Religions as a Prime Root of Conflicts

Religion, though neglected in political circles plays a significant role in the eliciting conflicts and bringing peace in the world. Powerful countries have been continually undermining the role of religion in bringing a lasting peace in the world especially in issues related to terrorism and stability of governments because they perceive that religions are prime root of conflicts.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religions as a Prime Root of Conflicts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such perceptions emanate from the fact that wars in Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan have religious dimensions and orientations. â€Å"All of these cases demonstrate that while religion is an important factor in conflict, often marking identity differences, motivating conflict, and justifying violence, religion is not usually the sole or primary cause of conflict† (Smock 3). Religion integrates into political, economic and social spheres that are determinants of the nature and extent conflicts, thus perceived as sole cause of conflict. This implies that religion plays a significant role in the international conflict and peace, hence need special consideration in resolution of conflicts that threatens stability of nations and entire world. For instance, how do Jewish and Islamic religions contribute to conflict and peace in the world? The difference in religion between Israelites and Palestinians is the main factor that causes conflict in Gaza Strip and West Bank while continually threatening to trigger conflict between Christians and Muslim in the world. Although there are economic, ethnic, political and social aspects concerning the Israeli and Palestinian conflict; lasting peace can occur in Gaza Strip and West Bank if Jews and Muslims engage in dialogue. The peace meeting between Muslim and Jewish leaders has demonstrated that religion play a significant role in the res olution of the conflict in Israel and Palestine The religious conflict between the Jews and Palestinians is volatile issue that may lead to international conflicts because Christians led by Western countries and Muslims in Arabs countries have great interests in this conflict. Wolf observes that proper dialogue among Jews, Christians and Muslims leaders would help ease interreligious tension and intolerance that exist all over the world (160). Since the major religions of the world are Islam and Christianity, the solution of religious conflicts lies in the relationship of the two religions. World’s political leaders need to realize the potential of religions in uniting people and encouraging tolerance since people attach much importance to their respective religions. If Muslims and Jews should respect each other and let tolerance dominate their relations, then there would be peace in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Mutual tolerance and respect between Christians and Muslims wou ld ease religious tensions in various parts of the world like Nigeria, Sudan and Middle East.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The religious conflict between Muslims and Jews has far-reaching effects as far as international peace and stability takes precedence. Realizing that the conflict may take centuries to resolve, Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders agreed on religious mediation and facilitation aimed at creating peace in Palestine and Israel. The leaders signed Alexandria Declaration that has significantly promoted interfaith dialogue and relationship between the Muslims, Christians and Jews in the Middle East and particularly in Israel and Palestine. Smock asserts that, â€Å"†¦a new interfaith organization has been launched with a similar mission to that the Alexandria process, namely, to provide a religious track to what hopefully will be a political track to p romote peace in the Middle East† (4). Therefore, both Palestine and Israel religious leaders have agreed to commit themselves to prevent religious conflicts and promote lasting peace and reconciliation. Works Cited Smock, David. â€Å"Religion in the World Affairs: Its Role in the Conflict and Peace.† United States Institute of Peace: Special Report 201, 2008. Web. Wolf, Miroslav. â€Å"The Social Meaning of Reconciliation.† Interpretation 54.2 (2000): 158-73. This essay on Religions as a Prime Root of Conflicts was written and submitted by user Lacey Daniel to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Beer Market in Spain Essays

The Beer Market in Spain Essays The Beer Market in Spain Essay The Beer Market in Spain Essay Group 6- Jennifer, Priya, Ricky and Barbara Beer market in Spain 1. Environmental Analysis: Porter’s 5 Forces: Buyer Power: Buyer power is relatively strong in the beer industry. The recent financial crisis showed us that buyers are price sensitive. Also, the presence of many different brands and products give buyers a lot of choice. Therefore, sellers must differentiate their products or offer very competitive prices to remain profitable. Supplier Power: Beer is made from malt, hops, water and yeast. These ingredients are relatively commoditised and are readily available . There are many suppliers offering generic products. Suppliers have relatively little bargaining power. Threat from new entrants/ Barriers to entry: The initial investment in beer production is large as plants and production technology are complex and take time to establish. Furthermore, establishing a brand identity and establishing relationships with retail outlets is time consuming and can be difficult. Because of the presence of a few market dominating firms, threat from new start-ups is small, except in niche markets. Therefore we can conclude that barriers to entry are moderate. Substitutes: The alcoholic beverage found to be the closest substitute to beer available on the market is cider. The cider industry is growing rapidly and it is becoming an increasingly popular choice among beer drinkers. Rivalry: The market leader in beer sales is Heineken, which holds 32% total volume share in 2010 (Euromonitor International, April 2011, page 3). This closely followed by Mahou with 30% total volume share. In this respect, the beer industry is not particularly competitive. However, amongst smaller brands competing for niche market share, there is fierce competition. . Who, What, How analysis: Functions or needs: Thirst, social needs, relaxation (WHAT) Customer Groups: (WHO) Teens adults Students, friends, families retirees Product varieties / Technologies: Premium Lager Beer, Standard Lager Beer, Non-alcoholic Beer, Light Beer (HOW) 3. Identification of key trends: Beer sales were affected by the 2008/09 financial crisis. Consumers decreased spending on going out and other leisure activities. Therefore on trade (drinking when out) fell by 7% in 2010 and off trade (staying in and drinking) rose by 1%. This follows the growing trend to stay in and socialise rather than going out to bars etc. The increase in price sensitivity of consumers has also contributed to an increase in supermarket and hypermarket market share for beer sales. Many Supermarkets and Hypermarkets have created their own beer labels that they offer at a discounted price to take advantage of this increased price sensitivity. However, the majority of sales are still ‘on trade’, due to the Mediterranean climate and the Spanish culture of going out for a drink, especially during the warmer months. Furthermore, 30% of beer sales in Spain are made by tourists. Beer sales levels are extremely sensitive to fluctuations in tourism. The economic crisis caused a decrease in the tourism industry, and thus in beer sales. In the south of Spain, lighter beers are more popular while in the North heavier beers with more body are more popular. Beer consumption in general is also strongly linked to the season, with more beer being consumed in warmer months. In 2010, the only beer product to achieve a total increase in sales growth was non-alcoholic beer. This could be the effect of an increase in health awareness and/or a reaction to stricter driving restrictions. Finally, the economic downturn has caused an increased demand for 330ml and 500ml canned beer relative to the traditional 330ml bottled variety. 4. Competition Analysis: Heineken is the market leader in beer sales, with 32% total volume sales in 2010. Second is Mahou, with 30%. However, in 2010, Heineken’s strategy to focus on premium lagers caused it to lose share, while Mahou’s standard lager and promotions focus caused them to gain market share. In third is Damm (Estrella, Voll, Xibeca Damm) with 12%. A large number of smaller labels share the remaining sales volume, with many of these brands focusing on niche product markets. To combat the sharp decrease in on-trade sales, major label have increased advertising to promote going out. For example Mahou introduced the ‘Get out the home! ’ campaign, offering small bottles of San Miguel or Mahou and a tapas dish for a low price. 5. Interpretation of results We conducted an online survey consisting of both multiple choice and short answer response questions designed to provide a level of quantitative and qualitative analysis. We received 20 responses to the survey, and 90% of these respondents selected ‘student’ in answer to the question ‘what best describes you? ’. 55% of respondents were male, 45% female. The combination of small sample size and a sample heavily skewed towards the student segment means that our research has not yielded result that are representative of the target population. However, we do believe that some of our findings are valuable to our analysis of the market. The survey revealed quality to be the most important influencing factor to our sample in choosing beer (48%). Following were price (32%) and brand (20%) and there were no votes for alcohol content. This indicates that the student segment looks for a quality beer that is reasonably priced and perhaps a recognisable or appealing brand. They do not necessarily drink beer just to get drunk. Our sample did not show a preference for the major Spanish beer labels, with 75% choosing ‘other’ as their preferred beer over Estrella, San Miguel and Heineken (the market leaders). This may be linked to the high percentage of international students completing the survey who prefer their native countries’ brands. As for where and when our sample consume beer, the responses were split between home and bars for location and showed preference for weekends and with friends for when and with whom. 40% of respondents drink beer 1-2 times a week. We can interpret these responses as showing a trend towards casual, social drinking. 100% of respondents indicated that they would not purchase a non-alcoholic beer and do not consider health factors when purchasing beer. This does not support the growth in market share of non-alcoholic beers. Interestingly, 42% of respondents did indicate that light beer was their preferred variety. This could be linked to female drinkers’ preference towards lighter, sweeter beverages. Our qualitative analysis revealed a recurrent theme in word associations the respondents made with beer consumption. Phrases such as ‘chilling with friends’, ‘relaxing on the weekend’ and ‘out with friends at a bar’ were most common. This supports our quantitative analysis that beer is consumed primarily in non-formal, social situations. 6. FCB Matrix [pic] 7. Decision-making Process Buying beer substantially is a low-involvement process since beer is not a very expensive product. We usually buy a certain brand of beer, try it for the first time, make evaluation on the product, then decide whether or not to buy it in the future. The low-involvement decision-making process in fact is a learning as mentioned. We decide whether or not to repeat the purchase by learning from the buying experience. The graph below depicts the â€Å"Think-Do-Feel† theory. This diagram below is an elaborated version of the simplified model above:[pic] 8a. Segmentation Variables Possible options from our questionnaire survey: (i) occupation (full-time worker, part-time worker, student) and age (ii) consumption rate (high, medium, low) and consumption situation (home, bar, restaurant) (iii) purchase driver (brand, price, quality) and consumption companion (family, friend, alone) All these options are chosen from the questions we set for our survey. However, we finally decide to use option (ii), i. e. consumption rate and consumption situation as the segmentation variables. We eliminate option (i) and (iii) because of these reasons. For option (i), we feel that the segment with certain kind of people with certain age will be too large for us to focus on in terms of marketing strategy. Different people in the same age with similar occupation may possess different attitudes towards beer. For option (iii), purchase drivers, i. e. the purchase tactics, change over time in different situations since it is a low-involved buying activity. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the precise opportunity to do marketing for a new kind of brand, hence very difficult to target a very special target. The graph below shows the variables we use for segmentation, as well as some definitions of the variables. [pic] 8b. Various Segments Identified Below are some photos depicted the segments identified, as well as description of each segment. [pic] 7c. Segment Selected[pic] Target Light Beer Drinker based on the following reasons: i) Highest potential growth rate: can easily shift to the right to have medium usage rate, which means higher consumption of beer. That brings more revenue. (ii) Sophisticated drinkers have much experience on beer, which means that new brands like us could be eliminated easily in their consideration sets. (iii) Sophisticated drinkers could be brand-loyal to certain brands, which make it hard to make them shift to our brand. However, the column â€Å"light beer drinker† still leaves us three options . As a new company, we could like to do concentrated marketing so that we put all our effort into one single segment. Therefore, we need to decide which segment we would like to get involved from the variable â€Å"usage situation†. We decide that from our survey based on the response and from other considerations including secondary research. [pic] However, the results of â€Å"bar† and â€Å"home† occupy the same percentage. Therefore, we made our decision based on both our qualitative research and secondary research. From â€Å"What activities, emotions or adjectives do you associate with drinking beer? †most respondents associate beer with socialising with friends and relaxing at home or at a bar. However the market trend is showing a growth in home beer consumption. 7d. Positioning We have defined the position strategy for light beer using positioning maps. Since our survey depicts that most beer drinkers do so for socializing in bars, we have zeroed in on price and quality as the preferred attributes (and not necessarily variety, as youngsters feel comfortable with any light beer that has a good taste and reasonable variety). We see that Light Beer ranks moderately high on quality and low on price (only more expensive than non-alcoholic beer). Hence our product is positioned as a moderately low priced Light Beer that ranks medium to high on quality. 8. Product Concept We came up with two different product concepts: a light and cheap beer to be consumed in bars and a light cheap beer to be consumed at home. Both beers are competitive from a price point of view but the beer that has to be consumed in bars should be in a glass bottle of 330ml whilst the beer addressed to the off-trade should be a 500ml glass bottle or can to push further the price competitiveness. We decided we will further develop the off-trade beer because it is more coherent with our qualitative research results and with the market trends. Furthermore the decision to target a niche market, such as home beer consumption, is a better decision for a firm just entering the market, and therefore not ready yet to compete with established beer firms on the open market. Appendices [pic] [pic]

Inferential Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Inferential Statistics - Essay Example The study aimed at establishing whether the Federal workers’ compensation cases referred to Navy physicians for medical opinions in any way had an influence on the final decision made by the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCPs) (p.18). Some independent variables were claimant’s age and categories of the case (p.19). The dependent variable was â€Å"decision outcomes†. The study tested whether decision outcome in the compensation cases was dependent on the physician’s review report. The researchers used a descriptive epidemiological study to select the 325 worker’s compensation cases from the navy injury compensation programme administrators. The cases were sampled from all over the United States between 2006 and 2010. The filed selected cases were treated as participants in this study, although the owners were not directly interviewed. The particular bias inherent in the study was that the cases tested were the ones which the ICPAs analysed as unusual, and thus needed a support from a physician. If this was the case, the physicians would have rejected most of the cases, which did not require a physician to strengthen the claim (p.19). However, the researchers were alarmed by the fact that physicians recommended in favour of the claimant in most of the referred cases. Since the review was found to influence decision, the whole process might have had a degree of bias. In the study, the researchers used retrospective case study and descriptive analysis of the 258 physician opinion letters written between 2006 and 2010. They used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the significance of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. One ethical concern is the disclosure of the medical records of the claimants without their consent. Given that they were not requested when their information was being tracked, neither were their physicians, this can

Exam questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exam questions - Coursework Example There are different types of financial systems without which simple transactions such as trading and investment are thought to be impossible. The financial systems in different societies include those that operate locally or regionally and those that control company transactions internationally(Mike & John, 2004). The financial system pull together, maintain and give a detailed report on economic transactions. Financial systems support the relationship between internal and external financial transactions and financial reporting. They also play a role in helping manage, plan and budget finances available. Financial systems play a role in the allocation and distribution of resources, mainly by directing household savings to the corporate sector and investments among firms. This allows the smooth flow of goods and services between households and firms. Well-structuredfinancial systems are necessary for economic and financial stability in a state of increased working capital. The lack of a financial lead to major changes because there would be no access to components such as credit, no monetary value for exchange of goods and services hence becoming a major barrier to economic transactions. Weak financial systems are inadequate and they create issues such as inflation and debts. They are also faced by the threat of fraudulent manipulation by malicious people and above all may lead to a serious financial crisis. A financial center is a market or city that meets the major part of the demand for financial services of both domestic and international market and it is a key component of a financial system. Most developed countries have a major financial center for example in Europe; London, Paris, Frankfurt in the United States the financial center is based in the New York. Such financial centers are facing competitions hence most of them are unstable(Berger & David, 1997). There is

Nixon v United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nixon v United States - Essay Example doubts the people of America had regarding â€Å"The efficiency of a system that not only comprises of the President and the White House staff, but also extends to the office of independent counsel-its authority and its jurisdiction.† (Frederick M. Kaiser, p 5). The tapes, one of them called ‘The Smoking Gun’ which include the recorded conversations, that revealed Nixon’s alleged acts that were antagonistic to justice and highlighted his attempts to cover up the attempted break-in, led to a lot of public disgust for the Republican Party. Keeping in mind the disastrous effect the Watergate scandal had on the public morale, the information these tapes contain must be kept away from Congressional oversight. They are not empowered with the right to have access to records or conduct investigations. Reports have already shown the tapes were tampered with, even when in the custody of the White House. Eighteen and a half crucial minutes of one particular tape were erased in five separate segments. The privileged information contained within these tapes, if accessed by the above-mentioned body will further lead to the establishment of an atmosphere of political insecurity that has already been created due to the illegal activities of President Nixon and his staff. â€Å"In all of this, President Nixon has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional Government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.† (House Committee on the Judiciary, p 3). These tapes are now a matter of national security and must neither be compartmentalized nor pigeonholed as a mere political conspiracy. Congressional oversight is needed to serve many objectives and purposes. According to Frederick M. Kaiser, these include â€Å"improvement in the efficiency, economy, effectiveness of Governmental operations, evaluation of programs and their perfor mance, protection of civil liberties

Case Study Of The Unhealthy Hospital

Case Study Of The Unhealthy Hospital A seminal 1963 article has been credited for giving rise to the concept of health economics, and its establishment as a discipline. It focuses on issues that are related to scarcity in the allocation of health and health care. Amid growing concerns for health care and global health reform it has been recognized that health finances are finite, a view substantiated by Basch (1999), and that neither developed nor developing countries are immune to the scarcity of resources that plagues our health care system. Levine (2005) argues that the problems in health care systems have been hampered by chronic financing shortfalls, compounded by weak management and crippled by rigid budgeting. Against this backdrop the case of Bruce Hudson, Seven Seas Memorial Hospital is not so farfetched. Robert et al. (2004), underwriters of many health policies in developing countries, put forward the argument that the elements of any form of systematic policy cycle, first seeks to define the problem, form a diagnosis to policy development, political decision making, implementation and evaluation. From the given case study it is clearly identified that the operating policies need to be revised, a decision needs to be made on how the new operating policies will be developed, how much political influence will be incorporated into it and how will these policies be evaluated. With the ever increasing demand for improved efficiency in the health care sector there has been the ever increasing need to revise and change hospital structures. That has included the use of strategies such as mergers and downsizing, as modifications are made to cut down on expenditure. The difficulties of Bruce Hudson, in the given scenario, are not unlike the challenges that Hospital administrators face in developing countries. They grapple with limited finances and are often faced with the difficult decision of restructuring staff. Fulop et al. (2002) and Braithwaite et al. (2005) argue that in such cases as administrators seek to contain cost and cut down on over heads, there is increased emphasis on redefining job roles to ensure the delivery of health care in a more cost effective way. They go on to argue that there is very little evidence to suggest that restructuring actually improves efficiency or programme outcomes. Hospital administrators face the difficult task of how to restructure and not affect quality. It is recognized that nurses are the largest component of the health care workforce and as a direct result they would be the largest operating expenditure. Attempts to cut back on labour costs could mean a cut back on the number of nurses operating within the facility. While the case study goes on to note that Mr. Hudson is not new to effectively running an operation with less than the current number of staff at Seven Seas Memorial Hospital, Kearin et al. (2006) cites in their work the view of Akien et al. (2002) who put forward the view that patient outcomes are linked to appropriate nurse-patient ratios and the proportion of registered nurses operating within the health care facility. As Di Frances (2002) indicated, the downside to downsizing is the fact that as a process it creates distrust and low morale among staff, not an environment to promote efficiency and greater work outcomes. Whi le Mr. Hudson may want to expand roles and employ the use of organizational report cards to monitor performance, as a result of improving quality of care, retrenchment may not, according to the aforementioned arguments, be the best way of dealing with the problems or securing the future of Seven Seas Memorial. While with continued financial constraints it may inevitably come down to re-engineering or downsizing the work force, the potential negative impacts needed to be assiduously guarded against. Having decided on the merits of delaying retrenchment as the first option to save cost, there is need to improve the flow of clients through the facility and by extension the clinics that serve the facility. This move allows for the program to care for more clients without actually lowering quality, hiring more providers, or increasing staff hours. The example of what obtained at a clinic in Guatemala providing maternal and child health services can be examined. They were able to improve client flow after a self-assessment by staff and a survey of clients. It was identified that clients used to wait, have a pre-visit discussion, return to the waiting room, see the provider, return to the waiting room, and then have a post-visit discussion, a process that was not only time consuming but also made the operations inefficient. By improving the flow of clients to have them wait just once and receive all services in one visit with one provider allowed staff to process 33% more clients. Tha t move allowed the facility to meet the needs of the clients more efficiently. In the given case study, there are six clinics attached to the health care facility. These clinics, as is often seen in many developing countries, serve the underprivileged and the underserved. The Brundtland (1987) report describes sustainable development as development that will not impede the ability of future generations to meet their needs and enjoy a comparable or even better quality of life. Mowforth Munt (2003:232) argue that sustainability is considered a contested concept, a concept that is socially and politically constructed and reflects the interest and values of those involved. Regardless of the definition attached to it, or the constructs under which it operates there is a need to ensure that an innovative way to address the issue of providing a sustainable health service be employed in the situation involving the clinics. The structure and scope of the clinics can be revisited to ensure that they are most cost effective. The use of the concept of a mobile health clinic is such a way to cut cost, continue to provide the service and doing so in a cost effective manner. Mobile clinic services can be structured in such a way that the services continue to be pro vided for free on a walk-in or appointment basis, where the mobile travels to low-income or underserved communities twice per week. They are able to rotate and maximize staff use as well as continue to provide the service that the stationed clinic provided. The added benefit it that instead of six physical buildings two mobile facilities can be established. Oriol et al. (2009) argues that the use of mobile health clinics provides an alternative into the healthcare system for the medically disenfranchised. They go on to further define that group as those who are undernourished, underinsured and do not trust the healthcare system. For them mobile units serve the purpose of providing triage into mainstream healthcare for the underserved. There has been established precedence for the use of mobile clinics that provide the specific care that the community based clinics provided. Edgerley (2007), in a study looked at whether the use of a community mobile health van in an underserved population allowed for earlier access to prenatal care and increased the rate of adequate prenatal care, as compared to prenatal care initiated in community clinics. Their findings were able to confirm that the use of the mobile health van not only increased early access to adequate prenatal care in these communities but was able to reduce the barriers of accessing care; barriers such as the lack of insurance, inability to meet costs, transportation, language, and the need for an appointment. Their study successfully showed that the use of a community mobile health van to provide prenatal care may be one way of cutting down restricting community clinics and cutting on operating costs. That initiative is not isolated to just prenatal clinics but could be employed for clinics providing other types of services such as HIV treatment and testing. A forty-foot primary health care clinic on wheels was used in Kentucky. Staffing was made up of a medical director, a social worker, a nurse practitioner and specialty physicians that are rotated, (www.hhnmag.com, 2006). The question is, how cost effective is such a service as opposed to community based clinics. Oriol et al. (2009) calculated in their study the return on investment of mobile healthcare. In their findings they were able to elucidate a mobile clinic that had been serving the medically disenfranchised in Boston was able to have a return investment of thirty-six dollars ($36) for every one dollar ($1) invested into the programme. If such a venture were to be employed at Seven Seas Memorial hospital, not only would it save and recover cost on the six clinics that currently exist but it would get an opportunity to see returns on investment, while keeping the politicians satisfied. One of the primary triggers to rising cost of health care, and by extension, hospital operating cost, is the rising health expenditures for costly new technologies. Jones (2005) argues that rising health care cost may be a natural reflection of economic growth. He goes on to postulate that as we get richer, one of the most valuable and productive opportunities for our spending is to purchase better health and longer lives. Other factors such as aging populations and rising cost of health insurance that were directly influenced by the discovery and use of novel and expensive medical technologies. The inventions of MRIs and CAT scans as well as newer drugs meant that if hospitals are to remain competitive they had to spend money on the delivery of such services. Basch (1999) warns that there is a need in developing countries to ensure that if they are to be not only efficient, but also cost effective, there is the inherent need to keep cost down. As such it is not always possible to pu rchase every, or even most of the newer medical technological equipment that private facilities could offer in a market driven health care system. The purchase and use of generic drugs can significantly reduce the cost of health care, as seen in the case of most parts of Africa, (Ford, 2010). This affords them an opportunity to circumvent the chasm that exist between the prices mandated by the pharmaceutical giants that develop the drugs in the industrialized world and the ability of developing countries, and by extension their people, to afford them. Further to that another way to combat cost would be to encourage programmes to buy supplies in bulk. There exist many procurement agents that allow health care facilities to merge their orders in an effort to qualify them for volume discounts from manufacturers, even as they ensure that the quality of the products. Further to that health care facilities that are facing budget constraints or that simply wish to be more cost effective in their operations can adjusting procurement to match demand. They are able to do this by monitoring use via a logistics management system. This syst em of operation will allow them to identify changes in demand and in the method mix and as a result will prevent programmes and sectors from overstocking. Further to that health care facilities could seek to set up services in existing buildings and share facilities with other health services. Meeting rising demand efficiently The market for costly medical equipment is limited in most developing countries, and many hospitals, especially public facilities are unable to afford them, (Ford, 2010). He goes on to note that the demand for high-cost medical equipment will continue to rise in developing countries, largely due in part to the need for patient monitoring and diagnostic equipment. He cautions that in many public facilities in the developing world, health care facilities may also lack the expertise to operate as well as maintain such equipment and so should limit such purchases. The lack of technical support from suppliers leads to chronic equipment failure. In this case health care facilities, to make them more competitive with the facilities that can offer such specialized care should focus of being recognized for a particular product or brand. There is a plethora of information on branding in the marketing literature. Branding is defined by the American Marketing Association (2005) as: A name, term, sign symbol or design or a combination of these, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors. `(p.28) Kotler and Gertner (2002; 65) postulate that brands not only, `differentiate products and represent a promise of value but also incite beliefs, evoke emotions and prompt behaviours`. By branding his facility Mr. Hudson is able to incite confidence in clients of his facilitys ability to deliver on that service for which it is known. Muhammad Yunus, is cited as saying, poor people need health insurance, they deserve it and it can be done, (Ford, 2010). That saw the birth of the concept of micro-insurance in South Asia, where the very poor are now able to purchase life insurance as well as healthcare insurance in return for a relatively small monthly payment. The International Labour Organization (2005) postulate that countries need to continue to fight against social exclusion and poverty in health and can do so by shifting focus to social health insurance. They argue that apart from tax-funded health care as obtains for formal economy workers and their families, social health insurance is the other major concept when it comes to health protection. For them, social health insurance seeks to include informal economy workers and their families as well as the poor. What obtains is that affiliates of such a scheme are able to contribute according to their financial ability, rather than according to their current health condition. Financial resources are pooled and benefit all members of the system in case of illness. A purely market-oriented approach to health insurance will exclude the poor and as a result would not work. Other countries are able to offer a more elaborate and detailed plan to deal with insurance and the provision of governm ent funded coverage. Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.

Akbar and Aurangzeb’s Policies Essay -- South Asia History, War

During the early modern period in South Asia, diverse communities interacted and clashed. This also meant that rulers and their policies also clashed one another. The two greatest leader of the Mughal Empire, Akbar and Aurangzeb’s policies went back and forth. Whereas Akbar had to take over the throne at an early age of thirteen, Aurangzeb had to fight and go against his own family members to gain the throne. Akbar began his leadership at a young age that he was never able to learn how to read or write and remained illiterate throughout life. Even though his grandfather and father were well educated, Akbar had great intellectual capacity that helped him rule the empire. During his first year of his reign, Akbar was faced with a challenge by a Hindu usurper, Hemu who almost succeeded in putting an end to the Mughal rules (Kulke, Rothermund 142). Despite being a Muslim, he did not force his religion on the people, they remained Hindus throughout his reign (Kulke, Rothermund 143). During Akbar’s reign, Islam was spreading throughout Southeast Asia. During this period, Akbar abolished the jizya, which was a poll tax which Islamic rulers imposed on all non-Islamic subjects. He conceived himself as giving laws rather than only following Islamic laws (Kulke, Rothermund 143). To keep the unity of his empire, Akbar had to adopt programs that won the loyalty of the non-Islamic population. By allowing his people to stay Hindu and trying not to convince them to Islam was a key point because it allowed him to give people their own freedom and it allowed him to gain his leadership. The Mughal Empire was an agrarian state, which depended on land revenue also known as land survey. It directly depended on the accurate assessment of the ... ...em against their Muslim colleagues (SarDesai, 177). Why would a ruler of his own people want to use a policy against his own people? Doesn’t that inform people that something is not right with the ruler of the empire? Akbar emerged as the leader of the rajputs whereas Aurangzeb kicked the rajputs out of nobility. Akbar was a great conquer who expanded his empire through diplomacy. By abolishing the jizya, it was easier for him to win the hearts of India. On this matter, people hated Aurangzeb and did not give him any respect for brining the jizya and other policies. Aurangzeb’s reign was marred by the destruction of temples and a general intolerance toward people of non- Muslim. He failed to realized the secular basis of Akbar’s polity was just not a matter of political tact. The secular basis was to form a peaceful and progressive polity in a plural society.

Concept of Love Essay

Love is a complex emotion of attachment and sometimes obsession. It cannot be classified so easily, though; it cannot be stuffed into a social concept and left there. Some people search for what seems their whole lifetime for love, whereas others may seem to fall in and out of love on a regular basis. Of course, people can love many things, but the love between two people is unique and special. It is a feeling of trust and wholeness. Love is rarely defined because everyone experiences it differently. What one person thinks is love, another may think is craze or vice versa. How does one know he or she is in love? How is it possible to distinguish between the love of romance and the love shared between friends? In order to understand love, people need to first understand the two major types of love which can be described as romantic love and friendship love. People often define romantic love based on its difference from friendship love. Would you kiss your best friend? Perhaps, but it is not necessarily the things you do with your romantic partner that makes your love spark. Romantic lovers are usually on each other’s minds all the time. Couples make large life decisions based on their romantic partners because they cannot imagine life without those people. Romantic love guides a person’s mind and can sometimes cloud it as to what the right decisions might be. After all, romantic love can be extremely selfless. Friendship love can often turn into romantic love, as it has many times throughout history, but the birth of romantic love between friends will often kill the love of friendship. In other words, friends who become romantic lovers rarely can go back to being â€Å"just friends. Why is it that romantic love is so overpowering? The love of friendship can be very strong, but it is the emotional intensity of romantic love that forever changes the simplicity of the love between friends. Friendship love does not have all the same guidelines that romantic love seems to have. Each friend couple may have a unique kind of love between each other. Friendship love is best described as a warm feeling between people. Girlfriends may have different friendship love for each other than a male and female friend pair may have; the same for male friends. Male and Female friends may sometimes undergo a lot of pressure from other friends and family to turn their friendship love into romantic love, which doesn’t always work. There is a line that friends may cross over, and to know that line is to know the difference between romantic and friendship love. Friends have complete trust for someone and naturally want to be around him/her. People who love each other want to make each other happy; they want to be there as confidants, helpers, and company. Friendship love is often compared to the love between siblings as well. In many cases, a sibling is just as good a friend as any. Society will not accept romantic love between relatives, but friendship love is encouraged and an amazing aspect to have. Everybody experiences love in a different way and may not agree with the concepts that it is dealt with. In the end, it does not matter whether or not the kind of love someone feels fits into any category. Love is personal, and the important thing is, is that it makes people happy and feels cared for. Whether people have romantic or friendship love, love is meant to mean that it is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment, and a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection.

Bessie Coleman, African American Woman Pilot

Bessie Coleman, African American Woman Pilot Bessie Coleman, a stunt pilot, was a pioneer in aviation. She was the first African American woman with a pilots license, the first African American woman to fly a plane, and the first American with an international pilots license.   She lived from  January 26, 1892 (some sources give 1893)  to April 30, 1926 Early Life Bessie Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892, tenth of thirteen children. The family soon moved to a farm near Dallas. The family worked the land as sharecroppers, and Bessie Coleman worked in the cotton fields. Her father, George Coleman, moved to Indian Territory, Oklahoma, in 1901, where he had rights, based on having three Indian grandparents. His African American wife, Susan, with five of their children still at home, refused to go with him. She supported the children by picking cotton and taking in laundry and ironing. Susan, Bessie Colemans mother, encouraged her daughters education, though she was herself illiterate, and though Bessie had to miss school often to help in the cotton fields or to watch her younger siblings. After Bessie graduated from eighth grade with high marks, she was able to pay, with her own savings and some from her mother, for a semesters tuition at an industrial college in Oklahoma, Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University. When she dropped out of school after a semester, she returned home, working as a laundress. In 1915 or 1916 she moved to Chicago to stay with her two brothers who had already moved there. She went to beauty school, and became a manicurist, where she met many of the black elite of Chicago. Learning to Fly Bessie Coleman had read about the new field of aviation, and her interest was heightened when her brothers regaled her with tales of French women flying planes in World War I. She tried to enroll in aviation school, but was turned down. It was the same story with other schools where she applied. One of her contacts through her job as a manicurist was Robert S. Abbott, publisher of the Chicago Defender. He encouraged her to go to France to study flying there. She got a new position managing a chili restaurant to save money while studying French at the Berlitz school. She followed Abbotts advice, and, with funds from several sponsors including Abbott, left for France in 1920. In France, Bessie Coleman was accepted in a flying school, and received her pilots license- the first African American woman to do so. After two more months of study with a French pilot, she returned to New York in September, 1921. There, she was celebrated in the black press and was ignored by the mainstream press. Wanting to make her living as a pilot, Bessie Coleman returned to Europe for advanced training in acrobatic flying- stunt flying. She found that training in France, in the Netherlands, and in Germany. She returned to the United States in 1922. Bessie Coleman, Barnstorming Pilot That Labor Day weekend, Bessie Coleman flew in an air show on Long Island in New York, with Abbott and the Chicago Defender as sponsors. The event was held in honor of black veterans of World War I. She was billed as the worlds greatest woman flyer. Weeks later, she flew in a second show, this one in Chicago, where crowds lauded her stunt flying. From there she became a popular pilot at air shows around the United States. She announced her intent to start a flying school for African Americans, and began recruiting students for that future venture. She started a beauty shop in Florida to help raise funds. She also regularly lectured at schools and churches. Bessie Coleman landed a movie role in a film called Shadow and Sunshine, thinking it would help her promote her career.   She walked away when she realized that the depiction of her as a black woman would be as a stereotypical Uncle Tom. Those of her backers who were in the entertainment industry in turn walked away from supporting her career. In 1923, Bessie Coleman bought her own plane, a World War I surplus Army training plane. She crashed in the plane days later, on February 4, when the plane nose-dived. After a long recuperation from broken bones, and a longer struggle to find new backers, she finally was able to get some new bookings for her stunt flying. On Juneteenth (June 19) in 1924 , she flew in a Texas air show. She bought another plane- this one also an older model, a Curtiss JN-4, one that was low-priced enough that she could afford it. May Day in Jacksonville In April, 1926, Bessie Coleman was in Jacksonville, Florida, to prepare for a May Day Celebration sponsored by the local Negro Welfare League. On April 30, she and her mechanic went for a test flight, with the mechanic piloting the plane and Bessie in the other seat, with her seat belt unbuckled so that she could lean out and get a better view of the ground as she planned the next days stunts. A loose wrench got wedged in the open gear box, and the controls jammed. Bessie Coleman was thrown from the plane at 1,000 feet, and she died in the fall to the ground. The mechanic could not regain control, and the plane crashed and burned, killing the mechanic. After a well-attended memorial service in Jacksonville on May 2, Bessie Coleman was buried in Chicago. Another memorial service there drew crowds as well. Every April 30, African American aviators- men and women- fly in formation over Lincoln Cemetery in southwest Chicago (Blue Island) and drop flowers on Bessie Colemans grave. Legacy of Bessie Coleman Black flyers founded the Bessie Coleman Aero Clubs, right after her death. the Bessie Aviators organization was founded by black women pilots in 1975, open to women pilots of all races. In 1990, Chicago renamed a road near OHare International Airport for Bessie Coleman. That same year, Lambert - St. Louis International Airport unveiled a mural honoring Black Americans in Flight, including Bessie Coleman. In 1995, the U.S. Postal Service honored Bessie Coleman with a commemorative stamp. In October, 2002, Bessie Coleman was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame in New York. Also known as:  Queen Bess, Brave Bessie Background, Family: Mother: Susan Coleman, sharecropper, cotton picker and laundressFather: George Coleman, sharecropperSiblings: thirteen total; nine survived Education: Langston Industrial College, Oklahoma - one semester, 1910Ecole dAviation des Freres, France, 1920-22Beauty school in ChicagoBerlitz school, Chicago, French language, 1920

Common Spelling Mistakes Should You Use Lose or Loose

Common Spelling Mistakes Should You Use Lose or Loose Do you know the difference between the words â€Å"lose† and â€Å"loose†? Do you wonder each time you write one of these words whether you’re spelling it right? Today I will not only give you examples of how to know whether to use lose or loose, but I will also give you a trick to remember forever which spelling is correct. Lose is Always a Verb Some of the most common meanings for the word â€Å"lose† are to come to be without something, to fail to keep track of something, to have someone die, or to fail to win. Here is a list of some things you can lose: keys; money; a job; 25 pounds; loved ones; a game of pool, your virginity, or your mind. Before you get lost in thought about all the things you might lose, let’s move on to our next word. Loose is Usually an Adjective â€Å"Loose† can mean free, unfettered, unbound, or lacking in restraint; a few of its antonyms (opposites) are firm, bound and tight. It can also be used as a VERB meaning to let go of, let shoot or fly, or set free. Examples of Things that Can Be Loose Some things that can be or get loose are: Hair, knots, zoo animals, a sexually promiscuous person, a structure, an interpretation, vegetables in the grocery store, and teeth. There are many idioms that use the word â€Å"loose† such as â€Å"let loose,† â€Å"break loose,† â€Å"cut loose,† â€Å"hang loose,† â€Å"turn loose,† and â€Å"on the loose.† And are any of you â€Å"footloose and fancy free†? I hope the difference between â€Å"lose† and â€Å"loose† is clear. Now, how will you remember which is which? Knowing When to Use Lose or Loose It’s easy. Whenever you find yourself loosely throwing a double letter â€Å"o† into the word loose, ask yourself, â€Å"Should I *lose* the â€Å"o†?† Here are a few tricks to help you remember which word to use. Lose If you want a verb that means â€Å"to be without something,† then be without the extra â€Å"o†! If you want to say you â€Å"didnt win,† imagine the loser paying the winner the extra â€Å"o.† If you misplace something, misplace the second â€Å"o.† Loose If on the other hand, if you want your word to mean free, unbound, or anything loosely in that category, be free with your â€Å"o†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s! Dare I say, â€Å"Use them or lose them?† If you have questions about this or any other spelling/grammatical issue, ask The Essay Expert. You can also sign up for Brendas Grammar Writing Tips List for tips on how to communicate more professionally.

Hildegard Von Bingen, aka. St. Hildegard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hildegard Von Bingen, aka. St. Hildegard - Essay Example The first song, ‘Spiritus Sanctus’ is homage to the Holy Trinity and the Holy Spirit sung in beautiful Latin by angelic voices of piety. The song, as though speaking to one’s soul, reverberates with the power of the Holy Spirit as it is sent down to Earth by God to overlook His creation. It emphasizes the scope of the life that is given and how Man must overcome sin and celebrate the life that was given. Spiritus Sanctus is an affirmation of the power of singing and how it is associated with prayer. The song which is basically a chant is sort of an interpretation of its composer of the sounds of heaven and quite possibly how the angels must be singing to God in His praise. The harmony in the song is very eminent as it is sung in chorus by a group. It is a quintessential prayer where there are varied pitches in the middle of the song at a much faster pace wherein one or a couple voices are more audible. This is then followed by a harmonious chorus of the rest which backs the primary voices. Among the most piercing of the elements is the subsequent coming together of the voices from a lowered modulation to sing â€Å"Spiritus Sanctus† in unison toward the end with about less than a minute left. The song, which is a healing prayer, revitalizes the spirits and catapults it into a sense of euphoric sensation that brings about a relaxed but not an altogether uninterested feeling but of calmed but intensified realization. Ordo Virtutum The next song, ‘Ordo Virtutum’ is regarded as the oldest surviving morality play or also known as a liturgical drama of its time written by Hildegard. In the same way that most or almost all of the writers during her time claim that they were compelled by a vision to write or to produce, ‘Ordo Virtutum’ which literally translates to Play of Virtues was conceived in the same manner. It revolves around the age-old conflict between sins or the yearnings of the flesh and the upholding of virtues in order to better serve God and his plan. This creation of the composer has been performed a number of times by various groups including academic theatrical plays. It preceded all other liturgical dramas by over a century. Written in Latin and wholly in music, it â€Å"is thoroughly monastic and aristocratic in character† (Newman, p. 26) It is by its very purpose, a commentary and a form of teaching that aims to educate and forewarn people of their acts (ibid., p.13). The play is the struggle of the soul against the pulls of evil. This is illustrated through a journey where redemption is achieved through the necessity of the virtues. This struggle is depicted into an actual fi ght between virtues and their enemies. The Anima in ‘Ordo Virtutum’ was able to conquer the devil through the virtues. Virtues such as milites, fides and fear of the Lord (represented by Jesus) aserve as pivotal characters throughout the play. Another definitive concept is the importance given to the body as the dwelling place of the spirit and how this too must be taken cared of as essentially a temple of God (Kienzle, p. 36-37). This is

Arab Open University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arab Open University - Essay Example Institution to spread knowledge and train people beyond borders. This not only shows the quality and standard of education that is being imparted, but also elucidates the uniformity and lack of discrimination in training. Such a regional center of educational excellence was absent previously in the area, and the need of such an open university was gravely felt. This helps make it accessible to all the students under the expanse, and helps educate a wide mass of people. This also allows for the mutual sharing of faculty, and increased platforms for sharing information and prospective research. The University makes use of modern IT resources in order to support the learning process. This is a characteristic feature that makes it different from its adversaries. Being 'open' in mature, its has students of all ages and all walks of life. To add, these people work and live in different areas and continuing education with a profession was not a common concept in the region until the Arab Open University. Now, this institution has enabled people to continue with managing their previous affairs, and yet have the opportunity by mean of technology to study from places of their convenience. This not only enables the people to gain education in a discipline of their choice, but also has made it possible for the large Arabic population to become computer literate. Therefore, the in a practical domain has become a hallmark of the AOU. PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING ASSIGNMENT 2: Write a persuasive essay which presents your opinion on whether car seat belts should be required by law. Make sure the thesis statement clearly reflects your opinion on this. Follow the steps of the writing process. PART A. Plan your essay before you...Make sure the thesis statement clearly reflects your opinion on this. Follow the steps of the writing process. Accident simulations by the leading car manufacturers of the world have shown the grave difference between the aftermath of an accident with and without a seatbelt, the latter being much more destructive.