William Shakespeare s King Lear Essay - 1774 Words

William Shakespeare’s 1608 tragedy, King Lear ¸ is full to the brim with references to the gods. However, what is the real purpose of these gods within the tragedy? Some may argue the fact that certain believers triumphed over nonbelievers as the foundation of divine intervention theory. Others will argue that although many of the characters held belief in the gods, they experienced the same fate as those who never spoke a word about them, which could be an indication of a lack of divine intervention. Is King Lear trying to promote one theory over the other? It seems unlikely, as these two views are so equally prominent within the tragedy that it is difficult to argue one view as right and one view as wrong. In King Lear, the idea that the gods played a role in the fates of the characters, and the idea that it was the character s own human action which determined their fate, are two theories so notable throughout the play that it is impossible to fully support either argume nt. In this essay, I will discuss the strongest and weakest points of both views as the tragedy progresses, starting with the theory of divine intervention and ending with the theory of human fate. The theory of intervention from the gods throughout the lives of the characters in King Lear has its biggest support lying in the fact that the characters who did not recognize the gods perish . If a reader were to collect the lines of Cornwall, Goneril, and Regan, a big piece of evidence is the fact thatShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1564 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is universally known for his literary output both in poetry and drama. Whether through his laugh-invoking comedies or his heart-wrenching tragedies, Shakespeare’s plays have changed the course of literature. Many of his plays about love are widely praised by all, but Shakespeare s King Lear differs from the rest due to its definition of love. King Lear serves as an battleground between deception and compassion, between flattery and honesty. Rather than focusing on romantic loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1550 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION: By facilitating the growth of evil within William Shakespeare’s King Lear, it is evident that the tragedy’s protagonist, King Lear can be held accountable for his own victimization and ultimate downfall. The most notable aspects of this self-induced victimization include Lear’s own lack of practical wisdom and divergence from the natural order, combined with the neglect of kingship, that enables Lear as a tragic hero to create the conceptual framework in which the ulterior motives ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear3086 Words   |  13 PagesJerion Young Ms. Woods English IV 4 March 2015 King Lear William Shakespeare uses several literary elements in his writing, elements which are especially apparent in his play, King Lear. Shakespeare uses excellent creativity and description when writing this tragedy. â€Å"Neither has Shakespeare placed in the mouth of any other character in this play such fatalistic expressions as may be found in King Lear and occasionally elsewhere†(A.C. 2003). The way King Lear talks in this play is very evil compared toRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1611 Words   |  7 Pagesexperience life-changing events that jeopardize our sense of identity and make us question how we value ourselves. Our perception of our worth can change with what we learn through our existence, much like the characters in the play King Lear by William Shakespeare. Adversity and hardship are inevitable when characters are unable to connect themselves within their own identity or find a loss of self at some point in their role. The self-awareness, an essential a spect of their role, of many ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1320 Words   |  6 Pagesothers. Having strong communication skills allows one to better understand the situation at hand. Proper communication is essential to working out problems because of this reason. In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, Lear communicating with his daughters, Gloucester communicating with his sons, and Lear communicating with Kent are all examples of failure of communication, which later lead to consequences and hardships that the characters must face. Without proper communication, people willRead MoreBlindness By William Shakespeare s King Lear2212 Words   |  9 PagesMaysoun Deeb Mr. A. T. Lebar EN4UN-04 13 July 2015 King Lear Blindness by definition, according to dictionaries, is â€Å"unable to see and lacking the sense of sight† by which King Lear, the classic tragic play written by William Shakespeare, illustrated the concept of blindness amongst his characters as the leading theme. King Lear and Gloucester were the characters that have been conflicted by this â€Å"blindness† that may or may not change their personalities in the very end of the play. Gloucester becomesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1546 Words   |  7 PagesTwo Sides to Every Person There are two sides to every story; that of the protagonist and that of the antagonist. As shown in the Shakespearean play King Lear, there is very little difference between the two. Edmund, who appears to be a villain, is more than meets the eye. His evil is a rebellion against the social order that denies him legitimacy. His villainy does not come from innate cruelty but from misdirected desire for familial love. His remorse in the end displays his humanity and blindnessRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1510 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s King Lear deals with tragic human relationship like the other tragedies of the author, but this story was written in social aspect and raises the doubtful point on legitimacy of some political systems. In this play, various characters form multi-layered kconflict relations. Thus, the story is being propelled towards tragedy due to numerous inner and outer conflicts of each character. However, as it is brought into being a charact er, Edgar in the end of the story, it implies new beginningRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1470 Words   |  6 Pagesduring the Elizabethan era, making it relatable to all audiences, especially the modern audience, leaving room for multiple perspectives and understanding of the play. Shakespeare’s play ‘King Lear’, depicts the main protagonist’s ‘gradual descent into madness’ as a result of the forces of evil acting in the play for Lear has, to an extent, have sinned though it can’t outweigh that he has been sinned against. This is confirmed through Lear’s injudiciousness to see through his two eldest daughter’s internalRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear 1306 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"All...shall taste the wages of their virtue...the cup of their deservings. (5.3.317-320)† King Lear is frequently regarded as one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces, and its tragic scope touches almost all facets of the human condition: from the familial tensions between parents and children to the immoral desires of power, from the follies of pride to the false projections of glory. However, one theme rings true throughout the play, and that very theme is boundless suffering, accentuated by the gruesome

Bullying and the Holocaust Free Essays

Bullying and the Holocaust: Competition versus Cooperation When an animal is faced with starvation it often turns to cannibalism and may attack and kill a weaker animal of the same species. The German Nazis followed this system of competition versus cooperation. The Nazis felt they had no other choice to survive than to kill millions of Jews, Gypsies, and disabled people. We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying and the Holocaust or any similar topic only for you Order Now After the Holocaust, researchers uncovered many Journals kept by those who were persecuted. Here is a short exert from a fourteen year old girl: â€Å"October 27, 1937: The other girls and I were moved for the sixth time today. This time they moved us to a factory closer to Auschwitz. I’m beginning to fear that I’m at the end and I might die soon. At some points I wish they would go ahead and kill me so I wouldn’t have to endure this pain. Through all of this I still don’t understand why the Nazis hate us. We never did anything to them. I often wish someone would speak up on our behalf and save us from this terrible life. Looking back on the Holocaust people wonder xactly why no one spoke up and fought for the persecuted for so long during the war. It was like they were all students in school who pretended not to notice when someone was getting bullied so they didn’t have to get involved in it. Half of the mass slaughter of the Holocaust was due to bullying by peer pressure. People felt pressured by others to turn in Jews to Nazi official s. They wanted to save themselves and let the Jews be persecuted. As this happened more often no one even thought twice about it and had little regret that they probably Just sent omeone to their death. 2 As a part of the â€Å"Final Solution†, the Nazis did everything possible to exterminate the Jews. Through all of the hateful words, excruciating torture methods, and unreasonable forced labor, the Nazis believed that they threatened their way of life and the world would be better without them. World War II and the Holocaust officially ended on May 8, 1945, but only about two-thirds of the Jewish population remained. How to cite Bullying and the Holocaust, Papers

Organizational Change Management Change and Planned Change

Question: Describe about the Report for Organizational Change Management of Change and Planned Change. Answer: How and why do change agents need to use different skills to reduce the negative impact of political behavior during organizational change? Organizational change is a very sensitive matter that affects the performance of the employees. More or less each organization has done change in its business or in its working culture. However, managing and maintaining the change in the organization is more critical than implementing the same. Presently, in order to manage the organizational change, companies recruit the change agents, so that they can manage the changing environment and motivate the employees towards organizational goals (Senior and Swailes 2010). The main threat that an organizations get during and after implementing the change is the negative political behavior of the employees. However, the change agent of the company can handle the situation by following the Kotters eight step model: The first step of Kotters eight step model is create the urgency. In order to do this, the change agent needs to communicate the need of change clearly to the employees. This can be done by proper communication with the employees, which requires good knowledge. The change agent must be knowledgeable enough to face and answer each query of the employees (Caldwell 2003). The knowledge is also required to understand the negative political mentality of the employees so that the needful steps can be taken beforehand. The second step is form powerful coalition, which requires the leadership capability of the change agent. At the same time, the change agent needs to build strong relationship with the employees so that employees can trust the change agent. The third step is creating a vision for the organizational change. In order to do that, the change agents must have the clear vision regarding the needs of change and ways to achieve the same (Burnes 2004). The fourth step is communicating the vision to the employees. If the agents have clear vision and if they communicate the vision with the employees in a proper way then they can convey the need for the change to the employees. This helps reduce the organizational politics against the change. The fifth step is removing the obstacles. In order to remove the obstacles, the change agent must have high patient level so that right decision can be taken. The behavior of the change agent must be polite and calm. The change agent needs to deal with each employee with same priority. The relationship between the change agent and the employee must be friendly and reliable. At the same time, the change agent must provide rewards to the employees, who have performed well (Thomas and Hardy 2011). This helps to motivate the employees towards the organizational change. Apart from that, the change agent also requires the identify the employees, who are against the change an needs to take proper step to remove their resistance. The sixth step is creating the short-term wins. This can be done by implementing the sure-fire tasks that do not require the critics of organizational change. At the same time, the change agent should not take any expensive project that can be unsuccessful because of the negative political behavior of the people (Caldwell 2003). The seventh step is declaring the change slowly. In many organizations the changing process becomes failure because of the early declare of the victory. Therefore, the change agent needs to analyze the goals and the strategies to improving the change management process. The employees can use the Kaizen techniques for the improvements. The last step is guiding and mixing the change in the corporate culture. At this step, the change agent needs to communicate with the employees about the process of change at every time. At the same time, the values of change and the plan of change also need to be disclosed to the employees (Senior and Swailes 2010). The change agent of a company needs to use the different skills to manage the organizational change and the negative impact of political behavior of the employees because that helps the agent to detect the main source of negative political behavior and handle the situation in better manner (Burnes 2004). For example, if the change agent has very friendly relationship with the employees, then it becomes easier to find out the reason behind their political behavior. At the same time, it also helps the change agent to know the needs of the employees and the way in which they want to accept the change. It helps the change agent to take appropriate strategies to manage the situation. Reference list: Burnes, B. 2004. Emergent change and planned change competitors or allies?: The case of XYZ construction, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 24(9): 886 902. Caldwell, R. 2003. Models of Change Agency: a Fourfold Classification, British Journal of Management, 14: 131142 Senior, B. and Swailes, S. 2010. Organizational Change. 4th Ed, Harlow: FT Prentice Hall Thomas, R and Hardy, C. 2011. Reframing resistance to organizational change, Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27(3): 322-331.

Knowledge Manegment Systems Essays - , Term Papers

Knowledge Manegment Systems WEBSTER UNIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS? TIMOTHY W. HYDE COMP 5910 31 Mar 98 TABLE OF CONTENT TABLE OF CONTENT ii INTRODUCTION 1 WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 1 Technologies 2 WHY USE IT 2 Advantages 2 GOAL 3 SAMPLE PRODUCT 3 WINCITE 5.0 3 INTRASPECT 1.5 4 CHANNELMANAGER 2.0 4 Premise #1 4 Premise #2 4 BACKWEB 4.0 5 CONCLUSION 5 WORK CITED 6 INTRODUCTION In today's information based society, knowledge is power. By knowing their customers a business will have the ability to build products coveted by their customers. If a company is to get ahead in business today, they need to have a firm grasp on how to get the best production out of their employees. One way to help employees be all they can be is to provide them with the tools necessary to do their job. With the explosion of the service industry, today more than ever what employees need to do their job is information. Information about warehouse and store inventories, hot and cold selling merchandise and most importantly information about the customers they service. Software developers have heeded the call of the corporate leaders and are creating technology to help managers collect the data they need and put it in a useful form. This paper will discuss the emerging knowledge management systems being used today, in an attempt to take advantage of the enormous databases which have been created. WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Knowledge management is at various stages of development in American businesses. Some companies are just taking their first steps toward identifying and organizing the components of their information systems. Others have already recruited knowledge managers and are looking to revamp and improve established system. The tools a majority of these companies are using in the renovation efforts are knowledge management systems. A knowledge management system is a software tool that is intended to assist, through knowledge processing functions, users who desire to retrieve and manipulate information for different applications. The various tools of such a framework should help users to originate and organize ideas or understand and communicate ideas more easily and accurately than can be done with most current tools. A knowledge management systems is an integrated multifunctional system that can support all main knowledge management and knowledge processing activities. Knowledge management systems are difficult to understand because the business processes it strives to computerize doesn't exist in the real world for most organizations. Unlike replacing a machine such as a typewriter or an office procedure such as document control, businesses have been trying unsuccessfully throughout the 20th century to make knowledge management a reality. Excluding those companies whose entire business is knowledge management, there's no obvious, proven model to follow. However, knowledge management can be described by stepping back from technologies and products and taking a high-level view of the business issues before jumping into technology-based solutions. A Knowledge management system is a program that provides companies the ability to gather its collective expertise. Valued at $1.5 billion in 1996 and slated to increase to $5 billion annually by 2000, the development of knowledge management systems is big business. The appeal of knowledge management reaches all types of firms, including automakers and consulting firms. With the decentralization of many businesses the focus on knowledge management has increased. Many of today's managers fear that corporate knowledge is being wasted because no one knows what vast knowledge exists. Technologies Involved Knowledge Management software helps support its users in their efforts to collect information, to organize it, to collaborate around it, thus allowing a means to search and discover knowledge contained in the group memory, so that it can be reapplied or extended, and reused. It does this by using a server to capture information from various electronic information sources This allows individuals and groups to capture information, together with its context, into the group memory from which it can be accessed from the user's desktop and across the enterprise. A knowledge management systems are composed of a variety of technologies including; intranets, data warehousing, decision-support tools, and groupware to name a few. About half of the companies recently surveyed by Delphi Consulting are creating systems which intranet technology to improve their knowledge management, while another 25 percent plan to do so in the near future. Similarly, one-third of developers surveyed by Delphi are creating data warehouses, while nearly 25 percent plan in progress to incorporate data warehouses. Also, one-third are implementing decision-support tools, while

Cost of Capital

Cost of Capital The cost of capital refers to the cost incurred by a company to acquire finance, i.e. both debt and equity. From an investor’s perspective, it is the required return on all the company’s assets (Sharpe 367).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Cost of Capital specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The cost of capital is used to assess the acceptability of projects since it is the least return that shareholders expect to receive in order to provide capital to a company. Calculating the Cost of Capital A firm’s overall cost of capital comprises of the cost of debt and the cost of equity. The cost of debt is easier to calculate than the cost of equity, reason being that its calculation is based on interest payments to investors (Pearl 290). In contrast, equity investors do not receive fixed payments, making determination of the cost of equity more difficult. Determining the Cost of Debt To calculate the cost of debt, one has to first establish the interest rate being paid on a risk-free bond e.g. Treasury bill, with the same maturity as the company’s debt. A default premium is then added to this risk-free rate to determine the cost of debt (Yee 454). The cost of debt is determined as an after tax cost as most interest payments on corporate debt are tax deductible. The precise formula for calculating the cost of debt is as follows: Kd = (Rf + credit risk rate) (1-T) Where,Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kd = Cost of debt Rf = Risk-free rate T= Corporate tax rate Calculating the Cost of Equity The cost of equity is determined using the following formula: Ke = Rf + ÃŽ ²s (Rm – Rf) Where, Ke = Cost of equityAdvertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Cost of Capital specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn M ore ÃŽ ²s = Company’s beta Rm = Return on market portfolio The company’s beta indicates the sensitivity of returns on the firm’s security to changes in returns on the market portfolio, which refers the portfolio of all securities available in the stock market (Modigliani 261). Moreover, return on the market portfolio refers to the average historical return on the whole set of securities existing in a stock market, over a given time-period. The overall Cost of Capital The total cost of capital is the weighted average of the cost of debt and the cost of equity. This can be expressed as follows: Ko = Wd Kd + We Ke Where, Ko = Total cost of capitalAdvertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wd = proportion of debt in a firm’s capital structure We = Proportion of equity in a firm’s capital structure. The Effect of Market Interest Rates and Perceived Market Risk on the Cost of Capital When the market interest rates are high, the cost of capital will also be high since high interest rates point out to higher required rate of return by investors. The converse is true. Similarly, increase in perceived marked risk leads to higher cost of capital as investor raise the required rate of return to take care of the increase in the default risk of companies (Sharpe 370). The opposite situation is true as lower perceived market risk leads to lower cost of capital. Market risk refers to systematic or economy-wide risk that cannot be diversified, for instance, recession. Market risk is measured based on the historical returns on the market portfolio. Standard Deviation and Coefficient of Variation The standard deviation measures the dispersion between returns on a compa ny’s security and the returns on the market portfolio. It is used to indicate the level of risk on a security (Sharpe 326). The Coefficient of variation, on the other hand, indicates dispersion between a security and market portfolio returns in a standardized manner, i.e. instead of showing the average standard deviation, it is expressed as a ratio of standard deviation to the average returns on a stock. This measure is very useful when comparing the risks of various stocks (Sharpe 330). My Opinion on Abel Athletics’ Current Cost of Capital If what the CFO says regarding Treasury raising debt at 7 percent is true, the company’s cost of capital must be above this figure. Therefore, the 6 per cent cost of capital as claimed is erroneous. Modigliani, Franco. The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and the Theory of Investment. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print Pearl, Joseph. Investment Banking: Valuation, Leveraged Buyouts, and Mergers Acquisitions. Hoboken , NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2009. Print Sharpe, William. Investments. New Delhi: Pearson Education Publishers, 2010. Print Yee, Kenton. Aggregation, Dividend Irrelevancy, and Earnings-Value Relations. New York: Addison-Wesley, 2000. Print

10 Steps of Glycolysis

10 Steps of Glycolysis Glycolysis literally means splitting sugars and is the process of releasing energy within sugars. In glycolysis, glucose (a six-carbon sugar) is split into two molecules of the three-carbon sugar pyruvate. This multistep process yields two molecules of ATP (free energy containing molecule), two molecules of pyruvate, and two high energy electron carrying molecules of NADH. Key Takeaways: Glycolysis Glycolysis is the process of breaking down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate. It produces ATP and is the first stage of cellular respiration. Glycolysis can occur with or without oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration. In the absence of oxygen, glycolysis allows cells to make small amounts of ATP through the process of fermentation. Glycolysis takes place in the cytosol of the cells cytoplasm. However, the next stage of cellular respiration, known as the citric acid cycle, occurs in the matrix of cell mitochondria. Below are the 10 steps of glycolysis. Step 1 The enzyme hexokinase phosphorylates - adds a phosphate group to - glucose in the cells cytoplasm. In the process, a phosphate group from ATP is transferred to glucose producing glucose 6-phosphate. The equation is: Glucose (CStep 2 The enzyme phosphoglucoisomerase converts glucose 6-phosphate into its isomer fructose 6-phosphate. Isomers have the same molecular formula, but the atoms of each molecule are arranged differently. The equation for this step is: Glucose 6-phosphate (CStep 3 The enzyme phosphofructokinase uses another ATP molecule to transfer a phosphate group to fructose 6-phosphate to form fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate. The equation is: Fructose 6-phosphate (CStep 4 The enzyme aldolase splits fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate into two sugars that are isomers of each other. These two sugars are dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde phosphate. The equation is: Fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate (CStep 5 The enzyme triose phosphate isomerase rapidly inter-converts the molecules dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is removed as soon as it is formed to be used in the next step of glycolysis. The two equations for this step are: Dihydroxyacetone phosphate (CNet result for step Nos. 4 and 5: Step 6 The enzyme triose phosphate dehydrogenase serves two functions in this step. First, the enzyme transfers a hydrogen (H-) from glyceraldehyde phosphate to the oxidizing agent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) to form NADH. Next, triose phosphate dehydrogenase adds a phosphate (P) from the cytosol to the oxidized glyceraldehyde phosphate to form 1, 3-bisphosphoglycerate. This occurs for both molecules of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate produced in step 5. The two equations for this step are: A. Triose phosphate dehydrogenase + 2 HB. Triose phosphate dehydrogenase + 2 P + 2 glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (CStep 7 The enzyme phosphoglycerokinase transfers a P from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to a molecule of ADP to form ATP. This happens for each molecule of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. The process yields two 3-phosphoglycerate molecules and two ATP molecules. The equation is: 2 molecules of 1,3-bisphoshoglycerate (CStep 8 The enzyme phosphoglyceromutase relocates the P from 3-phosphoglycerate from the third carbon to the second carbon to form 2-phosphoglycerate. The equation is: 2 molecules of 3-Phosphoglycerate (CStep 9 The enzyme enolase removes a molecule of water from 2-phosphoglycerate to form phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). This happens for each molecule of 2-phosphoglycerate. The equation is: 2 molecules of 2-Phosphoglycerate (CStep 10 The enzyme pyruvate kinase transfers a P from PEP to ADP to form pyruvate and ATP. This happens for each molecule of phosphoenolpyruvate. This reaction yields two molecules of pyruvate and two ATP molecules. The equation is: 2 molecules of phosphoenolpyruvate (CEnd Result MediaForMedica l /UIG / Getty Images A single glucose molecule in glycolysis produces a total of two molecules of pyruvate, two molecules of ATP, two molecules of NADH, and two molecules of water. Although two ATP molecules are used in step Nos. 1 through 3, two ATP molecules are generated in step No. 7 and two more in step No. 10. This gives a total of four ATP molecules produced. If you subtract the two ATP molecules used in step Nos. 1 through 3 from the four generated at the end of step No. 10, you end up with a net total of two ATP molecules produced.

Create Writing Assignment and Grading Rubric for it Coursework

Create Writing Assignment and Grading Rubric for it - Coursework Example The main character was hugely affected by the process of confinement and torture. What role does psychology play in the analysis, understanding and relationship of the main character? During this era of feminism, John, the character’s husband contributed towards the attitude of men towards women. How does this attitude of machismo affect the character? How does it define the role of the character after the tumultuous relationship is observed? The paper should be 3 pages maximum. All the queries should be answered in precise and concise judgments that draw clear examples from the short story. American Psychological Association (APA) format, 6th edition should be effectively utilized in this written assignment. A succinct thesis statement will form the backdrop of the assignment. It is crucial to ensure that the thesis statement adequately maps out the direction of the written responses at each and every step. The essay should be as descriptive as possible, analyzing all written facts and presented evidences in line with the paper instructions. The main short story to be used in this analysis is Yellow Wallpaper. No other text other than the one mentioned should be used. Ensure accurate use of APA (6th edition), and in-text citations that include page

Discuss whether there is such a phenomenon as global culture Essay

Discuss whether there is such a phenomenon as global culture - Essay Example The establishment and development of the virtual world has, in return, aided in the process of creating a world of knowledge that is freely available on the internet. This has resulted in a free and smooth distribution of information to masses all over the world. The availability of knowledge and information to people located in various parts of the world has led to the process of evolution of consumer demand. People and masses located in the emerging economies and developing countries are expressing the desire to acquire the same brands of products and services, that are being enjoyed by the people and masses located in the more advanced countries that have developed economies. As a result of the spill over of consumer demand from the developed economies to various undeveloped markets, new markets and new economies are being created. The corporations around the world, in an attempt to attain a significant amount of growth, are focusing on the process of developing the markets, that are located in the emerging economies, by fulfilling the new kind of consumer demand that is starting to evolve in that particular area. Talking with regard to the formation of value chain that is getting developed around the globe on a regular basis, it can be said that in most of the economically emerging regions and countries, the consumers are trying to move up the value chain. It can be said that, in an attempt to create a symbiotic relationship with the consumer demand that is getting formed, the corporations and global companies, that are trying to enter the new markets, are focusing on the process of development of brands that can move down the value chain. By doing so, the global and international companies are trying to form a symbiotic relationship with the customers, wherein the customers’ growing demands are being fulfilled by the companies. Global Culture Overview It can be said that in today’s high-end modern age environment, where the connectivity of th e internet, powered by various high level sophisticated devices like Smart phones, and I-pads, is making significant impact in the lives of the masses around the world, the effect of spill over of information, knowledge and cultural trends cannot be ignored. Talking with regard to spill over of trends, it can be said that the development of a global marketplace, where goods and services are created and delivered to the consumers using various platforms like business to business, business to consumers or even consumers to consumers, has helped in the process of formation of a culture, that is familiar to many consumers irrespective of their presence and distribution in various geographical locations. In brief, it can be rightly stated that the global marketplace is contributing to the formation of a similarity in trends of consumption as well as behavioural patterns of masses all over the world. These similar kinds of behavioural patterns are helping in the process of development and growth of global citizens It can be said that global culture, in very simple terms, represents a variety of more or less similar trends, practices and behaviours which are expressed and displayed by the global citizens. It is necessary to state here that global culture represents a diverse mix of various trends, consumption patterns and styles of living which currently exist in various countries around the world. These diverse trends and consumption patte

Puerto Rico Essay Example for Free

Puerto Rico Essay The most magnificent place I’ve ever been is Puerto Rico. With its breath taking landscapes and the calm serenity of the ocean; Puerto Rico is one of the most relaxing and gorgeous places I’ve ever been. The mixes of several different Latin styles play a huge role in not only the music and dancing of Puerto Rico but, also the style of the wardrobe. The best part of Puerto Rico though is the amazing experience and adventures I’ve been on. Puerto Rico has some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. In San Juan P.  R, there are many under water caves. The cave are hidden by the green plants and leaves that stretch from the grown to the top of mountains and, surrounded in brown and green furry moss. The fresh water sparkles in the spots of light from the top of the cave. The water gives the clearest reflection like a mirror. When you look above all you can see are scattered rays of light and snake like veins hung like icicles along the cave roof. There are an array of fresh water fish that dance along the bottom of the river. The caves are almost as beautiful as the beaches in Isabella P. R. The only thing you can hear along the beach is the sound of the waves crashing toward the shore. The waves merge to the shore line as the ocean water flows back and forth, rocking along the shore. The water fades from a clear blue to a heart of the ocean sapphire blue. Billions upon billions of black and brown grains and minerals are spread throughout the beach. The view is something you have to see to believe. The sounds of bongos and brass instruments echo throughout the night. Puerto Ricos unique mix of Caribbean and south American sound turn into Puerto Rico Own music and dance called salsa. The sound hits the heart of people everywhere with its smooth jazzy sound and its upbeat dance. Salsa dancers and there partners dance the night away in the streets of Puerto Rico. The women dress in stunning traditional dresses. Wearing all white floor length dresses with hand sewn beats across the bodice and, hand sewn designs along the train of the dress. There hair is neatly tucked into a ballet bun with a red rose on the side. The men are dressed in all black. As they begin to dance throughout the Streets they bow to there partners with grace and elegance. There feet move at 1,000 steps a minute as there face remains the same. You can see the pure passion and enjoyment in there faces as they glide down the streets never looking down once. They are as graceful as gazelles but as energetic as a child. Never breaking a sweat they dance until the sun comes up. The only thing thats better than the gorgeous scenery and the amazing and unique sound of Puerto Rico is the exciting activities. In Puerto Rico Ive went deep sea diving, para sailing, and hiking. When I went deep sea diving all I saw was clear blue water and gorgeous yellow and blue striped fish. There was sponge like coral. The sea went on for miles but looked like it was only a few feet deep. Para sailing was both frightening and exciting. I felt like a bird flying through the sky. The wind flew through my face as my feet glided across the water making huge ripples in the water. Hiking and sight seeing was the most fun of all. Hiking in the forest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico was an amazing experience. The forrest was covered in green leaves reaching the sky, there were stunning white and red flowers. There was no cell phone service and all I heard in the forrest was the sound of coquis singing at night. Puerto Rico is the most magnificent place Ive ever been. The caves and beaches created a calm place to gather your thoughts and be close to nature. The music and dancing were an amazing way to view the culture of Puerto Rico and the activities are as exciting as can be.

A Reason to Hope in There Are No Children Here :: There are No Children Here Essays

There Are No Children Here - A Reason to Hope  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      The West side of Chicago, Harlem, Watts, Roxbury, and Detroit. What do all of these areas have in common? These areas, along with many others have become mine fields for the explosive issues of race, values, and community responsibility, led by the plight of the urban underclass. Issues such as violent crime, social separation, welfare dependence, drug wars, and unemployment all play a major role in the plight of American inner-city life. Alex Kotlowitz's book: There Are No Children Here, confronts America's devastated urban life; a most painful issue in America. Kotlowitz traces the lives of two black boys; 10 year old LaFayette, and 7 year old Pharoah, as they struggle to beat the odds growing up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Their family includes a welfare dependent mother, an alcholic-drug using father, an older sister, an older brother, and younger triplets. Kotlowoitz describes the horrors of an ill-maintained housing project completely taken over by gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. Kotlowitz does a fine job at portraying ghetto life; those who are outside the American dream. He succeeds at putting a face on th people trapped inside the housing projects with virtually no hope of escape. One can truly feel a sense of great loss for the family, and a great deal of hope for the two young boys. You can truly feel yourself hoping that things will work out for them, and you can really feel like you know these young men on a personal basis. Kotlowotz spent a great deal of time with the boys so he could portray the world from the eyes of a child growing up in the ghetto, and he does an amazing job.    All through their lives Pharoah and LaFayette are surrounded by violence and poverty. Their neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries no movie theatres, no skating rinks or bowling allies. Drug abuse was so rampant that the drug lords literally kept shop in an abondoned building in the progjects, and shooting was everywhere. Also, there were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto out of a fear for their own safety. The book follows Pharoah and LaFayette over a two year period in which they struggle with school, attempt to resist the lure of gangs, mourn the death of close friends, and still find the courage to search for a quiet inner peace, that most people take for granted. A Reason to Hope in There Are No Children Here :: There are No Children Here Essays There Are No Children Here - A Reason to Hope  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      The West side of Chicago, Harlem, Watts, Roxbury, and Detroit. What do all of these areas have in common? These areas, along with many others have become mine fields for the explosive issues of race, values, and community responsibility, led by the plight of the urban underclass. Issues such as violent crime, social separation, welfare dependence, drug wars, and unemployment all play a major role in the plight of American inner-city life. Alex Kotlowitz's book: There Are No Children Here, confronts America's devastated urban life; a most painful issue in America. Kotlowitz traces the lives of two black boys; 10 year old LaFayette, and 7 year old Pharoah, as they struggle to beat the odds growing up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Their family includes a welfare dependent mother, an alcholic-drug using father, an older sister, an older brother, and younger triplets. Kotlowoitz describes the horrors of an ill-maintained housing project completely taken over by gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. Kotlowitz does a fine job at portraying ghetto life; those who are outside the American dream. He succeeds at putting a face on th people trapped inside the housing projects with virtually no hope of escape. One can truly feel a sense of great loss for the family, and a great deal of hope for the two young boys. You can truly feel yourself hoping that things will work out for them, and you can really feel like you know these young men on a personal basis. Kotlowotz spent a great deal of time with the boys so he could portray the world from the eyes of a child growing up in the ghetto, and he does an amazing job.    All through their lives Pharoah and LaFayette are surrounded by violence and poverty. Their neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries no movie theatres, no skating rinks or bowling allies. Drug abuse was so rampant that the drug lords literally kept shop in an abondoned building in the progjects, and shooting was everywhere. Also, there were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto out of a fear for their own safety. The book follows Pharoah and LaFayette over a two year period in which they struggle with school, attempt to resist the lure of gangs, mourn the death of close friends, and still find the courage to search for a quiet inner peace, that most people take for granted.

Troy summary

Wants nothing more than to be put into history books and known for eternity for his greatness. -strong, family man, and a lover (which ends up being the death of hector and eventually the death of him) Ajax Strong brute, loyal and respectful. Loves his people. Heart off lion (one scene pulls sword out of leg etc etc. ) doesn't die without a huge fight. Prince Hector older brother type, protecting, but wise. Strong and brave. Fearless. Successful, wishes toting but peace and happiness Prince Paris – younger brother, ignorant and arrogant. Blinded by love, Helen – a beautiful woman, that only wants to be accepted for HER, not her looks. A lover. Also ignorant. Agamemnon – Jerk, cares only for himself, blinded by power. Head strong (making him weak) fearless, but not in a good way, mischievous, apathetic Odysseus man, good friend, and better realist, an adventurous man. Bruises Godly,the girl who capture Achilles Heart important: Achilles died in deed by Paris but a long time ago before we, Greeks entered Troy.It was disgusting and very insulting to the epic story to see Achilles dies inside the burning Troy with several arrows on his chest and belly as Achilles was invulnerable because his father Pleas baptized him in a blessed water when he was an infant but as he was holding him upside down he did not sink his feet holding him from his ankles. That is why his only vulnerable spot was his heels. That means that only one arrow was enough to kill him at his heel. In these story illustrate that even the great warrior has a Heart. When Achilles met Bruises his heart suddenly change. Len these story illustrate the Love of the Man to the Woman. Like Prince Paris he follow his Heart but he become selfish. Prince Hector code is simple Honor youGods Love your Women Defend the Country. Like Samson in the Bible women is their downfall. Achilles is a great warrior when his cousin (Patrols) killed by Prince Hector . Len this story illustrate a Father love by Prima to his son Prince Hector a brother love different way of living some live for country some live for Love some live for Gods it's the people choice where they want to live. For me Achilles is great warrior even though in the ending he die. By the way he respect and value Prima the father of Prince Hector. Especially when I see the tears fall down.

Balance Sheet and Following Account Balances

Retained earnings 109,oho 712,000 712. 000 b. Actual sales for December and budgeted sales for the next four months are as follow s: – December (actual) 2800 units It is expected that sales will increase by 40% in the month of January and by a further 50% in the next month. The following month sales would drop by 50% an d then will will ream remain in cons Tanta for for the next next 2 moon months this – The management will not alter the selling price, which is currently $100 – Management wants finished goods inventory to be 20% of the following month's sales – One units of finished goods require 2 kilos of raw materials. –The price of materials is currently $10 per kilo and is expected to increase by 50% in February hereafter it will remain constant for the next four months. – The management wants raw materials inventory to be 10% of the following month's p reduction needs – Each unit of product requires 2 hours of direct materials fo r completion. – The laborers are expected to work for a total of 4000 hours per month at a wage rat e Of $6 per hour. Any additional work requires an overtime payment of time and a half. – Manufacturing overhead: variable: $5 per labor hours worked; fixed $17000 per MO nth. – Sales are 20% for cash and 80% on credit.Half of the credit sales are collected in the month following sale while the remaining half is collected in second month after the sales. The accounts receivable at December 31 are a result of December credit sales. – Monthly expenses are budgeted as follows: salaries and wages, $10,000 per month: a advertising, $70,000 per month; shipping, 5% of sales; other expenses, 3% of sales. Depreciation, I including depreciation on new assets acquired during the quarter, will be $42,000 for the quart err. – One- half of a month's raw materials purchases is paid for in the month of purchase; the to her half is paid in the following month.Shipping expenses are paid in the month following the shipment. , while advertising I s paid in one month's advance. During February, the company will purchase a new copy machine for $1,700 cash. Du ring March, other equipment will be purchased for cash at a cost of $84,500. – During January, the company will declare and pay $45,000 in cash dividends. – Management wants to maintain a minimum cash balance of $30,000. The company h as an agreement with a local bank that allows the company to borrow in increments of $1,0 00 at the beginning of each month. The interest rate on these loans is 1% per month and for is

Contrast of Things Fall Apart and Cry, the Beloved Country essays

Compare/Contrast of Things Fall Apart and Cry, the Beloved Country essays Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton are novels that revolve around the theme of social injustice but beneath that theme, we discover chaos on a deeper level. Chaos erupts on a personal level in both novels because characters refuse to accept reality. In Cry the Beloved Country, Paton points one area of his focus on separation. His story of familial separation becomes more significant against the tapestry of a country that is ravaged from within. Likewise, Achebe places his story of separation in a society that is torn between change and tradition. The backdrop of devastation reinforces the significance of communication in each context. Stephen, James, and Okonkwo undergo transformations that force them to change their perception of life and they can only come to this point through awakening to certain truths regarding life. In Cry the Beloved Country, Stephen learns a valuable lesson through the relationship with his son. He and Stephen represent a type of break that exists in the family. Only after pain and suffering does Stephen see his son for whom he really is. It takes murder, however, for this to occur. Stephen notes that his son is a stranger . . . I cannot touch him, I cannot reach him. I see no shame in him, no pity for those he has hurt. Tears come out of his eyes, but it seems that he weeps only for himself, not for his wickedness, but for his danger (Paton 109). Here we see how relationships can be torn apart because of ones actions. While we would like to believe that actions speak louder than words and blood is thicker than water, it is often difficult to find that truth in moments of desperation. Likewise, James must come to certain revelations through pain. He is like Stephen in that it takes a painful incident for his eyes to be opened to the truth. James looks at his son in a different light after he is dead and it is this light that al ...

Business ethics question set 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business ethics question set 2 - Assignment Example 2. The best solution to this ethical dilemma is to continue to work and hope that is recognized. It has been clearly established that the company is paying a good salary. In today’s tough job marketplace nobody can afford to quit simply because the other workers are slacking off. The fact that they get paid the same money as me is irrelevant. It is not my job to judge the work of the other employees since I am not the manager. Eventually the company is going to realize that I am performing at a very high level and a promotion is a high probability in the future. 3. I am for the death penalty. Some crimes deserve the maximum punishment possible. A serial killer that kills 20 innocent people deserves the same predicament that his/her victims encountered. I think the application of the death penalty should be reserved to special cases in order to minimize the possibility of an innocent person been sentenced to the death penalty. The death penalty should exist in order to make cri minals think twice before committing horrible crimes. Another crime that is deserving of the death penalty is terrorism. There is no room in American society for terrorists. Osama Bin Laden recently indirectly received the death penalty when the US military penalty killed him in their attempt to capture him. 4. If the burning of coal by the United States is causing pollution and environmental damage in Canada the US government should immediately investigate the matter. The agency in the US that deals with environmental protection is EPA. EPA must immediately start an investigation to determine if the claims from Canadian authorities are true. The results from the investigation or audit should be revealed to the Canadian government. If the claims are false the investigation will resolve the matter. On the other hand if they are true then the US congress has to step in and create new legislation to protect the environment by regulating the amount of coal that is burned by US companies . 5. I think that this phrase is completely biased. All United States citizens have a right to privacy. An example of a secret a person might not want society to know is a person’s sexual orientation. A gay person might prefer to keep his sexual orientation a secret in order to avoid discrimination. A second example of a secret a person might not want others to know is the amount of wealth a person has. For instance an individual that won the lottery might prefer to keep this fact a secret to avoid being targeted by criminals. 6. The employer has the right to monitor all phone calls, emails, and other communications in the workplace. This is not a violation of privacy because during work hours the employer is paying the employee money to perform a particular duty. Any personal calls or communication should be monitored to ensure that people are not slacking off at work. From a business perspective this practice is a sound business practice because it serves as a control mecha nism to maximize the efficiency of the workers. Any employee that feels that such a practice is a violation of their rights should talk to the human resource department about the issue. The employee might have special circumstances that require constant communication with a family member such as having a child that is hospitalized due to illness. 7. In the United States 49 out of 50 states have laws that require drivers to wear seatbelts (Enotes, 2011). I believe that this law is justified since its purpose

How political, economic, and other ideologies affect America, China, Essay

How political, economic, and other ideologies affect America, China, and Japan's societies - Essay Example The rise of China also presented strategic challenges to Japan, and the effects were deepened by the economic recession – necessitating the painful restructuring and reform of the economy and system. Areas requiring restructuring include that the Japanese economy is suffering from the effects of an aging society. The US economy, similar to that of Japan, suffered from stock market and real estate bubbles that deflated, ushering in an anaemic growth (Wiseman and Ellig 866). The US is facing a similar fate as Japan, mainly because low interest rates and monetary measures have hindered the proliferation of imbalances. This paper will compare and contrast the economic systems of America, Japan and China, and also explore the effects of their respective economic, political and other ideologies. The similarities between the two countries include that the national cultures and the economic ideologies of the three countries are predominantly shaped by their historical values and national heritage. For example, individualistic values are more predominant in the US and in China; the collective outlook is predominant (Ralston et al. 9). On the other hand, Japan has an individualistic-inclined economic ideology, but a collectivist national culture, which distinguishes it from the rest. The second area of similarity between the three is that individual work values have been shaped by their cultural and social heritage. For example, in China, poor performance at work is not enough grounds to fire an employee, the case of Japan is relatively less extreme and in the US, the individualistic outlook makes it very easy for one to lose employment due to poor performance (Ralston et al. 10). Despite the fact that the Chinese and the Japanese share many characteristics, including religion, philosophy and culture, some political and economic-based factors make the two societies distinctive. To start with, Japan and China

Development Strategy of Dupont International Management Essay

Development Strategy of Dupont International Management - Essay Example Its various trademarks are found in many consumers as well as industrial products so that DuPont per se has become or has been related to household products: carpets, upholstery, containers, construction and other items used in the daily basis. Already, words like durability and quality are attached to the brand name or trademark. But it does not only take quality products to make a name such as DuPont. As acknowledged in their website, DuPont has employed innovation in most aspects of its global operations emphasizing several areas such as: competing globally; sharpening its business focus; increasing productivity; committing to safety, health, and environmental excellence; empowering people, capitalizing on its strong corporate and product brand franchises; and continuing to extend its significant science and technological achievement. Already, focus on core competencies was acknowledged where DuPont build competitive business advantage such as a 1993 transaction that disposed of D uPont’s acrylic business while acquiring ICI’s nylon business. Cost-reduction and improving productivity were also cited as DuPont’s strategic moves in the 1990s when most companies either are emerging or closing down, allowing flexibility for competitive pricing and growing market share and earning. The 90s also saw vigorous expansion overseas with new plants in Spain, Singapore, Taiwan and China coupled with a major technical server in Japan, a move that even critics could easily detect not only as competitive but innovative.

In-depth literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In-depth literature review - Essay Example (p. 17) One of the main strategies of the British fashion industry is the market differentiation. Here, companies that comprise the industry tend to specialize in a sector: menswear, ladieswear, children’s wear, knitwear, lingerie, street fashion, designerwear or accessories (scarves, ties, hats and gloves). At present, there is a governmental agency in the UK called the Standard Industrial Classification that provides a mechanism for gathering statistics and supplying information about an industrial grouping and in defining a market. Also, along with information from trade bodies such as the British Clothing Industry Association, data are utilized to make comparisons among competing countries comprising an industry. This is based on the idea that in the international market has become so saturated that the advantage of the ‘globalness’ itself has been essentially nullified. (Gamble, 2003, p. 346) Now more than ever, it is harder and harder to become a top-level fashion house in various global cities and so greater premium on specialization is evident. Paul de Gay (1997), in his book Production of Culture/Cultures of Production, explored this further as he argued that a comprehensive understanding of fashion in clothing can only be approached through an exploration of the mutually constitutive rhythms of production and consumption, hence mapping the multiple worlds where fashion is produced and consumed is definitely a must. (p. 8) Interestingly, Bruce, Moore and Birtwistle (2004) added that the majo rity of British fashion consumers prefer to buy the diffusion lines of clothing. (p. 160) In the book called, The National Fabric: Fashion, Britishness, Globalization, Alison Goodrum argued that British fashion is precariously poised amidst a clutch of conflicting narratives, representations and ideologies. For her, there is a

Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce

Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce Effects Of Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce Introduction The Internet is no longer a niche technology it is mass media and an utterly integral part of modern life. As our lives become more fractured and cluttered, it isnt surprising that consumers turn to the unrivalled convenience of the Internet when it comes to searching and buying product. Introduction To E-Commerce The rise of the WWW gives birth to new phenomena in our daily lives, one of which is e-commerce. The internet has played a fundamental and key part to promote selling products and services online which makes life convenient for the audience, which in an inter-connected world, is well, the whole world. E-Commerce is a subset of an overall e-business strategy consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet. E-commerce system seeks to add more revenue streams using the World Wide Web or the Internet to build and enhance relationships with partners and clients and to improve the systems efficiency. E-commerce has given rise to the concept of absolutely online shops selling products and services, proficiently catalogued and available for the convenience of customer. There are several websites that stockpile everything from books, electronic appliances lifestyle items, collectibles etc. The level of e-commerce use can be measured by using an e-commerce capability indicator. E-commerce capability indicator by Molla and Licker: No e-commerce indicates a company without e-mail or an Internet connection. Connected e-commerce represents a company that has an Internet connection and e-mail. Informational e-commerce indicates a company using a Web site to publish basic information about the company and its products/services in a static manner. Interactive e-commerce refers to the ability of users to search the companys product catalogue, make queries, and enter orders. Transactional e-commerce allows online selling and purchasing of products or services including online payment and customer service. E-business applications can be divided into three categories. First is an internal business system in which customer relationship management (CRM), Enterprise resource planning (ERP), and Human Resource management (HRM) type of systems are involved. Second is enterprise communication and collaboration such as content management system (CMS), business process management (BPM) and web conferencing etc. Third is e-commerce that includes Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and Business-to-customer (B2C) e-commerce. Online shopping comes under this category on which this study is conducted. Several e-commerce service providers are available on web that provides professional personalized web designing services that suit their clients needs. Some common applications related to electronic commerce are the following: Online Shopping (Web Shop) Online Banking Online Marketing CRM etc Online Shopping Online shopping is the process consumers go through to purchase products or services over the Internet. An online shop, e-shop, e-store, internet shop, web shop, web store, online store, or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services over the web. Online shopping is a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. The term web shop also refers to a place of business where web development, web hosting and other types of web related activities take place (Web refers to the World Wide Web and shop has a idiomatic meaning used to describe the place). Service Quality The level of service received on a website. Dependent on reliability, responsiveness and availability of staff and the web site service. Service quality is comprised of five dimensions. These are: Tangibles as the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and written materials (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler, 2006). Reliability is the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Assurance describes as the employees knowledge and courtesy and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Responsiveness termed as the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Empathy is defined as the individualized attention given to customers.   Service Quality Dimensions In E-Commerce Systems Lets examine how customers judge the five dimensions of service quality in perspective of e-commerce systems. Tangibles refer to the physical appearance of an e-commerce website, its structure, layout, theme etc and referred as â€Å"website structure†. Reliability represented as â€Å"website adequacy† which provides the relevant and needed information provided by an e-commerce system when customer clicked or requested for. Assurance termed as â€Å"website security† refers as the trustworthy service provider that could include a well reputable website, reliable payments methods etc. Responsiveness is the prompt and relevant response to the specific request of users described by â€Å"website response†. Empathy knows internal customers as individual; understanding individual needs and concerns such as by providing recommendations that matches the customers needs which is termed as â€Å"website customization† in world of web. Service Quality Framework (SERVQUAL) SERVQUAL was originally measured on 10 aspects of service quality which are reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding or knowing the customer and tangibles. By the early nineties the authors had refined the model to the useful acronym RATER. Reliability Assurance Tangibles Empathy, and Responsiveness SERVQUAL has its disbeliever and is considered overly complex, subjective and statistically unreliable. The simplified RATER model however is a simple and useful model for qualitatively exploring and assessing customers service experiences and has been used widely by service delivery organizations. Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction refers to the extent to which customers are happy with the products and services provided by a business. Customer satisfaction levels can be measured using survey techniques and questionnaires. Gaining high levels of customer satisfaction is very important to a business because satisfied customers are most likely to be loyal and to make repeated orders and to use a wide range of services offered by a business. The basic definition of customer satisfaction says that Customer satisfaction is a business term, is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product or service. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products or services. Customer Satisfaction Based On Perceived Service Quality Of E-Commerce Systems The overall satisfaction of e-commerce customers can be attained by providing the level of service quality that customers perceive in that system. The five dimensions of service quality are tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. The website structure of an e-commerce websites is all about the tangibility dimension. The reliability dimension in this study is measured by the attribute called website adequacy. The website response variable indicates the responsiveness dimension. Website security as another attribute of an e-commerce system refers to the assurance dimension and the empathy dimension described by the website customization The overall customer satisfaction is based on the five service quality dimensions representing various service attributes. These five dimensions are tangibility, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. The detailed model used in this study is presented in figure A. The website design elements are characterized into five different types which are supposed to influence the five service quality dimensions. This study hypothesizes that some website attributes that are based on service quality dimensions has an impact on an online customer satisfaction. In other words, customers satisfaction level will increase if the e-commerce system provides a higher level of service quality through different website attributes. Increased Trend Of Online Surfing And Shopping In Pakistan The trend of an online surfing is increasing rapidly due to the increased benefits by the use of e-commerce business environment. People visit e-commerce web sites not only for buying but for several other reasons and the smart retailer just should not only focus on boosting online browse-to-buy conversion rates, but should also try to grab the attention of an online visitors who came in for review so as they could become a customer later. Many people feel it comfortable to review the products through an extensive knowledge provided over the internet before actually buying a particular product. For this purpose, e-commerce website provides an interface to the buyers to write their reviews and share their after-purchase experiences. Thus, the e-commerce systems reduce the time and efforts required for the first step of information search in consumer decision making process. That is, by just few clicks a consumer can have a concise analysis for what matches his/her needs. There are some factors emerged as a results of the changes in lifestyle and habits of consumer which has promoted the trend of online searching and shopping in Pakistan. Some of these factors are lack of time, need of convenience and easy access to the desired object. Moreover, e-commerce websites facilitates the visitor in many ways to boost up online browse-to-buy conversion rate. Whenever a new customer lands on an e-commerce website, he/she must be having many questions in their minds regarding the products and services. A well-framed ecommerce site has an enquiry page for their customers. This gives the chance to the visitor to post an enquiry with the website. Main aim of this page is to gather all relevant and necessary information from the customers so that they can be given response in an apt manner. Within the past decade, e-commerce has matured and grown exponentially. The result shows that now there are many types of e-commerce payment methods available online. If a customers credit is bad and customer cannot afford a merchant account, there are alternative methods of payments on e-commerce websites which can help the customer. The e-commerce systems give customers controlled access to the data they need. In other words, through an e-commerce systems company is not only managing the relationship with its customers, but giving the customers the tools to manage their relationship with the company. Thesis Structure This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the problem about which the research was carried out and in general about the trends of online shopping in Pakistan. Chapter 2 is about the literature review and the theoretical background is developed. In Chapter 3, researcher describes the research method adopted including sources of information and data collection procedure is discussed. In chapter 4, the empirical data collected through questionnaire is analyzed and results are concluded on the basis of a survey. In Chapter 5, Conclusions are drawn and necessary recommendations are suggested. Statement Of The Problem â€Å"Effects of website attributes on customer satisfaction in e-commerce.† The main purpose of this research is to find out the different attributes which encourage consumers to visit, search and shop on a particular website. Objective The purposes of this study are as follows: To identify the most important website element of e-commerce with respect to the customer satisfaction. To examine what is important to the customer regarding website attributes in e-commerce with perspective of website builders. Possible Research Findings The research will also provide the following significances. Help the organization to better understand what customers expect in e-commerce and how those expectations impact customer attitude. The study will examine what the customer views as major attributes of website in e-commerce. Able to investigate the major customer attitudes associated with website structure in e-commerce. The study will indicate the link between the website attributes and the customer attitudes. Hypotheses H1 Website structure has a significant association with customer satisfaction. h3 Website adequacy has a significant association with customer satisfaction. h3 Website security has a significant association with customer satisfaction. H4 Website response has a significant association with customer satisfaction. H5 Website customization has a significant association with customer satisfaction. Introduction To E-Commerce The propagation of WWW has originated few facts in our daily lives, one of which is e-commerce. A transaction between two or more participants through an electronic medium is defines as e-commerce (Kalacota and Whinston 1997). As an e-commerce is rapidly raising field, therefore for accomplishing success in this market, a top quality information system is necessary (Margherio, Henry, Cooke and Montes 1998). An e-commerce system is designed by selectively integrating many technical (e.g. search system) or managerial (e.g. the level of information related to product) design elements (Lohse and Spiller 1998). It is still very difficult, if not impossible; to make use of all the design factors presently available for the e-commerce system although many design factors have been suggested to improve the overall quality of e-commerce system (Selz and Schubert 1997, Lohse et al. 1998). This is because of the recent arrival of new design factors resulted by an increase in the interest of Internet (Selz et al.) The main goal of this paper is to explore important design elements that have significant influence on the customer satisfaction regarding the performance of e-commerce systems. In this paper, the study presents a conceptual model of e-commerce websites that includes concrete design elements, perceived level of website quality and the customer satisfaction (Kim and Lee 2002). There is remarkable potential for e-commerce in developing countries. Online shopping makes it easy to find things, merchants and best offerings and thus economical in terms of time and effort offerings (Balasubramanian, 1997). According to the Malone, Yates and Benjamin (1989), communicating a same piece of information through communication networks results in decreased cost and improved speed. There is tremendous potential for e-commerce in developing countries because the use of an e-commerce can potentially reduce transaction costs. As per Malone et al. (1989) observation, the search costs such as cost of identifying a market (from where to buy a product) and /or a product or service are likely to reduce with the use of e-commerce systems and can be defined as potential e-commerce cost savings. From an organizations perspective, e-commerce systems provide the organization with the better market reach and an ability to provide their customer a customized service that suits their individual needs and preferences. For example the exchange between â€Å"richness† and â€Å"reach† can be minimized by e-commerce (Evans and Wurster 2000). Richness refers to the quality and quantity of information in terms of accuracy, relevance, customization, etc. and reach measures the number of people who can be got in touch with that information. Service Quality Dimensions The overall customer satisfaction can be measured by the level of service quality of an e-commerce system that customer perceives. Some researchers (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry 1988) stated that consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is as an ancestor of service quality. Conversely, modern evidence recommends that it is an outcome of service quality (Woodside, Frey and Daly 1989; Cronin and Taylor 1992). Service quality attributes are the most important factors for the success of an e-commerce systems For example Liu and Arnett (2000) found that organizations that involve in e-commerce can only ensure the success of their system by keenly looking for the ways to improve their service quality. The customers decision whether to continue using a particular e-commerce system is based on the perceived quality of service (Bhattacherjee, 2001) as the service quality impacts the overall satisfaction of a customer. Tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy are the five dimensions of service quality. (Parasurama, Zeithaml and Berry 1985, 1991; Pit, Watson and kavan 1995). The tool that is being used in this study to measure the dimensions of service quality is SERVQUAL. This instrument has been proved valid and reliable and hence used in various domains. (Brown Churchill and Peter 1993; Fisk, Brown and Bitner 1993; Parasuraman et al. 1993). On the basis of previous researches, service quality despite being a main interesting field in services marketing for the past two decades (Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Malhotra 2000); electronic service quality is still in its early stages in research area. Riel, Liljander and Jurriens (2001) concluded that there has been no theoretical conceptualization emerged for customer evaluation of electronic services that could have been accepted generally. Cox and Dale (2001) has supported this conception by the fact that most out of the dominant research on service quality cannot even be valid to e-business environment. By the year 2002, the existing studies on the determinants of electronic service quality were based on measuring B2C interactions (Gilbert, 2000; Barnes and Vidgens 2000, 2001 and 2002) and few exploratory researches on website quality and e-service quality by Zeithaml et al. (2000). In early stages of service quality research, researchers were required to find out what is service quality from customers perspective (Sasser, Olsen and Wyckoff 1979; Lehtinen and Lehtinen 1982; Gronroos, 1982). It was normally approved that the judgment of service quality came from comparisons between what customers feel a service provider should offer (expectations) and the actual service performance of the company (perceptions) (Zeithaml et al. 2000). This view was reinforced by Zeithaml et al.; Parasuraman et al. (1985) in their study of service quality in different service industries with which they discussed the concept of service quality as a function of expectations-perception gap. Parasuraman et al. (1985) identified the 10 dimensions that customer uses in their assessment of service quality. These 10 service quality dimensions then shaped the source for the development of a scale (SERVQUAL) to measure service quality in direct service interactions. Research extended in other context and as a result refined the scale and reduced it to 5 dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles) Since the SERVQUAL scale has been widely used to measure service quality in many studies across a range of settings (IS Departments; Airlines; Universities; Ocean Freight Shipping; Professional Services; Health Providers; International Markets; Purchasing; Advertising; Banking; E-commerce). (Burgess). Initially the concept of services were created to capture the nature of service encounters (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree and Bitner 2000) which may not be sufficient to capture the characteristics of customer interactions with self-service technologies such as e-services (Dabholkar, Thorpe and Rentz 1996). Later on, many approaches have been proposed to study online service. (Gilbert, 2000; Gronroos, Heinonen, Isoniemi and Lindholm 2000; Parasuraman and Grewel 2000; Kaynama and Black 2000; Zeithaml et al. 2000) proposed the use of existing service theory as a first type. The second type utilizes generated new categories for self-service technologies such as e-services (Szymanski and Hise 2000; Riel et al. 2001; Wang and Tang 2001; Ruyter, Wetzels and Kleijnen 2001). Third type develops information systems and web quality theory (Barnes et al. 2000, 2001 and 2002; Aladwani and Palvia 2001). These researches have centered on customer interactions with a variety of self-service technologies such as automated call centre technology, ATMs and Web sites and touch screen technologies. A redefined SERVQUAL instrument to measure the service expectations and perceptions of customers of Internet businesses was used by Gilbert (2000) in which he concluded that to measure online service quality, the altered SERVQUAL scale was a practical instrument. The features that are useful, accurate, relevant and comprehensive information reflect the reliability of quality information (Bailey and Pearson 1983). Bailey et al. also identified that website reliability depends on to what level the information provided on the website about the product or service is true, precise and also depend to what level a customer can rely on a particular website that it provides enough amount of information available regarding each product. (Luedi, 1997) stated that website personalization based on the ability of website to deliver individualized interface for a specific user which generated dynamically as per users needs. This may involve making purchase recommendations and /or providing the list of other relevant products that matchs the customer needs. This can be extracted through the previous data available regarding an individual user such as buying behavior, cart items and the current session contents. Providing customized services is the best way to create a loyal customer and make repeat visits on a website (Luedi, 1997). The concern over security continues to plague the online world. Variables like perceived security, reputation were included in this study to examine the customer attitude towards buying process (Lightner, 2003). Even though the understanding of credit card transactions perceived secure like a waiters and waitresses, still security is the top concern of people who shop online (Salisbury, Pearson, Pearson and Miller 2001; Luo, 2002; Wilson and Abel 2002). Likewise security is the reason why people do not shop online (Luo, 2002). The research variable of Security reflects trust in the online system and the variable reputation reflects trust in the specific vendor. Discovering whether vendors receive repeat business reflects the overall buying attitude of consumers. Overall customer satisfaction at online shopping measures which attributes helps the website meets expectations. Website Elements The first phase of consumer decision making process that is the information search starts the minute customers look at the interface of e-commerce website and ends until they decide whether to place the purchase order or not (Schmid, 1995). The role of website structure remains important during the phase of information search process such as site maps, navigation, content settings and layout of website etc. The content, structure and website elements should be portrayed explicitly on the e-commerce interface. Website structure that includes the presentation of design elements determines how the information is actually displayed on the screen to acquire the customer attention (Morris and Hinrich 1996). Convenient website structure defined as to what extent a customer feels that the e-commerce website is user friendly, simple and instinctive. (Chung and Shin 2008) Website adequacy describes the quality and quantity of the information provided in the e-commerce system. Content based on usefulness and comprehensiveness involves the type and scope of information to be included in the system (Morris et al. 1996; Kim 1997). After the collection of appropriate information regarding the identified products or services, the contents must be placed in a well organized manner so that the customer can understand the interface easily (Gronroos, 1982; Rosenfeld and Morville 1998). A well-defined and properly placed content is a feature of website which indicates the ability to made information easily available to visitors (Chung et al. 2008). When adequate and reliable information has been properly dispersed across different web pages within the structure of the e-commerce website, an efficient interaction system must be provided to enable the customer to switch between different pages easily (Kim and Yoo 2000, Park and Kim 2000). (Ballantine, 2005) has found the impact of interactivity and product related information on customer satisfaction in an online trade setting. He argued in his study that the amount of product-related information affected consumer satisfaction of online shopping. An important design element that relates to the interaction system includes the involvement of website response and website customization ability. Website Customization is referred as the extent to which an e-commerce website can identify a customer and then modify the choice of products and shopping experience for that customer (Srinivasan, Anderson and Ponnavolu 2002). (Coupey, 2001) in their research argued that the improved accessibility of information on internet is likely to result in informed customers. And educated customers are able to make better quality decisions and will then experience more satisfaction with the visits and purchases they make. The connection between all of the five individual variables describes the basic architecture of web pages (Steinmetz and Nahrsted 1995). The overall satisfaction of e-commerce customers can be attained by providing the level of service quality that customers perceive in that system. Satisfied customers have more potential to spread positive word-of-mouth (Gremler and Brown 1999), and they avail further services (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman 1996). The five dimensions of service quality are tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy (Parasuraman et al. 1985, 1991; Pit et al. 1995). Attributes related to the website structure such as physical appearance of e-commerce websites are represented by tangibility dimension. For example, the tangibility measures the appeal of the website design of e-commerce system presents to their customers. The ability of the website to provide the dependable, accurate service is represented by reliability dimension. (Pit et al.1995). For example, the reliability dimension measures how often an e-commerce system provides useful and comprehensive information regarding the relevant products or services. The responsiveness dimension indicates how prepared the website is to promptly response the customer with the clicked option. (Parasuraman et al. 1991). For example, the responsiveness dimension measures how often an ecommerce system voluntarily provides services that are important to its customers such as less loading time. Or it can be measured by how often a website provides accurate and rich information after a user clicked a particular product. The trust and confidence encouraged in the customer by the information provided on e-commerce system refers to the assurance dimension (Parasuraman et al. 1991). For example, the assurance dimension can be measured by extent to which a website is able to give a secure feeling to an online buyer. The empathy dimension described as the individual attention to the customer that is being provided by the dynamic e-commerce website (Pit et al. 1995). For example this dimension measures how often an ecommerce system voluntarily offers recommendations that match to its customers needs in order to provide the individual customers benefit. In summary, the overall quality of an e-commerce system can be measured by the service quality level perceived by its customers and ultimately leads to the customer satisfaction (Kim et al. 2002). (Parasuraman et al. 1988, 1991) in study on SERVQUAL found that the interactive elements of e-commerce systems are e-business features that help in building relationships with customer and are fall into five main sets that are tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. Due to the consistency of research findings stated in literature, it become easy to propose that the five main determinants of e-commerce include website structure, website adequacy, website security, website response and website customization (Horn, Feinberg and Salvendy 2005). In an e-business structure, the customer interaction with the business is through the e-commerce website. Therefore, several original SERVQUAL items were modified to focus on e-commerce website. The definition of an empathy dimension was extended to include personalization or customization, which is the concept of web gurus as they believe the emotional connection between customer and web business (Peppers et al. 1999). The overall appearance and structure of e-commerce website shows its tangibility. The performance of promised services and adequacy of information explains the reliability of an e-commerce website. Responsiveness is the ability of e-commerce system to help and provide prompt response to the website user. The individualized attention and customized service provided by the e-commerce system to an individual customer is described as empathy. Security is the trust on an e-commerce system in protecting personal and financial information (Horn et al. 2005). The major factors that impact the customer attitude are the five main attributes of e-commerce system. The model in Figure 1 describes how these attributes of e-commerce system work together to achieve customer satisfaction. The satisfaction or dissatisfaction of customer is defined as an emotional response to a specific consumption experience (Swan and Oliver 1989). It is determined by to what extent a consumer perceives that the service fulfills his/her needs, wants or desires. Satisfaction is a â€Å"state† inconsistent in that a consumer can be â€Å"very dissatisfied† or â€Å"very satisfied† (Tse, Nicosia and Wilton 1990). Survey Sources Of Data Collection: According to experts, the best approach and way of building an e-commerce site is by using services of website development providers. A professional team of web developers would take care and work for the e-commerce designing project and give regular feedback about the proceedings therefore for conducting this research, professionals from web development area was selected from five different firms. A survey was conducted by going to the software organizations that are involved in business of web development. Out of the five selected firms, few were chosen from the list of organizations registered on PASHA website and few were preferred on the authentic source of information about the adequate web development experience of these firms. The respondents were web developers, web architects and project managers. Questionnaire The instrument co

A Response to Nilofar Shidmehrs God Existed or Exists :: Nilofar Shidmehr God Existence Essays

A Response to Nilofar Shidmehr's God Existed or Exists Introduction In recent years, scientists have come to the amazing discovery that the existence of carbon-based life in our universe is dependent upon a set of extremely improbable initial conditions. In their article, â€Å"The Anthropic Teleological Argument,†[1] Betty and Cordell lay out some of these conditions in cosmology and biochemistry. Had various initial conditions of the universe been slightly altered, life would have been impossible. Betty and Cordell then argue that the existence of an intelligent designer is the best explanation for the universe. Needless to say, their conclusions have not gone unchallenged. Nilofar Shidmehr, in her article â€Å"God Existed or Exists!† has presented four objections to Betty and Cordell’s Anthropic Teleological Argument (ATA). First, she argues that at best, ATA only shows that God existed, but not that God exists. Secondly, she argues that the dictum that the greater cannot come from the lesser is false. Thirdly, she argues that â€Å"There is a huge difference between having an explanation and telling that there must be an explanation.†[2] Fourthly, Shidmehr presents three theories that increase the chances that the universe randomly evolved for the existence of carbon-based life. Thus, there is no need to invoke an intelligent designer. Given these four objections, it seems evident that Shidmehr believes that ATA fails. In this paper, I will defend ATA against only two of Shidmehr’s objections. I will argue against her first objection by showing that a sound analysis of ATA does give us reason to believe that God currently exists. Secondly, I will argue against her third objection by showing that the existence of God is a good explanation for the initial conditions of the universe. So without further ado: I. God Existed AND Exists! Shidmehr’s first objection is to argue that there is no reason to believe that even if ATA is sound, God would not have to currently exist. Shidmehr writes: If we look around ourselves, we can see several well-designed buildings and goods whose creator or designer had died†¦ the existence of a creation and the continuity of its existence, since it came to being, are not dependent upon the existence of its creator.[3] Secondly, Shidmehr goes on to say that there are several stories we can speculate to account for the demise of God. Suppose there was some sort of SuperGod that was unpleased with God’s creation of the universe causing SuperGod to destroy God.

Dubstep Case Essay

The name â€Å"dubstep† was first coined to apply to bass-driven electronic music in 2002 in a town called Croydon (South London), England. The actual roots of dubstep are a bit tough to pinpoint because it is a merge of dozens of types of electronic music, and even after it began to achieve popularity it has continued to evolve and grow. Still, here we bring you this article to offer a general history of events that went into the formation & growth of a new genre. EARLY FORMATIONS (PRE-1999) Dubstep is thought to have evolved out of â€Å"Jamaican dub music† and other soundsystem cultures. The Jamaican soundsystems emphasized disco-type sounds with reproduced bass frequencies underlying. This eventually gave rise to the dub variety of reggae music that had features like sub-bass (bass where the frequency is less than 90Hz, a.k.a. really really deep), 2-step drums and distortion effects. All of this development eventually churned out the more modern British sounds of â€Å"jungle,† â€Å"garage† and now â€Å"dubstep.† It is important to note that many of these features existed individually prior to dubstep, but were only brought together under one roof in the early 2000s. Here is a sample of sub-bass being used in 1992, â€Å"Some Justice† by Urban Shakedown: THE ORIGINS OF DUBSTEP (1999-2002) Ammunition Promotions, who run the club â€Å"Forward>>† are thought to be the first to use the term â€Å"dubstep† to describe this style of music. The club, located in Soho London, was instrumental in the formation of dubstep music because it was really the first venue that was dedicated to playing the genre. Additionally, Forward>> ran a radio show on â€Å"Rinse FM† that was hosted by Kode9 to premier new music. The electronic style gained traction as the term â€Å"dubstep† was used to refer to the genre in a 2002 XLR8R cover story. Finally, under the Tempa record label (managed by Ammunition Promotions) we saw â€Å"Dubstep Allstars Vol 1 CD† released by DJ Hatcha that solidified the movement and established the dubstep name. Ammunition Records was certainly one of the big reasons that dubstep was able to gain momentum, particularly because of the many dubstep record labels that they promoted, Club Forward>> and Kode9†²s radio show. One other piece of the puzzle that really allowed the music style to spring roots was Big Apple Records in Croydon, South London. A lot of influential artists, particularly Skream and DJ Hatcha actually worked in the shop†¦ and many more were frequent visitors. The store has since shut down, but the influence is undoubted. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT (2002+) In 2003, DJ Hatcha began to give a new direction for dubstep on Rinse FM†¦ using 10†³ dubplates (reggae-style) to form a dark, clipped & minimal sound that is largely used in dubstep today. An event in 2003 called â€Å"Filthy Dub† started happening regularly, and was where quite a few popular DJs like Skream, Benga, N Type and Cyrus made their debuts. It was around this time that Mala and Coki (together Digital Mystikz) started combining reggae to form yet another extension of dubstep that had orchestral and jungle sounds. Digital Mystikz, along with Loefah and Sgt. Pokes, began to manage the club DMZ in 2005 — along with it’s predecessor FWD>>, this is one of the most influential clubs. One of the landmark moments in dubstep history was the night of DMZ’s anniversary, where a line of over 600 people forced the club to move dubstep into the main room. The music has continued to accelerate, and after BBC Radio DJ Mary Anne Hobbs gave it attention on a national circuit across the U.K., we started to see regular dubstep night clubs popping up in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and Barcelona. Still, it is worthwhile to note that THE PROGRESSIVE ERA OF DUBSTEP (2007+) More recently, the influence has spread to the commercial market with artists such as Britney Spears adopting the sound in newer tracks. In 2010, dubstep songs like â€Å"I Need Air† by Magnetic Man started hitting the pop charts in the UK. Undoubtedly, the 2010-2011 period was one of the most notably on the dubstep music scene, where progressive artists like Flux Pavilion, Noisia, Bassnectar and Zeds Dead began to redefine the traditional dub sound with increasing portions of mid-range bass and vocals. In a nod to more universally-accepted club music, these new artists have begun to bridge gaps between progressive house and traditional UK Bass to form more high-powered mixes that hinge on the increasingly-used â€Å"drop† of a track. With the ongoing â€Å"sound wars† in modern music making, traditionalists like Burial point to the sonic superiority of classic dubstep, with dynamic bass lines and complex arrangement patterns that focus on heart-stopping sub bass more than anything else. However, there is certainly room in the genre for artists like Grammy-award winning Skrillex, who choose to focus on progressive basslines, heavy distortion and gut-wrenching drop sections that maintain sub bass while covering more ends of the frequency spectrum. The age of social media has allowed almost anyone to have access to at-home production studios. More independent artists join the arena every single day, and so dubstep has never been as far reaching with many artists searching for their first big hit. We’re here to cover all the madness for you here at uDubstep.com! -JR Some people might think dubstep is a new phenomenon, but it actually grew out of garage and grime about a decade ago. In Croydon, south London, there was a shop called Big Apple Records that acted as a hub for people into all sorts of bass-led music (sadly, it closed five years ago). I had a recording studio above the shop and started the Big Apple record label with John Kennedy and DJ Hatcha. We were the first label to sign Skream and Benga when they were just 15 years old alongside Digital Mystikz (DMZ), Mala, Coki and Loefah. These artists made some of the first dubstep records. Around this time Hatcha, who also worked at Big Apple, was championing this sound at a London club night called FWD. We were all making records for Hatcha to spin and meeting in the record shop to discuss the sound we were making. It was a bit like a bass university. And through Benga, Skream, Oris Jay, Plastician, Chef, LB, Kode 9, N Type and Benny Ill, the dubstep sound was brought to life. We have just finished the festival season with Reading and Leeds. This is unbelievable for us, considering a few years ago you wouldn’t get to play those festivals unless you had a guitar in your hand or a set of drums in front of you. It shows how much this music has grown in the past few years that a non â€Å"rock’n’roll† band can be accepted at a major rock festival (although it should be pointed out that we continue some of the old rock’n’roll traditions after the shows). I was speaking to Skream this weekend about how dubstep has gone so far in the past three years – we were wondering if a new style of music has ever spread around the world so rapidly. If you think about drum’n’bass taking off in the 90s, a scene would blow up in one country in one year, then another a year or so later. The internet has changed all that and helped spread dubstep across the world almost instantly. At the same time, dubstep is constantly changing, incorporating different sounds and styles all the time. The Outlook festival was held in Coatia last weekend, a dubstep event hosting some of the biggest names in the genre from around the world. If you thought you would hear only straight-up dubstep you were in for a surprise. Loefah played Detroit techno, Skream played metal, and Joker mixed it up with some UK funky and house. I think the fact dubstep artists embrace other genres is a big part of why it’s so difficult to define the music. The borders are becoming increasingly blurred between dubstep, grime, drum’n’bass, techno, house, funky †¦ everything. However, there is one element that links all of these genres together and that is †¦ BASS. The music industry has been in the doldrums for a long time with few A&R people willing to take a risk. You get the feeling they are all being told by bosses to â€Å"sign us a hit or you’re out†. This is very short-sighted, and has done a lot of damage to the music on the majors. Luckily, we found a label (Columbia) that didn’t ask us to water down our sound. Hopefully, other majors will follow suit and let their A&R teams make choices based on the music they believe in. There are so many great acts out there, with fresh music deserving the same exposure we are getting at the moment (see below). With the support of more labels like ours, and Radio 1 willing to take risks as they have in supporting us, the remainder of 2010 and 2011 will hopefully be the start of another revolutionary and exciting time in UK music.