Amazon.Com in Business Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Amazon.Com in Business Plan - Research Paper Example To sustain this new venture, Amazon Inc. has a good start off, as its traffic is attractive to buyers and sellers into Amazon market place. Firms likely to be acquired in this endeavor include Diapers.com, Zappos and Soap.com. Amazon intends to buy Quaidis, the parent company to Soap.co and Diapers.com for $540 million. The capital that was collected to fund this acquisition amounts to $78 million. In another strategy for up its competition with CPG companies, Amazon Inc. intends to acquire Zappos at a projected price of $1.1 billion. To compete with Google and Apple, Amazon Inc. intends to upgrade its Kindle to support mobile phone applications and functions. This will enable the incorporation expand from just providing physical goods to digital goods. The low margins strategy has been employed by Amazon regardless it is downcast by other companies. Amazon is offering its products and services at low prices as a strategy to attract more customers and increase its market share. This is a strategy aimed at increasing value to customers rather than increasing its value through high prices and high profits. Increased market share will see Amazon reduce its costs through economies of scale, as the costs will b e spread through many customers. For instance in 2011, Amazon had operating expenses of 91% expressed as a fraction of revenues. This demonstrated its big market share compared to Walmart. Amazon had revenue streams of up to $48 billion. Most of this is attributed to online retail store where it has managed to attract millions of shoppers and sellers to its website. This has led to a cost advantage for Amazon in relation to Walmart and Costcos. Amazon has grown from just a book retailer to be the largest online retail shopping for physical and digital goods and services. This has not stopped the company from further growth and development. The company is seeking to contract Google, which will see it use the Android technology. Although Amazon and Google are market rivals, Amzon seeks to cross the gap between the two and build its new devices on the Android operating system. 8. Implementation strategy: From a range of reasonable options (build or â€Å"go it alone† strategy, p artner via a joint venture or less formal business alliance, license, minority investment, and acquisition), indicate which option would enable the acquiring firm to best implement its chosen business strategy. Because of the nature of the course, you must indicate that an implementation strategy involving an acquisition is preferred to the other options and why. An acquisition is the best strategy for implementation. The acquiring firm’s stands an advantage of running a business that is well established compared to building up a new business. With an established business, the acquiring firm can use the existing financial records to forecast future performance to determine if the new firm to be acquired is profitable. This is not the case with a new firm being set up. Setting up a new firm may require more capital and time. The business’ future performance may not be correctly forecasted because there are many unseen occurrences, as the business has no experience. Part nerships on the other had result in legal disputes, as the partners are likely to disagree on decisions and business issues. Acquisition remains the

VTE Prophylaxis after Joint Replacement

VTE Prophylaxis after Joint Replacement Clinical Management Plan Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses, Pharmacists  and Allied Health Professionals Student: Jade Keaney Background to Clinical Management Plan: Pharmacology, Monitoring and Evidence

Dna: The Thread Of Life :: essays research papers

DNA: The Thread of Life The "thread of life", is deoxyribonucleic acid, otherwise known as DNA. It is the spiral shaped molecule found in the nucleus of cells. Scientists have known since 1952 that DNA is the basic substance of heredity. This was hypothesized, and later confirmed by James D. Watson and Francis Crick. They also know that it acts like a biological computer program over 3 billion bits long that "spells" out instructions for making the basic building blocks of life. DNA carries the bodies genetic code, controls the development of an embryo, is capable of duplicating itself, and is able to repair damage to itself. DNA can be manipulated to change all kinds of things. All DNA molecules consist of a linked series of unites called nucleotides. Each DNA nucleotide is composed of 3 subunits: a 5 carbon sugar called deoxyribose, a phosphate group that is joined to one end of the sugar molecule, and one of several different nitrogenous bases linked to the opposite end of the deoxyribose. There are 4 nitrogen bases called adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. In DNA adenine pairs with thymine and guanine with cytosine. Medicine's ability to diagnose continues to exceed its ability to treat or cure. For example, Huntington's Chorea is an inherited disease that develops between the ages of 30 and 45, can be diagnosed before any symptoms appear. This can be hard for both the individuals with the disease and their family. There is a 3 billion dollar project underway right now called the Human Genome Project, a 15 year program to make a detailed map of every single gene in human DNA. With automated cloning equipment to steer scientists through the DNA, scientists are finding human genes at the rate of more than one a day. This may not sound like very much but as technology increases the rate at finding them will increase. Since January 1993 to January 1994 scientists have located the genes for Huntington's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, and the "bubble-boy" disease. Scientists are expected to find the first breast cancer gene any week now. Even with the best tools of today, the progress is full of surprises. Human DNA is not like that of plants, in which the trait of color of a flower is determined by one gene. Even the color of a human eye can involve the interaction of several genes. Some complex genes, such as cystic fibrosis, can go wrong in any number of places. Scientists have already accounted for 350 places where the cystic fibrosis gene mutates, and more are being uncovered

Case Study Papa John’s International, Inc. Twenty-First Century Growth Challenges Essay

1) What is your assessment of Papa John’s differentiation strategy? On what bases does the company differentiate? There are a number of bases on which Papa John’s differentiates itself, many of which are interrelated. First and foremost is Papa John’s offering of a higher-quality pizza, which not only allows them to differentiate on the basis of a product feature (i.e. the high quality ingredients used in the pizza), but, even more importantly, on the basis of reputation. While most other pizza chains have their sights set on more of a cost-leader/low-price strategy, and make an less genuine statement of quality, Papa John’s entire organizational culture is focused squarely upon the pursuit of â€Å"better ingredients, better pizza†. This commitment has in turn endeared it to customer base, and has resulted in a long string of high customer satisfaction ratings. Papa John’s early adoption of online and mobile ordering technologies allowed it to differentiate itself on the bases of both timing of introduction and distribution channels. Papa John’s was in fact the very first pizza chain to offer both internet- and text-based ordering, and it was able to generate tremendous revenues as a first-mover in these then-untapped channels. Being that Papa John’s is a part of the larger fast food industry, and consumers seek out fast food in large part on the basis of its convenience, the value of such a distribution system obviously lies in how easily accessible it made Papa John’s products. 2) Is Papa John’s strategy sustainable? What is your assessment based on a VRIO analysis? Obviously the most sustainable base of Papa John’s differentiation strategy is its reputation as a producer of high-quality pizzas. Such has been earned through years of commitment to the goal of producing a â€Å"perfect pizza†, which is an outgrowth of a strong organizational culture and well-communicated vision. The relationship between Papa John’s and its dedicated customer base is socially complex, and these customers could not be taken away overnight by a rival who suddenly began using better ingredients. However, the underpinning of this reputation – the product feature of high quality ingredients – is not nearly as sustainable, as it is not too costly for Papa John’s rivals of comparable size to ultimately imitate. In fact, Domino’s and Pizza Hut have demonstrated a shift towards  higher-quality ingredients in recent years, and so this point of differentiation is no longer as rare as it once was. However, it will take many mo re years of making pizzas of similarly high quality for either to actually cement the same reputation as Papa John’s, and reputation does remain a very sustainable base of differentiation. However, it is worth considering at which price point the value of this reputation begins to diminish, given the nature of the product category itself. Papa John’s is, after all, a fast food pizza chain, and price does play a significant role in the fast food market. Obviously, part of the value of having a differentiated product is the ability to command premium prices for it, and to easily pass increased costs on to a customer base which is relatively price-insensitive. However, the question here is what price ceiling exists on fast food pizza, regardless of its quality. Papa John’s may have a reputation for the highest-quality fast food pizza, and loyal customers may be willing to pay more for this high-quality fast food pizza than a lower-quality fast food pizza, but the price disparity between the two is unlikely to be anywhere near as great as that between, say, a car made by Rolls Royce and one made by Hyundai. Papa John’s may be able to charge a premium, but it must still exist within what is an essentially narrow price range acceptable for fast food. Should Papa John’s prices exceed this reasonable range – perhaps in the event that they cannot continue staving off ingredient cost volatility as well as they have to this point – then even their most loyal customers will turn to other brands or substitute foods of higher quality which warrant a higher price. The essential point is that price still does play a significant role in Papa John’s reputation – sure they make high-quality pizza, and sure it costs a little more than Domino’s, but that price premium is commensurate with its greater quality, and it strikes the right balance between affordability and quality. However, the value this reputation provides in allowing for higher prices – while it does exist, and thus leads one to conclude that reputation is a source of sustained competitive advantage – does indeed have its constraints. It creates value, but only until reaching a price ceiling which is lower for this product category than for premium products in most other product categories. Regarding Papa John’s other, interrelated bases of  differentiation – timing of introduction and distribution channels – it is evident that these were merely temporary sources of competitive advantage along a base which has given way to compe titive parity. Every other pizza chain (and pretty much every restaurant, chain or independent) now offers online and/or mobile ordering, and thus Papa John’s offering of increased convenience is no longer rare. Furthermore, Papa John’s has not been the first to market with any further similar innovations in the years to follow, and its base of differentiation as a pioneer of clever innovations is in many ways currently dormant. This is perhaps owed to a shift in organizational focus away being the first-to-market with novel propositions as Papa John’s looks increasingly to extending the business they have already perfected to foreign markets. 3) What do you recommend Papa John’s do to achieve its growth goals? Papa John’s has encountered challenges in its attempt to balance its focus on producing a higher-quality pizza with expanding its product mix enough to keep up with competitors who offer broader product mixes. Papa John’s does not want to stretch its focus and resources too thin, and consequently dilute the quality of its pizza by shifting attention away from it. However, many of Papa John’s competitors, namely market leaders Domino’s and Pizza Hut, have broadened their product mixes to include items such as pasta dishes, and Papa John’s has in turn been pressured into adopting similar additions to their menu. Because all of these pizza chains have begun matching each other with regard to product mixes, adding menu items is acting more as a base of competitive parity than competitive advantage. However, in expanding its product mix through co-branding strategies, Papa John’s can forge a far more sustainable base of differentiation. Papa John’s has already partnered with Nestle in adding additional dessert items, and such is a strategy they should continue to pursue aggressively, not merely with Nestle but with many other companies. Obviously Papa John’s can free up its resources and attention in partnering with another company to develop and produce menu items for it, and it can focus more on maintaining its high level of pizza quality. More importantly, if Papa John’s could enter into exclusive deals with these other brands and companies, and in turn be the  only one in the industry to offer products by a given brand of high repute (and even possibly a product made exclusively by that brand for Papa John’s), then its competitors will have much more trouble attempting to match the combined brand equity of Papa John’s and its partn ers. In terms of more of a corporate-level strategy, Papa John’s should consider integrating backward into the production of its high quality ingredients. Obviously it has already done this to some extent with BIBP Commodities, Inc. in combatting cheese price volatility, but they should consider going a step further in actually producing cheese and other ingredients themselves. They would be much better poised to insure a steady stream of consistently-priced ingredients in handling production themselves to some extent, and they would also be able to directly maintain the quality of its ingredients. It has already been stated that the product feature of high-quality ingredients is not very sustainable, and that other pizza chains are already moving to match the quality of Papa John’s ingredients. However, should Papa John’s lock in a supply of high quality ingredients at affordable prices whilst others are still encountering significant price volatility, then it will be more costly for Papa John’s competitors to imitate its pizza quality. Additionally, Papa John’s could act as supplier of ingredients to other restaurants (excepting of course its competitors), just as it originally expanded into the printing industry to produce its own print advertisements, but now also provides printing services to other companies. Expanding into the production of ingredients it already uses so heavily and, by nature of its expertise in producing high-quality pizzas, of which it already as a strong understanding makes greater sense than creating a Hispanic restaurant as is suggested in the text, being this such is a specific category of food with which Papa John’s has no prior experience. In entering a restaurant category so dissimilar, Papa John’s will have to spread its attention thin – far thinner than in expanding its product mix – and, in turn, will likely be distracted from its heretofore steadfast pursuit of â€Å"better pizza†, setting in motion an eventual loss of its hardfought reputation. As stated, Papa John’s reputation is its strongest point of differentiation, and, regardless of whatever move it makes next, it must maintain its high level of brand equity.

Weather Affects Your Mood

How weather effect your mood? Weather can have more than a little impact on your mood. Researchers in Germany branched out beyond just sunny and cloudy and looked at temperature, wind, sunlight, rain and snow, air pressure, and how long the days were. The study was led by Jaap Denissen of Humboldt University in Berlin. The study had 1,233 participants, all living in Germany at the time. Most of the participants were women, the average age was 28, with ages spanning from 13 to 68 years old.Study participants were first given a personality test that measured extraversion, neuroticism, how open one is to experiences, and how agreeable and conscientious they are. Then, participants were given a daily online diary and asked to respond to a questionnaire that measured tiredness and positive and negative mood. Examples of positive mood included feeling â€Å"active,† â€Å"alert,† â€Å"attentive,† â€Å"excited. † Examples of negative mood included feeling †Å"irritable,† â€Å"scared,† â€Å"upset,† â€Å"guilty. † Tiredness was measured by terms such as â€Å"sluggish,† â€Å"sleepy,† and â€Å"drowsy. The researchers found that when it’s sunny outside you’re in a more alert, happy, focused mood than when it’s raining, cloudy, snowing, and cold. Wind, temperature, and sunlight were found to have a negative effect on your mood. The researchers said that sunlight played a role in how tired people said they were. Also, Sunlight had a mitigating effect on whether people reported they were tired on days when it rained. Being out in the sun boosts our mood, improves sleep, and promotes vitamin D production.Some people get better sleep when they were exposed to the sun during the day. A type of depression called seasonal affective disorder affects some people during the winter when they don't get enough sunlight. Psychiatrists often recommend that depressed individuals go outside in the sun for 30 minutes per day because experts now believe that sunlight has widespread mood-elevating effects, possibly because the â€Å"happy† hormone serotonin increases when nights are short and days are long.When the day starts getting darker earlier more people have less time to enjoy any of the day because they are at school or work. so then they become depressed because they are getting home from work and school and its either cloudy out by the time they get out or its already dark out . Also experts said shorter day’s equal shorter sun/daylight which is why some people do become depressed and tired. Some people have less effect on their mood from weather which are identified those people who love winter and enjoy the colder weather and everything about the season.When it’s really hot outside or in a certain location it can cause you to get heat stress. Heat stress is the amount of stress a worker faces in a hot work area: temperature, humidity, rad iant heat (such as from the sun or a furnace) and wind speed. Individuals with high blood pressure or some heart conditions and people who take diuretics (water pills) may be more sensitive to heat exposure and may have a higher chance of getting heat stress.Rain and cloudy skies also plays a role in effecting your mood. Frijns and his colleagues also identified a group of so-called â€Å"Summer Haters,† who were less happy and more fearful and angry when the temperature and the percentage of sunshine were higher and happier and less fearful and angry with more hours of precipitation. Also identified a group called â€Å"Rain Haters† was also identified. As implied by the name, this group felt angrier and less happy on days with more precipitation.Some people say that they like sunny, warm day’s better than rainy cold days because when its sunny outside your able to be more active and also are able to go out and enjoy the sunny warm weather but other people say they like rainy cold days better because you get to relax inside, watch movies, spend more time with family, and be more focused on school or work other than putting your work off and going outside and enjoy your day. Researches said more college student tend to go to school doing the fall because they are more focused and pass more classes because theyaren’tputting off their work to enjoy a nice sunny warm day.Researches said that during the spring and summer people are more in shape and exercise than during the fall and winter. This is because during the spring and summer people are more motivated to go for a walk or run because the suns out and its warm out. Most people don’t like going out in the rain or cold. so that makes them unmotivated to be active and get exercise. Also most people tend to stay in during the fall and winter because it’s warm and dry inside rather than being outside in the cold and rain.Researches said that people tend to gain more weig ht during the winter and fall months because they are inside watching movies and eating rather than going outside and being active. People also get depressed during the fall and winter because of cold , rain , and cloudy skies and when most people are depressed they usually eat more to make them feel better which also make them gain weight. Researchers said there are several ways you can prevent the weather to affect your mood negatively. Some prevention is when you are indoors don’t have the lights dimmed turn then all the way on so it’s brighter in your house.You can also watch a movie cuddled up on your couch or bed and have a good dinner. Don’t just sit around and do nothing that makes you bored and depressed. Get up and do something like clean, make food, or go out. There is a diagnosis called â€Å"seasonal moodiness. † Seasonal moodiness is a sickness then affects 1 of 4 people. Its gloominess caused by Mother Nature and it usually starts in late O ctober, and then ends in April when spring begins. When this becomes more servers (having seasonal moodiness for 2 consecutive years) it usually becomes diagnosed as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).Doctors take this very seriously, and there is treatment. Doctors believe it stems from â€Å"sensitivity to the lack of sunlight that results from winter's â€Å"shorter† days and disrupts our circadian rhythm, or internal body clock. â€Å"- WebMD. SAD is caused by the brain working overtime to produce melatonin (because of the lack of sunlight). Melatonin regulates your body clock, sleep patterns and a hormone that's been linked to depression. So in this way, yes weather can affect our moods. Although it is an illness, it's caused to weather and weather change.

Author Interviews How to Appear on Podcasts for Book Promotion

Author Interviews How to Appear on Podcasts for Book Promotion Author Interviews: How to Land Appearances on Podcasts for Book Promotion Author interviews via podcast appearances are one of the best ways to build authority and reach targeted audiences of ideal readers, as well as promote your book.Best of all, once you’ve appeared on a podcast, you’ll be able to use your interview as proof of your expertise and experience when you pitch to other podcasts.This is especially beneficial if you self-published a book since you dont have the support of a big publishing house- youre doing all the book marketing on your own!And this is a powerful way to spread the word about all the good your book can do.Heres how to land author interviews:Do your researchRate and review the podcastFeature the podcast hostsTailor your pitchOffer ideas related to your bookLeverage common connections you haveSend samples of previous author interviewsCreate a one-sheetDeliver value firstNOTE: If youre ready to turn being an author into a real career, check out our Sell More Books Program where we teach you how to build sustainable income with book sales. Learn more about it hereWhy do you need author interviews?Author interviews are beneficial for authors to spread the word about themselves as an author as well as their new and previous books.Think about author interviews the same as celebrity interviews when they have movies or TV shows premiering.Heres how author interviews can benefit you:You will reach a new audienceYour audience will be more receptiveYou market yourself as an authorYou market your newest book launchYou can market any previous books you haveYou will gain a larger social platformYou will sell more booksOverall, author interviews can only help you in your quest to become a full-time author by offering you book marketing opportunities.Check out this example of how beneficial an author interview of our very own Student Success Coach, Lise Cartwright, can be below. Its available both on our Youtube channel and Podcast. With over 8700 views on Youtube and many listens on the podcast, this inter view certainly helped maintain her passive income through books.How to Get Author Interviews on PodcastsBelow, you’ll discover 9 simple strategies to stand out in the eyes of podcasters and land author interviews on their shows.#1 Do your researchFirst of all, listen to the show before reaching out to podcast hosts. Podcasters are often approached by an author who sends generic emails proclaiming â€Å"I love your show,† and then ask to become a guest to promote their book.Other times, they’re approached with specific pitch letters, but the fit isn’t right.The reason for the mismatch usually is that the author who is pitching hasn’t listened to the show.If it feels like a chore to listen to the podcast, that’s a sign that you might be better off reaching out to a different podcast host.After all, you want to find podcasts that are in your niche, which usually happens to be those you listen to anyways.Here are a few things to ask yourself wh en you want to reach out to a podcast for an interview:Do you listen to them on your own?Do you resonate with their core message/theme?Are you involved in their community on a regular basis?Would you be proud to be a featured guest on their podcast?Are you a fan of past featured guests?Answering these positively will help you determine which podcasts to reach out to. Without doing the proper research, you could wind up upsetting the hosts and burning those bridges.#2 Rate and review the showOnce you’ve listened to a show, subscribe to it on iTunes. Then, rate and review, too.Ratings, reviews, and subscriptions help the podcast’s ranking. Most importantly, reviews are a powerful form of social proof that will encourage new people to listen.Mention the review when you submit your pitch. For example, you could write, â€Å"Listening to John Doe’s description of his struggle to grow his business in spite of his terminal disease was truly inspiring. Now, when thing s get tough, that message keeps me going. That’s why it was such a pleasure to write a 5-star review of your show on iTunes.†Your message will bring awareness to what you’ve done to support the show, greatly increasing your chances of landing a guest spot.#3 Feature the podcast hostsIf you currently have a podcast or YouTube channel, invite the host to be featured as a guest.By being on your show, the podcasters will learn about your background, and most importantly, about your book. In many cases, they’ll be compelled to invite you as a guest.Even if the podcast hosts don’t ask you to be on their show, they’re still much more likely to say yes when you ask them. Also, I send a copy of my book to my podcast guests, who in many cases write a review of the book on Amazon and then offer to have me on their show.If you dont have a podcast, then feature them on your social media or website.You could also write a blog post about the main lessons l earned from the show, and tag the host on social media when the article is published. Be cautious when applying this strategy, however.A subpar article, a half-hearted effort to capture what’s valuable about the show, or overblown praise will probably backfire.#4 Tailor your pitch to the host’s story and the mission of the showWhen I first pitched my ideas to Dave Lukas, host of the Misfit Entrepreneur Podcast, I mentioned how much I loved that he’d created the show as a legacy for his daughter.When he learned that I related to and understood his mission, it was easy for him to agree to have me on his show.You can do the same. Find out why they do what they do, and if it resonates with you, then center your pitch around that.Here are a few tips for tailoring your pitch to land your author interview:Mention something you learned from their showMake a connection from yourself to the shows mission and themeConnect your books message with their showsDoing this will help you reach podcast hosts much more effectively and show them youre a great fit for their show.#5 Offer three unique ideas related to your bookBefore I submit a pitch, I research the episodes in the past two to three months to see if anyone has explored the topics I have in mind.If my topics are fresh, I submit them. If not, I reposition my expertise with a different angle.My book is about influencer marketing. If I notice that only three weeks prior, another guest talked about influencer marketing as part of a business’s marketing mix, I pitch a different aspect of the topic, such as â€Å"how to build a list of subscribers with influencer marketing,† or â€Å"how to initiate connections with social media influencers to launch your book.†Resist the temptation to speak about a topic that deviates from your book. If you do that, your interview will probably not bring in new book sales.I encourage you to take a moment right now and write down three to five to pic ideas based on the core message in your book, which you can modify depending on the targeted show.#6 Leverage common connections you have with the hostWho do you think has a better chance to get a last-minute appointment with a busy hair stylist: a complete stranger or the friend of a current customer?The same idea applies to landing guest appearances on a podcast. Common connections matter.Often, when I appear on a podcast, the host will offer to introduce me to other podcast hosts who might want to have me as a guest.This is one of the easiest ways to secure future guest appearances.You might not even need a formal introduction. When you pitch, just mention that you know one or more of their previous guests.The idea is to find common ground.#7 Send samples of previous interviewsIn every podcast pitch I submit, I include links to three of my most relevant and significant podcast appearances.Those podcast interviews are relevant because they’re ideal for the audience of the new podcast I’m targeting, and they’re significant because they have reached large audiences.If you haven’t had podcast appearances yet, I encourage you to create audio or video clips with valuable content relevant to your audience that you publish on your site, and use those links as samples for the host.Even though samples of actual podcast interviews are much more powerful, the mere fact that you have a sample of your work will help you stand out among the competition.#8 Create a one-sheetTo save yourself time and effort, and to show your professionalism, I suggest you create a â€Å"one-sheet.†A one-sheet is a document thats a summary of who you are and what you offer as a guest.You could send the link to your one-sheet with your pitch, or use the information within the one-sheet to complete your guest request form or email pitch.Regardless of the situation, having this document readily available will save you time and effort.The main elements o f a one-sheet are: BioHeadshotPotential interview topicsTalking pointsRelevant linksAffiliate linksContact informationHeres an example of my own, personal one-sheet and what all the below information looks like compiled into, well, one sheet.Now lets delve into what each of these sections needs.BioCreate different versions of your bio (50-, 100-, 150-, and 200-word bios) so you’re ready when the podcast host asks you for a specific length. If you’re submitting the entire one-sheet, include the 100-word version of your bio in it.The bio should mention your book (even if you haven’t published it yet), and other credentials as proof of your expertise, along with at least one personal tidbit about yourself.HeadshotIt’s standard for all podcast guests to submit their profile picture before they’re interviewed. Invest in a professional photographer.No selfies, please!Potential interview topicsList no more than seven topics related to your book you could explore as a guest.You can check back to step number 5 if you need to generate some.Talking pointsSome hosts will ask you to provide talking points for the topic you’ll explore. Others favor a free-form style, and will lead the interview as an informal conversation.In either case, you should be prepared to provide talking points within 48 hours of being approved as a guest, though you can double check with the podcast host for specifics about this.Relevant linksInclude links to your main website, your book, your free offer for the listeners, and your primary social media pages.Depending on the host, you might also be asked to provide an affiliate link to a free download or low-ticket offer. In most cases, providing affiliate links isn’t required, but having the ability to create such a link on demand will help you stand out.If you’re submitting the one-sheet, then just write â€Å"Affiliate link for free download available.†Contact informationInclude your email address and phone number.Having your one-sheet ready will allow you to simply copy and paste the information when you complete guest request forms or pitch via email.#9 Always aim to deliver value firstAbove all, remember that your primary goal is to deliver value to your audience, and book sales will be a natural result of that value. If instead you approach the podcasters with the only intention to sell more books, they might simply ignore you.When you submit your pitch, always start what ifs a personalized explanation of why you are a fan of the show and how you can inspire and educate its audience.Then, mention your book as an additional asset listeners may benefit from.Value First!Good luck landing your author interview!After you land your first podcast appearance, itll be much easier for you to land the next. When you least expect it, the word about your book will have spread and you will make a much greater impact with your message.What matters most is that you take a ction and start reaching out to podcast hosts. You- and your book- deserve to be known!Ready to become a successful author?No successful author started from nothing.They had to work hard and earn their place by learning and applying what they learned when writing a book.Heres how you can learn more about how to become a successful author because youll never get there if you dont start today.

Incidences of Sexual Harassment in Northern Cyprus

Incidences of Sexual Harassment in Northern Cyprus Free Online Research Papers Sexual harassment is not a new phenomenon. It has probably existed as long as both sexes have been in existence. Sexual harassment is harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It includes a variety of behaviors, including mild transgressions and annoyances to serious abuses, which also involves forced sexual activity (Boland, 2002). Males as harassers and females as victims are the most common types of sexual harassment (O’Donohue et al, 1998). Research on sexual harassment usually falls into two categories: (1) investigating the dimensions of sexual harassment, and (2) investigating the factors that influence an individual’s perception of sexual harassment (Tata, 1993, cited in LaRocca, 1999). These factors include severity of the behavior, context in which the behavior occurs i.e., power differentials, and incidental attributes of the persons involved i.e., physical attractiveness. Rubin and Borges (cited in LaRocca, 1999) found that about 70 % of the women they surveyed reported some form of sexual harassment while attending classes at a university, and that majority of these sexual harassment incidents went unreported. Sexual harassment has been acknowledged to be a widespread and recurring problem in employment as well as educational settings (LaRocca, 1999). Sexual harassment in schools is recognized as a public health problem detrimental to students’ psychosomatic health (Gadin, 2002, cited in Witkowski, 2005). Awareness of harassment in an organization gives rise to psychological distress among individuals who have not been directly victimized (Schneider, 2001, cited in Witkowska, 2005). Studies have usually examined harassment and abuse in isolation rather than in the context of the total academic experience (Carr et al, 2006). Financial loss is a major consequence of sexual harassment to organizations (Worsfold and McCann, 2000), and it is more expensive to ignore the problem of sexual harassment than to provide training to the employees and employers, or students as the case may be. Sexual harassment has negative repercussions on the individual, the organization, and the community in general (O’Donohue, Downs, and Yeater, 1998). Headaches, backaches, nausea, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbance, neck pain, tiredness and psychological reactions, such as depression, anxiety, fear, anger, shame, guilt, helplessness, isolation, lowered self-esteem, lowered self-confidence, and nervousness are common for both working women and female college students who fall prey to sexual harassment (American Association of University Women, 2002). College students are known to have forfeited work, research, education comfort and even future career, due to sexual harassment (American Association of University Women, 2002). Thacker (1996), further states that formal education is an important factor in an individual’s career and personal development, and so stunting or obstructing a person’s educational accomplishment can have severe consequences. Formerly, sexual harassment has been seen largely as an instance of regular males’ sex pursuit of women in the workplace or classroom. However, researchers have begun to turn from studying sexual harassment as a problem between individuals, to a problem of organizational climate (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). Thus, this study hopes to shed light on the nature of the organizational climate of E.M.U. This is because studying the perception of students on their understanding of what construes sexual behavior will provide an avenue for E.M.U to create and implement sexual harassment policies that will provide a sexual harassment-free studying environment for students. It also creates a foundation for further research. Schools may be considered as workplaces for students, just as they are for adult employees (Witkowska and Menckel, 2005). The school is an arena for students’ first contact with working life, and a place where they spend a large proportion of th eir time. 1.1 Rationale for the Study In the course of carrying out a study on the incidences of sexual harassment of trainees in the tourism and hospitality industry of North Cyprus, the researcher found out that there was no clear cut definition of what sexual harassment means to these students. It is essential that we reformulate our focus to identify what sexual harassment means for students of E.M.U. The study hopes to provide data and theoretical evidence on the context in which E.M.U students perceive sexual harassment. To be successful in today’s competitive organizational environment, it is important for the administration of Eastern Mediterranean University to realize the significance of a sexual harassment-free school environment. It is also important to understand how students feel about the issue. Without a clear-cut definition of what constitutes sexual harassment, it will be difficult for the university to identify and deal with it. Because of the increase in incidences of sexual harassment in high er learning institutions (American Association of University Women, 2006), the negative psychological effects it has on students, e.g., anxiety, tension, irritability, depression, headaches, lower morale, and the costs of lawsuit settlements increasing all over the world, it is with a pro-active view that this research looks at the perspective of sexual harassment by students in E.MU. Previous studies have contended that the best way to reduce sexual harassment is through prevention (Newman, 2000, cited in Wanthanee et al, 2006). Most of the studies that have examined sexual harassment have been conducted in the United States and other Western countries, thus; the findings from these studies may not be applicable in North Cyprus, given the difference in values and culture between countries. Social-sexual behaviors that may constitute sexual harassment in some countries may be perceived as acceptable in another (Hardman and Heidelberg, 1996, cited in Limpaphayom et al, 2006). Organizations need to establish effective sexual harassment policies and procedures, interventions and training programs to combat the problem (Newman, 2000, cited in Witowska, 2005). However, without a commonly accepted, behavioral –based definition of what constitutes sexual harassment, the degree to which the problem exists cannot be accurately assessed, an understanding of complaint s and reactions cannot be reached, and organizations cannot accurately address the problem through policies or training (Nielson, 1996). More research is needed in terms of the effect of gender difference on sexual harassment perceptions and reactions. Current literature based on the United States sample shows no clear consensus whether males and females agree on what behaviors constitute sexual harassment. Perceived gender difference on sexual harassment perceptions in other countries or cultures remain largely unexplored (Wanthanee et al, 2006). 1.2 Aims of the Study Despite recent interest in sexual harassment in schools around the globe, research in North Cyprus and other European countries remains limited. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the perception of male and female students of E.M.U in North Cyprus on sexual harassment. Thereby, the study aims to examine whether the sexual harassment construct varies across two specific genders, comparing male and female samples as to what behaviors may be perceived as sexual harassment. The present study builds on previous exploratory studies on sexual harassment and attempts to add to the development of a commonly accepted, behavioral based definition of a hostile work or school environment by identifying specific behaviors perceived by students to create a hostile school environment. Therefore, the aims of this study are: 1. To identify specific sexual behaviors perceived by students as contributing to the creation of differing levels of a hostile work environment. 2. Identify how these perceptions vary across selected demographic factors. 3. Identify how these perceptions are formed. 4. Provide recommendations to E. M. U. concerning the development and implementation of sexual harassment policies and procedures. 1.4 Scope Of The Study The study will discuss the definition, theories and effects of sexual harassment, with emphasis on perceived differences of male and female gender. It will also give details of the classifications and categories of sexual harassment, with in-depth review of past research on the topic. Further, the study will focus on students who are registered full time in E.M.U. Based on the findings of the study and previous research, results will be analyzed and concluded. 1.5 Outline of the Thesis The thesis has four chapters will comprise of 5 Chapters. Chapter One gives a background of the entire study, outlining a brief background of the topic, and stating the aims and objectives of the study. It also states the rationale as to why the subject of sexual harassment was chosen for the study. Chapter Two presents a review of the literature. It discusses what previous researches have concluded about the definition, classification, effects and incidences of sexual harassment, placing emphasis on the perceived differences of males and females on sexual harassment. It will also give information about Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus, where the sample will be taken. Chapter Three gives detailed information about how the data set for the study are collected. Data for the study were collected through survey of the students, with questions asked based on the 5 categories of sexual harassment. Thus, the research will use quantitative methodology, using target sampling method to collect primary data. Chapter Four presents the findings. This section presents a detailed report on the perception of the respondents on the context of sexual harassment, supported by the researcher’s conclusions based on past literature and research. Respondents are categorized based on how they report their perceptions, experiences, and how they feel about it. Chapter Five presents a discussion of the findings, limitations faced in collecting data, and the conclusion. In this final chapter, suggestions are proffered to the University administration on how to educate students on issues and policies of sexual harassment. Finally, future research areas are proposed. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Defining Sexual Harassment The definition of sexual harassment adopted by the European Commission in 1991 refers to unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex affecting the dignity of women or men at work. This includes unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct (Witkowska, 2005). According to Dziech et al (1990), sexual harassment is harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It includes a variety of behaviors that include mild transgressions, serious abuses, and can involve forced sexual activity. EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) in the United States, defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting an individual, or where such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering unreasonably with the individual’s work performance, or creates an offensive, hostile or intimidating working environment. (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1992, cited in Limpaphayom et al, 2006). One chief difficulty in defining sexual harassment is that people with different demographic and/or social backgrounds have different perceptions of what sexual harassment consists of (Foulis and McCabe, 1997, cited in Lin, 2004). Inconsistencies and disagreements on what actually constitutes a hostile working environment and the degree to which sexual harassment is present in the workplace may be the result of two important factors: first, sampling differences found in previous research, and second, lack of a commonly accepted, behavioral based definition of sexual harassment (Nielson, 1996). In November 1993, the Supreme court handed down a decision in Harris versus Forklift Systems Inc, that no longer required complainants to prove that a hostile or abusive environment caused them psychological injury- the complainant needed to simply show that the defendant’s behavior was either physically threatening or humiliating or unreasonably interfered with his or her work (Reynolds , 1994, cited in Nielson, 1996). Based on the above decision, it is clear that there is still no accepted definition of sexual harassment. Individual interpretation is inherent in the identification of a hostile work environment. Behavior that is considered harassing by one individual may not be harassment to someone else, and the reason for these differences in perceptions remain unclear. Sexual harassment seems to be in the eyes of the person being harassed, and it is left to the courts to decide what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Although the researcher realizes that it is difficult to define the exact boundaries of sexual harassment, for the purpose of this study, sexual harassment is defined as unacceptable conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex that interferes with a student’s right to a supportive, respectful and safe learning environment in school, or that affects a student’s dignity in a negative way. This definition includes both the quid pro quo and hostile work environment types of harassment listed by the European Commission, which captures a broad range of behaviors so as to better describe the nature of sexual harassment in school. Also, because schools are mainly educational institutions, it is necessary to evaluate standards of school behavior related to sexual harassment in a broader learning context than is the case for working adults. 2.2 Theories of Sexual Harassment. 1. Sociobiology- This perspective argues that males are biologically programmed to be sexual aggressors and that sexual behavior in the workplace is an aspect of biological inheritance (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). Proponents of this theory agree that though sexual behavior in the workplace is inappropriate, it is however, unavoidable, and argue that acting in accordance with one’s biological impulses should not be considered offensive or illegal ( Murrey, 2000). 2. Patriarchy- This perspective holds that men have social, political and economic power over women, and women are defined by the system as sexual in nature (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). In some cultures, women are confined to the home as wives and mothers and female children are not formally educated. In other cultures (such as that of the researcher of the present survey, in Nigeria), women are not confined to the home, but, stereotypes about appropriate male and female behavior assign women a subordinate sexualized identity. Proponents of this theory believe that social structure must change before harassment can be eliminated. This can be done if both men and women are taught about the nature of stereotyping, and there are no links between power and sexuality (Barth and Raymon, 1995). 3. Culture- This perspective maintains that men and women are socialized into different cultures, different beliefs, values and ways of communication (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). Proponents here believe that traditionally, the workplace has been a male culture where men joke and tease each other, and talk about women in a not too respectful manner, so, women who want to enter this scene should not expect men to change their culture in a minute; however men must learn to work along with women in the workplace (Taylor, J. K, 1999). Another argument here is that, suggesting that comments about sex are more offensive to women than men is stereotyping and it is gender discrimination, so the culture of the workplace should be a culture of respect towards all persons. 4. Discourse-The discursive perspective holds that communication creates and shapes social reality, so that communicative practices create assumptions about the nature of the world, which influence our opinions and behavior (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). This means that feelings and emotions are defined and taught so that people who harass and people who are harassed come to feel these behaviors are normal. Until recently, incidences of sexual harassment were not seen as inappropriate, but instead seen as normal in men’s conduct towards women (Wood, J, 1994). 2.3 Classification of Sexual Harassment Hadjifotou (1983) classified sexual harassment into 5 categories: 1. Sexual remarks, jokes, catcalls, whistling and teasing, or personal remarks about parts of the body, particularly legs, breast and hair. These forms of harassment are the hardest to identify and tackle. 2. Suggestive look and gestures, staring and leering. Such unwanted behavior is threatening because there is no immediate escape at work. Ignoring this behavior carries the risk of the harasser increasing his actions; acknowledging the harasser’s interest may be taken as acceptance; and complaining may be difficult if the harasser has power over the woman’s job. For example, a lady narrated how her boss will stand with his hands in his pockets as if rubbing his genitals. (Farley, p.116, cited in Hadjifotu, 1983). 3. Persistent demands for dates and sexual favors either from a supervisor or co-worker. Direct questions and comments of the sort cannot be easily ignored. Two scenarios may result from this: rejection or avoidance of the harasser may fuel the myth that women ‘like to play hard to get’, and/or it may be difficult to persuade the harasser that his attentions are unwanted. An example is given of a woman whose boss visited her at odd hours during her night shift, asking her to have an affair with him, a night out, an afternoon, or just half an hour. (Night Nurse p.44, cited in Hadjifotou, 1983). 4. Touching, pinching, caressing and hugging. A familiar excuse for this type of behavior is that it demonstrates friendship, but when the action is unwanted and repeated, it cannot be mistaken for genuine concern for a person’s well-being. (Kitchen Helper, p.67, cited in Hadjifotou, 1983.) 5. Violent sexual assault, rape or attempted rape. Such cases account for a very small proportion of sexual harassment at work. Fitzgerald et al (1988), using Till’s (1980) study on sexual harassment of college women, identified how sexual harassment progresses. This study describes 5 categories of sexual harassment which are all similar to that of Hadjifotou (1983) above to describe the 5 levels of sexual harassment: 1 -gender harassment: generalized sexist remarks and behavior. 2 -seductive behavior: inappropriate and offensive, but essentially sanction-free, sexual advances. 3 -sexual bribery: solicitation of sex activity or other sex linked behavior by promise of rewards. 4 -sexual coercion: coercion of sex activity by threat of punishment. 5 -sexual assault: gross sexual imposition Fitzgerald et al (1988) believe that gender harassment is perceived as the least serious behavior of sexual harassment, while sexual assault is perceived as the most serious of all the behaviors of sexual harassment. This means that the 5 levels of sexual harassment that have been identified is on a 1 to 5 scale where 1 is equal to less severe and 5 is equal to most severe. However, it is believed that gender harassment often leads to eventual sexual assault. Pattinson (1991) states that though sexual harassment does not just involve having sexual intercourse, it is more often than not the prime motivation. 2.4 Effects Of Sexual Harassment on University Students It is difficult to assess the actual extent of the effects of sexual harassment as a whole. Though many studies indicate the issue to be widespread and take a serious toll on the victim, critics say that many studies get response only from people who have experienced sexual harassment, and such experiences might be exaggerated (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). In schools however, many scholars complain that sexual harassment remains an unspoken secret, with teachers and administrators refusing to admit the problem exists in their schools, thereby, not accepting their legal and ethical responsibilities to deal with it. (Dziech and Weiner, 1990). A 2002 study of students in the 8th to 11th grade, undertaken by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), revealed that 83% of girls have been sexually harassed and 28% of boys have been sexually harassed, by teachers and colleagues, (AAUW, 2002). Also in the association’s study, it was reported that 62% of female college students and 61% of male college students have been sexually harassed in their universities, with 80% of the reported harassments being peer-to-peer (AAUW, 2006). Headaches, backaches, nausea, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbance, neck pain, tiredness and psychological reactions, such as depression, anxiety, fear, anger, shame, guilt, helplessness, isolation, lowered self-esteem, lowered self-confidence, and nervousness are common for university students who fall prey to sexual harassment (AAUW, 2002). College students are known to have forfeited work, research, education comfort and even future career, due to sexual harassment (AAUW, 2002). Thacker, (1996) argues that formal education is an important factor in an individual’s career and personal development, and so stunting or obstructing a person’s educational accomplishment can have severe consequences. Further negative effects include lower morale, decreased job satisfaction, and poor time-keeping (Stanford and Gardiner, 1993). Previous researches have shown that over a period of time, even low level frequent sexual harassment can lead to significant negative consequences f or student victims. (Schneider et al, 1997). According to Hadjifotou (1983), common effects on the college victims are: Decreased work or school performance, and increased absenteeism. Loss of job or career, which in turn leads to loss of income. Having to drop courses, change academic plans. Defamation of character and reputation. Loss of reference and/or recommendations. In addition to the above, a survey of 903 female students conducted by Fitzgerald et al in 1988 (cited in Lin, 2006), at a University in the US Midwest, reported that victims of sexual harassment did not report their experiences because of 3 reasons: 1. They felt they might not be believed. 2. They did not want to cause trouble or be labeled as trouble makers. 3. They rather dealt with the problem themselves or, they had not perceived it as serious enough to be reported. 2.5 Effects of Sexual Harassment on the Organization and the Community Sexual harassment is a widespread and continuing problem in workplaces and schools that cuts through occupational and professional categories, age groups, educational backgrounds, racial and ethnic groups and affects everybody (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). On October 6, 1991, Anita Hill, a University Law Professor, notified the United States Judiciary Commission that she had been repeatedly harassed by Judge Clarence Thomas, a Washington DC Circuit Judge nominated to sit on the US Supreme court by President Bush. This incidence, Anita reported, occurred a decade earlier when they both worked at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Barton and Eichelberger, 1994). The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported a $1 million settlement of a class action lawsuit against Grace Culinary Systems, Inc. and Townsend Culinary, Inc. alleging egregious sexual harassment of 22 Hispanic women at a food processing plant in Laurel, Maryland. The suit charged the companies with routinely subjecting the female workers, all recent immigrants from Central America who spoke limited English, to unwanted groping and explicit requests for sexual favors by male managers and co-workers over several years (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). The governor of Osaka was ordered to pay $ 107,000 to a university student in Japans largest sexual harassment verdict, a ruling described as revolutionary in the size of the award and one that is expected to lead to more court cases. Japan has seen a growing number of lawsuits since a revised labor law prohibiting sexual harassment and sex discrimination took effect last April. In July, a court awarded $87,000 to a woman who said she was harassed and forced into a sexual relationship by a piano teacher while she was a university student (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). WR Grace Co agreed to a $1 million settlement in a sexual harassment suit. Managers at a food processing facility in Maryland were charged by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with the harassment of 22 female workers from Central America. The violations included the demanding of oral sex, touching of the women and exposing themselves to the women. According to commission officials, two pregnant women who refused the mens advances were fired (www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html). As is seen in the examples above, financial loss is a major consequence of sexual harassment to organizations (Worsfold and McCann, 2000), and it is more expensive to ignore the problem of sexual harassment than to provide training to the employees and employers. Government officials are not left out in the criticisms and lawsuits levied against them on sexual harassment matters. In a 1990 survey of employees of the US Defense Department (Barton and Eichelberger, 1994), 64 percent of the findings in the military reported that they had endured sexual harassment while in service. Also surveyed are the cases of at least a dozen Senior Naval Officers who had been reassigned or demoted over charges of them harassing female Officers at a Las Vegas convention in the summer of 1991 (Barton and Eichelberger, 1994). O’Donohue et al (1998), summarize some of the effects of sexual harassment on the organizations as follows: -Decreased productivity: when sexual harassment occurs in the workplace, the individuals involved will be psychologically affected and may not perform as well as they ought. -Increased absenteeism of staff: staff that experience sexual harassment behaviors in the workplace tend to make excuses for not showing up for work. -Increased healthcare costs and sick pay costs: in organizations where sexual harassment behaviors are prevalent, staff will incur more healthcare and sick pay costs during post harassment treatment. -Decreased ethical standards and discipline in the organization: organizations that condone sexual harassment behaviors and do not do anything about it will find a decrease in their ethical standards and discipline because employees will act in anyway they like knowing there will be no consequences. This is also bad for victims as they will feel no one cares about their predicament. -Legal costs if complainants take issue to court: when victims file lawsuits against organizations, costs are incurred in settling the complainants or paying for the services of attorneys. 2.6 Effects of Sexual Harassment on the Individual Rubenstein (1992) identifies anxiety, tension, irritability, depression, headaches, sleeplessness, fatigue and deterioration of personal relationships as stress related consequences of sexual harassment. Further negative effects on the individual include lower morale, decreased job satisfaction, and poor time-keeping (Stanford and Gardiner, 1993). Previous researches have shown that over a period of time, even low level frequent sexual harassment can lead to significant negative consequences for the victim (Schneider et al, 1997). 2.7 Gender Differences In Sexual Harassment Sensitivity Gender has been a dominant aspect of sexual harassment research and has been shown to be a predictor of sexual harassment sensitivity (Crow et al, 1995). Research by Crow et al also suggests that males and females, do, in fact, differ in sensitivity to harassment. Major differences were found in the reaction to harassment of a non-sexual nature where women were more likely than men to perceive a given incident as harassment. As human beings, we grow up to be aware of who we are through being exposed to particular interpretations of what it is to be human- in this case, either male or female, masculine or feminine (Linstead et al, 2005). Traditionally, sexual harassment sensitivity has been looked at in terms of social-sexual behaviors based on gender (Crow et al, 1995). The traditional view from research is that gender has a significant impact on sex-role behaviors and sexual behaviors. It has become apparent that men and women automatically have different orientations towards sexually-related behaviors, which in turn results in different perceptions to sexual harassment (Reilly et al, 1986, cited in Crow et al, 1995). Tangri et al in their 1982 study (cited in Lin, 2006), state that females are more sexually attractive and so are more socially disadvantaged than their male counterparts. Therefore, Lin (2006) argues that females are more vulnerable to harassment than the males. Males as harassers and females as victims is the most common type of sexual harassment (O’Donohue et al, 1998). Men seem to be more tolerant of sexual harassment than women and tend to rate hypothetical scenarios and specific social behaviors as less harassing than women (Gutek, 1985 cited in Crow et al, 1995). Women are assumed to resent sexual overtures at work and tend to react more negatively to sexual harassment scenarios than men. Gender differences occur because men and women weigh information about the victim and the harasser differently (Carr et al, 1999). Men tend to be more influenced by incidental behaviors of the victim. For example, Pryor and Day, in their 1988 research (cited in Carr et al, 1999), foun d that men were more influenced than women by the information of how the victim dressed, thereby, attributing more blame to the victim than the harasser. Researchers of past surveys have had difficulty in defining sexual harassment and have attempted to identify behaviors that constitute sexual harassment by respondents of their survey (Worsfold and McCann, 2000). However, the most commonly reported forms of sexual harassment are gender related derogatory remarks, suggestive looks, and sexual comments ( Stanford and Gardiner, 1983). CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 1. Introduction This chapter outlines the research method, research design, and the research sample. The research method gives detailed information about the type of research that was utilized for this study and gives reasons why it was used. It also gives information on the kind of data that will be collected and which sources will be used. The research design gives information on the survey instrument used for the study, explaining the questions and their source. The research sample provides the reader with the population used for this survey and the reason why it was used for this study. 2. Research Methodology This research is an inquiry into the perceived differences on sexual harassment between male and female students of EMU, examining the size of the gender difference within specific behavioral categories in an attempt to identify those behaviors that produce the largest difference and provide accurate information about the actual size of the gender difference. Thus, this study uses the quantitative approach to test the hypotheses. The aim for using this method is to determine whether the predictive generalizations of the hypotheses hold true. The researcher uses questionnaires to collect data, and remains objectively separated from the subject matter of the research. 3. Survey A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires were chosen for this research because this research involves a large sample, thereby making data entry and tabulation easier to analyze. Also, questionnaire surveys are familiar to most people, and generally do not make people apprehensive in answering questions. In addition, the researcher’s own opinions will not influence the respondent to answer questions in a certain manner, reducing bias, and also are less intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys, as the respondent is free to complete the questionnaire on his/her own time-table. 3.1 Questionnaire Design This survey is designed to provide information distinguishing between reactions to both pervasiveness and severity of particular behaviors, as well as to provide information distinguishing between reactions to gender harassment, seductive behavior and sexual imposition. The questionnaire design used for this research was adopted from Nielson (1996). Nielson (1996) examined the perception of sexual harassment, focusing on the female office professional’s perspective. Self administered questionnaires will be given to respondents with assurance that data will only be used for this thesis research and not for any other purpose. The items of the survey instrument will be prepared in English and then translated into Turkish by using the back translation method. There will be a pilot study of students who will be given questionnaires to complete, so that the researcher could confirm if the questionnaire was well understood by the respondents. After confirming the questions were understood, the researcher will hand out the questionnaires to students in various classrooms after taking permission from the University administration. Questionnaires returned by the respondents will be analyzed using Windows SPSS 0.8 and used according to the respective ob jectives and occasions. 300 questionnaires will be distributed. Demographic explanations for differing perceptions of sexual harassment will be tested based on the following research and proposed hypothesis. Based on the assumption that females are inclined to find social sexual behavior (dating and flirting) as more severe than boys, this study proposes that: H1- Female students will perceive potentially harassing behavior as more severe than male students. Research found that men were more influenced than women by the information of how the victim dressed, thereby, attributing more blame to the victim than the harasser. Based on this information, the study proposes that: H2- male students will judge the victim more harshly than female students. Research shows that a person’s previous experience with regard to sexual harassment influences gender difference in perceptions of sexual harassment (Blakely et al, 1992, cited in Nielson, 1996). This means that if one has experienced sexual harassment behaviors, he/she will be more conscious and less tolerant of behavior considered as harassment. Based on this, this study proposes that: H3- students who respond to having been sexually harassed will perceive potentially harassing behavior as more severe than those who respond to not having been sexually harassed. Previous research shows that studies investigating sexual harassment has tended to exclude behaviors which are perceived to have a low potential to harass and have also provided respondents with limited responses. In attempting to deal with these issues, this survey utilized in this study is designed to measure students’ perceptions of a wide range of actual workplace behaviors which create varying levels of a hostile work environment. Within this variety of behaviors, both severity and frequency of the behavior will be manipulated. Therefore, the continuum to be used for this study is as follows: 1. Likely to consider it a compliment 2. Socially acceptable behavior 3. Annoying, but not likely to affect my studies 4. Disturbing to the point of affecting my studies, but no formal complaint 5. Basis for formal complaint, but not a lawsuit. 6. Basis for a lawsuit. The use of response options beyond formal complaint is to enhance the identification of behaviors that create a hostile work environment. Though such behaviors are typically not reported, they may have an adverse effect on the victim’s productivity, moral absenteeism and turnover. 3.2 Survey Items. 1. Comment: â€Å"your hair looks nice† 2. Comment: â€Å"have you lost weight?† 3. Comment: â€Å" you have nice legs† 4. Comment: â€Å"your skirt is very short† 5. Comment: â€Å"your neckline is very low’ 6. Comment: â€Å"your clothes fit like a glove† 7. Comment: â€Å"you have an attractive build† 8. Opposite sex touches your hands 9. Opposite sex touches your arms/shoulder 10. Opposite sex asking for a date 11. Opposite sex touches your back 12. Opposite sex telling off-color jokes 13. Student forced into sex in school 14. Opposite sex asking for sexual favors 15. Opposite sex touches your breasts 16. Hugs with caresses from opposite sex 17. Opposite sex touches your buttock 18. Opposite sex describing sexual abilities 19. Opposite sex staring, persistently 20. Observing peers having sex in the school environment 21. Peers discussing sexually related stories 22. magazines with pictures of people scantily clothed 23. Opposite sex touches your face 4. Research Sample The questionnaire survey will focus on students of E. M. U. in North Cyprus, who are registered as full time students. Purposive sampling is a sampling method in which elements are chosen based on purpose of the study. Purposive sampling may involve studying the entire population of some limited group (example, sociology faculty at Bilkent University) or a subset of a population (example, EMU faculty who has won a Nobel Prizes). As with other non-probability sampling methods, purposive sampling does not produce a sample that is representative of a larger population, but it can be exactly what is needed in some cases study of organization, community, or some other clearly defined and relatively limited group. In this study, purposive sampling method was used, as the researcher decided to focus on students whose profiles are given above to get the specific information for the research. Table 3.1 Questionnaire This questionnaire survey aims to investigate the perception of male and female students of EMU on sexual harassment. The researcher wishes to find out from you, whether the sexual harassment construct varies across two specific genders, comparing male and female samples as to what behaviors may be perceived as sexual harassment. Due to the sensitivity of the topic, be assured that whatever you say or write is strictly confidential and cannot be traced back to you, as you are not requested to write your name or any other personal information. Please answer the questions honestly and sincerely, as it is important for the output of this research. 1. What is your gender? a. Male b. Female 2. What age group are you? a. 16-20 b. 20-24 c. 25-28 3. What is your educational level at EMU? a. Year 1 b. Year 2 c. Year 3 d. Year 4 e. Graduate student. 4. What is your nationality? 5. For each of the scenarios depicted below, how would you rate such behavior? (In reference to the school environment). Kindly mark ‘X’ in boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 (as applicable to you). Where; 1= Likely to consider it a compliment. 2= Socially acceptable behavior. 3= Annoying, but not likely to affect my studies. 4= Disturbing to the point of affecting my studies, but no formal complaint 5= Basis for formal complaint, but not a lawsuit. 6= Basis for a lawsuit. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Comment: â€Å"your hair looks nice† 2. Comment: â€Å"have you lost weight?† 3. Comment: â€Å" you have nice legs† 4. comment: â€Å"your skirt is very short† 5. Comment: â€Å"your neckline is very low’ 6. Comment: â€Å"your clothes fit like a glove† 7. Comment: â€Å"you have an attractive build† 8. Opposite sex touches your hands 9. Opposite sex touches your arms/shoulders 10. Opposite sex asking for a date 11. Opposite sex touches your back 12. Opposite sex telling off-color jokes 13. Student forced into sex in school 14. Opposite sex asking for sexual favors 15. Opposite sex touches your breasts 16. Hugs with caresses from opposite sex 17. Opposite sex touches your buttocks 18. Opposite sex describes sexual abilities 19. Opposite sex staring, persistently 20. Observing peers having sex in the school environment 21. magazines with pictures of people scantily clothed 22. Peers discussing sexually related stories 23. Opposite sex touches your face 6. Please define what sexual harassment means to you- Reference: AAUW (2002) â€Å"Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual Harassment in School†, Research by Harris Interactive: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, 11 11 Sixteenth street, Washington D.C. ISBN: 1-879922-28-2. AAUW (2006) â€Å"Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus†, National Conference for College Women Student Leaders’ Summit on Sexual harassment, American Association of University Women, Washington D.C., 20036. Anderson, J and Poole, M. (1994), Assignment Thesis Writing, John Wiley and sons, New York. Pp24-30. Barth, A. J., and Raymon, P. (1995), ‘The Naà ¯ve misuse of power: Non-conscious Sources of Sexual Harassment, Journal of Social Issues, 51 (1) pp 85-95. Barton, L., Eichelberger, J. (1994) ‘Sexual Harassment: Assessing the need for corporate policies in the workplace. Volume 7, Number 1, pp 24-28, MCB Press, 095 3-3230. Boland, M. L. (2002), Sexual harassment: Your Guide to Legal Action, Naperville, Illinois, Sphinx Publishing, 2002. Fitzgerald, L. F., Shullman, S. L., Bailey, N., Richards, M., Swecker, J., Gold, Y., Ormerod, M., and Weitzman, J. (1988), ‘The Incidence and Dimensions of Sexual Harassment in Academia and the Workplace’, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 32, 152-175. Hadjifotiou, N. (1983), ‘Women and Harassment at Work’, Pluto Press Limited, Australia and London. Lin, Y. H. (2006), ‘The incidence of Sexual Harassment of students while undergoing practicum training experience in the Taiwanese hospitality industry: Individuals reaction and relationships to perpetrators’, Journal of Tourism Management, 27, 51-68. O’Donohue, W., Downs, K., and Yeater, E. A. (1998), â€Å"Sexual harassment: A review of the literature†, Aggression and Violent Behavior, 3 (2), 111-128. Pahlavan, N. (2006), Investigation of sources of funds in Restaurants in T.R.N.C. Masters thesis, september 2006, gazimagusa, North Cyprus. pp30-44. Reyner, C., Sheehan, M. and Barker, M. (1999), â€Å"Theoretical approaches to the study of Bullying at Work†, International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 20, No.  ½ , pp11-15. Rubenstein, M. (1992), ‘Preventing and Remedying Sexual harassment at work: A Resource Manual, Eclipse, London. Schneider, K. T., Swan, S., and Fitzgerald, L. F. (1997), ‘Job related and Psychological effects of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Empirical Evidence from 2 Origins’, Journal of applied Psychology, Volume 82, Number 3, pp 401-410. Stanford, J., and Gardiner, J. (1993), ‘Sexual Harassment: how it happens and how to beat it’, The Industrial Society, London. Taylor, J.K. (1999), ‘What to do when you don’t want to call the Cops’, New York: NY University books, p 8. Thacker, R. A. (1996), â€Å"A Descriptive Study of Situational and Individual Influences upon Individual’s Responses to Sexual Harassment†, Human Relations, 49 (8), 1105-1122. Thomas, M. (2005), â€Å"Bullying among support staff in a higher education institution†, Journal of Health Education, Vol. 105, No. 4. pp 273-288. Worsfold, P., and McCann, C. (2000), â€Å"Supervised Work Experience and Sexual Harassment†, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Volume 12, Number 4, pp 249-255. Woods, J. (1994), ‘Saying it makes it so: The Discursive Construction of Sexual Harassment’, in Shereen Bingham (Ed.) ‘conceptualizing Sexual Harassment as Discursive Practice. Westpoint, CN: Preager, p 19. www.de2.psu.edu/harssment/generalinfo.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sex.h Research Papers on Incidences of Sexual Harassment in Northern CyprusInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyResearch Process Part OneThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseStandardized TestingRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThree Concepts of PsychodynamicCapital PunishmentAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

A History of African Slave Traders

A History of African Slave Traders During the era of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Europeans did not have the power to invade African states or kidnap African slaves at will. For the most part, the 12.5 million slaves transported across the Atlantic Ocean were purchased from African slave traders. It is a piece of the triangle trade about which there are still many critical misperceptions. Motivations for Slavery One question that many Westerners have about African slavers, is why were they willing to sell their own people? Why would they sell Africans to Europeans? The simple answer to this question is that they did not see slaves as their own people. Blackness (as an identity or marker of difference) was a preoccupation of Europeans, not Africans. There was also in this era no sense of being African. (Indeed, to this day, individuals are more likely to identify as being African rather than, say, Kenyan only after leaving Africa.) Some slaves were prisoners of, and many of these may have been seen as enemies or rivals to those who sold them. Others were people who had fallen into debt. They were different by virtue of their status (what we might think of today as their class). Slavers also kidnapped people, but again, there was no reason they would inherently see slaves as their own. Slavery as a Part of Life It might be tempting to think that African slave traders did not know how bad European plantation slavery was, but there was a lot of movement across the Atlantic. Not all traders would have known about the horrors of the Middle Passage or what life awaited slaves, but others at least had an idea. There are always people willing to ruthlessly exploit others in the quest for money and power, but the story of the African slave trade goes much further than a few bad people. Slavery and the sale of slaves, though, were parts of life. The concept of not selling slaves to willing buyers would have seemed strange to many people up until the 1800s. The goal was not to protect slaves, but to ensure that oneself and ones kin were not reduced to slaves. A Self-Replicating Cycle As the slave trade intensified in the 16 and 1700s, it also became harder not to participate in the trade in some regions of West Africa. The enormous demand for African slaves led to the formation of a few states whose economy and politics were centered around slave raiding and trading. States and political factions that participated in the trade gained access to firearms and luxury goods, which could be used to secure political support. States and communities who were not actively participating in the slave trade were increasingly at a disadvantage. The Mossi Kingdom is an example of a state that resisted the slave trade until the 1800s when it began trading in slaves as well. Opposition to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade The Mossi Kingdom was not the only African state or community to resist selling slaves to Europeans. For instance, the king of the Kongo, Afonso I, who had converted to Catholicism, tried to stop the slave of slaves to Portuguese traders. He lacked the power, however, to police the whole of his territory, and traders as well as nobles engaged in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade to gain wealth and power. Alfonso tried writing to the Portuguese king and asking him to stop Portuguese traders from engaging in the slave trade, but his plea was ignored. The Benin Empire offers a very different example. Benin sold slaves to Europeans when it was expanding and fighting many wars - which produced prisoners of war. Once the state stabilized, it stopped trading slaves, until it started to decline in the 1700s. During this period of increasing instability, the state resumed participation in the slave trade.

Private Nursing Home Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Private Nursing Home - Case Study Example The nursing home derives most of the financial resources necessary for steady functioning from the funds received from the local authorities' budget (constitute around 90% of the resources structure), the rest is financed through the residents' payments. For the analysis P.E.S.T.E.L. framework has been deployed. The factors of the external environment are grouped into political, economic, social, technological, environmental (ecological) and legal. The major factors for each group are listed and the degree of influence of each particular group of factors assessed. As the issue of post-retirement personal care and medical treatment of the elderly citizens is of high importance for the developed society, unsurprisingly the political environment has been influencing the state and perspectives of both private nursing and residential care homes through the history of their development. These two types for a long time has been treated and regulated separately until in 2001 they were legally addressed with the same types of requirements and legal provision. The most obvious and important trend is the significant increase of the number and share of the private sector nursing homes and decline in the share of these type of services provided by the public sector and administrated by the NHS. Privatisation of the earlier dominated by the public sector services had also affected provision of medical and care services for the elderly residents. For the particular nursing care home this trend's consequences are two-folds. First, it means shift in attention of the regulatory bodies towards the specific conditions of the privately owned homes and development of more specified requirements and constraints for the funding, facilities, care and medical treatment level, stuff competency etc. It may also result in increased funding opportunities for the privately owned nursing homes. Second, the increased competitive pressure caused by increased number of privately owned service-providers, both with regard to the residents' demand and funding provision, can become a market threat for the nursing home. Economic factors The general state of economy, income level and distribution and lifestyle of the population, determined by savings and spending preferences through the life are the important determinant of the nursing home's environment. General state of the economy of the country influences not only directly the economic and financial state particular business, but also the conditions of the customer base and local authorities, thus causing indirect influence on the nursing home. One of the factors to be considered is the growing income of the population and increased amount of funds available for spending in the late period of life. The improved financial position of many older people means that some are making a positive choice over long-term care; housing circumstances throughout life can affect decisions about housing and care later in life. (Peace, 2003, p.9) Another economic issue that is of great importance for the privately-owned nursing home, taking into account its size and limited resources, is the

Writing 2 pages paper After reding 'pdf' material Essay

Writing 2 pages paper After reding 'pdf' material - Essay Example It must be in a position to satisfy its customers by providing quality service of affordable prizes, which are the mostly sought out qualities by the market consumers. After achieving these qualities, a company is then in a position to improve its profits by the mode of operation as its gains popularity among its customer. These companies apply OE to gain favour over their rivals. The nature of duty completion and the overall policies applied to improve efficiency and further advance into customer satisfaction (Porter, 40). The nature of OE improves on the product’s overall quality or increasing the rate of production. Strategy in turn, enables differentiation in performance within companies. It means a company is able to perform its functions differently from its competitors but in an advanced way to improve its market position. The realized differences in performance are majorly determined by the measures the company employs to improve its profits. These may be involved in employing advanced technology in production or hiring experienced skilled personnel in production. There are also efforts to motivate its employees by offering incentives to generate added efforts that would accelerate overall production. These measures are added to implement strategy that promotes continuity and superiority in a company over its competitors that have an impact on its overall growth. The key driving force in strategy is being unique. The company’s ability to undertake functions differently greater than its adversaries dictates enhanced strategy implementation. Most companies who thrive in the market apply unique strategy measures that favour customer preferences. However, it is essential to constantly achieve the desired modifications and implement new strategies because developing companies have a tendency to imitate the policies of the successful

Tourism destination marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism destination marketing - Essay Example The tourism destination marketing employs different marketing and promotional practices according to Oxford Business Group (2008). Under the marketing practices there is internet marketing, market positioning among others. Market positioning is considered as the first step and refers to the process of identifying and selecting markets that represent the potential of the business in determining criteria for competition. It is usually based on effective knowledge of the needs, perception and wants of the market. It also needs benefits ordered the benefits that are provided by the destination. The market benefits, differentiation and images are the only tourist perceptions. In the case of internet marketing the area is wide as it incorporates email marketing where by products can be sold through the email. Social media ensures customers interact and generate a direct trust with the customers. Search engine optimization places the industry at the top of search engines ensuring direct vis ibility. Paid Search marketing monitors traffic and then delivers it directly to landing for conversion purposes. According to the International Monetary Fund (2003), the e-marketing practices have been the best of bred and it is good for internet marketing campaign. Online surveys are also conducted enabling the direct access to market information. This information include, tracking results, identifying new customers, target markets and product market before launch. Use of qualified leads where they identify and also establish direct conducts with target customers. In the promotion practices there is the Middle East online advertising. Through this new business customers are attracted in the field hence attract high-net worth individuals. They also engage in Email and SMS advertising which allows a cost effective promotion practice, tracking of promotion campaigns as well as direct web traffic. There is also the online banner advertising which ensures large scale advertising in the tourism marketing destination. A Marketing Case Study The objective of the case study is to increase awareness as well as improve the drive bookings for the promotion of summer rooms to a KSA audience. The following steps are to be followed: Increase Arabic SMS that are sent to the selected KSA database who have high net worth individuals. The customer can receives messages containing promotion details and then they can use the mobile WAP incase they need more information according to Scott and Jafari (2010). Information being delivered both in Arabic and English The consumers can send messages from the WAP site straight to the reservation department. The hotel reservation department to receive enquiry (that includes all sorts of data) into the message inbox and thus they are able to follow up from step one to five. The key UAE products include beef, coal, furniture, USB’s, oil, cement, Cokes, Gowns, salt, Granite, Steel, dresses, Nickel, Photo frame and magnesium among othe rs according to Linden (2006). Segmentation in the market includes focusing on marketing efforts where there is a greatest chance of success as suggested by Rugimbana and Nwankwo (2003). In the case of business services segment it is referred to as market segmentation services. In United Arab Emirates there are different categories of market segmentation. For instance brake fluids and grease in the market segment are categorized under Energy or Lubricants while Automatic transmission oil is

H&M and their Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategy Essay

H&M and their Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategy - Essay Example This paper talks about a brief history of the company H&M and the strategies that it has used and is using that have contributed majorly to their growth and expansion. The paper focuses on two very different strategies, the Blue Ocean Strategy and the Red Ocean Strategy and their characteristics. It attempts to answer whether H&M really used the Blue Ocean Strategy or were they only able to utilize strategies in the Red Ocean. Anyone who is fashion-forward and fashion-conscious would certainly recognize the brand name H&M. Popular for selling and creating trendy pieces at an affordable price, it is no wonder that a lot of people choose to buy from the retail store. Created by Erling Persson in the year 1947, the company H&M had its roots back in Sweden as a fashion retail store that sold only women’s clothing. His first store was named Hennes, the Swedish equivalent of â€Å"hers†. Twenty one years later, the name was changed to â€Å"Hennes and Mauritz† after Persson purchased a hunting store located in Stockholm named Mauritz Widforss. The hunting store sold not only supplies for hunting, but men’s wear as well. It was only then that the store catered to both men and women’s fashion. Over the years, H&M continued to expand and opened numerous stores all over Europe. Their clothing line expanded to cater to men, women, teens, and children. H&M opened their stores in several countries such as USA, Canada, Dubai, Kuwait, Hongkong, China, and Japan. The fashion label will also open stores in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and South Korea by 2010. The company line also offers online shopping limited to countries in Europe namely Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and Swedish Finland. In the past, the H&M also featured one-time collections made by popular, well- known designers such as Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004 and Stella McCartney in the year 2005, and Viktor & Rolf in

Grand Bazaar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Grand Bazaar - Essay Example Much desired because of its favorable location, the city has often been a reason for military tension. It has also changed several names, such as, for instance, Byzantium, Nova Roma and Constantinople. Another interesting fact is that it has been a capital of two powerful empires - the Byzantine and the Ottoman. The old wooden Grand Bazaar was built by Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Constantinople, the capital of Byzantine Empire in 1453, and also named the city Istanbul. The Bazaar was getting bigger quickly. Presently it covers 30 hectares, and comprises about 4000 shops, forming a real labyrinth with its numerous arched passages. There are also banks, mosques, police stations, fountains, and restaurants. Twenty two gates lead into the Bazaar out of different streets (Historical places of Istanbul). Mark Twain depicted the place as follows: "We went to the grand Bazaar in Stamboul, of course, and I shall not describe it further than to say it is a monstrous hive of little shops--thousands, I should say--all under one roof, and cut up into innumerable little blocks by narrow streets which are arched overhead". For a tourist it must seem very difficult not to get lost, however, there is no need to panic: the street signs and tourist information signs are everywhere. The Bazaar also plays a role of unofficial financial centre: different currencies are exchanged by most shopkeepers. At Grand Bazaar one f... The vendors try to attract customers by telling history of the buildings construction, local legends, suggesting the most interesting places to visit and to take pictures of. Some European tourist might feel tired with the constant invitations. Travel guides claim it is better to say thank you and firmly make through crowd ahead, in case you are not interested. If one tries the free drinks and talks to the vendors it does not mean, though, he has to buy the goods. Bargaining is expected and often it is possible to lower the price about 20%. It is a good idea to learn the local price for the items you wish to buy, for once it is discovered you do not have a clue, you are likely to pay the so called tourist price. Grand Bazaar seems all sparkling and glittering. Jewelry stalls with gold and silver, as well as displays of colourful lamps and lanterns make it like this. Flickr and other servers are full of the bright images of such stalls, uploaded by the thrilled travellers. It is believed that Grand Bazaar offers the biggest variety of jewelry in the world. Olivia Wells in her "Secrets of the Grand Bazaar" names best jewelry shops. She describes Kafkas as the most luxurious one, where it is possible to purchase true treasures without being afraid of swindle, and where the security and anonymity is guaranteed: "From the outside, Kafkas looks much like the hundred or so other jewelry stores lining the street, though I'm keenly aware of the suited men (alertly) loitering outside the closed door as Serkan pulls out a necklace of Kafkas's own design: forty-one carats of rose-cut diamonds scattered around the neck of its black velvet display form". She also finds the price attractive, claiming it to be the third of

International relations - foreign policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International relations - foreign policy - Essay Example Countries, big and small alike, have internal domestic policies. Concurrently, they also have foreign policies. These policies are bases of the values and interests that are crucial in guiding how these particular governments act or behave with regards to certain international issues. Policy, here referring to a certain course of actionAccording to Feigert, Graebner, Papademetriou, Mangone, Ransom, Wilson, Wolfe, Piper & Terchek, foreign policy is the foreign component of public policy. (1983) Simply defined, public policy is the choice or the stance that particular governments adopt with regards to certain issues in country. (Dye, 1972) That said, while public policy is concerned with the domestic issues and policies to be implemented within (inside) state borders, foreign policy on its part is concerned with policies that are to be implemented without (outside) the countries borders. (Feigert, et al, 1983) Foreign policy plainly put is the policy that is formulated and adopted by s tate governments for the purposes of governing its relations with other countries in the international arena. The most important thing to note about foreign policy is that it is primarily concerned with state interests. State interest could be in either, political, military and/or economic terms. The reason why a country would like to implement certain policies with regards to other countries has to do with what it stands to gain more than anything else. Shah (2001) posits that every nation/country is in possession of a foreign policy. The reason why foreign policy is important is because it ensures that the needs of the nations/countries are represented in the international community. During the cold war countries mostly used foreign policies as a way of furthering their national interests and agendas. In the course of furthering these agendas, the interests held dear by other nations in the international community did not matter much and were disregarded. In most cases this often led to resentment between different countries with different issues to push forth. (Shah, 2001) The conduct of foreign policy then involves balancing between substitute policies and their perceived costs and benefits. (Feigert, et al, 1983) At the end of the day, countries more often than not, adopt the policies that are most favorable to them and are in sync with what they may want to achieve (national interest). It could be security needs or economic growth. (Shah, 2001) Traditionally, the conduct of foreign policy has often been the duty of the national governments. Nonetheless, other actors within the state realm are involved in the conduct and formulation of foreign policy. These are the smaller regional states and provinces within a nation/country. For this reason, there is always advocacy and lobbying for the type of issues and interests that should be part of foreign policy and which respective government should focus on. This way these state actors are able to influence foreign policy decisions. Despite this, some governments wield such immense powers such that they lo ck out these state actors such as regional states and provinces out of the formulation and consequent conduct of foreign policy. Take the case of India for example. As per the Indian constitution, the central federal government, the executive, is granted all the powers in the land necessary for the conduct of both domestic and foreign policies. Still, even though these actors are given lesser powers, but powers nonetheless by the Indian Constitution, the regional states in India have little or no autonomy. The consequence of this is that their roles are usurped and the central government makes all the crucial decisions with regards to foreign policy. (Dossani & Vijaykumar, 2005) As countries conduct foreign policy they involve themselves in such activities as diplomacy, negotiations, bargaining, cooperation or even coercion, bullying, lying and intimidation. Depending on what their interests are at the end of the d