Holocaust Memorial Visit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Holocaust Memorial Visit - Assignment Example The exclusivity of commemorating the Jewish victims For a race that was almost annihilated and made extinct by Hitler’s genocide, it is only proper that their suffering is commemorated and such remembrance will only be exclusive to them. The purpose is not to dilute the message of how terrible a war crime is when the commemoration is remembered along with other circumstances during the Second World War. Their pain and suffering during the war cannot be compensated by any gesture but at least that by solely remembering them can mitigate the pain caused by the Holocaust. Eisenmann’s preference of No Ort. My stand. It is quite absurd as an idea for a Museum to be built underground because it defeats the very purpose of erecting that Museum. Museums are built to memorialize or remember something. To memorialize and remember it, the museum has to be seen by the most number of people possible. Constructing it underground not only defeats its purpose but it sends the message that it is concealing the atrocities that were done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Why the US taxpayers money should not be used to commemorate the Jewish victims It is the Germans who committed those war crimes against the Jews during the Second World War and not the Americans. And as such, it is only proper that German’s taxpayer should be used to build those monuments as a form of remuneration for what they have done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Americans should not pay to commemorate a crime they did not commit.

The Western European Brewing Industry Business Essay

The Western European Brewing Industry Business Essay Brewing industry like any other industry has their global and local force that impacts its performance towards its goals. Also there are environmental factors that may lead to its success and at the same time to its failures. These factors if not well analysed or considered may affect both the investors, employees and the customers or consumers. PESTEL analysis gives opportunity to awareness of influences that can develop success or failures to particular strategies. Together with PESTEL, business external and internal environment is to be analysed. Michael porters five forces analysis gives a wide understanding of all competitive dynamics and enables managers to deal with internal and external environment for the best success of its industry. Western Europen brewing industry as other global brewing industry have its success and failure factors that need to be analysed using PESTEL being political, economic, social, technology, environment and legal issues and competitive advantage on strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) has to be established and defined on how they do affect the industry in western European. PESTELs framework analysis having six categories of political factors, economic factors, social, technological, environment and legal factors have been analysed and suggested for use by the European brewing industry. Political factors: Most of European government have banned for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Drinking on duty also been banned. This have an impact of decrease consumption of beer in functions like get together , weddings, restaurants, bars and pubs where participants is to go home driving. Government campaign against the use of alcohol also caused adverse effect within the industry. These factors resulted in the switch to a growth in the off trade market. Sales switched from mostly being sold in pubs, bars and restaurants to most sold in supermarkets and the like of stationed sales. Government involvement into the antisocial behaviour as a result from alcohol consumption was an added reduction agent to beer consumption. Generally, from the government involvement in binge drinking, drunken driving, beer sales in western Europe were effectively driven down. Economic factors: Due to the falling in the profit margin in this industry, brewing companies were forced to go for acquisition and alliances or trademark and patent leasing to other regions like Asia, America and other part of the world where there was permissible viable market. Unemployment and low economic growth rate was an added impact on the brewing industry. Western European brewing industries faced a downfall in demand of beer or alcohol in general as a response to government against binge drinking and avoids drink and drive. A person concentrates on the basic needs and essential requirement. Supermarket benefited from increased sales of alcohol as a response to government campaign against alcohol consumption and ban on dont drink and drive and also the binge drinking. The Western Europe markets, the rising of cost of raw material and cost of production did result to the rise in price of brewing industry products, and also gained a huge packaging cost amount to almost half of non-labour costs. The decreases in beer consumption led to innovative and start production of non-alcohol brewing industry products which resulted to the rising of its sales of premium brands products which were high priced. Social factors: As a result of government campaign on health effect resulting from binge drinking and use of alcohol. The social perception of beer being for a certain group of age and the awareness that stopping consumption of beer can lead to weight control, fitness added weight on reduction of its consumption. The dont drink and drive benefited the family as the majority decided to drink while home hence spending most of off work time with the families. This promoted the off trade sales in supermarkets and stores. Technological factors: The improvement in the working environment like updated machine which reduced the use of human resources, the change in the packaging, resizing the quantity, deployment of economies of scale improved the production cost and then generating more profit and also facilitating exportation abroad. Innovative technology into the maturation and also the preservation which took at the extension of the former shelve life of industry products motivated to the stabilising and motivation to the move to new way of consumption and hence rising into the sales. Environment factors: Ecological changes and nature aspects such as weather, climate or seasons influences production and consumption of alcohol. Increase awareness on calamities affects the companys operations and its product they produce. The growth into the market has been identified into premium beer products and has resulted into the increasing quality and prices in the industry. Legal factors: Through certain set law on employment such as working hours, occupational health and safety requirements, consumption law and demographic set criteria directly influences the company cost and demand for the beer products. Demographic discrimatory law on beer consumption lead to low beer consumption. Five forces factors: Five forces analysis is an analysis framework tool for industry analysis and business strategy introduced by Michael E. Porter of Harvard business school in 1979 with consideration of industry economic activities as may be determined by the five factors on its competitiveness intensity and its attractiveness. With the application of SWOT being strength underlying the characteristics of the function business, or project team that give it an advantage over others, Weaknesses referring to characteristics that place the team at a disadvantage relative to others, opportunities as an external chances to improve performance in the environment and threats covering external elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business or project. It considers internal strengths and weakness that one organisation has as it may be compared to other organisation within the industry and the opportunities and threats that this organisation may enjoy or face within the industry and goes further on explaining what has to be done either by maintaining the strengths or overcome the weakness and also looks at how it may utilises the available opportunities and again how to combat the threats may be identified. It deals with the defining of the organisation objectives and identifying factors that may favour or factors that can affect the achievement of these objectives. The five forces are bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers, threats of new entrants, threat of substitute products and competition rivalry within industry. Threat of new competition. For any business that is perceived that its markets yield remarkable returns will attract new firms. The new entrants into the industry will decrease the enjoyed profit for old firms in the industry. Strategies by the old firms only can result to new firms be blocked by incumbents, otherwise the enjoyed profit margin rate will tend towards zero resulting to perfect competition. The industry with most attractive segment is those with high entry barriers against low exit barriers this will lead to few new entrants and large number of non performing firms exiting. Standards of economies of production, brand equity, switching cost or sunk cost, capital requirement, customer loyalty to established brands, absolute cost and industry profit may be indicators to new firms into the industry. The increased western European brewing industry competition as was been driven by global competition, the introduction of premium brand products from both within and global have contracted the market and profitability Threat of substitute products or services Availability of substitute products and introduction of premium and non-alcohol products that can be used instead of the product a firm is offering gives customers alternative choices for their preference. This may be a result from factors such as buyer propensity to substitute, by price comparisons or performance, consumers income determinants, perception as towards product differentiation, range of substitutions and substitute performance to utility. Information-based products as a result of advertisements and promotions. Product standard and its quality and mode of packaging and distribution. Bargaining power of customers (buyers) The bargaining power of customers as described as the market of outputs which is a result of demand of product and the need to RD and that of the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure, which also affects the customers sensitivity to price changes. The customers attractive pattern to the firms concentration ratios, expected and enjoyed channels of distribution, leverage in bargaining towards fixed costs, comparison between the switching costs of the buyer to that of the firm. Buyers expected information, price sensitivity, uniqueness and consultation pattern are determinants to how customer can influence the industry. The availability of wide range of varieties of local and global substitute products and the introduction of non-alcoholic and premium branded products offers customer free will of choice and hence pushes the firms to intensive innovation and promotion to maintain position in the market. This have been witnessed in the western European brewing industry. Bargaining power of suppliers The market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labour, and services being important resources is taken as a source of power over the firm, the fewer the substitute the more the supplier ability to decide or be willingly decide to go into business with their preferred contract terms . Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm, or, e.g., charge excessively high prices for unique resources. Factors such as supplier switching costs relative to firm switching costs, degree of differentiation of inputs, impact of inputs on cost or differentiation, presence of substitute inputs, strength of distribution channel, Supplier concentration to firm concentration ratio, Employee solidarity, supplier competition ability to forward vertically integrate and cut out the buyer. Scarce on the packaging material and the production resources motivate the suppliers to enjoy the free role to determine the price in the market. All those factors has mostly affected the western European brewin g industry. Intensity of competitive rivalry The intensity of competitive rivalry is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. Sustainable competitive advantage through innovation, competition between online and offline companies, level of advertising expense, powerful competitive strategy, flexibility through customization, volume and variety. The western European brewing industry have seen the active competition in both the packaging, quality, and information to the consumers as a response to the introduction to premium brands, non-alcoholic drinks and energy drinks as in the market. In conclusion, the western European brewing industry has gone through an intensive and dynamic environment to which it have been seen both politically, economically, socially, technically, environmentally and legally. The switching from one type of market features to the next need an effective strategic plans and an effective analysis to the strength and weakness and effective use of opportunities while developing and effective tool to combat threats that may face the industry. Innovation of favourable advantages as may be compared to competitors and the good understanding of target market gives an advantage over the others. For the three breweries outlined above (or breweries of your choice) explain: How this trend will impact differently on this different companies; and The relative and strengths and weakness of each company As it has been declared from the case study, Anheuser-Busch InBev (Beligium), Greene king (United Kingdom) and Tsingtao (china) is the worlds largest brewing companies, obviously had been differently impacted within the industry. And the effect differs from the way a companys strategy and its competitive advantage it enjoys in the market. Anheuser-Busch InBev had its concentration in the corporate reputation acquired from its mergers, acquisitions and market image strategy of opting to be the best beer company in the world. Its image in Latin America with the soft drinks markets and the acquisition of the leading brewer in 2008 made it indisputably the world leader. It has added advantage from its leading brand products globally such as Becks, Budweiser and Stella Artois. However, it has shown weakness in competing in countries where there is a leading breweries company as what happened in china where it was forced to let go of local subsidiaries and a brewing plant operation in 2009. Strategically it is enjoying its global image and brand and its strengths in making itself the worlds best by building strong global brand and increase efficiency from central coordination of purchasing and also using the media and information technology. By optimisation its inherited network and sharing of best practice across the netwo rk. Greene king although it has a traditional reputation in UK, the trend indicates the decline on its share of profits as a result to being dominant in the uk market and the reduced consumption of beer in pubs, restaurants and on trade market will affect it a lot. But the acquisition to other brand and then closing them led to having the major portion of the domestic market and little efforts to global competition. Its focus to quality maintaining and brand consistency has assured existence and stability. Tsingatao -China, although it enjoy its local market, its strength is on brand management and export strategies. It focus on growth and diversification to acquire bigger share market globally. Anheuser-Busch InBev (Beligium) is enjoying strength in scale of economies, technical capacity, market entries, product development and standing strong brand. It have weakness in controlling its local market and and wide operations. Greene king has strength in experience, technique capacity and efficient production. Tsingatao -China, strong in local market competition, cost saving in production and opportunity utilisation while its weakness is in growth strategic definition and brand positioning.

The Advantages of Keeping pets :: Pets Animals

Would you like to live a happy and productive life? Then get pets! I must admit it is hard to believe that domesticated animals can promote mental and physical health, but many studies have shown that they can. People who own pets have been known to lead longer and happier lives than those without them. As we get older, we become less active. The more inactive we become, the higher our risk of death. We therefore need something in our lives to keep us busy so we don’t die prematurely, and a pet is just the thing to do it. This is probably because of the companionship, exercise, and responsibility that they provide. On the other hand, you must find a pet that is compatible with you or with your life style. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for living a normal life. Many psychiatrists have found that patients with anger management problems can be calmer with a pet around the house. Sometimes, just the feel of a pet in the house can do wonders on the nerves and eliminate certain aggravation. A significant point that has been brought up by animal right activists is that abuse inflicted on animals is, in many cases caused by frustration caused by an outside conflict. Outside conflicts can be caused by work stress, school or relationships. Also, people need companionship to keep stress and mental anguish at bay. When people begin questioning why they are alone, they begin doubting their own self-worth. Then suicide becomes an issue. When a person becomes depressed, their body pays the price. A depressed person will neglect to care for themselves and will slowly deteriorate. Having a pet will give said person companionship. Just being able to have someone to come home and talk to or play with could be the difference between serenity and psychosis. In women, especially, is the extra comfort provided in just being able to care for someone. Apart from that, owning a pet forces one to take on the responsibility of keeping it alive. One’s pet must be fed, watered, and kept healthy. Doing this requires us to move about.

Liverpool one shopping development Essay

Liverpool’s CBD needed regeneration for a variety of reasons. During WW2, it was bombed heavily, due to it being a major port for resources from the USA. During the 1960s, it was rebuilt too quickly and then fell into disrepair before 2000, when the design and infrastructure was outdated. Many parts of the city, especially the CBD suffered from urban decline, with its population dropping by 50% and 45% of its industry also leaving. In addition, Liverpool faced competition for shopping by nearby Manchester and Chester, as well as out-of-town shopping centres like the Trafford Centre. Therefore, Liverpool’s CBD needed regeneration to be more attractive to consumers, and regain its spot in the top 5 shopping destinations in the UK. Liverpool One, the project to rejuvenate Liverpool’s CBD was completed in 2008. It was opened in phases on 29 May and 1 October 2008, with the final residential lots opening in early 2009. In the same year, Liverpool was named as the European Capital of Culture. Its total cost is approximately ? 1billion, with 42 acres of Liverpool city centre being redeveloped. It includes 3000 parking spaces, 169 stores or services, as well as a 5 acre park, and 500 new apartments. It also contains a 14-screen cinema and a 36-hole adventure golf centre. Shops present include Debenhams, John Lewis, Ted Baker, Waterstones, Starbucks, Topshop and Caffe Nero. These are all mainly comparison, high-order goods which are chain stores. The area is indoor, yet also mainly open-air. It is of a modern design, and is two storeys tall. There are many cafes and food areas, with many benches. There are also electronic maps and information panels across the centre. The pedestrian areas are wide and escalators are available to proceed to the higher floors. There have also been other improvements in the CBD, such as the rejuvenation of the Docks and the introduction of the Merseytram tram line in the CBD. As well as this, many roads and smaller streets in Liverpool have been rejuvenated and rebuilt as part of the redevelopments. Areas such as Princes Dock and the Kings Waterfront have seen heavy redevelopments. These have been to attract more tourists and shoppers to the CBD. The project has overall been successful as of yet, with 83% of consumers thinking that the city centre has improved. 91% of people said they were likely to return to Liverpool, and enjoyed the experience. And now, 40% of the shops in Liverpool One are new to the city, showing the popularity of the area. The previously redeveloped Albert Dock has been receiving an extra 100000 visitors per week, with Liverpool One itself receiving over 120000 visitors in the first day, and 13 million in the first year. It is safe the say the rejuvenation of Liverpool’s CBD has been a success, and that Liverpool One has played a big part in reversing the effect of urban decline.

Holy War

Holy War Essay Holy war. How can the word holy be put together with the word war? In the Old Testament though, holy war is presented in such a good light. You were going to war for Yahweh’s command. Holy war was only engaged when Yahweh summons Israel to war. Holy war was initiated when something became a threat to Israel’s loyalty to Yahweh or something became dangerous to Israelites faith. War and killing was what seemed necessary to protect Israelites from swaying towards the Canaanite religion. Holy war was only used for conquests or for the defense of the holy land. In Deuteronomy and the books of the period known as the Deuteronomistic History which includes Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st and 2nd Samuel, and 1st and 2nd Kings, we read about a conflict between the Israelites and Canaanites which leads to the Conquest of Canaan. Being a conquest, its justified to call it a holy war. It is described as â€Å"Yahweh’s battle’s† in 1st Samuel chapter 25, verse 28. Never in the Old Testament is it referred to as a â€Å"holy war. Because the Canaanites were occupying the land known as the â€Å"promised land,† the land meant for gods chosen people, the Israelites, to live on, Yahweh promised to Abraham’s descendents that they must be exterminated without mercy. He wanted all the Canaanites killed including the women and children. The Canaanites were placed â€Å"under ban† which meant they were sacrificed to Yahweh. It was though that if th ey allowed any Canaanite to live, they might cause religious corruption (Harris). One example is documented in the book of Joshua, when Israelite soldiers captured the city of Jericho and killed all men, women, children, and even livestock, all because they wanted to enforce the ban and gods orders. There were many provisions established to govern the execution of a holy war. First it is to be understood a holy war is a religious undertaking. In theory, there should be no casualties because Yahweh is doing the fighting. Also some basic provisions included have no standing army but only an army of volunteers when needed, no pay for the soldiers along with no spoils of war, no sex during a holy war, and you must fast going into battle. In the book of Deuteronomy chapters 20 and 21, God spells out these provisions and rules that go along with going to war. For cities distant from the Promised Land, provisions differed from those nations closest. When the army marched up to attack a city, they were to make its people an offer of peace. If they accepted, they would be forced nto labor. If they refused, then both sides engaged in battle (Deut. 20:10-12). They were ordered by God to kill all men in the city they were attacking. The women, children, and livestock were considered plunders and spoilers of war. As for nations closest like the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, there are different provisions. God orders them to leave nothing behind in these nations. Completely destroy them because they are the nations that might corrupt the Israelites into worshipping other gods and sin against Yahweh. Along with leaving nothing alive and the basic provisions, another provision deals with marrying prisoners. During the war, God allows you to marry any of the captives of the conquered nation. But you must shave her head, trim her nails, and remove the clothes she was wearing when captured. You may marry her one-month after the capture to allow her to mourn her parents. If you become unpleased with he, you may let her go wherever she wishes, but you cant sell her or treat her as a slave since you have dishonored her. In Samuel chapter 15, Samuel orders King Saul to attack the Amalekites and destroy everything that belonged to them. Put to death the men, women, children, infants, and all livestock as ordered by God. Saul obeyed and organized an army of two hundred thousand men. He attacked the Amalekites and took their king, Agag, captive but destroyed everything else. Saul spared Agag’s life along with, what he deemed, the best livestock. The Lord spoke to Samuel and showed frustration in making Saul king because Saul had not followed out his instructions to kill everyone and everything. Samuel met with Saul at a city known as Gilgal and asked why Saul let some livestock live? Saul’s answer was that they would be used as sacrifices to the Lord because they were the best livestock. Samuel reminded Saul that the Lord had made hi king and that he sent Saul on a mission to completely destroy the Amalkites and asked why he didn’t obey the order and do evil in the eyes of the Lord. Samuel didn’t accept Saul’s reasoning of keeping the livestock for sacrifices and keeping Agag alive. Samuel then said that God wasn’t interested in sacrifices but in obedience of his voice and commands. Samuel tells Saul that the Lord has rejected him as king. â€Å"Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king† (Deut. 15:23). Saul admitted he sinned because he was afraid of the people and gave into them. Saul then asked for forgiveness but Samuel did not accept. He turned to leave but Saul latched onto him. Samuel said again that Saul was not king anymore. Saul pleaded with Samuel for him to return with him so he could worship the Lord. Samuel finally agreed and followed. After they worshipped, Samuel called for Agag to be brought to him. Agag arrived and Samuel proceeded to kill Agag before the Lord. Samuel left for Remaha and never returned to see Saul. From that day on, the Lord regretted that he made Saul king of Israel. We see in this passage the provisions of holy war, including Saul forming a volunteer army ad Saul obliterating everything of a nation. But the difference is King Saul didn’t fulfill the order of God for this holy war against the Amalekites. Saul was looked down upon for not following God’s orders and Samuel had to fulfill the command. There seems to be no exceptions to God’s orders and provisions in holy war. The impact this episode had on me is Saul chose to disobey Gods orders of killing everything by letting some things survive. After coming to understand what holy war was, it found it to be very bloodthirsty. Innocent women and children were killed. I understand the reasoning back then though for God to feel the need to destroy nations around Israel’s â€Å"promised land† because he feared his people would start worshiping other gods. The relevance of the age-old question of â€Å"If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world,† stems from people questioning why wars, genocides, and even murder happen. The reason many people ask this question is because, as a Catholic, I really hadn’t been exposed to the Old Testament God as much as the New Testament God. There is a big difference in the New Testament God and how compassionate and forgive full he his, and the Old Testament God who would eradicate his enemy’s and never forgive some sinners such as Saul. There’s no way we can answer this question of why god allows so much evil to exist. We can try to like today’s wars and conflicts with the ideas and aspects of holy war, but out minds still cant grasp why god allows some things to happen. Could it be he’s punishing sinners who are disobeying him? If this is so how could you reason why God allowed the Holocaust to happen. The Jews were considered Gods chosen people, so why would he allow this to happen to them. Or why is there genocide occurring in Africa to innocent people. If God is good, why does he allow these things to happen? We will ask this question forever. Work Cited Harris, Stephen L. Understanding the Bible. 7th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Crime in african nations misc essays

Crime in african nations misc essays Organized crime is a problem that has spread all throughout the international community. In the past, national and regional crime organizations were small, isolated and worked independent of other crime organizations. However in the past few decades free trade and high speed telecommunications has made it easier for such groups to operate, therefore resulting in "global Mafiosi" that seem to be working together around the globe. This new development makes it hard for governments and the United Nations to combat international organized crime. Lesotho, a nation of the African block is particularly concerned with the escalating problem of illicit traffic of drugs and firearms linked with organized crime. Not only does drug trafficking pose a threat to the structure of Lesothos society, but also to its government. Profits made from these operations are used to destabilize governments, corrupt officials and influence government decisions. Lesotho is a member of the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. Furthermore it is an active member of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The nation of Lesotho recognizes that cooperation is the key ingredient in combating organized crime. At present formal extradition agreements exist between Lesotho and South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Malawi, Taiwan, the USA and Israel. International cooperation is required to successfully prevent and control transnational crime. This is particularly the case with increasing numbers of offenders fleeing from one jurisdiction to another in order to avoid punishment and continue their activities. Countries must respect and abide by the terms of bilateral and multilateral treaties that they are party to. Organized crime which should be of most concern includes terrorism, illicit arms trade, drug trafficking and economic crime, such as international fraud....

Free Essays on Acquaintance Rape

Date Rape is a misleading term, which describes a serious crime that is misunderstood and under-reported. For many women, the word â€Å"rapist† evokes images of a psychotic stranger in an alley. But more often than not, a rape victim knows her attacker. He’s a seemingly nice guy-a date, a good friend, a casual acquaintance, a classmate, or even a coworker-who suddenly becomes forceful or even violent, and makes her have sexual intercourse against her will. This is called acquaintance or date rape. Rape, regardless of who commits it is a felony sexual assault that leaves the victim injured and traumatized. 60 % of rapes are acquaintance or date rapes. The number of date rapes in the U.S. is higher than most countries around the world. About 100,00 rapes are reported each year while the FBI believes this is only 1/8 of the actual amount of rapes. One college professor stated in an article that date rape is â€Å"more common than left handedness, alcoholism, and heart attacks.† T! he Women’s Resource center found that 1 in 4 women will be a victim of date rape or attempted date rape in their lifetime. These horrifying numbers can be partially attributed to the fact that 30% of teens have experienced sexual intercourse by the age of 15. Also, the age of rapists is declining, boys younger than 13 are being arrested for date rape. Date rape has existed for many centuries. However, it was not a well-known offense. Date rape was first mentioned in the 20th Century in a book called Against Our Will by Susan Brownmiller in 1967. Before the mid 70’s date rape was rarely prosecuted and when it was the effort often failed. Than in the 80’s people began waking up and noticing that just because a woman is on a date doesn’t mean she wants sex. In date rape cases it is often the man’s word against the woman word because there is no evidence. In addition, sometimes the victim had willingly had sex with the attacker in the ... Free Essays on Acquaintance Rape Free Essays on Acquaintance Rape Date Rape is a misleading term, which describes a serious crime that is misunderstood and under-reported. For many women, the word â€Å"rapist† evokes images of a psychotic stranger in an alley. But more often than not, a rape victim knows her attacker. He’s a seemingly nice guy-a date, a good friend, a casual acquaintance, a classmate, or even a coworker-who suddenly becomes forceful or even violent, and makes her have sexual intercourse against her will. This is called acquaintance or date rape. Rape, regardless of who commits it is a felony sexual assault that leaves the victim injured and traumatized. 60 % of rapes are acquaintance or date rapes. The number of date rapes in the U.S. is higher than most countries around the world. About 100,00 rapes are reported each year while the FBI believes this is only 1/8 of the actual amount of rapes. One college professor stated in an article that date rape is â€Å"more common than left handedness, alcoholism, and heart attacks.† T! he Women’s Resource center found that 1 in 4 women will be a victim of date rape or attempted date rape in their lifetime. These horrifying numbers can be partially attributed to the fact that 30% of teens have experienced sexual intercourse by the age of 15. Also, the age of rapists is declining, boys younger than 13 are being arrested for date rape. Date rape has existed for many centuries. However, it was not a well-known offense. Date rape was first mentioned in the 20th Century in a book called Against Our Will by Susan Brownmiller in 1967. Before the mid 70’s date rape was rarely prosecuted and when it was the effort often failed. Than in the 80’s people began waking up and noticing that just because a woman is on a date doesn’t mean she wants sex. In date rape cases it is often the man’s word against the woman word because there is no evidence. In addition, sometimes the victim had willingly had sex with the attacker in the ...

Biography of Robert McNamara, Vietnam War Architect

Biography of Robert McNamara, Vietnam War Architect Robert S. McNamara (June 9, 1916–July 6, 2009) was a secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1960s and the chief architect and most vocal defender of the Vietnam War. He spent his later years as an elder statesman, apologizing for an escalation of the conflict that became known as McNamaras War. He strove to redeem himself by helping the worlds poorest nations. Before his death in 2009, McNamara wrote about the failures that would became his legacy: Looking back, I clearly erred by not forcing - then or later, in Saigon or Washington - a knock-down, drag-out debate over the loose assumptions, unasked questions and thin analyses underlying our military strategy in Vietnam. Fast Facts: Robert McNamara Known For: U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam WarBorn: June 9, 1916 in San Francisco, CaliforniaDied: July 6, 2009 in Washington, D.C.Parents Names: Robert and Clara Nell McNamaraEducation: University of California at Berkeley, Harvard Business SchoolSpouses Names: Margaret Craig (m. 1940–1981), Diana Masieri Byfield (m. 2004)Childrens Names: Robert, Margaret, Kathleen Early Years and Education Robert Strange McNamara was born on June 9, 1916 to Robert, the son of Irish immigrants, and Clara Nell McNamara. His father managed a shoe company in their hometown of San Francisco. The young McNamara was raised during the Great Depression, an experience that helped shape his liberal political philosophy. Later, he honed this philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley, where he studied economics. Next, he studied business administration at Harvard University, then went on to work for Ford Motor Company. He served as Fords president for a month until being tapped by President John F. Kennedys administration in 1960 to lead the Pentagon. Defending the Vietnam War McNamara was vilified by opponents of the Vietnam War for his seemingly unflinching support of the conflict in public, distorting the reality of the war and misleading the president. He used the statistical analysis techniques he learned at Harvard to try to measure success on the battlefield. According to the Vietnam Center and Archive at Texas Tech University, McNamara switched to using enemy body counts instead of territory or land based objectives to measure the American’s success in the war...[which] led to a war of attrition, a policy of inflicting massive casualties on the enemy. In private, McNamaras doubts about the mission grew along with the body count, and he questioned whether the war was actually winnable. Eventually, he raised such concerns with President Lyndon B. Johnson, with no success. McNamara resigned as secretary of Defense in 1968 following his failed attempt to both negotiate a settlement in the Vietnam War and convince Johnson to freeze troop levels and stop bombings. Clark Clifford, an adviser to Johnson, succeeded McNamara. McNamara went on to become president of the World Bank. Famous Quotes I deeply regret that I did not force a probing debate about whether it would ever be possible to forge a winning military effort on a foundation of political quicksand. It became clear then, and I believe it is clear today, that military force - especially when wielded by an outside power - cannot bring order in a country that cannot govern itself. We burned to death 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo - men, women and children. LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win? We of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations acted according to what we thought were the principles and traditions of our country. But we were wrong. We were terribly wrong. You dont ... correct a wrong by apologizing. You can correct a wrong only if you understand how it occurred and you take steps to ensure it wont happen again. Later Career McNamara served as the World Bank president for 12 years. He tripled its loans to developing countries and changed its emphasis from grandiose industrial projects to rural development.After retiring in 1981, McNamara championed the causes of nuclear disarmament and aid for the worlds poorest nations. He fought what he described as the â€Å"absolute poverty - utter degradation† in  Africa, Asia and Latin America. Legacy McNamara died on July 6, 2009, in Washington, D.C. His legacy will forever be intertwined with the Vietnam War and tainted by his loyalty to the presidents he served rather than the American people. The New York Times condemned McNamara in a devastating editorial, writing: â€Å"Mr. McNamara must not escape the lasting moral condemnation of his countrymen. Surely he must in every quiet and prosperous moment hear the ceaseless whispers of those poor boys in the infantry, dying in the tall grass, platoon by platoon, for no purpose. What he took from them cannot be repaid by prime-time apology and stale tears, three decades late.†

Russian Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russian Politics - Essay Example The implication of this is that previously, the citizens would not be allowed to take sides in any political contest and those who involved themselves in political contests were meted with harsh penalties; however, there has been a transition that was brought about by the collapse of the formers Soviet Union. Though the democracy in Russia cannot be said to be perfect, it is worth analyzing as the regime has tried to bring some democratic ideals in the Russian society as opposed to the prevailing conditions in Russian politics in the 1980s at the peak of Soviet rule (Hancock et al, 2012). Since 1991 under Boris Yeltsin, Russia, Russia has undergone numerous changes in its politics that had an effect of improving the economic and social aspects of the citizens in Russia. The reforms that were carried by President Boris Yeltsin are a continuation of those that were initiated during the Soviet Union leader under Mikhail Gorbachev. Russia under President Putin The current regime in Russi a under the strong leadership under President Putin’s United Russian Party cannot be described as a democracy despite the citizens of Russia being allowed to participate in democratic elections. ... The democratic process in Russian elections is also subverted through the offering of financial aid and support to largely unpopular candidates fronted by the regime. The Russian elections of political leaders has been proved to be unfair as there have been rampant falsification and improprieties of the elections whereby officials close to the regime disqualify competitors on unwarranted technicalities as well as using state resources to campaign for political posts. The regime has also broken the law by breaking the laws that control election campaign spending. At the election campaigns of 2007-2008, Putin and his supporters played politics of incrimination of the liberal opposition as plotters of the fall of Russia through the help of external forces. Putin claimed that the opposition had learnt from external western players on organizing revolutions and that they had been trained in those countries to do the same in Russia. He also claimed that the opposition forces were funded by foreign missions. President Putin also employs propaganda through the control of the Russian information space where the conspiracy theory is put into great use to win elections and support. Hancock et al, state that after 2011, Russia adopted a new sense of politics in the wake of the protests occasioned by the society’s tedium with tolerance for oppressions and uncompetitive elections of the previous decade. The climax of the society’s frustrations reached its climax when thousands took to the streets to find expression for their anger following the State Duma election that was marred with election fraud. This protest movement continued persistently throughout 2012, as the regime experienced an extraordinary wave of mass protests in cities

Delegating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Delegating - Essay Example Delegating is a critical skill for supervisors. Ultimately, the supervisor retains responsibility for the attainment of the goals, but chooses to achieve the goals by delegating to someone else. In the Adult Training and Employment Services (ATES) at The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation there are several Managers who delegate to their employees. In supported employment the supervisor delegates to three employment specialist. The supervisor assists in developing employees in order to strengthen the organization. Although the employment specialist job role is an emerging profession, few managers can refute the importance of these direct service staff to the overall performance of their supported employment programs. The supervisor in supported employment uses the three R's: risk, responsibility, and rewards in delegating staff. The three R's contribute to staff job challenges by setting in motion a supervisory style which encourages and rewards staff creativity, innovation, and governorship of their work. A risk adds an element of excitement to a job and encourages staff curiosity and learning. Supervisors can encourage their employees to take responsibility for their jobs by establishing measurable performance goals and operating guidelines. The supervisor takes every opportunity to promote the good works of the staff and assure they receive proper recognition for a job well done. The supervisor assists in developing employees in order to strengthen the organization. He or she gives up the authority to make decisions that are best made by subordinates. This means that the supervisor allows subordinates the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. He or she does not supervise subordinates' decision-making, but allows them the opportunity to develop their own skills. The supervisor lets subordinates know that he or she is willing to help, but not willing to do their jobs for them. The supervisor is not convinced that the best way for employees to learn is by telling them how to solve a problem. This results in those subordinates becoming dependent on the supervisor. The supervisor allows employees the opportunity to achieve and be credited for it. Equally important to delegate is the idea that when a subordinate is given responsibility for a job, they must also be given the degree of how to perform the job and how to carry it out. For effective delegating the authority granted given to an employee must equal the assigned task. The key to delegating is to delegate gradually. When it comes to delegation, the manager can not delegate their duties to everyone they work with. They delegate their duties to responsible employees within the organization whom they can depend up that those duties will be attended to with a lot of professionalism. When one is delegated a certain task, he take full responsibility of performing it with diligence and ensures that they work hand in hand with other employees within the organization to ensure that organizational goals and objectives are achieved. Delegation is a term that was used even in the ancient days where someone was given full responsibility of certain activities or to run a certain activities on behalf the owner and in turn report to him, about all the activities that took place while he was away. For this case, when one delegates

Empire Windrush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Empire Windrush - Essay Example The continuous process of the country's growth is a never-ending process, which accounts for the present societal circumstance the Empire has. Its multicultural affinity to various regions in the world has opened up countless opportunities towards improvement of the living standards in Britain. At present, more than 5% of the British population originated from parentage that is predominantly non-British. These include the Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Russian, Africans and Americans (Schiavone, 2003). Also, the number of overseas workers continues to surge ahead. This openness to diverse cultures has paved way for the present status of Britain constituting of different mixtures of excellent methods of civilisation. In addition to that, it also gave way for the country's rich knowledge in different fields including international marketing. Truly, the cultural affinity of the country has led to knowledge cultivation that the country presently enjoys and utilizes towards prov iding a higher degree of citizen satisfaction. Incontestably, the modern Britain owes its current prominence to its history. Britain's rich history is indeed one of the major contributing factors to the country's high quality of life. Judging by its wealthy heritage, numerous historians have long predicted the respectability that previously awaited the country. Indeed, one of the strongest bases for such predictions is the Empire Windrush. The Empire Windrush is a gigantic ship that sailed from Britain to different parts of the world. It is a significant landmark in the multiculturalism background of modern Britain (Kurdi, 2000). The ship Empire Windrush brought the first group of approximately five hundred immigrants to Tilbury near London on June 22, 1948. The Windrush was en route from Australia to England via the Atlantic, docking in Kingston, Jamaica. An advertisement had appeared in a Jamaica newspaper offering cheap transport on the ship for anybody who wanted to come and work in the UK. There was plenty of work in post war Britain and industries such as British Rail, the National Health Service and public transport recruited almost exclusively from Jamaica and Barbados. Though African-Caribbean were encouraged to journey to Britain via immigration campaigns created by successive British governments, many new arrivals were to endure intolerance and extreme racism from certain sectors of indigenous British society. This was to mark African-Caribbean relations with the wider community over a long period. Early African-Carribean immigrants found private employment and housing denied to them on the basis o f race. Housing was in short supply following the wartime bombing, and the shortage led to some of the first clashes with the established white community. Clashes continued and worsened into the 1950s, and there were riots in cities including London, Birmingham and Nottingham. The Second World War paved way for a number of number of outlets including science, technology, art, literature, culture and most of all socio-economic development in a distinct manner. It should be noted immigration changes the demography of a nation and why only demography It influences the local population in a diverse manner whereby the immigrants, though economically backward, generally, bring in their exotic culture and distinct

Varying of Contract Terms Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Varying of Contract Terms - Case Study Example Consideration is an important principle for a contract as the English courts take that into when determining the legal enforceability of a contract. McKendrick states that the purpose of consideration is to give the ‘badge of enforceability’ to agreements. The definition of consideration can be found in the case of Currie v. Misa which revolves around the concept of benefit to the promisor, or detriment to the promisee, thus the requirement is mutually exclusive.Another important aspect of consideration is that it must be sufficient and need not be adequate that is it must be something which the court would consider to be legally capable of constituting consideration. The position that was found to be problematic for business practices in respect of consideration whether an existing obligation could be treated as good consideration or in other words could the terms of the contract be changed without any additional consideration being provided for such variance. The three aspects that require an analysis there are possibly three different types of existing obligation which can arguably constitute to be a consideration. The first one is of an obligation which arises under the law, and there are independent of any contract. The second one is that of obligations that are owed under a contract with a third party. Finally, the obligations which are existent by way of a contract with the person who makes the new promise, for which it is alleged that the existing obligations should be held to be a good consideration.

Strategic Management Accounting Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Accounting - Term Paper Example It does not really help the managers to assess what is best for the company (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). For example, the financial management of the company is able to indicate if it is appropriate to take more debt by considering the present liquid status of the company. The decision may not have any link with the short term or long term strategic objective of the company. Thus, financial management is not able to see beyond the limitations of the financial data. Strategic management on the other hand is equipped to see beyond and the cover the limitations of the basic financial management. The conclusion derived from the basic financial management techniques can be further modified if the same decision is taken in the light of the strategic objectives of the company. For example, the financial management indicates that the recourse to further debt financing is going to increase the debt burden f the company (Chrol, 2011). If the company considers going for a strategic alliance w ith another company then the financial condition of the company can improve. The revenue generation capacity will improve from the synergy gained from such strategic alliance. Strategic financial management considers these kinds of variables and factors to obtain the most optimal decision. Thus, though normal financial management analysis may conclude that the company should not use debt for financing the capital needs, though strategic management may recommend the use debt financing. The research paper discusses some of the uses of strategic management accounting like use of Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), for long term decision purposes and different types of transfer pricing techniques. Part A Critical evaluation of the statement â€Å"Both Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), when used as performance measures in an organisation, encourage managers to be short-term in their focus and decision making† The managers have a tend ency of using both ROI and EVA for performance evaluation for short term purposes. Although when it comes to using the two techniques for long term decision purposes the managers face difficulties in doing the same. The two types of techniques are different from each other in various respects and thus both of them need to be discussed separately to indicate the way they can be used for long term decision purposes. ROI is actually a combination of two different accounting heads, one is the asset turnover and the other one is the return on sales (Clark and Mathur, 2011). Return on the sales is indicative of the fact of (that) how efficient are managers in generating revenue for every dollar and the ability of the managers to control the expenses and the increase in revenue generating capacity. While asset turnover indicates the ability of the company to generate profit for every dollar invested. In between the two accounting heads asset turnover and return on sales, the focus will be on asset turnover. If the managers are able to modify the asset turnover value then ROI can be used for long term decision purposes. In order to control the asset turnover value the managers need to re-evaluate the policies regarding the capitalization and depreciation. Both aspects like investments and income are affected by the choice of the asset life and the type of depreciation method

Annotated Bibliography for Classical Argument Paper

For Classical Argument Paper - Annotated Bibliography Example He had aimed at converting the virus into its own pre-pandemic state so that he could determine how it has changed over the past four years. According to the article, the virus that has been tweaked would make the inhabitants of the world vulnerable in the event that it escaped from the laboratory. The article goes further to state that the official at the University of Wisconsin have reassured the public that there is minimal risk of the virus finding its way out of the laboratory. The University considers the manipulation of the virus as a way of finding out how the virus can be dealt with and come up with changes that will make it less dangerous for human beings. This article will be used to (Farberov, 2014) that there are virus that have been modified such as the 2009 pandemic influenza that killed nearly half a million people globally to make it resistant to human immune system. The book focuses on immortality and whether it is a good thing as well as what you do once you acquire it. The protagonist in Lapin (2009) is a researcher in genetics known as Adam Boatwright and the immortality that he possesses is the kind that is achieved by not aging that he has discovered using his own technique. The book is among the Boatwright chronicles and this means that by the end of the book the reader will not have discovered if Adam is able to handle his condition of not aging. Adam is motivated in his research by his will to safeguard just his wife from breast cancer and throughout the novel, he pursues this agenda. Adam holds his wife in high esteem and listens to her ideas as well as taking her to an expedition that she has not prepared for. According to the author, the novel is not a sci-fi but it can be seen to treat themes of sci-fi and others that are not permissible in real life. The book by Lapin (2009) will be used to show that

Strategic Management Accounting Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Accounting - Term Paper Example It does not really help the managers to assess what is best for the company (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). For example, the financial management of the company is able to indicate if it is appropriate to take more debt by considering the present liquid status of the company. The decision may not have any link with the short term or long term strategic objective of the company. Thus, financial management is not able to see beyond the limitations of the financial data. Strategic management on the other hand is equipped to see beyond and the cover the limitations of the basic financial management. The conclusion derived from the basic financial management techniques can be further modified if the same decision is taken in the light of the strategic objectives of the company. For example, the financial management indicates that the recourse to further debt financing is going to increase the debt burden f the company (Chrol, 2011). If the company considers going for a strategic alliance w ith another company then the financial condition of the company can improve. The revenue generation capacity will improve from the synergy gained from such strategic alliance. Strategic financial management considers these kinds of variables and factors to obtain the most optimal decision. Thus, though normal financial management analysis may conclude that the company should not use debt for financing the capital needs, though strategic management may recommend the use debt financing. The research paper discusses some of the uses of strategic management accounting like use of Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), for long term decision purposes and different types of transfer pricing techniques. Part A Critical evaluation of the statement â€Å"Both Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), when used as performance measures in an organisation, encourage managers to be short-term in their focus and decision making† The managers have a tend ency of using both ROI and EVA for performance evaluation for short term purposes. Although when it comes to using the two techniques for long term decision purposes the managers face difficulties in doing the same. The two types of techniques are different from each other in various respects and thus both of them need to be discussed separately to indicate the way they can be used for long term decision purposes. ROI is actually a combination of two different accounting heads, one is the asset turnover and the other one is the return on sales (Clark and Mathur, 2011). Return on the sales is indicative of the fact of (that) how efficient are managers in generating revenue for every dollar and the ability of the managers to control the expenses and the increase in revenue generating capacity. While asset turnover indicates the ability of the company to generate profit for every dollar invested. In between the two accounting heads asset turnover and return on sales, the focus will be on asset turnover. If the managers are able to modify the asset turnover value then ROI can be used for long term decision purposes. In order to control the asset turnover value the managers need to re-evaluate the policies regarding the capitalization and depreciation. Both aspects like investments and income are affected by the choice of the asset life and the type of depreciation method

Comparative study of security in Windows and Linux Research Paper

Comparative study of security in Windows and Linux - Research Paper Example It is also important to ensure that the user functions do not interfere with the work of the operating system. Since the operating system is large and complex in code, it is suggested to create it in pieces. Each of these pieces should be well defined with respect to their work, inputs, outputs and various internal functions. The look and feel of the Linux operating system is same as that of the UNIX operating system. Linux is much younger than UNIX system. While OpenBSD is also generated over the UNIX framework, it is mostly developed using the security issues into account. In recent times, internal threats implied to the threats that were caused due to the misuse of internal data of an organisation by an internal employee. Nowadays it is not only limited to a dissatisfied employee who misuses confidential data for his/her own profit, but today it is more important to find out the ways by which the person is getting an access to those valuable data. In the same way internal threats to operating system generally occurs due to some internal bugs that were generated during the creation of the Operating system, such as some back door, or some logical errors, that are still not fixed and are open to vulnerabilities. The team that developed this operating system claims that the system had been developed, keeping various security threats in mind. OpenBSD is developed in UNIX. At present it is considered to be number one with regards to the security measures among various other available options, since this system was developed through proactive security measures and implementation of cryptography. OpenBSD uses a pseudo random number generator for its cryptographic encryption purpose. Keeping in mind that security can be breached if the number that is used for encryption gets hacked, resulting in the entire system being open to external attack, the OpenBSD system generates

Project cost management

Project cost management Introduction The successful design, development and implementation of projects are very complex and at times daunting tasks for many project managers. The sum of growth in competition and globalization, institutionalization of innovation-based economics, rapid development of technologies, the uses of outer resources, increase in the significance of customers focus and the shortening of products and services cycles means that projects cost management has become a multifaceted issue for majority of businesses today. In essence, this has resulted in the need for the adoption and focus on project based on cost management of business activities. Indeed a lot of researchers emphasis the need for a multi-project environmental management of projects that pays cognizance to the key ingredients that will ensure for the success in projects. This paper will synthesis, analyze and dissect the key attributes that are seen to be inherently important for ensuring effective project cost management. Towards this, an insightful and succinct discussion of the following key factors for successful projects shall be done; appropriate senior management levels commitment to the project, adequate project funding, project requirements analysis and specifications, stakeholders involvement, risks management and presence of a contingent plan. While several dimensions could be pursued under each element only few will be highlighted Ensuring for effective project cost management Phillips (1) illustrates that From IT to construction, most projects have to purchase materials: routers and cables, shingles and cement, and so on; we must always buy some things to complete the project work. Without even underlining the scope or schedule of a given IT project, funds must be availed and properly managed and appropriated to achieve the goals of the project. In the cost management of IT projects, there are three major estimates cost techniques that project managers should make use to effectively manage their projects. These include the Ballpark estimate, the budget estimate and the definitive estimate. According to Barkley (68) Ballpark estimate is also known as the rough order of magnitude (ROM)which is based on high-level objectives, provides a birds-eye view of the project deliverables, and has lots of wiggle room in that most ROM estimates are dependent on the industry and have a range of variances from -25% all the way to +75%. The budget estimate that is also known as the top down estimate is more accurate than the Ballpark estimate and is always formulated at the beginning of the projects life. It includes a number of conditions just like the Ballpark estimate in that it takes into consideration a range of variances and assumptions that are characteristics of any projects estimation. The definitive estimate or bottom up estimate is the real opposite of the budget estimate (Haughey, 29). In effective cost management of an IT project, it is imperative that all the estimate methods are used to mitigate the effects of overhead costs on the project. Baldwin, Rose-Anderssen, Ridgway, Allen, Lopez, Strathern, and Varga (1), clearly demonstrates that The definitive estimate requires a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a WBS is not a list of activities, it is a detailed description of deliverables-oriented decomposition of the project scope. The attention to the creation of goods and services and technologies has significantly increased over the last few years that have prompted and preconditioned the need for better and more efficient projects cost management. This call for paying cognizance to the following key factors; Senior management support The success of projects will to a large extent rely on the interests, support and commitment of the senior management. This is in order to ensure that everybody in the project team and indeed the whole employees are focused and committed. Most projects in organization are sometimes conceived, funded and developed without appropriate senior management involvement or approval. Armstrong (25) has for example noted that some projects go forward without the management clearly conceptualizing what the project entails. A distinction between mere approval and commitment should be clearly discerned so that the projects run smoothly. According to Dennis (87) and Blair (13), most projects fail when the senior management lacks a clear understanding and a paucity of the projects perceived benefits, risks and difficulties. This is fundamental because the management plays a central role in costs appropriations and budget allocations for project activities. This means that while the projects approva l may actually have been acquired, in the euphoria of getting the projects approved; some of the risks may be ignored or glossed over. Efficient project cost management especially in the field of IT should however ensure that projects approvals are not based on hype and unrealistic calculations but on a framework that encapsulates a realistic assessment of the projects benefits, risks and costs. Adequate financing or funding for the project This forms the fundamental groundwork for the achievement any IT related projects objectives and goals. Most IT projects being initiated will require some substantial funding and resources deployment because they are always characterized by abnormally huge overhead costs. However, Kerzner (11) and Loosemore, Raftery and Reilly (161), have noted that ample project funding is not in itself a panacea to projects success. It has been advanced that inadequate project funding will most invariably result on delivery of less than promised. The realization of projects success has been positively correlated with efficient resources management and budget controls. According to Armstrong (32) effective resources management as well as its impact on the compatibility between the costs management and project value accumulation has been empirically proved in literature. Researchers show that in order to avoid the gap between the organizational strategies and the limited resources, it is purposive that available resources are reviewed and aligned to the budget in a seamless manner. This means that a lot needs to be arranged before and also during projects executions. A clear delineation of all the resources that are essential to the successful running of the project and a formulation of a budget that captures all the needs and requirements is therefore important. Armstrong (33), succinctly state that A project funding should be seen as a continuing and flexible process in that while a reasonable estimate of project expense must be made to obtain initial approval, this figure should not be considered as the final project cost. This point is further buttressed by Meyer (172) in illustrating that As the true scope of an IT project is revealed, the project manager can more accurately identify project expenses and recalculate the costs at several checkpoints in the project life cycle so that the new figures are communicated to senior management. Requirements analysis Requirements analysis should be carried out in order to develop the architectural design or frameworks of the specific IT project for the initiation and inception of the project. This calls for a thorough discussion between the clients and/or the stakeholders in order that all the salient issues are brought to the fore and the project is set off on a sound footing. According to Armstrong (27), client consultation at all the stages of an IT project development should always be done in order to avoid situations where repeated references to the project requirements are the case or projects are discontinued entirely. Requirements analysis should be detailed and the analysis or the project manager should visit, communicate and discuss the project requirements with the clients on a conclusive and comprehensive manner. A clear delineation of what will be delivered or not within projects scope should ideally be done. Project managers will attest to the fact that taking a thorough requirement analysis ahs the benefit of arriving at an accurate estimate on a project. This will reduce the effects of time wasted in search of more funds and convincing clients and other stake holders to increase funding after its initiation. In addition to the above, it comes with the added advantage of taking due care of crash programs and thus protects the projects from the effects external factors (Meyer, 171). Development of a comprehensive project plan and its cost components Basically, there are three main benefits to be realized through the development of a clear, comprehensive and elaborate project plan. One such benefit is that through adequate planning, the planners are able to present a clear and well documented or properly focused understanding of project. Secondly, adequate planning ensures that all issues are raised to help avoid instances of overlooking some issues that may later prove problematic. Finally, adequate planning reinforces and helps build confidence in the success of the project. Jiang and Gary (20) elucidates that project planning should never be viewed as a waste of time. This point has been buttressed by Armstrong (29) who has advanced that a very strong correlation between the lengths of time allocated to the project planning and the ultimate projects success abides. Stakeholders involvement The attainment of all the stakeholders involvement has been cited as an important ingredient in the success of IT projects in organizations. This means that every stakeholder in the organization is seen too own the project. This ensures that there are no complains about the project contents and performance when it is completed. This becomes more poignant when it is noted that projects warrants large investment of resources such as time, efforts and money. The involvement of the employees, internal customers and other important stakeholders should therefore be paid utmost cognize (Raz, Erez, 48). Frequent project status reporting should accompany the progress of the project and this should be done on as a regular interval in as far as is soundly possible. As early as the projects life, frequent reporting should help spot and identify adverse issues, as well as how these can be overcome. Jiang and Gary (31) have noted that it is not important that regular updates are provided but the accuracy of such reporting be the case so as to ensure that the status of the projects progress are accurate, realistic and timely. Risk assessment in an IT project It is important that a detailed risks assessment is carried in an IT project so as to ensure for the success of a project. Essentially, risks assessment may fall into two categories, i.e. the more usual and obvious risks and the risks that may be generated from the functions and requirements of a particular problem (Raz, Erez, 53). A businesslike approach to project management requires carefully considering and addressing these risks with internal customers and senior management as part of the projects approval process and if the risk analysis leads to a decision not to move forward, it is much better for everyone involved that the decision is made sooner, rather than later (Raz, Erez, 55). Armstrong (34) has advised that it is prudent to consider the possibility of some failures in the projects that would call for the development of contingent plans to overcome difficult situations should they arise and a project may have to incorporate items that were overlooked, or changes in the business needs associated with the project. This may result in delay of some projects that were dependent on this project or indeed some other business activities. Successfully and efficient project cost management will therefore entail the development of contingent plans to mitigate against such occurrences. In the course of an IT project development, a lot of issues and difficulties may arise. Thus, while some problems may have been anticipated, some occurrences, the need to clear to meet deadlines among others may create insurmountable pressures and tensions. These must be mitigated through the adoption of sound cost management approaches that ensures that issues and matters arising are addressed and mitigated. In some instances, continued top management support must be continually sought so that commitment to the project remains true, and un-anticipated funding requirements are met or delays in operations are understood. In obtaining senior management support, project managers must be willing to present an accurate picture of the potential difficulties inherent in the project in that insofar as is practical, senior management must be given a realistic assessment of the potential for difficulty and be willing to stay the course if things go wrong (Dennis, 95). Conclusion Effective project cost management is a multifaceted issue especially in an IT related project and difficulties abide in the identification and management of all potential difficulties and the ramifications that are associated with the successful development, budget appropriation and implementation of projects. This will depend to some extent on the size of the project where it is seen that the larger the size, the greater the probability of unseen contingencies. In large IT projects for example, the task can prove overwhelming and massive to coordinate. Organizations attempting to find and resolve all IT project difficulties and potential difficulties may not find the issues presented here as all inclusive as there are a lot more issues that must be paid cognizance for the efficient project cost management. However, while the draft does not strive for perfection, it can nonetheless be adjudged that paying attention to the issues raised, a project manager will be better prepared and k nowledgeable enough that undoubtedly greatly enhances the likelihood of a successful project and cost management strategies. WORKS CITED Armstrong, Mark. 2007. Simplified Risk Assessment. Engineering management journal.10, 1: 19-24. Baldwin, James, S., Rose-Anderssen, Chris., Ridgway, Keith., Allen, Peter, M., Lopez, Alvaro.,Strathern, Mark and Varga, Liz. (2006). Management Decision-Making: Risk Reduction Through Simulation. Website: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/rm/journal/v8/n4/pdf/8250020a.pdf Barkley, Bruce. 2004. Project risk management. McGraw-Hill Professional. Blair, Gerald, M. 2007. Planning a Project. http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art8.html?http://www.ee.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art8.html Dennis, Lock. . 2007. Project management. 9th edition. London: Cooper Lybrand Haughey, Duncan. 2000. Planning a Project using a Work Breakdown Structure Logic Network. Website: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/planning-a-project-using-a-work-breakdown-structure-and-logic-network.html Jiang, James, J. and Gary, Klein. Software project risks and development focus. Project management journal, 32, 1: 4-9. 2001. Kerzner, Harold. Project management: A Systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. 9th edition. New York: John Willey Sons. 2006. Loosemore, Mark, Raftery, Justin and Reilly, Chris. Risk management in projects. Taylor Francis. 2006. Meyer, Brad, C. Project Costs and Crashing. 2002. Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from Website: http://www.cbpa.drake.edu/bmeyer/webm120/PPT_Crashing.pdf Phillips, Joseph. Project Cost Management. 2010. Retrieved March 15th, 2010 from Website: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-cost-management.html Raz, Tzvi and Erez, Michael. Benchmarking the use of project risks management tools. Proceedings of the project management Institute Annual Seminars and Symposium.1999.

The Journey of Lily in Sue Monk Kidds The Secret Life of Bees Essay

The Journey of Lily in Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees The devastating tragedy of losing a person's mother at an early age can drastically affect that person's life. It can impact the way someone thinks, corresponds with others, and the way someone handles themselves emotionally. In the novel The Secret Life of Bees Lily Owens loses her mother at the early age of four. During Lily's journey she finds comfort and support in the women that she meets. Throughout the novel Lily goes through many changes because of the impact of the motherly figures of the Black Mary, Rosaleen, and the Calendar Sisters. During Lily's journey the Black Mary helps change Lily's life by providing structure. The ritual of the Calendar Sisters, Rosaleen, and Lily praying before the Black Mary everyday provides Lily with time to focus on her emotions and thoughts. Structure gives Lily a routine with helps her stay organized. "'I reached out and traced Black Mary's heart with my finger'" (Monk Kidd 164). Lily is able to touch the Black Mary on her second attempt. This gives Lily as physical connection to the Black Mary, which she never had with her real mother. The Black Mary acts like a silent mother towards Lily because Lily can connect with the Black Mary physically, but not as much socially. Lily can relate to the Black Mary socially but only through prayer, which is not as strong of a connection as the physical aspect. After Lily learns about the stories that tell the Black Mary's past, she can relate to the Black Mary even more. "'You know, she's really just the figurehead off an old ship, b ut the people needed comfort and rescue, so when they looked at it, they saw Mary, and so the spirit of Mary took over'" (141). When L... ... (243). Lily received a lot of love that gave her hope and made her feel good about herself. Instead of having one mother, Lily had three. Which she felt was the best thing for her. "All these mothers. I have more mothers than eight girls off the street. They are the moons shining over me" (302). Through Lily's life journeys and lessons she learns to appreciate the small things in life and thank those who care. The impact of the Black Mary, Rosaleen and the Calendar Sisters help Lily go through positive changes. Even though Lily lost her mother at an early age, she still had the opportunity to have a great life. Lily was lucky to have the love and support of the many women that are in her life. Lily had a great life and fit into the African American culture perfectly. Works Cited: Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Penguin, 2002.

The possible link between culture, material conditions, and war Essay

The possible link between culture, material conditions, and war After the Second World War and finally after the Cold War and the Gulf War, many peo-ple agreed that there is no need for war anymore. Allies were conducted to maintain peace. But this belief was destroyed. Nowadays, we have to fear a war with Iraq. The question which rises is, if there is a possible link between culture, material conditions, and war? In my paper I will mention the anthropology of war and gender roles. Furthermore, I will discuss the interrelations between culture and war, and finally the interrelations between religion and war. The first question is, if there was war from the beginning of human kind on, or if war just was developed over time? This is a hard question, which nobody can explain exactly. The movie â€Å"The Gods must be crazy† (1984) could be one example that in an uncivilized, isolated society people cannot have war, because they do not have reasons to fight about. They have everything they need various times. That means, they do not have to share things and in conclusion, do not have to fight about things. In the Kalahari Desert a family of African Bushmen had a life in an ideal fashion in harmony and peace. One day somebody dropped a coke bottle out of an airplane down to the Kalahari Desert. This bottle leads to disharmony and violence among the family. All of a sudden they have to share this tool which â€Å"God sent them†. Nobody can work without this tool anymore. That is the reason why they start fighting. But why can people not share, or need to have what they want at onc e without the patience to wait? That’s the problem of human kind in a civilized world. Civilized people change the environment to suit them. The Kalahari Desert cou... ...volution, Males, and violence. The Chronicle of Higher Education 2002. Trexler. Backgrounds (Selections). John, Keegan. The Fact of Battle (Selections). Victor, Davis Hanson. Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the rise of Western Power. An-chor Books 2001. Rodney, Stark. One True God: Historical Consequences of Monotheism (Selection). Princeton University Press. Barrington, Moore, Jr. Moral Purity and Persecution in History (Selection). Princeton University Press Lawrence H., Keeley. War before Civilization. Oxford University Press 1996. Robert L., O’Connell. Ride of the Second Horseman. Oxford University Press 1995. Andrew, Sullivan. This is a religious war. New York Times 2001. Michael, Adams. Peter Pan’s great Adventure. Adams. Male Sacrifice and W.W.I.- to be a man. Jared, Diamond. Guns, Germs, and Steel. W.W. Norton & Company. The possible link between culture, material conditions, and war Essay The possible link between culture, material conditions, and war After the Second World War and finally after the Cold War and the Gulf War, many peo-ple agreed that there is no need for war anymore. Allies were conducted to maintain peace. But this belief was destroyed. Nowadays, we have to fear a war with Iraq. The question which rises is, if there is a possible link between culture, material conditions, and war? In my paper I will mention the anthropology of war and gender roles. Furthermore, I will discuss the interrelations between culture and war, and finally the interrelations between religion and war. The first question is, if there was war from the beginning of human kind on, or if war just was developed over time? This is a hard question, which nobody can explain exactly. The movie â€Å"The Gods must be crazy† (1984) could be one example that in an uncivilized, isolated society people cannot have war, because they do not have reasons to fight about. They have everything they need various times. That means, they do not have to share things and in conclusion, do not have to fight about things. In the Kalahari Desert a family of African Bushmen had a life in an ideal fashion in harmony and peace. One day somebody dropped a coke bottle out of an airplane down to the Kalahari Desert. This bottle leads to disharmony and violence among the family. All of a sudden they have to share this tool which â€Å"God sent them†. Nobody can work without this tool anymore. That is the reason why they start fighting. But why can people not share, or need to have what they want at onc e without the patience to wait? That’s the problem of human kind in a civilized world. Civilized people change the environment to suit them. The Kalahari Desert cou... ...volution, Males, and violence. The Chronicle of Higher Education 2002. Trexler. Backgrounds (Selections). John, Keegan. The Fact of Battle (Selections). Victor, Davis Hanson. Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the rise of Western Power. An-chor Books 2001. Rodney, Stark. One True God: Historical Consequences of Monotheism (Selection). Princeton University Press. Barrington, Moore, Jr. Moral Purity and Persecution in History (Selection). Princeton University Press Lawrence H., Keeley. War before Civilization. Oxford University Press 1996. Robert L., O’Connell. Ride of the Second Horseman. Oxford University Press 1995. Andrew, Sullivan. This is a religious war. New York Times 2001. Michael, Adams. Peter Pan’s great Adventure. Adams. Male Sacrifice and W.W.I.- to be a man. Jared, Diamond. Guns, Germs, and Steel. W.W. Norton & Company.

Advertising-Critical Appraisal Essay

Abstract: The paper traces the journey of television in India which started for promoting development and serving the cause of the poor and the underprivileged. While some efforts were made to fulfil these brave goals, television also earned the unholy reputation of being a vehicle for government propaganda. Doordarshan – the public service broadcaster was the only available terrestrial network till 1991 when transnational satellite television channels began to make forays into the country. Soon Indian players entered the television industry thereby leading to enormous expansion. Since then, the very nature of Indian broadcasting has changed. Television has transformed from a medium devoted to development communication and the cause of the marginalised, to a true middle-class medium. Contemporary Indian television is divorced from the realities of the ‘other half of India that lives in abject poverty and deprivation, thus presenting a distorted view of social reality. This paper seeks to examine these and other related issues, and make some suggestions for policy initiatives to put the development agenda back on television. See more: The Issues Concerning Identity Theft Essay Keywords: Indian television, Doordarshan, television and development communication, public service broadcasting, commercialisation of Indian television, broadcast regulation 1 Introduction Out of the different mass media such as newspapers, radio, television, internet among others, the one introduced in the country with the aim of promoting development was television. Television began in India in 1959 as an educational project supported by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Ford Foundation. Television was based on the model of a public broadcasting system prevalent in many countries of Europe. In independent India, the political leaders recognised the value of information and its use for accelerating the process of development. Thus was started a model of public broadcasting committed to inform, educate and entertain the people. The then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru decided to have full government control over broadcasting for the time being. In retrospect, many observers feel that it was the hangover of the colonial legacy of controlling the media and fears about the power of the mass media to inflame social conflicts that prevented Indian policy makers from thinking creatively about radio and television in the country (Agrawal and Raghaviah, 2006; Jeffrey, 2006). In the decades since 1959, vast changes took place in the television landscape of India. In its early years, apart from being used as an educational tool, television was also misused as a mouthpiece for the central government and the party in power. Programming was primarily in Hindi and much of the news and current affairs focussed on Delhi – the seat of political power (Johnson, 2000; Singhal and Rogers, 2001). Thus, while television was entrusted with the brave goal of promoting national integration, the same medium was found to reinforce a sense of alienation in many parts of the country particularly in the north-eastern states (Joshi, 1985; Ninan, 1995; Page and Crawley, 2001). Despite being the world leader in experimenting with television and satellite technology, India failed to capitalise on the lessons learnt from early development communication projects such as the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) and the much acclaimed Kheda Communication Project (Singhal and Rogers, 2001). Contemporary Indian television is criticised by many for having shifted from its humanitarian goals and becoming a medium for the urban middle class. It is this class which owns and operate most of the television industry in India. It is the same class which is transmitting its own values, principles, and opinions to the rest of India (Johnson, 2000). Consequently, the cause of the poor, underprivileged people for whose development the medium was brought to the country has suffered a setback. Changes in the television system did not occur in India alone. There was a worldwide trend during the 1980s towards the commercialisation of television. Herman and Mc Chesney (2001) argue that during this decade the policies of deregulation and privatisation were applied to national broadcasting and telecommunication systems that were traditionally regulated and often publicly owned and operated. This had a detrimental impact on public service programs which were replaced with more and more entertainment programming. The subsequent sections in the paper examine the divergence between the rhetoric of television for development and actual practice. Some of the ground-breaking initiatives in development communication using television are also captured. Before that, it becomes essential to dwell on the concept of development communication and the role of media is social change. Role of Media in Development It is important at this point to clarify the meaning of „development communication‟ for the term has a wide variety of connotations. Development communication is more than agricultural extension or rural communication. It doesn‟t restrict itself merely to the development of rural areas, nor is it concerned with agricultural development alone. It is oriented towards development whether it be in rural or urban areas, or in areas such as agriculture, family planning, or nutrition (Gupta, 1995). Theory and research suggests that mass communication can act as a positive agent of social change for some people while impeding and obstructing change for others (Johnson, 2000). There are many who dispute the role played by the mass media in bringing about social change (Gupta, 1995; Rodrigues, 2010; Vilanilam, 2005). Gupta (1995) asserts that radio and television are the best sources for creating awareness and interest among the audience regarding a new message or idea â€Å"but when it comes to adoption of the idea, interpersonal sources such as extension agents, friends, neighbours, family members are the most effective† (Gupta, 1995, p.72). In the 1960s, communication scholars and media experts were quite sure that television and the other media of mass communication would help national development. The media were considered the prime motivators of development. Eminent communication scholars such as Daniel Lerner, Wilbur Schramm and Everett M. Rogers, who based their theories of development and media efficacy on the important work of Walter Rostow, namely, The Stages of Economic Growth, stressed that the economic and technological development achieved by the Western nations were the result of increased media use (Vilanilam, 2005). However, since the 1970s the dominant paradigms of development have been challenged by different disciplines (Gupta, 1995; Vilanilam, 2005). It has been realised that distribution of goods and services along with economic and political opportunities among the majority is a pre-requisite for development. An information revolution ushered into a largely private society without appropriate changes in the social structure will not benefit the large majority of the people (Vilanilam, 2005). Everett M. Rogers and many other theorists criticised the dominant paradigm of development (as cited in Rodrigues, 2010) and broadened its definition from one that centred on materialistic economic growth to other social values such as social advancement. The concept of development in the 1970s was expanded as a widely participatory process of social change in a society, intended to bring about both social and material advancement, including greater equality, freedom, and other valued qualities, for the majority of the people by giving them greater control over their environment. Similarly, the new concept of development communication that began to emerge dealt with the promotion of social change leading to improvement in people‟s quality of living, by encouraging better health, higher literacy and higher production of goods through more effective communication (Rodrigues, 2010). There was also a tendency in communication theory and practice to regard the television audience as passive beings moulded and manipulated by those who create the media messages (Johnson, 2000). Many development communication campaigns suffered on this count. However, it is increasingly being realised that for such messages to be effective, people must be involved at all stages – planning, production, and presentation. The need for localisation of development communication has been emphasised by many researchers and commentators (Joshi, 1985; Page and Crawley, 2001; Singhal and Rogers, 2001; Verghese, 1978). The Beginning of Television in India: In the name of Development When television was introduced in the country in 1959, it started as an experiment in social communication for which small teleclubs were organised in Delhi and provided with community television sets. Educational television began in 1961 to support middle and higher secondary school education. Its experiments in teaching of science, mathematics, and language proved successful and received appreciation from many UNESCO experts (Kumar, 2000). A few years later telecasts for farmers began in the form of Krishi Darshan. It was telecast on Wednesdays and Fridays for 20 minutes each day and served 80 villages (around Delhi) provided with community television sets. This pilot project was initiated by the Department of Atomic Energy in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, All India Radio, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and the Delhi Administration (Kumar, 2000). Vikram Sarabhai, the architect of India‟s satellite communication experiments, in 1969 presented a paper entitled â€Å"Television for Development† at the Society for International Development Conference in New Delhi. The idea that the backward countries can and should tap the most advanced communication technologies including television for leapfrogging into rapid economic growth and social transformation was first presented here (Joshi, 1985). Indian television in its infancy was managed by All India Radio. In 1976, television was separated from radio and given a new name – Doordarshan. This adjunct arrangement is seen by some commentators as an impediment to the natural development of television in its initial years (Page and Crawley, 2001). The public service broadcaster – Doordarshan has been used over the years to deliver a number of useful messages. These include messages on family planning, immunization, nutrition of the mother and the child, the need to stem bias against the girl child, among others. Experience suggests that some communication campaigns have worked better than others. A key reason for the failure of many development communication campaigns was the lack of co-ordination with field level agencies (Ninan, 1995; Singhal and Rogers, 2001). Ninan (1995) explains just why the family planning message, the mainstay of development communication messages on television, failed to work. She attributes the failure to the inability of state agencies to provide back-up facilities in rural areas that were required to make the campaign successful. On the other hand, certain messages conveyed through television have worked well. Notable in this category are the health, hygiene, sanitation, and oral rehydration messages which people have adopted to a large extent (Ninan, 1995). Educational Television is another area in which Doordarshan has made significant contribution. Ever since the inception of television in India in 1959, one major responsibility entrusted to it is to provide support for the education system in the country. School television (STV) was launched in October 1961 as an organised, systematic and sequential support to formal school instruction. Teachers appreciated STV as a tool for teaching and presentation of content (Kumar, 2000). The country-wide classroom initiative of the University Grants Commission dedicated to higher education started its telecast on Doordarshan in 1984 with one-hour educational programmes. Though the urban youth may not even be aware of such programmes, these were found to be very useful in the small towns and remote areas of the country where people had less access to other sources of information (Ninan, 1995). In order to boost educational telecasts, a satellite channel devoted exclusively to education Gyandarshan was launched in 2000 in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Gyandarshan offers interesting and informative programmes of relevance to special categories – pre-school kids, primary and secondary school children, college and university students, youth seeking career opportunities, housewives, adults, and many others. In addition to educational fare, programmes from abroad are also broadcast to offer viewers a window to the world (Agrawal and Raghaviah, 2006). For three decades ever since the inception of television, the dominant theme was communication for development so as to improve the quality of life for the vast rural majority. The logic was that in an underdeveloped, largely rural country; television could be used to convey messages on agricultural improvement, health care, and family planning to millions of people without depending on the extension infrastructure such a task would normally require. But the irony was that none of this was done imaginatively or consistently (Ninan, 1995). Commenting on the weaknesses of India‟s educational and instructional broadcasts, the Verghese Committee set up in 1977 to suggest an autonomous framework for broadcasting, noted that in the absence of co-ordination with concerned government departments and educational institutions; the health, farm and educational broadcasts have not been very effective. Another area where it felt the broadcast media was found inadequate was in promoting social justice and educating the underprivileged about their rights (Verghese, 1978). Despite some such shortcomings, Indian television also has to its credit significant initiatives of promoting social change in rural areas. Notable among them are SITE, the educational telecasts and the Kheda Communication Project. One of the most extensive educational and social research projects, perhaps the largest national television experiment in the world, has been SITE (Vilanilam, 2005). Some of these landmark initiatives are discussed in the next section. Landmark Initiatives in Development Communication using Television The journey of television in India took a new turn with the launch of the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment in 1975-76. It was a one year pilot-project using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration‟s ATS-6 satellite to broadcast educational messages through satellite to 2400 villages in the six states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Orissa, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Its objectives were to improve rural primary education, provide teacher training, improve agriculture, health and hygiene, and nutritional practices and contribute to family planning and national integration (Singhal and Rogers, 2001). SITE was â€Å"an unqualified success in terms of hardware but the software wasn‟t specific enough to the area and audience in content or language, and therefore was not so useful and comprehensible† (Joshi, 1985, p.32). The important lesson learnt was that the software has to be area-specific, relevant to the needs and aspirations of the audience, and has to be in the local language (Page and Crawley, 2001; Singhal and Rogers, 2001). The Kheda Communication Project (KCP) launched in 1976 remains to-date the most innovative experiment in using television for empowerment and participatory rural development. Initially known as Pij TV, it used a one-kilowatt transmitter. The Pij transmitter could be received in a radius of about 30 km from Pij village (Agrawal and Raghaviah, 2006). It was India‟s first effort at decentralised community television broadcasting and received the prestigious UNESCO-IPDC prize for rural communication effectiveness. Some 650 community television sets were provided to 400 villages and installed in public places. One of the reasons for the success of the KCP was due to its ability to tap into the existing development infrastructure of Kheda district. It collaborated with extension agencies working in dairying, agriculture and health services, with local banks, cooperatives and employment exchanges (Singhal and Rogers, 2001). The accent was on participatory programme making, the themes were often local, dared to deal with controversial subjects such as caste discrimination, alcoholism etc., and for the first time systemic audience research was carried out (Thomas, 2010). Recognising it contribution, UNESCO noted, â€Å"Kheda was an exceptional example of the combining of modern technologies with a participatory approach to communication. The project employed traditional cultural expressions of a rural community in the creation of its audiovisual programmes, while using modern evaluation techniques for its programme planning. Overall, this project proved to be a good example of the applications of 9 communication for the promotion of human development, particularly of the rural poor, women and children† (UNESCO website, 2011, para. 14). Despite being such a success, the Kheda Project was carried out in splendid isolation from the mainstream and its lessons were not allowed to influence the development and programme trajectory adopted by Doordarshan (Thomas, 2010).