Nexity and the Us Banking Industry

Introduction of Nexity3 I. External Analysis3 A. Industry and Demand Analysis3 B. PEST Analysis6 II. INTERNAL ANALYSIS9 A. Resources View Analysis. 9 B. Value chain analysis10 III. Nexity Financial analysis12 A. Nexity bank business model and strategies. 12 B. Nexity Financial Analysis. 13 IV. SWOT ANALYSIS15 V. TOWS ANALYSIS16 Conclusion17 Introduction of Nexity Nexity is an online bank, which was initially called the People State of Grand and it was opened in February 2000. Its headquarters are located in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.Currently, David Long is the President of Nexity and Greg Lee the CEO. The turnover represented an amount of $13,018 millions in 2003. Banking online is a very good opportunity for the banking industry, there was a projection of 67 million of American using it by 2007 compared to 38 millions by 2003. There were a lot of players in this competitive market but Nexity had a generic strategy of differentiation by spreading its geographic and demographic custom er base throughout the US. External Analysis Industry and Demand AnalysisHistorically, there was a rebound of the banking industry and rapid growth in this area after the Great Depression and World War II, with the hope to keep the industry from being highly concentrated. Indeed, the US banking industry was a fragmented and dispersed system but it changed in the 1980’s. These changes were due to financial legislation which wanted to lead to a more integrated financial system in US in terms of activities and products The deregulation led to consolidation and consequently to new rivalry.Helped by the Gramm Leach Bliley’s Act offering extended banking but also by the changes in communication and information technologies, the US banking industry knew a merger mania and a lot of acquisitions were done. All had the same goal : to develop a more national brand recognition in a market newly concentrated. But scandals also appeared due to these new changes. Concerning the size of the industry, it is obvious that the concentration could be seen between 1980 and 2002.Number of institutions declined from 14,434 to 7,887 contrary to their branches which raised a lot from 38,738 to 66,185. However it is important to make the distinction here between two types of banks. At first, there were the brick-and-mortar banks and then appeared the virtual ones, such as Nexity. Now, let’s compare Nexity in the US virtual banking environment by a review of the main actors performances in 2002. |Institution |Assets (in thousands) |Deposits (in thousands) | |E*Trade Bank $17,453,676 |$9,157,328 | |ING Direct |16,142,091 |13,112,826 | |NetBank |4,280,899 |2,479,421 | |Principal Bank |1,967,342 |1,826,018 | |BMW Bank of North America |1,149,732 |156,983 | |National Interbank |645,448 |528,516 | |Nexity Bank |501,167 |368,523 | |American Bank |472,181 |336,288 | Here we can see that Nexity is the 7th virtual bank on the market in terms of assets. More important, we also notice that E*Trade Bank and ING Direct are the first and second ones, with a huge gap separating them from the others, among which competition is really hard. Porter’s five forcesEven though there are less and less institutions since the 1980’s, there is still a high rivalry among the competitors in virtual banks. Clients are more and more oriented to the more rentable channels like internet and ATMs. Virtual banks consequently deliver a lot of services but only through internet that allow to reduce costs in occupancy and salaries in order to offer better rates of interest (to 3 times better than averages). Virtual low-costs positioned banks compete against other virtual banks with good customer service, in-house costumer data and service center operations, strong management teams, a good mix of attractively priced products, and low marketing costs.It’s a price competition which includes lower margins directly. What about the entry barriers with potential entr ants? It is a low threat. The largest barrier to entry is the expenses in founding a bank: a new bank needs to raise 8-12 million to begin operations. But start-up costs for virtual banks are much less expensive than for traditional banks: virtual banks could begin operations for millions less than traditional banks (no offices, etc. ) , even though they’ll have to invest a lot in marketing and advertising budgets in order to attract depositors at the start-up time. The second barrier is loyalty to older, larger, and more established brand-name banks.Here we can talk about a network effect. And third, an existing bank holding company provides investments and backing for the new bank by spinning off a separate banking entity. Concerning the substitutes, the only ones could be traditional banks because people need safety and want to be sure about their money by advices. There would be a switch from virtual banks to brick-and-mortar ones, because people are deceived or want to e xperiment again the first one, with a better consideration of its advantages. But there is less possibility for this than the opposite because people want more and more to gain time. That’s why there is a low threat of substitutes. Clients are the buyers.They have a relative bargaining power especially on the rate of interest on borrows. The first have an interest to bargain and have a bargaining power because of the rate of interest as a complement revenue and because banks need liquidity to operate. He can have some influence on the bank with other clients. Word of mouth works a lot with a service you use daily. Brand recognition also can be negative. Suppliers: They are the companies that provide inputs/services that banks purchase in order to be able to borrow and lend money. It can be a safety certificate for online web, labels†¦etc. With an environment impacted by scandals, they can have a bargaining power but it is still relative because there are a lot of supplie rs. ==> Internal rivalry, Buyers and Suppliers are the strongest forces in the US online bank industry, whereas potential entrances and substitutes are the weakest.Key Success Factors can consequently be defined for this industry: forecasting all the marketing and communication budget for implementing and then keeping talking about the bank for new customers; using the more rentable channels for the customers; offering low rate of interest in borrowing and high for revenues to client and convincing people of the value of virtual banks ; implementing more and more safety with technologies. PEST Analysis One of the main points in the external analysis is the PEST analysis. The goal of this part is to determine which are the main external forces affecting the US banking industry.Then, we will introduce and analyse in the following development which factors impact directly positively or negatively this sector in dividing them on the political, economic, social and technological views . On the political view, the US government has a place of protagonist in the current US banking system. In fact, US government launched series of laws which have completely changed the US banking landscape such as the Reigle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The first one allowed a bank holding company to buy another bank anywhere through the United States without taking into account the state law. The second one allowed affiliation between banks, securities firms and insurance company.Logically, this deregulation, or the opening of state market that it includes, has strongly impacted the US landscape in increasing the competition on the national area. Moreover, the deregulation led to a merger mania that is to say institutions use a process mergers and acquisitions in integrating vertically and/or horizontally in order to have more costumers and so to gain market shares, and to develop the range of products and services. Finally, t he impact of the US government could be seen as an opportunity for banks (the biggest currently) which got out as leaders to the deregulation and merger mania because the market is bigger but as an threat for banks which went to bankrupt.It’s significant to notice how the Fed affects the economy and the US banking system through the actions on the real interest rates. In fact, because the Fed can set the nominal funds rate as a sole supplier of reserves for US banks. But it can influence too the real interest rate thanks to the set of the monetary policy that will operate in the future (the monetary policy of tomorrow influences the real interest rate of today). Then, the Fed has a direct impact on the level of the real rates and consequently on the whole of economy. For example, if the real rates are lower, the activity of banks will increase because borrowing costs will decrease and investments from households will increase in order to buy goods or services.Increasing of co nsumption from householders will boost the different industries which will invest in capital, in production capacity or in labour (decrease of unemployment). Reducing real rates will get investments as common stock more attractive and will boost the US internal business in limiting imports because the foreign exchange value of the dollar is reduced and so, the foreign product get more expensive. On the economic point of view, multiple factors should be taken into account. One of the most significant points is the interest rate which is developed upside. Finally, that represents an opportunity if the real rates are declining and rather a threat if it is growing. Moreover, other non-negligible point is the purchasing power of households.In fact, according to some economic theories, an increasing part of households’ consumption is oriented to service expenses on the one hand, and, on the other hand, other certain part of it matches to savings. Generally speaking, a growing purch asing power represents an opportunity for banks because deposits increase and the banks are more resources for investments on financial markets. But it’s essential to notice that two significant elements have a direct impact on the purchasing power of households: the unemployment rate and the inflation rate. Effectively, if the unemployment rate is increasing and/or if the inflation rate is superior to the increasing rate of wages means that the global purchasing power is decreasing.Social factors impact directly the US banking system because of the diversity of the population, the demography, the differences of client expectations concerning bank services†¦ all of these elements play a role on the behaviour of the clients. The first point that we have to take into account is the fact that an average costumer want to have trust and confidence in his financial institution. That’s why banks have to reassure their clients about the financial health of the institution , about the quality of the offered services and about the security of the operating system. That is a positive impact for oldest bank which have developed a brand name and focused on a client-loyalty strategy or for biggest institution which bring proof to the financial health. But through the analysis of the demography, we can categorise the population.For example, old people prefer to keep a physical contact with the banker in opposition to youngest people which have more confidence and more ability to make financial operations on new channels as internet. Moreover, we can distinguish clients in function of their expectations: long-term engagement combined with quality of services against short-term engagement with profitability (hit-an-run costumer for example). This categorisation of the population linked to a particular behaviour can be seen in parallel to the age, race, social level, kind of job occupied†¦ then we can say that it’s more an opportunity for tradition al banks which offer a largest range of products and channels.Concerning the technological factors what is significant to put in relief is the technological improvements perceived as an opportunity for banks and the threat of hackers linked to this news technologies. In fact, thanks to the technological improvements, banks have more and more ways to meet the consumers themselves and these needs. Banks use different ways to satisfy clients such as ATMs, debit cards, call centers and telephone banking, wireless banking and internet sites. These are channels to keep a constant contact with the client for different reasons and to be all the time available to respond to any demand. Moreover, banks develop strategic technology partnerships (like Fiserv for Nexity for example) in order to save the cost of technology and to have the last updated software.Updating software limits the risk of hacking and restores confidence of clients about the security on the account financial information. B ut even if a regular updating software and a reinforcement of the security, the threat of hacking stays pervasive. Furthermore, with the development of internet, we have seen emerged a new kind of competitors for the traditional banks which are the virtual banks as Nexity or ING Direct. INTERNAL ANALYSIS Nexity gets the opportunity to growth quite fast and its profitability could be High. In order to understand the most appropriate strategy of the company, we will try to highlight its different aspects by presenting its Resources View Analysis and its Value Chain. A. Resources View Analysis.As the matrix exhibit 7 shows us, the company benefit of a high improvement of its assets that reinforce its capacity to provide a high level quality range of products Tangible asset: Due to its activity, the company owns few tangible asset. In fact, its services allow it to only get some offices from its acquisition of People bank of Alabama with 30$ in asset. The company have also a competitive advantage thanks to the location of its call centre that facilitate the exchange of data between the main office and the call centre. Intangible asset: By getting a top tier award from Bankrate for its High yield on money market accounts and certificate of deposit, the company proves to its customers its efficiency and in capacity to provide good quality products.By acquiring People bank of Alabama, Nexity has get as well a know-how of over 100 years, which gives it a significant advantage compare to its competitors, as it has enjoyed the different expertises made by the former company so it has been able to produce High quality products but also reinforce the formers one adapting them to the new requirement of the market, and it remains also a good point for its advertising with it customers: they can focus it with the over 100 year of experience which people are sensitive with. It also ahs the Web Trust Seal accreditation that is a certification from the services of the American Institute of Certificate Public Accountant and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accounts. It proves that its website delivers safe services. So it reinforces the trust its customers give it but also can be very useful in order to attract new one and to spread its market.Capabilities  : By getting its break-even point in only 18 month, Nexity has a strong competitive advantage compare to most of its competitors that usually get it in 3 years average. That is to say the company can invest money in R&D for example in order to create and provide highest quality product. It proves that the company realises large economy of scale, that it is highly efficient to get result and it is as well relevant that it is very successful. Its renowned customer service, which has a very good image with its Customer, as it remains friendly and quick, allow the company to keep its customers as they trust it to give them High quality services.It is the result of the proximity between the main office and the call centre: employees are able to provide High quality answers to customers as they keep being updated about the characteristics of the products and services and the evolution of them. The competitors cannot give as quick answer as Nexity does because they might have their call centre farer away from their office, and maybe abroad, sot hey cannot give more relevant answer as Nexity does. By reimbursing customers using other ATM than Nexity’s ones, the company can meet some weaknesses as it costs it quite a lot of money Value chain analysis Firm infrastructure: The firm has a main office with all the facility costs to support, and its call centre with the same type of costs.So all those generic costs are not a constraint for Nexity and they can concentrate their budget to the R&D or to the improvement of its strengths such as the customers service. Human resources management: The main cost is due to the call centre as the company is very focused to give a high custome r service. Technology development: Nexity website is highly renowned as it gets the Web Trust Seal accreditation, which is a proof of quality for a company that uses the Internet for its distribution channel Inbound logistics: As the company provides services, it only has to increase if necessary its tangible and intangible assets. So it has not have to deal with any inbound logistic and it is a strength for its economy of scale politic. Operation:This might be the main department of the company as employees from the call centre with present the different product but also supply strong customer services; and those to point are the most important one for the firm to provide a competitive advantage compare to its rival. Marketing and sales Focusing on an Internet-based advertising channel like Bankrate. com, the company invest quite a lot to improve its visibility in order to attract as many people as possible throughout the 50 states of the USA. The fact that Nexity proposes a lot of products and services constraints them to spend a lot because they want to provide the best services. This is the result of adopting a differentiation strategy based on reducing costs. Services:The company provides a strong customer service in order to keep them as they can be very versatile and find another bank if they are unsatisfied. So it is very important for Nexity to be focused on that and the fact that call centre employees are close to the main office give them a qualitative advantage as people mainly remains satisfied. Nexity Financial analysis A. Nexity bank business model and strategies. Nexity bank is a virtual bank wich works only on internet and earns money from interests rates based on loans. Nexity is build from traditional banking practices, that means this bank is able to deliver all the advantages and financial products[1] as a normal bank but with no branche.David Long and the others managers decided to applied for their bank the  «Ã‚  Blue Ocean Strategy  Ã‚ » wich links at the same time  «Ã‚  differentiation and low costs strategies  Ã‚ ». One can talk about blue ocean strategy, because the market was not established and competitors were not really present in this sector. This strategy aims to create a new market space and to make competition irrelevant. Nexity’s builders knew that, if they were able to propose at the same time good quality products with attractive interest rates coupled with an efficient call centre they will earn market shares and money. These criterias permited to develop the Nexity’s strengh, and one can observe that the differenciation is based on these same criterias  : an efficient call center and good quality product at the lowest price.If Nexity has attractive interest rates, is just because, it doesn’t have to pay high overhead costs (no branche) so Nexity can pay more interest on deposits and charge lower rates on loans. This is the second part of the  «Ã‚  bleu ocean strateg y  Ã‚ », the  «Ã‚  low costs  Ã‚ » strategy because adopting this concept Nexity attracts price-sensitive consumers. Nexity has the lowest interest rate for the cheking but has the highest for One-year Certificate Deposit and Money Market. That means, Nexity wants to keep its consumer. Nexity doesn’t want to be a simple bank where consumers only want to check their accounts. Nexity prefers to have people whose need loans and are engaged with the bank. Moreover, Nexity proposes bank’s services and bill pay online.With these offers, the bank aims to work with people between 32 and 49 years old, with an income average of $81,600 and investible assets of $320,300 and these persons spend at minimum 27 hours per week on the internet. So these people have money and spend many time on the internet that permits to the bank to benefit of  «Ã‚  good quality  Ã‚ » consumers. Finally one can underline that Nexity adopt also the  «Ã‚  low cost strategy  Ã‚ » for its ad vertising. In fact they did all their advertising on the Internet so they benefited of a huge advertising compaign at the lowest price. Nexity Financial Analysis. Previously, one observed the strategies employed by Nexity in order to become an important actor in the US (virtual) banking industry. Now, it’s important to know if these strategies are efficients or not.Firstly, if one look at the bank net income growth, one can observed that the net income had grown by 181% in 3 years, from $-3,032,000 in 2000 to a profit of $2,461,000 in 2003. This is really important growth wich reflects the good health of the business. [pic] Evolution of the net income between 2000 and 2003 One can also observe if the bank respects its strategies. The turnover has grown by 250% in three years wheras the overheads grown by only 16%. So Nexity respects the strategy of keeping overheads costs low in order to offer interesting interest rates. If one looks at the distribution of the turnover betwee n the interest income and noninterest income, it can observe that the Nexity makes 97. 1% of its turnover with interest rates and only 2. 79% with the noninterest rates. Secondly, it is interesting to observe some financial ratios  : – The coumpound annual growth wich gives the annual growth rate. And for Nexity, this ratio is around 30%. It is a good indicator for the company’s development. – The return on equity, wich is relevant for a bank because it gives the bank’s profitability by revealing how much profit the bank generates with the money shareholders have invested. For Nexity, the ROE passed from -32,71 in 2000 to 12,99 in 2003. One can easily observed that in three years Nexity learnt how to make money with shareholders investments. The efficiency ratio evaluates the overhead efficiency structure of a Financial institution. Banking is no different from any industry. If the bank wants to survive the bank has to keep overhead costs down.The effic iency ration permits to measure how the bank is operating, how much money the bank must spend to generate each dollar its bring on. In the Nexity case, this ratio is getting lower and it is good for the bank ans its shareholder. . In fact the ratio passed from 230. 69 in 2000 to 63. 54 in 2003. Lower the ratio, better it is for the bank. So, one can conclude that Nexity respects its commitments because the bank makes money from interest rates and keeps its overhead costs low. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGHTS |Large range of product | | |High satisfaction of customers | | |High quality of customer services | | |Many awards from Bankrate( high quality of products | | |High efficiency of the website( Web Trust Seal Accreditation | | |Strong expertise thanks to the acquisition of People’s bank of Alabama (over 100 years of | | |experience in the Banking sector) | | |Growth of its assets (over + 400% from July 00 to July 2003) | | Good compound annual growth | |WEAKNESSES |Some costs can b e avoid (ATM reimbursements) | | |Increase of other borrowed funds that has to be controlled | |OPPORTUNITIES |Impact of the American government with the deregulation of the market ( advantages for | | |leaders | | |Internal rivalry buyers and suppliers | | |Forecasting all the marketing and communication budget | | |Bank and bill pay online customers present the most interesting profiles (high income and | | |lots of investable assets) | |THREATS |Hard to attract new customers as they rely a lot on their old financial institutions. | | |Hackers | | |New competitors should appear | TOWS ANALYSIS |STRENGHTS |WEAKNESSES | | |Large range of product |Some costs can be avoid (ATM | | |High satisfaction of customers |reimbursements) | | |High quality of customer services |Increase of other borrowed funds that has| | |Many awards from Bankrate( high quality of products |to be controlled | |High efficiency of the website( Web Trust Seal Accreditation | | | |Strong expertise thanks to the ac quisition of People’s bank of | | | |Alabama (over 100 years of experience in the Banking sector) | | | |Growth of its assets (over + 400% from July 00 to July 2003) | | | |Good compound annual growth | | |OPPORTUNITIES |Improve the advertising on internet and traditional media channel in |Open a new office in another state in | |Impact of the American government with the deregulation |order to get new customers |order to understand the market of the | |of the market ( advantages for leaders |Make advertising on the financial media (magazine, news papers†¦) in |western state that have a different | |Internal rivalry buyers and suppliers |order to target a segment that have high income and asset to invest |demography (different insurance depending| |Forecasting all the marketing and communication budget |(managers, directors, institutions†¦) |on the state( natural disaster) | |Bank and bill pay online customers present the most |To hire a good communication manager t o improve the visibility | | |interesting profiles (high income and lots of investable|Propose investment solutions in order to propose high yield products | | |assets) |(for institutions and high income) | | | |Improve more and more the quality of services given by the call | | | |centre to customers | | |THREATS | | |Impact of the American government with the deregulation | | | |of the market ( advantages for leaders | | | |Internal rivalry buyers and suppliers | | | |Forecasting all the marketing and communication budget |Improvement of the quality of the web platform in order to propose |Invest in getting its own ATM system in | |Bank and bill pay online customers present the most |safe services |order to avoid reimbursement and do | |interesting profiles (high income and lots of investable|Improvement of the back up system |economy in long term keep doing its | |assets) | |strategy based on low costs | |People are mistrustful with bank on line | | | | | | |Even if we could sugg est many recommendations, we would choose the SO strategy: the company has to reinforce his strengths as the market can involve positively and it can really propose a competitive advantage compare to its competitors based on the low prices of its products. Nexity would need to be focused on improving its marketing and communication but as well the quality of the websites to win the trust of customers. Conclusion As one said in this paper, Nexity bank has many strenghts which allow it to be one of the learder on the market. Moreover they apply correctly the blue ocean strategy which allow them to generate more profits and to count more clients, but senior executive can not stay on these basis. If they want Nexity to be the number one into this business they have to improve their capacity of attractiveness towards potentials clients.

Research Evaluation Tables Essay

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The Strategy Diamond - Essay Example Arena as part of the strategy seeks to enable managers or consultants make decisions on the areas which business is to be active. It helps in evaluating and analyzing kind of products or services alongside their distribution to the market. However, before the market as the destination, arena provides a clear picture of the target audience a company intends to reach out to. If the market segment is wide then it devices various segment either geographically or incorporating other factors in the analysis.On the other hand, vehicles elaborate the drivers that the company will use to achieve its objectives. This can be through internal development where every department of the business or the company is mandated to achieve various goals. In other cases, it can be through alliances with other companies or acquisition of other firms and joint venturing among other techniques. All the techniques employed at this facet provide means which are to be used to realize the anticipated success. How ever, the business field has become so competitive that those companies that can’t shape up more often than not are compelled to shape out. An ideal way for a company to compete favorably or have an age over its rivals is by branding its product or services in a way that makes its customers loyal. This is provided in the differentiator part of the strategy diamond. Differentiator can be how convenient is the company or its product is to the clients that make them prefer them to those offered by other firms.

Business and international bribery Research Paper

Business and international bribery - Research Paper Example An example of a business that was subjected to a legal prosecution is Weatherford International Ltd. From 2004 to 2011, as a multinational organization, Weatherford International Ltd indulged with internal controls violations. Though Weatherford International Ltd operated in Angola and Iraq, court documents did not make specifications on the country wherein the vice took place. Weatherford International Ltd. Among many things did not: institute effective internal accounting controls; have a committed compliance officer; conduct anti-corruption training; and create a system for investigating ethics violations reports. Weatherford International Ltd. Employees also bribed a foreign official to see a renewal of a contract go through. In the case, U.S. v. Weatherford International Ltd., Weatherford International Ltd. was made to pay a penalty of USD 87,178,256. The case gave rise to the case law U.S. v. Weatherford International Ltd., No. 13-cr-733 (S.D. Tex. 2013) (Baughn, 19 & Pacini, 5 45). According to Lane and Simpson, There are indicators that attest to the adding power of the FCPA Act and the legal proscription of bribery by US multinationals. One of the values that the FCPA Act brings is its ability to rein in corruption and to protect meritocratic capitalism. The crux of the matter herein is that corruption [which bribery is a form of] undermines meritocratic capitalism by un-evening the playing field; subverting proper and legitimate functions of institutions; and encouraging or furthering the misallocation of economic resources. Again, according to the World Bank, corruption slows down the rate of an affected country by 0.5% to 1% annually and increases a marginal tax rate and clumps positive effects on inward investment (Lane and Simpson, 40). An example of an organization that has found corporate bribery in foreign land expediency is Siemens. In 2008, Siemens had to pay 1.6 billion USD as legal settlement to European and American

We are Pro Choice by Nancy Spero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

We are Pro Choice by Nancy Spero - Essay Example Some of the thin lines are quite delicate like those used on the hands wherein the lines are thinner than usual. The lines used on the feet, on the other hand are also thin but on a regular form. The alternate use of thick and heavy lines defines the dress of the woman without the use of a wide variety of colors. Broad and narrow lines are used as well more specifically on the red woman and the middle one. Contour lines are quite important especially in the making of human images and the artist professionally made use of this kind to put on emphasis on the second woman on the left making the contour lines delicately fine. Broken lines are also widely used in all the images to give more definition to them, bringing out the texture of the clothes and skin of the women. The primary colors, blue and red used in the first and second images from the right respectively, attracts the attention of the viewer to their position. In addition, the use of the complementary colors of red and blue t hat gives more color to the images make them more real and vivid. Secondary colors are produced in the images by mixing the primary colors that give the greenish-blue, orange, brown and lavender hues. The saturation of dark colors on the second woman from the left gives a shadowy effect on her body while the lack of it on the neck and face reveal a clearer view which gives a good contrast on the whole image. The lightness of color on the first image on the right gives tone to the body as darkened or thickened red colors are applied to it. As mentioned earlier, the broken lines helped define the texture of the images especially on the clothing of the women; where the first woman on the left side uses a coarse textured clothing and the one next to her, a finer quality while a silky texture is reflected on the bare skins. Spero used an open space for her images which could also be described as boundless. In this space, she creates the two dimensional red woman and the middle image. The three other images, though give a three-dimensional effect with the use of foreshortening which will be discussed in detail later. Sizes of the images do not actually make a perspective which is farther or nearer to the viewer. Spero uses a unique way of presenting her images in an interesting manner that one has to look more intently at the pictures before deciding how one image is farther than the other. In most paintings, larger images are drawn to emphasize its distance to the viewer while smaller ones are made to look like it is at a farther distance. In We are Pro Choice, though, the overlapping parts of the three images on the left define the distance from the viewer. Though the second image is smaller than the first one, they appear to be almost of the same distance from the spectator because the right foot of the second woman extended over the left of the other while the left hand of the first woman extended over the right hand of the former. In addition, the left hand of the second woman overlapping the middle image shows that the latter is behind the former. Foreshortening, a kind of perspective as mentioned earlier gives a three dimensional effect on the images. For instance, the first image on the right looks like a photograph of a woman where the parts of the body seem to be on different angles though the whole picture is made on the same plane. Looking particularly at this image, as foreshortening aims to give the three-dimensional illusion, the left foot is placed forward of the other so that it is nearer to the viewer. The positioning of the hands also has a similar effect on the imag

Defining 'Survivor Syndrome' and Negative Outcomes Essay

Defining 'Survivor Syndrome' and Negative Outcomes - Essay Example Small Business Reports (1993) offer that surviving a layoff can be as difficult as being terminated, however, many managers ignore this problem, failing to recognize that survivors guilt over making the cut and apprehension over the company's future can hinder productive work outputs. Once senior leadership has determined a strategic direction for a business, in which the policy indicates the need to reduce the organizational workforce, displaced employees are forced to exit the company and pursue other career opportunities. Survivor syndrome, in its best definition, involves the challenges and emotional turmoil experienced by the employees who remain with the organization; and this syndrome maintains the potential to radically affect the future direction of the firm depending on the severity of survivor attitudes after downsizing initiatives have been instigated. Cappelli (1997) offers that survivors are affected by how their work conditions and work environment are altered by downsizing and each individual's personal reactions to the "post-layoff" environment dictate the magnitude of emotional response to the changed environment. Putzier (2002) suggests that workplace survivor syndrome has the same characteristics as in war or as a result of any other personal loss. He indicates sadness as a response to the exiting colleagues, while others experience guilt. The implication, based on this professional  literature surrounding survivor syndrome is that the varied range of emotions experienced by workers are psychological in nature and can be measured symmetrically to the increase/decrease of productivity levels within the organization. Highly dependent on the methods used by executive leadership to carry out the staff restructure are the range of emotions felt by the survivors of downsizing. Appelbaum et al (1997) categorize the negative responses of surviving layoff as feelings of job insecurity, perceptions of unfairness, depression, anxiety, fatigue, betrayal, reduced motivation, lack of management credibility and maintaining a sense of permanent change.

Do I know that I have a Hand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Do I know that I have a Hand - Essay Example For the case of the dream doubt, we are prone to doubt our dreams, why? Because dreams are an assumption of what the reality would be to us rather than a certainty of what it really is. For instance, one uses his/her hands to grab something in real life and dream; therefore, it is hard to tell when we are imagining and we are not.REM is the stage where dreams occur and in eight hours of sleep there is about three cycle of REM stage. The first is close to 15 minutes then the rest are 40 to 60 minutes long. Because we are not dreaming for few minutes like we remember when we wake up from a dream, we cannot really prove if we woke up from a real life and continuing to dream or woke up from a dream and continuing the real life. If hands were unmovable items, it would be harder to believe they are not real. That is why when we wake up we find that in was just a brief assumption and not a reality. We need to discover that we cannot know something at the same period and doubt it. One comes first. We need to doubt to believe. That is why when we dream we are using our hand we are believing in a different perspective as opposed to waking up from our dream to find out that reality is far much bigger that the dream, thus we seek to doubt the dream. Thus the dream and reality all refer to the uncertain and certain analytical point of view. â€Å"They are on the one hand experiences of the ordinary, healthy mind, experiences with which no one could plausibly deny an acquaintance, and yet, on the other hand, they are comparable, in their extravagance and deceptiveness, to the delusions of insanity the narrator has just been considering.† †¦ I see plainly that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep. The result is that I begin to feel dazed, and this very feeling only reinforces the notion that I may be asleep. If someone without hands can dream that they have

How is alienation portrayed in each character in both films, Sunset Term Paper

How is alienation portrayed in each character in both films, Sunset Boulevard and Mildred Pierce - Term Paper Example In the modern viewer’s perspective, one could get the historical background even without reading about it. Sunset Boulevard is a movie in the 50’s which portrays alienation in the main characters which would be the thesis of the paper together with a similar analysis of Mildred Pierce, another movie produced in 1945. In the first movie, the two main characters will be the foci of our discussion as they depict alienation in the movie. Joe Gillis, the male protagonist who is also the storyteller is one character who has shown most characterizations of alienation in the movie which started with his avoidance of the car dealers, knowing they are redeeming Gillis’ car to the company because of his failure to pay his monthly dues. Since he knew he was not able to pay his dues on time with his unsold scripts, he tried to escape the towing of his car by running and hiding away from them. When the young man lived in with the female protagonist, Norma, who was more than tw ice his age, he avoided his friend Artie Green and his girlfriend, Betty Schaefer. The latter is a reader who fell in love with his fiance’s friend, Gillis. She had been trying to contact the writer, wanting to collaborate on a script Gillis was not able to sell. Afraid that his friends might find out that he is living with an old woman, not to mention, a star who faded years ago, he tried to avoid the company. He even went to the point of telling the reader she could take his script and make it her own saying he abandoned writing altogether, trying to get rid of the Schaefer who was suggesting they write a script together. Wanting to get rid of the lady, he always spoke rudely to her but despite his efforts, the reader finally encouraged him to write as he himself can not forget his passion in writing. Despite this, he did not make known where he was staying and what circumstance he really was in until the lady confessed of her affections to him and was later called by Norma who was suspecting Gillis. The fear that his friends might laugh or make fun of him being clothed and pampered by an old woman could have been a reason for the young man not to reveal his status and alienating himself from his friends. Norma, on the other hand isolated herself from the world, keeping herself in the mansion after her fame faded. She lived a lonely life, dreaming about a beautiful life she could still live and hiding from the reality that she is not as famous anymore as she was before. Living on her past and living in a future comeback to the movies was her way of escape, abandoning the realities of the present. At the end of the movie, she abandoned reality altogether when she became delusional after killing Gillis. During the police’s interrogation, Norma seemed unable to hear anything, seemingly in a world so far away. Upon hearing the word ‘camera’ and being made to believe she was shooting for a movie, the actress reacted. Mildred Pierce is a story of a strong and ambitious woman who wanted the best for her children. The setting depicts the economic status during the time of the making of the film in 1945. After the war, unemployment was high and families were trying to get back to the life they once had. During this time, women were still believed to be more useful in the house while men were supposed to be working to bring home food for the family. However, it was also during this time that women were fighting for

Cia Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Cia Research Paper Essay Account of the work of the CIA, discussing in some detail the nature of the relationship between the intelligence-gatherer and the policy-maker. Since the 1970s the CIA has provided intelligence to Congress as well as to the executive, so that it now finds itself in a remarkable position, involuntarily poised nearly equidistant between them. It has not however abused this freedom of action, probably unique among world intelligence agencies, so as to cook intelligence. CIA deputy director. Robert M. Gates, a career intelligence officer, is Deputy Director of Central Intelligence. He served on the National Security Council staff from the spring of 1974 until December 1979. Tweet Close Style: MLA APA Chicago More Sharing Services Over the years, public views of the Central Intelligence Agency and its role in American foreign policy have been shaped primarily by movies, television, novels, newspapers, books by journalists, headlines growing out of congressional inquiries, exposes by former intelligence officers, and essays by experts who either have never served in American intelligence, or have served and still not understood its role. The CIA is said to be an invisible government, yet it is the most visible, most externally scrutinized and most publicized intelligence service in the world. While the CIA sometimes is able to refute publicly allegations and criticism, usually it must remain silent. The result is a contradictory melange of images of the CIA and very little understanding of its real role in American government. Because of a general lack of understanding of the CIA’s role, a significant controversy such as the Iran-contra affair periodically brings to the surface broad questions of the proper relationship between the intelligence service and policymakers. It raises questions of whether the CIA slants or cooks its intelligence analysis to support covert actions or policy, and of the degree to which policymakers (or their staffs) selectively use—and abuse—intelligence to persuade superiors, Congress or the public. Beyond this, recent developments, such as the massive daily flow of intelligence information to Congress, have complicated the CIA’s relationships with the rest of the executive branch in ways not at all understood by most observers—including those most directly involved. These questions and issues merit scrutiny. II The CIA’s role in the foreign policy process is threefold. First, the CIA is responsible for the collection and analysis of intelligence and its distribution to policymakers—principally to the president, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Departments of State and Defense; although in recent years many other departments and agencies have become major users of intelligence as well. This is a well-known area, and I will address it only summarily About CIA The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman. The act also created a Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) to serve as head of the United States intelligence community; act as the principal adviser to the President for intelligence matters related to the national security; and serve as head of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 amended the National Security Act to provide for a Director of National Intelligence who would assume some of the roles formerly fulfilled by the DCI, with a separate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency serves as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency and reports to the Director of National Intelligence. The CIA directors responsibilities include: †¢Collecting intelligence through human sources and by other appropriate means, except that he shall have no police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers or internal security functions; †¢Correlating and evaluating ntelligence related to the national security and providing appropriate dissemination of such intelligence; Providing overall direction for and coordination of the collection of national intelligence outside the United States through human sources by elements of the Intelligence Community authorized to undertake such collection and, in coordination with other departments, agencies, or elements of the United States Government which are authorized to undertake such collection, ensuring that the most effective use is made of resources and that appropriate account is taken of the risks to the United States and those involved in such collection; and †¢Performing such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the national security as the President or the Director of National Intelligence may direct. The function of the Central Intelligence Agency is to assist the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in carrying out the responsibilities outlined above. To accomplish its mission, the CIA engages in research, development, and deployment of high-leverage technology for intelligence purposes. As a separate agency, CIA serves as an independent source of analysis on topics of concern and also works closely with the other organizations in the Intelligence Community to ensure that the intelligence consumer—whether Washington policymaker or battlefield commander—receives the best intelligence possible. As changing global realities have reordered the national security agenda, CIA has met these challenges by: †¢Creating special, multidisciplinary centers to address such high-priority issues such as nonproliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, international organized crime and narcotics trafficking, environment, and arms control intelligence. †¢Forging stronger partnerships between the several intelligence collection disciplines and all-source analysis. †¢Taking an active part in Intelligence Community analytical efforts and producing all-source analysis on the full range of topics that affect national security. †¢Contributing to the effectiveness of the overall Intelligence Community by managing services of common concern in imagery nalysis and open-source collection and participating in partnerships with other intelligence agencies in the areas of research and development and technical collection. By emphasizing adaptability in its approach to intelli gence collection, the CIA can tailor its support to key intelligence consumers and help them meet their needs as they face the issues of the post-Cold War World. Posted: Dec 19, 2006 02:07 PM Last Updated: Jan 10, 2013 08:09 AM Last Reviewed: Dec 30, 2011 12:36 PM History of the CIA The United States has carried out intelligence activities since the days of George Washington, but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed New York lawyer and war hero, William J. Donovan, to become first the Coordinator of Information, and then, after the US entered World War II, head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1942. The OSS – the forerunner to the CIA – had a mandate to collect and analyze strategic information. After World War II, however, the OSS was abolished along with many other war agencies and its functions were transferred to the State and War Departments. It did not take long before President Truman recognized the need for a postwar, centralized intelligence organization. To make a fully functional intelligence office, Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 establishing the CIA. The National Security Act charged the CIA with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence affecting national security. On December 17, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act which restructured the Intelligence Community by abolishing the position of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) and creating the position the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA).

From the Farm, Inc Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

From the Farm, Inc Marketing Plan Essay The purpose of this paper is to determine how to drive more sales to From the Farm’s website as well as increase overall brand awareness through the use of targeted marketing and advertising programs and also to gain a deeper insight of prospective customers which can assist in forming target market segments and creating targeted marketing and advertising programs that cater to those segments. Furthermore, we need to determine how to remain cost-effective with these proposed improvements to the marketing programs. Being a small e-commerce startup with limited funds and personnel, FTF has struggled for over four years to create effective marketing programs and have seen very little positive impact of their past marketing efforts. The lack of an effective marketing strategy which includes targeted advertising has led to increased and somewhat unnecessary marketing costs because several of the marketing campaigns are built on the premise of â€Å"testing it out† and seeing what kind of response it gets. The implementation of targeted marketing and advertising programs can not only increase From the Farm’s sales revenue, but also be more cost-effective since the campaigns are targeted and relevant to their audience. In addition, an improved digital marketing strategy can help FromTheFarm. com improve their overall market positioning due to the fact that they will gain a better understanding of their customers through the data that is collected and thus enable them to build a more effect online marketing strategy. Furthermore, this enhanced insight of their customers can also enable them to improve their product development and product offerings on their website. All of these things combined can definitely contribute to growing their sales revenue and more importantly, by having targeted marketing and advertising programs, they can ensure that every dollar spent is not a dollar wasted. Company Background From The Farm, Inc. (FTF) is a privately-owned e-commerce company headquartered in Stockton, California which specializes in the sales and home delivery of gourmet and organic foods and produce. FTF was founded in 2008 with the purpose and intent of becoming â€Å"America’s Online Farmer’s Market†. According to a report done by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmers only earned an average of $0. 16 for every dollar spent on the food they produced (Canning, 2011). FTF’s mission is to provide an online marketplace which connects customers with American Family farms by offering farm-fresh products and other specialty food items delivered straight to their door. By allowing customer to purchase directly from the farmer though the website, they cut out the middle man, and therefore give customers the opportunity to taste and experience what truly fresh food and produce tastes like while also supporting the success and livelihood of hard-working farmers all over the county. FromTheFarm. com is currently funded by its parent company, Onions, Etc. , one of the largest onion distributors in the United States. Currently, FTF only has two full-time employees – the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)/General Manager and a Marketing Specialist – in addition to the Founder/CEO, one marketing intern, and one contract-based Marketing/PR Consultant. Any other tasks with regards to finance and accounting are handled by Onions, Etc. personnel and all IT related tasks are outsourced to an outside IT firm and web design firm. FTF has undergone major organizational changes in the past twelve months, in an effort to restructure the marketing team with the intention of implementing an improved marketing strategy in order to grow sales and increase brand awareness. Due to limited funds and personnel, FTF has struggled to create an effective targeted marketing and advertising strategy and as a result have not seen much growth since being founded in 2008. 1. 0 Market Summary and Target Audience Being that From the Farm is a small, family-owned company they do not have the financial strength that other larger food retailers have; however they still have a tremendous opportunity to capture the market being that the food e-commerce market has yet to be penetrated. According to a recent report by eMarketer, as of 2012, U. S. -commerce sales have grown to $224. 2 billion and are expected to grow to $361. 9 billion by 2016. Currently, online food and beverage sales is the smallest U. S. e-commerce category, however, this segment reached sales of $5. 09 billion and experienced a 17% growth in 2012 (eMarketer, 2012). Another report by Nielsen indicates that the sales rate for consumer packaged goods online is expected to reach $25 billion by 2014. This t rending growth can be attributed to the fact that more and more consumers are beginning to do their grocery shopping online (Nielsen, 2011). FTF can definitely capitalize on this emerging trend since the online grocery shopping experience is primarily fueled by a needs-driven experience since there are a greater variety of options available online. In addition, e-commerce allows for smaller companies such as FTF to compete against â€Å"Big Brand† companies since the big brand physical advantages become nonexistent and opens up the opportunity to create a niche brand for customers who prefer to buy their food and groceries online. With a creative and effectively targeted market program, FTF can reach a significant amount of customers online and leverage unique and exclusive products such as tropical fruits, figs, Piedmontese beef, and fresh cherries to capture these customers. There is a huge opportunity to capitalize on the available internet marketing technologies being that there is so much data available through these marketing channels and the fact that many consumers are turning to e-commerce to purchase goods. According to a recent Digital Marketing Report by eMarketer, â€Å"88. % of US internet users ages 14 and up will browse or research products online in 2012, an 83. 9% of that group will make at least one purchase via the web during that year† (Peart, Utreras, Wang, 2011). Target Market Since From the Farm is a food e-commerce company, it is easy to assume that this website and its products can appeal to the masses. There is a large assortment of foods from fresh fruit and produce includin g exotic tropical fruits to certified organic meats to an array of desserts which means that FTF has something to offer every kind of customer. FTF’s customers will consist of individuals who are 25 years old and up and have a wide range of preferences when it comes to food, whether it may be parents looking for healthy foods for their kids or health conscious individuals who prefer organic and gluten-free products or chefs and restaurant owners that need to order in bulk, From the Farm can accommodate a very diverse set of needs. Nonetheless, From the Farm’s products aren’t just for those who want to purchase these items for personal consumption because From the Farm also offers products that can be sent as gifts. As stated previously, From the Farm’s customer base is diverse since it consists of individuals with varying needs and preferences when it comes to food selections. The primary market that FTF will target is the online grocery shopper market. The profile of typical online shoppers is as follows: single or dual-income households with no children and are technically savvy, affluent, and time poor. This group consists of early adopters of new technology and is heavy internet users who regularly purchase goods online. Convenience is a main factor for this group and they have little to no concern about product price or delivery charges. The other major category within this market is families with young children. Similar to the previously discussed category, this category includes single parents, dual-income households, middle-income and above average-earning households. The key differentiator is that this category has one or more children, typically with at least one child under the age of five years old. This group consists of adults in their late 20s to 40s. The individuals in this category turn to online grocery shopping because it saves them time, is less hectic, and overall more convenient in nature. Other categories include college students and military families who are not located close to a standard-size store or who wish to purchase products found only in their home regions. In addition, the elderly, disabled and those individuals who find it difficult to get out of the house make up a significant share of online grocery shoppers. As such, the share of senior citizens and disabled individuals has grown over the past five years and is expected to continue growing in the future. Furthermore, online grocery shoppers are more than twice as likely as the average internet user to go online to read and post product reviews, download coupons and search for recipes, according to a study by the Nielsen Company from September 2009 (Panteva, 2012).

Heart, Cardiac Cycle and the Circulatory System

Heart, Cardiac Cycle and the Circulatory System (i)  Explain the function of heart, and the structure of arteries, veins and capillaries. The heart (left side) receives blood filled with oxygen (O2) which comes from the lungs. From there the blood is pumped throughout the body via the aorta and into blood vessels. On the right side is where the heart gets its deoxygenated blood (CO2) which in turn is then sent to the lungs for cleansing. (ivyroses.com 2016) Arteries are made up of 3 layers. The tunica interna is the inner layer. This layer is encased in connective tissue and elastic fibers. After that the next layer up is the tunica media. This thick layer consists mainly of smooth muscle. This layer supports the vessel itself and aids blood flow regulation. The outside layer is called the tunica externa. This layer is made up of connective tissue and elastic fibers. It has the ability to change and become looser connective tissue around the outside of the vessel. (training.seer.cancer.gov ND) Veins carry blood back to the heart. This blood is filled with CO2. The blood is then sent to the lungs for purification and then back to the heart to be sent around the body. The only veins which carry oxygen are the umbilical and pulmonary veins. Veins are like straws, they are small in structure. They have a dense outer layer which consists of connective tissue. Underneath that is the middle layer which is made up of smooth muscle and finally the middle layer which is made up of endothelial cells. (reference.com ND) Capillaries are tiny blood vessels inside the bodily tissues that carry blood from the arteries to the veins. They are more common in tissues like muscle tissues than in connective tissues. (biology.about.com ND) Arteries divide into arterioles. These arterioles branch off into the muscle where they reach the capillaries. A capillary bed is then formed. This is a network of capillaries which then carry blood to the veins. Capillaries also move gases in and out of themselves. These gases include oxygen and carbon dioxide. (teachpe.com ND) Like the lungs, capillaries are responsible for the process of diffusion. Oxygen separates from haemoglobin (found in red blood cells) and passes through the walls of the capillaries into muscle cells where it associates itself with the Myoglobin. This is the muscle cells version of haemogloblin. The oxygen is then used in aerobic metabolism to supply the muscle with energy. (teachpe.com ND) Cross section of an artery.   Ã‚    ©Google Images Cross section of a vein.  ©Google Images Cross section of a capillary.  ©Google Images (ii)  Explain the cardiac cycle and the flow of the blood through the main blood vessels by using the diagram. Blood is pumped around the body in stages, namely the diastole stage and the systole stage. In the diastole stage the atria and ventricles are relaxed and allow blood to enter via the vena cava in to the upper right chamber (right atrium). The deoxygenated blood is passed through a valve which prevents the blood from running backwards, into the lower chamber (right ventricle). After this, the blood is then pumped under extreme pressure from the right ventricle into the lungs by the pulmonary artery. (quora.com 2017) In the second stage oxygenated blood enters the left atrium. It then passes through a valve which closes over after the blood has passed through, preventing the said blood from running back into the atrium. Blood flows down into the left ventricle. It then goes to the aorta (main artery in the body) where it is pumped under immense pressure. Blood is pumped under high pressure to ensure it is sent to the rest of the body as it should do. (biology.about.com 2017) (livescience.com 2017)  ©Google Images Arteries Veins Capillaries Contain narrow lumens Contain wider lumens Have one layer of cells. Here diffusion takes place. They are the smallest of all the blood vessels. Blood is under high pressure Blood is under low pressure Takes blood from the heart Takes blood to the heart Take blood form the body and exchange nutrients, O2 and waste with tissues. Have more muscle/elastic tissue Have less elastic tissue They are oozy vessels that serve as links between arterial and venous systems Carries O2 rich blood (except for the pulmonary artery) Carries CO2 rich blood (except for the pulmonary vein) Has no valves (except for the semi-lunar valves in the aorta and pulmonary artery Has valves in main veins to stop waste materials returning to the tissues (iii)  Explain the term blood pressure and describe the role it plays in circulatory system. Describe the condition high and low pressure. When the heart pumps blood around the body the blood pushes against the wall of the blood vessels. The rate at which it pushes against the walls is called blood pressure. If blood pressure is high your arteries are put under immense pressure to deliver blood around the body. This may result in the person suffering a heart attack or a stroke. Symptoms of high blood pressure include tiredness, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing. Low blood pressure if left untreated can be life threatening. A reading which is less than 90/60 is deemed to be low blood pressure. Although the causes are unclear, it is thought that dehydration and serious medical disorders are among the causes of low blood pressure. (mayoclinic.org ND) What the numbers mean: A blood pressure reading is made up of two numbers, written as one over the other e.g. 80/120. The number at the top is known as the systolic blood pressure. This is the highest level that a persons blood pressure will reach when the heart beats. The bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. This is the lowest level that a persons blood pressure will reach when the heart relaxes between every single beat. (bloodpressureuk.org 2008)  ©Google Images Section B Identify the main muscles groups within the body and interconnections between the muscular and skeletal system. (ii) Differentiate between the three types of muscles, Smooth, Skeletal, and Cardiac. Smooth Skeletal Cardiac Maintains flow of fluid in hollow structures Attached to the bone Only found in the heart Found in structures such as veins and arteries Relaxes and contracts Involuntary contraction Contract slowly Striated Features are endurance and consistency Arranged in bundles of muscle fibres. Contracts voluntarily Striated Have only one nucleus Soft and fragile Makes up the atria and ventricles Not banded Every fibre has lots of nuclei and is surrounded by a cover. Relaxes to fill the heart with blood Muscles work automatically Made up of cylindrical cells that made up fibres Never tires (Healdove.com 2016) (Class notes 2016 S. Curran) (training.seer.cancer.gov 2016)  ©Google Images (iii) Describe how the Skeletal and the Muscular System connect together to create the body movement. Movement in the body happens when the skeletal and muscular systems work simultaneously. The skeleton gives us shape and without it we would just be one big blob of skin. The main function of these two systems is bodily movement. (Class Notes.S Curran.2016) As well as joints, bones and muscles work hand in hand to form levers e.g. in the arm and the knee. (livestrong.com 2015) Tendons attach muscles to bones. This is allows bones and muscles to form such levers. (prezi.com 2010) Bones have the ability to hoard fat in their cavities which in turn can help store minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is a vital mineral because without it blood would be unable to clot and a lack of calcium would hinder bodily movement. (prezi.com 2010) Phosphorus enables the body to make protein which is necessary for growth and repairing damaged cells. (medlineplus.gov 2015) Section C Outline the composition of bone the structure of the long bone and explain the function of the skeleton Identify and describe the composition of the bone, joint types and the function of the skeleton. Outline the composition of bone the structure of the long bone and explain the function of the skeleton. The bone is made up of 3 layers periosteum, compact bone and spongey bone. Periosteum is a double layered tissue that covers the compact bone. It cannot be seen by unaided vision. Its an important layer because it holds cells called osteoblasts. These osteoblasts form new bones. The double layer also means that ligaments and tendons can anchor the bone. (healthbase.wordpress.com 2016) Compact bone accounts for 80% of the human skeleton. It forms around the spongey (cancellous) bone. The long bones of the body e.g. arm, leg etc. are primarily made up of compact bone. (britannica.com 2016) Cancellous bone is the spongey bone which is located at the end of each of the long bones and in the vertebrae of the spine. The cancellous bone contains pores as well as red bone marrow which is used to make red blood cells and stem cells which are then used to repair the bone if it gets damaged or broken. The spongey bone is much easier to fracture than the long bone because of its soft composition.  ©Google Images Functions of the skeleton: Protection the skeleton acts as a protector for major organs such as the heart and lungs which are protected by the rib cage and the breast bone. Storage bones store minerals such as calcium. If you consume too much of a particular mineral e.g. calcium, it can build up on the bone. Whenever the supply is low then the body makes up for it by drawing the excess minerals from the bone to build up the supply in the blood system. Movement bones along with muscles work together to make the body move. Form blood cells bone marrow makes red blood cells. On average 2.6 million cells are created per second. (Class notes unit 3 2016) Different types of joints and their functions. There are 3 types of joints: Synovial, fibrous and cartilaginous. Synovial joints are divided up in to 6 categories: Gliding joints, condyloid joints, saddle joints, hinge joints, ball and socket joints and pivot joints. Gliding joints allow for smooth rotation in different directions along a smooth surface. An example of this type of joint is the carpal joint which is located in the wrist. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Saddle joints are so called because they fit like a rider on a saddle. They are able to bend in several different directions without ever actually sliding. A prime example of a saddle joint is the joint at the base of the thumb. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Ball and socket joint This type of joint is usually found for example in the shoulder. As the name states a ball and socket joint is given that name because it is where one end of a long bone (ball) meets a socket. Ball and socket joints facilitate movement in several directions. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Condyloid Joints Unlike gliding joints condyloid joints have not got a smooth surface. Bones rotate past each other. Condyloid joints can be found in the wrist. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Pivot Joint This type of joint moves but there is no gliding movement. It facilitates turning moves without any bending sideways as such. An example of a synovial joint is between the first and second vertebrae of the spine. It allows limited movement while keeping the head in place. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Hinge Joints These are formed between 2 bones. A hinge joint allows us to extend (elbow, knee etc.) freely, bones do not slide past each other. (livestrong.com 2012)  ©Google Images Fibrous Joints: These are generally immovable joints. There are 3 types of fibrous joints sutures, gomphoses and a syndesmosis. Sutures are the joints which connect bones in the skull Gomphoses are located between the jaw bone and the teeth. A syndesmosis joint is where a ligament connects two bones for example in the leg the tibia and the fibula. It allows for a very slight movement.  ©Google Images Label the main bone of appendicular axial skeletal. (see attached diagram) The main function of the skin, its structure and relationship between the skin, and circulatory and nervous system The Skin is one of the largest organs of the body. It is made up of three layers: The Epidermis, Dermis and the subcutaneous fatty tissue. As it has no blood vessels, the epidermis is dependent on the dermis to feed it nutrients and for disposing of excess waste. Epidermis  ©Google Images Keratinocytes is the name given to the wall of the epidermis. It produces keratin, a protein that protects the epithelial cells. The epidermis regenerates in orderly fashion by cell division of keratinocytes in the basal layer, with maturing daughter cells becoming increasingly keratinised as they move to the skin surface. (Dermnetz.org 2016) Keratinocytes are regenerated monthly. There are a number of cells within the epidermis: Merkel cells Merkel cells are cells found in the basal layer of the epidermis. (Dermnetnz.org 2016) These cells allow us to feel sensations such as pain, coolness, heat, numbness and to feel objects. These tiny cells can only be identified by using electron microscopy. They are most commonly found in the soles of the feet and the palm of the hand. Dermis  ©Google Images This is the second layer of the skin and is the biggest part of the cross-section of the skin. In the dermis there are many things such as nerve endings, sweat glands and blood capillaries. The Dermis is sub-divided into 2 sections namely: Papillary Dermis and the Reticular Dermis. Collagen, Elastic Tissue and Reticular fibres are present throughout the Dermis. Subcutaneous layer (c)Google Images The subcutaneous layer is an important line of defence, protecting the fragile organs and bones from outside forces, such as pathogens.(reference.com 2016) The Hypodermis or subcutaneous layer acts as a protector for organs and the skeleton against the elements. Like the other two layers, its thickness depends on where it is in the body. For example the subcutaneous layer on the eyelids would be thinner than on the skin around the soles of the feet. Its main function is to act as a temperature regulator. Functions of the skin: Protection: Melanin in the skin protects the body from harmful UV rays produced by the sun. Skin has the ability to protect organs and bones from exposure to the environment. It also can protect the body from bacterial infections. Temperature Regulation: When environmental temperatures are high, the skin releases sweat as a means of cooling the body down. If youre cold, blood vessels in your skin fill up with blood to generate heat. Immunity Some skin cells work with the immune system to fight against bacteria and viruses. Some bacteria live on the skin, this is normal as it is good bacteria. However if it gets in under the skin, it can cause infection such as cellulitis. Growth and Movement The skins elasticity allows the body to grow as we get older. Without it we would not be able to move freely, if at all. Excretion Skin helps to get rid of waste such as urea, sweat and carbon dioxide. Endocrine: when exposed to a small amount of UV rays, the skin produces Vitamin D. a chemical in the skin called 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with the UV rays. Over exposure to UV can have dire consequences such as skin cancer, so exposure to the sun must be kept in moderation. Absorption: Skin absorbs oxygen and nitrogen. Some animals have no need for lungs because they can actually breathe through their skin. Water Resistance: Skin is covered by oils and nutrients which form a protective layer against water. (newhealthguide.org ND) The relationship between the skin, circulatory system and the nervous system.   Ã‚   All bodily functions are regulated by the brain via the nervous system. The brain sends messages to the rest of the body through nerves. Without it the circulatory system could not function. Cardiac functioning and transportation of fluid in the body is started by messages coming from the brain. The circulatory system is made up of arteries, veins, capillaries and other passages which are central to its functioning. The nervous system is made up of the spinal cord, brain and nerves. It controls what the body does. Signals are sent to and from the brain via the nerves to create proper functioning. A prime example of how these systems work together is in blood pressure and regulation of the heart rate. The vagus nerve regulates the pumping of the heart. Blood is pumped through the passages around the body and into the organs. Baroreceptors give the brain information about blood pressure. The brain can then make adjustments to how the heart pumps. It is because of this process that bloo d pressure is kept at a normal level. The nervous system has the power of bodily functions but it needs the circulatory system to relay the messages so that such adjustments can be made accordingly. (wisegeekhealth.com ND) The integumentary system (skin) works with the circulatory system. The skin contains networks of capillaries. This means that substances can enter the bloodstream though the skin and this is the reason why some medicines such as female contraception can be delivered in patch format. Neurons are contained within the skin to sense the environment. These neurons send signals to the nervous system such as touch and it begins action based on these signs. For example if you burn your finger, nerve cells send signals up your arm to the spinal cord and brain. Nerve cells in the brain interpret these messages as pain. Skin aids temperature regulation by way of changing blood supply patterns and by sweating which helps to cool the body down. (sciencenetlinks.com ND)  ©Google Images (iii) Using the table format give six examples of viral, bacterial, fungal skin diseases.. Viral Bacterial Fungal Flu Tuberculosis Nail Fungus Shingles Cellulitis Oral Thrush Viral Pneumonia Salmonella Athletes Foot HIV/AIDS Helicobacter Pylori Impetigo Chicken Pox Staph Infection Jock Itch Herpes Scarlet Fever Vaginal Yeast Infection (Healthgrades.com 2016) (Rightdiagnosis.com 2016) (Healthonline.com 2016) (Dermnetz.org 2016) Example of a Viral Infection:  ©Google Images Example of a bacterial infection:  ©Google Images Example of a fungal infection:  ©Google Images References: (Class notes unit 3 S. Curran 2016) Biology.about.com (2016) Phases of the Cardiac Cycle [online], available: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/cardiac_cycle.htm[Accessed 1st March 2017] Biology.about.com (2017) What Is a Capillary? [online], available: Bloodpressureuk (2008) What is blood pressure? [online], available:http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressure [Accessed 15th March 2017] Bloodpressureuk (ND) What is blood pressure? [online], available: http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressure [Accessed 19th January 2017] Britannica.com (2016) Compact bone [online], available: https://www.britannica.com/science/compact-bone [accessed 12th December 2016] Dermnetz.org (2016) Bacterial Skin Infections [online], available: http://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/bacterial-skin-infections/ [accessed 5th December 2016] Healdove.com (2016) The Differences Between Skeletal, Smooth Cardiac Muscles [online], available:https://healdove.com/misc/The-function-of-Muscles-and-the-3-main-types [Accessed 19th December 2016] Healthbase.wordpress.com (2016) Medical Tourism Blog, Surgical Tourism Blog, Overseas Medical Travel Blog [online], available: https://healthbase.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/composition-of-a-bone/ [accessed 12th December 2016] Healthgrades.com (2016) What are viral diseases? [Online], available: https://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/viral-diseases [accessed 5th December 2016] Healthline.com (2016) Candida Fungus Skin Infection [online], available: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/capillary.htm [Accessed 2nd March 2017] http://www.healthline.com/health/skin/candida-fungus#ReadThisNext0 [accessed 5th December 2016] Ivyroses (2016) The Functions of the Heart [online], available: http://www.ivyroses.com/HumanBody/Blood/Heart_Functions.php [Accessed 18th January 2017] Livescience (2016) Circulatory System: Facts, Function Diseases [online], available: http://www.livescience.com/22486-circulatory-system.html [Accessed 1st March 2017] Livestrong (2012) 6 types of synovial joints [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/74183-types-synovial-joints/ [Accessed 4th January 2017] Livestrong (2012) 6 types of synovial joints [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/74183-types-synovial-joints/ [Accessed 5th January 2017] Livestrong.com (2015) How the Skeletal System Works With the Muscular [online], available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/76374-skeletal-system-works-muscular/ [Accessed 4th January 2017] Mayoclinic (ND) Low blood pressure Hypotension [online], available: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/basics/definition/con-20032298 [Accessed 19th January 2017] Medlineplus (2015) Phosphorus in diet[online], available: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002424.htm [Accessed 4th January 2017] Newhealthguide (ND) Functions of the Skin [online],

Comparing the McCarthy Hearings and McCarthyism with The Crucible Witch Trials :: compare and contrast essay examples

Throughout the history of mankind, the misapplication of power, marring of souls have been a part of life. How does this affect us, why does it happen? Human emotion plays a major role in prejudice and the politics that surround it are evident in today's society. Many things can define persecution. No matter how it is defined, it is a tragic event. About three hundred years ago, the witch trials of Salem were a hot topic. Two young girls deceitfully accused a slave, Tituba of witchery. Soon, callous accusations flew and the joke became a sad, sad reality. Fearing punishment, the two girls kept the charade going. The Puritan religion had no way to publicly admit their sins, and things they regret. Because of this, the trials played a role as an outlet for the society's misgivings. They had a way to express their feelings without being chastised. This anti-witch hysteria caused innocent people to die at the cry of others. In terror of being victimized themselves, people accused others of compacting with the devil. Hoping to possibly move the focus of the investigations elsewhere, many followed this unfortunate path. Hatred, denial, dread, perhaps even shock, were all driving factors behind the actions of the townspeople. In the end, almost two dozen innocent men and women were hanged, and hundreds charged or jailed. Moving to a more recent incident, The "Red Scare" of the '50s is a modern example of how a sophisticated people can be brought to such lows. Wanting to get the public's attention, McCarthy spawned a massive anti-Soviet campaign. Searches for people working among us that believed in communist views or someone who might know such a person became commonplace. The crusade itself was based on non-existent claims that some government workers were communists. Senator McCarthy's "proof" was never seen by anyone, further suggesting that his claims were little more than an attempt to intensify his political power base. Taking advantage of the public's views of the Soviet Republic communist system, McCarthy did indeed become an influential power in the U.S. Senate. To gain support, he and Abby fed on worries of the general populace. Both of them had gone from a nobody, someone with little control over anyone but themselves, to someone who could control anyone they pleased. Like Abigail in "The Crucible," his grapple of the situation soon crumbled leaving him dishonored.

Euthanasia Programs of Nazi Germany Essay -- ethics, t4 program, experi

On the first of September, 1939 World War II began. Hitler is in power of Nazi Germany and is wanting to cleanse the German people of racially unsound elements. He enacts a program that will aim to eliminate the so called â€Å"lives unworthy of life† called the T4 program (History Place). Over the next six years throughout Germany, many people are experimenting with and euthanized to help Nazi Germany reach a â€Å"pure† state. Was this program that was enacted ethical and what has happened since then to stop something like this from happening again? What kind of medical advances and data did we achieve from it and is it ethical today to use what they learned in today’s medical trials? The T4 program was not the beginning of Germany’s effort to reach a super race. Leading up to the war Hitler enacted the â€Å"Law for the Prevention of Progeny with Hereditary Diseases† in the year of 1933. The law called for the sterilization of anyone that had any hereditary illnesses. The list of hereditary illnesses included: â€Å"schizophrenia, epilepsy, senile disorders, therapy resistant paralysis and syphilitic diseases, retardation, encephalitis, Huntington’s chorea and other neurological conditions.† (History Place) This law was enforced by opening 200 genetic health courts that would analyze the medical records of individuals and decide if they were to be sterilized or not. The sterilization of people usually involved the use of drugs, x-rays, or uterine irritants. Dr. Horst Schumann did a lot of these experiments with sterilization at Auschwitz, where he would take a group of men/women and would expose them to x-rays. Most of his exper iments with x-rays were disappointing but he kept using this method. After he subjected his subjects to x... ...at the expense of the brutally murdered test subjects. I have only highlighted a couple of experiments that they conducted that the data collected from these could be extremely helpful to the humankind. Instead of calling it all bad we can find some good that can be salvaged from the victim’s ashes. Works Cited Georgetown University "Chapter 5 the Nazi Eugenics Programs." Chapter 5 the Nazi Eugenics Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. "Nazi Medical Experimentation: The Ethics Of Using Medical Data From Nazi Experiments." The Ethics Of Using Medical Data From Nazi Experiments. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. "T4 Program (Nazi Policy)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. "The History Place - Holocaust Timeline: Nazi Euthanasia." The History Place - Holocaust Timeline: Nazi Euthanasia. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

The Image of Christopher Columbus Essay -- American America History US

The Image of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus is honored as the man who opened the doors to an Age of Discovery and exploration. Although he may not have been the first European to set foot onto the Americas, he did begin a wave of exploration in a new hemisphere. The time period of the age of discovery follows the end of the Middle Ages, which Columbus himself is a product. If it were not Columbus that brought European settlement to the New World, then it would have been some other explorer who probably started out with the same goals and ideas. However, there are many individuals who would disagree with the above statement. They would say that Columbus destroyed all that was beautiful in the New World with his thirst for greed and fame, that he raped the lands and the women, and disrupted a civilization that lived for hundreds of years. The question then becomes â€Å"Who is Christopher Columbus?† Is he really the man that some Americans describe as a hero, whose â€Å"journey was the first step in a long process that eventually produced the United States of America† (Royal 1) and to the â€Å"North American Revolutionaries, he was the Founding Fathers’ father† (Gates 29). Or is Columbus’ character flawed as other Americans might suggest. Some describe him as a ruthless slave trader who raped the virgin islands of the Caribbean and started the slave trade between the Old and New Worlds. So which image is right? That question is one that has been debated for years and will continue to be for years to come. It is one in which an individual alone can answer because it not only deals with historical facts but also ethics. This paper will present two opposing sides with enough facts concerning the controversy of the myth of Col... ...n, John. â€Å"Columbus: For Gold, God, and Glory.† 12/91, vol. 6 no. 12: 357-321. Gates, David. â€Å"Who was Columbus?† Newsweek Magazine. Fall/Winter 1991: 29-31. McNeil, William H. â€Å"How Columbus Remade the World.† NEH Humanities. Vol. 1 no.6: Dec 1985. (CIRS McNeil1.ART) Royal, Robert. â€Å"Columbus on Trial: 1492 v 1992† (CIRS Royal02.ART) Sale, Kirkpatrick. Conquest of Paradise. A Plume Book. New York, NY 1990. Sanoff, Alvin P. â€Å"The Myths of Columbus.† U.S. News and World Report. 8 Oct. 1990. (CIRS Sanoff01.ART) Schroeder, Richard C. â€Å"Should We Scuttle the Admiral of the Ocean Sea?† The Times of the Americas. 29 May 1991: 20+. (CIRS Schroed1.ART) Sokolov, Raymond. â€Å"Stop Knocking Columbus.† Newsweek Magazine. Vol. 1 no. 6, Dec. 1985. (CIRS Sokolov2.ART) Todorov, Tzvetan. The Conquest of America. Harper Perennial Publishers. New York, NY 1982.