Cyber Crime - 5881 Words

University Of Dhaka [pic] Department Of Management Information Systems [pic] Assignment On Business Law Topic: Cyber Crime Prepared By : Subrata Halder ID NO : 05-005 Submitted To: Ashraful Alam Lecturer Department Of MIS University Of Dhaka Cyber Crime†¦show more content†¦Wozniak designed the hardware and most of the software of the Apple I. Tim Berners-Lee: Berners-Lee is famed as the inventor of the World Wide Web, the system that we use to access sites, documents and files on the Internet. Linus Torvalds: Torvalds fathered Linux, the very popular Unix-based operating system. Torvalds created the Linux kernel in 1991, using the Minix operating system as inspiration. He started with a task switcher in Intel 80386 assembly and a terminal driver. After that, he put out a call for others to contribute code, which they did. Currently, only about 2 percent of the current Linux kernel is written by Torvalds himself. The success of this public invitation to contribute code for Linux is touted as one of the most prominent examples of free/open source software. Richard Stallman: Stallmans fame derives from the GNU Project, which he founded to develop a free operating system. For t his, hes known as the father of free software. Tsutomu Shimomura: Shimomura reached fame in an unfortunate manner: he was hacked by Kevin Mitnick. Following this personal attack, he made it his cause to help the FBI capture him. b. Black hats: The Internet abounds with hackers, known as crackers or black hats who work to exploit computer systems. They are the ones who are seen on the news being hauled away for cybercrimes. Some of them are: Jonathan James: James gained notoriety when heShow MoreRelatedCyber Crimes on the Internet1117 Words   |  5 Pagesalso comes with it a whole new set of crimes, such as stalking, hacking, cyber bullying, identity theft, and crimes of a sexual nature. The internet has opened up a whole new door for crime, it has also made it easier for crimes to be committed. This is why I think that there should be stricter laws against cyber bullying because no one deserves the treatment that kids like Amanda Todd got. One of the most talked about Cyber crimes is cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is done through the computerRead MoreCyber Crimes And The Crime1153 Words   |  5 Pagesevolve with the trends in crime throughout history. Unfortunately for Law Enforcement, they are always on the back end of that and are often behind for months before being able to counteract. Cyber crimes are no different. Cyber Crimes are a new and always developing form of crime that bases its entire agenda from taking advantage of its victims over the internet. Law Enforcement s job is to assess and work to stop these crimes but it s not that easy. These cyber crimes are heavily in the favorRead MoreCyber Crimes And Cyber Crime Essay729 Words   |  3 PagesCyber Crime is described as criminal activity committed via use of electronic communications with respect to cyber fraud or identity theft through phishing and spoofing. There are many other forms of cyber-crime also such as harassment, pornography etc. via use of information technology. Usually Cyber-crime is divided in below 3 categories: 1. Persons: Cyber Crime against person can be conducted in many ways as in today’s world all the personal information is available on internet and one can useRead MoreCyber Crime2238 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of Cyber Crime awareness among youth Abstract: Cyber crime is emerging as a serious threat. Worldwide governments, police departments and intelligence units have started to react. One of the many approaches to enable students and other peoples to protect themselves from the ever-increasing amount and range of cybercrime. This is relevant to students studying different aspects of undergraduate and postgraduate computing. This paper discusses the views of youngRead MoreCyber Crime : A Crime1116 Words   |  5 PagesCyber crime is described as computer crimes. They could be classified as any form of illegal activity that take place on a computer or even a phone. According to the Department of Justice they classify cyber crime into three categories: crimes in which a computer is the target, another class is when a computer is used as a weapon. The last class is when a computer is used as an accessory, this is when criminals use computers to store data they’ve stolen. The growth of the internet has allowedRead MoreCyber Crime2799 Words   |  12 PagesCyber Crime and Security Submitted by: Ms.Poonam S. Ramteke (T.E C.S.E) psr_219@yahoo.com(9923115394) K.I.T.’s College of Engineering. ABSTRACT : Society is becoming more dependent upon data and networks to operate our businesses, government, national defense and other critical functions. Cybercrime, which is rapidly increasing in frequency and in severity, requires us to rethink how we should enforce our criminal lawsRead MoreCyber Crime And Transnational Crime Essay1841 Words   |  8 PagesDue to the borderless nature of cyberspace, the perfect arena has been created for transnational crime to occur. Whether it’s an anonymous hacker infiltrating a computer network, terrorists targeting the U.S. power grid, or even the Mexican Los Zetas selling drugs on the Dark Web, cyberspace has presented itself as an attractive target for illegal activity. Any criminal act in cyberspace immediately poses a transnational security threat to practically anything comprehensible, such as: governmentsRead MoreThe Issue Of Cyber Crime1118 Words   |  5 Pagescriminals commit a crime. Whether a person is covering their face with a ski mask as they physically rob a bank or someone infiltrates a hospital’s network to steal personal information for ransom, every criminal finds comfort in the warped sense that their identity will most likely be unknown, which will allow them to evade law enforcement. Due to technological advancements, criminals are more likely to remain anonymous after committing a criminal act when they engage in cyber crime. As a result, organizedRead MoreWhat Is Cyber Crime?1424 Words   |  6 PagesWHAT IS CYBER CRIME? Crime is a common word that we always heard in this globalization era. Crimes refer to any violation of law or the commission of an act forbidden by law. Crime and criminality have been associated with man since long time ago. There are different strategies practices by different countries to contend with crime. It is depending on their extent and nature. It can be concluded that a nation with high index of crime cases cannot grow or develop well. This is because crime is theRead MoreCyber Crime And Cyber Criminal Activity1839 Words   |  8 Pagesalso paved new ways for criminals to engage in dangerous activities that are unprecedented in scope and could potentially cause catastrophic consequences for society. Cyber criminal activity occurs constantly, however, many people are unaware of the true meaning of cyber crime and their risks associated with becoming a victim of such crime. According to an article released by the Law school of the University of Pennsylvania â€Å"The ter m cybercrime refers to the use of a computer to facilitate or carry out

Oligopoly Problems Free Essays

Oligopoly Problems (Note that second page has some partial answers so that you can check yourself. I think these are correct, but I did it quickly. So I will offer one bonus point per mistake for the first person who finds the mistake in my answers with a maximum of 3 points per student. We will write a custom essay sample on Oligopoly Problems or any similar topic only for you Order Now ): 1) Demand is given by P=100-Q/2. Two firms compete according to the Cournot model and each has TC=10q. What profit does each firm earn? How would your answer change if the second firm observed the first firm’s decision (this is the Stackleberg problem)? 2) Demand is given by P=80-2Q. There are three identical firms each with TC=10. Find the profit of a firm if they each pick quantity simultaneously (Cournot). Find the Profit of a firm if the each pick price simultaneously (Bertrand). 3) Suppose there are n firms that compete according to the Cournot model and that each has MC = C. If demand is given by P=A-BQ, what profits will a firm earn? What would a cartel do? 4) Factory 1 has TC=20q +10 and Factory 2 has TC=10q. If both factories are operated by rivals who compete according to the Cournot model, what profits would each earn assuming that demand is given by P=180-Q? If this was one firm (a cartel) what would it do (hint: if the one firm decided to operate both factories it would want MC to be the same at both locations or else it could increase profits my shifting where it produced)? 5) Firm 1’s demand is given by P=49-q1+0. 5q2 and Firm 2’s demand is given by P=49-q2+0. 25q1. If TC=q2 +5 for each, what profit will each firm earn? What kinds of goods are the two firm’s selling? 1) q1=60 and q2=60 for Cournot while q1=90 and q2 = 45 for Stackleberg. 2) Under Cournot, q1= q2 = q3 =10. Under Bertrand, the firms will push price down to 0. 3) Each firm will produce q = (A-C)/[B(n+1)] under the Cournot solution. 4) In the competitive situation, q1=50 and q2= 60. 5) Each firm would make q=13. 07. How to cite Oligopoly Problems, Papers

How Sports Helped Diminish Racism Essay Sample free essay sample

In the films. Remember the Titans and The Blind Side. We will write a custom essay sample on How Sports Helped Diminish Racism Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page the political relations of different races viing on the same squad for athleticss ever came into drama. Although many people started off as judgmental. it was chiefly fright of the unknown. and with the aid of athleticss affecting different races in societal state of affairss. integrating was made possible. Remember the Titans is a movie based on a true narrative of a high school football squad in Alexandria Virginia. T. C Williams High School was on the brink of integration and being one of the first schools to incorporate in America. However a mass protest was being held against the integrating of the school due to the barbarous slaying of a black pupil. Nevertheless the school still integrated in the summer of 1971. which finally led to single alteration in many of the members of the community. The movie. The Blind Side. takes topographic point in present twenty-four hours. foregrounding the societal and still really racist positions of some citizens. Michael Oher is a stateless adolescent. He has been passed along in school over the old ages. and has been discarded by society. That is until Leigh Anne Tuohy sees Michael walking in the cold one dark. She took Michael in and gave him everything he needed. Including assisting him acquire everything he needed for a full football scholarship regardless of his race. or where he came from in the yesteryear. This societal message helped the pupils. instructors. every bit good as the parents in their society recognize that integrating is a positive thing. which changed many positions. Racism and Discrimination has been a portion of athleticss in North American society of all time since we began to play here. In the early twentieth century. Whites and inkinesss began to vie against each other in athleticss like football. hoops. and Equus caballus racing. Before this everything was separated for different races. This was a measure toward integrating in this state until the white jocks and directors decided to censor interracial competition because the black jocks began to rule their athleticss. Many white rivals said inkinesss had a low intelligence. condemnable inclinations. and inferior animalism. All of this was done to conceal their fright of losing to black rivals. The movies illustrate how hard is it for a community to non merely do societal or political alterations. but alterations as persons. Most people are nescient and narrow minded when doing picks and this influences other people to be the same. Peoples frequently stay with the bulk alternatively of the minority in order to experience safe and out of harm’s manner. The managers are seeking to show that a person’s position and manner of thought may alter along with societal or political issues. These movies portray how people may alter on a societal or political degree. but non on an single degree. Martin Luther King JR. had a dream that all work forces would be treated every bit irrespective of their tegument colour. and by recognizing that these films are illustrations of existent life state of affairss. we begin to understand how of import integrating is.

My Papas Waltz Essays - Alcohol Abuse, Drinking Culture,

My Papa's Waltz In "My Papa's Waltz", Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is very sad, all of these things the poet describes are true of a family cursed with alcoholism. Whiskey breath had always been a familiar smell to me until I moved to Baton Rouge. The people in my household would drink all day long, starting with the morning cup of coffee and ending whenever their bodies just passed out from drunkenness. Whenever drunks come home from the bars, parties, etc. they cause havack throughout the house. Arguing and making lots of noise are two qualities all too familiar to me. People who drink will argue with anyone who tries to talk to them reasonably and will even get violent and destructive at times. As for being a spouse of a drunk, I have never been married but have experienced a scenario similar to that of being married. During high school, I dated a guy that was quite older than I and he was of legal age to drink already. Whenever he would go out to the clubs with his friends drinking he would always come home to his apartment and if I was there and everything was not clean and perfectly in order he would burst into fits of anger. He would yell, scream and throw things at me and even sometimes he would physically abuse me. In the morning, after there was time to sleep off the effects of the alcohol he would always apologize saying that he was going to slack off and try to quit drinking, but as we know that never happens. Finally in March of 1995, he went to get help and before we could find out if the long ordeal of the past four years was over God decided it was time for him to go to a better place where all of the problems would dissappear. Because of the horrible ways alcohol has affected me in the past 21 years it makes me not like drinking or going out to bars because it usually leads to bad things.

Catagorical Imperative Essays - Kantianism, Deontological Ethics

Catagorical Imperative Essays - Kantianism, Deontological Ethics Catagorical Imperative The only acceptable motive for a moral action is that it should be done as a sense of moral duty. Is this a justifiable claim? Before it is possible to analyse whether the statement, The only acceptable motive for a moral action is that it should be done as a sense of moral duty, is a justifiable claim we must consider what ones moral duty is and if is it dependant or independent on the consequence of its action? For example we could state ones moral duty is never to lie. It is popularly believed that to lie is detrimental to ones own reputation and often causes emotional and social damage. But what if this principal causes damage itself. Truth telling for a negative means can be just as harmful. Imagine you are told by a person fleeing from a murderer that he is going home to hide. Successively you are approached by the murderer demanding to know where that man went. Your moral duty would then oblige you to inform the murderer despite the possible fatal consequence. When studying the diverse issue of duty it is necessary to look at the view of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) who stated, Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe the starry heaven above me and the moral law within me. Kant understood the word ought to be generally used in non-moral way. For example, if you want to be better at school, you ought to study hard. The inclination of the ought implies that studying would be the correct moral path to take. However Kant stated that this is only relevant to the individuals desire to be better at school. Those who do not wish to do well at school need not study hard. Therefore it is a Hypothetical Imperative and the use of the word ought makes moral actions not universal. A hypothetical good act depends on the desire for a result teleogically rather than something good in itself. From Kants perspective, morality had little to do with fulfilling ones desire for happiness, but was more to do with duty. He believed that to do ones duty was to follow a set of universal moral laws. As in the case of the murderer, it was ones duty to inform him where the victim was hiding. Kants views are referred to as The Categorical Imperative. This was an injunction, to be ob eyed as a moral duty, regardless of an individuals impulse and self-interest. However what if an individuals impulse was to give to charity, would Kant condemn them because it wasnt out of a sense of duty? This would be an unfair judgement as the person was doing good. In fact according to Kant their act would be immoral independent of the consequence. But perhaps if they also had the sense of duty and would give to charity even if they were unwilling they would be morally coherent. The rules by which the Categorical Imperative is constructed upon could be considered as Gods unconditional commands. They dont appeal to theological or even teleological considerations but adhere with a deontological argument from reason and rationality. The moral duties are followed because they are ends in themselves rather than some other ends. Kant did appreciate the fact that humans have desires as they are not wholly rational. However the ability to reason can make them strive to follow their duty rather than impulse. However this doesnt mean ones inclination is necessarily wrong, only that it cannot determine their moral duty. In the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant argued that to be moral one must follow absolute rules. In this there can be no exceptions despite the consequence, as he stated that the only thing that is good without qualification is good will. Therefore one must act as if the maxim of their action was to become a universal law. This is known as the Formula of Universal Law. Basically it is saying whatever moral decision you make you should be able to consider if it would be possible for everyone else to do the same, would it make rational sense? For if an act of good is

The Invention and History of Bubble Gum

The Invention and History of Bubble Gum Chewing gum has a history that spans as far back as the ancient Greeks, who chewed the resin from mastic trees. But it wasnt until 1928 that Walter Diemer happened upon just the right gum recipe to make the very first bubble gum, a special type of chewing gum that allows the chewer to blow big pink bubbles. Earlier Attempts Diemer might have invented bubble gum, but he wasnt the first person who wanted to make gum bubbles. There were earlier attempts at making bubble gum in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but these bubble gums did not sell well because they were considered too wet and usually broke before a good bubble was formed. Diemers Bubble Gum Diemer gets the credit for inventing the first successful type of bubble gum. At the time, 23-year-old Diemer was an accountant for Fleer Chewing Gum Company, and he experimented with new gum recipes in his spare time. Diemer thought it was an accident when he hit upon a formula that was less sticky and more flexible than other types of chewing gum, characteristics that allowed a chewer to make bubbles (even if this discovery took him a year of failed attempts.) Then Diemer actually did have an accident: He lost the recipe the day after his discovery and it took him four months to figure it out again. Why Pink? Diemer used a pink dye for his new gum because pink was the only color available at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company. Pink remains the industry standard for bubble gum. Dubble Bubble To test his new recipe, Diemer took 100 samples of the new gum to a nearby store, selling it for a penny apiece. It sold out in a single day. Realizing they had a new, popular type of gum, the owners of Fleer marketed Diemers new gum as Dubble Bubble. To help sell the new bubble gum, Diemer himself taught salespeople how to blow bubbles so that they, in turn, could teach potential customers. Sales broke $1.5 million in the first year. In 1930, packages including a Fleer Funnies color comic featuring characters Dub and Bub were introduced. In 1950, Dub and Bub were dropped for Pud and his pals. Production of Dubble Bubble was halted during World War II because of a shortage of latex and sugar needed for manufacturing. Dubble Bubble remained the only bubble gum on the market in the United States until Bazooka bubble gum appeared after World War II, with the competing comic Bazooka Joe. Evolution of Bubble Gum You can now buy bubble gum in the original sugary pink form, as a small piece wrapped in paper, or as gumballs. And it now comes in a variety of flavors. Besides the original, you can get bubble gum in grape, apple, and watermelon. Gumballs come in original flavor plus blue raspberry, cotton candy, cinnamon apple, green apple, cinnamon, fancy  fruit, and watermelon. Plus you can get gumballs that look like baseballs or smiley faces.

Management of stress incontinence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Management of stress incontinence - Essay Example Stress incontinence can therefore be seen to be unrelated with psychological stress, though it remains the commonest form of urinary incontinence. Thus, the definition of stress incontinence as leakage of urine as a result of straining, coughing, sneezing, or sudden voluntary movement due to incompetence of the sphyncteric mechanisms can be lent credence. According to Chapple and Cardozo (2006, 16), women have been found to be more prone to stress incontinence, compared to men. Statistical provisions from reputable researchers point out that the preponderance of stress incontinence among women increases with age, so that 1 in 5 women who are over 40 suffer from some degree of stress incontinence. Becker (2005, 11) is poignant that those who experience stress incontinence are always subject to embarrassment, isolation, underperformance at the workplace, and a receding social life, especially when leisure activities and exercise form part of this social life. This makes management of s tress incontinence a crucial undertaking which has been much celebrated. Management of Stress Incontinence There are several approaches to managing stress incontinence. Many medical practitioners heavily rely on physiotherapy. This involves, subjecting the patient to (prescribed) exercises, as a way of strengthening pelvic floor muscles. Since the target is mainly strengthening pelvic floor muscles, pelvic floor exercises form the main part of this prescription. The applicability of using exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles is based on the fact that kidneys constantly make urine. Because of this, trickles of urine constantly pass to the bladder, before going down to the ureters. The urters are tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder. The amount of urine a person makes depends on how much an individual drinks, eats and sweats (Collier and Longmore, 2003, 61). The crux of the matter herein is that the bladder comprises muscles, and also stores urine. That the bladder is elastic is underscored by it expanding like a balloon as it gets filled with urine. The urethra as the outlet for urine remains closed. It is the pelvic floor muscles that regulate the opening and closing of the urethra. As a certain amount of urine fills the bladder, one becomes aware of having a full bladder. On going to the lavatory to pass urine, the muscles of the bladder contract and squeeze the urethra. The pelvic floor muscles then get to relax. Complex nerve messages are relayed to the brain as the central nervous system, the bladder and then the pelvic floor muscles. It is these messages that prompt a person, informing him that his bladder is full and also prompt the right muscles to either relax or contract at the right time. Thus, the foregoing clearly shows that prescribing pelvic floor exercises for the stress incontinent will help tighten the muscles of the urethra and the bladder, and thereby helping stop unintended flow of urine. According to Bo, (2007, 34 a) and Ga rtley (2012, 75), kegel exercises have also been recommended as the best way of retraining and strengthening sphincter and pelvic floor muscles, as a way of reducing stress leakage. Kegel exercises have mostly proven most beneficial to those below 60 years. To this effect, it is a standard observation that the patient should do at least do 24 contractions daily, for at least 42 days (6 weeks). The physiotherapist

Bachelor of Business - Paper on Leadership Issues Research

Bachelor of Business - on Leadership Issues - Research Paper Example However, to be an effective leader, it is important that leaders know the boundaries of their authority. Likewise, as leaders, it is important to be able to set good examples because people tend to emulate the things that are being done by the people who are over them on the corporate ladder. Hence, the ethics of leaders come into play crucially. However, there are many interpretations of what ethics is about. Some would say that ethics is about right and wrong or about religious beliefs. Interestingly, some would say that it is about being a law abiding citizen while some would say that it is doing what is generally accepted. However, confining ethics to each of the foregoing examples may be impossible such as religion which has a very high moral standard. It may also be a problem to equate it with laws or to what is generally accepted since these may likewise deviate from what is truly ethical. Basically, ethics are about having a high standard about what is right and wrong that st ates what people ought to do. Likewise, it is also the learning process as well as the development of one’s standards of being ethical (Velasquez et al 2010). Nowadays, ethical issues pervade companies especially when there are issues divulged by employees who are unable to take in things that are going badly for the company. As such, when certain anomalies are divulged by employees or former anomalies, these become cases of whistle-blowing. It is thus important to make this distinction because it is in these cases that leaders’ ethical issues come into play since these are the things that they can directly influence. All other disclosures that are not made by employees or former employees are not cases of whistle-blowing (Sollars 2001). It is very important for leaders to ensure that issues pertaining to whistle-blowing are handle with utmost professionalism as these may easily expose the ethical standards that they posses. Hence, these will be the focus of the case i n point. What recommendations for action would you make to the senior management? Basically, the case presented a company that went from bad to worse after the initial incident of whistle-blowing that exposed major anomalies resulting to unpleasant things such as investigations and even arrests. It was an unfortunate turn that instead of having an improvement in operations, the company’s output further dropped not to mention the morale of the employees. Hence, it is important for the top management to first recognize that the business environment of today has evolved to a level that has provided a more conducive environment for whistle-blowing. The major advances in technology have tremendously improved the capability of communications enabling new channels and ways of providing and getting information in ways unimagined just a decade and a half ago. Likewise, companies must be made aware that these technological improvements have brought in a new era for businesses known as the information age effectively phasing out the industrial stage. Thus, with this new age comes a new breed of manpower known as knowledge workers. In fact, many such employees are making their way deep into the corporate world (Serrat, 2008). This only means that people nowadays know better and can communicate easier which has made disclosures of anomalies easier. Thus, it is important that the senior manage

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay Example for Free

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay

Rosa Parks :: essays research papers

Rosa Parks On December l, 1955, Rosa Parks got on the bus because she was feeling tired after a long day at work. She was sitting in the middle of the bus, which she wasn’t allowed to do. After a while a white man got on the bus and told her that her and some other people to get up because the white part of the bus was full. All the Black people except for her moved to the back of the bus but her, she refused to get up. When this happened the white bus driver threatened to call the police unless she gave up her seat, but she said no and "Go ahead and call them". When the police got there, the driver was very mad and then the police asked the driver if he wanted Mrs. Parks to be arrested or let go with a warning, he said he wanted her to be arrested arrest. Many Black had been arrested for this crime but Mrs. Park was well known in her community because she was once a secretary for the president of the NAACP (National Association of the Advancement of Colored People). She was al lowed to make one phone call. She called a NAACP lawyer, The lawyer got her release through bail. Just because of this one time that a black woman stood up to society she started the civil rights movement, which got the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made sure that â€Å"All black Americans must be given equal treatment with whites under the law.† It was an "established rule" in the American south (at that time) that African-American riders had to sit at the back of the bus. African-American riders were also expected to surrender their seat to a white bus rider if it was needed. (Levenglick, p1) Mrs. Parks had been called as "the mother of the civil rights movement". Since the boycott had been started she was getting threats, which caused her husband to have a nervous breakdown, and in 1957 they both moved to Detroit, where one of Mrs. Parks's brother lived. The bus boycott When people heard that Mrs. Parks had been arrested the Women's Political Council d ecided to protest her treatment by organizing a boycott of the buses.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 10

Dante promptly passed out after sex later that night, but I stayed awake for a while. Rolling over at last, I turned my back to him and stared at my bedside table. I'd set Seth's book there, and now its spine stared out at me, like we were having a showdown to see who would look away first. Seth had given it to me as a gift, possibly a peace offering, yet I was afraid of it, afraid of how I might feel if I opened it. After ten minutes of staring, I finally reached for the book and scooted closer to the bed's edge so that I could get more light from my tiny reading lamp. Curling onto my side, I took a deep breath and opened up All Fools Night . First came the title page, then the dedication: For my niece Brandy, who dreams of great things and will achieve greater ones still . It was embarrassing, but I had almost for a moment speculated whether he might have dedicated the book to me. He'd finished it right around the time we first started dating, but he'd been editing and making small changes right up until the time we broke up. It was vanity, I supposed, to think there might be some sign of my time with Seth in the book. Yet, when I turned the page, I wondered. Before the first chapter, Seth always had a quote, something from a speech or possibly a verse from a poem that was relevant to the book. This was from a song: And if I only could I'd make a deal with God And I'd get Him to swap our places – â€Å"Running Up That Hill,† by Kate Bush I read the lyrics a couple of times, wondering if there was more to them or if I just wanted there to be more to them. I'd heard the song a long time ago, and it had had that poppy synth feel so common to music in the 1980s. I didn't recall this particular part. Finally, dragging my eyes away, I moved onto the heart of the book. Before meeting Seth, I'd rationed myself while reading his novels. I would only read five pages a day because I'd wanted to prolong the sweetness of that first reading. When something was really good, it was easy to dive into it, and before you knew it, the moment was gone. You'd burned through it. I experienced that too frequently in my long existence, and a strict reading schedule was a weak attempt to slow things down. When I settled into this book, though, I didn't really have a plan, and before long, I knew stopping at five pages was impossible. It was exquisite. While he had a few self-standing novels, this series-Cady and O'Neill-was his flagship one. At its basic level, this was just a mystery book, yet there was a wonderful, lyrical quality to Seth's writing that elevated him above the genre ghetto. Sure, there was action and a trail of clues, but his characters were also evolving, always growing in ways both wonderful and heartbreaking. Seth had a way of describing their feelings and their reactions in a style that was so real, it resonated with my own life and left an ache in my chest. Whether that was for his art or for the man himself, I couldn't say. It was only when Dante rolled over that I'd realized I'd been sniffling. â€Å"Are you crying, succubus?† â€Å"It's this book,† I said. I had just read a section where Cady and O'Neill were having a profound talk about life, and O'Neill had commented that all people were seeking both damnation and forgiveness, needing each to make sense of their existence. I was crying because it was true and because Seth had known it was true. â€Å"There are a lot of things to cry about in this world,† Dante said through a yawn. â€Å"Not sure a book should be one of them.† The clock read 4 a.m. by that point, and my eyes were bleary from tears and a need to sleep. I put down Seth's book-which I was now more than half-way through-and turned off the light. Dante shifted and threw an arm around me, resting his chin on my shoulder. His breathing grew heavy and regular, and before long, I joined him in sleep. The phone woke me up at an ungodly hour later in the morning. Dante was gone already. I found that surprising, but seeing as he hadn't gotten three hours of sleep, it might not have been that much of a leap. â€Å"Hello?† Finding the phone had been feat enough, let alone checking the caller ID. A frantic voice answered me. â€Å"Georgina? This is Blake.† â€Å"Blake?† I didn't think I knew any Blake. â€Å"Don't tell me you forgot about us?† He pronounced â€Å"about† as â€Å"aboot,† and it came back to me through my sleep-addled brain. â€Å"Oh, God. I'm sorry. Blake. From the Army.† Him calling me couldn't be a good sign. I sat up straighter in bed. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"They're doing something today†¦I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I'm worried. I don't know much, except that it's big.† I was up and moving now, clothes and hair shape-shifting as I walked. â€Å"Do you have anything else? A time or place?† â€Å"Not yet. Evan's being really secretive about what he's telling us. He says the Angel wants it to be a need-to-know-thing and that we won't find out the details until the absolute last minute.† â€Å"Fuck.† I suspected the Angel was also trying to limit my knowledge as well. Flattering, but frustrating. â€Å"Okay, well, listen, I'm in Seattle, but I'm getting on the road right now. I should be there in two hours.† â€Å"You can't get up here in two hours,† he said incredulously. â€Å"I can if I don't drive the speed limit.† There was a bit of congestion within the city itself, but once I got a little north of it, the traffic cleared up. It was the morning commute; everyone wanted to get into Seattle. Once I had clear highway ahead of me, I dialed Cedric. I knew he wasn't going to like my lack of information, but considering how angry he'd been after last time, I had to at least make the attempt here to keep myself out of trouble. It was Kristin who answered. â€Å"He's having breakfast right now,† she told me. â€Å"It's kind of a special time for him. He doesn't like to be disturbed.† There was an anxious tone to her voice, and I could almost picture her arranging a breakfast tray just-so for him. â€Å"Yeah, well, he might be disturbed whether he likes it or not.† I told her what Blake had said, and her response was similar to mine. â€Å"That's all you've got?† â€Å"Their Angel's working on a need-to-know basis now,† I said bitterly. â€Å"I'll let you know more when I learn more. I just figured Cedric should know.† She sighed. â€Å"You're right. Thanks. Man, this is going to piss him off. He'll have no appetite at all.† I made the drive in the two hours I'd quoted Blake and miraculously didn't get pulled over. I hadn't heard from him the entire time, so I dialed him once I was over the border and buying coffee. I'd found a Starbucks and took a secret thrill in defying the Tim Hortons domination. Except†¦once I had the coffee in hand, I decided a donut would be really good with it, so I walked over and got one from the Tim's across the street. Blake didn't answer, so I tried Evan next and also got no answer. Frustrated, I drove over to Evan's house and knocked on the door for a while. I was nearly on the verge of climbing in through a back window when my phone rang again-and ironically, it was Evan himself. â€Å"Georgina!† he exclaimed, sounding ecstatic. â€Å"Where are you? We need you here.† â€Å"Where are you ?† I demanded. â€Å"On the observation deck,† he said. â€Å"Observation deck of what?† â€Å"The Space Needle. You live close by, don't you?† I nearly dropped the phone. â€Å"You're in Seattle ?† â€Å"Yeah!† I could perfectly picture that eager, zealous look of his. â€Å"Cool, huh? The Angel wanted us to expand our message. So, we're all up here with these banners that we're going to unfurl at the same time, and then we've got a few more surprises to-â€Å" â€Å"Evan,† I begged, sprinting toward my car. â€Å"Don't do it. You're stirring up more trouble than you realize.† â€Å"That's the point!† he chuckled. â€Å"How long until you can be here?† Once I told him I wasn't in the city, he lost interest, and my pleas became meaningless. As soon as we disconnected, I dialed Cedric, expecting to get Kristin. Instead, I got his voice mail. Somehow, that made me angry. â€Å"Cedric, this is Georgina. The Army isn't doing their thing here-they're down in Seattle right now. I hope you finally believe I didn't have anything to do with their stupid plans now! When Jerome finds out, it's going to be my ass on the line, and knowing my luck, he'll think you and I are working together.† Yes, this was one of those situations in which there was no way I could win. I was going to get in trouble no matter what I did, but again, I had to attempt damage control. Jerome had a cell phone that he never answered and didn't even have voice mail for. Hugh was the best way to get a hold of him-but he didn't pick up either. â€Å"Damn it!† I cried into his phone. â€Å"Doesn't anyone answer their fucking phones anymore?† I gave him a hasty recap of what was happening and told him to let Jerome or one of the demonesses know about the cult's plans, or else Jerome was going to get the same scrutiny from the higher-ups that Cedric had been getting. After that, there was nothing left for me to do except hit the road to Seattle again-something I was not happy about. Fortunately, I was fully outside the commuting times now and again could enjoy easy driving as I zipped down I-5 at 75. Pretty Hate Machine blared on my speakers and was oddly soothing to my agitated mood. I eventually fell into that trance-like state drivers often get, with one part of my brain watching the road and the other frantically wondering if my warning had reached any of the Seattle demons in time to intercept the Army. I had just cleared Everett, about a half-hour outside of Seattle, when it hit me. A jolt of electricity shot through my body, making the world spin and my vision blur. I felt hot all over. My hands slipped on the wheel, nearly causing me to swerve into the neighboring lane. I had just enough bearings to slam on my hazard lights and pull off on the shoulder before I hit someone. A wave of nausea rolled through my stomach, then settled down, then swept through me again. Shifting the car into park, I put my head down on the steering wheel, hoping for some clarity. There was a buzzing in my ears, and my whole body shook. What the hell? I didn't get sick. Ever. The only thing that could really affect me like this was drinking too much or indulging in other substances. I'd had food poisoning a couple of times, but it had been short-lived, and somehow I doubted that donut I'd had was doing this to me. I lifted my head up a little, but the world kept rocking. Closing my eyes, I rested my cheek against the steering wheel and took a few deep breaths, hoping I wouldn't throw up. I had no idea what was going on here, but it would pass. It had to pass. And it did-a little. I don't know how long I sat like that, maybe about fifteen minutes, but the next time I dared a peek up, the dizziness had lessened. The nausea was still there, but it too had dropped to a lower level. Deciding to risk it, I turned back onto I-5, anxious to finish my drive to the city and figure out what was wrong with me. I made it back to town without causing an accident and nearly fell over trying to make it up my building's stairs. I didn't even bother with my suitcase and simply left it in the car. Once in my apartment, I headed straight for my room and crashed on the bed. Aubrey joined me and peered curiously at my face. I gave her a few pets, then let my hand slip down as I fell asleep, too weak to hold it up any longer. I woke up almost two hours later, shaken out of sleep by knocking at my door. I sat up, relieved to find my stomach had settled. The light-headedness had also gone away. Maybe the donut had been defective after all†¦and yet, I had this weird feeling-this tiny, nagging suspicion-that something wasn't right. Only, I had no clue or evidence as to what it was. Ignoring it for now, I stumbled out to the living room and opened my door, not even bothering to look out the peephole. Cody and Peter stood there, both of them grinning from ear to ear. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked, stepping aside for them when the door opened. â€Å"I was sleeping.† â€Å"I can tell by your hair,† said Peter, flouncing on my couch. â€Å"And what are you doing asleep? It's the middle of the day.† Still groggy, I squinted at my clock. It was a little after three. â€Å"Yeah, I know. I didn't feel good. It's weird. I just suddenly felt wiped out and dizzy.† That smile had never left Cody's face. He sat beside Peter. â€Å"How do you feel now?† I shrugged and settled onto my loveseat. â€Å"Fine, I guess. A little tired, but the worst is over.† That nondescript something isn't right here feeling was still with me, though. â€Å"You shouldn't be cooped up inside,† said Peter. â€Å"It's a great day.† â€Å"Look at all the sun,† agreed Cody. â€Å"It's like summer came early.† I followed his gaze to the window. Warm golden light spilled in onto my floor, much to Aubrey's delight, and beyond the neighboring building, I could see blue sky. Still, I wasn't impressed. â€Å"We're barely into spring. This is a fluke. It'll probably be cold tomorrow.† Peter shook his head. â€Å"You sure are grumpy when you wake up.† They both seemed so absurdly pleased with themselves, and I couldn't figure out why. â€Å"Maybe you should get outside,† said Cody, exchanging smirks with Peter. â€Å"We were going to go for a walk after this. It might cheer you up.† â€Å"Yup. Nothing like a bright, sunny afternoon to perk up the old spirits.† Peter's grin grew even bigger. I leaned my head back against the loveseat. â€Å"Okay, okay. What's the joke I'm missing here?† â€Å"No joke,† said Peter. â€Å"We just think it's a great day.† â€Å"A beautiful, sunny day,† Cody concurred. â€Å"Will you two stop already? I get it. It's a nice day. The sun is out the, the birds are singing-â€Å" I stopped. I felt my eyes go wide. I looked at the smirking vampires, then looked at the sun-filled world outside, and then looked back at them. I swallowed. â€Å"How,† I asked quietly, â€Å"are you guys out in the middle of the day?† Their pent-up mirth exploded, and they both dissolved into laughter. I felt wide awake now. â€Å"I'm serious! What's going on? You can't be out in daylight, and how-wait. I didn't sense you guys at the door. I still can't sense you.† â€Å"I know,† said Cody. â€Å"Isn't it crazy?† â€Å"No! Well, I mean, yes. But it's not†¦it's not supposed to happen,† I argued. I didn't understand how they could find this so entertaining. Something was wrong. Very wrong. All the drama with the Army was gone from my mind. That niggling worry that I'd woken up with turned into a hard knot of fear. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I'd gone cold all over. â€Å"How is this possible? The sun should fry you.† â€Å"Hell if we know,† said Peter. â€Å"We were in our coffins and then just suddenly†¦woke up. We got out, and there we were. Out and about in the middle of the day. You know what else? I don't want blood. No desire whatsoever. Not even a drop.† â€Å"And so what, you guys just decide to go stroll around and enjoy the day? You didn't contact Jerome? You didn't question the fact that something has seriously altered your immortal existence?† A mischievous look crossed Peter's face. â€Å"Not just us, Georgina.† They both watched me expectantly. â€Å"Don't look at me like that,† I told them. â€Å"I've always been able to go out in the sun.† â€Å"You don't have a signature either. We can't sense you,† said Cody. I stared at them for several heavy seconds, trying to parse the meaning here. An uneasy feeling began building in my stomach as I recognized their implication-except what they were implying was impossible. Unthinkable. â€Å"You're wrong,† I said. Slowly, carefully, I touched my face. It was exactly the same as it had been this morning. My build was the same. My height was the same. I was still me. I exhaled with relief. â€Å"I'm the same.† Peter's eyes danced. â€Å"Fix your hair. It's a mess.† Shape-shifting is an instinct for a succubus or incubus, practically subconscious. It's like tightening a muscle or taking a deep breath. You barely think about it, send the message from your brain, and it happens. So, I thought about my hair, willing it to smooth out and tidy itself into a ponytail. There was usually a slight tingle when that happened, resulting from the burn of using up a piece of my stored energy. And of course, there was always the tangible evidence-the actual change of my appearance. This time, there was nothing. No tingle. No hair movement. Peter leaned forward. â€Å"Ooh, it did happen to you! You're the same. None of us are working.† â€Å"No,† I said frantically. â€Å"That's not possible.† I tried again, willing my hair to change-to turn a different color, grow short, restyle itself†¦but there was nothing. I tried to shift my clothes, urging my jeans and Henley to become a slip dress. Or maybe a track suit. I even attempted to make my clothes disappear altogether. Nothing happened. Nothing . In pure desperation, I did the unthinkable: I tried to give up the unconscious hold I always maintained in order to keep a form that wasn't my natural one. I let go of all control, allowing my body to shift back to the one I was born with, the one my essence always wanted to return to-the one I fought very, very hard to hide from the world. Nothing happened. I stayed the same. I couldn't shape-shift. It was like having my arm cut off. Until that moment, I didn't realize how much of my self was tied into shape-shifting. As a mortal, the power had been unimaginable. After having it for a millennium and a half, it had become part of me, and its absence was now unbearable. I didn't have to see my face to know I wore pure panic. Peter and Cody were still laughing. I shot up, incredulous. â€Å"This isn't funny,† I cried. â€Å"We have to talk to Jerome. Now. There's something seriously wrong with us!† â€Å"Or right,† suggested Cody. â€Å"Why do you think this is a joke?† â€Å"We don't,† said Peter calmly. Underneath his mirth, I saw the tiniest bit of concern in his eyes, concern he was clearly trying to ignore for now. â€Å"We just think it's cool. You don't think Jerome already knows about this? Whatever it is, they'll fix it soon enough. Nothing we can change.† The tirade I was about to unleash on them was interrupted by more knocking. Just like with the vampires, I sensed no immortal signature. Anyone could have been at my door. Yet, peering out the peephole, I saw Hugh. I let him in, feeling relieved. Hugh would sort this out. He always knew what was going on since he and Jerome maintained such constant communication. Hugh's confidence and typical know-it-all air would fix everything. Instead, he looked miserable. Dejected. He trudged in and dropped onto where I'd just been sitting. He put his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. â€Å"Hey, Hugh,† said Cody. â€Å"Isn't it a great day?† I knelt down on the floor in front of Hugh, so I could look straight into his eyes. â€Å"Hugh, what's going on?† He simply stared at me, dark eyes mournful and bleak. I'd seen Hugh angry, elated, and exasperated over the years, but I'd never seen him depressed. It would have bothered me, if not for the fact we had a few other things to worry about than his hurt feelings just now. â€Å"Hugh! We've all lost our†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, not sure what to call it. Powers? That sounded too Justice League. â€Å"†¦abilities.† â€Å"I know,† he said at last. â€Å"So have I.† â€Å"What powers did you even have?† asked Cody, apparently not minding the superhero comparison. â€Å"Multitasking?† teased Peter. â€Å"The ability to balance books and collate?† I shot him a quick glare over my shoulder and then glanced at Cody to explain. â€Å"Imps see souls-everyone's life energy. They can tell whose soul is good and whose is bad.† â€Å"I know that,† said Cody. â€Å"I just thought there was†¦more.† Hugh sighed. â€Å"You can't imagine it, Georgina. Not having that ability now. It's like losing one of my senses. Or going colorblind.† â€Å"I know exactly what you mean,† I told him. â€Å"Not likely. When you can't see energy and souls around living beings, the world is so†¦empty. It's dull.† â€Å"Why did it happen?† I asked gently, trying my best to squelch my own escalating fear. Internally, I was still reeling. My shape-shifting was gone. My immortal signature was gone. The marks that defined me as Georgina Kincaid, succubus, were gone. â€Å"What's going on?† Hugh's eyes were still sad and unfocused, but finally, he looked at me and studied my face, like he'd just noticed me in front of him. â€Å"We get our various gifts and immortality for selling our souls,† he began slowly. â€Å"Those unique abilities-and their side effects-come from our contract with Hell and are filtered through our archdemons. It's what lets them keep track of us. We're†¦connected†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned, grasping at how to best explain the system through which Hell managed its employees. â€Å"I know what you're talking about,† I said. Cedric would know if I crossed into his territory simply because he could sense me when I was close enough. Jerome, so long as he was my supervisor, knew where I was at all times and if I was hurt. He was always aware of me, always tied to me. â€Å"Our†¦powers†¦are transmitted from Hell, through Jerome, to us.† â€Å"Right,† Hugh said. I waited for more, but that seemed to be all he had to say. â€Å"Right what? Why are our abilities gone?† A bit of the normal Hugh exasperation glinted in his eyes. â€Å"Because Jerome is gone.† â€Å"Jerome's gone all the time,† Peter said. â€Å"We can never get a hold of him. We can't get a hold of him now.† Hugh shook his head. â€Å"You aren't getting it. When I say gone, I don't mean hiding from us at a bar. I mean gone . Vanished. Disappeared. Might as well not exist for all intents and purposes. No one knows where he is. Not our side, not the other side. He. Is. Gone.† Dead silence hung around us for what felt like an eternity. And that was saying something. Peter's voice was hard to hear when he finally spoke. â€Å"And as long as he's gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦then so are our abilities,† I finished.

Approaches to Branding Essay

It is essential for a business to build strong relationship with its customers to be able to stay above all competitors. One tool that a company has is a strong brand. The following are the most common ways of how companies use branding in marketing their products or services. Corporate Branding. This type has been around ever since competition among business started. In corporate branding a company uses its own name as the brand for the company. The company usually promotes its products under that brand name (Crystal 2003). An example of which is Disney, where all products of the company included the name â€Å"Disney†. In this approach the corporation or company is the main selling point (Csaba, Schultz & Yun 2005). If successfully used the company can create brand loyalty where customers look for products under that company or under the brand name. The downside of this approach is that the company will have a tendency to be identified with a single product category (Crystal 2003). Employer Branding. With the rise of newer resources like technology, the fact remains that personnel are still the most important resource of any company. As the competition for first-rate employees becomes tight, companies attract them through Human Resources Marketing or through employer branding (VersantWorks 2008). Employer branding is the impression of the stakeholders – current employees, potential hires, and previous staff – about the company as place of work (Harris 2002). The idea is to instill in the stakeholders mind that the company is â€Å"great place to work†. It immerses the employee into the company, gives the employees a sense of pride and belongingness and most important of all job fulfillment (VersantWorks 2008). A company with a good employer branding is L’Oreal. Voted as one of the Fast Moving Consumer Goods – FMCG – Employer of Choice (Employer Profile 2008). L’Oreal’s career website declares it in black and white. The company’s objective is to provide a sound working environment for its employees. Working for L’Oreal would entail a secure workplace, performance is given credit, a diverse culture, and where privacy and private life are valued (As An Employer 2008). What makes this strategy work for the company is because L’Oreal knows who it wanted to hire and focus the HR endeavor to accomplish the task (Klein 2008). Cause Branding. This is an approach in branding where a company supports a cause to be able to increase profits or to set it apart from competitors (Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications 2007). As examples will be Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, ConAgra Foods’ Feeding Children Better Program, Reebok’s Human Rights Awards and Rockport’s Fitness Walking Program. This initiative is usually interchanged with cause marketing and corporate social responsibility. Cause marketing just like cause branding seems to have the same objective but the difference lies in the duration. Short-lived cause marketing initiatives are usually one-time deals like food drives, collection bins, and auctions for charity. While cause branding is a year-long continuous endeavor. Where the company tries to associate a cause to the brand in the customers’ mentality (Evergreen & Partners 2005). On the other hand CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility is the broader initiative that consumers expect from a company. CSR involves labor practices of the company, community activities and environmental programs. It comprises various causes while cause branding focus only on one cause (Evergreen & Partners 2005).

Black organisations in the USA essays

Black organisations in the USA essays The civil rights movement in the United States of America from 1954 to 1968 is an important element of the nations contemporary history. The event was a turning point in the history of Black Americans as their courage and persistence displayed led to the legislative reform of American society into a more democratic and less prejudiced country. The efforts of these protestors and was co-ordinated by large civil rights organisations, chiefly the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Committee (SCLC) and the Student Non-Violent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC). These three organisations and their achievements are the focus of this presentation. It has always been acknowledged that Black Americans, through the civil rights movement successfully achieved equality amongst whites. This assumption has found to be relatively unsubstantial, and while success in terms of government legislation was achieved, whether African Amer icans found social justice and equality in everyday life after the movement is another story. This assignment has now reached the final stages of completion and only requires confirmation of the findings and thus the conclusions that will be made through further thorough research in the future. Few problems have been encountered between the last submission and the current presentation. The focus question has been re-worded only for the needs of using a clearer, more concise question and the need to focus research in a more beneficial direction. This slight adjustment has by no means hindered the progress of research. The events of the civil rights movement in the United States were co-ordinated by various organisations, each using different strategies in an attempt to achieve their aims of social justice for African Americans. The three most predominantly recognised organisations of the time were the NAACP, SCLC and SNCC. These three organ...

Ap American Dbq

There was a change, not a reformulation regarding political ideas and the ideas of the American Constitution that were part of the decision made by Jackson. Before Jackson the Native Americans were allowed their land but Jackson changed this policy for a racist agenda. The Indian Removal Act Of 1830, which evicted the Native Americans, was a change that had not been in place with the Native Americans before (Docs. A, H). The treaties brought about no benefit. Before Jacksons administration there had been agreements made between the Cherokees and the federal government (Doc. E).Jackson changed the idea of having treaties by saying the treaties with Indians are an absurdity (Doc. H). Instead of compromise Jackson wanted domination, a clear change in policy. The Intercourse Act, a constitutional law, protected the rights of the Indians (Doc. D). In the case of Cherokee Nation V. Georgia the Cherokees lost the case and therefore lost their protection. However, it can be argued that even if the Cherokees had won the case, Jackson still would have removed them from their land. Jackson had no respect for John Marshals decisions and, therefore, showed little respect for the Constitution.The Native Americans were no way a threat to the U. S. , nor were they savages. They were like the Americans in that they owned nice houses (Doc. L), were educated, farmed, many were Christian, and some were slave owners. Their constitutional republic was even modeled after the United States. John C. Calhoun even wrote in a letter to Henry Clay in 1820, he said that the Native tribes appear to be making gradual advances in industry and civilization (Doc. J). From the beginning of the United States, Native Americans were given rights to act as independent nations, and those rights were to be respected by following the Constitution.For example, Henry Knox, the Secretary of War in 1 789, wrote to President George Washington, The Indians, being the prior occupants, possess the right of the soil. It cannot be taken from them unless by their free consent, or by the right of conquest in case of a just war, (Document B). Because of this, the LIST allowed the Natives on American land their independent nations as they were the prior occupants, and their land shouldve never be taken unless they agreed to it or they were to lose it in a war. Although the united States policy sounded fair, for many years, the Natives were intentionally tricked into treaties that gave up huge amount of territory to the whites. Jacksons administrations decision to remove the Cherokee Indians was a change encompassing moral, political, constitutional, and practical changes, disregarding prior administrations concerns for his personal agenda. He passed the Indian Removal Act of 1 830 which evicted the Native Americans from their land, which angered them and could have brought about fighting.The Indians were further irritated when they tried to sue in Federal Court but were denied in Cherokee Nation Vs.. Georgia. They were more satisfied when they won the Worcester vs. . Georgia case. The Native Americans were at peace with the prior Administration and were happy with their land. When Jackson took office, the Native Americans were forced to move out of their homeland to lands west of the Mississippi, which was not something that would have been done in the previous administrations.

Asymmetric Information Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Asymmetric Information - Article Example (investopedia.com) v. Interest Rate Swap - An agreement between two parties (known as counterparties) where one stream of future interest payments is exchanged for another based on a specified principal amount. Interest rate swaps often exchange a fixed payment for a floating payment that is'linked to an interest rate (most often the LIBOR). A company will typically use interest rate swaps to limit or manage exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, or to obtain a marginally lower interest rate than it would have been able to get without the swap. (Investopedia.com) 2. The general law of tradeable goods which says that the good will be sold at the same price regardless of where it is produced is called The Law of One Price. The law of one price says that goods will be sold at the same price whether it is produced in India or in U.S. The difference in their selling price will be reflected by the nominal exchange rate. In this respect, the nominal exchange rate will adjust so as one good can be bought at the same price using different currencies. 3. In mathematics, it will be shows as: 1/P = e/P* where P is the local price, P* is the foreign price and e is the nominal exhange rate. From this we see that equality will be manitaines if e adjusts to whatever the value of P and P*are. 3. Interest Rate Parity - A second principle, Interest Rate Parity, ties the interest rates of two nations with their exchange rates.' According to the Interest Rate Parity principle, the difference in similar nominal or market rates of interest should be equal to the forward premium of the nation with the lower inflation rate.' Otherwise arbitrage will occur, the profitability of which will cease only when interest rate parity once again prevails. (http://byrned.faculty.udmercy.edu/) As seen in the graph, an increase in the foreign interest rate will lessen the demand for domestic assets. Thus the demand curve shifts to the left. The shift of the demand curve to the left, causes a change in the equilibrium point. With the new equilibrium point, the returns from expected asset holdings declines and the exchange rate also declines. This means that the domestic currency weakens. Using the law of demand, we know that as the foreign interest rate (thus returns) increases, more will demand foreign currency instead of domestic currency. Thus it's value declines. 4. There are two problems that arise from asymmetric information: the adverse selction and the moral hazard problem. Adverse Selection - Adverse selection, anti-selection, or negative selection is a term used in economics, insurance, statistics, and risk management. It refers to a market process in which "bad" results occur when buyers and sellers have asymmetric information (i.e. access to different information): the "bad" products or customers are more likely to be selected. A bank that sets one price for all its checking account customers runs the risk of being adversely selected against by its low-balance, high-activity (and hence least profitable) customers. (Wikipedia.com) Moral hazard - Moral hazard is a special case of information asymmetry, a situation in which one party in a transaction has more information

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - Essay Example Maslow’s hierarchy of needs entails five levels. The first level entails the satisfaction of biological and psychological needs like water, air, food, shelter, warmth, and sleep. The second level is the safety needs and these needs include order and law, stability and freedom from fear (McLeod, 2014). The third level entails the sense of love and belonging needs like intimate relationships, friendship, and affection from family, peers, and workmates. The fourth level entails esteem needs that include prestige, dominance, self-respect, and respect from others. The final level of needs is self-actualization needs that include realizing one’s personal potential and personal growth. Later, the five stage model was expanded to include cognitive needs like knowledge and meaning, aesthetic needs like appreciation for beauty and finally transcendence needs which involves helping others to achieve their self-actualization. In each level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, their character of being ‘wanting beings’ motivates people. When one need is satisfied, it stops becoming a motivator and another need emerges (NetMBA Business Knowledge Center, 2010). If the things that satisfy the lower needs are gone, people do not care about achieving the higher needs. Indeed, the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs asserts that we must follow a defined order to satisfy our needs. To move a person to a higher level of the hierarchy within the work group, employers and organizations must help people to identify, pursue and reach their own personal potential (McLeod, 2014). Successful organizations are those that understand and encourage their employees towards self-actualization to help them achieve their personal growth. For instance, an employee in sales and marketing department can only achieve the sales targets if a conducive working environment is provided which includes friendship from the

Assignment about ethics 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About ethics 4 - Assignment Example What are the defining / distinguishing features of moral courage? Elaborate to clarify what you mean by each. By definition there are five essential parts of moral courage, which include: existence and identification of a moral situation, moral choice, behavior, individuality, and fear. By counting existence and identification of a moral situation, it is meant that without a situation to prove the presence of moral courage in a person, the virtue of moral courage cannot be vindicated. By identifying the moral situation, the onlooker gets charged to react due to one’s inherent ethical values. The inherent values and principles compel the observer to react to the emerged situation. This leads to the second distinct feature of moral courage – moral choice (Miller, 2005). A person facing a moral situation must take a decision related to the moral alternative. By invoking the moral values and principles, the person must take not a legal but morally right decision (Miller, 20 05). The third feature of moral courage is behavior because it draws a line between moral courage and moral reasoning. Just thinking what should be done to come over the moral issue and actually doing that right action are two different things. It is behavior that leads to doing the right action (Miller, 2005). ... Fear is the last quality of a morally courageous person. He or she must acknowledge to oneself that fear of the negative outcome must be overpowered to take a morally courageous action. This fear factor is not to be managed outwardly, but it is an inner realization to face the situation, decide, and behave as per the decision taken. Facing and overpowering fear means one is ready to pay the price of one’s fearless behavior (Miller, 2005). Why is moral courage important? i.e., why are scholars interested in studying moral courage? Moral courage is important to keep intact the moral fiber of our life and society. Moral courage denotes strong will power that provides support to other human virtues. Human beings can gain heightened degree of perfection or sanctity of the heart through moral courage. A morally virtuous individual dedicating life for accomplishing good deeds cannot let others use wrong means. That’s why it is all the more important to teach and develop moral virtues among children through story-telling (Miller, 2005). Question 2: Answer to part (a) Think about a time that you either (a) displayed moral courage or (b) opted not to act in a morally courageous way. Describe the situation. Indicate what occurred, what you decided to you, what factors might have contributed to your decision and the outcome. Is there anything you might do differently if you faced that situation again? Or, is there anything you learned from class that might better prepare you / help you to manage better if you faced that situation again. It happened five years back. I was traveling in a train to reach back to my hostel after spending vacations at home with my family. The compartment I was traveling was fully

Positive Accounting Theory

Positive Accounting Theory INTRODUCTION Purpose The purpose of this report is to analyse the effect of adopting AASB 2 Share-based Payments. Besides, this report will also provide discussions about the reaction of some parties related to this adoption. Background In July 2004, there is a significant change in the accounting requirements for share-based payments. The previous standard that governs share-based payment was AASB 1046 Director and Executive Disclosures by Disclosing Entities, which then supersede by AASB 2 Share-based Payments. Under AASB 1046, share-based payments only required to be disclosed. However, AASB 2 requires an entity to reflect on its profit or loss and balance sheet the effects of share-based payment transactions at fair value (Accounting Handbook 2008). Scope This analysis is done by applying Positive Accounting Theory (PAT). The report covers three main areas, impact of adoption on companies, on managers, and motivation of regulators in developing standards Limitations Since AASB 2 is still new, research papers used in this reports may not Positive Accounting Theory (PAT) that popularized by Watts and Zimmerman is one of positive theory accounting. PAT is concerned with explaining accounting practices. It is designed to explain and predict which firms will not use a particular method. It does not say something as to which method a firm should use. This is what differentiates positive and normative theories. Normative theories prescribe how a particular practice should be undertaken and this prescription might be a significant departure from existing practice. PAT focuses on the relationship between the various individuals involved in providing resources to an organisation and how accounting is used to assist in functioning of these relationships. PAT is based on the central economics-based assumption that all individuals actions are driven by self-interest and that individuals will always act in an opportunistic manner to the extent that the actions will increase their wealth. From an efficiency perspective, why could the introduction of new rules on share option accounting be costly for an organization? Share-based payments have been widely used by many organizations as an incentive tool attracting and retaining employees, and compensate senior executives. Because there was a significant change in the accounting requirements on share-based payments, this will then affect quite numbers of organizations. The effect on organization can be explained by an efficiency perspective. Efficiency perspective, which also known as ex-ante perspective, is one of perspective under the PAT umbrella. It considers up-front mechanisms in order to minimize future agency and contracting costs (TB p. 274). Theorists of efficiency perspective argued that companies adopt particular accounting methods which best reflect their underlying economic performance. By choosing the best methods, it is being argued that investors and other parties will need not to gather as much additional information from other sources. This will consequently lead to cost saving and reducing the risks of investors, which will then increase the value of the company (TB p. 274). Another effect on the implementation of AASB 2 is that it will reduce the profit of the company, thus the performance of the company will seems to be not so attractive to the potential investors. Unattractive performance of the company may cause the investors to assume that the company has higher risks of default. Thus investors become reluctant to invest in the company or, the investors will require higher return. In other words, the company will be facing a hard time to gain investors confidence or the company will be facing a high cost of capital (TB p. 275). Since PAT theorists believe that companies will choose the methods best reflect the companies performance, this means that there will be no need for regulations to be in place anti regulation perspective. PAT theorists argued that regulation of financial accounting imposes unwarranted costs on reporting entities (TB p. 275). In the case of share-based payments, by superseding AASB 1046 with AASB 2, this provides restrictions to the company as to limited methods available to choose from. This will create inefficiencies the companies may not able to choose the method that best reflect their performance. Besides, by expensing share-based payments, this would harm start-up companies and decrease the entrepreneurial activity of growing companies (Sacho Wingard 2004). The reason behind this is that both new and growing companies usually do not always have enough cash to be used as incentive tool attract and retain skillful employees. Thus, in order to attract and retain talented employees, such companies use share options instead of giving cash incentives. Under the previous standard, whereby share options do not need to be recorded as an expense in the profit and loss statement, this will result in higher profitability which may be assumed as a good performance by investors. Besides, this will result in higher returns from investment (ROI). Thus, this makes the financial position statement of those companies look better (stronger) which then allow them to access greater capital than they would had if they have to expensed share option. Debt covenants, which also known as banking or financial covenants, are agreements between a company and its lenders that the company should operate within certain limits (Pietersz 2009). The limits set by the lenders are usually expressed in accounting numbers (i.e. level of gearing ratios). Besides set the limits, lenders will also impose obligations if the company breaches the agreement. Thus, if the company has to expense-off the share-based payments transactions, this will affect the bottom line of its financial statement which then will affect some accounting ratios. This will create difficulties for the company to operate within the limit written in the debt covenant. Company will need to re-examine the debt covenants and need to consider how to communicate this adverse impact on reported profits and key performance ratios to the market. In a worse case, company may wants to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the agreements (Chalmers Godfrey 2005). Both re-examine and re negotiate are not easy tasks, it takes a lot of efforts, considerable amount of time, and it is costly. Since AASB 2 requires companies to record share-based payments transactions as an expense, which then leads to lower profit, this will discourage companies to use share options as a compensation tool. This may cause managers to lose their motivation to improve the performance of the company, because share option is a method that widely used and most benefiting to the managers. Sacho and Wingard (2004) argued that expensing share-based payments would hurt companies like Apple, Intel and Microsoft (information technology companies) due to earnings pressures caused by share-based payments. Expensing share options will also distort earning per share (EPS). Distortion may occur due to inclusion of expense for employee stock options in the profit and loss statement will result in an inaccurate double charge in the financial statement (BIO 2004). When the employees exercise their options, it will be recorded as an expense and increase in the number of share issued. Thus, EPS will be diluted. In compliance to AASB 2, companies have to determine the fair value of the stock options. However, it is complicated to determine the fair value of stock options at grant date, due to difficulties in predicting future movement of share prices. Thus, mathematical models, such as lattice model are often used to predict the future movement in the share price and therefore to derive the value of the stock options. However, to apply this model, expertise is required. Thus, companies have to hire external experts. Besides, additional internal compliance costs, costs of external audit will also increases (BIO 2004). Why could the introduction of new rules on share option accounting be costly for manager A new set of regulation regime in the share option accounting will lead to a different treatment of accounting method to adopt in the company. The complex changes in the new treatments will increase administration and reporting requirements. According to Miles, manager will need to employ accounting industry specialist to assist them in order to comply with the latest regulatory changes. The additional administration requirement will burden the managers with extra costs. This is because managers will have to put in a lot of effort, allocate more time and money in order to familiarize and adopt the new set of the regulation which is generally called as bonding cost (Deegan). These extra allocations will go into training the existing staffs to get used to the new regulations. In addition to that, in certain cases, managers will have to employ new staff; specialists will cost even more money, to deal with the new accounting method which will ultimately result in an increase in the opera tional cost of the company. Besides time consuming and increase in operational cost, the new set of share option accounting rules will limit the managers option in applying different accounting methods. The new set of rule forces managers to be more transparent in preparing the financial report. Managers will lose the opportunity to construct a financial report that best indicate the companys performance. This is because, AASB 2 requires manager to recognize expenses that are related to services or goods received or acquired in the share based payment transaction. As a result, by expensing the items mentioned will significantly reduce the profit in the income statement. In the case of companies relying on profit based performance, managers are directly affected by the diminished profit. Low profit indicates low bonuses for the managers. On the other hand, for companies relying on share-price based performance, manager has to bear indirect impact of the huge deduction in the profit. This is because investors are the ones who are influential in regards to the movement of share prices. Investors are acting based on the information provided in the financial statement. Unexpected decline in the profit will lead to a negative sentiment; as a consequence, the investors are not convinced in either purchasing or retaining the companys share (Deegan pg. 262). Instead of increase in the share price, it will drop the share price. Ultimately the value of share options will drop in line with the drop in share prices. What would motivate the regulators to develop the new rules? Big organizations represent large visible blocks of wealth and the government possesses the ultimate authority; through legislation and through court decisions. Politicians, bureaucrats, and special interest groups are interested in expanding their welfare, supporting rules that would work to their own benefit (Jensen, 1976). Generally, the regulators are controlled; if not, influenced by the government in power. Regulators might be motivated in developing new rules; in the scope of self-interest, that would benefit the government. For example, the majority of the public demands the government to solve discrimination and poverty or to be stricter with issues in regards to the environment. In order for the government to stay as the popular choice of the public, the regulators can develop rules that will have these big organizations to serve as a vehicle for social reform (social responsibility); by mitigation of discrimination and poverty, and the establishment of training and polluti on prevention programs (Jensen, 1976). This will work in favor of the governments self-interest by addressing the publics interest. Likewise, the regulators can also develop rules that would benefit big organizations; ultimately the government in ways of getting sponsorship The inefficiency of the ESOs would be a reason for regulators to develop the new rules; because inefficiency of ESOs can lead to abuses and frauds. Frauds that are related to ESOs may crop up from the managerial power doctrine, negotiation and execution of ESO agreements, award and implementation of ESO plans, re-pricing, and disclosure of ESOs; as exampled in the recent corporate crimes at Enron, Tyco and Arthur Anderson (Nwogugu, 2006 pg 9). What happened with the big three companies showed that there was over-reliance on companys internal governance mechanisms for prevention of corporate crime. In order to prevent abuses on ESOs, it is paramount for the regulators to develop new rules; i.e. to enhance transparency and corporate governance, criminalize the misconduct which was formerly regulated by corporate governance mechanisms. Often ESOs in large organizations can result in over-compensation which is substantial to opportunity costs. The costs to cover over-compensation will directly impinge on other areas of a business (opportunity costs) such as capital expenditures and limiting expansion. Establishing proper compensation is difficult; according to Nwogugu (2006 pg 11) the business judgement rule cannot eliminate over-compensation because of the difficulty in determining and applying the reasonableness standard. This is when the regulators come in. There is a potential for regulators to develop an optimal compensation structure to avoid companies from practicing over-compensation, thus encouraging regulators to lay down new rules. Other inefficiencies and abuses of the ESOs that might encourage the regulators to develop new rules include the potential usage of ESOs as a device for taxation avoidance and as device to prevent a takeover (Lenne, Mitchell, and Ramsay, 2004 pg 10). Taxation concessions related to ESO schemes are introduced with the objective of promoting the practice of ESO. But there are concerns of abuse of the concessions given in the form of tax relief for private equity ownership (Lenne, Mitchell, and Ramsay, 2004 pg 19). This will result in people who are not qualified, able to take advantage of the tax incentives. In the scope of takeover prevention, companies might extend their ESO. By doing so, the company is able to redistribute control among its own management which makes a takeover seem unappealing. There is also an issue of companies making trade-offs with their employee by offering ESOs in exchange with wages. It is suggested that ESOs should be a supplement to the employees income rather than being a substitute for wages instead (Lenne, Mitchell, and Ramsay, 2004 pg 10). New regulations are needed in order to monitor and prevent these issues from taking place in the future. Another factor that should prompt the regulators into developing new rules in regards to ESOs is to achieve consistency and comparability. According to a research by Lenne, Mitchell, and Ramsay (2004 pg 14), 513 annual reports of ASX-listed public companies for the financial year ending 2001 was conducted in regards to ESO disclosures. In the research, theyve identified that the disclosure practices varied significantly between companies. Some annual reports disclosed noteworthy detail on the companys various ESO schemes while some, basic information such as the scope of the scheme of their ESOs are not even provided (Lenne, Mitchell, and Ramsay, 2004 pg 14), making comparability impossible because of the inconsistency of the disclosures. Last and most important factor that will motivate regulators to develop new rules is related to ESOs being expensed. ESO plans did not require any expense recognition in terms of the prevailing accounting standards (Sacho and Wingard, 2004 pg 155). This resulted in investors forecasting the value of companies with misleading information as exampled in the 2001 share market bubble burst. Investors get a false impression in regards to the reality of the value of the related transactions which ended up in billions of dollars lost due to the fall of share prices. Markets can only allocate resources efficiently when prices accurately reflect underlying values; which can only be achieved by expensing ESOs (Sacho and Wingard, 2004 pg 155). By expensing ESOs, investors are able to obtain the true input costs of generating corporate revenues, enabling them to efficiently allocate capital and undertake the best possible investment decisions. In addition to that, expensing ESOs will lead to imp rovements in corporate performance and reduction in abuses of the ESOs (Sacho and Wingard, 2004 pg 158). CONCLUSION REFERENCE LIST http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/science?_ob=MImg_imagekey=B6W58-4H68T8F-2-1_cdi=6564_user=170565_orig=browse_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2005_sk=999859997view=cwchp=dGLzVtz-zSkWzmd5=72a8e05e8f6a0ee2f4bea25809e2b586ie=/sdarticle.pdf Shying, M Ngiam, J (eds) 2008, CPA Australia: Accounting Handbook, 2008 edition, Pearson Australia Group Pty Limited, Australia.

Argumentative Essay: Guns Make America! :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the possible exception of abortion, no other current issue has split the country in two like the debate surrounding gun control.  Ã‚   Both sides are equally adamant.  Ã‚   The pro gun side, as represented by the National Rifle Association, continues to oppose all gun control measures primarily on the grounds that any law restricting gun ownership is unconstitutional.  Ã‚   Proponents of gun control argue that gun violence is an epidemic out of control across the country, and call on federal lawmakers to stem the flow of blood with anti-gun legislation.  Ã‚   This side won a crucial battle in the debate two years ago with the passage of the so called   â€Å"Brady Bill,† Federal legislation that banned the production and sale of some semiautomatic rifles and initiated a waiting period and background check for gun buyers.  Ã‚   However, more recently than now Republican-controlled Congress, with the backing of the NRA, has reignited that battle with plans to repeal the Brady Bill.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second amendment to the constitution guarantees Americans the right to keep and bear arms without government interference.   gun control advocates seem ready and eager to disregard this right which is currently being exercised by 70 million Americans.   (METSKA)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the governments struggle to keep guns out of the hand of juveniles and criminals is a worthy one, but when it comes   to unconstitutional interrogation then its getting out of control.   The government is currently trying to implement laws that will keep weapons out of the hands of every one. The people on capital hill say that they want a safer America, they want the youth of America to grow up in a caring non-violent environment,   yet all they really want is a more productive best in its class nation.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   History proves that criminal behavior cannot be controlled by the government attempting to regulate inanimate objects.  Ã‚   In other words, criminals will always find a way to get a hold of drugs, guns, what have you.   Proof: drugs may be illegal yet we still have one heck of a problem with them;   thus, if guns of some sort are made illegal then, we will probably end up with one heck of a gun problem. I believe that its not that they need a gun or think its

Cyworld – Case Analysis

Situation Analysis Company: SK Comms Product line Internet Cyworld Social networking Biggest player Value proposition: providing users with a free and clean community with limited advertising and an almost exclusive focus on social networking Life cycle: mature phase of growth NateOn Instant messaging Biggest player Linked to Cyworld Home2 Social media Media platform Video: 50M; +50K/day News: Pictures: +5M/day Cyworld revenue segmentation (2006) Paid items: $67M (72%) Virtual items: $15. 45M Average price: $1 Items sold: 32M 3D virtual items: $0M 010 projected: $(120M – 2010 paid item sales Music: $14. 48M Selling ~200K/day Average price: $0. 50 Can be solved technically with blocking Lack of useful information Don’t want ads in a â€Å"clean† environment Lack of time Customers getting bored Because: lack of relevance Not leveraging personal applications Goals Retain users Customize/targeting experience Increase revenues Grow users Possible Options 1) Paid Produ cts Music accounts for 50% paid revenues (36% of total revenues) Growing at a rate of 10% a year 3-D Virtual Gifts Expected to generate $120m in revenueMaintain current levels of advertising, careful not to disrupt customer preferences for an ad-free environment Pros: low marginal cost, already established market, integrity to original value proposition of a â€Å"clean, ad-free environment†. Cons: ignoring the largest market (890m potential revenues), not solving the attrition problem of people tiring of virtual gifts, 2) Acquire a gaming company (acquiring Empas was approximately $30M) Own company (buy for $3 — $5 M; or enter into a license agreement where we have a gaming contract†¦. reate a certain number of games per year and collect a small percentage of proceeds) Positioning Statement: Marketing Analysis Product Price Market Analysis Founded in 2001, Cyworld initially began as a social networking company before it was acquired in 2003 by SK Telecom. It offe red a trusted and ad-free platform to stay connected with friends and family via a â€Å"minihompy† where users could post information and updates. At the time of acquisition Cyworld had a membership of 1 million before reaching critical mass in 2004 and growing to 21 million in a country of 50 million people.Since then, Cyworld has offered a variety of features such as NateOn, an instant messaging service acquired in 2002, a virtual item market, a music store, a blogging service, a â€Å"plaza† for sharing user-generated media, and a Home2—a hybrid model of blogs and minihompys. Cyworld currently enjoys 90% market penetration for the 20-29 year old demography and accounts for 50% of SK Telecom’s profits with 72% coming from paid items, 16% from advertising, and 12% from mobile services. However, users are tiring of buying virtual items and decreasing site usage (64% decreasing versus only 13% increasing).A function of the site’s privacy model forc es some users to de-register and re-register when relationships get broken instead of simply being able to unfriend or block users as is an option on Facebook. This led to 10,000–15,000 new users signing on per day, but also 5,000 users cancelling their subscription. Recent data has also shown that Cyworld users have become increasingly more segmented with regards to usage frequency and money spent. 27. 5% of users logged on 3 times or more per week, but these users account for 93% of the usage and furthermore 35% of total purchases coming from 15% of users.The original value proposition of Cyworld was focused on providing a clean and safe social network. The addition of features such as the virtual marketplace and media-sharing platform has evolved the site to being a focal point of entertainment and self-expression. The business model of Cyworld must continually reflect the site’s growing importance in the lives of their users. Cyworld must create an enhanced value p roposition for its current customers so they can better focus on revenue extraction from their high- and mid- frequency users.The main springboard from which Cyworld has launched most of their successful add-ons has been its pre-established network of friends which each user has collected over the years. However, these networks, once they are acquired, become a static list of superficial relationships. Though users are currently able to chat with or broadcast to their networks, there is limited actual relationship-building. Cyworld must now step in to remedy this gap in emotional closeness by creating a way for users to engage and strengthen their network.What is the best way to create closeness? Options Our initial analysis of consumer demographics, user behavior and preferences, and overall gaps in the revenue and functionality model, have led us to these possible answers to that question: 1. Restructure existing business model to shift primary revenue-driving focus to advertising , similar to social network competitors, Facebook and Myspace; and paid search competitors Naver and Google. With growth rates of 46% in 2005 and 29% in 2006, Advertising represents a thriving opportunity for Cyworld.While this option could boost Cyworld’s revenues significantly, it poses risks, considering consumer concerns with privacy and the company’s commitment to a clean and free online environment. 2. Develop a new music sales strategy to enable users to download music to personal MP3 players, following the ITunes model. Songs currently downloaded by users can only be used as background music for minihompys. Yet, music represents a profitable option as Cyword would be able to retain more than 50% of revenues.However the streaming to MP3 process could be a complicated and costly transition given the wide range of system and compatibility requirements. 3. Develop user-specific personalized applications, product recommendations, and shopping options to encourage in creased site-usage. Specifically, as the Cyworld High Frequency User ages beyond the 19-29 range, the Cyworld platform for decorating minihompys is becoming less relevant. The company needs to increase the relevance of its services by introducing specificity and targeted marketing.However this may also raise privacy concerns and dilute the previous value proposition of a clean environment. 4. Cyworld could acquire gaming companies to develop games targeted at current users. This would both increase site usage and provide users with an opportunity to further connect with contacts via a friendly and competitive venue. In addition, as users start their own families, the Cyworld gaming environment can serve as an educational and entertaining option for their children. Our answer is online gaming.While Cyworld should try to maintain the current level of sales of music and virtual items (especially with the development of 3-D virtual gifts driving revenue to $120 million in 2007) and fix the privacy glitch which forces users to register and re-register, the majority of their focus should be on gaming. Cyworld should use gaming to allow members to strengthen their preexisting relationships and form new ones. This would eliminate much of the risk of engaging with strangers online and inject accountability into the way people compete in these games.Instead of being a platform where users share what has already happened, users can now log on to Cyworld for a new challenge, a new way to interact with old friends, and the possibility of a new story generated on the site itself. Strategy Implementation: Cy-Game (4 P’s) Product â€Å"Cy-Game† will be created via a combination of Cyworld’s $20M acquisition of Game Me, a network of online gaming technology start-ups in South Korea for exclusive use of their games. User-targeted games will be offered and sold via an application store that Cyworld users can easily access—whether on their home compute rs or mobile phones. Cy-Game’s† launch will target High Frequency Users first, leveraging the consumer information Cyworld has gathered for the past 12 years. The goal of Cy-Game will be to provide users with gaming and entertainment options for every stage of their lives—from the first year college student, to the mid-twenties urban professional, to the mid-thirties married parent looking for a safe and easy pastime to share with their friends, and family. Price The Cy-Game pricing model will be as follows: A. Pay-to-Advance Games: Users will have access to a large database of free games.However, in order to advance to the highest levels of the game, users will be required to purchase special weapons, treasures, and secrets. The fee to acquire each add-on will start at $. 05 and increase incrementally with importance. Theses virtual enhancers are crucial to advance in the game and remain competitive. B. Initial Buy-in Games: Cyworld will extract 5% of the buy-in s from users participating in gambling-intensive games such as poker or bridge. C. Subscription Games: Users can access these games for free or for a fixed price of $36 a year.Paid subscribers can enjoy ad-free gaming, while non-subscribers will be shown a fixed number of ads per hour. We estimate the total annual revenue generated from gaming to be $6M (2 from Free Games and 4 from Paid Games) FINANCIALS HERE. Promotion To promote the launch of â€Å"Cy-Game,† Cy-World will offer all existing users a free two-month ad-free subscription and a $10 credit to be used in the buy-in or pay-to-advance games. CyWorld will also sponsor a â€Å"So You Think You Can Game† contest to be broadcast on Korean MTV.The winner, deemed â€Å"Korea’s Next Top Gamer† will win $50,000. Placement Cy-Game advertising will run predominately on the Cyworld homepage. However, we will also leverage Game Me’s existing marketing strategy to promote the new partnership with Cy- Game. That marketing strategy includes traditional television and print advertisements. City-Wide murals and billboards will also be prominently placed in city centers and near universities. Cyworld’s goal is to attract gamers to Cy-Game while increasing overall Cyworld signup and usage frequency.