Informatin systems in business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Informatin systems in business - Assignment Example The results provide an exploratory factor analysis of UTAUT model, demonstrating reliability and validity of the scales of the stated constructs, confirming if the model is a valuable measurement tool for evaluating the users’ intention of use of smartphones. Background to the study Controversies have come up lately over which smartphone is the best to use. Depending on the purpose that one would like to put his smartphone into, preferences are different for different people. According to the article, Blackberry versus iPhone: Which is better for business users? Articles by Hunter Skipworth (2010), show that businessmen have favored Blackberry for long very an iPhone. However, it is clear that the Apple has made an effort to introduce an enterprise feature which is more likely to make it the favorite for many whose attitude is futurists. With iPhone gaining stability due to its fast software update, Blackberry too has its own outstanding merits that make it marketable still. I t is for these and many more reasons that this study was done to analyze the factors determining intention of use of a particular smartphone and not the other one. ... Various major features of Smart phones were investigated to come up with conclusive factors about what really is the key influence of people’s intentions to use smart phones. These features include the keyboards, speed, screen sizes and resolutions software updates, hardware simplicity, battery life, screen type and many more. The questions of study considered are: 1. What makes a certain smart phone the preference for many? 2. What is the difference in intentions and actual usage of different smart phones? 3. How do these intentions relate with 1 above? UTAUT Model Development This study is to illustrate that the Unified Theory of Acceptance and use of Technology (UTAUT) model captures the factors impacting upon the intention and actuality of the use of smart phones. Its aim is to explain users’ intentions to choose and use a certain information system and the factors that affect the usage intentions. It proves the general factual and theoretical basis for understandin g a users’ attitude and acceptance of using an information system. People always have a certain attitude towards a new technology based on factors like experiences, routines, and even .habits (Bandura, 1986). Fig1: The UTAUT model. Source: Taylor & Todd, 1995. The model was developed by reviewing constructs of eight models that had been used to explain behavior of using Information Systems and Technology. These eight constructs that were consolidated are; Theory of Reasoned Action(TRA) (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) ),Motivational Model (MM) ) (Davis et al.,1992), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), a combined theory of planned behavior/technology acceptance model, Social Cognitive Theory, Innovation

Legal Arguments on Same Sex Marriage

Legal Arguments on Same Sex Marriage Yoel Reina Dicks in the Court The limitation of marriage to opposite-sex couples may long have seemed natural and just, but its inconsistency with the central meaning of the fundamental right to marry is now manifest, claimed Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, whom has tailored all court decisions which recognize gay rights. With that knowledge, must come the recognition that laws excluding same-sex couples from the marriage right impose stigma and injury of the kind prohibited by our basic charter. The news on June 26, 2015 captivated American citizens all around the country, news that may have seemed as too much to absorb. If an individual was near a live television set, or near the proximity of any telecommunication broadcast, the chants of victory over laws restricting same-sex couples to marry could be heard at an amplified rate. The issue of gay marriage is a strange one, one which is surrounded by much fervor, emotion and unknown consequences. One must ask, what consequences would that be?, Jim Obergefell fought and won the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, a case that Jim did not have to succumb to as his partner passed away in 2013, just two years prior to his victory. The person I love was physically falling apart, and I was happy and privileged to be able to be there to help him what else would I do? Jim Obergefell (Geidner). To answer the question, the consequence is love. The love to feel and be with someone else regardless of their creed and sexuality, the right all human beings should have. The loss Jim faced was tragic, but the tenacity wielded by this individual to take on thousands who opposed his right to marry is immeasurable. The case of Obergefell v Hodges, begins when two same-sex individuals bring their case into their respective district, another fourteen same sex couples follow suit. These cases reflect the denial of each individuals right to marry, or the right to have a marriage which was performed at a different state be recognized in their home state. These cases were heard in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky. The marriage is between a man and a woman, were the current outlook and law by the defined states. Strangely enough so early on, each state corresponding to its petitioner ruled in their favor. Unfortunately, the representatives of the current law (marriage between a man and a woman), petitioned the decision by the courts. In turn this caused the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to rule in favor of the respondents which in turn reversed the previous ruling by the state courts. The original petitioners decided to continue fighting by escalating the matter to the Sup reme Court. Alas once the petitioners received certiorari by the Supreme Court, each petitioner argued that the reversal by the respondents violate the Fourteenth Amendment by restricting the individuals right to marry or denying its recognition. This situation makes it nearly impossible for an individual to be recognized as a married coupled as the laws are not static nationwide and each state can permit or deny gay-marriage. The emotional approach taken by the petitioner is the claim that they viewed marriage by the institution at a high level and they sought that form of value, and it wasnt an approach to diminish marriage. However, the respondents approach to the situation was that the individuals were attempting not attempting to seek the recognition of marriage, but were in fact looking for a new and unestablished right to marry within the same sex. The respondents reminded the court that marriage is naturally between a man and a woman, the respondents included that the ability for a same- sex couple to marry would demean marriage by its core definition. The respondents also claimed that there is an insufficient amount of democratic discourse to decide on an issue as important as the definition of marriage. Oddly enough the inclusion of a statement as bizarre as same sex couples inability to marry due to the severance of marriage and procreation was also claimed. Both legal arguments were weighted out by the Supreme Court and a decision was to be made, one which sadly did not pass by a large majority ruling, but a ruling in favor of gay marriage was made none-the-less. The Court ruled by majority of 5 to 4 in favor of the petitioners. The verdict, carried by Justice Kennedy (Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ. joined), initially measured the matter arising from the cases of Michigan and Kentucky, of whether states are obligated to record same-sex marriages (Oyez). The first testament made by the majority ruling in favor of gay marriage was the fact that marriage has evolved over time due to legal and social attributes. A statement identifying every states disarray on the decision of gay marriage was also brought into light. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment also contain a due process clause. Due process deals with the administration of justice and thus the due process clause acts as a safeguard from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by the Government outside the sanction of law. The due process clause was strongly used in winning the rights to marry for same sex couples, as liberties protected by the clause extend to choices that are central to a persons dignity and autonomy. These dignities and autonomous action also stretch into personal beliefs and identity. The Supreme Court parried the respondents arguments of the petitioners not seeking to pursue a right to wed, but in its place pursued an innovative right to same sex marriage, with being inconsistent with the Courts prior method to essential rights, as well as that of matrimonial pairing. The claim that rights could not be restricted only by individuals who have previously exercised them was also made. If this was the case, law would be stale and would not evolve with the times and social changes. This informal approach would restrict groups from invoking rights denied to them in the past (womens right to vote, black equality, etc). Furthermore, same-sex marriage is protected by the equal protection clause, stating that the Court recognized that new insights and societal understandings can reveal unjustified inequality within our most fundamental institutions that once passed unnoticed and unchallenged. The marriage laws confronted by the petitioners are in its core unequal. The laws deprived same-sex couples all the benefits approved to opposite-sex pairs and labor as seriously committing harm, in essence serving to disregard and declare gays and lesbians as inferior. At the end the respondents showed no evidence of marriages severance due to the acceptance of gay marriage. The four Justices who were not in favor of the ruling made their dissenting judgements. Chief Justice Roberts, joined by Scalia, Alito and Thomas, dissented from the majority claiming that the Constitution of the United States does not allow judges to refabricate the definition of marriage as it is a decision to be made by the legislature. Chief Justice Robert finalized his dissent by claiming that the majority had no legal basis for its conclusion. Scalia was in agreement with Justice Roberts dissent but included that citizens were robbed of their freedom to govern themselves. After reading over the case and assessing the competition Jim had I am overwhelmed with joy and thanks to this individual and all those who have fought for my right to legally get married. It is a horrendous thought and a very treacherous approach to deny an individual rights granted to another individual. There was reservation saved specifically for Judge Thomas who is of African American heritage, an individual who shared a history of ancestors whom faced a similar struggle towards equality. Although the African American struggle was much harsher than that of gay rights, it was a struggle none-the-less which should give an understanding and compassion towards the importance of civil liberties and rights for all, one he seemed to forget. I could not imagine a world where I could not marry the person I love, to be told that I am different and do not have that right. This case is one that puts law into a perspective that not everything is set in stone. Law mutates, it changes and adjusts to the times may they be impacted by the environment or social changes. It also begs to question the Constitution as a whole, does it not? What is the difference between a dream and the U.S. Constitution when both can be translated based on the outlook of the individual, in this case the courts. Alas, although the Courts did have a majority ruling for gay rights, unfortunately there are dicks (no pun intended to the case), whom are still sitting in the court whove not adjusted to the times itself.

Mexico and The World Bank: Rebuilding a Country :: Essays Papers

Mexico and The World Bank: Rebuilding a Country The 1994/1995 financial crisis in Mexico affected me in a very personal way. My family is from Mexico City, and my dad owns a small private firm that specializes in manufacturing tools. After the devaluation, I not only watched my father struggle with the failing economy and lack of business growth opportunities, I also witnessed a country begin to sink deeper into poverty and despair. There are many reasons for the devaluation, but one of the main ones is probably the â€Å"poor savings rates and the low rate of investment (only saved 19 percent of GDP from 1980-1994)† (Bloomburg). Low levels of social development and high levels of poverty consistently served as a drag to economic growth and reform measures. Next fall I am going to spend a quarter in Washington D.C. completing an internship at the World Bank. I am going to work in the Latin American department, so I will have the opportunity to deal very closely with the Bank’s strategies and projects in Mexico. Therefore I have decided to research the relationship between the World Bank and Mexico. The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of development assistance. It is not really a bank, but rather a specialized agency comprised of 184 member countries. Along with several other institutions, the Bank provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries. The Bank has provided assistance to Mexico for over 5 decades, and projects loans totaling $5 billion to Mexico up to the year 2005. Mexico holds the second largest share of the Bank’s portfolio, which totals to a whopping 11.1 billion dollars (9.4 % of total portfolio). The Bank works alongside Mexican authorities and officials and both regional and municipal levels to lay out plans and devise strategies that will hopefully help to build up the Mexican economy and social welfare. The Bank currently runs 31 active projects with a net commitment of $5.4 billion. Today Mexico is defined as a middle-income country, although many of its residents continue to survive off less than 1 or 2 dollars per day. Those who live on less than $1 per day do not have access to sufficient food or clean water. Income per capita is $5070 (the highest in Latin America). Mexico and The World Bank: Rebuilding a Country :: Essays Papers Mexico and The World Bank: Rebuilding a Country The 1994/1995 financial crisis in Mexico affected me in a very personal way. My family is from Mexico City, and my dad owns a small private firm that specializes in manufacturing tools. After the devaluation, I not only watched my father struggle with the failing economy and lack of business growth opportunities, I also witnessed a country begin to sink deeper into poverty and despair. There are many reasons for the devaluation, but one of the main ones is probably the â€Å"poor savings rates and the low rate of investment (only saved 19 percent of GDP from 1980-1994)† (Bloomburg). Low levels of social development and high levels of poverty consistently served as a drag to economic growth and reform measures. Next fall I am going to spend a quarter in Washington D.C. completing an internship at the World Bank. I am going to work in the Latin American department, so I will have the opportunity to deal very closely with the Bank’s strategies and projects in Mexico. Therefore I have decided to research the relationship between the World Bank and Mexico. The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of development assistance. It is not really a bank, but rather a specialized agency comprised of 184 member countries. Along with several other institutions, the Bank provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries. The Bank has provided assistance to Mexico for over 5 decades, and projects loans totaling $5 billion to Mexico up to the year 2005. Mexico holds the second largest share of the Bank’s portfolio, which totals to a whopping 11.1 billion dollars (9.4 % of total portfolio). The Bank works alongside Mexican authorities and officials and both regional and municipal levels to lay out plans and devise strategies that will hopefully help to build up the Mexican economy and social welfare. The Bank currently runs 31 active projects with a net commitment of $5.4 billion. Today Mexico is defined as a middle-income country, although many of its residents continue to survive off less than 1 or 2 dollars per day. Those who live on less than $1 per day do not have access to sufficient food or clean water. Income per capita is $5070 (the highest in Latin America).

Popular culture Essay

Reg Mombassa and Keith Haring are two well-known artists who both represent the pop-art movement. Keith Haring began producing art in New York in 1980 by drawing on subway advertising boards. He felt that this was a good way for him to be able to express his work to the public. New Zealand born Chris O’Doherty has been producing pop-art under the name of Reg Mombassa since about 1980. His earliest works became famous on the t-shirts of a well known Australian surf brand, Mambo. Haring’s â€Å"Best Buddies†, produced in 1990, is very simple, two-dimensional and brightly coloured. Made from a silkscreen print, its simplicity is intended to attract attention and instantly convey the message that friendship is good. The figures have no obvious sex or race, which puts forward the message that friendship is for anyone and everyone. In contrast, Mombassa’s interpretation of the biblical scene of â€Å"The Temptation† is highly detailed with strong colours, and conveys many complex messages. The most obvious message is that of today’s temptation of material objects, represented by the toaster, and the violence and crime for solving society’s problems, which is represented by the gun. This ‘Garden of Eden’ is set in Australia’s outback, showing that Mombassa’s main influence is Australian society. Each artwork is conveying its own strong social comment, and presenting it in different ways. Haring has used bright, bold colours and dark lines to put forward the message of the vitality of friendship, through two unidentifiable abstract figures. This means that Haring has left the responder to decide what race and sex the figures are, reinforcing the point that these factors are not important when choosing your friends. This is in comparison with Mombassa’s detailed image of a well known biblical scene, using strong colours and a slightly more realistic overall picture. The simplicity of Haring’s artwork conveys the social message instantly,  where as Mombassa’s artwork requires the responder to study and analyse the detail and hidden messages behind the image. Haring created his simple artwork for the fast-paced lifestyle for the general public in the city New York. The image is easy and quick to absorb and therefore is more greatly appreciated by the busy day-to-day viewers. The more leisurely lifestyle of Australia in the nineties was able to take time to appreciate the complexity of Mombassa’s detailed artwork. Due to this, it was easier for the public to deconstruct the many messages hidden throughout the artwork. Both artists have been able to reach the masses through t-shirts and other publicly exposed works and have become well accepted by the general public. Their work has served to influence many people with the message that they portray and have become part of every day life. Their art has been worn on t-shirts by people all over the world for decades.

Logitech Case Essay

1.In a world without trade, what would happen to the costs that American consumers would have to pay for Logitech’s Products? World trade refers to buying and selling across national borders. It would be difficult to predict or estimate the prices of the product of one company like Logitech in one market like America. 2.Explain how trade lowers the costs of making computer peripherals such as mice and keyboards. 1. Components are procured from any part of the world where they can be produced and manufactured at the best cost. (Motorola plant in Malaysia makes the mouse’s chip; Agilent Technologies supplies optical sensors). 2. The intellectual capital going into any product is created at the place where the right talent is available. (Ergonomics design is done in Ireland, software programming is done in Switzerland and Fremont). 3. The actual assembling/manufacturing is done at the place where is can be done most cost effectively. (Assembling is done in Taiwan and China). 4. The products reach the customers the most efficient way by taking the service s of the most efficient logistics company. (Marketing and operations from Fremont). 3.Use the theory of comparative advantage to explain the way in which Logitech has configured its global operation. Why does the company manufacture in China and Taiwan, undertake basic R&D in California and Switzerland, design products in Ireland, and coordinate marketing and operations from California? Comparative advantage, as proposed by Ricardo, says that it is beneficial for nations to involve in trade even when there is absolute advantage for them to produce all the goods. So nations will invest a major portion of their resources to produce what they can produce with advantage. This theory is being applied to the case in the following way 4.Who creates more value for Logitech – the 650 people it employs in California and Switzerland, or the  4,000 employees at its Chinese factory? What are the implications of this observation for the argument that free trade is beneficial? Logitech make $8 for every mouse being sold. Let us assume that $3 of this is spent on R&D and software programming. Free trade is beneficial because, it is the free trade which is allowing Logitech to take advantage of the low cost manpower available in China. If free trade w ere not available, Logitech would be forced to manufacture it’s mice in U.S. at a much higher cost. 5.Why do you think the company decided to shift its corporate headquarters from Switzerland to Fremont? It helps Logitech to stay close to its customers. It can respond to the demands of the customers more promptly. Fremont is also the place where a lot of technological innovations are happening. Logitech being in the high-tech industry, continuous innovation is a key success factor for its business. Fremont is also an important in terms of managerial talent. All these reasons make it convenient for Logitech to move to Fremont. 6. To what extent can Porter’s diamond help explain the choice of Taiwan as a major manufacturing site for Logitech? Porter’s diamond considers four important attributes which will create an environment that helps the domestic industries. The four attributes can be applied to Taiwan becoming a manufacturing hub for electronics goods as shown below:Taiwan has well qualified people for manufacturing electronic goods. It has good infrastructure and transport facility. There is demand throughout the world for electronic products produced in Taiwan. All major global companies source their electronic components from Taiwan. Taiwan has a well-developed supply base for parts and rapidly expanding local computer industry. There is tough competition and rivalry among local companies which help in better efficiency. The government has created Science-based industrial parks through which they encourage companies to invest in Taiwan. Land is given at very subsidized rates in these parks. 7. Why do you think China is now a favored location for so much high-technology manufacturing activity? How will China’s increasing involvement in global trade help that country? How will it help the world’s developed economies? What potential problem are associated with moving to China? All the factors in Porter’s diamond are at play in China very efficiently. It has huge human resources, land, water and other natural resources. It has good infrastructure for transportation, ports and communication. It has created special zones for promoting exports, thus ensuring a good demand for the goods they manufacture. The rivalry among the domestic firms is also very strong. Government supports export oriented firms through funds. The cost of labor is very low. Technical human skills are available. These factors make China a favored location for high-technology manufacturing. China’s increase in global trade will ensure that investment flows into China for manufacturing. Its balance of payment position will become very strong. It can use the trade as a lever for political mileage. As more investment happens it w ill help China to reap the advantages of economics of scale. It can provide better living conditions for its citizens. It will also generate funds for planned investments. The world’s developed economics will be able to take advantage of the low cost manufacturing available in China. The global companies can improve the efficiency of their supply chain by manufacturing in China. The following are the potential problems associated with moving work to China: The political changes, when they happen, can lead to disruption of work. Decision making at the government level is opaque, which can cause problems if unfavorable decisions are taken. When there is trouble in the political relationship between the home country and China. The companies may lose an opportunity to develop an alternate to China as a manufacturing hub.

Essay on What is OrientalismEssay Writing Service

Essay on What is OrientalismEssay Writing Service Essay on What is Orientalism? Essay on What is Orientalism?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Orientalism has been widely discussed in academic literature and the media sources. According to researchers, the nature of the Orient invites imagination due to the uniqueness of this concept (Ziauddin 1). Orientalism can be viewed as a positive concept that sets a high value on the role of the Orient nature in the life and development of the West (Said 203). The history of Chinese dynasties has direct link with the history of Roman Empire and the establishment of Orientalism as an ideology. American Orientalists are involved in the study and analysis of the Orient. According to Said, Orientalism calls for specific knowledge of people, places and civilizations (203). The study of Orientalism allows having a deep understanding of the West’s beliefs and views on the Arab in general and Islamic world in particular. As Orientalists are involved in the investigation of the roots of ancient Oriental tradition s and the nature of the artistic representation of the Orient in Western world, it is necessary to place emphasis on several aspects in the study of this issue (Ziauddin 21). This paper will give explanation of the concept of Orientalism and provide the information regarding the effects of Orientalism on today’s society. In order to explain the meaning of Orientalism, it is crucial to consider changes in the meaning of this term. Today, Orientalism is considered to an influential ideology that allows finding differences between East and West (Diken et al. 26). Researchers are focused on the study and analysis of powerful Oriental influences in different areas of today’s society, placing emphasis on the significant role of religious concepts and philosophies, for example Asian religious traditions and beliefs. Thesis statement: The meaning of Orientalism has been changed due to continuing effects of this concept on today’s society, including   powerful effects on attitudes, beliefs, images and knowledge found in various cultural and social activities: art, music, literature, and other elements of culture.The major goal of this research paper is to discuss the meaning of Orientalism and consider the continuing effects of this concept on the development of today’s society. The study will be narrowed down to the United States. The following issues should be discussed in this paper: background information about the concept of Orientalism, some differences in the definitions of the term â€Å"Orientalism†, some important facts from the history of Orientalism, the nature of American Orientalism and its continuing effects on today’s society.Background information about the concept of OrientalismIn order to discuss the meaning of Orientalism, it is necessary to consider the key facts about the concept of Orientalism. In fact, the meaning of the term â€Å"Orientalism† is closely connected with the history of this conce pt. Edward Said’s book Orientalism written in 1978 had a strong impact on the study of the origins of Orientalism and the â€Å"Third World cultural studies in Europe and the United States† (Dirlik 384). Said provides three different meanings of the term â€Å"Orientalism†, each of which is independent in its explanation (133).   Orientalism as a concept can be characterized as influential Western ideology. At the same time, it can be characterized as an academic discipline studied in educational institutions as a field of academic study, or it can be represented as a literary motif. Moreover, the concept of Orientalism has direct relation to the depiction of prejudiced interpretations (Kontje 56)  Some differences in the definitions of the term â€Å"Orientalism†The concept of Orientalism can be viewed as a controversial concept, which has been defined differently. To start with, the term â€Å"Orientalism† has been defined as an â€Å"ideolo gy, a set of prejudices that bolster a sense of European superiority over the East and thus implicitly or explicitly legitimate imperialism and colonialism, the exploitation of subjugated people deemed culturally or racially inferior to the dominant culture† (Kontye 56). Researchers suggest that the ideology of Orientalism may set certain limits to European way of thinking regarding the nature of the Orient. As a result, the ideology of Orientalism may exist as a set of ideas that fill social activities.Secondly, the term â€Å"Orientalism† refers to the academic discipline, which involves the study of Eastern culture, beliefs, values, religions, traditions and languages (Kontye 56). Generally speaking, Orientalism as the field of study is based on the application of the Christian traditions of West. According to Wesley Longhofer and Daniel Winchester, â€Å"Orientalism is considered to have commenced its formal existence with the decision of the Church Council of Vien ne in 1312 to establish a series of chairs in Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac in Paris, Oxford, Bologna, Avignon and Salamanca† (377). The historical development of Orientalism as an academic discipline is based on its increasing scope because it is a field with an increased geographical representation in a wide range of realities, including social realities, political and linguistic realities (Longhofer Winchester 377).Thirdly, the term â€Å"Orientalism† has been applied to art and literature as a theme for discussion (Kontye 56). The value of Orientalism is concluded in its artistic and artful techniques which make art and literature communicate important ideas. For example, the exhibition of Chinese ceramics from the Han Dynasty, such as houses and camels, reflects the values of historical period and the role of Confucianism in the establishment of Empire. In visual arts and literature of China, the ideas of Orientalism symbolize Chinese cultural traditions and b eliefs.  Some important facts from the history of Orientalism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The origin of Orientalism refers to the so-called â€Å"western construction of knowledge about peoples in the Middle East and Asia† that was formed during colonial era (Merryfield Subedi 288).   Today Orientalism is part of human life. It affects practically all aspects of human activity. The history of Orientalism is long and interesting. At the end of the 15-th century, after the discovery of America, which provided the sea route to India, there was an increase in the development of economic relations between East and West. That period was marked by the development of the philosophy Orientalism as a new philosophical thought.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, in the early 19-th century the concept of Orientalism was applied to visual art. The term â€Å"Orientalism† was used to describe the unique features of the genre of painting, w hich was promoted by many French and British artists. They were focused on the representation of the Orient in their impressive art works, revealing the themes of the established Middle Eastern traditions and customs. Historians believe that the amazing works of many Orientalists not only embraced truly oriental expression, but also inspired them to develop the themes of the Orient in their further works. Researchers have found cross-cultural influences of artists (Merryfield Subedi 285). Various Indian, Chinese and Japanese traditions, values and beliefs were reflected in paintings, textiles, and ceramics, furniture, and architecture styles. Said reinterpreted these cross-cultural influences through the development and application of radical theory, which proves the fact that the depiction of the East influenced social and cultural life of people living in the West (Merryfield Subedi 285).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, the effects of Orientalism on soci ety had absolutely different forms. These differences depended on the cultures which were influenced by Orientalism. According to Said’s theoretical views, the discourse of Orientalism can be characterized as â€Å"basically homogeneous† discourse (Burke Prochaska 22). Said states that â€Å"Orientalism is the corporate institution for dealing with the Orient -dealing with it by making statements about it, authorizing views of it, describing it, by teaching it, settling it, ruling over it: in short, orientalism as a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient† (Said 3). The meaning of Orientalism is based on the above mentioned Said’s claim because it reflects the idea of supremacy of the West and its influence on the East. Said writes,Orientalism refers to several overlapping domains: first, the changing historical and cultural relationship between Europe and Asia, a relationship with a 4000-year-old history; second , the scientific discipline in the west according to which, beginning in the early 19-th century, one specialized in the study of various Oriental cultures and traditions; and, third, the ideological suppositions, images and fantasies   about a currently important and politically urgent region of the world called the Orient (90).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, the history of Orientalism highlights the role of cultural relationship between the West and the East. The Chinese dynasties  The nature of American Orientalism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The nature of American Orientalism can be explained by the discourse that regarding the differences and different theoretical perspectives on the analysis of Western cultural practice and non-Western cultural practice that were enhanced by the effects of colonialism. Due to Said’s analysis of the West’s ideological domination over the East, it becomes possible to have a better understandin g of the nature of American Orientalism. The West’s construction of the East is based on the promotion of the specific style of thought that finds the obvious features of differences between the Orient and the Occident.As a matter of fact, the study of China’s history is aimed at finding the proper explanations of the origin of Orientalism and its effects on today’s society. China’s language, history, cultural traditions, values and beliefs give explanation to its tremendous growth as an Empire. Many critics pay due attention to the study of cultural traditions of non-Western societies, including Chinese society, in order to explain why these cultures â€Å"remained humanist, egalitarian societies that were ‘corrupted’ by colonist subjugation† (Kirkwood 42). American Orientalism reflects the influences of China because it was â€Å"built on European Orientalism and its negative depictions of Asians, but took a form that was specific t o and supportive of the United States emerging role as a worldwide moral and economic force† (Ion 274). In other words, Americans wanted to see Asia well-developed, highly civilized and Christianized. In the case of China’s dynasties, Orientalism was used to reflect ideologies of the nation. American Orientalism was closely connected with American progressivism and the idea of Manifest destiny. Due to American intervention in China, Orientalism become more progressive as China was converted into more Christian society. Prejudices caused by the growth of the ideas of Orientalism in the United States were caused by China’s humiliation (Ion 275). Orientalism became part of a powerful imperialist project based on the idea to make China similar to the U.S. and the West. According to researchers, the new form of Orientalism is based on the so-called sameness, as today â€Å"China is seen as in a process of haltingly but inevitably becoming the same as us: open, libera l, modern and free† (Vukovich 1).  The continuing effects of Orientalism on today’s society: the case of China  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been found that Orientalism was originated in the period of colonialism, but today the effects of Orientalism can be identified in any society as it â€Å"continues to shape attitudes, images and knowledge† (Merryfield Subedi 288).   Said highlights that use of specific methods of teaching that can be used to â€Å"overcome orientalist thinking through contrapuntal (a term from music meaning characterized by counterpoint) literature and histories that create new understandings and knowledge† (Merryfield Subedi 288).Generally speaking, the themes revealed by Orientalism, its principles and traditions are obvious in today’s society. Researchers, including sociologists and historians are focused on providing argumentation on existing differences between the cultural aspects of the East a nd the West (Diken Laustsen 26). The most important argument gives explanation to the continuing effects of Orientalism on today’s society is that the â€Å"relationship between the West and the Orient is not merely one of a difference between two elements within the same space† (Diken Laustsen 26). According to researchers, the Orient is characterized as a â€Å"fantasy space† because it is associated with human produced by fantasy. The criticism of Orientalism is caused by different styles and trends found in the art worked produced by the Asian artists and writers (Said 60). In the 20-th century, a wide range of cultural themes of the West were reflected in Asian art and culture. Moreover, Orientalism influenced cinema and theater, and photography.Chinatown that became a form of Chinese settlement that reflected Oriental ideas in the form of specific attributes of Chinese people. The framework of Orientalism involves the effects of internal colonization; th erefore, Chinatowns were shaped by the presence of colonialist attitudes. For example, Chinese decorative arts influenced the creation of visual images by American painters. Many elements of Chinese architecture, including pagodas Chinese-style pavilions, and impressive landscapes helped to create romantic Oriental visions.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of Orientalism on art and culture through images and language  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of Orientalism on art and culture, including literature, painting, music, theatre, cinema, and photography can be explained by the national cultural dialogue, which influences various elements of cultural development. The intense interest of Americans in the Orient, especially the Oriental culture and traditions contributed to the development of American Orientalist thought. For example, the popularity of the Arabian Nights among Americans influenced the growth of tourism industry.   Accord ing to historians, the United States entered Orientalism in 1850s-1860s by means of literature, painting, and music. Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad (1869) highlights the new development associated with Orientalism.In fact, the significant role of the Oriental culture was reflected in aesthetic and ethical discourse in the United States. The Oriental images were represented in Oriental landscapes. Sanford Robinson Gifford, an American landscape painter, reflected the effects of orientalism in his paintings: The Desert at Assouan (1869), Long Branch Beach (1867) and other art works. The works of American painters help to find the link between the Orient and the West through the cultural and historical imaginary (Ziauddin 35).Besides, Orientalism was found in music. Many composers were influenced by the Oriental ideas which can be found in various forms of Oriental music. The growing rate of Asian immigrants in the United States promoted the reflection of Orientalism in music .   It has been found that American popular music revealed increased de-masculinization, intensive role of exoticism, dehumanization and other elements of Orientalism. Due to musical representation of Asian immigrants, the difference between the East and the West became more obvious and clear for Americans. The Orient found in American music can be characterized as fantasy developed by the civilized world.   For example, Jerome and Schwartz’s song demonstrates the theme of Orientalism through the representation of local Chinatowns as â€Å"foreign entities within the U.S. borders† (Dirlik 127). In general, music industry was influenced by Orientalism and played an important role in the construction of national identity. Images and language in various art works contributed to the increased role of the Oriental ideas in art and culture.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of Orientalism on cinema  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The eff ects of Orientalism on cinema and film production can be explained by the increased representation of Asian culture and traditions in films, documentaries and television shows that were produced in the United States, especially Chinese culture. According to historians, â€Å"four major stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans emerged from the imagination of primarily white cultural producers in Hollywood: Yellow Peril, Dragon Lady, Charlie Chan and Lotus Blossom (Shah 1). The images of Asians were characterized as the images, which reflected both negative and positive stereotypes. Negative stereotypes proved the significance social control. Positive stereotypes proved the significance of the Orientalist thought (Shah 4). At the same time, China developed its own tradition of warriors’ depiction. This tradition was popularized in films, folklore and music. Orientalism in cinema and theater highlights the role of historicism. Zhang Yimou’s Hero reflects Orientalism thr ough historicism, as well as many other films (Diken Laustsen 122).

Getting That Memoir to Pay

Getting That Memoir to Pay Youve published your memoir and now its not bringing in the kind of money you expected? Its disappointing, but its not unusual. Turning your memoir into a money-maker is one of the greatest challenges in writing and publishing. But dont be too quick to round-file your book and abandon the life-long dream of writing your story. There are other fairly simple ways of bringing in extra cash from your labor-of-love. 1.   The biggest step in earning more money from your memoir is 2.   Try submitting snippets of your memoir to various publications. My best example is the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which is basically a collection of mini-memoirs. They pay $200 per story plus 10 copies of the book in which youre to be published. 3.   Sell portions of your memoir to magazines. Womans World Magazine publishes a weekly magazine that offers opportunities for earning money for true stories written in the first person. They pay $25, $100 and $250 for non-fiction stories. Or, pluck a section from your memoir, change the names, embellish it and then submit it as fiction, which pays $800 for romances and $500 for mini-mysteries. 4. Newspapers are always looking for quality human interest stories for their hard copy and on-line publications. For seven years I was paid to write a nostalgic cooking column for a newspaper where I drew fully from my early-life experiences. Pay depends on the individual publication. 5.   Consider speaking engagements. Ive spoken at senior centers, churches, womens groups and military organizations. Network or go on-line to find groups with interests that align with your memoir. The larger the organization the more theyre able to pay. 6.   Enter contests. Contests accept fiction and nonfiction pieces; heres another place where you can take a slice of your memoir, fictionalize it and enter it in a contest, or write a piece of it as creative nonfiction. Entry fees vary, as do winning prizes. 7.   Teach a class. I contacted the Continuing Education Department of our local college and was hired to teach adult cooking, cooking for kids, memoir writing and publishing classes. 8.   Craft shows and farmers markets offer a relaxed, country feel that can set the mood for memoir sales. Bring along your gift-of-gab. Ive sold more books at craft shows than through any other venue. Earning additional funds from your memoir is entirely doable. The key is to think outside the box. Stay focused, flexible, and above all, creative.  

Definition of Gadsden Purchase

Definition of Gadsden Purchase The Gadsden Purchase was a strip of territory the United States purchased from Mexico following negotiations in 1853. The land  was purchased because it was considered to be a good route for a railroad across the Southwest to California. The land comprising the Gadsden Purchase is in southern Arizona and the southwestern part of New Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase represented the last parcel of land acquired by the United States to complete the 48 mainland states. The transaction with Mexico was controversial, and it intensified the simmering conflict over slavery and helped to inflame the regional differences that eventually led to the Civil War. Background of the Gadsden Purchase Following the Mexican War, the boundary between Mexico and the United States set by the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ran along the Gila River. Land to the south of the river would be Mexican territory. When Franklin Pierce became president of the United States in 1853, he backed the idea of a railroad that would run from the American South to the West Coast. And it became apparent that the best route for such a railroad would run through northern Mexico. The land to the north of the Gila River, in United States territory, was too mountainous. President Pierce instructed the American minister to Mexico, James Gadsden, to purchase as much territory in northern Mexico as possible. Pierces secretary of war, Jefferson Davis, who would later be the president of the Confederate States of America, was a strong supporter of a southern rail route to the West Coast. Gadsden, who had worked as a railroad executive in South Carolina, was encouraged to spend up to $50 million to buy as much as 250,000 square miles. Senators from the North suspected that Pierce and his allies had motives beyond simply building a railroad. There were suspicions that the real reason for the land purchase was to add territory in which slavery could be legal. Consequences of the Gadsden Purchase Because of objections of suspicious northern legislators, the Gadsden Purchase was scaled back from the original vision of President Pierce. This was an unusual circumstance where the United States could have obtained more territory but chose not to. Ultimately, Gadsden reached an agreement with Mexico to purchase about 30,000 square miles for $10 million. The treaty between the United States and Mexico was signed by James Gadsden on December 30, 1853, in Mexico City. And the treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate in June 1854. The controversy over the Gadsden Purchase prevented the Pierce administration from adding any more territory to the United States. So the land acquired in 1854 essentially completed the 48 states of the mainland. Incidentally, the proposed southern rail route through the rough territory of the Gadsden Purchase was partly the inspiration for the U.S. Army to experiment by using camels. The secretary of war and proponent of the southern railway, Jefferson Davis, arranged for the military to obtain camels in the Middle East and ship them to Texas. It was believed the camels would eventually be used to map and explore the region of the newly acquired territory. Following the Gadsden Purchase, the powerful senator from Illinois, Stephen A. Douglas, wanted to organize territories through which a more northern railroad could run to the West Coast. And the political maneuvering of Douglas eventually led to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which further intensified tensions over slavery. As for the railroad across the Southwest, that was not completed until 1883, nearly three decades after the Gadsden Purchase.

Theory and practice of human rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Theory and practice of human rights - Essay Example I shall then conclude by proffering an argument on how these premises can be limited so as to offer a reasonable and justifiable balance between the two competing interest. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights states that Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. Persons are all equally entitled to human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. Accordingly, the normative totality of Human Rights revolves around: the Universality, indivisibility, interdependence, equality and obligations of parties and the State. UDHR though not a legally binding document, it values are immense. First, it set the pace for the States’ recognition and protection of Human Rights based on the Rule of Law. At the time of its promulgation, the UN General Assembly then proclaimed the Declaration to be; â€Å"a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of member states themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.† The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights1, for example, noted that it is the duty of States to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems. It provides in its preamble that; â€Å"Emphasizing the responsibilities of all States, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to develop and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental

Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Healthcare - Essay Example This paper shall now consider the debate regarding the objectivist and constructivist concepts of health and illness. It shall argue for the acceptance of one philosophical account over the other. It shall provide an analysis, comparison, and evaluation of both theories in relation to health and illness. This study is being carried out in the hope of establishing a thorough and comprehensive understanding of these theories in relation to health and illness. Discussion The current trends in philosophical thinking have focused on defining disease concepts as those which involve experiential assessments on human physiology and on human behavior and well-being (Bloomfield, 2001). First and foremost, people have beliefs about the normal functioning of their bodies based on their natural and logical expectations of physiology. Secondly, people make generalizations about how a way or condition of life is true or not. These generalizations are based on normative principles which are concerne d with the â€Å"extent to which a life is unnatural, undesirable or failing to flourish in some way† (Murphy, 2008). A crucial issue is on the judgments which people make about their physiology and whether they are also considered normative. A bigger question is on the impact of both judgments in the scientific field of medicine and in simple matters of common sense. A dilemma unearthed in understanding health and illness is the fact that our usual and traditional judgments determine who are considered ill or diseased. Such traditional views have not created as much impact on philosophy, but they have registered a significant impact in other areas, including humanities and social sciences (Kennedy, 1983). Some objectivists believe that there are details about the human physiology upon which the concept of diseases is founded. But constructivists point out that this is a major deception. Instead, these constructivists point out that the disputed cases indicate how the differe nt beliefs of social groups come into conflict with each other, and agreements are sometimes ensured because the system of values have been generally accepted (Murphy, 2008). Kitcher has been one of the first who has considered the objectivism and constructivism concepts in healthcare (Sarkar and Plutynski, 2010). These two theories have also been referred to as naturalism and normativism. Kitcher’s analysis is based on unclear facts about the human body. It is therefore crucial to create definite generalizations for objectivism and constructivism. First and foremost, the objectivist understanding of disease is that our human body is made up of different organs which have normal functions upon which they can depart in different ways (Murphy, 2008). These departures can either be harmless or sometimes harmful to humans. Those which are harmful manifest as diseases. A disease in this understanding is therefore based on normal functioning of the body and a general judgment of a result being something ‘abnormal’ or a departure from the natural. Objectivists believe that establishing the presence of a disease is a matter for science and that normative evaluations are the foundations of such judgment (Boorse, 1997). In effect, the objectivists believe that disease is a physiological malfunction which causes a life to deteriorate. Such a malfunction can manifest in different ways. Diseases may not be of the natural kind, but they

A Bottled Water Company Called Quench Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Bottled Water Company Called Quench - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that Quench is a target of bad media attention with regards to its environmental issues linked to packaging, sustainable resources and ecological logistics. The global economic downturn has not helped improve its situation, resulting in declining sales. As business’ social responsibility become increasingly important in the eyes of stakeholders, Quench’s position as a social responsible organisation is tarnished. According to the paper the company’s steady growth over the past decade has been attributed to its competitive pricing strategies, strong advertising campaigns and a good reputation. Thus, having its reputation ruined by a series of bad publicity could further hurt its performance as a market leader in sports drink products. Moreover, Quench’s management appears to be taking its time to rectify the situation. With this, worldwide customers will become alarmed about its seemingly lack of concern for the environment. The fact that its brand is connected with trust and reliability, the issue on hand has made these hard to believe. The crisis management of Quench must come together to analyse the problem and discuss corrective actions to take. A press statement addressing the issue should be released quickly to show that the company is aware of the public’s concern and is taking steps to deal and rectify the situation. The company’s quick reaction to the matter will place it in a better light because it is giving out positive image of how it is handling the problem. On the other hand, delayed response to the public will further harm Quench’s reputation, as the media will continuously publish damaging reports on the issue.

Military Tribunals and the American Court System Essay

Military Tribunals and the American Court System - Essay Example International agreements define the proper treatment of prisoners and the acceptable treatment of civilians during times of war. This has had a practical reason as it has traditionally prevented field commanders from committing atrocities that would so inflame the enemy that they would seek widespread revenge on their opponent. To assure that armies would keep war civilized, special processes have been set up to deal with those that transgress the rules and prearranged agreements. A court martial is often used to prosecute individuals of one's own armed forces. However, when the enemy is conquered and has violated the principle and sensibilities of the victor, they can become the defendants in a military tribunal, a seldom used process to handle unusual cases in unique situations. This paper will explain the process of the military tribunal. It will discuss the history of US tribunals and their relevance to international events and conventions. It will define the difference between civilian courts, courts martial, and the military tribunal. It will further explore the requirements and rationalizations for holding a military tribunal as opposed to civilian courts. More importantly, it will discuss the constitutional evolution of the military tribunal and will examine key cases from the past. ... This paper will not form any legal opinion on the constitutionality of the military tribunal. It also will not offer a social or political opinion of the process. These are beyond the scope of this research. It will, however, offer the rationale used by the courts and government officials to arrive at their various opinions. It will include both sides of the controversy as seen by those that are most directly involved. It will highlight the unusual cases in history that have created the controversy over congressional and presidential power with respect to military tribunals. To begin a discussion of the military tribunal, it needs to be put into the context of more conventional and familiar court systems. The military tribunal differs from our civilian courts and a court martial in their purpose, approach, rules of evidence, and method of operation. Court martial is used to prosecute members of the military for criminal offenses that may be a violation of the articles of war or crime such as theft, violence, or criminal activity. They are similar to civilian courts in their guarantee of rights except that they make no allowance for a jury of peers. The jury is composed of appointed military officers. They do follow the same rules of evidence and due process for the defendant. Where a civilian court is used to prosecute civilians who violate the civilian law, tribunals have historically been used for the purpose of prosecuting an armed service's personnel who have violated the articles of war or international agreements. However they have occasionally been used in extraordinary situations to control the civilian population. The war on terror has brought about new definitions of 'enemy combatant' and the current

E-Commerce Merchant Server Software Functionality And High Cost Of Essay

E-Commerce Merchant Server Software Functionality And High Cost Of Websites Maintenance - Essay Example E-commerce packages are intended to provide the functionality of time and money saving. However, the customization of websites cost a high amount. An E-Commerce suit is only reliable and robust in functionalities when it supports the different business models, reporting system and visual management tools. Additionally, the software packages also handle the direct payment transaction from customers or through the payment gateway. Merchant’s server software handles the sensitive information through a server socket secure layer (SSL) or digital certificates (Srikanth and Dhanapal 2012). Merchant Server Software is the essential component of the system that connects the web server for the order fulfilment, inventory and other systems in the offices. Main functions of the merchant server software include the processing of the payment, and exchange very critical information like payment authorization, tax, shipping, invoicing, and payment authorization. Other functionalities of a me rchant server are the database querying, web page composition in a real time, user profiling, and targeting of the contents based on the user’s interest and history. There are many open source software, which provide the functionality as a Merchant Server. Security is the priority-based requirement for every entrepreneur in the market. Buyers require the confidentiality for transactions via the credit cards. Shoppers are worried about fraudulent means of fake entrepreneurs. Security precautions can save the buyers from a big loss of money and preserve the business for the future. By adoption of fraudulent tactics, one can face the mistrust from customers and wrath of the companies issuing the credit cards. A secure shopping cart system provides the essential integration of payment transactions. Both, open source and licensed propriety software are available in the market (Richmond 2012). A shopping cart is embedded with the credit card verification. However, a third party ser vices like eBay or Etsy may be achieved for security of payment processing. PayPal is another third party, which charges a trivial fee and provides the secure in and out transactions for customers (Lagorio 2010). Why is a website so costly to maintain? Building a website also requires its maintenance. Regular updates and maintenance of a website leads to the extra cost. A company may cut the expenses by removing the intermediaries. Maintenance of a website requires the well skilled staff and trained people. A company launches the business via the website but there are no enough people who visit the website and purchase products. Website development and maintenance are the critical factors in order to attract the market shares and create loyal customers. Website maintenance encompasses all those activities, which are necessary for the operational integrity of a website. The cost of keeping the website operational and current depends on the complexity and size of the website. A well d esigned requires a high cost of maintenance because it requires effective updates (Avila-Weil and Regan 2007). Another factor that determines the maintenance cost of a website includes that how many times features require to be updated. A business owner estimates the length of the time required for updating the features. A static website needs to be updated weekly or monthly that requires less cost than maintenance of the interactive product catalogue. Nature of business also impacts the maintenance cost of a website. For example, an e-commerce website requires

The role of gaze (however topic if optional) Research Paper

The role of gaze (however topic if optional) - Research Paper Example In his work, Berger analyses the importance of seeing and how the act impacts the day to day life. He defines the act of seeing as the most important sense compared to other four senses. On the other hand, Hooks describes the societal understanding of the gazing. She uses the gazing act to define the historical racism that the colored women faced. The role of gaze is to open the other senses to appreciate and interpret the image at the sight. â€Å"The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled† (Berger 7).Through theoretical and practical learning, I have come to notice that the eye can be the window to the brain too. There are so many links between what we see and what we think; you will see a color and then interpret it the same way you will see a danger and then react to it (Berger 7). This has allowed the looks to be judged differently by many people. The interpretation of looks, therefore, can be used to define someone’s characteristics as to whether one is disciplined or not; or an act is good or bad. The role of gaze is to enable us connect the concepts and understand the beauty that surrounds us (Berger 7). One can relate to seeing what we know or what we believe such that whatever we have in mind can make us view things differently. One who believes in The Bible as a religious teaching will, therefore, see the act of stealing as a bad thing that should be practiced (Berger 8). The act of seeing one that you love makes one be in a different kind of mood that can only be expressed not by word but through actions. The same way an act of seeing can be used to communicate disapproval, anger, and other emotional disgust. This is an explanation of how sight links with personal emotions and reactions. It is true that the feeling can be experienced through touching, and this is witnessed by the blind individuals, but it is using touch has been

E-Commerce Merchant Server Software Functionality And High Cost Of Essay

E-Commerce Merchant Server Software Functionality And High Cost Of Websites Maintenance - Essay Example E-commerce packages are intended to provide the functionality of time and money saving. However, the customization of websites cost a high amount. An E-Commerce suit is only reliable and robust in functionalities when it supports the different business models, reporting system and visual management tools. Additionally, the software packages also handle the direct payment transaction from customers or through the payment gateway. Merchant’s server software handles the sensitive information through a server socket secure layer (SSL) or digital certificates (Srikanth and Dhanapal 2012). Merchant Server Software is the essential component of the system that connects the web server for the order fulfilment, inventory and other systems in the offices. Main functions of the merchant server software include the processing of the payment, and exchange very critical information like payment authorization, tax, shipping, invoicing, and payment authorization. Other functionalities of a me rchant server are the database querying, web page composition in a real time, user profiling, and targeting of the contents based on the user’s interest and history. There are many open source software, which provide the functionality as a Merchant Server. Security is the priority-based requirement for every entrepreneur in the market. Buyers require the confidentiality for transactions via the credit cards. Shoppers are worried about fraudulent means of fake entrepreneurs. Security precautions can save the buyers from a big loss of money and preserve the business for the future. By adoption of fraudulent tactics, one can face the mistrust from customers and wrath of the companies issuing the credit cards. A secure shopping cart system provides the essential integration of payment transactions. Both, open source and licensed propriety software are available in the market (Richmond 2012). A shopping cart is embedded with the credit card verification. However, a third party ser vices like eBay or Etsy may be achieved for security of payment processing. PayPal is another third party, which charges a trivial fee and provides the secure in and out transactions for customers (Lagorio 2010). Why is a website so costly to maintain? Building a website also requires its maintenance. Regular updates and maintenance of a website leads to the extra cost. A company may cut the expenses by removing the intermediaries. Maintenance of a website requires the well skilled staff and trained people. A company launches the business via the website but there are no enough people who visit the website and purchase products. Website development and maintenance are the critical factors in order to attract the market shares and create loyal customers. Website maintenance encompasses all those activities, which are necessary for the operational integrity of a website. The cost of keeping the website operational and current depends on the complexity and size of the website. A well d esigned requires a high cost of maintenance because it requires effective updates (Avila-Weil and Regan 2007). Another factor that determines the maintenance cost of a website includes that how many times features require to be updated. A business owner estimates the length of the time required for updating the features. A static website needs to be updated weekly or monthly that requires less cost than maintenance of the interactive product catalogue. Nature of business also impacts the maintenance cost of a website. For example, an e-commerce website requires

World Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

World Music - Essay Example Mizwid and nay are the Arabic instruments which are categorized as aero phones (Arab Music, 2009). Bassam Saba is the master player of nay (Arabic Musical Instruments, 2007). These are used abundantly in Arabic Music in the form of ud, buzuq, qanun and rababah (Arab Music, 2009). Mohammad Abdel Karim from Syria, Matar Muhammad from Lebenon and Ali Jihad Racy from Lebanon are master players of Buzuq (Arabic Musical Instruments, 2007). They create sound of music with strike, shake or pluck. In Arabic music, sijat and mihbaj used and can be categorized in idiophones (Arab Music, 2009). Zill is an example of idiophones used by musicians and belly dancers. It is a pair of small metal made round instrument. It creates a shrill sound with strike. Example of plucked Idiophone is Qanun. Master players of qanun are: Muhammad El Aqqad from Egypt) and Abraham Salman from Iraq (Arabic Musical Instruments, 2007). These are chiefly drums. They use stretched surface to create voice. In Arabic music, the instruments are tabl, darbukkah and riqq (Arab Music, 2009). Master players of riq include Mohamed El Arabi , Adel Shams Eddine , Hossam Ramzi from Egypt (Arabic Musical Instruments, 2007). Arabic music is based chiefly on sound as it expresses emotions. Arabic texture of music is monophony in nature as it remains monophonic in nature whether one or multiple instruments voices are used (Arab Music, 2009). Maqam sets the stage for Arabic Music which is a mix of melodies and Arab meter (Arab Music, 2009). Amr Diab is the best singer in this context as his voice has best quality, texture and Arabic influence which makes one realizes the state of

Genetic Engineering of BT Cotton

Genetic Engineering of BT Cotton INTRODUCTION BT cotton Cotton and other monocultured crops require an intensive use of pesticides as various types of pests attack these crops causing extensive damage. Over the past 40 years, many pests have developed resistance to pesticides. cSo far, the only successful approach to engineering crops for insect tolerance has been the addition of Bt toxin, a family of toxins originally derived from soil bacteria. The Bt toxin contained by the Bt crops is no different from other chemical pesticides, but causes much less damage to the environment. These toxins are effective against a variety of economically important crop pests but pose no hazard to non-target organisms like mammals and fish. Three Bt crops are now commercially available: corn, cotton, and potato. As of now, cotton is the most popular of the Bt crops: it was planted on about 1.8 million acres (728437 ha) in 1996 and 1997. The Bt gene was isolated and transferred from a bacterium bacillus thurigiensis to American cotton. The American cotton was subsequently crossed with Indian cotton to introduce the gene into native varieties. The Bt cotton variety contains a foreign gene obtained from bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterial gene, introduced genetically into the cotton seeds, protects the plants from bollworm (A. lepidoptora), a major pest of cotton. The worm feeding on the leaves of a BT cotton plant becomes lethargic and sleepy, thereby causing less damage to the plant Cotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most widely used natural-fiber cloth in clothing today. It is a natural fibre. The English name, which began to be used circa 1400, derives from the Arabic meaning cotton. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, In the Southern United States, cotton was known as King Cotton because of the great economic and cultural influence it had there. Cotton has been spun, woven, and dyed since prehistoric times. It clothed the people of ancient India, Egypt, and China. Hundreds of years before the Christian era cotton textiles were woven in India with matchless skill, and their use spread to the Mediterranean countries. In the 1st cent. Arab traders brought fine muslin and calico to Italy and Spain. The Moors introduced the cultivation of cotton into Spain in the 9th cent. Fustians and dimities were woven there and in the 14th cent. in Venice and Milan, at first with a linen warp. Little cotton cloth was imported to England before the 15th cent., although small amounts were obtained chiefly for candlewicks. By the 17th cent. the East India Company was bringing rare fabrics from India. Native Americans skillfully spun and wove cotton into fine garments and dyed tapestries. Cotton fabrics found in Peruvian tombs are said to belong to a pre-Inca culture. In color and texture the ancient Peruvian and Mexican textiles resemble those f ound in Egyptian tombs. Field trials have n that farmers who grew the Bt variety obtained 25%-75% more cotton than those who grew the normal variety. Also, Bt cotton requires only two sprays of chemical pesticide against eight sprays for normal variety. According to the director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India uses about half of its pesticides on cotton to fight the bollworm menace. Organic cotton Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without insecticide or pesticide. Worldwide, cotton is a pesticide-intensive crop, using approximately 25% of the worlds insecticides and 10% of the worlds pesticides.Organic agriculture uses methods that are ecological, economical, and socially sustainable and denies the use of agrochemicals and artificial fertilizers. Instead, organic agriculture uses crop rotation, the growing of different crops than cotton in alternative years. The use of insecticides is prohibited; organic agriculture uses natural enemies to suppress harmful insects. The production of organic cotton is more expensive than the production of conventional cotton. Although toxic pollution from synthetic chemicals is eliminated, other pollution-like problems may remain, particularly run-off. Organic cotton is produced in organic agricultural systems that produce food and fiber according to clearly established standards. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic and persiste nt chemical pesticides and fertilizers, as well as genetically modified organisms. It seeks to build biologically diverse agricultural systems, replenish and maintain soil fertility, and promote a healthy environment. Bacillus thuringiensis Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium of the genus Bacillus. Additionally, B. thuringiensis also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and butterflies, as well as on the dark surface of plants.[1] B. thuringiensis was discovered 1901 in Japan by Ishiwata and 1911 in Germany by Ernst Berliner, who discovered a disease called Schlaffsucht in flour moth caterpillars. B. thuringiensis is closely related to B. cereus, a soil bacterium, and B. anthracis, the cause of anthrax: the three organisms differ mainly in their plasmids. Like other members of the genus, all three are aerobes capable of producing endospores.[1] Upon sporulation, B. thuringiensis forms crystals of proteinaceous insecticidal ÃŽÂ ´-endotoxins (Cry toxins) which are encoded by cry genes.[2] Cry toxins have specific activities against species of the orders Lepidoptera (Moths and Butterflies), Diptera (Flies and Mosquitoes) and Coleoptera (Beetles). Thus, B. thuringiensis serves as an important reservoir of Cry toxins and cry genes for production of biological insecticides and insect-resistant genetically modified crops. When insects ingest toxin crystals the alkaline pH of their digestive tract causes the toxin to become activated. It becomes inserted into the insects gut cell membranes forming a pore resulting in swelling, cell lysis and eventually killing the insect. Genetically modified cotton Genetically modified (GM) cotton was developed to reduce the heavy reliance on pesticides. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis naturally produces a chemical harmful only to a small fraction of insects, most notably the larvae of moths and butterflies, beetles, and flies, and harmless to other forms of life. The gene coding for BT toxin has been inserted into cotton, causing cotton to produce this natural insecticide in its tissues. In many regions the main pests in commercial cotton are lepidopteran larvae, which are killed by the BT protein in the transgenic cotton that they eat. This eliminates the need to use large amounts of broad-spectrum insecticides to kill lepidopteran pests (some of which have developed pyrethroid resistance). This spares natural insect predators in the farm ecology and further contributes to non-insecticide pest management. BT cotton is ineffective against many cotton pests, however, such as plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, etc.; depending on circumstances it may still be desirable to use insecticides against these. Genetically modified cotton is widely used throughout the world. However, researchers have recently published the first documented case of in-field pest resistance to GM cotton. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) said that, worldwide, GM cotton was planted on an area of 67,000 km ² in 2002. This is 20% of the worldwide total area planted in cotton. The U.S. cotton crop was 73% GM in 2003. Cotton has gossypol, a toxin that makes it inedible. However, scientists have silenced the gene that produces the toxin, making it a potential food crop. Uses Spores and crystalline insecticidal proteins produced by B. thuringiensis are used as specific insecticides under trade names such as Dipel and Thuricide. Because of their specificity, these pesticides are regarded as environmentally friendly, with little or no effect on humans, wildlife, pollinators, and most other beneficial insects. The Belgian company Plant Genetic Systems was the first company (in 1985) to develop genetically engineered (tobacco) plants with insect tolerance by expressing cry genes from B. thuringiensis. B. thurigiensis-based insecticides are often applied as liquid sprays on crop plants, where the insecticide must be ingested to be effective. It is thought that the solubilized toxins form pores in the midgut epithelium of susceptible larvae. Recent research has suggested that the midgut bacteria of susceptible larvae are required for B. thuringiensis insecticidal activity. Genetic engineering for pest control Bt crops (in corn and cotton) were planted on 281,500 km ² in 2006 (165,600 km ² of Bt corn and 115900 km ² of Bt cotton). This was equivalent to 11.1% and 33.6% respectively of global plantings of corn and cotton in 2006.] Claims of major benefits to farmers, including poor farmers in developing countries, have been made by advocates of the technology, and have been challenged by opponents. The task of isolating impacts of the technology is complicated by the prevalence of biased observers, and by the rarity of controlled comparisons (such as identical seeds, differing only in the presence or absence of the Bt trait, being grown in identical situations). The main Bt crop being grown by small farmers in developing countries is cotton, and a recent exhaustive review of findings on Bt cotton by respected and unbiased agricultural economists concluded that the overall balance sheet, though promising, is mixed. Economic returns are highly variable over years, farm type, and geograp hical location Advantages There are several advantages in expressing Bt toxins in transgenic Bt crops: The level of toxin expression can be very high thus delivering sufficient dosage to the pest. The toxin expression is contained within the plant system and hence only those insects that feed on the crop perish. The toxin expression can be modulated by using tissue-specific promoters, and replaces the use of synthetic pesticides in the environment. The latter observation has been well documented world-wide Possible problems The most celebrated problem ever associated with Bt crops was the claim that pollen from Bt maize could kill the monarch butterfly. This report was puzzling because the pollen from most maize hybrids contains much lower levels of Bt than the rest of the plant and led to multiple follow-up studies. In the end, it appears that the initial study was flawed; based on the way the pollen was collected, they collected and fed non-toxic pollen that was mixed with anther walls that did contain Bt toxin. The weight of the evidence is that BT crops do not pose a risk to the monarch butterfly. There was also a report in Nature, that Bt maize was contaminating maize in its center of origin. Nature later concluded that the evidence available is not sufficient to justify the publication of the original paper. A subsequent large-scale study failed to find any evidence of contamination in Oaxaca.

Declining Efficiency of Investment :: essays papers

Declining Efficiency of Investment It may be useful to put the discussion of performance constraints of the Thai economy briefly in perspective. Over the past 2 decades, the Thai economy has been one of the best performing economies in the world, characterized by sustained high growth rates, averaging 10.3% 1985-90, and 8% in the years prior to the crisis (1990-96). This growth was accompanied by a dramatic decline in the incidence of absolute poverty, from 57% in 1962 to 14% in 1992, with per capita income increasing from $700 per annum in the late 1960s, to $2,700 in 1996. At the same time, rapid growth was accompanied by environmental degradation, resource depletion, and an increasingly unequal distribution of income and wealth. However, on balance a remarkable record of development. During this period of rapid growth and economic transformation, Thailand became increasingly integrated into the world economy through trade and investment flows, and production linkages. As the economy expanded rapidly and became more complex in structure, it posed more and new types of strains and challenges to economic management or â€Å"governance† systems at both the macro (i.e. public policy) and micro (enterprise) levels. As the relative role of the private sector increased in the economy, the importance of enterprise management and performance correspondingly increased. Looking more deeply at Thailand’s performance, manufactured exports grew by about 23% per year between 1980 and 1995, almost doubling during 1992-1995. However, in 1996 export growth fell practically to 0 per cent, with labor-intensive exports usually identified as the main culprit. Certain factors are generally cited as responsible fo r this abrupt and dramatic decline:  · External factors cited included the emergence of new competitors, with the coming on stream of new production facilities in lower income/lower wage countries such as China, Indochina, Philippines, further complicated by the30% devaluation of the Chinese yen in 1994;  · Domestic factors cited generally relate to rising wage rates and overvalued exchange rates. Domestic wage rates during 1991-95 rose about 11%, on average or about 5% increase in real wages per year, cited as the key factor in the slowdown in growth of labor intensive exports. The real effective exchange rate of the baht is estimated to have appreciated by about 15% during 1995-97, primarily because of the linkage to the US$, which appreciated against the yen. While the above factors suggest that Thailand was losing its edge in low cost, labor intensive exports, these are at best partial explanations for the overall decline in export performance.

Microfluidic Systems :: essays research papers

Microfluidic Systems The ready market availability of porous membranes with cylindrical pores of 15-200 nm and a thickness of 6-10 à ¬m facilitates the development of three dimensional analytical unit operation devices on an attaLiter scale. By employing these membranes as gates at the interface of two crossed microfluidic channels, the rate and direction of the fluid exchange can be controlled with electrical potential, polarity, solution ionic strength or diameter of the nanocapillary1. The microfluidic channels, fabricated by soft lithography, have been used for a decade. Dr. Paul W. Bohn, Centennial Professor of Chemical Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, sees the advance to multilayered liquid chromatography as a key step in the development of micro total analysis systems (à ¬TAS), which would involve such new applications as injection, collection, mixing, switching and detection. Recently he has been studying the analyte responses to various constraints applied to the sys tem and its deviations in behavior from that of a similar system on the macro scale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microfluidic channels are a convenient and durable means of fluid transport made of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), a common polymer with non-polar side groups. PDMS is durable, highly flexible and elastic, oxygen permeable and very hydrophobic2. It also has negative surface charge density at pH 81. The method of soft lithography allows for rapid deposition of complex crossed two dimensional fluid pathways on a silicon wafer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The membrane containing these nanopores is a 6 – 10 micron thick polycarbonate nuclear track-etched membrane (PCTE) that has been coated with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) to make it hydrophilic. This coating results in a pH of 8 in the system3. The pores in the membrane are cylindrical and of diameters in the range of 15 – 200 nm. The size of these pores are of the same order of magnitude of the Debye length (à ª-1) of the ionic interactions in solution (1 nm < à ª-1 < 50 nm) when the ionic strength is in the millimmolar range1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The small physical character of the nanopore allows for a change in ionic strength of the solution to be sufficient to alter the interaction between the solution and the nanopore. By merely changing the concentration, the nature of the flow induced by electrical potential can be switched between electrophoresis and electro osmosis1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The direction of the flow can be controlled by the size of the nanopore. At large pore sizes, the negative surface charge density on the microfluidic channel caused by the slightly basic pH of the system

Assess the usefulness of Marxist approach to an understanding of crime and deviance’ Essay

There are numerous Marxist theories that help us to understand crime and deviance in different ways, however they are all based around the same ideas. They believe capitalism causes crime in three different ways including, selective law enforcement, criminogenic capitalism and ideological nature of the law. Traditional Marxists believe that crime is inevitable in all societies because capitalism is criminogenic suggesting that it is societies very nature that causes crime. According to traditional Marxists society causes capitalism in different ways. One of which is due to poverty. The lack of social mobility means that people find it difficult to move up the social classes . And therefore those in poverty that cannot afford necessities such as food result in utilitarian crimes (crimes with a purpose) for example theft In order to survive. Another way that capitalism causes crime is due to capitalism advertising products encouraging the false need and desire for consumer goods. A false need makes an individual believe that they need a product when in reality they don’t, for example cars, phones etc. They can achieve this through the media for example TV advertisements and billboards, because people believe this is what they need if they cannot afford it legitimately then they may turn to crime. Thirdly capitalism can cause crime through alienation (individuals feeling isolated from the rest of society) as a lack of control of their lives may lead to crimes of violence and other non utilitarian crimes without a purpose for example domestic violence etc. This could occur whereby a partner feels frustrated with his social position and therefore takes it out on members of the family etc. Finally capitalism encourages a dog-eat-dog world therefore regardless of social class people always want more. This leads to crimes from all different classes. The wealthy commit crimes such as fraud and tax invasion, statistics just don’t show this as much. David Gordon 1976 explained this as he said crime is a rational response to the capitalist system and is found in all social classes, even though statistics make it look as though it is concentrated amongst the working class. Here David Gordon is explaining that crime is just a response to the way society is run, that it is the capitalist structure of society that creates these crimes, and that even though statistics represent more working class as the criminals, in reality all classes are guilty of crime. Traditional Marxists also proposed the theory that law making and law enforcement can have an effect on crime in society as law making and enforcement serves the interests of the capitalist class. The ruling class have the power to change laws, prevent laws and enforce laws. An example of when we have seen how quickly laws can be enforced by the ruling class was during the summer riots in 2011 when laws were quickly passed through parliament to give police powers to force individuals to remove headwear. This shows that it is the ruling class that have power and therefore laws are based on the ruling class views not considering the working class opinions. As well as this Marxists also argue that certain types of crime are likely to be dealt with more rigorously than others. For example street crimes such as assault and theft are more likely to be pursued by the police than white collar crimes such as fraud. The English government have only made some attempts to deal with white collar crimes however the USA targets the offence more seriously. As well as this certain groups are more likely to be on the receiving end of law enforcement. For example in inner city areas the police patrol more therefore working class are more likely to get caught because working class are more likely to live in the city. David Gordon argues that the selective enforcement of the law benefits capitalism in three main ways. By punishing the working class which protects the capitalist system which is responsible for the crime. As well as defining individuals as ‘social failures’ directing the blame away from the system. And thirdly defining criminals as ‘animals’ and ‘sick’ for example, justifying putting them in prison. Keeping these individuals out of the public eye allows us to forget why the crime occurred needed to help us solve the problems. Traditional Marxists also explore the ideological nature of the law; this function is valuable in allowing the ruling class to maintain their position of wealth. This process is what Althusser named the ideological state apparatus. This includes the school and the variety of forms of media, and it is through these that the ruling class is able to socialise individuals into accepting ruling class ideology. ISAs are responsible for promoting ruling class values of self interest and competition and as a result create a society in which basic values support the capitalist political and economic system. Marxists also believe that crime and the law can perform an ideological function by essentially brain washing individuals. For example some laws may appear to benefit the working class for example the health and safety laws at work, but these, according to a Marxist FrankPearce are only there to benefit the capitalists by ensuring a fit and healthy work force. In addition to this by prosecuting a large proportion of the working class it makes it look like the capitalists are caring for its citizens, it also helps divide the working class so many blame each other for crime rather than capitalism. There are many positives and negatives of traditional Marxist theory in helping us to understand crime and deviance. A large strength is that the theory successfully explains how crime cuts across all social class lines, as it shows evidence of all classes committing crimes. Therefore it is a macro-theory and can be applied to the whole of society making it generalisable. Another strength is that there is a lot of evidence to show the presence of law enforcement, for example it was illustrated through news showing law making over night during the summer riots. However weaknesses of the theory include the fact that the Marxism view underestimates the free will of a criminal by blaming the system, it is too deterministic by over predicting the amount of crime present especially in the working class. Not all those in poverty are committing crime and would never turn to committing crime. Marxism does not explore this factor efficiently. Another weakness is that it largely ignores the relationship between crime and important non class based inequalities for example gender and ethnicity. Neo-Marxists who are considered new Marxists support some traditional Marxists views however some views vary and It is important to explore these different views in order to understand crime and deviance. Neo Marxists focus on ideology. So where by traditional Marxist Althusser believed in brain washing. A Neo-Marxist Antonio Gramsi came along and put forward the ideas that people do realise they’re being exploited. He presented us with the term relative autonomy of the state (self power and self control) and put forward the ideas that people do realise they’re being exploited. Another New-Marxist theorist Taylor et all challenged the Marxist theory by stating that workers are not driven to crime through economic necessity. They believe that this theory was too deterministic and doesn’t question an individual’s free will. They also go against the interactionist theory and state that young males do not commit crime because they have been labelled. As well as challenging the sub cultural theory by arguing that young males do not commit crime because they are part of a subculture. Instead Taylor suggested his own theory as to why people are lead to committing crimes. He states that people commit crime often because they are angry at capitalism. They express their anger through crime rather than politics. This suggests that individuals are committing crimes on the basis of being frustrated with the structure of society that they live in and express this frustration through committing crimes, maybe because they don’t feel they will ever be heard through politics etc due to the ruling class having power? Taylor put forward the new criminology theory: a fully social theory of deviance. This includes six main parts. Firstly, the wider origins of the deviant crime. This is in the unequal distribution of wealth and power in capitalist society. A strength of this is that it doesn’t look at a micro situation, it looks at the whole of society. Secondly, the immediate origins of the deviant crime, this is the particular context in which the individual decides to commit the act. For example in the summer riots people looting due to the immediate origins being anger due to recession, cuts in public benefits of society being closed down for example youth clubs and libraries. Thirdly the act itself and its meaning for the individual e.g. rebellion against capitalism. Fourthly, the immediate origins of social reaction, so the reactions of those around the deviant, for example the police and the family and their reactions to discovering deviance. Next are the wider origins of social reaction in the structure of capitalist society, questioning who has the power to define actions as deviant? And lastly the effects of labelling on the deviants future actions, for example getting a job. A strength of the Neo-Marxism theory is that critical criminology has forced sociologists to look at the wider social, economic and political factors and it has offered a new approach to how crime is shaped by the individual’s actions within an unfair criminal justice system. However a weakness of the theory is that it is too general to explain crime and to idealistic to be useful in tackling crime. There are numerous similarities and differences between traditional Marxists and neo-Marxists which are useful in helping us to understand crime and deviance. Similarities include the fact they see capitalist society based on inequalities between the social classes and this is a key to understanding crime. They both agree that the state makes laws and enforce laws in the interests of the capitalist class which is important when considering how classes are represented within decisions of the law and how these decisions can have a different effect on both classes. And they both believe that to prevent crime capitalism should be replaced by a classless society. However differences between the theories are that neo-Marxists believe that criminals are not passive puppets who’s behaviour is shaped by capitalism this is important in assessing how valuable the Marxist theory is as it puts forward the idea that although a criminogenic capitalist society does effect crime and deviance there are other factors as well. Another difference is that Neo-Marxists use interactionist ideas to see how the behaviour of the victim, offender, media and criminal justice system all interact to influence how the situation developed. Therefore this too exploring other possibilities as to why the crime was committed. Overall the Marxist theory as whole is valuable in explaining why crime is committed as it looks at the problems in society as to why individuals within our society commit crime. It explores how the very nature of our society can cause these crimes by looking at all different perspectives for example through the criminal justice system, poverty, media and advertising etc. It also has explanations for both utilitarian and non utilitarian crimes and can be applied to the whole of society as it also explores white collar crime and not just crimes committed by the working class. Therefore the fact that it is a macro-theory makes it very useful as it is easily generalised. Overall the theory as a whole is very strong in helping our understanding as why crime exists.