Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Ableism of Those Who Are Deaf Discriminationa and...

Ableism is defined as, â€Å"the all-encompassing discrimination and exclusion of people living with disabilities† (Adams et al, 461). However, in order to determine if ableism is occurring, then one must first know what constitutes a disability. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, someone has a disability if they have a considerable handicap that hinders the actions that are important for life, such as â€Å"walking, seeing, hearing, learning, speaking, breathing, standing, lifting, or caring for one’s self† (Adams et al, 461). Disabled people make up the largest minority in the world with their estimated population at 650 million people (Adams et al, 461). Of this 650 million people, 360 million people have some sort of disabling†¦show more content†¦Problem Statement When the deaf or hearing impaired people are put into prison their language barriers cause them to experience a lack of access to fair legal treatment. Language Barrier A major factor or variable contributing to the lack of access to fair legal treatment for hearing impaired prisoners is the language barrier that they face. This makes language barriers the independent variable to lack of fair legal treatment for hearing impaired prisoners, the dependent variable. According to the Free Dictionary, a language barrier is defined as a, â€Å"barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages† (â€Å"Language Barrier†). In the case of hearing impaired prisoners, these barriers apply to them in many ways. First, deaf and hearing impaired in the United States normally use American Sign Language, ASL, to communicate (Vernon). However, most prisons, despite laws established by the American Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), do not employ interpreters in order to allow the prisoners to establish communications with someone for purposes of taking education classes, acce ss to health care, access to counseling, and for hearings about parole, complaints, or punishments (Vernon). McCay Vernon states people in charge of prisons overestimate the ability of the hearing impaired to read lips. Even if the conditions for lip reading were perfect, meaning a well lit room, the speaker facing the hearing

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Current State Of South Africa Essay - 2016 Words

The current state of South Africa, 20 years post-apartheid, is regarded by many as desegregation achieved. However, in order for this to be completely true, it has to apply on every level. Pettigrew (2008), defined desegregation as the mere physical mixing of groups, and on this level, yes, we can say that the racial mixing of those previously segregated, is desegregation achieved. Yet, there is a distinct line between desegregation and genuine integration between the same people (Pettigrew, 2008). Contact theory has been widely studied for many years, the conditions crucial for it to be successful and to facilitate the effect of reducing prejudice between the groups are: cooperation between the groups/’s members, equal status between the two groups, authority support, and common goals (Pettigrew, 2008). Members of the dominant group have negative distorted perceptions about members of the subordinate group (Reicher, 2007). The theory was developed during a time when racial tension and racism were thought to be rooted from irrational beliefs and attitudes of and towards outgroups, as well as the assumption that behaviour and attitude were connected and that if one changed, the other would follow (Emerson, Kimbro, Yancey, 2002). Although contact theory is very effective in increasing intergroup relationships and reducing prejudice, there are limitations. Contact theory requires a utopian setting for it to be tested and rated effectively, where optimal contact andShow MoreRelatedThe Current State Of South Africa1175 Words   |  5 PagesBACKGROUND ON SOUTH AFRICA 1. South Africa was called the hopeless continent 16 years ago. Much of the negative world view stemmed from wounds created by government supported racial segregation which continues to affect South Africa’s economy today; however, the abundant resources and potential economic growth of this country should not be overlooked. Despite wounds from its past South Africa has a wealth of resources which make it an important country to the world and to the United States. South Africa’sRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Botswana, South Africa Essay1282 Words   |  6 Pages1 ​Today, in the world, especially African Countries in the South are facing an epidemic that has gone completely ignored by their very own government. Instead of proposing policies directed towards reducing the amount of HIV/AIDS cases that continue to rise each year, they have chosen to implement failed policies or none at all. Countries that have attempted to enact government policy to try to decrease the spread of the epidemic has ultimately failed in a broad sense. The epidemic is known asRead MoreThe Global Economic and Political Implications of the South African 2014 General Elections1164 Words   |  5 Pagesyear for South Africa. The first elections after the death of South African ex-president Nelson Mandela will take place and after twenty years of democracy, the world will be watching us again. The world holds much interest in the economy and politics of South Africa as was discussed in Appendix A and Appendix B and it is safe to assume that the world is a stakehold er in the politics and economy of South Africa. The purpose of this essay is to explore the world’s stake in South Africa, its natureRead MoreSouth Afric A Country Of Diversity1269 Words   |  6 PagesSouth Africa is a country of diversity, with 11 languages that are officially recognized--Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu (Statistics South Africa, 2011). Although South Africa has diverse communities, much of its history has proven a lack of representation. Up until 1994, South Africa was ruled by a white minority government, which came into power in 1948 and enforced a racial segregation policy called apartheid—a policy that mandatesRead MoreThe Long Term Potential Growth Rate Of South Africa Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesThe long-term potential growth rate of South Africa under the current policy environment has been estimated at 3.5%.Per capita GDP growth has proved mediocre, though improving, growing by 1.6% a year from 1994 to 2009, and by 2.2% over the 2000–09 decade, compared to world growth of 3.1% over the same period. The high levels of unemployment, at over 25%, and inequality are considered by the government and most South Africans to be the most salient economic problems facing the country. These issuesRead MoreThe Curious Enlightenment Of Professor Caritat By Steven Lukes1283 Words   |  6 PagesCurious Enlightenment of Professor Caritat, by Steven Lukes (whom will be referred to as â€Å"Lukes† from now), the professor is sent out to find the best possible world. The essay will include a discussion on which society will best work in South Africa. In the current society, Communitarian and Libertarian systems are already evident, whereas Utilitarian rule is not. Utilitaria encourages people to be helpful and contribute to society; everyone is treated equally, hence creating an overall sense of purposeRead MoreTaking a Look at the Monash University896 Words   |  4 Pagescampuses affiliated to it spread across the world, in India, China, South Africa, Italy and Malaysia, at the same t ime linked to the Monash website. This essay will make an attempt to provide a critical analysis of the Monash website and the current affiliation with Laureate group of universities. Firstly, an analysis of Monash around the world link will be explored. Secondly, an attempt to discuss the affiliation of Monash South Africa University as part of the Laureate family with respect to the MonashRead MoreAuditing as a profession as evolved drastically over decades and as time has passed auditing1000 Words   |  4 PagesInternal Auditing Standards, the Current Role of Internal Auditing in SA, reviewing current crisis, the importance of Internal Auditing to management is evident. 2. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES RELATED TO GOVERNANCE 2.1 Corporate Governance in South Africa To understand the role internal auditors play in improving governance processes, one has to fully understand the meaning of the word governance and also the role governance plays in South Africa. Smerdon states that corporate governance is ‘theRead MoreForeign Policy : The Transition Of Democracy1039 Words   |  5 Pagesrelations with each other as well as international organisations and non-governmental actors. South Africa s post-apartheid foreign policy vision has become prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united which contributes to the world that is equitable. This essay will discuss the transition to democracy and how the different heads have contributed to foreign policy since 1994 using the state and individual levels of analysis. This will be done with the following headings; heads ofRead MoreEconomic Growth And Development Of South Africa1193 Words   |  5 Pages2. CURRENT IMPLICATIONS 2.1. Growth and development According to Parson Viviers (cited by Vollgraaf 2016:p2) as a result of Brexit South Africa’s economic growth is expected to have a 0.1% cut-back due to its trading relations with the countries concerned. Bowler (2016:p1) stated that the UK’s pound depreciated after the Brexit occurrence, which could result in the UK’s imports being expensive. The country will be inclined to import less causing its trading import partners to suffer in the process

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller †Linda Free Essays

Ms. Woods ENG 252 Sec 400 October 29, 2012 Linda – A Pillar of Strength and Balance In the Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller My question for discussion is what I think of Linda, the wife of Willie Lohman in the play â€Å"The Death of a Salesman†. We will write a custom essay sample on The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller – Linda or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is my response. I feel that Linda is the strongest character in the play. Everyone around her has major issues, her sons and her husband. Even in the reflections of the past her brother-in-law had his issues – greed being one of them. She represents stability, goodness and balance in this story. She can be looked at as the foundation of this family, like most strong women. This story takes place in the 1940’s when the environment or way of living was the woman stayed home and tended to the family and the husband was the provider. And we also have a male dominated, sort of male chauvinist society at that time. So being that the man was the provider, a man had a sense of being the King of his home. Because of this general idea, it reduced the importance or view of women and their roles. Meaning a woman’s role was less than important because the man was King. Therefore, we see the questionable, forceful and harsh tones that Willie uses sometimes when speaking to Linda which can be interpreted or misinterpreted in different ways. And when this happens we see Linda back down or just close her mouth. But it also should be noted that Willie is losing everything around him, at home he feels that is the only place he can control what is going on. Then we see Willie’s dementia coming to a serious level of illness. This is not mentioned in the story but we see something wrong with Willie’s mental state. By the evidence given in the story, we can conclude many things – guilt, dementia, pressure and stress or just getting old and not wanting to face it. We are not given a reason for this deteriation. But it is evident by the reflections Willie has and how he is stuck in the past and/or stuck in a fantasy that something very deep is going on. This story is very male dominated with the symbolic theme of women are just extra’s. We hear this thru Willy Jr and Biff. They don’t seem to respect women either. Thru out the story no one seems to listen to her, her sons and neither Willie her husband. Linda is a faithful wife, playing her role. She stands and supports her husband. You never hear her say a bad word about her husband other than him being sick. She knows what’s wrong but I don’t think she knows how to handle it. At a time when medically no one really knew about mental illness, I think she viewed it as stress driven. Willis has been reduced at his job, he doesn’t want to face he’s getting old and his sons not being productive are just a few issues that contribute to the unrest in this household. She tries to explain to her sons what is going on but the fact that Willie probably was traveling salesmen for a long time and has been away so much that he has no real relationship with his son’s. Therefore they feel no pity for him, especially Willy Jr. who lost faith in his father a long time ago. So part of them being worthless and non productive can be contributed to not having their father around while they were growing up. So they do not have any attachment to him or what is going on with him nor does Willie Jr. care because of what he discovered when his father was having an affair. They only have attachment to their mother, Linda. She loves her boys regardless and her husband but she feels her duty first is to her husband. We also conclude that Linda does not know about the affair Willie had nor does she know that Willy Jr. knew about it. All she knows is the relationship between big Willie and junior Willy has been severely altered. Clinging to the suspicion that Willie (husband) is suffering from mental deterioration she wants to do whatever it takes to let him just grow old gracefully and peacefully, even if it means turning her back on her children. This is not to be taken as rejection or meanness because they are grown and are not contributing anything positive to the situation or conditions that are evolving. That is evident when they leave Willie in the bathroom at the restaurant and he suffers a severe breakdown and they don’t even come back to check on him. I feel that when she unloaded on her sons and voiced all the truths that were said is her finally being fed up with all the confusion going on around her. She is fighting to stay strong, guide and stay dedicated to her husband while moving all negatives out of the way. That is a sign of strength and dedication. This is symbolic of how she is truly the foundation and the balance of this family. Willie is losing control of everything, his job, his mind, his finance, his pride, his youth, etc. and Linda sees all of this. Thus his harsh treatment of her I do not feel is meant to hurt her. Remember a woman’s value in this era is reduced so she has no voice, no say and she abides by that. But in today’s time we would consider that disrespectful. I am considering the era of this story. But Linda stays strong and is always positive. Willie does realize he loves his wife and she loves him because at the end before he leaves to commit suicide he sends her to bed because he knows she would try to stop him from going out. And he knows she would do that out of love for him. Even though in his mind he sees this as a way of taking care of her and his sons. So in conclusion, the question remains do I believe that Linda was a dishrag? No I do not. Linda was the epitimy of a good wife, supportive, grounded, sacrificial and wise. She knew when to back down and when to be strong and speak out. She held Willie together as long as she could, until it was out of her hands. As she stated at his grave site, she truly did not understand how deep Willie’s issues really were. Thru all the symbolism of this story, good and bad (the sons), rich and poor (the environment and Willie’s associates), young and old (his reflections back to his younger days) Linda was the central figure in this story representing neutrality, balance and humbleness. How to cite The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller – Linda, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Statistics Business Transformation Business Techniques

Question: 1. Statisticians divide variables into different classes (or types). Describe the classes of variables and give examples of each. Briefly describe (for each class of variables) the methods used to compare 2 independent groups of cases. Describe the assumptions and/or limitations of each technique. 2. What do you understand by the following statistical and epidemiological terms? You may find it helpful to use examples to illustrate your explanations. a)Boxplot (box and whisker plot) [20 marks] b)Addition law of probability [15marks] c)Retrospective study [15marks] d)R-squared (r2)[15marks] e)Cluster sampling[15marks] f)Standard error of a mean[20 marks] 3.This question is concerned with statistical measures to assess the reliability and accuracy of tests (for example, for diagnosing caries based on radiographs). a) What method(s) would you use to measure the extent to which 2 observers agree whether teeth are carious or not (reliability)? b) What method(s) would you use to measure the extent to which an observer agrees with a gold standard test (accuracy)? c) When might you use a ROC curve? d) Show the principles behind ROC curves by presenting a small example. 4.What is a 95% Confidence Interval for the mean of a variable? Explain how you would calculate it and state the assumptions behind the method you describe. Explain the relationship between a 95% Confidence Interval for the mean and a one-sample t-test. Explain briefly the principles behind, and the use and limitations of threeof the following. Suggest situations where they might be used when analysing dental data. [equal marks for each sub-section] a)Oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) b)Survival analysis c)Log transformation d)Paired samples t-test 6 A researcher claims the mean DMFT of males aged 14 to 16 in a particular British region is 6. a) How you would set up a study to assess this? b) What are the appropriate hypotheses? c) How would you summarize the observations? d) What statistical test you would apply? e) How would you interpret the results of such a test? f) How would the size of your sample tend to affect the results? Answer: 1: Observations on a particular trait or character that are distinguishable or countable are called variables. A variable can be any number or measurement or characteristics whose value can vary over a certain range. Income of a person in a month is an example of a variable. Income of a person can take any values starting from 0. Age of students in class, the color of a flower, the number of books in a library is other examples of variables. Variables are classified into two types. By counting, the variables are categorized in to Qualitative and quantitative variables. Variables that can be counted are called quantitative variables. Age of students, the number of books in a library is examples of quantitative variables. On the other hand, the variables like the color of a flower, the first letter in the number plate of a car cannot be counted. These variables are referred to as qualitative variables. A quantitative variable can be classified into two types-discrete and continuous variables. Variables that can take values only a discrete set of points are referred to as discrete variables. While, on the other hand, if a variable takes values on a continuous scale then it is known as continuous variables. Number of books in a library, the number of people in a household is examples of discrete variables as these variables take distinct values. Height, weight, age are examples of continuous variables. Qualitative variables are also referred to as categorical variables as they describe a particular characteristic of a data point like to which category the data point belongs. Categorical variables can be of two types: Nominal variable: The categorical variables that cannot be arranged in an increasing or decreasing order are called nominal variables. Nominal variables can only be classified into a particular group. Type of business, eye color of a person is examples of nominal variables. Ordinal variables: The categorical variables that can be arranged in an increasing or decrease order are termed as ordinal variables. Grades that are given in an examination, any attitude towards a decision (disagree, agree, moderate, strongly agree) are examples of the ordinal variable. Two independent groups of variables can be compared using a different test. If the variables are quantitative, then t-test can be performed to test the whether the two groups are independent. If the variables are qualitative, then a two sample proportion test can be performed. The t-test can be used for the test of equivalence of two means of two independent samples. The hypothesis is given by H0: 1= 2 against H1: The means are unequal. The statistic for the test is: If the calculated t value greater than tabulated t value then the given hypothesis is rejected. The rejection of hypothesis implies that the two means are equal. If the variables are quantitative, then test for proportion can be performed. The hypothesis to be tested is p1=p2 against H1: proportions are unequal. The test statistic is given by Z= /s.d S.d=sqrt((p(1-p)(1/n1+1/n2)) Where p1 is the estimated proportion of the first sample and p2 denotes the estimated proportion of the second sample. "n1" and "n2" are the sizes of the two samples. The test statistic is rejected if the calculated p-value is less than the level of significance . The limitation of t-test is that the underlying distribution of the sample is assumed to be normal. If the distribution is not a normal distribution, then a robust statistic like median has to be used. Then the median test can be performed. In the median test, the hypothesis to be tested is H0:me1=me2 against H1: me1me2. In the proportion test, the sample variance is the pooled variance of the two samples. Pooled variance can be assumed if the variance of each group is more or less same. If the two groups greatly differ by variance, then pooled variance cannot be used. In that case, test for proportion is invalid. 2: Box Plot: Box plot or box and whiskers plot is a way to represent statistical data graphically. A box plot is also termed as box and whiskers plot. The lines that extend vertically from two sides of the box are called the whiskers. A box plot is a nonparametric representation. It does not assume any underlying distribution. The Box in the box plot is the space between first and the third quartile. Outliers can be easily detected with the help of box plot. The box plot gives an idea about the spread or dispersion of the dataset. Any box and whiskers plot depicts the following statistical measures: Median: The median is the midpoint of the data and is represented in the box plot by the line inside the box. From the position of the median in the box plot, one can determine whether the distribution is skew or symmetric. Sometimes an additional line for the arithmetic mean is also given inside the box. If the mean and median line coincides, then the distribution is symmetric. Otherwise, it is skewed. Quartile: 75 percent of the observation falls below the first quartile, and 25 percent of the observations fall below the first quartile. Range: It is the difference between the minimum and maximum observation in a dataset. Interquartile range: Interquartile range is the length of the box.50% of the observations are expected to lie within the range. Outlier: Any outlier if present is detected in the outside the interquartile range. The outliers lie between the points 1.5 IQR and 3 IQR. Addition law of probability: Two events A and B are considered. The events are mutually exclusive if the probability of their intersection equals zero. Two events are collectively exhaustive if the union of the two events makes up the entire sample space. P( Addition law of probability states that A1, A2,,, An be n events The events possesses the above two properties that are the events are events collectively exhaustive and mutually exclusive. Then the probability of the union of the events is equal to the sum of their probabilities. Retrospective study: A retrospective study refers to the longitudinal study design of two cohorts. In this kind of study, one cohort is exposed to particular disease and another cohort is not exposed to the disease. The two cohorts are compared to identify the factors in their history that can be associated with the disease. The data are collected from past values. The study is mainly conducted to determine the risk associated with the disease and to estimate the number of causalities from the disease. The risk ratio or Odd ratio of the two groups is calculated which gives the relative risk of the disease in the particular cohort. The Risk ratio is given by the following formula: DISEASE PRESENT DISEASE ABSENT Group1 A b a+b Group 2 C d c+d a+c b+d n Then risk ratio is given by Odds ratio is given by: OR=ad/bc If the value of Risk ratio is greater than one, then, the cohort has a less chance of developing the disease.If the value of risk ratio is greater than one, then the cohort has a higher chance of developing the disease. Same interpretation also applies for the Odds ratio. The advantages of Retrospective study is that it is less costly, less time consuming and could easily be conducted and gives a better comparison of disease between the cohorts. For example, if one wants to compare the oral health status of two groups, an idea about the oral health status of the new generation can be obtained from the oral health status of the mothers. R-squared: R-squared values are calculated to determine how good a fitted model is. The R-squared value is the ratio of the residual and total sum of the squared values. The greater the value of R squared statistic in the case of a regression model; the better is the fitted model. R-squared=RSS/TSS. A good model is expected to have the minimum error. The sum of errors is equal to zero. To make a comparison, squared sum of errors has to be considered. The smaller the value of RSS or residual sum of the square the better is the model. So more the value of R squared, the better is the model. R-squared value does not consider the number of parameters involved in a model. For a model to be good, the model should be parsimonious. For this, another measure of R-squared is developed which is called adjusted R-squared. The adjusted R-squared measure is given by the following formula: R-squared (adjusted)= 1- (RSS/n-k)/(TSS/n-1) .K is the number of parameters. So higher the value of adjusted R-squared the better is the fitted model regarding both parsimony (minimum no of parameters) as well minimum errors. Cluster Sampling: Sampling is the procedure in which only a drawn sample from the population is considered for the purpose of statistical computation. Cluster sampling is an efficient sampling procedure where the total population is at first divided into some clusters and then the sample is collected from this clusters. The clusters are made as homogeneous as possible. Cluster sampling can be one stage or two stages. For example, for obtaining sample of household expenditure from a city, at first, the city can be divided into several blocks according to locality and then sample could be collected from each of the blocks. These blocks form the cluster. Standard error of a mean: The average sample value is an unbiased estimate of the average value of a population. The deviation of the mean of sample from the population mean value is the error. The standard deviation of the mean of sample value is called the standard error of the mean. 3: Inter-rater reliability is used to measure the extent to which two observers agree whether the teeth are carious or not. Inter-rater reliability is used in case of subjective judgment. If the rating scale is continuous, then Pearson's product moment correlation is used. If the rating scale is ordinal, then Spearman's product moment is calculated. For the case of a categorical variable, Cohen's Kappa is used. The formula for Cohen's Kappa is: Where O is the observed agreement, and E is the expected value of the agreement. N is the total sample size. The failure rate is used to measure the extent to which an observer agrees with the gold standard test. The failure rate is given by f(t)/R(t) where f(t) is time to failure of an event and R(t)=1-F(t).F(t) is the cumulative distribution function of t. C.ROC curve is drawn to discriminate between the presence or absence of a disease.ROC curve is drawn by plotting FPR against the TPR. The FPR is equal to (1- specificity), and true positive rate is calculated by sensitivity. Sensitivity refers to the proportion of population with the disease tests positive. Specificity relates to the part of population without the disease testing negative. The area inside the curve of ROC helps to determine the level of discrimination between the individuals with test positive and individual with test negative. The underlying principles of the ROC curve are: The threshold value for drawing the ROC curve influences the specificity and sensitivity values. The threshold value should be so chosen that distribution of test results for presence or absence of disease should not overlap. In most of the cases, the two distributions overlap. But in most of the cases, the two distributions overlap. So the diseased people are misclassified as normal people. Lowering the threshold value will increase specificity while higher threshold value decreases specificity. 4: The mean of a variable that is to be calculated is the sample mean. The population mean is different from the sample mean. In a practical situation, a confidence interval with confidence coefficient 95 for any statistic gives the probability that the value of the mean lies within the interval with confidence limit 95%. That means if the sample is repeated as many times as possible, the probability that the mean value lies within the interval is 0.95.if the distribution of test statistic is standard normal, then the confidence interval is given by the following formula: Ucl=xbar +s/sqrt(n)*z Lcl= xbar-s/sqrt(n)*z Again if the test statistic follows a t distribution, then the upper and the lower control limits are given by: Ucl=xbar +s/sqrt(n)*t Lcl= xbar-s/sqrt(n)*t The t statistic is generally used in case of confidence interval if the standard deviation value is to be calculated from the sample. If the population standard deviation value is given then, one can use z test to determine the value. 5: The following methods are used for analysis of dental data: One way ANOVA: One way ANOVA or variance analysis is carried out to test whether the means of several groups are equal or not in the case of fixed effect model and equality of variance of several groups in case of random effects model. In one way ANOVA, there is only one factor affecting the values of the variable. The one-way ANOVA model is given by: Where yij represents j the observation in the ith cell. is the common mean effect and i is the effect due to the ith group and eij is the error assumed to follow N(0,^2) distribution. The random effect model is given by Yij=+ai +eij , where eij is the random effect due to the ith group. An example where ANOVA test can be conducted in dental study: One wants to measure the performance of five brands of toothpaste that heals tooth sensitivity. Certain volunteers are selected and each of them is given a brand of toothpaste to use. After the completion of one tube, the patients were asked to give a score about how their sensitivity problem is. The mean score from each volunteer is collected, and the mean scores are tested with the help of ANOVA, and the toothpaste that performs best can be found out. ANOVA test has certain assumptions: The error is distributed as normal with zero mean and uniform variance ^2 across all groups. The observations are supposed to be independent. If the above assumptions are violated, then ANOVA test cannot be carried out. Besides, ANOVA can tell only if all the means are equal. If the means are unequal, then one has to perform t-test to compare two means. Survival Analysis: Survival analysis determines the time to failure (or survival) of an event. Survival analysis is particularly useful in case of censored data. For example, if one wants to find the time required f or recovering from a disease then survival analysis can be used. Survival Analysis can be used to study a particular impact of certain dental surgery on the patients. For this analysis, one can study the time to the occurrence of the event(death) of the patient along with other factors. The study can be done with the help of Kaplan-Meir estimator. If there are several factors affecting the time, then a regression model such as Cox model of proportional hazard functions can be used. This analysis aims to study the time to occurrence of an event. It gives the chance or probability of survival from a particular disease. Survival analysis also takes into account the effect of other covariates over time to survival. But survival analysis has certain limitations. The limitations of Survival regression is same as that of ordinary regression problems. The statistical data and real life data are different. So the estimates from survival analysis are valid up to certain extent and may not be true for every case. The error in survival models is assumed to be normally distributed. Another important feature in survival analysis is censored observations. If the number of edited cases is too many, then survival analysis can lead to faulty results. C.Log transformation: Log transformation is used in the following cases: 1.To make the data skewed: Log transformation is mainly used to make a skewed data more less skewed. Taking logarithm of the values, one can compare the geometric mean of the values instead of arithmetic mean. For example, if the brain weight of a person is plotted with body weight then the distribution is skewed as the body weight is very large as compared to brain weight. Plotting the log-transformed variables, the distribution becomes less skewed. 2.Log transformation is used if the dependent variable is discrete or binary and the response variables are continuous. By taking logarithm of variable, the response variable can be converted into a discrete variable. This often happens if the response variable is dependent on some categorical variable. To standardize the data: Sometimes data do not follow normal distribution. Taking a log transformation of the values will make the data follow normal distribution. Log transformation has certain limitations. It is not applicable to confounded data. Data point has to be independent. Otherwise, change is not useful. D.T-test: This is a test of paired sample observations which is used to test the dependence of the arithmetic mean value of two variables. Paired sample t-test can only be done if the sample size of two samples is equal. In paired sample t test the difference of each observation is calculated. Let di denote dit. The mean of the observation is tested to be equal to zero or not. The hypothesis of interest is to test H0: The mean value of the paired observation is equal to zero against H1: not H0.and the test statistic is (dbar/sd) where dbar is the mean of di and sd is the standard deviation of di values. The statistic for performing the test is said to follow a t distribution. In this case, the d.f will be equal to n-1 where n is the sample size. The limitations of paired t-test are that it is applicable when the groups have same sample size. If the sample size varies then, another t-test has to be performed. It is also applicable to datasets that have standard normal distribution. If underlying distribution is nonnormal, then nonparametric tests could be performed. 6: The DMF index is a method used in dentistry for testing dental caries. The dmft of males between 12 to 14 years of age is six as claimed by a certain researcher. So to support this claim a test has to be conducted. A sample has to be drawn from the population of males between the age group 12 to 14 years. Then the mean value of dmft obtained from the sample has to be tested. The hypothesis that has to be tested in this case is whether the mean or median of the population is equal to 4 or not. H0: = 6 against h1: six where represents the mean of the distribution. Or, h0: me=6 against h1: me6. The distribution of the population of males can be assumed to be normally distributed. In that case, one can test whether the mean value is equal to 6 or not. The mean value of the population can be estimated by sample mean. Then the problem is to test whether the sample mean value is less than a particular value. If the population does not follow standard normal distribution, then a nonparametric test for median of the observation can be done. If the population distribution is assumed to be normal, then a test for the sample mean could be performed. Then the problem is to test h0: =6 against h1: 6. If the value of s.d of population is known, then z-test can be performed. If the population value of standard deviation has to be estimated from sample value, a t-test has to be performed. The statistic for the z test is given by: Z=( - )/ where is the sample mean. The test statistic for t distribution is: T=( - )/s where s is the s.d of sample. Interpreting test results: A test is rejected if probability value of the test is less than level of significance. H0 is rejected if z-value is greater than z/2 at level of significance . Z/2 is the tabulated of value of upper alpha point from the standard normal distribution table. In case of t test the null hypothesis is rejected at level of significance if tt value determined from sample is greater than tabulated t value at the level of significance /2 at degrees of freedom n-1. The size of the sample is important in case of performing a test. The accuracy of a test depends on the sample size. The value of sample size is given by the following formula: N = (1.96*sigma^2)/e^2 .here sigma denotes value of standard deviation. E denotes the correction limit within which the value of the mean that is to be estimated.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Introduction Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may be described as the type of diseases that are typically transmitted when an infected person engages in sexual intercourse with an uninfected person. A good and very common example is gonorrhea. It is caused by a bacterium, Neisseria gonorrheae, whose growth is favorable in the warm and humid parts of the human reproductive system.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sexually Transmitted Diseases specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In. women, the bacterium can grow in the uterus, cervix as well as the fallopian tube because these areas have favorable conditions for its growth and multiplication. In both men and women, it can grow in the urethra as well as the mouth and the anus. Gonorrhea has been a very common STD in the U.S. with an estimate of over seven hundred thousand people being infected every year with only half of the infections being reported to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 1980s and early 1990s, the rate of nationwide gonorrhea infections had reduced due to the introduction of a program to control gonorrhea in the mid 1970s. However, after many years of control, the rate elevated once more with 120 infections in every 100 000 population. Transmission Gonorrhea, just like other STDs, is transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person. The transmission may occur through anal entry besides the normal vaginal entry. Transmission may as well occur from mother to child. Engaging in a sexual relationship does not, however, mean that someone will get infected but rather may get infections that are transmitted sexually such as scabies. People who have had gonorrhea and received treatment are at a higher risk of being reinfected once they have sexual intercourse. Most infections in the U.S. occur among teenagers who engage in sexual activities. Anyone that is sexually active regardless of age can as well get infected. Signs of gonorrhea Not all men will show indications of gonorrhea infection. In some other cases, the signs may only take five days to show after infection has occurred. Generally, the signs of gonorrhea infection take as long as thirty days to show. The common symptoms in men include discharges from the penis alongside a very strong feeling of heat when one is urinating as well as experiencing a lot of pain in the testicles. Others will experience frequent urination (â€Å"Sexually Transmitted Diseases† 1). Most women who are infected with gonorrhea do not show any sign at all, but in others, the symptoms are often not severe. Other infected women have non-specific symptoms that are more likely to be thought of as vaginal infections. Just like men, infect women may initially experience painful urination. Other symptoms include increased passage of fluids through the vagina, a painful abdomen and excessive discharge of blood in between menstrual periods.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite having less severe symptoms, women infected with gonorrhea are at higher risks of suffering from other diseases that are associated with gonorrhea. Both men and women may experience rectal symptoms such as anal itching, bleeding and discharge. When the throat is infected, the patient is likely to develop a sore throat. Fever may also be experienced in both infected men and women (â€Å"Gonorrhea Overview† 1). Diagnosis There are different laboratory tests for diagnosing gonorrhea besides a sexual and medical history. Samples from cervix, throat, urethra or the rectum can be obtained and analyzed in a medical laboratory. The easiest and fast laboratory test is the Gram stain test which helps in identification of the bacterium through observation under a microscope. Other tests include culture of samples and rapid test. The genital area may al so be examined by the doctor. An internal pelvic examination may also be conducted in women (â€Å"Gonorrhea Overview† 1). Treatment Both men and women who are infected with gonorrhea can be treated using antibiotics which may be administered in pill form or may be given as an injection. Some antibiotics only require a single dose to be given with only a few taking longer courses (â€Å"Gonorrhea† 1). The most common antibiotics used for treatment of gonorrhea are Ofloxacin and Cefixine. Hospitalization may be where complications have occurred especially in women who might develop pelvic inflammatory disease. It is equally important to inform the doctor or medical practitioner of a pregnancy because there are some antibiotics that should not be used by expectant mothers as well as young people below the age of eighteen years (â€Å"Sexually Transmitted Diseases† 1). Early diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea is important in preventing other complications such as loss of fertility. The prescribed antibiotics should be taken appropriately to prevent resistance of the Neisseria gonorrheae bacterium to antibiotics. Complications associated with gonorrhea When gonorrhea is not treated early enough, the patient may suffer serious and complicated health problems. Women are more likely to experience abdominal pain and fever if the infection is not treated early enough. Its long time effect is damage of the fallopian tube and this can have adverse effects to the point of casing infertility. It also increases the chances of the patient to have an ectopic pregnancy where a fertilized egg grows outside the womb threatening the life of the mother and her unborn child (â€Å"Gonorrhea† 1). Infected men may experience pain in the ducts of testicles if the infection is not treated. If untreated, this condition may cause infertility. In some cases, gonorrhea spreads to joints and blood threatening the life of the infected person. This can happen to both men and women. People infected with gonorrhea have higher chances of contracting HIV virus as well as easily transmitting the HIV virus to other people who do not have gonorrhea (â€Å"Gonorrhea† 1). Prevention The most effective way of preventing gonorrhea infection is abstinence from sexual relationships or engaging in a monogamous sexual relationship. It is advisable for both partners to get tested to ensure that no one is infected before having an intercourse. Condoms when used appropriately can reduce the possibility of an infection.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sexually Transmitted Diseases specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Genital symptoms, commonly discharges and painful urination, should be reported to a doctor and sexual intercourse stopped immediately. Patients that have been treated for gonorrhea should inform their sex partners so that they can assistance from a health care practition er. People that are infected with gonorrhea should not engage in any sexual relationship unless they get cured completely (â€Å"Gonorrhea† 1). As infected mothers give birth, the infection may pass to the baby as well. Conclusion Gonorrhea is a serious disease that can cause health complications which may lead to death of infected persons. It is important for sexually active individuals to take preventive measures to avoid new infections. Having only a single sex partner should be exercised to prevent infections. When initial signs appear, individuals should see a doctor to prevent development of health Works Cited Diseases and Conditions. â€Å"Gonorrhea†. 2010. Web. Gonorrhea. â€Å"Gonorrhea Overview†. 2010. Web. McHenry, Kennedy. â€Å"Sexually Transmitted Diseases.† 2010. Web. Samuelson, Javies. â€Å"Gonorrhea.† 2010. Web. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. â€Å"Gonorrhea – CDC Fact Sheet†. 2010. Web.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This report on Sexually Transmitted Diseases was written and submitted by user Amy Mcpherson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

From Boom to Bust Financial Crisis of 2008

From Boom to Bust Financial Crisis of 2008 Although academic interest in the global financial crisis that began in the United States in mid-2008 has declined as time goes on, it is a brief period in world economic history that is worth remembering and understanding. Although academic interest in the global financial crisis that began in the United States in mid-2008 has declined as time goes on, it is a brief period in world economic history that is worth remembering and understanding. In many respects, the consequences of the crisis have become a way of life; while the world economy is slowly improving, the financial crisis fundamentally changed many economic relationships between governments, financial institutions, markets, and consumers. From Boom to Bust in Six Easy Steps The chain of events that explains the financial crisis is relatively simple.  Naturally, each of these steps involved a large number of contributing factors. As the US economy improved after the â€Å"dot-com bubble† that created a short-term decline in 1999-2000, much of the recovery was directed into residential construction. In order to generate demand for the huge supply of housing, banks, and lending companies began issuing large numbers of â€Å"adjustable-rate mortgages†, mortgages with a low initial rate and with generally less stringent qualifications for buyers; this allowed a large number of people who had previously not been able to afford their own home a chance to buy one, and in many cases, spend more than was prudent for their level of income. WHAT IS FIAT MONEY The expansion of consumer credit in home loans also led to an increase in credit-funded consumer spending in other parts of the economy as well, fueled in large part through loans against home equity; as long as demand for housing remained strong – which was encouraged by looser credit standards – home prices and property values remained high, and consumers could use that value as collateral for additional spending. Eventually, the housing supply reached a saturation point, which under â€Å"normal† circumstances would have resulted in housing prices declining gradually until a supply-demand equilibrium was reached; this would have been partly achieved by lenders tightening lending standards and incrementally increasing interest rates to compensate for lower revenues. Three things made the situation beginning in late 2005 less than â€Å"normal,† however: The lending business had expanded along with the housing market Because the demand for mortgages was roughly equal to the demand for houses, a large number of lending businesses – most operating under regulatory guidelines that were much less strict than for banks – were started after 2000. The problem this caused was a lack of funding; mortgages take a little time, from the perspective of the lender, to start providing a stable revenue stream that can be used for new loans, unless the lender has a large initial financial reserve, which many did not. That led to the growth of creative funding concepts, such as Mortgage-backed securities, which became a hot market commodity In order to fund the lending boom, large and small lenders alike bundled their outstanding mortgages into financial derivatives called mortgage-backed securities, which took a variety of forms. An MBS is essentially a claim on a percentage of the cash inflow from a mortgage or group of mortgages and is generally paid on a monthly or quarterly basis, similar to a bond coupon. Once an MBS is created, however, its value as a tradable security is not necessarily limited to the expected revenue on paper from the mortgages in the pool; prior to 2008, the market value of these derivatives grew to several trillion dollars, many times the value of the properties they represented. The volatility of these MBS derivatives was a significant trigger for the financial disaster, because MBS were traded worldwide, meaning that US conditions were underliers for the entire global financial system. The drop in home prices, which was an inevitable consequence of a saturated market, led to lower revenues for lenders, which began to reduce the value of MBS’s. This created one self-feeding cycle because it led to less financing for new mortgages; it led to another because the only way the lenders could compensate was to raise the interest – sometimes precipitously – on their adjustable-rate mortgages, which in turn led to an accelerating number of mortgage defaults by borrowers. A mortgage that is not being paid has zero value as part of an MBS; in what seemed to be overnight but in reality was a period from late-2006 to mid-2008, an enormous amount of asset value held by financial institutions in the form of mortgage-backed securities simply vanished. The impact on financial institutions meant that, at a minimum, lending became severely restricted, and a large number of institutions failed outright – 25 in the US in 2008 alone. The evaporation of the credit market impacted business and consumer spending and created the deepest recession in the US since the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Financial institutions overseas were not spared, either; large organizations such as the UK’s Northern Rock, Switzerland’s UBS, and the Royal Bank of Scotland were deeply exposed to the crisis through the MBS trade  and had to resort to various levels of government intervention to prevent utter chaos. The MBS problem affected a large number of investment organizations as well, companies and government bodies who held a large number of derivatives as part of the financial portfolios for pensions and retirement savings for workers. MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND The history of the financial crisis is mainly a lesson about the complex – and evidently potentially-risky – connections in global economics. The entire world economy suffered because of an unsustainable condition in the housing market in the US, and the financial products and processes that evolved as a result of that condition. Moves by governments toward better regulation of financial industries, such as the new requirements for financial reserves that will be required under the Third Basel Accord, have largely been aimed at providing firewalls to prevent future financial crises from spreading as far and as fast. In another respect, however, the history of the financial crisis serves as a warning of what can go wrong. In this context, we may find ourselves with some reasons to worry; in some parts of the world such as China and developing Asian countries, rapid expansion of real-estate markets threatens to reach the same â€Å"bubble† levels as what occurred i n the US, and financial markets are beginning to see the reintroduction of exotic derivative securities. Knowing how quickly things can spiral out of control might help to prevent or at least lessen the effects of future financial crises.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Ap World Histroy Dbq

Political, religious, and social factors affected the work of scientist in the sixteenth and seventeenth century in many ways. They were the reasons why natural philosophers questioned, studied, and continued to find new information in their discoveries. Developing a new scientific worldview must have required an abundance of controversy dealing with these important factors. There were people who believed that the discoveries made should not interfere with political power. *Thomas Hobbes, an English Philosopher, certainly believed in many theories’ that scientists had viewed. However he is best known for his political thought. Certainly his political views were included in his scientific works (Doc 7). Louis XVI, a political power, showed interest into the scientific studies. This evidently showed on a drawing to honor Louis XVI’s visit to the French Royal Academy (Doc 10). Clearly, science was encouraged to flourish because people knew the happiness of the country, for not only depending on the arms abroad but for also creating abundances at home (Doc 11). The social factor was furthermost likely to have been more analyzed in scientist works. Many were interested in what people thought of them and their studies. Scientist were even more proficient in removing their experiments completely if people disagreed. Marin Mersenne guaranteed that his experiments had been repeated more than 100 times, but however was willing to change them if someone did not agree. Others however, were confident in their studies and did not care for much criticism (Doc 1). The reason for why natural philosophers were sometimes held back was because they truly did not know what their objective was. This is most likely why they made slight progress in the sixteenth and seventeenth centauries (Doc 4). Religion was unquestionably a factor scientist considered. They took the principles of God into their works. It appeared impossible to them how things could have so much astonishing features and qualities and still have been created out of nature. They knew these things became to exist from an immeasurable wisdom and power (Doc 8). Just as God governs minds, minds have specific laws which place them above the moments of matter (Doc 12). Bible stories were used as comparisons with scientific views, such as John Calvin mentioning Moses who wrote in a popular style where all ordinary persons gifted with common sense and were able to be understood (Doc 2). He is a French Protestant theologian which may be what leads him to trust that astronomy unfolds the admirable wisdom of God. There were those who were not affected with political, religious, and social factors because they were limited on human rights. Women had certain difficulties in the scientific area. Margret Cavendish would have set her own school of natural philosophy if she would have not have feared the casting of a male school. *Margaret, a natural philosopher, was certainly interested in discoveries however, she understood the complications of having a part in this grouping (Doc 9). Studies should have been allowed from those who wished to learn, as well as those who selected to reject whatever is unidentified to them (Doc2). Both genders could have formed a friendship between intelligent associations; this would have been a great aid to the investigation and education of the truth (Doc 6). Political, religious, and social factors were massive topics. Natural Philosophers certainly were aware of their process of studies and experiments. They all had different views on the three factors causing old and new discoveries to be more interesting.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Prison Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Prison Culture - Essay Example Recommendations aimed at removing these distresses so that the inmates could become a healthy part of the free society. Key words: Prison culture, inmate subculture, free world, case studies. Introduction Culture as defined in Oxford Dictionary tells that it is â€Å"the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society†. Therefore the term Prison Culture refers to the ideas, customs and behavior of the prison community. In this world, there have always been two types of humans; either they are free to do what they desire or they are inside the bars not allowed to go their well. Culture therefore also becomes divided into two types; the culture of free humans and the culture of prisoners. The paper aims at describing the later type. Prison Culture is the net combined behavior of the inmates of a prison. The paper has attempted to analyze the prison culture after studying the ways in which the prisoners react. Prison Culture can be best understood keeping in view an expanded volume of gas where there are atoms frequently wandering here and there, with no destiny, with no desire, with no ambition. They are scattered and same is the situation with prisoners. Like the atoms, they have no ideals to abide by. There is a sort of confusion prevailing everywhere. Prison Culture is without a well defined social structure. ... The norms and values of prisons are either not seen or completely different from those of the outside society. Every day inside the prison is the Day of Judgment where everyone tries to get his share not bothering for anyone else. Prison Culture is therefore a totally different culture (Clemmer, 1958). Statement Of Problem Prison hurts the human psychologically. The fact adds to the troubles of the inmates and creates problems in the inmate-to-inmate relations. Prison encourages the institution of government to practice more and more degrading environments. Overcrowding in the prisons adds to the aggressive behavior of the inmates. This is the main cause of the prison culture being poor and weak in the sense. It has been noted that the increased is the population inside the prison, the increased is the ratio of violence and abuse between prisoners and the prison staff. It means that the larger is the number of prisoners, the more aggressive is the Prison Culture. This fact in turn in creases the volume of punishment inside the prison. Public prisons are more populated than the private and the theory is proved that in private prisons, the rate of violence and punishment is quite lower than the public prison (Steiner, 2009). The growth of privatized prisons is yet another problem. This is because of the worsening of the prison culture as regards the public prison. Also private prison is more economical for the state than the public prison. The risk of violence is in turn increased by the under-staffing. Since the increase in staff strength increases the burden on government exchequer, it hesitates to do so and the prison culture is thus influenced (Taylor, 2008). Guard-prisoner relationship is always of extreme importance for the prison

Monday, November 18, 2019

Why should get a good grade A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why should get a good grade A - Essay Example So it is an important decision when a teacher gives a grade to a student. How can you as a teacher know when a student deserves an A Fortunately, you can look to my personal performance over the past semester to see what must be done to earn an A. I deserve the top mark because of my strong work ethic, my steady improvement, and my knowledge of the writing forms featured through our class. My strong work ethic has served me well in this class and supports that I should get an A. Even though English is my second language, I have shown my best effort in my performances. I realize that hearing the teacher in class and working with my peers are excellent ways to improve, so I have been to every class. Sometimes it is easy for students to convince themselves they need to miss a class to work on a project or paper, but I am careful to plan my time so that I can complete my assignments and attend all classes, too. I know that I need to put in time and quality practice to improve my writing, and I am willing to do it because it will give me big benefits in the future. In addition to my strong work ethic, another reason to award me an A is my steady improvement throughout the semester. By making such a steady effort, I have learned much more about writing as a process. Now I know that even good writers practice, make mistakes, and even look back at old pieces and find things they would now like to change.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Racial Differences in the Corrections System Essay Example for Free

Racial Differences in the Corrections System Essay â€Å"According to Black Star Project Executive Director, Phillip Jackson, in 2007 there were 321 African American men enrolled at Northwestern University (1.7 percent of the student body) but four times that number – 1,207- imprisoned at Western Illinois Correctional Center (60 percent of the prison population)† (Walker, Spohn Delone, 2012). This is only one example of the astounding percentage of young black men currently serving jail time as opposed to pursuing a college education. Something must be vitally wrong with our criminal justice system, since it allows these staggering numbers to hold truth. Overall the total percentage of young African American males is almost five times more than that of their young white or Hispanic male counterparts. I find this statistic very disturbing and chose to research the why and how this is occurring. There are many possible reasons such as limited access to public health clinics, racial profiling, unfair judicial systems, racial differences in judges, lawyers, and law makers, poverty, and parental upbringing; to name a few. How do these young men get sucked into a life of crime, do they have an alternative or a role model to seek counsel form? The numbers do not lie and there must be sound reasons behind them. In this paper I will research and discuss the various reasons why young African American males are grossly over represented in the criminal justice and corrections facilities. While the overall white population is higher than the African American population, 10.4 percent of African American men between the ages of 25-29 can expect to spend time in jail, compared with 2.4 percent of Hispanics and 1.2 percent of white men. Throughout this paper I will discuss not only the staggering numbers but also the reasoning behind them and possible solutions or at the very least a starting point to help fix the problem at hand. â€Å"†¦People of color are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system, as crime victims, offenders, persons arrested, and persons in prison† (Walker, Spohn Delone, 2012). It Starts at a Young Age There is more than one reason behind the racial imbalance in the criminal justice system. Areas that have been evaluated are parental involvement, peer groups, neighborhoods, the individual, and racial discrimination at all  levels. It appears that the problem is present in the juvenile justice system as well, something is not working right if these children are not receiving the rehabilitation and or help they need to lead a non-criminal life. Redding Arigo, 2005 state this about the number of African American juvenile offenders, â€Å"†¦compromising only 15% of the juvenile population†¦and 57% of the juveniles in state prisons† I decided to discuss juveniles because I found it interesting that they also represented a large number of the criminal offenders in the juvenile justice system in a very similar way that the 25-28 year old African American males do. Several avenues I researched concluded that African American’s have a harder time accessing health facilities such as metal health clinics, where many of the common mental health disorders that criminal offenders suffer from can be treated. â€Å"As many as 70 percent of youth in the system are affected with a mental disorder, and one in five suffer from a mental illness so severe as to impair their ability to function as a young person and grow into a responsible adult† (Hammond, 2007). It seems to me that if we can stop the current process at a young age, why wouldn’t we? Poverty and Single Parent Homes Walker, Spohn Delone state that 9.4 % of white Americans live in poverty compared to a shocking 25.8% of African American’s that live in poverty. There are thousands of studies that link poverty and poor neighborhoods with criminal activity, both victim and criminal. With a quarter of the African American population living at poverty level it is not surprising that they also retain such a large portion of the inmate population. â€Å"Regardless of whether poverty is a cause or an effect, however, the conditions associated with poverty can work against the development of human capital—that is the ability of individuals to remain healthy and develop the skills, abilities, knowledge, and habits necessary to fully participate in the labor force† (Nilsen, 2007). If people are not allowed the opportunity to reach their full potential often times a life of crime if the only way to survive. The United States Government recognizes that there is a link yet the problem still exists. Yes there are federally funded programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, but the poverty level is still alarmingly high. â€Å"The most telling fact about poverty in the  United States is how thoroughly it is ignored† (Royce, 2009). While there is a link between poverty and crime, there is also a link between single parent homes or absentee parent homes and crime as well. The percentage of African American families run by a single parent, usually the mother, is astounding, â€Å"†¦50% of all black households with children under age 18 are headed by black women† (Bush, 2004). Often times the majority of these families live at or below the poverty level, leading to a higher chance of violence and criminal activity. The evidence above begins to show the reasoning behind why African Americans have the highest racial population in prisons. In addition they often are judged harder and serve longer sentences in jail than there non-black counterparts. While racial profiling seems to be a likely source I found various accounts of whether or not it is a direct cause of the higher numbers of African American men in prison, the problem seems to lie further up the judicial system. â€Å"Young African American and Hispanic males, in other words, face greater odds of incarceration than young white males primarily because the commit more serious crimes and have more serious prior criminal records† (Walker, Spohn Delone, 2012). Even though they may commit more serious crimes, when sentenced next to a non-minority for the same crime, their sentences are often longer. Clifford Levy 1996 of the New York Times states,† black and Hispanic people sentenced for minor felonies or misdemeanors in New York were treated more harshly than whites in similar circumstances.† His statements are based on a study released by the Pataki administration. Higher Up the Judicial System Other areas that may lead to the disproportioned numbers in the jails are judges, juries, and lawyers. Next I plan to discuss the differences in race among the judges, juries, lawyers, and law makers. â€Å"The jury is the heart of the criminal justice system† (Cole, 2000). How can racially fair rulings be handed out if the jury consists of mostly non-minorities? Racially biased judgments could be a cause of the difference in numbers in our criminal justice system. â€Å"An analysis of Jefferson Parish, La., by the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center found that from 1999 to 2007, blacks were struck from juries at more than three times the rate of whites† (Dewan, 2010). In  additional differences amongst the jurors, judges and lawyers are mostly white males. â€Å"Combined African American and Hispanic representation among lawyers was 7% in 1998†¦ There are fewer active African American federal appellate judges today than when Jimmy Carter was President† (T he collaboration the, n.d.). The buck does not stop here, the racial inequality continues up the ladder to Congress, the Senate, and the House. The article Do Your Lawmakers Represent all Americans, or is it Time to Change Congress states, â€Å"The U.S. population includes 12 percent African Americans, 9 percent Hispanics, and 3 percent Asian/Pacific Islanders and other groups. Congress, however, is 87 percent white; 85 percent in the House and 96 percent in the Senate.† If fact black members of the three government bodies above are often times questioned about decisions and their backing status far more than their non-minority counterparts. These numbers back the idea that African Americans face a discriminatory criminal justice system that starts at the top. Unfortunately racial biased is still something that is ingrained in most Americans and until the minorities are fairly represented in the government and judicial system, racial inequality within these entities will still exist. Comparison As mentioned previously African American males face longer prison sentences due to the fact that they commit more serious crimes and have longer criminal records, in general, than white Americans. The racial differences also extend to length of time served, higher rate of convictions and prison sentences. â€Å"The national incarceration rate for whites is 412 per 100,000 residents, compared to 2,290 for African Americans and 742 for Hispanics† (Mauer King, 2007). Incarceration rates are directly affected by the sentencing process. As one might expect African Americans and Hispanics face a harsher time during the sentencing process than white Americans. â€Å"Of the estimates of the direct effect of race on sentencing at the state level, 43.2% indicated harsher sentences for blacks, and over a quarter (27.6%) of the estimates on the direct impact of ethnicity registered harsher sentences for Latinos† (Kansal, 2005). Per the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics in 2007 the conviction ratio broken down by race is as follows: whites 28.8%, blacks 24.4%, and Hispanics 43%. Overall the percentage of African American males and Hispanics males that will serve  time in prison compared to white males is significantly higher. Structural Inequality Based on the information above I believe it is apparent that there is severe structural inequality starting at the top with the government down through to the jurors. How can racial unbiased laws be passed if the government writing them is made up the racial majority. It is impossible to truly understand what it is like to be a minority without living it. Some may say they understand and can make unbiased decisions, but the fact remains that without living the lifestyle this is impossible to truly accomplish, which is why African Americans and Hispanics must fight to increase their numbers within the governing bodies. Next the judicial system needs to be addressed; they face the same racial disparities that the government does. White judges and juries are handing out the majority of the convictions and sentences, including those handed out to the minorities. It is evidenced that African Americans face harsher sentences and longer jail times than their white counterparts. â€Å"Efforts should be made to reinstate judicial discretion into the sentencing process to permit judges to craft sentences that accurately reflect the charged conduct and circumstances of the offense and defendant† (Mauer King, 2007). Efforts need to be made to correct the imbalances that the United States criminal justice system currently faces. Conclusion â€Å"To be sure, criminalizing young Black males and warehousing them in jails and prisons will further exacerbate the problems of racial domination and ossify the economic and social inequities structuring their everyday lives† (Hill Lee, 2010). The evidence does not lie; there are sound reasons why African American males between the age of 25-29 have more of their population behind bars. It often times starts at home and works it all the way up to the top. The same problem has been recognized at the juvenile level. African American juvenile offenders represent with a higher number of their population in the criminal justice system. I found some interesting studies that link mental illness to criminal activity. Many families living in poverty have limited access to mental health clinics, thus a possible source of aggression and criminal behavior is going untreated. Poverty levels are still extraordinarily high and it has been proven that living at  or below the poverty level and in rough neighborhoods, leads to criminal activity. As many as 50% of the African American families at or below the poverty level are run by a single parent, leading to even more family strain and stress. Another area that is giving rise to the above mentioned numbers is the fact that the criminal justice system, itself, has very few minority members. The House, Senate, and Congress also are compromised of mostly white. The numbers do not correlated with the overall populations in the United States. White judges, lawmakers, juries, and lawyers comprise over 90% of the judicially system and government bodies. It is easier to understand why minorities are dealt harsher sentences, serve longer jail times, are convicted at a higher rate and hold a larger percentage in the prison system. With the current system in place and the obvious structural inequality within the criminal justice system, I fear that the numbers will not change. Action must be taken to incorporate the minorities into these governing bodies. The issue needs to be addressed at the juvenile level, by helping these troubled teens; their numbers may start to decrease at all age levels. The reasoning behind the numbers has been laid out, is know by most, and yet is still a problem. It is time to make a change, if not 1 in every black male born today will see the inside of a prison cell and this is not acceptable. References Bush, L. (2004). How black mothers participate in the development of manhood and masculinity: What do we know about black mothers and their sons? The Journal of Negro Education, 73(4), 381-391. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4129623?uid=3739256uid=2uid=4sid=21101002202873 Cole, D. (1999). No equal justice: Race and class in the american criminal justice system. New York: New. The collaboration the legal profession. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lfoa.org/barnone/barnone_collaboration. Dewan, S. (2010, June 1). Study finds blacks blocked from southern juries. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/us/02jury.html?_r=1scp=1sq=Blacks Still Being Blocked from Juries in the South, Study Findsst=cse Do your lawmakers represent all americans, or is it time to change congress?. (n.d.).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

California v Carney :: essays research papers

California v. Carney involves a Drug Enforcement Agency Agent, Robert Williams, who was observing respondent, Charles Carney, as he approached a youth in downtown San Diego. Having received previous information that that particular motor home was being used to exchange sex for marijuana, Williams accompanied by other agents kept the motor home under surveillance (Kamisar, LaFave, Israel, King, p 260, 2002). During the time that the agent had Carney under surveillance, he saw Carney bring the youth back to his motor home, which was parked in a lot (Kamisar, et al., p 260, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After approximately an hour and fifteen minutes the youth exited the motor home. The youth was then stopped by the agents who engaged him in conversation. At this point the youth told the agents that he had received marijuana in return for allowing Carney sexual contact (Kamisar, et al., p 260, 2002). Cooperating with the agents, the youth returned to the motor home and knocked on the door. When the respondent stepped out one of the agents entered the home without having a warrant or any form of consent. Inside the agent saw marijuana, and a following investigation at the precinct exposed more marijuana. Charles Carney was charged with ownership of marijuana for sale (Kamisar, et al., p 260, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In California v. Carney, the California Supreme Court questioned if the warrant less search of the respondent’s motor home violate his Fourth Amendments right to privacy. After his motion to exclude the evidence found in the motor home was denied, the California Supreme Court held that the search of the motor home was unreasonable and that the motor vehicle exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment did not apply to this case. They reasoned that the expectations of privacy in a motor home are more reminiscent of those in a private residence than in a vehicle (Kamisar, et al., p 260-61, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The court was able to some to this conclusion based on the idea that the â€Å"expectations of privacy in a motor home are more like those of a home rather than a car because the most important function of motor homes is not to endow with transportation but to provide the occupant with living quarters† (Kamisar, et al., p 261-62, 2002). The Fourth Amendment protects the â€Å"right of the people to be secure on their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures† (Gpo.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Blue Collar and College

Is College Worth It? Is college the only way to success? If the answer is yes, so why Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are college dropouts and millions of graduated students with degrees from four-year higher education institutions cannot find jobs. Today, a college education does not guarantee you anything. It is not an automatic ticket to get a good job as people believe. These issues are viewed more sharpen via two writers’ point of views Mike Rose and Caroline Bird.Based on their essays, Rose with â€Å"Blue-Collar Brilliance† and Bird with â€Å"College is a Waste of Time and Money†, both suggest college is not the only way to succeed and that society mistakenly overvalues a college education. It is time to rethink the idea about college. By showing that knowledge can be acquired outside the classroom, Rose repudiates that people who spend more time in school, are not more brilliant than those who do not. He says, â€Å"Though work-related actions become routine with experience, they were learned at some point through observation, trial and error. Even if people are not college educated, they can deal with various problems that they face in the work by using their experiences that colleges do not teach them. Rose’s mother, Rosie was a waitress; the restaurant became the place where she studied human behavior, puzzling over the problems. Rose’s uncle, Joe Meraglio, worked in a factory; he observed the factory was like schooling, a place where he was constantly learning. Life experience can teach a person a tremendous amount.True, it would be in a different manner than a formal education would, yet still a very lofty education can be learned through hands-on actives, outside a classroom setting. Everyone is smart on their own level. However, Rose stresses the point that their â€Å"brilliance† is not recognized or, if it is, it is looked down upon by people who are more â€Å"educated. † In the same way with Rose, Bird argues that college is a waste of time because the majority of college graduates do not end up working in the same field as the major they studied.Students waste thousands of dollars for a college education, just to end up with their degree in their hand and with no job relating to it. Instead they have to take classes that have close to nothing to do with their major but are only taking these classes in order to fulfill a general educational requirement. They cannot transform learning experiences to jobs. Bird says, â€Å"Teachers, engineers and others I talked to said they find that on the job they rarely use what they learned in school. † She presents this statement with the evidence of Charles Lawrence, a communications major in college and now the producer of â€Å"Kennedy & Co. † the Chicago morning television show, says, â€Å"You have to learn all that stuff and you will never use it again. I learned my job doing it. † Birds also shows a society's a ssumption that everyone is a fit for college, not knowing that it only comes naturally to a few. Another Rose and Bird’s perspective is that money can be acquired without a college education. Rose shows how Rosie and Joe make money with blue collar jobs. Rosie with excellent management ability on performance helped her earn a lot of tips and good salary.Joe took the advantage on learning about budget and management, he became a supervisor. Those people definitively have a good income. Rosie and Joe are representative people without higher education, but they still get accomplishments and they can define who they are in society. Similarly, Bird states that college education will not help the students to make money in the future: â€Å"if making money is the only goal, college is the dumbest investment you can make†. Bird compares the money that would be spent on education versus money that is put in a bank for interest.Even when the graduates do succeed in having good j obs, Bird says there is no evidence that the higher income is due to their college education as college attract people who are intelligent with good family backgrounds and an enterprising temperament. Most parents are convinced that sending their children to college is a good investment; their children will earn more money. There was a student that really was into cars and was also accepted to Princeton. If he decided to go to Princeton he would pay about $34,181 a year to attend, and when he got out only make $1,000 more than a high school graduate.But if he instead took the money and invested it while working at the local car garage, by the time he was 28 he would have over $73,113. Then with that money he could open up his own business and make a lot more yearly that the average high school graduate. Although there is a huge similarity between Rose and Bird’s idea, there are some different thoughts in their essays. Rose comments that education should not only be measured b y college, but he still acknowledges the value of college. He still has higher education.He says, â€Å"I studied the humanities and later the social and psychological sciences and taught for 10 years†¦ Then I went back to graduate school to study education and cognitive psychology and eventually became a faculty member in a school education. † His points of view which are displayed in his essays are gained not only from his real life but also from his college. If he did not have higher education, he would not have had this essay â€Å"Blue–Collar Brilliance†. On the other hand, Bird devalues college by focusing on money. She convinces readers that college is an investment in order to make money.Therefore, after graduation, students cannot find job and no money; it means college is not worth. She said, â€Å"When most people talk about the value of a college education, they are not talking about great books. † She also claims that college becomes com mercialized: â€Å"They sell college like soap, promoting features they think students want: innovative features, an environment conductive to meaningful personal relationships, and a curriculum so free that it doesn’t sound like college at all. † She gives people a negative image about college.In conclusion, success is the goals which people have set just for themselves. Not to look at anyone or make determination based on social standing. Success in a general sense means happiness. As Rosie and Joe on Mike Rose’s essay and a student who worked at the local car garage on Caroline Bird’s essay, even though they are underestimated on society, they are still success on their path. This is a proven fact that college is not the only way to success. College is just an option. People can choose it or not. It's up to them to decide what they are going to do with the opportunity they are given.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Managerial Finance Essay

You have been at your job with East Coast Yachts for a week now and have decided you need to sign up for the company’s 401(k) plan. Even after your discussion with Sarah Brown, the Bledsoe Financial Services representative, you are still unsure as to which investment option you should choose. Recall that the options available to you are stock in East Coast Yachts, the Bledsoe S&P 500 Index Fund, the Bledsoe Small-Cap Fund, the Bledsoe Large-Company Stock Fund, the Bledsoe Bond Fund, and the Bledsoe Money Market Fund. You have decided that you should invest in a diversified portfolio, with 70 percent of your investment in equity, 25 percent in bonds, and 5 percent in the money market fund. You have also decided to focus your equity investment on large-cap stocks, but you are debating whether to select the S&P 500 Index Fund or the Large-Company Stock Fund. In thinking it over, you understand the basic difference in the two funds. One is a purely passive fund that replicates a widely followed large-cap index, the S&P 500, and has low fees. The other is actively managed with the intention that the skill of the portfolio manager will result in improved performance relative to an index. Fees are higher in the latter fund. You’re just not certain on which way to go, so you ask Dan Ervin, who works in the company’s finance area, for advice. After discussing your concerns, Dan gives you some information comparing the performance of equity mutual funds and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund. The Vanguard 500 is the world’s largest equity index mutual fund. It replicates the S&P 500, and its return is only negligibly different from the S&P 500. Fees are very low. As a result, the Vanguard 500 is essentially identical to the Bledsoe S&P 500 Index Fund offered in the 401(k) plan, but it has been in existence for much longer, so you can study its track record for over two decades. The graph below summarizes Dan’s comments by showing the percentage of equity mutual funds that outperformed the Vanguard 500 Fund over the previous ten years. So for example, from January 1977 to December 1986, almost 70 percent of equity mutual funds outperformed the Vanguard 500. Dan suggests that you study the graph and answer the following questions: 1. What implications do you draw from the graph for mutual fund investors? If I was to draw any implications from the graph for mutual fund investors it would be an expectation that the investors will outperform the market. As with any business the high performers will continue performing and the low performers will be let go. If we were looking at the level of market efficiency it would be expected that mutual funds would outperform the market. It is expected that half of all investors will outperform the market. 2. Is the graph consistent or inconsistent with market efficiency? Explain carefully. I believe that the graph shows consistency with market efficiency, but even the most efficient of markets must be willing to spend on research to outperform the market and even then many investors do not outperform the market. The graph is consistent with market efficiency because if even the highest performers are not outperforming the market, even with high financing, then as would be expected average investors will not be outperforming the market. 3. What investment decision would you make for the equity portion of your 401(k) account? Why? If I was to make an investment decision based on the equity portion of this 401K plan I would choose to invest in the S&P 500 index. There should also be investments made in small cap funds as this will help diversify the portfolio. Small cap funds however are not available as an option so the S&P 500 would be the best choice as an investment decision.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Googles Market Analysis The WritePass Journal

Googles Market Analysis Abstract Googles Market Analysis -2013 economic down turn that affected many companies. The paper finally identifies key features of the company’s strategy in regard to the competition and market share. Introduction Started in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google is a company that has specializes in internet search and advertising technologies  (Google, 2013). The company has diversified its base after mergers; acquisitions and partnerships to include products such as desktop and mobile phones. It has 22, 0000 employees and the leading search engine in the world.  Ã‚   The year 2006 saw the company extends its web presence beyond search engine to other applications. This changed and expanded its advertising revenue base with Ad words and AdSense positioned as major income generators.   After that the company has gone ahead to incorporate various strategies in order to stay head of the competition. It is in this light that this paper examines Google’s performance between 2006 and 2013 analysing its business strategy. Google’s Performance from 2006 until 2013 In the year 2006, Google’s market share was at 59 percent. This translated to an average of 59 percent of search queries that year  (Crane, 2007). Three of its main competitors, Yahoo, MSN and Ask posted poor results, way lower than Google’s.   Yahoo’s market share in 2006 was 24.7 percent; MSN’s was 8.7 percent and Ask’s was the lowest at 4.2 percent  (Crane, 2007). In the same year, Google’s revenue went up to $10.6 billion from the previous year’s $6.1billion  (Google, 2013). Yahoo, on the other hand, earned $6.4 billion in the same year with MSN earnings totalling approximately $ 600 million  (Knight, 2007) and Ask at 2.1 million  (Schwartz, 2006). In 2007, Google increased its market share from 59 percent in the previous year to 69 percent. This put the company’s market share 10 points higher than the previous year, translating to an increment of 2 billion queries every month  (Crane, 2007). Google made $16.5 billion almost 6 billion more than it earned in the previous year. 2007 saw Yahoo one of Google’s main competitors drop below its previous year’s performance; it earned 17.4 percent from previous year’s 24.7percent. MSN and Ask, on the other hand, gained market share to record 9.2 percent and 3.9 percent respectively  (Crane, 2007). Yahoo earned $6.9 billion at the end of the year, 8 percent from the previous year  (Helft, 2007). Google continued dominating the market and by 2008, 69.5 percent of all searches done online were from its search engine. This was 0.5 percent increment from the previous year’s 69 percent  (Shankland, 2009).   This growth was largely seen as at Yahoo and Microsoft’s expense. That year, Yahoo recorded 19.2 percent of the market share, while MSN recorded 5.9 percent  (Shankland, 2009). Despite the fact that Ask maintained its bottom ranking, it gained 1 percent to record a market share of 3.8 percent. In 2008, Google performed much better than the previous years, earning a total of $21.7 billion up $5 billion while Yahoo and MSN earned $7.21 billion, and $2.47 billion respectively. In 2009, Google had increased its market share to 66.3 percent with Yahoo registering a 15.3 percent market share drop from the previous year. Microsoft introduced its new search engine, Bing and upon its debut registered 9.34 percent while Ask came in at the fourth position at 2.65 percent  (Saad Kamal, 2009). It seems that both Yahoo and Bing lost a total of 7 percent combined. Google does not also seem to be the recipient of the 7 percent since it has steadily maintained the same figure with a 1 percent increment. Saad Kamal (2009) posit that this market share is slipping away to a new entrant, the social search. Social networking sites are increasingly becoming popular and especially Tweeter that users can use in asking questions or ‘social search.’ Nonetheless, Google maintained its market dominance in throughout this year with revenue of $23.6 a difference of almost 2 billion from 2008. Yahoo, on the other hand, generated revenue worth $6.4 billion. While MSNâ₠¬â„¢s Bing and Ask came in the bottom ranking. In 2010, the situation was different for Google as it lost its market share by a considerable amount of points to 64.4% percent in April; it later on grew to 66.3 in October (Goodwin, 2011). Yahoo gained to 17.7 percent from 16.9 percent while Bing went up to 11.8 percent  (Acohido, 2010). Despite that fact, Google’s revenue for 2010 went up to $29.3 billion from the previous year’s $23.6 billion. Yahoo reported a drop in its revenue from $6.4 billion to $4.9 billion while Bing earned $50 million  (Blodget, 2010). In 2011Google’s market share grew from 65.3 percent to 65.6 percent, and this is a decrease from the year to year figure of 66.3. Yahoo continued to decline and registered 15.2 percent while Bing increased to 14.8 percent  (Goodwin, 2011). Ask declined 3 percent to 2.9 percent while new entrant AOL claimed 1.5 percent of the market share. Google continued to grow its revenue and in 2010, it reported $29.3 billion  (Google, 2013), while Yahoo earned $4.9 billion  (Yahoo! Inc., 2011). In 2012 Google’s percentage was at 66.9 of all searches conducted. Bing recorded 16 percent indication of increased market share from 15.9 percent in the previous year  (Goodwin, 2011).   Yahoo showed signs of stabilizing by recording 15.2 percent of all online searches for the past 15 months. Ask recorded 3.2 percent while AOL was at 1.8 percent drop from 2.9 in the previous year. That year Google earned $31.2 billion, with Online Services Division that Bing falls under reported $707 million revenue  (Sterling, 2012). Yahoo also remained stagnant with its revenue at $4.9. The year 2013 saw Google drop 2 points to 66.7, and Bing   at 18.1 percent and Yahoo increased a percentage to record 11.2 percent  (Miller, 2013).AOL recorded   1.4 percent. An Economic Analysis of Google   Google’s strategy has   propelled it to the pinnacle of the market and kept it there for many years  (Helms Nixon, 2010). The company has successfully implemented its open source products as well as services.  Ã‚   As the company underlines in its mission, universal access to information is one of the reason its products are increasingly used. Google has a number of valuable open source products including maps, earth, calendars, drive and many other. However the most important is its web ranking   tool, web directory   and the search engine optimiser that have made it most sort after company on the internet  (Redsicker, 2013).   Google also seems to succeed as a result of it quality offering and good customer experience. Strategic Management Insight (2013) claims that everything that the company gives its customers is of premium quality and most important, they are aimed at solving their users problems and needs.   Google is stable financially and is one o f the most profitable organizations. Strategic Management Insight (2013) explains that it has $48 billion in asset and $7billion in debt. This makes it very easy to deter any kind of competition  (Helms Nixon, 2010).   The company has access to the highest number of internet users. As seen in the above paragraphs, since 2006 until 2013 there is no other company that has stood unbeaten in user numbers other than Google.  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has access to 80 percent of world computer search market and 90 percent of mobile service search market  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013).  Ã‚   By 2012,, the company had added over 1000 patents and was ranking 21 in all companies that have the highest number of patents. This gives it a strong portfolio as compared to its competitors in the market.   The company either strives to or has integrated its products.   Google has enabled its products to operate on any system without any challenges. It compares to no other company in regard to product integration. According to the Boston Consulting Group (2013), Google is one of the most innovative organizations globally. It was also recognized as the second patent creator globally in 2012. The company recognizes innovative work cultures as its main assets. Economic Analysis of Markets Advertising market is rapidly on the rise, and this is good for Google. However in the long run this might be detrimental to the revenue collection  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). Personal Computers are on the decline in the market, and these formed that bulk of desktop engine search market. The company needs to find ways of pushing back this competition in order to avoid losing its source of income  (Helms Nixon, 2010). The company is also faced with the challenge of turning the growing mobile device market into money. This is the market that has the potential to grow beyond desktop computers  (Fine, 2009). In addition, the growth of advertising or emerging market is seen in the developing economies where the prices are lower than in developed economies, this is an indication that the growth of advertising will be insignificant to the company in the near future. Google has a number of high quality products that are unprofitable. They seem to add no value to the company , and this is detrimental to its future. Wider Macro Content In 2006 Google launched Google Finance, Translator, and Calendar and announced its acquisition of You Tube, as strategy to expand its market. In the following year, it announced Android, and also expanded its partnership with You Tube. In 2008 Google acquired Double Click and also dedicated a website to the United States Elections. Later in 2009 Google launched Google voice, Ventures and voice search on its Android and also announced Google Chrome. Google on the other hand has not fully maximized its potential to perform better and maintain its market share based on a number of issues based on its strategy.   The number of mobile internet users is rapidly increasing, and this gives it the opportunity to establish an advertisement display platform on such devices so as to open newer markets  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). In addition, the company can get patents through mergers and acquisitions. This will enable the company grow and compete successfully  (Ahuja Katila, 2 001). Google innovative culture has led to its introduction of a driverless car a concept that can be used in a wide scale, in future automobile model. The company though not an automobile company can license these models to manufactures as an additional income channel. Google with the introduction of the Google Chrome book Pixel Touch Screen Digitizer, Google Nexus One and HDMI Streaming Media Player have given indication of its intension to capture the electronic industry. This is a new opening for the company and is receiving a warm reception in the market  (Booton, 2013). According to Strategic Management Insight (2013), Google is currently working on fiber cables that will revolutionize the speed of content delivery online. This is consistent with its strategy of getting people to use the internet as much as possible; universal access. This would integrate the company vertically since it would have no competition in such infrastructure  (Fine, 2009). Effectiveness of Google’s Business Strategy Google generates more revenue from its web based products; this is the Cash Cow  (Shulman, 2008). In particular, its web ranking has made it monopolize the internet business. It is impossible for any online company to operate without Google web ranking and Google has used this product to exert its might in the industry. Most major companies are at the mercy of Google’s algorithm a product that determines the success or failure of any online business. It is the unseen hand that controls all businesses online. JC Penny unsuccessfully tried to break into this system and lost considerable amount of its revenue in 2011  (Fox, 2011). Google took advantage of the increased traffic and web ranking to survive the challenges associated with the global GDP fall in 2012. This was the year that the company made the greatest gain in its history commanding 66.9 percent of all internet searches. Key Features of Google’s Strategy Google’s business strategy might seem successful and one that has seen the company rise over the years, however, a close analysis of this strategy reveals monopolistic business practices. Google is a company that is financially stable and is capable of introducing as many products in as many markets as possible to divert attention of critics. In addition, Google’s greatest asset has always been its innovation. The company unveils new products and technology constantly and this has kept it a head of competition. Google’s strategy has also been a disadvantage to the company; the company has focused on acquiring online companies and grown in that regard, but it has failed to tap considerably into other streams of income.   It is not easy to point at any of its electronic products as state of the art or as a market leader. The leadership’ vision focused on the internet as the basis of its business. Conclusion Google has aggressively positioned itself in the market; it   is continuously becoming volatile with competitors and other stakeholders viewing Google as un fairly taking advantage of its strength to stay at the top. Google has successfully positioned its self in the market and with this coupled with a stable financial base, has been the reason for its success. The company through innovation, continually introduces new products that are instant hits in the market and this will be able to help it dominate. 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