Zara Case Study - 1975 Words

Kotler P. et al, (2008), Principles of Marketing, 5th European edition, Harlow, Pearson Education Ltd. Company Case 19 Zara – the fast and furious giant of fashion One global retailer is expanding at a dizzying pace. It is on track for what appears to be world domination of its industry. Having built its own state-of-the-art distribution network, the company is leaving the competition in the dust in terms of sales and profits, not to mention speed of inventory management and turnover. Wal-Mart, you might think? No! Tesco, possibly? No! The company is Zara, the flagship specialty chain of Spain based clothing conglomerate, Inditex. Forget football stars, the Costa del Sol and Real Madrid, they are nothing compared with Zara as Spain’s†¦show more content†¦Thus, Zara reaps the benefit of prices that average much closer to the list price. The vertical secret to Zara’s success Just how does Zara achieve such mind-blowing responsiveness? The answer lies in its distribution system. In 1975, Amanco Ortega opened the first Zara store in Spain’s remote north-western town of La Coruňa, home to Zara’s headquarters. Having already worked in the textile industry for two decades, his experience led him to design a system in which he could control every aspect of the supply chain, from design and production to distribution and retailing. He knew, for example, that in the textile business the biggest mark-ups were made by the wholesalers and retailers. He was determined to maintain control over these activities. Ortega’s unique philosophy forms the heart of Zara’s unique, rapid-fire supply chain today. But it is Zara’s hi-tech information system that has taken vertical integration in the company to an unprecedented level. According to CEO Pablo Isla, ‘Our information system is absolutely avant-garde. It’s what links o ur shop to our designers and our distribution system.’ Zara’s vertically integrated distribution system makes the starting point of a product concept hard to nail down. At Zara’s headquarters creative teams of over 300 professionals carry out the design process. But they act on information fed to them from the stores. This goes far beyond typical pointof-sales data. Store managers act as trendShow MoreRelatedZara case study Essay2280 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿Coursework Header Sheet 209896-18 Course OPER1027: Operations Mngt: Proc/Value Ch Course School/Level BU/UG Coursework Case Study 1 Assessment Weight 25.00% Tutor J Whiteley Submission Deadline 25/11/2013 Coursework is receipted on the understanding that it is the students own work and that it has not, in whole or part, been presented elsewhere for assessment. Where material has been used from other sources it has been properly acknowledged in accordance with the UniversitysRead MoreZara Case Study : Zara Case2492 Words   |  10 Pages Zara Case Study Name Academic Institution Zara Case Study Executive Summary This case study (Ghemawat, Nueno, Dailey, 2003) of the Spanish retail apparel company Zara, one of the six retail brands owned by Spanish company Inditex, focused on a number of issues confronting the retailer. These issues arose mainly from the consideration that Zara defied many of the dynamics of the retail apparel market. Zara, unlike its competitors, owned most of its production as well as itsRead MoreZara Case Study2762 Words   |  12 PagesQ1. With which of the international competitors listed in the case is it most interesting to compare Inditex’s financial results? Why? What do comparisons indicate about Inditex’s relative operating economics? Ans. The four companies shown given in the case have very different business models. Inditex owned much of the production and most of its stores. Inditex is thus a vertically integrated company. This gave Inditex a competitive advantage, which is quick response to the market requirementsRead MoreZara Case Study1833 Words   |  8 PagesZARA CASE STUDY [pic] Introduction The history of Zara started in 1975, when the first store has been opened in Spain. It has been followed by several other stores all over the world. The company’s owner, Amancio Ortega, accumulated 340 million Euros (according to 2001 datas), which is a remarkable growth if compared with other companies. Zara’s brand has become popular because of its quality and efficiency. The secret of Zara is to understand the customer’s need and demands and respondRead MoreZara Case Study3553 Words   |  15 Pages[pic] CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Zara as Company 4-5 3. Zara’s Model of Operation 6 4. Company’s Structure Read MoreZara Case Study3306 Words   |  14 PagesJune 6, 2007 Zara Case Study Summary Zara is a clothing retail store for women, men and children, concentrating sixty percent of their effort to the women clothing market. Besides retailing, Zara also designs, produces, and ships their lines of clothing to their Zara stores. Zara s corporate concept is to offer fashionable, trendy, designs at a reasonable price. The key to their corporate success is to offer the latest trends and fashions before their competitors. They believe thatRead MoreCase Study - Zara International694 Words   |  3 PagesJay Case Study: Zara International Fashion at the Speed of Light Question 1: In what ways are elements of the classical and behavioral management approaches evident in how things are done at Zara International? How can systems concepts and contingency thinking explain the success of some of Zara’s distinctive practices? Answer 1: Elements of the classical management approach are very evident at Zara International. The classical management approach contains three branches, which are scientificRead MoreZara International Case Study1000 Words   |  4 PagesZara International was a retail shop originated in La Coruna, Spain in 1975. It was clothing and accessories shop and imitated the latest fashion trends and sold them at a lower cost. It became Zara International after entering Portugal in 1988 and then the United States and France in the 1990s. The distributor for this brand is Inditex and is considered the most successful retail chain in the world. Zara has a business strategy that is very different from the retailers nowadays. If a customer ordersRead MoreZara Case Study986 Words   |  4 PagesZara is the flagship brand of the Spanish retail group, Inditex SA, one of the super-heated performers in a soft retail market in recent years. When Indtiex offered a 23 percent stake to the public in 2 001, the issue was over-subscribed 26 times raising Euro2.1 billion for the company. Zara is unique model in business world today it has its own principles which may varies from its competitors in the same industry starting from production strategy ending with supply chain management strategy, theseRead MoreZara Case Study1656 Words   |  7 Pages3.1 HISTORY and BACKGROUND ZARA is the flagship chain store for the Spanish Inditex Group owned by Amancio Ortega, who also brands such as Massimo Dutti and Bershka. It was first open in 1975 in La Coruna, Galicia, Spain. Originally a lingerie store, then the product range expanded to incorporate women’s fashion, menswear and children’s clothes (5). The international adventure began in 1988, opened its first foreign store in Oporto, Portugal. The market growth remained mysterious and it kept growing

Essay on Italys Economic Growth - 1556 Words

Italy, positioned in southeastern Europe, is a beautiful country that is faced with high unemployment, corruption and massive debt. Although it appears to be one of the most developed countries in Europe, Italy is somewhat of a laggard in globalization. Ranking twenty-third in world population, Italy stands at 56,126,212 people as of July 2009. The north and south seem to be split in economic terms with the north being well developed industrially and the south facing high unemployment and poverty. Italy is a democratic republic that replaced a monarchy back in 1946. Although it ranks seventh in world GDP and public debt and attracts millions of tourists every year, its current debt to GDP ratio continues to skyrocket. World economists†¦show more content†¦It seems like the only sector of Italy that has thrived is its underground black market. These lucrative and subversive activities account for over 25 percent of the country’s GDP. This puts a burden on the I talian government since all this lost revenue is not subject to taxation. Italy’s chief of state, or president is Giorgio Napolitano, who has served since May 15, 2006. Napolitano’s main responsibilities are to approve the Council of Ministers and to provide the prime minister with advice. Berlusconi leads the Forza Italia, a Christian-democratic, liberal majority political party in Italy. Forza Italia was founded in December 1993 and was merged into The People of Freedom March 2009. The Italian government has practiced many policies intended to strengthen and functionally link the different multilateral organizations of which the country is a member, primarily the UN, the EU, and NATO. Italy’s globalization policy can be best described by constructivism. Constructivism is essentially the human way of learning from our experiences. In Italy’s case, worldwide actuality is collectively constructed by cognitive structures that give sense to the material world. The public debt of Italy is growing exponentially, hitting 5.8 percent in 2009. Its unemployment was over 9 percent last year and is expected to top 10.5 percent this year. Italy continues to struggle with budget deficits and a high public debt, which is at 2.6 percent and 105.9 percentShow MoreRelatedThe Economic Recession Of Italy1703 Words   |  7 Pagessluggish since 2000 with real GDP growth rate of less than 1.5% every year, and shrunk almost 7% between 2007-2011. The country has seen its debt increase from 113 to 132 (% of GDP), as a result of an increase in doubt over the government’s ability to manage the economy. The Italian Government needs to enact fiscal reform to erase the need for deficit spending, increase the country’s growth rate, and advance their economy in the long run. The global economic recession of 2008 shook economies allRead MoreJudicial Independence And Its Effect On Economic Growth1527 Words   |  7 PagesGDP growth after the 2008 recession? Political scientists and law scholars have long linked judicial independence with GDP growth. However, factors such as a global recession have been largely ignored to support this notion. I propose that GDP growth will be positively influenced by judicial independence. II Literature Review: Feld, Lars, and Voigot analyzed 57 countries, on whether judicial independence affects economic growth. They looked at the GDP per country as a primary sign of growth. TwoRead MoreThe Crisis Of Italy During World War II2049 Words   |  9 Pagesfalling behind in terms of globalization. After World War II, Italy had an economic miracle fueled by the Marshall Plan that allowed its economy to flourish. This huge growth was later stagnated and then in 2008, Italy was hit with a recession that it has had a hard time recovering from. This slow recovery is making Italy an outsider in the view of Europe, and Italy has seen this slow recovery from the recession because of low growth, low productivity, corruption, and a split between the north and theRead MoreItalys Economy Of Italy1733 Words   |  7 PagesItaly’s Economy Today Italy has the ninth largest economy in the world (â€Å"Economic Forecasts†). This beautiful place is located in the European zone, and its capital is Rome. I have never traveled outside of the United States, and I would love to travel to Europe and explore Italy. As a result, I researched about the economy of Italy. I gathered that it has a stable economy due to the manufacturing and industrial sectors, but it has had some complications in the past years. I also researched aboutRead MoreEnvironmental Analysis For Potential Markets1216 Words   |  5 Pages1. Environmental Analysis for Potential Markets. 1.1 Economic Conditions - Economic Environment Gourmet Lovers will be venturing its olive oil brands to the potential overseas market in Italy. Gourmet lovers business enterprising in Italy is a great opportunity in enhancing the success of the olive oil product range. The economics condition of Italy is reported to have the world’s ninth largest economy. Italy’s economic business structure relies mainly on its service, manufacturing and other importantRead MoreItaly s Current Population Of Italy948 Words   |  4 PagesAdriatic Seas. It officially became a country in 1861, under the rule of King Victor Emmanuel II. Italy’s current population sits at just under 62 million; it is a decent populated country in comparison to the countries surrounding it. It is ranked the 24th most populated country in the world. The majority of the population is of Italian decent and practices Christianity. Over half of the Italy’s population lives in urbanized areas, which gives a good idea of the percentage of people who hold jobsRead MoreEssay On Italian Industry1087 Words   |  5 PagesIn 2016, Italy’s top ten major imports were vehicles, mineral fuels (including oil), machinery, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, pla stics, iron and steel, organic chemicals, and medical and technical equipment. Italy imports products such as oil because the country has few oil deposits. The country also lacks in minerals and metals and it is required to import these products in order to manufacture goods. Italy has an advantage of a highly skilled workforce, but without natural resources, importingRead MoreMussolini s Main Goals For Italy1177 Words   |  5 Pageswise words were spoken by Yehuda Bauer, 65 years after the start of the Holocaust. Italy, under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was one of the many countries who turned her back on the Jewish people. Because of political, social and economic reasons, Italy was a bystander to the heinous crimes inflicted on the Jewish population. Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government in 1922, and ruled until 1943. Under Mussolini’s rule, democratic institutions were shut down. The shutdownRead MoreItaly : A Country Of Forward Fashion Industry And Exotic Cars1431 Words   |  6 Pagescompany you selected may expand. Pier 1 Imports is a retail establishment that currently has over a thousand stores in the United States, eighty in Canada, and fifty-six in Mexico (Pier 1 imports, 2004, p.3). Considering the financial health and growth of the company, it is likely that the expansion into Italy can be attainable and profitable. 1. Develop a brief profile of the country that you have chosen. Italy is a tiny country located in southern Europe. Italy is a country of forwardRead MoreThe Relationship Between The United States And Germany1586 Words   |  7 PagesWall in 1989. Economics, Politics and Business. Today, the relationship is an alliance, and â€Å"as two of the world s leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a commitment to an open and expanding world economy.† (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2015) Germany was the strongest supporter of the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), â€Å"a political body that seeks to deepen cooperation between the United States and the European Union by promoting economic growth through increased

Once Upon a time x constant image of your face Free Essays

Guilt is a common feeling that humans feel when they have done something wrong. The poets Gabriel Okra and Dennis brutes both express this feeling of guilt in their personae backgrounds. Therefore, okra’s â€Å"Once upon a Time† and brute’s â€Å"It is the Constant Image of Your Face† are poems portrayed with guilt, but they show it in different situations. We will write a custom essay sample on Once Upon a time x constant image of your face or any similar topic only for you Order Now The body of both poems have a specific situation happening. In the poem â€Å"Once upon a Time† the persona wishes to be young again an forget all the lessons he has taught himself. He admits of having to put on a â€Å"mask â€Å"depending on who he is in company with, however he wishes to return to his childhood days when he would laugh a honest laughter. The persona speaks to his son about the times when people WOUld Seem to be sincere and caring when dealing with one another. In the poem â€Å"It is the Constant Image of Your Face† the persona chooses his woman over his county. The persona looks at his love for his country along with his mistress and the heartbreak that is inflicted with his choices. The persona admits that they cannot make excuses for his mistress does not take precedence over the personae country, however he still commits treason against his country by being seduced by his mistress’s beauty and protection. The persona hopes that his country’ will forgive him for choosing his mistress. In both the poems the personae give a feeling of guilt in their events. In the poem â€Å"Once Upon a Time† the poet creates contrast be;en â€Å"heart† and â€Å"faces†. â€Å"Hearts† suggest a deep honest feeling and emotion. Thus, when people shook hands â€Å"with their hearts†, their emotion was true and real. However, when they laugh ‘With their teeth†, not with their eyes. This suggests that the eyes are like the windows of the soul thus letting us see how a person truly feels. In the second poem, â€Å"It is the Constant Image of Your Face† the persona reflects on the image of someone he cares for. The persona admits that both him and his mistress can â€Å"plead excuses† for his behavior because the woman does not take precedence over his country. He is also feeling guilt and sadness because of what he has done. He has committed treason against his country and he hopes his country will pardon him because of his love for his country and woman. The two poems show contrast through literary devices. Personifications and oxymoron are used by the poets in their poems. In the poem ‘it is the Constant Image of Your Face’ the phrase ‘heart’s Treachery’ is an oxymoron used. How to cite Once Upon a time x constant image of your face, Essays

Tupac Shakur a Hip Hop Inspiration free essay sample

A Hip-Hop Inspiration Music is a cultural Journal that expresses the realities and emotions of life in a poetic way. For the African American culture, music has always been a statement for many controversial topics such as racism, religion, politics, education, crime, and violence. In the sasss, Hip-Hop became the newest cultural and artistic voice for the African American population. Genres such as Jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, and gospel that once dominated the musical culture of African Americans slipped Into the aground, and HIP-HOP rose to power and defined a generation.The Inspirational and influential Tuba Shaker stormed onto the rap scene in 1991 with an emotional style that changed the rap game forever. Tubas social consciousness morphed him Into an activist and enabled him to Influence American culture along with redefining the hip-hop genre. Tuba Shaker was born in New York City during the year 1971. His mother, Affine Shaker, a member of the Black Panther Party. We will write a custom essay sample on Tupac Shakur: a Hip Hop Inspiration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Was in Jail for bombing charges during her pregnancy. The origin of the name Tuba Muar is Inca and translates to shining serpent, while Shaker Is Arabic and means thankful to God. In 1 986, Shakers family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where Tuba enrolled in the Baltimore School for the Arts. At the age of 15, Tuba wrote his first rap song under the name of M. C. New York. The rappers life took a turn for the worse in 1988 when his family moved to a small city outside of Oakland, California. Shortly after moving to the projects, Tuba moved In with a neighbor and started to sell drugs. Later that year, Tubas stepfather Mutual Shaker was indicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison or his part in an armored car robbery that took place in 1981.Despite all of the trouble surrounding him and his family, Tuba Joined the Grammar-nominated rap group Digital underground as a dancer and rapper. After touring with the acclaimed group in 1990, Tuba released his first solo album in 91 . He received immediate recognition for his debut album, apocalypse Now, which graced the world with the successful singles Trapped and Breads Got A Baby. With the individual success that Tuba had received with his musical talent. He wanted to prove to the world that e was more than just a rapper. In 1992, Tuba appeared in the Earnest Dickerson film Juice. Within the next two years, Tuba starred in two additional movies: the John Singleton movie, Poetic JusticeNanette Jackson co-starred), and Above The Rim. unfortunately, legal Issues slowed the success of the Influential rapper as a result of his 1994 arrest on sexual assault charges in New York. Subsequently, during the same month and in the same city, Tuba was shot in an apparent robbery attempt outside of his recording studio. Shortly after his quick recovery, Tuba was then acquitted of sodomys and weapons charges after he was convicted of sexually abusing a woman he had Invited to his hotel room.Despite the absurd amount of legal problems, Shaker was back in the studio in early 95 and released the incredible 1 OFF such as Dear Mama helped this record surpass 2 million copies sold. In February of the same year, Tuba was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for sex abuse. After serving only eight months, Shaker was released on bail while he appealed the sentence. Still thriving on the success of Me Against The World, Tuba released his Ruth solo album, All Eyes On Me, which topped the Billboard Album Chart shortly after it debuted.Songs such as Life Goes On and l Anti Mad At Chaw once again demonstrate Tubas ability to put every fiber of his being into each one of his songs. The game-changing album went on to sell five million copies. On September 7, 1996, Tuba Muar Shaker was knocked off the top of the world when he was shot in an apparent drive-by in Lass Vegas. Five days later, Tuba was pronounced dead. The controversy surrounding the death of the greatest hip-hop artist of all time remains, o this day, a mystery.The death of Tuba Shaker may still be a mystery, however his influence on hip-hop music is undeniable. Tuba had a talent for exposing social and economical issues that forced society to face the reality that our nation was still far from perfect. He used his success and lyrics as a medium to speak to the world about important economical, political and social injustices. He quickly became a leader among the African American population, transforming into a voice for his nationality and a source of hope when there was nothing left for his people to believe in. Tuba was an inspiration to those suffering from poverty or feeling hopeless about the future; his accomplishments proved that even a kid from the ghetto could rise above the hate and despair, achieve any goal, and make a difference in the world. The death of Tuba Shaker and his influence on hip-hop music is an invaluable part of not Just African-American history, but world history. He may have been a criminal that had thug life tattooed on his body, but Tuba was a courageous person who not only stood up for what he believed in, but carved his views into the hip-hop genre for enervation to come.Shakers life, legacy, and music career focused on activism so much that I see him as the Martin Luther King of hip-hop. As an avid reader, Shaker absorbed a wealth of knowledge and was eager to share it. Today, you hear a lot of rap and hip-hop music that has no real value. Sadly, most rap lyrics now are focused on material things, money and sex. The emotion in and deeper meaning of rap is dead. Though there are a few exceptions (Mine), hip-hop for the most part has been swallowed by the genre the media is responsible for: pop.Music nowadays entails repetitive choruss and seems to be Just noise. Great music is now a commodity that is hard to come by, especially in hip-hop, which is why I am so thankful for Tubas music even though his career was cut short. In a very short time, Tuba managed to address profound social issues while preaching through his lyrics. Not only did Shaker influence the genre of hip-hop and the culture of many Americans, he became a worldwide symbol of change. Tuba Shaker is a martyr, who believed he could make a difference through music, and boy did he ever.

Location factors for business Essay Example Essay Example

Location factors for business Essay Example Paper Location factors for business Essay Introduction All businesses, whether they produce goods or service, have to decide where to locate. This can depend on the fact that the firm wants to be closer to its target audience or produce the goods at a location where it is cheapest, it can be also linked to the business environment and other reasons aspects of the business which would affect the location of the firm.Demography:This is were the size of the population and the changes in the population are taken into consideration and studied in depth. Many businesses, mainly businesses which are included in the service sector are influenced by the demographic factor. For example on the south coast of England, Bournemouth has the highest percentage of elderly people living there, and that is the highest population in UK of the elderly situated in one area. Si this attracts people to Bournemouth to retire for to main reasons which are its climate, and the services businesses have in offer therefore there are many businesses which specialise i n providing the elderly community with goods and services best suited for that target audience.Seen as compulearn is also partly linked to the service sector it will be looking into demography because Compulearn also does services and thereby will need to look into the number of the population which in this case will be the population of Hounslow which is 212341, and it will need to look I will look into the changes within the school.Infrastructure:The infrastructure is the built environment such as the roads, factories, schools, railways, airports, houses and hospitals. The infrastructures of an area will affect the location of businesses. Most businesses tend to buy or rent premises which already exist; this is because it is cheaper than building a whole new factory for business. For example, a business thinking of setting up a shop may want to set up in an area were many other stores would exist and many customers. A larger business however may look for a location with good housi ng, school and leisure facilities for employees.There are also a few businesses which would prefer to build on Brownfield or Greenfield sites. Brownfield sites are sites which locate availability for industrial buildings or house. Greenfield sites are locations available for industrial or residential buildings, however the Greenfield site will agriculture or on developed piece of land which has never been built on before. These businesses may lose out when locating in Greenfield or Brownfield site. This is because Greenfield and Brownfield sites because it will have to pay more due to water and gas pipe fixing and electricity and phone connections and so on. However there are some advantages to having Brownfield and Greenfield sites because businesses are abler to build the infrastructure for the business and so the infrastructure will suit the businesses every requirement. None of this will be required of compulearn will be locating at Bell Road, Hounslow, Middlesex electricity and telephone will have to be paid for.Labour:Availability of employees in the area is vital. Businesses need to research on the availability of suitable employees in that area for the business; this involves employees having the right set of skills for the for example knowing how to program in c++(Computer language) or HTML (Website Language Short for Hyper text mark up language) this would save the business money because the business would not have to send the employee on a course which would cost a substantial amount of money. To do this I must.1. Consider the population statistics in the area2. The number of people who are looking for jobs3. The skill that workers will need to have4. The wage or salary that people in that area will expect.Many businesses locate their business in that area’s which would benefit them the economy. For example businesses may situate in places such as UK because the total cost of hiring employees will be lower and UK labourers is well educated an d trained for jobs. Compulearn will have employees because it will need more than on teacher to help classes also we will need teachers with different skills so that every course has a teacher that is specialised in the field.The cost of premisesIts important that businesses have premises, this for businesses can be quite cheap or very expensive, the cost of the premises can vary enormously depending upon their availability, and this is all to do with land. Businesses wanting to be closer to customers would therefore would be extremely expensive and could have down fall in production , land is cheaper further out of the capital city because there is more land available, however this means that there isn’t a thrive in mass production and consumers are more likely to be in the cities where all businesses prosper. Compulearn will have to pay mortgage to the bank.The availability of premisesThere isn’t much availability of premises and the ones that maybe very expensive su ch as city centre sites will be quite expensive for businesses and only those who can really afford to splash out will be able to afford these sites. The sites will also need to be the right size for the firm, for example a small local convenient store wouldn’t need premises as big as Tesco’s or Asda to locate. Also out of town developments are more popular now then ever before. Compulearn will need to have a decent size premises, a decent size premises is 15m x 15m.Where the suppliers areFor some businesses locating near the suppliers is necessary because the products needed to be produced maybe large and transportation will be expensive. For the businesses and thereby, locating the business near the suppliers is cheaper, or in other cases the firms need to be closer to the natural resources and will have to locate somewhere suitable for the business to be close to the natural resources. Compulearn suppliers will be on the internet this known as E-commerce. Compulearn will not need to be closes to the suppliers because all the products will be delivered to the location of the business Bell Road, Hounslow, Middlesex.Where the customers areCompulearn will need to locate near the customers; because this is the best way for Compulearn to be known and attract more customers this will boost our profits. Seeing as Compulearn will be locating in an area of London with a unemployment rate of 2.6% of the population being unemployed and 5% being unemployed for 2 years or more. This would be good for my business because they could start my course and get themselves a high paying job.Where the competitors areOften businesses will locate near their competitors. This is because they can compete in the market; however some business may stay away from competitors so customers have less choice and will have few options. For example compulearn will be locating further enough so that we are able to be the only one in that area with a computer teaching business but close enough to provide competitive prices to compete with other businesses in Hounslow, all businesses need a USP. This means a unique selling point where no other business can take over, this unique selling point will help the business attract the customers needed for making a profit.To do this businesses need to attract the customers needed for making a profit, to do this businesses need to identify competitors, and identify their own unique business and what makes their business special from the competitors. Compulearn has identified potential competitors which are other businesses running in Hounslow. We will be offering services to consumers. Compulearn sells services that will teach the consumer how to use a computer or how to code in c++ which Learn direct do not teach. We will be able to get you a degree in the language so that you can get a job. This is one of our unique selling points which we will use to our advantage.Some businesses my need to locate near roads, railway s and ports; this links to infrastructure because the roads and rail ways and ports are the built environment of the firm. A business needs to have good transport links for the products to be consumed by customers; the customers need to get the products quickly so the company bring more products in. This way more products will be sold and the money can be reinvested back into the business.They also need good transport links so the customers can easily get to the location of the business and buy the products and because Compulearn is near two major tube stations then we would obviously sell more of our learning packages to the people that need it, this will increase our profit which we could then use to help forward the business, like buy another store in another prime location so that we would be able to make more of profit and also a bigger share in the market. The good transport links makes it easier for our customers to get to us and also easy to find us.ConclusionLocation to com pulearn is important because even though the business may have the perfect service which will fill the demands of customers, if the location is not right, the business will loose out and if we loose out on customers then we will not be able to keep up with the rent of the property and would mean that we would need to cut back on costs which would lead to less courses being taught and less customers coming and a lower customer satisfaction. A business such as compulearn who is a small partnership needs the right location for the business because without the right location the business will not survive.The right location for the business will be in a area that has a low employment and is need for education. Our business will be the best way for the area to regenerate itself. If the business does not get potential customers the business will again loose out and will not make enough profit for the business to on and wil have to close down, because there is not enough consumers available because of the location. For compulearn being a vibrant area will help the business substantially also the business will be able to advertise by using word of mouth advertising and by this the profits of compulearn will increase. Location factors for business Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

Sensuality Versus Heroism essays

Sensuality Versus Heroism essays In the early 15th century, artist Donatello sculpted a male nude in bronze, David, using Classical ideals. At the end of the 15th century this sculpture was interpreted by another artist, Andrea Del Verrocchio. While both sculptures portray David standing over the head of Goliath, this is where the similarities end. These two versions of the biblical subject are much different in the way David is portrayed, his attire, as well as the overall feeling invoked from the two sculptures. Verrocchio and Donatello both show David standing over the head of the slain Goliath. Donatello's David portrays him as a sensual figure rather than a hero. His sword is pointed downward by his side, and his gaze too is also downward. This makes it look as if he is humble about his victory. Verrocchio's David, on the other hand, portrays him as a hero, valiantly standing over the head of Goliath. His sword is pointed outward r rather than down, making it look as if he is still ready to battle. His gaze is also up and he The two artist's differences in attire on both sculptures also differs. Donatello leaves his sculpture of David nude except for a hat and boots. The articles of clothing are hardly noticeable due to the fact that they are a soft and appealing. Verrochio's David, however, is clothed in attire suitable for battle. His garment seems to be that of a warrior The overall feeling invoked from both sculptures is the last difference between the two. Donatello's David invokes a feeling of sensuality and elegance in not only the way David is posed, but also in his serene facial features. Verrochio's David, in contrast, invokes a feeling of heroism as well as childlike undertones. His features are more boyish Donatello's use of attire, the way David is portrayed, as well as the sen ...

Models of Organized Crime Executive Summary Essay

Models of Organized Crime Executive Summary - Essay Example Scholars proposed several models. Two such models propounded by Albanese (1989; 1994, as cited in Lampe, 2003) is the bureaucratic model (hierarchical) and patron-client model. The crime group Cosa Nosa was originally studied to belong to the bureaucratic model but also categorized by other scholars under patron-client model who challenged the earlier categorization (Williams, n.d.; Lampe, 2003). Cressey (1969, as cited in Lampe, 2003) typifies the hierarchical model as a â€Å"nationwide bureaucratic organizational entity† (para. 3). Joe Albini (1971, as cited in Lampe, 2003) and Francis and Liz Ianni (1972, as cited in Lampe, 2003) saw the patron-client model as a â€Å"web of asymmetric ties† interlinked with the regional and cultural networks (para. 3). The organized crime bureaucratic model has a â€Å"hierarchical or pyramidal structures† with branches nationwide, operates an illegal cartel, the bureaucracy governed by a central commission, and there is a clear-cut division of tasks and specialized functions among the branches (Williams, n.d., p. 62). Therefore, it is described as more corporate in structure with defined operative functions. OC under this model has specific skills and expertise, administer the organization through hierarchy and follows a procedure (Abadinsky, n.d.). The structure depends on the particular skills and capacity of mem bers and not on ethnicity (Abadinsky, n.d.). The organization even hires employees, secretaries, accountants and lawyers (Abadinsky, n.d.). Embarking on new illicit ventures is motivated by purely financial concerns and not by power or personal consideration (Abadinsky, n.d.). The patron-client model, used as a political machine, can be traced on the in-flow of migrants from other countries (Abadinsky, n.d.). The migrants that grew dramatically from early 1900s to mid-1900 were discriminated upon, the object of hostility and worked on dangerous conditions (Abadinsky, n.d.). They were harnessed by a

Compare and contrast the marketing strategies of two companies Essay - 1

Compare and contrast the marketing strategies of two companies - Essay Example Nike is a major sports brand in the United States that manufactures different types of sports gears and equipment. The name is the most popular brand in terms of sports shoes and apparels. Nike has created a major loyalty base around the world, especially due to its trend setting marketing and advertising campaigns, as well as the number of sports stars it occasionally ropes in to endorse its products. The company sells its products through various retailers – both online and offline – along with the exclusive brand stores of Nike. Apart from selling sports related products the company sponsors many high profile athletes and teams in various sports. Most of the time where Starbucks Coffee formulates its marketing strategy is in the Service phase of the product life cycle. However, their marketing strategy also targets the market during the Realize phase where they produce and deliver the best coffee possible to their customers. When looking into the marketing strategy of Nike they mostly formulate their marketing strategy during the Realize phase in which they manufacture the products and try to capture the market by selling their innovation in the market (Armstrong et al., 2012). The main method that Starbucks Coffee applies to its marketing strategy is to advertise their brand through their own products like t-shirts, coffee mugs that their regular customers purchase. On the other hand the advertising methodology of Nike is exclusively through print media and sometimes through electronic or digital media as well. The early advertising of Nike was mainly focused on the new shoes that it released and the message of the advertisement showed the benefits of various shoes like basketball, tennis and running shoes. While formulating the marketing strategy Nike made effective use of television as they believe it to be the most powerful medium of information and commercial. The TV commercials of Nike make a viewer feel the necessity of the product

The cold war (1945 - 1991) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The cold war (1945 - 1991) - Essay Example Firstly, propaganda is used for opposition. Through spread of propaganda, an individual draws supporters who believe in him/her. In relation to the cold world war, the Soviet Union historically experienced frequent invasions from Russia, and immense death with subsequent destruction (Shaw 21). They sought to increase security by seeking assistance form neighboring countries. It is depicted that both the U.S and Soviet Union competed in building of nuclear bombs, which they used in their attacks. For instance, rockets developed were used to send astronauts and satellites in space. Joseph Stalin, a subsequent leader had his own version of the Soviet Union as a ‘Socialist island’. The Soviet propaganda was enhanced. From his perspective, he had the notion that the Soviet Union was to attract other countries to capitalism during the period of temporary capital stability before its ultimate collapse. He believed that in order for the Eastern Bloc countries to escape Soviet co ntrol, it was necessary to establish an economic integration with the west. The manner in which information exists in both history and literature and further how knowledge is distilled proves how each overlaps with the other. In both, how a story is presented is as important as it is the subject matter (Dean 5). It was during February 1945 when allied negotiations attributed to the post-war balance at the Yalta Conference took place. The main aim was to enhance multi-national peace, but the efforts were paralyzed by the individual’s ability to use veto power. Further still, both allow a fundamental distinction between history and memory. This is because whatever is portrayed in both is then, as opposed to memory, which is now. Through critical management of documentary, it is possible for history and literature to get close to history as possible (Dean 7).

Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome: A Case Study

Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome: A Case Study Dr. Shruti Bohra Dr Pratik B Kariya Dr Seema Bargale Abstract: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) classically shows a triad of orofacial swelling, fissured tongue and facial palsy, more commonly the oligosymptomatic form. The orofacial swelling is characterized by fissured, reddish-brown, swollen, nonpruritic lips or firm edema of the face. The facial palsy is indistinguishable from Bells palsy. The least common feature is fissured tongue, although seen in one third to one half of patients but when present it assists in the diagnosis. The histologic finding of MRS includes noncaseating, sarcoidal granulomas, not invariably but their absence does not exclude the diagnosis. All these findings together provoke the careful search for provocative causes for the reactive symptom complex of the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Key words: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. chelitis granulomatosa, facial palsy, fissured tongue. Introduction: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome is considered to be a rare syndrome. Hornstein- estimated the incidence to be 0.08%.1MRS is a non-caseating granulomatous disease showing (complete or incomplete form) a triad of facial paralysis, orofacial oedema and fissured tongue (scrotal tongue, lingua plicata, or furrowed tongue). Orofacial swelling is the most consistent and dominant feature of the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. In a review of 200 patients diagnosed with Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, it was the most frequent initial presenting sign.2Most commonly the lips are affected, with the swelling sometimes confined only to the lips. Cheilitis granulomatosa (or granulomatous cheilitis) is achronic inflammatory granulomatous swelling of the lip, which is referred as Miescher cheilitis which is generally regarded as a monosymptomatic form of the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome.3 Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome usually presents in a monosymptomatic or oligosymptomatic form. Around 200 cases are re ported in a review of Zimmer et al2, we hereby report an additional case. Case report: A 16 year old female patient reported to dental OPD with the chief complaint of generalized gingival enlargement as well as swelling in upper and lower lip since 8-9 months. Patient was apparently alright 9 months back when she had an episode of fever which lasted for 8 days and subsided with medication taken from a local clinician. It was followed by episodes of remission exacerbation of gingival enlargement with swelling of upper lip with pus discharge and bleeding to touch since 8-9 months. Then patient was referred to the department of oral pathology for needful. On examination face was bilaterally asymetrical with swelling of face on right side. Both upper and lower lips were swollen (markedly swollen upper lip) (Fig: 1). On palpation the swelling had normal temperature, was not painful, and was nonpitting and rubbery in consistency. Face was flattened on left side. Mandible was deviating on right side on opening of mouth. On intraoral examination generalized gingival enlargement was noticed which was covering cervical 1/3rd of almost all the teeth present in the oral cavity (Fig: 2). Teeth preset were incisors to second molars in all four quadrants. The tongue had deep grooves and fissures. A long prominent central groove was evident on the dorsum of the tongue going in a straight line with numerous small grooves and fissures running laterally from the middle third of the tongue (Fig: 3). An initial diagnosis of angioedema was made. Diphenhydramine hydrochloride, 100 mg, was administered intramuscularly followed by a course of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, 50 mg orally, four times a day. After 24 hours no noticeable reduction in facial swelling was evident. Therefore, re-evaluation of the diagnosis was necessary. As a result of this history, recurrent cheilitis granulomatosa consistent with Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) was added to the differential diagnosis. A biopsy specimen of the affected lip area was sent for histopathologic examination, confirming the final diagnosis of MRS. On histopathological examination the mucosa consisted of parakeratinized, hyperplastic, stratified squamous epithelium overlying collagenous connective tissue. Within the connective tissue there were discrete aggregations of lymphocytes, generally with a perivascular distribution; however, some bad central foci of histiocytes consistent with granulomatous lesions. The histologic findings were consistent with cheilitis granulomatosa. (Fig: 4) Treatment consisted of application of lip gloss to prevent cracking of the exposed mucosa. No further treatment was deemed necessary except continuation of his regular biannual preventive recall appointments. Discussion: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) classically shows a triad of orofacial swelling, fissured tongue and facial palsy. Oligosymptomatic form of this syndrome is more common one of the example is Miescher cheilitis.3Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome may often go undiagnosed for some day as in present case. History states that Rossolino in 1901 was the first to describe a particular association of oedema of the face, facial nerve palsy and scrotal tongue, the syndrome was named after Melkersson and Rosenthal.4 In 1928, Ernst Melkersson, a Swedish physician, described a 35-year-old woman with facial edema and paralysis. Shortly after, in 1931, Curt Rosenthal, a German neurologist, described 3 patients who had fissured or plicated tongues in addition to orofacial swelling and facial palsies and proposed a link between the triad of symptoms. Subsequently, the triad of clinical findings came to be known as the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Although MRS is reported as commonly found during the second to fourth decades of life, there are many published reports of MRS in children and preadolescents, Roseman et al 7 described a case of MRS in a 7-year-old girl, Cohen et al 8 described four cases of MRS in children younger than the age of 11 years, and Yuzuk et al 9 described the case of a 13-year-old girl who presented with the oligosymptomatic form orlabial edema coupled with fissured tongue. Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome does not appear to have an obvious predilection for either sex, although Some claim that it is slightly more common in females. 6,7,8 No particular racial predilection has been noted in MRS. Etiology of this disease remains largely unknown. 10 In granulomatous cheilitis normal lip architecture is altered by presence oflymphoedemaand noncaseating granulomas in the lamina propria.TH1 immunocytes produceinterleukin12 and RANTES/MIP-1alpha and granulomas.Expressionof protease-activatedreceptor1 and 2 occurs in orofacial granulomatosis (OFG).HLA typingmay show HLA-A2 or HLA-A11.11 Pathogenesis of MRS was suggested by Hornstien.1 He suggested that abnormal regulation of the autonomic nervous system leads to excessive permeability of the facial cutaneous vessels. From this abnormal circulation, nonspecific antigens then stimulate the perivascular cells to form granulomas. Obstruction of perivascular vessels by granuloma has been proposed as a causative factor in the swelling. 1 Initially, a patient with MRS usually complains of painless facial swelling that has persisted for a long time. Further investigation may reveal a history of previous episodes of swelling associated with facial paralysis or fissured tongue that the patient has never connected. The most common symptom of MRS is recurring orofacial swelling in which the upper lip is more often affected. Other areas affected by orofacial swelling in MRS in order of frequency, are cheek, nose, eyelid, alveolar process, and chin.2,12 Zimmer et al 2 reported orofacial manifestations in 42 patients with MRS who were examined at their clinic: they also reviewed 220 cases reported in the literature between 1965 and 1990. They found that 82% of patients presented with labial swelling, 40% had swelling in other parts of the face, not including the lip, 24% had Bells palsy, and 59% had fissured tongue. Other areas of intraoral swelling were, in order of frequency, the gingiva ( 11 % ), buccal mucosa ( 16% ) palate (8%). and tongue (7%). The swelling of the face and lip is described as recurrent, nontender, nonpitting, and firm, but not of hard consistency. The orofacial swelling is usually sudden and, in most cases, precedes facial paralysis by weeks, months, and even years. 2, 5, 6. First episodeof edema sometimes accompanied by fever and mild constitutional symptoms (as seen in present case e.g. headache, visual disturbance) usually subsides completely in hours or days. Recurrences can range from days to years, each recurrent episode lasts longer and is more pronounced, and swelling may ultimately become permanent. 2,5,6 The facial paralysis associated with MRS is frequently indistinguishable from Bells palsy. The site affected by paralysis usually corresponds to the site of swelling. As in the present case with facial swelling, the paralysis is on right side. Each recurring episode is more profound and lasts longer. 6,13,14 Other neurologic presentations associated with MRS are altered taste, migraine headaches, and trigeminal neuralgia.2,5,6,13,15 Fissured tongue ( eg. lingual plicata) is usually found at birth and therefore considered an incidental finding of MRS. Nevertheless, fissured tongue is ten times more likely to be found among individuals diagnosed with MRS than in the general population. 2, 6, 15. Miyashita et al 16 described MRS in a 56-year-old woman, who was afflicted with cheilitis granulomatosa caused by lingual candidiasis of a fissured tongue. The edematous lesion, on histopathologic investigation, is a noncaseating epithelial cell granuloma with perivascular mononucleated lymphocytic infiltrate. Fibrosis of the granulomas is typical in long-term and recurrent lesions. 1,2,17 Differential diagnosis includes Crohn’s disease, sarcoidosis, Aschers syndrome, and allergic angioedema, leprosy, tuberculosis.1,5,15,17,18,19 In Lab studies Serum angiotensin-converting enzymetestmay be performed to help exclude sarcoidosis.Reactions to metals, food additives, or other oral antigens are excluded by using Patch tests which may be associated with some cases of granulomatous. 20 If found positive they are advised to avoid the allergen. Imaging studies like gastrointestinaltractendoscopy, radiography, and biopsy may be used to differentiate from Crohn disease. Chest radiography or gallium orpositron emission tomography(PET) scanning may be found helpful in excluding sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Orthopentamogram (OPG) helps in ruling out presence of a chronic dental abscess. A final diagnosis of MRS is made from the clinical history and histopathologic assessment of the edematous tissue, which usually includes the lip. When biopsy of the edematous tissue is difficult or not warranted, then a history of recurrent idiopathic facial swelling associated with atleast one of the following two entities, idiopathic facial paralysis (ie. Bells palsy) or fissured tongue, is sufficient to make a positive diagnosis of MRS. Treatment of MRS is aimed at the facial swelling and the paralysis. Because the etiology and pathogenesis of MRS are not well understood, treatment continues to be empirical and, in most cases, unsuccessful. Fortunately, both the swelling and the paralysis are selflimiting and usually go into remission on their own. Treatment with oral prednisone or nerve decompression has been shown to be effective.1,5,6 Treatment with oral prednisone or nerve decompression has been shown to be effective.5 Also, interlesional injections with triamcinolone hexacetonide suspension have been shown to provide temporary benefit.12 Plastic surgery may be considered in the case of permanent fibrotic lesions. Nevertheless, thorough documentation by many dentists eventually allowed MRS to be included in the differential diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of good history taking, regular follow-up and thorough documentation for proper patient management. References: HornsteinOP. Melkersson-Rosenthul syndrome: A neuromucocutaneus disease of complex origin. Curr ProbI Dermatoi 1973 ;5:117-156. Zimmer WM, Rogers RS. Reeve CM, Sheridan PJ. Orofacial manifestations of MeIkersson-Rosenthal syndiume: A study uf 41patients and review of 22tn cases from the literature. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral PiU ho I IW:;74:61O-6I9. Rogers RS 3rd: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome and orofacial granulomatosis, Dermatol Clin.1996 Apr;14(2):371-9 Magid El Shennawy and Galala El Enany: Melkersson-Rosenthalsyndrome; Review of theliteratureand report of acase, The Journal of Laryngology Otology Volume87 / Issue09 /September 1973, pp 898-902 Green RM. Rogers RS, Melkersson-Rosentlial syndrome: A review of 36 patients. J Am Acad Dermatoi 1989:21:1263-1270. Orlando MR, Atkjns JS Jr. Melkersaon-Rosenthal syndrome. Arch Otolaryngol Mead Neck Surg I99O;116:728-729. Roseman B, Fryns JP, Van den Bergle C Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome in a 7-year-old girl. Pediatrics 197S;61:490-491. Cohen HA. Cohen Z, Ashkenasi A, Straussberg R. Frydman M, Kauschansky A, Varsano 1. Melkersson-Rosen thai syndrome. Cutis 1994:54:327-32S. Yuzuk S, Trau H, Levy A. Shewaeh-Millet M. Melkersson- Rosenthal syndrome. Int J Dermatoi i9SS:24;456-457. Tilakaratne WM, Freysdottir J, Fortune F. Orofacial granulomatosis: review on aetiology and pathogenesis.J Oral Pathol Med. Apr 2008;37(4):191-5. Ketabchi S, Massi D, Ficarra G, et al. Expression of protease -activated receptor-1 and -2 in orofacial granulomatosis.Oral Dis. Jul 2007;13(4):419-25. Miele FA Jr. Tlie big lip. Diagnostic and treatment considerations. Gen Dent 1994;42O.i8-:59. Graff-Badlord SB. Melkersson-Rosen thai syndrome, A review of the literature and a case report. South Afr Med J 1981:60:71-74, Balatiieh AB. Pillai KG, Maiisour M. Ai-Khail AA. An unusual case of the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1995:80:289-292. Winnie R, DeLuke DM. Mel kersson-Rosenthal syndrome: Review of literature and case report. Int J Oral Ma.illofac Surg 199;;; 1:115-117 Miyashita M, Baba S, Suzuki H. Role recurrent oral caniiidiasis associated with lingua plicata in Me I kersson-Rosen thai syndrome. BrJ Dermatol 199Ã ®:l.l2:.ll 1-312. Minor MW Fo^ RW, Bukant; SC, Lockey RF. Melkersson- Rosenthal sjndrome. J .Miergy Clin Immunol l9a7;S0:64-67. Kano Y, Shiohara T. Yagita A, Nagashima M. Association between cheilitis granulomatosa and Crohns disease. J Am Acad Dermatol 1993:281:801. Lloyd DA, Payton KB, Guenter L, Frydman W. Melliersson-Rosenlhal syndrome and Crohns disease: One disease or two? Report of a case and discussion ofthe literature. J Clin Gastroenterol I994;18:213-2I8. Fitzpatrick L, Healy CM, McCartan BE, Flint SR, McCreary CE, Rogers S. Patch testing for food-associated allergies in orofacial granulomatosis.J Oral Pathol Med. Jan 2011;40(1):10-3. Figure legends: Figure no 1) extraoral photograph showing swollen upper and lower lips. Figure no 2) intraoral photograph showing generalized gingival enlargement Figure no 3) intraoral photograph showing deep grooves on dorsal surface of tongue Figure no 4) photograph showing histological presentation of chilitis glanduralis at low power (10X) and high power (40X) Learning ponts Concomitant presence of orofacial swelling, fissured tongue and facial palsy or any one of them may be a case of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS). A final diagnosis of MRS is made from the clinical history and histopathologic assessment of the edematous tissue. Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome may recur intermittently and can become a chronic disorder. Gold: History, Properties and Nanoscale Analysis Gold: History, Properties and Nanoscale Analysis Since first extracted in the 5th century, Gold has been regarded as one of the most important matters in the world. When divided into smaller fragment sizes, way below 100nm it becomes even more ‘precious’. The optical, catalytical and electronic properties of Gold nanoparticles differ greatly from those of their bulk counterparts. This is mainly due to the large surface area-to-volume ratio as well as the spatial confinement of the free electrons of Gold nanocyrstals. Gold at Bulk scale Noble metals such as Gold, silver and platinum exhibit plasmonic properties. When the surface of a noble metal is hit with incident light, electrons which are situated on the surface begin to oscillate. This is known as the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR), as illustrated in figured 1. Metals are able to absorb and reflect light with great efficiency to their SPR. It is because of these plasmonic properties that noble metals such as Gold, silver and platinum are widely used in jewellery. Moreover being highly reflective metals makes them very appealing to the eye. Plasmonic properties arise due to noble metals having delocalised electrons on the surface. An atom consists of protons, electrons and neutrons. The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons and the electrons spin around the nucleus in different orbitals. There are many orbitals in metals which overlap and form metallic bonding between the atoms. In the bulk form, there are many delocalised electrons within the metal that cause metallic bonding. This in turn allows the electrons to flow freely between the nuclei. Good electrical and thermal conductivity is due to the delocalised electrons Gold at Nanoscale Reflection does not occur in particles which are smaller than the wavelength of the incident light; however there is still an interaction between the nanoparticles and the light. The two main interactions are light scattering and light absorption. Electrons tend to oscillate at the same frequency as the light which was absorbed causing a dipole moment around the nanoparticles where all the electrons on the surface of the nanoparticle are oscillating. The oscillating dipole is known as a localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Electromagnetic radiation is released when these electrons are oscillated. This can be seen in figure 2. The secondary electromagnetic radiation released by the nanoparticles is called scattered light. The electromagnetic radiation that is released has the same frequency History The synthesis of colloidal gold, or nanogold as it is now called, has been known to man since the ancient times. Although the process was not fully understood, synthesis of colloidal gold was crucial to the 4th century Lycurgus cup. The Lycurgus cup was known to change colour depending on the direction of light. Later it was used as a method for staining glass. A potion made from gold, which was also known as an Elixir of Life was discussed, and may also have been manufactured, in ancient times. It was not until the 16th century that the alchemist Paracelsus, claimed that he had created a potion called Aurum Potabile. (latin: potable gold). It was in the 17th century that the glass-colouring process was refined byAndreus CassiusandJohann Kunckel, allowing them to produce a deep-ruby coloured form of glass. However modern scientific evaluation was first made by Michael Faraday in the 1850s. Faraday is said to have been inspired by previous work done by Paracelsus. In 1857 Faraday prepared the first pure sample of colloidal gold, which he called activated gold, in 1857. Phosphorus was used to reduce a solution of Gold chloride. For a very long time chemists were unclear about the composition of the Cassius ruby-gold. Several chemists suspected Cassius ruby-gold to be a gold tin compound due to its preparation, However it was Faraday who was the first to recognize that the colour was actually due to the minute size of the gold particles The first colloidal gold in solution was first prepared in 1898 by Richard A. Zsigmondy. Shape and size tuning Fine tuning of shape and size in a controlled environment is one of greatest challenges faced by material scientists. These factors are not only very important in the rational design of nanomaterials, but are also equally as important for their applications. This is because many of their catalytical, optical and electronic properties of nanomaterials depend greatly on their size and shape. In Gold nanorods the longitudinal plasmon wavelength exhibits a nearly linear dependence on their aspect ratio, making it one of the most intriguing properties possessed by Gold nanorods. Moreover, even when looking at Gold nanorods with the same aspect ratio, the plasmon resonance properties are strongly dependent on the shape of their head. Over the past five years, the ability to finely tune the shape and size of Gold nanorods, has made huge progress. Seed mediated growth Gold nanospheres Changing the diameter of the sphere can easily and effectively tune the optical properties of gold nanospheres. This can easily be shown using the Mie Theory, which has been successfully shown to model the light scattering and absorption properties of spherical particles on a nanometer scale. The intense peak in the spectrum for each particle can be seen in figure 9. This peak is caused by the oscillating electrons which in turn produce a single dipole. Increasing the diameter of the gold nanosphere results in shifting the peak to a higher wavelength, this indicates the interaction between the light and particles is changing. In comparison to bulk gold (figure 4), the optical properties of gold nanospheres differ immensely. The local medium can also change the optical properties of the particles. This is due to the LSPR of the particle interacting with the medium. A change in the medium can result in a measurable change in the optical properties of the particles. In addition shape of the gold nanoparticles can significantly alter the optical properties. Gold nanorods Gold nanorods are of great interest due to their biocompatibility and NIR ( near infra-red) optical properties. The shape of the gold nanorod is what determines its NIR properties. The non-spherical shape of the particle causes two different dipoles to form when interacting with light. The transverse dipole (diameter) and the longitudinal dipole (length) account for the oscillating electrons throughout the particle. The dipole interactions affect the optical properties of the particles. GNR LSP illustration Optical properties of GNRs The aspect ratio (A.R) is defined as the length over the diameter of the Gold nanorod (GNR). The shape of the particle causes the absorption and light scattering spectrum to have two peaks: longitudinal and transverse. The interaction between these two dipoles causes the longitudinal peak to be observed in the visible to NIR region. The longitudinal peak is much more intense than the transverse peak and can be tuned by changing the aspect ratio of the gold nanorods. As the A.R of the gold nanorods is increased, the longitudinal peak shifts into the NIR region. The optical properties of GNRs have been successfully modelled using Gans theory and Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA). Two equations were derived using the two theories to output the longitudinal peak wavelength by inputting a given aspect ratio. GANS THEORY DDA The two equations can predict the A.R of GNRs using absorption data collected from the UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. The equations can give preliminary estimation of the A.R before observing the particles on a TEM. Figure 11 displays the absorption data, estimated A.R from theory, and a visual representation for a set of GNRs with different aspect ratios. The tunable optical properties of the GNRs make them very desirable for a wide range of applications. The visible representation shows a colour shift as the A.R changes. Visual representation of different shapes and sizes of GNRs Normalised absorption of the particles

Minimizing Effects of Foreclosure Crisis Essay examples -- Economics E

Even though I believe that education can help solve this problem, I do not believe that it alone can prevent our current foreclosure crisis. Other factors, along with education, need to be considered. Our financial mess is not only due to our own ignorance regarding financial matters and personal responsibility, but it has also been elevated by our government’s failed policies that have exacerbated an already fragile market. Politics have played a major role in our failures for a majority of Americans. When government policies are created to elevate a particular sect of the American population, for example, home ownership, those who were on the bubble for loan approval are susceptible. These individuals who were eventually approved, but then cannot sustain monthly payments, are doomed for at least a fall if not a total failure. To address the issue of education, I will point to a 2004 survey conducted by The National Council on Economic Education. The survey points out that since 2004 there are only seven states that mandate their students take a course on basic finances as a requirement for their high school graduation. Comparing the results of the survey to the individual states ranking in the category of home foreclosures, we see that this type of education has a dismal effect. According to the NCEE’s survey, thirty-eight states set school standards that indicate they want money issues and financial themes to be taught; however, many states do not enforce the standards and have not made them a part of their curriculum. By looking at the survey, we see that the following states have implemented a basic finance class as part of their required curriculum since 2004: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New Y... ...ollment surpassing that of our higher education system. A Responsible Citizenship curriculum will do no good unless the principles of that education are embraced and applied to our daily lives. If applied, people may be able to avoid or minimize a future foreclosure crisis and the resulting economic fallout. Works Cited Fulmer, Melinda. "States Ranked by Foreclosure Rates." MSN Real Estate. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. . "Public School Spending." Epodunk: The Power of Place. June 2004. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. . "Survey of the United States: Economic and Personal Finance Education in Our Nation's Schools in 2004." National Council on Economic Education, 2004. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. .

Costs of Conflict Essay

Conflict produces several things that are often times not seen and most of it loses. It can be considered as the cost of conflict, which represents a drain of resources on the part of the parties that are involved. It also causes unhappiness and discomfort. Although it is not clearly seen in many cases but conflict does cost and it cost a lot of which money is involved. We may not see it but being into some kind of conflict does cost us money and other things that are considered to be valuable and these are considered as the cost of conflict. Conflict really does cost a lot in several forms however, these forms can be classified into five types defending on how money is lost in resolving the said conflict and how the conflict affects the persons involved. Cost of conflicts can be direct cost and opportunity cost that is divided into direct loss and opportunity cost, continuity cost and emotional cost. Although these are different from one another but it does not necessarily mean that the cost of conflict can be classified into one of these categorize. A conflict may cost two or three type of these types and even all of them. Most people have the inability to face conflicts and so they hire professionals to settle the conflict, this is called direct cost. The amount that the conflict cost can be seen visibly and counted as well because they involve money directly for the resolution of the conflict. Those that are involved in the conflict pay people like lawyers and other professionals to solve the problem. By doing so, it can clearly be seen that the particular conflict cost money. An example would be divorce in which a couple pays legal fees in order to be separated from each other in the legal way. This of course cost much and for those that the only asset is their home, they even transform their residence in order to provide the legal fees needed for the divorce paper. Another cot of conflict is the productivity cost the person’s time as well as the value of his or her effort that is lost in the conflict. This form is divided into 2 types; the direct loss and the opportunity cost. The direct loss is the value of money that a particular person should be paid for but had not been paid because of the conflict. If a particular company employee had been absent in his or her work because a conflict arise that he or she must settle then he will not receive payment for the time that is used in solving the conflict. Opportunity cost on the other hand refer to the value of money that someone might be earning if his or her energy had been focused on the producing products in which he is being paid for. An example would be people who are being paid depending on the amount of work that they are able to finish. If a sewer is paid depending on the number of items that she is able to do then, the energy and time wasted on resolving a conflict will affect that person’s income. Continuity cost on the other hand includes the lost of relationships and even community because of conflicts. The main cause of this kind of cost is being stuck in the past conflict that happened. If two employees of a certain company have problems with each other, they will not be able to work effectively. This will be for the company’s disadvantage that will cause losses and will greatly affect the work place. Also if because of the conflict they decided to quit and look for another job, a community is lost; the community of the employees in which they had work for some time. The last cost of category of costs of conflict involves the emotions or inner state of the persons involved, the emotional cost. When it comes to conflicts I can say that it is the most common type of cost that a conflict is likely to develop. There are times in which it is so hard to let go of hurts that occurred in a conflict. It might be because of a fight with those that you do not know like someone that bumps into your car and even those that are close to you like your friends, coworkers and even members of the family. We are help prisoners by negative emotions like anger, fear and grip that we cannot let go. These emotions held us captive and make us unproductive. It saps our energies that should be focused on our job or doing something worthwhile. Instead of focusing on the business we are consumed by anger and vengeance for the other person especially in cases in which we feel that we had been maltreated or had been abused or oppressed. We kept on telling ourselves that the wrongdoer had to be punished for what he or she had done. We use our energy on our negative emotions adding to the loss that we already had on the time of the conflict. The energy and time that we use will never be recovered and as long as we focused on these negative emotions, more and more energy and time will be lost. A conflict may involve these types of costs; it may cost the person’s money directly trough hiring professionals or indirectly like the time that could have been used for earning. Also because of the same conflict your community in which you work for may be lost. Also the hurts of that particular conflict may enslave you causing you to be unproductive and full of grief and revenge for the wrongdoer. Examining closely these costs we can realize that being involve in a conflict really does cost a lot. However being involved in a conflict cannot be totally avoided because we really cannot please everybody. What is important is that in every experience that we had, we are able to learn valuable lessons that teach us how to live our lives the best way that we can. If you commit the same mistake twice, it is definitely your fault. We cannot be good to all but we must learn to be good to us much as we can in order to minimize being involved in a conflict because no matter how the situation ends, we will certainly never win. We will definitely lose something of importance and of value. Reference Overveen, C. (No Date). The many Costs of Conflicts. Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://www. trimitra. com/articles/costsofconflict. html Levine, S. (1998 December). The Many Costs of Conflicts. Innovative Leader Volume 7, page 12. Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://www. winstonbrill. com/bril001/html/article_index/articles35

Dr. Mengele essays

Dr. Mengele essays ...When we stepped off the trains, we could hear soldiers yelling, Men on one side, women on the other side. Some German SS guards were also shouting, We want twins-bring us twins! Dr. Josef Mengele was making the selections. He stood there, tall nice-looking, and he was dressed very well, as if he wanted to make a good impression.... (Lagnado and Dekel 31) It has been proven to say that around eleven million total were killed during the Holocaust, six million killed were Jewish (Dunnigan and Nofi 48), 1.25 million people were executed at Auschwitz (Wigoder, The Holocaust: Family 176), and 2,840 twins were put to their death beds by Dr. Josef Mengele (Lagnado and Dekel cover). Today we can see the Holocaust only as a nightmare, bot for those actually there, they lived that nightmare. In Auschwitz alone, 1.25 million people were executed bu either the crematorium, the gas chambers, or they were used as human guinea pigs by none other than the famous Angel of Death himself, Dr. Josef Mengele (Lagnado and Dekel 32). The man was pure evil with an instinctive intention to kill. Dr. Josef Mengele was one of the most feared medical doctors of World War II. It was not until 1934, the Dr. Mengele actually became interested in Hitlers speeches and ideas. The center piece of Hitlers speeches was call for racial purity, which was an idea the became the driving force of Dr. Mengeles existence, and with this time at the University of Munich, Dr. Mengele displayed more ambition then ever before, burning with the need to develop this study for racial purity even more. Early on in his studies at Munich, Dr. Mengele was introduced to the work of the social Darwinism. The social Darwinists believed that all social and personal problems were inherited, and they also set up a program to ensure that only the best people survived. The ...

Essay on Graduate School Checklist

Essay on Graduate School Checklist Essay on Graduate School Checklist The preparation for an application has mainly two aspects: Preparation for examinations and for application materials. Both aspects are very important. Usually application for a university in US requires a lot of materials: 1.Transcripts: You need to request from your transcript office of your college a Chinese-English paralleled transcript or at least an original Chinese transcript accompanied with an English translation. Transcripts need to be stamped by your college and mailed to the admission office sealed. 2. Certificate of enrollment or certificate of graduation and diploma If you are still in school, you need to get the certificate of enrollment from your college. If you have graduated you need to provide the certificate of graduation and diploma. In either case you need to get these materials in both Chinese and English and stamped by your college. 3. Certificate of Financial Support Certificate of financial support is the proof of your financial ability to afford your study abroad. Usually the graduate school requires that the amount of the financial support to cover at least your spending for the first year. If possible, provide a financial proof covering the spending of 2 years. You need to ask the bank where you save you money in to issue a financial support on the condition that the money goes to a fixed deposit and that it has to be frozen for a period of time. 4.GRE/GMAT scores. You need to request ETS to send an official copy of your GRE/GMAT transcript to the program you are applying for. Both the request and the payment for this can be finished online. 5. Application form and fee Most programs now accept online submission of application form and fees. In some cases you may have to print your application and mail it to the admission office. 6. Resume/CV Resume/CV is a brief summary of your personal information, which should include biographical information, education, research, internship, working experience, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, qualifications, GRE/GMAT and TOEFL/IELTS scores, skills and specialists, etc. 7. Personal Statement Personal statement is basically an introduction of you, which describes your qualification for the program. Some programs may have their own instructions of personal statement, which usually includes

Argue that hunting among the Bushman is not merely a physical act, but Essay - 1

Argue that hunting among the Bushman is not merely a physical act, but one that touches, often deeply, every domain of Bushman society and thus promotes social solidarity - Essay Example This paper argues that, in terms of Durkheim’s theory of solidarity, the Bushmen utilize hunting not just for obtaining food, but also for deeper domains of their life, specifically marital, religious, and economic customs and rites. Hunting in the Bushmen society influences social status, determines the rituals of religious traditions, and forms duty within extended family units, uniting the people in what Emile Durkheim refers to as ‘social solidarity’. As stated by Peter Kropotkin (Hann 1993, 27): But still we know that when the Europeans came, the Bushmen lived in small tribes (or clans), sometimes federated together; that they used to hunt in common, and divided the spoil without quarrelling; that they never abandoned their wounded, and displayed strong affection to their comrades. Emile Durkheim claims that traditional societies are bonded together by a type of social cohesion that is rooted in the commonalities of the members, or referred to as ‘mechanical solidarity’ (Komter 2004). The common values within these traditional societies, which are mostly religious in character, create a ‘collective consciousness’ for the society, a group of ideas, beliefs, and norms common to everybody (Komter 2004). There is modest individuality because individuals view themselves mainly in connection with their membership in the group. Hunting is still deeply embedded in the culture of Bushmen, even in instances where bands take care of their own cattle and grow their own food. The Bushmen are essentially hunters on the peripheries of the bigger non-Bushman culture. Bushmen are hunters in numerous ways. Gift-giving and kin relations include social ‘hunting’, for family connections and for bonds of exchange. Their spiritual or religious principle is distinguished as ‘hunting’ for knowledge (Hann 1993). It is factual that personal ties and hunting in Bushmen culture are

Telecommunting at work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Telecommunting at work - Research Paper Example However, not all potential workers are willing to travel every day to work and this is why several people have decided to work from home instead. It helps that technology has been developed in such a way that work can be delivered even without â€Å"physical proximity† of the worker to his/her workplace (Pilskin, 1997). The practice of telecommuting has become even more of a trend because of the popularity of electronic data mode of communication (Davies et al., 1996). However, despite the advantages of telecommuting, the same does not come without its own share of disadvantages as well. This is what this paper seeks to determine, as well as the way telecommuting works and how it is being managed. The Advantages of Telecommuting for the Employee Harpaz (2002) has determined some of the advantages of telecommuting for employees. It must be noted that there are advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting for the employees and the company that supports such a practice. And it t urns out that some of the pros and cons for the employee may not coincide with that of the company. The following paragraphs will illustrate this point, starting with the advantages of telecommuting for the telecommuters themselves. According to Harpaz (2002), there are seven advantages felt or experienced by the telecommuter by working in the comforts of his/her own home. These are 1) â€Å"autonomy/ independence† because obviously, since the employee is not being supervised, there is an increased chance that he/she would be more productive due to the increased level of responsibilities expected of the said employee. 2) â€Å"Flexible working hours† is a self-explanatory advantage because the telecommuter has more freedom to take on the job either in the evening or at night and there is the increased time to balance tasks that are not within the sphere of work, 3) â€Å"Improved time management† is another advantage, Because of telecommuting, the telecommuter i s less prone to getting distracted (by other employees for instance). 4) â€Å"More efficient management of free time† because the telecommuter can balance his/her time more effectively and efficiently. Time can be set aside for taking up a hobby or other activities not related to work. 5) â€Å"Savings in travel time and expenses† because the telecommuter need not spend money to travel to and from the workplace. The company itself need not also spend for the employee’s travel expenses. 6) â€Å"Flexibility in caring for family members† is related to the previous advantages mentioned. Because of the time saved from being distracted and from traveling to and from the workplace, the employee can instead, use this time for his/ her responsibility and finally, the last point, 7) â€Å"professional flexibility.† The employee is given more freedom to pursue other interests or even another job. The Advantages of Telecommuting for the Firm The company itse lf that encourages telecommuting also experiences a number of advantages as well. One of these is the decreases in â€Å"operating expenses.† For instance, instead of spending a considerable amount of financial resources on real estate (for office space), the company can instead channel their resources

The Economist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Economist - Essay Example The main publications and services offered by the Economist include The Economist newspaper, The Economist online, Economist intelligence unit, Economist Conferences, Economist Corporate Network, The World In and Intelligent Life; along with many other government and financial brands, a well represented reflection of the fact that this newspaper that had only 6,000 copies circulated in 1920, has expanded its operations widely by keeping up with the demands of the modern times (The Economist Group, Our Brands). Unlike many of its peers, who suffered immensely by the global recession of 2008/09, The Economist has been able to report a steady growth every year. In the year 2011, the Economist has reported an increase of 10% in its profits whereas its revenue grew by 9% as compared to the last year. Such an increase in profit has led to the 10% increase in the dividend s to the shareholders in the year 2011 as compared to that of last year and the credit has been given to their advertisi ng recovery along with increased investments in their brands, which led to an increase in their print as well as e-circulations (The Economist Group, Press Releases 2011). ... The Economist always had pride in targeting the smart and the successful of the lot as their target market and it was successful too, The Economist was and is always considered as a status symbol for the respective target market but in July 2009, the Economist launched a whole new approach to its marketing strategies by targeting not only the smart and successful readers but the readers of the curious kind. The sudden change in the overall approach to the magazine’s target market has proven to be very beneficial for the company as the magazine industry grows more competitive. It has helped the company in a consistent rise in the profitability and ensuring a positive return on the shareholder’s investments. According to the Porter’s Five Forces model, there are five main factors that contribute in determining the overall competitiveness of the magazine industry (Hill et al, 2010). Every factor will be discussed separately: Risk of entry by potential competitors: T he magazine ‘The Economist’ competes both on the levels of print media and electronic media as with the passage of time the whole industry has moved to more electronic versions of distribution. Although the internet media creates both excitement and paranoia at The Economist, still the magazine has been trying to maintain its individuality on the internet. Every article on the internet is always somehow related to any other article online, thus the same individuality that the magazine pertains on the print media has proven somewhat challenging. The magazine has introduced many new features online but to say that they haven’t reached their full potential will not be unjustified, whereas new emerging magazines are utilizing

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara Essay Example for Free

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara Essay Toni Cade Bambara’s The Lesson revolves around a young black girl’s struggle to come to terms with the role that economic injustice, and the larger social injustice that it constitutes, plays in her life. Sylvia, the story’s protagonist, initially is reluctant to acknowledge that she is a victim of poverty. Far from being oblivious of the disparity between the rich and the poor, however, one might say that on some subconscious level, she is in fact aware of the inequity that permeates society and which contributes to her inexorably disadvantaged economic situation. That she relates poverty to shame—But I feel funny, shame. But what I got to be shamed about? Got as much right to go in as anybody (Bambara 604)—offers an indication as to why she is so hard-pressed to concede her substandard socioeconomic standing in the larger scheme of things. Sylvia is forced to finally address the true state of her place in society, however, when she observes firsthand the stark contrast between the rich and the poor at a fancy toy store in Manhattan. Initially furious about the blinding disparity, her emotionally charged reaction ultimately culminates in her acceptance of the real state of things, and this acceptance in turn cultivates her resolve to take action against the socioeconomic inequality that verily afflicts her, ensuring that ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin (606). The Lesson posits that far from being insurmountable, economic and social injustice can be risen above, but it is necessary that we first acknowledge the role that it plays in our lives, and then determine to take action against it; indifference, and the inaction that it breeds, can only serve to perpetuate such injustices. Sylvia’s languid regard for Miss Moore, whom she refers to as this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree (601), is a reflection of her initial disregard for the role that social injustice plays in her life. Miss Moore, with her proper speech (601) and desire to take responsibility for the young ones’ education (601), is a foil to Sylvia: educated, discerning, analytical. Her informed and realistic perception of the society in which they live qualifies her as an embodiment of truth within the story, and Sylvia’s rejection of her is thus symbolic of her overarching rejection of the truth. More than just refusing to acknowledge the verity of her poverty—And then she gets to the part about we all poor and live in the slums, which I don’t feature (601)—Syvlia even subconsciously runs away from it. Don’t nobody want to go for my plan, Sylvia says, which is to jump out at the next light and run off to the first bar-b-que we can find (601). Her compulsion to stray from Miss Moore suggests that on some subliminal level, she seeks to avoid confronting the truth that the lesson conveys about her indigent state. Upon arriving at the toy store, Sylvia notes: ‘This is the place,’ Miss Moore say, presenting it to us in the voice she uses at the museum. ‘Let’s look in the windows before we go in’ (602). That Miss Moore introduces the children to the store in her museum voice is indicative of her desire for the children to thoroughly analyze their new environment and synthesize what it might suggest about social stratification; Miss Moore means to show them that, like a historically significant painting in a museum, the society in which they live is worth studying intently. Although the explicit differences between the ghetto and Manhattan are immediately apparent, Sylvia initially fails to make the implicit connections between these external differences and larger social inequity. She boggles at the concept of a woman in a fur coat—Then we check out that we on Fifth Avenue and everybody dressed up in stockings. One lady in a fur coat, hot as it is. White folks crazy (602)—but fails to interpret what she sees in relation to the disparity between the rich and the poor. Instead, all she can do is point fingers and criticize. The children’s discovery of the fiberglass sailboat marks the story’s climax and signals the transition from rising to falling action. The cost of the sailboat provokes an as yet unseen emotionally charged, one might say true reaction from Sylvia: ‘Unbelievable,’ I hear myself say and am really stunned (603). More than just being stunned at the price of the sailboat, however, Sylvia is perhaps on some deeper level stunned at the emotions that have been roused within her. It is at this point in the story that her overriding indifference towards the roles that economic and social injustice play in her life begins to yield to a real emotional response to them. Although Sylvia has begun to respond to the disparity between the rich and the poor, she is still eluctant to fully accept it: So me and Sugar turn the corner to where the entrance [to the toy store] is, but when we get there I kinda hang back. Not that I’m scared, what’s there to be afraid of, just a toy store (604). The hesitation Sylvia encounters upon entering the store is a reflection of her desire to insulate herself from the feel ings of inadequacy she is beginning to experience: she understands that if she enters the store, she will be forced to finally confront the actuality of the socioeconomic gap that separates her from the people that the store caters to. The door to the toy store symbolically manifests this divide, as the toy store itself, with is exorbitantly priced items, is symbolic of the world of the wealthy. Sylvia’s struggle to get a hold of the door is indicative of her continuing struggle to accept absolutely her disadvantaged economic situation. Once inside the store, Sylvia can no longer ignore the blinding imparity between the rich and the poor. Her discovery of an overly priced toy clown prompts her to consider what could be bought for its price: Thirty-five dollars could buy new bunk beds for Junior and Gretchen’s boy. Thirty-five dollars and the whole household could go visit Granddaddy Nelson in the country. Thirty-five dollars would pay for the rent and the piano bill too (605). Sylvia is forced to finally address the socioeconomic inequality that works against her while simultaneously conferring certain luxuries on the rich: Who are these people that spend that much for performing clowns and $1000 for toy sailboats? What kinda work they do and how they live and how come we ain’t in on it? (605). In stark contrast with her earlier disregard for economic and social injustice, Sylvia is now incensed by it. Her anger is further incited when Sugar speaks on the implications of these newly perceived inequalities: ‘I think,’ say Sugar pushing me off her feet like she never done before, cause I whip her ass in a minute, ‘that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it? [†¦] I am disgusted with Sugar’s treachery (605). In concretely addressing the existence of socioeconomic inequality and its effects on their own lives, Sugar cements its realness in Sylvia’s mind—she can no longer run from it. It is thus the truth in Sugar’s words that she is disgusted with, not Sugar herself. Sylvia’s powerful emotions ultimately culminate in her resolve to not just acknowledge the roles that economic and social injustice play in her life, but to understand these njustices and eventually rise above them: We start down the block and she gets ahead with is O. K. by me cause I’m going to the West End and then over to the Drive to think this day through. She can run if she want to and even run faster. But ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin (606). That Sylvia does not run with Sugar is symbolic of her refusal to run from the truth any longer; she now understands that it is her responsibility to face her situation head-on so that she might one day overcome it. Ironically enough, in the end it is the most cynical of the pack—the one whose idea it was to ditch Miss Moore—who extracts the most meaning from the day’s activities. In his analysis of The Lesson, Jerome Cartwright addresses the significance of Sylvia’s realization in relation to how it moves her to take action: [Sylvia] is changed in a way that promises hope for her ability to respond effectively to the newly discovered reality she faces (Cartwright 61). However, he suggests that although Sylvia’s realization regarding the unfairness of life and, as a black girl, her often low position in the scheme of things (61) is central to the story, the conflict between rich and poor and the economic injustice it reveals (61) is not what drives it forward. For Cartwright, the story is essentially about the value of lessons themselves, the value of learning and thinking. [†¦] The children do not simply need to learn one lesson: they need an education (61). While the importance of the children’s education should not be underestimated, Cartwright compromises the story’s primary importance by generalizing each of Miss Moore’s lessons into a collective importance. To conflate the importance of Sylvia’s realization about her socioeconomic status with the importance of the less critical lessons Miss Moore offers throughout the day—from the uses of the microscope to the components of the paperweight—is to downplay the story’s value as a commentary on economic and social injustice. Cartwright’s generalization in this way belies the story’s true meaning. Although historical surveys of the collective economic status of African Americans point to a long-standing relegation of blacks to lower income levels, current information points to a continuation of a long-term trend toward parity with national levels and absolutely higher levels of affluence than those experienced by most populations outside the United States (Wikipedia 10). Moreover, since the mid to late 1990s, [†¦] over 1. 7 million African Americans have gone off the poverty rolls, earnings by African American women have moved to within a few percentage points of white women’s, and unemployment among blacks in recent years has dropped below the 10 percent mark (10). While these numbers are not enough to invalidate the existence of socioeconomic inequality, they affirm that in this country, social and economic injustice can be mitigated. The unprecedented access to higher education and employment (11) that African Americans have been party to since the Civil Rights Movement speaks strongly to the opportunities for change that this country affords its citizens. However, the value of the struggle cannot be lost on us. We must recognize that such fundamental change does not manifest itself overnight: it is achievable only where a lasting commitment to it is available. Change is not beyond us. Action, however, is its necessary predecessor.