Monday, September 30, 2019

Exercise for Specific Groups

Product a leaflet which describes (Pl) the provision of exercise or 3 of the target groups you have studied: disabled people, antenatal, postnatal, older adults, children etc. The three gym sectors are Public local government which leisure centre Gym, Desires Gym, Southwest Gym etc. Another sector is the private provision which includes nationwide gyms such as DEW Sports Gym, Pure Gym, Oasis and Bayonets Gym. The final sector in the voluntary sector which may Just be a local Samba class this class will have very little cost involved and is not there to gain masses of profit.Before I research what each provision has to offer for the specific ropes I can have a rough idea for what they may offer. The gyms that are ran by the government may have a wider variety of classes as the government want everybody to get involved and they will employ people and invest money into getting a healthier population and include all groups in their classes to target all groups. Whereas private gyms are n ationwide and will have a lot of customers.They may look to offer classes towards wherever there is the most profit as they don't have government money so they can invest as much into specific groups if they can't get the customers, forever due to them having a lot of customers already from specific groups they may set up a proper class to meet their needs. The voluntary sector will have less money to fund the classes so they may only have a couple of classes or even Just one that can involve every if possible or the widest target area so they might be more of a struggle to find classes for specific groups.Pre Natal Women are restricted from how much exercise they can do and what type of exercise they can do. Many women may already go to the gym before they are pregnant so they will wish to continue their exercise and will want to look for classes that can suit their needs and not put them in any danger of damaging and injuring themselves whilst pregnant.. However other pre natal wo men may not have been to the gym before however they may want to start going to the gym while they are pregnant to keep them fit rather than Just sat down doing no exercise.It will be better for the baby which may attract them to use the gym and find out what classes there are at the gym. I am going to look at a variety of gyms from different sectors to find out what they can offer. All gyms have different aims and objectives and I will try to find out if any of the gyms have any aims to achieve through working with pre natal women. The benefits mean pre natal women will want to get into exercise and want to know what is available for them. DEW Sports Gym is a Private provision gym and is not involved or funded by any government.This gym doesn't advertise any specific exercise groups however they offer a wide range of group exercises. Not all classes would be available for pre natal women however there is some they will be able to take part in due to their condition. The exercises t hey can take part in are Palates and Aqua sessions. The majority of the sessions are in the 10:00 – 17:00 time slot which could be a problem as they may work through until the late stages of their pregnancy and the gym sessions are inside mainstream working hours.As these classes are not for specific groups the price of the class is included in your gym membership at the gym which is priced at EYE. O for a full membership including peak and off peak hour's access. Whereas Bloodworm gyms time slots for exercises classes that can involve pre natal women are in the evening making it easier for pre natal women to attend in case they have mainstream working ours. Here is a part of their timetable which shows both the Palates and Yoga classes that are available: no gym included and they usually only deliver one specific class.A popular example of this is Samba classes as they are often ran outside of gyms in leisure centers or village halls. For pre natal women I have found one cla ss in the local area called ‘Fit Bumps Fit Mums' they deliver pre natal yoga classes and Palate's classes. This class is designed specifically for pre natal women. In my opinion this is the best option for pre natal women in the local area as it is specific to them. They have evening sessions at SST Thomas church hall, they also have a session at west Knots collage.The sessions have to be paid for 6 weeks in advance and the cost is EYE. O this means it is roughly E each session which could be seen as more expensive however if you pay for a gym membership and use it once a week then you pay around EYE for 6 weeks' worth of membership. So it is near enough Just as much as gym session however it is much more specific exercise group with other people in the same situation, this gives pre natal women a chance to mix with each other and meet and socialist with new friends. All participants will be at the same level as well.Whereas at a gym there will be normal fit people taking part sop you may struggle to keep up with them. Post Natal Women will be going through a stage trying to get rid of their baby fat. Women on average should usually wait 6 Weeks before getting back into regular exercise, this will differ depending on how much exercise you took part in before child birth. For the women who attended the gym during pregnancy then they will wish to carry on specific classes as they will still be restricted certain types and mounts of exercise.For the women who didn't already attend the gym before or during pregnancy then they will defiantly not want to free train they will want a class specific to them so they can get their fitness back and continue with their normal lifestyle. I will research what each gym from different sectors has to offer and compare what gym would be the most suitable for post natal women. This will be the gym with the best classes for these specific groups with targets to improve that specific area and also if there is a choice we will look at what gyms have better more accessible facilities and which gym that you get best value of money from.For Post natal women the voluntary sector again offers good classes, the same voluntary provision ‘Fit Bumps Fit Mums' which continue on after the pregnancy they do a '21 day plan' ran through an online programmer accessible by their private Backbone group. The programmer includes 21 days' worth of workouts that can be done at home. I believe this is a good idea as it means they don't have to go straight back to exercise in a gym where they may feel like they are behind which will be depressing for them.The online programmer costs EYE 1 believe this an extremely good price as you would pay more for a gym membership and wouldn't even go 21 days in one month. They offer online motivation and can be done whenever best for you and you won't have to travel this will suit post natal women as they will have babies that they won't be able to go to a gym with them this makes it much more suitable for their situation. Elderly People Being active can play an important part in both positive ageing and reducing frailty, helping to reduce the risk of falls. It can help older people maintain their health, well- deteriorate as a natural part of ageing.Weakened muscles are not as strong to cope with everyday tasks such as getting up from a chair or walking, and people's balance can be affected. Being active throughout life and especially in older age can help to slow down the rate that muscles deteriorate. This can help older people remain active and independent as long as possible and also reduce the risk of falls in later life. Not all older people have the same needs. For older people who are reasonably healthy and active or whose function has only slightly declined, lots of different activities can help them to remain strong, for as long as possible.For older people it is recommended to get a GAP referral so that you can be referred to a fitness group/ gym th at know exactly how to deal with your needs to prevent injury or damage but still improve your fitness. People who are out of shape or elderly should start aerobic training gradually. For example, they may start with 5 – 10 minutes of low-impact aerobic activity every other day and build toward a goal of 30 minutes per day, three to seven times a week. Swimming is an ideal exercise for many elderly people and or certain people with physical limitations.People with physical limitations include pregnant women. At DEW Fitness there are many classes available to suit the needs of older people such as Palates, Yoga and Aqua aerobics. All these classes are free when signed on to a gym membership wherever it is a monthly or yearly membership contract. Membership contracts at DEW fitness for seniors is EYE. 95 if you wish to may monthly or IEEE. 40 for a upfront yearly cost with offers such as 2 months free and Join before 30th November and don't start payment until 1st January.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

DFA’s investment portfolio Essay

Identify the sources of value DFA is providing its investors DFA creates different value to its customers. For Registered Investment Advisor, the value was the educative access to top researchers who were developing innovative theories and empirical analyses. For high-net-worth individuals, it is low management fee as the services are provided through RIA. For other investors, the value is high performance of portfolio it manages. The sources of values DFA managed to create come from: – Close relationship with prominent academics, who also have stake in DFA. The academic research has played crucial role in the performance of DFA’s investment portfolio and brought substantial return to its customers over a long period of time. – Reputation of the DFA in small cap market help the firm reduce transaction cost, pick and choose the right stock to invest, contributing to positive return for its customers. 8. What are some of the trading costs associated with small, value stocks? How does DFA manage these potential trading frictions? Given the fact that small and value stocks have lower liquidity compared to large and growth stock, transaction of small and value stock is more difficult. There are some trading costs associated with them: – When investment fund wants to buy small and value stocks in open market, their price will go up very quickly. This increase in price will negatively affect the next purchase of the same stock of the investment fund. DFA instead of going to the market and bid for stock, it absorbs the selling demand from the others. By taking a large part of stock, it can even obtain a discount on the stock purchase. – Once the investment fund owns an amount of a certain stock, the future sales of stock to the market may pose some pressure on the price of stock. DFA when buying stock from seller would try to make sure that it take the whole position of th e seller so that it avoids the scenario when the seller sells the other part to the market and the price of stock goes down immediately after DFA buys it. – Same applied when the fund tries to sell its stock. If investment fund sells a large block of stock, the price of stock will be pushed down. To avoid this transaction cost DFA normally offers small amounts of stock to the market each day. It takes more time to sell out but the price of stock will be maintained. 12. Likewise, throughout the 1990s, growth stocks outperformed value stocks. Hence, should DFA reconsider its current strategy? What if growth continues to outperform value over the next five years. Would your answer change?  Again, how would you explain the poor performance of the fund to your clients? Although the growth stock outperformed value stocks in 1990s thanks to the high-tech boom, DFA should not reconsider its current strategy because of the following reasons: -Looking at a long period of time (from 1926 to 2004), despite some up and down, value stock still outperform growth stock (Tim’s calculation) -DFA’s philosophy of investment has been based upon market efficient. And according to market efficient theories, the higher return of growth stock given the lower level of risk compared to value stock will go away as people start to chase growth stock. Switching to growth stock will not help DFA to make sustainable return. Even though the growth stock continues to outperform for the next five years, our answer would not change. The growth stock cannot outperform the value stock for too long because it has lower level of risk. Value stock will soon bounce back in terms of return soon. 14. What future strategies would you recommend DFA pursue? Make a specific recommendation, and justify it. Should they abandon/modify/maintain their current size and value strategies? Should they explore other interesting anomalies and adopt similar strategies?

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Privacy of Information and Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Privacy of Information and Advertising - Essay Example the FatAway Inc. has launched a product line that is so far trusting with respect to the product specifications and the claims that it says. And to market it, manager believes that the best idea is to select the fattest people in Australia and use them as spokespersons or as reference persons in their ads. For this manager needs to probe into the databases of companies that maintain statistics related to the fat people in Australia. In this situation we can say that the manager's company is the sponsoring client (or the user of the data) and the companies maintaining databases are the researchers. Now, manager sees that the data probably might be easily available about the heavy weighted people; but the problem lies in the intrusion of someone else's personal life and the respondent probably has given his personal profile for some other purpose, and to use it for a third purpose might not be liked by him. And even if the respondents agree to the proposal of acting as sales person then too they might not be aware of the future emotional consequences that might occur to them and then they would not have any option. As the technology emerges it brings with it new and creative ways of information sharing. Companies have also shifted their business orientation from production to provision of knowledge. And hence we see growing number of companies maintaining databases, and also government organizations maintain data with respect to the population demographics etc. This data is collected for specific purposes. But as we move forward issues concerning intrusion of privacy are enhanced; since individuals are too cautious about their personal lives and the style with which they live. Accordingly, no one has any right to say or dig into the reason why someone is fat, since he or she has no concern. This case explores the same idea. Ethical issue or dilemma in the case Firstly, manager (user of the data) sees that obtaining data about weight and height of client is intrusion of privacy and since in the western countries especially collecting and giving out of data is considered serious violation of privacy. Next, the data might be available with a third party (the researcher) and the researcher is ready to sell the data but data might have been collected for some other purpose and thus using it for some other reason might not be right. Third, the subjects i.e. the fat people might agree to participate and act as the spokesperson and participate in the advertising campaign for the company. But this may embarrass them in the future and bound them to work for the company even if they later realize that they don't like working in the ad or made public about their weakness i.e. being fat. Prevailing community or the societal attitudes of the person may not allow him to such a behaviour. Solutions to the case Solution 1: First and foremost the general business ethics of the company maintaining databases and their privacy policy should be analysed. If they have the right to use the respondents' information in any way and context with the prior permission of the client, then only the data should be used. And this is most required in situations when the certificate of confidentiality has been given by the respondents. Solution 2: Moreover, to avoid any future embarrassment and humiliation for the potential spokesperson they should be

Friday, September 27, 2019

Art and cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art and cinema - Essay Example llock focuses on a more personal and fanciful aspect as it creates a somewhat fictional account of the early life and influences that helped to develop Pollock in the way that he did. A heavy focus upon his alcoholism and the level of psychological trauma he suffered as a tortured genius is specifically engaged. Although this might in fact be true, the effect that such a representation has is first and foremost engaged for dramatic effect. Finally, the third film, Who the Fuck is Jackson Pollock, is an adventure film told with on the backdrop of Pollock’s life and contribution to art. Although it should not be dismissed, this particular film cannot be viewed as authoritative as Pollock is only an â€Å"aside† to the actual intrigue and primary interest of â€Å"finding lost treasure† that pervades the film. By means of comparison and contrast to one of the clips that was viewed as compared to one of the films that was viewed for this section, the two that have been chosen are â€Å"F is for Fake† and â€Å"Who the Fuck is Jackson Pollock†. The first film focuses upon the fact that the world of art forgery is a developed industry; leveraging the â€Å"artistic† abilities of master forgers who are able to adequately mimic the techniques, colors, patterns, and approach that well-known and highly sought after experts were responsible for crafting. By mean of comparison, â€Å"Who the Fuck is Jackson Pollock† depicts a much more magical interpretation of artwork as something that only Pollock could have been responsible for. The differential between these two has to do with the fact that one assumes that Pollock must be the master painter of the artwork in question; whereas the other clip maintains the fact that even some of the most convincing pieces are in fact forgeries. Henri Cartier Besson’s â€Å"Images a la Sauvette† engages the reader with the understanding that art, whether photographic or within some other genre, must not specifically be engaged in the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Films and the rating system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Films and the rating system - Essay Example But have you ever wondered what differentiates or rather categorize these movies apart from the storyline, filmmakers, studios and cast? Have you ever thought as a common man, whether a particular movie is suitable for their kids? Or how do you decide, whether the content of a particular movie is viewable for all? Here comes the importance of ratings. Now, when I say ratings, it does not have anything to do with the critics’ ratings or the reviews. By issuing a rating, the body which issues these ratings seeks to inform parents of the level of certain aspects and contents found in a particular movie. It may include certain level of violence, sex, drugs, language, thematic material, adult activities, etc. that are not suitable for all kinds of viewers. Despite all the strict norms for rating a movie based on these conditions, most big budget films get away with the adult contents and get rated as either PG or PG 13 even when they exhibit contents that can actually rate them as R. It is also a sad fact that the low profile and low budget movies get hard rated even when they don’t deserve such ratings. This paper makes an analysis of why big budget movies get away with the adult content compared to the strict rating exercised on low profile movies. In addition to this, a brief explanation of the rating system and its evolution is also covered through. Rating System and Transition Evolution and Transition: It was in 1922 that the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) started issuing ratings for motion pictures. MPAA is a voluntary system. As such not all movies are rated by them. Movies that are submitted to MPAA for ratings get through the process. Since it is a voluntary system it is not enforced by law, however, almost all the movie theatres will not screen an unrated domestic films and most of the big gun studios have come to a consensus that it would submit all its titles for ratings before the theatrical release. A lack of a uniform body to rate movies affected the filmmakers prior to establishment of MPAA; this led to the formation of MPAA in 1922. MPAA rated the movies based on a general production code administration which was popularly known as, ‘The Hays Code.’ It was a strict and stringent rating system, due to which it lost its prominence in 1966. It was the time when America was open to ‘Frankness and Openness.’ In 1968, came the new rating system which we follow till today. The new system was developed not to approve or reject a motion picture. Instead of this, an independent ratings body would advise or warn the parents to let them know if they are suitable for their children. â€Å"It’s the parents’ discretion whether to allow them to watch the movie or not.† (Soriano, 2011) Even this system was 100% voluntary. The ratings are done by an independent board comprising of parents who have no past affiliation to the movie business whatsoever. The board will compr ise of 8 to 13 parents whose kids fall into the age group of 5-17. â€Å"Their job was to simply rate the motion pictures as they believe a majority of American parents would rate it.† (MPAA, 2011) Ratings: A movie is rated by MPAA based on factors such as language, sex, violence, drug usage and certain other themes and situations which they believe would be of significant concern to most parents. The different types of ratings are G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17. ‘G’ stands for ‘

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Urban Clothing Retail Store Business Plan Essay

Urban Clothing Retail Store Business Plan - Essay Example Converse Texas currently maintains a total population of 18,110 individuals, which is a 54 percent increase from 2000 (city-data.com, 2012). This represents a substantially growing market that continues to improve in population density, thereby attracting a variety of new potential customers, due to improvements in job infrastructure and job availability. To the advantage of Urban Clothing, the median income per household is considerably above the national average at $49,396 per year (city-data.com). Of the total population, Converse Texas maintains 31 percent under the age of 18 and 33.9 percent between 25 and 44. Thus, this represents a significant portion of the total population in the city that could be recruited through inventive marketing concepts for urban-inspired clothing fitting of the youth profile. Additionally, 44.6 percent of total Converse, Texas households maintain a child under the age of 18 (another considerable market opportunity through relationship development in marketing). Globally, clothing retail has witnessed considerable growths since 2009. Clothing retail, as a global whole, grew by three percent since 2005 with volume sales at 8 percent growth (gaapirfrs.com, 2011). Of these sales, women’s outerwear grew 60 percent of the total value sales after 2006, suggesting that Urban Clothing should provide considerably more women’s fashions than men in order to appeal to this diverse group of buyers. In Europe and the United States, clothing retail witnessed the most foot traffic on Mondays and Wednesdays (Goodman, 2011). Therefore, the business will focus on attracting buyers during the weekends, something important for youth buyers who attend school or...This business must be hip, trendy and cater to the lifestyles of younger consumers looking for innovative fashions and this can be done through marketing creativity and by following successful business models for companies that have been able to build lasting relationships wit h young buyers. The organization relies heavily on a high mark-up based on the costs of procurement overseas (supply chain) however much of this cost is offset by the chosen method of supply in foreign low-wage countries. Net income is estimated at $75,000 in the first year of operation after considering all costs of operations. In order to make Urban Clothing work effectively, the sole proprietor will have to ensure that the organization meets all standards of quality, service, and relationship management through marketing and direct sales tactics. Thus, there must be a system of education and training in place so that all members of the sales staff understand the goals and mission of Urban Clothing. Therefore, the burden of training and human resources will have to fall on the owner and be a part of the team-working and sales tactics models. This will require considerable investment on the sole proprietor in order to find total marketing success.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Construction Economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Construction Economics - Assignment Example The economic policy of a government is generally reflected in its national budget (Jenkins 1978). Partly, it is through the budget that the government exercises its three principal methods of establishing control: the stabilization function, the allocative function and the distributive function. In some cases, economic policies are usually influenced by international institutions such as the World Bank or International Monetary Fund as well as policies of political parties and their beliefs. The business environment within which most housing and construction companies operate has continued to change rapidly throughout the world. Construction companies that fail to adapt or respond to these changes have problems in their survival. Therefore, contractors must be capable of improving their performances continuously in order to out smart their competitors. In nature, the construction company is complex because it consists of a large number of parties as contractors, stakeholders, clients, consultants and regulators. However, despite its complexity, it plays a great role in the achievement and development of the goals of a society. Economic growth refers to the rise of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) or other measures of total income. It is usually represented in annual basis as the rate of change in real GDP. The economic growth of a country depends on the ability of that country to improve its productivity, that is, its ability to produce more goods and services using similar inputs of labor, materials, energy and capital. According to most economists, there are two types of economic growths: the long-term economic growth and short-term economic stabilization. However, economic growth is usually concerned with the long-term type. The short-term type is rather deemed as the business cycle. The leading indicator of the state of economy in a given country is the housing and

Monday, September 23, 2019

Entrepreneurship Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Entrepreneurship Theory - Essay Example 3). Theoretically, an entrepreneur is one who must exhibit certain enterprising attributes and specific characteristics of behaviour and thinking perhaps attained innately or from education, training and experiences (Gibb, 2007, p. 5). This piece of research work critically evaluates the theoretical underpinnings of entrepreneurial behaviours and explains what triggers to the behaviour of an entrepreneur based on relevant literatures Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs are those who use their ability, talent, skills and personality to perform and carry out new combinations to successfully implement a change. Joseph A Schumpeter, famously known as father of entrepreneurship, viewed entrepreneurship as all about innovation (Carsrud and Brannback , 2007, p. 7) and entrepreneur as a distinct individual in the society as he discovers a dynamic business opportunity, seizes the opportunity to convert the idea in to a reality to deliver new product or service and thus to create a new marketable c ontribution to the economy (McDaniel, 2002, p. 57). Some literatures argued that entrepreneur is not only an innovator or a distinct person to transform opportunity to business reality, but also that he is characterized with many of managerial skills and abilities such as direction, organizing, supervision, risk bearing, control etc (Brockhaus, 1987, p. 1). With the idea of establishing a business enterprise, entrepreneur mentally prepares to take risks of financial well being, career opportunities, family relations, and psychic ell being as well (Brockhaus, 1980, p. 511). As and when the business contexts become more complex and markets turn to be highly vulnerable to rigorous competition, entrepreneurs must be able to take very strategic steps to introduce innovative ideas with their creative thinking. Based on various views, Cunningham and Lischeron (1991, p. 46) defined six schools of thoughts to describe various qualities of entrepreneurs. These schools are 1) the great person school of thought, 2) psychological characteristic school, 3) classical school of entrepreneurship, 4) the management school, 5) the leadership school and 6) the intrapreneurship school of entrepreneurship. There are large numbers of explanations for what triggers to the behaviour of an entrepreneur, but most of these literatures reached to a consensus that some of the most important characteristics generally and are found universally important are innovation, risk taking, creative thinking etc. Some authors have also found some other components or dimensions of entrepreneurship such as new venture formation, pro-activeness, renewal, strategic vision, international and domestic venturing, competitive aggressiveness etc (Lau, Shaffer, Chan and Man, 2012, p. 675). Entrepreneurial behaviour Entrepreneurial behaviour, as defined by Mair (2005, p. 51) refers to a set of activities and practices by which individuals at varying levels generate and utilize innovative resource combination to discover and pursue opportunities.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Liberalism Is Simply Another Tool to Maintain Western Hegemony Essay

Liberalism Is Simply Another Tool to Maintain Western Hegemony. Discuss - Essay Example In the modern world, most peoples’ thinking is dominated by liberal ideas and most political systems especially in the west are founded on and shaped by liberal principles and values (Ramsay, 2004). Liberal democracies ensure the will of the people is reflected in government policies by ensuring free and fair elections with full participation of electorates and minimum intervention in private affairs of citizens. However, liberal theory is accused of masking actual inequalities in power, wealth and abilities of individuals in liberal society. For example, if an individual has the freedom to pursue his interests but has no resources, then the freedom makes no sense. The liberal theory in international politics focuses on achieving lasting peace and cooperation in international relations. The debate surrounding this issue is whether cooperation among sovereign states is possible bearing in mind that each state is rational and utilitarian. Most scholars argue that trade and economic interdependence among nations can lead to cooperation among states (Keohane 1980; Chandler, 2010, Weber, 2010). However, though the interdependence among states brings relative gains to members, it is used as a means to maintain western supremacy over the rest of the world since the west has the resources and power to influence other states especially developing countries. The developing countries consent to the western ideas and incorporate them in their policies due to gains from the cooperation. The essay in trying to answer the question is divided into 3 sections. The first section will deal with defining the key concepts used in the essay as well as the ideas underlying the liberalism theory of international relations. The second section will be to explain how liberalism is used as a tool to maintain western hegemony. The first argument will focus on free trade as a tool to gain consent and maintain western hegemony. This is because most third world countries are lured to accept western liberal values through free trade which guarantees them economic growth. The second argument will focus on international institutions that are used to gain consent through cooperative regimes hence maintain western hegemony. I will also argue how globalization has been used to spread western ideas hence maintain western hegemony. The last section is the conclusion whereby the main points will be highlighted. DEFINING KEY CONCEPTS The liberal theory of international relations is based on various ideas from different liberalists but they all agree on various key ideas. The concepts mostly used in this theory include; liberalism, freedom, equality, justice, rights, public society and private society. Liberalism is derived from the concept of human nature which views individuals as autonomous beings with equal natural rights, intrinsic dignity and equal worth (Ramsay, 2004). Individuals are considered as rational beings able to pursue personal interests and find the best way to satisfy those wants. In this case, public interest does not exist although neoliberals argue that individuals can give up their interests for the good of others since they are impartial. They encourage cooperation among states so as to achieve joint absolute gains for the good of all. Freedom refers to the â€Å"intrinsic dignity and equal worth of each individual† (Ramsay, 2004: 17).It can be negative or positive liberty but negative freedom is more emphasized and entails non- interference. For example, freedom of speech means other individuals should not restrict one

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Tsunami and Physical Protection Measures Essay Example for Free

Tsunami and Physical Protection Measures Essay What is tsunami? A tsunami (plural: tsunamis or tsunami; from Japanese: æ ´ ¥Ã¦ ³ ¢, lit. harbor wave;[1] English pronunciation: /suË Ã‹Ë†nÉ‘Ë mi/ soo-nah-mee or/tsuË Ã‹Ë†nÉ‘Ë mi/ tsoo-nah-mee[2]) is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations of underwater nuclear devices), landslides, glacier calving, meteorite impacts and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. [3] Tsunami waves do not resemble normal sea waves, because their wavelength is far longer. Rather than appearing as a breaking wave, a tsunami may instead initially resemble a rapidly rising tide, and for this reason they are often referred to as tidal waves. Tsunamis generally consist of a series of waves with periods ranging from minutes to hours, arriving in a so-called wave train.[4] Wave heights of tens of meters can be generated by large events. Although the impact of tsunamis is limited to coastal areas, their destructive power can be enormous and they can affect entire ocean basins; the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was among the deadliest natural disasters in human history with over 230,000 people killed in 14 countries bordering the Indian Ocean. The Greek historian Thucydides suggested in 426 BC that tsunamis were related to submarine earthquakes,[5][6] but the understanding of a tsunamis nature remained slim until the 20th century and much remains unknown. Major areas of current research include trying to determine why some large earthquakes do not generate tsunamis while other smaller ones do; trying to accurately forecast the passage of tsunamis across the oceans; and also to forecast how tsunami waves would interact with specific shorelines. Etymology (Literary meaning) Tsunamis are sometimes referred to as tidal waves. In recent years, this term has fallen out of favor, especially in the scientific community, because tsunamis actually have nothing to do with tides. The once-popular term derives from their most common appearance, which is that of an extraordinarily high tidal bore. Tsunami and tides both produce waves of water that move inland, but in the case of tsunami the inland movement of water is much greater and lasts for a longer period, giving the impression of an incredibly high tide. Although the meanings of tidal include resembling[8] or having the form or character of[9] the tides, and the term tsunami is no more accurate because tsunami are not limited to harbours, use of the term tidal waves discouraged by geologists and oceanographers. History Main article: Historic tsunami As early as 426 BC the Greek historian Thucydides inquired in his book History of the Peloponnesian War about the causes of tsunami, and was the first to argue that ocean earthquakes must be the cause.[5][6] The cause, in my opinion, of this phenomenon must be sought in the earthquake. At the point where its shock has been the most violent the sea is driven back, and suddenly recoiling with redoubled force, causes the inundation. Without an earthquake I do not see how such an accident could happen.[14] The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (Res Gestae 26.10.15-19) described the typical sequence of a tsunami, including an incipient earthquake, the sudden retreat of the sea and a following gigantic wave, after the 365 AD tsunami devastated Alexandria.[15][16] While Japan may have the longest recorded history of tsunamis, the sheer destruction caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami event mark it as the most devastating of its kind in modern times, killing around 230,0 00 people. The Sumatran region is not unused to tsunamis either, with earthquakes of varying magnitudes regularly occurring off the coast of the island.[17] Generation mechanisms The principal generation mechanism (or cause) of a tsunami is the displacement of a substantial volume of water or perturbation of the sea.[18] This displacement of water is usually attributed to either earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, glacier calvings or more rarely by meteorites and nuclear tests.[19][20] The waves formed in this way are then sustained by gravity. Tides do not play any part in the generation of tsunamis. Tsunami generated by seismicity Tsunami can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes are a particular kind of earthquake that are associated with the Earths crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position.[21] More specifically, a tsunami can be generated when thrust faults associated with convergent or destructive plate boundaries move abruptly, resulting in water displacement, owing to the vertical component of movement involved. Movement on normal faults will also cause displacement of the seabed, but the size of the largest of such events is normally too small to give rise to a significant tsunami. The energy released produces tsunami waves. Tsunamis have a small amplitude (wave height) offshore, and a very long wavelength (often hundreds of kilometers long, whereas normal ocean waves have a wavelength of only 30 or 40 metres),[22] which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 300 millimetres (12 in) above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water, in a wave shoaling process described below. A tsunami can occur in any tidal state and even at low tide can still inundate coastal areas. Tsunami generated by landslides In the 1950s, it was discovered that larger tsunamis than had previously been believed possible could be caused by giant landslides. Underwater landslides that generate tsunamis are calledsciorrucks.[23] These phenomena rapidly displace large water volumes, as energy from falling debris or expansion transfers to the water at a rate faster than the water can absorb. Their existence was confirmed in 1958, when a giant landslide in Lituya Bay, Alaska, caused the highest wave ever recorded, which had a height of 524 metres (over 1700 feet). The wave didnt travel far, as it struck land almost immediately. Two people fishing in the bay were killed, but another boat amazingly managed to ride the wave. Scientists named these waves megatsunami. Scientists discovered that extremely large landslides from volcanic island collapses can generate megatsunamis that can cross oceans. Meteotsunamis Some meteorological conditions, such as deep depressions that cause tropical cyclones, can generate a storm surge, called a meteotsunami, which can raise tides several metres above normal levels. The displacement comes from low atmospheric pressure within the centre of the depression. As these storm surges reach shore, they may resemble (though are not) tsunamis, inundating vast areas of land.[24]

Friday, September 20, 2019

Privacy Preserving Data Mining in Partitioned Databases

Privacy Preserving Data Mining in Partitioned Databases A survey : Privacy preserving data mining in horizontally partitioned databases Komal Kapadia, Ms.Raksha Chauhan _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract – Privacy preserving data mining techniques are introduced with the aim of extract the relevant knowledge from the large amount of data while protecting the sensible information at the same time. The success of data mining relies on the availability of high quality data. To ensure quality of data mining, effective information sharing between organizations becomes a vital requirement in today’s society. Privacy preserving data mining deals with hiding an individual’s sensitive identity without sacrificing the usability of data. Whenever we are concerning with data mining, Security is measure issue while extracting data. Privacy Preserving Data Mining concerns with the security of data and provide the data on demand as well as amount of data that is required. Index Terms – data mining, privacy preserving, ECC cryptography, randomized response technique. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Data mining techniques have been widely used in many areas especially for strategic decision making. The main threat of data mining is to security and privacy of data residing in large data stores. Some of the information considered as private and secret can be bought out with advanced data mining tools. Different research efforts are under way to address this problem of privacy preserving and preserving security. The privacy term has wide range of different meanings. For example, in the context of the health insurance accountability and portability act privacy rule, privacy means the individual’s ability to control who has the access to personal health care information. In organization, privacy means that it involves the definition of policies stating which information is collected, how it is used, how customers are involved and informed in this process. We can considering privacy as â€Å"Individual’s desire and ability to keep certain information about themselves hi dden from others.† Privacy preserving data mining refers to the area of data mining that seeks to safeguard sensitive information from unsolicited disclosure. Historically, issues related to PPDM were first studied by the national statistical agencies interested in collecting private social and economical data, such as census and tax records, and making it available for analysis by public servants, companies, and researchers. Building accurate socio-economical models is vital for business planning and public policy. Yet, there is no way of knowing in advance what models may be needed, nor is it feasible for the statistical agency to perform all data processing for everyone, playing the role of a â€Å"trusted third party†. Instead, the agency provides the data in a sanitized form that allows statistical processing and protects the privacy of individual records, solving a problem known as privacy preserving data publishing. There are many methods for preserving the priva cy. In this surevey many methods try to compute the answer to the mining without revealing any additional information about user privacy. Progress in scientific research depends on the sharing and availability of information and ideas. But the researchers are mainly focusing on preserving the security or privacy of individuals. This issue leads to an emerging research area, privacy preserving data mining. For privacy preserving data mining, many authors proposed many technologies. The main aim of this paper is, to develop efficient methodology to find privacy preserving. LITERATURE SURVEY We have studied some of the related work for the privacy preserving in horizontally partitioned databases. Existing work for privacy preserving in horizonatally partitioned database has different types of techniques. TYPES OF PRIVACY PRESERVING TECHNIQUES Semi honest party Without trusted party With trusted party In without trusted party each party will calculate their own partial support and add their own random number and sends the result to the next party in the ring so that the other party will never know the result of others and in last the initiator party will disclose the result that is global support. In trusted party each party will calculate their partial support and send to the trusted party and add the own random number and send to the next coming site in the ring so that other party will never know the result of other parties after that trusted party will disclose the result and send to all sites that presents in the ring. Fig. 1 Framework of privacy preserving data mining[5] SECURE MULTIPARTY COMMUNICATION Approximately all Privacy Preserving data mining techniques rely on Secure multi party communication protocol. Secure multi party communication is defined as a computation protocol at the last part of which no party involved knows anything else except its own inputs the outcome, i.e. the view of each party during the execution can be effectively simulated by the input and output of the party. Secure multi party communication has commonly concentrated on two models of security. The semi-honest model assumes that every party follows the rule of the protocol, but is free to later use what it sees during execution of the protocol. The malicious model assumes that parties can arbitrarily cheat and such cheating will not compromise moreover security or the outcome, i.e. the results from the malicious party will be correct or the malicious party will be detected. Most of the Privacy Preserving data mining techniques assume an intermediate model, Preserving Privacy with non-colluding parties . A malicious party May dishonest the results, but will not be able to learn the private data of other parties without colluding with another party. (1)MHS ALGORITHM FOR HORIZONTALLY PARTITION DATABASE M. Hussein et al.’s Scheme (MHS) was introduced to improve privacy or security and try to reduce communication cost on increasing number of sites. Behind this main idea was to use effective cryptosystem and rearrange the communication path. For this, two sites were discovered. This algorithm works with minimum 3 sites. One site acts as Data Mining Initiator and other site as a Data Mining Combiner. Rests of other sites were called client sites. This scenario was able to decrease communication time. Fig. shows MHS algorithm. The working of the algorithm is as follows: The initiator generates RSA public key and a private key. It sends the public key to combiner and all other client sites. 2. Each site, except initiator computes frequent itemset and local support for each frequent itemset using Local Data Mining . 3. All Client sites encrypt their computed data using public key and send it to the combiner. 4. The combiner merges the received data with its own encrypted data, encrypts it again and sends it to initiator to find global association rules. 5. Initiator decrypts the received data using the private key. Then it merges its own local data mining data and computes to find global results. 6. Finally, it finds global association rules and sends it to all other sites. Fig.2 MHS algorithm[11] (2) EMHS ALGORITHM FOR HORIZONTALLY PARTITION DATABASE Enhanced M. Hussein et al.’s Scheme (EMHS) was introduced to improve privacy and reduce communication cost on increasing number of sites. This algorithm also works with minimum 3 sites. One site acts as Data Mining Initiator and other site as a Data Mining Combiner. Rests of other sites were called client sites . But this algorithm works on the concept of MFI (Maximal Frequent Itemset) instead of Frequent Itemset. a) MFI (Maximal Frequent Itemset): A Frequent Itemset which is not a subset of any other frequent itemset is called MFI. By using MFI, communication cost is reduced . b) RSA (Rivest, Shamir, Adleman) Algorithm: one of the widely used public key cryptosystem. It is based on keeping factoring product of two large prime numbers secret. Breaking RSA encryption is tough. (3)MODIFIED EMHS ALGORITHM FOR HORIZONTALLY PARTIOTION DATABASE In this technique, they used modified EMHS algorithm for improving its efficiency by using Elliptic curve cryptography. Here Elgamal cryptography technique is used which is of ECC for homomorphic encryption. ELLIPTIC CURVE CRYPTOGRAPHY Elliptic curve cryptography provides public cryptosystem based on the descrete logarithm problem over integer modulo a prime. Elliptic curve cryptosystem requires much shorter key length to provide a security level same as RSA with larger key length. In this elgamal cryptography is used. ELGAMAL CRYPTOGRAPHY a)A wishes to exchange message M with B[9]. b) B first chooses Prime Number p, Generator g and private key x. c)B computes its Public Key Y = gx mod p and sends it to A. d) Now A chooses a random number k. e) A calculates one time key K = Yk mod p. f) A calculates C1 = gk mod p and C2 = M*K mod p and sends (C1,C2) to B. g) B calculates K = C1x mod p h) B calculates K-1 = inverse of K mod p i)B recovers M = K-1 * C2 mod p j) Thus, Message M is exchanged between A and B securely. In this system, Elgamal cryptography paillier cryptosystem is used. Here, Elgamal cryptography is used for security purpose. Compared to EMHS algorithm here performance is better in terms of computation time. RANDOMIZED RESPONSE TECHNIQUE In this technique, here mainly focused on CK secure sum in randomized response technique for privacy preserving. Here, the multi party transaction data who discover frequent item sets with minimum support. In the randomized response technique, consider the data sets I = {I1, I2, I3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦In} and the random number or noise part are denoted by R= {R1, R2, R3 †¦Rn}, the new set of records are denoted by I1+R1, I2+R2 †¦.In+Rn and after that take a partial support Pij = {Pi1, Pi2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Pin} so that partial support is P ij=I+R[10] I=Pij-R[10] In Randomized response secure sum technique, secure sum each site will determine their own data value and send to predecessor site that near to original site and this goes on till the original site collects all the value of data after that the parent site will determine the global support. CK SECURE SUM ALGORITHM[10] Step1:-Consider parties P1, P2, P3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Pn. Step2:-Each party will generate their own random number R1, R2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.RN Step3:-Connect the parties in the ring (P1, P2, P3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦PN) and let P1 is a protocol initiator. Step4:-Let RC=N, and Pij=0 (RC is round counter and Pij is partial support) Step5:-Partial support P1 site calculating by using following formula Psij = Xij.support – Min support * |DB| + RN1 – RNn Step6:-Site P2 computes the PSj for each item received the list using the List using the formula, PSij= PSij + Xij. Support – minimum support * |DB| +Rn1-Rn (i-1) Step7:-While RC! =0 begin for j=1 to N do begin for I=1 to N do Step8:-P1 exchange its position to P (j+1) mod N and RC=RC-1 end Step9:-Party P1 allowance the result Pij Step10:-End In ck secure sum technique, mainly focused on for computing global support within a scenario of homogeneous database and provides the high security to the database and hacking of data is zero. CONCLUSION In this paper we reviewed five privacy preserving technique in horizontally partitioned database. In MHS algorithm RSA cryptography is used. In EMHS algorithm, by using MFI approach accuracy is high compared to MHS. Modified EMHS algorithm used elgamal technique so privacy is high than EMHS technique. Randomized response technique provides high security to the database compared to other techniques. In future we can compute less number of rounds instead of n number of rounds. Here , we can use encryption technique for encrypting random number and sends it to the predecessor. REFERENCES [1] Neelamadhab Padhy, Dr. Pragnyaban Mishra Rasmita Panigrahi. â€Å"The Survey of Data Mining Applications and Feature Scope.† 2012 IJCSEIT. [2] Xinjun qi, Mingkui zong. â€Å"An overview of privacy preserving data mining.† 2011 ICESE. [3] Kishori pawar, Y.B. gurav. â€Å"Overview of privacy in horizontally distributed databases.† 2014 IJIRAE. [4] Manish Sharma, Atul chaudhary , Manish mathuria Shalini chaudhary. â€Å"A review study on the privacy preserving data mining techniques and approaches.†. 2013 IJCST. [5] Shweta taneja, shashank khanna, sugandha tilwalia, ankita. â€Å"A review on privacy preserving data mining: techniques and research challenges.† 2014 IJCSIT. [6] Jayanti dansana, Raghvendra kumar Jyotirmayee rautaray. â€Å"Techniques for privacy preserving association rule mining in distributed database.† 2012 IJCSITS. [7] Xuan canh nguyen, Tung anh cao. â€Å"An enhanced scheme for privacy preserving association rules minig on horizonatally distributed databases.† 2012 IEEE. [8] Manish Sharma, Atul chaudhary, Manish mathuria, Shalini chaudhary Santosh kumar. â€Å"An efficient approach for privacy preserving in data mining.† 2014 IEEE. [9] Rachit v. Adhvaryu, Nikunj h. Domadiya. â€Å"Privacy preserving in association rule mining on horizontally partitioned database.† 2014 IJARCET. [10] Jayanti Dansana , Raghvendra Kumar , Debadutta Dey. â€Å"Privacy preservation in horizontally partitioned databases using randomized response technique.† 2013 IEEE. [11] Rachit v. Adhvaryu, Nikunj h. Domadiya, â€Å"Research Trends in Privacy Preserving in Association Rule Mining (PPARM) On Horizontally Partitioned Database†. 2014 IJEDR. [12] Agrawal D. Aggarwal C. C. On the Design and Quantification of Privacy-Preserving Data Mining Algorithms.ACM PODS Conference, 2002. [13] D.W.Cheung,etal.,Ecient Mining of Association Rules in Distributed Databases, IEEE Trans. Knowledge and Data Eng., vol. 8, no. 6, 1996,pp.911-922.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Eloquent Boldness :: essays research papers

Eloquent Boldness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Should slavery be allowed in the United States? This question divided our nation into two separate entities in the late 1800’s and laid the foundation for an ethically compelling speech. On June 16,1858, Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, spoke out to over 1,000 Republican delegates in the Springfield, Illinois, state house for the Republican State Convention. At this gathering, Lincoln delivered an extremely courageous, â€Å"A House Divided,† speech. In this eloquent yet bold speech Lincoln uses evidence that appeals to emotion, evidence revealing credibility and evidence that appeals to reason in hopes of encouraging support in the Republican cause; the formation of a unified nation without slavery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lincoln builds an appeal to emotion with the first statement of the speech, â€Å"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention.† This statement gives each member of the audience a sense of importance and captures their attention by personally addressing the delegates in an honorable and professional manner. Lincoln emotionally involves his audience throughout the speech through rhetorical questions. Lincoln uses these questions to imply that slavery is an unethical and immoral practice that must be eliminated. An example of this would be when Lincoln states that the nation as a whole will either completely legalize slavery or bring slavery to an ultimate extinction. He follows this statement with the rhetorical question, â€Å"Have we no tendency to the latter condition?† With this statement Lincoln evokes the emotion of sympathy from the audience through ethical appeal. Ultimately he hopes to instill the belief that the elimination of slavery is th e correct solution to the current problem of the increasing rift between the North and South.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lincoln uses the metaphor, â€Å"A living dog is better than a dead lion.† Regarding the comments made by those who believe the greatest of the Republican party are small compared to their adversaries. This belittles the Republican delegates and raises them up in anger in hopes that they will take action against this accusation. The reference to the Republican party members as a living dog, plays on the emotion of anger invoked by the Democratic comments. With the uses of this metaphor Lincoln hopes to help in the accomplishment of the Republican cause. In his closing remarks Lincoln states that, those whose hands are free, whose hearts are in the work and who do care for the result are they who must be intrusted with the republican cause.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Privacy in work :: essays research papers

The Privacy of the individual is the most important right. It supports human dignity and other values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech. It has become one of the most important human rights of the modern age. Privacy is recognized around the world in various regions and cultures. Almost every country in the world includes a right of privacy in its constitution. Without privacy, the democratic system that we know would not exist. According to the Australian Privacy Charter â€Å"A free and democratic society requires respect for the autonomy of individuals, and limits on the power of both state and private organizations to intrude on that autonomy. The government we have today maintains and organizes our society. The elements of control are often viewed as violations of privacy. These elements are meant to protect us from irresponsible people and from hurting themselves. The laws that are in place still give privacy without invading personal lives or maybe they do invade in our lives? For some people violating into their personal life doesn’t mean anything but for other people it’s a huge problem. â€Å"Privacy is only violated when people feel they are being violated† â€Å"If people feel comfortable in their environment then privacy is not a worry† Privacy in the workplace is also becoming a problem. In American, more and more employers are monitoring their workers at job. In fact, according to the American Management Association, nearly tree quarters of U.S. companies now electronically monitor employees in several ways. Your employer can monitor your Internet usage, what sites you visit, how often, and for how long, as with e-mail. Telephone can also be a threat. If you are on the phone at work, your boss can listen in; your voice mail is also subject to monitoring. Employers own the phone system, so they can generally monitor it as they see well. Your boss can keep a record of the numbers you dial and how long you talk, and can listen to your voice mail messages, although there are some laws preventing companies from listening to employees personal calls. Furthermore Privacy can be divided into the following separate but related concepts: First of all we have the information Privacy or Data protection, which involves the establishment of rules governing the collection and handling of personal data such as credit information, and medical and government records. The second one is the Bodily privacy, which concerns the protection of people's physical selves against invasive procedures such as genetic tests, drug testing and cavity searches.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

GCSE Girl Anachronism Essay

In this essay I will be comparing my â€Å"Girl Anachronism† play with my year 9 dialogue â€Å"Dealer’s Choice†. I will be comparing the deference between the character I was, the style of the play, the mood, the place and whether it is Stanislavski or Brecht. Brecht belied in breaking the fourth wall and trying to make the play as unrealistic as possible by using flash backs, monologues, freeze frames, placards ect. But on the other hand Stanislavski belied in making the play as realistic as possible by having every thing in chronological order and making it as naturalistic as possible making the actors think like their character would. The play â€Å"Girl Anachronism† was developed to the stimulus of the song girl anachronism by the Dresden Dolls. It has a very angry and upset mood throughout, it is in the style of a melodrama and it is like a Brecht play because it breaks the fourth wall, using monologues and flash backs which are theatrical devices used in Verfemdungseffect to remind the audience that it is not real. In the play we used a variety of music to show the emotions of each scene for example at the beginning of our play we played the stimulus of the play, and before our flash back we played past music to show that we had gone back in time. In this play I have adopted the main role where I am crazy teenager that has just been released from a mental institute and have just gone back to my 3 bedroom house with my family which all hate me, and I am also suicidal. All I want is to be left alone and not too be told what to do. My Year 9 play â€Å"Dealers Choice† was a scripted piece about two friends who work in a restaurant and meet once a week for an all-night poker game. Its mood is very happy and funny. It corresponds with Stanislavskis ideas about keeping it as real as possible, building up the fourth wall, and having every thing in chronological order. When we preformed this play we used no music no flash backs and no monologues. The style was a friendly comedy. In this play I was one of the main characters, I was a mid thirty’s waiter working in a restaurant I have worked there for years with my mate Sweeny, Sweeny and I and a few other gather once a week to play poker in the restaurant. The play is set in a London restaurant in the kitchen area. These plays are totally different one is a Brecht like play the other is a Stanislavski. One is unrealistic the other is realistic. They are both very good but I like â€Å"Girl Anachronism† better, because it was more interesting to act and I had more freedom, and I liked improvising.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Early and Middle Adulthood Paper Essay

In this paper, I will discus two theories that are related to early and middle adulthood. Also, I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the theories. The two theories that I have selected are Erikson’s Intimacy versus isolation to explain the early adulthood stage, and the Life Events Approach theory. In the Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory (intimacy versus isolation stage), Intimacy can be explained as â€Å"is the ability to fuse ones identity with that of another person without fear of loosing it† (Feist, 2008, 258). It further means an ability and willingness to share a mutual trust. It involves sacrifice, compassion, commitment and so on. Isolation on the other hand, is the psychosocial counterpart of intimacy. It is defined as â€Å"the incapacity to take chances with ones identity by sharing true intimacy† (Feist, 2008, 259). Erikson believed that there should be a fine ratio between the intimacy and isolation; as too much isolation can further cause problems such as depression. Love is the basic strength that is gained as a result from the crisis of intimacy versus isolation). According to Erikson, love includes intimacy but it also contains some degree of isolation, because each partner is permitted to retain a separate identity (Feist, 2008). Strengths†¢His theory gave a life span developmental process. †¢His theory explains each stage in detail including the time frame, and the changes involved. †¢He addressed it is important to move through the stages in order or it could causes crisis. †¢Extended Freud’s theory into different developmental stages such as adolescence, adulthood and old age. †¢Claimed that growth occurs across the life span. †¢Places emphasis on social and historical influences on development in his theory†¢Conflict between the opposing elements of each phase produces an ego strength or basic strength. Weaknesses†¢His theory is not based on scientific evidence. †¢His psychosocial developmental theory does not take into consideration different cultures of the world. †¢The age groups with the developmental stages do not sound consistent. †¢Generalizes that everyone goes through the same psychosocial developmental stages. The Life-Events ApproachIn the earlier version, some events such as a death of a spouse, divorce and marriage could be life changing and could influence an individual’s development. In other words, such events could force the individual to change their personality as they bring along lot of stress. However, contemporary life-events approach emphasizes that individuals personality development does not only depend on the life events itself but also on mediating factors (physical health, family supports, for example), the individual’s adaptation to the life event (appraisal of the threat, coping strategies, for example), the life-stage context, and the sociohistorical context (Santrock, 2008). Strengths†¢Helpful addition to understanding adult development. †¢Takes into perspective life stressors and other mediating variables that could influence ones development. Weakness †¢The life-events approach places too much emphasis on change. †¢It does not adequately recognize the stability characterizes adult  development. †¢It overlooks daily events that could be very stressful as well for individuals. Therefore, in this paper, I have discussed two theories related to early and middle adulthood in detail. The two theories are Erikson’s and the life events approach theory. Also, I have discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. References Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2008) Theories of Personality (7th edition). New York: McGraw-HillSantrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials of life-span development. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Johnson & Johnson Global Business Environment

Johnson & Johnson: Successfully Strategizing for the Changing Global Business Environment I. Introduction Johnson & Johnson is the world's largest healthcare company. Founded in the United States in 1886, the company has been profitable for 75 straight years and currently operates 250 subsidiary companies in 57 countries. Its products fall into three segments: pharmaceuticals, with 39% of total sales; medical devices and diagnostics, with 36%; and consumer products, with 25%. Additionally, the company employs 119,200 people worldwide and sells its products in 175 countries.A truly global corporation, Johnson & Johnson has securely positioned itself to overcome the challenges its ever-changing business environment poses, as well as take advantage of the opportunities presented. With a focus primarily on Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical segment, this paper seeks to explore the complex multinational environment within which the company operates as well as the opportunities and threats that the environment poses. Next, the paper will analyze Johnson & Johnson's current positioning, describing its value-chain and competitive positioning.The paper will close by evaluating how Johnson & Johnson both can seize these opportunities to realize the goals of the company. II. Analyzing the Environment In industries as competitive as pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer goods, analyzing the environment is vital for being able to make sound strategic decisions. Since Johnson & Johnson strives to anticipate the external factors that affect its international business environment, as well as adapt to those changes, it is important that it understands the environment in which it is operating.The two sets of external forces that face the company are competitive and contextual. A. Competitive Environments – Five Forces Model Michael Porter’s five forces model provides a way of analyzing Johnson & Johnson’s competitive environment. Due to a lack of available information about the bargaining power of suppliers as it applies to Johnson & Johnson, this paper will address the four other forces: the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of customers, and the rivalry among industry competitors. 1. The Threat of New Entrants – High Barriers to EntryThe threat of new entrants is not of particular concern to Johnson & Johnson. Barriers to entry, especially in the industries of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, are extremely high if not unsurpassable. The world’s top pharmaceutical companies have extensive manufacturing capabilities, distribution systems, and economies of scale that have been built up over decades and would be virtually impossible for a new entrant to replicate. These top firms also have patents that protect their current products, as well as established research pipelines that ensure the continual development of new products.Also, they have strong brand names and la rge marketing budgets with which to defend them. Finally, the exceptionally high capital requirements for founding a pharmaceutical company and the sharp retaliation that new entrants could expect from the established competitors render the threat of new entrants very low. The medical device industry has similarly high barriers to entry. While entering the consumer goods market is easier, relatively, the vast number of competitors makes this industry very competitive, thus a strong brand name is vital for standing out.As the world’s most respected company according to Barron Magazine, new entrants to the consumer goods market do not pose a threat to Johnson & Johnson. 2. The Threat of Substitutes – The Rise of Generics The threat of substitutes is much more problematic than that of new entrants, especially in the pharmaceutical segment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that generic drugs be bioequivalent to their brand name counterparts, making them seri ous substitutes. Once a patent expires, generic manufacturers are quick to reverse-engineer the formerly proprietary drugs and sell generic versions at a fraction of the cost.Virtually all the top pharmaceutical companies, Johnson & Johnson included, face an influx of upcoming patent expirations. The impending loss of sales when generic versions of the drugs inevitably become available is a serious threat to the profitability of many players in the industry. For example, Risperdal, a drug for schizophrenia made by a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson’s called Janssen-Cilag, was a significant source of profits, with sales that totaled $3. 5 billion in 2005 and surged 21% percent in the first quarter of 2006, to $1. 2 billion.However, when the patent for Risperdal expired in December of 2007 and became available in generic form in October of 2008, the company’s revenue from pharmaceutical sales stagnated. In fact, in July of 2007, Johnson & Johnson announced plans to elimin ate up to 4,800 jobs, citing patent expirations as the main motivation to trim the workforce and thus save money. If the company does not prepare for the difficult transition between enjoying market exclusivity and losing that security as those patents expire, it will face more negative consequences. 3. The Bargaining Power of Buyers – Influence of GenericsIn the pharmaceutical industry, buyers include patients, medical doctors who prescribe drugs, pharmacists, hospital boards, insurance companies, and other health authorities. The bargaining power of patients goes hand in hand with the threat of substitutes. When drugs are patent-protected, pharmaceutical companies enjoy a monopoly where they can set prices to include high profit margins. Since there are few to no substitutes for their products during this time, customers have little choice but to pay these prices, especially if their lives depend on the drugs.However, once cheaper, generic versions of the drugs become avail able, buyers gain more power. Patients’ switching costs, an important element in determining the bargaining power of buyers, are fairly low, and price-sensitive buyers will likely switch to generic versions once available. Johnson & Johnson’s main tool in combating this problem is its strong brand name. Many customers have more trust in brand name products and are willing to pay extra for this perceived security. The other groups within buyers of pharmaceutical products, while fragmented, have more power than patients.Within the American healthcare system, insurance companies and health maintenance companies (HMOs) have considerable bargaining power, as they decide which drugs to endorse and provide. Since they have an interest in lowering costs, they exert a strong downward pressure on drug prices, partly due to the threat of the availability of generics. European governments’ national healthcare systems have a similarly high level of power, if not higher due t o strict price controls. Thus, pharmaceutical companies have a need to establish successful relationships with these groups and market towards them heavily. 4.The Degree of Rivalry – Fierce and Changing Competition Competition in the pharmaceutical industry is intense and growing in intensity. While the numerous competitors remain fairly fragmented, mergers and acquisitions have increased rivalry, as the top firms’ areas of expertise began to overlap. Rivalry is especially intense in saturated markets, such as the pain reliever segment, in which Johnson & Johnson competes with its products Tylenol and Motrin. In growing markets, innovation is a key driver of competition since pharmaceutical companies depend on â€Å"blockbuster† drugs for a large proportion of their revenue.With only one out of every 10,000 discovered drugs approved to be sold, stakes are high to find the cash cow drugs that recuperate the increasingly high costs of development. Since â€Å"me too† drugs are not as profitable, innovation drives the race to be first-to-market. While the main competitors in the pharmaceutical industry are concentrated in the United States, Europe, and Japan, an increasing number of players – especially generic drug manufacturers – are appearing in developing countries, such as China and India. These companies are driving the shift in the industry toward becoming more commoditized.Also, numerous biotech upstarts, which are smaller, more agile, and have lower overhead costs than their conglomerate competitors, are growing in power and taking market share. As the dynamics of the industry change, the established companies will find themselves facing stiff competition from all sides. B. Contextual Environment – PEST Analysis A PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) analysis is a useful tool for understanding the larger environment within which the company operates. Companies can use this tool to identify a multitude of important aspects of their environments that may impact their businesses. . Political Environment – Changing Politics and Policies First, the politics on local, regional, national, or international scales can exert strong forces on businesses. Since Johnson & Johnson operates worldwide, it must keep track of the political developments that may affect its business. For example, in the Czech Republic, health care is the subject of a major political debate. Changes in the healthcare system may affect to whom Johnson & Johnson needs to market, and with whom it needs to negotiate if the company wants its products covered by the Czech healthcare system.Also, Johnson & Johnson should be aware that the Czech Republic has a weak Parliament that will change in 2010’s elections. The company needs to anticipate which policies may shift under the new government. Finally, Johnson & Johnson should be aware that the Czech Republic will serve as president of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of 2009. This is the best time for the Johnson & Johnson branch located in the Czech Republic to lobby for any policy changes regarding the company’s interests and the business environment. 2.Economic Environment – The Crisis and the Euro The economic climate is also important for Johnson & Johnson to analyze in order to predict when its business may face challenges, as well as when it can seize an opportunity for growth. Operating in the European Union and larger European community means that Johnson & Johnson has felt the effects of the current economic crisis. Aware of the crisis, the company has been able to plan for its impact, and fortunately, the effects on Johnson & Johnson have not been severe, as medical products remain necessities even in periods of economic downturn.In respect to the Johnson & Johnson branch in the Czech Republic, the economic environment is one that quickly transitioned from a communist, plan ned economy to the free market. Though the Czech Republic has embraced free market principles since the fall of the Soviet Union, it is important that Johnson & Johnson recognize that this change was relatively recent, and certain aspects of working in the Czech Republic may still be affected by this history. Finally, discussions surrounding the use of the euro and the benefits and disadvantages of a common currency are debates that Johnson & Johnson should be aware of in this time period.While Slovakia adopted the euro in January 2009, the Czech Republic has kept its own currency. A switch to the euro in the Czech Republic could have a wide range of effects, some positive and some negative, and Johnson & Johnson should understand the implications for its business if that change occurs in the Czech Republic. For example, adopting the euro would make transactions with other countries more convenient, and Johnson & Johnson should be prepared for a possible increase in transactions or the speed in which transactions take place in order to take advantage of the opportunities this change could provide.It should also be ready for the numerous practical difficulties with tasks such as accounting that may occur with a change in currency. Keeping these economic scenarios in mind is the kind of forward-thinking that is crucial to Johnson & Johnson's success. 3. Social Environment – Aging Population and Public Health Problems There are two major social changes on the horizon that will both affect Johnson & Johnson as well as provide tremendous opportunities. The first is the aging population.The gigantic baby boomer generation, consisting of those born between 1946 and 1964, has had a huge social and economic impact on the world since its birth. This trend will continue as the generation is beginning to enter old age. The influx of senior citizens will create huge demands throughout all realms of medical care. Johnson & Johnson can expect to see increased sales ac ross all three of its segments – pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics, and consumer goods – in the coming decades, and must plan production accordingly to be able to meet the needs of this huge generation as they enter their most medically-dependent years.Additionally, in order to cater to the aging population, Johnson & Johnson is pioneering developments in preventative medicine as well as less invasive surgery techniques. Another major social change affecting Johnson & Johnson is the phenomenon of surging rates of various health problems, especially in developed societies but spreading worldwide, from obesity and diabetes to cancer and mental disorders. Though highly problematic for society, companies in medicine-related industries such as Johnson & Johnson are finding themselves with an increasing number of people to treat and cure.As a company that invests heavily in research and development, Johnson & Johnson has the opportunity to lead the way in find ing ways to address these serious public health issues. 4. Technological Environment – Promising New Fields As many pharmaceutical drug markets become saturated and the blockbuster drug strategy becomes obsolete due to the major changes occurring in the industry, innovation and breakthrough medical technologies are essential for finding blue oceans in which to compete.Predictive medicine, which entails predicting diseases based on genetics and preventing them, and personalized medicine, which involves managing a patient’s health based on his or her individual characteristics as opposed to following the more traditional â€Å"standards of care† model, are growing fields into which Johnson & Johnson can expand. The company’s strong emphasis on research and development and its leadership in the medical devices and diagnostics segment put it in an excellent position to become a frontrunner in making new discoveries in these promising new technological fields. C. Determining Threats and Opportunities 1.Threats – The Uneducated Consumer and Mergers and Acquisitions One of the biggest threats facing a company like Johnson & Johnson is the uneducated consumer. Especially within the consumer products and pharmaceuticals markets, with the increasing availability and lower cost of generic products, a key component of continued competitiveness is the discerning consumer who has preferences when it comes to treatment options. Johnson & Johnson must continually work hard to make sure that people are aware of its products and the quality that it ensures through effective branding and promotional practices, as well as consumer education.Patent expirations are also a constant concern for Johnson & Johnson as proprietary information is an integral part of sustained revenue streams. Mergers and acquisitions (M) present both potential opportunities and threats for Johnson & Johnson. The company has pursued M that have served to expand the compan y’s resources and help penetrate new and diverse markets. For example, Johnson & Johnson recently acquired Mentor Corporation in order to expand its operations in to the aesthetic and reconstructive medicine market.Also, an important new medical product called the Fibrin Pad was developed with the cooperation of three Johnson & Johnson-owned subsidiaries. These are just a couple examples of how Johnson & Johnson is able to both grow and innovate through M. On the other hand, M between other companies in the healthcare industry have the potential to upset Johnson & Johnson’s value chain and competitive advantages. Johnson & Johnson must pay close attention to the actions of rival companies in order to maintain its market-leader positions and barriers to entry against competitors. 2.Opportunities – Research, Synergies, Emerging Markets, and the Aging Population Johnson & Johnson’s greatest opportunity is found in its heavy investment in research and develop ment. This is especially important for its medical devices and diagnostics and pharmaceutical divisions. It is necessary for the company to be on the leading technological edge when it comes to medical devices to ensure that it can offer the most accurate and up-to-date machines available. As for the pharmaceutical sector, patent expiration and generic drugs demand constant innovation and addition to Johnson & Johnson’s pipeline of products for sustained success.Strong pipelines in its pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors are a major source of confidence in the company’s long-term success. With eight new late-stage compounds in the pharmaceutical sector and the introduction of several new products to new markets in the medical devices sector, Johnson & Johnson seems to be advancing its pipeline quite progressively. It also strives to be a consistently innovative company, and around 40% of its current products have been developed within the last 3-4 years. In 2008 , Johnson & Johnson spent $7. billion on research and development. The reinvestment of 11% of sales in to R, versus the industry average of 3%, demonstrates a source of competitive advantage for the company. Synergies between product branches are yet another source of opportunities for Johnson & Johnson. Through the well-coordinated efforts of its pharmaceutical and consumer products divisions, Johnson & Johnson was able to make the formerly prescribed drug Zyrtec available as an over-the-counter drug, which came to be the company’s most successful product launch in 2008.This is yet another example of how the company is able to pool its resources in order to find ways to fulfill both the needs of both its customers and stakeholders. Other opportunities for Johnson & Johnson are present in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Its products are currently available to only 25% of the world’s population. However, through its decentralized management app roach and the adjustment of its products and strategies to match local needs and preferences, Johnson & Johnson is reaching an ever-increasing consumer base.One method Johnson & Johnson has been able to reach a broader consumer base through is the de-featuring of products, such simplified blood-glucose meters, which allows for access to lower-income customers and dampens the parasitic effect of cheap substitutes. One final opportunity exists in the demographic trend towards an ageing population. People are living longer, and because of this, new types of medical needs are arising all the time. Many types of medical treatments and surgeries are being developed and becoming more commonplace, such as hip replacements and plastic surgery.Patients want to be able to fix their ailments and expect a quick and uncomplicated recovery afterwards. It is up to Johnson & Johnson to develop and provide the best possible equipment and supplies to do this and fulfill the company promise of customer success. III. Establishing European and Global Opportunities A. Expansion into New Markets – Developing Countries Despite the many challenges of working in both the European and global business environments, it is clear that these environments also allow Johnson & Johnson to strengthen and continue to grow its business.With income and living standards on the rise in many European countries such as Turkey and the Czech Republic, where sales have already increased, and across the globe in developing countries like China and India, Johnson & Johnson has many opportunities to sell its products in new markets or expand more in markets it has previously penetrated. In order to take advantage of the broadening market field, Johnson & Johnson has begun to offer products that will appeal to people in less affluent nations. Its objective is clear: make products that are affordable for most of the world.To do this, Johnson & Johnson has created de-featured versions of products that can be sold at a lower price, thus becoming accessible to more patients. B. Domestic Market Defense – Competition and Mistakes While Johnson & Johnson expands to serve more customers in new markets, it must also maintain its secure position domestically. Though the consumer segment only accounts for only 25% of its total sales, the company realizes that keeping up its reputation and remaining a household name will help it as it moves into foreign markets. To put it simply, Johnson & Johnson must remain synonymous with quality, safe products.Next, Johnson & Johnson must be ready to compete with an even greater number of competitors, such as Pfizer, Merck, Novartis and Eli Lilly. Despite being the world's largest healthcare company, it still faces competition and has run into problems when it has attained the market lead, grown too confident in its product, and then lost the lead. Because Johnson & Johnson has twice lost its lead with one particular product, a heart stent, it now seems aware of this problem in its business strategy and therefore will be prepared for similar situations as it continue to penetrate new markets.IV. Analyzing Johnson & Johnson’s Current Position A. Value Chain Analysis – Synergies, Cost Reductions, and Relationships A value chain analysis of Johnson & Johnson reveals several key sources of value generation. Johnson & Johnson consists of 250 companies that operate in 57 countries worldwide. The widespread nature of its operations and decentralized management practices allow for a high degree of local autonomy and adaptation. This makes Johnson & Johnson very efficient in discovering and reacting to changing consumer demands across the globe.Also, the convergence of knowledge and information from branches across the globe gives the corporation a great advantage in the development of new products and technologies. Flexibility and detailed, location-specific knowledge coupled with heavy investments in technology, most n otably IT, are the main production-based value drivers of the corporation. They allow for timely, adaptive responses to changing needs and the ability to achieve first leader power in emerging markets. Johnson & Johnson is making progress in finding ways to reduce costs.Standardization initiatives in its pharmaceutical sector enabled the company to streamline operations and cut costs by $1. 6 billion in 2008. Cost savings are also created by means of acquisitions. For example, Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare is expected to generate up to $600 billion in â€Å"cost synergies† by unifying the efforts of the two companies. Johnson & Johnson also emphasizes the importance of relationships with both its consumers and employees in its company credo.A talented and dependable workforce is important for innovation and efficiency in operations for any corporation. The company demonstrates its desire for employee welfare with healthcare services and carefully developed online resources. With an employee turnover ratio of less than 5%, Johnson & Johnson demonstrates that it is capable of attracting and retaining the right kind of people to help it remain successful. B. Competitive Positioning – Differentiation and Resource Allocation As stated in the annual report, Johnson & Johnson is a company focused on broad-based human healthcare.It offers a plethora of products throughout its pharmaceutical, medical devices and diagnostics, and consumer products divisions. These products are made in response to both local and global consumer demands, representing solutions for many different customer segments. These factors are evidence that Johnson & Johnson has chosen the competitive strategy of differentiation. Using this strategy affords Johnson & Johnson a sense of prestige and quality and this is evident in its pricing practices.However, the company does use competitive pricing strategies and is continually trying to find ways to lower costs without sacrificing quality or reputation. Johnson & Johnson is constantly seeking to expand its product portfolio across all divisions and spends large amounts of money in R&D to that end. A Johnson & Johnson representative said, â€Å"Be the first, be the best. † This is the most effective way for the company to enter new markets and secure a strong position by being the first to offer the right products in the right locations in a time efficient manner.Johnson & Johnson’s ability to perform these actions successfully is due to the sprawling nature of its subsidiaries and the amount of resources dedicated towards making sure that they all work with each other and share information. Johnson & Johnson holds a very strong competitive position versus other corporations due to the amount of its resources and depth of its operations. It is able to maintain its position as market leader in several product categories, as well as penetrate emerging markets, be cause of its ability to adapt quickly and intelligently.The company must remain vigilant, however, as complacency can result in loss of market share. V. Assessing Effectiveness and Conclusion In today’s fast-paced business environment, any firm needs to consistently reevaluate its strategic positioning, but in industries as competitive as the ones in which Johnson & Johnson competes, continual evaluation is vital for long-term success. By any quantitative measures, Johnson & Johnson is a very successful company, and the fact that it has earned a profit for 75 straight years suggests that there is a definite plan for long-term success.The company’s famous credo, known as â€Å"Our Credo† and written by former chairman Robert W. Johnson in 1943, may have a role in this success. The credo outlines Johnson & Johnson’s responsibilities to its customers, employees, communities, and finally its stockholders. It also establishes the principles that guide the comp any, from making high quality products and recognizing employees’ merit to protecting the environment and experimenting with new ideas. Johnson & Johnson’s credo has endured, unchanged, for over 65 years. While it does not explicitly state long term goals, the principles within it express the company’s intrinsic values.According to the company’s website, â€Å"Our Credo is more than just a moral compass. We believe it’s a recipe for business success. The fact that the Johnson  & Johnson is one of only a handful of companies that have flourished through more than a century of change is proof of that. † Johnson & Johnson has indeed flourished. It consistently tops the corporate reputation charts and is a role model for social responsibility. Moreover, the company is clearly prepared for the many challenges its ever-changing international business environment poses.Due to its strategic positioning and eye on the future, Johnson & Johnson will likely survive another century. REFERENCES Academic Visit to Johnson & Johnson, Prague, Czech Republic. â€Å"2008 Annual Report. † Johnson & Johnson Gassman, Oliver, Gerrit Reepmeyer and Maximilian von Zedtwitz. â€Å"Leading Pharmaceutical Innovation. † Springer â€Å"The Global Pharmaceutical Industry. † Duke University â€Å"Mental health drug market tapped out? † CNNMoney. com â€Å"Our Credo Values. † Johnson & Johnson. â€Å"Patent Expirations Behind J&J Cuts, C&T Looks Closer at Patents. † Cosmetics and Toiletries

Summary of Devil at My Heels

A summary of Devil at My Heels. It’s a memoirist about Louis Zamperini who was a heroic Olympian. It’s also a story of survival as a Japanese POW in World War II. Louis Zamperini was born in Olean, New York, on January 26,1917. He is an Italian. But his family moved to California. Because he couldn’t speak English well so no friends talked to him and always laughed at him. And he became a tough kid. Then his brother, Pete encouraged him to run. So he made his first wise and important decision of his life. He was really good at running, won many prizes. His dream was to attend an Olympic Game. Unfortunately, his whole right lung was full of pus. So he couldn’t run any more. In addition, the 1940 Olympic Game was canceled due to the war. Inevitably, his dream crashed down. It was not long time for him to move into the Expediting Department at Lockheed. He also did well in it. And one day he flew in a B-24 Liberator. Fortune’s wheel didn’t care him. On May 27, he crashed into the Pacific Ocean. He and two other survivors found a raft and waited for rescue. They floated about forty-seven days. They evaded enemy’s attack several times. They killed sharks and ate their livers as food. Waited rainwater to drunk. They were still alive, but captured by the Japanese finally. Following more than two years, he was tortured and humiliated by Japanese. He experienced a lot of dehumanization and torment. Though he endured many torment, he never give up hope. After two years, he backed to home eventually. But he suffered from severe posttraumatic stress disorder. His wife helped him to get through the difficulty. He began to read Bible. He learnt to condone. Ultimately, he condoned all Japanese enemies and held on them.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Relationship between russian and the european union

Russia stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia with an area of 17,075,200 square kilometres making it the largest country in the world in terms of land mass. This country   shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea.Since the termination of the USSR in December 1991, Russia has become an influential member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia's worldwide role decreased greatly compared to that of the former Soviet Union.Russia is an essential partner in terms of engaging and building a strategic partnership with.   The 2003 European Security Strategy has rightly placed this country as a key player on geo-political and security issues at global and regional levels.Russia plays an important role in the UN Security Council and has significant influence in the European neighbourhood and in Central Asia. It must likewise be noted that Russia is a major supplier of energy products to the EU.It may be considered to have a small market but Russia is a large market for EU goods and services, with considerable potential for growth. And if that's not good news yet, listen to this: Russia is a key ally in EU efforts in its fight against new threats to security, including terrorism, pollution, crime, illegal migration and trafficking.Russia and the European UnionThe European Union’s primary objective is to enlist Russia to build a genuine strategic partnership, founded on common interests and shared values to which both sides are committed in the relevant international organisations such as the UN, Council of Europe, and OSCE, as well as with each other in the bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). As Ivanov mentioned these interests and values involved democracy, the rule of law, human rights and market economy principles (2000, pp. 33).Shishaev says that the EU and Russia are already cooperating on various i ssues which include modernisation of Russia’s economy and its consolidation into the world economy, security and international issues (1999, p. 42).Shishaev further explains that â€Å"EU relations with Russia is guided on a large spectrum of particular EU policies, including external policies like the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and trade policy; the external aspects of general EU policies such as on energy, transport, environment, etc.; the external dimension of freedom/security/justice activities; and the principles retained for development cooperation and assistance† (1999, p. 42).Likhachev reported that the common ground for EU relations with Russia is the PCA which came into force on December 1, 1997 for an initial duration of 10 years. This agreement shall extend beyond 2007 on a yearly basis.PCA sets the main objectives, establishes the institutional framework for bilateral contacts, and calls for activities and dialogue in a number of areas. The conditions of the PCA embrace a wide range of policy areas including political dialogue; trade in goods and services; business and investment; financial and legislative cooperation; science and technology; education and training; energy, nuclear and space cooperation; environment, transport; culture; and cooperation on the prevention of illegal activities. Rules of procedure for the dispute settlement provisions of the PCA were adopted in April 2004 (2000, pp. 20-24).The EU laid down its basic approach to relations with Russia in a â€Å"Common Strategy† in 1999 which was not extended beyond June 2004. An in February 2004, the Commission adopted a Communication which adopted measures to improve the effectiveness of EU-Russia relations, specifically in the wake of increased mutual dependence, the forthcoming enlargement, and the unresolved conflicts in some countries bordering Russia.The current institutional framework for relations with Russia as mentioned   above, is expec ted to change under the provisions of the new agreement with the view to creating a more concise and streamlined approach.During the Summit held in May 2003, the EU and Russia mutually decided to strengthen their cooperation by coming up with so-called four ‘common spaces’ in the framework of the PCA. It was agreed to make a common economic space; a common space of freedom, security and justice; a space of co-operation in the field of external security; as well as a space of research and education, including cultural aspects.Antonenko and Pinnick (2005, pp. 35-37) pointed out the ‘the purpose of the common economic space   is to create an open and integrated market between the EU and Russia which will bring down barriers to trade and investment and promote reforms and competitiveness, based on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency and good governance'.Among the wide range of actions that were perceived are a number of new dialogues. Cooperation is b eing stepped up on regulatory policy, investment issues, competition, financial services, telecommunications, transport, energy, space activities and space launching, etc. Environment, including nuclear safety and the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, also figures prominently.Meanwhile, Antonenko and Pinnick (2005, pp. 124 – 127) also reported that work on a common space for freedom, security and justice has made a big leap with the end of negotiations on the Visa Facilitation and the Readmission Agreements which were signed during the recent the EU-Russia Summit last May 25 in Sochi, Russia. Ratifications are being done by both the EU and Russia.Working together on fighting terrorism and other forms of transnational illegal activities such as money laundering, drugs and human trafficking will continue as well as on document security through the introduction of biometric features in a range of identification documents.Forsberg (1998, pp. 201-204) illustrated that the comm on space on external security, meanwhile, underlines the shared responsibility of the parties for an international order based on effective multilateralism, their support for the central role of the UN, and for the effectiveness of, in particular, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.Currently, there are ongoing activities to strengthen cooperation in the five priority areas identified in the Road Map which include strengthening dialogue and cooperation on the international scene; fight against terrorism; non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD); crisis management; and civil protection. Under the first priority, particular attention is given to securing stability in the regions adjacent to Russian and EU borders.Standing on the relations with Russia through its involvement in EU Research and Development activities and in particular the Framework Programme for Research and Development. The objective is to capitalise on the strength of the EU and Russian research communiti es and promote joint research activities in areas of common interest. Relationship between russian and the european union Russia stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia with an area of 17,075,200 square kilometres making it the largest country in the world in terms of land mass. This country   shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea.Since the termination of the USSR in December 1991, Russia has become an influential member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia's worldwide role decreased greatly compared to that of the former Soviet Union.Russia is an essential partner in terms of engaging and building a strategic partnership with.   The 2003 European Security Strategy has rightly placed this country as a key player on geo-political and security issues at global and regional levels. Russia plays an important role in the UN Security Council and has significant influence in the European neighbourhood and in Central Asia. It must likewise be noted that Russia is a major supplier of energy products to the EU.It may be considered to have a small market but Russia is a large market for EU goods and services, with considerable potential for growth. And if that's not good news yet, listen to this: Russia is a key ally in EU efforts in its fight against new threats to security, including terrorism, pollution, crime, illegal migration and trafficking.Russia and the European UnionThe European Union’s primary objective is to enlist Russia to build a genuine strategic partnership, founded on common interests and shared values to which both sides are committed in the relevant international organisations such as the UN, Council of Europe, and OSCE, as well as with each other in the bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).As Ivanov mentioned these interests and values involved democracy, the rule of law, human rights and market economy principles (2000, pp. 33).Shishaev says that the EU and Russia are already cooperating on various i ssues which include modernisation of Russia’s economy and its consolidation into the world economy, security and international issues (1999, p. 42).Shishaev further explains that â€Å"EU relations with Russia is guided on a large spectrum of particular EU policies, including external policies like the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and trade policy; the external aspects of general EU policies such as on energy, transport, environment, etc.; the external dimension of freedom/security/justice activities; and the principles retained for development cooperation and assistance† (1999, p. 42).Likhachev reported that the common ground for EU relations with Russia is the PCA which came into force on December 1, 1997 for an initial duration of 10 years. This agreement shall extend beyond 2007 on a yearly basis. PCA sets the main objectives, establishes the institutional framework for bilateral contacts, and calls for activities and dialogue in a number of areas.The conditions of the PCA embrace a wide range of policy areas including political dialogue; trade in goods and services; business and investment; financial and legislative cooperation; science and technology; education and training; energy, nuclear and space cooperation; environment, transport; culture; and cooperation on the prevention of illegal activities. Rules of procedure for the dispute settlement provisions of the PCA were adopted in April 2004 (2000, pp. 20-24).The EU laid down its basic approach to relations with Russia in a â€Å"Common Strategy† in 1999 which was not extended beyond June 2004. An in February 2004, the Commission adopted a Communication which adopted measures to improve the effectiveness of EU-Russia relations, specifically in the wake of increased mutual dependence, the forthcoming enlargement, and the unresolved conflicts in some countries bordering Russia.The current institutional framework for relations with Russia as mentioned   above, is expec ted to change under the provisions of the new agreement with the view to creating a more concise and streamlined approach.During the Summit held in May 2003, the EU and Russia mutually decided to strengthen their cooperation by coming up with so-called four ‘common spaces’ in the framework of the PCA. It was agreed to make a common economic space; a common space of freedom, security and justice; a space of co-operation in the field of external security; as well as a space of research and education, including cultural aspects.Antonenko and Pinnick (2005, pp. 35-37) pointed out the ‘the purpose of the common economic space   is to create an open and integrated market between the EU and Russia which will bring down barriers to trade and investment and promote reforms and competitiveness, based on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency and good governance'.Among the wide range of actions that were perceived are a number of new dialogues. Cooperation is b eing stepped up on regulatory policy, investment issues, competition, financial services, telecommunications, transport, energy, space activities and space launching, etc. Environment, including nuclear safety and the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, also figures prominently.