The Hells Angels †Dynamics of Organized Crime.

The Hells Angels – Dynamics of Organized Crime. Free Online Research Papers The Hells Angels origination stems back from World War II and the B-17 Bomber group that was called Hells Angels. The Bomber Units, such as the 303rd bombardments group (Heavy) 303rd European Theater of Operations (ETO), were known to be one of the toughest squadrons in the military. The name Hells Angels came from the 1927 WWI fictional fighter squadron movie by Howard Hughes. On May 13, 1943 the 303rd’s B-17F â€Å"Hells Angels† became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions and return to the Unites States. This mission was lead by Commander Irl Baldwin, with the B-17 combat serial number 41-24577. (www.Hells Angles.com) Hells Angels were a group of trained paratroopers of the Unites State’s Army’s 11th Airborne Division. The group called themselves â€Å"Hells Angels because they flew on silk wings into hell itself and bought on brutal peace with 20 pounds of TNT strapped to each leg.† The name Hells Angels was worn as a badge of honor because it marked the toughest of the tough. The group stood out because the Hells Angels marked invincibility and not everyone could be an Angel. ( www.HellsAngles.com) The Hells Angels are the oldest and the most original motorcycle club in the world. Currently today there are 29 countries that Hells Angels operate in. The club was founded in San Bernardino, Ca in 1948. From the end of World War II the Hells Angels have made one of the most memorable impacts on society as a motorcycle club. (www.HellsAngles.com) The Hells Angels organizational structure is similar to the one of the Unites States Army, such as the ranks each leader holds qualified by their special skill. The Hells Angels utilize a patch system, similar to the military medal. The meaning of each patch is not publicly known but identifies each member’s specifics actions or beliefs. The official colors of the Hells Angels are red lettering displayed on a white background and are worn on leather or denim jackets and vests. The Hells Angel’s also use a similar structure to the United States presidential structure, where there is a president, vice- president, Secretary, Treasurer, and sergeant at arms. The organization also has its own Motorcycle Club Constitution. The Hells Angels chapters in California also have their own Bylaws. The organization also has a specific formation it follows during a Run. (Abadinsky, 2003) The Hells Angels limit memberships. Each Chapter has prospective members (â€Å"strikers or prospects†) who spend from one month to one year (striking period) on probationary status. Each prospect requires a sponsoring member who is responsible for the probationary member: â€Å"Gang members do extensive background checks on prospective members, often using female associates who have been placed in positions with public utilities, government services, and law enforcement agencies to assist them† (Abadinsky, 2003) Prospects must be nominated by a member and receive a unanimous vote for acceptance into provisional status. They carry out menial jobs at the Clubhouse and for other members. Initiation ceremonies are frequently degrading and may involve felony crimes that enhance solidarity while serving to keep out undercover law enforcement officers. When a man is admitted to membership, he is allowed to wear the club’s colors-the proudest possession of any outlaw club member. All m members must own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and is required to participate in two major Runs a year; the annual Fourth of July Run and the Labor Day Run. (Abadinsky, 2003) Drug trafficking remains the primary source of illicit income for the Hells Angels, though the group is also involved in a variety of other criminal activities, such as prostitution, fraud and extortion. (CISC, 2005) The Hells Angels are involved in trafficking LSD, PCP, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine (Abadinsky, 2003). The Hells Angels have controlled the methamphetamine market in the United States for many years (Abadinsky, 2003). The members of the Hells Angels are known to manufacture methamphetamine as well as transport the methamphetamine to different drug dealers across the country. Methamphetamine, as well as other illegal street drugs, is used by many people in the United States. The Hells Angels knew that they had to take control of the methamphetamine market in order to gain big profits and maintain a strong sense of power. The Hells Angels were able to control the methamphetamine market by manufacturing the drug, and by intimidating rival drug dealers with violenc e. (www.segag.org) Drug trafficking can result in street-level violence from disputes over territory, drug debt collection and related property crimes committed to support illicit drug addictions. These criminal activities can result in increased property crimes and financial losses to victims and businesses. (CISC, 2005) The Hells Angels uses lower level criminal gangs and intermediaries in efforts to conceal its criminal activities from law enforcement. Local law enforcement, as well as state and federal agencies, try using numerous different tactics to break down the Hells Angels gang and work to completely rid their communities of this group. Tactics used include raids on member’s homes and clubhouses or headquarters, harassment to discourage weaker members or â€Å"Hangarounds†, increased police presence at events organized by the Hells Angels and constant presence during the gangs known and famous â€Å"Runs†. In 2003 the Hells Angels were targeted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the federal agency responsible for enforcing the nations gun laws (www.cnn.com). The ATF federal agency launched an undercover operation named Operation Black Biscuit. Operation Black Biscuit was known as the most successful undercover operation ever pulled on an outlaw motorcycle club. In July of 2003, three dozen Arizona suspects were charged with gunrunning, murder for hire and narcotics violations. The federal agency conducted raids in Arizona, Nevada, California, Alaska and Washington State. Many of the Hells Angels members were arrested during the raids and were charged with racketeering, conspiracy, murder and drug dealing. (www.azcentral.com) Hells Angels also fight hard to present a much more benign image to the public and organize charity events, such as â€Å"Toys for Tots† and blood drives. They work at using publicity to show they are discriminated against and are harassed by law enforcement for riding motorcycles. The Hells Angels strongly support one another all over the world. When a member is incarcerated, he held up to hero status and seen as a soldier of some sort, fighting the injustice of the world. When a member is charged, tried and acquitted, he is also seen as a hero and celebrated for fighting the system and injustice and scoring a victory for their cause. Investigative reporter and bestselling author Yves Lavigne best summed up this outlaw motorcycle gang like this: â€Å"The Hells Angels are truthful when they say they are not a criminal organization. Rather, they are an organization of criminals. They go out of their way to maintain a barrier between Hells Angels as a club, and the Hells Angels as a business.† Research Papers on The Hells Angels - Dynamics of Organized Crime.The Fifth HorsemanWhere Wild and West MeetThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseQuebec and CanadaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesOpen Architechture a white paper19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Project Managment Office SystemCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

Computer Crime Hacking Research Paper Example

Computer Crime Hacking Research Paper Example Computer Crime Hacking Paper Computer Crime Hacking Paper Section 1: A brief description of the issue I have chosen to study, in particular indicating how my area of interest has changed since the project proposal, either because the actual issue has evolved since the initial proposal, or as a result of tutor feedback, or as a result of your research. Hacking involves using a computer to gain unauthorized access to another computer system. Although at first hacker was a positive term for a person with a mastery of computers who could push programs beyond what they were designed to do, it has by now become almost synonymous with illegal activities like breaking into protected computer systems, releasing viruses, stealing passwords or other sensitive data, denial of service so on. In my project proposal, I was only interested in the event of hacking crime and how hacking perpetrates a crime. As a result of my research, I have changed my interested area to the motivation and mentality of hacking, why hacking perpetrates a computer crime and finding solution to overcome hacking. Unnumbered hacking crimes happens everyday. And the number of hacking crimes is still increase everyday. So overcome the hacking crime must be imperative under this situation. If we want to overcome hacking crime, not only know the motivation and mentality of hacking and why hacking perpetrates a computer crime, but we also need to research the participants of hacking and the rank of importance of difference participants. From analysis hacking, I should find out some appropriate solutions of hacking crime. Although hacking has already become synonymous with illegal activities or computer crime, hacking also refers as great skill and knowledge of computing. If hacking can performance following the ethical standard, hacking is also a kind of power that can advance technology and society development. Section 2: A description of the ethical choices involved in my issue. Where possible I should indicate both sides of the dilemma. My issue is concerned with control in use of computers and the development of computer systems. I think there is a line between right side and wrong side of my issue hacking. The line should be the computing ethics. First, I will talk about the right side of the hacking in my opinion. Hacking involves using a computer to gain unauthorized access to another computer system. It acts requiring great skill and knowledge of computer systems. No system or software is one hundred percent secure and safe. With the help of hacking we can detect system or software security problems. And we can detect new flaws and bugs all the time. Therefore we need to build newer and better versions of software to overcome the found flaws and bugs. If there is no hacking in the world, the technology wont have advanced to todays standard and we wont have the improvement in software and system that we have today. So the hacking can advance the development of computer system. Hackers only need all information should be free. If all information were free there would be no computer crime happens. It would save money, time, and resource to do the protection of the system or software. So hacking advance the freedom of information. Hackers are doing no harm and changing nothing. The hacking cannot cause assault and battery to anybody. Hacking merely learns how systems operate. Hacking doesnt disturb human natural life. But in my opinion the hacking has another wrong side. Although hacking doesnt cause assault and battery to anybody directly, it usually performances activities like breaking into protected computer systems, releasing viruses, stealing passwords or other sensitive data, denial of service so on. And public announcements of hacking may affect customer trust and privacy. So hacking is damaging computer ethics, peoples privacy, and human rights. Hacking has already perpetrated a crime. So we need to detect and overcome hacking. But overcoming and detecting hacking usually spends high cost of time, resource, and money. So hacking is the reason to run to waste. In conclusion, if it performances following the ethical standard, hacking will seemed to be right and should be developed. If it perpetrates a crime and does harm to human and society, hacking will seemed to be wrong and be overcome. Section 3 An identification of the primary, secondary and implied participants in the issue. Primary participants * Hacker has extraordinary programming skill, cleverness in the face of difficulty, an ability to suspend all other activities while producing a solution to a problem, an appreciation for a clever solution to a seemingly insignificant problem and uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to another computer system. * Company, be hacked, computer system be broke in or password is stolen, the casualty in hacking crime. Secondary participants * Programmer, has sound programming skill, responsible for developing system and maintaining system * System analyst, responsible for doing researching and analyzing system, making decisions in the development of the system, and testing the system. * The customer, who is the customer of the company that is hacked, who is the user of the software or system that is hacked Implied participants * Students, be clever, have enough time to commit a crime, love computer, and have extraordinary programming skill. [primary implied participant] * Programmer, who built software to detect system or software security problems and the software, is misused by hacker. [primary implied participant] * Company white collar, uses computer every day and has sound internet skill. [secondary implied participant] Section 4 Outline of key points, actions or decisions in the issue, and a justification or discussion about those key points, actions or decisions. You should try to use ethical and professional principles in your justification discussion. The motivation of hacking * Economic motive I read an article about the hackers in a magazine. A pressman asks a hacker: why do you hack? The hacker answers: For money. Most of hacker hack computer for heist money. They use their greater computing skill and knowledge to gain unauthorized access to another computer system easily. After they break in the system, they can heist money as they wish. There is a case about the economic motive of hacking: In late 1980s, First National Bank of Chicago is the victim of a $70-million computer heist.[www.sptimes.com/Hackers/story_level.html; Article Title: A history of hacking] According the case above, we can see in that event First National Bank lost 70 millions dollars. First National Bank is the direct victim of this event. And the customer is the indirect victim of this event. The hacking has damages the customers natural life and human rights. The hacking in this case has perpetrated a crime and not been ethical. * Occupationally related Some employers dont satisfy the employees. Therefore the employers hack the companys computer system to retaliate the employer. The employers break in the companys computer system to distribute computer virus, maliciously delete companys important files, or make some changes of companys account to obtain fraudulent credit. If the employers do like that, the employers have perpetrated a crime. Because the employers damage the company, and customer trust and privacy by hacking. Finally the employer will be punished by lawing. * Understanding systems Some companies usually find some hackers to hack companies new system. Every company wants to build a security and safe computer system. But there is no one hundred percent security and safe system in the real-world. The company wants to find the bugs, flaws and any other problems with the help of hacking system. So the company finds some hackers using different great computing skill to hack the new system to detect the problems as soon as possible before the system is used. Hacking can advance the development of computing system. In that way, hacking will be professional ethical. * To find stimulate and challenge Some people like to hack computer systems because they want to find stimulate challenge. Most of this kind of people is student. Student has enough time, computing skill or knowledge, and curiosity to hack computer systems. I heart a case that several years ago, two students hacked U.S. National Defense Department computer system. At last, the two students were caught. Because hacking a computer system without the permission of the host or the owner of the system is an illegal activity. Breaking into computer system with unauthorized access is also not ethical, because it damages the department security. All above show that, if the motivation of hacking is for self economic motive, heist money, retaliation or any other things, it will be seemed not ethical. If the motivation of hacking is for advancing the development of system or software, it will be seemed professional ethical. In another word to say if you hack a computer system with the permission of the host or the owner of the system, your action will be ethical and legal. If not, your action will be not ethical and illegal. And greater the crime you perpetrated, higher the gallows you will be punished. Characteristic of hacking * Learning something special of a programming language or system Hacking is a special skill in using programming language that cannot be learned from the lecture of university. Someone wants to learn the special things of programming or system from that. * Producing and practicing the programming is better than just theorizing about it Hacking is more important in practicing programming. If you just theorizing programming and never producing/practicing programming, you will never hack system successfully. * Appreciating someone elses hacking Hacking doesnt only need great skill and knowledge, it also needs interesting. Some hacker doesnt know what is hacking before becoming a hacker. He will know hacking from appreciating someone elses hacking. He is interesting in hacking and start to learning harking. * Learning a new programming language fast A good hacker must have the capable to learn a new programming language fast. In the real-world, the technology is changing and increasing fast. And the system is building more security and safe using different and new technology. So a good hacker should have the capable to learn a new programming language fast to fit the real world. * Hacking needs great computing skill and knowledge Hacking a system means breaking in a system. It doesnt only need to know how to build a system, but also needs to know how to find a bug or flaws in the system to break in the system. So hacking need great computing skill and knowledge. From the characteristics of hacking you can know hacking is a very professional speciality. It needs a person have great programming skill and knowledge, cleverness in the face of difficulty, an ability to suspend all other activities while producing a solution to a problem, an appreciation for a clever solution to a seemingly insignificant problem. If the hacking doesnt follow the computing ethical standard that damaging computer ethics, peoples privacy, human rights and our natural life, it must be overcome as soon as be detected. If the hacking follows the computing ethical standard that advance the development of system and IT industry, it will be gone on developing.

Global Management Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Management Systems - Research Paper Example The traditional management systems often involved a constricted system that revolved around the managerial acumen and abilities of the top managers. The top managers exclusively were in charge of the roles of strategy development, goal-setting, monitoring and evaluating processes, crisis management and other processes that largely relate to the process of systems management. The traditional system was generally tedious, cumbersome and open to abuse and inefficiencies relating to some possible limitations on the part of the management. Moreover, such management systems lay structural impediments of growth and expansion for the companies and organizations. These organizations often miss the synergies, skills, and talents that can be found only in the international markets.The involvement of global management systems has made it possible for companies and organizations to engage specialized skills and resources that were beyond their individual systems. Global management systems have de signed knowledge-based products and systems that seek to address some of the major challenges that have been affecting organizations. It might help consider the evolution of these systems in terms of the basic structural challenges that have affected systems of productions of organizations around the globe. Organizations are no longer constrained in terms of the geographical limits of which they may be superior, as the traditional logistical barriers have been eliminated through the various innovations and knowledge-based developments. (Bagad, 2009). The

Death of a Salesman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Death of a Salesman - Essay Example Yet, this autobiographical nature should not be considered merely as a means of Arthur Miller relating a story; rather, it has a correlation with respect to the way in which life is understood and represented within middle class America during the time period in question. Miller’s own early life was eerily similar to that of what the reader is made aware of Willy Loman’s life. For instance, Miller grew up in an upper-middle class neighborhood in New York City; the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. Miller’s own father was a successful businessman in a textile mill; which eventually employed 400 individuals. This successful lifestyle enabled the family to enjoy the luxuries of having a new car at a time when cars were still a novelty, attending private schools, and enjoying the occasional vacation. However, the good times would not last as the crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression shattered the family’s bliss. Miller’s father, out of work and out of options sold their home and moved to Gravesend, New York. It was during this time that young Arthur Miller was forced to take a bread route ever morning before school; delivering bread via his bicycle as a means to keep the family afloat. Although it is easy to say that such an experience doubtless had an effect on how Arthur Miller viewed the plight of the average man, this author would go a step further and claim that the hard times and difficult experiences that young Arthur Miller endured during the great depression and his family’s subsequent fall from wealth are autobiographically sketched in his play â€Å"Death of a Salesman†. The approach of this work is concentric upon the fact that the protagonist is ultimately faced with defeat, subsistence, and a form of tacit depression that pervades the entire piece. However, rather than allowing these emotions to be manifest, he continues to cling onto hope that some semblance of normality and/or some hope c an be rescued from this rather pitiful existence by performing the â€Å"adequate† functions of a father and husband. Not surprisingly, his definition of what it means to be a good father or husband only revolves around his ability to generate income and provide for some level of material needs that his family and wife require. Just as with Revolutionary Road, the painstaking day to day travails of the middle class lifestyle were difficult to adjust to. Whereas â€Å"Death of a Salesman† was concentric specifically upon the travails and hardships the Willie Lowman experienced, â€Å"Revolutionary Road† helps to tell a more detailed and nuanced version of the same tale; incorporating the anxt, regret, and frustration that the middle class woman of the era would suffer as well (Revolutionary Road 2008). If one adopts this autobiographical approach to â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, many of the intrinsic lessons and interplay that exists between the family membe rs and Willy Loman help to show the fleeting nature of success and the cold, cruel reality of pervasive failure that crushes the spirit of the entire family. As a means of showing this dichotomy, Willy Loman states, â€Å"Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it† (Miller 15). Rather than simply relating to the reader how difficult success is to achieve, Miller

CEO compensation Essay Example for Free

CEO compensation Essay Recently CEO compensation packages have high rocketed making many people question the validity of their compensation. Many questions have been risen to find out if CEO compensation if excessive. Through this paper we will discuss why we feel CEOs in America are grossly overpaid. We will start off by talking about the ethics on the matter and then the pay-performance connection within organizations. We will also touch on the real wages of employees and how America compares to international companies. We will finish our argument with some recommendations that we feel will help make organizations as a whole better. High Pay, Low Performance Financial Crisis It is shown in several studies that high CEO pay is linked to low company performance. In the article, â€Å"Chief Executive Compensation: An Empirical Study of Fat Cat CEOs,† by Kuo and Wang they describe the connection between CEO compensation and the financial crisis in 2008. As stated in the article, â€Å"the incentives built into the compensation plans of many financial firms are one of the fundamental causes of the financial crisis and surprisingly receives little public attention†. They go on to say, â€Å"Top executives of large banks or investment banks have encouraged the excessive risk-taking by top managers, leading to the financial crisis. † Kuo and Wang also explain how the incentives of executives are link to the short-term performance of securities that are traded. This sort of behavior is not in the stakeholders’ best interest. The CEOs in this case are clearly not interested in what is best for the company, but merely looking out for themselves. Instead of focusing on long-term competitive advantages and achievements, the CEOs are looking to make a quick buck for themselves. Another resource we used was that of Lucian Bebchuk and Jesse Fried. They have a very similar take on the topic, by also stating that trading securities was the beginning to the financial breakdown in American in the late 2000s. â€Å"During the extended bull market of the 1990s, executives’ compensation at public companiescompanies whose shares are traded on stock exchangesoared to unexpected levels† (Bebchuk and Fried, 2004, pg. 1). As you can see there is a strong connection between firms that trade securities and the breakdown of the market. Growing Trends The overcompensation of CEOs in America is nothing new, according to our research this trend dates back to the 1970s. â€Å"The review on CEO compensation by Frydman and Jenter (2010) shows that there was a dramatic increase in the compensation levels from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s in the U. S. Especially in the 1990s, the annual growth rates were more than 10% by the end of the decade† After researching the topic, we were surprised to find out just how much CEO pay has increased in a very little time-span, â€Å"Between 1992 and 2000, the average real pay of chief executive officers of SP 500 firms more than quadrupled, climbing from $3. million to $14. 7 million† (Bebchuk and Fried, 2004, pg. 1).   Star Athletes It has been said that CEOs are comparable to star athletes; therefore, they deserve the substantial increase in their pay. However, the majority of the CEOs that are contributing to this big picture problem are not working for their â€Å"team†. If CEOs were taking these risky investments to better the company, that is one thing, however, the link directly pointing to incentives tells a different story. Defenders of CEO compensation are also forgetting that along with the large compensation packages there is a great deal of retirement funds, 401ks, and stock retained within the company. The large payment of athletes could be contributed to the fact that they are not getting post-retirement benefits, like those of large corporation CEOs (Bebchuk, Fried, 2004 pg. 20-21). Employee’s Living Wages One of the biggest concerns with the increase of CEO compensation is the steadily decreasing real wages of employees. Compensation of CEOs far outweighs that of employee pay. In 1991, the average large-company CEO received approximately 140 times the pay of an average worker; in 2003, the ration was about 500:1† (Bebchuk and Fried, 2004, pg. 1). CEO Compensation and Virtue Ethics Another way to look at CEO compensation is to see if it agrees with virtue ethics. There is Aristotelian virtue oriented approach to ethics and was applied to business by Robert Solomon. In this, Solomon a rgues that business is primarily a practice, in which a community of individuals engages in a cooperative endeavor to deliver goods and services for the good of society. In this practice certain virtues such as integrity, moral courage, and justice are essential to the practice of business. Also, in virtue ethics justice implies that executive pay should be more modest across the board, regardless of company profitability. (Kolb, 2006, pg. 101-115) CEO compensation is not â€Å"fair† top 25 CEOs had an average annual pay of $32. 7 million, which is more than 900 times the annual salary of the typical US worker. In an era which many companies are cutting costs by laying off employees, such compensation seems to be unjust. Solomon argues that workers may not be loyal to someone they perceive as being unfair. At some level, trust and loyalty are needed for a company to prosper. Without these, this company will be left with a group of resentful, unhappy employees. Even if the CEO’s employees are â€Å"satisfied† with their minimum wage salary this satisfaction does not make the CEO’s actions any less just since he or she could afford to pay their employees more. At this point the CEO is taking advantage of his or her workers and being selfish. Companies give bonuses to CEOs even as employees and managers are being laid off. An example is one CEO and chairman of the board made $8. 9 million in 2003, which was the same year his company lost $463 million and he slashed the workforce by 20 percent, or 6,000 workers. Doing things like this can poison a corporation and completely divide a company. Instead of CEO’s comparing compensation packages to to other employees of their companies, CEO’s are comparing their compensation packages to the other CEO’s, which is not a standard for just compensation, since the issue of inequality often arises within a particular corporation. The success of a company is a team effort and not just all done by the CEO. Without the lower level employees a company will not be able to be successful. CEOs do have greater responsibility, but corporations are too large and unwieldy to be governed by just one individual. By spreading the CEO’s compensation package it could allow for employee raises and benefits which could help motivate employees and make them happier. Executives can be paid well without being paid excessively. A CEO is not some isolated individual seeking his or her own ends independently of other members of the corporate community; he or she is part of a whole. Therefore CEOs should not be paid like they are an individual who does everything on their own. A CEO’s role is defined by the corporation and the corporation has an overall purpose to benefit society. CEOs taking less in their compensation packages and spreading them throughout employees can actually help society. Our economy is down and needs to be improved. In order to improve it we need people to start spending money. However, in order to spend more money people need to make more money. If CEOs distributed some of their compensation packages to their fellow employees they could have more money to spend and help increase the level of our economy. International Compensation When comparing CEO compensation in the United States to other major countries the statistics are quite glaring. A study done by consulting firm Towers Perrin estimated pay as of April 1, 1999, in industrial companies with approximately $500 million in sales. CEOs in the United States earn over $1,350,000 compared to Japanese, $485,000, German $530,000, French, $570,000, and UK, $665,000 (Balsam, 2002, pg 277). Rules for governing executive compensation vary from across the globe. In companies such as Germany and Finland it is illegal to to use stock option to compensate executives until 1998, unlike the United States, which stock options are a major part of their compensation package (Balsam, 2002, pg 277). It was noted that in 1997, Disney’s Michael Eisner single handedly out earned the aggregate paychecks of the top 500 CEO’s in the UK. CEOs in the United States earn 45 percent higher cash compensation and 190 percent higher total compensation. Also median base salary is 30 percent higher in the United States while United States median bonuses are more than triple of that in the UK as well (Balsam, 2002, pg. 288). When comparing corporations in Canada with the United States there is a marked difference between the two countries in both the level and structure of CEO compensation. During the 1993-1995 period Canadian CEOs earn lower pay, with the median CEO earning $560,000 in US dollars compared to $2. 5 million for corporations in the SP 500. Salary made up a higher proportion and bonuses and options a lower proportion of the compensation package for Canadian corporations. Overall, the relationship of pay to performance is weaker in Canada than in the United States. Despite the drastic differences in CEO compensation between the United States and other countries there are several reasons for these differences which stem from being cultural, some regulatory, and others due to taxation. In many countries it is taboo to earn the amount of money that American executives make. Some countries have their own laws and regulations that make stock options less valuable and limit the overall compensation of CEOs. Lastly, restraints and taxes can affect compensation. An example is that few Japanese and German corporations were able to issue stock options. Japan is limited to owning only 10 percent of their stock, which is a large amount but much less than companies in the United States (Balsam, 2002, pg 280). Overall, the United States drastically pays CEOs higher compensation than the rest of the world, on average. It is easy to see how wide the gap actually is when seeing the statistics. Several reasons contribute to the difference in CEO compensation. However, with the success of international companies and paying CEOs less compensation, we in the United States can infer that CEO compensation in the United States is too high. Recommendations After taking a closer look into the argument and debate of CEO compensation we believe there are several ways to lessen the gap between CEOs and employees. One idea we had was to link bonuses to the company stock prices. This way, CEO pay will be more based on yearly performance of their company. Another suggestion we had was to offer more modest compensation packages, and to spread the wealth CEOs no longer make throughout employees to add to their salaries, benefits, and improving employee working conditions. Out last recommendation was for board of directors to make more restrictions on CEO pay, such as limiting stock options. Conclusion After all of our research we strongly believe that salaries of CEOs are incredibly excessive. CEOs whose performance did not match up, to the steadily decreasing real wages of employees

History, Language and Post-colonial Issues in Brian Friel’s Translations :: Essays Papers

History, Language and Post-colonial Issues in Brian Friel’s Translations Owen: Back to first principles. What are we trying to do? Yolland: Good question. Owen: We are trying to denominate and at the same time describe . . . † Dun na nGall or Donegal? Muineachain or Monaghan? Same place, same difference? As Owen says about his own name: â€Å"Owen - Roland - what the hell. It’s only a name.† ( Translations ) For the student of post-colonial literature, what transpires in Friel’s play as the British army proceed to map this particular corner of the empire is that like language itself, it is not so much the naming and the changing of names but what that signifies and what those names signify in a particular context, coming from a particular mouth. A simple post-colonial reading could view such events as a violation of geographic space: â€Å"Imperialism after all is an act of geographical violence through which virtually every space in the world is explored, charted, and finally brought under control.† (Said, 10), and an appropriation and subversion of identity. What makes Friel’s play so rich is the way his dialogue plays with the subtle antinomies and nuances of the situation. Can one identify a coherent imperial project, a desire to exterminate subversive Gaelic or is it the inevitable pragmatic impulse of commerce and laissez-faire economics? The practicalities of day-to-day existence are clear in Maire’s desire to learn English so she can work in America. Owen exemplifies engagement with the colonial centre in contrast to his brother, Manus. However, when the play has taken it’s tragic turn it is Owen who suffers ignominy at the command of Lancey who orders him, â€Å"Do your job - translate.† (Act 3) The translations acquire the bitter taste of complicity, betrayal and shame in Owen’s mouth. Owen also serves, potentially, as ‘mimic-man’ in his role as servant of the empire - one who, â€Å" . . .simultaneously reinforces colonial authority and disturbs it.†(Sharpe) His final exit, to find Doalty - be it to help him or hinder him - as a Yeatsian ‘man of action’, potentiates this aspect of the theoretical type. His blend of pragmatism and willingness to engage mark him as, in Saidian terms, a potentially liberating force. Manus in this binarism represents Said’s first stage of Nationalism. Jose Rabasa, in ‘Allegories of Atlas’, discusses the significance of the map in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Functioning as a mirror of the world it offers a conception of ‘a reality’, â€Å" .

DNA Profiling Techniques in Forensic Science Essay

Abstract Since 1985, DNA profiling in forensic science has become very important in this virtual era of technology and in the world of science that solves both major and minor crimes. Small traces of DNA are considered in all circumstances from how the DNA was collected to fully obtaining the profile in its significant form. Traces of sweat, blood and semen are the most common type’s evidence found at crime scenes. There are several different methods for creating a DNA profile such as STR (Short Tandem Repeat), PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), Y chromosome analysis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) analysis. All these types of methods are able to extract DNA from a chosen sample taken from a crime scene. DNA profiling is the information of how a sample is processed and analysed and a DNA profile must be created by collecting and analysing VNTR’s (Variable Number Tandem Repeats), these are unique sequences on the loci which is an area on chromosomes. Most DNA sequences in different people look too similar to tell apart whereas VNTR result in bands that are unique enough for identification of individuals. Introduction DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in almost all living organisms. In 1953 researchers J. Watson and F. Crick saw the structure of DNA. DNA consists of two long strands that are built up chain like, each consisting four nucleotide subunits, attached to a sugar phosphate backbone. Adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T) are bases that are arranged pairwise in the middle of the DNA stand. The nucleotides are covalently linked together, from which the bases A and T, G and C bind by a hydrogen bond (Bray et al 2010: 173). Figure 1 shows the order of the bases, which determine the biological information available for building, and maintaining an organism, the sugar phosphate group molecules form the vertical side piece and the base pairs form a ring shape to create a spiral called a double helix. The two backbone chains run in opposite directions, this is specific for base to base bonding which allows this genetic information contained in DNA to be copied accurately from one generation of cells to the next. Figure 1 – DNA By Jaspreet (Bray et al 2012) There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans inherited from our parents, with each parent contributing one half of each pair. Chromosomes are made up of DNA, 22 pairs are autosomes and the last pair is a sex chromosome fig 2 shows this. Autosomes are chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes; they are individual which means that each person has a DNA profile as unique as a fingerprint. No two DNA profiles or fingerprints can be the same due to the combination of marker sizes found in each person makes up his/her unique genetic profile. When determining the relationship between two individuals, their genetic profiles are compared to see if they share the same inheritance patterns at a conclusive rate. Chromosomes are located in the nucleus of each cell and consist of long DNA strands where they are tightly packed and coiled around specific proteins called histones, which are looped and fixed to specific regions of the chromosome. There are 5 different kinds of histones (H1, H2A H2B, H3 and H4); they all bind to DNA to form chromatin in the nucleus during cell division where the chromatin condenses into visible structures that are the chromosomes itself. The DNA wrapped around each histone core is 200bp (base pair) long. Histones can be purified from DNA as H2A and H2B stick together as do H3 and H4 therefore making 8 proteins in each histone core with DNA wrapped is called a nucleosome which is 10nm (nano meter) fibre thickness, H1 is not part of the histone core as it binds to the nucleosome to give an even more structure to the chromatin and waits for the next interaction to take place. Fig 2 – 23 pairs of Chromosomes DNA is specific to its kind where identical twins are formed when a fertilised egg splits into two and develop into a full embryo. Identical twins will have the same genes making them alike in everything controlled by the genes itself. Although they have different phenotypes the DNA itself is expressed in different ways too. If identical twins are raised in different environments and stimuli they can develop some changes such as a genotype for a particular weight and height but this can only happen if they have enough food or a genotype for a potential IQ but again this will rely on the education and the right kind of stimulus received for that individual. Variation within humans result in the genes inherited from your parents and the environment you live in. (David Wright, 2000: 162) Main Body The techniques for identification of DNA profiling only need just a small amount of DNA but in some methods a larger amount is needed. DNA profiling is carried out when human biological fluid or human tissue is found at crime scenes and is used for evidence to link or exclude a possible suspect from the scene. DNA profiling can only be used if there is enough DNA within the sample taken and is only useful for comparing the samples. Samples taken can be compared to a national database of DNA profiling where there are over 700,000 samples in the UK national database alone. When there is a match, the two samples may have originated from the same person but before DNA can be profiled, it must be extracted from the sample in any of the following analysis depending on what the sample is and how much of it you have. One of the first techniques that were adapted for forensic DNA profiling was Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) where this kind of analysis determines variation in the length of a single DNA fragment. If two samples originate from different sources, RFLP can differentiate them using fewer loci than other systems. RFLP can determine whether a single sample contains DNA from more than one person but this can only happen if there is a large amount of greater quality DNA, this technique is stated to be ‘laborious and difficult to automate’ (Rudin and Inman. 2002: 41) (2). Fig 3 shows the RFLP process. Fig 3 – RFLP by Jaspreet (Botstein 2012) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process where a specific region of DNA is replicated over and over again to make copies of a particular sequence. Fig 4 shows the process which involves the heating and cooling of samples in a thermal cycle pattern of three steps denaturation, annealing and elongation. The strands get separated and bind to primers (fig 5), which are pieces of DNA so that they attach to the DNA at each end of the region for it to be copied. PCR is very sensitive and effective in many ways in the use of forensic science. PCR only needs a small amount of blood compared to RFLP needs about a quarter. Fig 4 – PCR by Jaspreet (Prof Santiago 2012) The primers used in PCR define the region of the genome that will be analysed. Primers are short pieces of DNA that anneal to the template molecule at either end of the specific region Fig 5 illustrates this. For a forensic PCR analysis the primers must bind to the regions of the DNA sequence to effectively amplify the human DNA while at the same time taking precautions not binding DNA to any other species. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 5 – Primers binding to the DNA strand which is known as the annealing stage. By Jaspreet (Davidson 2012) Short Tandem Repeat (STR) technology is a forensic analysis that evaluates specific regions, loci that are found on a DNA strand. STR is when the repeat units are shorter and each loci can be used simultaneously of two to six bases long. STR regions are analysed for forensic testing between one DNA profiles to another. The purpose of having a core set of STR loci (13 set loci) is to ensure that all forensic laboratories can get the DNA from databases and share valuable forensic information. STR’s does have some limitations on sensitivity where it will work on degraded DNA samples such as damaged body tissue or bone destroyed by fire but sometimes there just isn’t enough sample to be tested giving no results at all for example aged bone. To test even smaller sample of DNA currently mtDNA is the choice of technique. (Gill et al, 2001) Mitochondria produce 90% of a cell’s energy, and contain their own genomes in the form of a double-stranded circular molecule known as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). MtDNA is important for finding missing person’s investigations, mass disasters, and other forensic investigations. MtDNA is valuable for determining DNA recovered from damaged, degraded, or very small biological samples that techniques such as STR cannot extract with small amounts of DNA. MtDNA is a small circular genome located in the mitochondria, which are located outside of a cell’s nucleus. Fig 6 illustrates this. There are two properties of mtDNA: high copy number and maternal inheritance. Samples such as hair, bone and teeth can be used to examine common ancestry between individuals. Maternal inheritance such as grandmother, mother and daughter all have statistically the same mtDNA sequence within them as they have been passed on from generation to generation. This can help to find unidentified remains for analysis and comparison of the mtDNA profile to any maternal relative. High copy number is valuable for when the amount of material within the cell is very small for analysis. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 6 – MtDNA by Jaspreet (Ferullo 2012) Y-chromosome analysis targets only the male population of biological samples as they are passed down from father to son unchanged, except when mutations occur. They can also be used to trace family members amongst males only. A reference Y-chromosome profile has to be compared with an unknown sample match for significance, to confirm that the match actually exists. The Y chromosome DNA testing is important in situations where a small amount of male DNA may be recovered in the presence of excess female DNA, such as in sexual assault evidence. Y chromosome analysis can also benefit missing person’s investigations as it extends the range of potential reference samples. Since fathers pass their Y chromosome onto their sons unchanged all males in a paternal lineage will possess a common Y chromosome haplotype. Conclusion DNA profiling technology is constantly evolving where techniques such as PCR, STR and mtDNA and new loci are being discovered and are being used widely around the world to solve crimes globally. From research and experience we know that the technique RFLP requires too much DNA for the process to take place, it also takes longer too this is the reason why forensic scientist do not use this anymore. However, PCR can be used to amplify very small amounts of DNA, usually in 2-3 hours, to the levels required for RFLP analysis. Therefore, more samples can be analyzed in a shorter time. The ability to analyse such small amounts of samples of evidence taken from crime scenes increases the automation and promises faster and more effective results for forensic evidence in court. DNA degradation can be easily identified on an electropherogram where the process can reduce the height of some alleles, making them too low to be recognised from the data. When there are too many samples of DNA degraded it is classed as no results being obtained and can complicate the interpretation of the samples if two or more are similar to each other. Degradation is more likely to occur during the technique of STR as the amplification of specific regions on the DNA strand will not be successful. References Books 1. John M. Butler, 2005, Forensic DNA Typing – Biology, Technology and Genetics of STR Marker. Elsevier Academic Press (USA). 2nd Edition, page 42 and 63. 2. Norah Rudin and Keith Inman, An introduction to Forensic Analysis, 2nd Edition, CRC Press LLC 2002, page 41, 58 3. Alberts Bray et al, 2010, Essential Cell Biology. Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group LLC. 3rd Edition, page 173 4. William Goodwin et al, 2007. An Introduction to Forensic Genetics. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Page 41, 71, 127-132 5. David Wright, 2000. Human Physiology and Health. Heinemann Educational Publishers. Page 22, 162. Websites 6. http://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/analyzing.htm#mitochondrial – accessed 21st November 2012 at 11.30am 7. http://www.iitk.ac.in/infocell/Archive/dirnov3/science.html – accessed November 20th, 2012 8. Ferullo, Daniel. 7.342 Powerhouse Rules: The Role of Mitochondria in Human Diseases,Spring 2011. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu (Accessed 29 Nov, 2012). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA Journals 9. Gill, P., Sparkes, R. and Tully, G. (2001). DNA Profiling in Forensic Science. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (1), 1-6. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/npg.els.0001001/pdf) – accessed 19th November 2012 10. Renata Jacewicz, Krzysztof Lewandowski, Joanna Rupa-Matysek, Maciej Jedrzejczyk, Mieczysław Komarnicki and Jarosław Berent. 2012. Genetic investigation of biological materials from patients after stem cell transplantation based on autosomal as well as Y-chromosomal markers. Int J Legel Med. (1), 1-4. 11. Andreas Meyerhans, Jean-Pierre Vartanian and Simon Wain-Hobson. (1991). Strand Specific PCR amplification of Low Copy Number DNA. Nucleic Acids Research. 20 (3), 521-523.

Marion Sparg

Marion sparg Marion Sparg was one of the few white women to join Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress during South Africa's apartheid era. A Sunday Times journalist, she was prompted into action after 32 ANC members and 19 civilians were killed by the South African Defence Force in an attack on Maseru, Lesotho.She would spend the years between 1981 and 1986 in exile where she received training in guerrilla warfare and worked in the ANC's Communication Department on a publication named Voice of Women and thereafter joined the Special Operations Division of Umkhonto We Sizwe In 1986 she was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment on charges of treason, arson and attempted arson. Pleading guilty to all charges, she admitted planting and exploding limpet mines at Johannesburg's notorious police headquarters, John Vorster Square, and also at Cambridge Police Station in East LondonFollowing the unbanning of the ANC, she was released in 1991 at the same time a s fellow treason prisoners Damian de Lange and Iain Robertson, shortly after which she was nominated to the ANC delegation that participated in an early round of CODESA, the multiparty negotiations that led to South Africa's first multi-racial elections in 1994. In the same year, at the age of 34, she was appointed deputy executive director of the Constitutional Assembly, the body that would draft South Africa's groundbreaking 1996 constitution. 1996 she was appointed Town Clerk of the Eastern Metropolitan sub-structure of the Lekoa- Vaal-metropole. [7] Three years later she became the Secretary to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and in 2000 joined the office of Bulelani Ngcuka where she became Chief Executive Officer of the National Prosecuting Authority and the accounting officer of the Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions.In 2003, amidst a public spat between the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Jacob Zuma, South Africa's then-disgra ced deputy president, anonymous letters were sent to the Public Service Commission (PSC) accusing Sparg, her deputy Beryl Simelane and integrity unit head Dipuo Mvelase (also Deputy Chairperson of the South African Communist Party) of tender-rigging, corruption and nepotism. The Commission found no criminal wrongdoing and referred the matter to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development – the parent body of the NPA.The Department head instituted 30 charges against the three women. South Africa's Financial Mail would describe the allegations as ‘bizarre' after the charges were withdrawn at the formal disciplinary hearing, only to be reinstated two days later. They would be officially dropped in early 2007. In June 2007 she resigned from the NPA to take up employment in the private sector. Marion has since joined Draftfcb Social Marketing, a division of Draftfcb SA.

Airline Industry in Cyprus

Airline Industry in Cyprus Review of the Research Problems According to the introduction and literature review chapters, the aspects that need to be analysed in this research are the perceptions that consumers have on the service quality of the airline industry with particular focus on the airline industry in Cyprus.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Airline Industry in Cyprus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aspect of prioritising service quality factors based on customer perceptions will also be analysed in the research as well as the inconsistency that exists between customer perception of quality and the actual performance of service quality in the airline industry. The literature review has dealt with the aspects that are related to service quality perceptions as well as the satisfaction of customers. It has provided a foundation to the study by focusing on past research and studies that have been conducted on customer perception on service quality in the service industry. The research seeks to answer the question of how customers that use Cyprus airlines perceive the service quality of these airlines. According to the literature review, service quality is measured by the tangibility of the consumer’s surroundings which is represented by objects or subjects, the reliability of the service provider, the involvement and interaction of the service provider, the assurance that the customer will get a wide range of services and the readiness of the company to provide the customer with individualised services (Nadiri and Hussain 2005). The measurement of the various aspects of service quality in the Cyprus airline industry involved analysing the airline tangibles which include the cleanliness of the airplanes, the airport and the staff as well as the terminal’s facilities. Service quality was also measured in terms of empathy where the readiness of the airline staff to help customers and the punctua lity of the airline was analysed. The availability of health care facilities in the airport and the care of passenger luggage was also measured.Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research Approach The appropriate methodology that will be used to collect and analyse data that is important to the research will involve determining the sample of the study. In this research, the sample of the study will consist of customers who use the various airline companies that are based in Cyprus. The non-probability sampling technique will be used to determine and this method of sampling is relevant to the study because it selects samples of the population that are judged to be a typical representation of this population. Non probabilistic sampling involves the use of samples that have been selected in way that has not been suggested in probability theories. Some of the most common methods in non probability sampling include snowball sampling, purposive or judgmental sampling, quota sampling and reliance on available subjects. For the purposes of this study, the non probability technique that will be used to sample the population will be the judgmental sampling of passengers in the airport (Babbie 2008). The type of data collection technique that will be incorporated within this research will be the use of questionnaires that will be distributed to passengers of the various airlines in Cyprus. The use of questionnaires is suitable for this research especially if the sample population is large in number. Questionnaires are also suitable as they provide the researcher with a detailed explanation of the various aspects that are under study by the researcher. The questionnaires will be self- administered where the passengers will be encouraged to fill them out based on their general perception of the airlines service quality. The main aspects that will be covered by the questionnaire include service quality and customer perceptions which will be represented by the questions or items. The items in the questionnaire will measure the dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale which is also known as the RATER scale. The dimensions of the RATER scale include reliability, assurance, tangibles (airline tangibles, terminal tangibles, image and personnel tangibles), empathy and responsiveness. The SERVQUAL scale developed by Parasuraman et al (1988) was designed to address the gaps that existed between customers’ expectations of service quality and their perceptions of the actual performance of the service.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Airline Industry in Cyprus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The items in the questionnaire will therefore measure the reliability of the Cyprus airline industry as well as the assurance that exists within these airlines. The questionnair e will also cover tangibles such as airline tangibles under the SERVQUAL scale such as the cleanliness of the aircraft, the quality of food provided in the plane, the cleanliness of the planes seats and toilet seats and the quality of air-conditioning within the planes. Terminal tangibles will also be measured in the questionnaire such as the cleanliness of the airports toilets, the number of shops available in the airport, the availability of parking within the airport, the comfort of waiting lounges in the airport, the level of air conditioning within the airport and within the smoking areas, availability of trolleys in the airport and the number of passengers that the airport can hold at a given time (Parasuraman et al 1988). The questionnaire will also measure tangibles that are related to personnel within the airport such as the general attitude of airport staff, the responsiveness of airline staff, the level of personnel care accorded to every passenger, the level of empathy t hat airline personnel have to their passengers, the level of training and experience that the employees have, awareness of airport duties and the level of error-free reservations and transactions. Another item that will be measured in the questionnaire will be empathy where the punctuality of flight arrivals and departures will be measured as well as transportation to the airport (Nadiri et al 2008). Other items that will be measured under empathy will be compensation schemes available to passengers, the care of passenger’s luggage, number of flights available to passengers, the locations of airline offices within and outside the airport and the availability of health care services during the flight. The questionnaire will also include an image item that will be used to measure the general perception that the customer has of the image of the airline, the availability of low ticker prices and the consistency of airline ticket prices. Finally the questionnaire will include a cu stomer satisfaction item that will measure the satisfaction that the customer has with the airline, the impression that the customer has of whether the airline has improved and the general attitude of the customer towards the airline (Nadiri et al 2008).Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The questionnaire will also include an item that deals with loyalty of the customer towards Cyprus airlines by analysing the repurchase intentions of the customer such as whether they consider the airlines to be their first choice and whether they will continue to use the airline in the future. The responsiveness aspect of the SERVQUAL scale will also be measured in the questionnaire to ascertain whether the Cyprus airline industry is responding well to its customer’s needs. Each item in the questionnaire will be measured by a five-point Likert scale where the scale items, reliabilities and corrected item-total correlations will be used to analyse the results of the questionnaire. The SERVQUAL scale is suitable for this study as it measures the behavioural intentions of airlines and airline passenger by measuring customer satisfaction and the service quality dimensions that are included in the RATER scale (Parasuraman et al 1988). Through the consideration of Parasuraman et a l’s study on airline service quality and customer perceptions, several hypotheses for the study can be developed. The first hypothesis H1, based on the SERVQUAL scale will be a â€Å"high level of perceived reliability related to service quality will have a positive effect on customer satisfaction.† (Nadiri et al 2008) Another hypothesis that can be derived from the SERVQUAL scale, H2 will be â€Å"a high level of perceived assurance related to service quality will lead to positive effect on customer satisfaction. With regards to tangibles on the SERVQUAL scale the hypothesis H3, will be â€Å"a high level of perceived tangibles related to quality will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction. Hypothesis four which is related to customer empathy will be â€Å"a high level of perceived empathy related to service quality will have a significant effect on customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions (Nadiri et al 2008). The hypothesis that will be used to reflect the responsiveness of the airline industry in the SERVQUAL scale will be â€Å"a high level of perceived responsiveness will have a significant positive effect on customer satisfaction†. After the questionnaires have been filled, the study dimensions within the questionnaire will be related to the hypothesized relationships. The diagram below represents service quality dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale measured by airline tangibles (ATANG), terminal tangibles (TTANG), personnel (PER), empathy (EMP) and image (IMG) as well as their link with the hypothesized relationships within the study. The dimensions are represented by circles which demonstrate the independent and dependent variables of the study. The hypotheses demonstrated by the arrows are used to measure both customer satisfaction with the airlines in Cyprus and their repurchase intention (Nadiri et al 2008) (Source: Nadiri et al 2008) Primary and Secondary Research Data Research data can be collected from eith er primary sources of information or secondary sources of data. Primary data refers to information that has been collected by a researcher that has not been subjected to any forms of processing or manipulation. Primary data which is also known as raw data is the information that the researcher gathers as he continues to conduct his studies. Raw data is usually generated from experimentation and field studies where the researcher collects information that has not been previously collected by other researchers. For primary data to become information, it has to undergo selective extraction and analysis to ensure that it is suitable for presentation (Thyer 2010). Secondary data is information that has been collected by someone else apart from the user of the research. The most commonly used resources of secondary data comprise of surveys, questionnaires, census results, academic journals, articles, books, government records and data collected via qualitative or quantitative research. Se condary data is the most preferred source of data collection as it ensures that the researcher saves time while collecting the relevant information that pertains to the study. It also ensures that less time is spent in collecting quantitative data which requires the development of higher quality databases to capture quantitative information (Thyer 2010). The source of secondary data in quantitative research is from censuses, surveys and government statistics. The source of secondary data in qualitative research is derived from structured or non-structured interviews, observation, questionnaires and focus groups (Thyer 2010). The type of data collection method that will be used for this study will be secondary data sources such as journals, articles, websites, textbooks, statistics, reports and surveys that contain information qualitative and quantitative information based on previous studies and research work that has been conducted on service quality and customer satisfaction with particular focus on the airline industry. The use of secondary data will be important to the study as it will save on time and also ensure that the research has a strong theoretical background and framework based on previous research and theories. Research Design and Data Analysis Techniques The purpose of a research design is to determine whether the research questions of the study can be transformed into testable hypotheses. In selecting the most suitable research design, the researcher has to first assess the research questions of the study. Once the research questions have been developed, the researcher has the option of selecting various research methods to structure the research in a suitable way. The most commonly used research designs include experimental designs, non-experimental designs and quasi experimental research designs. The experimental research design involves the researcher actively trying to change the circumstances of the research while the non-experimental rese arch design involves the researcher studying two natural groups that are under conditions or circumstances that have not been manipulated (Creswell 2003) The quasi experiment research design is an observational study that is conducted on the subjects of a study who have not been randomly assigned to the groups that are understudy. In a quasi experiment people would be grouped according to the categories in which they fit in. The research design that will be used for the purposes of this study will be the non experimental research design as it ensures that the circumstances or conditions of the aspects or subjects that are understudy have not been manipulated or changed in anyway. The non experimental design will also ensure that a range of dependent and independent variables can be able to be measured by the researcher during the study such as the various dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale and the customer perception of service quality in Cyprus airlines (Creswell 2003). The data anal ysis technique that will be used to analyse the qualitative information within the research will be the constant comparison or grounded theory assesses secondary data sources to determine whether any indicators exist that can be used to explain the consistencies and differences in customer perceptions and service quality. The constant comparison method will also assess the various theoretical frameworks and conceptual backgrounds that exist in various research works that have been conducted on the topic that is understudy. It will also ensure that the researcher is able to compare the various works of researchers with regards to the airline industry in Cyprus (Ratcliff 2011). In analysing the qualitative information that has been collected in the study, the most suitable data analysis method that will be used to analyse the statistical measurements derived from the Likert scale will be the SPSS computer program which will provide a descriptive analysis of the standard deviations and frequencies that have been calculated for the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale which include airline tangibles, personnel, empathy, image and terminal tangibles. The psychometric properties of the collected data will also be measured on the basis of reliability, convergence and dimensionality. References Babbie, E., (2008) The basics of social research. Belmont, California: Thomson Higher Education, Print. Creswell, J., (2003) Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed method  approaches. London, UK: Sage Publications, Print. Nadiri, H., and Hussain, K., (2005) Diagnosing the zone of tolerance for hotel services.  Managing Service Quality. Vol.15, No. 3, pp 259-277. Nadiri, H., Hussain, K., Ekiz, E.H., and Erdogan, S., (2008). An investigation on the factors influencing passengers’ loyalty in the North Cyprus national airline.  Total Quality Management Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp 265-280. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1988) SERVQUAL: a multiple-tem scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, Vol.64, No.1, 00 12 -40. Ratcliff, D., (2011) Methods of data analysis in qualitative research. Web. Thyer, B., (2010)The handbook of social work research methods. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Print.

The Meanings and Variations of Mother

The Meanings and Variations of Mother The Meanings and Variations of Mother The Meanings and Variations of Mother By Mark Nichol Mother derives from the Old English term modor, which is cognate with the Latin word mater and the Greek word meter. (From the Latin term such words as maternal and maternity are derived.) The term refers not only to a female parent but also to a woman in authority, such as the head of a women’s religious community; it was also long employed as a respectful term of address for an elderly woman (as in â€Å"Mother Goose†), though this use is almost obsolete. It may also apply to an origin, precursor, or source, as in the expression â€Å"Necessity is the mother of invention.† A stepmother is a woman who marries one of one’s parents, and a mother-in-law is the mother of one’s spouse. Motherly describes maternal behavior, and motherlike alludes to a resemblance to the qualities of a mother. Motherhood describes the quality or state of being a mother. The verb mother pertains to the act of producing biological or figurative offspring. Motherland describes one’s home country, although the term is most prevalent in Russia and adjacent nations as well as some in the Near East and seldom used elsewhere. Mother Nature is the maternal personification of nature as the source of all that exists in the natural world. Mother also appears in a compound word ending with an obscene term; in this form and by itself it can be, depending on context, a mild epithet or an extreme insult. Open compounds that include the term mother include â€Å"earth mother† (meaning â€Å"a maternal figure†) â€Å"mother cell† (â€Å"a cell in an organism that produces usually different types of cells†), â€Å"mother hen† (â€Å"an overly protective person†), â€Å"mother lode† (â€Å"a primary mineral lode or vein† or â€Å"a primary source or supply†), â€Å"mother wit† (â€Å"natural intelligence or wit†), and â€Å"mother ship† (â€Å"a ship that serves smaller vessels†). â€Å"Refrigerator mother,† a label once applied to cold, distant, unmaternal mothers, was coined as part of a since-rejected theory for the cause of autism. A stage mother, meanwhile, is one who pressures a child to participate in the performing arts and demands special treatment for him or her; the term is derogatory, with the implication that a she is living vicariously through the child. Compounds employing the informal variant mom include â€Å"helicopter mom,† which describes an overly protective mother, as well as â€Å"soccer mom,† a sometimes pejorative term for a specific demographic- a suburban mother who pushes her children to participate in extracurricular activities such as youth soccer leagues- and the related phrase â€Å"hockey mom,† which pertains to inhabitants of geographic regions where ice hockey is prevalent. Expressions that use the term mother follow: a face only a mother could love: said of an unattractive person at (one’s) mother’s knee: alluding to learning something as a child every mother’s son: an evocative way of saying â€Å"everyone† everybody/everyone and (one’s) mother: a hyperbolic expression referring to a crowd the mother of all (blank): a hyperbolic reference to the best or greatest of a type of thing swear/swore on (one’s) mother’s grave: a hyperbolic reference to a solemn confirmation that one is telling the truth because of the association with the sanctity of a parent’s gravesite tied to (one’s) mother’s apron strings: said of a man who has not asserted his independence from his mother Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?5 Brainstorming Strategies for Writers20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting

Discussion Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Discussion Questions - Assignment Example This is the reason why you find that almost every business has to utilize the services of marketing professionals in one way or another. It is a known fact that the success of any business is directly related with the impact made by its marketers, and this includes analyses of consumers and markets, to the real adverts and sale of products. Successful businesses which are industry leaders in their own right have been found to have all of them dynamic and successful marketing teams. Another reason for studying marketing is that it aids transactions to take place. Products as we know, do not sell themselves. This means that good marketing informs and educates consumers so as to enable them look for the products they require, make better decisions about the same and get the most value out of these products. In so doing, marketing assists in exchanges between sellers and buyers, creating mutual benefit for both parties. Thus apart from basically understanding the role of marketing, in business, there is more to it such as the tremendous impact it has on society. Delivering of value is another very important reason for studying marketing. Marketing does not only deliver value to the customers, but also translates this value into the value of the organization as it creates a customer base that is reliable and leads to an increase in a firm’s sales leading to more profitability. Thus marketing delivers value to both the firm and the customer. 2. Management in marketing involves formulation of an organizational marketing strategy. Thus together with the support of the marketing and sales team, a marketing professional can estimate product demand and identify markets for the firm’s services and products. Thus management in marketing as a discipline involves practical application of techniques of marketing together with the management of an organization’s activities and resources. Management in marketing therefore involves influencing the

Creativity & Art Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creativity & Art Education - Research Paper Example If one thinks of a new idea, he has to evaluate its feasibility or workability, convince those who are in charge of putting it into practice that it will work, and if they do not accept it persist with it in the face of opposition. Many people relate creativity to intelligence. Studies have shown that there is no direct relation between the two. Environment on the other hand may have an important part to play in creativity. There also seems to be a co-relation between creativity, spontaneity and freedom of thought. Creative people are usually found to be more impulsive and unafraid to experiment with new ideas and voice their opinions even if these go against the norm. Creating an environment for children where they have the freedom to experiment and are exposed to new experiences can nurture creativity in them. Can creativity be learned? Yes it can. All of us were very creative as children, till we learned that there were certain ways of doing things that are considered the right ways. If we can learn to question the way we think and try to stifle the idea that a new way of doing something must lead to failure, every one of us has it in us to be creative. Art education has long been associated with the notion of creativity. However the question remains of how we define creativity. Is it a sudden flash of inspiration or is it as Edison described it 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration? There was a time when art education focused on creativity, which in turn was linked to spontaneity and novelty. Hence the curriculum was designed to develop creativity in children rather than teach them skills. This was the model on which art teachers were trained. The four functions on which creativity depended were thought to be fluency, flexibility, originality and openness. Freud considered creativity as an unconscious primary process, and the prevailing thinking was that children were more creative when left alone and art should be fun and