Thursday, October 31, 2019

European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)-Italy Term Paper

European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)-Italy - Term Paper Example The German dominance in the European Union may have caused a lot of trouble in the policy implementation for economic terms. More than this, the recent recession is believed to have an impact on the economies of the world. This paper wishes to depict the mission and structure of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in creating a direct connection towards the detrimental effects the cluster has made to Italy. Moreover, the economic state of Italy will then be described based on the output of fiscal and monetary policies of the country and aligned with the trade and foreign investment scheme. The European Sovereign Debt Crisis will then be discussed focusing on Italy’s experience during the crisis, and the causes of the crisis will also be explicated. Finally, a conclusive remark, which states the general perspective of the researcher, will be sighted in the conclusion. 2.0 Mission and Structure of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) The greatest problem that was faced by the European nations centered on how to build a sole market for capital, goods, and services and entities amid Member States that have interrelated economies, aligned with manifold currencies, and inconstant, weak forex rates. The construction of the EMU was an optimum alternative in curing such detrimental European problem (Liebscher). The errands of the EMU are in delved into three significant activities: to implement an efficient monetary policy aligned with price stability; to harmonize the economic policies in the Member States and; (3) to ensure the fluent operation of the sole market . The monetary policy’s focal objective is price stability. If a nation wants to achieve a free-market economy, price stability should be its priority. The Eurosystem’s prior goal is to sustain price stability because the latter reflects a pre-state of a maintainable economic progress and proliferating employment rate (Liebscher 378). The EMU would assist its Member States about public finances, which are aligned with the meeting of fiscal debt and deficit requirement (379). Lastly, institutional stability is also the target of the EMU wherein Member States are required to undergo institutional reforms (382). 3.0 Economic State of Italy 3.1 Fiscal and Monetary Policies Fiscal policy is the alterations in federal taxes and government expenditure in order to attain macroeconomic goals. Monetary policy, on the other hand, is the action executed by the European Central Bank and the national bank to manage the accessibility of cash and interest rates in achieving goals. Fiscal policy is essential to restrain the prejudice done by the state in terms of deficiency. This policy serves as a barrier for the government overspending, deficiency issues, and restrictions in implementing discretionary rules. When intense pressure attacks the economy, wherein monetary policy’s efficiency dissolves, fiscal policy can be a remedy to resolve the pecuniary issues (Liebscher 3 79). In terms of fiscal policies, there has to be 0.5 percent of yearly development of the gross domestic product of the country as stipulated by the reformed Pact (Marino, Momigliano, and Rizza 445). In 1997, Italy had accumulated a 1.4 percent of GDP, which was the end of the consolidation proceedings of the 1990s. When Italy was reformed, especially on the accounts of stability and economic growth, the grounds for the formulation of the policies were stipulated from the event. In fact, the Bank of Italy

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

TPA4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TPA4 - Assignment Example Despite the new proliferation of business information systems has supported the management core functions and other operations such as customer relationship management, accounting and inventory management, service scheduling and billing, supply chain management, contract management, manufacturing and e-business requirements with sophisticated user friendly customization tools, there is a need for due diligence prior to making decisions on the various computer components. The need for this action is because poor decisions when acquiring a computer system has seen some of them fail, leading to losses to the organization. For instance, around three-quarters of organizations across the Europe had their computer systems fail in 2011 only leading to data loss or system downtime (BBC, 2011). Another example is the loss suffered by the BBC when it was forced to abandon a  £98 digital production system because it was being outpaced by the changing technology (BBC, 2013). As defined by Kroenke and Hooper (2013), a system is an integration of several components that interact to achieve a common goal. Therefore, computer systems used by the businesses have several elements that managers must consider when making decisions to acquire them. These components include the hardware, software, people, data, and instructions/procedures. The hardware is the physical devices of a computer system used to input, process, output, and store data. The software refers to programs stored in the computer system. The instructions are related to the software while people are the system’s users. When an organization has a qualified workforce to run and operate its computer system, it goes ahead and considers other factors as discussed below. Expandability – The hardware should be scalable to meet the increasing needs of the business. This factor is especially important when considering the memory

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Knitting In Edith Whartons Roman Fever English Literature Essay

Knitting In Edith Whartons Roman Fever English Literature Essay In writing, it seems as though a writers every word is calculated, each sentence a carefully crafted work of art intended to invoke a thought, idea, or message in a readers malleable psyche. In essence, this is indeed the goal of writing: to convey to others ones own ideas through written words. When viewed this way, a reader is required to read differently than he or she would otherwise. When the reader takes on the challenge of searching for some deeper, more sophisticated meaning within a story beyond that which appears on the page, each sentence becomes a golden nugget nestled in the gold mine of the paragraph as a whole, the reader a miner meticulously working his or her way through the paragraphs in search of the mother lode. With each reading the walls of the story recede, revealing ever more of the intricacies and complexities infused into the story by the writer. Edith Whartons Roman Fever is full of delicately placed words, carefully planned structures, and pieces of the pu zzle conveniently hidden from readers, and yet for reasons unknown it has received very little critical attention in the seventy-five years since its release in 1934 (Bauer 681). Those who have turned their attention toward it, however, seem to have focused largely on the role Mrs. Ansleys knitting plays in the story. In Whartons Roman Fever, the authors mention of Mrs. Ansleys twist of crimson silk is calculated, as the knitting serves to emphasize and symbolize the relationship between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley as well as to foreshadow the characters dramatic revelations later in the story (Wharton 1 of 12). Color is central to the human understanding of the surrounding world. People associate colors with feelings, places, people, and events in their lives, and each color harbors a different meaning for each individual. Thus, the color used by the narrator to describe Mrs. Ansleys knitting is vital to ones interpretation of the story. The narrator describes it as a twist of crimson silk, and in these five words there exists no shortage of meaning (Wharton 1 of 12). For instance, the knitting is said to be crimson (Wharton 1 of 12). Alice Petry explains it as an insistently passionate color in her article entitled A Twist of Crimson Silk: Edith Whartons Roman Fever' (164). In the article, Petry details the various meanings of the knitting, highlighting also the significance of the knitting within the story. Petrys characterization of the color is not singular to her interpretation of the story: red and its various shades are widely regarded as colors of love and of passion. This passionat e color choice serves to foreshadow the upcoming revelation of the characters as they realize that neither of them knows the whole truth about Mrs. Ansleys tryst with Delphin Slade. Much of the critical attention given to the story has centered on Mrs. Ansleys knitting, and so it is not surprising that critics have emphasized its color. Jamil characterizes the crimson hue of the knitting this way: If black signifies the gloom of guilt, then crimson signifies the heat of sexuality and risquà © youthfulness of romantic passion (99). The black to which Jamil refers is actually the black color of the handbag Mrs. Ansley is carrying, as the story says, Half guiltily she drew from her handsomely mounted black handbag a twist of crimson silkà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Jamil 99; Wharton 1 of 12). This innovative comparison between the two colors emphasizes the foreshadowing effect created by the crimson color of the knitting. In much the same way that the human consciousness is heavily influenced by color, so also does the material from which something is crafted play a large part in how one perceives an object or an event. Different substances carry with them various connotations and denotations that must be taken into account when interpreting a story. Thus, just as color is important, the narrators mention of the type of material used in Mrs. Ansleys knitting is key as well. According to the narrator, the knitting being done by Mrs. Ansley is not made of yarn but of silk (Wharton 1 of 12). This seemingly minor detail is actually very significant, and it too foreshadows the characters coming disclosure of what really happened between Mrs. Ansley and Delphin Slade. Silk is often viewed as a very slinky, seductive material, and so this minor detail foreshadows the climactic revealing of the past that is to come. It suggests some kind of covert romantic encounter on the part of Mrs. Ansley and it can even be seen as contextually symbolic. Jamil puts it this way: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the act of bringing out the yarn, which is exquisitely delicate (silk), is the act of bringing the delicate thread out of the past into the present or bringing the present into the past (99). Jamil is not the only one to suggest some sort of connection between the silk and the storys plot, however. Petry also weighs in on the subject, saying, The sensuality and forcefulness suggested by [Mrs. Ansleys] knitting materials will help to render plausible her passionate moonlight tryst with Delphin Slade twenty-five years earlierà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (164). Both Jamil and Petry seem convinced that the narrators mention of the silk is not simply aesthetic; rather, both seem to believe that it is premeditated and deliberate, as it serves as one of the storys most powerful agents of foreshadowing. Mrs. Ansleys knitting does not solely serve to foreshadow the storys climax. Instead, it serves also as a contextual symbol of the relationship shared by Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade. As a result of the narrators descriptions of the knitting, it can be said that the knitting suggests a great deal about the relationship between the two women by its very structure. To knit is, by definition, to makeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦by looping together yarn or thread by means of special needles (Knit def. 1). Because knitting does not normally relate to relationships beyond the context of this story, the use of knitting here acts as a contextual symbol for the relationship between the women. Curiously, this aspect of Mrs. Ansleys knitting has received little critical attention. This does not, however, detract from its magnitude. Knitting is essentially a system of interwoven strands that seem to be completely connected and totally intertwined; the article I Had Barbara: Womens Ties and Whartons Roman Fever' describes the lives of the women in much the same way in the following few sentences: [Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley] move as one, they lean as one, and their expression is the same one. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley had lived opposite each other actually as well as figuratively for years: a cohabitation, figuratively if not actually alongside their marriages (Bowlby 45). In these few sentences Bowlby outlines just how close the two women really are. Much like the threads of a piece of knitting, the two women cannot get much closer together. The lives of Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade are completely interwoven, and as a result it can be said that the knitting acts as a contextual symbol of the relationship between them. That said, however, even the best knitting will begin to destroy itself with even the tiniest snip of a pair of scissors. Viewed from this perspective, Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade represent the strands of silk, the relationship between them is the knitting as a whole, and Mr s. Ansleys encounter with Delphin Slade and its emergence later in the story act as the scissors that will cause the relationship to fall apart. The one-night rendezvous between Mrs. Ansley and Delphin Slade has such far-reaching, severe effects that it eventually unravels the very structure of the relationship shared by the two women, which had heretofore been intimate (Wharton 3 of 12). Edith Whartons Roman Fever is, according to Petry, Probably Edith Whartons best-known short storyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (163). It is bursting with symbols, foreshadowing, plot twists, and vivid descriptions. What sets it apart from other stories, however, is the significance it places on the simple, seemingly innocuous act of knitting. Mrs. Ansleys knitting plays a central role in the story, as it foreshadows the storys climax and symbolizes the relationship between Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade. The quantity of times it appears lends credence to the idea that Wharton intended for the reader to place a heavy emphasis on the knitting, and the placement and timing of its appearance is too uncanny and too often to be coincidental. Thus, it can be deduced that the narrators mention of Mrs. Ansleys twist of crimson silk is indeed calculated and is meant to invoke a deeper meaning to the story than would be found otherwise (Wharton 1 of 12). As a result, it cannot be ignored as one of the chief aspe cts of the story, and when included in ones interpretation of the story it in turn makes the story more realistic, more meaningful, and more enjoyable.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Brothers Karamazov: Life without Love :: essays research papers

Life without Love – The Malady of Death The Brothers Karamazov, is a novel which contains many themes presenting outlooks on faith, life, and love. The character of Ivan is the cornerstone which Dostoevsky uses to present these outlooks. It is suggested that Ivan suffers from â€Å"The Malady of Death†. The idea of the malady of death is presented in the novel, The Malady of Death, by Marguerite Duras. The malady of death can be thought of as a disease or disorder caused by a sort of spiritual malaise. The question asked than is; does Ivan Karamazov suffer from the malady of death? I believe that the novel clearly shows that Ivan does indeed suffer from the malady of death, but the question I pose is; at the end of the novel is he cured?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To start I’ll present the following question; what IS the malady of death? If one were to take into consideration the actual definition of the words in the phrase, the malady of death would mean the disease or disorder of death. The way that our texts have presented this is not all that different from the words’ actual meanings. In the Duras text the man is said to be suffering from the malady of death. Duras presents this idea by showing that life is nothing without love. On page 3 of The Malady of Death the prostitute asked the man what he wanted to try and his response was, â€Å"Loving.† The man in this text is incapable of loving and when he questions the prostitute as to why the malady of death is fatal, â€Å"... And also because he’s like to die without any life to die to, and without even knowing that’s what he’s doing,† was her response (pg. 19). This response suggests that people who suffer from the malad y of death have nothing to live for, a lack of faith so to speak, and thus don’t fight to stay alive. There is a spiritual malaise going on inside the person. Simply stated the malady of death can be thought of as life without love. Love of others, love of themselves, love of God, love of this world, a person who suffers from the malady of death is missing some or all of these â€Å"loves† which make life worth while. The first real look that we get of Ivan comes in Book V when he’s having lunch with Alyosha.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Dissertation Research Proposal

Dissertation research proposal Table of contents Introduction 1- Problem definition/statement 2-Research goals 3-Research objectives 4-Research hypothesis 5-Dissertation organization Chapter one: Literature review Chapter two: Research methodology -Introduction 1. Recipients of the research 2. Justification of the research 3. Research Methodology 3. 1. Research problem area 3. 2. Research question 3. 3. Research objectives 3. 4. Research hypothesis 3. 5. Research design 3. 5. 1. Research philosophy 3. 5. 2. Research approach 5. 3. 3. Research strategy 3. 5. 3. 1. Survey Strategy 3. 5. 4.Research method choice 3. 5. 5. Time horizon 3. 6. Population and Sample 4. Data collection, editing, and findings 4. 1. Date collection 4. 2. Data editing 4. 3. Data coding 4. 4. Limitation -Bibliography Appendices -interview outline -Time management -outline content of literature review -Email for interview -Email for questionnaire -Introduction This section outlines the background of the dissertati on. In the first chapter the researcher explains the choice of the topic and the issues. In the second, the researcher will describe the methodology used during the research process 1-Recipients of the researchThe primary recipients of this thesis are The Dublin Business School in Dublin Through Mr. Gary Bernie, my dissertation supervisor For fulfilment of the MA Marketing 2. Justification of the research 2. 1. Interest for the subject According to Saunders et al (2012:29) one of attributes of a good research topic is that the researcher should be extremely interested and fascinated about the topic 2. 2Academic background The researcher has graduated 2 years ago with a Licence in Humanitarian Science; and a significant side of the science was about the ethics and its positive role on people and communities . 3. Personal background The researcher has a strong interest in marketing ethics as he plans a career in this environment. So he has the motivation to proceed with this paper to conclusion. About the resources, the researcher has access to an Irish environment: people, communication, companies†¦. The researcher is working part-time, so he has a flexible time to carry on his research The first chapter Literature review It is my belief that good marketing is ethical marketing. Good marketing is about satisfying and developing a long-term relationship with our customers.Caring about your customers not only results in profits, it is the ethical thing to do. Deceiving customers may help a firm’s profits in the short-run, but is not the way to build a successful business. Marylyn Carrigan,  Lecturer, University of Birmingham, Department of Commerce, Birmingham, UK 1- Marketing ethics concepts and theories Business ethics’ definition Business ethics can be defined as â€Å"a set of principles that guides business practices to reflect a concern for society as a whole while pursuing profits, Nisberg, 1988 (cited from: Maureen Kilcullen, Judith Ohles Kooistra, (1999)The shame side of marketing Of all the management fields, marketing is probably that which seems the most Contradictable when it comes to ethical aspect. As Smith and Quelch (1993, p. 188) suggest that some of the most fundamental concepts in marketing, when looked at Afresh, raise important ethical issues (cited from Klein Thomas, 2011) According to Marylyn Carrigan, et al (2005) In later years marketing thought has focused upon the subject of marketing ethics, and in the 1980s there was a flurry of activity by marketing scholars who attempted to evaluate conceptually the nature and role of marketing ethics.Moreover, Carrigan (2005) gave many examples of scholars discussed the issue, such as, Ferrell and Gresham (1985) developed their contingency framework to evaluate ethical decision-making in a marketing organisation, Hunt and Chonko (1984) conducted their survey on ethical dilemmas for marketing managers, and the ethical problems faced by marketing research ers. Marketing ethics philosophy Ethical marketing is about whether firms marketing decision is morally right or wrong.The morality of the marketing decision can include any part of marketing from advertising to the pricing of product or service, to the sourcing of raw materials. Like many authors, Beauchamp (1980) divided the major philosophical trends in ethics into two categories; the utilitarian approach and the deontological approach. In the utilitarian approach, the notion of ethics is related to the consequences of an action. According to this approach, the manager will attempt to produce the greatest possible amount of positive value or the smallest possible amount of negative value for the consumers affected.In the other side, the deontological approach, based on the work of the philosopher Emmanuel Kant, this approach does not consider so much the consequences of an act, but pays a lot of intention to the manner in which the act is performed (cited from Jacques Nantel et a l, 1996). Definition is the problem According to Peter Drucker (1973) marketing is a discipline which provokes much debate. Very often, this controversy is linked to a lack of understanding of what the actual definition of marketing is.One definition of marketing, very often used is: â€Å"Marketing is human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange process; Kotler and Turner, 1981(cited from Jacques Nantel et al 1996) Jacques Nantel et al (1996) suggests that The most striking feature of this definition is its almost entirely utilitarian aspect, If we apply foundations of the utilitarian approach in ethics, one knows that an action is only ethical if it maximizes the positive consequences for the greatest number of people while at the same time minimizing negative consequences to the smallest number.An interesting case is that of sugar On the one hand, it is true that sugar is a product which responds to a gustatory need, but what about its medical and denta l effect. Jacques Nantel et al (1996) states that In order to extend both the range and the degree of marketing ethics, several authors (Fraedrich  et al. , 1991; Laczniak and Murphy, 1985; Martin, 1985) have suggested that we take into account not only the utilitarian criterion which is satisfaction but also the means used to obtain this satisfaction.Suggesting a solution towards this issue Jacques Nantel states that marketing, by its very definition, is principally grounded on a utilitarian approach to ethics but that managers could also develop a deontological approach to marketing. The reason for this development that the consumer is no longer merely concerned with the satisfaction obtained from a product or service, but also with the way in which this product or service is obtained.Consider, for example, the boycotting of certain products (Canadian paper products by German consumer. According to Jacques Nantel points out there is much reason to believe that the marketing func tion will turn towards a deontological approach for the simple reason that, Today there is a more concerted attack from well-organised activists in the form of protest groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth or the UK Consumers Association.The Internet has opened up a route for international groups of consumers and interested bodies to co-ordinate their activity globally, and this can be seen in Web sites such as www. saigon. com/nike, the homepage of the Boycott Nike campaign, or www. mcspotlight. org the homepage of the McDonalds boycott. In response, large organisations that had previously believed themselves immune from such activity find themselves now having to defend themselves against their global critics on their own company Web sites. Marylyn Carrigan, Ahmad Attalla, 2001) The researcher does not see a major difference between the suggestions was produced by Fraedrich, Laczniak and Murphy (the code of ethics) and Jacques’s notion, both of them are concerned regarding the means, the means should be as ethical as the aim, but the question which will be appearing and rising, who will determine these means, is it the marketing or the consumer or the law, who will judge these means by saying there are ethical or not. 2-The negative effect on marketing for ignoring the safety, health, and the environmental standards in children soft drinks Your brand is your lifebloodIf we foul up with consumers, we do our industry considerable damage. If you put out unsafe products you will be found out, somebody will get hurt, and you will get a massively bad reputation. If you openly exploit children and you mislead children, you will be found out. We go over and above to make sure that our products are built, manufactured in the right way, because if we don't, we lose forty or fifty years of all the hard work that we've built up in actually establishing these brands, because they are our lifeblood.We don't do anything that would leave us open to suspicio n, because it is not worth it; we don't need to operate that way. We've built our reputation on doing things the right way, so we don't do anything by the back door Stephen Hogan (2007) -Marketing ethics or pay the price There is evidence that companies do suffer commercially from boycotts, Shell were estimated to have lost between 20 per cent and 50 per cent of their sales during the Brent Spar boycott (Klein, 2000), and the Nestle boycott is said to have cost the firm $40 million (Nelson-Horchler, 1984).Gelb (1995) argues the power of consumer boycotts is increasing. . It has also been found that 44 per cent of the British public have boycotted a product for ethical reasons in the last 12 months (Mason, 2000). Marylyn Carrigan, Ahmad Attalla, (2001) Marketers are encouraged to behave in an ethical manner because information about a firm’s ethical behaviours is thought to influence product sales and consumers’ image of the company (Mascarenhas, 1995). A recent MORI po ll commissioned by the Co-operative Bank in the UK suggests that one-third of consumers are â€Å"seriously concerned† with ethical issues (Mason, 2000).Within the past year, over half had bought a product or recommended a company on the basis of its ethical reputation. Smith (1995)  argues that we are now living in the â€Å"ethics era†, whereby society's expectations of marketers have changed and we face challenges to basic marketing assumptions. Consumers are better informed, more educated and awareness is greater of consumer rights and product requirements at least in western society. Legislation has also played a part in raising consumer expectations of marketing behaviour used at the prospect of such uncharted territory -Marketing ethics or you loss long-term prospectsTwo Studies of scientific literature showed that ethics in the Marketing system is very important and in order to ensure good long-term prospects of the organization, it is necessary to maintain a high level of organizational moral. Ethical decisions stimulate public confidence and allow creating a favourable image of the organization, to maintain good relationship with market partners; they also increase competitiveness and the effectiveness of the marketing program (Vysniauskiene, V. Kundrotas (1999) -Four reasons to join marketing ethics Stanton, M.J. Etzel, B. J. Walker pointed out four main reasons Why marketing specialists must behave ethically: First reason; is that ethical marketing may help to increase a declining trust of society. Marketing prestige in the eyes of many people is down. Doubtful activities that are periodically made public also add to problematic issues of consumers. Despite its manifestation only in a small marketing share, reputation of all marketing specialists does suffer. So, it is very important to business leaders to demonstrate ethical responsibility assuredly.Second reason, why marketing specialists must behave ethically is that such behavio ur may allow bypassing an increasing regulation of the Government. Apathy, resistance or evidence of unethical behaviour in business Directly increases a possibility of the Governmental regulation. Third reason; ethical marketing helps to regain public confidence Fourth reason, ethical behaviour allows organizations to preserve their image. The second chapter The research Methodology -Introduction 1-Recipients of the research The primary recipients of this thesis are The Dublin Business School in Dublin Through Mr.Gary Bernie, my dissertation supervisor For fulfilment of the MA Marketing 2. Justification of the research 2. 1. Interest for the subject According to Saunders et al (2012:29) one of attributes of a good research topic is that the researcher should be extremely interested and fascinated about the topic 2. 2Academic background The researcher has graduated 2 years ago with a Licence in Humanitarian Science and a significant side of the science was about the ethics and its p ositive role on people and communities 2. 3. Personal background The researcher has a strong interest in marketing ethics as he plans a career in this environment.So he has the motivation to proceed with this paper to conclusion. About the resources, the researcher has access to an Irish environment: people, communication, companies†¦. The researcher is working part-time, so he has a flexible time to carry on his research 3. Research Methodology 3. 1 Research problem area Kumar (2011:48) argues that drawing up research problem is the most critical part of the research process, and the reason for this is because the quality and relevance of research rely on it The topic of the thesis has been chosen according to Saunders’s guidelines.According Saunders, et al (2012:28) attributes of a good research topic should: -Fulfil your examiner’s requirements -Something you are able to deal with and enhance your creativity – develop your research skills The researcher should: – Have enough time, money, and resources for proceeding -Be able to link his topic to academic theories -Have access to information he needs The research problem area of this dissertation is about two main subjects: – Marketing ethics n children soft drink – The negative effect on marketing for ignoring Health, safety, and environmental standards The major goal is to study and analysis the negative side on marketing for ignoring safety, health, and environmental standards in children soft drink and how marketing should response to this ethical issue. 3. 2. Research question Saunders et al (2012:40) argues the researcher should developed clear conclusion from the data he gathered so that he can introduce research question. The question must be involved enough so that can generate the required standards of the project The research question for this dissertation is:To what degree ignoring health, safety, and environmental standards in children soft drinks a ffecting the Marketing, and how Marketing should response to this ethical issue? 3. 3. Research objectives Kumar (2011) declares that the main objective is a general statement of the study and statement of the main associations and relations that you search to find and track down. The sub objective is the certain parts of the topic that you want explore within the main framework of your study. According to Saunders (2012) writing useful research objectives requires: -Transparency: the meaning of the objectives is clear Specificity (the aim of the objectives is clear and understood – Relevancy: the objectives linked to the research questions) – Interconnectivity: objectives explain the research process from the beginning to the conclusion – Answerability: the result of the research is achievable – Measurability: the aim of the research objective will be clear when it is achieved The general objectives are: -To measure the level of negative effectiveness of ignoring marketing ethics in children soft drink -To define marketing ethics -To understand marketing ethics To explore how consumer react towards the ethical marketing issues -To determine if the marketing has responsibility in this ethical issue or not -To explain how marketing professionals should respond to tackle this ethical problem -To determine the advantages of applying ethics in marketing ethics The personal objectives are: * To learn how to set up a Master Level Dissertation * To learn more about marketing ethics and health and health and safety in children soft drink * To learn how to set up an interview * To improve the researcher knowledge regarding Qualitative and quantitative research * To validate the dissertation . 4. Research hypothesis According to Grinnell (1988:200) â€Å"A hypothesis is written in such a written in certain way that can be proven or disproven by valid and reliable data- it is in order to obtain these data that we perform our study† (cit ed from Kumar 2011:83) Kumar (2011) also defined couple of considerations to keep in mind when constructing a hypothesis: * A hypothesis should be simple, specific, and clear * A hypothesis should be capable of verification * A hypothesis should be related to the existing body of knowledge * A hypothesis should be operationalisable; it can be expressed in terms that can be measuredFigure one: the process of testing Hypothesis Source: Kumar (2011) Research Methodology Phase 1| | Phase 2| | Phase 3| FormulateYour hunch or assumption| | Collect the requireData| | AnalysisData toDraw conclusion about that hunch- true or false| | | | | | The hypotheses set up for this dissertation are: H1: Ethical marketing is about whether firms marketing decision is morally right or wrong H2: Marketing ethics is significantly rising within marketing organization H3: Marketing ethics is facing serious problemsH4: Ignoring marketing ethics will have negative effect and damage on marketing H5: Taking care of marketing ethics would lead to positive impact on the marketing H6: The numbers of consumers who have some concern about the negative consequences of marketing are increasing 3. 5. Research design Saunders et al, (2012:159) describes the research design as the general plan of how the researcher will go about answering your research questions. Saunders et al, (2012) pointed out three types of research design: * Exploratory studies Descriptive studies * Explanatory studies For my dissertation, it will be used two types of research design: exploratory and Descriptive Exploratory studies: is valuable mean to ask open questions to discover what is happening, also it is useful if you wish to clarify your understanding of problem. One of its advantages that it is fixable and adaptable to change Descriptive studies: the object of this study is to gain an accurate profile of events, persons or situations (Saunders2012) 3. 5. 1 Research philosophyAccording to Saunders (2012) there are thr ee major ways of thinking about research philosophy: * Epistemology: positivism-realism-interpretivism * Ontology: Objectivism-subjectivism * Axiology The research philosophies have been chosen for this research positivism. According to Gill and Johnson (2010) if your research philosophy reflects positivism then you prefer collecting data about an observation reality and search for regularities and casual relationships in your data to create generalizations like those produced by scientists (cited from Saunders, 2012) 3. 5. Research approach According to Saunders (2012) there are three types of research approach: The deductive approach: It is a dominant research approach in the natural science, a theory and hypothesis are developed and a research strategy Designed to test the hypothesis Blaikie (2010) lists six steps of the approach’s process 1- Put forward a hypothesis or set of hypotheses to form a theory 2- By using existing literature, deduce a testable proposition 3- Exa mine the logic of the argument, compare the argument with existing theories to notice any advanced understanding.If it does, then continue 4- Test the logic by collecting appropriate data to measure the concepts and analysing it 5- If the result of the analysis is not consistent with the premises, and then the theory is false 6- If the result of the analysis is consistent with the premises then the theory is corroborated (cited from Saunders, 2012:145) -The inductive approach – The abductive approach For this project, the best approach is the deductive approach because the researcher uses existing theories and models to find data in order to check his hypotheses and explain the different phenomenon . 5. 3 Research strategy According to Saunders (2012) the key to your choice of research strategy is that you have to achieve a reasonable level of coherence through your research design which will enable you answer your research questions and meet your objectives. Moreover, Saunde rs describes eight types of research strategies: – Experiment – Survey – Archival Research – Case Study – Ethnography – Action Research – Grounded Theory – Narrative Inquiry For this project, the researcher will combined two different strategies: a survey strategy and Interview 3. 5. 3. 1. Survey StrategyAccording to Saunders et al (2012) Survey using questionnaires is popular. Survey strategy allows you to collect quantitative data which you can analyse using descriptive and inferential statistics. Also can suggest possible reasons for particular relationships between variables and produce models of these relationships. According to Burns et al (2006) there are five advantages of Survey: – Surveys provide for standardization – Easy to administer – Help to uncover unseen data – Easy to analyse – Reveal subgroup differences For this research, the questionnaire will be administered in person.Sau nders et al (2012) stated that Survey is used for exploratory and descriptive research. In this project, the questionnaire will be administered to adult population (over 18) for knowing the level of negative effect on marketing for ignoring health, safety, and environmental standards in children soft drink, and what marketing should response to this ethical issue Saunders (2012) mentioned some advantages of using survey strategy: – gives more control over the research process – Low cost – Data collected is less wide-ranging – Limited questions number – Allowing easy comparison – Easy to explain and understand 3. 5. 3. 2. InterviewAccording to Saunders (2012) there are three categories of interview -structured interview, identical set of questions (standardised) -semi-structured interviews; interviews are non-standardised, the researcher will have a list of themes and some key questions to be covered -unstructured interviews; you use it to ex plore in depth a general area in which you are interested This researcher in this project will take non-standardised interview (semi-structured and unstructured interviews) According to King (2004) unstandardised interviews referred as qualitative research interviews (cited from Saunders 2012) The researcher will take face to face interview and one to one, in public places for consumers. 3. 5. 4 Research method choiceQuantitative method; generally associated with positivism, and often used as a synonym for any data collection technique (such as questionnaire) or data analysis procedure (such as graphs or statistics) that generates or uses numerical data, Qualitative method; generally associated with an interpretive, and often used as a synonym for any data collection technique (such as an interview) or data analysis procedure (such as categories data) that generates or uses non-numerical data According to Blumberg et al, (2008: 218) in business research, qualitative as well as quant itative are appropriate for investigating business research problem What matters is not the choice between quantitative and qualitative, but the quality of the research design and how well the study is conducted This research will take both research methods Qualitative: Interview Quantitative: Questionnaire 3. 5. 5Time horizonSaunders (2012) identified two types of time horizon, and emphasis that the researcher should ask himself: Do I want my research to be at particular time? Or Do I want to be more related to dairy or events over a given period? -longitudinal: the main strength of this research is its capacity to study change and development -cross-sectional studies: The research will be the study of a certain phenomenon at a certain time. As this dissertation must be on restricted time, therefore, the time horizon will be cross-sectional study 3. 6. Population and Sample Saunders (2012) emphasise that it is impossible for you to collect or to analyse all data available to you ow ing to restriction of time, money, and access.Moreover S states that sampling techniques enable you to reduce the amount of data you need to collect by considering only data from a subgroup rather than all possible elements According to Becker (1998) in selecting a sample to study, it should represent the full set of cases in a way that is meaningful and which we can justify (cited from Saunders 2012) the full set of cases from which a sample is taken is called the population According to Saunders (2012) we should not assume that collecting data from every group(census)data from entire population would be more useful than collecting data from sample which represent the entire population because sampling provides a valid alternative to a According to Kinnear et al, (1996) the advantage of sampling rather than conducting a census is: – Saving money – Saving time – More accurate information – Avoiding the destruction of all element in the population Accordin g Teresa Brannick (1997) element refers to the subject in which we have a particular interest and population refers to the complete set of particular type of element 4. Data collection, editing, and findings The next step will be what to do with this information. How the information should be analysed, and proven. . 1. Data collection methods 4. 1. 1 Quantitative approach According to Saunders (2012:458) questionnaire must: – identify the form and layout – Pilot tested prior to their delivery -specify the information needed -the validity and reliability of your data dependents on the design of your questions -consider the wording of individual questions -arrange the question in the proper order 4. 1. 2 Qualitative approach In- depth interview According to Saunders (2012) the interviewer must be: -In proper appearance, -Use different types of questions, – In good behaviour -Good listening -Record data accurately -Able to deal with difficult participant Scope to s ummarise and understand -Open comments when the interview commences Interview advantages: – Flexibility. – Control of the interview situation. – High response rate. Interview disadvantages: – Higher cost – Interviewer bias – Lack of anonymity 4. 2. Data editing Data have to be edited, especially when they relate to responses to open-ended questions of interviews and questionnaires. In other words, information that may have been noted by interviewer or researcher in a hurry must be clearly deciphered so that it may be coded systematically in its entire. Lack of clarity at this stage will result later in confusion Sekaran (2003) 4. 2. 1. QuestionnaireAccording to deVaus (2002) questionnaire is a method of data collection in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in predetermine order (cited from Saunders, 2012) According to Malhotra et al (2006) questionnaire has three objectives: -Translate the information needed t o a set of questions – Should be written to minimize demands imposed on respondents – Should minimize response error Saunders stated that questionnaire is one of the most widely used data collection method within the survey strategy. He emphasise that questionnaire should has precise data so that can answer your question and achieve your objective. Moreover, he gave some guidelines in order to maximise your response rate: -Carful design of individual questions -Clear and pleasing layout -Explanation of the purpose of the questionnaire -Pilot testing Carefully planned and executed delivery and return of -completed questionnaire The researcher followed recommendations from several authors in particular from Cooper (2003p456) to have the best data possible by examining answers of questions given to find, if some question were forgotten or half answered or illegibly 4. 2. 2. Semi-structured interview According to Kumar (2011) we must: -Check the data is free from inconsist encies and incompleteness -Practice for interview Kumar (2011) prefers for editing data is to examine all responses given to all the questions by one respondent at a time The researcher will use an audio tape during interview as well as hand written notes to avoid problems of editing 4. 3. Data Coding According to cooper et al (2003) coding is the process of assigning numbers and other symbols to answers so we can classify them to categories.According to Saunders (2012) all data type should be recorded using numerical codes. This enables you to enter data quickly and with few errors. It also makes subsequent analyses. He recommended using existing coding scheme as they: * Save time * Well tested * Allow comparison of your results with others These codes should be included on your data collection form as pre-set codes A code book as defined by Saunders is a complete list of all the codes used to code data variable. 4. 3. 1 Questionnaire Closed questions: To analyze quantitative data Kumar (2011:257) presented four steps: -developing a code book -pre-testing the code book -coding the data verifying the code data Opened questions: There are three ways proposed by Kumar (2011: 256) to cope with the main theme found: -To examine verbatim Reponses and integrate them with text of the report to either support or contradict the argument -to assign code to each theme and count how frequently each has occurred -to combine both methods to communicate findings The researcher combined methods to get the best information and to be more accurate and effective 4. 3. 2. Semi-structured interview Kumar (2011: 278) explained the process as following: -Identifying the main theme -assign cedes to the main theme -classify responses under the main theme Integrate themes and responses into the text of your report 4. 4. Limitation Qualitative research Quantitative research The references -Marketing research within a changing information, Hair Joseph et al, 2003) – Research metho ds for business students, Mark saunders et al, London,2012 -Marketing research, Alvin c Burns et al, New Jersey, 2006 – Basic Marketing research, Naresh K Malhotra et al, New Jersey, 2006 – Marketing research, Thomas C Kinnear, U. S. A, 1996 – Marketing research, Kumar, Gorge, 2011, third edition, London, sage publication -business research methods, Boris Blumberg et al, 2008, – Business research methods, Teresa brannick et al,1997,u. c. -research and writing dissertation, Colin fish, 2004,U. K -management research, Mark smith, 2008, London -Cross-Cultural Evaluation Laczniak, Gene R. , Journal of Public Policy ; Marketing, 07439156, Spring93, Vol. 12, Issue -http://www. learnmarketing. net/ethicalmarketing. htm – Marketing to children, Sharon Beder, Citation: Sharon Beder, New College Institute for Values Research, Sydney, 1998, pp. 101-111 – American Market associationhttp://www. marketingpower. com/_layouts/Dictionary. aspx? dLetter=M â⠂¬â€œ The myth of the ethical consumer – do ethics matter in purchase behaviour? Marylyn Carrigan, Ahmad Attalla, (2001) Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 18 Iss: 7, pp. 60 – 578 -Marketing Ethics: Onward Toward Greater Expectations. Laczniak, Gene R. Journal of Public Policy ; Marketing. Spring93, Vol. 12 Issue 1, p91-96. 6p. -Marketing ethics: is there more to it than the utilitarian approach? Jacques Nantel; William A. Weeks. European Journal of Marketing, Jan 1, 1996, Vol. 30, Issue 5 – Paul Cowell, The Marketing Review, 2001, 2, 71-87 – Marylyn Carrigan, Svetla Marinova, Isabelle Szmigin, (2005) â€Å"Ethics and international marketing: Research background and challenges†, International Marketing Review, Vol. 22 Iss: 5, pp. 481 – 493 -: Twedt, Dik Warren. Journal of Marketing. Oct63, Vol. 27 Issue 4, p48-50. 3p. Children and business: pluralistic ethics of marketers,Michelle Bergadaa, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, HEC †“ University of Geneva, Geneva, – Sharpen up your soft options. Batham, Matthew, Caterer ; Hotelkeeper; 10/14/2004, Vol. 193 Issue 4345, p70-70, 1p, 1 Color Photograph -Business of ethics, Laura P. Hartman,2005, third edition. -Business of ethics, John Fraedrich, Linda Ferrell, 4 edition,2000. -Ethics and conduct of business, John R Boatright,2006,5edition -Business ethics, Andrew Crane, 2007, 2 edition. Appendixes Appendix1 Letter asking for an Interview Dear I am completing a master in Marketing with Dublin Business School and I am setting up a research. You are invited to participate in a research study.The purpose of this study is to understand the reactions of the customers towards the marketing for ignoring the safety and health in children soft drinks. I am asking you to help me by allowing an interview to discuss about this issue. I would like to share your opinions and ideas about the above subject the interview will take about 15 minutes. Could you please contact me or give another contact which could be able to answer my questions. Your participation is vital for the study, for my dissertation and for my graduation If you have any quiries please feel free to contact me on 0851229419 or by Email at [email  protected] com I hope to hear from you soon Thank you for taking time to help Fawzi alshike 9 drinaghmore court Ballyogan Appendix 2 A letter asking to fill the questionnaire Dear allI am completing a master in Marketing with Dublin Business School and I am setting up a research. You are invited to participate in a research study. The purpose of this study is to understand the reactions of the customers towards the marketing for ignoring the safety and health in children soft drinks. So I am asking for your help in completing the enclosed questionnaires which is part of my research. Your response is important in enabling me to obtain as full as understanding as possible of this topical issue. The questionnaire should only take about 5 mi nutes to complete. Please ensure the questions in the space provided. If you want to add further comments, please feel free to do so.Your participation is vital for the study, for my research and for my graduation. Please send me back the questionnaire to my personal Email. Pleas fill out the questionnaire by the 20 of this month. Thank you for taking time to help me. Fawzi alshike [email  protected] com Appendix 3 Outline of my literature review 1- The marketing ethics concepts and theories 2- The negative side on marketing for ignoring the health and safety in children soft drink Appendix 4 Timetable management 1 –their opinion about the health and safety in children soft drink 3- is marketing responsible for this ethical issue 4- -what should marketing do to tackle the problem –

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

3d Printers

Rapid prototyping 3D printers 3D printing  is a form of  additive manufacturing  technology where a  three dimensional  object is created by laying down successive layers of material. 3D printers are generally faster, more affordable and easier to use than other additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printers offer product developers the ability to print parts and assemblies made of several materials with different mechanical and physical properties in a single build process. Advanced 3D printing technologies yield models that closely emulate the look, feel and functionality of product prototypes.A 3D printer works by taking a 3D computer file and using and making a series of cross-sectional slices. Each slice is then printed one on top of the other to create the 3D object. The cost of 3D printers has declined. The technology also finds use in the jewellery, footwear,  industrial design, architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries. A large number of competing technologies are available to do 3D printing. Their main differences are found in the way layers are built to create parts.Some methods use melting or softening material to produce the layers (SLS, FDM) where others lay liquid materials that are cured with different technologies. In the case of lamination systems, thin layers are cut to shape and joined together. Selective laser sintering  (SLS) Selective laser sintering  (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a high power  laser  (for example, a  carbon dioxide laser) to fuse small particles of  plastic,  metal  (Direct Metal Laser Sintering),  ceramic, or  glass  powders into a mass that has a desired 3-dimensional shape.The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D digital description of the part (for example from a  CAD  file or scan data) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-secti on is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the part is completed. Compared to other methods of additive manufacturing, SLS can produce parts from a relatively wide range of commercially available powder materials.These include  polymers  such as  nylon, (neat, glass-filled or with other fillers) or  polystyrene, metals including  steel,  titanium, alloy mixtures, and composites and  green sand. The physical process can be full  melting, partial melting, or liquid-phase  sintering. And, depending on the material, up to 100% density can be achieved with material properties comparable to those from conventional manufacturing methods. In many cases large numbers of parts can be packed within the powder bed, allowing very high productivity. SLS is performed by machines called SLS systems.SLS technology is in wide use around the world due to its ability to easily make very complex geometries directly from digital  CAD  data. While it began as a way to build  prototype  parts early in the design cycle, it is increasingly being used in  limited-run manufacturing  to produce end-use parts. One less expected and rapidly growing application of SLS is its use in art. [pic] The picture above is made using SLS and is a very intricate design which would be very difficult to imagine if it was only drawn on paper. Digital Light Processing (DLP)In  DLP, or Digital Light Processing, a vat of liquid polymer is exposed to light from a DLP projector under  safelight  conditions. The exposed liquid polymer hardens. The build plate then moves down in small increments and the liquid polymer is again exposed to light. The process repeats until the model is built. The liquid polymer is then drained from the vat, leaving the solid model. The  ZBuilder Ultrais an example of a DLP rapid prototyping system Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) Laminated obj ect manufacturing  (LOM) is a  rapid prototyping  system developed by Helisys Inc. Cubic Technologies is now the successor organization of Helisys) In it, layers of adhesive-coated  paper,  plastic, or  metal  laminates are successively glued together and cut to shape with a knife or  laser cutter. The process is performed as follows: 1. Sheet is adhered to a substrate with a heated roller. 2. Laser traces desired dimensions of prototype. 3. Laser cross hatches non-part area to facilitate waste removal. 4. Platform with completed layer moves down out of the way. 5. Fresh sheet of material is rolled into position. 6. Platform moves up into position to receive next layer. 7. The process is repeated.Note: †¢ Low cost due to readily availability of raw material †¢ Paper moulds have wood like characteristics, and may be worked and finished accordingly †¢ Dimensional accuracy is slightly less than that of  Stereolithography  and  Selective laser sinter ing  but no milling step is necessary. †¢ Relatively large parts may be made, because no chemical reaction is necessary. [pic] The above picture shows how intricate objects con be made by LOM. Fused deposition modelling  (FDM) Fused deposition modelling  (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology commonly used for modelling, prototyping, and production applications.FDM works on an â€Å"additive† principle by laying down material in layers. A plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil and supplies material to an  extrusion  nozzle which can turn on and off the flow. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism, directly controlled by acomputer-aided manufacturing  (CAM) software package. The model or part is produced by extruding small beads of thermoplastic material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle.Sev eral materials are available with different trade-offs between strength and temperature properties. As well as  acrylonitrile butadiene styrene  (ABS) polymer,  polycarbonates,  polycaprolactone,  polyphenylsulfones  and waxes, a â€Å"water-soluble† material can be used for making temporary supports while manufacturing is in progress, this soluble support material is quickly dissolved with specialized mechanical agitation equipment utilizing a precisely heated  sodium hydroxide  solution. [pic] In the picture above the support material is easy recognised and can be broken away easily.