Coke Vs. Pepsi Case Study Essays - Patent Medicines, Marketing

Coke Vs. Pepsi Case Study Control of market share is the key issue in this case study. The situation is both Coke and Pepsi are trying to gain market share in this beverage market, which is valued at over $30 billion a year (98). Just how is this done in such a competitive market is the underlying issue. The facts are that each company is coming up with new products and ideas in order to increase their market share. The creativity and effectiveness of each company's marketing strategy will ultimately determine the winner with respect to sales, profits, and customer loyalty (98). Not only are these two companies constructing new ways to sell Coke and Pepsi, but they are also thinking of ways in which to increase market share in other beverage categories. Although the goal of both companies are exactly the same, the two companies rely on somewhat different marketing strategies (98). Pepsi has always taken the lead in developing new products, but Coke soon learned their lesson and started to do the same. Coke hired marketing executives with good track records (98). Coke also implemented cross training of managers so it would be more difficult for cliques to form within the company (98). On the other hand, Pepsi has always taken more risks, acted rapidly, and was always developing new ad vertising ideas. Both companies have also relied on finding new markets, especially in foreign countries. In the foreign markets, Coke has been more successful than Pepsi. For example, in Eastern Europe, Pepsi has relied on a barter system that proved to fail. However, in certain countries that allow direct comparison, Pepsi has beat Coke. In foreign markets, both companies have followed the marketing concept by offering products that meet consumer needs (99) in order to gain market share. For instance, in certain countries, consumers wanted a soft drink that was low in sugar, yet did not have a diet taste or image (99). Pepsi responded by developing Pepsi Max. These companies in trying to capture market share have relied on the development of new products. In some cases the products have been successful. However, at other times the new products have failed. For Coke, changing their original formula and introducing it as ?New Coke? was a major failure. The new formula hurt Coke as consumers requested Classic Cokes' return. Pepsi has also had its share of failures. Some of their failures included: Pepsi Light, Pepsi Free, Pepsi AM, and Crystal Pepsi. One solution to increasing market share is to carefully follow consumer wants in each country. The next step is to take fast action to develop a product that meets the requirements for that particular region. Both companies cannot just sell one product; if they do they will not succeed. They have to always be creating and updating their marketing plans and products. The companies must be willing to accommodate their ?target markets?. Gaining market share occurs when a company stays one-step ahead of the competition by knowing what the consumer wants. My recommendation is to make sure the company is always doing market research. This way they are able to get as much feedback as possible from consumers. Next, analyze this data as fast as possible, and then develop the new product based upon this data. Once the product is developed, get it to the marketplace quickly. Time is a very critical factor. In my opinion, with all of these factors taken into consideration any company should give any company a good jump on market share.

Charlemagne Essays - Early Middle Ages, Merovingian Dynasty

Charlemagne Essays - Early Middle Ages, Merovingian Dynasty Charlemagne Charlemagne 1. The Merovingian Family The Merovingian family, from which the Franks used to choose their kings, is commonly said to have lasted until the time of Childeric [III, 743-752] who was deposed, shaved, and thrust into the cloister by command of the Roman Pontiff Stephen [II (or III) 752-757]. But although, to all outward appearance, it ended with him, it had long since been devoid of vital strength, and conspicuous only from bearing the empty epithet Royal; the real power and authority in the kingdom lay in the hands of the chief officer of the court, the so-called Mayor of the Palace, and he was at the head of affairs. There was nothing left the King to do but to be content with his name of King, his flowing hair, and long beard, to sit on his throne and play the ruler, to give ear to the ambassadors that came from all quarters, and to dismiss them, as if on his own responsibility, in words that were, in fact, suggested to him, or even imposed upon him. He had nothing that he could call his own beyond this vai n title of King and the precarious support allowed by the Mayor of the Palace in his discretion, except a single country seat, that brought him but a very small income. There was a dwelling house upon this, and a small number of servants attached to it, sufficient to perform the necessary offices. When he had to go abroad, he used to ride in a cart, drawn by a yoke of oxen driven, peasant-fashion, by a Ploughman; he rode in this way to the palace and to the general assembly of the people, that met once a year for the welfare of the kingdom, and he returned him in like manner. The Mayor of the Palace took charge of the government and of everything that had to be planned or executed at home or abroad. 2. Charlemagne's Ancestors At the time of Childeric's deposition, Pepin, the father of King Charles, held this office of Mayor of the Palace, one might almost say, by hereditary right; for Pepin's father, Charles [Martel 715-41], had received it at the hands of his father, Pepin, and filled it with distinction. It was this Charles that crushed the tyrants who claimed to rule the whole Frank land as their own, and that utterly routed the Saracens, when they attempted the conquest of Gaul, in - -two great battles-one in Aquitania, near the town of Poitiers , and the other on the River Berre, near Narbonne-and compelled them to return to Spain. This honor was usually conferred by the people only upon men eminent from their illustrious birth and ample wealth. For some years, ostensibly under King the father of King Charles, Childeric, Pepin, shared the duties inherited from his father and grandfather most amicably with his brother, Carloman. The latter, then, for reasons unknown, renounced the heavy cares of an ea rthly crown and retired to Rome [747]. Here he exchanged his worldly garb for a cowl, and built a monastery on Mt. Oreste, near the Church of St. Sylvester, where he enjoyed for several years the seclusion that he desired, in company with certain others who had the same object in view. But so many distinguished Franks made the pilgrimage to Rome to fulfill their vows, and insisted upon paying their respects to him, as their former lord, on the way, that the repose which he so much loved was broken by these frequent visits, and he was driven to change his abode. Accordingly when he found that his plans were frustrated by his many visitors, he abandoned the mountain, and withdrew to the Monastery of St. Benedict, on Monte Cassino, in the province of Samnium [in 754], and passed the rest there in the exercise of religion. 3. Charlemagne's Accession Pepin, however, was raised by decree of the Roman pontiff, from the rank of Mayor of the Palace to that of King, and ruled alone over the Franks for fifteen years or more [752-768]. He died of dropsy [Sept. 24, 768] in Paris at the close of the Aquitanian War, which he had waged with William, Duke of Aquitania, for nine successive

'The displacement of poetry by the novel suggests that the novel more Essay

'The displacement of poetry by the novel suggests that the novel more successfully reflects the spirit of the age.' Do you agree Discuss, in relation to ONE po - Essay Example Poems today can mostly be heard in poetry readings; so few are its enthusiasts in bookstores. This is basically the question that this paper aims to answer. We begin by defining what a novel and a poem is (i.e. their form and structure) followed by a discussion on the Victorian Era which is agreed to be the period where the novel has displaced poetry. In this section, we will be delineating how this change was brought about. We then proceed to a discussion of one the more popular Victorian novel which is the Great Expectations and the major poems of Christina Rossetti. Then by contextually analyzing the works a decision on whether the novel reflects more successfully the spirit of the age will be arrived at. Borrowing Percy Lubbock’s definition, Dr. Agatha Taormina sets out the definition of the novel as â€Å"an imaginary work in prose of a considerable length, which presents as real certain characters living in a given environment and describes their attitudes, fate, and adventures†. It is a fiction in prose with over 50,000 words. (NVCC Onlie, 2007) Poetry is considered to be a form of art wherein language is creatively used for its aesthetic qualities. It uses particular forms and conventions to expand the literal meaning of the words and to invoke emotional or sensual responses. That is most words are chosen to denote an idea figuratively. This use of words often leads to ambiguity, symbolism, irony and other style which makes open to multiple interpretations. Although our general idea of a poem is that it is a rhyming and regularly metered composition, there are those forms such as Beowulf which makes use of rhythm and euphony. Poetry also uses devices such as assonance, alliteration and rhythm to achieve musical or incantatory effects. The structure is stanza-paragraph where each stanza may or may not have a defined meter length. Under

International Law, law of treaties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Law, law of treaties - Essay Example By virtue of these international agreements, it is possible to ensure joint action for the purpose of achieving common goals, such as the fight against organized crime, extradition of criminals, the preservation of the environment, economic developments, protection of human rights, and scientific cooperation2. For the purpose of this research, Treaty arrangements was made the focus point for the reason of the significance developments in the International law after the emerge of The Vienna Convention on the law of treaties 1969. In fact, the international communities consider The Vienna Convention on the law of treaties 1969 as the authoritative mechanism on the international law of treaties3. With such intensive study, the research will later examine the current practice on treaties by the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and finds out the benefits and limitation of the current arrangements. On the basis of the above examinations, the outcome of this research will conclude the advantages and disadvantages of the current treaty practise in the UK and the UAE, and whether such practice follow any pre-existing models, or was a new model created. The conclusion will result on a list of recommendations for better practice by developing the arrangements made by both states on the l aw of treaties. The first two chapters of this research will focus on the pr... Since then, states and international organizations began to enter into an increasing number of agreements, a number of which were formal and legally binding, and others were non-binding agreements5. This will be approached by first analyzing the establishments of the Vienna Convention, and its parallel 1986 convention on treaties made by international organization. This analysis will take into account the flexibility of the Vienna Convention, and explore how it affects the domestic laws of different states. Furthermore, the research will also analyze the role of the International Law Commission, which broached the 1969 Convention in 1950, even though the Law Commission is not the only organ in the United Nations involved in codification, but it was the only Commission, which deal with the law of treaties as a major issue6. However, it will be necessary to mention that the 1969 Convention did not cover all the issues relating to treaties, such as the treaties concluded by Internationa l Organizations, which are subject to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States and International Organizations or between International organizations 1986. Following the examination of the 1969 and 1986 conventions this research will begin by offering a working definition of the term "treaties" in the context of the Vienna Convention on the law of treaties 1969 and the outlook of different international scholars. This will necessitate an evaluation of the various and relevant elements defined under this Convention. The third chapter will include an examination of the definition and use of binding agreements. Taking this approach, the terms "treaties" and

The Individual Access to Health and Social Care Essay

The Individual Access to Health and Social Care - Essay Example This was actually because of dementia, that she was developing. Not knowing this, she started withdrawing from life. She might have been afraid to walk or talk because she was forgetting the way to the bathroom and the face of her neighbor. Because of her learning disability, she was unable to communicate these problems with the doctors and nurses. This is the key issue regarding our system of health care, which is insensitive to the needs of those who require special attention, like Sarah. This becomes a problem in the society considering the fact that â€Å"the prevalence of dementia among people with a learning disability can be four times higher than found in the general population (Keady, Clarke and Page, 2007, p.189).A patient with the learning disability can have a set of problems related with cognition and corresponding behavior. Hence, definitions for learning disability vary according to specific contexts. For example, psychologists say that there is a â€Å"specific lear ning disability† or SLD when an individual has a â€Å"problem in understanding or in using spoken or written language†. Another definition says that it is a â€Å"difficulty in more than one of the psychological processes involved in understanding or using language in a person of average to above average intelligence† (Boyle and Contadino, 1998, p.78). Some warning signs for learning disability in a child can be problems related with language, memory, attention and motor skills (Boyles and Contadino, 1998, p.66).... This is the key issue regarding our system of health care, which is insensitive to the needs of those who require special attention, like Sarah. This becomes a problem in the society considering the fact that â€Å"the prevalence of dementia among people with a learning disability can be four times higher than found in the general population (Keady, Clarke and Page, 2007, p.189). A patient with learning disability can have a set of problems related with cognition and corresponding behavior. Hence, definitions for learning disability vary according to specific contexts. For example, psychologists say that there is a â€Å"specific learning disability† or SLD, when an individual has a â€Å"problem in understanding or in using spoken or written language† (Boyles and Contadino, 1998, p.62). Another definition says that it is a â€Å"difficulty in more than one of the psychological processes involved in understanding or using language in a person of average to above avera ge intelligence† (Boyle and Contadino, 1998, p.78). Some warning signs for learning disability in a child can be problems related with language, memory, attention and motor skills (Boyles and Contadino, 1998, p.66). The overall consequences of learning disability can be: A significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence) with; A reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning); Which started before adulthood, with lasting effect on development (Corbett, 2007, p.2). As the patients with learning disability are a group so diverse, they need â€Å"at various times throughout life†, â€Å"varying levels of support† (Corbett, 2007, p.3). Hence it is very

Islamic Economics and Secularism

Islamic Economics and Secularism Secularism is the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs. In other words, secular system is based on the materialistic and individualistic views with less socio economic justice and only concern to the worldly matters. Meanwhile, Islamic economics is a system that identifies and promotes an economic order that conforms to Islamic scripture and traditions. Thus, the above statement of differentiation between Islamic economics and secularism by only certain characteristics is untrue as both of them are mutually exclusive. The Islamic economics differs from secular system not by prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transaction only, but it is more than that. Islam is a way of life, and since economy is also a part of mans life, thus, the Islamic principles is absorbed and fully utilized into the economic transaction and practices. Therefore, the statement of Islamic economics as a discipline is nothing more than the secular system without interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind is not valid; and the justification will be discussed here. The justification To emphasize the difference, the following points underline the key difference between Islam and this secular system, in particular, and other social and political systems, in general are highlighted. The first point is, Islam differs from secularisms theories and perspectives in its ideological and doctrinal bases. Islam is a Divine Message with a special conception of the universe, life and man. It basically disagrees with secular views, which have their roots in their materialistic vision that has no religious base, nor any belief in Allah. Capitalism is merely concepts on devoid of spiritual and moral values. The difference between it and Islam is obviously great. Islam has an all-embracing ideological and legislative make-up. In it, no barriers are to be found between morals, laws, worships, concepts and existence. There are significant differences among them in terms of emphasis they place on material or spiritual goals and the role of moral values and government intention in ordering human affairs. While material goals concentrate primarily on goods and services that contribute to physical comfort and well-being, spiritual goals include nearness to God, peace of mind, inner happiness, honesty, justice, mutual care and cooperation, family and social harmony, and the absence of crime and anomie. These may not be quantifiable, but are, nevertheless, crucial for realizing human well-being may lead to a neglect of spiritual ingredients. The greater the difference in emphasis, the greater may be the difference in the economic disciplines of these societies. Besides, in its aims and objectives, Islam is distinguished from secularism on the basis of contents and the legal organization of life. It treats related subjects in separate ways with specific points. The ultimate goal of Islam is to worship and seek the pleasure of Allah. In implementing the divine law and adhering to the divine order, a Muslim demonstrates he is a worshipper. His objective is to seek the reward and pleasure of Allah, the Exalted. Even in the context of economy activity, men should obey the guideline of ethical behavior so called Akhlaq which emphasizes on the real spirit of Islam over and above legal limits. Contrarily, the human objective in capitalist society is purely a materialistic one, expressed in terms of materialistic gain regardless of the cost and fall out on society. Even though there is a sort of analogy between Islam and other systems in certain respects, Islam has its own way and method of implementing its economic concepts and objectives. For example, Islam believes in social justice and so it adopts just principles in distribution and production growth. Capitalism attempts to call for similar concepts, which can be seen as generally logical and which man, by no means, can shun. But in trying to develop the conceptions and implement them, we will find the difference between Islam and secular systems in both method and way. In capitalism, freedom knows no boundaries. In theory, individuals can do what they desire to. In doing so, it believes that the non-existence of limits or restrictions results in economic freedom, in competition and the increase of production. But to achieve a suitable and satisfactory economic level is for all people, makeshift and inexorable laws have to be enforced, based upon such theories as the laws of wages, supply and demand etc. Unlike this, Islam adopts its own methods. It never opens the gates for individual selfishness to flourish like in capitalism. Islam believes in individual ownership, community ownership and state ownership, as it is expounded in the books of fiqh, traditions and in the Holy Quran. In case selfishness and urges of greed prevail, and to prevent exploitation and economic injustice from sweeping over the community, Islam has laid down lawful and moral restrictions related to ownership, investment and consumption in defense of manipulation and deprivation. Besides, Islamic economic takes great emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government in determining a success in economy. The market is not the only institution where people interact in human society. They also interact in the family, the society, and the government, and their interaction in all these institutions is closely interrelated. There is no doubt that the serving of self interest does help raise efficiency in the market place. However, if self-interest is overemphasized and there are no moral restraints on individual behavior, other institution may not work effectively family may disintegrate, the society may be uncaring, and the government may be corrupt, partisan, and self-centered. Example if both the parents try to serve just their own self-interest and not willing to make sacrifices for the sake of proper care and upbringing of children demands, this family may disintegrate and children not get enough love from them. Lack of willingness to make such sacrifice can lead to a decline in the quality of the human input of all other institutions, including the market, the society and the government. It may also lead to a fall in fertility rates below the replacement level, making it difficult for the society not only to sustain its development but also its social security system. Furthermore, while secular economics generally considers the behavior, tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Before even entering the market place and being exposed to the price filter, the consumers are expected to pass their claims through the moral filter. This will help filter out conspicuous consumption and all wasteful and unnecessary claims on resources. The price mechanism can then takes over and reduce the claims on resources even further to lead to the market equilibrium. The two filters can together make it possible to have optimum economy in the use of resources, which is necessary to satisfy the material as well as spiritual needs of all human beings, to reduce the concentration of wealth in a few hands, and to raise savings, which are needed to promote greater investment and employment. Without complementing the market system with morally-based value judgments, we may end up perpetuating inequities in spite of our good intentions through inaction, non-choice and drifting. The other distinction that differentiate between these two is Islamic economic emphasize on the importance of the Hereafter. This is where the concepts of the innate goodness of human beings and of the Hereafter come in concepts which conventional economics ignores but on which Islam places a great deal of emphasis. Because of their innate goodness, human beings do not necessarily always try to serve their self-interest. They are also altruistic and are willing to make sacrifices for the well-being of others. In addition, the concept of the Hereafter does not confine self-interest to just this world. It rather extends it beyond this world to life after death. We may be able to serve our self-interest in this world by being selfish, dishonest, uncaring, and negligent of our obligations towards our families, other human beings, animals, and the environment. However, we cannot serve our self-interest in the Hereafter except by fulfilling all these obligations. This serves to provide a motivating mechanism for sacrifice for the well-being of others that conventional economics fails to provide. The innate goodness of human beings along with the long-run perspective given to self-interest has the potential of inducing a person to be not only efficient but also equitable and caring. Therefore, as a guideline, Shariah is designed as a set of rules and regulations that aims of protecting public interest and the welfare of the people in this life and hereafter. The objective of the Shari`ah is to promote the well-being of all mankind, which lies in safeguarding their faith (din), their human self (nafs), their intellect (`aql), their posterity (nasl) and their wealth (mal). Whatever ensures the safeguard of these five serves public interest and is desirable. The guideline of Islamic economics is in the discipline of muamalat, which presents a framework for conduct in the civil arena. It deals in part with economic functions in an Islamic society but not comprehensively with factors impacting upon economic behavior since it is concerned solely with legal relationships between members of the society. In fact, the goals of the Islamic economics include fulfillment of the basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all humans, ensuring equal ity of opportunity to all preventing concentration of wealth and reducing inequality in the distribution of income and wealth so as, among other things, wealth does not become a means of domination of man by man, ensuring to all the freedom to pursue moral excellence, and ensuring stability and economic growth to an extent necessary for realization of the above-mentioned goals. Conclusion Islam is a way of life. Being a Muslim means one will absorb the whole philosophies of Islam in everything he does in life. So do economics. The difference between Islamic economics compared to secular ideology is not just on prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind. The unique principles that make Islamic economics differs lies on its ideological and doctrinal bases, the, basis of contents and the legal organization of life, the way Islam implements its economic concepts and objectives, the emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government, the value on individual and social reform through moral uplift, and the importance of the Hereafter. Question No. (2) Introduction Worldview can be defines as a set of implicit or explicit assumptions about the origin of the universe and the nature of human life. Meanwhile, from Islamic point of view, worldview is a metaphysical survey of visible as well as the invisible worlds including the perspective of life as a whole, is not a worldview that is formed merely by the gathering together of various cultural objects, values and phenomena into artificial coherence, or can be considered as vision of reality and truth. Islamic worldview is in fact a dual worldview, this world of action and accountability for the actions in the next, while the secular worldview is focusing on worldly rather than spiritual. The core elements of Islamic and Secular worldviews: A comparison. There are a few similarities between Islamic and Secular worldview in general, even though there will be differences if we look in depth. Both are concern on the allocation and distribution of resources and both emphasize the fulfillment of material needs, even though in Islamic economics there is an equal emphasis on the fulfillment of spiritual needs. Besides, both recognize the important role of market mechanism in the allocation and distribution of resources, but in addition, Islamic economics argues that the market may not by itself be able to fulfill even the material needs of all human beings. This is because it can promote excessive use of scarce resources by the rich at the expense of the poor if there is undue emphasis on the serving of self-interest. Instead of some similarities, there are a lot of differences between these two worldviews, and we will be discussing through it here. Firstly, the secular and materialist worldviews attach maximum importance to the material aspect of human well-being and tend generally to ignore the importance of the spiritual aspect. In contrast with this, Islamic worldviews give attention to both the material as well as the spiritual aspects of human well-being. Islam sees both these aspects material and spiritual of human existence as unitary wherein the material and the moral considerations as well as the here (Now) and Hereafter of human life are inextricably entangled. Apart from that, the secular worldview looks at happenings in the world from a rationalistic viewpoint, while excludes religious or ethical considerations. It promotes pursuit of self-interest as guiding human behavior and saw no conflict between individual and social interests. Besides, it makes a distinction between reason and revelation as the source of knowledge. It considers reason alone as its source, including economics. The secular worldview is conditioned by science alone i.e. any subject that goes beyond the limits of human reason is not acceptable. Furthermore, and more fundamentally, the secular man-made worldview can change infinitely at the discretion of man as his external stimuli and attitude change. However, Islamic view does not necessarily reject the role of reason in human development. They, however, recognize the limitations of reason and wish to complement it by revelation. Islamic worldview is based on the Quran and the Sunnah it is has a moral code of conduct. It grants freedom of action within the Shariah boundaries. It also emphasizes on justice and moderation as well as gives priority to social interest if it is in clash with individual interest. Islam invites people to observe and think but within the framework of Shariah. Thus, the Shariah, although flexible in certain areas is not replaceable and therefore, cannot be influenced by any human whim, while, at the same time; it promotes change and aims to influence human intentions, conduct and behavior towards the Straight Path. In addition, the Islamic worldview values reason as a source of knowledge, but in addition it assigns a role to sapience and revelation as inalienable sources. It is not a product of human tho ught resulting from any scientific inquiry: it is a divine direction leading to a unique way of life. It links the life in this world with life in the Hereafter. Thus, the Islamic worldview, although it respects the rational mind, is not confined to the limits of human reason or to observable scientific investigations (reality): it contemplates both, the observables and the non- observables. In other words, material science is the ultimate word under the Secular worldview, whereas under the Islamic worldview it is not. Furthermore, secularism often argue that maximum material well-being can be best realized if individuals are given unhindered freedom to pursue their self-interest and to maximize their want satisfaction in keeping with their own tastes and preferences. In their extreme form they do not recognize any role for Divine guidance in human life and place full trust in the ability of human beings to chalk out a proper strategy with the help of their reason. In such a worldview there is little role for values or government intervention in the efficient and equitable allocation and distribution of resources. When asked about how social interest would be served when everyone has unlimited freedom to pursue his/her self-interest, the reply is that market forces will themselves ensure this because competition will keep self-interest under check. Differently, for Islamic worldview, they do not totally reject the need for individual freedom or the role that the serving of self-interest can play in human development They, however, emphasize that both freedom and the pursuit of self-interest need to be toned down by moral values and good governance to ensure that everyones well-being is realized and that social harmony and family integrity are not hurt in the process of everyone serving his/her self-interest. Looking from the economic point of view, the secular economics claims to be value free, which in fact it is not because not to have a value is itself a value. Conversely, Islamic economics has moral and ethical values of which it cannot brook any violation. In Islam freedom to choose values is restricted, yet it had already been properly aligned in the Holy Quran and the prophets Sunnah. While pursuit of self-interest is the invisible hand that regulates economies in secular economy, Islamic economists mostly reject this view out of hand and equate it with selfishness. This does not seem valid. Islam approves the pursuit of self-interest because it is instinctive with human beings. Muslims perform their religious obligations in their own interest. It need not equal selfishness, especially if Shariah norms were observed. In addition, secular economist claimed that if available resources are scarce they must avoid waste and maximize production. As a consumer they should attempt to derive maximum satisfaction from their limited incomes. Islam is not opposed to maximization per se. however, maximization is value-neutral; what is maximized, how and to serve what ends are the deciding factors. While the profit maximization is the main intention in doing business in secular economy, Islam is aiming towards primacy of justice and social welfare. Besides, while conventional or secular economics generally considers the behavior and tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Conclusion In sum, the concept of worldview that guides and regulates an economy is visionary, contextual, and flexible within limits. The basic differences between the secular (capitalistic) and the Islamic economic worldviews center on the issues concerning the foundation and ideology in the system, reason-revelation interface, the sort of values entertained and promoted, as well as how it differ in economic contextual. Question No. (3) Overview The economic problem is one of the fundamental economic theories in the operation of any economy. It asserts that there is scarcity, or there are finite resources available that are insufficient to satisfy all human wants. The problem then becomes how to determine what is to be produced and how the factors of production (such as capital and labor) are to be allocated. In short, the economic problem is the choice one must make, arising out of limited means and unlimited wants. The economic problem is most simply explained by the question how do we satisfy unlimited wants with limited resources? The premise of the economic problem model is that human wants are constant and infinite due to constantly changing demands (often closely related to changing demographics) of the population. However, resources in the world to satisfy human wants are always limited to the amount of natural or human resources available. The economic problem, and methods to curb it, revolves around the idea of choice in prioritizing which wants can be fulfilled. Concepts of Economic problems There are three concepts that associated with the economic problems discussed above: (1) needs, (2) wants, and (3) choice. Human needs are material items that people need for survival, such as food, clothing and some form of housing. In Islamic point of view, needs comprehend five foundations, namely (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the worlds population struggled for access to basic human needs While the basic needs of human survival are important in the function of the economy, human wants are the driving force which stimulates demand for goods and services. In order to curb the economic problem, economists must classify the nature and different wants of consumers, as well as prioritize wants and organize production to satisfy as many wants as possible. One assumption often made in mainstream neoclassical economics is that humans inherently pursue their self-interest and the market mechanism best satisfies the various wants different individuals might have. These wants are often classified into individual wants, which depend on the individuals preferences and purchasing power parity, and collective wants, those of entire groups of people. Things such as food and clothing can be classified as either wants or needs, depending on what type and how often a good is asked for. Wants are effective desires for a particular product, or something which can only be obtained by working for it. The economic problem fundamentally revolves around the idea of choice, which ultimately must answer the problem. Due to the limited resources available, businesses must determine what to produce first to satisfy demand. Consumers are considered the biggest influences of this choice, and the goods which they want must also fit within their budgets and purchasing power parity. Solving the economic problems from Islamic perspective. The first point is about the concept of ownership of wealth in Islam. It states that all wealth belongs to God, and human beings hold them as trustees of God. It is up to the individual to decide how much of this excess he should give back for the cause of God. In other word, after earning wealth through fair and lawful means, one should satisfying their personal genuine and legitimate needs in a moderate and prudent way. After doing so, they should spend it for the cause of Allah; example is for the welfare of the poor and less fortunate people. Besides, payment of zakat that is obliged to each Muslim gives the same function here. Thus, helping others in such ways would at least fulfill the basic human needs; our first economic problem discussed above. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, there exists no concept of relative scarcity of resources in Islam. The resources available on earth are sufficient to secure the basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) of fifty billion human beings. Such a misunderstanding has concealed the reality that starvation, poverty, and economic backwardness, result from misdistribution exasperated by man-made laws and systems. Proper distribution of resources will be sufficient enough to satisfy the basic needs of human, yet, Islam teach the followers to be grateful on what he has or own. In Islam, public revenue from oil and natural resources would be used to secure the needs of the whole Muslim ummah. The Khilafah would provide public and vital resources without charge to cover the needs of every individual and family, and monopolies that multinational corporations maintain to dictate the lives of the people would dissipate. Its contribution in developing the Islamic societies Implementing those principles discussed above can contribute in development of Islamic societies, as well as for the nation as a whole. When every Muslims contribute with the intention to help others, let say the contribution is gathered by the state, thus, with sufficient funds, the state would be able to provide for basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare to every citizen at a reasonable standard. The state would also discharge all of its duties of state welfare and would set up all big projects for economic development. Indirectly, it would provide employment to all those who are jobless. Besides, the state can performs such welfare activities like maintains social services, wages Jihad against the foreign aggression, maintains facilities like railways, road, waterways, bridges, as well as provides protection to the individual in respect of his life, honour and property. So whatever remains with a person after satisfaction of his needs in a moderate way, he would hand over this surplus to the state. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, teach the Muslim to fulfill the basic needs, and in the same time, must moderate in luxuries. Wealth is a test by God, and Muslims should strive to pass this test by not becoming worshipers of hoarded wealth. By passing this test, will increase ones faith and godliness. In addition, the affectivity with which the Islamic economic systems correctly defines economic problem and secures the needs of every individual, and eliminates all forms of economic and social corruption, would enable fuel for Islamic policy of the state that would enable the Khilafah to easily spread Islam ideologically throughout the world. Conclusion The economic problems that basically arise from scarcity are faced by all humans in this world. Human, by his nature, always has unlimited wants, yet own limited resources to fulfill his needs and wants. Choices must be made in accordance to his own preferences and priorities. However, Islam, as a unique religion, found some ways to control, if not totally solve this economic problems by its principles and guidelines to be practiced by Muslims as a way of life. Cooperation and implementation by the governing bodies such as state can help in the development of Islamic societies. Question No. ( 5 ) What is poverty? Generally, poverty can be defined through two distinct concepts: the absolute and the relative poverty concepts. The absolute poverty is usually associated with some income level required to sustain a minimum standard of living. That income level, defined as poverty line income is often used to determine whether an individual is poor or otherwise. The individual is considered poor if his income is below poverty line income. Meanwhile, the relative poverty concept is associated with the existence of an income gap between the poor and the non-poor. As long as there is a difference in income levels of any two individuals or groups, those with a lower income are considered poor. However, in Islamic point of view, one is considered poor if he does not possess sufficient necessities to fulfill his basic needs in each of the five foundations for good individual and social life, namely: (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. All the five foundations or needs must be fulfilled, and if only one of the needs is not fulfilled, then one is still considered poor. In addition, poverty is also associated with the concept of nisab, which is one of the two prerequisites for a Muslim to pay the zakah. Using Below Poverty Line (BPL), this method functions as the basis of ownership of nisab, which limit makes one eligible for the payment of zakat. Anyone with wealth on or over the nisab is responsible for the payment of zakat. Thus, for those who wealth is below nisab are zakat recipients and they are treated as poor. Causes of Poverty. Several causes that may lead to poverty are considered, as follows: Exploitation of Economy Economic exploitation can be defined as the act of using another persons labor without offering them an adequate compensation. Thus, when the compensation received is inadequate to support life, one is unable to fulfill one or more of basic needs, and this can lead to poverty. Political Poverty can happen when one major party, usually politician or region that have authority or power on decision-making through out the country that often causes development problems. For example, in these situations politicians make decisions about places that they are unfamiliar with, or lacking sufficient knowledge about the context to design effective and appropriate policies and programs, leads to political instability. Interest/Riba/Corruption Unreasonable rate of interest due to loan made can burden borrower. Example is when International Monetary Fund (IMF) donors keep the exchange rates in their favor, it often means that the poor nations remain poor, or get even poorer. Meanwhile, corruption inhibits development when leaders help themselves to money that would otherwise be used for development projects. As a result, poverty can exists when people lives in scarcity due to not getting development that supposedly enjoyed by them. Warfare The material and human destruction that caused by warfare is a major development problem. Drop in average income due to strike in the well-being of the average Iraqi citizen in the aftermath of the war, leads to damages to the infrastructure and social services, such as health care and access to clean water. Agricultural Cycles People who rely on fruits and vegetables that they produce for household food consumption (subsistence farmers) often go through cycles of relative abundance and scarcity. For many families that rely on subsistence production for survival, the period immediately prior to harvest is a hungry period. During these periods of scarcity, many families lack sufficient resources to meet their minimal nutritional needs. Natural Disasters Immediate destruction caused by natural events such as hurricanes, droughts, earthquake, flooding as well as environmental forces often cause acute periods of crisis by destroying crops and animals. Thus, people may loss their homes and properties, and lack of resources even to fulfill their basic needs of living. Developing countries often much more suffer at the hands of natural disasters, because limited resources inhibit the construction of adequate housing, infrastructure, and mechanisms for responding to crises. Prohibited industries Prohibition industries such as gambling, alcohol and tobacco can encourage one to waste their money for these unlawful activities. Worsen situation, one may borrow money in order to satisfy this bad habits, and this can lead to poverty. Role of Citizen in Alleviating Poverty from Islamic Perspective. Being Muslim every citizen has some responsibilities; Muslims in the world are some of the richest. If this wealth is used as per the direction of Allah we can alleviate poverty. Islam as system and way of life is based on collective responsibility of society, ethics and principles. If  we follow it we will be able remove the poverty from the society. Some of the citizens roles in alleviating poverty are as follows: 1.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Zakah- Zakah is the fourth of five pillars of Islam and hence is obligatory on every Muslim, who fulfills the stipulated conditions, to pay. Being a pillar of Islam, it has to be paid and collected whether the destitute and the poor exist in society or not. As such it is indeed a permanent source of revenue for the alleviation of the destitute and the poor. 2.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Sadaqa Sadaqat is a very wide term and is used in the Quran to cover all kinds of charity. It is as simplest as when one gives smile, acts of loving kindness, utters a kindly word to others or even greeting

Peaches Essay -- Literary Analysis, Reginald McKnight

In the story â€Å"Peaches†, Reginald McKnight introduces his main characters, one being Marcus. Marcus is a good guy, but he is described in different ways, due to his confidence and insecurity. Throughout the work, author Reginald McKnight takes great care to illustrate situations and describe feelings and personalities that many men experience. This way, even though Marcus is having trouble controlling himself around other people and arrogant at times, he still tries to be a better person for Rita and for himself. He does this by going out of the country to experience other cultures and enhance his morals. On one level Marcus demonstrates that he is incredibly confident, on the other level he shows signs of being insecure, manipulative, unstable and incapable of achieving change. Marcus’ actions continually demonstrate how confident he is. Whether he is next door or across the country, Marcus always has his eyes set out for Rita because he sees her as _______. While, he claims â€Å"I have had relationships with Black women and Hispanic women, and Asian women† (75), thinking his experiences with other women instantly make him capable of understanding Rita. Because of ______, Marcus thinks such an understanding of Rita would be ________. He is so eager to be with her that he fails to see her as an individual. To Marcus, past experiences are enough to sustain a healthy relationship. According to Marcus, he had â€Å"been through this before† (75) and told Rita she could tell him anything, thinking it had to do with a cultural gap. In fact, Marcus said to Rita, â€Å"You can tell me. I think I’d understand† (75). [What is he referring to here?] His confidence paired with his need for Rita’s recognition and approval makes it appear that his confidenc... ...anipulative, and unstable. In creating a character so confident, insecure, manipulative, and unstable, Reginald McKnight also creates a character we can sympathize with. McKnight created a sense that Marcus was a confident individual, who set himself apart from society, but in doing so, he set himself up for failure. Where the one woman who could make all the difference began to fear him. Once that happened, everything went downhill as soon as Marcus began to dismiss Ritas response at any given point. Whether or not he was fully aware, Marcus built walls around him and avoided speaking about his personal life with any sort of depth. This, if anything, makes us aware that negative remarks and statements can lead to a very negative result. We are forced to form our own conclusion and conform to the fact that no matter how many miles away, one person may never change.

Faith of Children by Proxy Essay

In response to the query as to how an infant can be capable of making an act of faith, which is regarded as being necessary for baptism; Catholics refer to faith of infants born into Christian home, as guaranteed by faith of their parents and sponsors. The parents of such infants have the bounding duty to bring them up as Christians. When such children have grown in the faith their baptism is now given ‘confirmation’. In Mark 2: 1-5, an example of faith by proxy, sufficient for salvation of another is often cited by Catholics. ‘And after some days, He again entered into Capernaum. And it was heard that He was in the house. And so many gathered that there was no room left, not even at the door. And He spoke the word to them. And they came to Him, bringing a paralytic, who was being carried by four men. And when they were not able to present him to Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. And opening it, they lowered down the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. Then, when Jesus had seen their faith, he said to the paralytic, â€Å"Son, your sins are forgiven you. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ {Mark 2:1-5} In this passage, the Lord Jesus offered salvation and remission of sins to a paralytic man, based on the faith of those who brought him to Jesus, not necessarily on the faith of the sick man himself; because he was obviously incapable of professing his own faith. Therefore in like manner, Catholics who take their infants to Jesus for baptism are substituting their faith for that for the faith of their children. Another example of faith of one person guaranteeing salvation for another is found in the book of Matthew: ‘And when he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion approached, petitioning him, and saying, â€Å"Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and badly tormented. † And Jesus said to him, â€Å"I will come and heal him. †And responding, the centurion said: â€Å"Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  And, hearing this, Jesus wondered. And he said to those following him: â€Å"Amen I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel†. And Jesus said to the centurion, â€Å"Go, and just as you have believed, so let it be done for you. † And the servant was healed at that very hour. { Matthew 8: 5-13} Salvation for Whole Household Examples abound in the Holy Scriptures where the faith of the head of a household led to salvation of the whole household, children included. In Acts11, we read about a man being saved along with his entire household after Simon Peter had preached the gospel to them. ‘†¦. And he described for us how he had seen an Angel in his house, standing and saying to him: ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. And he shall speak to you words, by which you shall be saved with your whole house. ’ And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as upon us also, in the beginning. ’ {Acts 11:13-15} Therefore, Catholics take the informed Biblical view that since a whole household can be saved by the profession of faith of the head of the house and consequently all members of the household are baptized including little children, the Bible supports the Catholic practice of baptism of infants. Authority from Church Accepted Tradition The second major source of authority for the Catholic practice of baptizing infants is the accepted practice dating back to the very beginning of Christianity, the Apostolic Church. Right from the earliest days of the Christian Church, infant baptism has been an accepted practice. One Church authority, Origen wrote in the third century AD: â€Å"Baptism is given for the remission of sins; and according to the usage of the Church, Baptism is given even to infants. And, indeed, if there were nothing in infants that required the remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of Baptism would be superfluous. † (Origen, Homily on Leviticus 8:3 — AD 244) The Roman Catholic Church which succeeded the early Apostolic Church reaffirmed the correctness of the practice of baptism for infants and has continued the practice to this day. WORKS CITED Origen, Homily on Leviticus 8:3 — AD 244 The Sacred Bible: The Acts of the Apostles http://www.catholicdoors.com/

Computer Memory - History, Timeline and More

Computer Memory - History, Timeline and More Drum memory, an early form of computer memory, used the drum as a working part,  with data loaded to the drum. The drum was a metal cylinder coated with a recordable ferromagnetic material. The drum also had a row of read-write heads that wrote and then read the recorded data. Magnetic core memory (ferrite-core memory) is another early form of computer memory. Magnetic ceramic rings called cores, stored information using the polarity of a magnetic field. Semiconductor memory is computer memory we are all familiar with, computer memory on an integrated circuit or chip. Referred to as random-access memory or RAM, it allowed data to be accessed randomly, not just in the sequence it was recorded. Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is the most common kind of random access memory (RAM) for personal computers. The data the DRAM chip holds have to be periodically refreshed. Static random access memory or SRAM doesnt need to be refreshed. Timeline of Computer Memory 1834 - Charles Babbage begins to build his Analytical Engine, a precursor to the computer. It uses read-only memory in the form of punch cards. 1932 - Gustav Tauschek invents drum memory in Austria. 1936 - Konrad Zuse applies for a patent for his mechanical memory to be used on his computer. This computer memory is based on sliding metal parts. 1939 - Helmut Schreyer invents a prototype memory using neon lamps. 1942 - The Atanasoff-Berry Computer has 60 50-bit words of memory in the form of capacitors mounted on two revolving drums. For secondary memory, it uses punch cards. 1947 - Frederick Viehe of Los Angeles applies for a patent for an invention that uses magnetic core memory. Magnetic drum memory is independently invented by several people: An Wang invented the magnetic pulse controlling device, the principle upon which magnetic core memory is based.Kenneth Olsen invented vital computer components, best known for Magnetic Core Memory Patent No. 3,161,861 and as being the co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation.Jay Forrester was a pioneer in early digital computer development and invented random-access, coincident-current magnetic storage. 1949 - Jay Forrester conceives the idea of magnetic core memory as it is to become commonly used, with a grid of wires used to address the cores. The first practical form manifests in 1952-53 and renders obsolete previous types of computer memory. 1950 - Ferranti Ltd. completes the first commercial computer with 256 40-bit words of main memory and 16K words of drum memory. Only eight were sold. 1951 - Jay Forrester files a patent for matrix core memory. 1952 - The EDVAC computer is completed with 1024 44-bit words of ultrasonic memory. A core memory module is added to the ENIAC computer. 1955 - An Wang was issued U.S. patent #2,708,722 with 34 claims for magnetic memory core. 1966 - Hewlett-Packard releases their HP2116A real-time computer with 8K of memory. The newly formed Intel starts to sell a semiconductor chip with 2,000 bits of memory. 1968 - USPTO grants patent 3,387,286 to IBMs Robert Dennard for a one-transistor DRAM cell. DRAM stands for Dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory) or Dynamic Random Access Memory. DRAM will become the standard memory chip for personal computers replacing magnetic core memory. 1969 - Intel begins as chip designers and produces a 1 KB RAM chip, the largest memory chip to date. Intel soon switches to being notable designers of computer microprocessors. 1970 - Intel releases the 1103 chip, the first generally available DRAM memory chip. 1971 - Intel releases the 1101 chip, a 256-bit programmable memory, and the 1701 chip, a 256-byte erasable read-only memory (EROM). 1974 - Intel receives a U.S. patent for a memory system for a multichip digital computer. 1975 - Personal consumer computer Altair released, it uses Intels 8-bit 8080 processor and includes 1 KB of memory. Later in the same year, Bob Marsh manufacturers the first Processor Technologys 4 kB memory boards for the Altair. 1984 - Apple Computers releases the Macintosh personal computer. It is the first computer that came with 128KB of memory. The 1 MB memory chip is developed.

Free Essays on Educational Pratices in Colonial America

America prides itself on the fact that every child in this nation is entitled to a free and well rounded education. This was not always the case. The establishment of schooling systems within America, was an evolutionary process. Each region in the country began with a system which suited them, whether that meant that children only learned what was necessary for survival or just basic reading and writing. Eventually, America began to realize that its children needed to educated. It then became a public issue, and the emergence of institutionalized learning centers originated. This still did not ensure that all children were educated, especially when it came to girls. Up until the aftermath of the American Revolution, education for girls was not a priority and not deemed very important. Only with the new ideology that emerged from that war, did the amendment of women’s educational rights become considerable. Very few colonial children received formal educations in the early years. â€Å"As members of the family workforce, children were vocational apprentices of the parent of their own sex: fathers trained sons in agriculture or in the family trade, while mothers taught housewifery to their girls.† Children were to be prepared for the immediate world of their upbringing, if reading and writing skills were not needed to tend to tobacco, then they were last to be taught. The attitude that prevailed, consisted of the idea that book learning, as a part of educational preparation for those headed for a career in the family trade or for girls destined to be housewives, was audacious, although this form of learning may have been present. However, male children were more likely to be literate and possess a variety of training in comparison to their sisters, who usually only acquired skills through everyday life activities. Often neighbors (usually a indigent widow) would teach children reading, writing and spelling, due to par... Free Essays on Educational Pratices in Colonial America Free Essays on Educational Pratices in Colonial America America prides itself on the fact that every child in this nation is entitled to a free and well rounded education. This was not always the case. The establishment of schooling systems within America, was an evolutionary process. Each region in the country began with a system which suited them, whether that meant that children only learned what was necessary for survival or just basic reading and writing. Eventually, America began to realize that its children needed to educated. It then became a public issue, and the emergence of institutionalized learning centers originated. This still did not ensure that all children were educated, especially when it came to girls. Up until the aftermath of the American Revolution, education for girls was not a priority and not deemed very important. Only with the new ideology that emerged from that war, did the amendment of women’s educational rights become considerable. Very few colonial children received formal educations in the early years. â€Å"As members of the family workforce, children were vocational apprentices of the parent of their own sex: fathers trained sons in agriculture or in the family trade, while mothers taught housewifery to their girls.† Children were to be prepared for the immediate world of their upbringing, if reading and writing skills were not needed to tend to tobacco, then they were last to be taught. The attitude that prevailed, consisted of the idea that book learning, as a part of educational preparation for those headed for a career in the family trade or for girls destined to be housewives, was audacious, although this form of learning may have been present. However, male children were more likely to be literate and possess a variety of training in comparison to their sisters, who usually only acquired skills through everyday life activities. Often neighbors (usually a indigent widow) would teach children reading, writing and spelling, due to par...

LLC manager and LLC member Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LLC manager and LLC member - Research Paper Example If a LLC is managed by a manager the decision making responsibility falls in the hand of the individual who has been elected by the members as a manager. The members can choose a manager from within the group of the members of the company or they can even opt for an individual who is not a member of the company. Individuals who are elected as managers for an LLC are responsible to act and make decisions carefully and present utmost loyalty, these duties of a manager of LLC are recognized as fiduciary duties and these duties are similar to the duties that are performed by corporate directors. Members within an LLC can determine the voting policy and the voting rights of the members of the company, according to ULLCA, the voting rights of the members is dependant on their investment in the company and voting policy states that a decision can be made with the aid of the majority votes (Batman, 2011,

Mechthild of Magdeburg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mechthild of Magdeburg - Essay Example Mysticism is the experiential core of spirituality, contrasted with religion, which is an organized assembly of rituals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mechthild’s level of spirituality is god-ordained. With this perspective, she is eminently suited to tread the path of spirituality. She gives up the secular comforts with the intention to become a Beguine at Mageleburg in 1230. She is trained in spirituality by Dominicans, who excel in austerities, engage in extensive prayers and hard mortification. She has profound divine experiences often, and she is totally free from the secular confusions and her inner self is one with Divinity. In 1270 she associates with Cistercian nuns at Helfta, and continues with them for the rest of her life. She has written a great book that contains the details of her inner experiences and visions. The name of the book, as ordained by God is "Light of my divinity, flowing into all hearts that live without guile". Mechthild begins writing it in 1250 and completes the 6th volume at Magdeburg in 1264.She adds the 7th volume at Helfta. That Mechthild, one of the greatest medieval mystic, was marginalized in her times by a male-dominated Western Culture was true. Women were marginalized in all sections of the society and spirituality was no exception. Carol L.