Endorsement Attributes: its implication in buying intention Essay

MARKETING RESEARCH We envision Saint Louis University as an excellent missionary and transformative educational institution zealous in the formation human resources who are imbued with the Christian Spirit and who are creative, competent and socially involved. SCHOOL OF ACOUNTANCY AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY PHILIPPINES October 2013 Endorsement Attributes: Its Implication to Buying Intention† Jonand Ray Estabillo, Deaniel Soriano, Raiza NerissaVeridiano, Gian Carlo Villoso and Zenedith P. Monang Abstract The research aimed to determine the level of effectiveness and the buying intention of the consumers based on the attributes of endorsers; Physical Attractiveness, Popularity, Source Credibility, Brand Congruency and Lineage/ Bloodline/ Heredity. Specifically, the study ought to answer the questions: what is the profile of the respondents in terms of their gender, occupation, hometown and nationality? Moreover, the study also sought to answer the question: how effective is the endorser and on what level is the consumer’s intention to buy. The researchers made use of a descriptive method of research, and questionnaires were utilized in collecting data. The respondents of the research were consumers from rural and urban places who are either a student or a young professional. Finally, the results of the study proves that consumer buying intention have a significant effect to the demographic and endorsement attributes such as physical attractiveness, popularity, source credibility, brand congruence and lineage/bloodline/hereditary. Keywords: Consumer Behavior, Buying Intention, Endorsement Attributes Introduction Companies of today spend a significant amount of their budget on hiring endorsers to advertise their products. These companies aim to have a sufficient return on investment with the expectation that these endorsers will be able to attract the attention of the customers, raise customers interest by focusing on and demonstrating advantages and benefits, convince customers that they want and desire the product or service and that it will satisfy their needs, and later on lead customers towards taking action and/or purchasing. Every Advertisement aims to create awareness and arouse interest in the minds of customers. To do so advertisers employ several of marketing techniques. Celebrity Endorsement is one of these power toolsby which advertisers try to leverage the image and identification of the celebrity to promote a product or company (Atkin& Block, 1983). This not only makes the advertisement lively, attractive, interesting, but attention getting as well (Ohanian 1991, Kamins 1990). So happens because audience takes the celebrity as a role model and in turn these celebrities impact their lives. Celebrity endorsement has been in application from a long time (Kaikati 1987), in fact not too late when advertisement techniques were taking on new forms because advertisers realized soon that by using publicly renowned personalities in advertisements they will be able to align brands personalities with that of the celebrity’s. That is why advertisers go for a careful selection of celebrities because if any micro aspect may go wrong in celebrity endorsement selection process, whole of the celebrity endorsed advertisement campaign may collapse. This will ultimately show brand the way back to pavilion (Kaikati 1987, Till and Shimp 1995). This study aims 1. ) To identify the endorsement attributes in purchasing/buying intention of the consumers 2. ) To analyzed the effectiveness of its attributes such as itsPhysical Attractiveness, Popularity, Source Credibility, Brand Congruence and Bloodline/Heredity/Lineage. Literature Review Marketing tends to take a new and unique way of advertising as advertisers are exploring different ways to make the advertisement effective and influential. One of these is the use of endorsers. Endorser is one important considerable literature on this topic exists. The need for endorsers has been described in various ways. According to Erdogan, Baker and Tagg (2001), a spokesperson’s role is tomake the advertisement stand out from the clutter, arrest potential customers, add value to the brand, and lastly, build a lasting impression to encourage the consumer to make a purchase. Lane and Russell (2000),argue that â€Å"one of the primary challenges for advertising is to provide a tangible and differentiating element to the marketing of services†. Stafford, Stafford and Day (2002) refer to ‘tangibility’ as â€Å"the visualization of a service’s benefits or qualities, the association with an extrinsic product, person, event, place or object, the physical representations of the service, and documentation such as facts or figures explaining the characteristics of a service†. The use of an endorser is one of the methods of enhancing the tangibility of the advertisement and differentiating it from others. The Endorser An endorser is a person who makes a ‘testimonial’, or a written or a spoken statement, extolling the virtue of some product. This person could be a public figure or a private citizen. A testimonial usually applies to sales pitches attributed to ordinary citizens whereas endorsement usually applies to pitches by celebrities (Liu, Huang, & Jiang, 2007). This study focuses on two (2) types of spokespersons – celebrity and anonymous. Celebrity Endorsers The use of celebrities to promote commercial goods and services is not new to advertisers. Companies envision that endorsers who are attractive and likeable will transfer such qualities to their brands and products. In addition, as celebrities are constantly in the media, they serve to constantly remind consumers of the brands that they endorse. Indeed, the use of celebrity endorsers has been gaining in popularity over time. Specifically, celebrity endorsers are effective in generating increased attention and enhanced image of the brand. However, their effectiveness in influencing purchase intention is more limited. †Celebrities are people who enjoy public recognition by a large share of certain Group of people. † And the term ‘Celebrity endorsement’ as defined by McCracken: â€Å"Any individual who enjoys public recognition and who uses this recognition on behalf of a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement. †(McCracken 1989) Advertisers go for celebrity endorsement because of its greater benefits and immense possible influence. There are certain potential advantages of celebrity endorsement, celebrities endorsed advertisements draw more attention as compared to those of non-celebrity ones, helps the company in re-positioning its product/brand and finally empowers the company when it’s new in the market or plans to go global. However celebrity endorsement doesn’t hold sole key to success. It also presents the company with potential hazards. These might include, overshadowing, overexposure, and controversy (Erdogan 1999). Lay endorsers or anonymous models Lay endorsers are unknown individuals who are chosen based on the target market demographics. These anonymous individuals offer association with the target audience for a less expensive price. They are usuallypackaged as the ‘typical person’ that the consumers can identify with (McCracken, 1989). Celebrity Endorsers vs. Non Celebrity Endorsers According to Seno & Lukas (2007), Celebrities are very much helpful than other type of endorsers such as the company manager, distinctive consumer and the qualified expert etc. On the opposing, companies clutch imperfect control over the celebrity endorsers, since they have created their public character themselves over the years. Previous research on celebrity endorsement reveals that celebrity endorsers produced more constructive attitude towards advertising and superior purchase intentions than a non-celebrity endorser (Atkin and Block 1983; Petty et al. 1983; Ohanian 1991). On the contrary, Mehta (1994) argue that there were no statistically major difference in attitudes towards advertising, brand and purchase intention on endorsed brand among celebrity and non-celebrity endorsements. But, differences were found in cognitive responses generated by respondents. Endorsement Attributes Physical Attractiveness Physically attractive communicators are more successful in changing beliefs than are unattractive communicators (Chaiken, 1979). In today’s society, people tend to place a heavy emphasis on attractiveness, and most advertisements feature attractive models. In a sense, the physical attractiveness of the endorser rubs off on the product, enhancing the product’s image and resulting in positive attitude change (Kahle and Homer, 1985). This points to the importance of â€Å"matching up† the image of the celebrity with the characteristics of the product. The â€Å"match up† notion suggests that the image of the product and the celebrity should come together, with the relevant attributes of the product being consistent with the characteristics of the endorser to gain positive impact with increased memorability and recall (Misra and Beatty, 1990). This effort to represent product and service imagery in ways that insinuate them into the consumer’s perceived needs and interests has always been the primary task of marketing. A clear understanding of what consumers expect in gender role endorsements can help marketers in the evaluation and planning of the portrayal of product characteristics in different markets. Popularity This has been taken to heart by advertisers. The use of celebrities to advertise aproduct is based on the assumption thatgetting famous personalities to represent abrand will result to a higher degree ofadvertising appeal, believability, and recall ascompared to anonymous models. Numerous studies have indicated the link between celebrity attractiveness and attitude changes toward issues, product, and advertising evaluations (Caballero and Pride, 1984; Chaiken 1979; Kahle and Homer, 1985). Others have suggested that when a celebrity’s physical attractiveness â€Å"matches up† or is congruent with the presence and degree to which the product or service advertised enhances attractiveness (i. e. , attractive celebrity linked with an attractiveness- related product) there would be a positive impact upon product/service and advertisement evaluations (Kahle and Homer 1985). Source Credibility Source credibility suggests that the effectiveness of a message depends on the â€Å"expertness† and â€Å"trustworthiness† of the source (Hovland, Janis, and Kelley, 1953; Sternthal, Dholakia, and Leavitt 1978). In general, a message source with higher credibility tends to be more effective than one with less credibility (Sternthal, Phillips, and Dholakia 1978). Since higher levels of source credibility tend to be associated with more positive attitudes toward the message and lead to behavioral changes (Craig and McCann, 1978; Woodside and Davenport, 1974), advertisers will opt to use celebrities if they think that they have a high level of credibility. Researchers have identified three components as making up the credibility construct: knowledgeor expertise, trustworthiness, and appearance or attractiveness (Baker and Churchill, 1977; Joseph, 1982; Kahle and Homer, 1985; Maddox and Rogers, 1980). Attempts to measure the impact credibility on consumers’ intentions to purchase indicate that only â€Å"expertise† had any significant influence on intentions to purchase. There also seems to be a direct correlation between believability and overall advertisement effectiveness, as measured by purchase intentions (Kamins, Brand, Hoeke, and Moe 1989). Credible spokespersons are perceived to be moresocially and intellectually competent, andhave higher levels of integrity which makesthem more persuasive (Till &Busler, 1998). Brand Congruence The term â€Å"congruence† is used in several research areas, particularly brand extension, co-branding, sponsoring, and endorsement. In all these cases, the aim is to assess the fit between a brand and another entity. A variety of terms have been used (congruence, fit, link, â€Å"match up effect†, etc. ) but the general concept is the same. In the field of celebrity spokespersons, congruence was not really defined as such until Misra and Beatty’s work (1990, p. 161). They deduced that it consisted of the factâ€Å"that the highly relevant characteristics of the spokesperson are consistent with the highly relevant attributes of the brand†. A number of authors have studied specific aspects of celebrity, such as gender and skin color (Huston, d’Ouville and Willis, 2003) or physical attractiveness (Kamins, 1990), but few have analyzed congruence in the broader sense. Purchase/ Buying Intention Endorsers who are liked, perceived to be trustworthy, expert, and attractive, are said to have more positive influences on advertisement believability and brand image,which can contribute to purchase intentions. They possess the ability to arrest and lure readers to an advertisement, thus making the communication more effective. Goldsmith et al. (2000) claimed thatcredible endorsers have been shown to have amore positive effect on consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement. Crediblespokespersons are perceived to be moresocially and intellectually competent, andhave higher levels of integrity which makesthem more persuasive (Till &Busler, 1998). These credible endorsers have the ability tosignificantly increase purchase intentions(Liu et al. , 2007; Pornpitakpan, 2003;Erdogan, et al. , 2001). Past researches suggest that messagesource characteristics affect the consumer’sattitude towards the advertisement which inturn affects their attitude towards the brand(Goldsmith et al. , 2000; Shimp& Gresham, 1985). Emotions and attitudes formedtowards an advertisement predict brand attitudes (Yoo&MacInnis, 2005). In addition, Brown and Stayman (1992) claimed that there is a consistent relationship betweenattitude towards the advertisement andattitude towards the brand and purchaseintentions. McKenzie et al. (1986) stated thatconsumers are said to have a tendency topurchase products from brands where theydevelop positive attitudes (Goldsmith et al. ,2000). There is a consistent pattern showingthe effect of attitude towards the brand on purchase intentions. Lineage/Bloodline/Heredity Advertising literature also emphasizes the influence of cultural variables in advertising effectiveness (McCracken, 1989; Paek, 2005). McCracken (1989) argued that â€Å"the success of celebrity-endorsed advertisements depends on whether the endorser is meaningful within a culture’s consumer values and norms†. In McCracken’s Meaning Transfer Model, he claims that celebrity endorsers contain a broad range of meanings such as demographics, personality, and lifestyle. These meanings are transferred from the endorser to the product, and afterwards, from the product to the consumer. It is important for advertisers to understand the culture of their market for them to be successful. This is because â€Å"consumers respond to advertising messages that are congruent with their culture, thereby rewarding advertisers who understand that culture, and who tailor advertisements to reflect its values† (Paek, 2005). Hofstede (1984) describes spokespersons as ‘cultural heroes’ because they serve as role models, and they possess characteristics that are looked upon by society. Typically marketers are defined to have the ability to control the behaviors of customers, but actually they have neither power nor information for that. Marketer may influence their buying behavior but not control. Several individual and not individual affect consumer behaviors. Motives, perceptions, attitudes, experiences, self concept, values can be considered as individual factors. And not individual factors can be expressed as, culture, profession, family, reference groups. Culture Culture is the complex of beliefs of human societies, their roles, their behavior, their values, traditions, customs and traditions. Culture is an extremely important concept to understand consumer behavior and that needs to be examined. Culture is the sum of a shared purpose among members of society, customs, norms and traditions. The basic reason of person’s desire or determination is culture. Geographical regions and religions are essential in the formation of sub-culture. The preference of individuals who live very close to each other can be different. Individuals belonging to different have different sub-culture values, attitudes and social structures of the members of other sub-culture. These differences, sub-cultural segmentation of the market activity has made an important variable. It is important to know thecharacteristics of the sub-culture in creating the marketing mix price, brand name identification, promotionalactivities and product positioning. Social groups, although they don’t show in a formal process of similar lifestyle shows are groups formed by individuals. There are several features of social class. First, the behavior of members of the social class structure, education levels, attitudes, values and communication styles are similar, and these characteristics are different from other social class members. Second, individuals’ status is determined according to their societies. Third, social classes are determined not by according only one variable, also by such variables like education, income, living area, activities and values. Demographics Endorsement Attributes †¢ Physical Attractiveness †¢ Popularity †¢ Source Credibility †¢ Brand Congruence †¢ Bloodline/Heredity/ Lineage Buying Intention H2 H1 Figure 1. Research Framework H1: There are no significant differences in the level of effectiveness of endorsement attributes when respondents are grouped according to demographics. H2: Endorsement attributes significantly contribute to buying intention. Methodology Research Design The research was conducted to know the effectiveness of endorsement attributes and its impact to consumer buying intention. The study used Descriptive Diagnostic Method to determine the endorsement attributes and its impact on consumer buying intention. Descriptive research (Kothari,2004) is used for studies that are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular group, whereas Diagnostic research determines the frequency with which something occurs to its association with something else. The data had been carefully studied and statistically interpreted as what they implied. The collection of data was in the form of questionnaires that were floated to the individual respondents. These questionnaires contained specific set of questions in order to obtain useful data that would lead the researchers to meet the goals and objectives that were set for the study. Respondents Majority of the respondents were randomly selected when the researchers floated the questionnaires. There were 200 respondents for the study. The respondents in this survey consisted of 101(50. 5%) males and 99(49. 5%) females. About 127 (63. 5%) young professional and 73(36. 5%) students. It was discovered that respondents 105(52. 5%) are from the urban area and 95(47. 5) of them come from the rural area. The majority of the respondents’ nationalities were Filipino with the total number of 109 (54. 5%) respondents followed by the foreigners with the number of 91 or a 45. 5 %. Data Gathering Tool Relevant information, researches, and data were gathered through primary and secondary sources. Primary information and data were generated with the use of questionnaires made and floated by the researchers. These questionnaires were sent out to the consumers who are particularly students and young professional. Part of the questionnaire included direct questions regarding the buying intention of consumers on several factors on the effectiveness of the advertisement. Secondary sources of data came from published materials like journals, theses, books that were obtained from Saint Louis University Library and other sources found from reliable websites in the internet. Instrumentation The questionnaire consisted in two blocks. The first block of the questionnaire focuses on the demographic profile of the respondents. The second block of the questionnaire is divided into five parts, with each measuring the physical attractiveness, popularity, source credibility, brand congruency and lineage/bloodline/heredity. On the left, focuses on the level of effectiveness and on the right focuses on the intention to buy. The Likert scale have been used to examine the level of its effectiveness of the endorsement if it is highly effective (4) or highly ineffective (1) and how consumers affect their buying intention where (1) indicates will not buy to (4) will surely buy. Reliability and Validity The questionnaire were tested through a pre-float, given to 25 individuals, conducted at New Lucban, Baguio City and was proven to be reliable. Cronbach’s alpha was used to prove the internal and reliability of the questionnaire. It is commonly used when Likert wanted to determine the reliability of multiple questions in a survey. Reliability Statistic for the questionnaire was conducted with a result of . 863 Cronbach’s alpha ratefor the level of effectiveness and . 877 for the intention to buy with an overall rate of . 901 which indicates a high level of consistency and reliability for the level of the effectiveness of a questionnaire. An item-total statistics was also conducted, which means the importance of the question in a survey and with Cronbach’s alpha rate of . 851. Therefore, the questions have the high level of consistency and reliability and it is valid to use in the survey. Results and Discussion This study aims to identify the endorsement attributes that influence the purchasing/buying intention of the consumers. Endorsement Attributes Table 1. Level of Effectiveness of Endorsement Attributes Indicators Mean SD Sig 1. Physical Attractiveness 2. 8795 .40254 .000 2. Popularity 2. 6075 .30141 .000 3. Source Credibility 3. 1040 .46763 .000 4. Brand Congruency 3. 1550 .61332 .000 5. Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary 2. 7795 .53980 .000 Physical Attractiveness The overall results revealed that the physical attractiveness of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 8795 (? = 0. 01) has an effect to the consumer on how they endorse clothing. When purchasing clothing, most consumers look into how endorser would feel comfort and look presentable to them. Physical Attractiveness is one important attribute. As consumers wants a product to satisfy certain specific needs. The benefit is also a factor that consumers have in mind when purchasing clothing. Many researches in advertising and communication suggested that physical attractiveness was an important cue in how an individual judge another person at first 30 sights. It is because beauty usually made a better first impression. Because of increasing use of celebrity endorsement, attractiveness became an important dimension of source credibility (Ohanian, 1991). Popularity Popularity was measured using 12 items; an overall mean score of 2. 6075 (? = 0. 01) found out that there is a moderate effect with the popularity of the endorser regarding its effectiveness. Items regarding politicians and musicians endorsing had results, which are only slightly effective. This implies that choosing someone who will endorse a certain product also has an effect to the consumer. Leventhal (1994 in Miller 1994) suggests that celebrity endorsements are always a high-risk, high-reward situation and there is always a human element that you never know, and you have to weigh the potential risks vs. the potential rewards. McCracken (1989) suggests that endorsement is successful, when the properties of the celebrity are made the properties of the endorsed product. However, the study by Walker et al. (1992) found that the endorser, which may have certain attributes that are desirable for endorsing the product, then again, he or she might also have other, even more closely associated attributes that are inappropriate for a specific product. Source Credibility Respondents indicate their level of effectiveness when an endorser possesses trustworthiness and expertise. Source Credibility items was measured with an overall mean score of 3. 1040 (? = 0. 01) and found out that it is moderately effective. An honest/sincere person endorses food scored a highest mean of 3. 4400 (? = 0. 01) while a dependable/reliable individual endorses food items score the lowest mean of 2. 8450 (? = 0. 01). This implies that the personality of the consumers is moderately effective as the influential of the endorser through its knowledge or expertise. Source credibility was the degree to which the receiver would believe the source has certain degree of relevant knowledge and/or expertise and they choose to believe the information offered by the source (Ohanian, 1990). At first, source credibility simply meant endorser’s credibility in an advertisement (Aronson, Turner and Carlsmith, 1963). Eventually it was considered as an important factor which might affect consumers’ purchase intentions and attitudes toward advertising (Lutz, MacKenzie, and Belch, 1983). Brand Congruency An overall average mean of 3. 1550 (? = 0. 01) found out that endorsement on this items are moderately effective. Endorsing gadgets by an individual person that matches his character have an effect towards the consumer. With an overall mean result of 3. 3650 (? = 0. 01) ranked the highest by the respondents. While on the other hand, an individual that endorses food items that matches his lifestyle got the mean of 2. 9500 (? = 0. 01) being the lowest in terms of brand congruency. The term â€Å"congruence† is used in several research areas, particularly brand extension, co-branding, sponsoring, and endorsement. In all these cases, the aim is to assess the fit between a brand and another entity (a new product category, another brand, an event, or an individual) (Fleck and Quester, 2007). A variety of terms have been used (congruence, fit, link, â€Å"match up effect†, etc. ) but the general concept is the same. Lineage/Bloodline/ Hereditary Respondents indicated that the mean for that of an individual with an alien foreign citizenship who endorses gadgets 2. 7795 (. 03817) revealed that it is slightly effective in relation with their lineage/bloodline/heredity. The overall results revealed that the lineage/bloodline/heredity of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 7795 (. 03817) has an effect to the consumer on how they endorse gadgets. This implies that most consumers tend to buy gadgets which are endorsed by aliens who have a foreign citizenship. Consumer Buying Intention Table 2. Intention to Buy based on the Endorsement Attributes Indicators Mean SD Sig 1. Physical Attractiveness 2. 7215 .29872 .000 2. Popularity 2. 3820 .57176 .000 3. Source Credibility 2. 9005 .34793 .000 4. Brand Congruency 2. 9450 .42494 .000 5. Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary 2. 4885 .43677 .000 Physical Attractiveness Respondents indicated their intention to buy when an endorser is physically attractive and was measured with an overall mean score of 2. 721 (? = 0. 01) An elegant person who endorses gadgets has the highest mean of 2. 5850 (? = 0. 01) while a sexy individual who endorses food items score the lowest mean of 2. 6350 (? = 0. 01) This indicates that the decision of the consumers is that they most likely will not buy as the influence of the endorser with regards through his/her physical attractiveness. Popularity Popularity was measured using 12 items; an overall mean score of 2. 3820 (? = 0. 01) revealed that consumers will most likely not to buy in relation with the popularity of the endorser regarding consumer’s buying intention. Athletes endorsing food items rated a mean of 2. 9000 (? = 0. 01) which is the highest rate among the 12 items. A politician who endorses clothing has the lowest rate with a rated mean of 1. 7500 (? = 0. 01). This implies that athletes who endorse food items have a great influence in a consumer’s intention to buy goods. Hence, a politician endorsing clothing is not influential as compared to the latter. Food Products especially Cereals has used top-notch athletes to grace the cover of their box for decades. Now, more than ever, the use of celebrity athletes to endorse food products is mainstream advertising. Michael Phelps and Frosted Flakes. Eli and Peyton Manning promoting Double-Stuff-Oreos. No doubt, these celebrity athletes can sell the goods. Source Credibility Respondents indicate their intention to buy when an endorser possess trustworthiness and expertise. Source Credibility items were measured with an overall mean score of 2. 9005 (? = 0. 01) and found out that they will most likely buy. Results of this study found that, honesty and sincerity was significantly associated with buying intention, in addition, this result coincides with study’s result of (Yoon, et al,. 1998) as they found that three dimensions of endorser credibility have normal significant with buying intention. A number of empirical studies have found that credible endorsers positively influence consumer attitudes toward brand, advertisement, and consumers’ purchase intentions (Agrawal& Kamakura, 1995; Kelman 2006; Amos et al. , 2008). Brand Congruency An overall average mean of 2. 9450 (? = 0. 01) found out that the intention of consumers are most likely to buy as there is brand congruency. Endorsing gadgets by an individual person that matches his character have an effect towards the consumer. With an overall mean result of 3. 0250 (? = 0. 01) ranked the highest by the respondents. It is similar based on the nationwide survey under Solar, where 57 percent of selfies said their priorities for the next two years would be to acquire gadgets while 49 percent also cited having a car/vehicle. While regarded as the â€Å"me, me, me† generation, the Sun Life study suggested that these selfies also aspired to be financially independent by having a business and properties while waiting to start their own families. This may be because respondents come from the so-called â€Å"selfie† generation—a new breed of young adults without financial dependents who form a growing consumer powerhouse in this country. Their typical two-year priority is to splurge on lifestyle-related consumer items like gadgets and cars. (Dumlao, 2013) Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary The overall results revealed that the lineage/bloodline/heredity of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 2885 (? = 0. 01) this implies that most consumers will most likely not to buy. However, for food items endorsed by either an individual with alien foreign citizenship or a natural born Filipino, the consumers are most likely to buy. This may be because of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs where food belongs to the Biological and Physiological needs which must be satisfied first while fashion and gadgets on higher levels like Social Needs and Self-esteem needs. Demographics and Endorsement Attributes Table 3. Demographics and Endorsement Attributes Indicators Demographics Mean SD Sig Physical Attractiveness Filipino 3. 0156 .41481 .000 Foreigner 2. 7165 .32016 Popularity Rural 2. 5705 .25552 .002 Urban 2. 6410 .33532 Source Credibility Male 3. 0703 .59170 .000 Female 3. 1384 .29057 Student 3. 3671 .45858 .001 Young Professional 2. 9528 .40254 Rural 3. 1179 .29499 .000 Urban 3. 0914 .58262 Filipino 3. 1991 .61002 .000 Foreigner 2. 9901 .11358 Brand Congruency Male 3. 2475 .73900 .000 Female 3. 0606 .43444 Student 3. 3356 .49367 .000 Young Professional 3. 0512 .65196 Rural 3. 0084 .38028 .000 Urban 3. 2876 .74275 Filipino 3. 3771 .67311 .000 Foreigner 2. 8890 .39594 Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary Rural 2. 7011 .42011 .000 Urban 2. 8505 .62236 Filipino 2. 7055 .64000 .000 Foreigner 2. 8681 .37175 Physical Attractiveness In the first of Table 3, it shows that physical attractiveness of an endorser is significant and it has an effect in terms of its nationality. It implies that it is important for an endorser to have the physical qualities of a person whether Filipino or foreign to make the advertisement effective. Bers and Rodin (1984) pointed out that children increasingly focus their comparisons on attributes they regard as personally important as they grow older, with physical attractivene

Ethics in Economics and Finance Essay

Ethics is defined as a standard of human behavior that offers how to act in many situations with friends, family members, employees, business people, professionals, etc. It is necessary to mention that to make really ethical decision means to use trained sensitivity to ethical issues. In other words, ethics is associated with acceptable human behavior in this or that everyday or scientific field. Ethics incorporates norms of conventional morality to distinguish ‘wrong’ behavior from ‘right’ behavior. Generally, ethical norms suggest honesty, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, justice and respect for others. Ethics is applied to all aspects of life as, for example, medicine, psychology, business, finance and economics. Financial and economic ethics is considered subset of general ethics. (Frowen, 1995, p. 46) Ethics and Ethical Norms Researches argue that ethical norms and values play important role in maintaining harmony and stability in social life as ethics suggests proper ways of human-human interactions. Ethics recognizes human needs and aspirations, as well as cooperative efforts, fairness and truthfulness. Ethics contributes social stability and ensures balance in all spheres of life and business. Social evolution has developed instinct care in humans to take care of ourselves and of others. Ethical norms are necessary for guiding human behavior and it is refereed to when it is necessary to resolve conflicts between selfishness and selfishness, between conscience and material needs. In finance and economics ethical violations are associated with inconsistency in modern financial-economic theory. Violations are also attributed to inconsistencies in use if principal-agent model of relations in economic and financial transactions. It is noted that the financial-economic theory is based on the rational-maximizer paradigm which promotes capitalist system stressing that individuals are egoistic and they tend to behave rationally when looking for ways of maximizing their own interest. The problem is that modern financial-economic theory contradicts ethical norms of loyalty, fidelity, trustworthiness and stewardship. Moral values are the core of traditional concept of agency, but if humans are claimed to be rational maximizers, then traditional sense is impossible. (Frowen, 19995, p. 47-49) For example, Duska argues that â€Å"to do something for another in a system geared to maximize self-interest is foolish. Such an answer, though, points out an inconsistency at the heart of the system, for a system that has rules requiring agents to look out for others while encouraging individuals to look out only for themselves, destroys the practice of looking out for others†. (Duska, 1992, p. 61) Ethics in Finance Ethics in finance plays important role as it aims at ensuring fair deals and transactions. Moreover, ethics in finance addresses corporate governance, and agency relationships which should be purely contractual. In financial sphere, ethical behaviour should be based on carrot-and-stick approach. In corporate governance the conflict between stockholder and management is described as agency problem. To deal with this problem an agency theory was developed. It stresses that the principal and agent are both self-interested aiming at generating their gain. (Dobson, 1993, p. 7) Researchers say that we tend to entail our needs as, for example, management of retirement savings or stock and bond investing, to financial services as we may fail to carry them effectively. We are not as organized as financial managers, but we are not aware of agency problem. Lack of necessary information limits our ability to monitor managers’ behaviour. Therefore, modern world is characterized by selfish behaviour as people are willing to get their things done by others. Such paradoxical situation explains ethical problems in financial sphere stressing that declining in morality is observed. (Dobson, 1993, p. 8) Ethical violations in finance are rather frequent nowadays and that mainly associated with stakeholder interest, insider trading, investment management and camping financing. Loyalty and trust in public and private dealings are often violated. The most common occurrences are fraudulent financial dealings, corruption in government and public institutions, influence peddling, cheating customers about their trading profits, insider trading, unauthorized transactions, misuse of customer funds in order to obtain personal gain, larceny and corruption in banks, improper pricing of customer trades, etc. Most frequently, unethical behaviour is associated with insider trading which is defined as trading in securities of particular company or organization with an effort to take advantage of information about material side of the company. In such a way, trade is provided with unfair advantage over other competitors in the same security. (Dobson, 1993, p. 59) Therefore, ethical codes are very important in financial filed as they set standards of acceptable behaviour, fair dealing and honest relations with customers. Ethical codes in finance tends to replace egoistic paradigm and to create such system which would promote, honesty, altruism and virtuous traits. It is rather common to fid ethical codes in modern financial markets and financial corporation. In financial markets such ethical codes are established by official regulatory agencies which are trying to ensure ethical and responsible behaviour as important part of all operations and transactions. Furthermore, re-examining of the core principle of capitalist society helps to address ethical problems in both financial and economic fields. Financial ethics suggests that individual should be presented as honest and altruistic promoting honesty and fairness in public and private dealings. The primary purpose of ethic in financial sphere is to set standards of internal good. (Dobson, 1993, p. 60-61) Ethics in Economics Ethics is related with economic sphere in three ways: economists should follow ethical values trying to shape the way they are doing economics; economic actors have ethical values which shape their own behavioural standards; finally, ethical values are important for economic policies and institutions as they affect people differentially. However, from economic perspective ethics is defined as a matter of choice for everyone. Many economists argue that ethical values contribute positively economic welfare. However, there are ideas that economics is ethically neutral. Economists are interested in implication of Adam Smith’s idea that all human are driven by self-interest and egoism. Smith argued that self-interest led to the common good of nation. (Wilber, 1996, p. 135) However, he agreed that human should act in terms of internationalized moral law and police power of the state. Therefore, it is recognized that in economic sphere all figures should act on the basis of acknowledged ethical norms as economy of every country needs efficient ethical behaviour to improve country’s reputation at the world scene. In economics ethics suggests avoiding corruption in government and promoting fair decision-making. It is a matter of fact that ethics is not an easy task for economic system and business as there will be always interest groups which will challenge ethical standards and values. Therefore, economics should pay more attention to ethics and social responsibility, as well as to set ethical codes of behavior. For example, businesses are defined as important institutions in any economic structure. Therefore, they are expected to follow ethical norms when deciding how to organize the work and to produce necessary goods and service. Businesses reflect the overall economic system and unethical behavior may create unfavorable reputation. (Wilber, 1996, p. 139) Conclusion Ethics plays crucial role in all aspects of life, especially in financial and economic sphere. In financial field ethics is associated with fair transactions and dealings, honest buyer-customer relations and avoidance of corruption. In economic field ethics is associated with social responsibility, ethical decision-making as the whole nation depends on them, and, of course, with no corruption on national level. Ethics is necessary not only for maintaining balance and harmony, but also for improving reputation of company, organization, and even country. (Frowen, 1995, p. 68)

Debate Paper Essay

The use of animals in scientific experimentation should be continued to be fought against because it is morally wrong in so many ways; there are alternatives to animal experimentation. The use of animals in experimentation has been a debate and a controversy for quite some time now. There are many who strong opinions and views on this very sensitive issue; I even stand strongly against using animals for any kind of experimentation. This always leads us to one question that has been been asked; Is it right? There are quiet a lot of alternatives to animal experimentation, and they can be found on quite a few websites. Just like there are alternatives there are also pros and cons when it comes to animal experimentation, an even though some people stand strongly against this cruel act there is no way that they can avoid some of the pros that come along with it; nor can those for this cruel act can ignore the cons that come along with it. Did you know that there is an estimated twenty-six million animals that are used every year for scientific and commercial testing? There are scientists who defend animal researching saying that this testing has contributed greatly to the advancement of cures for human diseases. In my own opinion animal testing is wrong; not only for the unnecessary pain to a living creature, but because it is also wrong for the environment. Some scientists believe an claim that testing on animals is the key to finding cures for human diseases. They try to justify the pain they inflict on them by injecting them with viral an deadly diseases for which there is no known cure for. I can understand that the only way to actually understand how a disease works is to record all the effects as they happen, but that sounds way to cruel even for an animal that may indeed have a shorter life-span than humans. According to the Humane Society International, animals that are being used in experiments are subjected to many of the following; force feeding, force inhalation, food and water deprivation, prolonged periods of physical restraint, infliction of burns and many other wounds so scientists can study the healing process, infliction of pain to study its effects and remedies, and so muc h more [Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing]. Experts some that animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to humans beings in many ways. There are two animal that I have seen listed on quite a few sites about animal testing and they are chimpanzees and mice. A Chimpanzee shares 99% of their DNA with humans, while mice are 98% genetically similar to humans; this kind of information shocked me because I can understand the whole chimpanzee thing but a mice is something I don’t completely understand. Though because of animals and humans being so biologically similar they are susceptible to many of the same condition and illnesses; this also include heart disease, cancer, and diabetes [Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing]. Experts like to test on animals not only because it is a must in some cases or a better testing ground, but it because they are used to them and it is hard for them to leave the well beaten path an take the very less traveled road towards stem cell research or even human skin research. These alternatives would provide the same results and would not implicate any damage to animals anymore; which is something that a lot of us are fighting against in the long run. Human skin testing is supposed to soon replace all animal testing in the cosmetic field, and some private companies have already resorted to this type of experimentation. While I was doing some extra researching on alternatives I have come across an article titled â€Å"Alternatives to Animal Testing†. Upon reading this article I have come across a section that was talking about how the Harvard’s Wyss Institute had created organs-on-chips. The organs-on-chips contain human cells that are grown in a state of the art system to mimic the structure and function of the human organs and organ systems; these chips can be used in testing instead of animals. Organs-on-chips have been shown to be able to replicate human physiology, diseases, and drug responses more accurately than crude animal experiments do. Thankfully there has been some companies who have already started using these chips in place of animals and one of these companies is HuRel Corporation [Alternatives to Anim al Testing]. The animal welfare control claims that it is inappropriate to test on animal, especially when the testing is for futile cosmetic products, because they assert that animal’s body composition is different to a human body, therefore, a medical product that might help cure the disease on an animal, doesn’t necessarily work on another animals, and especially on humans. So you may be asking yourself why do they subject these animals to pain, diseases and vivisection, when the results might not be of any help what so  ever to humans? Experts claim that they are aware of the many subtle differences between animals and humans, but animals continue to be the closest match they can think of; to be honest this is something that I can agree on after I read about how close chimpanzees are to having the same DNA as us humans. Both animal welfare control and sceientists have been debating endlessly on this topic; with scientists listing many cures that were identified thanks to animal research and the animal rights that continue to claim that it is unnecessary torture, even more so when experts conduct the same experiments several times with the same results. Adding to this debate between the two there are another set of scientists who are fighting alongside the animal rights. These scientists are the ones who work and record the changes in the environment. Apparently most animals that are used for research purposes are already loaded with toxic materials injected into them during the trail study. These animals are than put to sleep using a lethal injection of carbon dioxide and then left to decay in open areas. The carcasses of these are then releasing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which subsequently contributes to global warming, with all the consequences of it. Animal rights claim that it is impossible to actually determine how many animals are tortured every year because not all the labs release the actual number of animals required, and a lot of animals are acquired illegally in these labs. They also believe that animals such as rabbits, mice and guinea pigs are hardly counted in their totals, and that their torture starts way before the testing even begins. This is because some of these animals are kept in very small plastic boxes an have hardly any room for movements. When you think about how some of these animals are kept before testing even begins, you have to ask yourself if they are even healthy enough to even test on to begin with. Even the animal rights believe that these animals should not be good for testing because not only are they not in good shape, but because they also don’t lead a normal life which renders them not aceeptable for testing. There are several cosmetic tests that are commonly used on mice, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs that include a few of the following; skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed on shaved skin or dripped into the eyes without any pain relief [11 Facts About  Animal Testing]. Thankfully in the year 2000, President Clinton had signed a law that provided for a chimp haven for all the chimps that were lucky enough to survive animal testing; this was built in Shreveport, Louisiana. According to PETA, more than 100 million animals are burned, crippled, and tortured every year, just in the United States, and the problem that PETA is trying to bring to light, is that no testing, no matter how cruel or painful, is illegal. There are no laws to protect these animals, and even when alternatives to animal testing are available, the law doesn’t require for scientists to use it. The most disturbing fact, still according to PETA, is that a staggering number of 92% of drugs that work on animals, do not work on human. When you know about these kind of facts you really have to ask yourself is all this animal testing is even worth all these scientists time. Surely they can be doing something better with their time an knowledge, but to people who know these facts are probably wondering if maybe these scientists just enjoy torturing these poor defenseless animals; again this is my own opinon so I don’t mean to offend anyone. In 2003 the European Union has banned all animal testing for cosmetic purposes to start in 2009, and a ban on any products tested on animals as of January 2013. The European Union also claimed that testing performed on animals is completely inaccurate; aside from the fact that it is inhumane. If the consumers don’t want to stop and think about the tortue animals are put through then they should think of the reactions that some cosemtics could have on humans if they are not tested properly. Most likely corporations are only testing on animals and not humans to avoid all the liabilities and expensive lawsuits just to protect the company’s name; this is something that could be possible because if you do a testing on a human an you end up killing them, then you are held responsible and could be open up to being sued by the living relatives of that person. As an individual I believe I can make a difference in animal testing by refusing to purchase cosemtics that have been tested on animals; which is something that I have been doing. Every time I buy a product to use on myself or my daughter I always make sure that it has never been tested on animals. Grant you a single person can not make a big difference or make the  animal testing stop, but when that one person becomes more than just one their voice get louder. Yes the changes might not happen in my lifetime, but just maybe they might change when our children are older an they have their own children. As long as we keep fighting for what we believe in one day all this cruel animal testing will be nothing but just a bad memory that has finally become a thing of the past. For years we have dealt with several studies and experiments on animals, and we need to stand up as a whole an put a stop to this painful and grotesque thing this is happening to animals. From everything that I have told you throughout this entire paper you can now see that there is proof of this happening an that is is harmful to animals. Sadly the only way to stop it is to be aware that it does actually exist and, fight back against it because what would you do if it was one of your animals that was being tested on? Refernces â€Å"About Cosmetics Animal Testing† (www.hsi.org/issues/becrueltyfree/facts/about_cosmetics_animal_testing.html) â€Å"Alternatives to Animal Testing† (http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/alternatives-animal-testing/) â€Å"Animal and Product Testing† (www.navs.org/cruelty-free/animals-and-product-testing#.UxODBvldWT8) â€Å"Facts about Animal Testing† (www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-animl-testing) â€Å"Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing† (http://animal-testing.procon.org/)

The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability Essay

The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability - Essay Example Thereby, employers will be able to employ people who are qualified and knowledgeable. However, some employers mistreat interns. Some organizations may not set aside budget for internship programs. By not having this program, employers are not able to teach potential employees on the competencies and skills the company wants. Introduction Internship is the period of time when students are attached to organizations where they are supervised to gain firsthand experience to the professions that they are studying. This normally comes after they have been taught about the profession in class before they are allowed to participate as interns in different organizations. While working as interns, the students are evaluated by supervisors and a report on the students’ performance is sent to their school after completion of the internship. The report combined with the course work contributes to the final score for the students (Sweitzer and King 2009). Students can either get internships through applying for the position in organizations or their college might partner with organizations in order for them to offer internship programs to their students. Internships normally vary depending on the organizations policy. Many organizations pay students who are interns in their organization. On the other hand, some organizations don’t pay interns, but rather they have incentives such as transport or lunch to motivate them. Internship period also varies on how students and the organization agree to work together. However, being an intern in a certain organization does not automatically qualify the student to get a job in the organization. However, depending on the students’ hard work, they can be considered should any vacancy arise in the organization. Students can attend internships locally or internationally so long as it is in relation to the profession that they are undertaking. In some cases, students may decide to take internship programs while they are on vacation to increase their experience on the profession (Sweitzer and King 2009). Most companies normally hire interns to equip them with the necessary skills required to perform the profession that they have specialized in. Companies also hire interns to minimize the costs required to finish some tasks. This is because companies know that when they hire interns certain tasks will be able to be accomplished with minimum expenses or with no expense at all. It is upon an individual to work hard during the internship period to acquire a range of skills and knowledge. This paper will critically analyze both the positive as well as the negative impacts of internships on graduate employability. Positive impacts of internships Internships help students to acquire knowledge. Through internships, participants get to interact with professions who guide them on how to go about the profession. During class lessons on professions that students undertake, the teaching is mostly theoretical. B ut once students are working as interns, they get to learn the practical bit of the profession thereby gaining knowledge from the different professionals they engage with. This also makes the student to gain professional knowledge on the profession that they are studying (Hergert 2009).   Internships provide students with an insight on what is required of them in order to become successful in the field.

Discuss the style of the novella The Stranger, by Camus Research Paper

Discuss the style of the novella The Stranger, by Camus - Research Paper Example The reader is presented with a murderer protagonist who is devoid of motive, reason or logic for the crime he has committed. Camus uses the language of the narrator as a device through which the reader may understand the perspective of Meursault, and as a way to reflect aspects in the development of the story. Meursault as a character is utterly remarkable, in that he is quite unremarkable in every possible way (Day 84). He appears to have no unusual or outrageous attributes, opinions, qualities or flaws when the reader is initially introduced to him. He does nothing special, holds no special job, is not living under any unusual circumstances, does not discuss any extreme or judgemental personal opinions and is far from being emotionally distinctive. Meursault leads an existence in which â€Å"days are added to days without rhyme or reason †¦ [and his life] is an interminable and monotonous addition† (Camus 16). However, it is this lack of special traits and engaged interaction in society and life that makes the character, paradoxically, very remarkable and unusual. As the reader unveils the protagonists’ inner thoughts and plot development of the story, it becomes clear that this character is remarkably detached from society in every way. Furthermore, not only is he de tached from society, he is detached from life itself including family and relationships. He displays an unsettling degree of amorality and total lack of judgement of other people’s actions, thoughts and behaviours. Indeed, his detachment goes even further as we realise that he is also detached from his own emotions and self-identity to the extent that he appears to be lacking in both. From the very beginning of the story, Meursaults language very effectively allows the reader insight into his way of thinking. His sentences are consistently brief and concise right from the start, â€Å"Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday. I can’t be sure† (Camus 1). His lack of elaboration or

Econometric Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Econometric Analysis - Essay Example Its analysis has two principal purposes - to promote empirical content within particular economic theories and to subject such theories to potentially falsifying tests (Econometrics, Wikipedia, 2006). Taking the first, with the French data as example, it can be said that economic theory holds that consumption should be directly proportion to income while it should be inversely so to interest and unemployment rates. The available data should reflect this and thus provide empirical evidence of the theory's validity. The tests that the data will be subjected to will assist in this quest for empiric authenticity. Such tests should not only provide broad evidence of empiricism but should also assist in determining how much current variance there may be from theoretical reckoning and should thus provide reliable pointers as to why such variance is evident. It is, of course, incumbent upon theorists to interpret why there is variance, if evident after analysis, and this is done at the end o f the paper. To find empiric elements within the variables the first strategy adopted is to assume that a certain relation exists among the variables such that LCF (natural logarithm of real per capita consumption) is taken to be an endogenous variable series that is functionally dependent upon the other variable time series' - LYF (Natural logarithm of real per capita income), RF (real interest rate) and UF (unemployment rate). The following equation expresses a 'Population Linear Function' that is linear both in variables and parameters. The equation is as follows: LCFt = + LYFt + RFt + UFt + ut Here, , , and are the unknown parameters that are assumed to be linear, just as the variables LCF, LYF, RF and UF but this is still an assumption. This, together with the fact that the data has been acquired eccentrically, without due consideration for true series function, does not automatically relate parameters, also called estimators, statistically to their true corresponding values. Therefore, it is necessary to find certain other properties within the variables to enable this. This, however is not evident. Again, thus, some more assumptions have to be made such that, based on these second set of assumptions, certain statistical properties between the estimators and their true corresponding values can be assigned (OLS, Wikipedia, 2006; Estimators and Properties, 2006). This second set of assumptions is as follows. 1. The explanatory set of variables - LYF, RF and UF - is fixed. 2. For all n > 1, >0. Where, x stands for the variable and the mean of the series. This is true for all the variables. 3. =m>0. 4. Zero mean disturbance, E(u)=0. 5. Homoscedasticity: Var() = , is constant for all values of i. 6. Nonautocorrelation, Cov() = 0, where . 7. The error term 'u' has a Gaussian distribution such that, . (Assumptions based on: Estimators and Properties, 2006) A second equation, derived from the same data set and based linearly on the same set of assumption

SENSORY PROCESSING Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SENSORY PROCESSING - Research Paper Example The first hurdle for scientists and those in research and development has been learning how to replicate the fast and multidimensional processing of the brain. In neural communication and storage in the brain, signals are sent via an electrochemical signal. This is the result of depolarization and re-polarization which occurs along the myelenated axon as ions move in and out of the membrane. Integration and processing of senses as a whole is orchestrated by all parts of the brain with receptors and sensory instruments working together simultaneously. It is from this that the transfer from the sensation of the information being taken in can be processed by the brain and interpreted by our consciousness in order to give the perception. The brain works by organizing and integrating information on the basic level. For example, in vision objects are organized based on geodes and schemas. It is from these basic forms that we are able to interpret the object as whole. These are the foundati ons and laws in psychology which stem from Gestalt psychology. The brain works by interpreting all the senses simultaneously and rerouting these feelings to their respective lobes in the brain. It is then all brought together in the cerebellum and other cognitive structures where the sensation is given meaning based on past memories, emotions, etc. Time is a very abstract concept. For humans, we are always looking for a way to quantify time. We think of time in terms of the past, present, and future. We further try to quantify it through the use of measurement such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. In cognition, we may be able to formulate the construct of keeping time on the conscious level by compartmentalizing memories and assigning a frame of reference such as specific memories that occurred during a given week, but what scientists are interested in is how the biological aspect of keeping time occurs. We already know that the body keeps to circadian rhythms which are a form of keeping time which helps us maintain our time awake and sleeping. Recent research into this area has shown that the right lateral frontal lobe and the superior medial regions of the frontal lobe are instrumental in the brains perception of time. This was accomplished through research in which an auditory stimulus, in this case a tone, was used. Through the use of lesions, it was shown that it inhibited timing performance. Facial recognition is a unique trait among humans. In particular, the cognition involved in viewing faces relies on key components on the face. The main characteristics in which we process faces relies on the T- region, the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as other features such as eye size, cheek structure, etc. This relies on the process of not only the visual stimuli being transmitted from the rods and cones along the optic nerve into the brain, but also the perception and memory component. We are able to recognize faces because along with the perception of the stimulus, our brain pulls constructs from memory in an attempt to identify the face, which can not only be based solely on whether they know the person, but it can also be associated with gender. Video cameras and other security systems are able to pick up facial features of people depending on the clarity of the camera

Legal duscuss unit4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Legal duscuss unit4 - Essay Example Further, the recreational benefit prevails over the danger of the pond, and to remove the risk is a heavy burden on the land owner. Therefore, the courts finding on doctrine of attractive nuisance wound not change given the following fact that the pond is 300m rather than 100m, and the increases of the depth of the pond from 6ft to 25ft means a heavy burden to the propertys owner to refill the pond. The clearness of the water makes the visibility of any danger more visible than in muddy water. Similarly, the walkway make the pond a more recreation centre, and the age of the children being 3 $4 years does not constitute a change in facts, because the parents should take care of the children rather than the property owner. The decision of the court should not change. The case of appeal has to succeed because there are no facts of this case distinguishing if from the precedent case of McDermott v. Kaczmarek, 2 Wn. App. 643, 469 p.2d 191 (1970). This case set the rules as the condition having the probability of causing harm, the pond in Ochampaugh case is likely to cause harm as the appellant had told the children never to go there alone. The pond is attractive to children, unguarded, and accessible, therefore, the plaintiff should be held liable for attractive doctrine seeks to protect

The developments in generation of DNA profiles Assignment

The developments in generation of DNA profiles - Assignment Example The changes occurring in the modern world make use of weapons of mass destruction exemplified by nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The advanced weaponry is likely to result into disasters of great magnitudes as typified in armed conflicts and acts of terrorism (Zietkiewicz, Witt, Daca, Zebracka-Gala, Goniewicz, Jarzab & Witt, p41, 2012). A critical issue during disaster response involving a multitude of individuals is the need to identify victims. Various catastrophic events including the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster, Asian Tsunami and the Hurricane Katrina have offered immense knowledge regarding the effectiveness of the STR and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis on highly compromised samples (Eisenberg & Planz, p12, 2007). Human identification has made tremendous strides over the past two decades. Since the inception of forensic DNA analysis, there have been two main objectives. These are the identification of those who could be the source of biological evidence and t o exclude individuals wrongly associated with evidence. The generation of reliable genetic profiles from unknown and reference samples, systematic and objective interpretation practices as well as providing statistical assessment of the outcomes is critical to a robust DNA profiling program (Alvarez-Cubero, Saiz, Martinez-Gonzalez, Alvarez, Eisenberg, Budowle & Lorente, p229, 2012). The early evolution of forensic genetics has driven the analysis of human genetic variation, beginning more than a century ago. Specifically, with Karl Landsteiner’s discovery of the human ABO blood group polymorphism and his early realization that this variation could be applied in solving crimes (Jobling & Gill, p740, 2004). DNA fingerprinting using the hyper variable loci known as mini-satellites discovered in 1984 by Alec Jeffery was another classical human identification technique. The mini-satellites were detected by hybridization of probes to Southern blots of restriction enzyme digested ge nomic DNA. Although the application of DNA fingerprinting lasted for some time in paternity testing, criminal casework soon concentrated on the use of specific cloned mini-satellites called single locus probes (SLPs). These revealed only a single, highly polymorphic restriction fragment length polymorphism, hence simplifying interpretation. The amplification of DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), offered an enormous increase in sensitivity. These molecular based approaches allowed small amounts of degraded DNA to be analyzed at a rapid rate (Jobling & Gill, p740, 2004). PCR-based techniques allowed the targeting of numerous genetic markers from single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs). The testing of human identity may be considered in a variety of contexts namely analysis of relationship, forensic casework, missing person investigation and mass casualty incident (MCI) victim identification (Zietkiewicz, Witt, Daca, Zebracka-Gala, Gonie wicz, Jarzab & Witt, p42, 2012). Environmental conditions of mass casualty identification usually lead to severe fragmentation, degradation and intermixing of the remains of victims. Under such conditions, conventional methods of identification that depend on physical and anthropological characteristics of the victims fail. Consequently, DNA profiling has become a gold standard for the identification of victims in mass casualties or forensic related cases.

Reader response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reader response - Essay Example Moreover, the searches they conduct as well as detainment is racially biased. The authors posit that the border patrol is a venture that has proved unsuccessful and is likely to prove so in the future. Despite the efforts made by the patrol border, masses of people still migrate into the American territory. This paper will present a response to Silko’s text. In my opinion, the border patrol exercise only serves to limit the freedom of movement enjoyed by many Americans because of the numerous stops in different places. My view conforms to the opinion of the author expressed in the first paragraph of the text when she says, â€Å"As proud citizens, we grew up believing the freedom to travel was our inalienable right, a right that some Native Americans had been denied in the early 20th century† (115). Evidently, American citizens have a right to enjoy the freedom of movement, however, the stringency of the border patrol only serves to contravene this right. With the border patrol in places, Americans are frustrated by the numerous stops impromptu searches and in the worst cases imprisonment. From the author’s experience during the fateful night when they were stopped, it becomes evident that the border patrol is a source of frustration to the Americans (Archuleta 115). The experience of the author after being stopped by the border patrol is not an isolated case because the border patrol agents are stopping people at a higher frequency than any other time in history. The author highlights that, â€Å"Unfortunately, what happened to me is an everyday occurrence here now† (118). This statement is meant to place emphasis on the increasing rates of patrols at different checkpoints. The border patrol has increased its activity and extends its control to all the highways and roads that lead to the border o emanate from the border in states such as California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. It is disturbing to learn about the different cases highlighted by the

'A literature review to investigate the effectiveness of external beam Dissertation

'A literature review to investigate the effectiveness of external beam radiotherapy when used as an adjuvant therapy to treat pr - Dissertation Example ........................6 2.6 Chapter One - Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦............7 2.7 Chapter Two - Literature review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.10 2.8 Chapter Three - Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..16 2.9 Chapter Four - Results†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.22 2.10 Chapter Five – Discussion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.28 2.11 Chapter Six - Conclusions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.34 2.12 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..37 2.13 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..39 2.2. Signed statement I hereby declare that the text of this d issertation is substantially my own work. X______________________________________________________________________ 2.3. Abstract (300 words) Aim. In the United Kingdom prostate cancer will affect one in fourteen men during their lifetime. Successful treatment is greatly improved by the early detection. The aim of this literature review was to assess the effectiveness of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in the treatment of localised prostate cancer compared to radiotherapy combined in tandem with either hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery. Consequently the hypothesis suggested was that EBRT is more effective in combination with another therapy instead of just being applied by itself alone. Commonly, external beam radiation therapy is also used in tandem with hormonal therapy if the prostate cancer is already well-advanced—but this isn’t an endorsement of one therapy over another. Methods. A literature review was conducted to collect information on the effect iveness of the four therapy techniques. A total of 40 sources—comprised of journals, books, articles, and web resources—were critically evaluated and summarily reflected upon for ease of data analysis. Findings. The findings demonstrated that EBRT is more effective when used in tandem with another form of therapy. This suggests that if EBRT is going to be one mode of treatment, another mode of treatment that should be considered is either hormone treatment, chemotherapy, or surgery. EBRT alone by itself, as demonstrated by the research reviewed, may not be enough in order to effectively treat prostate cancer aggressively enough. Conclusions. Due to the findings of the research reviewed, the hypothesis was proven correct as it was seen that EBRT was indeed more effective when combined in tandem with another one of the three forms of therapy discussed above in the treatment of localised prostate cancer. It is recommended that more research is needed in order to effective ly decide which type of treatment is ultimately the best type of therapy. The conclusion will discuss. 2.4. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, who has been my mentor for this entire project and without whose help this project could not have been fully realised or implemented. 2.5. Glossary Technical Terms Definition hormonal therapy the use of hormones in medical treatment Abbreviation Meaning BPH benign prostatic hyperplasia CRT three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy EBRT external beam radiotherapy IMRT intensity modulated radiotherapy 2.6. Chapter One - Introduction (1000 words) The purpose of this project is to look into the relative effectiveness or ineffectiveness of external beam radiotherapy treatment when used as an auxiliary (or adjuvant) therapy in order to aid in the treatment of prostate cancer and to investigate whether there are

Contract Law Questions Essay Example for Free

Contract Law Questions Essay Max, an improvised law student placed the following advertisement in the Law Student Gazette: For sale Treital Law of Contact, ? 5 Brian telephoned Max but he was not at home and Celia, Maxs girlfriend, answered the telephone. Brian asked her whether it was the latest edition. She replied that it was not. Brian then said he would give ? for the book and Celia replied that she was sure that was acceptable but for Brian to ring back later that evening. That night Brian telephoned Max. Max told Brian that the book was in excellent condition and that he would not accept anything less than ? 5 for the book. Brian, however, did not hear this because of a fault on the line. The next day Brian called at Maxs house with the ? 4 but Max refused to let him have the book Advise Brian 2. D placed a notice in a local newspaper offering a reward of ? ,000 to the first person to climb to the top of the monkey puzzle tree in his garden and take a photograph of Ds garden. On Monday E was in the process of climbing the tree when he fell off. He was in hospital for four days. On Tuesday, F climbed to within three feet of the top of the tree but considered it too dangerous to proceed further as he was too heavy for the upper branches. On Wednesday, G was at the top. He was about to take the photograph with the special camera which G had purchased for. Especially for the purpose. D shouted, Forget it! There is no money at all. The deal is off. Later that day, D broadcast an advertisement on the local radio station informing everyone that the reward was no longer an offer. On Thursday, H, the son of Ds neighbor, climbed the tree, took the photograph and claimed the reward. He had not heard the broadcasts on the local radio station. On Friday, E returned to the garden and climbed the tree and took the photograph. Advise the parties.

Four Main Forms Of Deviance Criminology Essay

Four Main Forms Of Deviance Criminology Essay There are four main forms of deviance, those are societal deviance this is an act which most of society would agree is not classed as part of normal behaviour. Drug abuse could be considered as societal deviance, most of society believes that it is not normal and encourages criminal behaviour. Drug users become outcasts and are considered to be deviants. Concealed deviance is that which no one sees, something which a person can keep hidden away it is still considered not part of societies set of norms. A man, who likes to dress up in womens clothes, could be considered a concealed deviant as they do this in the privacy of their own homes. This however, is considered to be not normal behaviour of the wider society and he would be considered deviant. In Arab countries such as Dubai and Yemen it is socially unacceptable, due to the religious culture of these countries for women to be seen without wearing the traditional hijab, however in western society any women wearing one is seen as being deviant as it is not part of western culture. This would be considered situational deviance, where it is only considered deviance in the culture you are in at that time and may not be considered deviant by every society. There is also collective or public deviance, this is deviance shared by a group of people which does not conform to that which is considered social norms, however follow a set of norms they have created within their own subculture. Gang culture could be described as deviant as most would say that the values of the gangs would not conform to the values of normal society. This is considered anti-social behaviour and in 2003 the government considered this a problem they created the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (legistlation.gov.uk). Crime is considered to be the act of breaking the law of the society you are in however, a crime can often be considered deviant by some societies. An example of this is speeding, some may consider speeding to be deviant however the police and social institutions consider this to be a crime. Although we have a set of laws and social norms in this country these may not be considered either crime or deviance in other cultures. With the introduction of the Firearms Act 1968 it became illegal for anyone in the United Kingdom to freely carry a weapon on their persons and all weapons had to be locked away (legistlation.gov.uk) however in some states of America people can still carry firearms in their everyday life. Troyer and Markles (1983) study of smoking in the USA illustrated how attitudes to smoking and cigarettes changed over time, and in fact ended with smoking being bans being introduced in the 1990s. During the late 19th century smoking was considered deviant behavior by many as it was associated with low social status and immigrants. Women who smoked were thought to be particularly deviant as it was also associated with prostitution. These attitudes began to change after World War 1, and smoking began to increase however by the end of the 1940s smoking was considered a socially acceptable with people of all classes now choosing to smoke. With the advance of science came the downfall of the cigarette and by the 1960s evidence towards smoking ruining health began to surface. This led to the ban of cigarette related advertising in 1970 and the eventual ban on smoking in public (Troyer Markle, 1983 as cited in Moore et al, 2006). Some believe that the need to commit crime comes from biological construction that certain types of people have hormonal or brain differences which causes them to become deviant from society and makes them more inclined to commit crimes. Cesare Lombroso one of the first criminologists did studies of criminals and believed that you could tell what crime a person committed just by how they looked, that physical abnormalities in a person made them more likely to commit crimes. This theory has now been discredited but some do still believe that there are some biological factors contributing to why people commit crime. Over time and as social attitudes change so do the norms and values of those societies these can often lead to acts which were once considered crimes or deviant to become norms. Until 1969 homosexuality was considered a crime and anyone caught would be brought before a judge and punished. In 1967 it became legal for men over the age of 21 to have consensual sex in private. This age was then lowered in 1994 and 2001. (Haralambos Holborn, 1980). It is now considered a norm to see couples of the same sex. Crimes change with time and culture and what is considered a crime in one society may not be in another, it is believed by most that crime is a social construction made up by norms and values of each society and culture. As each society evolves with time so does its set of Norms. Can we ultimately say that we gain our knowledge of what is right or wrong comes from the society we live in and the values that are set upon us as not everyone brought up in the same society falls into criminal or deviant behavior. References Anon.(2012) Firearms Act 1986(online). Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/27/contents (accessed: 18th October 2012) Anon. (2012) Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (Online). Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/38/contents (accessed: 18th October 2012) Moore S et al. (2006) Sociology A2 for OCR. 2nd Ed. London: Collins Haralambos, M and Holborn, M. (2004) Sociology, Themes and Perspectives. 6th Ed. HarperCollins: London Troyer, R.J and Markle, G.E (1983) Cigarettes: The battle over smoking. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Cited in Moore et al. (2006) Sociology A2 for OCR 2nd Ed. London: Collins Type: Outline: Strengths: Weaknesses: Police Statistics These are the official statistics that are used by the government, they based on what is reported to the police and also can tell which crimes have been resolved They can be used to show what types of crime are most prevalent in which areas. Police statistics can be useful in showing how many crimes get reported and what sort of crime is being reported. Not all crimes get reported so often the statistics cannot be 100% reliable Not all crimes can be categorised a crime and what one force might consider one type of crime another might not for example, distinguishing between burglary and theft. Often these statistics can be manipulated to show better results Doesnt take into account the dark figure of crime. Victimisation Surveys These studies, the main being The British Crime Survey, were introduced by the government to try and uncover the dark figure of crime. They choose a section of people at random and ask them to talk about crimes which they may not have reported and crimes which have been reported within the last year which they have been victim of. They are now considered part of the official statistics used by the government They account crimes which may have not been reported to the police They can help to uncover the dark figure of crime It goes deeper than the police statistics They rely on people remembering if or what crimes were committed against them They rely on people telling the truth about crimes committed Still assumes that everyone defines what is or isnt a crime the same way Self-Report Studies These studies are not part of the national crime statistics used by the government. They are questionnaires which rely on people admitting to crimes which they commit. Can be used to compare against official states to high light differences Can highlight crimes that are not generally report Again relies on peoples memory It relies on people telling the truth about the crimes they committed. May only concentrate on only a limited range of groups.

Hofstedes cultural analysis framework and explores

Hofstedes cultural analysis framework and explores Executive Summary This report briefly explains the main concepts of Hofstedes cultural analysis framework and explores the ways in which it helps to understand different cultures. Using a simple analytical style it applies the main concepts of Hofstedes theory to the two different countries of Saudi Arabia and UK. From this analysis it attempts a comparison between the two cultures and tries to suggest some modest advice for a UK based manager who is going to work for a local organization in Saudi Arabia. This report is not a very detailed research and uses some limited secondary research from the internet and the books to attempt this analysis. The resulting conclusions and recommendations are therefore in the nature of broad generalisations and not a detailed training module on cultural adaptation which could require much more detailed and rigorous research. Introduction This paper attempts to apply Hofstedes analytical framework to the two countries of Saudi Arabia and the UK to determine the main differences and similarities between them. Cultural differences make a significant impact upon business styles and processes in any country and therefore studying these allows a business to enter and function successfully in a new country. Therefore, a model of the type evolved by Hofstede is extremely useful to help in understanding and implementing any businesss strategy in a new country. This paper is organized into 4 main sections. Section 1 is the discussion of the theoretical contents of Hofstedes model. It describes the main features of the model, explains their application and also critically analyses them. The section further suggests the utility as well as the limitations of the model. Section 2 of the paper describes and evaluates the culture of Saudi Arabia using the model framework as a basis. Each element of Hofstedes model is applied to the Saudi Arabian work place. Using the analysis derived from the model application an overall picture of the Saudi Arabian economy is drawn within this section. Section 3 of the paper describes and evaluates the culture of the UK using the same model framework of Hofstede. Analyzing the main characteristics of the UK culture the section once again attempts a summation of the work culture within the country. Section 4 of the paper is the conclusion section that attempts to summarize the main cultural similarities and differences between UK and Saudi Arabia and the implications of the same for business. Section 5 of the paper is the recommendations section which attempts to build a small toolkit that could be relevant for the young British Manager called James who is going to work for a local organization in Saudi Arabia. Using the main conclusions from previous section this part of the paper tries to develop a blue-print to help this new manager survive in the new culture and society. Discussion of the model Geert Hofstede (1967- 1973) worked extensively in the field of cultural studies across different countries across the globe. Studying different cultures and their work related characteristics, this researcher developed a four dimensional model of intra country culture. Towards his later years he developed a fifth element within this model but the importance of the main elements remains undiminished to date. According to Hofstede country cultures can be broadly ranked along the following five main dimensions. Power Distance Index This focuses on the degree of power/wealth/influence inequality among the people within any country. Countries that rank high on this index have hidden caste systems that effectively differentiate between rich and poor and privileged and under-privileged. The poor are unable to better themselves easily in this society as they are blocked at various levels by the rich and influential. The culture within the work place favours the rich and many subtle laws, rules and regulations hinder the easy upward mobility of the poor. On the other hand countries that rank low on this index have societies that are more equal and where power wealth and influence does not determine access to many services and facilities. Individualism Individualism is the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. For example, Germany can be considered as individualistic with a high score (89) on the scale of Hofstede compared to a country like Guatemala where they have strong collectivism (6 on the scale). Masculinity This dimension focuses on how extent to which a society stress achievement or nurture. Masculinity is seen to be the trait which emphasizes ambition, acquisition of wealth, and differentiated gender roles. Countries differ in terms of the importance given to the male ideal of work related achievement and ambition. In countries with high masculinity scores the male is often given a much higher status in the work place than the female. On the other hand gender based discrimination is very low in the countries where masculinity scores are low. Uncertainty avoidance This dimension focuses on how cultures adapt to changes and cope with uncertainty. Emphasis is on extent to which a culture feels threatened or is anxious about ambiguity. Uncertainty tolerance and risk taking ability differ within different societies. In countries where this index is high, entrepreneurial activity tends to be widespread across society. On the other hand in countries where this index is low, people tend to move away from risk bearing and governments also tend to over legislate and restrict entrepreneurial activity. Long Term Orientation Long-Term Orientation is the fifth dimension of Hofstede which was added after the original four to try to distinguish the difference in thinking between the East and West. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) focuses on the degree the society embraces, or does not embrace, long-term devotion to traditional, forward thinking values. High Long-Term Orientation ranking indicates the country prescribes to the values of long-term commitments and respect for tradition. Low Long-Term Orientation ranking indicates the country does not reinforce the concept of long-term, traditional orientation. In this culture, change can occur more rapidly as long-term traditions and commitments do not become impediments to change. Applying Hofstedes model to Saudi Arabia The Geert Hofstede analysis for Saudi Arabia is almost identical to other Arab countries their Muslim faith plays a large role in the peoples lives. The Large Power Distance (PDI) (80) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) (68) are predominant Hofstede Dimension characteristics for the countries in this region. These societies are more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. They are also highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty, while inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. The high Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) ranking of 68, indicates the societys low level of tolerance for uncertainty. There is both a rigid and subtle hierarchy within society with very little scope for people to avoid their designated role or status in life. People also fully accept this role in life as a part of their cultural heritage. The masculinity scores within Saudi Arabia are not very higher than average across the world. According to Michael Wolfe (1998), the author of The Hadj : An Americans pilgrimage to Mecca this suggests that the inferior role of women in Saudi society can be traced to religious roots rather than cultural roles. There are extensive rules of etiquette while in business meetings and other social interactions both between men as well as between men and women. This tends to often be more onerous for women than for men. Still one could argue that women are often protected from male over exploitation by religious injunctions that forbid various acts. Silence is often considered to be a symbol of understanding wisdom and power. The most powerful people at business meetings a re often the silent observers and as underlined by the most active communicators could be the least influential. The individualism scores for Saudi Arabia are clearly among the lowest nations of the world suggesting that the society is very communistic with a great preference for long term tribal and familial loyalties. There is much evidence that Saudi Arabia is a long term orientated culture. Applying Hofstedes model to UK The UK represents a radically different society when analyzed using Hofstedes framework when compared to Saudi Arabia. The UK has very low uncertainty avoidance, power distance and long term orientation scores highlighting the fact that the country is modern and progressive in its outlook with few rules and regulation. The low power distance scores illustrate the long tradition of UK as a nation where people expect to be ruled by consent and prefer leaders who consult extensively and allow participation by the staff. . In this sense the UK is very different from Saudi Arabia. The UK scores 89 for Individualism. This is high and therefore points to that fact that British culture values and promotes individuality. On a macro level we see that the nuclear family is the more predominant form of basic social structure. On a micro level, in the business environment the individual may be more concerned with themselves rather than the team. There is great emphasis placed on individualism wit h almost every part of society rewarding individual achievement .There are very few familial links that continue through the life of the individual and people do not in general belong to clans or tribes which reward loyalty like in Saudi Arabia.. The UK scores 66 which indicates that it is somewhere in the middle. This may reflect the fact that British society and culture aims for equality between the sexes, yet a certain amount of gender bias still exists underneath the surface. The moderately strong masculinity scores reflect a male oriented society but still not as male dominated as Saudi Arabia. The low uncertainty avoidance scores of the UK reflect the general comfort of the population in the work place as well as in the social arena. The existence of a religious police in the latter country is a clear example of the uncertainty avoidance scores of the country. In the UK people in general social life are not expected to express emotions and stay rather phlegmatic. Different religious beliefs and cultural values are expected to stay in tolerant harmony side by side without any conflict unlike in Saudi Arabia. Conclusions and Recommendations Clearly the above discussion illustrates how even a simple application of Hofstedes framework to the cultures of Saudi Arabia and UK result in considerable wealth of information about the relative aspects of the cultures of the two countries. It is quite clear that for a manager from the UK working within the culture of Saudi Arabia will be a great challenge. The entire cultural experience would be very different given the constraints within that country. The power distance would imply that the manager would need to keep his distance from the subordinates and ensure that at all times he is in line with the cultural etiquette. Similarly he would also need to ensure that given the large number of social rules and regulations he does not offend any of his hosts. The decorum must always be maintained and he must never go against the social customs of the place both in the office and society interactions. He should also keep in mind the collective nature of the society and the fact that he should never offend the tribal loyalties and be aware of the various cultural attachments of his subordinates as well as his peers. Once again either talking too much or talking too little would not be optimal particularly in conferences and meetings. There is also the need to appear masculine and in control to an even greater extent than in the UK. He must ensure that nobody in the work place in particular views him to be less than in complete control partly because of the need to appear to be in control and partly due to the masculinity aspect. The fact that there is much greater need for uncertainty avoidance within Saudi Arabia implies that the manager should ensure that he is always taking decisions and directing his employees and subordinates to a much greater extent than he was used to in UK. The employees in Saudi Arabia will not respect a boss who delegates his decision making to the extent that is quite common in the UK. Also there needs to be greater clarity about who does what unlike in the UK where employees can be expected to take decisions as well as add value in decision making of their own accord. In all these issues the manager also needs to be alive to the peculiar and unique cultures within the specific organisation that he intends to work in within Saudi Arabia. Overall it is clear that the manager from England will have to learn a great deal apart from the local language. He will need to master the local cultural etiquette, social idiom as well as the various rules and regulations. At all times he will have to display a modesty and cultural adaptability in order to meet the approval of his seniors as well as his peers.

Jackson Hole :: Personal Narrative Writing

Jackson Hole It was going to be the time of our lives. Four buddies of mine and I went out to Jackson, Wyoming to do some of the best snowboarding of our lives. It was our chance to get away from home for a week and have the best time of our lives. The trip out there was extremely boring driving through Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Possibly the three most boring states in the country. When we got out there we were all very impressed by the appearance of the city. This was obviously a tourist town. When we found the hotel we were impressed by the huge glass windows and cedar siding. It looked more like the Hilton than a Best Western. We checked in and were shown to our rooms. After bringing in all of our things, we went straight to bed knowing that we had a huge day ahead of us, not knowing how huge it was really going to be. After a great night of sleep we headed out to the world renown mountain of Jackson Hole. It is known for being the steepest mountain on which a ski resort is set up. It is also know for having a great view of Grand Teton, one of the highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains. We could not have asked for a better day of riding. there was a fresh 14† of snow under our boards and after a little bit of exploring we found some great out of bounds and woods riding. We looked around for a little while longer and Tom spotted a nice hit. It was an untouched field, with three 10-15’ drops which made for great hits. After hiking about a quarter of a mile we made it there. A quarter of a mile does not sound like that much of a walk but it is not as easy as it sounds when you are walking in snow past your knees deep, simply it took almost an hour and a half. We strapped in and took off, making huge carves in all the fresh powder that had probably not been ridden in at least a week. The first hit was coming and Tom shouted â€Å"hit it man,† As Dan and I approached the hit we got some big air. The only problem with riding such fresh snow is that when you land in that amount of fresh powder you sink like a rock.