New businesses Essay

Consistent findings have imperatively indicated that the correlation between firm entry and survival is negative. Out of every one hundred new businesses introduced in the UK, 50 percent of them become obsolete before their third anniversary. Such high attrition levels are not only evident UK in alone but also in most modern economies and can be said to be a generic ‘rule of thumb’. Just why is it that so many nascent firms end up accomplishing little or nothing before they finally become extinct? Is it that their owners do not put enough efforts into the business development or are there other internal and external causes of this prevalent occurrence of business failure? Many theories have been put forth to explain the possible causes of the high rates of new business failure. It is not surprising that major diagnoses of the root causes of low survival rate in new businesses identify management inefficiency as one of the causes of the high attrition levels. Policy makers have also been blamed for recommending entrepreneurship as the solution to rejuvenating the economy yet little is done to educate people on what to expect amid globalization pressures, competition and technological changes that are likely to impact on the business survival. Other theories put forward include the supportive environment thesis, nature of activity and industry theory. Firm survival can however be properly classified in three explanatory dimensions: The firm’s specific characteristics; Operational factors and the business cycle. This paper explores the characteristics of business failure under these three dimensions and at the same time introduces a discussion on how entrepreneurs can enhance their business’s chances of survival by providing possible solutions to the low levels of survival witnessed in infant businesses. II. Analysis a) Definitions Birth of the firm: The introduction of a business marks the birth of a firm. This may actually start when the idea of the business is borne. Consequent activities such as registering the company, acquiring premises and capital are secondary elements in the birth of a business. Survival of the firm: Survival of the firm refers to its ability to withstand internal and external pressures to meet the objectives for which it was established. Survival determines whether a firm makes it through its lifetime or whether it fails and consequently exits the market. Death of the firm: This denotes the final stage in a business at a point where nothing can be done to revive the business and the only solution is complete closure. Termination of the firm as a legal entity: This means that the business is no longer recognized by the law. It means that a business in the context of the law is no longer operational and it is therefore not liable to debts, taxes among other liabilities to stakeholders. b) New Firms Survival Literature New businesses in the UK have in the past shown high levels of business failures witnessed within the first three years of inception. According to Caliendo and Fossen (2009: 154) at least fifty out of every one hundred new businesses introduced did not make it to their third birthday. A study by the DTI Small Business Service from 1995 to 2004 reveals that these failures are actually vary with industries which could be attributed to the various conditions that exist in these sectors (DTI, 2007: 13). On average, 82% of new businesses established survived the first year in business. Improvement has been recorded and by 2004, an average of 58% of new businesses survived the first three years over all the sectors. Detailed survey results are shown in table 1 and 2. c) Why Half of Nascent Firms Fail: The Survival Explanatory Dimensions 1) Firm Specific Characteristics i)Managerial Organization Discernible management errors and high incidents of poor management highly contribute to the low survival rates of newly established firms. The death of many firms is mostly characterized by management which has turned out to be reactionary. Inefficient decision making and inadequate or non-existent planning will have contributed to the failure of the business in at least 30 percent of nascent firms (Phillips, 2004: 68-70). Veronique and Wever (2000: 138) note that manager’s inability to react to various forces affecting the business operations such as competition, technological advancements, economic trends and money issues could lead to the ultimate downfall of a business. Inadequacy in management expertise is essentially attributable for the business’ failure to explore alternative financing options leading to bankruptcy. ii)Inadequacy of Cash Reserves Inadequate financing comes in as a close second after poor management. New owners with little or no prior experience in business may fail to effectively predict cash flow. Miscalculation of amounts required to sustain the business before it picks up and underestimation of the costs associated with borrowing money are the major causes of financial strain (Lane and Schary, 1991: 101-103). Exhaustion of cash reserves is also likely to be influenced by poor pricing, over-investment in fixed assets and uncontrolled growth. Uncontrolled growth occurs when the owners want to take up every opportunity that comes so that at the end of it all they cannot satisfy all their customers. In this case, firms end up borrowing large amounts to meet the high demand and when the loans cannot be paid effectively, what results is collapse of the firm (Audretsch and Keilbach, 2004: 423). Other causes include over dependence on a few customers, fraud and uncontrolled drawings by the owner. iii)Poor debt management and Over-borrowing This is closely associated with cash inadequacy and it results where managers are ill-equipped in financial management. Small business owners are likely to obtain the wrong type of financing and worse still take more than the business can afford to pay (Jostarndt, 2007: 139). This may lead to borrowing loans to clear existing ones which is not a good debt management strategy. Inability to pay debts on time and lack of coordination between incoming cash and outgoing cash may lead to the business finally going bankrupt and consequently causing its death. iv)Ownership Status There are two ways of looking at this perspective: the legal ownership and the reasons for starting the business. A sole proprietorship business is more likely to fail due to financial and management problems than a partnership or a limited company. The reasons for starting the business can highly influence a firm’s survival. Moore and Gooderl (2008: 8-10) name two types of entrepreneurs: the opportunity entrepreneur and the necessity entrepreneur. The former establishes a business to exploit available business opportunity while the latter may start up a business for the purpose of sustaining himself probably if he cannot find a job. According to Moore and Gooderl (2008: 16-17) the opportunity entrepreneur is likely to succeed while the necessity entrepreneur may not exert enough efforts towards the business. The increased number of necessity entrepreneurs in the UK has highly increased the failure levels in new businesses. v)Personal Characteristics of the owner This mostly has to do with the attitude of the owner and the manner in which he or she applies these in the business context. Owners make a mistake of taking up all responsibilities without making use of delegation to junior employees as a result of fearing that they may not do it perfectly. Jensen (1976: 335) describes this as the ‘challenge of letting go’. Owners normally find themselves exhausted from overwork and yet do not find time to address important issues facing the business. Use of business funds by the owner can also cause detrimental effects on the business. Personal attitudes such as aggressiveness and lack of concern for the employees may cause high rate of employee turnover as well as keep away customers (Daily et al, 2002: 398-343). vi)Innovation and reaction to technological changes The world is advancing at a high rate and technology is one of the areas that a business needs to keep up with. Many new businesses fail due to being left behind in technological advancements such that they are overtaken by their competitors who take with them all the customers (Agarwal, 1996: 103-106). Innovation is one of the major tools for a successful business and this is one area that new businesses have not been able to address mainly due to lack of enough capital to come up with new products and services. viii)Poor knowledge of the market Most business owners enter the market with little knowledge about what to expect. Failing to conduct market feasibility studies limit the owner’s knowledge on the competitors in the market and their influence; the customers’ characteristics and behaviour and various market fluctuations they are likely to encounter (Covin et al, 2000: 199-206). 2) Operational factors i) Competition New businesses are often overwhelmed by the efforts required to counter competition from already existing firms. This is considering that these firms have already established their customer base and winning loyal customers could prove quite a challenging task for new businesses. Usually, dominant competitors may even device ways of putting new entrants out of business such as lowering prices and offering discounts (Covin et al, 2000: 200). Their aim is to push the new competitors until they cannot keep up with the situation such that they eventually quit. ii) Location The location of a business is a major determinant for its survival. New businesses in rural areas are likely to fail due to limited local markets and isolation. On the other hand high costs, presence of large firms and regulatory barriers pose challenges to businesses located in the urban areas (Sutaria and Donald, 2004: 250-253). 3)Changes in Business Cycle i)Macroeconomic growth and economic pressures New businesses are usually unable to handle economic shocks that may result from high interest rates, fluctuations in exchange rates and general inflation. According to David and Mahmood (1995: 89-93) not many businesses survive an economic surge or a recessionary period which may lead to skyrocketing of supply prices and high costs of borrowing. ii)Entering Cohorts’ exit rate Cohorts refer to groups with similar characteristics. The result of exit of similar businesses can either have a positive or negative effect on a new business. Exit may mean less competition which is an advantage. New firms however rely on one another for inspiration. A person operating a business where everyone is quitting due to one reason or another is bound to get disillusioned and have the attitude that his business may fail too (Phillips, 2004: 69-71). iii)Changes in legal environment When the laws of a country change, new businesses are likely to suffer since they are not yet stable enough to cushion themselves from such changes. Amendment of tax laws and business requirements may cause a new business to go bankrupt. d) Increasing Survival Chances Strategies to increase the chances of survival for a business entail addressing the leading causes of failure. The most fundamental requirement is the improvement of the management capabilities. When there is good management in a firm, other factors will follow suit because every operation of the business is determined by the management (Sutaria and Donald, 2004: 253-255). Improvement of communication within the business and proper sharing of duties are skills that the owners of the business need to acquire. This can be done through attending management and entrepreneurial seminars and conferences so as to learn secrets of firm survival from professionals. Proper planning is the ideal solution to financial problems. Veronique and Wever, 2000: 139-141) refers adequate anticipation of cash flow as the secret to overcoming financial problems for starters. This could be done through the help of an expert if the owner is not in a position to do so. Finding alternative sources of finance apart from the usual ones is key in preventing the collapse of a business due to lack of funds. There are many available sources of finance including bank loans, credit card advances, sale of assets among others (Moore and Gooderl, 2008: 298-299). Care should then be taken to make sure the finances are properly utilized. The firm should avoid relying on a few customers because huge losses can be felt if the customers suddenly withdraw. Instead, they should aim at a large customer base. Over-borrowing can be reduced through making proper cash forecasts and using the limited resources that the business has. In essence, the firm can adopt a steady growth over time instead of rushing to expand at once (Daily et al, 2002: 399-401). Finally, the management should be keen in managing the debts of the business keenly balancing the income and expenditure so as to cover all liabilities and debts in time. A business must clearly identify its customers and establish whether they can sustain the business effectively considering the level of competition. This can be done prior to the business establishment through a market feasibility studies while answering the following questions: How many competitors are in the area you plan to establish your business? Who will be the business’s customers and what are their buying habits? What is the level of loyalty of these potential customers to the current suppliers? Are they likely to buy your product? Is the product seasonal? Is it possible to make profit out of the business? Once these questions are answered, the likelihood of failure can be minimized as specific strategies to address the issues can be formulated (Audretsch and Thurik, 2007: 113-141). Business owners must realize that they cannot do everything by themselves. Employers can delegate and allow employees to make certain decisions. Consequently, owners will have ample time to concentrate on more important business issues such as finding new customers, getting more funds for the business as well as solving the current issues facing the business (Daily et al, 2002: 403-405). The need for long-term planning is inevitable. This involves planning for growth and transition in the future. It also involves planning for uncertainties such as loss of employees, customers and suppliers. In the wake of the high global trade advancement and changes in the market, businesses should always be alert to avoid being taken unaware by advancements in technology, innovation and changes in customer preferences and culture (Zoltan, 1988: 321). Legal changes and changes in tax systems should be catered for in the long-term business plan. The state of the economy is bound to change from time to time which is why firms must anticipate for any future economic shocks through investing in stocks, futures, options among others. Insurance is also an option for more larger firms. III. Conclusion No environment can be said to specifically favour new firms in all angles hence the need for those starting new firms to be overly cautious. Firms are most definitely exposed to numerous risks that may lead to their extinction as indicated in this discussion. Management is identified as the root cause of low survival rates among nascent firms and its improvement could work to solve the predicament presently being witnessed in new firm survival. Proper balancing of the firm’s cash reserves; being generally alert to any changes in the business environment; making informed decisions to deal with these changes coupled with excellent management practices is exactly what is needed to save young firms from their predicament and promote their longevity.

Both Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin

Both Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin give the reader a taste of what marriage must have been like and is still like for some. Both the narrator in Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and Mrs. Mallard in â€Å"Story of an Hour† are repressed wives. The society they live in and gender roles contribute to their repressed states. Both Chopin and Gilman write of women’s’ issues in many of their works and explore the roles and lives of women but in very different ways. Both authors show us women who feel very trapped and do not have control of even the most obvious aspects of their lives.Freedom is achieved in very unconventional ways in both these stories, but the kind of freedom these narrators achieve is not available to most women of the time. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† the narrator, who significantly is never named, is significantly repressed by her husband. Her husband is a doctor who is at bes t patronizing and at worst demeaning to her For example, â€Å"John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage† (Gilman). This quote is included to make the reader question this relationship.Were women supposed to be laughed at in marriage? Another example of this would be â€Å"Then he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose† (Gilman). Again, her husband is patronizing her. It is not that she doesn’t love her husband or even that he doesn’t love her. It is simply that this is the way marriage is expected to be. She must bend to his every whim and do exactly what he tells her. She doesn’t even have control of her own body or her own medical treatment in this story. Her husband is a man and a doctor, both of which make him â€Å"right.† The reader infers that the narrator has recently had a baby and is suffering from post-partum depression, which is undiagnosed at the time Gilman writes. Her husband John has ta ken her to a vacation home/mental health facility for the summer. She has no say in this decision but is only told to rest and recover. When she wants to go visit her cousins Henry and Julia, she is again turned down. Her husband really plays more of a parental role with her. Eventually she begins to peel the wallpaper to give her something to do, and she sees a woman trapped behind the wallpaper. This woman represents her.She is trapped in this house, in this life—only she has no one to help her escape. She sets about freeing this woman; only when she does, she suddenly becomes the woman. The narrator says, â€Å"I've got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane! And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back! † (Gilman) Significantly, she has escaped although she has lost her sanity as well. Charlotte Perkins-Gilman herself tells us why she wrote this story, and that is to stop women from going crazy. Women need to free themselves from the bonds of men. In â€Å"Story of an Hour,† Kate Chopin’s narrator seems like a typical wife.Her husband has gone on a hunting trip, and when she gets news of his death, she is at first very sad. Then she begins to understand the ramifications of him being gone, the idea that she can now live for herself, and she celebrates. â€Å"She said it over and over under her breath: â€Å"free, free, free! † (Chopin) The narrator realizes exactly what her husband’s death means. â€Å"There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.† (Chopin) However, this celebration is brief because she then gets news that in fact, her husband is still alive. She dies of heart failure. Everyone believes that she has died from â€Å"the joy that kills,† (Chopin), but the reader knows that she has died over the unpleasant shock that her husband is still alive. Kate Chopin, of course, is implying for us that â€Å"real happiness cannot exist without the necessary conditions of freedom and equality. † While Mrs. Mallard has not been miserable in her marriage, nor did she spend her time thinking about whether her marriage was happy, she has now had a glimpse of what her life would be like alone.She loved the thought and was excited about facing life alone. The reader understands that while the narrator did not necessarily know it at the time, she was still repressed by her marriage and that constant bending of her will to another human being. Both of these authors provide us with a realistic picture of what marriage could and can be like. They are repressed and trapped in their relationships, but each author shows us a different way out. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† ironically the na rrator escapes through insanity.She frees the woman in the wallpaper, thereby freeing herself of societal expectations. In Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Story of an Hour,† the narrator first escapes through the death of her husband and then through her own death. It isn’t that she doesn’t love her husband. She does experience momentary grief, but through her grief and fear, she gets a glimpse of what her future could look like. She understands that she will finally be able to live for herself. So, when she finds out her husband is alive, she dies of a heart attack. How sad it is that these women can escape in no other ways.Both Gilman and Chopin were masters at allowing the reader to see the way that women were repressed in their society. We don’t hate the men; we just wish women did not have to be so subservient. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† http://classiclit. about. com/library/bl- etexts/kchopin/bl-kchop-story. htm Esch, S tacy Tartar. http://brainstorm-services. com/wcu-2005/poe-story-hour. html 2001-2005. Accessed March 18, 2007. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† http://classiclit. about. com/library/bl-etexts/cpgilman/bl-cpgilman-yellowwall. htm

The assigned reading is based on a review of Latin America

The assigned reading is based on a review of Latin America’s Banking system and how it has been able to grow over the period of time due to policies which have radically changed the competitive landscape for the banks in the region.The writer has argued that the due to decrease in interest rates, increased maturities of long term liabilities as well as prudent fiscal and monetary policies, the banking system of Latin America has greatly benefited and is contributing to the overall growth of the Region.The article cites the example of Chile as a model for change in the region through adopting more robust and flexible economic policies. The article also discusses some of the implications for the local banks in the region also as more and more international banks are making entry into the market. This phenomenon is not only making competition tougher but also forcing local banks to be the target of the forced takeovers.Three Questions What the article however failed to account fo r is the fact the Brazil is the most progressing country in the region however; its banking sector is still under the Government control and is largely protected[1] and have shown considerable growth therefore the assumptions of the writer that the Latin America’s banking sector has shown growth because of less government intervention may not be acceptable? (South American Business Information , 2001).Further, the strategic choices offered to the local banks can only be achieved in long term therefore insulate themselves in short run, such local banks may need government protection to further allow them to grow in size therefore the strategic objectives offered by the writer may not be wholly practical? The article has further discussed the possibility of cross-border transfer of best practices due to similarities in culture however it failed to ignore the political and regulatory landscape of the region?Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   South American Business Information . (2001). Brazil: Banking sector has good performance. Retrieved Feb 18, 2009, from www.allbusiness.com: http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/banking-finance-overview/9709591-1.html[1] Brazil’s banking sector has witnessed consolidation which was largely local in nature as local banks merged with each other.

Individual in society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual in society - Essay Example 2. Why am I completing a Learning Journal as part of my study of social psychology? The learning journal aims at helping me properly understand and reflect on the ideas, issues and concepts learnt from topics in the class lectures in the most efficacious way possible. The journal also aims at enabling me think critically in identifying the ideas, concepts and issues raised in the topics. This will in turn enable me acquire the ability to reflect, respond to similar issues and formulate similar ideas 3. What do I hope to learn from this assignment? The assignment will no doubt help me in my future studies and in practical application of learnt ideas. It will enhance grasping and understanding of concepts from the topics I have learnt more effectively, and enhance reflection and application of the same in real time social psychology in the future. Further, it will equip me with skills in critical thinking, evaluation and quick comprehension. In my future studies, it will help me to ref lect on learnt materials adequately, be able to identify and connect with the learnt ideas and apply the same in solving related issues. perspective. Reflective Learning Journal Topic: Self & Identity 1. Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? In the topic Self and Identity, the aspect that has interested me the most is Spotlight effect and the illusion of transparency. This aspect is quite new to me and I never realized that such an experience had happened my life before without my knowledge. The aspect provides me with a new perspective on self-thinking, and its importance and significance in every day life. 2. What are the main ideas, concepts and evidence related to this aspect? The main ideas related to this aspect are the perceptions on self-focus, illusion of transparency cover and the spotlight effect. The concepts describe the language the body gives in certain feelings and the linking of the body language to certain feelings when in fact it is not the case. The body language can give a wrong impression and people can overestimate what one is thinking when it is completely the opposite. This is the spotlight effect discussed in the journal. A person can feel that they are under surveillance of other people when they are not. A person can be too conscious during public speaking and end up being different from the person they usually are in a normal or a social environment. The audience might really be interested in listening to the speaker but because the speaker is too self-conscious might end up underperforming because of thinking that they are being judged by the audience. Illusion of transparency explains how Some feelings are predictable and can be read by others. Feelings such as nervousness, happiness, anxiety, sadness and fear. However, some emotions cannot come out clearly. For example of love can rarely show out to others if the involved party decides to hide their feelings for each other (Myers, 2010) 3. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? The quote relating to this aspect is by Kenneth Savitsky and Thomas Gilovich who say that people feelings leak out and others normally notice. They forget that their internal stakes can leak out for others to see. For example, signs like trembling and nervousness can easily lead to detection of a liar (Myers 2010, p.60) 4. How is this aspect relevant to my social world? This aspect has enabled me

Observation of a biligual child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Observation of a biligual child - Essay Example The class that I am observing is a key stage one classroom which is a year one class and the children are aged between five and six. The classroom environment is filled with exciting displays and a separate display for language of the month which is currently Urdi. According to Baker (2006) the school setting is vital in developing the first language of any bilingual pupil. The children are split into different grouping according to their abilities. Flowers is the theme of this classroom daffodils, tulips, lilies and poppies this is their abilities settings for numeracy reading and literacy there is a BTA ( Bilingual teaching assistant) in class as well she will work with the EAL children ( English as an additional language) regardless of their abilities. Research (Cummins 1981, Collier and Thomas 1989) show that, it takes as long as seven years for EAL pupils to acquire a level of English proficiency compared to their monolingual peers. Teachers cannot wait till EAL pupils to develop high levels of English language ability before embarking on the demands of the national curriculum but must enable pupils to participate in curriculum context learning while they are simultaneously learning English (Gravelle, 2000) children's use of language in school differs from the language used outside of school. In addition, different academic subjects' areas have specific genres or registers. An important aspect of an inclusive curriculum is that the mainstream class teacher and the EAL/EMAG specialist should work together; to ensure that academic context is linked to language objectives and that language objectives are compatible with academic context. The lesson that I was observing was a literacy lesson and the teacher firstly went over the class rules which took approximately ten minutes then we started our literacy lesson the Bilingual Teaching Assistant (BTA) sat with the four EAL focus children on one table when there is a BTA in a classroom she always sits with the EAL children regardless of their abilities. The children in the group where Somalia and Tamil speakers (Some of them came from war torn countries and have seen a lot of war and poverty). The literacy lesson was to understand the features of a non- chronological report, such as an introduction impersonal language and present tense. The teacher asked the children what the features where of a non chronological report a Somalian child put his hand up and said "not in order" although his answer was partly correct when the teacher asked him to explain what he meant he was not able to answer even with the BTA help the teacher did not take into account of his English know ledge may not be enough to explain his thoughts further. The BTA was able to explain clearly in his home language as well as use a white board to record their thoughts and draw a diagram as a visual aid the BTA praised all the children relevantly. Moreover as the focus children in group two were Somalia speakers the BTA was able to explain clearly in their home language as well as used a white board to record their thoughts and also used a sheet containing a diagram of visual aid. The BTA praised all the children relevantly however, being one of the largest multi ethnic school in the

Gender roles and Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Gender roles and Marriage - Essay Example As time progressed the gender roles altered and the relationships and roles within the families were no longer confined to gender roles. While sex refers to the biological classification into male and female categories, gender indicates social classification of the masculine and feminine attributes. On the other hand identity depends on ones self realization about his or her sexual category. In the paper two stories have been taken up for study – ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber and ‘The Story of an Hour’ by Kate Chopin. In the former work, Mr. Mitty tries to build his masculine identity through his regular daydreams and in the second work, Mrs. Mallard tries to gain freedom from the repressive bond of marriage and a kind of sexual freedom is experienced after she hears the news of her husband’s death. In fact both these characters of opposite gender tries to gain freedom in their own ways. Mr. Walter Mitty attempts to gain fr eedom from the influence of his dominating wife who apparently always has the last word. The institution of marriage can be repressive owing to the influence of gender roles. ‘The Story of An Hour’ by the American writer Kate Chopin talks about the central character Mrs. Mallard’s reaction and mental transformation on hearing the news of her husband’s death and the mix of emotions experienced by the frail woman. Widowhood does cause some sorrow but within minutes it brings forth a new opportunity and light to the journey of life (GRIN Verlag, 2010, p.3). The transformation in thoughts and a feeling of some kind of freedom gradually replaces the initial feeling of loss. In this case the freedom enjoyed within shows how repressive the marriage could be. This is not really written to criticize the character of Mr. Mallard as a repressive husband but through the reactions of his wife, it mocks this supposedly happy union. The open window, the comfortable chair, ‘delicious breath of rain’ and the tops of the trees that were ‘all aquiver with the new spring life’, all indicate an underlying feeling of regene ration or rebirth and a mind which is open to the change and the new life that will belong solely to her. The open window through which she stares at the sky represents a glance at life through the eye of freedom. Mrs. Mallard was ‘young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength’; this description has been used as a tool to highlight the change that was taking place within. She was gaining her strength from the expectation of a new life approaching her. These new oncoming years have been portrayed like â€Å"creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air†. (Chopin, 1894) Chopin’s story bears significance to The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman where the wife finally protests against her husband who does not want her to write and always asks her to rest and sleep like a sick woman. Gilman finally breaks free of her husband’s control and tears off the wallpaper while Mrs. Mallard waits for a way out. The reason behind their desire for freedom is also different in each case. This was a time when the Women’s Suffrage Movement has just begun and several issues such as the domination and subjugation of a married woman was brought into consideration. A woman was considered as the property of her husband including her life and decisions. The spring of awareness was just born around the time this story was written (late nineteenth century) and hence Mrs. Mallard is kind of relieved that she would not have to face the domination of her husband henceforth. Again, there are sexual

Case Study Discussion Paper (Organisational change & transformation) Research

Case Study Discussion (Organisational change & transformation) - Research Paper Example How was change managed at Simmons? One of the most effective methods of ensuring a lasting change within an organization is to engage different stakeholders including employees in the overall process of change. This would mean that all the stakeholders are taken on board before any decision to take on the new changes within the organization is implemented. (Ragsdell, 2000). What is also significant to understand that in order to manage change effectively, it has to be communicated well and thus requires a great deal of effective communication in order to ensure that the real message is trickled down to the employees. (Almaraz, 1994). Any change management process therefore faces the fact that different people react differently to the change due to the fact that everyone has different fundamental needs which need to be fulfilled and the overall process of change can threaten such needs. What is also significant to understand that changes often result into loss- losses such as jobs, lo ss of position and organizational power etc and in such a situation, it becomes often difficult to accept such change and become part of it. (Paton,& McCalman, 2008). In order to overcome such situations, it is therefore critical that the overall process of change is managed properly and within an acceptable norm where losses are minimized while at the same time, the overall objectives are achieved with ease.(Stanleigh, 2008). It is also important to note that change often creates fears and therefore it is important that the overall process of managing fear is also managed properly. Employees often believe that the overall process of change would result into their job losses or make them redundant and therefore they may not fully accept the change and provide the kind of information and input required to make change successful. Leaders therefore will have to ensure that the fears of the individuals are managed properly and that individuals know how this change is going to affect the m positively. (Saka, 2003) A closer look at the overall affairs at Simmons would suggest that it was undergoing tremendous competitive pressures not only due to the fact that its major customers were out of the business but its overall approach was not centered on the consumers. This lack of focus on consumers therefore was not only costing them presently but it was its future which was at the risk also. Apart from this, the overall organizational structure at the firm was such that it resulted into the direct competition between different plants rather than fostering an overall process of collaboration between them. This situation therefore demanded a complete process of change management to be initiated at the firm. The overall process of change was managed at Simmons in rather an unconventional manner where the top management of the firm was first introduced to the concept. The CEO of the firm first shared the need for change with one individual and than the process of change man agement was initiated in order to ensure that the top management of the firm is on one page in terms of proposed changes in the future. As such the overall approach was a top down approach wherein the changes were first introduced at the top and then they were subsequently trickled down to the lower level. Changes were introduced at the higher level first wherein the top managemen

Isaiah verse 1.1-2.1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Isaiah verse 1.1-2.1 - Essay Example God expresses his anger towards those who try to bribe him using sacrifices that he may let them continue with their sins and save them from punishment. In the second chapter God goes beyond Judah and promises his judgment for the entire universe, promising the wicked anguish in a punishment that would purify the land of the wicked and save the just and righteous. God, through Isaiah, promises â€Å"the day of the Lord,† when those who are proud will be ashamed and suffer. There are questions concerning the authorship of the entire book of Isaiah, with some suggesting that it could have been contributed towards by different authors (Bratcher, 2015). However, the first and the second chapter show a clear flow of events, thus indicating that it was authored by one individual. The first verse of the first chapter of the book of Isaiah includes an addition of the editor aimed at identifying the prophet of God in the book and the circumstances that underlie his ministry. It is important to note that the name Isaiah means â€Å"the Lord’s salvation†, giving a glimpse of the mission of God towards saving his people, and clearly indicating that the people had turned away from God for them to need salvation (Young, 1992). The chapter involves a series of oracles that collected at different periods during the ministry of Isaiah. The people of Israel had lost their way and intended to establish alliances and political alignments with other nations that served pagan gods such as Egypt and Assyria (Kickert, 2009). God sent Isaiah to speak God’s voice among the people of Israel to remind them of their origin, and what God expected of them. In this first chapter, Isaiah used animals such as Ox and Ass considering their stubbornness and stupidity to define the failure of the Israelites to heed the voice of God. Israel was a term that was used by various prophets

Discuss the MBS market in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Discuss the MBS market in the US - Essay Example Fisher Centre for the Economics and Real Estate Journal (Van Order, 2000). The paper also shows a little history about the mortgaged based securities market in the US. It also displays the subtypes of the mortgage-backed security. For instance, it indicates mortgages that have collateral especially those that are secured using bond. It also shows stripped mortgages that are acquired using the relationships. The paper also that there is also the secondary mortgage market where a network of lenders does sell, and the investors buy the existing MBS. The issue of market size and liquidity is. The paper also shows how the Mortgage-backed security is where the weighted average coupon (WAC) and the weighted average maturity are in the valuation of a pass-through MBS (Van Order, 2000). The paper also talks about the issue of credit risk where the credit risk of the mortgage-backed securities will depend on the susceptibility of the borrowers in honouring their credit obligations at the required time. It also shows that the MBS’ credit rating is usually high (Van Order, 2000). The Mortgage backed securities (MBS) entails a debt responsibility that act as a representative of the claims to the cash flows from various loan mortgages brought together. It commonly witnessed in the real estate properties. Mortgage loans are from mortgage companies, banks, and other originators, and they are into pools by the private entity, governmental or quasi-governmental entity. The entity will then issue securities that represent claims on the principal and payments of interest made by investors on the loans in the pool. The process is as securitization (Levin and Davidson, 2008). Most Mortgaged Backed Securities originate from government-based institutions especially those that deals with mortgages. Some of such institutions are NMA and FAM. It also involves other corporation in the

The War against Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The War against Terrorism - Essay Example United States has primarily used its military in the fight against terrorism. Military is the final frontier of fight for every nation when every other alternative has been used and exhausted. The use of military in the fight against a faceless enemy was not justified. The fight against terrorism requires much more than brute force which the military is capable of delivering the war on terror should have been fought by USA with the help of intelligence agencies and backchannel diplomacy and not by parading the US military strength in nation after nation. This paper will analyze the above thesis statement and try to prove its validity. THE NATURE OF WAR The first important thing to note about this was on terror is that this war is unlike any other which has been fought in the human history. It is not a war against a nation or a political regime; it is certainly not a war against a particular religion. The enemy in this war is terrorism – premeditated violence against innocent citizens who do not have the ability to fight back when they are attacked. People engaging in terrorism want to effect change through violence and fear; they want to subvert the rule of law and the idea of freedom. As there is no one enemy in this war; the war cannot be won by United States only on the basis of military might. The war is to be fought using every instrument of national power – diplomatic, economic, intelligence and military.... As there is no one enemy in this war; the war cannot be won by United States only on the basis of military might. The war is to be fought using every instrument of national power – diplomatic, economic, intelligence and military. This war is against a faceless enemy (Mukasey). The biggest danger in this war is that using too much military might may create much more enemies then it will destroy; so it is a war in which diplomacy has and will play a very important role ; military alone cannot win the war. STRUCTURE OF TERRORITS ORGANISATIONS AND ROLE OF MILITARY. As is the case in any war, the key to success is to know your enemy. Once the enemy is known to us, we can decide on the methods to be used in fighting him. Terrorist organizations did not start with Al Qaeda nor will the end with it. Although terrorist organizations are different in the way they operate and the reasons for which they have undertaken terrorist activities they still follow a basic model which allows them to succeed. At the bottom of the terrorist structure are the underlying conditions. These are the basic reasons why people are ready to blow themselves up as suicide bombers. These underlying reasons may be political, poverty, lack of education and proper knowledge or anger against the state or a particular group. Without these underlying conditions there will be no terrorists. People who are aggrieved or wronged in the past are most likely to become terrorists. Poverty also propels some people to terrorism. However people who are in terrorism for the sake of money usually provide the logistics such as safe houses and money transfers. The foot soldiers of

Community Health Social Care Essay Example for Free

Community Health Social Care Essay Welcome to the Foundation Degree in Community Health and Social Care offered in partnership with a number of Further Education colleges, and validated by the University of Wolverhampton. Foundation Degrees are a vocationally focused higher education qualification located at intermediate level in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. This foundation degree has links with local and national employers ensuring that skills are developed through work-based learning, which is a major part of any foundation degree. This combined with higher-level knowledge and understanding reinforces and supports the development of vocational skills. Although the University of Wolverhampton has validated the foundation degree, the study will take place in one of the partner colleges. In the following pages you will find a brief description of the programme, the modules and other information that we think you will find useful. More detailed information about each module will be given by module leaders during your studies. We have also included details of awards that you may wish to progress onto after you complete the foundation degree. We work closely with the course leaders in all colleges. Arrangements will be made for you to visit the University. We look forward to seeing you then. If you have any issues or concerns that you wish to discuss please contact your course leader at your college. 2About this Guide The purpose of this guide is to provide you with information about the modules offered within the Foundation Degree. In addition to the information contained in this Pathway Guide, you will need to be aware of: The University Academic Principles and Regulations, which are available from the university web site. These regulations explain how the credit system operates, and the number of credits that must be studied at different levels in order to qualify for the different awards offered. Each college will arrange their own timetable – the course leader at your college will make you aware of this. All modules on the Foundation Degree in Community Health and Social Care are compulsory. On successful completion of the Foundation Degree, you will be awarded a ‘pass’. The University can also provide you with a formal transcript of your module results if you wish. If you decide to complete end your studies after successfully completing year One, you may be eligible for a Certificate of Higher Education. At the end of this guide you will find information on further study at the University of Wolverhampton. Introduction to the Health and Social Care Subjects The Foundation Degree provides an educational opportunity for undergraduates who come from a variety of backgrounds. The Foundation Degree aims to provide appropriate academic health and social care teaching for a wide variety of students, from across the NHS and the health and social care arena. The award may be studied on a full or part time basis. Full details of this can be found by asking the contact at your local college. We may be able to award some students credits for specific modules if they can demonstrate that they have already met the learning objectives. This is known as Accreditation of Prior Achievement. Please discuss this with the tutor at your college in the first instance. It is expected that all student will have work experience (this can be paid or unpaid) within the Health or Social Care field.

False Advertising Essay Example for Free

False Advertising Essay What they regret to inform you in the big print is that the only way to acquire these results is with diet and exercise, therefore they are misleading you. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission fined certain weight loss products for false advertising. These companies claimed that their product ranged from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer. Although these products were not pulled off shelves, they were advised to stop making false claims or prove their claims with scientific research proving that these products undoubtedly carry out the actions they claim to do. That’s just to show you that you can’t and shouldn’t believe everything you see. False advertising is also found widely in the food industry. There are many food companies that advertise their products on TV via commercials, such as Burger King, Quiznos, McDonald’s, and even supermarkets. These companies want you to visit their establishment by pulling you in with advertisements of their delicious products such as juicy burgers or bright red strawberries. The products look so good on TV, but when you arrive at the establishment and place your order, you receive something that doesn’t look as good as it did on TV. These companies falsely advertise what their products look like to draw you in so they can make money. If you have ever seen a Quiznos commercial, their sandwiches are advertised with an abundant amount of meat and vegetables, but when you go to purchase one, they are nothing close to what was advertised. The foods in the advertisements you see are not exactly edible. The agencies that are hired to create these products use cosmetic chemicals to enhance colors so the products appear to be fresh. They do this so they can boost its virtual appeal, concluding the point of not everything you see in advertising is necessarily true. Consumers are greatly affected by these deceptions. People who purchase a product and later realize that they did not receive what they thought they were paying for are dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction will eventually lead consumers to never purchase that product again, which will cause sales to drop for that company. By word of mouth, internet, and other means of communication these companies’ profits will plunge due to consumer discontent. Also, if companies are falsely advertising and fail to mention a certain aspect of their product to consumers and that consumer happens to be allergic to that certain aspect of the product, it may lead to a potential lawsuit. For example, the food label known as Spikes all purpose food seasoning declared their product had â€Å"no MSG added. † Further reading of the ingredients in this product, it contained hydrolyzed protein. This protein contains MSG; therefore this food label was false and misleading. Anyone who is allergic to MSG that consumes this product will get violently ill. Due to the lack of information the company failed to mention on the label, there is no way a consumer would have known the product contained MSG. To avoid situations like these, companies must be clear in stating every ingredient in their product. Not only in food products, but companies must also be sure to include every feature of their merchandise, so no one is being mislead.

Discussing the use of Expert Evidence in Trial

Discussing the use of Expert Evidence in Trial Expert evidence is becoming more established in the field of eyewitness testimony because jurors are frequently placing unjustified reliance on eyewitnesses. Jurors are being informed on the limitations of eyewitness identification as this can play a huge significance within a court case (Cunningham Tyrrell, 1976). section on reliability and validity of expert evidence Expert psychological witnesses are called before the jury to provide their knowledge of research and theories within the field of eyewitness testimony. They are not there to present facts about the specific case but rather provide scientific information of eyewitness accounts that help the jury make decisions (Vidmar Schuller, 1989, as cited in Leippe, 1995). This process can deliver better eyewitness accuracy as the jurors can evaluate the reliability and validity of testimonies and base their decisions from this (Monahan Walker, 1988, as cited in Leippe, 1995). However, Leippe (1995) stated that there is inadequacy in scientific research and theory as he argued that this field of research is not reliable because it cannot be generalised to the real world and lacks ecological validity. Some courts and several experimental psychologists have argued against research on eyewitness testimony as being scientific, as they have established that eyewitness research is not widely accepted as a science as findings have not been generally approved (Egeth, 1993). Previous research on a survey of 488 responses to expert witness questions and believability was carried out. This produced implications of reliability and validity of expert evidence. It was found that the majority of respondents stated that they would believe experts from their own community as they were sensitive to the issue of expert witnesses being a hired gun which refers to expert opinions that are not impartial due to being bias towards the party that called them (Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). A majority of respondents specified that they would believe experts who were not getting paid for their testimony; this allows respondents to believe that the experts are providing an honest judgement and are not stating information on the basis of expecting return (Cooper Neuhaus, 2000, as cited in Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). In addition to this factor, respondents conveyed a preference for testimony from experts that have previously testified for the prosecution and defence rather tha n one or the other (Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). A number of cases have debated that expert testimony is simply common sense and this knowledge can be made by the un-educated jurors, and the deficiencies in the accuracy of identification can be conveyed to the jury over cross-examinations, and closing arguments (Woller, 2003). A study by Levett Kovera, 2008 indicate that there is a sensitisation amongst jurors on the validity of initial expert research when opposing expert research is introduced to address the validity of the initial expert research. Evidence was found that this process allows non-extreme judgements to be made by jurors but will not directly affect substantial decisions on the outcomes of a case. This shows inconsistencies when using initial expert research because the study illustrates that opposing experts give the opinion that initial expert research is inapplicable to the case. This suggests the question on whether the appropriateness on having an initial expert witness is needed at all as they frequently do not influence jurors decisions. Overall, eyewitness testimony reliability depends on many factors, in some cases it is reliable and in others it is not. Individual factors can contribute to whether the information given is correct or not. Personal opinion whether it would be appropriate to use experts in this case Expert evidence helps provide research and theory about well-known variables which can influence memory and recalling of memory. Therefore by using expert evidence in the case of evaluating eyewitness testimonies is crucial, as much research has supported the flaws which can contribute to misleading information. As a result of such a high dependency and impact of the judges decision of the eyewitness testimony in determining ones life outcome, it is important that all measures are put forward in order to prevent a person who is not guilty from going to prison. On the other hand, I believe that there were a number of variables within this case that is deemed to be too complex to measure individually. I think that it is much harder to get an accurate account of the event itself when viewing the variables in isolation. The theories are not established enough to concentrate on the variables combined which could potentially give a more accurate account of the event. If an expert witness was used for this case, I believe that they would significantly affect the decision of the jury. They somewhat take the role of the juror and directly affect the credibility of the eyewitnesses testimony. This should not be acceptable as an expert witness should only be there to provide facts about certain pieces of evidence and not about specific variables within the case. Overview of psychological evidence that may be brought before the court by the expert for the prosecution (Guilty) Around 20 Research states 3 highest accuracy levels :sex height and racei Freya remembered more detail-eyes-more accurate -watching and had more light more oppotunity Detailed descriptions Nature of event The nature of the event can have a profounding effect on the witnesss future recall. Witnesses who experience a traumatic event tend to have higher stress levels. This enables them to have a much detailed memory as they often think about the event after it has happened. Because of the disturbing nature of the event, it makes it harder for a witness to forget. All 3 witnesses within the case experienced a form of violence and therefore their levels of arousal would have increased. According to research findings, this could enhance the accuracy of the description of the event and suspect (Christianson, 1992). Yuille and Cutshall (1986) also found that higher stress levels lead to better memories of events than do witnesses with lower stress levels. Confidence (Meta-memory) A witness that is confident when providing their testimony to court officials are usually more believed to be accurate (Wise Safer, 2004 as cited in Krug, 2007). A study performed by Bradfield and Wells (2000, as cited in Bradfield McQuiston, 2004) found that a participant juror who reads a testimony from a confident witness is said to of had a better view of the event compared to a witness whose confidence was low. Even when the jury has stated that confidence is not an accurate determinant, there is evidence to believe that high confidence does allow the jury to express a better evaluation of the witness (Fox Walters, 1986). Pratima Hussain conveyed a high level of confidence when declaring her testimony as she stated that she categorically knew that the defendant was the person that pushed her to the ground. She also gave a very detailed description of the weapon. This may influence the prosecution of the suspect by the jury because her confidence can be a huge predictor of acc uracy. Bell Loftus, 1989 also established that when confidence is expressed, jurors are impressed with that confidence which makes them more easily persuaded. Number of Witnesses Witnesses, who are at the same crime and identify the same suspect under different conditions, are more likely to be accurate. A study by Haber and Haber (2000) shown that if a witness provides a description of a suspect and then later identifies them within a video identity parade, they are said to be 75% accurate. If another witness, who was present at the same crime, provides a similar description of the suspect and also identifies the same person from the identity parade, both of their identifications are said to be 90% accurate. This factor relates back to the case since Pratima Hussain and Emanuel Hargreaves both gave a similar description of Kevin Clough and both identified him from the mugshots and identity parade. Overview of psychological evidence that may be brought before the court by the expert for the defence: Womens eyesight was discredited (glasses came off) Pushed ground Glasses Less likely if realy old-age recogitionn The nature of event The effect of arousal on eyewitness memory is now commonly explored using the Yerkes-Dodson law (1908) which states that the connection between arousal and performance is based on a U-shaped curve whereby very high or very low levels of stress decreases the performance of the witness and that intermediate levels of stress is when performance is at its best (Deffenbacher, 1983 as cited in McCloskey Egeth, 1983). Therefore in relation to the event being violent, stress levels must have been very high which can cause discrepancies in the eyewitness testimonies given. Stress interferes with the ability of eyewitnesses to identify a central person in a stressful situation (Morgan et al, 2004, as cited in Wells, Memon Penrod, 2006). The high stress itself could be expected to lead to a narrowing of the range of perceptual focus, as Easterbrook (1959 some facts about weapons) has noted. Mugshot induced bias In this case, 2 of the witnesses were required to carry out mugshot identification and a video identity parade. Research by Cutler et al (1987, as cited in Ebbesen Konecni, 1997) has shown that exposure to mugshots after viewing the suspect at the scene of the crime may create a risk that the witness may become bias within the subsequent video identity parade. This is because the witness increases their ability to recognise a previously seen face. The witness may inflict a failure of memory due to previous exposure of other mugshots and therefore fail to identify the actual suspect from the event (Brown, Deffenbacher Sturgill, 1977, as cited in Deenbacher, Bornsteiny Penrod, 2006). as Garven, Wood and Malpass (2000, as cited in Hafstad Memon, 2004) found Retention of memory The ability to take in information and hold it is a very important factor to reflect on. Many studies have shown that memory may deteriorate after an event occurs. There is more than one reason that retention of an event may be lost, which can include post events that take over the memory of the original event or similarly, a witness being exposed to information from other witnesses (Woocher, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) as cited in Baggett, 1975 Memory for Explicit and Implicit Information in Picture Stories). Another reason may include bad experiences of a particular event that might eliminate memory from a witness because they choose not to remember it. Shapiro and Penrod (1986, as cited in Smith, Stinson Prosser, 2004) performed a study on long vs. short delays and found that longer delays led to less correct and more false identifications. From this study, it is clear to see that retention plays an important element when making correct identifications. This is also true of the Kevin Clo ugh case, as all of the witnesses were required to identify the suspect from mugshots 2 days after the event occurred. They also had to identify the suspect from a video identity parade, 8 days after the event occurred. Perception A factor that can affect eyewitness perception is a term called an event factor. This is when natural conditions within an event can affect the witnesss perception when an event occurs. It might seem natural to think that witnessing an event in good lighting conditions, may improve perception compared to poor lighting conditions. However, this is not the case as research has found that different lighting conditions can be relatively complex (Woller, 2003). Adaptation to light and dark has a significant effect on perception. It has been found that when witnessing an event in a dark condition and then there is sudden changes to a light condition, or the opposite, the eyes are unable to fully recover right away and perception is distorted. This is the cause of a chemical reaction happening within the eye between the rods and cones which generates a short experience of blindness. In the case of Kevin Clough, this can have a profound effect on Freya Ogdens perception. On the evening of Ja nuary 12th, it would have been dark outside and Freya reported that a security light shone on the offender as he ran past her. Consequently, her identification of the offender may be unjustified as a result of light adaptation. Cross-Race Identification A major factor concerning eyewitness identification is Cross-Race Identification. A jury may be alerted when considering the condition of a witnesss race that is different to the race of the suspect and the accuracy of the identification. Research has found people from one race have great difficulty identifying people from a different race. This is because people that generally socialise with other people from their own racial group tend to absorb certain facial features more easily compared to people from another racial group (Malpass Kravitz, 1969). Members of one race tend to state that members of a different racial group have less homogeneity in the facial features in relation to their own racial group (Goldstein, 1979 as cited in Smith, Stinson Prosser, 2004). Ng and Lindsay (1994) stated that the more contact a person has with people from a differing racial or ethnic group, the ability to identify suspects correctly will be greater. This issue might be a contributing factor r egarding the Kevin Clough case because 2 of the witnesses, Pratima Hussain and Emanuel Hargreaves, are of a different racial group to the suspect. This could mean that their identification of Mr Clough may be invaluable to the case regarding the factor of cross-race identification. Individual factors Age Another factor which should be considered in accordance to eyewitness testimonies is age. Age is found to play a significant role in eyewitness testimonies. All witnesses are seen to be vulnerable, however children have been found to be the most vulnerable (Bruck Ceci, 1999, as cited in Wells, Memon Penrod, 2006). Children have been found to be susceptible to interviewer bias, as Garven, Wood and Malpass (2000, as cited in Hafstad Memon, 2004) found 50% of children who received positive reinforcement for reporting incorrect responses continued to answer yes to the misleading information, whereas 5% answered yes when no reinforcement was applied. This research suggests children are easily misled with what they experienced from the event. Research has also found a decline in memory for elderly witnesses. Cohen and Faulkner (1989) found elderly subjects were easily misled by false information. This states that expert eyewitnesses are crucial in cases where children and elderly witnes ses are testifying. Research has also found confidence and memory reports can easily be distorted in particular with vulnerable children, as children are believed to be overly optimistic with their memory proficiencies (Hafstad, Memon Logie, 2004). Weapon Focus The presence of a weapon can substantially indicate to an eyewitness that a crime is happening. The concentration on the weapon itself can reduce the ability to absorb other information from the crime (Loftus Messo, 1987, as cited in Mitchell, Livosky, Mather, 1998). Weapon focus is linked to arousal and Easterbrook (1959, as cited in Mitchell et al., 1998) found that perception decreases as arousal levels increase which is based on his/her cue utilisation theory. The theory also points out that the more intense the arousal is of an eyewitness, the bigger the reduction in perceptual cues. When a weapon is visible within a crime, the weapon focus effect states that all focus is pointed at the weapon and perceptual cues such as the criminals characteristics are decreased. The case of Kevin Clough is interesting because the victim Pratima Hussain was able to provide a detailed description of the weapon, and identify characteristics of the suspect correctly. Mrs Hussain was able to ide ntify the suspects age, race and eye colour correctly. Research by Dehon and Bredart (2001) as cited inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ has found that white people are able to make a more accurate age estimate for in-groups than out-groups. However, the accuracy of age estimates from people of other races that live or have lived predominantly in a white country did not differ based on the race of the face. Research was carried out by Anastasi Rhodes, 2006 as cited in Age Estimation of Faces on whether the age of the witness corresponds with the age of the suspect. Results found that age estimates are often bias towards their own age range. Research also found that witnesses that are much older than the suspect exhibit poorer performance regarding face recognition Adams-Price, 1992 as cited in Evidence for an Own-Age Bias in Face. Therefore, there is a possibility that Pratima Hussains age estimate of the suspect could have been wrong and that she may have guessed the age of the suspect. Indicate what you consider to be the strongest evidence for both the prosecution and for the defence. Prosecution Defence Retention of memory It is clear that memory declines over a period of time. I think this is an important factor because the longer the length of time between the learning experience and test of identification, the likelihood that memory will decrease will be greater. Conclusion selective attention, reconstructive memory, short exposure durations, vantage point, suggestion

Buddhism And The Poetry Of Jac Essay -- essays research papers

Buddhism and the Poetry of Jack Kerouac For we all go back where we came from, God’s Lit Brain, his Transcendent Eye of Wisdom And there’s your bloody circle called Samsara by the ignorant Buddhists, who will still be funny Masters up there, bless em. Jack Kerouac -from Heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack Kerouac spent his creative years writing in a prosperous post world war II America. He was in many ways a very patriotic person who had no problem making known his love for his country , particularly within his literature. It was, quite literally, America that he was in love with. Taking cues from writers such as Whitman, he embraced the American landscape as a field for spiritual cultivation. Kerouac was indeed a writer with spiritual preoccupations. He saw himself as partaking in a lifelong journey through the America that was waiting to reveal itself and, consequently, himself. Also, of course, considering himself a serious writer, he would chronicle this spiritual expedition throughout a series of novels that together would be called “The Duluoz Legend.'; This was the name Kerouac had intended the novels to take on when he would assemble them in chronological order before he died. Unfortunately he died earlier than he expected and was unable to form ally assemble them. However, the legend remains.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kerouac undoubtedly made his mark on the literary world with his prose. And his prose proves itself to be a very good example of his writing as spiritual commentary. Kerouac, while wandering the country in freight cars and the backs of pick-up trucks, saw himself as a modern day sage or bodhisatva, discovering the essence of “the void'; and using his literature as a record of these discoveries. His body of work is a wonderful example of integrating Buddhism into the daily life and thought of a man living in a western culture. Kerouac could not help but find religion in every aspect of his waking day. Every thing or person he encountered or interacted with was a part of the “essence of isness.'; Within the Kerouacian canon there is, besides his prose, another shining example of Kerouac’s literary translation of the spirituality of living. Throughout his career Kerouac wrote several volumes of poetry, all of which deal with using the poetic medium to express ... ...ters as in Japanese called for this strict adherence to be dropped. In being that Haiku is Japanese in origin, it is reflected in Kerouac’s attempts that he was trying to see poetry from a Zen perspective. A few such attempts are as follows. Dusk: the bird on the fence a contemporary of mine Enlightenment is: do what you want eat what there is The moon, the falling star- Look elsewhere   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack Kerouac was a writer with spiritual preoccupations. He allowed religion to be what it is, an integral part of everything one does, including writing. Just as a Buddhist, Jack saw life as a miracle. This was a miracle, though, that could be understood. However, from the perspective of a westerner it is believed that only God can understand miracles. Kerouac, seeing things from the perspective of the “innumerable diamond essences'; would have no problem with this argument. He would then, through his poetry and prose, explain us all to be God. He would open his Buddhist eyes to the world and record his meditations. Life was a miracle as well as art to Kerouac. Buddhism showed this to Kerouac, and Kerouac showed this to the western world.

death penalty :: essays research papers

When turning on the television, radio, or simply opening the local newspaper, one is bombarded with news of arrests, murders, homicides, and other such tragedies. There are many things that I don't agree with in today's society but, out of all the wrongdoing that takes place, I believe murder including the death penalty is the worst of them. I am strongly against the death penalty because it violates God's rules, costs the tax payers too much money, the possible "wrongly accused," and it is cruel and unusual punishment. How often do these concepts creep into the public's mind when it hears of our `fair, trusty' government taking away someone's breathing rights? I do not support having the death penalty because it violates religious beliefs. Many religions, such as my own, Catholicism, follow the rules that God sent to use through the Ten Commandments. One of the most important of those ten states, "Thou shall not kill." If you are executing an individual, that clearly violates this commandment. Murdering any person, no matter what the individual has been convicted of, is a mortal sin. Therefore, God will punish anyone who aids in executing people. I believe that religious beliefs, such as the Ten Commandments, are the corner stone for our law system. Executing someone should not be made an exception to God's rule. My next reason against the death penalty is that taxpayers waste too much of their money with the death penalty. The average death penalty case is appealed three times. This means that the taxpayers must pay for the same trial to be heard three times. This is a very expensive practice. Also, the average convicted murder spends 12 years on death row. If supporters of the death penalty are positive enough to kill the person for committing the crime, shouldn't the supporters be confident enough to execute them in a timely manner? Why spend the taxpayer's money keeping these inmates in jail for so long? Taxpayer's money should go to better society, not to accommodate the prisoners that are going to end up dead. There's always the chance of the innocent being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - The Up-Roaring Twenties :: free essay writer

The Great Gatsby: The Up-Roaring Twenties    The 1920s in America were a decade of great social change.   From fashion to politics, forces clashed to produce a very ^Roaring^ decade.   Jazz sounds dominated the music industry.   It was the age of prohibition, the age of prosperity, and the age of downfall.   It was the age of everything, and this can be witnessed through the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.   The Roaring Twenties help create Gatsby's character.   Gatsby's participation in the bootlegging business, the extravagant parties he throws, and the wealthy, careless lifestyle the Buchanans represent are all vivid pictures of that time frame.   It turns out, although he was used and abused by all the people whom he thought of as friends, Jay Gatsby ^turned out alright in the end.^   (Fitzgerald 6)   It almost seems as if he is better off dead, according to the narrator, because all his so-called ^friends^ either deserted him or used him for their own personal gain.   There are signs of this all!   throughout the novel, but it is especially evident in the final chapters.   In chapter seven, when Myrtle Wilson is killed, Daisy accepts no responsibility for Myrtle^s death.   She just sits back and lets Gatsby take all the blame for her actions.   Gatsby is very willing to do so, because of the love he has for Daisy.   All Gatsby can think about after the accident is what Daisy went through, it was as if ^Daisy^s reaction was the only thing that mattered.^ (Fitzgerald 151) Gatsby stands outside of Daisy and Tom^s house for hours, waiting for a sign from Daisy that things were alright.   ^I want to wait here till Daisy goes to bed.^ (Fitzgerald 153)   Inside, as she talks with Tom, Daisy shows no remorse, she just continues with her life as if it never happened.   In chapter eight, Gatsby recounts for Nick all the memories he has of Daisy and him together.   ^She was the first ^nice^ girl he had ever known.^   (Fitzgerald 155)   ^...Daisy, gleaming like silver...^ (Fitzgerald 157) This makes it especially hard for Nick to see Gatsby still in love with Daisy.   While around Gatsby, Daisy either pretends to be, or is in love with Gatsby.   This is evidenced when Daisy ^pulled his (Gatsby^s) face down kissing him in the mouth.^   (Fitzgerald 122) Then when she is in her kitchen with Tom after Myrtle^s death, ^there was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy...they were conspiring together.^   (Fitzgerald 152) In the final chapter, Gatsby^s funeral takes place; however, no ^friends^ that had frequented his parties, with the exception of owl-eyes, bother to come to his funeral.

Accounting Management Technique for Google Essay

Google, Inc. has been one of the fastest growing and profitable companies in the world. Since its inception in 1998, it has revolutionized the way the world uses the Internet. Though Google has its hands in many different projects, the classification of industry under which Google falls is simply the Internet search process. Initially, Google strived to be the â€Å"perfect search engine† (About google, n.d.). Today, they have evolved to become that and more, with application developments that are user-friendly, their form of electronic mail, and their streamlined and sleek method of helping other businesses reach their target markets with simple advertisements. Google is renowned for their exemplary customer service and providing one of the top-sought-after workplaces in the world (Smith, 2011). With simple guidelines for their practices, Google is the industry leader in user-friendly web applications. Their ten keystones for their business are all customer-focused and are aimed at being the best and fastest. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) would be the best management technique for Google to implement. Though Google is in business to make money, there are a lot of soft features associated with Google that go unaccounted for in every other management technique. Since Google is so human-dependent from the creator of the application to the end-user, it follows naturally that a management technique like the BSC would be most effective. See more: Foot Binding In China essay The financial performance should be considered, but the non-financial information like customer satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness of the internal processes and the learning and growth portions of the BSC are most applicable to the operations at Google. Google’s fate and financial success rest heavily on their human resources. The employees they choose to hire have to be top-notch to keep Google at the top of their game. Google depends on their employees to provide superior customer service, to work in ways that are most efficient, and to keep on the edge of the needs of the people so that they can develop new ways to serve them. Being able to manage these non-financial factors effectively determines the fate of Google. References About google. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/about/ Blocher, E., Stout, D., & Cokins, G. (2010). Cost management: a strategic emphasis. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Smith, J. (2011, December 15). The best companies to work for. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2011/12/15/the-best- companies-to-work-for/

Autobiography of Lacocca

Lee Iacocca grew up in Allentown Pennsylvania, very close to my hometown of Boyertown Pa. My geographic connection with Iacocca is one of the reasons I chose to read his autobiography. We are both very interested in automobiles and automotive history, which connected me even further with Iacocca . Iacocca believes that you can become and achieve anything in life as long as you have strong determination and motivation. I too share this belief. Lee Iacocca did not focus his life on goals that others set for him; he followed his heart and his dreams, which someday is something I hope to be able to say about myself. Iacocca, the son of Italian immigrants grew up in an upper middle class family. His father started out with nothing and over many years, he managed to build a successful chain of hotdog restaurants in Pennsylvania. Because of his father's success and strong beliefs in the value of education, Iacocca grew up attending private schools and eventually found his way into Lehigh University. While attending, Lehigh Iacocca earned a degree in Mechanical engineering. Upon his graduation, he landed a very prestigious job with Ford Motor Company. In August 1946, Iacocca began his work in the engineering department of Ford. After a year of engineering Iacocca discovered that it was not what he wanted to do with his life, he wanted to be in sales. Ford agreed, which was the start of a very successful venture for Iacocca and the Ford Motor Company. Through many years of hard work, Iacocca was promoted to top management. This is where he found himself living his dream. He never wanted to leave work at the end of the day and could not wait to go back the next morning. Although Iacocca was doing very well and could not be happier, the Ford Motor Company was going through hard times. General Motors was really hurting Ford in sales and in innovations. In the late 50's and early 60's Ford produced cars that were just not selling and were real failures in the industry. Iacacco knew something had to be done, and he convinced president and CEO Henry Ford Jr. that he was the man to do it. Through many months of close arduous work with Ford's design team, Iaccoca came up with the Idea of the Mustang. Ford Jr. as not at all excited about the idea, but at this point he figured he had nothing to lose. He decided to give Iacocca's â€Å"Mustang† a shot. This shot in the dark not only turned out to be the Ford Motor Companies' biggest success, but also the biggest automotive success in the world. In the first quarter of 1964, Mustang sales marked the highest level of automotive sales in history. In one year 418,812 â€Å"Stangs† were sold to American car buyers. No matter what anyone said, Iacocca was convinced that his Mustang would be a success. Actually, it ended up single handedly saving the Ford Motor Company from bankruptcy. At this point, Iacocca was known as a powerful and knowledgeable force in the automotive industry. However, this success and power came at a price. Henry Ford Jr. saw the success and praise Iacocca was receiving. He became scared that Iacocca was working toward eventually taking over Henry Ford's position as president and CEO of Ford Motor Company. The only solution Henry Ford saw to this problem was to fire Iacocca before he had the chance to take over his position at the top. Being fired after over 30 years of successful work at Ford left Iacocca scared and bitter towards Ford forever. At the age of fifty-four Iacocca felt too young to retire but too old to start working in a new kind of business. It turned out that he would not even have time to think about that dilemma. Chrysler was a failing company who needed the expertise and knowledge of Iacocca. Meetings between Iacocca and Chrysler were kept secret as to not involve the media. Iacocca wanted to be his own man; he was tired of working under someone else. He would not take a job with Chrysler unless he could be CEO and president. Chrysler accepted these terms and Iacocca began the challenging but rewarding job of building up a fallen company his own way. Chrysler became a success as the third biggest automotive company in just over two years with Iacocca as president and CEO. Iacocca went on to create many innovations and top selling models such as the Minnie van and many others. He will always be remembered as a huge achiever in the automotive industry and a man that became successful by following his heart and never giving up on his goals and dreams. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in becoming successful under their own terms and doing something, which they love. I learned through reading this autobiography that life is full of twists and turns but it is up to us to make them a positive force rather than a negative one. This book will inspire anyone who as a strong desire to achieve their dreams in life and it might even light a fire inside you to go out and make those dreams a reality.

Modern US history

As an intellectual enterprise, contemporary social sciences are replete with claims of social collapse. Over the last 20 years, scholars have proclaimed â€Å"the end of history,† â€Å"the end of politics,† â€Å"the end of work,† â€Å"the end of the family,† â€Å"the end of liberalism,† â€Å"the end of medicine,† â€Å"the end of ideology,† â€Å"the end of individualism.† There is little doubt that we are experiencing massive social change. As we are approaching the year’s end, something new is emerging, helter-skelter, in our midst that bears little resemblance to any existing political, theological, or sociological model of how the world is supposed to work. The social shifts are sufficiently different in character to have produced a new social form, one suitably widespread and anchored to become visible. This claim of a new social form lies at the heart of the postmodern contention that we have entered an era of ambiguity, and we argue that postmodernists advance this claim in a way that sociologist cannot ignore. While they are right on target in capturing the spirit of rapid social change that characterizes the present era, their embrace of the resulting â€Å"chaos† as a new social form is misguided: they mistake an era of societal transition for a new enduring social structure or even a hybrid of modern society. In historical perspective, what we are now experiencing bears a striking similarity to the place on the cultural and historical map that created sociology at the end of the last century. Rising suicide rates, the growing prominence of Protestant countries and the subsequent demise of Catholicism’s hold on the Western world, and the movement from agricultural to industrial production all have their parallels in the current social era. Rather than embracing the change and ambiguity they surveyed, and mistaking it for what â€Å"modern† society would be. One of the major tasks of sociology at the turn of this year is to struggle to understand the new institutional and personal structures that characterize contemporary social forms and not abdicate to other disciplines the task of making sense of emergent societal transitions and structures. A widespread belief seems to be emerging that the U.S. economy is in the throes of a fundamental transformation. The true enthusiasts treat the new economy as a fundamental industrial revolution as great or greater in importance than the concurrence of inventions, particularly electricity and the internal combustion engine, which transformed the world at the turn of the year. There is no dispute that the U.S. economy is awash in computer investment that productivity has revived. Economists have long been ambivalent about what social interactions constitute the proper domain of the discipline. The narrower view has been that economics is primarily the study of markets, a circumscribed class of institutions in which persons interact through an anonymous process of price formation. Throughout much of the twentieth century, mainstream economics traded breadth for rigor. In the first half of the century, institutional economics, which thought broadly but loosely about social interactions, gradually gave way to the neoclassical theory of general competitive markets. A pivotal development was the transformation of labor economics from a field narrowly concerned with work for pay into one broadly concerned with the production and distributional decisions of families and households. The important development was the emergence in macroeconomics of endogenous growth theory. Whereas classical growth theory assumed that the production technology available to an economy is exogenous, endogenous growth theory supposes that today’s technology may depend have been influenced by the past output of the economy. The broadening of economic theory has coincided with new empirical research by economists on social interactions. Unfortunately, the empirical literature has not shown much progress. Economics has sufficed with a remarkably small set of basic concepts: preferences, expectations, constraints and equilibrium. Widespread literacy is alleged to be indispensable to popular government. Dramatic changes in communication technologies which are said to affect exposure to traditional print media-we need to look afresh at reading’s political impact. Learning to read is a political act. Inability to read limits an individual’s participation in community life. It was probably for this reason that slaves in the antebellum South were kept illiterate. Even today, a connection between literacy and citizenship exists in evidence showing that persons who read are more likely than those who do not identify with larger political communities. American people are haunted by Old World hegemonies and hence are committed to individualism and modernism for philosophical and practical reasons. American people are a restless and contentious lot producing a kaleidoscope of attitudes about most social issues. The American people can be found in the election turnout figures and in gross economic indicators, to e sure, but they are more than that; they are also the meanings of their behaviors. Raised on a diet of political supremacy and technocratic invincibility, the American people were shaken to the core by 9/11. Shortly thereafter, a number of bromides caught the national ear: â€Å"America has lost its innocence forever,† â€Å"this is the first war of the twenty-first century,† â€Å"the U.S. just joined the world of nations.† At some point, history may prove these claims true. But 9/111 has already shown something more heartening: the functionality of a longstanding communal discourse. Admittedly, that discourse is shot through with contradictions and impossible overstatements. That contradictions and overstatements can prove sustaining to a people is a curious fact-an American fact. Reference: Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States. Available on-line: http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html.

Lemurs in Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Transcript

Lemurs in Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Transcript Speakers: Ian Tattersall, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Michelle Sauther, Frank Cuozzo (Rain trickling, lemur sounds: squeaking and calling) (Music playing in background) IAN TATTERSALL: I think everybody who is involved with lemurs is concerned for the future. We’re in a finite island that cannot infinitely be exploited and ravaged. And if present trends continue, the outlook for any of the natural habitat or any of the lemurs is fairly poor. (Birds chirping) Lemurs are members of the order primates, that is to say the large group of mammals to which human beings also belong.And they’d found they are uniquely in Madagascar and on a couple of the adjacent islands of the Comoros group. (Music playing in background) An evolutionary radiation is the diversification of different species from the same ancestor and once a new kind of organism like a primate comes into a new environment as happened in Madagascar about six ty million years ago; there are many, many different ways in which that environment can be exploited. It’s very hard to say exactly how many species of lemur there are because new species are being described all of the time.But in general terms, there now looks to be about thirty to thirty-five species of lemurs and it shows us just what the potential of primates is to occupy an enormous range of different habitats. (Music playing in background) Habitat destruction takes place on a much shorter time scale than evolutionary change and the amount of change that is happening so rapidly in Madagascar as a result of human activities is clearly something with which no evolutionary process can cope. JONAH RATSIMBAZAFY: Now we are here in Ranomafana National Park in the southeastern rainforest of Madagascar.This place used to be loved by loggers but since the park was created, the forest started to be productive. Here in Ranomafana, there are twelve different species of lemurs. Seven are active during the day and five are active during the night. There are many different ways of studying lemurs. It depends on what you want to look at. (Speaking in background) I look at the behavior and how the behavior fits in the habitat. For example, if you want to know which foot and what prints they rely on because if we can continue to protect the habitat, that will help to protect them or to conserve them.Every five minutes we take note what species of tree, who the closest neighbor is, the closest trail, because we want to know where do they go to estimate the home range and if they eat, what do they eat. Some species cope better than the others. If you are a specialist on your diet and if people cut down your food, you are gone. For example, the bamboo lemur. They exclusively eat bamboo and if people cut down those plants, they are gone. They can disappear very fast. (Music playing in background) IAN TATTERSALL: Different lemurs are affected in different ways by the env ironmental destruction that is going on in Madagascar.Some lemurs are in danger, some are critically endangered, some are vulnerable, and some are threatened. The less vulnerable ones are the ones that do well in secondary habitats, in habitats that have been altered by people. MICHELLE SAUTHER: We’re at a site called Beza Mahafaly, and it incorporates a protective reserve as well as areas outside of the reserve and our research here focuses on the effects of fragmentation and changes in habitat on lemur biology and their behavior. We study lemur catta which is the ring-tailed lemur. It’s the type of lemur most people have seen in zoos.They are one of the most far ranging of the lemurs. They are incredibly adaptable and one of the things that we are kind of interested in is what is the biology of adaptation or what is the biology of avoiding becoming extinct. And because ring-tailed lemurs are so widespread, and that’s not to say they’re not threatened, b ut they seem to be able to deal a lot behaviorally and biologically with habitat change. I think what we’re seeing in terms of the troops we were looking at today is a troop that is actually utilizing some of the anthropogenic change.They will go out and utilize local people’s crops so they are actually exploiting some of the habitat that has been degraded and turned into crop land for their own use. FRANK CUOZZO: In terms of the ring-tailed lemurs, because they are rather generalist, they do seem to adjust to different types of disturbance. As Michelle mentioned a few moments ago, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to watch out or think about it and it doesn’t mean there aren’t very real threats to long-term survival, but ring-tails specifically seem to deal with things in ways that some of the more specialized lemurs don’t.MICHELLE SAUTHER: But there is always limitations to those though. That’s what we’re trying to un derstand is where are you when you get to the limits of even a ring-tailed lemur in terms of being able to adapt. (Music playing in background) I used to feel depressed when I came here because, again, you see the habitat changing and a lot of fragmentation occurring. I feel a bit better now because we’re trying to really get a handle on what sort of ways you can interact with local people because that is the reality.What you saw around here is the reality of Madagascar. IAN TATTERSAL: I think what we ought to be looking for in terms of conservation is habitats to protect and what we need to do is to find those places where, with the least disturbance to local people or to the greatest benefit of local people, tracks of forest that support the native fauna of Madagascar can be conserved. (Lemur sound) [End of Audio] Copyright  © 2006 by Films Media Group. All rights reserved. Adapted with permission.

Baz Luhrmanns Romeo And Juliet Review Film Studies Essay

Baz Luhrmanns Romeo And Juliet Review Film Studies Essay Baz Luhrmann brings a unique visual style to William Shakespeare’s renaissance tragedy â€Å"Romeo and Juliet†. Set in a modern Verona Beach, Luhrmann sets the assertive and trendy tone of his adaptation within a decaying Miami City. Within minutes, the opening TV prologue hurls us into the white-hot intensity of the two warring families, bombarding the audience with chaotic action scenes and passion. Constructing an edgy and dynamic environment, his brash interpretation uses rapid cuts and erratic zooming techniques to create a comic strip style sequence against the multicultural backdrop of the graffiti scattered streets of Verona. Though effective, the restlessness of the camera becomes confusing, slicing the action into short, sharp images that can mystify rather than illuminate. Such fervent action so soon into the film is dizzying and unexpected. Luhrmann attracts the audience with his lively cinema style, speeding up the action to hype up the confrontation and t he rivalry of the two families alongside an intense soundtrack of contemporary and popular music. As a contemporary film director, Luhrmann clearly values the younger audience who would usually only come into contact with Shakespeare in a school environment. This could explain the roaring energy of car engines and elaborate guns instead of horses and swords originally used in earlier productions. Encompassing the elegance of Shakespeare’s text, Luhrmann introduces the â€Å"star crossed lovers† in a tender exchange of affectionate eye contact across the shimmering light of an aquarium. The pair follow each other across the length of the glass in an enduring and delicately youthful and romantic moment, capturing the innocence of the fated pair. Luhrmann creates a sensual and glamorously romantic atmosphere whenever the lovers meet alone. The balcony and swimming pool scene in particular surrounds the pair in a glimmering sheen of water and light. Luhrmann’s use o f atmospheric lighting leaves the audience to swoon, drinking in the glow of the dreamy eyed couple as they exchange their most iconic and enduring dialogue. Though their love is prohibited by tradition, ego and prejudice in the society of Verona, Luhrmann exposes Shkespeare’s drama to a contemporary world without limits, modernising the play with radical scenes of drug use, drag queens and public brawls. A couple so concerned with the traditional morals of their families in a world of law breaking and promiscuity comes as a stark contrast which at times, is unconvincing. As the audience enjoy the rowdy and loose morality at the Capulet Ball, it is initially somewhat difficult to believe that two young people in love would not act upon their passionate attraction. However, the undeniable beauty of the couple’s love is infectious. As they lie in the church lit by thousands of candles, the beauty of Shakespeare’s romantic tale is undeniable in the soft, atmospheri c style with which Luhrmann combines light and opulent religious design to glamorize the tragic scene in which the love affair comes to an end. The language used in this film is lifted from the pages of Shakespeare’s text; which is surprising and pleasing as the dialogue fits seamlessly into the style of the film. Luhrmann has stripped the dialogue right down the necessities in order to sell to a commercial younger audience who may not understand the complexities of the original dialogue. The bare bones of the text are delivered confidently, notably by Friar Lawrence. Actor Pete Postlethwaite’s portrayal of the Friar as a new age herbalist gives the audience a glimpse of Shakespearean imagery and rhythm as he optimistically agrees to marry the pair in a bid to turn the â€Å"household’s rancour to pure love†. Similarly, Harold Perrineau’s portrayal of Mercutio adds an exotic and audacious tempo to the film. Perrineau portrays him as entrancing and compelling, emphasising Shakespeare’s skilfully witty character, which becomes most poignant during his speech before they are due at the house of Capulet. The volatile style in which he presents this famous speech builds from a jovial and bawdy exchange with Romeo at the steps of a run-down theatre, to an explosive and passionate conclusion. Delivered naturally, Luhrmann heightens suspense by climaxing the speech with a furiously bright light and sound of a single firework. The audience are brought to a peak of tension and anticipation, unsure where this volatile character will take them next.