Deception Point Page 106

As Tolland's hand felt the sides of the tank, he encountered dozens of bullet holes. He could feel the water rushing in. The Triton was preparing to dive, whether Tolland liked it or not. The sub was now three feet beneath the surface. Moving to the bow, Tolland pressed his face against the glass and peered through the dome. Rachel was banging on the glass and shouting. The fear in her voice made him feel powerless. For an instant he was back in a cold hospital, watching the woman he loved die and knowing there was nothing he could do. Hovering underwater in front of the sinking sub, Tolland told himself he could not endure this again. You're a survivor, Celia had told him, but Tolland did not want to survive alone†¦ not again. Tolland's lungs ached for air and yet he stayed right there with her. Every time Rachel pounded on the glass, Tolland heard air bubbles gurgling up and the sub sank deeper. Rachel was yelling something about water coming in around the window. The viewing window was leaking. A bullet hole in the window? It seemed doubtful. His lungs ready to burst, Tolland prepared to surface. As he palmed upward across the huge acrylic window, his fingers hit a piece of loose rubber caulking. A peripheral seal had apparently been jarred in the fall. This was the reason the cockpit was leaking. More bad news. Clambering to the surface, Tolland sucked in three deep breaths, trying to clear his thoughts. Water flowing into the cockpit would only accelerate the Triton's descent. The sub was already five feet underwater, and Tolland could barely touch it with his feet. He could feel Rachel pounding desperately on the hull. Tolland could think of only one thing to do. If he dove down to the Triton's engine box and located the high-pressure air cylinder, he could use it to blow the negative ballast tank. Although blowing the damaged tank would be an exercise in futility, it might keep the Triton near the surface for another minute or so before the perforated tanks flooded again. Then what? With no other immediate option, Tolland prepared to dive. Pulling in an exceptionally deep breath, he expanded his lungs well beyond their natural state, almost to the point of pain. More lung capacity. More oxygen. Longer dive. But as he felt his lungs expand, pressuring his rib cage, a strange thought hit him. What if he increased the pressure inside the sub? The viewing dome had a damaged seal. Maybe if Tolland could increase the pressure inside the cockpit, he could blow the entire viewing dome off the sub and get Rachel out. He exhaled his breath, treading water on the surface a moment, trying to picture the feasibility. It was perfectly logical, wasn't it? After all, a submarine was built to be strong in only one direction. They had to withstand enormous pressure from the outside, but almost none from within. Moreover, the Triton used uniform regulator valves to decrease the number of spare parts the Goya had to carry. Tolland could simply unsnap the high pressure cylinder's charging hose and reroute it into an emergency ventilation supply regulator on the port side of the sub! Pressurizing the cabin would cause Rachel substantial physical pain, but it might just give her a way out. Tolland inhaled and dove. The sub was a good eight feet down now, and the currents and darkness made orienting himself difficult. Once he found the pressurized tank, Tolland quickly rerouted the hose and prepared to pump air into the cockpit. As he gripped the stopcock, the reflective yellow paint on the side of the tank reminded him just how dangerous this maneuver was: Caution: Compressed Air – 3,000 PSI Three thousand pounds per square inch, Tolland thought. The hope was that the Triton's viewing dome would pop off the sub before the pressure in the cabin crushed Rachel's lungs. Tolland was essentially sticking a high-powered fire hose into a water balloon and praying the balloon would break in a hurry. He grabbed the stopcock and made up his mind. Suspended there on the back of the sinking Triton, Tolland turned the stopcock, opening the valve. The hose went rigid immediately, and Tolland could hear the air flooding the cockpit with enormous force. Inside the Triton, Rachel felt a sudden searing pain slice into her head. She opened her mouth to scream, but the air forced itself into her lungs with such painful pressure that she thought her chest would explode. Her eyes felt like they were being rammed backward into her skull. A deafening rumble tore through her eardrums, pushing her toward unconsciousness. Instinctively, she clenched her eyes tight and pressed her hands over her ears. The pain was increasing now. Rachel heard a pounding directly in front of her. She forced her eyes open just long enough to see the watery silhouette of Michael Tolland in the darkness. His face was against the glass. He was motioning for her to do something. But what? She could barely see him in the darkness. Her vision was blurred, her eyeballs distorted from the pressure. Even so, she could tell the sub had sunk beyond the last flickering fingers of the Goya's underwater lights. Around her was only an endless inky abyss. Tolland spread himself against the window of the Triton and kept banging. His chest burned for air, and he knew he would have to return to the surface in a matter of seconds. Push on the glass! he willed her. He could hear pressurized air escaping around the glass, bubbling up. Somewhere, the seal was loose. Tolland's hands groped for an edge, something to get his fingers under. Nothing. As his oxygen ran out, tunnel vision closed in, and he banged on the glass one last time. He could not even see her anymore. It was too dark. With the last of the air in his lungs, he yelled out underwater. â€Å"Rachel†¦ push†¦ on†¦ the†¦ glass!† His words came out as a bubbling, muted garble. 129 Inside the Triton, Rachel's head felt like it was being compressed in some kind of medieval torture vise. Half-standing, stooped beside the cockpit chair, she could feel death closing in around her. Directly in front of her, the hemispherical viewing dome was empty. Dark. The banging had stopped. Tolland was gone. He had left her. The hiss of pressurized air blasting in overhead reminded her of the deafening katabatic wind on Milne. The floor of the sub had a foot of water on it now. Let me out! Thousands of thoughts and memories began streaming through her mind like flashes of violet light. In the darkness, the sub began to list, and Rachel staggered, losing her balance. Stumbling over the seat, she fell forward, colliding hard with the inside of the hemispherical dome. A sharp pain erupted in her shoulder. She landed in a heap against the window, and as she did, she felt an unexpected sensation-a sudden decrease in the pressure inside the sub. The tightened drum of Rachel's ears loosened perceptibly, and she actually heard a gurgle of air escape the sub. It took her an instant to realize what had just happened. When she'd fallen against the dome, her weight had somehow forced the bulbous sheet outward enough for some of the internal pressure to be released around a seal. Obviously, the dome glass was loose! Rachel suddenly realized what Tolland had been trying to do by increasing the pressure inside. He's trying to blow out the window! Overhead, the Triton's pressure cylinder continued to pump. Even as she lay there, she felt the pressure increasing again. This time she almost welcomed it, although she felt the suffocating grip pushing her dangerously close to unconsciousness. Scrambling to her feet, Rachel pressed outward with all her force on the inside of the glass. This time, there was no gurgle. The glass barely moved. She threw her weight against the window again. Nothing. Her shoulder wound ached, and she looked down at it. The blood was dry. She prepared to try again, but she did not have time. Without warning, the crippled sub began to tip-backward. As its heavy engine box overcame the flooded trim tanks, the Triton rolled onto its back, sinking rear-first now.

To Kill A Moking Bird

Allow the speaker enough time to begin and finish his/her thoughts. (Do not be afraid of usually means thinking is occurring. ) j. Bring others into the discussion and ask others to elaborate on their responses. 2. Bring your copy of the paid questions to class. These questions must be completed before class begins. 3. Set a Personal Goal for the Seminar (Talk three times, allow others to speak, give someone praise for an insightful comment, etc. ) 4. Opening Questions a. Who is your favorite character? Why? 5. Core Questions (Analyze the text) a.Tactics tells the children several times that they need to walk in someone else's shoes before judging the person. Describe times when Tactics, Scout or Gem walk in someone else's shoes. How does this change how they view the situations? What role does this advice play in sympathy and compassion? B. Should Boo Raddled have been locked away in a mental institution when he was a teenager? Why or why not? C. At one point Gem describes four kind s of â€Å"folks† in Macomb County:†our kind of folks don't like the Cunningham, the Cunningham don't like the Ells, and the Ells ate and despise the colored folks. What does To Kill a Mockingbird teach us about how people cope with issues of race and class? Do you classify people in your world as different â€Å"folks? † Do you see those sort of distinctions today? D. In the last few lines of To Kill a Mockingbird Scout says, â€Å"he was real nice†¦ † And Taluses replies, â€Å"most people are, Scout, when you finally see them. † Do you agree that most people In the novel are nice once you see them? How Is Tactics able to see the good side of people despite all he has experienced? Can you? E.Rank In order of culpability (blameworthiness or responsibility) for the death of Tom Robinson the following characters: Bob Lowell, Mr.. Gillian (prosecuting attorney Male Lowell, Individuals on the jury, and Tom Robinson. F. What do you learn about the different attitudes toward Macomb's black population from the conversation at Aunt Alexandra ladles tea? How do these attitudes help explain Tom's conviction? G. When Tom Is being cross-examined by Mr.. Gilder he says, â€Å"l felt right sorry for her. † Why was this a mistake? Why is it that â€Å"nobody liked Tom Robinsons answer. H. One of the chief with Boo Raddled and the trial of Tom Robinson are not sufficiently connected in the novel. I. Why do you think Harper Lee divided the book into two parts? Do you think it worked effectively? Find evidence to support your assertion I. Why does the author tell the story through the voice of Scout instead of Gem, Tactics, or Tom Robinson? J. Why did Harper Lee title her book To Kill a Mockingbird? K. This book is continually banned from the high school reading list because of racism, sex, and foul language.Do you believe this book should be banned? Even though this book was published in the sass's, how can this book relate to to day's society? 6. Closing Questions a. Has your understanding of the novel matured or significantly changed through this discussion? B. What else did you learn during the course of the discussion? 7. Debriefing a. Did you meet your personal goal during the seminar? / What will you work on next time? B. Was there anything about the seminar that bothered you? C. What could we do to improve the seminar? D. What will you remember about the seminar?

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOLISTIC NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY FOR SAUDI Essay

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOLISTIC NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY FOR SAUDI ARABIA - Essay Example Within this context, the first part of this paper analyzes contemporary international trends in marine policy; exploring this concept of a holistic approach to ocean governance and policy that has been established by international organizations, academia and specialists. The second part analyzes national and regional experiences, prospects and emerging practices with respect to the development of an integrated ocean policy. The third section of the paper examines the current management of maritime affairs in Saudi Arabia and explores how Saudi Arabia can work towards the development of a sustainable, holistic and integrated national maritime policy as part of a conceptually similar overarching marine policy. The paper concludes by showing that Saudi Arabia needs to develop an integrated national maritime policy which incorporates all aspects of the sector and enables a unified set of decision makers to coordinate activities and policies for the greater good of the maritime sector and Saudi Arabia. By so doing, Saudi Arabia can seize the very real opportunity that exists to ensure its long-term success as a nation whose fortunes are very much dependant on the seaways it controls. There is global concern about the impact that industry has on the world's oceans and how to support development of oceans and coasts without destroying the resources available. ... Since then interest in resources has been governed by this "constitution for the Oceans" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2007). Contemporary trends have recognized that the current situation is one of unsustainable usage of the world's oceans and that a holistic approach to ocean usage would encourage sustainable usage of these resources. This paper addresses this potential. The "Rio Earth Summit" of 1992 addressed issues and challenges related to sustainable development at the global level. Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 called for new and integrated approaches to the sustainable development of oceans and coasts. There has since emerged an international trend towards the adoption of new approaches to marine policy based on a holistic, integrated and sustainable management of ocean resources at regional and national levels. Within this context, the first part of this paper analyzes contemporary international trends in marine policy; exploring this concept of a holistic approach to ocean governance and policy that has been established by international organizations, academia and specialists. The second part analyzes national and regional experiences, prospects and emerging practices with respect to the development of an integrated ocean policy. The third section of the paper examines the current management of maritime affairs in Saudi Arabia and explores how Saudi Arabia can work towards the development of a sustainable, holistic and integrated national maritime policy as part of a conceptually similar overarching marine policy. I. International Framework for Ocean Governance. Contemporary international trends in marine policy are leaning toward global governance of marine resources. The primary agent for governance is the United Nations. Policies

Spotify highlights Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spotify highlights - Article Example New songs that have been released need to be promoted for people to listen. Spotify creates awareness for those songs in so doing the song can become a trending song and a benefit to both the artist and Spotify as a whole. For instance, the use of YouTube to promote new songs has enhanced the accessibility of songs and rating. Artists are paid depending on the number of views a song has attracted. The song â€Å"The blacker the berry† by Kendrick Lamar is nice and not all his fan were able to grab an audio copy of the song. On YouTube the song, it had three million views in a span of one day. This clearly shows social media has an influential capacity to songs. The reason Spotify has added users rapidly is because of its tie-ups with social media sites (Bostrà ¶m, Raoul, Kieran, Bidisha, Juan, and Skee, 2). Social media is the marketing platform for Spotify and, therefore, will require its users to own a social media account. 75% of Americans own a social media account, and this is beneficial for Spotify in creating awareness for new songs across different age-group. Communicating with the users need to be two-way traffic a feature that is supported by the social medias. For instance, a dislike or a like from the consumer side is easily shared using on-line platform. Spotify has capitalized on Facebook and tweeter as an on-line platform to share opinions from either side. Opinions and suggestions from users make it easy for Spotify to identify the areas which they need to improve for better service delivery. Artists whose songs are in YouTube will read reviews from their fans and spot area that needs improvement or in some cases listeners appreciate the work of the

System Development of Disscusion Questions Assignment

System Development of Disscusion Questions - Assignment Example During system development, the members interact with users so that they can improve the system. The choice of criteria is entirely reliant on the user’s requirements in terms of system support. He gives a few requirements that have to be considered. Many users oftenly want to use different UML models in between modeling tools. In most instances, a mechanism is usually provided that ensures the language exchange that is structured by the MOF. The simplest way to do this is to determine the tasks performed by every actor. By doing so, actors are chosen in such a way that their behavior remains constant. In many cases, actors are comprised of humans, but in other cases, they consist of other systems as one’s system can interact with other systems such as a database system. In such an instance, choosing actors will based on their ability to function in such an interconnected system. Many users oftenly want to use different UML models in between modeling tools. How come it is not easy to apply multiple models of UML between tools of modeling? The reasons are technical in nature and one of them is the fact that XML attempts to solve tasks that are more complicated than simply exchanging the models of UML. In most instances, a mechanism is usually provided that ensures the language exchange that is structured by the MOF. The other reason is that the model does not have the required information to ensure a reliable communication network exchange among the modeling tools.

Quantitative research Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quantitative research - Term Paper Example Quantitative designs include experimental, non-experimental and quasi-experimental. This examines the cause and outcome relationship between the independent and dependent variables in conditions under high control. According to Polit and Beck (2009), an outcome has to be preceded by a cause without any influencing variable so as to confidently conclude the existence of a cause-outcome relationship. With this design, manipulation could not be possible on all variables. The most classic of these designs according to Cannon (2011) is the pre-test/post-test design where subjects would be assigned to a control or experimental group which does not receive and receives treatment respectively. Other designs include posttest only and factorial designs. This design has been highly regarded due to its strength in demonstrating cause outcome relationship between independent and dependent variables. It gives highest quality evidence concerning intervention effects. Randomization and applications of control group conditions yield almost ideal counterfactual. It offers the greatest corroboration. Even so, it has limitations including the inability of manipulating some variables. The design suffers from ethical constraints when experimenting on humans. It could fail to be feasible as it would be impractical in many healthcare settings. It suffers Hawthorne effect, described by Polit and Beck (2009) as the tendency to change behavior by the people having the knowledge that they are being studied. The non-experimental design would be applied in situations where manipulation of independent variables could be difficult and randomization uncontrolled but the outcome of some conditions occurring naturally could be studied. Studies adopting this design would be more observational than international. Under this could be various designs including descriptive research, ex post

EBay Case Study Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

EBay Case Study - Term Paper Example There are number of ways through eBay creates value. State-of-the-art systems and tools have been developed by the company. Such tools and systems have increased the productivity of the network members. Furthermore more number of members is encouraged to join the network. Such tools include the Turbo Lister service and Seller’s Assistant. The first one is capable of tracking and managing thousands of mass listings on the home computers, whereas the second one helps new sellers as well as makes professional-looking online listings. EBay has also set up and maintained performance standards which augment the steadiness of the system. Buyers and sellers are allowed to rate each other. Such ranking system bolsters users’ confidence level Sellers having good reputation among the buyers, attain the Power Seller status and those having bad reputation are excluded from any kind of future transactions (Iansiti & Levien, â€Å"Creating Value in Your Business Ecosystem†). Mo reover, value created by eBay is shared with the members of the ecosystem. A moderate fee is charged from the users for allowing them to coordinate their various trading activities. Incentives in the form of special status (Power Seller) enhance the standards of the sellers and this benefits the entire ecosystem. c) What is the source of eBay’s competitive advantage? The major source of eBay’s competitive advantage is its social capital. Social capital is referred to the trust, goodwill and credibility.

Data Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Data Analysis - Assignment Example Manually (but randomly) select n (20 ≠¤ n ≠¤ 25) countries (do not use any random selection mechanism) to construct the data set. Enter the observations on each of the four variables corresponding to each country you have selected into a Stata data file and save this file. Your Stata data editor should now show a data matrix with dimensions (n X 4) where the value of n is chosen by you as per the requirement. i Select any one independent variable from the three in your dataset and denote it by X. Denote the dependent variable IN by Y. Use a calculator/software and your sample to calculate ∑X, ∑Y, ∑XY and ∑X2. Use these values to write down the pair of ‘normal equations’ the solutions of which give the constant term and the slope of the Ordinary Least Squares line. (15 marks) iv Construct the multiple regression model by denoting the dependent and the selected independent variables using the roman characters Y, X2, X3 and X4, respectively. For example, if you choose Urban population, Literacy Rate and GDP then you should define the model as Run a Stata regression of the dependent variable Y values on the three explanatory variables you have chosen and a constant. Use the regression output to explain why and how the F-statistic was calculated by the software and how it can be used to test for the overall relevance of the regression model. (30

Macro Econ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Macro Econ - Assignment Example Therefore, scarcity will limit individuals on the basis of limited income, manpower and natural resources, and this puts a limit to the amount of products people have at their disposal. An economy’s income must be equal to its spending so as to ensure that there is a favorable balance of payments in the economy. For every buyer of a product there must be a seller, and this means that GDP, which is utilized in measuring the levels of expenditure and incomes must be equal. If the expenditures are more than the incomes, there is unfavorable balance of payments, and this implies that the economy is falling apart. The GDP deflator is used to measure the tracks of all new products that are produced domestically and represents the total worth of products produced in an economy in a specific period. The GDP deflator will measure the ratio of current price GDP to the real GDP and will show how much the change in GDP from the specific year relies on the changes in prices of products. The consumer price index (CPI) is used to study the total output of the economy, and it is a cost of living indicator and measures the total cost of products purchased by consumers I a country. It helps in determining the purchasing power currency has and compares this to past years to see determine the status of the economy. Higher savings lead to higher standards of living because savings are the chief source of capital, which is to some extent the backbone of an economy. Savings will refer to accumulated funds, and this implies that an entrepreneur can use these funds to make an investment in the future. For example, when starting up a new venture, an entrepreneur will either use their savings or borrow from various institutions so as to fund the start up. If people could consume everything and not save, it implies that there will be no funds to be used in future in the event that an investment opportunity comes up. Moreover, when an

Critical Analysis of Quantitative Research Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of Quantitative Research Essay The researchers in this experiment aimed to â€Å"Investigate the quantitative differentiation of pulmonary dendritic cells in smoker with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) to explore the possible role of dendritic cells in smokers suffering COPD† (Yan-wei, Yong-jiang, Xian-sheng, 2010). Dendritic cells (DCs) are inflammatory cells that are considered to be the promoter of immune responses; knowing this the researchers hypothesized that DCs may play an important role in the development of the disease. See more: how to write an analysis Subjects were broken into three groups based on an illness gradient: (control group, smokers without airflow obstruction, and COPD group as determined by the Chinese Society of Respiratory Disease). Samples of alveolar tissue were taken from these three groups and studied using immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning. The results from the experiment are portrayed using a one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s r coefficient, graphs, and scatter plots. The conclusion of the data showed that â€Å"The quantity of the DCs significantly increased in smokers with COPD compared with non-smokers or smokers without COPD† (Yan-wei et al., 2010). A critical analysis of this article received a 31.5. The article was well put together and provided many up to date references as resources to give a better understanding of the research. The authors explained their methodologies in great detail and the production of their data was concise and easy to read. However, the study lacked when it came to representing a diverse population. The study also lacks in terms of providing evidence of the consent of the subjects and the evidence of the governing body of the experiment. The research that was done in this experiment allowed scientist to develop new hypotheses concerning dendritic cells and their role in chronic diseases such as COPD. The links that were made with this research between dendritic cells, lung capacity, and cigarette smoke could potentially be the forefront of new treatments and earlier diagnoses for COPD victims. References Yan-wei, S., Yong-jian, X., Xian-sheng, L. (2010). Quantitative differentiation of dendritic cells in lung tissues of smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chinese Medical Journal, 123(12). Retreived from http://www.cmj.org/Periodical/PDF/200481469383420.pdf

The Consumer Buying Decision Marketing Essay

The Consumer Buying Decision Marketing Essay Introduction In this assignment I have employed as a business marketing advisor for the Sheffield Business Support Council where John Ryan from Window World has made contact with. He has been in replacement window industry for fifteen years. Early years of business was doing successfully. Window World had been a focused on upon replacing old windows and doors and constructing and installing new conservatories for customers. First he had resisted and purposely declined approaches from local business. Then he realised move into seeking and accepting orders from business. But overall business over past fourteen months had declined by 25%. The reason why he is seeking advise from us is there is something wrong with their approach in business marketing and sales. So I have allocated to visit the company and offer advise and assistance to them. Task 1. Making money is one part of selling product or service in most businesses. However, it can be much more complicated than that simple model; some businesses serve as the middle man from manufacturer to customer; others sell to other businesses, and some organizations do not follow a financial model that generates a profit for them. All of these business models lead to different types of business transactions. There are three buying decisions consumer goes through. These are limited problem solving, habitual decision making, and extended problem solving. Limited problem solving happens during a purchase decision that calls for, at most, a moderate amount of time. Limited problem solving usually based on past experience more than an external information. Habitual decision making describes a purchase decision process in which consumers engage little effort. Marketers strive to attract and maintain habitual purchasers by creating strong brands and store loyalty. Extended problem solving is a common when the customer thinks that purchase decision causes a massive risk. To reduce risk, customer does lots of information. Also there are factors that affects consumer decision process which are psychological factor, marketing mix, social factor, situational factor. Psychological factors Although marketers themselves can influence purchase decisions, psychological factors affect the way people receive marketers message. There are motives, attitudes, perception, and learning Social factors The decision process is also influenced by the external, social environment , which consists of customers family, reference groups, and culture. Family Many purchase decisions are made about products or services that the entire family will consume. So, firms must consider how families can do the purchase decisions. Reference group One or more person whom an individual uses as a basis for comparison regarding beliefs, feelings, and behaviour. Culture Defined as the shared meanings, beliefs, morals, values and customs of group people. Business Purchase The process of selling products or services to buying organisation. Therefore, Business to Business marketing involves manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Some firms find it more productive to focus on their efforts and resource on key business customers rather than on ultimate customer. Manufacturers or Producers One of the biggest business-to-business buyers are manufactures and producers. They buy raw material s, components and parts to supply for the product. Resellers They are marketing intermediaries that resell manufactured products without significantly altering their form. Institutions Institutions, such as school and hospitals purchase all kinds of goods and services. Government In most countries, the central government tends to be the one of the largest purchasers of goods and services. The distinction between a B2B and a B2C transaction is not the product or service itself; rather, it is ultimate user of that product or service. Task 2. A  buying center  (also known as a  decision making unit  or  DMU), in  marketing,  procurement, and  organisational studies, is a group of employees or members of any type of organization responsible for finalising major decisions, whether to purchase. These DMU participants can range from employees who have a formal role in purchasing decisions to members are specifying the highly technical purchases, such as information systems or production equipment, also require the expertise of technical specialists. All these employees are likely to play different roles in the buying process, which vendors must understand and adapt to in their marketing and sales efforts. These roles compromised of 6 different roles: -Initiator the person who first suggests buying the particular product or service, often associated with the user -Influencer anyone outside of DMU with influence on its members, has knowledge about potential suppliers -Decider the person with the authority to make the decision to buy-whether to buy, what to buy, how to buy, or where to buy -Buyer the person who is tasked to make actual purchase for doing paperwork etc. (handle the paperwork) -User the person who is consumes or uses the product or service -Gatekeeper the person who controls information or access, or both, to decision makers and influencers All these roles tend to be more formal and by job title. Degree of influence may still be affected by a strength of personality. Also these specialised buying centres typically receive information about the product or service from commercial sources, peers, publications and the experience. The number of individuals involved in purchasing will relies on the complexity of the need, the value of the purchase and the level of risk held to be connected to the decision.  The people taking on the different roles of the DMU vary with each purchasing occasion, but it is important for suppliers to identify the members of the DMU and recognize their particular needs so that communication efforts can be customized in each single case. According to Morris et al (2001), the mechanism of the DMU is of critical importance to the B2B marketer. Morris (1992) states that  one approach to clarify what takes place among  the participants in the purchasing decision process is to focus on the structure of the DMU. Since the DMU is normally not a formal group, its structure is not formally established by the organisation. Task 3. Buying process begin when consumer recognize that they need unsatisfied need. Research suggests that customers go through a five-stage decision-making process through before, during, and after making purchases. This five-stage decision-making process summarised in the diagram below. The Consumer Buying Decision This model is important for anyone making marketing decisions. It forces the marketer to consider the whole buying process rather than just the purchase decision (when it may be too late for a business to influence the choice!) The model implies that customers pass through all stages in every purchase. However, in more routine purchases, customers often skip or reverse some of the stages. Need Recognition The buying process starts with need recognition. At this stage, the buyer has an unsatisfied need and want to go form their actual, needy to state to a different, desired state. Information Search The second step, after a consumer recognises a need, is to search for information about the various options that exist to satisfy the need. Customer can get information from internal and external research for information. Internal research is customer uses own memory and knowledge about the product or service, gathered through the past experiences. For the external research, buyers seek to information outside of own personal knowledge base to help make the buying decisions. These are can be personal source -friends, family; commercial source- advertising, salespeople; public source- newspapers, radio etc. Alternative Evaluation Research has shown that a consumers mind organises and categorise the alternatives to a support their decision process. When consumer begin to evaluate different alternatives, they often base their evaluations on a set of important attributes or evaluative criteria. Purchase Value is a strong driver of consumers purchase decisions. Customers seek out and purchase the products and services that they believe provide them with the best value. Then, after consumers have access to the product or service, they usually consume it. Post Purchase The final step of the consumer decision process is post purchase behaviour. It is common for customers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. For the business decision process occurs to include six different stages. Though it differs many ways from consumer decision process, both started with need recognition. Information search and evaluation of alternatives steps are more formal and structured in B2B process. Typically, B2B buyers specify their needs in writing and task potential suppliers to submit formal proposals, whereas B2C buying decisions usually made by individuals or families. The diagram below has shown business decision process. Business-to-Business Decision Process Need Recognition In the first step of the B2B buying process, the buying organisation recognises through either internal or external sources, that has a drained need. Product Specifications After recognising the need, the organisation considers alternative solutions and come up with potential specifications that suppliers might use to develop their proposals to supply the product. RFP Proposals The request proposals (RFP) is a common process through which buying organisation invite alternative suppliers to bid on supplying their required components. The purchasing company may simply post its RFP needs on its Web site, work through various B2B linkages. Proposal Analysis and Supplier Selection The buying organisation, in conjunction with its critical decision maker, evaluates all the proposals it receive in response to its RFP. Firms are likely to narrow the process to a few suppliers, often those with which they have existing relationships, and discuss key terms of the sale, such as price, quality, delivery, and financing. Order Specification In the fifth stage, the firm place its order with its preferred supplier. The order will include detailed description of goods, prices, and delivery dates. Vendor analysis An organization that supplies specific goods or services to the business markets. Before that firm analyse their vendors performance, strengths and weakness of current and prospective suppliers in terms of their capacity, sales revenue, reputation, stocks, service etc. The Business DMP and the Consumer DMP looks similar but its really quite different because of its formality. The table below shows differences between Business DMP and Consumer DMP. Business DMP Consumer DMP High priority problem solving mode Low priority solving mode Interested in features Interested in advantages of product Risk factor is greater Risk is not high Not spending their own money Spending own money Sales cycle is longer Sale is instant Narrow segment for the product Entire sales market of customers Task 4. The type of buying situation also affects the business to business decision process. Most B2B buying situations can be categorised into three types: A new task buying  situation appears when the company has no earlier experience of the product or service and is buying it for the first time (Smith Taylor, 2002). In this kind of situation, the greater the cost or risk, the larger will be the number of decision contributors and the greater will be their efforts to collect information (Kotler et al., 2002). A modified rebuy  situation emerges when the buyer has some previous experience of the product or service(Smith Taylor, 2002), but wants to modify product specifications, prices, terms or sup-pliers  (Kotler et  al., 2002).   Finally, a straight rebury  situation appears when the company  buys on a regular basis (Smith Taylor, 2002). In this situation, the buyer reorders something without any modifications. It is generally handled on a routine basis by the purchasing department (Kotler et al., 2002).   These varied types of buying situations call for very different marketing and selling strategies. The most complex and difficult is the new task buying because it requires the buying organisation to make changes in current practices and purchases. In new buying situations, the buying center members spend more time at each stage of B2B buying process. Modified buying is probably using existing criteria. Straight re-buys often happens when the buyer recognise the firms need and skipping all the buying process and go directly buy. So new task buying is more intense than modified buying and straight re-buying situations. What we missing at Window World are: Window World need to engage the business, marketers need persuasive content that appeals to both logic and emotion. The communication strategy should serve prospective buyers as well as their current customers with lifetime value. What they need is make customers to open Window Worlds web site and take their phone and calls. Strategic approach to build long-term relationship with buyer, it is mutually beneficial. Answering why and how would be start of new buying situation, telling them why they need their product and how it solves their business problems. Also doing the re-enforcing value and purchase satisfaction with exiting customers . One of important thing is that their product can be easy to purchase. More importantly, key account management (KAM) changes in selling  . KAM is a completely different organizational process used by business-to-business suppliers to manage their relationships with strategically-important customers, and it produces measurable business benefits. Role of sales people in KAM Customer Partner Buyer Behaviour Expert Buyer-seller Team Coordinator Customer Service Provider Information Gatherer Service Provider Market Analyser and Planner Market Cost Analyser Technologist Task 5. Window world has been delivering excellent returns with consumers. Marketers are particularly interested in post purchase behaviour because it causes actual rather than the potential customers. Satisfied customers, whom marketers hope to create, become loyal, and spread word of mouth, so they are quite important. There are three positive post purchase outcomes as illustrated in table 1; increased customer satisfaction, decreased post purchase dissonance, and increased customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction is the state of mind that customers have about a company when their expectations have been met or exceeded over the lifetime of the product or service. The achievement of customer satisfaction leads to company loyalty and product repurchase. Setting unrealistically high consumer expectations of the product through the advertising, personal selling, or other types of promotion may lead to higher initial sales, but it eventually will result in dissatisfaction when the product fails to achieve the high performance expectations. This failure could lead to dissatisfied customers and the potential for negative word of mouth. On the other hand, setting customer expectations too low is equally dangerous strategy. So marketers can take several steps to ensure post purchase satisfaction, such as these: -Build realistic expectations, not too high and not too low. -Demonstrate correct product use-improper usage can cause dissatisfaction. -Stand behind the product or service by providing money-back guaranties and warranties. -Encourage customer feedback, which cuts down on negative word of mouth. -Periodically make contact with customers and thank them for their support. Because customers appreciate human contact, even it is expensive than e-mail or mail contacts. Also it gives you opportunity to correct mistakes. Post purchase dissonance Post purchase dissonance is basically an after purchase cognitive  behaviour. While evaluating the  benefits after a purchase it is common for customers to be concerned about their purchase decision. It is caused by  cognitive dissonance. Here the customer thinks that if customer had purchased some other item it would have been better than the one customer bought. Simply customer is not  completely  satisfied with the purchase and is most likely to switch brands. Marketers can avoid post purchase dissonance the below: Under promise and over deliver. You dont need to under promise, but just make sure you deliver on the promises you make. The sale doesnt end with the sale.  As in, the sale is the start, not the end of the relationship so make sure that you behave in that way.   Follow up on the sale, ask for feedback (and act on it).   Do the nice little unexpected things that you didnt promise this could be a message a week into the sale with a voucher for money off a complementary product or even just a little card to say, thanks for your purchase, we really appreciate it., although I might then think, If you appreciate it show me the money! so an offer or freebie would be appreciated more. Anticipate what might go wrong.  Think through the customer journey and try to remove any of the pain-points they might hit.  Take that approach to every stage of the user experience and youll continue not to disappoint your customer. If something does go wrong, act accordingly.  Sometimes things go wrong. Say sorry and then fix the problem.   Sometimes the best relationships start this way. Loyalty In the post purchase decision making process, marketers attempt to solidity in relationship with their customers. They want customers to be satisfied with their purchase and buy from same company again. Loyal customers only will buy certain brands and shop at certain stores. Firm build loyalty by keeping touch with customers using e-mail marketing, thank you cards and more. treating own team well so they treat your customers well. showing that you care and remembering what they like and dont like. Firm build it by rewarding them for choosing you over your competitors. Firm build it by truly giving a damn about them and figuring out how to make them more success, happy and joyful.

Searching for the Perfect World in Literature :: Granny Weatherall Raven Candide

Searching for the Perfect World in Literature Literature often explores the questions raised in life: Who are we? What does it mean to die? What kind of world do we live in? Throughout this course, there seems to have been an underlying theme in most of the works that have been read, concerning human misery. It seems that most of those who experience tremendous suffering, actually allow it to happen to themselves. If one chooses to look at the losses in life, one may never find true happiness, but if one chooses to perceive those losses as an opportunity for growth, one may find the "perfect world" right here. In Poe’s, "The Raven," this idea is supported. As the poem demonstrates, one may torture himself into a life of melancholy and madness if one focuses on the losses in life. The thoughts of Lenore would not go away for him. By focusing on what he did not have, rather than what he did, he went mad. The raven answers his self-destroying questions until ultimately it becomes a permanent fixture in the room -- a symbol of the narrator's self-inflicted mental and spiritual collapse. Rather than to accept the loss and move on, he focused on what did not have and would nevar have. Therefore, he did not find the perfect world, but rather a hell on Earth. Perhaps people are faced with these experiences as tests. Our own reaction to it determines whether we pass or fail. Do we appreciate what we do have and learn from the experience or do we feel sorry for ourselves and let it drag us down? Granny Weatherall is an example of someone who let it drag her down. For 60 years she had pined over the loss of George and it made her miserable. She never stopped to look and see what was already there in her life. John was not a bad husband, but she did not even notice because she was still focusing on the loss of being jilted by George. She overlooked any good things In her life because of this misery. Something that happened 60 years ago haunted her for every day of her miserable life (because she allowed it to), until it eventually killed her.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Tale of the Ragged Mountains and Lovecraft’s The Outs

Edgar Allan Poe’s Tale of the Ragged Mountains and Lovecraft’s The Outsider Both Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft were known for their tales of horror, shocking discoveries and mysterious characters. Lovecraft was known to have mimicked Poe’s style in his popular horror stories of the early 20th century. Poe, one of the most famous writers of short stories and poems in the 19th century, amazed readers with his rich descriptions and chilling plots. Neither disappoint in two of their stories: Poe’s â€Å"Tale of the Ragged Mountains† and Lovecraft’s â€Å"The Outsider.† Although these are not the most famous of each authors’ works, scholars often debate over the meaning and themes of each story. One common theme in both the stories is the shocking discovery made by the characters. In â€Å"The Outsider,† the narrator discovers his true identity by glancing into a mirror as he explores his new world. â€Å"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains† tells both of Bedloe’s discovery of the simila rity of Oldeb’s past to his own, as well as the narrator’s discovery of who Bedloe might actually be, himself. The common thread between the two lies in those discoveries, and also in the entrance of each to a new, foreign world; however their personal reactions to their respective discoveries are very different. In his â€Å"Outsider,† H.P. Lovecraft tells the story of a man who lives in a dark, musty world, void of any light. His entire knowledge comes from the thousands of books that line the dark wet castle he inhabits. Since he has never seen another person, he can only imagine the human language or what he himself looks like. After scaling a tall tower, he stumbles into a world above his, on a night with a clear moon. His joy i... ...ered the writer and his style. Their similarities are common in many of their stories. The themes of these two works are no exception, and share many mutual points, despite the plot differences. Works Cited Lovecraft, Howard Phillips. â€Å"The Outsider.† H.P. Lovecraft Library. 1921. 6 Nov. 2002 . Mosig, Dirk W. â€Å"The Four Faces of The Outsider.† Discovering H.P. Lovecraft. Ed. Darrell Schweitzer. Mercer Island, Washington: Starmont House, 1987. Philippon, Daniel J. â€Å"Poe in the Ragged Mountains: environmental history and Romantic aesthetics.† Southern Literary Journal 30.2 (1998): 1-16. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"A Tale of the Ragged Mountains.† 1844. Rev. 29 Jun. 1999. http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/atale.html (15 Nov. 2002). PID 6754 Marlow Engl.12.05 1

Different Cultures Learning Styles Essay

The word culture has been derived from the Latin word â€Å"cultura† which means to cultivate (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2009). Generally it refers to the manners, norms, values, knowledge, attitudes, art, habits and behavioral practices that are preferred and chosen as ideal by majority of the people of the society. With the encroachment and progress in the hi-tech world of today, different cultures across the globe have rapidly undergone the process of acculturation. Thus, learning of diverse cultures around the globe is not a big issue. There are various styles by which one can easily get versed with the multitude of cultures. Some of the styles are as follows. Worldly classroom set up If we have a look at different traditional classrooms of different countries, as well as different classrooms in various cities within one country; we will witness that a number of similarities and differences exist. There are some common factors like discipline, teaching atmosphere, syllabus, curriculum, learning, traditional teaching tools and classroom sitting style; that are common to all classrooms in any part of the world. The difference comes in the degree of effectiveness in teaching, learning, resource input, extra facilities like heating and cooling system, comfortable sitting arrangements and provision of latest technology etc. These factors definitely contribute to creating differences in the scale of learning among the students. Traditional Classrooms around the world Another very popular and effective style of learning culture is the traditional classrooms around the world. Traditional classroom tends to favor cultural learning to its fullest. It is one of the best places where students can interact for a long duration and learn different regional cultural aspects with the passage of time. Interaction of young students with their fellow age group students and teacher with the students definitely promotes broadening of cultural patterns. These written and unwritten rules, which we call culture, consciously or unconsciously, affect people around us. Students at an early young age being quick observers and imitators are swift in picking, absorbing and following various cultural traits and values. Thus, classroom either at primary, secondary or higher level plays a vital role in learning one’s own as well as other cultures prevailing around us. Today’s American culture verses others If we look into different cultures prevailing across the globe, we see impressions of American culture on rest of the world; reason being advanced technological development. America has played a vital role in diffusing its cultural traits to other cultures. Whether it is progressivism, technology, living patterns, habits, music, entertainment and even mind sets of the people; American influence is clearly visible. Nevertheless, many of the traditional and deeply embedded cultures like Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Greek cultures still are maintaining their identity, and have truly preserved their norms and values to a great extent. CUSTOMS AND COURTEOUS Taboo of learning in world cultures Every culture in every society observes certain taboos and manners. There are certain issues and topics that are considered forbidden in some cultures like restrictions on sexual activities and relationships, restriction on various diets, incest taboos, exposure of body parts, social-economic class, medical disorders and diseases, alcoholism, depression and divorce. Taboos vary from culture to culture; a taboo in one culture might not be a taboo in another. These taboos are learnt via culture and transmitted to generations. Adapting in different societies Adaptation level of culture and manners varies from society to society. There are various factors like education, technological advancements, public awareness, and values among the old generation that play their role in the adaptation of the culture. Researches have shown that technological advance societies have greater tendency to accept change and modifications as compared to the traditional backward societies (Whitehead, 2005). Learning styles in different communities Learning styles also vary from society to society. For example some societies are seen under great influence of electronic media like TV, radio, and internet. Where as some get inspiration from print material, poetry, literature, newspapers, and classrooms. In illiterate societies people have their leaders, teachers, religious scholars, parents and grandparents as a source of learning. TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASS ROOM The progress of classroom learning Importance of the traditional classroom learning can never be ignored in any society, thus with the advancement in technology, teaching as well as learning has now become a trouble-free chore. Gone are the days when teachers just used to use simple black board for communication. Progress in the classroom learning can easily witnessed with the use of tools like multimedia, overhead projector, computer, audio and video tapes etc (Integrated Publishing). Many Audio Visual aids are available to teachers so they can perform their job quite comfortably. Making use of virtual class rooms has facilitated the teachers in loads. It saves a lot resources and time when the instructor and learner communicate from their locations. It further promotes distant learning, and makes the learning process enjoyable and reasonably priced (Integrated Publishing). Degrees pertaining to technology A lot of degrees that are related to technology are being offered these days. Computer science, instructional technology degree, technology in distance education, diplomas in virtual education, teleconferencing courses etc are definitely rewarding degrees in today’s modern day. Well advanced students with technologies today The amalgamation of Internet with the latest technological aids has played a vital role in enhancing the learning process among the students. Utilization of technology has no doubt drastically brought several changes in the learning of the individuals. Teleconferencing, virtual universities, online degrees and distance learning have very well equipped the students with latest tools and techniques (Conner, 2006). Moreover it provided the students with an opportunity to interact with a number of qualified teachers and students from within their homes. Several chat rooms, discussion forums are available in order to facilitate the students in broadening their views and thinking. We can safely say that well advanced students are equipped with latest technology today (Conner, 2006). POST SECONDARY LEARNING AROUND THE GLOBE Education in America Generally it is believed that education in America provides chances and corridors to achievement. Post secondary educational learning in American society carries great value and importance, as it contributes to the social, economic, cultural, political, mental and visual development of the nation. It therefore focuses on the expansion of critical thinking, promotion of exploration and research, problem solving, developing insight, adopting skills and proficiency among the youth. So that nation could be gifted with highly professional, mobile, innovative and productive individuals at higher levels. Education in Japan If we look into the post secondary educational learning in Japan, we observe that the aims and objectives prevailing are not much different from those prevailing in America. Both being highly advanced and developed countries, more or less focus on similar learning methods. Impacts of European methods of learning are also visible. However, along with similarities, Japanese educational learning system does have some uniqueness as well, like the Special course schools are similar to non-university education in US. Education in Australia An influx of migrants from more than 100 countries, Australia is basically a British-European society. In earlier times post secondary education meant university education. Main aim behind the post secondary education is the development of mental power (intellect), university should be the center of professional training of students. Along with this, in order to cope with the latest trends it is indispensable to inculcate in students such abilities that will help them to become experts in a specific field of study, put out their best and add to the relevant work in their field. It too has influences of British and American educational learning on it. Conclusion In today’s society, there are a multitude of different cultures. In this paper you will learn about the different types of learning styles around the world. You will also be able to understand the different how technology has greatly improved learning and how different regions of the world have different technologies used for learning. References Conner, M. L. (2006). Introduction to a e-Learning Culture. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from Ageless Learner: http://agelesslearner. com/intros/elc. html Integrated Publishing. (n. d. ). THE SELECTION AND USE OF AUDIOVISUAL (AV) AIDS. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from Integrated Publishing: http://www. tpub. com/content/religion/14229/css/14229_324. htm National Governor’s Association. (2007). Innovation America. A compact for Postsecondary Education . National Governor’s Association. Online Etymology Dictionary. (2009). Retrieved July 22, 2009, from Online Etymology Dictionary: http://www. etymonline. com/index. php? search=culture&searchmode=none Whitehead, B. (2005, Oct 24). Educational technology allows for flexibility in learning and teaching. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from web-conferencing-zone. com: http://www. web-conferencing-zone. com/4030-educational-technology. htm

Good Communicator Hca

Are you a good communicator? HCA 230 Are you a good communicator? Effective communication is vital in the healthcare workplace. The welfare of others is the fundamental focus and effective communication between colleagues can make the difference  in the quality and consistency of care that is delivered to patients. Many people to consider themselves to be good communicators; Identifying what the effective communication process is helps to make that determination. According to Cheesebro, O'Conner, ; Rios,  2010, effective communication is â€Å"the process of sending and receiving messages. This means that a good communicator would be effective in both listening and responding appropriately. So, in order to establish a successful exchange of information is helpful to distinguish between the various types of communication. Focusing on verbal and non verbal communication we will examine communication and how it relates to the medical field. In the health care industry interpersonal relationships with patients and coworkers are essential in the quality of service that is provided.Communication is vital to the development as well as the maintenance of all interpersonal relationships. In health care, the constant interaction with the patients, their families and co-workers of different race, ethnic background, gender, and religious beliefs require diversity from its employees. Using communication to build interpersonal relationships builds a trust and understanding between co-workers and patients. Thus patients feel more at ease discussing their ailments and receiving professional feedback.Effective communication results in more positive outcomes,  such as increased productivity and proficiency,  better relationships, as well as improved workplace morale. On the other hand, poor and ineffective communication  causes conflict, takes up time and additional resources. Eventually, it will negatively  affect organization overall. Supportive communication is a ble to express further understanding and encourage communication with those around you. Defensive communication on he other hand, can cause the other person to be on edge, feeling threatened, and anxious. When the communication between two parties turn into a defensive situation they are less likely to see the value in the message. The use of empathy is a vital tool when attempting to establish rapport  with a patient or co-worker and building trust. The key to demonstrating empathy is to use active listening. In this method, the receiver checks message with the sender to make sure they understand what is begin said as a way to clarify the information given.In the medical filed assertiveness is expressed through communication by being expressive of thoughts,  feelings, and needs  without being aggressive and having presence on another person. The purpose is to improve the communication process  instead of allowing aggression to create conflict and a hostile environment. In t he medical field some of this can be avoided by refraining from using aggressive or sarcastic tones and body language which could give the receiver the wrong impression of the sender and the message being sent. The use of â€Å"I† statements and good body language can assist in the process.Films Media Group. (2007). Communicating with aged care colleagues [H. 264] By including yourself and explaining way that can be helpful, the environment for open dialog is developed. Upon a self assessment of my own interpersonal relationships and skills, I discovered I am in need of some improvement. One element that particularly stood out to me was the inconsistence of verbal and nonverbal communication. When speaking to new people or on a topic in which I may not be as well informed on I have the tendency to fidget and use little eye contact.Although I may be paying full attention or taking notes my nonverbal communication can be misinterpreted into lack of interest, boredom, or in some cultures just plain disrespect. As a result of knowing this I can make sure that I am prepared by doing some extra research on the topic if possible to increase my comfort lever when speaking on it. I can also make sure that my personal appearance,  posture, gestures, and mannerisms,  facial expression, eye contact and personal space is appropriate and consistent for the delivery of the message I am trying to send.Just as many others I considered self to be a good communicator and saw where I could make the improvements o that I can be more effective in my professional and personal life. References 1. Cheesebro, T. , O'Conner, L. , & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the Workplace  . : Prentice Hall. 2. Films Media Group. (2007). Communicating with aged care colleagues [H. 264] * Taken From: http://digital. films. com/PortalPlaylists. aspx? aid=7967&xtid=40257

Benefits of a College Graduate

Ana Nunez Nunez (page 1) Ms. Waltman Assignment 6 Credit 5 College Graduate For my assignment on Credit 5 I had to interview a college graduate. I choose to interview my own sister Sandra Galaviz, she is the oldest of four children in my family. She is a college graduate with a four year degree.She has been a great role model to me and she has motivated me to go to college, so I will be able to succeed in my career choice I asked Sandra why she decided to go to college? She told me that she decided to go to college because she wanted to better her future. Have a wide spread opportunities and get a better education for herself. There was one teacher in particular that Sandra wanted to be like. She always looked up to Mrs. Ramirez her seventh grade teacher. Sandra saw teachers as a great role for children.The next thing I asked her was where did you go to college and why did she choose that school? University of Santa Barbara was the college of her choice. She choose this college beca use it was closer to home and she knew she would be homesick. UCSB offers great teaching programs for upcoming teachers. Sandra also knew this school would have great teaching opportunities and help achieve her career goals. Sandra majored in English. She always wanted to become an English teacher as a child. Sandra got her bachelor’s degree and it helped her in many ways.It also, opened up many opportunities and many career options for her future. I asked her what did she like about her college experience? Sandra replied that she got to learn new things, met new people and she got to explore her new interests. Without this experience she wouldn’t be able to be the person she is today. Nunez (page 2) In college you can face several problems. I asked my sister what challenges did she had to overcome in college? She said she faced procrastination and finical problems.Sandra got rid of her bad habit and started working part-time at Walmart to help her finical status. My s ister gave me some advice on looking to go to college. Sandra told me, â€Å"College is very important to better your education and find something your passionate about in life. † College can make you feel a lot of things. The major feeling is feeling stressed all the time. I asked Sandra how do you overcome stress in college? She replied manage your stress level and control your environment, by controlling who and what is around. Also, stay relax and enjoy yourself.My final question was is college worth the effort? Sandra answered college is a one time experience that can make a major impact on your future. To conclude, my sister has showed me that an education is very valuable and important. It allows me to reach my career goals. I would love to follow in my sisters footsteps in going to college. I want to learn what I want to learn and become what I love. Possibly being the second of our family to go to college would be a magnificent goal in my life. I want to succeed and be the best I can be.

Introduction to Ergonomics

Dafpus skripsi Bridger, R. S. 1995. Introduction to Ergonomics. International Editions. Singapore : McGraw- Hill Book Co. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 2010. Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the EU-Facts and Figures. http://osha. europa. eu/en/publications/reports/TERO09009ENC (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Health and Safety Executive Authority. 2004. Getting to Grips with Manual Handling. UK : sss http://www. hse. gov. uk/pubns/indg143. df (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Health and Safety Authority. 2005. Guidance on the Management of Manual Handling in the Workplace.http://www.hsaeng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Retail/Management_Manual_Handling. pdf (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Kurniawidjaja, L. Meily. 2010. Teori dan Aplikasi Kesehatan Kerja. Jakarta: Penerbit Universitas Indonesia (UI-Press). Nurmianto, Eko. 2004. Ergonomi: Konsep Dasar dan Aplikasinya, 2nd. Ed. Surabaya: Penerbit Guna Widya. Tarwaka, dkk. 2004. Erg onomi untuk Kesehatan, Keselamatan, & Produktivitas. Edisi I, Cetakan I. Surakarta: UNIBA Press. Santoso, Gempur, Dr. , Drs. , M. Kes. 2004. Ergonomi: Manusia, Peralatan, dan Lingkungan. Jakarta: Prestasi Pustaka Publisher. Sastrowinoto, Suyatno, Ir. 1985. Meningkatkan Produktivitas dengan Ergonomi. Jakarta: PT Pustaka Binaman Pressindo. Suma’mur, P. K. , Rd. , MSc. 1989. Ergonomi untuk Produktivitas Kerja. Jakarta: CV. Haji Masagung.Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of New Brunswick. 2010. Ergonomics Guidelines for Manual Handling, 2nd. Ed. , Australia : Worksafe NB, http://www. worksafenb. ca/docs/MANUALEdist. pdf (diakses pada tanggal 03 Agustus 2012) WorkCover New South Wales Authority. 2012. Manual Handling Black Spots: Manufacturing. Industry Reference Group, http://www. workcover. nsw. gov. au/formspublications/pages/manualhandlingmanufacturing. aspx (diakses pada tanggal 06 November 2012)

Women Rule the World

History has ample evidence to show that quite a few women wielded the greatest power, leaving a legacy of their own and unleashing a revolution in their trail, but at the same time, they paid such a dear price for their power which is long believed to be the exclusive domain of male. Nerfititi, a co-regent of Egyptian pharaoh, could not escape the fate of death after removing the existence of the belief in priests and successfully starting to construct a new capital of Egypt together with her husband.Even days after her demise, her tomb was plundered and her body was smashed with the right hand holding the scepter, the symbol of utmost power in Egyptian kingdom, mutilated away from her corpse. Vo Tac Thien, the queen of China, in her reign, made an incredible record of contributions to her nation while standing up against waves of protests from traditionalists. It seems when it comes to holding the highest rank, women are biased, albeit their manifest talent and patriotism.Any cruel action they exercised, whether for their ends- as some believe- or the sake of the entire nation, was seen as unacceptable whereas such acts were easily forgotten if committed by men. Further evidence of this prejudice is well seen in the lives of Islamic women who are deprived of the right to have their own identity cards and inherit almost to none of the asset from the bequest of both their parents and spouses. They are born with masks and unveiling these â€Å"sacred amulets† is considered a sacrilege to their faith, rendering their lives in darkness, however.But despite all of this, Islamic women are found to be surprisingly enlighteners with an increasing number working as scientists, researchers and culturists. Such telling bodies of evidence hold the answer itself: when it comes to true power, women cannot be ignored. If given more freedom, why wouldn’t they rule the world as men? Let’s discuss, Seamap guys, to acknowledge the power of our WOMEN. Written by Pham Thi Le Na 1. What are key factors to become a good leader? 2. What are basic differences in the way men and women lead? What are their strengths and weaknesses? 3. Which are countries where women hold important positions in the overnment? Are these nations having any edge over others which exclude women from this opportunity? What’s about Vietnam? Is it a level-playing field for women nowadays? Why or why not? 4. What makes women have fewer chances to rise to power? As being a person of strong power, how can you make sure men and women have equal chance of being recruited to high positions? 5. Debate: What makes you believe women should rule the world? What makes you believe men should rule the world? Compare and contrast to defend you point. Envision the picture where women purely rule the world or men purely rule the world.

Noble Energy, Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Noble Energy, Inc - Research Paper Example Global oil and gas industry includes global presence of extraction, refining, exploration, marketing and transporting the oil and gas products. The largest volume manufactured and distributed products of the industry are gasoline and fuel oil. Petroleum is also used as the raw material for several chemical products, such as solvents, pesticides, plastics, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. The global oil and gas exploration and production industry is divided into three major parts, such as downstream, midstream and upstream. Midstream operations are generally considered under the downstream category. Description of the Industry Oil and gas energy sources are very much important for several industries. Oil and gas energy resources are considered as the large global energy resources. Middle East is the largest consumer of oil and gas energy resources across the globe. This global region consumes almost 53% of total energy sources. On the other hand, Asia and Europe ranks last in ter4ms o f consumption of oil and gas energy resources. The consumption rate of oil and gas energy of Middle East is higher comparing to other global regions due to several reasons. First of all, the leading number of oil reservoirs is located in the Middle East countries. These countries can consume the oil and gas products in low price range comparing to other global countries. In addition to this, Middle East oil and gas extraction organizations act as cartel regarding pricing and distributing the crude oil to the global market. Strong oil process control is the major reason behind the economic growth of several Middle East countries. Central and South America consumes 44%, North America consumes 40%, Africa consumes 41%, and Europe and Asia consumes 32% of total extracted and produced oil. The world consumes approximately 30 billion barrels on yearly basis (Li 22). The economically developed nations are the largest consumers of oil. In the year 2007, The United State consumed 25% of tota l produced oil which is impressive oil consumption figure. Recent financial crisis and global economic recession affected the global economic environment. People are trying to reduce the consumption level of expensive products due to their low disposable income and limited purchasing power. Especially, the people of middle class income level are trying to find substitute energy resources of oil and gas due to hike in oil and gas price (Shelley 27). Apart from economic issues, the global oil and gas exploration and production industry is suffering from several global political issues. Several under developed and developing countries have to pay high petroleum tax to the oil and gas producing countries in order to improve the crude oil. High tension and critical political conflicts between several countries are affecting the growth of this global oil and gas exploration and production industry. In addition to these, several countries have developed strict regulations regarding the ext raction of oil and gas. Extraction of oil and gas from oil mine requires the uses of several deadly chemicals. It can affect the global ecological balance. Looking into this issue, the government of several countries developed strict rules and regulations regarding the extraction of oil. It is expected that the number of total oil reservoirs and mines

Tesco Case Study Individual Written Assignment Essay

Tesco Case Study Individual Written Assignment - Essay Example Currently, the firm is considered to be the most powerful competitor in the British supermarket industry – being involved also in activities of the retail sector, such as the provision of financial, insurance and telecommunication services. The high diversity in the firm’s activities and the support of promotion across its product line can been considered as the major advantages of the firm towards its rivals. However, the firm’s performance has not always been high; variations can be identified in the level of the firm’s growth, as proved through the firm’s financial analysis. In any case, these variations are temporary and have not influenced the level of the firm’s profitability – as verified using a series of relevant ratios. The stabilization of the firm’s growth would be achieved through the introduction of a series of measures, i.e. the alteration of the firm’s existing strategic plans. A balanced scorecard has bee n developed indicating the policies required for the increase of the firm’s competitiveness – referring to the achievement of a stable growth within the specific industry. The achievement of a continuous growth could be depended on the ability of the firm’s managers to understand organizational needs and potentials – as these elements have been incorporated in the Balanced Scorecard. Tesco is one of the leading supermarkets in Britain. The firm’s activities are expanded above the traditional grocery sales – financial, insurance and telecommunications services are available to the firm’s customers. Currently, the firm is first among the other firms of the particular industry. However, its growth is not stabilized – taking into consideration the fact that its rivals have achieved a higher rate of growth – compared to their performance in the previous years. This fact is clearer in the case of Sainsbury’s – another major competitor in the British supermarket

Instruction Set Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Instruction Set - Essay Example While ATMs are relatively user friendly, they can nevertheless, be confusing and intimidating for those who have never used the machine or for those who are uncomfortable by technology in general. A simple step-by-step guide to using an ATM machine can hopefully dispel such apprehensions, since an ATM is a facility that all should access without fear. This guide may also be useful for those individuals who are comfortable with an ATM, but need to be aware of the precautionary elements involved in using such a machine in a public place. Indeed, it is only through the wise and careful use of technology that it can be harnessed fruitfully for one’s own benefit. While most commonly used for the purpose of cash withdrawal, an ATM can be used for multiple other tasks as well. These include: Cash withdrawal Cash deposit This guide will give step-by-step instructions to conduct the above mentioned tasks, in addition to providing precautionary information. Things needed: ATM Card: This card is provided by the bank. Personal Identification Number (PIN): The PIN is the code to accessing the account, therefore, must be kept hidden and secure at all times. A stolen card is of little value to the thief if the PIN is unknown. ATM: An Automatic Teller Machine is specifically designed for the purpose of making transactions via an ATM card. ... is in a well lit place There are people around, but not too close to see you enter your PIN Make sure you haven’t been followed by someone Remember! If at any point you feel uncomfortable with the ATM, look for another one, or go to a bank for your required transaction. Personal safety is always the first priority! Cash Withdrawal: Once a secure ATM has been chosen, carefully follow these steps to withdraw cash from the machine: Insert the ATM card into the machine. There will be a slot indicating the correct direction in which the card needs to be inserted. Remember: do not try inserting a card if the slot is not free. It may result in malfunctioning of the machine, and eventual confiscating of the ATM card. To avoid all such problems, be patient and insert the card in the card slot only when a green light is on. Once the card is inserted, select a language. This option is available for ATM cards that are registered in banks that support multiple language options. After selec ting the language, the ATM screen will ask you to enter your Personal Identification Number. Carefully enter the correct code, and press Enter. This will give you access to your personal account. The screen will now display a list of options to choose from, including cash withdrawal and fast cash. Both options are for cash withdrawal purposes, however, fast cash allows you to go through the process quicker. Cash withdrawal: Select the cash withdrawal option The machine will ask you to enter the amount needed to withdraw Use the ATM’s keypad to enter the amount you wish to withdraw. Remember, there is a limit to the amount of cash one can withdraw from an ATM. While the limit differs from country to country and region to region, it is useful to be aware of the limit on cash withdrawals to avoid

The Effects of Teacher Morale on Student Learning and Performance Research Paper

The Effects of Teacher Morale on Student Learning and Performance - Research Paper Example There are many reasons that can direct effects on morale of the teacher. For example, if the school management does not involve teachers in their decision making process, increased duties, limited assistance and the low salaries paid to highly educated teachers (Houchard, 2005). Moreover, the public criticism and ignorance by the students due to the parents support may also affect the morale of a teacher directly. Due to that, many of the teachers left this profession and even I am seriously considering leaving this profession due to the low morale. On the other hand, I have to complete the session with my students at school. While, I could easily provide meaningful learning to my students, but the low morale is affecting willingness, because of the school administration. In the studies by one source, morale is defined as it is the feeling of a worker that is based on the job and feeling about the job (Rowland, 2008). That feeling can be a mental attitude and emotional attitude. Likewise, teachers’ morale is also based on their feeling about their jobs and duties, which are most important to build the future of a student (Whitaker, Whitaker, & Lumpa, 2013). Since, I am a victim of low morale in the teaching career therefore, this action report aimed to seek out the empirical evidence on the relationship between teacher’s morale and its effects on the student’s performance, learning and achievements. During the past 15 years and so, the teacher’s education research helped in significant strides while studying the relationship between teacher’s morale, practices, beliefs impacts and student’s achievements. The significance of the teacher’s morale can be established through the performance and learning of the students; the benefits can easily figure out by the achievement levels of students. In the literature, there are many research studies conducted by many scholars of educational

Web 2.0 and a Small or Medium-sized Business Essay

Web 2.0 and a Small or Medium-sized Business - Essay Example 19). One of the major and most important advancements of technology is the internet which has significantly changed people’s lives and how they do business. Specifically, internet has facilitated the development of social media and related developments under the banner â€Å"Web 2.0† which has been central to business operations in the recent times. Web 2.0 refers to the concept that uses internet network (World Wide Web) as a platform for sharing information, collaboration, user-centered design, and interoperability among individuals and companies (Lincoln, 2009, p. 11). Web 2.0 platforms give users the opportunity to collaborate as well as interact with one another as creators and users of content that is user-generated. This technology is revolutionary in the sense that it allows collaboration and interaction among users in a virtual community unlike other websites that limit consumers to passive viewing of the contents that have already been created for them (Elliot t, 2004, p. 27). Web 2.0 platforms include social networking sites, web applications, blogs, hosted services, and video sharing sites among others. The fact that social media has grown exponentially over the years means that no business can ignore it, as it is very critical to the success and performance of businesses (Shah, 2010, p. 16). This paper will discuss the potential of social media and related developments under the banner â€Å"Web 2.0† for helping a medium-sized business (Proxar IT Consulting) to communicate with customers and to share knowledge between its staff. Web 2.0 technologies use internet network (World Wide Web) as a platform for sharing information, collaboration, user-centered design, and interoperability among individuals and companies. Several studies have shown that Web 2.0 has a wide range of generic business benefits that emanates from the adoption of developments in web services, software as a service, and interpersonal computing (Nair, 2011, p. 46). The first generic benefit is that Web 2.0 can help a business improve its ranking particularly in the search result and therefore extend its presence onto other sites. This is important to any business in the sense that it builds high quality links to the company and therefore increases the exposure of the business (Chaney, 2009, p. 35). However, for this to be more efficient, the content should be made relevant to staff and existing and potential customers. The second generic benefit is that it helps in the brand management of the business and helps them to protect their reputation. Proactive use of Web 2.0 can remarkably help to build and find relationships with customers, as well as improve relationship between employees (Lincoln, 2009, p. 19). In addition, Web 2.0 is beneficial to businesses because it enhances relationships between the business, its partners, customers, and staff. Through social media, customers, employees, investors, and partners find the platform to inte ract and collaborate (Lee, 2010, p. 114). Another generic business benefit of Web 2.0 is brand awareness; it presents businesses with incredible opportunity to generate content that brands the company in good light and therefore generate brand awareness to the targeted audience (Elliott, 2004, p. 44). Social media has proved to be fundamental in building consistent presence and therefore enhances brand awareness for any business that uses it. More importantly, Web 2.0 technolog

The concept of urban flux Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The concept of urban flux - Essay Example Flux came into existence in 1950s with the neo-dada movement that used sound, sight, spectacles and event to explore artistic experience available in those days. This marked the beginning of change in art and urban environment, with more designers engaging into art as a score for performance. In addition, new technological innovations and the unstable urban environment have led to development of new trends flux display. For example, it is now possible to establish pixilated displays on the entire facade of buildings in urban areas. Transit vehicles as well can be used as mobile billboard as they move around the city (Hack, 2011). There are a number of ways in which urban flux has contributed into the current urban experience. The first one is that fluxes act as tourist’s attraction. For instances, by 1970s, Times Square was one of the places avoided by New Yorkers and tourist since it had become the hideout for criminal and sex workers (Hack, 2011). Despite the many attempts t o clear the unfortunate reputation the situation did not change, not until, designers came up with a plan they referred to as forty-second street now. The plan projected that the ground floor of all the buildings along Times Square streets to be covered with signage. In addition, new zoning rules were created which made it a requirement for every building plan to include signage and all tall building to have a 50 sq ft or more of super signage. Currently, New York Times Square is the most attractive and frequently visited areas in New York. The second one is that flux promotes communication and dissemination of information to a large number of people. This is possible because most of the urban flux displays are along the pedestrian pathways. For example, the Berlin wall paintings and Democracy wall in Beijing. The third advantage of urban flux is that it helps to create an attachment between the residents of a place and its environment. For instance, public art can symbolize a lost history of a place or engaging the public in its creation (Hack, 2011). Lastly, flux can bring back to life neglected and transitional parts of a city. A program on mural Arts in Philadelphia has significantly assisted in transforming parts of the city that were once abandoned. Urban flux, however, is associated with a number of ethical and legal issues. The first one is that, in most cases, temporary signage tends to persist even after building construction is completed. The second issue is an argument that advertisement fluxes on street benches and stands make the city untidy. The third one suggests that urban flux allow display of adverts that promotes unacceptable social practices such as beer drinking. The last one is that urban flux, especially the mural program does not clearly outline the rights entailed to an artist’s work ownership and maintenance terms. The fifth one is that some murals may be offensive in a way. Moreover, there are difficulties encountered in regu lating flux. For instance, the controversies on whether a fully pixilated facade is a sign or an element, a commercial billboard or art. The other difficult issue is determining the duration temporary elements should remain on the construction sites. In addition, it is also not clear if there are

Vulnerable Population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vulnerable Population - Essay Example Shi and Stevens (2005) offer five reasons to focus national attention on vulnerable populations: these groups have greater health care needs; their prevalence continues to escalate; vulnerability is a societal issue; vulnerability and the nation’s health and resources are interrelated; and there is a growing emphasis on equality with respect to health. This is reflected in the demographic characteristics of the gay men. Although based on opportunistic samples, gay men have higher suicidal ideations, suicide attempts, and completed suicides. Lifetime prevalence rates of 24% to 41% suicidal ideations have been reported. The lifetime prevalence rates of serious suicidal attempts range from 7% to 20% among adult gay men. It has recently been found that 19.3% of men having sex with men would attempt suicide. It has also been found that there are higher rates of reported suicidal thoughts and attempts among adolescents reporting same-sex romantic attractions and romantic relationshi ps. There are considerable social and cultural stressors in these people, which include stigmatization, victimization, and pervasive antigay hostility. The stresses related to antigay victimization may provoke emotional distress that can have both proximal and distal relationship to suicidality. These victimizations may be related to low self-esteem, substance abuse, and subsequent mood disorders that increase their lifetime vulnerability to suicide. Health care disparity is inversely proportional to health status.... Active partnerships between nurses and their intended intervention recipients can be used effectively to plan, implement, and evaluate research and intervention programs that truly address health care and education needs as perceived by the community. Such partnerships need to foster mutual commitment, trust, and respect. Equitable distributions of goal-setting and decision-making power evolve through shared responsibilities and mutual learning among partners. Nurses should move to the forefront in the important research needed to design and implement effective interventions with vulnerable populations capitalizing on their strengths to increase their resources, reduce their risks, and improve their health status with more equitable, quality health care. In this assignment, these issues from the context of gay people and their health care needs will be examined, where a conceptual framework will be utilized to examine the necessities and utilities of interventions designed to that en d. The basic problems with the gay people are lack of recognition or acceptance by healthcare providers, homophobic attitudes, and an absence of awareness regarding the healthcare needs of this vulnerable population. They themselves experience lack of self-esteem, school truancy and drop out, runaway behaviour, and subsequent homelessness. Compounded to this, there is an enhanced incidence of drug and alcohol, abuse, prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and suicide. Advanced practice nurses have the opportunity to improve the health of the gay youths through recognition, education, outreach, and advocacy. Shi and Stevens (2005) offer five reasons to focus national attention on

Ultrasound Machines India China And A Skewed Essay Example for Free

Ultrasound Machines India China And A Skewed Essay General Electric Co. and other companies have sold so many ultrasound machines in India that tests are now available in small towns like Indergarh, where there is no drinking water, electricity is infrequent, and roads turn to mud after a March rain shower. A scan typically costs $8, or a week’s wages. GE has waded into India’s market as the country grapples  with a difficult social issue: the abortion of female fetuses by families who want boys. Campaigners against the practice and some government officials are linking the country’s widely reported skewed sex ratio with the spread of ultrasound machines. That’s putting GE, the market leader in India, under the spotlight. It faces legal hurdles, government scrutiny, and thorny business problems in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. â€Å"Ultrasound is the main reason the sex ratio is coming  down,† says Kalpana Bhavre, who is in charge of women and  child welfare for the Datia district government, which includes Indergarh. Having a daughter is often viewed as incurring a  lifetime of debt for parents because of the dowry payment at marriage. Compared with that, the cost of an ultrasound â€Å"is nothing,† she says. For more than a decade, the Indian government has tried to  stop ultrasound technology from being used as a tool to determine gender. The devices use sound waves to produce images of fetuses or internal organs for a range of diagnostic purposes. India has passed laws forbidding doctors from disclosing the sex of fetuses, required official registrations of clinics, and stiffened punishments for offenders. Nevertheless, some estimate that hundreds of thousands of girl fetuses are aborted each year. GE, by far the largest seller of ultrasound machines in India through a joint venture with the Indian outsourcing giant Wipro Ltd., introduced its own safeguards, even though that means forsaking sales. â€Å"We stress emphatically that the machines aren’t to be used for sex determination,† says V. Raja, chief executive of GE Healthcare South Asia. â€Å"This is not the  root cause of female feticide in India.† But the efforts have failed to stop the problem, as a growing economy has made the scans affordable to more people. The skewed sex ratio is an example of how India’s strong economy has, in unpredictable ways, exacerbated some nagging social problems, such as the traditional preference for boys. Some activists are accusing GE of not doing enough to prevent unlawful use of its machines to boost sales. â€Å"There is a demand for a boy that’s been completely exploited by multinationals,† says Puneet Bedi, a New Delhi obstetrician. He says GE and others market the machines as an essential pregnancy tool, though the scans often aren’t necessary for mothers in lowrisk groups. Prosecutors in the city of Hyderabad brought a criminal case against the GE venture with Wipro, as well as Erbis Engineering Co., the medical-equipment distributor in India for Japan’s Toshiba Corp. In the suits, the district government alleged that the companies knowingly supplied u ltrasound machines to clinics that were not registered with the government and were illegally performing India has been a critical market to GE. Its outsourcing operations have helped the Fairfield, Connecticut, giant cut costs. The country also is a  growing market for GE’s heavy equipment and other products. The company won’t disclose its ultrasound sales, but Wipro GE’s overall sales in India, which includes ultrasounds and other diagnostic equipment, reached about $250 million in 2006, up from $30 million in 1995. Annual ultrasound sales in India from all vendors also reached $77 million last year, up about 10 percent from the year before, according to an estimate from consulting firm Frost Sullivan, which describes GE as the clear market leader. Other vendors include Siemens AG, Philips Electronics NV, and Mindray International Medical Ltd., a new Chinese entrant for India’s pricesensitive customers. India has long struggled with an inordinate number of male births, and female infanticide—the killing of newborn baby girls—remains a problem. The abortion of female fetuses is a more recent trend, but unless â€Å"urgent action is taken,† it’s poised to escalate as the use of ultrasound services expands, the United Nations Children’s Fund said in a report. India’s â€Å"alarming decline in the child sex ratio† is likely to exacerbate child marriage, trafficking of women for prostitution, and other problems, the report said. The latest official Indian census, in 2001, showed a steep decline in the relative number of girls aged 0 to 6 years compared with the decade earlier: 927 girls for every 1,000 boys compared with 945 in 1991. In much of northwest India, the number of girls has fallen below 900 for every 1,000 boys. In the northern state of Punjab, the figure is below 800. Only China today has a wider gender gap, with 832 girls born for every 1,000 boys among infants aged 0 to 4 years, according to UNICEF. GE sells about three times as many ultrasound machines in China as in India. In January, the Chinese government pledged to improve the gender balance, including tighter monitoring of ultrasounds. Some experts predict China will be more effective than India in enforcing its rules, given its success at other populationcontrol measures. Boys in India are viewed as wealth earners during life and  lighters of one’s funeral pyre at death. India’s National Family Health Survey, released in February, showed that 90 percent of parents with two sons didn’t want any more children. Of those with two daughters, 38 percent wanted to try again. Although there are restrictions on abortions in this Hindu-majority nation, the rules offer enough leeway for most women to get around them. GE took the lead in selling ultrasounds in the early 1990s soon after it began manufacturing the devices in India. It tapped Wipro’s extensive distribution and service network to deliver its products to about 80 percent of its customers. For more remote locations and lower-end machines, it used sales agents. The company also teamed with banks to help doctors finance  the purchase of their machines. GE now sells about 15 different models, ranging from machines costing $100,000 that offer sophisticated color images to basic black-and-white scanners that retail for about $7,500. To boost sales, GE has targeted small-town doctors. The  company has kept prices down by refurbishing old equipment  and marketing laptop machines to doctors who travel frequently, including to rural areas. GE also offered discounts to buyers inclined to boast about their new gadgets, according to a former GE employee. â€Å"Strategically, we focused on those customers who had big mouths,† said Manish Vora, who then sold ultrasounds in the western Indian state of Gujarat for the Wipro-GE joint venture. Without discussing specific sales tactics, Raja, of GE Healthcare South Asia,  acknowledges the company is â€Å"aggressive† in pursuing its goals. But he points out that ultrasound machines have broad benefits and make childbirth safer. As the machines become more available, women can avoid making long trips into cities where healthcare typically is more expensive, he says. Indian authorities have tried to regulate sales. In 1994, the government outlawed sex selection and empowered Indian authorities to search clinics and seize anything that aided sex selection. Today any clinic that has an ultrasound machine must register with the local government and provide an affidavit that it will not conduct sex selection. To date, more than 30,000 ultrasound clinics have been registered in India. GE has taken a number of steps to ensure customers comply  with the law. It has educated its sales force about the regulatory regime, demanded its own affidavits from customers that they will not use the machines for sex selection, and followed up with periodic audits, say executives. They note that in 2004, the first full year it began implementing these new measures, GE’s sales in India shrank by about 10 percent from the year before. The sales decline in the low-end segment, for black-and-white ultrasound machines, was especially sharp, executives say. Only in 2006 did GE return to the sales level it had reached before the regulations were implemented, according to Raja. Complying with Indian law is often tricky. GE cannot tell if doctors sell machines to others who fail to register them. Different states interpret registration rules differently. GE also is under close scrutiny by activists battling the illegal abortion of female fetuses. Sabu George, a 48-year-old activist who holds degrees from Johns Hopkins and Cornell universities, criss-crosses the country to spot illegal clinics. The criminal case in Hyderabad against Wipro-GE, a company  representative, three doctors, and an ultrasound technician followed an inspection that found one clinic could not produce proper registration and had not kept complete records for two years. A team of inspectors seized an ultrasound supplied by Wipro-GE. The inspection team’s report said it suspected the clinic was using the machines for illegal sex determination. The owner, Sarawathi Devi, acknowledged in an interview  that her clinic, Rite Diagnostics, was not officially registered at the time of the inspection. She said the ultrasound machine was owned by a â€Å"freelance† radiologist who had obtained proper documentation for the Wipro-GE machine but was not there when the inspectors had arrived. She denied the clinic has conducted sex determination tests. Later, Dr. Devi’s records show, she registered the clinic with the government and bought a Wipro-GE machine, a sale the company confirms. The court case was part of a wider dragnet spearheaded  by Hyderabad’s top civil servant, District Magistrate Arvind Kumar. During an audit last year, Kumar demanded paperwork  for 389 local scan centers. Only 16 percent could furnish complete address information for its patients, making it almost impossible to track women to check if they had abortions following their scans. Kumar ordered the seizure of almost one-third of the ultrasound machines in the district due to registration and paperwork problems. A suit also was lodged against Erbis, the Toshiba dealer. GE’s Raja says that, in general, if there’s any doubt about the customer’s intent to comply with India’s laws, it doesn’t make the sale. â€Å"There is no winking or blinking,† he says. A Wipro-GE representative is scheduled to appear at the  Hyderabad court hearing. An Erbis spokesman said he was unaware of the case in Hyderabad. A court date for Erbis had not been set. A visit to the clinic in Indergarh, a town surrounded by fields of tawny wheat, shows the challenges GE faces keeping tabs on its machines. Inside the clinic, a dozen women wrapped in saris awaited tests on GE’s Logiq 100 ultrasound machine. The line snaked along wooden benches and down into a darkened basement. On the wall, scrawled in white paint, was the message: â€Å"We don’t do sex selection.† Manish Gupta, a 34-year-old doctor, said he drives two hours each way every week to Indergarh from much larger Jhansi City, where there are dozens of competing ultrasound clinics. He said even when offered bribes, he refuses to disclose the sex of the fetus. â€Å"I’m just against that,† Dr. Gupta said. But he is not complying with Indian law. Although the law requires that clinics display their registration certificate in a conspicuous place, Dr. Gupta’s was nowhere to be seen. When Dr. George, the social activist, asked for the registration, he was shown a different document, an application. But the application was for a different clinic: the Sakshi X-ray center. Dr. Gupta said the proper document wasn’t with him, adding: â€Å"I must have forgotten it at home.† Asked by The Wall Street Journal about the clinic, the local chief magistrate of Datia district called for Dr. Gupta’s dossier later in the day. When a local official arrived, â€Å"Sakshi X-Ray center† had been crossed out on the application. In blue pen was written the correct name, â€Å"Sheetal Nagar,† the part of Indergarh where the clinic is located. It’s not clear how Dr. Gupta procured the GE machine. Dr. Gupta said he bought it from a GE company representative, but he declined to show documents of ownership. GE says it does not comment on individual customers. Like the rest of India, the Datia district government has  taken a number of steps to try to boost the number of girls in the district. For girls of poor families, the local government provides a place to live, free school uniforms, and books. When they enter ninth grade, the government buys bicycles for them. Yet the low ratio of girls born had not budged much over the past decade, according to Bhavre, the district government official. Ultimately, says Raja, head of GE Healthcare in South Asia, it’s the job of the government, not companies, to change the prevailing preference for boys. â€Å"What’s really needed is a change in mindsets. A lot of education has to happen and the government has to do it,† he says. India’s Ministry of Health, which is now pursuing 422 different cases against doctors accused of using ultrasounds for sex selection, agrees. â€Å"Mere legislation is not enough to deal with this problem,† the ministry said in a statement. â€Å"The situation could change only when the daughters are not treated as a burden and the sons as assets.† Most recently, both Siemens and GE have introduced handheld  ultrasound machines, only slightly larger than an iPhone. Initially they will sell for under $10,000.