  Furisode  for their daughters to celebrate this vital point in a young woman's life. Furisode is a formal kimono for single women, it is brightly colored and made of very fine quality silk. In the very modest Japanese society wearing a Furisode is a very obvious statement that the single woman is available for marriage. The major points of the furisode is the long sleeves and it will go right to the ground. When a Japanese woman marries, many parents buy their daughters another kimono call the houmongi.The houmongi takes over the role the  furisode  played in the life when she was single. The houmongi is the married woman's formal kimono. It will be wear when attending  friend’s Japanese weddings  or  tea ceremonies while Tomesode is normally wear to a  Japanese wedding ceremony  of a close relative. Jap anese will wear different colour of Kimonos that suit to the four seasons of the year. Pale colours such as light green are appropriate for spring, while cool colours such as lavender or dark blue are good for summer.Today, the yukata is a casual light cotton  kimono  widely worn as a casual wear in Bon-Odori and summer festivals and attending for public occassions. The yukata is worn with a wider belt, which can be simply wrapped around the waist and tucked in at the end. For a more formal appearance, the yukata is worn with an  obi  belt, along with a matching  geta  (wooden sandals) and purse to complete the attire. The colour of autumn is imitate the hues of the turning leaves while winter is the season for strong colours like black and red.Although kimonos are no longer everyday wear in Japan, people stil like to wear them at various times throughout the year. And when they do, they use the fabrics, colors, and a designs of their kimonos to express their love of the 4 seasons. The name yukata comes from the word ‘yu’ (bath) and ‘katabira’ (under clothing). In the Heian era (794-1185), court nobles wore linen ‘yukata’ which were draped loosely after taking a bath. The yukata was later also worn by Japanese warriors and by the Edo era (1600-1868), it was widely worn by the public when public bath became a popular recreation in Japan.Furisode are mainly worn for major social functions such aswedding ceremonies  or tea ceremonies until they get married. A Furisode normally costs around A$15,000 for the whole outfit which depends on the quality of the materials, design and workmanship. The second Monday in January  is a  public holiday  called ‘Adult Day' and many young women attend a ceremony wearing their Furisode kimono. The Mofuku is only worn to the funeral of a close relative. This kimono is all black. ‘Hadajuban’ is the first undergarment worn in the  kimono  attire. It is so named as it is worn next to the skin.Note 1: As the  kimono  is cut in a straight pattern / shape, padding is often needed around the waist and/or bust. A padding similar to the one shown in the picture can be worn to fill / level off body curves. Please note that padding is worn underneath the ‘hadajuban’. Note 2: Over the ‘hadajuban’, a second undergarment called the ‘nagajuban’ is worn to add collar definition to the kimono. Please note that the ‘nagajuban’ is not worn with a casual kimono such as theyukata. In my past experience, I thought Kimono will only be worn during â€Å"Bon-Odori†, m

Media criticism paper

When he first was signed to his record label and released his debut single, I will admit I was not a huge fan Of his. But as he got older, along with me, and his music started becoming more mainstream, and relatable it was hard not to love him as an artist, plus he got much easier to look at. My love for him peaked in the fall of 201 2 when my best friend and I attended his concert in Portland. It was impossible not to fall in love with him, after spending 3 hours listening to Justine serenade us with songs varying from all four of his albums out at the current time.Since then he has released and acoustic version of his ever popular ‘Believe' album. Justine concerts aren't just him standing on stage singing into a microphone either, he is a performer, and his concert was a production, lots of time and effort goes into each and every show he performs. But Justine is much more than just a pop sensation; he is also a very charitable person. He has donated of millions of dollars to various charities since his rise to stardom. Though recently, he has been getting a lot of negative press, which has been hard for any, if not all of his â€Å"Believers†(what Justine calls his millions of dedicated fans) to hear.Justine is constantly under the media's microscope and every single thing he does get criticized and scrutinized by the paparazzi and by the media. Justine main audience is young, teen girls and with some of the things that the media has accused him of doing recently have parents keeping girls from going to his concerts. For being less than two decades old, Justine Bibber has done more charity work than most kids his age will do in their entire lives. Although he has made more money in the short time he has been in the footlight than most people would know what to do with, he does a great deal of good with all that dough.Most recently, in wake of the devastating typhoon in the Philippines, â€Å"Justine Bibber is finally using his fame for good- by turning his love for graffiti into hard cash for a Philippines typhoon relief group†(Jiffies). Bibber posted a picture to his Mainstream of him next to the ‘Pray 4 Philippines' graffiti he made. It has been reported that Justine is to sell Off the cans Of spray paint he used, along with a signed picture of the painting o help raise money for Typhoon Hanna (Jiffies). But tagging the walls of L. A. Is not the only charity Justine Bibber does.Just this summer he granted his 20th Make-a-Wish Foundation. At one of his meet and greets during his Atlanta concert in August, Justine met an eight year old girl with a life threatening liver condition. She got to ask him a series of question and at the very end she asked him to marry her, only to have him get down on one knee and pretend propose to her himself. This was the 20th Make-a-Wish Bibber had granted, the most by any recording artist ever (Acacias). In addition, Justine Bibber donates one dollar from every concert tour tic ket to charity.From the two tours he's been on, it comes out to be 13 million dollars (Earthman). Those are just a few of the good deeds the young pop star has done since his rise to fame, he has also founded/supported 14 different charities and 17 various causes (Justine Bibber). Like every teenage boy, Justine has recently been caught â€Å"experimenting† with different substances. The only problem with him doing so rather than every other teen, is he has constant microscope over him watching his every eve, and scrutinizing every thing he does.Earlier this year reports surfaced that Bibber has allegedly been caught smoking weed. His tour bus was raided in Sweden when the police thought drugs Were being used inside. Reports say that the officers found â€Å"narcotics† on the bus but there were no charges, as the police couldn't determine who they belonged to. Justine was also allegedly caught one time before this for the use of marijuana but biblically and comically a pologized to fans during a skit while hosting Saturday Night Live in February (Marcus). S normal for every college age kid to drink or try pot (not legally of course, but it still happens), but Justine has to endure the wrath of the media because he such a big star. Bibber has been criticized for all sorts of mischievous things recently like, going to clubs, supposedly spitting on his fans, peeing in a mop bucket, reckless driving of expensive sports cars, attacking a London paparazzi and many more. These sorts of activities are leaving parents of young fans wondering if Justine is a good role model/ icon and wondering what sorts of messages and values he is sending to his monger fan base.Being born and raised in Canada, permits drinking and club-going at age 18, so he has been legal there for over a year, but he cannot partake in those types of behaviors in the US, where he lives and owns a house in Calabash, California. The most recent scandal surrounding Bibber is the wild party he threw at his California home this past weekend. TOM reports that Justine threw a â€Å"Gatsby like† party at his home, that was â€Å"FILLED with naked chicks† thought to be stripers that he was â€Å"tipping like a Pro†. He was said to have dropped $10,000 in cash on all the girls.

Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome essays

Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome essays Munchausens syndrome is very quickly becoming the modern day, similar to the witch-hunts in the Dark Ages. This syndrome was first described in 1977 by Meadow. Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome is also know as MBPS, it is described as one of the most harmful forms of child abuse. Why do parents have to harm their children in the most harmful way? Researchers say MBPS is a parenting disorder where parents make their children get certain symptoms, while they are trying to perform this, the child gets unnecessary medical tests and surgical procedures. More than 98% of MBPS cases involve the mothers. Many of these people that harm their children in this way have a background in a medical or health-care setting. Typically it seems, that the MSBP parent is on a misguided mission to feel special, to get a lot of attention from people, friends, family and the community, as the heroic parent of a tragically ill child. Other parents crave a major relationship with the doctors. It is also suspected that these parents have had abuse towards them at some point in their early life so they think that this is a way to hide their past. Also, very small children are usually the victims since they are too young to relate what is happening to them. The parents acting skills can match these of a veteran performer, which can mislead the most skillful physicians. For example, the MSBP parent might induce apnea by suffocating their child to the point of unconsciousness, and then panicly display the limp child to the hospital or clinic staff as the tears roll down her cheeks. They might secretly place a drop of blood in the childs urine specimen, and then appear traumatic at the lab results that alarm the unsuspecting physicians and nurses. Behind closed doors, she may scrub the childs skin with oven cleaner to cause a terrible blistering rash that lasts for months. The most common mode of sympt ...

How to Fix the United Nations essays

How to Fix the United Nations essays The United Nations doesn't work. As a whole, it was a good idea after World War II, but it has failed as a whole. While it is still a good idea, it needs to go under huge reform to get changed. To get any power in the world, the United Nations needs to be granted real power over the people of the world, from dismantling the governments of the world. One world government under the United Nations or some form of universally combined government is what is needed to combine the people of Earth to peace. The United Nations Security Council has major flaws. One is the veto; one nation can veto any militaristic movement by the United Nations. Another is the fact that other than the five permanent nations, no other nation has a permanent seat. And another is the fact that the United Nations cannot rapidly deploy troops, cannot train troops, and does not have the equipment for the troops to use. The veto is the major flaw, to fix this, there needs to be a change in the way the process is handled. Vetoing in the Security Council needs to be spread out power wise, resting the power in one countries hand leads to the problems the Security Council now has. If say 2/3 veto could happen, it would probably lead to a much stronger Security Council. By doing this, the stabilization of the United Nations will begin. Five nations hold the permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council. The other ten is not permanent making for an imbalance; this imbalance causes a rift that makes the superpowers-the five permanent nations-stronger than the ten others. The Security Council needs to be organized in the same way as the General Assembly. Then all nations would get a say in what happens in the Security Council. Or you could keep the Security Council, but the General Assembly gets to have the final veto. The failure of the United Nations to rapidly deploy troops is another of its problems. With the small number of resources that the Un...

Definition of Wormhole - Theory of Relativity

Definition of Wormhole - Theory of Relativity Definition: A wormhole is a theoretical entity allowed by Einsteins theory of general relativity in which spacetime curvature connects two distant locations (or times). The name wormhole was coined by American theoretical physicist John A. Wheeler in 1957, based on an analogy of how a worm could chew a hole from one end of an apple through the center to the other end, thus creating a shortcut through the intervening space. The picture to the right depicts a simplified model of how this would work in linking two areas of two-dimensional space. The most common concept of a wormhole is an Einstein-Rosen bridge, first formalized by Albert Einstein and his colleague Nathan Rosen in 1935. In 1962, John A. Wheeler and Robert W. Fuller were able to prove that such a wormhole would collapse instantly upon formation, so not even light would make it through. (A similar proposal was later resurrected by Robert Hjellming in 1971, when he presented a model in which a black hole would draw matter in while being connected to a white hole in a distant location, which expels this same matter.) In a 1988 paper, physicists Kip Thorne and Mike Morris proposed since that such a wormhole could be made stable by containing some form of negative matter or energy (sometimes called exotic matter). Other types of traversible wormholes have also been proposed as valid solutions to the general relativity field equations. Some solutions to the general relativity field equations have suggested that wormholes could also be created to connect different times, as well as distant space. Still other possibilities have been proposed of wormholes connecting to whole other universes. There is still much speculation on whether it is possible for wormholes to actually exist and, if so, what properties they would actually possess. Also Known As: Einstein-Rosen bridge, Schwarzschild wormhole, Lorentzian wormhole, Morris-Thorne wormhole Examples: Wormholes are best known for their appearance in science fiction. The television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, for example, largely focused on the existence of a stable, traversible wormhole that connected the Alpha Quadrant of our galaxy (which contains Earth) with the distant Gamma Quadrant. Similarly, shows such as Sliders and Stargate have used such wormholes as the means of traveling to other universes or distant galaxies.

50p dq thanksgiving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

50p dq thanksgiving - Essay Example Greetings makes me feel more than just a customer; a guest. Over time, I have noticed that I have a tendency of spending a lot on my budget and frequently when purchasing something. Unwelcoming stores make me feel stressed, insecure and uncomfortable (Bonita Springs, FL: The situation changes when I visit places where I am familiar with the products supplied. However, in such places I always want to be complimented because it prides my heart for example to be reassured of the perfection of the product and how it suits my interest. It makes me feel the worth of the product and in essence add enormous goodwill (Bonita Springs, FL: Addington & Wentworth, 1997). Given the chance in large stores, one is familiar with its products enables me to make an individual choice without distraction. It is from such endeavors that I cherish the space when in a store. In conclusion, welcoming is a good gesture because it makes one feel relaxed and will be able to concentrate on working. On the other hand, guidance during a shopping session, enables one to make an informed choice. The right mix of welcoming, guidance and a bit of space to make personal choices is what I like to

LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRINCIPLES Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRINCIPLES - Term Paper Example Some of the leadership theories focus on the qualities that distinguish leaders and their followers (Bennis, 1989). In addition, other leadership theories highlight on the levels of skills and an individuals approach towards various aspects of leadership in a particular context in the society. Leadership is a core element of the society because it promotes effective organization, planning, and decision-making processes in the society. On a personal level, I take an evolved approach to leadership based on experiences in different social contexts. In this case, my personal definition of leadership is the ability to stimulate and motivate people to act towards a desired goal or vision. Leadership would not only focus on the goal or vision but also help the workers to rise to their full capabilities while accomplishing the goal or mission of an organization. In addition, effective leadership qualities are developed by establishing an individual’s weaknesses and initiating appropriate measures to promote leadership (Bennis, 1989). The establishment of the characteristics of my weaknesses in the interacting with different people in the society contributes to the development of good leadership qualities. The experience also enables me to develop effective problem-solving strategies in different social contexts. Addition, good leadership is developed through embracing of the challenges an individual faces in inter acting and resolving issues in the society (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Leadership challenges vary depending on various aspects such as behavioral, psychological and social context. The challenges an individual faces in a particular leadership position are essential in enhancing leadership development in them. In addition, the process of overcoming some of the challenges to effective leadership is crucial in establishing a confident approach to various arguments in a particular context (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Leadership challenges refer to

HSBC as a Financial Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HSBC as a Financial Service - Assignment Example They also are a provider of a large number of financial services to a large number of customers. These services include Commercial banking, Personal Financial Services, Private Banking and Global Banking and Markets (HSBC, 2010). Lloyd’s is one of the well known and trusted financial institutions. It has grown over the years to become one of the globally recognized and prominent figures in Dow Jones index and FTSE 100. It has been one of the greatest British institutions that have developed itself into the global business. The rating agencies have recognized the organization by providing the securities high rates that shows that the firm has been performing well (Lloyd’s, 2010). Marketing of the financial services has been one of the recent phenomena even in the developed nations of the world. The financial service sector has not been subjected to the market pressure in an attempt to survive and prosper. This sector has operated in the benign market environment in most of the countries and has been managed and controlled by the state itself. The government has helped in the development of the new products as well as in the promotional activities. The strategic marketing planning helps to set the direction for the medium to long-term. In order to complement the strategic marketing plan, it would be best for the companies to have an annual marketing plan in order to achieve the short term marketing objectives (Ennew & Waite, 2007). The main strategy of the HSBC Bank has been to build its position as the leader in the international as well as the emerging markets. It tries to pay the employees according to their performances that include market-based pay. The bank has a transparent structure that is based on the separately capitalized subsidiaries. It also takes a conservative approach to the liquidity management and has developed its business in such a way that helps to provide diversified and broad global services.

Humanitarian interventions can only be strong states's strategies, Term Paper

Humanitarian interventions can only be strong states's strategies, discuss - Term Paper Example the front, with examples such as liberation of Iraq from dictatorial rule, which was successful after the US military managed to apprehend the then president Saddam Hussein (Chomsky 2007 p 30). It has also been in the forefront to restore democracy as well as suppressing armed militia for example in Somalia during the first battle of Mogadishu, invasion in Afghanistan among others. As it is today, the global economy depends highly on peace especially due to the various international trade organizations in place and hence, any country which may seem to jeopardize growth as a result of war and oppressive leadership should be made to account for its own short comings. These interventions however, should not be based on the greed to serve personal vendettas but for the common good of preserving humanity. This essay is a critical evaluation on humanitarian intervention, supporting the idea that they can only be successful if conducted by strong states, citing examples of successes and fai lures mostly from the US perspective. Humanitarian interventions as discussed herein, involves exercising liberty to disregard the sovereignty of a country with a genuine reason in order to protect the rights of the citizens as the understanding of international customary law dictates (Nye 2008 p 66). Many citizens continue to die as a result of power hungry politicians, who are willing and able to kill their fellow country men for them to remain in power. In defense, rebel movements especially in the third world countries continue to emerge resulting to more deaths and destruction of property. The Iraq government for example under the watch of president Saddam did not only pose a great threat to its neighbors such as Iran and Kuwait but also to its own citizens, who faced brutality from security forces, especially those who dared to criticize his rule. It is estimated that 300000 Iraqis died as a result of atrocities committed against them by Saddam’s regime. Most of these victims

Public argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public argument - Essay Example We have the responsibility to protect the wild in the best way possible with consideration that they are also meant to get used to the new habitats and evade extinction. This paper supports the argument in favor of zoos. The main reasons include provision of learning opportunities, for animal protection, and reducing extinction. In addition, this paper disagrees with leaving the animals in the wild to expose them to fear, hunger, injury, disease, cruelty, human conflicts, and loss of habitats. In the debate on zoos ethos largely support zoos. Throughout the world, wild animals are subjected to harsh dangers in the wild yet a little interest in the position of animals in human lives or establishments of meanings through human and animal intersections could save their lives (Rothfels 481). For years, the zoo has been understood as a cultural object that cannot be dismissed by the academy that considers them as places for the intelligent to gain more intelligent. Evidently, zoos have been sought by people since their inception and continue being sought both to pass interaction with extraordinary zoo animals, and to acknowledge that the conception and thought of human history involves even the encounter with nonhumans. Besides interacting with animals and understanding human history, zoos offer humans the opportunity to interpret the world as being in a position to provide environments that are beyond human expectations cute; rare; ferocious; and elusive (Rothfels 482). It is for such reasons that many flock zoos yearly, and pay large sums of money to experience pleasure through the recreation offered in these places. Contrary to the opinion that zoos bring captivity, the lives of animals in zoos vastly differs from that of members of the same species living in the wild. Pathos presents a great strategy in support of zoos. A great difference is evident in the lives of

How does low income level relates to child abuse Term Paper

How does low income level relates to child abuse - Term Paper Example The main concern of a poor class is to survive and combat with poverty. The poverty problem is a dilemma which gives rise to child sexual abuse since the families are not concerned about child protection. The way children are maltreated, misuse, and neglect have many times escorted them to the vulnerability of child abuse. However in the United States, child abuse is not a new issue, since children have been the subject of various types of abuse for decades, therefore concern for abused children now demands action from private citizens as well as the government. Despite the existence and active participation of child welfare programs, child abuse is a common problem confronted by the United States. One reason for the widespread of this quandary is the fact that economic resources and political structure varies according to the social determinants for people who live in urban and rural regions (Kenney et al, 2001, p. xv). Child abuse some decades ago was seen as a problem of physical battering and the deliberate intention to harm the child, mainly by parents. It was in the 1970s that the meaning of the term child abuse expanded to include not only physical harm of the child, but also sexual or emotional maltreatment by parents or caretakers since abuse does not have to be deliberate infliction, but can also take the form of omission to act resulting in neglect of the childs needs. The main concern pertains to what our communities consider as child abuse, for example in many community cases in the professional consensus in the United States it was a concern as to what constitutes abuse or neglect of a child. When analyzed on the basis of community research it was found that all agreed to consider a child with fractured bones from repeated beatings as abused, while a child who is not given the minimum amount of food, clothing, or attention necessary for survival or a young child left unfed in a room as

Public argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public argument - Essay Example We have the responsibility to protect the wild in the best way possible with consideration that they are also meant to get used to the new habitats and evade extinction. This paper supports the argument in favor of zoos. The main reasons include provision of learning opportunities, for animal protection, and reducing extinction. In addition, this paper disagrees with leaving the animals in the wild to expose them to fear, hunger, injury, disease, cruelty, human conflicts, and loss of habitats. In the debate on zoos ethos largely support zoos. Throughout the world, wild animals are subjected to harsh dangers in the wild yet a little interest in the position of animals in human lives or establishments of meanings through human and animal intersections could save their lives (Rothfels 481). For years, the zoo has been understood as a cultural object that cannot be dismissed by the academy that considers them as places for the intelligent to gain more intelligent. Evidently, zoos have been sought by people since their inception and continue being sought both to pass interaction with extraordinary zoo animals, and to acknowledge that the conception and thought of human history involves even the encounter with nonhumans. Besides interacting with animals and understanding human history, zoos offer humans the opportunity to interpret the world as being in a position to provide environments that are beyond human expectations cute; rare; ferocious; and elusive (Rothfels 482). It is for such reasons that many flock zoos yearly, and pay large sums of money to experience pleasure through the recreation offered in these places. Contrary to the opinion that zoos bring captivity, the lives of animals in zoos vastly differs from that of members of the same species living in the wild. Pathos presents a great strategy in support of zoos. A great difference is evident in the lives of

Writing assessment Essay Example for Free

Writing assessment Essay Literature we learn in schools mostly represents events of real life. Sometimes the speaker, the author, and the writer can exaggerate but they frequently present their work based on real life occurrences. Literature cannot ever be â€Å"an annoying obstacle† instead it should be seen as an enjoyable master piece. Furthermore, literature should be considered as an important tool for all those who are aiming to become a successful professional in any field. Personally, from the Literature classes, I have learned that people do not need to reach a consensus, and that everyone’s point of view count. Literature became very frustrating for me in the beginning of the semester. Although I have always read short stories and drama, I have never analyzed any of them. Poetry was a real challenge for me because I am not a very big fan of it. The reason why I have never read one is because I not could interpret the theme. Moreover, I have always wondered if poetry has any meaning or if it is simply a play of words. As the time passed, I became used to it. Nowadays, I know that in order to find the theme I must pay close attention to details or â€Å"closed reading. † I am convinced that I will reap the benefits of what I have learned in literature in my career as a nurse. In my opinion, each genre such as poetry, short stories, and drama represent different cultures and backgrounds in the society especially in the U. S. Going back to literature and careers, a qualified nurse needs to be devoted to people regardless cultures, backgrounds, and ages. Here in America, a good nurse should be someone who is capable to understand and deal with the people of different ethnicities. In order for a nurse to do her job efficiently, she must be meticulous and pay special attention to details such as the patient’s moods, body expressions, and so forth. These signs might reveal the real cause of the patient’s sufferings and pains and not rely solely of what the patient says. Although literature classes were very useful for me it was not easy at all. For example, to write papers about poetry, short stories, and drama was challenging for me. Citing works is another example where I have a lot troubles. However, I can say that I have better understanding of how to read and interpret. I still having some troubles in works cited but I hope to improve over the time. For my career as a nurse, I will need to be tolerant of other individuals’ way of living and thinking. To conclude, English Literature was challenged for me because English is not my primary language. However, I enjoyed every chapter of each genres and I appreciate for having this opportunity. Although I have not used for other courses what I have learned in literature class so far, I hope I can use it in the future in my career as a nurse. However, in general speaking, literature classes has enriched my vocabulary and nourished my imaginations. The most important thing is that my point of view counts as same as the others’ Part II

The Dynamic Changing Nature Of Business Environment Marketing Essay

The Dynamic Changing Nature Of Business Environment Marketing Essay The dynamic changing nature of business environment has necessitated the continuous development and refinement of an organisational strategy encompassing its product or services, operational activities and most significantly the marketing communications. Marketing orientation (the customer oriented business philosophy) has set customer needs and satisfaction as the utmost priority of an organisation. Organisations now sought to seek a competitive edge by establishing superior brand image. According to Asia Market Research (2003), it is due to the proposition that consumers buy not only a product (commodity), but also the image associated with the product, such as power, wealth, sophistication, and most importantly identification and association with other users of the brand. A companys inability to maintain its desired differentiation or meeting basic expectations of performance standards, lapses in technical quality, culpable accidents affecting the safety of individuals, poor servi ce potential or unethical conduct, etc. cause negative publicity of its brand which leads to an adverse impact on its brand image. Although, a negative publicity influences consumer purchasing behaviour, an adequate reaction to such crisis can prevent the negative brand reputation kept to a minimum. An inadequate reaction may result in much negative publicity, whereby consumers will never or hardly ever buy the respective branded article again (Riezebos, 2002). In order to recover the brand from a colossal damage caused by such a crisis and prevent forming further rumour, a reliable, unambiguous and comprehensive message should be communicated to the public. The message should express the organisations concern regarding the crisis and should contain information on its efforts to recover from that crisis. However, most popular forms of communication mix such as advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sales promotion, etc. have loosen publics confidence because of their superfluous exploitation and therefore can not be relied on to attain greater attention of the targeted audience in such a sophisticated brand crisis communication. Moreover, the extent of information supplied through these mediums is not adequate for changing public opinions. In this context, public relations (PR) is the sole medium which is perceived to be relatively unbiased and effective in establishing direct communication with the mass. During a brand crisis, PR assists an organisation to present a matter in its own point of view and creates a platform to apology to the public for any mistake. Apart from that, properly planned PR initiatives extend the ground for communicating with target audience of an organisation and thus reduce the risk of adverse impact on its brand reputation. This provides the cont ext for an increased importance and emphasis given by brand managers on exploiting the deliberate potential of public relations to assist in protecting, differentiating and upholding an organisations brand image. Rationale for the Chosen Topic There have been a limited number of researches carried out into the role of public relations in brand image crisis management. Although, some researchers have put emphasis on the effectiveness of public relations in brand image crisis communications, most of them have considered it as a secondary function in line with other areas of marketing communications. In a literature, Grunig et al. (2002) tried to establish PR as an independent corporate communication function and claimed its attitudinal superiority over other areas of marketing communications. Kotler and Armstrong (1996) have also acknowledged the significance of public relations over other communications mix in crisis management by stating that consumers are five times more likely to be influenced by editorial coverage than by advertising. (p. 617). However, none of these researchers has attempted to provide considerable evidence to support the credibility of PR in brand image crisis management. Therefore, this study is vital to fill up this substantive research gap. The study will evaluate the significance of PR campaigns in upholding a brands reputation during image crisis. The research findings will aid the decision making of managers who are responsible for corporate communications, marketing or branding. Besides, this will provide them with the guidance to determine the appropriate actions to be taken when a crisis hits the brand image. Most importantly, the study will direct an organisation to allocate PR budget within its communications expenditure. Moreover, this will help managers to identify suitable PR programs or techniques for different nature of image crisis. Last but not least, the study will provide implications of best practice between in-house PR practice and hiring a PR consultancy. Statement of the Problem The principal intent of this study is to establish that organisations now a day prefer to undertake public relations campaigns than other marketing communications mix whenever a crisis hits their brand image. The motive behind such preference might be that, people (i.e. the targeted audience of a PR campaign) perceive the medias and techniques used in a PR campaign to be relatively unbiased source of information than other widely used communications mix such as advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, direct and interactive marketing, etc. So, the information delivered through PR programs is positively accepted by public. Therefore, an organisation can easily achieve its crisis communications objective i.e. restoring the brand image through addressing negative issues in positive manner or apologizing to the public if necessary. However, among a variety of PR programs and techniques, the most persuasive one need to be identified and consequences of both in-house PR practice and hiring a PR consultancy should be addressed. Research Questions Answers to the following questions are desirable in order to accomplish the research goal: Is there any shift in the preference and usage of public relations in brand image crisis communications? If such a shift has taken place, how much increase has there been in various organisations public relations budget? Is public relations credible in defending negative publicity during brand image crisis? To what extent is it effective than other channels of marketing communications in influencing public opinion and restoring a brand? Which specific type of PR program or technique is considered most persuasive for changing consumers perception? What are the underlying reasons for such consideration? Which one does an organisation regard as best practice for crisis communications? Holding an in-house department for PR practice? Or hiring an external PR consultancy? What dominates its choice of best practice? Research Aims Objectives The significance of the proposed study rest on the following five issues: To analyse the degree of preference given to PR as a brand image crisis communications function in different organisations; To determine the level of shift in various organisations PR budget; To evaluate the credibility of public relations in defending negative publicity during brand image crisis and to compare its effectiveness with other channels of marketing communications in influencing public opinion; To identify the most persuasive PR program or technique among various practices for changing consumers perception. To establish the best practice between holding an in-house department for PR practice and hiring an external PR consultancy; Structure of the Dissertation Chapter 2 Literature Review Provides a review of the relevant previous research, literature and assumptions primarily consisting of various models, theories, analysis, organisational practices and practitioners remark regarding public relations, brand image crisis, etc. In a whole, this chapter provides a conceptual framework of the study. Chapter 3 Methodology Discusses chosen research method to achieve research aims and objectives (i.e. research design, sampling method, data collection procedure, analytical techniques, ethics, reliability, validity and the pattern of presentation of gathered data). Chapter 4 Findings, Analysis Discussion Present the gathered data with relevant analysis. Provides a comparison between the findings and the emerged frame of reference of this study and summaries research findings in light of research questions. Chapter 5 Conclusions Recommendations Includes summary, comment, recommendations and implications for organisations, limitations of the study and scope for future research. Chapter 2 Literature Review This chapter provides a critical review of the previous research, literature, assumptions and organisational implications which are relevant to this research. In light of related theoretical models, issues, concepts, analysis, organisational practices and practitioners remark, it presents a conceptual framework of the study. The literature review is divided into seven major sections: Marketing Communications Mix Public Relations (PR) Brand Brand Image Crisis Its Impact Role of Public Relations in Brand Image Crisis Communications Ethical Issues in Public Relations Summary Marketing Communications Mix Marketing communications mix refers to the various channels used to communicate a promotional message of a companys offerings to the target customers. According to Rowley (2006), an appropriate marketing communications mix is fundamental to achieve the objectives of any given promotion strategy. Lancaster, Massingham and Ashford (2002) states that, the basic purpose of different communication modes is to communicate with customers in order to persuade them to buy the companys products. Among various modes of marketing communications Kotler and Armstrong (1996) defines five major channels as following: Advertising: Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. Sales Promotion: A variety of short-term incentives to encourage trail or purchase of a product or service. Public Relations Publicity: A variety of programs designed to promote or protect a companys image or its individual products. Personal Selling: Face -to-face interaction with one or more prospective purchaser for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions and procuring orders. Direct Interactive Marketing: Use of mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or internet to communicate directly with or solicit response or dialogue from specific customers and prospects. Public Relations (PR) Defination Public relations practitioners and scholars hold different assumptions in terms of defining and describing the purpose and effects of public relations. According to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (2008), Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. This definition provides an idea that public relations is one of the corporate communication functions that focus on establishing a superior brand image of the organisation or its products or services. Kotler and Armstrong (1996, p.616) defines public relations as a variety of programs designed to promote or protect a companys image or its individual products. According to Grunig (1992), some scholars describe public relations as dissemination of information, resolution of conflict or promotion of understanding (p.4). He suggests an academic definition for public relations as the management of communication between an organisation and its publics. McElreath (1996) describes public relations as a management function that uses communications to facilitate relationship and understanding between an organisation and its publics (p.3). Cutlip et al. (2000) defines PR as the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends (p. 6). Again, Stanley (1982) states it as a management function that determines the attitudes and opinions of the organisations publics, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a programme of action to earn the understanding and goodwill of its publics (p. 40). However, all these definitions took the organisational point of view in describing public relations function. Johnston and Zawawi (2003) describes PR as the ethical and strategic management of communication and relationships in order to build and develop coalitions and policy, identify and manage issues and create and direct messages to achieve sound outcomes within a socially responsible framework (p.6). Jane, Morgan and Summers (2005) provides a definition stating the role of public relations in management: Public relation is defined as a management function that evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an organisation with the public interest and executes programs of action (and Communication) to earn public understanding and acceptance (p. 178) Some management educators and professional managers equate communication with techniques such as the writing of reports or letters, interpersonal communication, or publicity and media relations. They eliminate the term Public Relations from their policy and create new titles for the functions such as public affairs, issues management, corporate communications, or external relations(Grunig, L.A., Grunig, J.E and Dozier, D.M., 2002). Definition of Public in a PR Campaign A public relations campaign must not always be targeted at customers. It can be aimed at any individual or group irrespective of age, gender, profession, group, social status, etc. According to Kotler and Armstrong (1996, p.616), A public is any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on a companys ability to achieve its objectives. The intended audience for the campaign can be any one from the stakeholder groups. The purpose of public relations campaign is to assist organisations in building relationships with the publics from the several categories of stakeholders (Grunig, L.A., Grunig, J.E and Dozier, D.M., 2002). Lancaster, Massingham and Ashford (2002) describe the following stakeholders as publics targeted at a PR campaign: The Community Employees The Government The Financial Community Distributors Consumers Opinion Leaders Electronic News Media Brand Definition The predominant concept of the brand can be traced back to product marketing where the role of branding and brand management has been primarily to create differentiation and preference for a product or service in the mind of the customer (Riezebos, 2002). The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler and Armstrong, 1996, p.418). Branding is an integrated part of Marketing and an essential expertise of a professional marketer is the ability to build, sustain, defend and increase brand image. Another definition goes with the customers perspective: a product or service, which a customer perceives to have distinctive benefits beyond price and functional performance (Knox et al. 2000). The process of developing a brand is called Branding. According to Randall (2000), Branding is a fundamental strategic process that involves all parts of the firm in its delivery. It is about marketing, but is not confined to the marketing department. The brand must always deliver value, and the value must be defined in consumer terms. Mathieson (2005) describes branding as the means by which an organisation builds a compelling consumer experience that distinguish the companys offerings from the competition, generates sales and/ or creates an emotional bond with customers. Kapferer (2004, p.38) symbolizes the term brand to six levels of meaning: Attributes: A brand brings to mind certain attributes. Mercedes suggests expensive, well-built, well-engineered, durable, high-prestige automobiles. Benefits: Attributes must be translated into functional and emotional benefits. The attribute durable could translate into the functional benefit I wont have to buy another car for several years. The attribute expensive translates into the emotional benefit, The car makes me feel important and admired. Values: The brand also says something about the producers values. Mercedes stands for high performance, safety, and prestige. Culture: The brand may present a certain culture. The Mercedes represents German Culture: organised, efficient, high quality. Personality: The brand can project a certain personality. Mercedes may suggest a no-nonsense boss (person), a reigning lion (animal) or an austere palace (object). User: The brand suggests the kind of consumer who buys or uses the product. We would expect to see a 55 year-old top executive behind the wheel of a Mercedes, not a 20-year old secretary. Figure 2.2: Burnett Model of Brand Dimensions Source: Randall, Geoffrey (2000), Branding: A Practical Guide to Planning Your Strategy, 2nd rev edn, Kogan Page Ltd, London, p. 7 Differences Essence Personality/ Image Source What is it? What is to for? What does it do? How is it better? How is it different? What does the company stand for? What is the aim? How do people feel about it? Do they like / respect it? FunctionsBrand Identity Kapferer (2004) presents a comprehensive study of brands and proposes the idea of brand identity. He indicates the most important parts of brands that make up the whole: name, logo, design, packaging, etc. which he describes individually as brand identity. Schultz and Bailey (2000) describe brand identity as the outward manifestation, name and visual appearance of the brand that distinguish customers identification and perception of a product or services. Brand Image The term brand image depicts the perception of the brand in the mind of the consumers. According to ESOMAR (2006), The total impression created in the mind of a potential consumer by a brand and all its functional and emotional associations. The total image can be seen as the sum of several images such as the product, user, occasion, service and personality images. Customers hold a set of brand beliefs which makes a brand stand alone to other. The set of beliefs about a brand make up the brand image (Kotler and Armstrong, 1996, p.206). Yadin (2002) defines brand image as perception of market of the brand identity. However, Mooij (2005) suggests that the brand image is not necessarily the same as the brand characteristics the marketer uses to build the brand identity. He points out that many global brands that desire a consistent brand identity and hope this will result in a consistent brand image end up with different brand image across cultures. According to Rugimbana and Nwankwo (2 003), a companys history, style and dynamism are often the determining factors in creation of a brand image. Kotler and Armstrong (1996) again claim that consumers brand image vary with their experiences as filtered by effects of selective Brand Identity Sender Messages Receiver Signals transmitted: Products People Places Communication Brand Image Other sources of Inspiration: Memory Opportunism Idealism Competition and Noise perception, selective distortion and selective retention. Figure2.3: How Brand Identity Characterize Brand Image by Kapferer, J.-N. (2004) Source: Kapferer, J.-N. (2004), Strategic Brand Management, Kogan Page, London, p.98 Brand Image Crisis Its Impact As stated in the first chapter, a companys inability to maintain its desired differentiation or meeting basic expectations of performance standards, lapses in technical quality, culpable accidents affecting the safety of individuals, poor service potential or unethical conduct cause negative publicity of its brand which leads to an adverse impact on its brand image. Such a crisis can even destroy the most recognized brands. Millar and Heath (2003) describes several incidents which can tarnish the brand image both human-made and natural, such as tampering with a product, discovery of criminal activity, unwanted or hostile takeover, loss of an important customer, environmental accidents, etc. Due to the modernization and increased speed of information dissemination and reception, Millar and Heath (2003) states that, news of a crisis can spread so quickly that it can potentially paralyze the top management before they can effectively control the crisis situation. Negative publicity can slow down the regular function of the organisation. Riezebos (2002), states through the publicity the norms and values and the operating procedure of the organisation are brought under discussion (p.239). He divides the factors that influence the extent to which a brand can be confronted with negative publicity into three areas: market, product and brand related factors. According to Riezebos (2002) when there is fierceness of competition in the market, an incident can and will be more quickly used to wage a negative publicity by competitors. Again a product related crisis can occur when products are not capable of maintaining standards or affect the consumer. Brand related crisis can be negative brand perception or experience. Different Natures of Crisis that Affect Brand Image Crowthers (2007), Baines and Egan (2004) and Aaker (1996) suggest some frequent crisis that organisations usually undergo and which affects its brands: Government investigation Product recall Epidemic of food poisoning caused by companies products Controversial law suit Accusation of discrimination based on race, sexual preference or gender Big disruption in service Lapses in performance standards Serious injury to someone within or outside of the organization Poor technical quality Stakeholders Protest Workers Strike unethical conduct Physical violence between co-workers discovery of criminal activity Insider trading scandal Safety Hazard Usage of Illegal ingredients or means Plummeting stock price Sexual harassment case Dramatic downsizing causing significant job loss in a geographic region Chemical spill Radiation leak A major competitor has a huge crisis, throwing attention on your company Caught in a lie False advertising accusation Celebrity spokesperson embroiled in personal scandal Closing of a facility Role of Public Relations in Brand Image Crisis Communications Potential Significance Credibility of PR Defending Bad Reputation: The most important role of a PR campaign is to counteract negative publicity surrounding the organisation and its brands (Haig, 2003). Communicating positive information about the organisation through press release, newsletters, press kits, etc. are perceived to be unbiased by the public and thus prevent bad reputation. Jane, Morgan and Summers (2005) defines role of public relations in crisis management as programs of action (and Communication) to earn public understanding and acceptance (p. 178) Considerable Steps in Management of Brand Image Crisis Hubbard (2006) suggestes five steps for properly managing a crisis through PR: Addressing the public without delay following the discovery of the crisis; Maintaining honesty since the community is keener to forgive and forget an honest fault than a calculated lie; The organisation facing crisis ought to be informative since the press as well as the community will generate their own assumptions if sufficient communication does not take place resulting rumours can cause considerably more damage to the organisation than the reality. Showing concern and care for people because public will be more tolerant if they realize that the organisation cares about the victims of the crisis. Maintaining two-way relationships in order to be informed of the status of public opinion. Shift in the Practice of PR in Brand Image Crisis Communications In recent years efforts to control corporate crisis, or crisis management has matured as a public relations function and grown into a specialty area (Millar and Heath, 2003). The underlying reasons behind this development include: the appreci ation of electronic media as primary source of news, the increasing speed of the media to acquire information, improved database management systems, increased number of special interest groups and efficiency of media. The following figure shows aggregate FMCG executives of ten leading firms emphasis given to various communications mix as a crisis communication function. Here, + = increase, - = decrease , #= No Change NC = No Comments Figure 2.6: Perception of Change in Marketing Communications in terms of Emphasis (1980-89) source: Kitchen, P.J. (1993), Public Relations: A Rational for its Development Usage within UK FMCG Firms, European Journal of Marketing, Volume 27(7), p. 59 The figure shows that six of ten companies emphasis on advertising in crisis communication declined, three showed increase and one remained unchanged. The companies which demonstrated movement away from advertising gave reason to increased cost of advertisement. Again nine out of ten firms indicated decrease in personal selling showing reason to concentration of grocery trade leading to centralization of buying activity by multiples. However, nine companies stated increased emphasis on PR and most of these appreciated the effectiveness of PR and blamed the increased advertisement cost behind such shift. Increase in Organisations PR Budget Expenditure There is a significant increase in organisations PR budget in recent years. A study by Paley (2006) revealed that, total PR expenditure of UK organisations in 1991 was only à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤5 billion which increased to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤16 billion in 2005 which shows à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤11 billion increase in 14 years whereas advertisement expenditure increased à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤8 billion. Moreover, point here to be noted that, creative public relations can affect public awareness at a fraction of cost of advertising (Kotler and Armstrong, 1996). The company does not require compensating for the space or time taken in the media. It compensates only for the team or individual who write and pass the story or organise any occasion. Communications Mix Approximate Expenditure (in billions) 1991 1995 2000 2005 Advertising à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤14 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤17 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤20 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤22 Sales Promotion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤5 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤8.5 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤16 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤16 Public Relations à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤4 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤9 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤17 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤19 Selling à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤7 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤11 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤16 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤17 Direct Marketing à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤5 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤8 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤12 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤11 Table 2.2: Approximate Estimate of Communications Mix Expenditure in UK source: Paley, Norton (2006), The Managers Guide to Competitive Marketing Strategies, Thorogood, London (N.B. Industry Estimates has wide variations) PR Other Areas of Marketing Communications There has been a lot of debate regarding the relationship between public relations and other areas marketing communications mix. Academics, scholars, practitioners or managers present different views in comparing PR and other marketing functions. Many of the arguments are based on the matter of outlining the relevant roles of the two functions. From the marketing point of view, the primary function of a public relations campaign is publicity (Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G., 1996). According to Shimp and Delozier (1986), Public relations provides tactical support for marketing communications. However, this theory contradicts with PR practitioners and academics perception who describes the role of public relations is to manage the relationships between an organisation and those strategically important constituencies (can be any type of stakeholder) within its environment (Cutlip et al., 1994). After a careful study Kotler and Mindak (1978) suggested five models to demonstrate the relationship between an organisations public relations and other areas of marketing communications: separate but equal functions; separate but overlapping functions; marketing as the dominant function; public relations as the dominant function; public relations and marketing as the same function. Kotler and Mindak (1978) claimed that any single model can not demonstrate the relationship between these two. However, they claimed that there is a broader relation between two of these functions i.e. to uphold the brand image. But, Grunig and Hunt (1984) strongly disagree to accept this as relationship. According to them this is mere similarity of outcomes not functions Marketing/PR Image Assessment Media Strategy Corporate Advertising Relationship Marketing Direct Mail Branding Sponsorships Promotions Public Relations Publications Events Lobbying Community relations Media Relations Social Investment Crisis Communications Issues Management Marketing Market Assessment Customer Segmentation Customer Relations Product Development Client Servicing Telemarketing Sales Pont of Sales Promotion Advertising Figure 2.7: Relation between Marketing Public Relations Source: Johnston, Jane and Zawawi, Clara (2003), Public Relations, 2nd edn, Allen Unwin, Australia, p.13 2.5.6 PR Vs Other Areas of Marketing Communications Source: Article Filter [online] (Cited 12 April 2008) Available from A theory of Grunig, J.E and Grunig, L.A. (1992, p.357) tried to distinguish PR from marketing functions claiming that marketing and public relations serve different functions and that public relations can not be excellent if it is subjugated to marketing function. The authors acknowledge the signif

An Investigation of Software Piracy in China - Software Piracy Lacks E

An Investigation of Software Piracy in China - Software Piracy Lacks Ethical Merit â€Å"Well, sir, from the sound of it, you've got yourself some pirated software. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do to help you.† 1. BSA Statistics 30 1. Introduction Software piracy is a rampant global problem, according to the Seventh Annual Global Software Piracy Study by the Business Software Alliance. The rate of software piracy varies significantly across the world, though no country is without it. Vietnam was rated the largest trouble spot in 2001 with a whopping 94% piracy rate, with China and Indonesia not very far behind (at 92% and 88% respectively). During the early days of personal computing, software piracy was a small problem primarily limited to individuals trading computer games for personal use. Today, software piracy is no longer solely the domain of teenagers looking to get games for free; even legitimate organizations routinely use pirated software. In the following sections, this discussion will meander from identifying the problem of software piracy, what exactly software piracy means, the obstacles of enforcing copyright laws, the impact of software piracy and an analysis from different ethical vantage points. 1.1. The Problem Software piracy is the illegal duplication, distribution or use of software through one of the following methods:  ·"Soft-lifting"—installing software onto more than one computer without proper licensing  · Counterfeiting  · Hard disk loading—selling computers that are preloaded with illegal copies of software  · Rental  · OEM unbundling—selling software that is legally sold only when bundled with another package  · The Internet The main methods by which this activity is carried ... ...andard for China as well as the rest of the world. References 1 http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html 2 http://www.siia.net/piracy/copyright/risk.asp 3 http://www.most.gov.cn/English/Polocys/copyright_law.htm 4 http://global.bsa.org/usa/press/newsreleases/2003-05-01.1575.phtml 5 http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/agrm7_e.htm 6 http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/09/26/piracy_unlimited/index1.html 7 http://www.wipo.org/edocs/notdocs/en/berne/treaty_berne_186.html 8 http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2003/tc20030210_2338_tc058.htm 9 http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/02/content_269098.htm 10 Seventh Annual BSA Global Software: Piracy Study, www.bsa.org/usa/policyres/admin/2002-06-10.130.pdf Appendix 1. BSA Statistics www.bsa.org/usa/policyres/admin/2002-06-10.130.pdf

Planning Your Proxy Server Implementation Essay -- Internet Software C

Planning Your Proxy Server Implementation A key factor in determining the success of any installation is planning. Planning involves several phases-from understanding your current capabilities, to determining your current needs, anticipating your future needs, and, ultimately, finding a viable solution. We have all been in situations where the immediate need surpassed the need for planning and the installation was rushed. More often than not, the installation had to be repeated to correct problems. Microsoft stresses successful planning techniques, both to ease the initial installation and as a preventative troubleshooting task. The Site Analysis Process A key consideration of planning future network capacity is determining what services, users, and data will be present on the network. Take the time to complete a thorough site analysis. A bit of formal analysis now will ease the process of upgrading and configuring the system later. Don't succumb to the "easy way out." Planning can be a long and arduous task that is overlooked far too often, but one that pays off ultimately. Network Capacity Analysis The capacity of a network is that network's ability to support the amount of data transmitted over it. A network that can support the activity of your organization today may not be able to support the increased activity level when Internet access is offered via Proxy Server. You need to carefully consider the performance ramifications of adding new information services to an already overtaxed network. Although Proxy Server's ability to cache resources saves on performance over the Internet communication link, it does not decrease the amount of data ultimately transferred to the client. Even if 100 percent of requested data is stored in the proxy server's cache, it will still be sent across your local network to the client computer, increasing network traffic significantly. The first step in network capacity analysis is to define a baseline profile of the performance levels of your current network by using Performance Monitor and Network Monitor. This involves sampling various aspects of your network over several days. Examine these readings to decipher what is normal and abnormal about how your network performs. This includes pinpointing which areas of your network experience the heaviest load, which users or applications cause the most traffic, ... ...oft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 133 or faster à ¤ 2GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 32MB of RAM, or more Moderate-Volume Network A moderate-volume network is typically a network in a mid-size company with under 1,000 computers. Moderate volume networks can obtain adequate Internet access using two or more proxy servers arranged in an array or chain connected to multiple ISDN lines or a fractional T1. Microsoft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 166 or faster à ¤ 2 to 4GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 64MB of RAM, or more High-Volume A high-volume network is typically a network in an enterprise corporation with thousands of computers. High volume networks can obtain adequate Internet access using multiple proxy servers in a combined array and chain combination connected to a T1 line or greater. Microsoft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 200, Pentium Pro 166 or faster à ¤ 8 to 16GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 128 to 256MB of RAM, or more Planning Your Proxy Server Implementation Essay -- Internet Software C Planning Your Proxy Server Implementation A key factor in determining the success of any installation is planning. Planning involves several phases-from understanding your current capabilities, to determining your current needs, anticipating your future needs, and, ultimately, finding a viable solution. We have all been in situations where the immediate need surpassed the need for planning and the installation was rushed. More often than not, the installation had to be repeated to correct problems. Microsoft stresses successful planning techniques, both to ease the initial installation and as a preventative troubleshooting task. The Site Analysis Process A key consideration of planning future network capacity is determining what services, users, and data will be present on the network. Take the time to complete a thorough site analysis. A bit of formal analysis now will ease the process of upgrading and configuring the system later. Don't succumb to the "easy way out." Planning can be a long and arduous task that is overlooked far too often, but one that pays off ultimately. Network Capacity Analysis The capacity of a network is that network's ability to support the amount of data transmitted over it. A network that can support the activity of your organization today may not be able to support the increased activity level when Internet access is offered via Proxy Server. You need to carefully consider the performance ramifications of adding new information services to an already overtaxed network. Although Proxy Server's ability to cache resources saves on performance over the Internet communication link, it does not decrease the amount of data ultimately transferred to the client. Even if 100 percent of requested data is stored in the proxy server's cache, it will still be sent across your local network to the client computer, increasing network traffic significantly. The first step in network capacity analysis is to define a baseline profile of the performance levels of your current network by using Performance Monitor and Network Monitor. This involves sampling various aspects of your network over several days. Examine these readings to decipher what is normal and abnormal about how your network performs. This includes pinpointing which areas of your network experience the heaviest load, which users or applications cause the most traffic, ... ...oft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 133 or faster à ¤ 2GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 32MB of RAM, or more Moderate-Volume Network A moderate-volume network is typically a network in a mid-size company with under 1,000 computers. Moderate volume networks can obtain adequate Internet access using two or more proxy servers arranged in an array or chain connected to multiple ISDN lines or a fractional T1. Microsoft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 166 or faster à ¤ 2 to 4GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 64MB of RAM, or more High-Volume A high-volume network is typically a network in an enterprise corporation with thousands of computers. High volume networks can obtain adequate Internet access using multiple proxy servers in a combined array and chain combination connected to a T1 line or greater. Microsoft recommends that the computer hosting Proxy Server meet the following minimum requirements: à ¤ Intel Pentium 200, Pentium Pro 166 or faster à ¤ 8 to 16GB of storage space for caching à ¤ 128 to 256MB of RAM, or more