Case Study Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study Analysis - Assignment Example Rise of secondary ticket market is affecting the profitability and brand value of several leagues and sports teams. It is clear from the case study that the teams in NFL are facing several critical issues due to growth of secondary ticket industry. Issues and Problems It is true that the pricing of tickets is influencing by the organizational and economical factors along with the perceived value of the spectators. National Football League is the most popular and leading sporting event in United States. It is a seasonal event. Day-by-day, the popularity of this event is increasing significantly. Looking into these aspects, the brokers used to purchase large number of primary tickets from the ticketing management organizations of the league or several NFL teams. It is actually affecting the image of the organizations and team managements. Brokers or ticket agents generally sell these tickets to the spectators based in higher price comparing to the developed price by the organization. T he price of tickets is generally set depending on the previous year’s success, income, profit, revenue and demand of customers. This secondary ticketing process is making it difficult for the target audiences to buy the tickets at same price that is developed by the team management.

Information Communication, Knowledge management Essay

Information Communication, Knowledge management - Essay Example This will give a more current and topical feel to the subject. In this regard, as a country Pakistan is growing everyday by leaps and bounds in the technological arena. Hence, it has been seen that a country that is in the depths of development is always in dire need of a unique knowledge management system. In this regard, Si3 is Pakistan's leading IT Systems Integrator. As a model for IT integration, It has the capacity and experience for providing strategic technology solutions to business. It is providing IT solutions to different industries such as Financial Services, Oil & Gas, Telecommunications and to Public Sector. These industries have widespread use of the tools of knowledge management as the information from within needs to be transmitted to effectively to various external parties in terms of policies, financial statements, innovations, among other. (Wilson, 2002) Therefore, it has been observed that this IT system integrator has the capacity to promote knowledge management within its own framework. Knowledge and information have become almost interchangeable in their ability to transform workplaces and make the rest of the aware of the various activities that take place within it. Recognizing this premise, the company is providing result-oriented solutions to various industries. It is working with its alliance partners with an unmatched level of domain knowledge. It empowers organizations with inventive and scalable technology solutions thereby increasing the industry's competitive advantage and return on investment. (Wilson, 2002) Before delving any deeper into the elements of this brand of knowledge management, it is important to study and analyze the exact implication for this management tool as regards an information management. (Source: Wilson, 2002) This diagram depicts the growth of titles using knowledge management. In this regard, information management may be defined as something that involves deploying new technology solutions, e.g: content or document management systems, data warehousing and portal applications. It covers all the systems and processes in an organization for the creation and use of corporate information. Information is the most pervasive element across all human actions and interactions. Managing information has become one of man's most difficult tasks. Variety of information sources has changed information from mediocrity of data to a natural efficacy and requirement. Information management involves people, processes, technology and content. (Wilson, 2002) Knowledge management encompasses strategy, method, practice and approach in an organizational context. Data represents facts or values of results and has the capacity to represent information. Patterns of relations of data, and information have the capacity to represent knowledge. This shows a strong connection with the premise that Si3 operates on in terms of the use of various tools of information technology to integrate the knowledge within the organization. This also promotes a stronger and wider base for communication. In this regard,

Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines

Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines Republic Act No. 6848, otherwise known as The Charter of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines outlines that the primary purpose of the Islamic bank is to promote and accelerate the socio-economic development of the Autonomous Region by performing banking, financing and investment operations and to establish and participate in agricultural, commercial and industrial ventures based on the Islamic concept of banking. In addition to allowing the bank to act as a universal bank capable of offering both conventional and Islamic banking products and services, the Sections No. 10 11 of the charter respectively provide incentives in the form of investor protection, and grant the bank the ability to accept grants and donations (Congress of the Philippines, 1989). Dimapunong (2006) provides background information and commentary on the rules and regulations governing the Al-Amanah Islamic Bank. A founding chairman of the bank, the author also wrote about the role of former senator Mamintal A. Tamanos role in the establishment of the original Philippine Amanah Bank, the precursor of the current Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines. A rare representative from Muslim Mindanao, the late senator was supposedly the first to envision a Muslim bank in the Philippines, at a time when modern Islamic banking was at its infancy. According to the author, the original PAB was not properly Shariah-compliant leading Ulama counsels to complain about the institution misleading the public. By 1988 it had been deemed a complete failure having already gone bankrupt (Dimapunong A. A.). Sandra Isnaji (2003) conducted a SWOT (Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat) analysis of the Amanah Bank and prescribes a rehabilitation plan for the institution involving infusions of capital from the government in order to get rid of the banks debt and to invest in new infrastructure. Her paper was aimed at answering three questions with regard to the beleaguered banks status: (1) Where are we now? (2) Where do we want to be? and (3) How do we get there? To that extent, Isnaji looked at the state of Islamic banking industry as a whole, the state of the Philippine financial system, and the state of the Amanah bank itself. With regard to the Amanah Banks operations, Isnaji (2003) states that (at the time of writing) it operates on a two-window system in which it offers both Islamic and conventional financial products and services. And while the institution faced no competition from other Islamic banks, it faced stiff competition from the countrys conventional financial institutions, both formal and informal. With regard to the Philippine banking sector, the author used Porters Five Forces framework to analyze the ABs competition within it. The author findings are as follows: (1) With regard to the bargaining power of suppliers: the tight control of the Bangko Sentral affords it high bargaining power, to the advantage of state-owned banks such as the Amanah Bank; the bargaining power of multilateral and bilateral aid organizations(USTDA, WB, ADB, JBIC) is high due to their involvement with micro-finance and development banks; the large size and unorganized nature of the labor sector affords it little ba rgaining power; bargaining power among depositors is highly skewed towards the higher income deciles whos deposits account for 88.3% of the savings in banks, with the lower deciles having nor bargaining power. (2) With regard to the bargaining power of buyers, the higher income deciles belonging to the middle and upper classes resided and/or did business in the National Capital Region (NCR) and demand services such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦electronic banking, payroll services, and bill payments.; The power portions of the population find it difficult to obtain financing from formal banks due to their situation, and thus do not have much bargaining power, but their sheer numbers offer a potentially large market. (3) With regard to the threat of new entrants, any new Islamic banks allowed by the BSP could actually benefit the Amanah Bank by providing much needed visibility for the beleaguered Philippine Islamic banking sector. (4) With regard to the threat of substitute, notable alternatives that customers may opt for are informal financial institutions, employers that provide loan programs, or complete abstinence from banking entirely. Another threat is the outflow of capital from the country. (5) With regard to rivalry among existing players, the tendency of banks to be large tends to lead them to avoid small borrowers and savers, as such the government has had to develop the banking system so as to include such institutions as thrift and rural banks which cater to the needs of small borrowers and savers who would otherwise resort to informal institutions. In order to counter the threat of oligopoly the government competes in the financial sector via the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). (Isnaji, 2003) As a requirement of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) acquisition of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP), the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) required the DBP to submit a 5-year rehabilitation plan for the bank. The initial plan, submitted on 23 April 2008, was deemed inadequate by the BSP. As such a draft of the revised plan was submitted on 18 March 2009. The revised plan was divided into four parts: (1) a brief background elaborating on the institutions legal basis, purpose, and present situation, (2) a summary of its business plans, (3) details on the implementation of said business plans, (4) and five-year financial projections. (Panganiban, 2009) The revised rehabilitation plan of the Amanah Bank centers around 4Rs, specifically: Recapitalization via capital infusions from the DBP and domestic and foreign investors; this is aimed at covering the expenses of the banks rehabilitation Restoration of financial viability focused on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦aggressive marketing efforts to introduce AAIIBPs new products and services, liquidation of non-performing assets and the sourcing of contingent fundsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Reorganization focused on building up institutional capacity, particularly with regard to Sharia compliance; involves organizational restructuring, relocation and refurbishing of bank offices, expansion and automation. Reforms institutionalization involves strengthening of corporate culture and governance, monitoring system, risk management and audit system, and review of product and operating manuals. Particular emphasis has been given to the recapitalization strategy which would provide the funds needed for the other three points of the rehabilitation. (Development Bank of the Philippines, March 2009) Islamic Banking Chong and Liu (2006) attempted to determine how different Islamic banking is from conventional banking by examining Islamic banking practice in Malaysia using the Engle-Granger error-correction methodology. In their study they find that despite being theoretically different, in practice Islamic banking in Malaysia is not very different from conventional banking. According to their study, only a negligible portion of Islamic bank financing in Malaysia is based on the profit-and-loss (PLS) sharing paradigm and that Islamic deposits are not interest-free, but are based on non-PLS modes that are permitted under Sharia law, but ignore the spirit of the usury prohibition. This parallels Islamic banking experience in other countries. The authors conclude that Islamic banking practices cannot differ too greatly from conventional banking practice due to stiff competition that makes interest-free Islamic deposits closely pegged to conventional deposits. This conclusion can have implications fo r the brand is Islamic banking, particularly with regard to its often touted non-interest-based character. However, it also has analytical and regulatory implications; the similarity of Islamic banking practices to conventional banking practices would simplify the task of both studying and regulating Islamic banking. The findings of this study mirror an earlier paper by Movassaghi and Zamans (2002). In it, they attempt to re-examine the concept of riba in light of Islamic jurisprudence. In that paper they compare Islamic banking practices with conventional banking practices in order to highlight that neither all conventional practices are usurious, nor are modern Islamic banking practices significantly different from those of conventional banks. They also assert that many differences between the profit/loss sharing paradigm of Islamic banking and conventional interest-based merely superficial. In addition to questions of practice, Chong and Lius study also asked the question of whether or not the growth of Islamic banking over the past several years was due to the comparative advantages of the Islamic banking paradigm, or to the Islamic resurgence that began in the 1960s. Based on their findings, the authors are inclined to adopt the latter view. This view is also compatible with the findings of a study cited by Isnaji (2003), done by the Meezan Bank of Pakistan which identified several key success factors in the experience of Islamic banks in other countries: (1) strong religious consciousness among the Muslim population, (2) support from the government in the form of financial infrastructure and favorable regulations, (3) promotion, (4) [increases] in individual wealth, and (5) a wide variety of financial products and services. Public Enterprises/Public Enterprise Reform Basu (2005) gives an overview of the background and concept of public enterprise, highlighting the particular experience of India in this matter. distinguishing it from the broader term public sector by adopting the definition adopted by the International Centre of Public Enterprises (ICPE): Any commercial, financial, industrial, agricultural or promotional undertaking owned by public authority, either wholly or through majority share holding which is engaged in the sale of goods and services and whose affairs are capable of being recorded in balance sheets and profit and loss accounts. Such undertakings may have diverse legal and corporate forms, such as departmental undertakings, public corporations, statutory agencies, established by Acts of Parliament or Joint Stock Companies registered under the Company Law. The author then goes on to elaborate these three categories. Basu further elaborates on the theory of public enterprises by elaborating on four types of economic activity based on the concept of remuneration as well as that of natural monopoly. (Basu, 2005) Basu highlights the equal importance of accountability and efficiency in the management of public enterprises, stating the important role of institutional arrangements in this matter. The author then elaborates on the creation of public enterprises with regard to government policy in terms of the strategies of nationalization or introduction of a new activity and states that most post-independence cases consisted of the latter. Basu emphasizes the idea that neither the state nor the market is immune to failure and that current emphasis should be on the idea of public-private synergy, and that attention should be put on both on public-private partnership and competition to achieve the objectives of efficiency and welfare. He then highlights the link between public finance and public enterprise, stating that shortsighted approaches of several developing countries including India to reduce fiscal deficit by selling public enterprises- which follow from inadequacies of public finance man agement could be disastrous in the long run (Basu, 2005). Stiglitz (2000) identifies two major categories in which public enterprises may systematically be more inefficient than private enterprises: organizational and individual. Under the former are sub-categories regarding organizational incentives, personnel restrictions, procurement restrictions, and budget restrictions. These pertain to public enterprises organizational rules and procedures which may hamper those enterprises efficiency and performance. The nature of public firms can mean that they may not necessarily need worry about incurring losses in their operations since any such losses may be covered by public funding. The bureaucratic nature of these enterprises may also entail strict procedures with regard to the hiring and firing of employees and the appropriation of needed materials, increasing transaction costs for both the demanding firm and possible suppliers (private forms and individuals). Lastly, there is the issue of budget restrictions due to governments having to all ocate limited financial resources among various agencies and projects. (Stiglitz, 2000) The latter category pertains to the behavior of individual bureaucrats under the incentive structure of public enterprises. Low wages and security of tenure may provide disincentives for bureaucrats to perform efficiently. Bureaucrats are also argued to be budget maximizers in that they seek to maximize the size of their bureaucracies by encouraging increased expenditures on their respective agencies. Stiglitz cites Niskanen with regard to principal-agent problems in bureaucracies wherein government bureaucrats act in their own interests and not necessarily in the interests of the citizens whom they are supposed to serve. (Stiglitz, 2000) Chang (2007) presents a discussion of the issue of state enterprise reform. Chang argues that theoretically there is no clear case with for or against state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by citing arguments for (natural monopoly, capital market failure, externalities, equity) and against (principal-agent problem, free-rider problem, soft budget restrains), the author also points out that large SOEs and large private sector firms often face similar (principal-agent) problems. This mirrors Stiglitzs statement that Principal-agent problems arise in all organization, whether public or private and are particularly acute in large organizations. In both private and public cases, managers often have large amounts of discretion allowing them to pursue their own interests. (Stiglitz, 2000) In citing the issues of public enterprises in comparison to private enterprises, many often assume away the agency problems of private firms, thus comparing idealized private firms with real-life SOEs, the former of which would obviously come out on top (Chang, 2007). Chang 92007) points out that privatization is not the only solution to the problems of many SOEs, and that many intermediate third way solutions exist. The author elaborates that privatization as an option has its costs and limitations and should only be taken on certain conditions, many of which are not met in reality leading to many failed attempts at privatization that cause more problems than they solve. As such, the third way options (organizational reform, increasing competition, political and administrative reforms) ought to be considered before privatization. (Chang, 2007) Rational Choice Theory/Institutional Economics Rational/Public Choice Theory Rational Choice Theory refers to those theories of the social sciences which utilize the analytical tools of neoclassical economics, particularly, the core assumption of rational (utility-maximizing) and self-interested individuals. (Hindmoor, 2006) Hindmoor (2002) states that rational choice theorists employ an instrumental conception of rationality in which actions are judged as being rational to the extent that they constitute the best way of achieving some goal. He identifies two conceptualizations of rationality: The first (the axiomatic approach) conceives a rational person as someone whos preference-ordering over bundles of goods and services is reflexive, complete, transitive and continuous. The second (the optimizing approach) conceives the rational person as one who possesses optimal beliefs and acts in optimal ways given those beliefs and desires. (Hindmoor, 2006) Hindmoor writes that rationality is a controversial assumption in political science, particularly in light of the concept of bounded rationality. As such, he says that such an assumption must be justified and looks at the two approaches in order to determine which is more defensible. Under the umbrella heading of rational choice theory can be found the sub-theories of public choice, which, in turn, constituted transplanting the general analytical framework of economics into political science. (Tullock, 2002) Tullocks primary contribution to rational/public choice theory is his theories on rent-seeking, which he defines as the use of resources for the purpose of obtaining rents for people where the rents themselves come from some activity that has negative social value. Tullock continues: The concept of rent seeking as popularly perceived refers to legal and illegal activities to obtain special privileges such as seeking monopoly status, special zoning, quantitative restrictions on imports, protective tariffs, bribes, threats, and smuggling. (Tullock, 2002) Indeed, rent-seeking has actually come to dominate the literature of rational choice theory. Hindmoor (2006) cites the plethora of studies done on various countries, on various topics to emphasize this point. He looks to three possible explanations for this: (1) the name-recognition of the term rent-seeking itself, (2) the adaptability and extendibility of Tullocks argument which à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦can be extended to cover the analysis of any and all special economic privilegesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, and (3) the fact that it offered a hostile theory of state, which could be used to counter welfare economists arguments for government intervention. On the second reason, Hindmoor supplements Tullocks original argument by pointing out that interest groups also spend resources to prevent rivals from obtaining rents and to secure their own and that governments may also practice rent-extraction. (Hindmoor, 2006) Tullock (2002) identifies several costs involved in rent seeking: The first being the actual cost of obtaining the special privilege. Of which the author provides the example of the costs of lobbying in Washington D.C. Greater costs are incurred from the distortion of the voting process, wherein public officials who are elected to pursue certain policies or projects often also pursue other less beneficial projects of which the true cost cannot be typically counted due to those politicians not disclosing the details of deals they have made. The greatest costs, however, are the indirect costs caused by rent seeking behavior. In particular, the involvement of intelligent and energetic people in an activity that contributes either nothing or negatively to society. The opportunity cost of such activities, he argues, far exceed their direct costs. (Tullock, 2002) Tullock (2002) argues that the development of rent seeking activities is influenced by many factors, in particular the structure and design of government. In general, he argues, any rule that complicates and makes the functioning of the government government decisionmaking process less smooth will lower the amount of rent seeking. He concludes his discussion on the topic by emphasizing that there are as of yet no good measures of the costs of rent-seeking (Tullock, 2002). Hindmoor (2006) cites Von Mises in defining bureaucracy as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦any organization which specialises in the supply of those services the value of which cannot be exchanged for money at a per-unit rate. Such organizations, Von Mises suggests, find themselves effectively exempted from the demands of economic calculation and are, as a result, usually inefficient. He also cites Tullock: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the crucial feature of bureaucracies is not simply that they are hierarchies, but pyramidal hierarchies with fewer people at the top than in the lower ranks. This leads to a principal-agent relationship, with all its problems of information asymmetry (Hindmoor, 2006). In his section of Public Choice, Tullock also discusses bureaucracy. He writes that: Bureaucrats are much like other people and, like people in general, are more interested in their own well-being than in the public interest. The problem is in designing institutions in such a way as to harness bureaucrats self-interest to serve the public interest (Tullock, 2002). The core problem with bureaucracy is encapsulated by Tullock in one paragraph: In most bureaucracies the executive whether in General Motors, the Department of State, or the Exchequer is in a position where only to a minor extent is his or her own interest involved. Bureaucrats will make many decisions that will have little or no direct effect on themselves and hence can be made with the best interests of General Motors or the American or the British people at heart. Unfortunately bureaucrats, in general, have only weak motives to consider these problems carefully, but they do have strong motives to improve their status in the bureaucracy, whether by income, power, or simply the ability to take leisure while sitting in plush offices. They are more likely to be more concerned with this second set of objectives than the first, although they may not put very much effort into it because not much effort is required (Tullock, 2002). Tullock then further draws parallels between public and private bureaucrats. He argues that both will attempt to maximize gains for their respective employers if it pays off for them. But in neither case does the institutional structure lead bureaucrats to maximizing the well-being of their superiors. He qualifies, though, that private corporations have a much easier time in pursing their goals efficiently than do governments. He cites three reasons for this: the comparatively simple objective of stockbrokers (profit maximization), the reasonably accurate methods of measuring the performance of corporate managers (bureaucrats) in the form of accounting, and the difference in the ownership of benefits from the efficient management of bureaucracies (private profit vs. public interest) (Tullock, 2002). Lastly, Tullock elaborates upon several proposals with regard to bureaucratic reform: decentralization, depriving bureaucrats of the vote, and downsizing the size of bureaucracy. He discusses how it is often in the interest of bureaucrats to increase the size of their departments , although in some cases downsizing does occur without the objection of senior bureaucrats due to such measures not affecting them aversely or even benefiting them by, for example, leading to more highly paid positions at the top while cutting down from below. Most intriguing is his characterization of bureaucratic behaviour as resembling that of people with hobbies, albeit with two major differences: it does not cost bureaucrats very much since they are predominantly using other peoples resources and that most bureaucrats honestly think that whatever it is they do is not for their benefit alone, but for the country or their bureau. (Tullock, 2002) This mirrors Niskanens theory on bureaucracy, wherein he asserts that bureaucrats find it in their interest to maximize their budgets and that they are often successful in doing so. Niskanen, himself defines bureaucracies as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦non-profit-making organization whose revenues derive from periodic grants (Hindmoor, 2006). Niskanen also à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦follows Downs in assuming that bureaucrats value a range of goods including power, monetary income, prestige and security. Yet he cuts through the complexities o Downs argument by suggesting that nearly all of these variables are positively related to the size of the bureaucrats budget (Hindmoor, 2006). Tullock (2002) elaborates goes on to the relationship between bureaucrats and two other major groups of political actors: politicians and pressure groups. Tullock focuses on the ability of bureaucrats to often lord over their superiors thanks to their security of tenure. Two bureaucratic tactics are discussed: the use of leaks to undermine or embarrass superiors, and the use of essential programs as proverbial shields in the fact of budget cuts. With regard to pressure groups, the collusion is the cited issue, wherein bureaus and interest groups work together to gain mutual benefits from government. (Tullock, 2002) With regard to this relationship Niskanen argues that the bureaucrats have two advantages over politicians which allow them to increase their budgets: (1) greater information on the costs involved in their bureaucracies provision of goods, and (2) the ability to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦make take-it-or-leave-it offers to their political patrons (Hindmoor, 2006). Politicians on the o ther hand are attributed four capacities: (1) the ability to select the bureaucracys overall output, (2) the ability to ensure that bureaucrats fulfill their promises in return for an agreed budget, (3) the ability to ensure that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the total benefits individuals derive from consuming whatever output it is that the bureaucracy provides are equal to or greater than the total costs of providing it (Hindmoor, 2006) and (4) the ability to ensure that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the marginal benefits of any output are not negative (Hindmoor, 2006). As Hindmoor points out, however, Niskanen has accepted the argument of Jean-Luc Migue and Gerard Belanger (1974) that bureaucrats do not so much maximize the size of their budget, but rather that of their discretionary budget, defined as the difference between their budget and the minimum costs of supplying their expected output. They argue that though this discretionary budget cannot be used by the bureaucrat for personal profit, it can be used to gain greater power, patronage, prestige, and so on (Hindmoor, 2006). Regardless of this distinction, however, the conclusion is still that the bureaucracies are inefficient because their budgets are too large. (Hindmoor, 2006) Hindmoor further critiques Niskanens argument by citing several works by multiple authors who point out that (1) politicians actually hold great power over bureaucrats, so much so that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦bureaucrats can be deterred from making excessive demandsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (2) politicians can trick bureaucrats into revealing information on minimal costs by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦asking them how much output they would be willing to provide at various per unit prices. (3) constituents and interest-groups may raise alarms about with regard to ineffective bureaucracies, (4) administrative rules and standard operating procedures keep bureaucracies in line, and (5) that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Congressional Committees have the formal power to hire and fire senior bureaucrats, ring-fence particular investments and hold investigations and public-hearings into an agencys performance (Hindmoor, 2006). In his discussion, Tullock concludes by emphasizing that bureaucrats are not necessarily bad people, but that the institutional arrangement often frees them of the constraint of efficiently carrying out the tasks to which they have been assigned. The author then iterates that both large governments and large private corporations necessitate bureaucracies, and that such bureaucracies can be both conducive and/or obstructive to good government. (Tullock, 2002) Now, while rational choice theory certainly dominates discussion of government inefficiency Field (1979) argues that while it provides an easy framework for analysis, it is incapable of providing explanations. He argues that since rational choice models are as incapable of providing sufficiently restrictive predictions, which provide accounts which tell why a certain outcome was reached instead of another. He points to the inability of neoclassical economic analysis in explaining oligopolies, citing that Economists can analyze an existing cartel by pointing to the benefits which participating companies receive as the result of restricting output and raising prices. But economist can equally well analyze the absence of a cartel by pointing to the benefits individual members would obtain by violating such an agreement. (Field, 1979) Field goes on to critique the idea of explaining social outcomes based on the conception that they spring from economic forces. He mentions that while rational choice models have the comparative advantage when it comes to understanding outcomes which are caused by economic forces, they do not take into consideration the ways in which social forces affect the operation of markets. (Field, 1979) Field thus argues that the inherent limitations of rational choice/economic models in explaining systems of rules mean that they are no replacement for institutional economists qualitative approach, which holds historical understanding of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦laws and customs organizing the process under investigationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as essential. However, he does make the consideration that while rational choice models cannot satisfactorily explain institutions by themselves, they can help. (Field, 1979) Institutional Economics R.A. Gordon (1963) attempts to outline the characteristics of institutional economics in the form of several propositions: (1) Economic behavior is strongly conditioned by the institutional environment (in all its manifestation) within which economic activity takes place, and economic behavior in turn affects the institutional environment. (2) This process of mutual interaction is an evolutionary one. The environment changes, and as it does, so do the determinants of economic behavior. Hence the need for an evolutionary approach to economics. (3) In this evolutionary process of interaction, a key role is played by the (largely conflicting) conditions imposed by modern technology and by the pecuniary institutions of modern capitalism. (4) Economics is more concerned with conflict than with a harmonious order in which unconscious [cooperation] results from the free play of market forces. (5) Since conflict underlies so many economic relationships, and since these relationships are not immutable, there is room and need for social control of economic activity. (6) We need to learn all that we can from psychology, sociology, anthropology, and law if we are to understand why human beings act as they do in their economic roles. People are not maximizing automata reacting mechanically in an institutional vacuum. (7) Granted the preceding assumptions, much of orthodox economic theory is either wrong or irrelevant because it makes demonstrably false assumptions and does not ask the really important questions. A new, broader, evolutionary theory based on behavioral assumptions derived from the other social sciences and on detailed knowledge of the evolution and present characteristics of the institutional environment needs to be constructed. A wide variety of empirical studies must precede the attempt to construct such a broader, evolutionary, and more realistic corpus of theory (Gordon, 1963). Thorstein Veblen is commonlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦regarded as the founding father or guiding spirit of American institutionalism. (Ayres, 1964) In Institutional Economics, Ayres argues that the central idea of Veblens works was a call for a completely different ontology of economics with a completely different conception of what constituted the economy. Whereas the conception of mainstream economics has been that the economic system is centered on the concept of the market and tied together by individuals self-interest. Instead, Ayres asserts that Veblen took on an anthropological conception of the economy. One where in it is the state of industrial arts that gives occasion to exchange, so the extent of the market must always be limited by the state of the industrial arts. This was the direct opposite of the thinking of mainstream economics at that point: that the various aspects of civilizations development could be attributed to market forces. (Ayres, 1964) Ayres puts Veb

Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software :: Plagiarism Detection Software

Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software This past week, I worked with a couple of other members of the Writing Department at GVSU to prepare a position statement on plagiarism detection software. GVSU only recently acquired a subscription to Turnitin, and myself and the other teachers were concerned that teachers in other disciplines would be unware of the issues surrounding plagiarism detection services. The following is the full text of the statement which has been distributed on our campus. Note: CCCC-IP has begun a resource page on plagiarism detection services. Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software Overview Recently, Grand Valley State University purchased a site license to plagiarism detection service Turnitin.com. Faculty members who use this service can require students to submit writing assignments electronically to Turnitin, which compares student texts against Turnitin’s database of Internet sites, academic journals index, and previously student submitted papers and prepares a report indicating where in the text plagiarism has been detected. Writing submitted to Turnitin is maintained in the database for comparison against future submissions by other students. Scholars and teachers in the field of Rhetoric and Composition, as well as other academics, have discouraged the use of plagiarism detection services. We recommend that before using this service, faculty members consider several important issues raised by the use of Turnitin. Turnitin Discourages Good Pedagogical Practices Concerning Writing Because Turnitin compares student writing against a database of articles, previously submitted student writing, and web pages, it’s most easily used as a plagiarism detection service. Such use emphasizes the policing of student behavior and texts over good-faith assumptions about students’ integrity, and can shift attention away from teaching students how to avoid plagiarism in the first place. In â€Å"Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices,† the Council of Writing Program Administrators urges teachers to â€Å"use plagiarism detection services cautiously,† for they should â€Å"never be used to justify the avoidance of responsible teaching methods.† We recommend that teachers work toward implementing the WPA’s best practices as a long-term solution to eliminating plagiarism and building a culture of responsible participation in the creation and circulation of academic knowledge. The Writing Department and the Fred Meijer Center for Writing will be happy to host a workshop on sound pedagogical practices for eliminating plagiarism. Turnitin Can Be Ineffective for Detecting Plagiarism Experimentation by researchers and instructors has indicated that Turnitin can be ineffective in catching student plagiarism of Internet sources or can produce otherwise inaccurate results (e. Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software :: Plagiarism Detection Software Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software This past week, I worked with a couple of other members of the Writing Department at GVSU to prepare a position statement on plagiarism detection software. GVSU only recently acquired a subscription to Turnitin, and myself and the other teachers were concerned that teachers in other disciplines would be unware of the issues surrounding plagiarism detection services. The following is the full text of the statement which has been distributed on our campus. Note: CCCC-IP has begun a resource page on plagiarism detection services. Issues Raised by Use of Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Software Overview Recently, Grand Valley State University purchased a site license to plagiarism detection service Turnitin.com. Faculty members who use this service can require students to submit writing assignments electronically to Turnitin, which compares student texts against Turnitin’s database of Internet sites, academic journals index, and previously student submitted papers and prepares a report indicating where in the text plagiarism has been detected. Writing submitted to Turnitin is maintained in the database for comparison against future submissions by other students. Scholars and teachers in the field of Rhetoric and Composition, as well as other academics, have discouraged the use of plagiarism detection services. We recommend that before using this service, faculty members consider several important issues raised by the use of Turnitin. Turnitin Discourages Good Pedagogical Practices Concerning Writing Because Turnitin compares student writing against a database of articles, previously submitted student writing, and web pages, it’s most easily used as a plagiarism detection service. Such use emphasizes the policing of student behavior and texts over good-faith assumptions about students’ integrity, and can shift attention away from teaching students how to avoid plagiarism in the first place. In â€Å"Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices,† the Council of Writing Program Administrators urges teachers to â€Å"use plagiarism detection services cautiously,† for they should â€Å"never be used to justify the avoidance of responsible teaching methods.† We recommend that teachers work toward implementing the WPA’s best practices as a long-term solution to eliminating plagiarism and building a culture of responsible participation in the creation and circulation of academic knowledge. The Writing Department and the Fred Meijer Center for Writing will be happy to host a workshop on sound pedagogical practices for eliminating plagiarism. Turnitin Can Be Ineffective for Detecting Plagiarism Experimentation by researchers and instructors has indicated that Turnitin can be ineffective in catching student plagiarism of Internet sources or can produce otherwise inaccurate results (e.

Eng 125 the Boy at the Window

The boy at the window Eng 125 January 10, 2012 Poetry it is a very real thing as well as emotional. Many people use poetry to write love poems, or even about certain things like in the poem â€Å"The Boy at the window† (Richard Wilbur). In this poem it shows a lot of emotions as I will discuss in the paragraphs to follow. Poems also are funny or scary. Poems really can be about whatever you want them to be about. He states in his audio that his five year old son was upset that his father didn’t invite the snowman in and make him comfortable. The imaginative language of this poem was very interesting. When I first went through and read the poem to myself it seemed as if he was portraying the poem to be very sad. Having a snowman melt away is a very sad thing for a child and at times they really don’t understand why they are there one day and then gone the next. When I listened to the poem in the audio version it kind of was meant as humor in parts of it. It seemed to really come to life when you could hear people laughing in the back ground and to hear how he read it. Figurative language is used in this poem as well a few times. When he states â€Å"the pale-faced figure with bitumen eyes† instead he could have said something simple like the snowman with the coal eyes. I believe this language is used in many poems to make the poems unique. I think that a poem that throws a little twist in it is something that is very interesting. Irony is also characterized in this poem. The five year old boy expects that the snowman is always going to be there but what really happens is that he melts away. This is irony because it is shows something that was expected and then something totally different occurs. I had to read the poem several times and listen to before I really understood the different elements that were in it. At least it took some time to really figure the elements that fit good to this poem. There really could be more but I think that the ones that I chose fit really well. The elements in this poem did not affect my opinion on the content of the poem. My opinion of the poem wouldn’t change no matter the element. I found it somewhat a challenge to pin point three particular elements when reading the poem because I think that there could be many. When I found one element that fit it right then I really had to think about how it worked with it and so on. I really enjoyed reading the poems and really found â€Å"The boy at the window† (Richard Wilbur) to be one that I could relate to. When I was a kid I would build snowman all the time and then wonder why they would go away. Then you got the song Frosty the snowman which actually if you listen to the lyrics they are actually pretty sad when you get thinking about it. I am now put in the same situation when building a snowman with my son and have to explain what goes on when building a snowman. References Ashford University Journey into literature Ashford University library   e-library Copyright of Computational & Mathematical Methods in Medicine is the property of Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Contemporary Status of Women in the Us Essay

Women have come a long way from the early 1900’s when they gained their equal right to vote, to now where it seems women have equal rights to do just about anything. Women have been increasingly joining the economic work force since the last 100 years or so. Although, women in the work force have been increasing in numbers are they given an equal and fair chance compared to that of men? A quick glance on the subject would suggest that women are given equal and fair chances in the work force; however, upon closer inspection it seems women in fact are not given the same fair and equal opportunities as men. Women are subjected to occupation gender segregation and unfair pay gaps in comparison to men. Nevertheless, women are working diligently and successfully to break down these unjust barriers that are keeping them from having equal opportunities. According to Margaret L. Andersen and Dana Hysock Witham, in Thinking about Women: Sociological Perspectives on Sex and Gender, gender segregation is â€Å"the pattern whereby women and men are situated in different jobs thought the labor force† (128). This can be made an example of in obvious occupations such as: kindergarten and preschool teachers, nurses, librarians, and house cleaners, versus college professors, doctors, lawyers, and construction works. The former, when typically imagined, the first image that comes to mind is a woman, whereas the latter is associated with a man. These occupations are associated with certain genders because generally speaking those jobs are and have traditionally been a certain gender dominated. Philip N. Cohen, and Matt L. Huffman, in Occupational Segregation and the Devaluation of Women’s Work Across U. S. Labor Markets, hypothesis that gender segregation in the workforce exists because of the â€Å"discrimination both in the allocation of workers across the job categories and in how female-dominated jobs are rewarded relative to male-dominated jobs† (882). Women are â€Å"blocked access† to typical male dominated jobs because of social ideas and cultural norms that say that women cannot effectively do the work of men, which requires intellect, leadership, hard labor, and other skills traditionally associated with men. Rather, women are kept in low paying jobs that often do not lead to promotions and involve skills that they have traditionally been known for, such as cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, obeying men’s orders, and things of that nature. Because women and men are kept in jobs that relate to their traditional gender based skills, it creates a segregation of the labor force instead of creating a heterogeneous labor force were men and women are equally interested in and are hired in certain occupations. Women’s work is also often undervalued in society, especially in comparison to the work of men. Because of this undervaluing of women’s work women are additionally rewarded far less than men are. A wage gap is the difference between the earnings of men and women in the workforce. Today â€Å"women earn only 77 percent of what men earn, at least on average† (DeNavas-Walt qtd. in Andersen and Hysock Witham 137). The wage gap between women and men can be attributed to occupational segregation and wage discrimination. Occupational segregation places women in lower skilled jobs that underutilize and devalues women’s skills and potential to work and be successful in the labor force (Karamessini and Ioakimoglou 34). Employers usually pay their employee’s wages that they see fit in relation to, how much they deem an employee and his or her skills are worth in the company, and how they contribute to the company. Because women’s work and skills are undervalued by a majority of society they are in turn paid less compared to men. Additionally, women usually seek out or are put into jobs that are women dominated. Again since women’s work is undervalued, once an occupation becomes a woman dominated occupation, the job itself becomes less valuable and people in that job eventually are paid less in that occupation compared to if it had been a male dominated occupation. The wage gap is also impacted by wage discrimination. The unequal pay of women based on gender rather than qualifications and skills is wage discrimination. In Joel T. Nadler and Margaret S. Stockdale’s article, Workplace Gender Bias: Not Just Between Strangers they quote Kolesnikova ;amp; liu , â€Å"Although the gender wage gap has been decreasing over the last thirty years there is still a difference in salary between men and women in similar careers with similar experience† (282). Women are still being paid less than men despite having equal or better fit skills and or qualifications than men. Women are making progress in making the wage gap between men and women non-existent, however, progress has been slowing. Women are slowly but surely making significant progress in leveling the playing field in the labor market for both men and women. Progress can be seen in closing the wage gap between genders and in the desegregating of gender based jobs. â€Å"The earnings gap between men and women has shrunk to a record low†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dennis 01a). Dennis attributes it to the prosperity of women in the 21century economy and the fact that the recession has negatively affected men’s pay. He additionally continues to discuss how not only has white women’s wages increased, black women’s wages have also seen an increase in the past nine years. Women’s wages have been slowly increasing and becoming even with that of men. This increase can be attributed to women breaking down barriers of gender segregation in the work force. â€Å"Women have been moving into high-paying professional jobs such as accountants, lawyers and physician† (Dennis 01a). These occupations are typically male dominated. However, it seems in recent years the occupations’ genders have been less homogenous and more of an even or close to even mixture of both genders. As women are taking over more male dominated jobs, such as perhaps managerial jobs, it seems that there are sacrifices that women have to make where as men usually do not. â€Å"Studies indicate career oriented women are more likely to delay relationships or children in order to advance their careers† (Hoffnung qtd. Nadler and Stockdale 282). Because women are taking on traditionally male dominated occupations they are under extra scrutiny and watch, therefore, women feel the pressure to perform well and make sacrifices in the name of their job. Women can feel that in order to be successful they are required to choose work over family life. The pressures over performing well in a women’s career life and also balancing their social or family life can create anxiety and unhealthy stress for women. Although, women have been successful in further closing the wage gap and breaking down gender segregation within the workforce, their progress it seems has also come at the price of choosing a career or a family. Although women have come a long way since the early 1900’s it seems that they are still subjected to unequal treatment compared to men. Women face gender segregation in the workforce which makes it difficult to attain prestigious and high paying jobs. Women are also subjected to being paid less than men regardless of having equal or superior skills. Nevertheless, women are facing these obstacles head on. Women are now more than CEO’s, they are leveling the playing field between genders in the labor force and re demanding, and showing that they deserve equal pay.

Constitutional Safeguards in India Essays

Constitutional Safeguards in India Essays Constitutional Safeguards in India Paper Constitutional Safeguards in India Paper Constitutional Safeguards In India, the National Constitution of 1950 or any other Constitutional document does not define the word Minority. The Constitution only refers to Minorities and speaks of those based on religion or language. In the Constitution of India, the Preamble (as amended in 1976) declares the State to be Secular, and this is of special relevance for the Religious Minorities. Equally relevant for them, especially, is the prefatory declaration of the Constitution in its Preamble that all citizens of India are to be secured liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship and equality of status and of opportunity. The Constitution of India has provided two types of safe-guards -general and specific to safeguard various interests of the minorities. In the first category are those provisions that are equally enjoyed by both groups. The provisions ensure justice- social, economic and political equality to all. The second category consists of provisions meant specifically for the protection of particular interests of minorities. peoples right to equality before the law and equal protection of the laws; * prohibition of discrimination against citizens on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth; * authority of State to make any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens (besides the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes); * citizens right to equality of opportunity in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State and prohibition in this regard of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Authority of State to make any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State; * Peoples freedom of conscience and right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and other Fundamental Rights; * Authority of State to make law for regulating or restricting any economic financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice, and for providing for social welfare and reform; * Authority of State to make laws for throwing open of Hindu, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of the respective communities; * Sikh communitys right of wearing and carrying of kirpans ; * Right of every religious denomination or any section thereof subject to public order, morality and health to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable proposes, manage its own affairs of religion, and own and acquire movabl e immovable property and administer it in accordance with law; * Peoples freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion; * Peoples freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in educational institutions wholly maintained, recognized, or aided by the State; * Right of any section of the citizens to conserve its distinct language, script or culture * Restriction on denial of admission to any citizen, to any educational institution maintained or aided by the State, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them; * Right of all Religious and Linguistic Minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice; and * Freedom of Minority-managed educational institutions from discrimination in the matter of receiving aid from the State. Part IV of the Constitution of India, containing non-justifiable Directive Principles of State Policy, includes the following provisions having significant implicat ions for the Minorities: Obligation of the State to endeavor to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities amongst individuals and groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations; * Obligation of State to endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India; * Obligation of State to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people (besides Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; and * Obligation of State to take steps for prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. Part IV-A of the Constitution, relating to Fundamental Duties, applies in full to all citizens, including those belonging to Minorities and of special relevance for the Minorities are the following provisions in this Part: * Citizens duty to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; and * Citizens duty to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. Some other provisions of the Constitution having special relevance and implications for the Minorities are: * Official obligation to pay out of the consolidated funds of the States of Kerala and Tamilnadu 46. 5 and 13. lakh rupees respectively to the local Dewasom Funds for the maintenance of Hindu temples and shrines in the territories of the erstwhile State of Travancore-Cochin; * Special provision relating to the language spoken by a section of the population of any State; * Provision for facilities for instruction in m other-tongue at primary stage; * Provision for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities and his duties; * Special provision with respect to Naga religious or social practices, customary law and procedure, and administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law. * Identical special provision for the Mizos; and * Provision relating to continuation in force of pre-Constitution laws until altered or repealed or amended by a competent legislature or other competent authority - Constitution of India/Part IV Article 36Â  {Definition} In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires, the State has the same meaning as in Part III. - [edit]Article 37Â  {Application of the principles contained in this Part} The provisions contained in this Part shall not be enforced by any court, but the principles therein laid down are nevertheless fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws. - [edit]Article 38Â  {State to secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people} 1. The State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life. 2. The State shall, in particular, strive to minimise the inequalities in income, and endeavour to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations. - [edit]Article 39Â  {Certain principles of policy to be followed by the State} The State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing a. hat the citizen, men and women equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood; b. that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good; c. that the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and mean s of production to the common detriment; d. that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women; e. that the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength; f. hat children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. Article 39AÂ  {Equal justice and free legal aid} The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities. - edit]Article 40Â  {Organisation of village panchayats} The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government. - [edit]Article 41Â  {Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases} The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want. - edit]Article 42Â  {Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief} The State shall make provision for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. - [edit]Article 43Â  {Living wage, etc. , for workers} The State shall endeavor to secure, by suitable legislation or economic organisation or in any other way, to all workers agricultural, industrial or otherwise, work, a living wage, cond itions of work ensuring a decent standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural opportunities and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to promote cottage industries on an individual or co-operative basis in rural areas. Article 43AÂ  {Participation of workers in management of industries} The State shall take steps, by suitable legislation or in any other way, to secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisation engaged in any industry. - [edit]Article 44Â  {Uniform civil code for the citizen} The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India. - [edit]Article 45Â  {Provision for free and compulsory education for children} The State shall endeavor to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years. - edit]Article 46Â  {Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections} The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in p articular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. - [edit]Article 47Â  {Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health} The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purpose of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health. - edit]Article 48Â  {Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry} The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. Article 48AÂ  {Protection and improv ement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life} The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country. - [edit]Article 49Â  {Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance} It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, declared by or under law made by Parliament to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be. [edit]Article 50Â  {Separation of judiciary from executive} The State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the State. - [edit]Article 51Â  {Promotion of international peace and security} The State shall endeavour to a. promote international peace and security; b. maintain just and honourable relations between nations; c. foster respect for international law and treaty ob ligations in the dealings of organised people with one another; and d. encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

Top French Pronunciation Mistakes and Difficulties

Top French Pronunciation Mistakes and Difficulties Many students find that pronunciation is the hardest part of learning French. The new sounds, the silent letters, the liaisons - they all combine to make speaking French very tricky. If you really want to perfect your French pronunciation, your best option is to work with a native French speaker, preferably one who specializes in accent training. If that isnt possible, then you need to take things into your own hands by listening to French as much as possible, and by studying and practicing the pronunciation aspects that you find most difficult. Here is a list of the top French pronunciation difficulties and mistakes, with links to detailed lessons and sound files. The French R The French R has been the bane of French students since time immemorial. OK, maybe its not quite that bad, but the French R is pretty tricky for a lot of French students. The good news is that it is possible for a non-native speaker to learn how to pronounce it. Really. If you follow my step-by-step instructions and practice a lot, youll get it. The French U The French U is another tricky sound, at least for English speakers, for two reasons: its hard to say and its sometimes difficult for untrained ears to distinguish it from the French OU. But with practice, you can definitely learn how to hear and say it. Nasal Vowels Nasal vowels are the ones that make it sound like the speakers nose is stuffed up. In fact, nasal vowel sounds are created by pushing air through the nose and mouth, rather than just the mouth as you do for regular vowels. Its not so difficult once you get the hang of it - listen, practice, and you will learn. Accents French accents do more than just make words look foreign - they modify pronunciation and meaning too. Therefore, its extremely important to know which accents do what, as well as how to type them. You dont even need to buy a French keyboard - accents can be typed on virtually any computer. Silent Letters Many French letters are silent, and a lot of them are found at the end of words. However, not all final letters are silent. Confused? Read over these lessons to get a general idea of which letters are silent in French. H  Muet  / Aspirà © Whether its an  H  muet  or an  H aspirà ©, the French H is always silent, yet it has a strange ability to act as a consonant or like a vowel. That is, the  H aspirà ©, although silent, acts like a consonant and does not allow contractions or liaisons to occur in front of it. But the  H  muet  acts like a vowel, so contractions and liaisons are required in front of it. Confusing? Just take the time to memorize the type of H for the most common words, and youre all set. Liaisons and Enchaà ®nement French words flow one into the next thanks to liaisons and enchaà ®nement. This causes problems not only in  speaking but in  listening comprehension  as well. The more you know about liaisons and enchaà ®nement, the better youll be able to speak and understand whats being spoken. Contractions In French, contractions are required. Whenever a short word like  je, me, le, la, or  ne  is followed by a word that begins with a vowel or H  muet, the short word drops the final vowel, adds an apostrophe, and attaches itself to the following word. This is not optional, as it is in English - French contractions are required. Thus, you should never say je  aime or le  ami - it is always  jaime  and  lami. Contractions  never  occur in front of a French consonant (except H  muet). Euphony It may seem odd that French has specific rules about ways to say things so that they sound prettier, but thats the way it is. Familiarize yourself with the various euphonic techniques so that your French sounds pretty too. Rhythm Ever heard anyone say that French is very musical? Thats partly because there are no stress marks on French words: all syllables are pronounced at the same intensity (volume). Instead of stressed syllables or words, French has rhythmic groups of related words within each sentence. Its kind of complicated, but if you read my lesson youll get an idea of what you need to work on.

Interview Self-Publishing Cookbooks

Interview Self-Publishing Cookbooks Self-Publishing Cookbooks: Interview with Marcy Goldman Last updated 07/06/2017â€Å"You have to have more passion than fear - or simply want to do it anyway - otherwise those two swear words ‘what if’ will stop you from even trying.†Although the self-publishing alternative becomes more valid and tempting every day, many traditionally-minded authors still fail to consider author publishers as their peers, and often disregard all independent publishing efforts as vanity publishing.Of course, more and more genre fiction authors are bridging the gap every day by becoming hybrids; but non-fiction genres such as cookbooks are still pretty much in the hands of traditional publishing, essentially due to the high production costs.In this thought-provoking interview, Marcy Goldman exposes her reasons for self-publishing her cookbooks and offers specific advice for cookbook authors. She shows that it can be done to the highest quality, and can become a truly liberating experience for an author.How to Self-Publish a Book: 7 Sim ple Steps to Success Read post Many successful indies recommend authors to â€Å"follow the steps of traditional publishing† when self-publishing. How important is having a good copyeditor for a cookbook? And a designer/formatter?It is absolutely crucial and there are more and more qualified, fair-priced skilled freelancers you can hire to assist you. You are also the creator and will be doing a ton of work to launch, market and distribute. It really pays to hire some production and editorial help. That said, even traditional cookbooks can be notably imperfect.The thing I like about many indie authors coming from a â€Å"mainstream† background is that they suddenly feel empowered to try new things. You’re now about to self-publish a book on tango, and have also published a poetry one, just because: â€Å"now, I can†. Do you think being liberated from traditional constraints is a good thing for indie writers?Yes, self-publishing is a good way of experimenting a bit without going too off course from your established platform, if you have one. It is still best to get consistent content out there and gain traction in the genre you’re known for or wish to establish yourself in. Second to that, just get your best content out there!Most authors necessarily plug away at what they’re known for or what they think will ‘sell’. They quickly learn not to pitch agents or traditional publishers with unproven ponies, so to speak. We all tend to try and fuse our passion writing what sells with what we also think ‘will sell’, but luckily, as a self-publisher, you don’t have to worry about that acquisitional ‘wall’. You can indulge more risky books on your bucket list and in so doing, energize yourself as well as find a whole new niche of readers, ultimately increasing your revenue.You can also see directly what the publishing process is like and learn more insights into how books get sold. So it’s not just about the writing, it’s about what production, distribution and marketing approaches might work better for you and your works. You’re free to explore all that.You write in your piece that: â€Å"There’s also a presumption (or fear) that without sufficient social media or a platform, books (even great ones) won’t get noticed†. Do you think that producing great content is enough? How big has the whole â€Å"discoverability† challenge been for you?Fortunately I have a platform, but no one, not even William Shakespeare, starts with a platform. This is an age-old question anyway, which was around way before the advent of self-publishing. All writers, aspiring authors think â€Å"If I do it, who will read it, who will buy it, who will find it?†This is not new. It is yet another version of a common sabotaging thought almost every creative person has at one time or another. You have to have more passion than fear - or simply want to do it anyway - o therwise those two swear words ‘what if’ will stop you from even trying.Do the doing, get it out there and then see what happens.How do you see the future of publishing? Do you feel like publishers have adapted to the new technologies, formats, and distribution channels?That is a tough question! I think some publishers have slowly adapted to the new technologies but traditional publishing is an old-school, slow-moving, methodical industry that is sluggish with pride and history. It does not easily turn on a dime. It’s possible that, given some self-publishing success stories, they might follow those trends and/or those authors to seek out new talent or see what readers respond to. Indie publishing is often a bit of ad hoc market research for them.They might also be inheriting a new breed of author coming from self-publishing and might have to appreciate that these authors are of a different ilk. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a realistic thing. Confid ent creators, versus grateful or humble ones (all talents being equal), might be awesome authors to deal with. You might see some landmark works come out of this new breed.Do you think that the self-publishing alternative is taken seriously by the traditional actors (publishers, agents) or still widely seen as vanity publishing?I think indie publishing isn’t taken as seriously as it might be, which is a pity if you look at some of the ‘unknown’ but wholly successful authors out there. Having said that, it’s not as disdained or dismissed as it used to be. It is becoming legitimized as we recognize that there are huge shifts going on. Nothing is ‘as it was’†¦Beyond that, I think all publishers (indie or traditional) recognize that eBooks do well, however they recognize that eBooks often sell for very little, and in small quantities, making it difficult for many authors to thrive. To that end, I suggest writing shorter books, before putting an opus out as an eBook or putting something out in print and see what happens. Experiment.Follow Marcy and Reedsy  on Twitter: @MarcyGoldman  and @ReedsyHQWould you agree that self-publishing is still widely disregarded as a  Ã¢â‚¬Å"lesser alternative† by many authors? If you have experience of both worlds, did you find self-publishing liberating? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!

Why Black Women Viewed As Being Too Outspoken Essay

Why Black Women Viewed As Being Too Outspoken - Essay Example The researcher states that women of black ethnicity they view almost every aspect of their lives as being dominated by the aspect of their being both of the female gender and the second being of black ethnicity This applies to most black women regardless of their feminist or non-feminist orientation or inclination. In addition, failure to use the approach tends to elicit strong and bitter sentiments in fuelling their outspokenness. This is in light of the having their most powerful tools abolished from use, thus appears as a form of discrimination against, which makes them more outspoken. In addition, black women are outspoken due to the history they share with the white women. This is due to the racism associated with the women’s movement, where they find a strong sense of obligation to speak out for the rights of women, while at the same time advocating for the rights of African-Americans as a whole. With this in mind, black women carry the cross for women concerning being t oo outspoken even on issues that would ordinarily draw out sentiments from other ethnicities. This is usually seen as an attempt by black women to take control of every situation and exploit it to their own advantage. In addition, black women are perceived to be outspoken due to their harsh reality in the life live, as well as the numerous stereotypes that face them. This is concerning their ability to adapt and fit into a given situation that may be too difficult for them. The attempt is a means to escape from the harsh reality of their lives. However, outspokenness in black women does not only fall into one category of verbal activities but also goes hand in hand with physical activities that they engage in. This is as seen in their ability to throw away all sense of self-worth, for some, in modern-day vices. Vices, in this case, refer to degrading situations as seen in hip-hop music videos, in which they dance half-naked. This reinforces their image of lewdness to the public eye by accepting to participate in such events.

Brand management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Brand management - Assignment Example One of the brand names which has existed over the years is Pura, a milk produced by Lionco in Canberra, Australia. Pura is a milk product by Lionco Company. The company has been in the market for a longer time to build a competing brand like Pura. The company also purchases billion liters of milk from over 500 Australian farmers each year towards processing its milk (Lionco, 2015). Its products range from full-cream, flavored, fresh to UHT milks (Lionco, 2015). Among of its popular brands includes Pura, Dairy Farmers, Dare, Farmers Union, Classic and Big M among others (Lionco, 2015). Pura, the company’s outstanding brand has been in the market since 1935. It has a combination of natural vitamins and minerals and a creamy taste (Lionco, 2015). The products naturally provide nutrients for all family members and very essentially when taken daily. Moreover, the brand comes in nine variants to suit the emerging and every need of the occasion (Lionco, 2015). Pura has been in the market for the last 80 years, it is still doing well, and competing with other products recently introduced in the market. The products success in the market has been facilitated by its brand name. Customers identify the company with its products, hence contributing to the maintenance of their loyalty. Similarly, its continuous stay in the market makes it meets generation, which has preferences, hence has to deal with the new emerging market to remain competitive. However, there are emerging trends in the market that might affect the brand, and there is a need to take measures to counter the effects. First, consumer preferences are changing very fast, and not likely to maintain their loyalty is the product cannot meet their demands. The consumers who were present 80 years ago during the launching of the product are not the consumers of today; today’s consumers have a different need, which they want the

Marketing strategies, tactics and techniques Essay

Marketing strategies, tactics and techniques - Essay Example This is already faster than the normal speed of cars available in the market at present. It is equipped with capabilities that limit the acceleration into 155mph that electronically safeguards the person driving thus avoiding cataclysmic effects of speed in accidents. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2006/id20060426_124236.htmchan=innovation_auto+design_new+%3Cfont+face%3D%22arial%22%3E%2B%3C%2Ffont%3E+noteworthy. Question here is, can this be available to ordinary consumers earning meager income enough to support a family of three Or is this limited only for those who can afford the luxury of buying expensive cars like that of BMWs As Steve Job would say, is the cost effective enough to be accessible to the ordinary masses Or will they be confined to subways and busses I believe that consumers nowadays are better equipped with options and better judgement this is why advertisement gets a bigger chunk of investments. In the end, no matter how popular the product may be , it would still boil down to what is necessary and therefore price is not the only consideration here. http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060602/oil_prices_europe.html.v=1 With gas prices increasing unpredictably, shoppers would go for the best value for their money. In as far as economic stability staggers due to the erratic trend of gas prices, sellers are at the same time on their toes for tough competition.

Critically analyse the recommendations for hydration during endurance Literature review

Critically analyse the recommendations for hydration during endurance events and discuss the role of sports drinks in relationship to health and performance - Literature review Example The ability of the athletes to keep their body temperatures within some given boundaries even when temperatures surrounding them are very different is known as thermoregulation (Snell et al., 2010). If the body of the human body fails to maintain the average temperatures at any given time and the temperatures rise above the standard rates, the result is a condition known as hyperthermia (Geesmann, Mester and Koehler, 2014). The condition usually happens when the human body is exposed to constant temperatures of 55 degrees Celsius. The opposite of hyperthermia is hypothermia and it occurs when the body is exposed to low temperatures for an extended period. It is very fortunate that sports science has gone a step ahead to find out the ways that regular ingestion of fluids is important for the performances of the athletes. During the actual sporting activities, hypohydration tends to impair the ability of the body to regulate heat that leads to increased heartbeat rates and body temperatures. The exertion that is perceived increases making the athlete to experience more fatigue than in normal situations (Cox et al., 2006). The requirements of fluids by individual athletes vary between exercise situations and the loss of fluids is affected by genetics of the athlete, the body size and fitness. In addition, the environment and exercise intensity where the exercise is being carried out affect the loss of water from the athlete’s body. It is natural for sweat loss to increase as the exercise intensity increases (Cox et al., 2006). The functioning of the athlete’s mental capability is lowered during this period and it normally leads to negative implications for motor control, concentration and decision-making. There is also slowed gastric emptying that leads to stomach discomforts. The effects sated always lead to the impairment of the exercise performance (Wilson et al., 2006). Hypo hydration affects almost all the types of exercises

Analysis of India and Stagflation Literature review

Analysis of India and Stagflation - Literature review Example It is caused by cost-push inflation according to new Keynesian economic models. Such inflation occurs when certain factors increase the cost of production. These include government policies, e.g., fiscal ones, or the paucity of resources. Radhika Rao, a Singapore-based economist with DBS Bank, opines that â€Å"The economy might be trapped in a stagflationary-type environment, as growth is at the cusp of moving another leg lower while inflation bottoms out† (qt. in Kala). There is less local and foreign demand for Indian industrial goods. Even the borrowing costs have gone up. The automobile industry which drives manufacturing growth has forecast that auto sales will fall for the second continuous year. However, as Kala notes, exports grew on stronger global demand as the weak rupee makes Indian exports more competitive; and consequently, the imports into India become costlier, thus bringing down the deficit. Globalization is greatly responsible for stagflation, with the effec ts felt in most other countries. The question that Shrivastava asks is whether the Indian economy should have been opened up in a more selective manner. The global financial markets are volatile, which affects the Sensex, for instance. Moreover, the demand for Indian goods and services has reduced due to the recession in the US. Inflation has been growing due to a rise in commodity prices and a steady rise in the price of oil. Because the Indian economy is dependent on those of the US and other rich countries, a home market for products is no longer a prerogative of the government. The US recession has led to fall in exports, whereas the rise of the rupee against the dollar (till recently) cost many job losses. Indian companies are finding it difficult to raise capital abroad due to the decisions taken by the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the USA. The rise in prices of steel, cement, and oil has increased the costs in all industries. Due to the hike in interest rates to keep inflation under check, the cost of interest has also gone up. Uncertainties at the global level have slowed down the growth of industrial investment. Oil prices have increased due to futures trading in oil because of excess liquidity in the hands of big speculators. Another reason for this was the low value of the dollar (before the Indian rupee went into a free fall). Food prices have increased for various reasons. The demand for food has changed greatly. Since industrial agriculture is based on the use of fossil fuels, price hikes in oil directly affect food prices too. Climate change is another reason for raised food prices. With the increase in globalization, there is constant pressure on India to globalize the food sector and to bring the prices in line with those abroad. The US decision to push biofuels has led to a rise in food prices. The US government started giving subsidies to farms for growing corn to make ethanol for use in cars.  Ã‚  

BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR LEXILIAP FASHION BOUTIQUE Research Paper

BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR LEXILIAP FASHION BOUTIQUE - Research Paper Example This proposal therefore illustrates the various economic factors that will influence the operations of Lexiliap Fashion Boutique. This report lays particular emphasis on the economic dynamics of the proposed fashion boutique by including assumptions about the elasticity of demand and the market structure in the operational environment. Revenue To begin, revenue is an important factor for the success of Lexiliap Fashion Boutique. Capozzi (2013) highlights the importance of looking at the revenue prospects of a fashion boutique by recognizing the challenges of setting up and deriving gains from one. Fashion boutiques present a challenge to owners because they should find a balance between attracting and retaining customers on one hand whereas striving to achieving or even surpassing the set revenue limits (Gerring, 2007). The fashion boutique intends to use multifaceted promotional campaign to ensure that it drives sales volumes that will surely lead to increased volumes. In particular , the boutique will have an active online presence that will make sure that many clients are targeted and are aware of the enterprise’s products (Ferguson, 2008). Market segmentation strategies will be used to ensure that promotions are custom made to target the youth, women, men and children separately. The shop will also offer competitive pricing so that customers from competing firms are attracted. Determining the Profit-Maximizing Quantity The boutique will deal with different fashion items and accessories. As such, the challenge is to constitute a viable and standard profit maximizing quantity for each of the items. Since items like jewelry and clothing may have defects especially when volume purchases are used to source for the products, the proposed structure relies on this conditionality to propose a standard quantity to be ascertained. Given a unit cost of 10 USD, each product’s price; is it a dress, pant, bangle or ring will be compared against the unit cost value. Taking into consideration that the more items are sold, the higher the revenue; the report then sets the revenue threshold at 100USD meaning ten unit items. As a result, the more valued the item in the boutique, the lower will be its profit maximizing quantity. The projected dollar value for the business is shown in Appendix 1. Profit Maximization Profit maximization is at the core of any enterprise’s operations (Mankiw, 2011). The proposed Fashion Boutique will ensure that there is value for customers on one hand, and value to the owner on the other. To be able to strike this delicate balance between satisfying the needs of the customer whilst maximizing the profits needed for business growth. The marginal cost and marginal revenue concept can be applied to illustrate the technique that will be used to ensure profit maximization. This will be done mainly in the area of stocking for some commodities. Given that fashion industry is dynamic, it is important to stock the current trends for profit maximization (Boyes & Melvin, 2011). As a result, the boutique will review fast moving products and stock them in large number to derive more gains from the sales volumes resulting from the trending items. This is in accordance with the concept that marginal revenue should always be equal to marginal cost for profit maximization (Taylor, 2006). Subsequently, the boutique will require market information on the trending products. This can be obtained from relevant agencies, the media and other

Analysis of India and Stagflation Literature review

Analysis of India and Stagflation - Literature review Example It is caused by cost-push inflation according to new Keynesian economic models. Such inflation occurs when certain factors increase the cost of production. These include government policies, e.g., fiscal ones, or the paucity of resources. Radhika Rao, a Singapore-based economist with DBS Bank, opines that â€Å"The economy might be trapped in a stagflationary-type environment, as growth is at the cusp of moving another leg lower while inflation bottoms out† (qt. in Kala). There is less local and foreign demand for Indian industrial goods. Even the borrowing costs have gone up. The automobile industry which drives manufacturing growth has forecast that auto sales will fall for the second continuous year. However, as Kala notes, exports grew on stronger global demand as the weak rupee makes Indian exports more competitive; and consequently, the imports into India become costlier, thus bringing down the deficit. Globalization is greatly responsible for stagflation, with the effec ts felt in most other countries. The question that Shrivastava asks is whether the Indian economy should have been opened up in a more selective manner. The global financial markets are volatile, which affects the Sensex, for instance. Moreover, the demand for Indian goods and services has reduced due to the recession in the US. Inflation has been growing due to a rise in commodity prices and a steady rise in the price of oil. Because the Indian economy is dependent on those of the US and other rich countries, a home market for products is no longer a prerogative of the government. The US recession has led to fall in exports, whereas the rise of the rupee against the dollar (till recently) cost many job losses. Indian companies are finding it difficult to raise capital abroad due to the decisions taken by the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the USA. The rise in prices of steel, cement, and oil has increased the costs in all industries. Due to the hike in interest rates to keep inflation under check, the cost of interest has also gone up. Uncertainties at the global level have slowed down the growth of industrial investment. Oil prices have increased due to futures trading in oil because of excess liquidity in the hands of big speculators. Another reason for this was the low value of the dollar (before the Indian rupee went into a free fall). Food prices have increased for various reasons. The demand for food has changed greatly. Since industrial agriculture is based on the use of fossil fuels, price hikes in oil directly affect food prices too. Climate change is another reason for raised food prices. With the increase in globalization, there is constant pressure on India to globalize the food sector and to bring the prices in line with those abroad. The US decision to push biofuels has led to a rise in food prices. The US government started giving subsidies to farms for growing corn to make ethanol for use in cars.  Ã‚  

Gothic V Romanesque Architecture Essay Example for Free

Gothic V Romanesque Architecture Essay Medieval Art is characterized largely by the use of both Gothic and Romanesque architecture. As Christianity was highly significant to the middle ages, much of said architectural design is exemplified in the cathedrals of the time. Romanesque and Gothic architecture differ greatly from one another, as is displayed in a comparison of a Gothic chapel and a Romanesque chapel. The Cloisters Museum and Gardens: the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval art, offers the opportunity for such a close comparison. A comparison of the Fuetiduena Chapel and the Gothic Chapel conveys the distinctions between the two architectural styles. Thick, fortress-like walls, small, high windows, round arches, and barrel or dome vaulted ceiling, characterize Medieval Romanesque architecture. Because of the great outward pressure produced by the Romanesque rounded arch characteristic of the style, churches could not be made tall without adding buttresses to the weak walls. Said buttresses reinforced the walls, but made them very thick, creating a fortress-like feel to the church. Furthermore, because of such thick walls, windows could not be placed at these locations in the church, and therefore the windows in Romanesque cathedrals are located toward the ceiling. There are usually few, small, high windows in Romanesque churches. Moreover, the semi-circular barrel vault, as well as the dome vault, of the ceiling characterizes Romanesque architecture. The Cloisters’ Fuetiduena Chapel exemplifies the features of a true Romanesque chapel. The Fuetiduena Chapel is one of the first galleries on display in The Cloisters museum. The chapel displays the 12th century apse of St. Martin at Fuetiduena, Spain. The apse is covered by a barrel vault and half-dome, with three small windows piercing the back wall. The apse of the Fuetiduena Chapel exemplifies Romanesque architecture through the use of the rounded arch, semi-circular barrel vault, dome vault, and the small, highly placed windows. The entrance to the apse itself is a rounded arch, as is characteristic of Medieval Romanesque architecture. The immediate interior of the apse utilizes the semi-circular barrel vault, while the mural of The Virgin and Child in Majesty, with Archangels and the Magi is painted on the dome-vaulted ceiling. The three small windows present in the apse also utilize the rounded arch, and are placed more toward the ceiling of the apse, due to the fact that the thick lower walls of Romanesque cathedrals could not support windows. The windows in the rest of the Fuetiduena Chapel gallery are also placed near the ceiling, further conveying the Romanesque atmosphere. The shift to the Gothic style of architecture arose when architects began to experiment with structural features that would allow ever-taller buildings and ever-thinner walls. They moved the buttresses outward, thus shifting the pressure to the foundation of the building as opposed to the walls; such are referred to as â€Å"flying buttresses. † The flying buttresses allowed for the churches to have thinner walls, and therefore Gothic churches are characterized largely by their long stained-glass windows. The windows allow for a flood of natural light, in sharp contrast to the little light present in a Romanesque chapel. The Gothic style is also much more ornate, as opposed to the relatively plain walls of Romanesque churches. Rather than rounded arches, Gothic churches have pointed arches, ever-reaching toward the heavens. The interior of the church is made up of thin shafts and ribs, with rib-vaulted ceilings. Within the Cloisters’ â€Å"Early Gothic Hall† sits the Gothic Chapel. The gallery takes the form of a thirteenth-century chapel, adorned with fourteenth-century Austrian stained glass windows from the church of Saint Leonhard in Carinthia and the castle chapel at Ebreichsdorf near Vienna. Sculptures of royal and noble tombs from France and Spain also fill the chapel-like setting. The Gothic Chapel, as can be inferred from its name, is a great display of Medieval Gothic architecture. When one descends the steps to the Gothic Chapel, the difference in atmosphere from Fuetiduena Chapel is apparent. The ceilings, as opposed to the smooth barrel or dome vault, instead utilize the rib vault. The rib vault is the intersection of two or three barrel vaults, edged with shafts or pipes, often then decorated with decorative patterns. This ribbing allowed for the churches to be built taller, ever-reaching toward the heavens. The flying buttresses are not present in the chapel as they are an addition to the outside of a Gothic-style building, but the presence of long, thin stained glass windows within the chapel shows the effect of such buttresses. Because the walls of the church were no longer as thick, the force of the arch pushed into the foundation by the flying buttresses, decorative windows, often depicting a story, could be included in the cathedral’s design. Light was a part of the Gothic design, so these long windows allowed for a luminosity to the room. The doorway leading out of the Gothic Chapel further adds to the Gothic atmosphere, for the arch, rather than the Romanesque rounded arch, is instead set into a Gothic, or pointed, arch. The arch reaches upward, furthering the feeling that the church itself is reaching toward the Divine Kingdom.