Total Quality Service

Topic: Total Quality Service Summary: Total quality service and total quality management as a business strategy designed to add value to customers. It begins by discussing the roots of quality assurance and total quality management, and TQM. Also, it is to explore the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and service quality as well as the relationship between TQM practices and market orientation.However, most of what has been written on TQM is usually related to manufacturing related organizations even though it is widely believed that the concepts and principles under TQM are equally relevant to service organizations. Critical dimensions of TQS A review of literature on quality management implied that the critical dimensions of TQS could be broadly categorized under three groups as follows: 1) Those dimensions of manufacturing quality management that can be effectively used in service organizations of course with due modifications (these include dimensions s uch as top management commitment and visionary leadership, human resource management, design and management of processes, information and analysis, benchmarking, continuous improvement, employee satisfaction, and customer focus).2) Those dimensions that are seldom addressed in the literature, but are nevertheless key elements of TQM in both manufacturing and service organizations (e. g. union intervention and social responsibility). (3) Those factors that is highly unique to service organizations (namely, services capes the man-made physical environment  ± and service culture). The TQM dimensions that have been identified in service organizations are as follows: 1) top management commitment and visionary leadership (TMCL); 2) human resource management (HRM); ) technical system (TS); 4) information and analysis system (I & A); 5) benchmarking (BM); 6) continuous improvement (CI); 7) customer focus (CF); 8) employee satisfaction (ES); 9) union intervention (UI); 10) social responsib ility (SR); 11) servicescapes (SP); and 12) service culture (SC) Also, an empirical study that examines the difference of the relationship between TQM and quality performance in the manufacturing and service firms.

Management and Public Administration

POSDCoRB is a mnemonic term developed by Luther Gulick in 1937 to represent the functions of the executive. â€Å"These essential functions-Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting-provide a sort of administrative prescription which should be followed by any competent administrator. † (Blumberg, p. 247)These functions compose a single aspect of the author’s Notes on the Theory of Organization, which discusses the elements necessary for an organization to perform its activities efficiently. After focusing on the Division and Coordination of Work, Gulick reflects on how the organization should be Organized. In order to organize the role of the executive, Gulick asks â€Å"What is the work of the executive. What does he do? † He then presents us with a list of activities-POSDCORB: â€Å"Planning, that is working out in broad outline the things that need to be done and the methods for doing them to accomplish the purpose set for the enterprise; * Organizing, that is the establishment of the formal authority through which work subdivisions are arranged, defined, and co-ordinated for the defined objective; * Staffing, that is the whole personnel function of bringing in and training the staff and maintaining favorable conditions of work; *Directing, that is the continuous task of making decisions and embodying them in specific and general orders and instructions and serving as the leader of the enterprise; * Co-ordinating, that is the all important duty of interrelating the various parts of the work; * Reporting, that is keeping those to whom the executive is responsible informed as to what is going on, which thus includes keeping himself and his subordinates informed through records, research and inspection; * Budgeting, with all that goes with budgeting in the form of fiscal planning, accounting and control. † (Gulick, p. 13) These defined functions were inspired by Henri Fayol’s earlier wor k in the study of management theory, wherein he describes 5 functions: Planning, Organizing, Coordinating, Commanding, and Controlling. POSDCORB became an important tool in the scientific management movement both in business and the public administration.Though it helped to establish a foundation for the creation of principles by which management should operate, it has met with some opposition in the field of organization studies. Criticism Prior to the release of Notes on the Theory of Organization, Dr. Lewis Meriam, wrote: â€Å"The most important thing that has been omitted from that fascinating word ‘POSDCORB' is knowledge of a subject matter. You have to plan something, you have to organize something, you have to direct something†¦ Intimate knowledge of the subject matter with which an administrative agency is primarily concerned is indispensable to the effective, intelligent administration of that agency. † (Meriam, p. 2-3).In the book, Organizations, Herbert Simon and James March suggested that POSDCORB contributes to the creation of a â€Å"machine model† in administration. Their claim was that â€Å"the scientific managers have regarded man as a machine rather than as a human being. † Pfiffner writes that social scientists, like Simon and March, â€Å"decry the gods of efficiency and condemn the goals of productivity as ends in themselves. † (Pfiffner, p. 110) Recalling a conversation with Dr. Gulick, Stephen Blumberg writes: â€Å"It is because of the absence in POSDCORB of things such as values and ethics and cooperation that he says that we need to bring to our focus of attention some new guidelines.He feels ‘that we’ve got to think of our economic problems in terms of human values’ and that because ‘we are going to recognize that public administration deals with human beings,’ we will have to incorporate much more of behavioral thinking into public administration. † (Bl umberg, p. 247) help on how to format text About  · Blog  · Pricing  · Privacy  · Terms  · Support  · Upgrade Contributions to http://papedia. wikispaces. com are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 2. 5 License. Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 2. 5 License Portions not contributed by visitors are Copyright 2010 Tangient LLC. Home > †¦ Loading†¦ Home Turn Off â€Å"Getting Started† Loading†¦

Website review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Website review - Essay Example Design of the website plays integral role in making it a success/ user friendly. Hence, if the design is simple to use, easy to engage in and effective to learn from then the website will be popular among the users. Thus, the design of Shmoop is explicitly clear and given in F-pattern. According to a recent survey, viewers mostly view websites in an F-pattern style, giving their whole attention towards top and left sides of the screen and ignoring anything on the right side. Thus, Shmoop’s main bar is on the top-middle section of the webpage and grid based layouts in the left corner. Every option on the main page is prominently visible; one does not have to search for desired section to research from, but can easily see it on the main-page. The main page is also not cluttered with pictures and designs. There are images like a backdrop on it, but they do not divert the attention from the content or purpose of the webpage. The main font style throughout the website is â€Å"Ariel† however, size is differed. In headings 18 size is used and for topic description 10.5 is used. Color behind the content is white, which is good because it makes it easier to read and at extreme right and left corner are some advertisements and informative clickable images on the website. Navigation is simple and does use a hierarchal pattern of browsing so one can also view from where he started his browsing from. Once, one chooses and clicks from the subjects on the main page, the second page shows all the sub-topics of it, from there one can chose desired subject matter, which shows all the information in a grid format. The language used to describe any matter under study is simple, engaging, and often humorous but efficient. Shmoop does not take any time to load and even the images on the web load in less than a minute. The best part is the web entails everything from teenagers’ study options to career advice and test

Petroleum Economic and Oil field management Essay - 1

Petroleum Economic and Oil field management - Essay Example The economics of non-OPEC supply, the economics of supply of other liquids and the investment and production decisions of OPEC countries will definitely influence the spot price over the next three months. For other liquids and petroleum, the main long-term prices and supply determinants can be summed up in four main categories that include other liquids supply economics, non-OPEC supply economics, global demand for other liquids and petroleum, and OPEC production and investment decisions (Elton, Gruber, Agrawal & Mann, 2004: 27247). Factors that should influence PMC while deciding on whether to enter into a forward or spot contract should include the consideration of the deference between the forward and spot prices in the sense that the two-price difference preferably should be equivalent to any earnings and finance charges that are due to the contract holder. In addition, opting for the forward contracts mainly would depend on factors like, festivity, season, and climate cycles that mostly affect the demands. A factor that would discourage the use of forward contracts is the lack of explicit mechanism for processing new information on the production costs and inventory surprises. Another factor to consider will be oil market participants who are a diverse group and trade at different maturities and objectives. The varying degrees in the involvement of major commercial oil producers will affect this decision. In terms of spot prices, supply and demand will influence such a decision. When demand goes up and sup ply decreases, the spot prices are automatically expected to go up. Likewise when demand decreases and supply goes up, the prices should go down. Spot prices for both crude oil and petroleum product prices are likely to be affected by events that disrupt the flow of these products in the market. This may include weather-related and geopolitical factors. These should be considered in the decision of whether to use spot prices or not. By taking

Marketing project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Marketing project - Essay Example Netherlands has a population of 16,652,800 people and about 15,500,000 bicycles (Shahan, 2014). This translates to about 1.11 bicycles per Dutch. Research also shows that about 27% of all trips are made by bicycle. On average, each Dutch covers about 2.5 km per day on a bicycle. However, since safety is paramount, we intend to introduce state-of-the-art bright bicycle lights, which would be placed on the front of the bicycle to enhance vision and red lights at the back. At the backdrop of the continued growth of bicycle use in the Netherlands, we have decided to take advantage of the high demand for bicycle lights in the country by entering into the market. Although there are a variety of entry methods that ‘A company can use to enter the Dutch market, we have opted to use joint venture as the best entry method, considering the Dutch legal requirements and the advantages of joint venture. The company has already identified a company with which to form a joint venture in Netherlands. The company is called Royal Dutch Gazelle, which is the leading bicycle manufacturer in Netherlands today. We chose to form a joint venture with Royal Dutch Gazelle because of a variety of reasons. Firstly, Royal Dutch Gazelle is a well-established brand in Netherlands and , therefore, forming a joint venture with it will enable our bicycle lights receive a warm reception among the Dutch. Secondly, a joint venture with the Dutch company will help the company share the risk of entry (Brady, 2010). Company A will also benefit from the joint venture with Royal Dutch Gazelle because it will result in sharing of knowledge and expertise, thereby helping in the development of the company in Netherlands. Additionally, because of the strict Dutch laws regarding the entry of foreign companies, it became appropriate that we form a joint venture with a Dutch company to enable the company A

Financial Analysis of Bluescope Steel Ltd and Onesteel Ltd Australia Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Bluescope Steel Ltd and Onesteel Ltd Australia - Research Paper Example Today, millions of shares are traded every day on the world's stock markets. (Penman, 2003). Most often, investors see valuation as the first step toward intelligent investing. It has been argued (e.g. Penman 2003) that an investor can make informed decisions about where to invest once the value of shares are determine based upon the fundamentals. This is so because, without this value investors can either buy high or sell low Investors who trade on these stocks are often forced to ask themselves whether they are buying or selling at the right price. (Penman, 2003). In the face of this situation and their quest for an alternate answer, investors turn to various media including internet chat rooms, printed press, and "talking heads" on television and financial networks, who often voice opinions on what they feel the stock prices should be. (Penman, 2003). In addition, investors consult investment analysts who provide an almost endless stream of information and recommendations to sort out. There are often claims that some shares are undervalued and vice versa. (Penman, 2003). Faced with too much information, Investors at times get confused with no clear indication of what the true prices of stocks should be. (Penman, 2003). Under such circumstances, the investor either make decision based on his or her instinct, such investors according to Penman (2003) are intuitive investors while others who make their decision based on capital market efficiency are referred to as passive investors. Penman, (2003) further argues that in making their decision, passive investors assumed that the market price is a fair price of the shares quoted. These investment mechanisms appear to be very simple, as they do not require much effort. (Penman, 2003: pp 3). How ever that is not the case as neither passive nor intuitive investor turn to be better off in the face of their decision. This is so because these sets of investors can either pay to high or sell too low. Having said that, in the sections that follow, I will discuss analysis and valuation of Bluescope Steel Limited and One steel Limited in Australia including their products, employees, management, and corporate governance. I have also highlighted in a passing the methodology used in valuating the company. In the last section, I will make a conclusion and recommendation to prospective investors. 1.1BlueScope Steel Limited According to the Company 2008 report, BlueScope Steel

Marketing Advertising IMC Plan (Glaceau co.) Research Paper

Marketing Advertising IMC Plan (Glaceau co.) - Research Paper Example Customers are not segregated on the basis of age, sex, color or race. 2) Differentiated Marketing In this sort of marketing strategy the firm tries to target different segments of the market and a different marketing strategy is adopted for each segment of the market. 3) Concentrated Marketing In this strategy the firm chooses one segment of the market and focuses exclusively on that particular segment for its products. The product fulfils the needs of that particular group of customers only. For our product –Glaceau Smart and Vitamin Water; we have decided to apply the concentrated marketing strategy. We are going to target only one section of the customers for our products. The target market which has been selected for our product has the following features – Smart Water Men above 35 years of age Economically successful – main target is upper middle class male; more than $ 60,000 income. Marital status : Married Focused on staying young and healthy – vis its the gym regularly or exercises ,buys health drinks Occupied in sedentary jobs like management, software professionals etc. Vitamin Water Women above 35 years of age Economically successful-main target is the upper middle class Focused on health and staying young-visits the gym regularly or exercises or diets. Occupied in sedentary jobs Smart Water and Vitamin Water can be put under the functional foods category. Functional food may be defined as any type of food product where a new ingredient has-been added in order to make the product healthier. (Glenn R. Gibson)Thus Vitamin Water and Smart Water can easily be defined as functional foods as they add nutrients to water and make it healthier for the body. Functional food industry has been witnessing increased growth in USA these days. According to a survey conducted by Nutrition Business Journal a US citizen spends $50 per month in order to buy functional foods and this amount is increasing each day. It also says that only 8.7 % of the population has never purchased a functional food product – rest 91.3% has at one time or the other bought some or other category of functional foods. (Nutrition Business Journal).This report shows the vast potential for functional food products. So our decision to market Vitamin Water is both timely and fulfils a major consumer demand. However the question still remains as to why have we decided to target people above 35 years of age and why only those who are economically successful. A research by Mintel states that people prefer functional foods due to the following reasons- Reasons for functional food purchase % Make up for unhealthy eating 48 Weight loss 44 Supplement my diet 35 Address health issues 30 Avoid eating empty calories 26 In place of a meal 16 Others 7 Source: (Mintel International Group Ltd.) Vitamin Water and Smart Water can be targeted to all the people who are mentioned above except probably those who eat functional food in place of a meal or for ot her reasons. Vitamin Water and Smart water contains additional supplements which can provide supplement diet , addresses health issues due to lack of vitamins , helps you avoid calories and still intake vitamins and can also assist you in weight loss as you can replace water for your nutrient intake instead of food. Thus our products can be sold better to those who are concerned

Analysising myths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysising myths - Essay Example Based on the crew ship called Prometheus, the movie shows the idea of averting foreseeable threats that could destroy human beings. Through the use of Artificial intelligence, the director has created David, the android, who has human attributes, but does not prefer the life of humans. Instead, David is critical of his creators and wants answers from them. In other words, the film evokes the myth that programming through computers could offer individuals feasible solutions to their lives. However, the myth of computer as a machine is not true because David’s programmer called Weyland eventually dies the idea of technological power is eradicated (Dalton 135). Overall, the myth of machine not only wreak havoc to the ship crew, but it also gives them the false belief of invincibility against their creators. A science fiction movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey recounts the encounter between black monoliths and human beings in a quest to understand aspects of human evolution. The scientists are determined to discover the signals that come from one of the monoliths in their voyage to Jupiter. Interestingly, the myth of machine or computer is observed in the illusion that only artificial intelligence and technology can save humanity from itself. Analysis of extraterrestrial life, for example, is largely aided by the use of a Space Odyssey venture that uses Pan Am Space plane and the landing in Lunar US outpost. The two named features are critical in explaining the belief myths as a means of attaining scientific exploration particularly on human evolution (Doniger 112). Additionally, the ability of HAL 900, a ship computer, to manage all events demonstrates the myth of the machine as the ultimate power in discovering truths hidden in other planets. The biblical myth is explicit in the 1928 movie, Metropolis, a drama film that is largely dystopian in its storyline. It is about wealthy industrialists who exploit their workers in high-rise tower complexes in a future

Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding Essay Example for Free

Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding Essay Functionalist views are based on that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or consensus. They believe that every part of society performs functions that help keep society running effectively. They use the example of a body to explain the way society runs as each part of our body has to work together in order for us to stay alive this is the same as society according to a functionalist. Education according to Emilie Durkheim (1903) consists of two main functions, creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills. Social solidarity is the sense of being part of a group or society. Functionalists believe this is key to making education run accordingly as without social solidarity people would only self indulge in their own desires. Education helps to create social solidarity as it helps transmit societies culture, beliefs and values from ‘generation to generation‘keeping society running correspondingly. Schools also act in preparing children for society in real life by teaching the concepts of working together with people you do not always no. his links with working as in work you have to work coherently with people who you will not know. Specialist skills are having the necessary skills to perform their role in education to the ‘bride way’ towards working life. Education helps children prepare for this through teaching children in different a range of subjects which they will then come to specialise in the subjects they are good in which will in turn help them earn mon ey in society in later life. Education also according to functionalists gives all children an equal opportunity to develop on their own individual talents also known as meritocracy which is achieving through your own effort. Davis and Moore (1945) argue that education sorts children into their future educational roles by sorting their ‘aptitudes’ and ‘abilities’ which also links to social solidarity as to do certain jobs you need the necessary qualification and experience. However there are criticisms of functionalists and education. Melvin Tumin (1953) put forward a circular argument and criticises David and Moore by putting forward such questions as ‘how do we know what job is more important? ’ answer ‘because it’s highly Rewarded’ and why are some jobs higher rewarded than others? ’ answer ‘because they are more important’. Marxists believe that society only transmits the ideology of the ruling class therefore it disadvantages the working classes in education. One example is that Marxists prepare the working class for there jobs through education therefore it is only transmitting values of the ruling class. Also Marxists believe that the state is controlled by the ruling classes who transmit the ideology state apparatus which is that it maintains control through controlling people’s ideas, values and beliefs through religion, mass media and the education system. This criticises the functionalist view as social solidarity is meant to transmit these values and beliefs which according to Marxists are only means to control the working class. Meritocracy according to Marxists is a myth as we are controlled by the higher classes and we cannot achieve our status we ascribe our status. Another big criticism of functionalism in education is that functionalists believe that everybody at school behaves and accepts all that is taught when this is not the true case. It does not explain why some people come to fail examinations if everybody works in a general ‘consensus’. Dennis Wrong (1961) refers to this as ‘puppets in society’. The new right believe that the state fails to prepare the young for work as the state discourages choice and competition. Another disadvantage is that functionalists cannot explain under-achievement and inequality of opportunity in education. In conclusion Functionalism has a good general understanding of Education but it has quite obvious flaws as not everybody is going to get on in society so it is impossible to have a general consensus. Also the disadvantages of Functionalism in education seem to out weigh the positives therefore functionalism does not give a real positive understanding of education.

Unilab Vitastat Essay Example for Free

Unilab Vitastat Essay Also, On top of the usual sampling and detailing conducted by the sales team, product symposia( such as speaking on the merits of Vidastat to a large group of doctors) were held simultaneously in all big hospitals to communicate the low price of the product to target doctors. Roundtable discussions were conducted and promotional materials such as product brochures and Rx pads were given to doctors, which resulted in increased prescriptions of Vidastat E. Management Capabilities – They have a dedicated management wherein they have this mind-set to be on top of the game. They have already come up with low-priced products that made them expand their market. F. Core Competencies Product – they have released equal quality products to Zocor that made Unilab competitive, these products were priced lower than Zocor which gave the patients an advantage, and this would help their patients adhere to their medication regimen. G. External forces Technology- Technology is very vital in manufacturing. Since the company needs to maintain the quality of the products they need to be efficient in the operation. Socio-Cultural aspect made Unilab successful, through its â€Å"Bayanihan† (a Filipino term which refers to people working together to achieve a partifuclar goal) they have lived and survived by that philosophy II. Problem Statement Due to the continuing economic conditions where things are expensive and no more room for price penetration, its viable concern is sustaining its financial needs in the long run. Also, the bases of their prices are its competitors. Also, the products that Unilab offers are of the same products that can be offered by the competitors. Evidence of the problem * Vidastat’s price was set 50 percent lower to penetrate and grab market’s share form Zocor. * Simvastatin when taken can reduce cholesterol level the competitors has â€Å"fish oil† which are â€Å"natural anti-cholesterol agent† III OBJECTIVES * To be able to sustain its financial needs * To be able to give the doctors enough satisfaction for them not to shift and patronize the competitors product * To be able to create innovative products. To be able to maintain the companys market by product offerings III. Alternative Courses of Action . Market penetration a) Intensify research and development of technology to be able to generate idea’s that would make Unilab a brand of innovation b) Improve the company’s reputation by increasing its quality but still having the same price c) To strengthen its promotional efforts in their chosen market and make information more available through more symposiums and sponsorships during popular conventions in the field of medicine d) Give freebies or discounts to those doctors who patronizes the product e) Increase production to decrease cost . Market Development. Develop a product that caters an individual’s need b) Create a product that would create technological advances ( soon let there be a cure for those diseases that presently cannot be cured ) 4. Related Diversification Strategy a) Come up with an extended line of products that is still related to medicine such as skin whitening and height enhancer V. Recommendations Based on the gathered facts, I would strongly recommend Market Penetration this is for them to keep and maintain or even widen their potential markets. Product Development should be implemented constantly to enable the company to attain competitive advantage and improve the line every so often. The Extended line is applicable to those patrons, the lien will satisfy their needs and wants.

Aesthetics and Sound of Japanese Horror Films 1990s-2000

Aesthetics and Sound of Japanese Horror Films 1990s-2000 Analyse the aesthetics and sound of Japanese horror films from late 1990s to early 2000s World Cinema is typically used to refer to films of non-English speaking countries and has a representation to take the least amount of dominance in popularity compared to the works of Hollywood cinema. However, since the evalutiton of cinema My critical analysis will be viewing the television programme as a representation of escapism from real life events by considering the ways in which media texts change our perspective on entertainment through the codes and conventions of narrative and genre.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   I will take the Waking Dead series and look at what drives the narrative forward in which the story, characters and sequence of events, is put together within the script. The effects of this will come in to play as I list the relative media theorists such as, Vladimir Propp and Barthes to gain a better understanding. The horror genre has been utilized especially in film as a way to startle viewers as its primary objective. Consistently, its most used ordered structure of a: beginning, middle and end can be argued as unsurprising. Over time, in order to bring in new audiences, the horror genre has been forced to adapt its context by perhaps a use of hybrids or a new type of subgenre to suit a particular need as well as continuing to scare and entertain. A case of this can been seen through an examination of the American horror film Scream (released in 1996) and Japanese Horror Ringu (1998) as noted, Hollywood horror films are generally overwhelmed by the slasher subgenre as it depends on gore and physical brutality while, the Japanese, utilized the mental or rather psychological subgenre that ordinarily include ghost, spirits and possession. As mainstream Ring seemed to be, it turned into the first western remake of a Japanese awfulness great, entitled: The Ring (2002), this made ready for some J-horror revamps that started a worldwide enthusiasm for the Japanese wide screen and culture now with the term J-horror turning into its very own category outside Japan.   In the past decade, few countries have received more attention from Hollywood than Japan. Indeed, its folkloric legends and eerie aesthetics have in many ways revolutionised the horror genre. This essay will look at the relationship between American and Japanese cinema and explore how the two countries overcame cultural differences in order to develop a successful horror film cycle. The first section will describe how American and Japanese cinema have influenced each other over the years. In the second part, the phenomenon of J-horror will be analysed in order to demonstrate how remakes have contributed to the Western understanding of Japanese horror films. Ultimately, the final section will look at the implications of this interrelationship in terms of the accessibility of Japanese films in Western culture, and the growing importance of transnational cinema. Although the recent embrace of J-horror by American filmmakers and audiences has received a great deal of media and critical attention, Hollywoods affinity for Japanese cinema is in no way a new phenomenon. In fact, both countries have influenced each other for many decades. This led to the 1917 version of his own film The Loyal Forty-Seven Ronin (Japan 1912). Incidentally, after many adaptations this film is now being remade for the American public as 47 Ronin (Carl Rinsch, USA 2012). Similarly, after the Second World War, some Japanese films began to attract the attention of the American audiences, particularly Gojira (Godzilla, Ishiro Honda, Japan 1954) which mirrored the apocalyptic cultural fears of the 1950s American science-fiction films, and Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa, Japan 1954), a film that influenced a number of Hollywood adaptations. Interestingly, it was around this time, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that anime became extremely popular in the Western culture (Napier 2005: 22). Writing about the global success of anime, Susan J. Napier points out that: Anime is indeed exotic to the West in that it is made in Japan, but the world of anime itself occupies its own space that is not necessarily coincident with that of Japan. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] It is thus a particularly apt candidate for participation in a transnational, stateless culture (2005: 24). The popularity and critical attention that anime has received introduced many Western viewers to Japanese cinema. It can then be suggested that this trend has opened a Japanese niche market in America, indirectly contributing to the introduction of what has come to be known as J-horror. This Hollywood take up of Japanese films which were strongly inspired by the American horror genre, constitutes an unprecedented example of the cross-fertilisation between Hollywood and Japanese cinema. At the turn of the century, as Steffen Hantke explains in his study of Japanese horror, America was in need of a new horror film cycle (2005: 54). Franchises like Halloween (John Carpenter, USA 1978) and Friday the 13th (Sean S. Cunningham, USA 1980) had countless remakes, and the industry would only produce horror films like Scream (Wes Craven, USA 1996) that were so filled with self-referential humour that the genre had lost its terrifying appeal. In 1998, the horror film Ringu (Hideo Nakata, Japan 1998) was extremely successful in Japan. Hollywood producers saw an opportunity for a return to a more gothic form of horror with an exotic twist. Gary G. Xu explains the appeal of the Japanese horror genre to Hollywood: There is a certain aura in Japanese ghost fiction and films, often filled with womens grudges against men who deserted or injured them. Unlike most ghost stories in the West that seek moments of shock and harmless thrills, the Japanese ghost stories tend to allow the aura to linger, to permeate, or to literally haunt the audience (2008: 192). In order to adapt the film successfully, the Japanese specificities of Ringu, such as the slow atmospheric pace and the compassion with wronged spirits were adapted for a more Western audience: more closure was added and the ghost became a manifestation of evil. The remake that followed, The Ring (Gore Verbinski, USA 2002) grossed $250 million worldwide (Xu 2008: 192), encouraging a franchise and numerous subsequent remakes of Japanese horror films. This enthusiasm has encouraged many Western horror fans to watch the original movies and to seek out more Japanese films. Consequently, scholars have questioned this new-found popularity, including the ways these films could translate to the common Western spectator. Indeed, the Japanese culture is known to be extremely rich and different from the Western one. Although Japan is a highly modernised country, traditional values remain that might not be understood by every Western viewer. One of these scholars, Ruth Goldberg, discusses two ways for audiences to read foreign films: in terms of cultural specificity or as acts of translation to foreign audiences (2004: 371). Similarly, Hantke quotes Masao Miyoshi who speaks in terms of domestication and neutralization (2005:62): To restore the accustomed equilibrium, Miyoshi writes, the reader either domesticates or neutralizes the exoticism of the text. The strategy for domestication is to exaggerate the familiar aspects of the text and thereby disperse its discreteness in the hegemonic sphere of first world literature, [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the plan for neutralization [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] operates by distancing the menacing source, defusing its otherness with [s]uch pseudocomments as delicate, lyrical, or suggestive, if not illogical, impenetrable, or incoherent (Miyoshi quoted in Hantke 2005: 62). Simply put, the films cultural specificity can be either recognised by the viewer, dismissed as exotic, or they can be replaced altogether by a universal reading which makes the text more accessible when it does not lead to misinterpretations. For example, Ringu is culturally specific in the sense that is part of the Japanese kaidan (ghost story) genre which derives from the traditional plays of the Noh and Kabuki theatre (McRoy 2008: 6). As the writer of Ringu, Koji Suzuki explains, this folklore has a different perspective on ghosts than the Western tradition: In America and Europe most horror movies tell the story of the extermination of evil spirits. Japanese horror movies end with a suggestion that the spirit still remains at large. Thats because the Japanese dont regard spirits only as enemies, but as beings that co-exist with this world of ours (Suzuki quoted in Branston and Stafford 2006: 98). Furthermore, Ringu reveals national fears related to the increase of divorces and the new gender roles: nowadays, Japanese women often have careers and are no longer full time mothers. As Goldberg puts it, Ringu reflect[s] in microcosm the anxious tension between tradition and modernity that looms large in the nations sensibility (2004: 371). On the other hand, using Myoshis expression, the film can easily be domesticated by Western audiences: Nakata has named The Exorcist (William Friedkin, USA 1973) and Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper, USA 1982) amonghis influences (Branston and Stafford 2006: 98). Moreover, Ringu refers to the teen culture that is so common to the American horror film, comprises the typical final girl and the themes of technophobia and broken families that have populated cinema for the past two decades. In this way, it has been suggested that Nakata manages to strike a genuinely alarming balance between the cultural depths of Japanese folklore, and the surface sheen of l atter day teen culture (Kermode 2000). In adapting the film for Western viewers, Gore Verbinski ignored the Japanese cultural specificities and focused on fully domesticating the film. However, as the following will demonstrate, he preserved some memorable and eerie images from the original production which would become the markers of J-horror. Drawing its inspiration from A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, USA 1984) and Friday the 13th(see McRoy 2005: 176),   Ju-On (Takashi Simizu, Japan 2002) is a similar hybrid between American horror classics and the kaidan tradition. When Simizu remade the film as The Grudge (Takashi Simizu, USA 2004) for an American audience, he filmed the ghost of Kayako in the same way as Sayakos in The Ring: a faceless head covered by long black hair that reveal only one eye. In imitating this successful film, it can be suggested that Simizu was constructing a deliberate relationship between the two films and, as such, conforming to Western expectations about a vengeful ghost in the Japanese horror film (Balmain 2008: 189). This new symbol of horror began to appear repeatedly not only in Japanese films like Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara (Dark Water, Hideo Nakata, Japan 2002) but also in other East-Asian films like Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters, Jee-woon Kim, Korea 2003). When p ut in its original linguistic and cultural context, the characteristic appearance of this spirit is understandable. Indeed, in Japanese, the term kurokami is a homonym meaning both black hair and black spirit. In addition, Jay McRoy describes the cultural significance of the hair and single eye: These physiological details carried a substantial cultural and aesthetic weight, as long black hair is often aligned in the Japanese popular imaginary with conceptualisations of feminine beauty and sensuality, and the image of the gazing female eye (or eyes) is frequently associated with vaginal imagery (2008: 6-7) Consequently, it only makes sense that a ghost with bad intentions, especially a beautiful woman that has been wronged and seeks revenge, would be represented with long black hair. By repeating this image across films, it was slowly converted into Western culture from a culturally specific symbol to an immediately recognisable piece of horror iconography. This image could very well have participated in making J-horror a cult phenomenon. On the other hand, this repetition was quickly starting to remind audiences of the overly repeated American horror franchises and raised criticisms, such as Grady Hendrixs, who has seen enough of the long-haired-dead-wet-chick (quoted in McRoy 2008: 173). The never-ending American remakes have also exasperated Japanese filmmakers like Ju-On director Simizu. In response, he released the short film Blonde Kaidan (Takashi Simizu, Japan 2004) which portrays a Japanese filmmaker haunted by a blonde spirit, parodying the obsession of American producers for interchangeable blonde heroines. The upside of this recurring visual trope is that it has helped popularise the Japanese horror film and positioned the genre into the mainstream. In fact, studying the American horror fans reception of J-horror, Matt Hills points out that: The remakes success is viewed positively, as providing a platform for the cult texts wider availability [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]. Hollywood remakes are thus positioned as relatively inauthentic/inferior texts that nevertheless allow the cult original to move beyond its initial underground status, a shift that is embraced, as if culturally validating the fans love of Ringu et al (2005:164). With Japanese horror becoming a bigger part of popular culture, Western audiences encouraged the distribution of more violent and original Japanese horror films that often offer more thrills and depth than the popular likes of Saw (James Wan, USA 2004-2010) and Hostel (Eli Roth, USA 2005-2007). Indeed, as Jay McRoy puts it, these disturbing films offer visceral visions interlaced with a degree of stinging social satire rarely seen in works of Western horror directors (McRoy 2008: 10). For example, new cult films include the shocking social satire Batoru Rowaiaru (Battle Royale, Kinji Fukasaku, Japan 2000) and the disturbing and genre-bending Odishon (Audition, Takashi Miike, Japan 1999). As a result, it can be argued that the multiplicity and repetition of American remakes have familiarised their viewers with elements that used to be typically Japanese. Their cultural specificity has become more transparent, and in this way, they have come to transcend their original folkloric refere nces. The fact that genre films from distant cultures have nowadays become so accessible to popular understanding is a sign of the increased transnationalism of film culture. As Elizabeth Ezra and Terry Rowden explain: Without succumbing to the exoticizing representational practices of mainstream Hollywood films, transnational cinema which by definition has its own globalizing imperatives transcends the national as autonomous cultural particularity while respecting it as a powerful symbolic force. The category of the transnational allows us to recognize the hybridity of much new Hollywood cinema (2006: 2). This transnationalism is therefore characterised not only by the American remakes or re-interpretation of foreign films, but also by the ability of foreign films to represent universal issues and thereby transcend their cultural specificity. Ruth Goldberg, who is quoted above as saying that the Japanese horror film can be read as culturally specific or as an act of translations to foreign audiences, ultimately adds that a third possibility can be to use elements of both approaches (2004: 382). This more balanced mode of spectatorship could be referred to as the transnational reading. As suggested earlier, the cycle of Japanese remakes in America is very likely to have educated audiences to this broader reading of Japanese films. This worked to strengthen the foreign film market in the United States, a country that has been long renowned for its aversion to subtitles. In fact, not only did Hollywood never hide that their new cycle of horror films were remakes of Japanese movies, but t he viewings of the original versions were encouraged through cross promotion. For example, while discussing the special features on the DVD of the Hollywood remake The Ring, Chuck Tryon observes that the selection Look Here invites viewers to watch a trailer for the Japanese original, which was distributed in conjunction with the DVD version of the American remake (2009: 24). The remake, in this way, acted as a transition between American and Japanese horror. Interestingly, the advent of the DVD format proved to be fundamental not only to the popularity of Japanese horror, but to its transnational reading. Indeed, the availability of subtitles on DVDs makes it easier for people to acquire movies that are not available in their country or language. If the original Japanese versions are distributed in Western countries, the films are usually complemented with special features to allow a better understanding and reading of the cultural specificities. For instance, the 2 Disc Special Collectors Edition DVD of Ju-On offers a large number of special features including: interviews and commentaries with the director and a selection of actors, a Ju-On True Stories Featurettes and an Exclusive Feature-Length Audio Commentary with Asian Cinema Expert, Bey Logan. These features are included to educate the viewers in their transnational reading of the film, giving them a clearer understanding of the Japanese culture in order to approach the cultural s pecificities of the movie with an informed mind. In addition to the remakes and the transnational format that is the DVD, many Japanese films owe their success to the Internet. Indeed, this medium provides endless possibilities for film discoveries and international communication. One can, for instance, mention the emergence of the online grassroots participatory culture, which Henry Jenkins describes as a bottom-up consumer-driven process (2006: 18): consumers can now actively influence the production and distribution of films by highlighting the existence of niche markets. Other benefits of the Internet in terms of promoting transnational cinema are the unlimited availability of short films from all over the world, and the forums where international users are given the opportunity to discuss their opinions on films and share their interpretations. In this way, they encourage transnational readings of films along with the expansion of the foreign film market in America. Japanese films have inspired the American movie industry for decades. However, their films were always adapted for the Western culture and stripped of their deeper cultural meanings.   Apart from a handful of productions that became international classics like Godzilla and Seven Samourai, Japanese film culture remained quite obscure until the success of Japanese horror. A series of American remakes called attention to the existence of this genre that portrayed terrifying horror filled with deep significance: either specific to the Japanese culture or universal. Some factors such as DVD distribution, the Internet and active fan culture led to the increased distribution of these films in America, and strengthened viewers involvement in transnational film culture. Thus, through its multitude of adaptations and hiring of international filmmakers, Hollywood has become central to the crossover of cultural boundaries at a time of rapid globalisation.

Pride And Prejudice - Point Of View Essay -- essays research papers

Marry For Love The point of view of a novel usually decides which characters we sympathize with. In the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennett is the focal character, which causes the reader to feel closest to her. The reader can relate more easily to her feelings and actions, and given that all of Elizabeth’s opinions on large issues are known and understood, the reader tends to side with her. By making the story from the point of view of Elizabeth, Austen is able to take advantage of the closeness between reader and character to make a political statement about the institution of marriage, and thus shows her own feeling that it is a mistake to marry for any other reason besides love. One way that she shows her feelings on matrimony is by using Elizabeth’s voice as her own to approve of some characters decisions about marriage. Elizabeth’s approval of certain characters shows Austen’s approval, and in this case, Elizabeth approves of the marriage between Jane and Bingley. Jane and Bingley show throughout the novel their genuine affection for one another, and Elizabeth observes about Bingley’s affection for Jane, "I never saw a more promising inclination. He was growing quite inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by her†¦ Is not general incivility the very essence of love?" (106). Mrs. Bennett approves of the match mostly on a monetary basis, and exclaims, "Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more. Oh my dear Jane, I am so happy!" (260). Elizabeth, however, looks down on her mother for this, and approves of the marriage because she can tell that the two are truly in love with one another. Austen also makes those in love the happiest of all the characters. Jane and Bingley are truly in love, consequently, they are two of the happiest characters in the novel. Jane announces that, "’Tis too much! By far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh! why is not everybody as happy?" (259) and, "I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed!" (262). Jane and Bingley’s happiness shows the author’s approval of their marriage. Austen uses Elizabeth’s voice as her own to make the statement that love is the only acceptable reason to marry. Another way that Austen uses Elizabeth to show her feelings on the issue of matrimony is b... ...iven to Wickham by Darcy, they are the ones in the worst financial situation. "They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always spending more than they ought" (290-291). By using Elizabeth as the character from whose point of view we see the other characters, we are shown by Austen how to feel about each specific situation. In the case of Lydia and Wickham, we are to agree with Elizabeth (and thus Austen) that they have gotten what they deserve for jumping into marriage for the wrong reasons. Therefore, Austen’s voice comes through Elizabeth to make the statement that it is foolish to marry for any reason besides love. Jane Austen uses Elizabeth as the focal character in the novel Pride and Prejudice to relay a message to the reader. Her own voice comes through Elizabeth to make the political statement that it is unwise to marry for any reason other than love. Elizabeth (and thus Austen) feels that true happiness cannot be achieved in a marriage unless there is a great deal of love between the partners, and so explains her pursuit for true love, and her disapproval of marriage between those she knows are not in love.

High Fidelity and Music Essay -- High Fidelity Music Musical essays

High Fidelity and Music In High Fidelity, Rob, the protagonist and narrator, says â€Å"I find myself worrying away at that stuff about pop music again, whether I like it because I’m unhappy, or whether I’m unhappy because I like it† (168). It is obvious to the reader that Rob has a very strong relationship to pop music but also that this relationship is not as simple as the either-or dichotomy he describes it as. At first, it is an obsession that is almost pathological; by the end, it is an aid to his relationships and his idea of who he is. Rob’s relationship to music helps us understand Rob as a character through the different ways he uses it to interact in his environment – either as a crutch inhibiting his growth or as a way to aid his self-development. At the beginning of the novel, music serves as the former. Rob does not know himself. He relies on his relationships with women to define who he is, which basically comes down to if they are willing to sleep with him, he is happy, and if they are not, he wants to know why. In this stage of his life, Rob’s relationship to music is one of dependence; it is more or less a substitution for a healthy sense of self. One manifestation of this problem is how Rob uses music to take the place of social interaction. For example, instead of expressing interest in a woman through conversation, Rob would make her a mix-tape to show her he likes her. This is what he does with Laura and again with Caroline, the woman who interviews him. When Laura catches him making the tape for this woman, Rob tries to make up an excuse but knows she doesn’t believe it; â€Å"she of all people knows what compilation tapes represent† (313). Also, the songs he puts on the tapes are the songs he likes. He obv... .... This is how we know he is starting to get an idea of who he is and that he realizes that this is different from who Laura is. Rob says, â€Å"It seems to me that if you place music (and books, probably, and films, and plays, and anything that makes you feel) at the center of your being, then you can’t afford to sort out your love life, start to think of it as the finished product. You’ve got to pick at it, keep it alive and in turmoil, you’ve got to pick at it and unravel it until it all comes apart and you’re compelled to start all over again† (169). When music was at Rob’s center, when he was using it to define himself, it was a destructive force. The definition was an illusion, and this strained his relationships. But when he realized he was the one who needed to define himself, music became a symbol of understanding of himself and of his relationship with Laura. High Fidelity and Music Essay -- High Fidelity Music Musical essays High Fidelity and Music In High Fidelity, Rob, the protagonist and narrator, says â€Å"I find myself worrying away at that stuff about pop music again, whether I like it because I’m unhappy, or whether I’m unhappy because I like it† (168). It is obvious to the reader that Rob has a very strong relationship to pop music but also that this relationship is not as simple as the either-or dichotomy he describes it as. At first, it is an obsession that is almost pathological; by the end, it is an aid to his relationships and his idea of who he is. Rob’s relationship to music helps us understand Rob as a character through the different ways he uses it to interact in his environment – either as a crutch inhibiting his growth or as a way to aid his self-development. At the beginning of the novel, music serves as the former. Rob does not know himself. He relies on his relationships with women to define who he is, which basically comes down to if they are willing to sleep with him, he is happy, and if they are not, he wants to know why. In this stage of his life, Rob’s relationship to music is one of dependence; it is more or less a substitution for a healthy sense of self. One manifestation of this problem is how Rob uses music to take the place of social interaction. For example, instead of expressing interest in a woman through conversation, Rob would make her a mix-tape to show her he likes her. This is what he does with Laura and again with Caroline, the woman who interviews him. When Laura catches him making the tape for this woman, Rob tries to make up an excuse but knows she doesn’t believe it; â€Å"she of all people knows what compilation tapes represent† (313). Also, the songs he puts on the tapes are the songs he likes. He obv... .... This is how we know he is starting to get an idea of who he is and that he realizes that this is different from who Laura is. Rob says, â€Å"It seems to me that if you place music (and books, probably, and films, and plays, and anything that makes you feel) at the center of your being, then you can’t afford to sort out your love life, start to think of it as the finished product. You’ve got to pick at it, keep it alive and in turmoil, you’ve got to pick at it and unravel it until it all comes apart and you’re compelled to start all over again† (169). When music was at Rob’s center, when he was using it to define himself, it was a destructive force. The definition was an illusion, and this strained his relationships. But when he realized he was the one who needed to define himself, music became a symbol of understanding of himself and of his relationship with Laura.

Animal Testing Research Paper Essay

As citizens of the United States we are entitled to our civil rights. They include our basic needs for living a happy and safe life. Animals however are not entitled to any rights to ensure them safety, good health, and proper living conditions. Animal testing laboratories torture and kill innocent animals daily. The laboratories smell of chemicals and bleach, and the cages are dirty, and not properly kept. The horrible smells fill their nostrils and they are forced to walk in their own urine and feces. These animals are required to suffer in these conditions daily, this is not humane, and it is a slow and painful death. Holding an innocent animal against their will and torturing them with harmful substances is animal cruelty and should be illegal; there are efficient alternative ways to animal testing. Animal testing is known as the use of animals in experiments and development projects to determine toxicity, dosage, and efficacy of test drugs before proceeding to human clinical trials (â€Å"Animal Testing†). Animal testing is such a controversial topic because it involves using a living organism to test different drugs and chemicals and can potentially have a fatal outcome. The amount of stress put onto the animal throughout the testing is unhealthy and painful for the animal. It is just like an animal being brutally beaten by their owner; unfortunately the drugs and other hurtful substances forced onto the animal have long term effects and make the animal suffer through it to see the results of the test. This is so inhumane and wrong. Animals should not have to suffer through this unimaginable pain. There are different reasons for animal testing, the main ones being for cosmetic purposes such as makeup brands and plastic surgery procedures like Botox. Scientists use the animals to research different drugs and chemicals and essentially are looking for abnormal reactions from them. Being a female I purchase different cosmetic products that I use on a day to day basis. Cosmetics are articles intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body’s structure or functions (â€Å"Fact Sheet–Cosmetic Testing†). Some of the most commonly known brands test their products on animals. Companies like Johnson & Johnson, Avon, Kleenex, Vaseline, Dove,  Giorgio Armani, Maybelline, and countless more companies test their products on animals. Scientists conduct skin irritation tests that rub chemicals onto shaved skin or drop the chemicals into rabbit’s eyes without any pai n medication (â€Å"Fact Sheet- Cosmetic Testing†). They are testing products with the chemicals that could potentially cause the irritation, such as makeup remover, eye shadow, mascara, and things applied to the eye or eyelid. This test is obviously inhumane and painful for the rabbits, but there are alternatives to this test that are humane and can be done in place of it. Instead of putting the chemicals onto the rabbits, manufacturers can drop the chemicals onto donated human corneas (Cosmetics and Household). Women wear makeup and purchase products that are applied regularly to the face and eyes. With those products I am trusting that they will enhance my physical features in a positive way, but I would not want those products to be tested in such a cruel and torturous way. Diseases are another reason for testing on animals. Cancer, Down syndrome, heart problems, diabetes, and others are some of the main diseases scientists are trying to find cures for. The other side to animal testing can potentially save lives by finding cures for these life threatening diseases. This is why some parts of animal testing are so vital to our health systems and patients. Many universities use animals to test in different types of training programs. At the University of Michigan nursing students used a cat to practice putting a tube into its windpipe. The goal of the procedure was for nurses working on survival flights to be able to perform the procedure to patients in critical condition. The cat was later adopted into a family and was not harmed at all (Kozlowski). Although this particular procedure seems harmless to the cat and sounds painless campaigns continued to protest against using live animals and PETA continued to press the subject. They wanted them to replace using live animals with simulators which virtually does the same thing (Kozlowski). Tests like this that are done seem so minuet compared to others that are used for finding cures. Animal testing for human health has been said to be unsafe, unreliable, and expensive. On the contrary there have been cases where animal testing for medical reasons has in fact found vaccines and cures. From 1940 to 1960 polio was one of the most popular and well known diseases. Due to the  research conducted on animals polio has been eliminated as a well-known disease because of a vaccine that almost everyone has received (Use of Animals). Today children receive a lifetime vaccine for polio and are also immunized against typhus, whooping cough, and tetanus. I can see where the controversy comes in. I definitely think finding cures for all these diseases are something that needs to be done, but at the same time animals should have rights to their bodies. Animals that are forced into these facilities to be tested on come from all different parts of the world. Specially bred rats and mice are the mammals used in most medical research (â€Å"What Types of Animals†). Other mammals commonly found in research are guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, and farm animals such as pigs and sheep (â€Å"What Types of Animals†). In some cases it has been rumored that some of the animals are specially bred for certain types of testing. This has raised a lot of questions as to how accurate the tests actually are. Different animals are used for certain tests. In previous studies it was proven that certain animals react differently to the same tests. This is why so many different breeds and types of animals are affected by this; it involves so many different supplies and equipment which in turn can become costly. Animal testing has been known to be a costly and an unethical way of finding accurate cures. Some tests can take months or even years to conduct and analyze. This can result in spending hundreds of thousands, sometimes even millions of dollars on one test (â€Å"Costs of Animal†). The inefficiency and exorbitant costs associated with animal testing makes it impossible for regulators to adequately evaluate the potential effects of more than 100,000 chemicals worldwide (â€Å"Costs of Animal†).The amount of time needed to conduct one simple test is almost too extreme. The animal is suffering for months to years, for one result that isn’t even guaranteed. The amount of money spent on one test isn’t worth it, when the results are not always accurate. Alternative testing can save many animal lives; they also are less expensive and take less time to complete. The non-animal methods are more effective and most importantly, more ethical. Companies should use sophisticated computer technology for testing and drug development. Technology has become  the most important thing in society; it gives scientists the tools to extend human capabilities, so why are companies refusing to use the technology that is presented in society? These business practices on torturing animals are against business ethics. Population studies have shown how many infectious diseases are caused and also how many can be prevented. In fact, the National Insitutes of Health reported that more than 80 HIV/AIDS vaccines that have passed animal testing have failed in clinical trials (â€Å"Alternatives: Testing without Torture†). Non- animal tests are another great alternative. Non-animal tests include an embryonic stem cell test, 3T3 neutral red uptake photo toxicity tests and human skin leftover from surgical procedures (â€Å"Alternatives: Testing without Torture†). There are so many alternatives to animal testing that should be utilized instead of using live animals. On the other hand animal testing has contributed to finding many different cures and treatments for different diseases. When it comes down to it if you’re loved one has a disease and the only way to find an effective cure is to test it on an animal, then you would definitely want it done. Life or death plays a huge role in why so many people support animal testing. Animals are the most effective thing to test on because they share the same characteristics as humans. Chimpanzees share 99% of their DNA with humans, and mice are 98% genetically similar to humans (Animal Testing-ProCon). Sharing DNA with an animal has so many positive effects; the likeliness of finding a cure from testing on one of these animals could save so many lives. Laws have regulated animal testing to prevent the cruel and torturous acts from happening (Animal Testing-ProCon). There are many positive sides to animal testing that could potentially benefit our health systems and patients. Animal Cruelty is illegal in most states in the U.S. How is torturing animals, poking them with needles, rubbing harmful chemicals onto their bodies and into their eyes legal? It is defined as the same thing. Holding an innocent animal against their will and torturing them with harmful substances is animal cruelty and should be illegal. There are positive alternatives to finding cures and treatments. Although there are some positives, the amount of money, time, and animal cruelty is not worth it, considering the results are not always accurate. The amounts of stress  they are put through in these labs are enough to kill them without the drugs. The suffering and pain of these innocent animals are not worth making sure our mascara doesn’t make our eyes puffy, or how high of a dosage is safe without overdosing. Finding the alternatives could change everything. Throughout this research I have learned that animal testing is a cruel and ruthless act.

Difference between Branding and Advertising

Branding is a marketing strategy in which a name, slogan or logo is assigned to a product or a service for the market to recognize and be familiar with them. A good brand name should be; legally protectable, easy to pronounce, easy to remember, easy to recognize, attract attention and make a clear distinction amongst competitors. This process of assigning name aims at increasing the product or service perceived value to the potential customer currently and in future. Companies may create brand variations from the same product so as to produce a product that will fit the desired market and gain the retail shelf space.The rationalization of brands can be done time to time so as to increase production and marketing efficiencies. Advertising is also a marketing tool in which producers of goods and services uses media to communicate and educate the public on the information concerning their product or a service to reach a targeted population. This service is provided freely or charged at fee by organizations that legalized to offer the service. In each country there are rules and regulations that stipulate ways in which advertising is to be done.This includes the timing, placement and the content to be included in the advert. Various forms of media are used to deliver the messages include; print, audio, digital or video depending on the type of audience expect to get the information. Although advertising is necessary for economic growth its increase in public areas has negative effects on the society. Branding and advertising are both strategies that are used by marketing agencies of a product so as to compete effectively with other companies producing similar products.After a product or a service is made, a brand name is designed to it and then an advertising media is selected so as to inform the public of the product and where it can easily be found. Thus branding was as a result of increased varieties of products serving the same purpose and companies had to deve lop uniqueness in their products by giving the names that differentiate them from others. Advertising then is employed to reach the target population by use of billboards, television commercials, radio, newspapers, internet or any other place where audience can easily see or hear.For a product or a service to be marketed globally, there are important factors to be incorporated when branding and advertising. First developing brand name which will be familiar with all potential customers depending on their localities so that they can easily associate the product with the name, making best of use advert and increasing the rate of installing advert locally and in other countries will ensure unification and healthier competition amongst brands from different countries.Communication between countries can be improved through advertising when information concerning a product is done in foreign countries. Cultural and natural heritage exchange between nations can be realize through branding and advertising cultural activities which are practiced in one country but not practiced in another country like visiting museums and parks.All these activities in the long run create a close business relationship amongst the countries over the globe where products and services available in one country are offered in other countries advertising media and business transaction can be exchanged. Thus branding and advertising can be used as agents of globalization in social, cultural, political technological, economical and ecological aspects from one county to another.

Coffee in the Philippines Essay

This Euromonitor market report provides market trend and market growth analysis of the Coffee industry in Philippines. With this market report, you’ll be able to explore in detail the changing shape and potential of the industry. You will now be able to plan and build strategy on real industry data and projections. The Coffee in Philippines market research report includes: Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends Detailed segmentation of international and local products Historic volumes and values, company and brand market shares Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth. Robust and transparent market research methodology, conducted in-country Our market research reports answer questions such as: What is the market size of Coffee in Philippines? What are the major brands in Philippines? How significant is vending in coffee distribution? How does the increasing nuber of speciality coffee shops impact retail sales of coffee? What are the future prospects for instant 2-in-1 coffee, 3-in-1 coffee and 4-in-1 coffee? How are coffee pods performing in Philippines? Why buy this report? Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions This industry report originates from Passport, our Hot Drinks market research database. Each report is delivered with the following components: Report: PDF and Word Market statistics: Excel workbook SAMPLE ANALYSIS TRENDS Instant coffee mixes continued to gain popularity in both off-trade and on-trade channels in 2010. Rising demand for these products was due to the ease in preparation with minimal time involved, which is highly valued by Filipinos with busy lifestyles and busy consumer foodservice operators as brewing fresh coffee makes it difficult to meet demand. Nevertheless, the type of instant coffee used in on-trade establishments is usually different from off-trade brands as food establishments with high volume consumption commonly work with coffee manufacturers to produce customised mixes made from freshly-ground coffee beans and with added flavours, but come in instant powder format. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE In 2010, Nestle Philippines continued to dominate coffee with an 81% share of off-trade volume sales and an 89% share of off-trade value sales. This was mainly due to the strong brand recognition of Nescafe, as its name is synonymous with coffee in the Philippines, and the extensive distribution network in both modern and traditional retail channels. The well-diversified product portfolio of Nescafe in instant coffee has also enabled the company to capture a broader range of consumers – from low-income Filipinos to health conscious coffee drinkers. PROSPECTS Longer working hours and busier lifestyles for Filipinos, along with the desire to streamline operations amongst foodservice establishments, are all expected to increase the demand for instant coffee mixes over the forecast period. Nevertheless, consumption of fresh coffee is expected to improve over the same period. Higher demand should be driven by a niche group of affluent consumers who are willing to pay more and focus on quality rather than convenience.

What +-Motivates Me

Different things motivate me to learn. I can relate to Sara’s story because I am about the same way when it comes to learning or doing something. I need to know I am going to gain something from it. I know that going back to school and getting my degree will better help my me get a better career and will benefit my family in the long run. I see myself making goals and visualizing me with my degree as Chris does with his â€Å"finish line† visual. I always prepare myself for something coming up and slowing me down which it has in the past. Real life experiences have knocked me down more than once and I can justify with Fred’s story on future and past experiences. I have been laid off first because I had no degree in my past and I look back at that and it motivates me a great deal to keep going forward with school. I like to learn new stuff and accept challenges in a new job or learning something new just like Jamie in her story. I think what content that motivates me the most me the most to learn is Practical context. It is hard for me to just go do something without knowing I am going to benefit from it. I am the type that has to have someone push me or set me straight. For example I went on a job interview and they really liked my experience and skills but told me I wasn’t going to work out because they needed someone with a BA degree and told me that once I got so many credits under my belt they would consider me in the future if a spot is available. I have seen several job postings and they want you to have college credits. I know if I get my degree I am going to gain a lot from it and that motivates me to get out there, learn and move forward. Personal context is something I can also relate to motivate me to learn because I always visualize me getting that degree and starting my career as a Social worker or a Parole officer, so when I actually see myself doing this I get motivated and excited to do my classes. If I ever have doubt or think I can’t, I really just visualize how it will be and it helps me.

Call money and commercial bill market

Call money and commercial bill market Global Financial Market As all the Financial Markets in India together form the Indian Financial Markets, all the Financial Markets of Asia together form the Asian Financial Markets; likewise all the Financial Markets of all the countries of the world together form the Global Financial Markets. Financial Markets deal with trading (buying and selling) of financial securities (stocks and bonds), commodities (valuable metals or food grains), and other exchangeable and valuable items at minimum transaction costs and market efficient prices. Financial Markets can be domestic or international. The Global Financial Markets work as a significant instrument for improved liquidity. Financial Markets can be categorized into six types: Capital Markets: Stock markets and Bond markets Commodity Markets Money Markets Derivatives Markets: Futures Markets Insurance Markets Foreign Exchange Markets The Financial Markets play a major role in the Global Economy because it helps busi nesses to raise capital (in capital markets), they facilitate transferring of risk (in derivative markets), and they help international trade (in currency markets) to prosper. The International Stock Markets form a major part of the Global Financial Markets. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange, which started operating in continuous trade in the earlier part of the 17th Century. Some of the Important Stock Exchanges of the world are: The New York Stock Exchange (merged with Euro next): The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is a stock exchange based in New York City, USA that was incorporated in 1817. In terms of dollar volume, it is the largest stock exchange in the world, and in terms of the number of companies listed it is the second largest stock exchange in the world. The NYSE is also known as the Big Board. The indexes used in the NYSE are the NYSE Composite Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index. The NYSE functions under NYSE Euro next, the format ion of which was the result of NYSE’s merger with Archipelago Holdings and Euro next. Tokyo Stock Exchange: The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), incorporated in 1949, is located in Tokyo, Japan. In terms of monetary volume, The Tokyo Stock Exchange is the second largest stock exchange in the world, only next to New York Stock Exchange. The indexes used in the TSE are Nikkei 225, Topix, and J30. NASDAQ: The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, or NASDAQ, is an electronic stock market based in New York City, USA that was incorporated in 1971. The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. is the owner and regulator of NASDAQ. The main index used in NASDAQ is the NASDAQ Composite. London Stock Exchange: Established in 1801, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) is one of the oldest and largest stock exchanges in the world. In terms of market capitalization, the London Stock Exchange was ranked 4th among all the other important stock exchanges in the world in March 2007. The London Stock Exchange is located in Paternoster Square near St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. The stock market index of London Stock Exchange is the Footsie (FTSE). Euro next (merged with NYSE): Founded in 2000, Euro next N.V. is a pan-European Stock Exchange, which is based in Paris. In terms of market capitalization, Euro next ranks as the fifth largest stock exchange in the world. There was a merger of Euro next with the NYSE Group, which led to the formation of NYSE Euro next and it is the first global stock exchange. The main indexes used in Euro next are the Euro next 100 Index and the Next 150 Index. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE): Located in Mumbai, India and founded in 1875, the Bombay Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange of Asia. The main index of BSE is called the BSE Sensex (Sensitive Index) or the BSE 30. In terms of volume of transactions, the BSE was ranked as one of the top five stock exchanges in the world in 2005. Some terms that are used in t he Global Financial Markets are: Geek, a Quant Grim Nerd, a Quant Quant Big Swinging Dick Rocket Scientist White Knight Today equity research has become a specialized activity, although confined to a very small segment of the market. It would be a little early to consider equity research as an independent business segment, but at the same time it must be appreciated that the value of equity research is being felt by the market. This is an interesting stage in the growth and development of equity research, especially in a situation where the traditional individual investor is unwilling to pay for vital stock related information while the institutional investor is already paying for research reports. The phenomenal growth of the financial markets over the last quarter of a century has meant that the very character of investment has changed with ever larger scales of market capitalization. The emergence of the Fund Manager as a new value addition in investment r elated financial services is actually a part of the growth and development of the institutional investor. The fund manager’s sole objective is to ensure maximum returns for his clients whose money he invests working in tandem with research inputs. The fund manager and his client are a vital part of the institutional investment process sustained by an advanced and research driven approach to capital market investment. Equity research still has some time to develop as a sustainable business model, but like any other research activity it has its limitations in developing into a booming business. Institutional investors are willing to pay ever higher amounts for in-depth and precise research in accordance with their requirements. Some of the modes of equity research are:

Business Research Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Research Methodology - Essay Example The objective of this research proposal is to understand and analyse factors affecting behaviour of consumers while purchasing products of Apple Company. In order to obtain essential research data related to the company and various strategies implemented by the company, extensive secondary research has been done. The study will try to figure out the relationship between factors affecting consumer behaviour and its relationship with purchasing decisions made by the consumers. The overall aim of the study has been divided into smaller objective and each objective has been studies thoroughly. The study has used both qualitative and quantitative method for data collection as well as data analysis. Primary data is collected through questionnaire as well as focus group methods. Contents Contents 3 Introduction 4 Research Questions 5 Literature Review 5 Research Methodology 6 Justification 6 Research Methods 6 Research Philosophy 6 Research Approach 7 Research Strategy 8 Data Collection Met hod 8 Data Analysis 9 Reference List 10 Introduction The use of computer tablets and smartphone has seen a dramatic increase in the recent past. Also, mobile applications have taken up the last spot in various gossips around mobile industry. Latest mobile applications companies such as Apple have revolutionalised the distribution of technologically advanced products. They have also become extremely visible and one of the most profitable part of the company. For decades, consumers have been the most puzzling and complex factor for the marketing and business professionals. Consumer behaviour, decision making processes, reasons for various choices etc, have always been the topic of interest as well as awe for these marketers (Blackwell, Miniard and Engel, 2006). However, with the help of technology as well as various business analysis tools, marketers have been able to crack many of these puzzles. That is why the study of consumer behaviour is one of the critical factors in every busin ess strategy (Pride and Ferrell, 2012). The study of consumer behaviour considers various reasons such as situational, personal, social and psychological, reason for shopping products and services, buying and using them, becoming loyal customers and disposing them. Mobile communications have hugely impacted the way individuals and communities interact with each other and perform business. Smart phones have become a must have item for executives and business professionals because the offering of smartphone are more advances and versatile compared to regular mobile phones. Several factors can be attributed to customers getting attracted to a particular product or service as well as switching from one product to another. These can be product quality, design and style and support services offered by the products (Hoyer and Macinnis, 2008). In case of mobile and technological products, competition is more intense. Availability of technology has made the competition tough and decreases th e overall life of mobile products. Thus, companies now require to be constantly innovating in order to survive in the market. Consumer behaviour can also be affected by various other factors such as situational, psychological, personal, family and culture. Marketers try to find out the various trends so that they are able to reach their target customers in the most convenient and cost-effective way. Marketers also try

Outline and differentiate the covenants that God made with Noah, Research Paper

Outline and differentiate the covenants that God made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David - Research Paper Example He was also to trust in God for the providence of a sacrifice, of which He provided the ram. Abraham was also to believe in the promises God had made to him concerning becoming a father of great nations. When asked to sacrifice his son, he was to believe that God would provide the sacrificial lamb on the day of the covenant. Noah on the other hand, had to believe and trust that God would keep His word, when he said that he would protect him and his family from the flood. He believed in God and sealed a covenant with him in that God would not punish humankind anymore with rain and floods. In this case, Noah, his family and the animals were the chosen community for the covenant. David’s promises were in two parts, whereby, Part 1 was fulfilled before David’s death, while part two had a later fulfillment. Section one of the first promises to be fulfilled before David died was; "I have been with you where ever you have been and I have cut off all your enemies from before yo u. Now I will make your name great like the names of the greatest men of the earth." (Verse: 9). Looking at 2nd. Samuel 8; 13, we can see that King David did have a great name among the nations. Therefore, this promise of God came true. Noah was promised that he and his seed was to be blessed. They were to be provided for, and under no circumstances was God to punish them anymore with rain or floods. These promises are known as the Davidic Covenant. Reeves 1comments that, ‘It is described in 2nd. Samuel chapter 7. In the overall purpose of God, it is equal in its significance to the Abrahamic Covenant. The Tabernacle was still at Gabion. David has made a tent for the Ark to stay in. 2nd. Chronicles 1;4 it says, â€Å"Now David had brought up the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem." David wants to build a house for God and God says on 2nd. Samuel chapter 7 verse 4. In verse 8, God reminded David of his humble beginning. He reminds him of his previous life when he was following the sheep. It does not take a great deal of imagination to understand what the job of following the sheep involves. God promises to make David’s name great like the names of the greatest men of the earth. It was easy for David to believe Him based on His past faithfulness in fulfilling the promise. God made a great promise, establishing the Davidic Covenant, which had present and eschatological implications. Looking at 2nd. Samuel 8; 13, we can see that King David did have a great name among the nations. 2 Part 2 begins with verse 10; "I will appoint a place for my people Israel." He would add more land to the nation. Again, chapter 8 points to the fulfillment by describing David’s conquests over surrounding nations. Section three is also in verse 11 where God had "caused you to rest from all your enemies" again we read of this in 1 Chronicles’ 23;25, "The Lord, the God of Israel , has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever." It is important to know that the Lord did fulfillment those promises to David because they validated those sections of part two of the covenant, which would take place after his death. The Lord says to David "When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your off spring (Note it is singular) to succeed you, who will come from

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

Summary - Essay Example The second solution was increased federalization which translates to increase funding from government institutions. The third solution is an increased cultivation of general public support where a medicine program could gain support through area health care providers. The fourth solution was increased pluralistic leadership which would be increasing the remittances from alumni, which also means taking a proactive approach from the perspective of the university through alumni outreach programs etc. There is the additional option of â€Å"Paying closer attention to long-term directions of movement.† This means taking an anticipatory approach to understanding what the market conditions will be in the long term future. The great uncertainty from this function is the question of what would happen to productivity if a nation were to not take full advantage of its educational assets. What this means is that ensuring that a strong educational research policy is pivotal to ensuring the long term economic and political success of a nation operating in a global environment. The second article to be examined for this paper is titled Magnet Schools and the Pursuit of Racial Balance by Goldring and Smrekar of Vanderbilt University.

Work and leisure. What you think about work and leisure based on the Essay

Work and leisure. What you think about work and leisure based on the books (use reference) - Essay Example John Locke argues from the spiritual dimensions that give aspects of work some real value and meaning. For example, he says that God gave nature freely to the universe but human beings used the actions of labor to give themselves property in terms of land, plantations, and buildings to get income value. He further argues that through doing work human beings made money, which is the determinant of the value of work (Locke 36). Therefore, people draw leisure from what they have invested to create support and comfort for their existence. In summary, Locke views work as God-given aspect of life, and the support that accrue to life is due to man improving the nature that God gave. That is to say, work and leisure are gifts from God. In his view, Josef Pieper stipulates that leisure is a mare attitude of mind and a function of the soul that brings the reality of the world societies. Additionally, he illustrates that true religion has its foundations and primarily thrives on leisure (Pieper, Dru and Pieper 17). In other words, he says that leisure gives human beings the time to appreciate the nature of God, hence forming part of human culture. However, in the current society, work is killing entertainment, which will eventually destroy the tranquility of human culture. Pieper’s revelation reveals that work and leisure conflict in the principality, of which leisure is a way of appreciating God’s creation. Therefore, work builds the very elements that create leisure activities such as sports. Schumacher in â€Å"Buddhist Economics,† gives yet another dimension of viewing work and recreation. The author argues that the fundamental source of wealth is work, whose measurement is in terms of human labor. Economist view work as an unavoidable aspect that should be kept to the bare minimum (Schumacher 1). On the contrary, human beings sacrifice their leisure in exchange for income from work.

Personal Obsession in The Emperors Babe and Purple Hibiscus Essay

Personal Obsession in The Emperors Babe and Purple Hibiscus - Essay Example Even before they reach adulthood they go through enormous upheavals in their lives. Moreover, their stories fit into a colonial discourse with attendant features of cultural displacement, social alienation and economic exploitation. There is yet another interesting similarity between the two heroines, namely, their personal obsessions. But the objects of their obsessions are not the same. Likewise, secondary characters in the two stories have obsessions of their own. This essay endeavors to show how there are a range of psychological dispositions among various characters which account for their obsessions and how the authors’ own obsessions bear upon them. The Emperor’s Babe is a fresh and vivid verse narrative of a young woman in Ancient Rome. Born into poverty and slavery, she is married off (or rather sold off) when she was merely eleven to a wealthy patrician a few times her age. Despite constraints to her liberty and growth from all sides, Zuleika yet manages to as sert her individuality. It is perhaps due to these powerful extraneous forces acting on her life that she sought refuge in an inner sanctum. This clinging manifests as obsessions of various sorts. For one, her insecurities made her a little aggressive towards others. Aggression expressed regularly betrays an underlying obsession with insecurity. This aggression is also manifest in her sexual behavior, whereby, her attractiveness and youth serves as a source of empowerment over men. As the short and eventful life of the adolescent girl unfolds through Evaristo’s lyrical prose, more dimensions to her heroine’s obsessions are unraveled. Zuleika’s father Anlamani is obsessed with his own position in society. He sees an opportunity to climb up the social ladder by marrying his beautiful daughter to a person of prestige. The person he has in mind is Mr. Felix, a wealthy aristocrat of the Roman Empire. He is quite older to Zuleika (who was just 11 at the time of being betrothed). Anlamani resorts to a menially worded marriage offer to Mr. Felix. For example, he says, "Si, Mr. Felix. Zuleika very obediens girl, sir. / No problemata, she make very optima wife, sir." (Evaristo, p.27) This pitch from Anlamani makes it clear that his daughter’s well being is secondary compared to his own selfish motive. Likewise, Felix is a man with his own obsessions. In his case he is obsessed with power. Having a pretty young wife would add to his prestige. He can show her off in his social circles as a trophy wife. That he is obsessed with power and prestige is evident in his response to Anlamani’s offer of marriage: â€Å"I intend to make this my far-western base/ and I need to warm my home with a wife./ I am a man of multiple interests: a senator,/ military man, businessman, I undertake/ trading missions for the government,/ and I'm a landowner.† (Evaristo, p.29) Kambili is obsessed over her relationship with Father Amadi. She falls in love with him. Although the Father also loves her, he could not consummate his love due to his commitments to Church and community. Her love is expressed overtly and covertly on a few occasions. As Zambilii says wittily â€Å"People have crushes on priests all the time, you know. It’s exciting to have to deal with God as a rival.†Ã‚  (Adichie, p.89) However, Kambili’s obsessive love for Father Amadi pales in comparison to the religious obsession of her own father Eugene. Kambili’s father, Papa as she calls him, is very possessive of his son and daughter. He imposes his authority on them to even the smallest detail. In other words he is obsessive of his son and daughter to the extent of being a control freak. For example, â€Å"Papa sat down at the table and poured his tea from the china tea set with pink flowers on

Marketing case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing case study - Essay Example The closing technique used by Frank was appropriate and suitable to the given situation because as he had made strong selling points, Abby showed certain objections and tentative questions (â€Å"Trial Close,† n.d.). It was also because Frank May wanted to steer the conversation in the right track, to know his real prospect (Paterson, 2006). When the time the customer had come up into a decision, the commitment had been obtained (â€Å"Closing techniques,† n.d.). The future close is a closing technique wherein the closing of the transaction could be in a future date, like â€Å"How much time to you need to think about it Abby? †¦ I know you can’t decide right now, what do you think?† Another method is adjournment close, which basically refers to the consideration of time being offered for the prospect to think, like â€Å"Being the senior purchasing director of Moor International, I know this decision is very relevant to you, I’ll give you time to consider about this. Can I count to it?† Conditional close is about giving conditions when objection occurred from the prospect in order to make a purchased of the product/service, like â€Å"The 50% I guess is only an estimation, if I can figure out the exact percentage of site that needs the scanner, will you choose our product?† A. Selling benefits not features – Frank’s performance was unsatisfactory for he was actually selling the features of the company and not the benefits the prospect can get. He said they had built the finest engineering staff over the past 5 years, what’s in it for Moore? He should refer on what the system can do for Moor because the expenditure can be justified by the benefits but not on the function. B. Using trial closes – The performance was good for he successfully performed the trial close technique with Abby. He responded on the objections and immediately closed the conversation. The good performance in using the trial close method made by Frank increased his performance. C.

General Principles of Law in the Eu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

General Principles of Law in the Eu - Essay Example It has been said that there were two main aspects for achieving a common market; the first being "negative integration" which required removal of existing barriers and the second requiring "harmonization" of rules so as to be in compliance with the set community rules which require positive steps so that the products can move freely within the EU this is known as positive integration1. When making an analysis of free movement it is necessary to differentiate between monetary barriers which are illustrated under Art 23-25 or under Article 90, which is discriminatory taxation and other barriers which do not deal with charges which are covered under Article 28-30. There have been at time quantitative restrictions which have restrained either the quantity of exports or imports. A restriction can take the form of a ban, quotas, or the requirement of obtaining licenses. For the purpose of ascertaining what a good is the ECJ stated in Commission v. Italy2 that the provisions of free movement of goods applied to any produce which can be valued in money and can form the basis for a commercial transaction. It can be clearly stated from the fact that Synthostein is a good and so the provisions for free movement of goods do apply to it. By the facts it can be said that there has been a quantitative restriction placed by Loamshire Borough Council on the import of Synthostein and so Art28 will be discussed along with its interpretation to the facts. Article 28 states that 'quantitative restrictions on imports and all measures having equivalent effect shall be prohibited between member states'. In Geddo v Ente Nazionale Risi3 quantitative restrictions was said to be total or partial restriction on imports, exports or goods in transit. This tends to include a complete ban. (Commission v. Italy (Re Ban on Pork and Imports)4. It also includes quotas as stated in Salgoil SpA v. Italian Ministry for Foreign Trade5. Furthermore, even if it is found that the ban on imports is only on a certain or part of the member state, it would still be classified as a quantitative restriction. This was illustrated in the Ditle v. Bluhm6e case where a prohibition on import by Danish on a small island named Laeso of bees or reproductive material was found to be a quantitative restriction even though it was only for the island and for the purpose of protecting the Laeso brown bee. In order for the Article 28 to be applied it has been found necessary that a state measure should have been taken. This is what was found in the case of Commission v. Ireland 'Buy Irish' 7where it was found that the Irish Goods Council had the involvement of the state in the appointment of its Managing Committee and that it was run on state funding. However it has been seen that measures taken by state have been interpreted in the