Monday, September 30, 2019

THE USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN EDUCATION

As you may or may non cognize, an Information System is a aggregation of hardware, package, informations, people, and processs that work together to bring forth quality information and instruction is the procedure of geting cognition. How do people get this cognition you may be believing? Well, they learn from other people such as pedagogues, employers and workers. There are many signifiers of stuffs that are used in instruction. The traditional stuffs would be the text books and manuals used for acquisition tools, but in todays times it ‘s a different narrative. Educators are now turning to computing machines to help them with larning. This new manner of acquisition is going highly popular and is realy distributing fast. Not merely can you utilize information systems inside the schoolroom to attach to face to confront larning but it can besides be used for distance acquisition. Learning has no boundries when it comes to IS. The Internet allows pupil to hold to entree to an eternal sum of information for research intents.Students of all ages can utilize on-line activities that relate to their capable affair and keyboarding accomplishments are being developed at really early ages. In order to succed and derive more cognition about our information-rich society, pupils must be able to utilize this engineering efficaciously, both in an educational scene and beyond. The instructors of today are confronting many challenges and alterations, it is going an progressively more hard occupation because of the immense sums of outlooks. By utilizing engineering in learning it can really assist with many outlooks faced by the pedagogues of today. IS alterations from twelvemonth to twelvemonth therefore it is of import for a instructor to take portion in professional development in engineering. Professional development ensures that engineering is used eficiently and efficaciously in order to make new chances for larning and to advance pupil accomplishment. In a manner, Information Systems have become the anchor of modern instruction. It allows schools to hive away valuable pupil information and assists the disposal section with the direction of the full school. When an IS tool is good to larning, it benefits learning. If an IS tool is good to learning, it in bend benefits disposal and the learning pupils and so on. It is a collaborative attempt which affects all facets of instruction. Teachers can show many IS tools to pupils in order to assistance in the acquisition procedure. Examples of these acquisition tools would be E-learning, Web TC, online categories, construct maps and distance acquisition are all classified as signifiers of instructional engineering. Distance acquisition has many benefits, these include leting pupils to go to categories when the state of affairs does non allow them to go to the on-campus talk, it gives the pupils flexibleness to work on assignments when their agenda permits them to and in bend this releases a pupil from go toing a category where a set twenty-four hours and clip is scheduled. Students besides have the priviledge to make synergistic teamwork between groups every bit good as have the chance to cormmunicate with people from different backgrounds, civilizations from all around the universe. Having IS capablenesss in the schoolroom allows pupils to hold mention stuffs at their fingertips. The web is non merely a beginning for communicating but can besides supply mention for an tremendous figure of subjects. Today ‘s web non merely consists of Web sites where information on assorted subjects can be found but it contains pictures where the ocular scholar can analyze subjects in a manner that they process information. This resource provides pedagogues with prosecuting digital resources to be more effectual in the schoolroom and in bend addition pupil involvement by linking the schoolroom to an abundant sum of information from around the universe. When utilizing such resources, the instructor is now a facilitator in larning the capable stuff and non person who is talking the stuffs like in the yesteryear. The bulk of the determinations made within educational establishments are made from analysing informations this information is collected by the usage of IS engineering. Examples of IS engineering would be an on-line trials ( such as Exam View or Quiz Star ) where pupils take trials online and recieve their consequences about immediatly. This on-line tool so shops the trial and the memo to the trial, but will besides hive away the pupils replies. A study can be instantly generated after the trial has been completed. The information from the studies will instantly be available for instructors so they can be shown where the pupils are fighting. A common illustration of the usage of this engineering in the schoolroom are pupils utilizing computing machines for research undertakings, computing machine package and presentations. Assorted applications are taught to pupils on a day-to-day footing. Due to the fact that today ‘s pupils learn in many different ways, instructors need to calculate out variou effectual methods for them to acquire that information. The regulations of the past bash non use to the pupils of today. Alternatively of the pupils necessitating to accommodate to suit the cast of what the instructor expects, the instructor needs to accommodate the manner they deliver that information to the pupils. IS helps better instruction in the schoolroom due to the fact that it gives the instructor the chance to educate the pupils many different ways. It requires pupils to believe outside the box and acquire a better apprehension of the information that is being presented to them. Students besides have a opportunity to research thoughts on manus and do their acquisition more meaningful and relevant. In the yesteryear, instruction was one dimensional. However, due to engineering altering the ambiance in the schoolroom, instruction is now teacher directed, but pupils can go farther engaged with helping the instructors lesson with the provided engineering at a chink of a button. Teachers besides have to set up a ground for utilizing IS in the schoolroom and have to do the instruction successful for their pupils. In order for learning to be effectual instructors need to let flexibleness in the lessons prepared on a day-to-day footing. In the society of today, information systems are altering quickly twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours. There are many different manners of engineering that can be use to hike acquisition for pupils. These manners of engineering can run from Power Point presentations to mobile laptops with Internet entree for each pupil. With engineering like this in the schoolroom the pupils get a much better quality of larning. Nowdays information systems are going easier and easier to utilize and this makes it more convenient for pupils who wants to make research and happen solutions to there jobs. Students gain cognition through computing machines where engineering is used basically as a coach and serves to increase the pupils basic accomplishments and cognition and where engineering is used as a tool that can be applied to a assortment of ends in the acquisition procedure which can function as a resource to assist develop higher order thought, creativeness and research accomplishments. Communication is highly of import if you want the right message to be delivered. There are many different ways to pass on. Using the right method for its bringing is merely every bit of import. In the past instructors and pupils would do presentations in category and would utilize flip-charts, overhead projectors, or blackboards as their primary medium. Now, we have electronic whiteboards that record what the instructor writes, so pupils can entree the animated or narrated information on a computing machine for alteration after the presentation. Power Point presentations can besides be used, in which we can incorporate text, picture, sound, artworks, links to other paperss, or links to the Internet. This widespread application allows both pupils and instructors to pass on in a truly multimedia format. Social networking sites, electronic mail ( e-mail ) , and web logs ( web logs ) are three more agencies of easing communicating among pupils. Collaboration is now simpler than of all time due to the usage of online tools and package that allows pupils and pedagogues to work together on undertakings. Wikis, web seminars, and video conference calls are a few ways that pupils and instructors can come together and portion information with other pupils and co-workers. Communication can besides be done via the Web. Students can link to the cyberspace by utilizing either Dial-up entree, radio webs, DSL ( Digital Subscriber Line ) , satellite modems or overseas telegram modems. Many schools of today have Web sites that connect users to school calendars, upcoming featuring events, contact information for the school and pedagogues, library resources and a batch more. If IS did non be this would wholly be impossible to make. This method of communicating allows schools relay information to parents and pupils in a timely mode. Lots of schools have incorporated a type of IS that allows parents and defenders to hold entree to their kid ‘s consequences and attending record. In a nut shell parents sign up for their ain user name and watchword and so they have sole entree to this type of information. Via this IS tool, schools can hold 24/7 communicating with parents to inform them of their kid ‘s advancement in each category. When pupils graduate and enter into the on the job universe, they must be equipped with the necessary accomplishments to vie in an international market. An illustration of a accomplishment would being able to video conference which removes the boundaries of a traditional schoolroom. The pupils are able to derive valuable cognition that is outside of the text edition by speaking to pupils in that state. From the pedagogues ‘ point of view, computing machine applications allow for them to take a traditional schoolroom and turn it into a practical schoolroom. In the schoolroom, the assorted types of engineering deliver different signifiers of content and serve many different intents. Examples of this would be word processing and e-mailing which promote communicating accomplishments, database and spreadsheet plans which promote organisational accomplishments, every bit good as patterning package which encourages the apprehension of mathematic every bit good as scientific constructs. Educators and pupils likewise are both looking for better ways to present and larn information. Most educational plans use a computer-based preparation attack. Schools are rapidly accommodating to thse preparation plans and it in bend aids pupils in larning. The benefits that information systems give to the educational procedure are endless.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Related Diversification Is a More Successful Strategy Essay

(exploitation of know-how, more efficient use of available resources and capacities). In addition, companies may also explore diversification Just to get a valuable comparison between this strategy and expansion. Types of diversifications Moving away from the core competency is termed as diversification. Diversification involves directions of development which take the organisation away from its present markets and its present products at the same time. Diversification is of two types: (i) Related diversification: Related diversification is development beyond the present roduct and market, but still within the broad confines of the ‘industry (i. e. value chain) in which a company operates. For example, an automobile manufacturer may engage in production of passenger vehicles and light trucks. (ii)Unrelated diversification: Unrelated diversification is where the organisation moves beyond the confines of its current industry. For example ,a food processing firm manufacturing leather footwear as well. The different types of diversification strategies The strategies of diversification can include internal development of new products or arkets, acquisition of a firm, alliance with a complementary company, licensing of new technologies, and distributing or importing a products line manufactured by another firm. Generally, the final strategy involves a combination of these options. This combination is determined in function of available opportunities and consistency with the objectives and the resources of the company. There are three types of diversification: concentric, horizontal and conglomerate: (1) Concentric diversification The company adds new products or services which have technological or commercial ynergies with current products and which will appeal to new customer groups. The objective is therefore to benefit from synergy effects due to the complementarities of activities, and thus to expand the firm’s market by attracting new groups of buyers. Concentric diversification does not lead the company into a completely new world as it operates in familiar territory in one of the two major fields (technology or marketing). Therefore that kind of diversification makes the task easier, although not necessarily successful. (2)Horizontal diversification The company adds new products or services that are technologically or commercially nrelated to current products, but which may appeal to current customers. In a competitive environment, this form of diversification is desirable if the present customers are loyal to the current products and if the new products have a good quality and are well promoted and priced. Moreover, the new products are marketed to the same economic environment as the existing products, which may lead to rigidity and instability. In other words, this strategy tends to increase the firm’s dependence on certain market segments. (3) Conglomerate diversification (or lateral diversification) The company markets new roducts or services that have no technological or commercial synergies with current products, but which may appeal to new groups of customers. The conglomerate diversification has very little relationship with the firm’s current business. Therefore, the main reasons of adopting such a strategy are first to improve the profitability and the flexibility of the company, and second to get a better reception in capital markets as the company gets bigger. Even if this strategy is very risky, it could also, if successful, provide increased growth and profitability. Risks in diversification Diversification is the riskiest of the four strategies presented in the Ansoff matrix and requires the most careful investigation. Going into an unknown market with an unfamiliar product offering means a lack of experience in the new skills and techniques required.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Killer At Thurston High

It is not a far reach to speculate that he may have felt that, ultimately, his parents were to blame for his problems.   Had it not been for them, he would never have been born. This theory is supported by his written confession, which he left at the scene of his parents’ murder, in which he stated â€Å"I wish I had been aborted.†Ã‚   In this same letter, he states that he loved his mom and dad â€Å"so much† (Frontline).   This further lends credibility to the idea that while he felt love for his parents outwardly, he subconsciously harbored blame towards them because they were, essentially, the source of his suffering because they were the responsible for his existence.   Unfortunately, his inner turmoil manifested itself in a violent explosion of emotions, and he committed murders for reasons that even he could not explain. Another common theory that one could consider is that to some extent, Kinkel’s behavior can be attributed to peer influence, which would fall under the category of behavior modeling.   According to the chronological time table provided on the PBS Frontline website, Kinkel had no obvious behavioral problems during his elementary school years. Although he struggled greatly in school, several sources stated that he worked very hard to attempt to keep up with his classmates.   It would seem that once he entered middle school, he began to associate with young people who were less than upstanding citizens.   It is possible that by acting out, he was gaining acceptance from his peers, as opposed to feeling inferior because of his learning disability.   It is important to note that many of his offenses, particularly during his middle school years, involved friends.   Judging from his behavior, one can easily infer that Kinkel is not a leader, but a follower. It is likely that, at least in the beginning, he very seldom initiated criminal behavior, but rather blindly followed his friends down whatever path they chose. This may have likely set the stage for further misbehavior.   While his friends were not found to have any involvement in the murder of Kinkel’s parents or classmates, they did attribute to his delinquent attitude and fostered his fascination with guns and other deadly weapons.   So, in his attempt to conform to his friends’ ideas and behavior, he himself adopted their ways. His delinquent behavior evolved from so called â€Å"victimless† crimes, for instance, the ordering of mail order bomb books, shoplifting, etc, to increasingly violent acts.   As the chronological timeline found on the Frontline website clearly illustrates, it was not until after the relatively minor incidents occurred that his crimes became violent.   Throwing rocks off of the highway overpass, though it could have potentially caused great injury, was not a blatantly violent crime.   However, approximately three months later he was suspended from school for violent assaults against his classmates. One of the biggest controversies surrounding cases of teenage violence in America is deciding to whom the blame belongs.   Some may posit that the child’s parents are to blame; after all, they are the ones ultimately responsible for their children.   Others may blame the advent of violent video games, citing that young minds do not possess the discernment to know the difference between reality and fantasy. Still others will claim that the media is responsible; given that most young adults have unlimited access to television, explicit CD’s and internet websites, they are likely over stimulated with inappropriate material.   From a psychological viewpoint, we would define the aforementioned opinions as a tendency toward cognitive heuristics, more specifically, the principle of availability.   That is to say, Kinkel may have drawn on scenarios that he had either witnessed or heard about in order to rationalize his behavior. It is also possible that the idea to open fire on his classmates was in some way influenced by the influx of school shootings around the nation.   In theory, the fact that his solution to his problem was to go on a murderous rampage so shortly after other school shootings, lends credence to the idea that he was influenced by coverage of other shootings. Judging from Kinkel’s actions, writings, and confessional utterances, he suffered from a very low self-esteem.   Although some people naturally have a healthier self-image than others, a humanistic view of psychology dictates that negative experiences can contribute to a person’s low self-worth.   As described on the Frontline website, Kinkel struggled with school from the very beginning.   Because he started school in Spain, and spoke only English, he was at a great disadvantage. Not only did he miss out on an academic level, but also on a social level.   Even after returning to the United States, he continued to struggle in many areas of schooling.   Having to repeat the first grade likely affected his self-esteem.   Also, by all accounts, he continued to struggle with language problems.   In an interview, his sister admits to teasing him about his deficiency. It is likely that his classmates may have done the same.   Once he was diagnosed with a learning disability, and given the appropriate help, he apparently began to improve academically.   However, one can conclude that his feelings of low self-worth did not completely dissipate.   This may explain why he chose the friends that he did, which ultimately lead to participating in criminal activities. It has become a commonly accepted notion in the United States that puberty is the cause of many abnormal behaviors in young people.   To some extent, it is a reasonable claim; as a child matures into a teenager, they will likely push for more independence and individuality.   Changing hormones can attribute to some peculiar behavior, but in itself is not an excuse for even minor criminal behavior, let alone murdering ones parents and classmates.   However, as Frontline reports, Dr. Orin Bolstad, a psychologist who specializes in juvenile killers, stated that Kinkel’s behavior is consistent with an early onset of schizophrenia. This form of schizophrenia manifested itself through several delusional beliefs, as well as the apparent voices that told Kinkel to commit the murders.   It is also important to note that the theory that his violent behavior was caused by a biological factor, in this case a chemical imbalance, is substantiated by the fact that the use of Prozac seemed to calm some of his erratic behavior.   One can even tie the biological aspect of his illness to the humanistic aspect by recognizing that the voices that Kinkel claimed to hear, voices that may have been his subconscious thoughts manifested, were dangerous to his self-image.   According to Kinkel, the voices told him he was worthless, which would be consistent with his low self-esteem. Of all the psychological aspects that can be used to analyze Kinkel’s behavior, perhaps the hardest to address is society’s role.   Are young people being desensitized to gun use through culturally accepted displays of violence?   Are guns too readily available to young people?   In Kinkel’s situation, the answer is obviously that yes, guns were made way too available.   Although his father apparently took great care in trying to teach him that guns are a responsibility, he did allow the teenager to purchase a firearm. This likely sent a message to the young man that it is ok to own a gun.   In fact, it was after his father allowed him to purchase a firearm that he continued to buy more from friends.   Once he was caught with possession of a firearm on school property, he claims he did not want his parents to have to be ashamed.   So, in an attempt to solve this problem, he decided to kill his parents.   His solution to the problem is not unlike the plots of many action-adventure movies, thus lending credibility to the culturally inspired aspect of his crime. In conclusion, it is impossible to know exactly what caused Kip Kinkel to murder his parents in cold blood.   Nor is there any real explanation as to why he would then drive to school and open fire on an entire cafeteria of students.   Although modern psychology can, to some extent, offer a glimpse into the diseased mind, it can not afford us a clear and scientific answer as to why people do the things they do.   One thing is certain in Kinkel’s case: he is a deeply disturbed individual. When the judge handed down the one- hundred-eleven year sentence, he confirmed what many psychologists already knew: there is no hope of rehabilitation for a young man who committed such heinous crimes.   Even if medication and therapy could alleviate the symptoms of his disease, the knowledge of the pain that he caused will be with him until the day he dies.   Such is the tragic ending of a very tragic situation. Works Cited â€Å"The Killer At Thurston High.† PBS: Frontline. (January 2000). 20 November 2006.    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kinkel/ A Killer At Thurston High It is not a far reach to speculate that he may have felt that, ultimately, his parents were to blame for his problems.   Had it not been for them, he would never have been born. This theory is supported by his written confession, which he left at the scene of his parents’ murder, in which he stated â€Å"I wish I had been aborted.†Ã‚   In this same letter, he states that he loved his mom and dad â€Å"so much† (Frontline).   This further lends credibility to the idea that while he felt love for his parents outwardly, he subconsciously harbored blame towards them because they were, essentially, the source of his suffering because they were the responsible for his existence.   Unfortunately, his inner turmoil manifested itself in a violent explosion of emotions, and he committed murders for reasons that even he could not explain. Another common theory that one could consider is that to some extent, Kinkel’s behavior can be attributed to peer influence, which would fall under the category of behavior modeling.   According to the chronological time table provided on the PBS Frontline website, Kinkel had no obvious behavioral problems during his elementary school years. Although he struggled greatly in school, several sources stated that he worked very hard to attempt to keep up with his classmates.   It would seem that once he entered middle school, he began to associate with young people who were less than upstanding citizens.   It is possible that by acting out, he was gaining acceptance from his peers, as opposed to feeling inferior because of his learning disability.   It is important to note that many of his offenses, particularly during his middle school years, involved friends.   Judging from his behavior, one can easily infer that Kinkel is not a leader, but a follower. It is likely that, at least in the beginning, he very seldom initiated criminal behavior, but rather blindly followed his friends down whatever path they chose. This may have likely set the stage for further misbehavior.   While his friends were not found to have any involvement in the murder of Kinkel’s parents or classmates, they did attribute to his delinquent attitude and fostered his fascination with guns and other deadly weapons.   So, in his attempt to conform to his friends’ ideas and behavior, he himself adopted their ways. His delinquent behavior evolved from so called â€Å"victimless† crimes, for instance, the ordering of mail order bomb books, shoplifting, etc, to increasingly violent acts.   As the chronological timeline found on the Frontline website clearly illustrates, it was not until after the relatively minor incidents occurred that his crimes became violent.   Throwing rocks off of the highway overpass, though it could have potentially caused great injury, was not a blatantly violent crime.   However, approximately three months later he was suspended from school for violent assaults against his classmates. One of the biggest controversies surrounding cases of teenage violence in America is deciding to whom the blame belongs.   Some may posit that the child’s parents are to blame; after all, they are the ones ultimately responsible for their children.   Others may blame the advent of violent video games, citing that young minds do not possess the discernment to know the difference between reality and fantasy. Still others will claim that the media is responsible; given that most young adults have unlimited access to television, explicit CD’s and internet websites, they are likely over stimulated with inappropriate material.   From a psychological viewpoint, we would define the aforementioned opinions as a tendency toward cognitive heuristics, more specifically, the principle of availability.   That is to say, Kinkel may have drawn on scenarios that he had either witnessed or heard about in order to rationalize his behavior. It is also possible that the idea to open fire on his classmates was in some way influenced by the influx of school shootings around the nation.   In theory, the fact that his solution to his problem was to go on a murderous rampage so shortly after other school shootings, lends credence to the idea that he was influenced by coverage of other shootings. Judging from Kinkel’s actions, writings, and confessional utterances, he suffered from a very low self-esteem.   Although some people naturally have a healthier self-image than others, a humanistic view of psychology dictates that negative experiences can contribute to a person’s low self-worth.   As described on the Frontline website, Kinkel struggled with school from the very beginning.   Because he started school in Spain, and spoke only English, he was at a great disadvantage. Not only did he miss out on an academic level, but also on a social level.   Even after returning to the United States, he continued to struggle in many areas of schooling.   Having to repeat the first grade likely affected his self-esteem.   Also, by all accounts, he continued to struggle with language problems.   In an interview, his sister admits to teasing him about his deficiency. It is likely that his classmates may have done the same.   Once he was diagnosed with a learning disability, and given the appropriate help, he apparently began to improve academically.   However, one can conclude that his feelings of low self-worth did not completely dissipate.   This may explain why he chose the friends that he did, which ultimately lead to participating in criminal activities. It has become a commonly accepted notion in the United States that puberty is the cause of many abnormal behaviors in young people.   To some extent, it is a reasonable claim; as a child matures into a teenager, they will likely push for more independence and individuality.   Changing hormones can attribute to some peculiar behavior, but in itself is not an excuse for even minor criminal behavior, let alone murdering ones parents and classmates.   However, as Frontline reports, Dr. Orin Bolstad, a psychologist who specializes in juvenile killers, stated that Kinkel’s behavior is consistent with an early onset of schizophrenia. This form of schizophrenia manifested itself through several delusional beliefs, as well as the apparent voices that told Kinkel to commit the murders.   It is also important to note that the theory that his violent behavior was caused by a biological factor, in this case a chemical imbalance, is substantiated by the fact that the use of Prozac seemed to calm some of his erratic behavior.   One can even tie the biological aspect of his illness to the humanistic aspect by recognizing that the voices that Kinkel claimed to hear, voices that may have been his subconscious thoughts manifested, were dangerous to his self-image.   According to Kinkel, the voices told him he was worthless, which would be consistent with his low self-esteem. Of all the psychological aspects that can be used to analyze Kinkel’s behavior, perhaps the hardest to address is society’s role.   Are young people being desensitized to gun use through culturally accepted displays of violence?   Are guns too readily available to young people?   In Kinkel’s situation, the answer is obviously that yes, guns were made way too available.   Although his father apparently took great care in trying to teach him that guns are a responsibility, he did allow the teenager to purchase a firearm. This likely sent a message to the young man that it is ok to own a gun.   In fact, it was after his father allowed him to purchase a firearm that he continued to buy more from friends.   Once he was caught with possession of a firearm on school property, he claims he did not want his parents to have to be ashamed.   So, in an attempt to solve this problem, he decided to kill his parents.   His solution to the problem is not unlike the plots of many action-adventure movies, thus lending credibility to the culturally inspired aspect of his crime. In conclusion, it is impossible to know exactly what caused Kip Kinkel to murder his parents in cold blood.   Nor is there any real explanation as to why he would then drive to school and open fire on an entire cafeteria of students.   Although modern psychology can, to some extent, offer a glimpse into the diseased mind, it can not afford us a clear and scientific answer as to why people do the things they do.   One thing is certain in Kinkel’s case: he is a deeply disturbed individual. When the judge handed down the one- hundred-eleven year sentence, he confirmed what many psychologists already knew: there is no hope of rehabilitation for a young man who committed such heinous crimes.   Even if medication and therapy could alleviate the symptoms of his disease, the knowledge of the pain that he caused will be with him until the day he dies.   Such is the tragic ending of a very tragic situation. Works Cited â€Å"The Killer At Thurston High.† PBS: Frontline. (January 2000). 20 November 2006.    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kinkel/

Friday, September 27, 2019

Managing markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing markets - Essay Example "Customer relationship management teaches the tools that are needed to reach a customer in a way that instills trust and confidence. Some of these tools include methods in the way the customer is approached. Building up a level of common ground with the customer is an effective way to start building that confidence. Studies show that people are drawn to what they are attracted to. When a customer is approached by a salesperson that is confident, well dressed, and can communicate well, they are more likely to listen from the beginning to the end" (StreetDirectory). The customer relationship strategy can either be an IT-based or a staff-based solution. Markets with low contact such as through the internet should employ an It-based solution, while markets with high contact such as a high-fashion shop should employ a staff-based customer relationship strategy. The other necessary to a successful customer relation is of course the staff. Being the people who have direct dealings with the customers, the staffs can make or break customer relations. If the service is excellent, then customers will be encouraged to return, as opposed to an ugly and disrespectful service. To maintain an effective staff, the management has a very active role to do. First important thing to have is a good salary. It is understandable that a good salary breeds contentment and loyalty. Second is good working condition. Inevitably, the working condition affects the mood of the workers. A good working condition lightens up things for the workers and this is conveyed to the customers. Lastly, a good management brings a smile to the staff. With a good management, staffs find it more enjoyable to work. Conclusion Customer relation has its roots from the management. This is transcended into the employees and staff and conveyed to the customer. An excellent service, coupled with information technology would both boost relationship with the customer. Works Cited StreetDirectory. Importance of Customer Relationship Management. 9 September 2009 . TechTarget. http://searchcrm.techtarget.com. 9 September 2009 . Public Relation and Social Networks Introduction Public Relation is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. "The main goal of apublicrelationsdepartment is to enhance a company's reputation. Staff that work inpublicrelations, or as it is commonly known, PR, are skilled publicists. They are able to present a company or individual to the world in the best light. The role of apublicrelatio

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Air pollution around the i710(Long Beach) Freeway Term Paper

Air pollution around the i710(Long Beach) Freeway - Term Paper Example Infect, they are not aware of the biggest danger, which is going to affect them in the forth coming years. According to Robert Hotz of the Wall Street Journal, "Congested cities are fast becoming test tubes for scientists studying the impact of traffic fumes on the brain" (Coker para. 1). The experience with air pollution can be associated to brain damage, fretfulness, gloominess, dementia and autism and also probably intensify the threat of Alzheimer's disease and fasten the outcome of Parkinson's disease. The latest report of the public-health management and the laboratory studies suggests that, overexposure to impure air has extensively been connected with asthma and elevated rates of cardiac syndrome, malignancy and respiration problems. The West Long Beach Site:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The west long beach, which is identified as an important gift of nature, is a residence to the main drivers of air pollution in southern California. About 29,000 inhabitants and 8 public schools are operating with more than 9,000 students; they are compressed among the 710 freeway to the east. The Long Beach/Los Angeles port compound, the 103 freeways and main oil plant to the west; the 405 freeway to the north; the port and a main engineering to the south. A major producer of air pollution is the harbor compound, which include ships, trains, and trucks. As the basis for more than 40% of the nation’s import, above forty thousand trucks trips a day are required for the movements of the goods from the docks and terminals. â€Å"Some trucks head for the massive truck-to-train ‘intermodal’ facility adjacent to Westside area schools, where the containers are transferred to trains running north to the rail yards east of Los Angeles. Other trucks make their way to the I-710 and rail corridor, what residents call â€Å"cancer alley,† before hooking into the region’s vast transportation matrix. The research site is highlighted in the map to the rig ht† (Hytrek 5). Air Pollution around the 710 Freeway:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The port of Long Beach are the lone prevalent source of air pollution in southern California leading to increased asthma rates for kids existing in port-adjacent community such as Long Beach, to be approximately twofold as elevated as the rest of the U.S. Pollution associated to the ports and movements of goods in California causes more than 2,500 early deaths per annum and malignancy threat rates up to 20 times superior to central clean air standards. The inhabitants are basically economically backward class. In a current economic study of school absence and ozone stage in Southern California, the researchers identified that $68 million a time can be secured if ozone altitudes in the south Coastal Basins been further minimized, so as to get better with the health matters of the children. Health Impacts of Air Pollution among Children: Air Pollution is found to have an inconsistent effect on inhabit ants near the coastal areas, where they belong to the economically weaker class of the society. Children are identified to have census problem and the regular headache and tiredness are the consequences as the result of the same. Children in those areas are prone to be identified with asthma, and other bronchial infections. The children are also found to have diagnosed with the risk of cancer and the risk of experiencing poisonous air contaminants. Various studies

Physician Assisted Suicide Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Physician Assisted Suicide - Term Paper Example Utilitarianism, which is one of most well-known ethical theories under the umbrella of consequentialism or teleological ethics, is a school of thought, which believes that right and ethical actions are those, which could create maximum good for the maximum number of people. In other words, it focuses on the minimizing the pain and maximizing the pleasure (Devettere, pp. 106-107, 2009). If the issue of physician-assisted suicide is put forward in front of a utilitarianist then he would engage in a hedonic calculus for calculating the pleasure and pain inflicted by the situation of the patient. If the total pleasure is greater than the total pain than the utilitarianist would argue that, the person should live and vice versa. Furthermore, despite the fact that how much pain the person is suffering with, if the life of the person is causing pleasure and benefit for a greater number of people then the utilitarianist would argue that it is better for the person to live for as long as poss ible despite his condition (Donnellan, pp. 61, 2005). More importantly, even if the person pleads death, an utilitarianist in that particular condition would refrain from letting it happen because according to Millian principles of utilitarianism, if ever there is a clash between the two basic principles or values of this ethical theory which are â€Å"Utility† and â€Å"Liberty†, then utility must prevail over liberty (Keown, pp. 201, 2002). Relativism refers to the school of thought who believes that absolute truth, knowledge of reality is inaccessible to the humans because of that every bit and a piece of information or truth that comes to us is highly subjective.  Ã‚  

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS - Essay Example The company was started in 1902 as a joint venture between Imperial Tobacco Company of United Kingdom and the American Tobacco Company of the USA. The parent companies agreed to carry out export businesses and form overseas subsidiaries to the joint venture. The company began operations in diversified counties outside UK and USA such as Canada, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia (Our history). In 1911, one of the parent companies, the American Tobacco Company, sold its shares of the company. Imperial Tobacco too slowly reduced its shareholding by 1980. In 1976, the companies held by the group were consolidated under a new holding company, called B.A.T Industries. In 1994, BAT took over its former parent, American Tobacco Company. However, in 1999 British American Tobacco formed a merger with Rothmans International, which made it the target of criticism from human rights groups. Similarly, in 2003, British American Tobacco bought Ente Tabacchi Italiani (ETI), Italys state tobacco company. British American Tobacco holds one of the most famous brands across the world. The international brands include Dunhill, Pall Mall, Benson & Hedges etc. The company has a gross turnover of over  £26 million and revenue of over  £10 million. The company employs over 53000 people (Our Brands). British American Tobacco strongly believes in conducting business with honesty, integrity and transparency. Not only it the right thing to do, but is also essential to the continuous development of a business. A business that is responsible, successful and sustainable in the long term. The company is committed to good corporate governance and believes in achieving business objectives in a responsible and consistent manner, at the same time following honesty, transparency and accountability. Corporate governance is not simply an exercise in compliance, but as a vital element defining the sustainable, long-term growth of business. According to the Sustainability Report

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The extra credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The extra credit - Essay Example There are negative effects of these externalities in production for instance; industrial pollution causes the marginal social cost (MSC) to curve higher than the private marginal cost (MPC). The externality for this discussion will be sea pollution by water vessels. Sea pollution occurs due to oil spillage from ships and sea vessels on transit, especially in cases of accidents or leakage. Other forms of pollution by the sea vessels are from discharging domestic wastes into the sea when the vessel is in transit. Passenger ships are the main dischargers of domestic effluent into the sea such as kitchen wastes and waste from sanitation areas. Other pollution may be from chemicals, and garbage from the sea vessel that find their way into the water during transit. Scrapping of old ships on beaches may also pollute the water is the scrap metal, paints, and pieces find their way into the water. However, most of the sea pollution comes from people living near the beaches, when they dispose chemicals, soil, oil, and rubbish into the sea. Disposal of Bunker oil from cargo ship is very dangerous and toxic to the sea creatures and is very difficult to clean sea pollution is bad for the society as it destroys the marine ecosystem by killing the aquatic plan ts organisms. There are some policies to control sea pollution in various countries such as government intervention through regulations, which include taxing polluters and forcing the polluters to compensate the affected. International regulations to prevent marine pollution from ships aim at preventing and lowering ship pollution. Port waste management under Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels highlights the requirements for all vessels to give a prior notice to the port on the waste onboard. The vessels should also offload the waste at the port and pay for waste discharge facilities. All ships of between 150

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Exploration and drilling process Research Paper

The Exploration and drilling process - Research Paper Example However since technology is known to be dynamic this research paper recommend that other research papers similar to this should be conducted every now and then to encompass the new impacts emerging. Several authors have discussed the process of oil exploration in various contexts. Ofstad (20)explained thatnew models should be establishedwith new discoveries experiencedin new exploration.Poletto and Miranda (1), showed that oil and gas exploration consists of three main phases that are the geophysical exploration with geological interpretation of processed data, drilling phase and production phase. However, Bjorndal (56) explained that the typical pattern for individual fields, regions and provinces is that exploration activities uncover more oil reserves than predicted by the geophysical approach. Hyne (233) discussed the drilling preliminaries, the mechanics for drilling an oil well, the drilling problems and the drilling techniques. However, none of the scholars relates the current technological advancement with the improvements in the process of oil exploration and drilling. This is the reason why I have decided to undertake this research so that I can indicate the various progresses that have been achieved in the process of oil exploration and drilling because of improvement in the levels of technology. One of my specific objectives is to explore how technology has improved the collection, analysis and interpretation of seismic data in determining the presence of oil deposits. My other specific objective is to determine how technology has influenced the process of oil drilling and various preparations involved as well as the choice for the equipment to use during the process. The process of oil exploration involves three phases. The first phase is geophysical explorations with geological interpretation of geological data. This phase identifies a geological region in which to drill oil wells and after a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

European balance Essay Example for Free

European balance Essay Analyze attitudes toward and evaluate the motivations behind the European acquisition of African colonies in the period 1880 to 1914. During the late 1800’s, Europe had a steady decline rate of available work, so Europe, as a whole, was looking for a way to improve overall. Many European countries look towards Africa to create new colonies for Europeans to better their own country. European’s attitudes towards Africa was Europeans were a superior race in comparison to Africans. Motivation was acquired from the help of strong nationalism to then acquire new land to build upon their country to improve its economy and create new available work. European nations all had different reasons to control parts of Africa. Chancellor Otto von Bismark said to his Countryman exploring in africa, â€Å"Your map of Africa is very nice, but my map of Africa is in Europe. Here is Russia and here is France, and we are in the middle. That is my map of Africa. † (Doc 3). He argues that he is focusing on Europe and he is only willing to establish colonies because France and Russia are doing it as well. Eugene-Melchior de Vogue, French diplomat, describes how the European balance of power is now becoming a world balance of power (Doc 10) in the book, The Master of the Sea. Nations would have to develope more colonies in Africa in order to stay visible to other bigger and powerful nations. Another way to show awareness and capability was to colonize Africa, Archibald Philip Primrose stated. (Doc 8). This statement makes it clear that Primrose was pro imperialism due to the political pluses that it provides. The belief of European nations have the right and is automatically entitled to go to Africa and occupy their land was stated by Martial Henri Merlin. (Doc 11). He believed that imperialism is the correct and the most important thing to participate in. This point of view is justifiable through the fact that is is indeed the Governor of Africa. Europe was always competitive especially when it came to the output of resources. A French diplomat who goes by the name Eugene Melchoir said that in order to stay competitive, you must go to far lengths. The colonization of Africa is changing europe from a balance of power to a world balance of power. Joseph Chamberlain a British industrialist, says directly in one of his speeches that economic improvement of countries is available through the process of colonization. If nations were to engage in colonization, there would be less unemployment, more trade, and an overall better economic environment. In conclusion, the motivations have a wide range and all correlate to one another. To maintain power, change and fix social and political issues, and stay competative were all prominent motivations.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effects of FDI in the Dominican Republic

Effects of FDI in the Dominican Republic Introduction Background and purpose The Dominican Republic has done a major shift in its economy, coming from an agricultural economy, to one based on services. An estimate of the sectors contribution to the country are, 60.2% in services (tourism, transportation, communications, finances, others), 15.5% in industry (manufacturing), 11.5% in construction, 11.3% in agriculture, and 1.5% in mining (CIA fact book). As of right now only tourism leads the service industry, but is soon to be challenged by the investment of contact centers. Because of this shift in its economy the Dominican Republic has become home to various foreign investments, but the one this study will focus on is on the foreign direct investment in contact centers, or call centers as they are also known. It is important to explore the advantages the Dominican Republic offers to attract such foreign investment, as well as to analyze the fact that although there are benefits, it could also lack the necessary infrastructure to sustain this rapidly growing industry. Due to the ongoing world financial crisis, many international companies are struggling to keep their business afloat and looking to establish their contact centers outside of their home based countries. Saving money and reducing operational cost are some of the main reason companies move and do foreign direct investment (FDI) abroad. Investing and conducting operations overseas seems to be the answer that foreign contact centers are looking for in order to meet such goals. It can be said that the Dominican Republic offers an answer to the difficulties contact centers companies are experiencing and continue to confront back at home. Some of the solutions given to these companies are a great business climate for foreign direct investment (FDI), incentives and good geographical location, among other compensations. As a result of moving abroad contact centers gain a particular advantage over their competitors. These advantages can range from cheaper operational cost, strategic location a nd skilled personnel, to a variety of options which may or may not be available in the Dominican Republic. But like everything in life not everything is perfect, the country also needs to confront a sad reality, which is that although it offers good things to investors, it also lacks of other good things. This study will provide the key aspects of contact center FDI in the Dominican Republic in order to present some of the weak and strong points the country has on this industry. By doing this the report looks at what the country has to offer to current and future investors in the contact center industry. It will also provide-from the investors point of view-what makes the Dominican Republic an attractive place to invest foreign capital in contact centers, as well as some of the problems encountered throughout the business venture. Although information provided by the governmental institutions in charge of spreading information about this industry say the country is capable, suited and ready to meet all the requirements of international investors, it is a fact that no system is perfect. This is where facts will be laid down in order to show what truly attracts, keep or loses these investments on the island. Based on those previously mentioned facts the study will look at what improveme nts can be made by the country in order to keep a competitive edge on the rapid growing industry. With this information the reader will comprehend the flaws in the system, and what measures are needed in order to correct them and generate a more positive investment climate. Along with this positive investment climate the study will show the impact call center FDI has had in the country. An efficient and effective investment climate can only be produced by pointing out the pros and cons of what the Dominican Republic has to offer to its investors. The conclusion of the study wishes to convey that these improvements can be achieved by taking action upon the recommendations given. Being that this study is based mostly on empirical knowledge, some of the observations made will be presented based on the industry expertise of the writer of over 7 years or working experience in this field. Research questions Is the Dominican Republic a good place for FDI? Have contact centers FDI created a real impact in the Dominican Republic? Research methodology In order to answer the questions mentioned above, this paper we will use a mixture of methodologies in order to analyze if the country is truly a good place for contact center FDI and if the industry has had an impact in the Dominican Republic. These methodologies include interviews, qualitative research and quantitative data. Organization of paper This document will be composed of four chapters, the first one being its introductory part. The first chapter will provide a brief introduction and background of the Dominican Republic and what sectors comprise the FDI in the country, along with the research questions and research methodology. The second chapter will present an overview of foreign direct investment, inflows, trends, performances and investment climate that pertains the country, as well as the promotion agency in charge of FDI in the country. This information will be in comparison with selected economies from the Caribbean, Latin America and others. The third chapter will cover a more in-depth analysis of contact centers in the Dominican Republic, flaws and investor perspective. The study will also look at a specific company from which the study will depict the impact this specific center has had in the country. The concluding and fourth chapter will provide key findings from the study and recommend future improvement s based on those findings. Overview of FDI in the Dominican Republic FDI trends and performance in Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic, like many other developing countries, is actively seeking to attract FDI. They are not only seeking FDI as an important factor in creating employment opportunities and additional source of income, but rather for the reason of potential spillovers of knowledge and technology. The strong public support for FDI in the Dominican Republic is expressed through the creation of the Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic, institution in charge of all exports and investment, along with other measures taken by the government. Some of these measures include simplification of administrative procedures, aid from the CEI-RD in logistics and information, subsidies, tax breaks, exemptions and other instruments that facilitate FDI. Before addressing the question of whether FDI in the Dominican Republic has led to development, spillovers of knowledge and technology, as well as, if it is a good place for contact centers to establish and invest, the study will provide an overview of FDI inflows and trends in the Dominican Republic. FDI inflows in the Dominican Republic have made a miraculous recovery from 2004 to 2008 according to the data by the World Bank (World Bank, World Development Indicators). As any other developing country, the inflow of foreign capital was affected by the political environment, which reflected in an average loss of almost 200 million dollars per year during the 2000-2004 governmental period. During this period the collapse of a major bank caused financial turmoil and many investors were forced to leave the country. After a change of government and the macro stability was placed back in track by the new authorities, the country received an average foreign capital inflow of 450 million dollars a year, to earn a total of over two billion dollars in FDI inflows (See figure below). This great recovery happened during the 2004-2008 period, as it was first mentioned, and it is still improving as the country keeps positioning itself as a preferred destination for FDI. Although contact centers are not the main reason for this fast recovery in the FDI, the new rapid industry of contact centers are playing a very important role as it continues to evolve into a leading industry in the service field. In President Fernandez first governmental period (2004-2008) the country recovered from the worst financial crisis in many years. During 2005 the country predicted a GDP growth of 9.3% and inflation to be brought under control at 7.3% throughout the 2004-2008 years. By managing these issues President Fernandez said We have rescued the confidence of investors by achieving macroeconomic stability (Leonel Fernandez, 2004). Having achieved macroeconomic stability, the Dominican Republic received US$1 billion worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2005, up 40% from 2004, and U.S. investment accounted for around 40% of the total (CEI-RD, 2006). This led to an improvement of FDI inflows and mechanisms to continue attracting and sustaining this newly found investments. Below are the net inflows of FDI for various Latin American and the Caribbean countries, including the Dominican Republic. Investment climate When one thinks of the Dominican Republic, images of tropical beaches and all-inclusive resorts may come to mind, but this ten million-strong nation, occupying two thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, also has one of the Americas fastest growing economies and diverse scenery in the Caribbean (BusinessWeek, 2006). The briefing paper Foreign Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2008 is one of the latest editions of a series issued annually by the Unit of Investment and Corporate Strategies of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Division of Production, Productivity and Management. This report presents-in a very detail manner-the foreign investment done in Latin American and Caribbean countries, showing their relative differences and investment climate among other indicators. This report also touches on the contact center industry, which has contributed greatly to the ever increasing FDI inflow of the Dominican Republic. Comparing to oth er countries the Dominican Republic shows one of the best FDI inflows by reflecting a relative difference of 83%. What this means is that FDI activities has been constantly growing in the country, thus reflecting good initiatives from the country and a positive improving investment climate (see image below). A good investment climate is not created by simple marketing; it takes hard work, good economic policies and first-class governance on behalf of the government and its Head of State. Because many countries offer desirable investment conditions companies frequently ask themselves, where they should invest their capital. The answer needs to be provided by the country that wishes to be the host of the foreign investments these companies wish to make. The Dominican Republic has characteristics that make it a desirable place to make an investment of any kind, but the question that still lingers around is if the country can really sustain an investment of great magnitude. Offering the right investment climate in the Caribbean is something that the country wishes to achieve, but is not always successful on doing so. With a long history of attracting considerable FDI in a variety of sectors, the Dominican Republic is a regional leader in attracting contact center foreign investment. Longstan ding political stability and a diversifying economy have led many foreign firms to choose the Dominican Republic as an investment destination. Recent success in attracting FDI is due to the countrys investor-friendly legal regime, generous incentives, and infrastructure capable of supporting new technologies, including information technology (FDI Magazine. Financial Times Magazine. August 2005). As mentioned earlier, this success is fairly new and the Dominican Republic still faces the challenge of maintaining and attracting this foreign investments. A great way to see how well positioned is the country and the investment climate it offers is to do a comparison of economies. Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times is the seventh in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. The report presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time (Doing business, 2010). Looking at this specialize report the Dominican Republic reflects its ranking in ease of doing business and other important world ranking criterias that foreign investors consider necessary to know before investing in any. Although this report is using specific economies, the data compares the Dominican Republic to the economies of countries around its region, as well as others from a distant hemisphere and much more developed than the island. One basic criterion for investment is the ease of doing business, the chart below reflects a clear weakness for the Dominican Republic in this area by ranking lower than a Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Puerto Rico and Jamaica are much smaller countries, which may contribute to more agile processes, but the fact that they are neighboring countries there should be a bigger similitude among them in terms of how business is handle. This is a clear sign that depending on how a country handles its business will reflect how efficient their mechanisms are, therefore providing a bigger ease of doing business. Another factor that should not be of much importance is the fact that Jamaica and Puerto Rico receive assistance, guidance and at times are regulated by developed countries. This should not be an excuse for why the Dominican Republic is falling behind in such a basic and important principle. (Doing business, 2010). The chart below, which has also been extracted from the Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times Report, touches on another very important factor for investors when they consider making an investment abroad. The ranking given in this chart is compared to the selected economies of Haiti, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Rwanda and others. This comparison is done once again in order to show how the Dominican Republic presents itself as a favorable investment location. Yet again this favorable climate for investors is not providing the best climate because is falling behind to neighboring economies which only advantage seems to be a more organize and efficient system. The Dominican Republic continues to improve, but is weak in its bureaucratic process, which as a result continues to slow down its progress. Dominican Republics ranking in doing business (Doing business, 2010) Once an investment is done, one of the biggest-if not the main concern of any investor-is how secure is their investment in a foreign country, meaning how are they protected from any unwanted situation. The Dominican Republic has recently passed a new legislation which provides a greater protection to its investors, thus providing investors with a contingency plan if anything happens. The graph below shows the global ranking of the Dominican Republic in terms or protecting its investors, which is a great improvement from other areas already mentioned. Although this is a very important concern for investors, it still addresses a post-investment situation. What this mean is that it does not really provide an immediate impact in attracting a foreign investment if the other factors are encouraging, but it does boost investors confidence in the country they plan to invest as well as adding to a better investment climate. (Doing business, 2010) In an interview to CEI-RD Minister Eddy Martinez in the renowned Dominican daily show Hoy Mismo, transmitted by channel 9, he talks about the investment climate in the Dominican Republic and mentions key factors that make the country a great place to invest-compared to other countries in the region. He talks about establishing incentive mechanisms in order to attract those capitals which appraise the value of the investment not only for the amount, but for the impact these investments will have in terms of technology transfer, creation of employment, type of employment, quality of products produced in the country and if they will carry out Research Development activities. Although this mechanism is something the country whishes to implement, it is still not fully incorporated, thus leaving room for error. The institution is still trying to educate and integrate the contact center community so they can share these incentives and goals with other investors who want to do future busine ss based on the country incentive structure. To disseminate this information the CEI-RD has done seminars concerning these incentives, and is moving forward to the implementation of those incentive policies. During the interview CEI-RD Minister mentioned that many investments come through different ministries, therefore many investors are not sure who and how their investment are handle. This reflects a clear disorganization in the governmental mechanisms, which translates into a weakness. Minister Martinez suggests the government creates an integrated mechanism of investment. What this means is that no matter the origin of the investment or ministry, it will end up in a single place. This will allow proper follow up of the investment, and in case a project gets stuck, the institution can determine where being detained due to bureaucracy or lack of project handling. Based on that integrated mechanism the country can increase its FDI inflows by having all projects in a single place, thus providing one more reason to invest in th e Dominican Republic. Promotion agency (CEI-RD) and incentives offered The Dominican Republics government has implemented a liberal framework for attracting FDI. It makes no distinction between foreign and local companies in terms of ownership restrictions and ability to qualify for investment incentives. Foreign investment is permitted in all sectors except those related to public health and the environment (such as storage and disposal of hazardous or radioactive waste), as well as national security. The Dominican Republic government also offers full exemption from all taxes, duties, charges, and fees that affect production and export activities in free trade zones, which it introduced in 1969. The free trade zones aim to attract high-tech manufacturing (including electronics and electrical components) as well as more traditional manufacturing-such as of automotive parts, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, plastics, metals, injection molding, textiles and footwear, jewelry, tobacco and of course contact centers. The incentives offered last up to 25 years for zones on the Haitian border, and up to 15 years for all other zones. In May 2006 there were 59 industrial parks and free trade zones in the Dominican Republic, hosting more than 600 companies, providing over 190,000 direct jobs, and occupying 2.1 million square meters. Although there are no performance requirements for foreign investors, few sector-specific incentives are offered to them. (World Bank Group, MIGA, Snapshot of the Caribbean, 2007) All of the benefits mentioned above and the continuing inflow of investment is happening thanks to efforts from the government and the institution in charge of carrying out FDI promotion. The institution carrying out this very important task is the Dominican Republics Export and Investment Center (CEI-RD), which is headed by Eddy Martinez, as the Minister and Executive Director of this government institution that promotes national strategic export and foreign investment opportunities and works hands-on with local and foreign enterprise to facilitate business activity. Because the institution knows the importance of investment they are aggressively targeting investors through offices in New York, Miami and California, and because of the nations entry into the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA-DR. The Centro de Exportacià ³n e Inversià ³n de la Repà ºblica Dominicana (CEI-RD) as it is called in Spanish, is the countrys one-stop investment promotion intermediary. It has three main departments: Export Promotion, Investment Promotion, and a Training Center. The CEI-RD aims to strategically promote the valuable conditions that the Dominican Republic offers as an investment destination and foreign trade developer, by pursuing priority areas as defined by the Government, to increase employment, technological transfer and the social welfare of the Nation. The agency organizes and participates in trade missions both overseas and locally as well as provides tools to assist investors, such as an export directory. (World Bank Group, MIGA, Snapshot of the Caribbean) The CEI-RD is the official organization responsible for the promotion of international trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It was created as a product of the fusion of the Center for the Promotion of Exports of the Dominican Republic (CEDOPEX) and the Office for the Promotion of Investments of the Dominican Republic (OPI-RD), according to Law 98-03, effective on June 17, 2003. The CEI-RD is comprised of two main operational areas, export promotion and foreign investment promotion and its functions include many promotions, but some of the more relevant to this study are promotion of the countrys advantages to attract foreign investment, coordination with other government institution related to foreign trade in the interest of achieving an expedient and efficient flow of exports and investments in the country, promotion and development of FDI and business from the CEI-RD offices abroad, currently in Miami, New York and Chicago, participating actively in trade negotiations and ad ministration of resulting agreements, contribute to the improvement of the legal framework and its proper application. Also throughout the Foreign Service network, new offices will be opening soon in Puerto Rico and Silicon Valley The institution services are available for local and foreign companies to facilitate the exports and investments of the country which is an advantage to any investor. Among the services the CEI-RD offers, and which are relevant to this study, they have specialized consulting, technical assistance in meeting the regulations and norms required for the export of goods and services, which is helpful to new investor who are not familiar with the legal framework. They also have validation of certificates of origin, technical assistance relating to trade agreements, recommendations for improving the production process and benefiting from tariff preferences. The new investor can also benefit from visits on behalf of the CEI-RD specialized staff to their companies in order to evaluate the production process under trade agreements and preferential programs. One very important service the CEI-RD offers is that they ensure the correct application of norms relating to export and investment proced ures by administrating Law 84-99 on the reactivation and promotion of exports and Law 16-95 on foreign investment. Other services, although not specific to the industry, offered by the CEI-RD and from which investors could benefit are product profiles and market analysis, business intelligence, legal and economic information, registration of exports and foreign direct investment, facilitation of a network of representatives abroad and foreign trade documentation center. As any other promotion agency the CEI-RD has several promotion programs that make the Dominican Republic attractive for FDI. These programs include National and International Trade shows and expos where it presents companies, local and foreign, can showcase their products. The CEI-RD also coordinates trade missions in order to ensure a successful transaction as well as training programs relating to international trade. In these specific programs-relating to international trade-local companies can get educated and learn how to export their products and foreign investors can learn about the local market and opportunities. Another very important promotion program-and the one of the most significant-is the coordination of business meetings to present what the countrys has to offer, as well as to contact potential investors and exporters. With this two-way program, foreign and local investors will have a mutual gain by making the necessary contacts to get their business started, thus gene rating future FDI. (CEI-RD, 2010) Contact center FDI in Dominican Republic Overview of contact center FDI As it was previously mentioned, this study looks at the pros and cons of contact center FDI from various angles, one been from the host country point of view and the other the investors point of view. From the host country the study takes into consideration a report created by the economist Jonathan Aragonez, from the Center of Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), as well as other documentation of contact centers from the CEI-RD. These documents will provide the necessary data to point out the countrys benefit and disadvantages. Do to the lack of published papers that truly criticize or analyze the contact center industry, this study will support many of its facts on three things. These three key contributions are empirical knowledge of the writer, interview conducted to the economist previously mentioned, and interview with a contact center owner who is doing FDI in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic has had strong export services for many years, and as a result there are 40 to 50 call centers registered with the Dominican Call Center Association. Investors currently operating in the country cited skilled workers, most of whom are bilingual, as their main reason for choosing it as their investment location (Dominican Republic Contact Center Association, 2010). The country has a large, well-trained labor force and although Spanish is the countrys official language, investors can find workers that also speak English. Apart from the stable, fast growing economy, attractive cost structure and near shore location, it can be said that people are the primary competitive advantage in the Dominican Republic. Investors in the Dominican Republic always emphasize the Dominicans high learning ability and proficiency in English. (Eddy Martinez, 2006). The countrys large size means that land is available for green field investment-if one was to be done-although most investors opt to rent or lease a work space for their operations. The country also offers great access to all markets being that is one of the six countries in the world that has a free trade agreement with the U.S. and Europe. Some of the other countries that have such a privilege are Israel, Jordan, Chile and Mexico (Office of the United States Trade Representative, 2010). Other favorable investment factors included the countrys well-developed, affordable telecommunications infrastructure which is the only one in the Caribbean with access four international cables through the Americas Region Caribbean Optical-Ring System Cable (ARCOS-1). What this means is that the Dominican Republic connection to the U.S. or any other country is redundant, thus ensuring contact center businesses to always be connected. Contact centers in the Dominican Republic generate 25,000 direct jobs, from the 57 companies registered and operating in the country. In the next two years those centers are expected to create 30,000 additional jobs, which when added to the indirect ones are more than 150,000 in. This information comes from the CEI-RD, which also says almost all of the data and information technology centers have been installed in the country in the past three years, meaning this great progress has been done in record time. This year alone-and not including centers outside of free trade zones-Contact Centers constituted 15% of approved companies in the free trade zones of the Dominican Republic, being matched only by textile companies (Approved companies by the Free Trade Zone and Export Committee, 2010). In previous reports the committee also shows how these companies add to the countrys GDP year after year, reflecting in a steady and secure growth of this industry. Companies approved in 2010 Free Trade Zone and Export Committee, 2010) The contact center industry in the Dominican Republic is one that has maintained a steady and significant growth. By doing so it has provided a great deal of jobs in the Dominican labor market, citing that for the year 2009 the industry counted with 22,000 jobs. Taking into consideration that the growth of this industry will be of about 27% and 36% annual growth during the next five years, it means that by 2014 the number of jobs can grow to an astonishing 150,000 jobs if the average annual growth rate is of only 27%. If the industry grows at an average of 37% annually, we are talking about having 250,000 jobs, which is almost double of the previous projection. (Jonathan Aragonez, 2010) Strengths, weaknesses and investors perspective of contact centers FDI Deciding whether to invest or not in a country is a decision which is influenced by what the country has offered and showed you, and what other investors say their experience has been. Investors will most likely take other investors input as the reality of how business works in a country. With that being said, one of the biggest disadvantages mentioned by investors is that the Dominican Republic doesnt count with a large enough English speaking community to hold growing operations. This statement comes from the interview with Mr. Blake Janover, contact center owner who has experienced the lack of English speaking representatives. He mentions that the Dominican Republic is a great place to invest, but not the best in the world due to some more important flaws than not enough English personnel. The main weaknesses mentioned by this contact center owner are banking, finance, and overall infrastructure, which is why he runs everything through an external company abroad instead of legally constituting a Dominican company. He also says that it takes time to get things rolling in the country, but he likes the Dominican Republic because it offers a huge tax benefit, as the US offers almost none (Blake Janover, 2010). Further details given by Mr. Janover can be seen in the Appendix. As for the interview with Mr. Jonathan Aragonez, an economist for the Center of Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic, he explains that the Dominican Republic offers contact center investors a great deal of benefits. In his interview he mentions some of the exclusivity of Dominican Republic, its treaty and skilled labor force. The most significant interpretation I could gather form the interview was that an investor is usually winning when investing in a contact center. This is an industry that is expected to grow at a steady 27 to 36 percent in average in the next 5 years, so the investor is bound to make a great profit in the business.(Jonathan Aragonez, 2010) Both the investor and the host country agree in one thing, the Dominican Republic offers advantages that many other countries dont have, and that is why the country is becoming a leader in the industry. These advantages are not only extended to the country and the investor, but are also transferable to the workforce. The average starting salaries in the contact centers are between RD$18,000 to RD$22,000 pesos. This amount is three times more than the average salary of RD$6,000 pesos-established by law-for people working office jobs such as law clerk, assistant or financial analyst (Ministry of Labor of the Dominican Republic, 2007). The contact center salaries are only matched by those of Doctors or Engineers in production plants, which is very demanding professional field in comparison with being a contact center agent. Although this is good for an individual whose only skill may be to speak English, it affects other labor markets due to the fact that the salary is so much

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Grace And Sin :: essays research papers

Grace In order to completely understand the theology of grace you have to take a look at Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Rahner, Segundo, and Boff, and how they understood what grace was. Their theories on grace have some valid points and yet they also have some invalid points. Augustine took a personal approach to grace and he believed in the massa damnata, which basically means that on the whole people are damned. He said before the original sin, you had a choice to be good or evil. Also, Augustine said that there is a double predestination, which means only some people are chosen before they are born if they are going to go to heaven. I don’t agree with this because it is basically saying that there is no salvation for all people. Aquinas thought that grace was added to nature and it elevates nature. He wrote the Summa, which demonstrates the beatific vision. The beatific vision is when the mind is unified to God. Aquinas’ theology is dualistic which displays natural and supernatural as separate entities. I don’t believe in his beatific vision because I believe that God allows us to make our own choices out of free will so our mind cannot be unified with Him. Unless I am wrong, this is saying God knows what is going to happen before it happens. If this is the case why do we have suffering; because God gave us free will. Luther viewed grace through his own view of himself as a sinner. He was so obsessed that he confessed his sins seven times a day. He said that grace is a favor of God and it heals a person’s sinfulness. He said that Jesus’ word was a vehicle of grace and that grace cannot be merited. I think his views on grace are not very good only because he views God as an active member and humans as a passive one. In order to be truly graced I believe that both parties need to be active and involved. Rahner believes that grace is intrinsic to nature and he also believes in Anonymous Christianity. This theory is that every person on this Earth is a Christian even if you do not know it. I don’t agree with this theory because, once again God gives everyone free will and this allows people to believe the way they want to. Boff says grace is a relationship with the trinity. I agree with this because it consists of showing love and devotion to all three persons of our one God. He also said that liberation is the key to grace. I some what agree with

The Turning Point in Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare :: Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

In this essay, I will be explaining how act 3 Scene 1 is a turning point. ?Romeo and Juliet? is a tragic love story based on two passionate lovers, Romeo and Juliet. However, their families dislike each other, forcing the young couple to only painful end. William Shakespeare made this story full of betrayal, love, jealousy, anger and death. In act 3 Scene 1, it shows the turning point of the whole account as one of Romeo?s best friend, Mercutio, is stabbed by Tybalt and died. Therefore, guilty Romeo decided to seek revenge and killed Tybalt. The author then introduces the prince of Verona who once said that if anyone ever disturbs the peace again, they will be executed. This shows that Romeo must suffer the consequences by being banished from Verona. In this essay, I will be discussing about seven turning points of the play. This story is mainly a comedy because there are the three playful friends who are Benvolio, Romeo, and Mercutio joking around and teasing the nurse mercilessly in Act 2 Scene 4. This phrase proves that the following statement is true: tis no less, I tell ye, for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of the moon?. After that, the nurse scolded the three young men for teasing her and called them a spoil brat, which makes the plot a little more humorous. After the turning point, the play becomes a tragedy. This is because Tybalt wants to kill Romeo but ends up with Romeo killing Tybalt looking for revenge and justice for Mercutio. Now that he committed a serious crime, he is a wanted person. He is a murderer and criminal in Verona, he is banished and he is not allowed to go back to Verona or else he will be executed. The main theme of this plot is love, like the relationship between Mercutio and Benvolio. They are both looking after each other, to prevent from something bad from happening. In the beginning of Act three scene 1, Benvolio wants Mercutio to withdraw because the Capulets are about and looking for trouble. This shows that Benvolio doesn?t want Mercutio to get in trouble since he is a troublemaker. After that, the main theme changes into death as two of the main characters died. As Romeo went to the Capulet?s party, which is an insult to Tybalt, there would be more hatred and misunderstanding between both of the family.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Investigating the Effect of Resistance on a Capacitor Circuit :: Papers

Investigating the Effect of Resistance on a Capacitor Circuit Method: We will set up the following circuit. We will measure the capacitor pd. (Vc) with the cell connected. Then we will remove the cell and connect point A to point B, at the same moment starting a stopwatch. We will record the length of time (t) for the Vc to decay to 3.75 Volts. We intend to repeat this procedure using different resistors. [IMAGE] Resistance (kW) Time (s) 33 33 68 72 100 97 150 153 330 320 680 584 Conclusion: From the graph we can clearly see that the time taken for the capacitor to discharge is directly proportional to the resistance. This is because the graph shows a definite straight line going through or near most of the points. This means that the higher resistor you use the longer it will take for the capacitor to discharge. The experiment has therefore proved the prediction correct i.e. the resistance should be directly proportionate to the time taken for the capacitor to de-charge. This can be explained by the following: Capacitors store electrical charge. When current is passing through the circuit the capacitor charges up as the current can't jump between the gap of the two plates but charge is held there because of the force of the opposite poles. This means that more and more electricity is stored until it reaches its full capacity. But when the circuit is broken the capacitor de-charges releasing electricity through the circuit. The resistor slows down the current causing 'congestion' and means that the capacitor has to de-charge slower because only a limited amount of charge can travel through a circuit with a high resistance at any one given time. Evaluation: The method was a good way of carrying out the experiment as it was quite easy to conduct once the circuit was connected, the results seem

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Ishmael Bernal and Religious Interpretations Essay

Ishmael Bernal’s films have received countless acknowledgements throughout the years because of his unique style of â€Å"working out patterns of symbolic details† (Lumbera 25). And through these patterns, Bernal was able to portray his views on things as an auteur. This paper examines his interpretations of religion and religious activities through his films. But this only includes three of his works: Manila by Night (1980), Himala (1982), and Hinugot sa Langit (1985). These three films’ devotional approaches are analyzed by both their mise-en-scene and fabula. On that note, religion as tackled in this paper only pertains to the Philippine religion of Christianity/Catholicism, since Bernal’s films appear to be only on the Catholic’s view. How did Bernal attack Catholicism? Why did he represent the country’s most widespread religion in that manner? What are the implications of his works on the era during such films were distributed? How do these films affect the contemporary time? And what do these films impose on the society and on the religion majority of it believes in? Hence, this paper has these films examined through the eyes of a spectator, and relates that analogy to Bernal’s own philosophies as an auteur. Religion in Mise-En-Scene and Iconographies Through the apparatus theory, Bernal’s religious interpretations in his works can be examined. Ponsford’s Film Theory and Language from media. edusites. co. uk says apparatus theory suggests that film is created to illustrate different ideas and that everything has meaning even starting from the camerawork up to the editing. Manila by Night is a drama film made by Bernal in 1980. It is a multiple-charactered film where the characters’ existences in the city were unveiled as they live by the ruthlessness of drugs, poverty, adultery, and lust. In Manila by Night, Bernal constantly used iconographies and effigies of divine entities in several sex scenes through elaborate camerawork and editing. An example is a scene where a couple (Adelina, played by Moreno and Pebrero, played by Ojeda) who routinely cheated on each other made love while religious icons peered over them (Santos 21). There is another sex scene where instead of figures, Bernal focused a shot on a chaplet necklace worn by the indolent college guy (Alex, played by Martinez) for a few seconds just before he had premarital sex with his girlfriend (Vanessa, played by Alajar). Bernal not only used these icons in sex scenes. In one scene where the neurotic mother of Alex, Virgie (Solis), trashed their home when she found out he was doing drugs, multiple shots of religious statues were shown simultaneously with the scene of flying plates and broken furniture in the screen. Hinugot sa Langit also has a remarkable mise-en-scene in terms of religious interpretations. It is a film about infidelity, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion. In the scene where Carmen (Soriano) was rushed to the hospital after attempting to commit suicide, the disparity between the two conflicting characters of Aling Juling (Solis) and Stella (Austria) was clearly depicted. Aling Juling, being the sanctimonious that she was, gave the feeble Carmen her Holy Bible, hoping that it helps Carmen as it did to her. Seconds after Aling Juling left the room, Stella put a bag of apples on top of the bible as she jokingly referred to it as â€Å"holy mansanas (apples)† which may be interpreted as the apple Eve took from the treacherous snake in the Garden of Eden. The style Bernal had in Manila by Night was still used in Hinugot sa Langit. There was the scene of Mang David’s (Ventura) child’s wake where an image of Christ hung over Carmen and Mang David’s backs as they talked about the latter’s debts from Aling Juling. There’s still that style but other sightings of the religious icons and statues were not shown in that ambiguous manner anymore; instead they were shown conspicuously to prove a point like every time Aling Juling conducted prayer meetings and worship time. The irony in showing religious images and sinful acts simultaneously is an apparent symbolism of the societal hypocrisy towards faith and Christianity. Morality Issues on Manila by Night, Himala, and Hinugot sa Langit These three films are all packed with morality issues and what are morality issues if there is no religion? Morality, I believe, is bound by the norms and rules of whatever religion an individual believes in. Therefore, people do what for them is â€Å"right† because the religion they keep their faith in tells them to do so. Himala is a story of a girl named Elsa (Aunor) who claims to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary on the top of the very hill where she was found by her non-biological mother years ago when she was still a baby. Since then Elsa started to â€Å"heal† people through the use of the power that was allegedly bestowed upon her by the Virgin Mary. She was situated in a small town called Cupang where the soil was always dry because of a â€Å"curse† from long time ago. Since then people came flocking to Elsa’s house to seek treatment from her miracles. She had her own followers and a bunch of detractors. In the end, when she faced piles of troubles—from not being able to â€Å"heal† anymore to being raped along with her best friend who later on committed suicide—she came clean and announced that there is no miracle, that it is the people who create their own miracles. She was shot dead at that same moment. The morality issues in this film is particularly apparent during the time when documentarist Orly (Manikan) battles with himself whether to have Elsa and Chayong’s (Centeno) rape video shown to the public. In the end he seeks help from the priest, which only made it clear that his decisions still depended largely on the â€Å"Catholic opinion† even though he was a self-proclaimed atheist right from the start. Manila by Night touches more morality issues than Himala. Since it is a film using a multiple-character format, the struggles each persona faces vary. There was a cheating guy (Pebrero), a liar prostitute (Adelina), a hypocritical ex-prostitute (Virgie), a happy-go-lucky gay (Manay Sharon), a dope-pusher lesbian (Kano), a blind whore (Bea), a college dropout (Alex), and his girlfriend (Vanessa). Their characters differ from each other but what’s uncanny about it was that their lives intertwine one way or another. Set in the city during a time when people’s freedom was being suppressed, these characters faced the question of what to do in times like that. Whether they hold on to their principles and strive to live for the good or just continue their dishonest lives to be able to endure everything and coexist. In a country where Catholicism is dominant, what Bernal showed in Manila by Night questions the values the religion upholds for its followers. The ending of the film where after all the mayhem that happened in the city during the past night seemed to be forgotten and the characters are portrayed as monotonous citizens living their routinely-charged lives is a strong point for proving how people trapped in the confusion of what’s good or evil can act as two-faced individuals who eventually become victims of the system. Hinugot sa Langit, on the other hand, tackles a more brazen topic that’s related to religion: abortion. When Carmen found out she was having Jerry’s (Tantay) child, she was faced with only two options: one is to keep it and the other is to abort. The problem the film earlier gave was that Jerry was already married with someone else and he made it clear right from the start that he didn’t want anything to do with the child Carmen was carrying. This, on top of the incessant urging of her straightforward cousin Stella, pushed Carmen to the edge of option number two. But her landlady, Aling Juling, insisted otherwise—saying abortion is a sin to God. As Carmen’s pregnancy became relatively closer to three months (which is the point when a mere embryo becomes human according to the abortionist) she began thinking about the issue of whether abortion is already an act of killing or not. But eventually, she chose to have abortion. Near the end of the film where she pounded on Mang David for stabbing Aling Juling to death, Bernal used a brilliant camera shift from Mang David’s staring face to Carmen’s while she was yelling, â€Å"Wala kang karapatang pumatay ng tao! You have no right to murder anyone! ),† as if giving the former a reason to say that she did not have any right to kill her child either. As Oggs Cruz put it in his blog, â€Å"Hinugot sa Langit may be branded as preachy and anti-abortion but in reality, the film has side stories that suggest a more pressing issue: societal hypocrisy. † This is not only apparent in the abortion issue but also in Aling Juling’s actions. It’s just that, as Cruz again puts it, â€Å"abortion is the most telling of issues. The Philippines being a prominently Catholic nation declares abortion as criminally and morally wrong yet funnily, the practice is unwrittenly accepted among women who are time-pressed with a decision. † Elsa and Aling Juling While Manila by Night’s interpretations of religion banks largely on its mise-en-scene, what Bernal created in Himala and Hinugot sa Langit were characters who seemed to embody the â€Å"divine† and through them, Bernal showed how false devotions and idolatry can be misleading. Elsa’s alleged involvement with the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary made her just as acred as the holy mother of Christ in the people’s eyes. She became, in an obvious way, the people’s source of blind faith that led them to their own pits of darkness as shown in the last part of the film where healthy and sick people alike experienced a stampede that caused them physical pain. This false faith is also ostensible in Aling Juling’s character in Hinugot sa Langit. Even from the start of the film, her character already proved to be a hypocrite. She dressed conservatively, regularly attended prayer and worship meetings, firmly discouraged Carmen to do an abortion, and constantly spoke about the Divine. But she also wanted to have the informal settlers removed from her land at any cost just to be able to build a chapel, claiming it is for the greater good. Aling Juling proved to be the perfect devotee, but failed to act as a true child of God for the other people; and there lies the biggest fallacy built in her persona. There was also one scene where Carmen and Aling Juling went into a brief screaming match about how should the former handle her problems. In the one line of Carmen saying, â€Å"Ano pa bang gusto Niya (pertaining to God), ano pa bang gusto mo?! What else does He want, what else do you want?! ),† the character of Aling Juling seemed to be a symbolism of the â€Å"god† Carmen had come to believe in. Instead of the all-powerful, all-knowing One, because of her problems, Carmen landed on believing Aling Juling’s preaching as that of God’s. Elsa and Aling Juling both died at the end, and both by being brutally attacked. What I see in this phenomenon is the attempt to â€Å"kill off† the wrong and misrepresentative beliefs brought about by these two characters, and probably the only way Bernal suggests to do that is through a vicious, one-time manner. Bernal as Auteur This paper is not about Bernal but about the works of Bernal. But since he is an auteur, understanding his background is essential in understanding the concepts behind his works. The auteur theory proposes that the director is the author of the film and that the director is the primary creative source, therefore the films produced express the director’s distinctive vision of the world (Pramaggiore and Wallis 398). Therefore, his politics mirror his representation of religion, thus making his films a reflection of his own beliefs. According to Bayani Santos’ Bernal as Auteur, Ishmael appreciated the values of Gregorio Aglipay and Catholicism. He also admired the disciplines of Iglesia Ni Cristo but criticized it for its exploitation of religion in politics. It was also said that he â€Å"respected Catholicism as faith, but always qualified it with a historical reminder of its political and economic crimes against the nation† (Santos 19). It was also said in the same article that Bernal’s view of shallow Catholicism among Filipinos as facts of Philippine life was not just mocking jibes against superficial religiosity but rather â€Å"accurate descriptions, as synecdochical of Philippine reality† and having the satirical impact arrive after a realization by the audience that, indeed, the descriptions are ‘us’ (21). Bayani continued on to saying that Bernal’s politics are â€Å"deeply buried in many of his works† (31). His politics involve not only his aforementioned views on Philippine religion but also his involvement in communism. This notion is perceivable in the three films being analyzed by this paper. In Manila by Night, Bernal took jibes on Martial Law more than anything. In Hinugot sa Langit, he â€Å"showed the desperate situation of the poor in a script that scrupulously avoided overt political commentary† (31). In Himala he managed to speculate a Marxist view of religion as an opiate when Elsa’s death became a dismaying reversion to mass hysteria and fanaticism (31). Bernal’s Films then and now These three films were produced during the second golden age of the Philippine cinema, during the years that mark off the end of the Marcos Martial Law regime. Bernal’s films were acclaimed during those times because both the films and timing were apt to belong to the cinema that recognizes the struggle as the most gigantic cultural, scientific, and artistic manifestation our time, the third cinema (Solanas and Gettino 47). This is what makes Bernal’s films timeless. The impact these films made during those times were huge. Bernal revealed how the Marcos regime exploited the Filipinos. This is overtly seen in Manila by Night, where his depiction of the supposed city to signify the â€Å"New Society† is the exact opposite of it. The term â€Å"New Society† claimed that the dictatorship had eradicated corruption and transformed Philippine society (Lumbera 359). This same â€Å"New Society† was also exploited, although for good reasons, by Bernal in his film Himala. According to Lumbera, Himala criticized the manipulative religiosity of this society which â€Å"drew the people’s attention away from the realities of poverty, violence, and moral decay† (359). This, however, is still manifested in the present time. There is this one scene in Himala that is applicable to both the past and present times. When people started coming to Cupang for Elsa and Elsa’s â€Å"apostles† used the water Elsa blessed for profit, it was a hypocritical move on the side of Elsa and her followers to lure people into giving them money when all they were meant to do in the first place was to offer treatment for everyone who asked for it. The past screams about the pretentious â€Å"New Society† and the present stages the scene in real life whenever such religious items or services that are supposed to help them are still sold for amounts to the people. (e. . : a priest’s service fees, blessed rosaries, mass guides) Another thing that might have helped in the success of Himala is the fact that superstar Nora Aunor played the lead role. In the Noranian Imaginary, it is said that Himala is as much about the popular hysteria mediated by the idol Nora Aunor as it is about the mass hysteria endemic to Catholicism as held by many (Tadiar). People saw Elsa in Nora and Nora in Elsaâ⠂¬â€the same poor, unfortunate protagonist who strive against all odds to defend herself and achieve goals. In these times, Nora may not be that same girl many Filipinos used to idolized, but the imprint she left on Elsa’s character is so known to almost every Filipino as â€Å"that† girl who everyone admired. Elsa’s death at the end of the film may be read as liberation from such faith, since she made confessions about the inexistence of miracles prior to his death. But the people’s continuous idolatry in her after she passed away seems to be a symbol of the people of today—those who still continue hang on to false hope and devotion even after such devotion proves to be wrong. As Patrick Flores puts it in Himala: Fall of Grace, â€Å"Himala is against the miracle and it is against the cinema. † Hinugot sa Langit, lastly, also speaks of a timeless issue in Catholicism: abortion. The values the film imbibes a great impact on the beliefs of the majority of the Filipino citizen. The question of whether abortion is or is not an act of murder is still being debated upon until today. Bernal’s films speak of ageless and timely issues concerning the Filipino people and that’s what makes his films succeed not only in the era during which it was manufactured, but also in the present time.