Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies - 1089 Words

Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies University of Phoenix Success in many areas of our lives, be it family, education, business, or leisure, is dependent on successful teamwork. Teams are â€Å"a number of persons associated together in work or activity†¦a group on one side†(Merriam-Webster, 2008). There are many types of teams, work teams, school teams, sports teams, families etc. â€Å"The fact remains that teams, because they are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently dysfunctional†( Lencioni, 2002). This inherent dysfunction is more commonly referred to as conflict. Working teams/groups need to be able to resolve conflict quickly and effectively in order to keep the team working well. Therefore, understanding and†¦show more content†¦Arbitration is mainly for a more serious problem within a team. Most teams never make it to the point of arbitration. The process is held within a room that is similar to a court room. This is a process in which the disputes wave the right of a ju ry. With the amount of conflict in this world, it is good to know different ways of solving the conflict quickly and professionally. Negotiation should most always be used at the first step in conflict resolution. It is the easiest strategy to implement, and has the benefit of keeping the conflict within the team. When a decision cannot be made, there are times that an impartial third-party needs to be involved. Mediation is the next step from negotiation and helps bring the opposing sides closer to, if not make, a final decision by the use of a â€Å"fresh pair of eyes†. When the conflict almost gets to the worst place possible then arbitration is the strategy to use. Arbitration brings in the â€Å"big guns† with the use of the arbitrator. This decision is the end-all, legally binding, conclusion of the situation. In the end, teamwork is the best way to avoid conflicts. When a group of people successfully work together toward a common goal, while taking in everyoneâ€℠¢s strengths and weaknesses, they become a team. â€Å"It is teamwork that remains the ultimateShow MoreRelated Team Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies Essay example1195 Words   |  5 PagesTeam Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies People work in groups or teams everyday whether in their career, education, political organization, church, or any other social setting. Conflict while working in teams or groups is inevitable. When taking people of different backgrounds, personalities, moral, and ethical beliefs and putting them together in a group, conflict will arise. The key to achieving your team goals is to construct and conquer your goals with keeping the greater goodRead MoreTeam Cohesion1509 Words   |  7 PagesRunning head: TEAM CONFLICT AND COHESION Team Conflict and Cohesion Mak Turno University of Phoenix July 9, 2007 Team Conflict and Cohesion The dynamics of a team relies heavily on the interaction of team members during times of conflict not just during times of agreement. Often groups seek to achieve a cohesive relationship in an effort to unite the team towards its goals. Group members can make the mistake of subverting conflict in an attempt to maintain this team unity. Conflict serves aRead MoreTeamwork in the Workplace Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pagesof teamwork and what can be accomplished when people put the strengths together. These teams consist of people from different cultures with different personalities. Conflict is inevitable when it comes to group dynamics. Conflict resolution is necessary to keep the group functioning efficiently. This paper will analyze group dynamics and focus on conflict resolution by way of communication. Teams consist of personnel with varied backgrounds, experience, education, and intellectual abilityRead MoreConflict Resolution Strategies1530 Words   |  7 PagesRunning header: CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES Conflict Resolution Strategies Wendy L. Decker University of Phoenix Conflict Resolution Strategies In this writing, we will explore and explain strategies of conflict resolution and, encourage teams, individuals and society as a whole to use some of these ideas for their own resolution purposes. â€Å"In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negativeRead MoreThe Story Behind a Teams Success738 Words   |  3 Pagesinherently, there is likely to be some level of conflict within the group, especially given that there are competing ideas. We also agreed, however, that while conflict can be positive, it can also be destructive and we felt that if we were oriented towards working as a team and pushing towards solutions, this approach would defray conflict and deliver better results (Joseph, 2013). Another thing we addressed from the outset as we tried to establish a team culture was the issue of power perceptions.Read MoreThe Dynamic World Of Nursing855 Words   |  4 PagesDynamic World of Nursing Introduction The nursing world is made up of complex systems with its numerous moving parts consisting of nurses, interdisciplinary members, supporting staff, technologies, and structures. When there are interactions between two or more individuals and systems, conflicts arise (Grossman Velia, 2012).With emerging conflicts, theses systems can go into a state of disequilibrium. Change, good or bad is bound to occur. Change forces development of leadership in which nursesRead MoreDiversity and Avoiding Conflict in Project Team1415 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity and Avoiding Conflict PM/582 Executive Summary Understanding the organizations diversity, and successfully identify and handle conflict within a team environment is necessary to the success of all projects. The project leader must have the appropriate skill set to successfully understand how to lead diverse teams and identify, lead conflict in a positive manner and communicate appropriately to our customers. We want to ensure that our customers are receiving whatRead MoreAnalysis Of Franklin Equipment, Ltd.1622 Words   |  7 Pagesproject is named Project Abu Dhabi. This assessment will discuss the process that FEL utilizes in creating its’ project teams, the efficiencies and problems related to the creation of the team, as well as identify the importance of team dynamics as FEL breaks into the international marketplace. This assessment is based on the activities surrounding the Project Abu Dhabi project team. Project Abu Dhabi is important in establishing FEL in the international market. Due to political concerns, companiesRead MoreCommunication, Conflict, And Conflict1453 Words   |  6 Pages Communication and Conflict Margarita Vela COM325: Communication Conflict Instructor: Kenneth Newton March 10, 2015 Communication and Conflict Conflict is a contest or struggle between individuals with opposing values, beliefs, needs, goals, and ideas. On teams, conflict is inevitable; on the other hand, the conflict’s outcomes are not predetermined. Conflict may escalate and result in nonproductive outcomes, or it may be beneficially resolved and lead to quality outcomes (Cahn AbigailRead More Motivation and Conflict Management Essay1023 Words   |  5 Pagesand Conflict Management Organizations strive for creative ways to enhance employee motivation and resolve conflicts with the desire to have employees perform better within the workplace. To motivate one has to be motivated. Motivation within the workplace has to be constant and requiring a goal. Motivation, if not repeated will not last. Therefore, learning to determine how different organizations apply motivation theories to motivate employees, analyzing conflict management strategies and what

The War Of The Worlds Essay - 894 Words

The War Of The Worlds The War Of The Worlds is about Martians coming down to earth and they start invading London. The Martians try to wipe out mankind in London. But dont become very successful because they get wiped out by the tiniest things on earth bacteria. The novel was published in 1898. At this time the British Empire was strong and dangerous. The British Empire conquered many places, such as India and parts of Africa. They were colonizing the countries. People say that at that time the British Empire were Stretched to their limits Religion was being questioned by a man called Charles Darwin, who was a famous scientist. He came up with the idea that humans evolved from apes†¦show more content†¦Charles Darwin said that mankind would continue to evolve. He described the theory of evolution that some of us except today. Darwin suggested that all species adapted over time according to necessity and that we are all descended from bacteria. Species will continue to evolve as needs demanded. This theory captured wells imagination clearly. Wells came up with the idea that man would one day come to the point of its evolution and that mankind would suddenly have a big head and big hands. He said this because all we do is work with our hands and use our brain a lot. Wells also wrote a book before The War Of The Worlds, called The Man Of The Year Million. In this book he describes man changing and evolving. In the book he says that man would come to its last evolution stage and also says this Watch them hop on their hands about the pure white marble floor. Great hands they have, enormous brains, soft, liquid, soulful eyes. This quote shows mankind has come to its last point of evolution. He also describes humans just suddenly changing and having these kind of features. In The War Of The Worlds its quite similar, he says mankind could evolve from better to worse and we could end up like the Martians. We could end up like this because the Martians have big heads and big hands and show no mercy to London, when the Martians try wiping outShow MoreRelatedThe War Of The World War2160 Words   |  9 Pagesimportant and destructive, such that the world started to create new and unimaginable weapons, like war tanks. The idea of protecting the soldiers as well as the necessity to have vehicles that can do more damage to the enemies in warfare and the development of industrial technologies made war tanks possible. They became very important in warfare, especially during the Second World War and they are still important in modern warfare. They became the world warfare solution to keep move forward whileRead MoreThe War Of The World War2377 Words   |  10 PagesWar has been one of the strongest words in the English dictionary that represented the bravery of the American people. Our nation had been branded by other countries to be the nation that is brave enough to spread our political influences to the peripheral countries, even if military forces is required. The word war brings pride to the American people due to all the international conflicts that our nation had conquered over history. As it is said in our national anthem, â€Å"And the rockets’ red glareRead MoreThe War On The World17 39 Words   |  7 Pagesorganized. The modern world is divided up into a number of states whose sovereignty is based either on the results of warfare or the threat of warfare. The ability of a states to wage and win wars is what determines the geopolitical pecking order. Those who cannot hope to win wars alone pursue policies and deals that ensure the intervention of more capable states in their defense, should one come about. Domestic policies and cultural developments, as well, are understood as wars: at this very momentRead MoreThe War Of The Worlds1200 Words   |  5 PagesThe Martians in the book The War Of The Worlds that was written by H. G. Wells were on the quest to Earth for resources to help them survive. At first landing and reading their spherical vehicles that were armed with both a heat ray gun and smoke gun, began to lay waste to mankind. Throughout the book, it is from the point of view of the narrator and what he experiences and sees on the Martians destruction o f the world he knows. While Earth gives as much defense as they can, it cannot stand up againstRead MoreThe War of the Worlds920 Words   |  4 PagesThe War of the Worlds When earth is invaded, what will happen? Great science fiction novels explore many scenarios like this. The likelihood of an Alien invasion is still a highly talked about topic in science fiction today. But none approach the subject of alien invasions like The War of the Worlds. When looking for a science fiction novel a reader has a wide array of books to choose from. One would want to choose a classic science fiction novel that is engaging and believable. H.G. Wells’ novelRead MoreThe World War908 Words   |  4 PagesJoint intentionalist and structuralists are perhaps even more applicable to the Second World War. The Germans as a whole were embarrassed by not only their loss of the First World War, but also the components of the Versailles Treaty, including, but not limited to the reparations and the territory loss. Before Hitler’s rise to Chancellor in 1933, he published Mein Kampf as a clear plan for the German Reich (Copeland 121). Going along with the intentio nalist theory, Mein Kampf once again calledRead MoreWorld War I and World War II700 Words   |  3 PagesMany people know about World War I and World War II seeing that they are a couple of the world’s most famous wars. Have you ever wondered how much you really know? This paper is here to inform you of all of the propaganda used to persuade people to follow Hitler, the Nazi party, and Stalin, terms that were used during this time period, and some of the very important people involved in World War I and in World War II. In the heat of World War I there were two groups, the Allies and the Central PowersRead MoreThe War Of The World War II1408 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent levels of the educational system most everyone has talked about the Second World War in great detail. The European and Pacific Theaters were the main focus of many historians and their writing, because war pertained to the audience of the time. WWII revolved around the idea of freedom and liberating the fascist governments of Europe, the homefront back in the states was the war machine that kept the war churning. Millions of pages have been written about the experiences and battles duringRead MoreThe War Of The World War II1496 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War II was one of the most powerful wars the world has ever had. It was also one of the largest conflicts there has ever been. It was known as a â€Å"world war† because nearly every country in the world was involved. There were many tragic and chilling events throughout t he war that were very significant. The war was known as one of the most disastrous wars of all time because of what the nations put each other through. Many innocent lives were taken during this mournful war. About 50 million troopsRead MoreThe War Of The World War II846 Words   |  4 Pageseffected the world is World War II. It is an event that will never be forgotten because of how many different countries were involved and how it affected the Jews as well. During the war, the United States started to put up posters to get people to join the army and there were other countries that convinced the people to invest money into the war. Without the propaganda and the use of artwork on posters and flyers that they used to influence people in the U.S. they may have never won the war. One of the

Leading Causes Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Deaths

Questions: 1. a. Using current statistical information, discuss the inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mortality rates in Australia? b. Discuss the factors that influence Indigenous mortality. Include the following in your discussion? Social determinants that impact on Indigenous health Historical and cultural influences such as stolen generation, self determination 2. a. Discuss effective communication strategies a nurse would use in a client admission interview. In your answer, consider effective verbal and non-verbal communication and the use of empathy? b. Explain the adjustments a nurse would make to their communication strategies with an Indigenous client? 3. Discuss the strategies that could be implemented to acknowledge this cultural difference in time when trying to organise health appointments for a group of people who followed Koori time? Answer: 1. a. In this topic we have to discuss the inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous mortality rates in Australia. Let us discuss this inequality step by step given below: Indigenous mortality rate for neoplasms, Diabetes, Ischaemic Heart, Strokes, Respiratory ,Digestive and External causes are more than the non-indigenous mortality rate for neoplasms, Diabetes, Ischaemic Heart, Strokes, Respiratory ,Digestive and External causes respectively. Following diagram gives the comparison in terms of numbers and graph. b. Here, we have to discuss some factors which influence indigenous mortality. Some social factors are responsible for the indigenous health. There are some external causes which impact on indigenous health. These causes include transport accidents, accidental falls, accidental poisoning, assault, intentional self arm or suicide etc. From the data given for all deaths, about 6.2% of registered deaths are due to external causes. The median age for these types of death is given as 56 years. The percentage for deaths due to transport accidents is given as 1.1%. Also there are some historical and cultural influences such as stolen generation and self determination is responsible for the indigenous health. It has been observed that there are some genetic reasons which are responsible for the indigenous health. Also due to some cultural influences, the impact on the indigenous health or mortality rate is observed according to the given data. 2. a. A nurse should use the following effective communication strategies use in a client admission interview: Use language that is easily understood. Sharing personal information is important. Do not expect about all information about client regarding families, culture and local history. Asking direct questions is important for data collection. Be sensitive while collecting information. b. A nurse should adjust the some situations for the effective communication while collecting the information about the client. She should be polite and sensitive while gathering data regarding the client. Identification of the mentality and other factors about the client is important. Do not ask the questions which will not be answered. Avoid asking some factors which will very sensitive in terms of social situation. 3. Here, we have to discuss the strategies that could be implemented to acknowledge the cultural difference in time. In some cultures, there is a social pressure on some individuals which affects the mortality rates. For example, the pressure was put on the mother by older relatives who claimed regarding milk meant for her baby. There are some social frustrations which are indirectly responsible for the overall mortality rate and social health. The statistical data also shows this difference in terms of number of deaths. There are changes over time for the variation in the cultural difference for the group of people who followed the Koori time. References: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) LEADING CAUSES OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER DEATHS Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing, (2013) The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet: The Context of Indigenous Health Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care (n.d.). Sharing the True Stories, Improving communication in Indigenous health care: guidelines for health staff School of Social Sciences, Flinders University, South Australia, O'Brien, G. and Plooij, D. (1973) Nelson, H.(ed.)(1995)

Sheryl Crow free essay sample

Sheryl, Sheryl, Sheryl was the chant that rang through the classically styled Orpheum Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, in March. The crowds overwhelming anticipation grew before Sheryl emerged. As Sheryl danced her way onto stage, you could see the personal side that she portrays in her music. As the lead vocalist, classically trained pianist and guitar player, her myriad musical talents were evident throughout the concert. Sheryl doesnt sing her music through vicarious events, her singing comes from the actual experiences of her life. An untitled song from her new album, for example, was about a man whom she met in a restaurant in Pasadena. The man was dressed in drag and, because of this, was asked to leave the restaurant. Sheryl enjoyed speaking to this unique fellow and thought it would be interesting to write a song about him. Sheryl told the audience the story and added that most of her songs are about people, places or things she experienced in Pasadena, where most of her songs written and recorded. We will write a custom essay sample on Sheryl Crow or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some people may ask, Can she sing more than just AAll I Want to Do is Have Some Fun? My answer is that Sheryl Crow is no one-hit wonder. Her music ranges from an upbeat, fun song like All I Want to Do is Have Some Fun, to a more rap-like song such as Na, Na, Na. Other songs that she performed include Leaving Las Vegas, Run, Baby, Run, No One Said It Would be Easy, What I Can Do For You, Cant Cry Anymore and Strong Enough. Sheryl also tempted our taste buds with a sampling of songs from her new album. The Sheryl Crow concert was a great time and worth the money. I would definitely see her in concert again and anyone who thinks it wouldnt be worth their time would definitely be missing out on seeing a great concert

Biography of Olympe de Gouges, French Activist

Biography of Olympe de Gouges, French Activist Olympe de Gouges (born Marie Gouze; May 7, 1748–November 3, 1793) was a French writer and activist who promoted womens rights and the abolition of slavery. Her most famous work was the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, the publication of which resulted in Gouges being tried and convicted of treason. She was executed in 1783 during the Reign of Terror. Fast Facts: Olympe de Gouges Known For: Gouges was a French activist who fought for womens rights; she wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female CitizenAlso Known As: Marie GouzeBorn: May 7, 1748 in Montauban, FranceDied: November 3, 1793 in Paris, FrancePublished Works: Letter to the People, or Project for a Patriotic Fund (1788), Patriotic Remarks (1789), Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen (1791)Spouse: Louis Aubry (m.  1765-1766)Children: Pierre Aubry de GougesNotable Quote: Woman is born free and lives equal to man in her rights. Social distinctions can be based only on the common utility. Early Life Olympe de Gouges was born on May 7, 1748, in southwestern France. At the age of 16, she was married against her wishes to a man named Louis Aubry, who died a year later. De Gouges moved to Paris in 1770, where she started a theater company and became involved in the growing abolitionist movement. Plays After joining the theater community in Paris, Gouges began writing her own plays, many of which dealt explicitly with issues such as slavery, male-female relations, childrens rights, and unemployment. Gouges was critical of French colonialism and used her work to draw attention to social ills. Her work, however, was often met with hostile criticism and ridicule from the male-dominated literary establishment. Some critics even questioned whether she was the true author of the works to which shed signed her name. Activism From 1789- beginning with the French Revolution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen- until 1944, French women were not allowed to vote, meaning they did not have the full rights of citizenship. This was the case even though women were active in the French Revolution, and many assumed that such rights were theirs by virtue of their participation in that historic liberation struggle. Gouges, a playwright of some note at the time of the Revolution, spoke for not only herself but many of the women of France when in 1791 she wrote and published the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen. Modeled after the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen by the National Assembly, Gouges declaration echoed the same language and extended it to women. As many feminists have done since then, Gouges both asserted womans capability to reason and make moral decisions and pointed to the feminine virtues of emotion and feeling. A woman was not simply the same as a man; she was his equal partner. The French version of the titles of the two declarations makes this mirroring a bit clearer. In French, Gouges manifesto was the Dà ©claration des Droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne―not just woman contrasted with man, but citoyenne contrasted with citoyen. Unfortunately, Gouges assumed too much. She assumed she had the right to even act as a member of the public and to assert the rights of women by authoring such a declaration. She violated boundaries that most of the revolutionary leaders wanted to preserve. Among the most controversial ideas in Gouges Declaration was the assertion that women, as citizens, had the right to free speech, and therefore had the right to reveal the identity of the fathers of their children―a right that women of the time were not assumed to have. She assumed a right of children born out of legitimate marriage to full equality to those born in marriage: this called into question the assumption that only men had the freedom to satisfy their sexual desire outside of marriage, and that such freedom on the part of men could be exercised without fear of corresponding responsibility. It also called into question the assumption that only women were agents of reproduction―men, Gouges proposal implied, were also part of the reproduction of society, and not just political, rational citizens. If men were seen sharing the reproduction role, perhaps women should be members of the political and public sphere of society. Death For refusing to be silent on the rights of women―and for associating with the wrong side, the Girondists, and criticizing the Jacobins, as the Revolution became embroiled in new conflicts―Olympe de Gouges was arrested in July 1793, four years after the Revolution began. She was sent to the guillotine in November of that year and was beheaded. A contemporary report of her death said: Olympe de Gouges, born with an exalted imagination, mistook her delirium for an inspiration of nature. She wanted to be a man of state. She took up the projects of the perfidious people who want to divide France. It seems the law has punished this conspirator for having forgotten the virtues that belong to her sex. In the midst of a revolution to extend rights to more men, Olympe de Gouges had the audacity to argue that women, too, should benefit. Her contemporaries were clear that her punishment was, in part, for forgetting her proper place and violating the boundaries set for women. Legacy Gouges ideas continued to influence women in France and abroad after her death. Her essay Declaration of the Rights of Woman was reprinted by like-minded radicals, inspiring Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792. Americans were inspired by Gouges as well; during the 1848 Womens Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, activists produced the Declaration of Sentiments, an expression of female empowerment that borrowed from Gouges style. Sources Duby, Georges, et al.  Emerging Feminism from Revolution to World War. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1995.Roessler, Shirley Elson.  Out of the Shadows: Women and Politics in the French Revolution, 1789-95. Peter Lang, 2009.Scott, Joan Wallach.  Only Paradoxes to Offer: French Feminists and the Rights of Man. Harvard University Press, 2004.

The Biggest Error of a New Freelance Writer

The Biggest Error of a New Freelance Writer Here lately Ive received a rash of emails asking me how to become a freelance writer and make money. Well, actually, they ask how they can write and get paid So, lets look at this for a moment . . . Im supposed to take on someone who is not a commercial writer, teach them how to write such that it IS marketable, then pay them $50 for 500 words that fit FundsforWriters. Some submitters become quite disgruntled when I refuse them. Some pitch me anyway, then when I reject (always with reasons to help them learn), they get angry that I am not giving a new writer a chance Note to writers everywhere: It is not an editors job to teach you how to write. When you pitch, you are professing to already know the craft. It should be only a  matter of the writers pitch fitting the need of the publication. The best ways to learn how to write for a publication: 1) Read all the freelance chapters in a Writers Market. 2) Read enough of the publication youre pitching to understand their style. 3) Read the guidelines and study the editorial calendar (if available). 4) Ensure your writing is polished enough so that the editor wants to read more. 5) Know the Chicago Manual of Style. Second note to writers: Editors are not there to edit your work for you. They are there to edit for the publication, to find the best topics for their readers and then edit the stories to fit the space. Take the time to learn how to write well. Then take the time to learn how to pitch smart. Do not use editors for your trial and error learning process. Find beta readers and critique groups to test drive your work. You cannot undo a first impression, and yes, many editors remember. An idea that doesnt quite fit is one thing.not knowing how to write is quite another. Freelance writing resources for the new freelance writer: therenegadewriter.com/ makealivingwriting.com/ writersmarket.com/

APN Leader Interview Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

APN Leader Interview Project - Essay Example These competencies are essential behaviors for all Nursing Practitioners. They are necessary for the practitioners to face complex challenges in the translation of knowledge that is rapidly expanding into the function and practice in the health care environment that is also rapidly changing. Nurse Practitioners have skills, knowledge, as well as abilities that highly essential to the independent clinical practice. They acquire the competencies through patient care experiences that are mentored, analytic skills, and advanced knowledge of health care system. The Doctoral –prepared Nurse Practitioners get to apply their knowledge in scientific foundation in the quality care practice, they also have the ability to apply their acquired skills in technology and also in information literacy. Practitioners engage in practice inquiries where they improve health outcomes, health policy as well as health care delivery (Joel, 2013). There are also areas of increased skills, knowledge, and expertise that includes collaboration, advanced communication skills, leadership, complex decision making and the health care business. Upon completion of NP program, the practitioners fully possess the nine core competencies that are not based on or determined by population focus (Joel, 2013). The nine Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies are; scientific foundation competencies, leadership competencies, quality competencies, practice inquiry competencies, technology and information literacy competencies, policy competencies, heath delivery system competencies, ethics competencies, and independent practice competencies. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) in this case critically analyzes evidence and data for the improvement of advanced nursing practice, integrates knowledge from a combination of sciences and humanities that are within the nursing science context and translates research and knowledge in order to improve the processes and outcomes. The NP also gets to develop

You have been asked to speak at a career fair for high school students Research Paper

You have been asked to speak at a career fair for high school students in your home town - Research Paper Example ctivities, preparing financial statements, reviewing financial records using audit trials, and using financial statements for strategic planning purposes (VanBaren, n.d.). Let me now tell you about the term ‘financial reporting’. Financial reporting means provision of financial information to concerned individuals and departments in the form of reports to use it for business purposes. â€Å"These reports provide vital information about the organization’s financial status† (Symes, n.d.). Accountants usually organize financial information in the form of financial statements and send them to concerned authorities for decision-making activities. Accounting has also played a significant role in my personal life as its professional ethics have made me much more organized than before. I have also become highly skilled in preparing a cost effective monthly budget for household activities. Apart from these benefits of being skilled in accounting, you must be able to use latest technologies and software applications to progress in your professional careers as accountants. The reason is that technology make accounting processes fast and free or errors which are two of the basic requirements of efficient

Interest in Rainwater Essay Example for Free

Interest in Rainwater Essay The article entitled â€Å"Interest in Rainwater Harvesting Grows in Colorado† written by Paul Day was about a proposal of Brad Lancaster, a rainwater virtuoso and initiator. His entire idea according to the news was that he wanted to use the rainwater for needs of the people and environment just like in Arizona and New Mexico. But the Executive Director of Colorado Waterwise, Paul Lander, prohibited his willingness to pursue this project because according to him it might result in breaking the rights of the people to that water. Lancaster insisted and he even showed two concrete project proposals for this. First, it would legalize the conception in countrysides that were not served by municipal water supplies. Lastly, it would instruct for conducting projects to study whether rainwater harvesting can be used without harming water rights. It interests me a lot because if we’re going to use the water from the sky in some ways, we can get lot of benefits out of it. I consider this as a biological issue because it discusses the precipitation process. This is very important because this is an exact example of learning how to utilize the nature for our advantage. The steps of scientific process: a. The usage of the rainwater purposefully though Colorado water law forbids it? b. Other places like Arizona and New Mexico can do it, why can’t we. c. They show the proposals using diagrams of storage tanks for collecting rainwater that runs off the rooftops home homes and businesses. d. The people who witness the presentation of the project agree that we can get a lot out of it. Scientific Terms: rainwater – water that comes form the sky project proposals – the entire flow or plan of the project and the things that they wanted to do precipitation process – the continuous cycle of water â€Å"Does Diabetes Make the Mind Go to Pieces† written by Mary Brophy Marcus is the second article. It imparted us about the risk of having Alzheimer’s disease and the effects of it are as follows: a. more prone to cognitive decline b. the mind’s ability to evaluate problems and the speed of processing information might suffer because of high rate of insulin or abnormal blood glucose. The experimentation by the researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada verified the people with diabetes and non diabetic were prone to mental decline according to the American Psychological Associations January issue of Neuropsychology but the executive function – complex, analytical thinking and speed processing were directed to the diabetic ones. In the journal Neuron published in December found out that if the brain didn’t get enough sugar it produced Alzheimer’s plaques but improving the brain’s blood flow might prevent or cured Alzheimer’s according to Robert Vassar, a professor of cell and molecular biology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine and he recommended that doing some exercise, minimizing cholesterol intake and taking care of the hypertension could help a lot. On the contrary, according to Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York that insulin worked in the nerves that went to the liver and it declared stoppage glucose production and healed diabetes but not in the blood. I found it fascinating because it conveyed awareness on how to take good care of our body. I considered this biological issue because it dealt with the health of an individual. The steps of the scientific process: a: Treating Alzheimer’s disease? b. the insulin is a great help c. they observe people with diabetes and non – diabetic individuals d. proper maintenance of insulin/glucose in our body and the habitual exercise and taking care of the body will prevent diseases. Scientific Terms: glucose – a crystalline sugar insulin – secreted by islets of Langerhans for carbohydrate’s metabolism and glucose regulation in the blood and produced diabetes mellitus when insufficient. Alzheimer’s disease progressive memory loss, impaired thinking, and changes in mood. The last article entitled â€Å"The Big Green Giveaway† by Tony Milney wanted to share about Mr. Miliband’s willingess to save the planet and our benefit out of it. The objective of putting up the household carbon emissions close to zero by 2050, the government decided to plan an environmental makeover. Establishing ground or air-source heat pumps, solar heating, solid wall insulation, or to join a community heating scheme are the suggested ways to lessen the average ? 300 a year of the wasted energy that needed an action or prevention. Based from the principles of this proposal, all the privileges were given to the homeowners to be able to fulfill the energy saving measures in our home. Not only this, but also the 90,000 solar water-heating systems in Britain. Another offer was the installation wind turbines, wood-pellet stoves, ground-source heat pumps and other eco kit by the Energy Saving Trust. And it even mentioned here the different gadgets used to save energy at home. This article caught my attention because it gave us information and ideas on how to save energy and at the same having advantage of it. I considered this as a biological issue because it discussed the environment that we had and the energy that we consumed. It is important because it helped the people saved energy without damaging the ecosystem. The steps of the scientific process: a. How can we avoid wasted energy? b. the misused of the energy and environment can cause this kind of problem c. they mentioned the different ways on how to save energy and the invented gadgets that could be of great help to the people d. there will be no wasted energy if the people would learn how to save energy wisely. Scientific Terms: energy dynamic exertion of power carbon a nonmetallic primarily tetravalent element found native gadgets an often small automatic or electronic device with a sensible use but often thought of as a novelty. Works Cited Day, Paul. â€Å"Interest in Rainwater Harvesting Grows in Colorado. † CBS4Denver. com (Feb 12, 2009): http://cbs4denver. com/local/Rainwater. Harvesting. illegal. 2. 934360. html Marcus, Mary Brophy. â€Å"Does Diabetes Make the Mind Go to Pieces? † USA TODAY (Jan. 28, 2009): http://www. usatoday. com/news/health/2009-01-28-diabetes-alzheimers_n. htm Milne, Tony â€Å"The Big Green Giveaway. † The Sunday Times (February 15, 2009): http://www. timesonline. co. uk/tol/news/environment/article5732920. ece

CPU Internal Organisations :: essays research papers

The input/output (I/O) interface, bus structures, microprocessor, memories and peripherals (also known as external or I/O devices) are the major components of a computer system. These components constantly trade information and instructions to complete assigned operations. With the exception of the peripherals, the ongoing communication between components is conducted within the system through interconnections or paths called buses.Peripherals such as keyboards, add-in cards (including frame grabbers), monitors, modems and printers are alternatively connected to the system through the I/O interface. The I/O connection features a communication line to send and receive data between the system and peripherals. Figure 1 illustrates the standard microprocessor-based PC architecture outlined above. Note: the peripherals' link to the system through the I/O interface rather than directly through the system's host bus.The primary purpose of a system's host bus is to connect components and allow them to communicate. To achieve this, the host bus is composed of three types of communication lines. An address bus is a one-way path that allows the microprocessor to specify which of the various locations in the memories and in the I/O interface it is accessing. Using this path, the microprocessor can select a memory address from which to acquire or in which to store data. The CPU also queries the I/O interface and devices using the address bus to specify input and output locations. A data bus carries the actual data between the microprocessor, memories and the I/O interface. Because the data bus is bidirectional, information can be both sent and received on these lines. A control bus handles the arbitration and differentiation between data coming in and data going out of different components by transmitting read, write and other control signals.In evaluating bus architecture, our primary concern is with transfers occurring on the data bus. The data bus is responsible for moving the bulk of information that travels through a system. And the data bus design ultimately determines how efficiently that data will flow. Defining features of the data bus include the size or bandwidth of the bus, the speed of the bus, and the location of the bus within the system. It helps to think of the data bus as a gateway through which a certain amount of information can pass.

Steel Toed Stilettos

Man is the subject; woman is the object. This is the major premise of the gender binary hierarchy. Man is dominant and the woman submissive, active and passive, rational and emotional, strong and weak. Hegemonic masculinity is the ‘maintenance of practices that institutionalize men's dominance over women' (Connell, 1997, p. 24). Emphasized femininity is compliance and the overall subordination of women to men (Connell). This will be an analysis of female strippers and those people in their environment, with special concern regarding the objectification of women, and the misleading emphasized femininity ascribed to dancers. Men are the customers thought of when designing a strip club; there are scantily clad women, sports or pornography on television sets, even pool tables and arcade games. He is the subject. The women are objectified, the use of a pseudonym, or stage name, distances the customers, and the dancers, from the strippers' lives outside the club. However, there are more parties involved than the customer and the dancer. The parties involved extend from the dancers to their agents, the club owners/managers, the municipal government as well as club support staff, photographers, promotional people, and others not discussed here. The agents, rarely female, must find a new club for the woman to work in every week and for this, they receive a fifteen percent commission. Agents have contracts with the dancers as well as the clubs. When and if any dancers complain about dirty working conditions and unfair labour practices, the agents quickly attempt to stop the denouncing. If a dancer wanted to sue a club for breach of contract, for instance, and the agents did not persuade her to stop, the treatment upon her return would be a sign that she was done in the strip clubs. The agent would blackball her from all clubs represented by his agency; in Alberta, ninety-eight percent of the clubs are under contract to one agency effectively ensuring the women's compliance and increasing the unlikelihood that someone might speak up. In addition to the club and dancer contracts they hold, they advocate breast implants and bleached blonde hair and pole dancing. If women do receive implants, show prices increase and instead of being a dancer, she can be a ‘walker'. Many feature performers simply walk around the stage and do not dance, an opportunity provided for them by their physical attributes. A classmate remarked in a discussion, â€Å"obviously the girls know how to dance, it's a basic job requirement. † The reality is breast implants can take centre stage and relegate a lack of rhythm to a dark corner backstage. The mainstream and the sex industry reward women who have breast implants. Those dancers with large breasts will receive more money per show than her colleague with the smaller cup size will receive if all other factors are equal. The municipal governments, specifically the City of Edmonton and the City of Calgary, require that all exotic dancers pass a security clearance to control for any drug or prostitution charges also, dancers must pay an annual fee of one hundred fifty dollars for a license. The city has increased their scrutiny in regards to one's security clearance in the past two years resulting in fewer women able to work in the city and others fearing that their past transgressions exposed to everyone making them ineligible for employment. A near rejection of one Edmonton dancer's license renewal illustrates the unintended effects of the security clearance; she was required to meet the police vice and discuss a charge on her record. There was a real possibility that she would not pass if she were unable to explain her charges. It was shoplifting, no conviction, just a charge, and occurred seven years prior. Why is it necessary for a stripper to gain security clearance? Are strippers inherently more dangerous? What kinds of threats do naked women pose? Fear of the criminality possessed by these women must not be the reason for these seemingly unnecessary procedures. If it was a predominately male profession, it is highly doubtful that the same processes would be in place. The fee of one hundred fifty dollars is significantly higher than bars or restaurants, but fortunately far below the annual three thousand dollars paid by escorts. Does the city equate strippers and escorts? The singling out of these two professions may suggest an equivocation. Why are retail workers not forced to have a license? One answer is that the government wants a share of the money these women work hard to receive. The documenting of the tips dancers receive and the money escorts receive is not necessarily reliable. These people may not fully declare their income on their taxes and the government is unable to verify the amounts. These licensing fees are in place to regulate the dancers but there is little regulation. This is another instance of the domination attempts on these females. The club owner/manager is male for the vast majority. These men tell the agents what kind of dancers they are seeking. The owner's preferences can result in the agents offering only certain women work; he may want only Caucasian women, waifs, or pop music blondes. The club owner holds absolutely the power to hire and fire. After first meeting a dancer or after her first show of the week, or at any time during the week, the manager can fire her, sometimes without pay. A woman's weight, breast size, muscle tone (be it too muscular or not enough), attractiveness, attitude, behaviour, past, are all reasons for dismissal. The fact that a woman could work an entire week, and be expecting a paycheque of eight hundred dollars only to be fired hours before she is to be paid seems unfair, oppressive, exploitive, etc. There is also the possibility that instead of receiving a paycheque, one could receive a bill. The attached hotel may be the only option in the town, deducted from the cheque, as well as telephone calls, bar tabs, restaurant bills, these alone could dramatically reduce a cheque and then there are fines. There are no fine regulations and can vary widely between clubs. Fines are also absolute, there is no appeal process, no possibility that the Stripper Protection Agency will raid the club and arrest the fine-happy manager. If a manager hates a dancer, he could allow her to dance the week only to surprise her with a page of fines for infractions she did not commit. Fines are in place to ensure job effectiveness, productivity and presence; they also lessen payrolls. Sanctions imposed for tardiness are generally one hundred dollars for every minute late for a show, no excuses. Missed shows range from two hundred fifty dollars to five hundred dollars plus the cost of the show. It is wholly within the manager's power to decide to double a dancer's fines. For example, during an interview with a dancer named Octavia, she told of when she was late for a show because her suitcase would not open, after a lengthy struggle the manager opened it by ripping the suitcase and then proceeded to fine her three hundred dollars for being late. She told the other dancers what had happened and they were outraged and informed the manager of such. He then doubled her fine because she had a ‘big mouth' and the other dancers were approaching him and scolding him for fining Octavia. It is a system that favors the club, adversarial to the dancer and easy to identify situations in which women could work a week for nothing, maybe less. Fired without pay and an excessive fine system are only two of the way women are overpowered, another is the unwillingness and the refusal to accept any reason to miss a show. These claims, legitimate or not, are for the vast majority of the time never taken seriously. The managers have ‘seen & heard it all before' and suspect a late night of alcohol and drugs are the cause of this day's ailment. The male aspects of the strip trade include the agents who have a monopoly on clubs and workers, almost all control over a dancer's placement, much say in the hiring of a dancer, and the power to ostracize a dancer. Spotlighting the municipal government and it is hard to miss its attempts to exploit working women. The club owners have the power, and exercise it, to fire without pay, fine exorbitant amounts of money over minutes, and refuse to believe any ailments that a woman is suffering from is anything more than a hangover. After that lengthy inspection of the males of the strip club culture, the attention focuses on the females, the dancers. In her article, Feminism, Marxism, Method and the State: An Agenda for Theory, Catharine A. MacKinnon (1982) states, â€Å"Socially, femaleness means femininity, which means attractiveness to men, which means sexual attractiveness, which means sexual availability on male terms†. If femaleness means femininity and dancers are female, if the factors of femininity as met it is true. Dancers are attractive to men, sexually attractive in fact. Interpreting sexual availability as a willing participant in sexual activity is valid; however, women can be available in general and not for a specific person. If this is correct then dancers exude femininity. They seem rather feminine, wearing form-fitting dresses, short skirts, and stiletto heels. Their make-up and hair are amazing emphasizing their attractiveness, and being naked is a sufficient condition for sexually attractive. It is appropriate to consider dancers feminine in relation to MacKinnon's article. The men think we do it because we love sex so much, we're sex-driven throbbing mattress kittens. But when we're on stage we're all virgins, and then we lock eyes with that one special guy and he might be the one to change all that . . . and then we lock eyes with the next guy and he might be the one to change all that. Men are so stupid. † Octavia's quote is an example of the have/hold discourse (Hollway, 1984). Wife or mistress, virgin or whore (or sex-driven throbbing mattress kittens) the dichotomy is the same and impossible to achieve. Expected to be the provocative, seductive, pure, inginue and obviously unable to fill the role, the dancer adopts a role not unlike that of a trucker. Rude, crude and crass, these women are tough. They have experienced volumes either in person, a close friend, or another dancer's recollection. Assertive, aggressive, controlled, rational are usually male-specific traits but dancers are often described as such. A power shift has occurred, any previous conceptions about women's subservience to men have vanished. On stage, strippers can make men do anything, falling over themselves to throw money to her, reduced to the basest of urges. After having seen one's oppressor with his pants around his ankles and his clown boxers showing, the power is not as apparent as it had been. If subsequently, the repeat viewing of the oppressor is in compromising, powerless situations, the oppressor ceases to exist, and it is simply another person. In the situation the power shifted to the dancers and the agent, the manager, the city government may exert some power over her; regardless the men at the strip club are waiting for her. Exotic dancers appear to be an ultimately sexual, feminine being. However, it is not always the case; they adopt attitudes perhaps better suited to their trucker or rig-working customers. The misconception that the dancers are waiting for that guy at the club is in light of the fact that many dancers have an utter hatred for males and they despise them while they smile and listen to his stories. The objectification that is present in the strip club may not be the dancers at all it may be the customer who is nothing other than a source for money. The personality traits, usually coded as masculine, embodied by these women, must aid them as they ‘hustle' to sell table dances, and convince the men to play loonie games. The transference of power, as experienced in the strip club, would be an empowering experience for all women. The possibility of it occurring is not absurd. The emphasized femininity some women adhere to is not going to increase the likelihood of this fundamental shift. However, if any change is to occur, solidarity must first be present.

Dress Code in School Should Be Applied

School dress code has always been a controversial topic in the United States mainly because of American culture. Many school dress codes or uniforms have come from England. Uniforms in public school reduce economic and social barriers between students, encourage discipline and affect positive attitude by increasing self-confidence, school pride, and a sense of belonging, and create a safe environment in the schools. In the 1960s United States began adopting school uniforms in public schools but even now it is controversial whether or not they should be implemented throughout the country. The idea of uniforms came from England where their purpose was to encourage docility and obedience toward authority. However, England and United States used the uniforms to distinguish the lower class from the elite parochial schools. Even though the public schools did not start to look at uniforms until the 1960s, private and Catholic schools had uniform policies which were question for much of the first half of the twentieth century (David L. Brunsma, 2004). In 1960, people protested against school uniforms implemented by Catholic and private schools. The protests were based on different concerns, such as: 1) Uniforms became an invasion of parents’ rights; 2) the inherent statement that uniforms make of conformity and similarity was being questioned; 3) At that time, the school uniforms were expensive for poorer families; and 4) children will eventually find out social class boundaries, etc. (Brunsma, 2004). Uniforms take away from visible difference between student socioeconomics and removes pressure to dress a certain way. Students can then focus more on their schoolwork and less on what their peers are wearing. In the book Rights of Student the author states, â€Å"Some students may feel ostracized because they cannot afford the latest fashions that are popular among their classmates† (Hudson and Marzilli, 2004). Former president Bill Clinton encouraged the idea of school uniform in his 1996 State of the Union address. He said, â€Å"If it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public school should be allowed to require the students to wear school uniforms† (Hudson and Marzilli, 2004). Clinton also stated: â€Å"If it means that the schoolrooms will be more orderly, more disciplined, and that our young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside instead of what they're wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms†(Hudson and Marzilli, 2004). Uniforms are not only used to avoid socioeconomic difference and remove peer pressure to dress a certain way, but also used to increase safety in public schools. Schools in United States had to implement dress code regulation to provide and improve a safe environment for student and faculty. After the Columbine shooting, schools’ safety awareness brought attention to dress codes in schools. Schools began implementing uniforms that prevented students from wearing gang-related apparel like trench coats and baggy pants, which enable students to hide weapons easily. Teachers and principals of students wearing uniforms can quickly see if there are non-students present in the building depending on the colors of the uniforms. School personnel can quickly notice a person that is a non-student on school grounds, preventing a trespasser who might cause harm at the school. One can agree with Jamuna’s viewpoint in the book Students’ Rights when he said, â€Å"Of all the potential benefits of school dress policies, none is more important than improving school safety† (Jamuna, 2005). Another aspect is how student dress affects attitudes in school and throughout adult years. Uniforms encourage discipline, sense of belonging and school pride, which can facilitate later on in life in the work place or even in their personal lives. Some students and parents object to dress codes. However, the majority of school administrators recognize that well-drafted student dress codes help provide a better learning environment. Students need to learn how to dress for success. (Hudson and Marzilli, 2004) A person must have the appropriate attire to dress for a job interview. Should the school be no different ? In the United States, schools and parents have disagreed over school uniforms. Some believe they violate or restrict a student’s right to freedom of expression. There have been cases where the students have taken legal action against schools and won. The most popular is Tinver v. Des Moines Independent Community School Districts, where the school implemented a dress code policy that armbands could not be used in the school (Raskin, 2003). Tinver’s and a group of adults and students’ purpose were to publicize their objection to the hostilities in Vietnam. â€Å"Petitioners John F. Tinver, 15 years old, and Christopher Eckhardt, 16 years old, attended high school in Des Moines, Iowa. Petitioner Mary Beth Tinver, John’s sister, was a 13 year-old-student in Junior high school† (Raskin, 2003). However, the first Amendment protects freedom of verbal speech and uniforms does not qualify as express conduct because contains no particular message. In the book Rights of Student who’s Arthurs are Hudson and Marzilli states, â€Å"Restrictions on students dress are not designed to suppress free expressions; rather, they are a way to improve the educational environment† (Hudson and Marzilli, 2004). Opponents also believe school uniforms inhibit student’s individuality. Teenagers express their feelings by the garments they wear. Uniforms take away this form of expression. Why should school districts try to make everyone look the same? For United States students, wearing uniforms may be viewed as too formal in a casual school atmosphere and too limiting of individuality. Parents may perceive that uniforms are less expensive than what would ordinarily be worn every day (Brunsma, 2006). School uniforms can be adopted from childhood onward, but adolescence is a time when uniforms may be adopted in the United States (Kim, DeLong, and LaBat, 2001). The third reason opponents disagree is that they believe uniforms inhibit a student’s freedom of choice. The United States focuses on teaching freedom of choice, therefore opponents feel there is no ethos in teaching when uniform are implemented. In website called Children’s School Uniforms, Pros and Cons, Dorit Sasson says, â€Å"A School uniform is an issue which has caused a lot of debate in the last few years. Many students feel they lose their identity when everyone is required to wear the same clothes to school† (Sasson, 2007). However, there has been a survey that shows students support school uniforms. In the article Sasson also says, â€Å"Some English students have recently come out in support of school uniforms. According to a survey of 1,300 teens, 67% of the boys and 52% of the girls prefer wearing uniforms to school† (Sasson, 2007). The author of Students’ Rights supports the idea and says, â€Å"Though the majority of public schools do not require uniforms, the feedback is very positive from those who do† (Jamuna, 2005). In conclusion, dress codes should be applied in all public schools for the following potential benefits. First they reduce economic and social barriers between students. Secondly, they are essential to the school environment by promoting school safety, encouraging discipline and boosting positive attitudes. Though opponents believe school uniforms violate or restricts a student’s right to freedom of expression, inhibit student’s individuality and student freedom of choice, the fact remains that as Hudson and Marzilli state, â€Å"School should be more about discipline than fashion. School uniforms help decrease tensions in school, reduce socioeconomic differences, improve safety, and remove distractions. †

How to Form the Italian Gerund

How to Form the Italian Gerund I am eating, you are drinking, the soprano is singing. In Italian, the gerund (il gerundio) is equivalent to the -ing verb form in English. Forming the Gerund To form the simple gerund in Italian, add -ando to the stem of -are verbs and -endo to the stem of -ere and -ire verbs. There is also another form of the gerund, the compound gerund (il gerundio composto). It is formed with the either the gerund form of either avere or essere past participle of the action verb (see the table below). The Italian gerund is equal to the English present participle - i.e. the part of the verb ending in -ing, like thinking, running, talking, speaking, drinking, etc.Also called the adverbial present participle, the gerund (gerundio) is formed by adding a suffix to the verb. Examples: ARE verbs add -ando.Example:  parl-ando  (speaking)IRE verbs add -endo.Example:  dorm-endo  (sleeping)ERE verbs add -endo.Example:  vend-endo  (selling) Adverbial participles answer questions about the main verbs action. Examples: Sbagliando si impara  - One learns by making mistakesThis answers the question, How does one learn? Gerunds are used like English present participles to form progressive tenses with the verb stare. Examples: Sto parlando  -  I am talkingAnswers the question, What am I engaged in doing?Stava dormendo  - He was sleepingAnswers the question, What was he engaged in doing When to Use the Gerund To indicate a preceding action that relates to the principal action.If a sentence consists of a main clause as well as a dependent/subordinate clause and both verbs have the same subject, the verb in the dependent clause can typically be replaced with a gerund.Create the gerund by taking off the –are, -ire or -ere ending Forming Gerunds Imperfect Stems GERUNDIO GERUNDIO COMPOSTO cadendo (falling) essendo caduto/a/i/e (having fallen) leggendo (reading) avendo letto (having read) mangiando (eating) avendo mangiato (having eaten) The imperfect stems are used to form the gerunds of verbs such as dire (dicendo), fare (facendo), porre (ponendo), and tradurre (traducendo). The reflexive verbs attach the reflexive pronoun to the end of the word: lavandosi, sedendosi, divertendosi. Ways to Avoid Using the Gerund Sentences can be turned around to avoid using the gerund. To do this use on of the following words to start the sentence. Quando (when)Mentre (while)Poichà © (since)Siccome (since)Nonostante (notwithstanding)Benchà © (although/even though)Sebbene (although/even though)Malgrado (in spite of/even though)

How to Form the Italian Gerund

How to Form the Italian Gerund I am eating, you are drinking, the soprano is singing. In Italian, the gerund (il gerundio) is equivalent to the -ing verb form in English. Forming the Gerund To form the simple gerund in Italian, add -ando to the stem of -are verbs and -endo to the stem of -ere and -ire verbs. There is also another form of the gerund, the compound gerund (il gerundio composto). It is formed with the either the gerund form of either avere or essere past participle of the action verb (see the table below). The Italian gerund is equal to the English present participle - i.e. the part of the verb ending in -ing, like thinking, running, talking, speaking, drinking, etc.Also called the adverbial present participle, the gerund (gerundio) is formed by adding a suffix to the verb. Examples: ARE verbs add -ando.Example:  parl-ando  (speaking)IRE verbs add -endo.Example:  dorm-endo  (sleeping)ERE verbs add -endo.Example:  vend-endo  (selling) Adverbial participles answer questions about the main verbs action. Examples: Sbagliando si impara  - One learns by making mistakesThis answers the question, How does one learn? Gerunds are used like English present participles to form progressive tenses with the verb stare. Examples: Sto parlando  -  I am talkingAnswers the question, What am I engaged in doing?Stava dormendo  - He was sleepingAnswers the question, What was he engaged in doing When to Use the Gerund To indicate a preceding action that relates to the principal action.If a sentence consists of a main clause as well as a dependent/subordinate clause and both verbs have the same subject, the verb in the dependent clause can typically be replaced with a gerund.Create the gerund by taking off the –are, -ire or -ere ending Forming Gerunds Imperfect Stems GERUNDIO GERUNDIO COMPOSTO cadendo (falling) essendo caduto/a/i/e (having fallen) leggendo (reading) avendo letto (having read) mangiando (eating) avendo mangiato (having eaten) The imperfect stems are used to form the gerunds of verbs such as dire (dicendo), fare (facendo), porre (ponendo), and tradurre (traducendo). The reflexive verbs attach the reflexive pronoun to the end of the word: lavandosi, sedendosi, divertendosi. Ways to Avoid Using the Gerund Sentences can be turned around to avoid using the gerund. To do this use on of the following words to start the sentence. Quando (when)Mentre (while)Poichà © (since)Siccome (since)Nonostante (notwithstanding)Benchà © (although/even though)Sebbene (although/even though)Malgrado (in spite of/even though)

5 Tips for Styling Numbers

5 Tips for Styling Numbers 5 Tips for Styling Numbers 5 Tips for Styling Numbers By Mark Nichol Below youll find a handful of tips about appropriate use of numbers in various contexts. 1. Money Isolated, casual references to amounts of money of one hundred dollars or less or one hundred cents or less are usually spelled out (â€Å"I made over fifty dollars in one afternoon†; â€Å"Remember when a candy bar cost twenty-five cents?†). Amounts over those limits are generally styled with numerals and a dollar sign, as are smaller amounts when more than one amount is listed and at least one is less than a hundred dollars (â€Å"The chair cost $237, and the table was $89†). When amounts of less than and more than a dollar are combined, use dollar signs and figures in that case as well (â€Å"The price tags read ‘$0.75’ and ‘$1.25’†). Numerous instances of monetary figure call for the use of numerals in most cases, but larger rounded figures may be spelled out, even when inconsistent with precise dollar figures (â€Å"I made over fifty thousand dollars for the first time last year: $51,500.†) Numbers in the millions and higher orders of magnitude may be in combined numeral and spelled-out form (â€Å"The project was budgeted at $2.5 million†). 2. Numerals at the Beginning of a Sentence Sentences should never begin with a numeral; either spell out the number (â€Å"Two thousand eleven was the year the business turned a profit†) or recast the sentence (â€Å"The business first turned a profit in 2011†). Another option is to precede the number with the phrase â€Å"The year,† but doing so introduces inconsistency if every reference to a year, regardless of position in a sentence, does not follow a repetition of the phrase; that solution is also awkward. 3. Number Ranges En dashes (or hyphens, employed in place of en dashes on many Web sites) are used in number ranges for example, to indicate life span, years of rule or years in office, athletic or artistic seasons, or page ranges as an alternative to â€Å"from x to y† or â€Å"from x through y.† An en dash should not be used with the word from. (Incorrect: â€Å"He reigned from 1863-1895†; correct: â€Å"He reigned from 1863 to 1895† or â€Å"He reigned 1863-1895†). The same principle applies for the word between: â€Å"Between 250 and 300 people attended,† not â€Å"Between 250-300 people attended,† is correct. 4. Superscript Many writers submit manuscripts that feature the letters in ordinal numerals in superscript form that is, st, nd, rd, and th raised above the font’s baseline. This form is seldom needed when following the style rule that numbers are spelled out up to one hundred, but when ordinals are required (â€Å"The ribbon read ‘1st Place’†; â€Å"the 101st Airborne Division†), they should be on the baseline, not raised. Instructions for how to change superscript ordinals to baseline ordinals are available through an online search. Also, when a date is written, the ordinal form is extraneous; simply write â€Å"January 1,† not â€Å"January 1st.† (In the absence of the month, the date should be spelled out: â€Å"Her reply followed on the twenty-first.† If a publication’s number style is to spell numbers out only to ten, the form shown her applies: â€Å"Her reply followed on the 21st.† 5. The Plural of Zero In Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, zeros is the first of two alternatives for the plural of zero. The other, of course, is zeroes. The first choice is not the superior one; it is listed first simply because it is simpler. But many editors follow a convention that, for consistency, the dictionary’s first of more than one alternatives is the standard except when the preference for another is codified in the house style guide. Therefore, zeros is generally the correct style. Note, however, that the correct spelling of the present-tense verb form meaning â€Å"focuses† or â€Å"aims† is zeroes (â€Å"Disregarding the pursuing planes, he zeroes in on his target†). If you want to read more on this topic check out these two articles we published in the past: 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals and How to Style Numbers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†That vs. WhichNeither... or?

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 11

Case Study Example Gram Vikas, an NGO which was founded with an aim to take care the sanitation and water facilities in rural areas. It was established with the motive to serve the society and enhance overall development of rural areas in Orissa. The executive director of the organization is Joe Madiath who can be considered to be a social entrepreneur. Within few years Joe has been able to bring forth some drastic changes in villages across Orissa. This organization was established with non-profit motive where the major focus of the founder was to spread equality amongst villagers and to change their lifestyle. It was a distinctive approach towards entrepreneurship as organizational members desired to work along with village members. The factors that affected villagers were indebtedness and alcoholism. These conditions needed to be eliminated by the organization so that they can incorporate changes in the location. This non-profit organization also started their program on bringing in electricity in t he villages. Their bio gas project was the first initiative towards this program. However unlike other entrepreneurial approaches Joe and his team members did not keep the project bounded within the system but spread its concept amongst all employees. This organization had even kept the facility that if their employees was able to establish bio gas project in other villages and if it proved to be successful then they would be their owners. Such approaches are not observed in any other form of entrepreneurship and this is because the major aim of such organizations is much above protecting their core values. The main distinctive factor of Gram Vikas approach was that it started improvement from bottom level of the rural living system. It believed that equality is important in making such projects successfully and hence focused on involving all the village members. This NGO started its journey with widespread bio gas projects

SYLVIA LAVIN too much information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SYLVIA LAVIN too much information - Essay Example It creates situations whereby most of the artists become uncomfortable because curators use non-art materials to explain art. In fact, most of the artists consider such approaches as anticritical and dictatorial. Lavin agrees that curators are increasingly replacing artists in art exhibitions because of the dominant use of non-art material to explain art (Lavin 2). I agree with the issues Lavin raises in the article because contemporary art lacks a standard principle or ideology. An increasing number of art organizers are claiming ownership of art materials that they present in exhibitions. Contemporary artists have allowed themselves to be used by organizers of art exhibitions. In fact, most of the contemporary artists have little interest in displaying their work. Rather, they are interested in selling their ideas to the highest bidder thus compromising their position in the world of arts. Consequently, contemporary artists have converted organizers into artists. Organizers who manipulate artists and present the works of these artists as their own are currently dominating contemporary art. It is no wonder that organizers are dominating contemporary art

Quest For Vengeance And Distorted Personalities Essay

Quest For Vengeance And Distorted Personalities - Essay Example This essay examines the adverse effects vengeance has had on the central figure of Paulina in Death And The Maiden, and Claire Zachanassian in The Visit. Death And The Maiden, combining effortlessly elements of suspense, mystery and morality, intertwines them with highly interesting insights into the psychological recesses of a victim, forced to live with the open wounds of her persecution. The play, taking place in an unnamed country, is set in the times when the country has just escaped from a brutal fascist regime. Paulina lives with her husband Gerardo, who was once an activist working against the dictatorship and is now a member of a committee assigned to investigate human-rights violations. A few years back, Paulina was kidnapped and brutally raped and tortured while blindfolded, by a sadistic doctor who played Franz Schubert's quartet "Death And The Maiden." She believes that the stranger that her husband has now brought into their home is the doctor responsible for her traumatic experience. She imprisons the doctor, extracts a forced confession from him and yet, instead of killing him, lets him go in the end. The play provides the reader with ample chances to look inside the tortured soul of Paulina and understand the extent to which her personality has been distorted by her past experiences. Paulina insists fiercely that the prisoner be put on trial and adamantly refuses to hear the moderate voice of her husband, showing that she has lost all rationality and reason and is blinded by a terrible rage. By depicting this, Dorfman has shown how thirst for revenge remains dormant, hiding beneath the layers of a victim's, in this case Paulina's, personality creating an illusion of normalcy, lulling the victim's loved ones into a false sense of complacency. However, when Paulina is shown to be reliving a traumatic experience from her past, her hatred resurfaces again with such violence that it shocks. When Paulina binds the doctor to a chair, she gags him using her panties. This action of hers is highly insightful as it shows that the doctor's total degradation is her main aim and nothing else, and only the most humiliating treatment meted out to her prisoner will satisfy her. She does this because unconsciously she desires the doctor to go through the same mental and emotional torment that she went through. Seeing him helpless, physically bound and gagged, writhing in agony and even unable to feed himself, gives her a deep, perverse satisfaction. Keeping her secret activities against the fascist regime of her country and her courage during her captivity in view, we can safely to assume that Paulina is a decent human being with a high moral sense and belief in lofty ideals such as freedom and justice, but when it comes to Dr. Roberto Miranda, she remorselessly throws all those ideals to the wind and becomes a tigress, thirsty for blood. Dorfman effectively highlights the inner turmoil of Paulina's soul by juxtaposing her tormented psyche with physical proof of how much she suffers. The reader can actually feel her nerves taut with tension due to her clipped dialogues and her equally explosive diatribes. The following tirade of hers, serves as a clear indication of her suffering under a spell of hatred, as she says, "And why

Effectiveness of Direct Mail on Cigarette Vending Industry

Effectiveness of Direct Mail on Cigarette Vending Industry The Effectiveness of Direct Mail on the Cigarette Vending Industry in the United Kingdom Irrespective of the mode and methods adopted for marketing, including direct mail, the cigarette vending industry continues to prosper not only in the United Kingdom, but also across the world. At the same time there is a continuous rise in the spread of a number of diseases directly related with smoking including chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and various types of cancers in turn leading to increased death rates amongst the smoking populations. One of the major causes of premature deaths in developing countries, the figures for United Kingdom alone show that approximately 120,000 individuals die every year from diseases directly related to smoking, which is an alarming 20 present of all deaths in a given year. A similar study on smoking also revealed that cancer alone accounts for nearly a third of all deaths from smoking, and another one sixth die from other causes related to smoking. Figures for the younger generation entering the smoking populations of the United Kingdom showed that there was a gradual rise between the years 1988 and 1997,and a somewhat similar rise in the figures amongst adult smoking populations. Marketing departments of cigarette manufacturing companies around the world would least care that an individual smoking cigarette on a regular basis more than doubles the risk of dying before he or she reaches the age of 65. If there is any consolation for these companies adopting various lucrative direct mail strategies for vending and marketing cigarettes, smoking by pregnant women have been found to result in severe repercussions for the foetus as well as new born baby. These include an increased risk of miscarriage, reduced birth weight and potential for prenatal deaths. In similar context, parents who continue to smoke after pregnancy invite increased chances of sudden death syndrome in their infants. The following dissertation will however limit its discussions and studies, and present its findings on the effectiveness of direct mail in the cigarette vending industry of the United Kingdom. (DOH, 1998) Introduction One of the most widely accepted facts and one that has been proven beyond any doubt is that smoking poses a number of health risks. In addition smokers are more than likely to contract certain diseases in comparison to those who do not smoke at all. It is also a fact that smoking is largely accepted as an addictive habit, and with the passage of time, and advances in the study of and implications of smoking alto openly reveal that today it is not merely an addictive habit; on the contrary it is a collection of human behaviours which also includes smoking. It must also be borne in mind that since it is an addiction, and for some indeed a very strong habit, it is wrong to assume that this habit cannot be given up. In fact, there have been numerous cases where individuals have totally given up smoking. It is precisely this line of approach that has made major cigarette manufacturers to print health warning instructions on all their respective packs of cigarettes. Furthermore, majority of the cigarette manufacturing companies around the world, including those of the United Kingdom comply with requisite regulations and legislations with respect of marketing, advertisement and sales of cigarettes. There are also companies, which have their own pack labelling policies, which go beyond the requisite legislation of the respective host country. It is perhaps this lapse, if one may wish to call it, which has allowed majority of cigarette manufacturing companies to guise their marketing, promotion, advertising and selling policies into a philosophy which acknowledges the right of the adult populations to smoke, and consequently respect and protect that particular right. (Pierce et al,1998; Beemer and Siegel, 2000; Safer and Chaloupka, 1999; Anderson etal, 2002; Slade, 2001; Lewis and Littler, 1999) In pursuance of the rights of the smokers, cigarette manufacturing companies also stand against any excessive price regulations and tax measures which are presumably aimed at reducing demand for cigarettes. An independent view of a number of tax and price measures levied by various countries including the United Kingdom reveal that the smoking populations are unduly punished for the pleasure of smoking, and governments largely fail to take into account the huge sums generated from revenues on the various taxes levied on cigarettes. These high rates of taxes levied on cigarettes then results in the illegal and often illicit trade of smuggling cigarettes in turn undermining the legitimate market for cigarette companies running and operating under legal channels of business. A brief on the United Kingdoms cigarette industry reveals that 1 in every 5 cigarettes is smuggled into the country, which adds to a huge20 present of the entire cigarette industry of United Kingdom. In similar context is the call for a ban on the sale of duty free cigarettes, as the primary objective behind the promotion of duty free sale of cigarettes, or for that matter any other product is reduction in illicit trade of that particular item. A ban on the duty free sale of cigarettes would practically jeopardize the regulated duty free retail of that product, and at the same time have a minimal effect on the sale of cigarettes. On the contrary a ban on the duty free sale of cigarettes would simply bring about a shift in the market of cigarettes from a duty free environment to one that is largely controlled by domestic market. Another related aspect of the cigarette vending industry is that of various standards and policies which are aimed at raising awareness about the potential health risks associated with smoking. Trade zones such as those found in European Union for example are ample grounds for such standards and policies to be levied, which in turn allow for uniform results as well as derive common interests amongst the respective countries. The non-smoking segment of the populations is yet another vital area of focus for cigarette manufacturing companies. As also a public health issue, the non-smokers are prone to, and thus demand protective measures from passive smoking. In this respect, there exist two schools of thought; one that disregards any findings and conclusions, which present cigarette smoke as a potential health hazard for non-smokers. This group though acknowledges that cigarette smoke is indeed a source of annoyance as well as one of the causes of environmental pollution. Yet, they also call for an approach based on simple logic and common sense and co-operation. While the second school of thought, such as M/Gallaher, one of the major cigarette manufacturing and marketing companies in the UK, contend that government initiatives including the â€Å"Air Quality program are viable and productive programs to address vital public smoking issues. Literature Reviews There have a number of writings and case studies, which prove the effectiveness of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry,. These writings and studies have convincingly proven that direct mail has had positive affect and its influences have directly contributed to the rise in cigarette sales, in turn promoting the cigarette vending industry in general. Thus, it would not be wrong to state, as also proven from the following case studies, that the direct mail strategy in the cigarette vending industry has proven to affect smoking initiation as well as consumption. A brief historical perspective also reveals that cigarette manufacturing companies the world over have significantly changed their focus from the traditional advertising tithe use of techniques which emphasize on developing as well as maintaining a relationship with individual customers. Direct mail through direct communication thus offers cigarette-vending industry source of generating sales including obtaining measurable response in related areas of marketing. (Pierce et al, 1998; Beemer and Siegel,2000; Safer and Chaloupka, 1999; Anderson et al, 2002; Slade, 2001;Lewis and Littler, 1999) One of the most effective techniques, and perhaps one of the oldest as well, is that of utilizing mailing list of individuals maintained by major and minor cigarette vending companies alike. It is this list of individuals or customers, which serves as the potential for direct mail for cigarette vending industry. This list is also used for the distribution of coupons, sweepstakes offers, and brand-loyalty programme catalogues. Also included in the items distributed through direct mail are event announcements sponsored by the cigarette vending industry, and magazines published by major tobacco manufacturing companies. Practically all these items which are sent to individuals using the direct mail system contain activities and feature images which serve a two-fold purpose. First, these promotional items are designed in such a manner to make emotional appeals to customers. Second, they serve to strengthen, rather reinforce the existing images of the various brands of cigarettes in the market. There are different modes of collecting such list of individuals, which includes events that are sponsored by the cigarette industry, sweepstake forms, signed coupons as well as brand-loyalty program orders. These listings more often than not include some form of a response mechanism, which invites recipients to fill out surveys for example, or mention their lifestyle preferences. A statistic covering the US cigarette industry with particular reference to the role of direct mail reveals that there has been general rising trend in the use of direct mail in the United States. Brief on the 6 largest US cigarette manufacturers showed that they collectively spend a staggering amount of US 133.9 million dollars on direct mail in 2001. This was an increase of 131.8 present from the figures of 1998. One may note that these huge figures do not include sums spent on coupons or specialty items distributed through the mail system. (USFTC, 2002) A survey carried out by a team of doctors at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in the United States provided for results which convincingly proved that direct mail in the cigarette vending industry not only enhanced initiation, but effectively raised the chances for potential smokers. This survey comprised of some 3900adults, and primarily focused on the answer to 3 questions. (University of Medicine and Dentistry NJ, 2002; SUDAAN, 2001) Questionnaire for the Survey Did any of the participant receive direct mail from a tobacco company within the last 6 months, including magazines, coupons, or catalogues. Did any of the participants use a coupon to buy cigarettes. Did any of the participants save any UPC codes, or tokens from any brand-loyalty programmes of a tobacco manufacturer. Results of the Survey The results of the above questionnaire from the selected adult participants showed that the current range of smoking populations were4 to 5 times more likely to have received direct mail within the past 6months as compared to those who had never smoked before or were belonged to the former smoking community. Second, the survey showed that smokers who had quit smoking in the last 12 months were 2 to 4 times more likely to receive direct mail as compared to those who had never smoked or those who belonged to the former smoking community. The survey also revealed that the white populations as compared to other groups of populations topped the list of individuals receiving direct mail offers for cigarettes or related material in aid of marketing for a given brand of cigarette. The use of coupons was found to be the highest amongst the female smoking community, white adults as well as those falling within the age group of 25 and 64 years. Similarly, saving for programs such as brand-reward programs was also found to be highest amongst current population of smokers, white segment of the population as well as the those falling within the age bracket of 18 and 24 years. Discussion on the Findings and Literature Review The above findings significantly provided evidence that direct mail served to increase the consumption of cigarettes, and subsequently ‘impede cessation. The said survey also found that coupons delivered through the direct mail to individuals were originally designed to bring about a reduction in prices of cigarettes, as well as simultaneously offset the impact of rise in taxes and other control measures levied by respective authorities. It was also found that programs offered through direct mail, such as brand-loyalty programs were intended to reward and encourage smokers through offer for additional purchases. The survey also revealed that direct mail marketing for cigarettes was originally designed to restrict switching of brands amongst customers. However, this strategy was only cover-up, and instead such direct mail offers allowed and in fact assisted smokers to continue smoking. The above literature review and survey on the role of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry shows numerous legislations, public campaigns against smoking, proven addictive behaviours resulting in serious health repercussions and rising awareness levels against thrill effects of smoking all have somewhat forced cigarette manufacturing companies the world over to adopt direct mail strategies. These direct mail strategies not only provide smokers with appealing and inviting messages; they move a step further and offer rewards for smoking. Direct mail also offers an excellent mode of communicating directly with customers, which is all too easily disguised and more than hidden from the piercing scrutiny of the public health community. It is also an effective strategy against rising restrictions on the different and traditional modes of advertising. In this respect a direct mail marketing plan of the world renowned Philip Morris also notes that direct mail is indeed one of the infl uencing factors in the use and consumption of cigarettes. (Slade, 2001; Strategic Plan, 1995) The above literature review and survey also reveals though direct mail is only one of the many marketing techniques adopted by cigarette vending industry, it is undoubtedly one which is witnessing continuous growth pattern, and one that is likely to grow in the future as well. The use of direct mail strategy is all the more worthy of concern as the cigarette vending industry is witnessed to continually change its marketing strategies in response to rising set of legislations and public opinion. It also a proven fact that practically all those involved in cigarette vending industry pursue a marketing strategy with a singular objective; one which aims to encourage initiation and consumption in smoking cigarettes. To curb such efforts, and to bring about a control for restricting such marketing strategies including direct mail, there is an ever-demanding need to fully comprehend marketing tactics utilized by cigarette vending industry. Included in these efforts is removal of the names of the individuals from the list maintained by cigarette vending industry by the smokers themselves as they decide to quit smoking. The exposure of probable intent on the part of cigarette vending industry and possible effects of such direct mail strategies along with measures, which serve as potential triggers, such as the presence of ashtrays, should also be taken into account. (Fiore et al, 2000; King, 2001) 2nd Literature Review In continuation with our dissertation on the effectiveness of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry, yet another research carried out by Lynn McFadden of the University of Strathclyde and published in the British Medical Journal issue of March 2001 is presented here. This research uncovers young peoples awareness about marketing strategies adopted by cigarette vending industry and their involvement and association with their smoking behaviours. One of the most successful methods of direct mail marketing is one, which is carried out at the point of sale. It is the venue of point of sale where a number of cigarette vending industrialists tend to focus, as also evident in the research findings of the University of Strathclyde. The research comprised of some 629 young people, aged between the ages of 15 and 16, and all of who had opted to be a part of the research through a postal consent procedure. The focus of the research, as also stated in the preceding lines waste examination of young peoples awareness of and involvement with cigarette marketing. The research also sought to determine the level of association, if any, amongst the group of young people between the level of awareness and the their smoking behaviours. The overall findings of the above research comprising of young people revealed an extra-ordinary high level of awareness and equally high levels of involvement of young people in the marketing strategies of cigarette vending industry. Out of the 629 participants involved in the research, some 95 present of them were more than aware of the various advertising techniques utilized by the cigarette vending industry, as also aware of the various methods utilized in the point of sale marketing. Thus, both the aspects, those of awareness and involvement with cigarette vending industry were strongly found to be related with being a smoker. This was more than proven from the statistics derived in the said research. For example out of the group of some 185 participants, 55 or a huge 30 present of the research participants admitted that they had received free gifts through coupons attached with the cigarette packs. A comparison with non-smoking community showed that only 11 present or 21 out of 199 participants had received fee gifts through coupons in the cigarette packs. Furthermore, it was also revealed in the same set of researches that aside from the awareness element about coupon schemes, participates were also equally aware about brand stretching and tobacco marketing, all of which were linked in some way or the other with their smoking habits. (DOH, 1992;Atiken et al, 1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al,1996; Aitken et al, 1991) The above research thus concluded the young populations aged 15 and16 were not only fully aware on the various aspects of cigarette marketing including direct mail and marketing at the point of sales; they were also more than associated with the different cigarette vending industries in the marketing of cigarettes and both the awareness and involvement in the marketing were linked with their smoking status and habits. These findings also called for a more stringent set of statutory legislations, as compared to the otherwise voluntary regulations which are primarily designed to protect these teenagers, and which have become somewhat ineffective. Other findings from the above carried out researches revealed and established the fact that the role of the mass media in advertising encouraged smoking amongst the younger populations. From a purely economics perspective, the same findings showed that expenditure on advertising pointed towards an increase in the prevalence, while a drop in the expenditures on advertising resulted in the subsequent drop in the prevalence of cigarette consumption, thereby proving a direct relationship between advertising and consumption of cigarettes. These studies focusing on the younger population showed that teenagers smoking cigarettes are more likely to appreciate as also be aware of the tobacco and cigarette advertising related sponsorships, merchandising and vending. In line with such studies, other cohort studies on the same segment of teenage smoking populations resulted in similar results and furthermore predicted a tendency of future smoking behaviours amongst the researched populations. (DOH, 1992; Aitken et al,1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al, 1996; Aitken al, 1991) A similar experiment involving some 2400 teenagers all aged a 15years, yet only differentiated by sex and postal addresses were taken for a research project from an area in the North of England. These teenagers were invited to participate in the research programme after due consent from their parents/guardians with the primary objective of deriving some 280 smokers from the total lot of participants. With response rate of more than 48 present, some 1062 responded to the call for invitation and studies carried out from the set of questionnaires mailed to each participant along with the consent form. The results obtained from the 1062 participant teenagers (all aged15 years) showed that one in every 5 teenager was involved in smoking,214 teenagers or 20 present of the respondents were regular smokers,825 or a huge 78 present not regular smokers, while 23 respondents or 2percent of the total respondents declined to divulge their smoking status. In continuation with the studies on the teenage smoking population, a random number of 373 respondents were gradually removed from the research list, as they were not regular smokers. The removal of these selected respondents further narrowed the research to those who were in the habit of, or were involved in smoking cigarettes. The number of respondents was now brought down from 1062, as also stated in the opening lines of these paragraphs, to 686 candidates only. These 686 teenage candidates were then interviewed through a team of professional interviewers, who were in turn instructed to make at least4 clear attempts to gain positive research results. The interviewers were not given any prior information as the status of smoking habits of the interviewed candidates so as to derive a transparent set of findings. Here too, the permission of the parents/guardians was sought prior to the interview, as well as a 5-Pound gift voucher was also handed to each candidate. In carrying out the above research 629 out of the total 686respondents were successfully interviewed. Those who were left out did so due to the passage of time, as by the time the research was concluded, the respondents had entered their 16th year, whereas the entire team of research candidates belonged to the 15 year old age bracket only. Each of the candidates was given two sets of questionnaires; one included a face to face interview with the teenage candidate, while the candidate in the presence of their guardians/parents filled out the second questionnaire. One may note that there was no influence of the parents presence on the part of the respondent teenagers. Each of the questionnaires resulted in the awareness, as well as the involvement of the candidates with the different techniques used in the marketing by the cigarette vending industry including direct mail marketing. The findings of the research revealed the smoking habits/status of the teenage candidates, their future intentions for smoking, education levels, and smoking by their peers, siblings, and whether their parents smoked or not. (DOH, 1992;Atiken et al, 1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al,1996; Aitken et al, 1991) A detailed analysis of the awareness element of the teenage group interviewed showed that in comparison to the non-smoking teenage population, those who smoked cigarettes were more than aware of practically all forms of marketing techniques including direct mail marketing. Information from the respondents showed that teenagers involved in smoking were also fully aware of the different types, but also knew about advertisements in magazines, newspapers, special price schemes, and offers for cigarettes. In addition, majority of the smoking teenage population had witnessed advertising on billboards, where more than fifty present of those interviewed had read about some form of cigarette marketing in the press. Also included were advertisements and marketing at point of sales, coupon schemes, and special price offers for cigarettes. Other findings from the research of the 15 year old teenagers revealed that 20 present of the said teenage population had witnessed some form of brand stretching, which included clothing or other items with logos of famous brands of cigarettes, new pack designs, the different and attractive nature and size of the cigarettes, free gifts offered through cigarettes, competitions, and watching famous personalities smoking in films and on television. Though at a lower level, there was awareness on the various promotional mails from cigarette vending industry, distribution of free cigarettes, and to some extent from the network, or the Internet. Thus, it was observed that young smokers were more than fully aware of practically all forms of cigarette marketing techniques including direct mail, in comparison to non-smokers or those who had tried to join the smoking populations. The awareness on the marketing aspect on the part of the teenage populations was more noticeable where free gifts, special price offers, promotional mail, and newer forms of cigarette packs and designs. Marketing of Cigarettes and Role of Teenagers As also stated in the above researched teenage smoking group, there was significant evidence to suggest the involvement and role of teenagers in the marketing of cigarettes including both direct mail and coupon schemes. It was also revealed there was little difference amongst male and female teenagers both of who participated somewhat equally in the marketing of cigarettes. A statistical break-up of the smoking teenager population and the non-smoking teenagers showed that more than fifty present of the smoking populations amongst the teenagers had willingly participated in one or other form of marketing for cigarette companies. In comparison, some 25 present of non-smokers and those who had tried smoking had also participated in some form of marketing for cigarettes. The above research on the teenage smoking population also showed that some 33 present of those interviewed had received free gifts through coupons schemes; another 25 present were in receipt of the special price offers for cigarettes, and a smaller 10 present of the teenage population had received free gifts through direct mail schemes at events organized by the cigarette vending company or received the same through promotional mail schemes. The above findings thus conclusively show that there is a more than strong relationship between awareness of each cigarette marketing technique and current smoking status while variable linked with teenage smoking are held constant. In particular, the awareness of coupon schemes and brand stretching are one way or the other linked to the enhanced probability of the individual being a current smoker, as also with having friends who smoke, siblings, or either parent being smoker. In this study, having friends as smokers was found to be a great influencing factor with the individual being a current smoker. The number of marketing techniques also varied and left a positive mark on the current smoking status and habit of the teenagers interviewed. Hereto, the presence of a close friend, either parent, or siblings was directly associated with an enhanced probability factor for a current smoker. A break up of the different marketing techniques to which the teenage populations are exposed show that package design or price promotion account for a larger exposure, as compared for example brand stretching and shop advertising, the latter of which had little or no effect on the teenage segment of the smoking population. In spite of the above findings, a common factor to emerge was that the young populations was observed to receive some form of benefit, reward, or reassurance from either of the cigarette vending industries; hence a reinforcement of smoking habits, or promotion of smoking amongst the teenage populations. These research more than confirms the need for a stronger set of legislation and laws. The research also calls for an equally tighter set of controls on the marketing techniques adopted by the cigarette vending industries across the United Kingdom. It also proves that the current voluntary form of regulations primarily designed to protect would be smokers, new smokers, and in particular teenage and younger populations are failing, and there is a greater and crucial need for revision of the same. The British Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill should be so designed to comprehensively ban some of the most famous forms of marketing such as coupon and brand stretching; the ban should move a step further and outlaw practically all forms and modes of marketing by the cigarette vending industry. Laws, Regulations and Loopholes Exploited by the Cigarette Vending Industry by Marketing/Promotion of Cigarettes This section of the dissertation will address some of the applicable laws and regulations presently levied in the United Kingdom as well as through the directives of the European Union for all member states respectively. It will also take into account the various loopholes and exploiting measures employed by the cigarette vending industry, as they bypass or practically ignore effective regulations to promote the sale of cigarettes, including various forms of direct mail, as also the subject of our above dissertation. One of the first sets of regulations is the European Union Directive98/43/EC, which was duly accepted as a law as of 30th July 1998. Theseus Directive specifically called for minimal tobacco advertising inside the shops. Though the directive contains a summary and overview of the measures and timetable for the implementation of the directive, the salient feature of this directive calls for member government of the European Union including United Kingdom to ban all forms of commercial communication as well as sponsorships, both of which primarily aim actor influence the promotion of tobacco products. An overview of the above said directive shows that though this covers vast area of advertising, and is largely utilized by the cigarette/tobacco vending industry to promote their respective products; the objective of the directive is to bring a halt to the transfer or changeover of promotion techniques used in the marketing of cigarettes. However, the same directive is all too easily exploited through loopholes and exemptions such as those enjoyed by the sellers of tobacco only, marketing at limited point of sales, imported publications, and use of vague language. Brand Stretching One of the areas which perhaps provide as one of the largest loopholes for the cigarette vending industry in their endeavours to market their brand of cigarettes is that of brand stretching. As also discussed in detail in the above present literature reviews and researches, brand stretching is the use of non-tobacco products and services to advertise tobacco and various cigarette brands. These include for example clothes with logos of famous cigarette brands, shoes, and other items, which though are one of the means for marketing; yet in reality they serve to attract the attention of current as well as would be smoker populations alike. This directive is one step short of a total ban on all forms of advertising including such direct mail advertising as utilized by Marlboro Classics, yet it allows governments to exempt advertising where the branding is visibly different from the brand of the cigarette and where advertising is done in good faith without clarifying the actual meaning of the phrase ‘good faith. Thus, we have a loophole duly utilized by the cigarette vending industry in the form of relaxation on such advertising, and use of such phrases as good faith. 3rd Literature Review An Insight into Advertising As One of the Strongest Forms of Direct mail Marketing Strategy Used by the Cigarette Vending Industry Studies carried out by British Governments health S Effectiveness of Direct Mail on Cigarette Vending Industry Effectiveness of Direct Mail on Cigarette Vending Industry The Effectiveness of Direct Mail on the Cigarette Vending Industry in the United Kingdom Irrespective of the mode and methods adopted for marketing, including direct mail, the cigarette vending industry continues to prosper not only in the United Kingdom, but also across the world. At the same time there is a continuous rise in the spread of a number of diseases directly related with smoking including chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and various types of cancers in turn leading to increased death rates amongst the smoking populations. One of the major causes of premature deaths in developing countries, the figures for United Kingdom alone show that approximately 120,000 individuals die every year from diseases directly related to smoking, which is an alarming 20 present of all deaths in a given year. A similar study on smoking also revealed that cancer alone accounts for nearly a third of all deaths from smoking, and another one sixth die from other causes related to smoking. Figures for the younger generation entering the smoking populations of the United Kingdom showed that there was a gradual rise between the years 1988 and 1997,and a somewhat similar rise in the figures amongst adult smoking populations. Marketing departments of cigarette manufacturing companies around the world would least care that an individual smoking cigarette on a regular basis more than doubles the risk of dying before he or she reaches the age of 65. If there is any consolation for these companies adopting various lucrative direct mail strategies for vending and marketing cigarettes, smoking by pregnant women have been found to result in severe repercussions for the foetus as well as new born baby. These include an increased risk of miscarriage, reduced birth weight and potential for prenatal deaths. In similar context, parents who continue to smoke after pregnancy invite increased chances of sudden death syndrome in their infants. The following dissertation will however limit its discussions and studies, and present its findings on the effectiveness of direct mail in the cigarette vending industry of the United Kingdom. (DOH, 1998) Introduction One of the most widely accepted facts and one that has been proven beyond any doubt is that smoking poses a number of health risks. In addition smokers are more than likely to contract certain diseases in comparison to those who do not smoke at all. It is also a fact that smoking is largely accepted as an addictive habit, and with the passage of time, and advances in the study of and implications of smoking alto openly reveal that today it is not merely an addictive habit; on the contrary it is a collection of human behaviours which also includes smoking. It must also be borne in mind that since it is an addiction, and for some indeed a very strong habit, it is wrong to assume that this habit cannot be given up. In fact, there have been numerous cases where individuals have totally given up smoking. It is precisely this line of approach that has made major cigarette manufacturers to print health warning instructions on all their respective packs of cigarettes. Furthermore, majority of the cigarette manufacturing companies around the world, including those of the United Kingdom comply with requisite regulations and legislations with respect of marketing, advertisement and sales of cigarettes. There are also companies, which have their own pack labelling policies, which go beyond the requisite legislation of the respective host country. It is perhaps this lapse, if one may wish to call it, which has allowed majority of cigarette manufacturing companies to guise their marketing, promotion, advertising and selling policies into a philosophy which acknowledges the right of the adult populations to smoke, and consequently respect and protect that particular right. (Pierce et al,1998; Beemer and Siegel, 2000; Safer and Chaloupka, 1999; Anderson etal, 2002; Slade, 2001; Lewis and Littler, 1999) In pursuance of the rights of the smokers, cigarette manufacturing companies also stand against any excessive price regulations and tax measures which are presumably aimed at reducing demand for cigarettes. An independent view of a number of tax and price measures levied by various countries including the United Kingdom reveal that the smoking populations are unduly punished for the pleasure of smoking, and governments largely fail to take into account the huge sums generated from revenues on the various taxes levied on cigarettes. These high rates of taxes levied on cigarettes then results in the illegal and often illicit trade of smuggling cigarettes in turn undermining the legitimate market for cigarette companies running and operating under legal channels of business. A brief on the United Kingdoms cigarette industry reveals that 1 in every 5 cigarettes is smuggled into the country, which adds to a huge20 present of the entire cigarette industry of United Kingdom. In similar context is the call for a ban on the sale of duty free cigarettes, as the primary objective behind the promotion of duty free sale of cigarettes, or for that matter any other product is reduction in illicit trade of that particular item. A ban on the duty free sale of cigarettes would practically jeopardize the regulated duty free retail of that product, and at the same time have a minimal effect on the sale of cigarettes. On the contrary a ban on the duty free sale of cigarettes would simply bring about a shift in the market of cigarettes from a duty free environment to one that is largely controlled by domestic market. Another related aspect of the cigarette vending industry is that of various standards and policies which are aimed at raising awareness about the potential health risks associated with smoking. Trade zones such as those found in European Union for example are ample grounds for such standards and policies to be levied, which in turn allow for uniform results as well as derive common interests amongst the respective countries. The non-smoking segment of the populations is yet another vital area of focus for cigarette manufacturing companies. As also a public health issue, the non-smokers are prone to, and thus demand protective measures from passive smoking. In this respect, there exist two schools of thought; one that disregards any findings and conclusions, which present cigarette smoke as a potential health hazard for non-smokers. This group though acknowledges that cigarette smoke is indeed a source of annoyance as well as one of the causes of environmental pollution. Yet, they also call for an approach based on simple logic and common sense and co-operation. While the second school of thought, such as M/Gallaher, one of the major cigarette manufacturing and marketing companies in the UK, contend that government initiatives including the â€Å"Air Quality program are viable and productive programs to address vital public smoking issues. Literature Reviews There have a number of writings and case studies, which prove the effectiveness of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry,. These writings and studies have convincingly proven that direct mail has had positive affect and its influences have directly contributed to the rise in cigarette sales, in turn promoting the cigarette vending industry in general. Thus, it would not be wrong to state, as also proven from the following case studies, that the direct mail strategy in the cigarette vending industry has proven to affect smoking initiation as well as consumption. A brief historical perspective also reveals that cigarette manufacturing companies the world over have significantly changed their focus from the traditional advertising tithe use of techniques which emphasize on developing as well as maintaining a relationship with individual customers. Direct mail through direct communication thus offers cigarette-vending industry source of generating sales including obtaining measurable response in related areas of marketing. (Pierce et al, 1998; Beemer and Siegel,2000; Safer and Chaloupka, 1999; Anderson et al, 2002; Slade, 2001;Lewis and Littler, 1999) One of the most effective techniques, and perhaps one of the oldest as well, is that of utilizing mailing list of individuals maintained by major and minor cigarette vending companies alike. It is this list of individuals or customers, which serves as the potential for direct mail for cigarette vending industry. This list is also used for the distribution of coupons, sweepstakes offers, and brand-loyalty programme catalogues. Also included in the items distributed through direct mail are event announcements sponsored by the cigarette vending industry, and magazines published by major tobacco manufacturing companies. Practically all these items which are sent to individuals using the direct mail system contain activities and feature images which serve a two-fold purpose. First, these promotional items are designed in such a manner to make emotional appeals to customers. Second, they serve to strengthen, rather reinforce the existing images of the various brands of cigarettes in the market. There are different modes of collecting such list of individuals, which includes events that are sponsored by the cigarette industry, sweepstake forms, signed coupons as well as brand-loyalty program orders. These listings more often than not include some form of a response mechanism, which invites recipients to fill out surveys for example, or mention their lifestyle preferences. A statistic covering the US cigarette industry with particular reference to the role of direct mail reveals that there has been general rising trend in the use of direct mail in the United States. Brief on the 6 largest US cigarette manufacturers showed that they collectively spend a staggering amount of US 133.9 million dollars on direct mail in 2001. This was an increase of 131.8 present from the figures of 1998. One may note that these huge figures do not include sums spent on coupons or specialty items distributed through the mail system. (USFTC, 2002) A survey carried out by a team of doctors at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in the United States provided for results which convincingly proved that direct mail in the cigarette vending industry not only enhanced initiation, but effectively raised the chances for potential smokers. This survey comprised of some 3900adults, and primarily focused on the answer to 3 questions. (University of Medicine and Dentistry NJ, 2002; SUDAAN, 2001) Questionnaire for the Survey Did any of the participant receive direct mail from a tobacco company within the last 6 months, including magazines, coupons, or catalogues. Did any of the participants use a coupon to buy cigarettes. Did any of the participants save any UPC codes, or tokens from any brand-loyalty programmes of a tobacco manufacturer. Results of the Survey The results of the above questionnaire from the selected adult participants showed that the current range of smoking populations were4 to 5 times more likely to have received direct mail within the past 6months as compared to those who had never smoked before or were belonged to the former smoking community. Second, the survey showed that smokers who had quit smoking in the last 12 months were 2 to 4 times more likely to receive direct mail as compared to those who had never smoked or those who belonged to the former smoking community. The survey also revealed that the white populations as compared to other groups of populations topped the list of individuals receiving direct mail offers for cigarettes or related material in aid of marketing for a given brand of cigarette. The use of coupons was found to be the highest amongst the female smoking community, white adults as well as those falling within the age group of 25 and 64 years. Similarly, saving for programs such as brand-reward programs was also found to be highest amongst current population of smokers, white segment of the population as well as the those falling within the age bracket of 18 and 24 years. Discussion on the Findings and Literature Review The above findings significantly provided evidence that direct mail served to increase the consumption of cigarettes, and subsequently ‘impede cessation. The said survey also found that coupons delivered through the direct mail to individuals were originally designed to bring about a reduction in prices of cigarettes, as well as simultaneously offset the impact of rise in taxes and other control measures levied by respective authorities. It was also found that programs offered through direct mail, such as brand-loyalty programs were intended to reward and encourage smokers through offer for additional purchases. The survey also revealed that direct mail marketing for cigarettes was originally designed to restrict switching of brands amongst customers. However, this strategy was only cover-up, and instead such direct mail offers allowed and in fact assisted smokers to continue smoking. The above literature review and survey on the role of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry shows numerous legislations, public campaigns against smoking, proven addictive behaviours resulting in serious health repercussions and rising awareness levels against thrill effects of smoking all have somewhat forced cigarette manufacturing companies the world over to adopt direct mail strategies. These direct mail strategies not only provide smokers with appealing and inviting messages; they move a step further and offer rewards for smoking. Direct mail also offers an excellent mode of communicating directly with customers, which is all too easily disguised and more than hidden from the piercing scrutiny of the public health community. It is also an effective strategy against rising restrictions on the different and traditional modes of advertising. In this respect a direct mail marketing plan of the world renowned Philip Morris also notes that direct mail is indeed one of the infl uencing factors in the use and consumption of cigarettes. (Slade, 2001; Strategic Plan, 1995) The above literature review and survey also reveals though direct mail is only one of the many marketing techniques adopted by cigarette vending industry, it is undoubtedly one which is witnessing continuous growth pattern, and one that is likely to grow in the future as well. The use of direct mail strategy is all the more worthy of concern as the cigarette vending industry is witnessed to continually change its marketing strategies in response to rising set of legislations and public opinion. It also a proven fact that practically all those involved in cigarette vending industry pursue a marketing strategy with a singular objective; one which aims to encourage initiation and consumption in smoking cigarettes. To curb such efforts, and to bring about a control for restricting such marketing strategies including direct mail, there is an ever-demanding need to fully comprehend marketing tactics utilized by cigarette vending industry. Included in these efforts is removal of the names of the individuals from the list maintained by cigarette vending industry by the smokers themselves as they decide to quit smoking. The exposure of probable intent on the part of cigarette vending industry and possible effects of such direct mail strategies along with measures, which serve as potential triggers, such as the presence of ashtrays, should also be taken into account. (Fiore et al, 2000; King, 2001) 2nd Literature Review In continuation with our dissertation on the effectiveness of direct mail on the cigarette vending industry, yet another research carried out by Lynn McFadden of the University of Strathclyde and published in the British Medical Journal issue of March 2001 is presented here. This research uncovers young peoples awareness about marketing strategies adopted by cigarette vending industry and their involvement and association with their smoking behaviours. One of the most successful methods of direct mail marketing is one, which is carried out at the point of sale. It is the venue of point of sale where a number of cigarette vending industrialists tend to focus, as also evident in the research findings of the University of Strathclyde. The research comprised of some 629 young people, aged between the ages of 15 and 16, and all of who had opted to be a part of the research through a postal consent procedure. The focus of the research, as also stated in the preceding lines waste examination of young peoples awareness of and involvement with cigarette marketing. The research also sought to determine the level of association, if any, amongst the group of young people between the level of awareness and the their smoking behaviours. The overall findings of the above research comprising of young people revealed an extra-ordinary high level of awareness and equally high levels of involvement of young people in the marketing strategies of cigarette vending industry. Out of the 629 participants involved in the research, some 95 present of them were more than aware of the various advertising techniques utilized by the cigarette vending industry, as also aware of the various methods utilized in the point of sale marketing. Thus, both the aspects, those of awareness and involvement with cigarette vending industry were strongly found to be related with being a smoker. This was more than proven from the statistics derived in the said research. For example out of the group of some 185 participants, 55 or a huge 30 present of the research participants admitted that they had received free gifts through coupons attached with the cigarette packs. A comparison with non-smoking community showed that only 11 present or 21 out of 199 participants had received fee gifts through coupons in the cigarette packs. Furthermore, it was also revealed in the same set of researches that aside from the awareness element about coupon schemes, participates were also equally aware about brand stretching and tobacco marketing, all of which were linked in some way or the other with their smoking habits. (DOH, 1992;Atiken et al, 1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al,1996; Aitken et al, 1991) The above research thus concluded the young populations aged 15 and16 were not only fully aware on the various aspects of cigarette marketing including direct mail and marketing at the point of sales; they were also more than associated with the different cigarette vending industries in the marketing of cigarettes and both the awareness and involvement in the marketing were linked with their smoking status and habits. These findings also called for a more stringent set of statutory legislations, as compared to the otherwise voluntary regulations which are primarily designed to protect these teenagers, and which have become somewhat ineffective. Other findings from the above carried out researches revealed and established the fact that the role of the mass media in advertising encouraged smoking amongst the younger populations. From a purely economics perspective, the same findings showed that expenditure on advertising pointed towards an increase in the prevalence, while a drop in the expenditures on advertising resulted in the subsequent drop in the prevalence of cigarette consumption, thereby proving a direct relationship between advertising and consumption of cigarettes. These studies focusing on the younger population showed that teenagers smoking cigarettes are more likely to appreciate as also be aware of the tobacco and cigarette advertising related sponsorships, merchandising and vending. In line with such studies, other cohort studies on the same segment of teenage smoking populations resulted in similar results and furthermore predicted a tendency of future smoking behaviours amongst the researched populations. (DOH, 1992; Aitken et al,1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al, 1996; Aitken al, 1991) A similar experiment involving some 2400 teenagers all aged a 15years, yet only differentiated by sex and postal addresses were taken for a research project from an area in the North of England. These teenagers were invited to participate in the research programme after due consent from their parents/guardians with the primary objective of deriving some 280 smokers from the total lot of participants. With response rate of more than 48 present, some 1062 responded to the call for invitation and studies carried out from the set of questionnaires mailed to each participant along with the consent form. The results obtained from the 1062 participant teenagers (all aged15 years) showed that one in every 5 teenager was involved in smoking,214 teenagers or 20 present of the respondents were regular smokers,825 or a huge 78 present not regular smokers, while 23 respondents or 2percent of the total respondents declined to divulge their smoking status. In continuation with the studies on the teenage smoking population, a random number of 373 respondents were gradually removed from the research list, as they were not regular smokers. The removal of these selected respondents further narrowed the research to those who were in the habit of, or were involved in smoking cigarettes. The number of respondents was now brought down from 1062, as also stated in the opening lines of these paragraphs, to 686 candidates only. These 686 teenage candidates were then interviewed through a team of professional interviewers, who were in turn instructed to make at least4 clear attempts to gain positive research results. The interviewers were not given any prior information as the status of smoking habits of the interviewed candidates so as to derive a transparent set of findings. Here too, the permission of the parents/guardians was sought prior to the interview, as well as a 5-Pound gift voucher was also handed to each candidate. In carrying out the above research 629 out of the total 686respondents were successfully interviewed. Those who were left out did so due to the passage of time, as by the time the research was concluded, the respondents had entered their 16th year, whereas the entire team of research candidates belonged to the 15 year old age bracket only. Each of the candidates was given two sets of questionnaires; one included a face to face interview with the teenage candidate, while the candidate in the presence of their guardians/parents filled out the second questionnaire. One may note that there was no influence of the parents presence on the part of the respondent teenagers. Each of the questionnaires resulted in the awareness, as well as the involvement of the candidates with the different techniques used in the marketing by the cigarette vending industry including direct mail marketing. The findings of the research revealed the smoking habits/status of the teenage candidates, their future intentions for smoking, education levels, and smoking by their peers, siblings, and whether their parents smoked or not. (DOH, 1992;Atiken et al, 1987; Led with, 1984; Charlton et al, 1997; Altman et al,1996; Aitken et al, 1991) A detailed analysis of the awareness element of the teenage group interviewed showed that in comparison to the non-smoking teenage population, those who smoked cigarettes were more than aware of practically all forms of marketing techniques including direct mail marketing. Information from the respondents showed that teenagers involved in smoking were also fully aware of the different types, but also knew about advertisements in magazines, newspapers, special price schemes, and offers for cigarettes. In addition, majority of the smoking teenage population had witnessed advertising on billboards, where more than fifty present of those interviewed had read about some form of cigarette marketing in the press. Also included were advertisements and marketing at point of sales, coupon schemes, and special price offers for cigarettes. Other findings from the research of the 15 year old teenagers revealed that 20 present of the said teenage population had witnessed some form of brand stretching, which included clothing or other items with logos of famous brands of cigarettes, new pack designs, the different and attractive nature and size of the cigarettes, free gifts offered through cigarettes, competitions, and watching famous personalities smoking in films and on television. Though at a lower level, there was awareness on the various promotional mails from cigarette vending industry, distribution of free cigarettes, and to some extent from the network, or the Internet. Thus, it was observed that young smokers were more than fully aware of practically all forms of cigarette marketing techniques including direct mail, in comparison to non-smokers or those who had tried to join the smoking populations. The awareness on the marketing aspect on the part of the teenage populations was more noticeable where free gifts, special price offers, promotional mail, and newer forms of cigarette packs and designs. Marketing of Cigarettes and Role of Teenagers As also stated in the above researched teenage smoking group, there was significant evidence to suggest the involvement and role of teenagers in the marketing of cigarettes including both direct mail and coupon schemes. It was also revealed there was little difference amongst male and female teenagers both of who participated somewhat equally in the marketing of cigarettes. A statistical break-up of the smoking teenager population and the non-smoking teenagers showed that more than fifty present of the smoking populations amongst the teenagers had willingly participated in one or other form of marketing for cigarette companies. In comparison, some 25 present of non-smokers and those who had tried smoking had also participated in some form of marketing for cigarettes. The above research on the teenage smoking population also showed that some 33 present of those interviewed had received free gifts through coupons schemes; another 25 present were in receipt of the special price offers for cigarettes, and a smaller 10 present of the teenage population had received free gifts through direct mail schemes at events organized by the cigarette vending company or received the same through promotional mail schemes. The above findings thus conclusively show that there is a more than strong relationship between awareness of each cigarette marketing technique and current smoking status while variable linked with teenage smoking are held constant. In particular, the awareness of coupon schemes and brand stretching are one way or the other linked to the enhanced probability of the individual being a current smoker, as also with having friends who smoke, siblings, or either parent being smoker. In this study, having friends as smokers was found to be a great influencing factor with the individual being a current smoker. The number of marketing techniques also varied and left a positive mark on the current smoking status and habit of the teenagers interviewed. Hereto, the presence of a close friend, either parent, or siblings was directly associated with an enhanced probability factor for a current smoker. A break up of the different marketing techniques to which the teenage populations are exposed show that package design or price promotion account for a larger exposure, as compared for example brand stretching and shop advertising, the latter of which had little or no effect on the teenage segment of the smoking population. In spite of the above findings, a common factor to emerge was that the young populations was observed to receive some form of benefit, reward, or reassurance from either of the cigarette vending industries; hence a reinforcement of smoking habits, or promotion of smoking amongst the teenage populations. These research more than confirms the need for a stronger set of legislation and laws. The research also calls for an equally tighter set of controls on the marketing techniques adopted by the cigarette vending industries across the United Kingdom. It also proves that the current voluntary form of regulations primarily designed to protect would be smokers, new smokers, and in particular teenage and younger populations are failing, and there is a greater and crucial need for revision of the same. The British Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill should be so designed to comprehensively ban some of the most famous forms of marketing such as coupon and brand stretching; the ban should move a step further and outlaw practically all forms and modes of marketing by the cigarette vending industry. Laws, Regulations and Loopholes Exploited by the Cigarette Vending Industry by Marketing/Promotion of Cigarettes This section of the dissertation will address some of the applicable laws and regulations presently levied in the United Kingdom as well as through the directives of the European Union for all member states respectively. It will also take into account the various loopholes and exploiting measures employed by the cigarette vending industry, as they bypass or practically ignore effective regulations to promote the sale of cigarettes, including various forms of direct mail, as also the subject of our above dissertation. One of the first sets of regulations is the European Union Directive98/43/EC, which was duly accepted as a law as of 30th July 1998. Theseus Directive specifically called for minimal tobacco advertising inside the shops. Though the directive contains a summary and overview of the measures and timetable for the implementation of the directive, the salient feature of this directive calls for member government of the European Union including United Kingdom to ban all forms of commercial communication as well as sponsorships, both of which primarily aim actor influence the promotion of tobacco products. An overview of the above said directive shows that though this covers vast area of advertising, and is largely utilized by the cigarette/tobacco vending industry to promote their respective products; the objective of the directive is to bring a halt to the transfer or changeover of promotion techniques used in the marketing of cigarettes. However, the same directive is all too easily exploited through loopholes and exemptions such as those enjoyed by the sellers of tobacco only, marketing at limited point of sales, imported publications, and use of vague language. Brand Stretching One of the areas which perhaps provide as one of the largest loopholes for the cigarette vending industry in their endeavours to market their brand of cigarettes is that of brand stretching. As also discussed in detail in the above present literature reviews and researches, brand stretching is the use of non-tobacco products and services to advertise tobacco and various cigarette brands. These include for example clothes with logos of famous cigarette brands, shoes, and other items, which though are one of the means for marketing; yet in reality they serve to attract the attention of current as well as would be smoker populations alike. This directive is one step short of a total ban on all forms of advertising including such direct mail advertising as utilized by Marlboro Classics, yet it allows governments to exempt advertising where the branding is visibly different from the brand of the cigarette and where advertising is done in good faith without clarifying the actual meaning of the phrase ‘good faith. Thus, we have a loophole duly utilized by the cigarette vending industry in the form of relaxation on such advertising, and use of such phrases as good faith. 3rd Literature Review An Insight into Advertising As One of the Strongest Forms of Direct mail Marketing Strategy Used by the Cigarette Vending Industry Studies carried out by British Governments health S