Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Essay

The United States Criminal Justice System is a fundmental part to society that focuses on protecting citizens in the United States Constiution as well as ensuring each individual is law adbiding law and not commiting serious acts of crimes. Each law was put in state and federal statues to ensure it continues and as time has changed some of the laws have not changed. In present day, the criminal justice system faces comptemporary issues as well as trends that not only affect today but in the future and how important each member of society hold a significant value to the criminal justice system. For many decades the criminal justice system has endured many issues and problems that are currently questioning exactly how fair United States Criminal Justice system is to citizens and criminals that participate in both misdeameanor and violent offenses. The Corrections Department is one specific department that faces many controversies involving the validilty of one’s constitutional right of the Eighth Amendment. The Founding Fathers created one of the famous amendments that prohibits the law from enforcing cruel and unusual punishment in capital punishment. At one time, capital punishment consisted of electrocution, firing squad, and the gas chamber. Unfortunately, many individuals believe that this form of punishments were cruel and unusual and many states eliminated these methods in their executions. In present day, lethal injection is the new method used in state executions that have not banned the death penalty as a form of punishment. The death penalty is used in only 32 states as of 2014 however the re-creation of lethal drug cocktail makes the world ponder if the lethal injection method is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. The issue of the new combination of lethal injections drugs have many opposers speculating should the death row inmate have the legal right to know exactly what is behind the newly developed death penalty drugs as well as if it against the Eighth Amendment. Two death row inmates in the State of Oklahoma pleaded with the higher courts to disclose any information pertaining to the ingredients of the drugs however the Oklahoma Supreme Court specifically stated, â€Å"This court holds that the secrecy provision †¦ does not violate the inmates’ constitutional right of access to the courts. The Oklahoma Supreme Court said the only remaining issue, then, is whether the state’s failure to disclose its source for the drugs prevents the prisoners from challenging their executions using the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on  cruel and unusual punishment. The court decided it did not†(CNN,2014). Following the ruling, the stay of executions of Charles Warner and Clayton Lockett were uplifted and were scheduled to a double execution on April 29, 2014 that would forever change the proper protocols of execution guidelines and the Cruel and Unusual Punishment clause of the Eighth Amendment. Clayton Lockett received the first injection around 6:23 pm and ten minutes following his injection he was unconscious. After the doctor noticed he was unconscious he administered the last two drugs that would execute Clayton Lockett. Between 6:44 and 6:56 pm the doctor that was administering the medical procedures of the execution addressed that the inmates vein had collapased that led for the drugs to either absorb in his tissue or leaked out(The Guardian ,2014). Immediately the inmate passed away of a massive heart attack. Following the execution, the other inmate that was supposed to be execute right after Lockett did not face the punishment and currently he is on a 180 day stay until the state government can conduct a full investigation into the botched execution. Supporters of the death penalty believe the execution was conducted appropriately however opposers believe he faced a slow painful death. The question remains will the death penalty in the State of Oklahoma be abolished or test the drugs before they are administered on death row inmates. As much as someone may commited such a heinous crime such as Lockett and Warner these offenders are given rights off all the amendments of the United States Constitution and it is their right to address violations to higher courts so they can determine if it did occur. The death penalty has many advantages and disadvantages and the criminal justice system is constantly fighting the battle to keep it alive and well. Prison overcrowding is another contemporary issue that is currently affecting the criminal justice throughout the United States. Society is aware of the consequences involving committing a crime, however for offenses that are considered non-violent and the offender who has not been in trouble with the law in the past faces severe punishment such as a violent offender. Drug offenses is one crime that caused correctional facilities population to skyrocket and instead of finding the best alternative for punishment prisons face an unkinown number of crimes within the facilities. In the State of Oklahoma, approximately 26, 539 offenders are incarcerated in priosn whereas probation has a population of  21,085(American Legislative Exchange Council,2014). Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition(n.d.) states,† Prior to the current prohibition era the U.S. Prison population was a quarter of what it is today. But 30 years ago the â€Å"War on Drugs† was launched. Before that the prison population had been level for over 5 decades. 70 to 75% of people in prison are drug war prisoners. Drug use, arrest and incarceration rates along with data on sentence length show that people of color unfairly bear the brunt of the drug war†(para.4). The war on drugs is the primary reason for the increasingly amount of prisoners in facilities throughout the United States and if state legislation ever comes to the decision to stop the battle more likely overcrowding will not be a substanstive issue. Additional reasons why the American Corrections system is overcrowded are mandatory minimum sentencing, denial of parole, unaffordable bail, poverty, and Post Incarceration Syndrome. The final contemporary issue that is facing the criminal justice today is the increasing amount of complaints involving police officers that are involving in police bruatility and excessive use of force. As society has learned in the past of cases of Rodney King, it happened then and it is still happening. However, just because one cop does it does not mean all of them do it. The most current case involving police brutality and excessive use of force involves the Albuquerque Police Department. Recently, certain police officers went against their oath and maliciously killed members of society. The circumstances are unknown and the Justice Department has conducted a through investigation stating that the police department â€Å"the officers kicked, punched and violently restrained nonthreatening people, and seldom were the officers reprimanded. Many of the victims suffered from mental illnesses, and some were disabled, elderly or drunk, the 16-month investigation concluded. The changes called for by the Justice Department — 44 remedies in all — included extensive revisions to the department’s use-of-force policies. The term â€Å"force† would be more clearly defined, and officers would have to report to superiors when they used various tactics: chokeholds, kicks, leg sweeps and tackles. Under the recommendations, officers would be trained to rely more on verbal warnings and less on stun guns, and new recruits would be required to undergo psychological, medical  and polygraph examinations to assess their fitness for the job†(New York Times,2014). As much as the recommendations should be followed, more cases of police brutatlity and excessive force in Albuqueruqe happen however it seems officers refuse to listen to the recommendations and choose what is best for them. Some may feel threatened when they encounter someone but there are other methods instead of physically harming someone or murdering the subject. One of the most recent trends that is currently affecting the criminal justices that will more likely affect it in the future is the increasing amount of crimes involving youths. In the past, youths were not subjected to violence and since the internet evolved and other environmental factors so much is at stake. One particular area where society is seeing violence are in areas that at one time that they thought was safe such as schools and movies. The Aurora Thetre Shooting and various school shootings continue to happen and for innocent individuals fear is in their minds on a daily basis. The reasons the youth commits serious acts like these vary however most cases involved the lack of mental healthcare and as well as bullying. The perpertrators feel that the victims hurt them in some manner that led them to harm an entire school. In addition, technology is a severe problem for the criminal justice system today and will continue as long as the internet is available. Identity Theft is the newest trend in computer crimes and all it takes is a click of a button and the criminal soughting out the information can have access to someone’s life in a matter of seconds(Muraskin & Roberts,2009). Prevention is the only recommendation in both youth violence and cybercrimes that will eventually decrease the current trends occurring in the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system hold a significant value in today’s changing society by ensuring each citizen of the United States is lawfully protected by their consititutional rights as well as ensuring that local, state, and federal governments following proper protocol, procedures, and polices on keeping society away from harm that he or she could possibly face. The only problem that society has with the criminal justice system is the lack of mistrust invididuals have based on past incidents and discrepanices that makes person’s make the assumption that all professionals do not care of their well being or are not going above and beyond to protect them. Current trends and comtemproary issues within the criminal justice system will  remain in society for many years to come. Capital punishment, prison overcrowding, and police brutality affect the justice system in a variety of ways but to society each problem can be fixed by following proper procedures. As for trends, technology and youth violence is uncertain but the best method is to find resources and methods to eliminate trends in the cirminla justice system in the future. As much as society places the criminal justice system as good or bad it is something needed to protect everyone from constitutional violations as well as from heinous acts of crime. Reference American Legislative Exchange Council . (2014). Prison Overcrowding: Oklahoma. Retrieved from http://www.alec.org/initiatives/prison-overcrowding/prison-overcrowding-oklahoma/ CNN. (2014). Oklahoma executions back on, as court rules to keep lethal-drug sources secret. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/24/justice/oklahoma-court-execution-drugs/ Muraskin, R., & Roberts, A. R. (2009). Visions For Change: Crime and Justice in the 21st Century (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. New York Times. (2014). Justice Dept. Accuses Albuquerque Police of Excessive Force. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/us/albuquerque-police-report-justice-department.html?_r=1 Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition (SHaRC). (n.d.). What Causes Overcrowding in Jails and Prisons?. Retrieved from http://www.massdecarcerate.org/download/overcrowding.pdf The Guardian. (2014). Oklahoma execution of Clayton Lockett – timeline of the botched procedure. Retrieved from http://www.the guardian.com/world/interactive/2014/may/01/oklahoma-execution-clayton-lockett-timeline-document

Human Nature vs Personal Gain Essay

Growing, learning and becoming the best we can be are all positive steps that evolve from life experience. It is human nature that wants to succeed and contribute to society in productive ways. In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, individuals display an ugly side of human nature and are motivated by less than noble goals. Throughout the story, justice is often replaced by the desire for personal gain. Perhaps the three best reasons are greed, selfishness and betrayal. Greed is a motivating factor among many individuals in the play. At many times, John Proctor talks with Hale about Parris’s need to become rich, by gathering valuable golden candlesticks. He says, â€Å"He preach nothin’ but golden candlesticks, until he had them†¦ I think, sometimes, the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meetin’ houses† (Miller 65). Proctor says this to Parries to illustrate Parris’s materialistic nature and thirst for power, land and material p ossessions. Like Reverend Parris, Thomas Putnam is also greedy. Thomas uses his daughter to falsely accuse George Jacob of witchcraft. The accusation leads to the arrest and conviction of George Jacob by Judge Danforth. Giles Corey’s explains to Danforth that Mr. Putnam is dishonest and says â€Å"If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property- that’s law! †¦ This man is killing his neighbors for their land† (Miller 96). Thomas Putnam uses these falsifying witchcraft trails to increase his own wealth by accusing people of dealing in witchcraft, getting them convicted and then taking advantage of the situation by buying up their property. Characters like Parris and Putnam are so obsessed with greed that they do not have a conscience. Just as the evils of greed occupy Parris and Putnam, Abigail Williams is motivated by selfishness. She is vengeful, manipulative and a magnificent liar; for example, she goes into the forest at night and practises witchcraft with the other girls form the village. However, when Abigail is confronted about her disgusting behaviour, she chooses to keep  h er well respected reputation intact. Abigail denies that she was in the forest dancing that night, threatens the girls and says, â€Å"Now look you. All of you. We danced†¦ Let either of you breathe a word†¦ I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you† (Miller 20). She does this to also avoid being arrested. Not only does Abigail lie about witchcraft, she also stuffs the needle in the doll that Mary Warren made for Elizabeth. Cheever explains, â€Å"The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight†¦ she falls to the floor†¦ he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she come to be stabbed† (Miller 74). Abigail uses this situation to accuse Elizabeth of practising witchcraft to harm her Abigail. She does this to sabotage Elizabeth and, eventually, take her place as John Proctor’s wife. Abigail’s callousness with Elizabeth shows that her selfishness has no bounds or morals. If greed and selfish are not bad enough human characteristics, betrayal is perhaps the most cunning and provides the most false sense of security. Mary Warren accuses John Proctor of consorting with the devil and pressuring her to join him in his evil ways, which is not true. As Mary yells in anger, she says pointing at Proctor, â€Å"You’re the Devil’s man!† (Miller 118). She continues on to say â€Å"I’ll not hang with you! I love God, I love God† (118). Mary Warren’s loyalty to John Proctor is betrayed under pressure to save her own life rather than be hanged. Abigail betrays Tituba so that she does not get question by Reverend Hale. What Abigail says to Hale and Parris when she falsely accuses Tituba is â€Å"She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer!† (Miller 44). Abigail does not want to confess her practise of witchcraft in the forest with her girls at night. While in the play there is no shortage of characters willing to do the wrong thing in life, choosing to do the right thing is always the preferred path in life. Having to replace any form of righteousness (justice) with greed, selfishness or betrayal does not justify our actions or means for the end result. Each one of the characters in the crucible mention in the above paragraph have all demonstrated that some form of human nature for self rewardance was place before justice/righteousness. There are always consequences when the truth is not told. Whenever we use these actions in our character they always lead us away in the opposite  direction from our true and honest goals. Righteousness in the heart produces beauty in the character. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1976. Print

An Analysis of A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett Essay

â€Å"A White Heron†, written by Sarah Orne Jewett, depicts a young girl whose love great love for nature and animals meant her and her family’s needs. Sylvia’s knowledge of birds including the white heron, she had to make a choice between saving the white heron and helping her family. Sylvia does both of these things because she is close to nature. Sylvia’s great understanding of the animals comes from her love for nature and wild creatures. Sylvia knows a lot about many different types of birds. So Sylvy knows all about birds, does she? ‘ The hunter exclaimed, as he looked at the little girl who sat, timid but extremely sleepy in the moonlight. The hunter finds out that Sylvia knows a lot about birds and that she may be able to help him find a white heron for his bird collection. Sylvia’s love for the outdoors is also very obvious when she says that she would have liked to have her home to be outside rather than in doors because of its beauty and peace. Sylvia said, this was a beautiful place to live in, and she never should wish to go home. It is obvious that Sylvia is happier living in nature, rather than in a humid house. She also likes to watch the animals in their natural environment. With Sylvia’s extraordinary knowledge of birds, Sylvia has a decision: either to help support her family or to save the white heron from the hunter. Sylvia has an idea where the white heron is, and may possibly be able to help the hunter find the bird for his collection. Sylvia knows that she would be awarded much-needed money for directing the hunter to the heron, but she decides that she cannot play any part in bringing about the bird’s death. The hunter eventually leaves Sylvia without his prize. Sylvia shows her love for nature when she does not sell the white heron for money. Sylvia went with the hunter to find the white heron and had found it. When Sylvia and the hunter find the white heron he offered her money for it but she refused. When she saw the heron Sylvia does not speak after all, and the hunter’s eyes are looking straight at Sylvia. He can make them rich with money; he has promised it, and they are poor now. This shows how much Sylvia loves the animals and how she would never want to harm any of them, not even for the chance to become rich and solve all of her family’s problems. In Sarah Orne Jewett’s, Sylvia’s love for nature and animals goes beyond her concern for her and her family’s needs. Saving the white heron was a choice that Sylvia to made proving that her love for nature was much stronger that her family’s needs and her own.

HR Training Class Essay

Customer demands and the rise in competition have caused many companies to focus on customer service and relations. The ability to provide great customer services has much to do with the success of many individuals and companies. Customer service isn’t about giving the customer exactly what they want. It involves skills such as problem solving, empathy, interpersonal skills, communication, and leadership abilities. Employee performance can be improved in many ways. Training is one way to emphasize employee performance. Each customer interaction is a representation on the company. How the employee handles the interaction is a direct determination of whether the customer will return. Justify the use of a needs assessment of your company’s proposed employee customer service training, stressing five (5) ways in which such an assessment would expose any existing performance deficiencies. When conducting a needs assessment, there are three areas that must be considered: organizational needs, occupational needs, and individual needs. Organizational assessment evaluates the level of organizational performance. An assessment of this type will determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities an agency needs. It determines what is required to alleviate the problems and weaknesses of the agency. Occupational assessment examines the skills, knowledge, and abilities required for affected occupational groups. Occupational assessment identifies how and which occupational discrepancies or gaps exist. Individual assessment analyzes how well an individual employee is doing a job and determines the individual’s capacity to do new or different work. Individual assessment provides information on which employees need training and what kind. A needs assessment is a wise investment for the organization. It saves time, money and effort by working on the right problems. Determining the needs of employees is a significant aspect of human resource management process. Knowing how many employees are in need of training and what particular training is needed are the keys to assessing the company’s need for the customer service training. The major objective of a needs assessment is to answer common questions such as who, what, when, why, and how. Who needs to be trained and who will benefit from the training? What type of training will be needed and what will be the product of the training? When does this training need to take place? Why is this training needed? How will the training be facilitated? Answering these questions will expose any existing performance deficiencies. Conducting needs assessment protects the organization from unnecessary training. A need assessment helps to know whether training is the ideal solution to a performance deficiency. If the training will not increase the employees’ knowledge and skill level, the deficiency problem will not be resolved and the training is irrelevant. Who receives training and who benefits from training? The people who deal with customers most will need to be included in the training program. These people are the face of the company. If they are unable to provide great customer service, the customers may leave the company. The frontline employees are often times the only employees that a customer will encounter. Once training is complete, not only does the company benefit but the customers do as well. What type of training is need and what will be the product of training? Determine what type of training is needed. Do the employees need training on resolving customer issues, showing empathy, communications, acknowledging customer issues, or owning the customer issues and resolutions? What is the expected outcome of the training? When does the training need to be provided? Determine what the earliest and latest date the training should be offered in order to be effective. If the training is not offered in a timely manner, the company may suffer from the lack of customer service. Should the training be provided to new employees before they ever begin to work with customers or should the training be offered only to employees who have been with the company for a while? Why conduct the training? â€Å"To tie the performance deficiency to business need and confirm that the positive outcome of training employees outweighs the problems inherent in performance deficiency† (Tobey, 2005). Why is this training needed now versus in the past? What factors have changed? How will the training be facilitated? Determine whether training needs to be online, in class, or on the job. Employees learn differently. The method of training should be determined based on the employees that will be receiving the training. A combination of methods may be needed for a group of employees that learn differently. Develop a customer service training implementation plan and determine the method of training (i. e. , presentation, discussion, case study, discovery, role play, simulation, modeling, or on-the-job training). There are numerous methods of training employees. These methods include but are not limited to simulations, on- the job training, presentation, discussion, case study, web based training, and mentor programs. For this customer service training, I will use web-based training. Web-based training has several advantages. †¢Convenience. Employees are able to take training at any time. They are not bound to a set schedule and can take the classes during times that production is not busy. †¢Employees are able to work at their own pace. If an area needs to be revisited, the employee can go back without holding up an entire class. Employees are able to reflect in greater depth on responses to questions or activities posed in training before making their answers. †¢Individuals are able to take advantage of lifelong learning without relocating or quitting their jobs. (â€Å"The benefits of,† ) †¢Web-based training is generally less expensive than other forms of training. †¢Web-based trainings often include simulations and case study exercises †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Individual characteristics such as physical disabilities remain anonymous to other participants, thus eliminating judgments and stigmas often associated with particular disabilities. (â€Å"The benefits of,† ) †¢WBT emphasizes a learner-centered approach to training versus simply logging the number of hours spent in training. Employees are required to participate in the learning in order to earn credit for the class, thus actually learning the information. Propose two (2) ways to motivate an employee who has no interest in attending a training class. Many employees are reluctant to attend training classes because they do not understand the purpose of the class or feel there is no need for any changes. The most obvious way to motivate employees to attend training is make the training mandatory. Mandatory trainings are often times coupled with merit increases and bonuses. If employees fail to take mandatory classes, they are not eligible for their merit increase or any bonuses that the company may offer. Though reluctant, employees will take mandatory training classes to ensure they are eligible for these incentives. Though making training mandatory is a likely way to ensure employees attend, it is not very likely they will listen and learn. If all they have to do is attend to get credit for the class, they will show up, but what will be the outcome? Another incentive to motivate employees to attend training is providing additional incentives such as certifications or extended lunch break on the day of training. Also, try to make the training fun and engaging. Grasp the audience’s attention. Provide refreshments. And allow the employee to determine what form of training they are going to attend (web-based, classroom, on-the-job). Reduce the amount of stress that may arise due to work piling up while away from the office. Many employees do not want to attend training because they are concerned with the amount of work they will have waiting when they return to the office. Management should shift work to other areas for those attending training so there is no pile up awaiting their return. This is done much easier in a call center setting where calls can be routed to a different area. Develop a survey to collect feedback from the employees who attend the training Customer satisfaction surveys are used to gather feedback as to whether the business is meeting the needs of the customer and whether the customer would recommend a friend to the company. The same should be done with employees who participate in training. Feedback is necessary in training to determine if the training was useful, if anything new was learned, if what was covered will be used in the daily tasks of the employee, and how the course could be changed to be more beneficial to the company. Survey should be anonymous to ensure the employee there is no retaliation from management if the feedback is negative.

Performance and Participation in games Essay

Read through the following notes and then answer the questions at the end of each section. Please answer each set of questions on a different sheet using a new heading each time. Please write your answers fully in sentences. Consider how many marks each question is worth as to how much you need to write. The questions should be finished and handed in on Tuesday the 7th November along with your coursework (all sections). School – Questions. 1. Explain how your experiences in PE can have both a negative or a positive effect on your participation in sport later in life (2). Name 5 different roles that a pupil could take within a PE lesson (5) 3. For key stage three PE explain what areas of activity are covered and the aims of PE at this level (7) 4. For key stage four PE explain what areas of activity are covered and the aims of PE at this level (4) 5. Explain what benefits can be sought from extra- curricular PE i. On a representational basis and ii. On a recreational basis (4) 6. Name one benefit of examination courses for i. The image of PE and ii. Pupils who have an interest in PE. 7. Explain what benefits links with sports clubs can have and why this is necessary (3) 8. Explain why cross- curricular links are important for pupils (2). 9. Name and explain 3 ways that a school could cover the cost of its sporting activities (3). 10. Explain how curriculum constraints can have a negative effect on how much time is available for PE (2). 11. Explain how tradition can affect the opportunities pupils may have within PE (2) 12. Explain how the environment can affect the opportunities that pupils may have within PE (both positive and negative) (2). Changing Attitudes. What effects do attitudes of society have on participation in games? 1. What is leisure (2) 2. How has leisure time increased (1) 3. Give some of the reasons for this increase and explain why these effects do actually increase opportunities (5) 4. Explain the aim of private leisure providers and name three different types of leisure opportunities they provide (4) 5. Explain the aim of public leisure providers and name three different types of leisure opportunities they provide (4) 6. Name some of the target groups that public providers make provisions for, explain what provisions they make and why this is useful. (5)

Mattel Inc. Addressing the Component of Cultural Identity Among Essay

Mattel Inc. Addressing the Component of Cultural Identity Among Consumers - Essay Example Barbie the first venture of Mattel into the field of dolls was launched in 1959. Barbie was designed keeping in mind that young girls like giving the role of adults to their dolls. Mattel has been very successful in many European countries and the United States, due to its strategy of incorporating the cultural specification of these countries into its products. Its strategy of bringing variation in their products according to the philosophy, and biological traits of their consumers has made them the brand they are today (Mattel, 2011). Barbie is a brand that acknowledges the importance of cultural identity in the toy market. Biological traits for cultural acceptability have incorporated very carefully. Barbie, Mattel’s biggest and most recognized brand is very detailed in its design. The original Barbie was created to target young American girls, who wanted to grow up to be independent, beautiful women. Many parents initially had objections against playing with Barbie as many thought her physical attributes gave young girls a wrong idea about beauty. The fear was that girls might take thinness as the indicator of beauty. Consumers were worried about the wrong idea Barbie might give their children regarding the definition of beauty in their culture. Consumers who had African, Asian and other ethnic origins were also not very pleased with the physical attributes Barbie was given. Mattel counteracted these notions by coming up with Barbies that represented the culture and traditions of these specific countries. Thus, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, and African Barbies were created. These Barbies have different skin tones than the original Barbie; they are several shades darker than the original shade. The Japanese Barbie has a yellow skin color similar to the oriental skin tone. Many might point out the fact that the features of these dolls have not been changed. Only the skin tone and the clothes have been altered. By diversification of their products, Mattel accessed growing markets. (Grassel, 2011) Barbie now represents a mass- spectrum of culture to gain acceptability into the Latin American, Afro American, and Asian cultures. Barbie’s imaginary friend-circle has been very carefully designed. It is designed in such a way that young girls from all different cultures will feel included in the world of Barbie. Kayla was introduced in 1990. Her ethnic vagueness was done intentionally. She represents the Latina-young friend of Barbie. Kayla can make any young Latin American girl relate herself to Kayla’s style. The Barbie line for girls near their teens also has characters that show the importance of Hispanic and African culture in Mattel’s market segmentation. Including these characters in their doll collection gives Mattel access to consumers who hail from these cultures (Barbie, 1991). ‘Independent women are next-generation women’ is the philosophy Mattel reinforces with its product, Barbie. Girls from a very young age value their independence and dreams. The clothes and accessories donned by Barbie make the statement of her independence. She is a doctor, a nurse, an astronaut, and anything and everything she wants to be professionally. The commercials of Barbie also emphasize the abilities of women. ‘Women can be whatever they want to be’ is what Barbie wants to encourage in young girls.

Research Methods in the Social Sciences Assignment - 5

Research Methods in the Social Sciences - Assignment Example every society, and are certainly committed in every region of the globe, though the proportion and number of its occurring varies from one culture to the other. The research reveals that the adult diagnostic training center (ADTC), in the wake of premeditated legislation, looks for treating only those offenders, who are determined to surrender this condemnable habit for good for the welfare of the society at large. The research shows that 20% to 30% young females become victim to sexual attempts and assaults, which is committed to women belonging to divergent groups and communities without discrimination, and same commonalty is found among male offenders. Sex offence is the most repeated one, as an overwhelming majority of the offenders repeats it again and again soon after their release from the jail, though percentage of recidivism is far lower among those who are treated through therapy than other offenders. Zgoba et al. point out many obstacles while estimating sex offences recid ivism rates which include absence of the determination of the newly devised term i.e. sex recidivism, underreporting of the offences, unavailability of similar research population and sample, unavailability of competitive group and long gap between the conducting of researches on this topic. All these reasons serve as imperative impediments in the assessment of sex offence recidivism. The research views that authorities and public considers sex offences as untreatable crime; consequently, the offenders must be treated very harshly so that the society could be protected from their nefarious activities. Even the medical specialists and psychologists recommend cruel punishments to be inflicted upon them to teach them remarkable lesson for violating the statutes of law on the one hand, and hurting the innocent victims of their criminal assaults on the other. Hence, instead of launching the futile and useless rehabilitation health programs for them, the sex offenders must be punished in

Process Of Exploring a complex situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Process Of Exploring a complex situation - Essay Example by different researchers have shown the evidence that the extrinsic rewards could negatively harm the intrinsic motivation of the employees (Deci and Ryan, 1985). The studies were conducted on a set of professionals who were clearly mentioned of the nature of reward that has been instituted for a brief period. The results obtained after withdrawing the rewards showed a sharp reduction in the productivity in those rewarded from those who were not rewarded. Thus the managers, who often feel that the higher the incentives could always ensure higher performance often, fail to realize the negative impact it could cause to the system when such schemes are forced to be withdrawn. This is common with the prevailing business situations across the globe, where poor business environment forces the managers to propose the cost reduction measures. One such step would be lowering of the existing incentive schemes which would lead to lowering of the productivity that were available much before this reductive proposals as per the existing theories of motivation. (Word count: 210) Every organization in its management practice has powers which are both visible and invisible. The powers that are present based on the hierarchy of practice which defines the functional space and the linkages in the responsibilities in the organizational framework are the common visible powers centers in any establishment. The invisible power centers that those which are not guided by the direct business objectives but rather from the cultural or ethical compulsions that forces every employees to take a certain decision making in their domain of activity. And the exact proportion of the division of each type of powers in each organization cannot be specified in exact quantitative terms. The visible powers are more necessary for the quantitative outputs of the job and identifying the work efficiency of every employee. This would be key driving force to maintain the organizational

New Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

New Below - Essay Example uage was seen as a matter of knowing grammatical rules and vocabulary and could be measured by measuring the learner’s grammatical and lexical knowledge.’ (Manfred 219). Philosophers and Psychologists have often debated appropriate ways of conceptualizing the nature of language proficiency and its relationship to other constructs like intelligence. ‘Proficiency is a definite, if intuitively held, concept and not just a formal construct.’ (Manfred 219). The question of proficiency in language is central to the resolution of a variety of applied educational issues. Expertise in a language develops as a function of ‘different class rooms treatments different experiences in the environments and different social contexts.’ (Harley 7). To assess proficiency, tests have been designed that have descriptors for various levels of achievement and is usually expressed as a number on a scale. ‘The level of correlation between tests of formal knowledge and tests of practical proficiency seems to depend on the nature of the course or environment in which the language has been learned.’ (Manfred 219). According D E Ingram, Darwin Institute of Technology, Casuarina, Australia, ‘the term â€Å"test† – refers to any activity in evaluating or measuring some part or all of a learner’s language proficiency.’ (Manfred Introduction 215). A five point scale such as the International Second Language Proficiency Rating (ISLPR) formerly called Australian Second Language Proficiency Rating (ASLPR) used the + symbol to make distinctions between the fine points on the scale. There have been considerable developments in linguistic and second language teaching. The evaluation of the concept of proficiency changed the linguistic theory of Chomsky with competence in performance. Reactions against Psycholinguistic distinctions made by Chomsky made people think of competency as not only linguistic but also communicative i.e. use was considered as important as language usage.

Personal Growth Influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Growth Influences - Essay Example This lifestyle, with it’s exposure to a variety of cultures and ethnicities, has been the learning experience of my lifetime and has made me very much aware of the universality and basic oneness of mankind, despite differences of race, language and religion. It has made me a true ‘citizen of the world.’ The extracurricular activity I have most enjoyed has been running track in High School. This has inculcated in me the passion to go all out to reach my goal, taught me that preparation is the key to success and has given me endurance and the hunger to win. It has also taught me to work as a member of a team towards a common objective and made me appreciate the camaraderie of a commonly motivated group and also the importance of physical fitness in life. The strongest influence of my life has been my parents. My Mother, who is a registered nurse at a retirement home, has influenced me to be sensitive to the needs of the economically and socially disadvantaged and also the aged and the ill. At her suggestion, I have been involved in a community project in which I have visited hospices for the aged over the weekends and spent some time with the inmates, reading to them (mainly the newspapers and the Bible) and helping them with their letters and other correspondence. I have come away from this experience with the certainty that society owes the aged a gift of security and inclusion. I have a deep admiration and respect for my Father, who is an International trader for a major American bank. He treats me not only as his son, but also as his confidante and friend. I am often privy to the information inputs which guide his management techniques and his responses to the various financial complexities involved in his profession. From his experiences, I have understood that the quality of life and the personal happiness of people all over the world is dependent on their financial security, particularly in the later years.

The seriousness of Military Veteran Homelessness Essay

The seriousness of Military Veteran Homelessness - Essay Example â€Å"Roughly  56 percent  of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population respectively† (National Coalition for Homeless Veternas, 2011). The biggest problem of the military veterans in America is homelessness. About 50% of the veterans that had served in the military in the Vietnam era are homeless today. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), most of the homeless veterans of the nation are men while the percentage of women is about 5. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records a minimum of 131000 homeless veterans every night while the number of military veterans that are found to experience homelessness every year is 262000 (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). They generally come from urban regions and account for one third of the total population of homeless people in America. The homelessness and lack of employment is just as much a problem for the young veterans who have recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq as it is for the old veterans that have served in the previous wars. They have their lunches and dinners in the soup kitchens and are desperate for finding jobs even if they have too do menial works (USA Today, 2007). Last, but not the least, the homelessness has led the military veterans to depression. A vast majority of these veterans are single and suffer from physical and psychological illnesses. Many are patients of depression and are addicted to substance abuse. One veteran said, I shed blood for this country and got the Purple Heart after a mortar blast sent shrapnel into my face and leg. But when I came back home from Vietnam I was having problems. I tried to hurt my wife because she was Filipino. Every time I looked at her I thought I was in Vietnam again. So we broke up. (Glantz, 2009, p. 1). Unfortunately, there is no proper system in place to cater for

Foreign Investment in Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign Investment in Japan - Essay Example This dissimilarity in business culture is a vital key to increasing the stakeholders’ worth and for recovery of investments (Finance and Investment).  This dissimilarity in business culture is a vital key to increasing the stakeholders’ worth and for recovery of investments (Finance and Investment).  Cultural Influence One of the most overbearing impressions that Japanese business owners have is that selling out means that they have failed their employees. Their concern for the welfare of their employees after the acquisition has been made is important and they feel that local companies understand this much more than foreigners do. This issue is not limited to foreign buyers; even Japanese equity funds face great difficulties in acquiring Japanese companies. It takes a lot of hard work to convince potential targets to sell because of their concern for their employees. (ACCI Journal).  This is the basic reason for the low numbers of transactions when compared to th e USA and Europe. This raises the question with most foreign investors as to whether Japanese companies are for sale? Japanese companies can be acquired, but this has usually been an uphill task because of cultural barriers. Now the feeling is that Japan needs foreign investment for sustenance (ACCI Journal).  

Uk Company Law Directors Duties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Uk Company Law Directors Duties - Essay Example Directors should primarily implement their duties in an ethical manner towards profit maximization, balanced against the requirement for corporate survival and to have consideration for the broader stakeholders of the company. In Re D Jan of London Ltd , it was observed that the duty of care which is to be demonstrated by a director of a company under common law is now enshrined in s.214 (4) of the Insolvency Act 2006. Under s.212 of the Insolvency Act 1986, the liquidator sued the erstwhile director D’ Jan for breach and negligence of duty. In this case , the director D’ Jan signed an insurance policy as the task of filling up and checking up the application had been entrusted with an insurance broker. The fact that D’ Jan had been a director in a company which went to liquidation earlier had not been disclosed in the application and due to which , the fire claim made by the company was rejected by the insurance company. In this case , Hoffmann L J found D’ Jan in breach of his duty of care as he failed to go through the filled-in form and hence , he acted negligently . In Bairstow v Queens Moat House Plc , Nelson J found the four erstwhile directors of the defendant company liable for over  £26 million as regards to earlier dividends authorised by them. Nelson J observed the following in this case; A director who had given his permission for the defrayment of illegal dividend in violation of his duty and as a quasi trustee , he would be accountable to return such unlawful dividends paid back to the company as he knew that the dividends so paid were not legally authorised whether or not that authentic knowledge tantamount to fraud; If he is already aware of the information about the improperness of such dividend payments despite the fact that he was not aware that such improperness made the payment illegal. If he ought to have taken in all the background to have familiarity to the whole of the background which made the payments not legal; If he ought to have been well-known, as diligent and logically capable director that dividend payments were not legal6. In Overend and Gurney Co v Gibb and Gibb7, in exercise of the power authorised under the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company, the directors decided to purchase a money dealing and bill broki ng business. Later, this investment was found to be disastrous for the company. House of Lords were of the opinion though the directors

Hunger games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hunger games - Essay Example In Hunger Games, violence may be one its main themes but it was not glorified by the film. Those who seemed to enjoy it were portrayed as ridiculous and the characters themselves despised it that in the second installment Catching Fire, they were secretly plotting against the President to end his violent leadership. Without tackling violence in the book or film, the narrative will be a bore or pointless because why would they have to plot against a President if they have nothing against him? Violence in media, books, literature and art are always present and in the case of Hunger Games, it subtly tackle the larger theme of â€Å"chauvinistic omnipotence of men which is often confused with obtuse or even noble concepts like security, protection or prudence† such as the character of the President. Through the narrative of violence, it showed that brutality can be masked as something desirable and be used to rule people by instilling fear. But as what Hunger Games has illustrated , violence has to end for its sheer brutality. Assuming for the sake of discussion that we will rule violence outright in books and films, will that end violence and aggression

Service Encounters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Service Encounters - Essay Example ement of an organization is therefore charged with a responsibility of ensuring that they acquire and sustain a competitive advantage over the other competing organizations that provide similar services. To be able to achieve this, the management relies on their employees to provide the customers with the level of satisfaction that can make the customers develop good reputations for the organization (Connoley, n.d, p.5). In this regard, it will be the major role of the front-line officers in a service industry to ensure that there is a kind of rapport created between them and the customers at the first instant in order to retain the customers for a long time. One of the key issues to be addressed in the service industry is how the customers perceive the kind of service that they are given by the particular industry. This is primarily determined by the kind of ‘dyadic’ interaction that occurs between the customers and the service providers (Bitner et al, 1990, p2). The service encounter and subsequent relationship developed between the customers and the front office service providers make the management of the organizations value the employees as one of the most valuable assets in the organization. The diverse expectations of the participants in a service industry makes social encounters complicated in a number of ways. Firstly, the employees that are delivering the service need to derive some level of job satisfaction in the way they perform their duties. There is also a need to satisfy the needs of the customers in the industry. This makes these two actors become important participants in the service industry (Solomon et al, 1985, p). The quality of services provided by a given organization may be pointed out by the customers. The complaints that are given by the customers concerning the quality of the services offered by an organization can help the management of the organization establish the cause of a given problem in the delivery process (Tax & Brown,

To what extent does the character of inter-state relations mean that Essay

To what extent does the character of inter-state relations mean that the potential for human rights will always be limited - Essay Example Conversely, it has been propounded that customary international law is nevertheless significant as a source of law particularly in the international human rights arena (Cassese, 2005: p.389). For example, the codification of conventions, and case law of the International Court of Justice (IJC) have been cited as contributing to the â€Å"resurrection† of customary international law (Cassese, 2005: p.65). However, notwithstanding the theoretical importance of international law making in areas such as human rights and as a check on autocratic state power, these measures are only as effective as their practical enforceability, which some commentators have challenged in light of competing political interests at international level, arguing that customary law has effectively been replaced by national concerns in inter-state relations (Dixon, 2007: p.17). Directly correlated to this is the concept of â€Å"state† and â€Å"inter-state relations†, which in terms of individual human rights protections at international level has become a central issue particularly in context of rapid globalisation (Baylis & Smith, 2001). Indeed, Benvenisti and Hirsch comment that globalisation is a multifaceted concept that encompasses technological, political, economic and social trends (Benvenisti & Hirsch, 2004 p.167). Moreover Baylis et al highlight that the term globalisation refers to â€Å"the widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide internconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life† (Baylis & Smith, 2001 at p.541). As such, the rapid pace of this process in the previous two decades along with the digital revolution has meant that â€Å"cross border flows (of trade, investment, migrants, cultural artefacts, environmental factors etc) have reached unprecedented levels†. (Benvenisti & Hirsch, 2004, p.168). Directly related to this is the increase of

COMPETITION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

COMPETITION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY - Essay Example It has been argued that, similarly to other industries in the non-banking sector, competition prevalent in the banking sector is desirable because it tends to generate a market that is more efficient, as well as the benefits that tag along like efficient resource allocation and better consumer prices. However, other theories argue more competition in the banking sector may precipitate an increase in instability with regards to the financial systems. Since greater competition in the banking sector leads to a decrease in margins of bank profits, banks are banks are encouraged to acquire riskier investment so as to boost profit levels, which is in support of the competition fragility view (Boyd et al., 2009: 4). However, other arguments make the argument that greater concentration of banks in the loan markets may lead to an increase in instability via increased risks, especially because higher rates of interest that are charged on consumers could make it more difficult for them to pay b ack the loans, which supports the view on competition stability. Therefore, it is interesting when these hypotheses are tested to decide whether completion in the banking sector is desirable with an aim to increase financial stability (Boyd et al., 2009: 5). ... l failures of the market because of asymmetric information like adverse selection, moral hazard, and excessive taking of risks with agency problems, externalities like fragility because contagion and coordination problems, and potential power of the markets (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1857). This has led to regulation that seeks to protect the small investors, the system, and market competitiveness. However, these problems are made worse by policies that have to do with being too big to fail, deposit insurance, and the last resort lender. The global financial crisis uncovered the huge failures of the regulatory system and the potential contradictions between competition policy and regulatory intervention (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1857). Banks, indeed, are unique because of their specific mix of features that increases their vulnerability to potential systemic impact and very fundamental negative externalities with regards to the economy (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1858). The compet itive banking system’s fragility is excessive with financial regulation coming to the rescue at the cost of regulatory failure and side effects. The most essential one has to do with potential moral hazards caused by bailouts and protection of failing financial institutions. The recent global financial crisis is a testimony to failures of the Basel II system’s three pillars. First, risk assessment and disclosure have been deficient with market discipline being ineffective, especially due to blanket insurance from too big to fail policies (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1858). Secondly, capital regulation has failed to account for account systemic effects, i.e. failure’s social costs, with restriction on assets lifted because of pressure emanating from lobbies on behalf of investment

Menu project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Menu project - Assignment Example chopped fresh red chili without seeds 2 cloves Bunch fresh basil with leaves picked and stalks chopped 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds Sea salt 1 pound of chopped, seeded and cored tomatoes ? cup of soft brown sugar ? cup red wine vinegar Directions Place the vegetables, ginger, olive oil, chili, basil stalks, garlic, cloves and coriander seeds in a saucepan. Season these mixtures with a pinch of salt and the pepper. While often stirring, cook in moderate heat for between 10 and 15 minutes until softening. Add tomatoes and then 1? cups of cold water. Then bring this to boiling and gently simmer until it reduces by about a half. Add basil leaves and whiz using a hand blender and push through sieve twice. Put the sauce in a clean pan and then add the sugar and vinegar. Heat the pan and simmer until it thickens then correct seasoning to taste (see Appendix I). Introduce the ketchup to jars and allow for cooling before tightening the lids (see Ap pendix II). Keep stored in a refrigerator. This should be kept for up to six months. Ingredient Comparison In both the homemade and the Heinz tomato ketchups, natural sources have been used for flavoring. Though Heinz (2013) does not disclose in its ingredients the exact sources of these flavorings, it appreciates that natural flavors were used. On the other hand, the homemade ketchup has the concentrations of the seasonings varied to get the appropriate flavor. Additionally, the powder from coriander seeds has been used for flavoring purposes. While the brown sugar sweetens the homemade ketchup, Heinz does not disclose its sweetener which could be included in one of its ingredients. Nonetheless, it should be appreciated that the tomatoes used contributes to a large extent to the flavor of the ketchup hence the ability to determine the flavor of homemade ketchup by varying the kind of tomatoes used. The major ingredient in both the processed and homemade tomato ketchup is the tomato . This forms the basis of having this food product. However, a difference in the form in which the tomatoes are used would be noticed. The homemade tomato ketchup uses tomatoes in raw form, as would be picked from the farm (Oliver, 2008). These would be sliced and taken through the recipe directions for making the ketchup. But in the processed Heinz tomato ketchup, tomato concentrate made from red ripe tomatoes would be used. This concentrate resembles the product of boiling and gently stirring the initial ingredients as described in the recipe direction for the homemade ketchup. It would also be critical to point out the fact that Heinz particularly uses red ripe tomatoes hence the deep red color of its final product (see Appendix III). But as seen in the recipe, homemade tomato ketchup gives the option of using these red tomatoes or raw tomatoes or the orange ones depending on the desired end product. Furthermore, it would be appreciated that Heinz uses various syrup forms  œ corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup – to achieve the desired viscosity for the final product. These are commercially available syrups. On the other hand, the homemade ketchup makes use of olive oil to achieve the same effect. Finally, while the homemade tomato ketchup has its ingredients well outlined, Heinz generalizes its ingredients. Apart from the natural flavors, it also gives spices as its ingredients (Heinz, 2013). These general terminologies conceal the exact

Clinical Research Industry Issues Essay Example for Free

Clinical Research Industry Issues Essay Services in the business sector becomes troublesome when customers seem to act too superior when dealing with the company’s employees (Bassett 25). Companies which disseminate excellent customer service definitely excel in the market (Bassett 26). There are plenty of physicians who run out of patients to treat, and still, there are a lot of patients who search for the right physicians (Rizzo Sindelar 968). Physicians enter into a competitive market within the consumer population by trying to put the best medical practices forward in the market of consumer population (Rizzo Sindelar 968). These medical practices are what make the physicians stand out among the patients (Rizzo Sindelar 968). Patients may decide to seek the services of a different physician due to relocation reasons (Rizzo Sindelar 968). Patients also may change the physician that they are seeing due to the fact that their previous physician is not able to disseminate the quality level of services that the patients are seeking (Rizzo Sindelar 968). Wider government services are of no use to be implemented as aid to pharmaceutical operations if the pharmaceutical industry would not adjust its degree of services to public needs (Olson 304). The pharmaceutical industry needs to work hand in hand with other health care provider companies so that it would be able to improve its services to the public (Olson 304). The pharmaceutical industry needs to work more closely with physicians in order to better improve its services. The pharmaceutical industries would be able to obtain advice from physicians regarding the following matters: Clinical Research Industry Issues 3 1. The rampant illnesses that patients possess. 2. The common types of medications that patients are prescribed to. With this information gathered by the pharmaceutical establishments from physicians, the pharmaceutical establishments may be able to provide better services to the patients. Literature Review 2. Ethical And Policy Issues In Research Involving Human Participants It is of utmost importance that the welfare or well-being of the human participants be given consideration when conducting a research (Jones 97). It is required that every researcher declare the progress of his/her report to a research study agency as outlined in a particular research’s ethical guidelines (Jones 97). 3. Research Involving Persons With Mental Disorders That May Affect Decision- Making-Capacity Researches on the origins of mental disorders refer to neurobiological elements as their causes (Walsh, Green, Matthews Puerto 43). Sixty one percent of the participants that have been studied on these researches unanimously states that a person with a high level of mental illness inherits the illness from a mentally ill parent (Walsh, Green, Matthews Puerto 43). 4. Bias In Pharmaceutical Sponsored (Funded) Clinical Trials Clinical Research Industry Issues 4 The pharmaceutical industry may become biased when sponsoring clinical trials. They may actually tamper with the results of the clinical trials to make it appear that the participants are sick even when they are not, just to increase the pharmaceutical industry’s sales. 5. Relationship Between Clinical Investigators And The Pharmaceutical Industry At times, the executives of the pharmaceutical industries bribe the clinical investigators in order to tamper with the results of the clinical trials. This is an unethical and legally violating event that takes place sometimes 6. Corporate Hand In Clinical Trials And Their Contracts With Medicine Academia The corporations usually consult the medicine academia for sources and aid in order to facilitate their clinical trials at the highest level of quality. Clinical Research Industry Issues 5 References: Bassett, G. (1992). Operations Management For Service Industries : Competing In The Service Era. Westport: Quorum Books. Rizzo, J. A. Sindelar, J. L. (2002). Optimal Regulation Of Multiply-Regulated Industries : The Case Of Physician Services. Southern Economic Journal, 62: 968. Walsh, J. , Green, R. , Matthews, J. Puerto, B. B. (2005). Social Workers’ Views Of The Etiology Of Mental Disorders: Results Of A National Study. Social Work , 50: 43.

Media studies †Life on Mars Essay Example for Free

Media studies – Life on Mars Essay How does life on mars (2006) use visual codes, technical, audio and narrative codes to create a sense of excitement and encourage the audience to watch. In this first episode of Life on Mars there are many different codes and conventions used to make this series instantly appealing to the audience. The episode is excellently paced and smartly directed, getting us into 1973 within 10 minutes and introducing new characters effortlessly. Sequence 1 of life on mars gets the audience instantly familiar with the genre, the episode begins with a police car chasing down a suspect which quickly shows us this is a hybrid police crime drama. The diegetic sounds of police sirens and dogs along with the non diegetic music, a heartbeat which is corresponding with Sam the detective in the police car creating suspense as we get a feel for how Sam is feeling as the heartbeat signifies his nerves also introducing the audience to protagonist Sam Tyler, these audio codes add up to create an exciting police chase which again expresses the genre of Life on Mars. Once out of the car Sam is forced to chase his primary suspect down an ally way in a council estate in the city giving the audience a feel for the setting. The music isnt as dramatic while the chase is happening but speeds up during more dramatic parts of the chase which creates suspense. Cinema-verte is used when filming the chase which makes the audience feel almost part of the chase, this entertaining filming technique and creative use of music makes Life on Mars exciting to the audience creating enigma and encouraging them to watch on. This chase takes us up to Colin Raimes arrest bringing us to sequence 2. In sequence 2 Sams colleague and girlfriend, Maya, are interviewing suspect Colin Raimes. Sam and Maya facing Colin and his lawyers, which creates tension between these two sets of people. During the interview there is a close up of Colin Raimes which engages the audience creating tension and increasing the viewers curiosity as to what this suspect has done and makes them wonder has he done it or not? The diegetic recording sound in the background shows the viewers the interview is being recorded and shows the viewers the seriousness of the situation, the room is dark with little light which creates a professional mood, the dark setting is a technique used to scare the suspect in to talking, perfect for the situation. The narrative codes in this sequence reveal allot about Colin Raimes as he gets upset by the images he is being shown, we learn Colin sees a psychiatrist and his lawyers talk about how kids would throw fireworks at him on his estate. This is evidence to show that Colin is vulnerable and is possibly mad, the audience may take pity on him or take a different view on the suspect, this makes the viewers curious and increases their want to watch on. After the interview in sequence 3, Maya isnt done with the suspect and decides to follow him on her own, only to be kidnapped. Once Maya is kidnapped Sam becomes sad and heads out looking for her, there is a close up of Sams face and he is distressed with tears running from his eyes. This visual codes will make the audience feel sympathetic towards Sam and shows us perhaps he is feeling stronger than just friendship for Maya. Sams nerves eventually get the better of him when he has to stop the car to refresh himself, standing there half-heartedly he says into himself, The world is a scary place again this shows the audience he is thinking about Maya and wants to find her increasing their sympathy for him and overall making the viewers want to continue to watch to see the conclusion. The different audio codes used express Sams feeling for Maya as the non diegetic music plays softly whilst he cries and thinks about her, this corresponds with the visual codes creating a sympathetic feel for the protagonist making the audience pity him. Sam is unexpectedly struck by a speeding vehicle which brings me to sequence four. Sam is struck very unexpectedly and this may have came as a shock to the audience, the accident is very unexpected and this is done deliberately to shock the audience as this scene is key to the viewers as it is where the storyline unfolds as after this it is based in 1973, where Sam time travels back in time. The diegetic sounds used are very impacting, when the car hits Sam, initially there is a loud sound to signify he has been hit, after this all that can be heard is silence which corresponds with how the audience will feel, as they will be shocked at what has just happened. This creates enigma and increases the viewers curiosity to keep watching and they are now introduced to how Life on Mars is going to take place. (back in time) will Sam be okay? what will happen next? are few of the questions the audience will be asking making them exciting and encouraging them to keep watching. Once Sam is hit and the audience are aware of what happened there is a close up of him laying vulnerably on the ground, this close up shot shows his eyes, wide open but yet not moving, with only police sirens and a heartbeat which is corresponding with Sams as he lays on the tarmac, creating tension and making the audience question if he is even alive. This close up then changes to a high shot as the camera slowly moves up, looking down on Sam which shows how empty the road is, no traffic just him. This suggests a change in time and expresses to the audience what has happened introducing them to 1973. These visual and technical codes all raise the audiences awareness causing them to ask questions and want to know the conclusion. Sequence five is the most important as, Sam wakes up to find himself in 1973, complete with 1970s era clothing and an 8-track playing Life on Mars in a car. Dazed and confused, Sam wanders back to the police precinct he works at, only to find it filled with cigarette-smoking, gum-chewing strangers hes never seen before. The music is significant as before the crash David Bowies 1970s song Life on Mars was playing on Sams ipod in the car. This is strange as he has travelled back in time to when this song was just out and extremely popular. Sams feeling are conveyed in different ways, with voices in his head from when he was a boy repeating, where are you? as he wakes up in a forest, obviously not where he was before. Creating enigma for the audience and making them aware of the time change increasing their excitement and want to continue watching. When Sam stands up in 1973, with no clue as to where he is the camera is low angled and is circling him while Life on Mars plays which really creates a confusing atmosphere showing that Sam does not know what is going on. This technical camera work helps to express Sams feelings and shows the audience a broader understanding of whats going on. Everything has changed in Sams world, The set designs and costumes effectively evoke the era, as well as the grittiness of the run-down neighbourhood and police precinct. Everything feels straight out of the 70s, from the clothing to the cars to the horridly ugly decorating in Sams apartment. Throughout the episode, Sam hears hospital noises and doctor voices and at one point sees a person on late night TV talking like a doctor describing Sam being in a coma. Sam becomes increasingly convinced that he truly is in a coma, and that none of this world is real. he believes it is all part of his imagination. These are some of the ways in which Sam portrays his feelings to the audience during this sequence. Which allows the audience to get to know Sam and begin to have a feel for his character encouraging them to continue to watch Life on Mars. Later Sam meets a young police officer named Annie Cartwright who he begins to open up to and express his opinion and at one point tells her I had an accident and when I woke up, I was here. Only here is 33 years in the past. Now, that either makes me a time-traveller, a lunatic, or Im lying in a hospital bed in 2006 and none of this is real. This quotation of what he says gives the audience insight into how he feels about the whole situation, this again allows the audience to engage with Sam and feel what he is going through, the audience will grow a certain like for Sam and this creates a sense of excitement and encourages the audience to continue to watch Life on Mars.

Analysing two primary ways of occurring international business

Analysing two primary ways of occurring international business International business is the core theme in conducting business in current era of globalization. In the competitive environment, businesses are competing at global level. In international business a company can engaged in either of the two ways such as import or export. Import and export are the two basic and primary ways of conducting the business (Dunning, 2007). Whenever a company engages into the international business, there are lot many factors which impact the business. Hence there are advantages and disadvantages of both import and export. Considering this view, this assignment report addresses the critical analysis of two primary ways of occurring international business and respective advantages and disadvantages. In addition to this the assignment report also discusses the international and free trade (Fortanier, 2008). Ways of Occurring International Business: Researcher identifies that there are two primary ways of conducting international business: import and export. In import a company or individual purchase the goods outside the country of origin and sold out in domestic country. On the other hand whenever a company or individual produces the product/goods in the country of origin or domestic country and sold out in foreign company (Gupta and Govindarajan, 2008). In both ways there are several factors which have greater impact and influence on international business practice. In addition there are several advantages and disadvantages of import and export. The term export refers to the shipping of goods and services outside the port of a country (Hennart, 2004). Whenever a seller sells such goods, it is known as exporter and whenever a person purchase the goods or services outside the country then it is known as importer. In the international business, the term export means selling the goods and services outside the home country and vic e a versa. Except some goods or services, any products and goods can be exported to other country. The distribution of exported goods is undertaken by the domestic trader in which the goods are exported (Hennart, 2006). It is required to have the involvement of custom authorities while exporting the commercial quantities of goods in both the country of import and country of export. Due to the low value trades, the small trade over the internet such e-bay and Amazon is usually by-pass through custom. Therefore the export is subject to legal and formal restriction by the country of export to safeguard the interest of domestic producers (Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 2008). The counterpart of export is known as import. The transaction of goods and services from resident to non resident is also known as national account export. National accountant therefore sometimes need to make some adjustments of basic trade data and hence the basic trade data requires the statistical analysis. it is different from the coverage of national accounts as the data for international trade is usually obtained from the custom service in the respective country. In case any country consists of general trade then the goods exported or imported in the country are recorded on respective dates. On the other hand in case a company uses special trade system in which the goods are received in warehouses then the goods are not recorded as external trade till the time goods are sent to the free trade zone (Jones, 2006). In free trade zone developed with in the country, some of the goods move freely without any custom, control or statistics in the trade of goods. This is also true in ca se of goods are transferred between the member states. Banks are responsible for the statistical recording for the trade in services and these data points are then reported to the central bank. It is not only applicable for only export but also for the import. In the globalization, the services are provided outside the country electronically such as via internet, therefore it is difficult to measure the amount earned is such cases (Nelson and Winter, 2007). Some basic information or statistics in international trade is normally avoided such as smuggled goods or international flow of illegal services. In the official trade such of type of goods and services is not accounted. Commercial policy and international trade is one of the oldest and most famous branches of international business and thought of economics. Export and import are the major components of the international business. Economists are generally discusses the macro economic risks and benefits of export and import. In presenting the different perspectives, there the two different views such as determining the benefits of international trade and concerning the possibly that the domestic industries may be influenced through international trade (Jones, 2008). For example if an importer imports the electronic goods from china then it is 3 to 4 times cheaper than the domestic producers products. Then the market for the domestic players can be captured by the importers products and the domestic labor will get crushed by the international player. In order to safeguard the interest of domestic market, the government has imposed some policies and duties on imported goods (Easterly, 2008). The export methods include the good or product which is being hand delivered, shipped via port or mailed through internet. The similar process is followed in importing the goods. Trade Regulations: Some of the natural regulations on import and export of goods are export administration regulation, bureau of industry and security, international tariffs, BIS regulation. In addition to this there are some commodities which need international license for import and export. These commodities includes, liquor, gold, tobacco, drugs etc. These regulations vary country to country. The exported or imported item falls under the specific product category and respectively the company can obtain the license. There are some restricted destinations which restricted for both the import and export such as Cuba, Sudan, North Korea, Pakistan, Syria and Iran since these countries promote the terrorist activity (Hennart, 2007). Trade Barriers: Government laws, regulation, policy and practices are generally known as trade barriers which are developed for safeguard the domestic products, labor and market from the foreign players or particular domestic products from the stimulating of artificial export. in order to restrict the business practices, there have been s similar effect which is not generally regarded as trade barrier. The government policies are imposed to protect the international exchange of goods and services in general common foreign trade barriers (Casson, 2008). Strategic: There are certain type of goods, services and information which is limited in the international trade for example goods which are associated with the weapons caused of mass destruction, arms, ammunition, advanced telecommunication, archaeological artifacts and all those items which are not in favor of the country. Some of the major example of these goods includes the nuclear suppliers group, missile technology and technological development (Dunning, 2006). Trade Tariffs: A trade tariff is the tax also known as economic barrier which is imposed by the local government on the items imported in the country. Whenever in the country the foreign competitors goods demand is rising and fallen the demand of domestic players then this tactic is used to safeguard the interest of domestic player. It is therefore the strategic reason to retain the domestic producers and increase their capability by providing them with subsidies and other support (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 2007). Advantages and Disadvantages of International Trade: There are some advantages and disadvantages of international trade for both the export and import. Advantages of Exporting: One of the major advantages of export is the ownership advantage which is specific to the firms international experience, asset and ability of the exporter to either develop the differentiated product or low cost product with in the values chain (Hertner and Jones, 2007). A combination of investment risk and market potential is k won as the location benefit of the particular market combination. In order to retain the core competencies within the organization and stitching it throughout the country without retaining the license, selling or outsourcing is the international advantage in export (Amatori and Jones, 2003). Some of the organizations having lower level of ownership advantage may do not enter into the foreign markets. In case a companys products and companys ownership equipped with the international advantage and ownership advantage, the entry can be made through low risk model known as exporting under the eclectic paradigm. There is low investment requires in exporting of goods than the other modes of international trade and expansion such foreign direct investment. Some how it is recognized that the lower level of risk result in ,lower level of rate of return than possibly the other modes of international trade (Khanna, 2007). On the other hand the usual return on international trade in export sales might not have greater potential but also there will be no risk. In export of goods the managers are allowed to exercise the various operational control however it does not have the option over the control of marketing activities of the company. The end consumer of exported goods is far away from the exporter though the various intermediaries can mange the risk (Jones, 2008). Disadvantages of Exporting: The exporting of goods is specifically difficult and disadvantageous for the small and medium size firms having employees less than 250. The sale of services and goods into the foreign market is difficult for them rather serving the domestic market. A lack of knowledge of different languages, difference in culture, exchange regulations and trade regulations having the major impact on exporting the goods for SMEs. In addition to this the staff interaction and strain of resources is a major block of exporting the goods. Despite this disadvantage, some of the SMEs are still exporting however two third of them sold out to the foreign markets (Jones, 2008). In addition to this there are some major disadvantages highlighted in the export of goods such as financial management, communication technology improvements, and customer demand and management mistakes. In order to minimize the risk of transaction process of exporting the goods and exchange rate fluctuation, it is essential to have more capacity for managing the financials for coping up the efforts (Nelson and Winter, 2007). Customers can now interact with the suppliers due to the recent development is the communication technology has improved the way of purchasing goods, since the communication is mush cheaper then what is was two decades ago. It leads more transparency in transaction and purchasing of goods and vendors are responsible for following the real time demand for submitting the transaction details (Hennart, 2007). The customers are becoming advance due to the improvement in the technology and they demand more support and services from the vendor such as startup and equip ment installation and startup, delivery service and maintenance which are difficult for the exporter to provide. There might be some pitfalls in the organization occurred by some of the management mistakes such as oversea a distributor, an agent or chaos in the global organization (Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 2008). Advantages of Importing: Importing raw materials and goods is one of the paths of increasing the profit margins. There are number of benefits in importing the goods, such as high quality, low prices, and benefits related to the international trade. An importer can have the comparative advantage which means lower prices (Jones, 2006). Also the importer can have the much cheaper products from the foreign market due to low labor cost, low taxes etc. in terms of quality, the importer can have the higher quality goods and produce the finished goods with high quality and extend the business profit margins. In some countries, government provides the support to the importer for developing the trade relations (Nelson and Winter, 2007). Government provides the information of the manufactures and producers in the foreign country so that the importer can purchase the high quality and low price goods. Also due to the government involvement reduces the transaction risk. An importer can access to the regionally exclusive resources and cheap labor for producing the goods. These resources are required in the manufacturing process that have specialized skills and can be sound in certain countries. For example in electronic items, the Japanese people are highly efficient and manufacturer in UK use the labor from Japanese market for producing goods. The importing of resources includes everything starting from labor to technology (Fortanier, 2008). Disadvantages of Importing: There are many governments and economists who believe that the importing goods have numerous disadvantages. For example importing of goods could lead the erosion of the domestic markets and national economies specifically when there is trade deficit occur i.e. the import is higher than the export. Some of the goods like cars; appliances lead a higher level of domestic automobile and electronic markets and also loss of jobs in the respective markets (Hennart, 2007). Some other problems can also be increased due to import of goods such as conflict in the domestic values due to the acceptance of social values. The domestic industries can also be crippled due to the import of the countries where the wages are low and the domestic industries are unable to compete since they cannot lower down their prices of goods than the cost of goods and also they have the obligation to the worker union (Hertner and Jones, 2007). Free Trade Concept: The concept of free trade was introduced in the system to benefit the country and improving the condition of poor by providing them high quality and cheaper products. However as an economist, in my opinion free trade is erosion the domestic players for example if UK government lower the down the import duty on sugar then the demand for the imported sugar will increase and domestic player will not be able to compete with the foreign player (Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 2008). On the other hand the economic category argues that free trade promote the environmental degradation, supporting the child labor, income inequality and wage labor, slavery, harming the national defense, enforcement of cultural change and accentuating the poverty in the country. The economists also argued that the importing goods under free trade are opposed by the domestic industries due to rise in competition in terms of product quality and cheaper prices (Nelson and Winter, 2007). A maximum exploitation of workers due to the free trade is also opposed by the socialists. Free trade generally do not reduce the poverty or improve the condition of working class in the country but frequently make them more poor. It also supports the colonialism and imperialism in the country. On the other hand I believe that in free trade consumer could gain more than the industrialists and the domestic producers are more likely to mobilize their products without lifting the tariffs (Jones, 2006). Conclusion and Suggestions: The competitive business environment enforces the businesses in both the international and domestic markets to retain their business and remain competitive. However depending on the need and potential of the business, it is essential to understand whether the company should indulge into the export or import activity (Gupta and Govindarajan, 2008). It is recommended to the businesses specially the medium and small companies to extend their business potential at domestic market first and then extend into the international market collaboration, joint venture or business partnership. Prosperity in the country cannot be achieved through protectionism since it increases only the poverty and also do not protect the domestic industries or jobs but harm the export business and industries which has belief on imports (Hennart, 2007).

How portfolio diversification can minimize or eleiminate exposure risks to portfolios

How portfolio diversification can minimize or eleiminate exposure risks to portfolios Portfolio diversification is the means by which investors minimize or eliminate their exposure to company-specific risk, minimize or reduce systematic risk and moderate the short-term effects of individual asset class performance on portfolio value. In a well-conceived portfolio, this can be accomplished at a minimal cost in terms of expected return. Such a portfolio would be considered to be a  well-diversified. Although the concepts relevant to portfolio diversification are customarily explained with respect to the stock markets, the same underlying principals apply to all types of investments. For example, corporate bonds have specific risk that can be diversified away in the same manner as that of stocks. In investment Risk and Return, it is assumed that all investors are rational and will therefore hold portfolios that are diversified to the point where specific risk has virtually been eliminated and their only exposure to risk is to that which is inherent in the market itself . Thus, the residual risk of a portfolio should be equal to market risk, which is systematic risk, and unsystematic risk. Unsystematic risk can be reduced by investing over a broader market, i.e., a larger universe. Portfolio diversification provides a good example of the effects of diversifying across asset classes. A portfolio invested 50% in domestic large-cap stocks and 50% in international large-cap stocks would have approximately half the residual risk of a portfolio comprised solely of domestic large-cap stocks, assuming that the investments in each market were sufficiently diversified to eliminate specific risk. CAPM and the Market Price Risk: The theory that investors are not rewarded for holding any diversifiable risk is taken to its logical limit in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). This model is based on the evidence that all investors will hold portfolios which are invested in every single asset in existence. The rationale behind this is that if an investible asset is not included, then an opportunity for diversification, and therefore risk reduction, has been missed. According to the theory, investors will combine the market portfolio with a risk free asset (e.g. a short term government debt instrument). The proportion of the risk free asset held will increase the greater the investors risk aversion. The CAPM, which is concerned with pricing market risk, when determining what additional expected return is required for additional market risk. The only risk considered by a rational investor is market risk; we need to measure each securitys risk in these terms. The key elements here are as follows: The higher the weighting a security has, the greater will be its influence on the market return. The risk if measured in terms of market risk, the greater must be the compensating expected return. The higher the risk free rate, the higher will be the required expected return. http://www.investing-in-mutual-funds.com/portfolio-diversification.html http://www.investorwords.com/3083/modern_portfolio_theory.html Diversification works in the long run, despite rising correlations during extreme financial crises. From 1970  through 2007, a portfolio of 60 percent  SP 500 Index  and 40 percent  MSCI EAFE  returned 11.3 percent per year with an annualized  standard deviation of 13.75 percent. For the same time period, the SP 500 returned 11.1  percent per year with an annualized  standard deviation of 15.07 percent. Even when you throw a devastating and volatile year like 2008 in the mix, the benefits are still apparent. From 1970 through June 2009, the diversified portfolio had higher returns with less volatility than the SP 500 alone. The diversified portfolio returned 9.6 percent per year with an annualized  standard deviation of 14.6 percent, while the SP 500 returned 9.4 percent per year with an annualized  standard deviation of 15.6 percent. The conclusion from this data is not that diversification didnt work in 2008 and that it came back in 2009. The conclusion is that even though diversification is not a panacea for financial crises,  its the winning strategy for the long run. http://moneywatch.bnet.com/investing/blog/wise-investing/international-diversification-does-it-still-work/637/ How Does Diversification Work The concept is based on the fact that returns for certain types of investments, or asset classes, tend to move in opposite directions. As a result, poor stock returns may be counterbalanced by investments in bonds, and vice versa. You can diversify your portfolio by spreading your investments among different types of asset classes, such as U.S., international and emerging market stocks, bonds and also short-term money market investments. Exchange traded funds are an effective way to provide diversification since each individual fund holds hundreds of stocks and/or bonds. Diversification can substantially reduce the variability of returns without an equivalent reduction in expected returns. This reduction in risk arises because worse than expected returns from one asset are offset by better than expected return from another. But there is a minimum level of risk that cannot be diversified any way and that is the systematic portion. In volatile markets relationship among investments can become highly correlated, meaning returns for both types of investments move in the same direction, which reduces the effectiveness of diversification. Thats why a portfolio diversified among stocks and bonds still lost value during both recent bear markets. Its also why investments spread across U.S., international and emerging-market stocks didnt fare well either. All major investment sectors but one, government securities, declined. Its a good idea to see if your diversified portfolio still reflects your financial situation and goals.. If youve set up a 60/40 stock/bond investment mix but havent changed it in a year, you may need to rebalance your portfolio since your equity-oriented mutual funds likely fell in price more than your income-oriented mutual funds in the past year. In this case, if you want to maintain your 60/40 mix, youll have to sell some of your bond funds and invest the proceeds into equity funds. Diversification does help, however, and it always has even if, during extreme times, it hasnt been able to prevent losses entirely. Its true that, with the exception of government securities, all investment sectors were hit by the 2008-2009 declines. But investors with a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds lost a lot less than those with an all-stock portfolio even one that included international or emerging market stocks. Diversification also worked for investors during the first bear market of this decade: the 2000-2002 dot-com declines. The chart above is relatively easy to interpret; we consider the risk-free asset Rf with its corresponding Beta of zero and return of 8% and our stock with its Beta of 1.6 and its expected return E(RA) of 20%. When we connect the dots and measure the slope of the line (rise/run), we get a slope of 7.5%. From this graph, we can ascertain that our stock has a reward to risk ratio of 7.5% meaning that our stock has a risk premium of 7.5% for each unit of systematic risk. Obviously, the higher the reward to risk ratio, the better, meaning wed want to see higher E(RA) and/or lower Beta; either of which would increase the slope. In a final example, let us now compare our stock in the previous example (called Stock A) with a second stock (Stock B). Stock B has a Beta of 1.2 and an expected return E (RB) of 16%. When we construct our Security Market Line, we end up with a slightly different picture than we had with Stock A. The reward to risk ratio (or slope of the line) for Stock B is 6.67%. What this tells us (all other things equal) is that in essence, Stock A is a better choice than Stock B simply because it generates more reward for each unit of systematic risk undertaken. This analysis is especially useful when one is selecting portfolio components and wants exposure to a particular industry or sector, has multiple candidates, but doesnt want to include them all for fear of being overweight that particular area. In this manner, the candidates may be lined up and compared to see both visually and quantitatively where the best bang for the buck lies. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article12274.html http://www.moneychimp.com/articles/risk/efficient_frontier.htm A closer look at the investment returns of a 100% U.S. stock index compared with a diversified investment mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds between December 31, 2007, and June 30, 2009, shows that diversification was effective over that period. An investor in a diversified 60/40 mix lost 18%, or about half as much as the all-stock index, which lost 35%. International investors were hit hard as well: The MSCI ACWI (All Country World Index) ex USA, which doesnt include the U.S. market, lost 37% and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index declined 36%. For the 2000-2002 bear market, an all-stock portfolio fell 47.4% while the 60/40 mix declined only 16.8%. In fact, a diversified portfolio has helped investors weather market volatility over several different time periods. For the past three years, an all-stock portfolio lost 22.7% while the 60/40 mix declined only 5.4%. During the past five years, the stock portfolio lost 10.7% while the mix increased 4.7%. And as of June 30, 2009, over a full 10-year period, the stock portfolio lost 20.1% while the diversified mix gained 19.4% an almost 40% advantage over stocks. http://www.management-hub.com/portfolio-modern-theory.html As a conclusion I would say portfolio will work as long as the assets in the portfolio are negatively correlated and they are being taken from different markets and different kind of assets. Because if one asset returns drops still other assets return can increase. So portfolio diversification is still working. 2) The relationship between risk and return is a fundamental financial relationship that affects expected rates of return on every existing asset investment.   The Risk-Return relationship is characterized as being a positive or direct relationship meaning that if there are expectations of higher levels of risk associated with a particular investment then greater returns are required as compensation for that higher expected risk.   Alternatively, if an investment has relatively lower levels of expected risk then investors are satisfied with relatively lower returns. This risk-return relationship holds for individual investors and business managers.   Greater degrees of risk must be compensated for with greater returns on investment.   Since investment returns reflects the degree of risk involved with the investment, investors need to be able to determine how much of a return is appropriate for a given level of risk.   This process is referred to as pricing the risk. http://uwf.edu/rconstand/5994content2003/T1-Overview/T1-OverviewP04.htm http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/091/realestatemarkets.html Return Characteristics of  Public and Private Real Estate   Public and private equity real estate has been the relationship between these two markets in terms of risk and return characteristics. The most well-known private real estate performance benchmarks around the world are the NCREIF (U.S.), the PCA (Australia), and the IPD indices in various European countries. Pubic real estate benchmarks include NAREIT (U.S.), SP/ASX200 LPT Index (Australia), GPR (Global), and FTSE EPRA/NAREIT (Global). Taking these total return indices at face value, public and private real estate markets in the past have behaved differently, with public real estate showing greater volatility. Furthermore, correlation studies of private and public real estate indices show that, while both have low correlations with bonds and large-cap stocks, they also have low correlations with each other, and in general, public real estate displays a higher correlation with small stocks. As for the portfolio diversification effects of publicly listed real estate securities, the private real estate portfolios with 10 percent mixes of REITs resulted in higher risk-adjusted returns for all three countries (see below). The results imply that a holding in U.S. REITs would lead to improvements in portfolio performance even if the optimal portfolio already contains private real estate. Several other studies show similar results. According to a portfolio diversification study performed by Ibbotson Associates in 2006, adding REITs to a wide selection of diversified portfolios, from 1972 to 2005, enhanced risk-adjusted returns as compared with portfolios without REITs. Furthermore, research sponsored by the European Public Real Estate Association showed significant portfolio benefits to using real estate securities from six European countries GOLD. Risk in relation to gold is very high as it is a volatile asset as changes take place rapidly and its expected to have a high return. It can be seen that gold is more negatively correlated to U.S. stocks than any of the other asset classes. If an investor has a safe and physical gold, the cost of keeping the gold will be practically nothing. One other quality that makes gold a sound investment is its ease to liquidate. It is common that most businesses that sell gold will usually also buy gold, making gold one of the easiest assets out there to sell. One last characteristic that makes gold one of the greatest  investments  out there is golds intrinsic value and lack of counterparty risk. Other assets like a stock can become worthless overnight if the company was not run correctly or if its goods or services for any reason becomes obsolete; but because of golds intrinsic value and its lack of counterparty risk. Gold is unlikely to become worthless overnight. http://www.articlesbase.com/franchise-articles/gold-the-characteristics-of-gold-1374624.html#ixzz12gAMsAf8   http://www.articlesbase.com/franchise-articles/gold-the-characteristics-of-gold-1374624.html