Disadvantages of Social Networking at the Workplace Research Paper

Disadvantages of Social Networking at the Workplace - Research Paper Example In places of work, this can cause many problems in relation to wasted resources, lack of concentration, lost productivity, unhealthy employee relationships as well as tarnishing of the image of a company. Disadvantages of Social Networking at the Workplace The first major disadvantage of social networking in the workplace is that it leads to reduced Employee Productivity. Considerable research has revealed that due to the demands of social media and the excitement accrued by social networking, most employees will spend more time on the social media sites rather than do productive work. Most of the time, employees entangled with social networking will not often concentrate on their work. They will concentrate more on the social networking. This is because they need to make new friends, share some experiences or reply to some messages. In the long run, the quality of work delivered by such employees becomes very poor thereby reducing the productivity of the entire company. This can cau se the company to undergo enormous losses. In addition to spending less time in productive work, such the presence of social networking may cause the employees to loose concentration in their work. In some cases, the employees have internet connection in their offices. This causes some of them to get in to the social networking sites while they work. ... For instance, an employee might decline out of office responsibilities where he cannot access the internet. The other disadvantage of social networking in places of work involves generation of unhealthy employee relations. In most cases, the employees will interact more in the social media than they do in the open. In this case, some employees within a company might hurt others in the same company. For example if a particular employee feels that another employee has taken up his or her position in the company, he or she may want to sent hurtful messages to the other employee through social networking sites. In some instances, such hurtful and abusive messages may be addressing the affected employee indirectly. In other occasions, a junior employee may send bad messages though the social networking sites concerning his boss. This can hurt the boss in a great way. Unhealthy employee relations may also accrue from issues related to promotion and prestigious positions in a company. For e xample, one employee might feel that his fellow employee receives favors from the management including undeserved promotion. The other employee can pass messages to all other employees of the company through the social networking sites concerning the issue. In most cases, the messages passed through these social networking sites are often rumors and therefore can tarnish the names of people. It might be impossible for such a person to tarnish the name of his fellow employee by word of mouth. Most people will view the social networking sites as good avenues to pass rumors concerning people that they hate or dislike. This means that rather than social networking strengthening employee relationships in the workplace, it actually destroys these

Coffee delight Essay Example for Free

Coffee delight Essay I agree with Lisa’s view to a certain extent that the marketing budget is the most important component in the marketing plan. Harry has set a market objective of two million subscribers by 2015; a target that is very ambitious to achieve a fifth of the forecasted market share which is seen as very unrealistic with a basic marketing budget and Robert media plc will need to do a higher proportion on research than normal which will cost a lot more than usual. Another reason why the marketing budget is so important is that Roberts’s media is changing from print format to digital as they seek to achieve their object of increasing ROCE to 8%. Digital media is a new market for the business and therefore will need extensive research to see what the target markets’ needs and wants are. Although the marketing department had previously won awards for the way it promoted print magazines, but was concerned that the new technology would require a very different approach. As digital is completely different to print media, it obviously needs research conducted. However, Harry is being stubborn and dismissive stating that the marketing budget is un-important and will not provide additional funds. This could therefore mean that the businesses target the wrong people and that their objective to increase the ROCE to 8% could be dented and un-applicable. The rivals of Roberts media plc are already one step ahead of the business as they were already launching their own digital magazines within the next sic months and had already started their marketing campaign. This will have a big effect on the Roberts media as their targeted customers are already being targeted by rivals which could therefore mean fewer sales in the future. As the business is behind its rivals, a big promotional campaign will be needed in order to attract potential customers away from rivals. A big promotional campaign will require a big marketing budget but is what is needed in order to out beat its competitors in the race for customers. However, I agree with Harry not to provide addition funds to the marketing budget as the financial situation of the business is not very stable at this moment in time. The return on capital has fallen from 10% to 2% meaning that it will not be wisely to invest as it’s not really worth it to invest. Along with the poor state of ROCE, the current ratio is also in a bad state fallen from 1. 5:1 to 0. 5:1. This means for every 50p of current assets the business had ? 1 of liability. Having such a poor financial position will rupture the finance available and will need to use the scares finance available wisely. To conclude, I certainly agree with Lisa that the business’s marketing budget is the most important feature on the marketing plan. This major change from print to digital will cost a lot and will be in need of a big marketing budget to be successful. Also, Roberts media is already behind its rivals on its marketing and therefore will need something big to attract customers. Finally, Harry has set a very ambitious objective and therefore it will need a big marketing budget to be able to fulfil its purpose. Although the financial state of the business is poor, harry will need to help its marketing team and provide which they feel what is needed as the long run.

Retail Merchandising And In Store Operations

Retail Merchandising And In Store Operations Introduction Many companies have acknowledged that improving their store layout; they will be able to increase their number of sales per square foot. Even the architecture of a store can lead to an increase in sales. Within the store layout marketing strategy, there are a number of different aspects to take into consideration such as architecture, store ambiance and location, visual merchandising and most importantly the store layout. Visual merchandising can be anything from the store window display to store ambience, all of these artefacts are put into action when companies wish to increase their sales per square foot. There are both positive and negative ways in which a change to a store layout can increase the sales per square foot for a company, as because of this numerous actions must be considered before a company drastically changes their layout. Executive Summary The purpose of this report was to research how store layouts and improvements to a store can increase the sales per square foot. â€Å"Store layout and visual merchandising are two important factors that add to the distinctiveness of a store. The interior design of the store plays a more vital role† as show on Indian MBA (2008). Also mentioned on Indian MBA (2008) â€Å"Space is always an extremely expensive and scarce resource. Retailers try to maximize the return on sales per square foot.† This is the best way to describe why retailers see the interior of their store as the best way in which they can increase these sales per square foot. There are various types of store layouts which retailers would consider to increase their sales per square foot. This report will analyse and explore how retail design, store layout and visual merchandising can help increase sales per square foot, by the use of research into trade publications as well as newspapers and other sources. Also in this report, examples of stores that have successfully managed to increase their sales per square foot will be mentioned. Findings Retail architecture is a vital mechanism in the function of market intermediation. Retail architecture is defined as those market spaces that affect the relationship between supply and demand. Architecture can directly illustrate some stores social significations of retail relationships; its brutality as well as its warmth, and its social class. For example Harrods has a high level of retail architecture, as it is not only a tourist attraction due to its external historical architecture but it also denotes peoples social class as people who are of a higher social status or social class would be most likely to shop at Harrods. Liberty the British department store has a high level of appreciation for its buildings history, as Creative Director Tamara Salman of clothing brand Liberty of London adds to her collection the stores extraordinary 130 year heritage. Liberty store is able to build upon their heritage to ensure that they increase their sales per square foot figure. With being such a strong and historical store it is hard for many new and upcoming companies to be able to have such a strong fall back for increasing sales. However, retail store layouts are important determinants of customer behaviour. UK fashion retailers are able to gather critical information regarding their target consumers which in turn enable them to create interiors which successful attract these groups. In the context of the store layout, time-poor and highly mobile consumers require different spaces than shoppers who leisurely shop at discounts, and selectively during sales periods at various stages in the business cycle. Also, gender differences in shopping can justify quite specific changes to fashion store formats and space allocation. Store layouts and the merchandise offered are matched to the targeted consumers to the extent that customers ‘buy into branding statements. It is important that the retailer gains a positive reaction to the new layout of its merchandise within the store as a negative reaction would then cause sales to decrease. To ensure that a company is using the right type of store layout, the retailer would look into their own store layout analysis. Within a store layout analysis, careful consideration is given to the products being sold and their location; this can also be seen as basic psychology used to entice customers to spend more money usually through impulse buying. Retailers can also increase their competitiveness by closely targeting and fulfilling their customers needs. Tauber (1972) hypothesised three reasons for shopping; personal motives, social motives and impulse buying. Creating consumer satisfaction involves delivering quality products that meet their needs and is core in highly competitive environments. The allocation of space within any store can be on the basis of many factors such as historical sales, daily average sales, profits, margins, industry averages and strategic reasons. A store layout must also include space for essential functions such as inventory, customer service desks and changing rooms. For any retailer to have success in increasing their sales per square foot, the must look at a number of aspects such as their fixtures and fittings, colours of the store interior, lighting, and window displays. Store interiors are designed in a way which influences consumer behaviour which is referred to as Visual Merchandising. Company visual merchandisers control the use of equipment, displays, colours, illuminations, music, ambience and floor management within a store. Music: Music can be used to increase sales per square feet, as music sets the tone of the environment within the store and as peoples moods change throughout the course of the day it is essential to also have music which reflects the mood of the customers. Music which is played during the morning should be high energy based as customers have lots of energy and this would mean that a company would have more people coming in and purchasing items during the morning hours. Music during the afternoon should be more mellow as peoples energy levels are decreasing and they are more reluctant to browse through the store looking for their wanted items compared to those in the morning. Similarly to the morning during early evening hours, customers respond better to slightly more up-tempo songs. Retailers should also take into consideration their target consumers when deciding on what type of music they should have playing in their stores. Colour: Colour is another factor that can entice customers into shopping at a specific store, colour is immediate, emotional and memorable. Colours bring out emotions and feelings automatically to customers, therefore it is essential to retailers to get the correct colour balance for their store. The colour blue is seen as a natural element, but it is also connected with trust and stability, therefore retailer who use blue within their interior design in informing customers that they are trustworthy and understandable as well as confident. The colour green is found to be a successful colour when linked to hygiene and beauty, which is the main colour for the company Body Shop. All Body Shop fronts are green and have some form of a green colour within their interior. The Body Shop also consists of natural colours and woods making customers feel a sense of freshness, healthiness, youthfulness and the colour green can also be linked to money. Colours within the Purple category can be linked to the emotion or sense of royalty, luxury and spiritual. Again the store Liberty link purple into their company in the use of their website, correspondence as well as their company gift bags, this enables their customers to leave the store with a sense of luxury which also makes them more likely to come and purchase from Liberty again. Fixtures and Fittings: Within any retail store, the fixtures and fittings are another key element to increasing sales per square foot. For shelves, eye level and slightly above is the best position to sell garments from, as colour of the garment can catch customers eyes making them stop to look at the item. Displays should be kept simple, and have a theme to them. It is also effective to include the products in use or as a collection which can be paired up e.g. in Primark or Marks and Spencers, many items of clothing a paired together such as shirts are sectioned with trousers, skirts and blazers as this enables the consumer to see what the item will look like paired with something else, this also shows that they do not have far to go to obtain a matching jacket for a work skirt. Also in Primark, shoes are usually opposite the formal or business wear but situated closely to accessories such as handbags and purses; again this is done so that the consumer doesnt have very far to travel in order to complete the outfit they required. It is also important to have impulse items which are usually located close to the tills so that customers are more likely to purchase these along with their inital shopping, this could be anything from socks to lip glosses. Window display: Bright and colourful window displays can make the company store window stand out from other competitors, however the use of too many colours can make the store look cheap and put customers off going into the store. The lighting used within a store front should be bright as this makes it more attractive and appealing to passing customers. A store window is an ideal way of attracting new and existing customers as you can use a store window to build the company image, showcase new arrivals as well as products that are in high demand. Window displays should be changed frequently to keep target customers and new customers interested in the company, and to make them stop and purchase something. The department store Selfridges is the most competent store for their window displays as each window can tell a different story based on whatever theme maybe inspirational at the time. As Selfridges window display tells a store more and more customers are intrigued to know what it is about and where they can find the items shown in the window, this is how Selfridges gains an increase in their sales per square foot. Lighting: Proper lighting can increase sales by up to 20%, therefore all retailers will benefit from using the best bulbs possible when updating their store layout. In 2010, John Lewis changed their store lighting as the dim lighting which was previously in store caused consumers to be less likely to spend money as dim lighting can cause customers to feel tired. Retailers should make use of spot lights, as these can be used to highlight key areas or even key products which may be commission based, therefore the more sold, the more money the company makes. Conclusion: As mentioned throughout this report, companies need to selectively decide which options will be best for them to be able to increase the sales per square feet as the initial reaction of the customers to a new store layout is the deciding factor as to whether the company will target more customers or lose customers as a result. Companies should pay close attention to the information they already poses about their customers and use this to their advantage, they should also be aware of their competitors so that they are able to always be one step ahead, boosting sales as they go.

Malcolm X :: essays research papers

Malcolm X was one of the most influential black American leaders of the 1950's and 1960's. At first he was a criminal but then changed himself into an important defender of the rights of blacks. Growing up as a boy his father was a follower of Marcus Garvey, a black leader who worked to create close political and economic ties to Africa. In 1931, Malcolm's father died after being run over by a car. Malcolm believed white racists took his fathers life. When Malcolm was 12 years old, his mother was admitted to a mental hospital. After these two incidents, Malcolm spent the rest of his childhood in foster homes. In 1941, Malcolm moved to Boston where he became involved in criminal activities. In 1946, he was arrested for burglary and sent to prison. In prison, he joined the Nation of Islam, also called the Black Muslims. Malcolm was then taught that that white people were devils. After Malcolm got out of prison, he changed his last name to "X". The letter stood for the unknown African name of Malcolm's slave ancestors. Malcolm X quickly became the Nation of Islam's most effective minister. A great speaker, Malcolm urged blacks to live separately from whites and to win their freedom "by any means necessary." But he became dissatisfied with the Nation of Islam, in part because the group avoided political activity. In 1964, Malcolm X broke with the Nation of Islam. Soon afterward, he traveled to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. He met Muslims of many ethnic backgrounds and rejected the view that all white people are devils. Malcolm X adopted the Muslim name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbazz. After returning to the United States, he formed his own group, the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm X rejected nonviolence as a principle, but he sought cooperation with Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights activists who favored militant nonviolent protests. But by this time, some Black Muslims had condemned Malcolm X as a hypocrite because of his criticisms of the group's leader, Elijah Muhammad. On Feb. 21, 1965, Malcolm X was shot while giving a speech in New York City. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of the crime. The story of Malcolm X ties into Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison. Guitar and Milkman are together and Milkman’s asks Guitar why he is so secretive. Malcolm X :: essays research papers Malcolm X was one of the most influential black American leaders of the 1950's and 1960's. At first he was a criminal but then changed himself into an important defender of the rights of blacks. Growing up as a boy his father was a follower of Marcus Garvey, a black leader who worked to create close political and economic ties to Africa. In 1931, Malcolm's father died after being run over by a car. Malcolm believed white racists took his fathers life. When Malcolm was 12 years old, his mother was admitted to a mental hospital. After these two incidents, Malcolm spent the rest of his childhood in foster homes. In 1941, Malcolm moved to Boston where he became involved in criminal activities. In 1946, he was arrested for burglary and sent to prison. In prison, he joined the Nation of Islam, also called the Black Muslims. Malcolm was then taught that that white people were devils. After Malcolm got out of prison, he changed his last name to "X". The letter stood for the unknown African name of Malcolm's slave ancestors. Malcolm X quickly became the Nation of Islam's most effective minister. A great speaker, Malcolm urged blacks to live separately from whites and to win their freedom "by any means necessary." But he became dissatisfied with the Nation of Islam, in part because the group avoided political activity. In 1964, Malcolm X broke with the Nation of Islam. Soon afterward, he traveled to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. He met Muslims of many ethnic backgrounds and rejected the view that all white people are devils. Malcolm X adopted the Muslim name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbazz. After returning to the United States, he formed his own group, the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm X rejected nonviolence as a principle, but he sought cooperation with Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights activists who favored militant nonviolent protests. But by this time, some Black Muslims had condemned Malcolm X as a hypocrite because of his criticisms of the group's leader, Elijah Muhammad. On Feb. 21, 1965, Malcolm X was shot while giving a speech in New York City. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of the crime. The story of Malcolm X ties into Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison. Guitar and Milkman are together and Milkman’s asks Guitar why he is so secretive.

Airbnb Marketing Strategy Essay

INTRODUCTION Airbnb, founded during the economic downturn of 2008, is one of many innovative businesses operating within the growing shared economy. Airbnb offers an alternative to the traditional hotel business and allows property owners, termed â€Å"hosts,† to advertise and rent their extra space, be it a spare room, apartment or treehouse. â€Å"Guests† search through the Airbnb website, read reviews and connect with hosts to find less conventional and, often more, affordable lodging. Key to Airbnb’s business success is establishing a framework of trust on which both hosts and guests can rely, a system Airbnb has developed through a strong marketing strategy and through specific practices that support host and guest throughout the rental process. Building this framework of trust in the system is a focus not just for Airbnb, but is also typical of a company operating in the new sharing economy. WHAT IS THE SHARING ECONOMY? The sharing economy is a new economic opportunity for customers to access goods whenever they are required at that moment – with access trumping ownership. For example, if a person only uses a car once a month, they could rent a car from a sharing economy company like ZipCar instead of paying a monthly car payment for a car they barely use. Following the economic recession, many Americans have become less wasteful in using their economic resources. In addition, more Americans are expressing an interest in being more socially conscious of green initiatives and other social responsibilities (Neilson). These trends have resulted in a new focus on shared resources. Beyond just the economic benefits, goodwill and community building are important drivers of the sharing economy. Today, people who feel the burden of the current economic period may prefer to rent or sell to their peers instead of giving their business to major corporations. Furthermore, the Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) business model is allowing many individuals to exploit their own resources to gain additional income without the high startup costs and long-term commitment for business sustainability. Although the idea of sharing is an old idea, the ability for sharing to generate profit is relatively new. The sharing economy is greatly influenced by online commerce and social media. Online commerce has made it easier for  peers to share their goods and services with one another using trusted financing services through websites such as PayPal. Social media has helped spread the economic and personal benefits of the sharing economy and has served as the fundamental marketing tool for the growth of countless collaborative consumption companies. Companies functioning primarily in the sharing economy consistently urge their users to share their experiences via Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. These social platforms have become so integrated in w eb transactions that once a customer has confirmed or paid, they are prompted to immediately post their money-saving or moneymaking success directly to their social media page of choice. Also referred to as collaborative consumption, the social economy follows the idea that people will first use what they have, borrow, swap, make and thrift items before they actually buy something brand new (Anderson). The marketers of these sharing economy companies primarily target a few segments but are constantly expanding. Urban areas and members of the X and Y Generations are key demographics for the sharing economy. Demographically, the majority of sharing economy companies will target Generation Y due to their concern for environmental and social issues that influence their decision to save and reuse resources (Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller, Chapter 8). Statistics show that the newest generation of adults buys fewer houses and fewer cars than its predecessors (Ciccone). Furthermore, Generation Y is attracted to unconventional practices such as the sharing economy and is highly social, able to spread the word. Generation X is more likely to be those who are renting out their goods and services. As Generation X has more responsibilities, they enjoy the extra income that helps them finance their obligations, such as children and paying a mortgage. People are collaborating informally in their communities out of both necessity and as a lifestyle choice. A sharing economy company should concentrate on branding, networking and experience to ensure its success (Olson). Branding is key because sharing economy companies want consumers to have confidence in their brand. The sharing economy is at an advantage, being relatively new with a market that is interconnected through online commerce and social media. Outside of spreading the work, a sense of community is built within the network. Finally, a sharing economy company has to concentrate on customer experience. Customers are looking for ease of  use and product value. When these desires are met, consumers will return to use the service as well as recommend it to others. One very successful example of a company with the sharing economy employing these factors is Airbnb, who in less than a decade has built a major competitor to the centuries old hotel industry. WHAT IS AIRBNB? Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia founded Airbnb in San Francisco, when they began renting out airbeds in their apartment to people attending a local conference to generate additional income in 2008. The early business model for Airbedandbreakfast.com, later renamed Airbnb, focused on large conferences such as the Democratic and Republican Conventions, which created bustling business in the 2008 election year. In 2009 the founders, now including Gebbia’s former roommate and tech wiz Nathan Blecharczyk, received $600,000 in seed funding from Sequoia Capital. In that same year, acknowledging that renting to complete strangers made many people uncomfortable, Chesky and Gebbia flew to New York City, home to many of their users, to meet with hosts in person and survey for potential improvements. This was an unusual strategy for an internet company but it later proved to be profitable. Over the next two years, Airbnb made several key strategic changes that gave it direction and force in the marketplace. Of particular note was the establishment of Airbnb’s broker’s payment model and the decision to bring in professionals to photograph host homes. By the end of 2011, Airbnb had gone international and reached critical mass (Geron). Forbes estimates that Airbnb likely lost money in 2012 in favor of accelerating growth, a hit the company could withstand due to the influx of capital from various Silicon Valley venture capital firms (Geron). Their market penetration is comparatively strong, according to Tech Crunch, with Airbnb’s booking expected to have surpassed that of Hilton in 2012 (Empson), and hosts renting to an estimated 2.5 million people according to the Economist (â€Å"All eyes on the sharing economy†). The Wall Street Journal valued Airbnb at $2.5 billion in October 2012, and Privco projected their revenues for that year to be at $180 million (Melby). In exchange for customer support, website maintenance and various insurance and security features, Airbnb employs a broker-style payment model, taking a portion of  the rental price between 6% and 12% from the guest, depending on the property price, and a 3% service fee from the host (Geron). Airbnb has come into its own financially, while still maintaining an identity that, though not especially anti-corporate, is certainly fresh, young and innovative. From the company logo, with its big, curly lettering and informal design, to its emphasis on direct interaction with potential users, Airbnb has built its brand for the generation inspired by innovation. The motto â€Å"travel like a human† emphasizes the difference between the traditional, impersonal, corporate travel experience and the opportunity Airbnb presents to users to build their personal networks with hosts in far off places, at a lower cost. As is perhaps to be expected with an internet company, Airbnb relies heavily on social media to create and perpetuate its brand identity. A key aspect of the company brand is the travel experience. They post a â€Å"traveler of the week† on their Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus pages, and recently concluded a photo contest using Instagram, with Airbnb travel credits as the prize. While the choice of prize may be a bit opportunistic, the interactive concept to use the mainstream photo-sharing app, and the reward both fit well with the Airbnb brand and kept the focus on travel rather than profit motive. Naturally, travelers’ blog posts that mention Airbnb, whether they focus on the company or simply mention it in p assing, are often promoted through â€Å"re-tweets† and posts on the Airbnb blog. The experience of travel is only one facet of a company identity that is as carefully well-rounded and appealing as its users. Airbnb also emphasizes its interest in the popular local movement with its â€Å"Living Local† shows, a part of its â€Å"AirTV† series. Each online episode features a tour of a unique Airbnb host property, and interviews with the generally personable host or hosts. Beyond that, Airbnb is aware of the appeal of its unique and tech-centric business model to engineering and tech nerds. The company provides content catering directly to this audience through its specific engineering blog – nerds.Airbnb.com – and its Tech Talk YouTube series, where young tech enthusiasts present on innovative new technologies and how they can and are being harnessed to build businesses (YouTube). These videos, generally around an hour in length, provide an in-depth review of current technological and business innovations. Airbnb also uses social media to associate itself with other organizations, not unlike cross branding, which  establishes Airbnb as culturally present and economically innovative while also eliminating the costs of a major advertising campaign. Their Facebook page, for example, lists SXSW, TED, Virgin America, Lonely Planet and Business Punk as organizations that Airbnb â€Å"Likes.† Each of these associations strengthens their brand – Virgin America connects them to another untraditional travel company and to Virgin’s maverick CEO, Richard Branson, whose appeal to young professionals has made him by far the most followed â€Å"Influencer† on professional social media site LinkedIn (â€Å"LinkedIn Today: Top minds, big ideas†). Similarly, their public association with SXSW reveals a cultural affinity in line with that of their clientele, and functions in tandem with the demand for lodging during the festival, to which Airbnb has dedicated a specific section of their site. Through these efforts, the company has branded itself as young, innovative and culturally and technically savvy—all traits that exist outside of its travel-focused revenue stream, but which are inherently appealing to the clientele, both hosts and guests, on which Airbnb relies. AIRBNB FOR GUESTS Airbnb’s business model focuses on consumer-to-consumer (C2C) transactions based on trust. Its model is similar to the popular C2C marketplace of eBay where buyers and sellers engage in transactions that are each evaluated by individuals for their level of risk on the basis of detailed profiles, history, product, price and other resources. However for Airbnb, the relative level of investment for guests and hosts is significantly higher on a per transaction basis. Travelers are risking their vacation experience, safety and in most cases, a relatively higher dollar value than a single product purchase. Hosts are offering their homes, their personal privacy and their own safety, as well as their living experience for the time that their place is secured by a guest. With these personal investments in mind, the success of Airbnb’s ability to instill confidence, trust and safety throughout their network was critical to the success of the company. Airbnb’s roadmap to build safety and security for their renters includes a private messaging system that allows users to learn about each other prior to booking while holding private information to be disclosed at a later time. Another system is Airbnb’s â€Å"verified ID† badge where users will  register their social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Airbnb reviews and official documentation from their photo ID and/or passport. With the verification of all of these resources matching up, those users will receive a â€Å"Verified ID† badge with their account information demonstrating to other users that their identification has been vetted. In April of 2013, Airbnb began randomly selecting users to complete this profile and expect to have this expanded worldwide for all Airbnb members in the near future. Over the last two years, Airbnb has made efforts to increase their resources to expand security and sustain the trust in the marketplace by doubling the size of their customer support staff with 24Ãâ€"7 support, creating a dedicated Trust & Safety department and designing tools to verify user profiles and facilitating richer communications between guests and hosts prior to booking. With these basic features, the usability, consistency and accessibility to hosts and the Airbnb support team continue to be critical characteristics to Airbnb’s service roadmap. Although, when travelers are â€Å"shopping† they also have the responsibility of maximizing their use of these tools and take care in evaluating their own transaction risk by perusing host profiles, reviews, social networks and even connecting with their host on a regular basis. AIRBNB FOR HOSTS Hosts are just as much Airbnb’s customers as guests so while they must inspire guests to stay in an individual’s residence, Airbnb must simultaneously inspire trust and confidence in the Airbnb model for hosts. Airbnb’s actions and interactions with hosts and potential hosts are meant to project an image of control, confidence and community for the host, with a particular focus on doing so administratively, financially and socially. To simplify and centralize the hosting process, Airbnb manages all the administrative functions of becoming a host, which provides a support system and protection for the host and his or her property. Rather than having hosts build a new website for their rental, the site is already created (in multiple languages and currencies) and all he or she must do to get started is create a profile. Airbnb has a free customer service team to help first-time hosts understand the process. While Airbnb makes it clear on their website that understa nding tax and legal status for hosts is the  responsibility of the host, Airbnb provides reference documents and answers to common questions on their website. Although Airbnb maintains the site architecture, hosts are in complete control over the rental price, amenities and house rules. Airbnb in some cases will even offer free professional photography for host properties. A secure online payment system is built into the website to guarantee complete, on-time payment directly to the host (â€Å"Why Host†). Hosts are essentially allowing a stranger into their home (or boat, treehouse, etc.) so a sense of control is key for their confidence in this model. To do so, Airbnb creates systems to offer protection to hosts’ persons and property. Hosts have total control over who rents their listing. A potential guest puts in a reservation request through the online system and then the host has 24 hours to accept or decline the request. During this time the host and potential guest can communicate through the website communications system and reference the aforementioned â€Å"verified ID† system. However, the rental address is not given out until the owner accepts the guest and hosts also have access to the 24-hour customer service hotline (â€Å"Trust†). Since most hosts are renting primary residences or rooms, protecting against potential damage is much more important than if this was a hotel or business. While normal renters’ or homeowners’ insurance is the responsibility of the host, in 2011 Airbnb launched its â€Å"Host Guarantee† property protection program. In May 2012, it took insurance underwritten by Lloyd’s of London to extend the Host Guarantee to up to $1 million in property damages. This covers guest damages beyond the scope of â€Å"reasonable wear and tear† in 23 countries. No additional cost or actions are required for the host to have this protection (â€Å"Guarantee†). The financial incentive is a key reason people become hosts. In a survey of members of Airbnb in San Francisco in November 2012, over 90% of hosts rented their primary residences to visitors and spent almost half the income they made on living expenses (Lawler). To encourage more people to become hosts and to support existing hosts, Airbnb also focuses on facilitating the financial aspects of renting. Firstly, it is free to create a listing using Airbnb. For online payments, the guest submits payment and once the reservation is accepted Airbnb processes and collects the payment in full. Airbnb holds the payment until 24 hours after check-in (and after the guest-host walk through). This helps uphold host cancellation policies and provides a neutral third-party  for financial exchange. The Airbnb website also facilitates cleaning fees which are held until the property is vacated. The secure payment of fees and usage is a key way Airbnb builds confidence for hosts in addition to the social and cultural aspects of hosting. While the first reason most hosts decide to rent their space is financial, another reason is a desire to meet new people, show off their city and be part of the shared economy. Airbnb allows hosts to rent out primary and secondary residences, but 50% of hosts rent private rooms in their residence while they are there (â€Å"Life†). On the Airbnb site, there are numerous forums and guides for people to learn about becoming a host, exchange ideas and form a deeper community within the sharing economy. The social community built in Airbnb, plus the financial and administrative support systems, encourage new and repeat hosts to open their homes and lives up to the world because they trust in the brand and system created by Airbnb. NEXT STEPS Airbnb’s success did not come without the expected growing pains of any startup company, and especially one commanding a dominant market share in the new sharing economy. While its impact on the tourist trade, individual income, revenue to small businesses and economic stimulation are remarkable, the personal price some individuals have had to pay using Airbnb’s service is important not to overlook. From city-issued sanctions to individuals violating lease regulations, to vandalism of personal property and identity theft, the safety, benefits, opportunity costs, and sustainability of Airbnb’s service has been questioned in the media. To alleviate some of these concerns and remain a viable business, Airbnb should examine these obstacles in an effort to institute awareness through its community. They can continue to find ways to provide a more comprehensive and scrutinized ID verification process for all of their users to minimize the existence of bad apples. The level of care that hosts place on evaluating their individual transaction risk and understanding of regulations specific to their city has a direct impact on their safety and success as an Airbnb host. Through consumer forums, hosts, guests, and potential consumers and guests can communicate on a network to learn from their peers. Airbnb should also consider expanding the countries covered and the items covered under the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Host Guarantee† to increase host protections locally and internationally. Moving forward, Airbnb has to be conscious of the popular pitfalls fellow sharing economy companies have faced. In a Campbell Mithun study, consumers were concerned with the following, in descending order: What I lend could get lost or stolen, I might not trust others in the network, my privacy might be compromised, sharing is not worth the effort, and the goods or services might be of poor quality (Olson). As described above, Airbnb has taken necessary measures to help defe nd the safety and privacy of its host and guests. However, as the sharing economy evolves, this could get more difficult and new safety concerns can arise that Airbnb will need to resolve quickly. Collaborative consumption represents a major economic, social and cultural shift as it moves out of infancy and toward acceptance. These companies need to find the balance between the potential of the sharing economy and the standing regulation of the government. The current brick and mortar companies that are participating in highly-regulated industries like hotels or rental cars now have to compete with services that do not go through the same rigorous levels of inspection or qualifications to ensure public safety (Lawler). Sharing economy companies could make a solid argument for self-regulation. Airbnb should take care that they currently have the proper management to ensure there are no nefarious parties in their business dealings and that their brand is strong enough to self-regulate (Lawler). For a well-rounded approach, shared economy companies should look towards or at least be aware of how the government may impose regulations to see how they might help or hinder Airbnbâ₠¬â„¢s progress. There will come a time when companies like Airbnb will need to defend their unconventional and minimally regulated services, and should now put into place a team that can defend them. Lobbying municipal and state governments in high usage areas is a more traditional but still relevant area for Airbnb to protect its business model and by extension its users. The greatest advantage that collaborative consumption has when defending their stance to the economy is that they exist to help people in their communities to meet their goals (Metcalf, Warburg). These companies need to leverage their community-based benefits as a way to gain support and appeal to those wanting greater government intervention. Preparation and understanding of user needs, government regulations and economic trends will bridge the nascent shared  economy into a strong, sustainable economic force. Therefore, if Airbnb continues to focus on building a brand that consumers can trust in and created mechanisms to support hosts and guests then it can be a durable, profitable company for years to come. WORKS CITED Airbnb. YouTube. Web. 27 June 2013. https://www.youtube.com/user/Airbnb Anderson, Lauren. â€Å"Collaborative Consumption Directory – Visualized.† Collaborative Consumption. Collaborative Consumption, 30 May 2013. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com/2013/05/30/collaborative-consumption-directory-visualized. Ciccone, Alicia. â€Å"The Sharing Economy.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 05 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/the-sharing-economy_n_1857201.html Empson, Rip. â€Å"CEO Brian Chesky Says Airbnb Will Be Filling More Room Nights Than All Hilton Hotels By The End Of 2012.† TechCrunch., 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 June 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/12/cloudera-ceo-mike-olson-by-december-31st-airbnb-will-be-filling-more-room-nights-than-hilton-hotels/ Geron, Tomio.†Airbnb and the Unstoppable Rise of the Share Economy.† Forbes, 11 Feb. 2013. Forbes. â€Å"Guarantee.† Airbnb. Web 30 June 2013. https://www.Airbnb.com/guarantee Lawler, Ryan. â€Å"Airbnb: Our Guests Stay Longer and Spend More Than Hotel Guests, Contributing $56M to the San Francisco Economy.† Tech Crunch. 9 November 2012. 30 June 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/09/airbnb-research-data-dump/ Lawler, Ryan. â€Å"Balancing Innovation And Regulation In The Sharing Economy.†TechCrunch. Crunchbase, 9 Dec. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/09/balancing-innovation-and-regulation-in-the-sharing-economy. â€Å"Life† Airbnb. Web 30 June 2013. https://www.Airbnb.com/life â€Å"LinkedIn Today: Top Minds, Big Ideas.† LinkedIn.com. Web. 29 June 2013. http://www.linkedin.com/today/influencers?trk=tod3-top-nav-filter Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. â€Å"Chapter 8 Identifying Market Segments and Targets.† Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2012. Melby, Caleb. â€Å"Who Will Get Rich from Sky High Airbnb Valuation?† Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Oct. 2012. Web. 27 June 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/10/19/peter-thiel-may-invest-150-million-in-airbnb-at-2-5-billion-valuation/ Metcalf, Gabriel, and Jennifer Warburg. â€Å"A Policy Agenda for the Sharing Economy.†SPUR.com. The Urbanist, Oct. 2012. Web. 02 July 2013. http://www.spur.org/publications/library/article/policy-agenda-sharing-economy. Olson, Kristine. â€Å"Campbell Mithun.† Campbell Mithun. 8 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.campbell-mithun.com/678_national-study-quantifies-reality-of-the-sharing-economy-movement. Temple, James. â€Å"Google Places Draws Complaints from Yelp, Others.† SFGate. San Francisco Chronicle, 29 June 3011. Web. 27 June 2013. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Google-Places-draws-complaints-from-Yelp-others-2352896.php â€Å"The Globally, Socially Conscious Consumers.† The Global, Socially Conscious Consumer. Nielson, 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013.

Keeping the Family Tradition Alive Essay

I started keeping my family tradition of canning alive last summer. My family has canned for years and there is nothing better than opening up something I have canned on my own and thinking of the people who shared this tradition with me. Traditions are very important to keep going in families around the world. Traditions are very broad anything from what people do on holidays to cooking. My family tradition is very important to me. I knew last year that if I didn’t learn some of my family’s secret recipes while my grandmother and mom are still with us than there would be a chance that my family would never be able to taste the wonderful flavors my family has put together over the years and my family has looked so forward to the taste that we have grown to love. Before I begin canning, I must gather all the materials that I need to get started. The first step is the selection of the tomatoes. I pick all of my tomatoes from my own garden they are so much better than anything from the grocery store. Last year I used better boy tomatoes and roma tomatoes. The roma tomatoes are great to use because they have fewer seeds, thicker, meatier walls and less water. And that means thicker sauce in less cooking time! Also, I don’t want mushy, bruised or rotten tomatoes. Next I remove the tomato skins this is very important. Nothing worse than eating spaghetti and having to chew on a piece of skin left behind. Here’s a trick my grandma taught me: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute. Then I plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water. This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes. If the skins are left on then they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant. Now I must remove the seeds and water. After peeling the skins off the tomatoes, I cut the tomatoes in half. I remove the seeds and excess water. I call it the squeeze of the seeds. It is just like it sounds: wash hands then squeeze each tomato and I use my thumb or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. I do leave some of the seeds because that is my preference. I toss the squeezed tomatoes into a colander or drainer while I work on the others. By draining the water off now, I end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time. The next step I must do is to get the lids and jars sanitized. The dishwasher is fine for the jars, especially if it has a â€Å"sanitize† cycle. I get that going while I’m preparing everything else, so it’s done by the time I’m ready to fill the jars. While the jars and lids are being sanitized I begin getting that spaghetti sauce going. I take my onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves, green peppers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and my burgundy and place them all in the pot first. After I get the onions and pepper a little tender I add all the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook down the tomatoes until the sauce is my desired thickness. I usually let my sauce cook for about two hours. The last step I call canning time. While my sauce is simmering I get my water bath canner ready. I go ahead and feel the water up and get it boiling. I start a small pot of water boiling to put the lids in so that the lids can sanitize and helps the lids seal. When the sauce is ready I place the jar funnel on the jar and I fill them to within ? inch of the top and set the lid and hand ’tighten the ring on. I place the jars in the water bath and cook for about 20mins. I then use the jar grabber and pull the jars out one at a time and let them cool draft-free place. Once the jars are cool, I check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. I press down in the center gently with my finger. If it pops up and down then it is not sealed. If it don’t seal than I just replace the lid and do the canning time again. Now that all the steps are complete, I listen to all the little pings going on telling me that my hard work has paid off. I am so glad that I have learned the family tradition of canning. My grandmother has gotten older and doesn’t can anymore. Out of all my family it is just my mom, Aunt Susan, and myself left doing the canning. It was a nice reward to my sole a few weeks ago when I had my grandmother over for dinner. I had canned some beets and decided that was the day to open them. When my grandmother tried them she said, â€Å"These taste just like mine. † To hear her say that meant so much to me. I couldn’t image not having the taste of what I grew up with because they don’t sell it in the grocery store. This is why I am keeping my family tradition going and teaching my girls. We never know when our love ones are not going to be here anymore. If I can’t have my family with me I at least want to be able to remember them by creating what they have thought me. If people have something in their family that is done by others and would not want to miss it after that person is gone than learn how that special someone does it. I did that’s why I will always have that special connection with canning and my family.

The Renaissance Courtier essays

The Renaissance Courtier essays The Renaissance Courtier was the ideal man. He was very knowledgeable in everything he did. He was muscular and athletic and knowledgeable of all sports, yet he had an appreciation for the arts. He was familiar with all exercises and forms of martial arts. He knew how to use all types of weapons while standing or on horseback, and knew what type of weapon to fight with in different situations. He was well schooled and knew how to read Greek and Latin and read technical language. He was musically inclined and played a variety of instruments for his own amusement. At dances, he was a commendable dancer. The Courtier also liked and was completely loyal to the prince. The Renaissance Courtier had a quiet confidence about him. He didn't walk around the village and gloat about all of his accomplishments, but everyone still knew what he could do. He was very knowledgeable but very content about it. He made everything look effortlessly, but secretly he practiced with a passion to be accomplished at each skill. Basically, there was nothing this guy couldn't do. The Renaissance Courtier was a good friend to all and he got along with everyone. He stood up for others and never put people down. He wouldn't talk about people behind their backs. He did nice deeds and didn't ask for anything in return. He also didn't contradict others. He knew when to express himself and when to be quiet. He was also serious, but he knew how to take a joke. Because of this, he was respected by noblemen and countrymen. During the time of the Renaissance Courtier, the working class did all the laborious work. Basically, the nobles concentrated on perfecting their minds and bodies. Life in the castle was one of cerebral challenges, of continuous education, and a constant search for amusement. Because of the Renaissance, people made time to appreciate the arts. Unlike the countrymen who toiled from dawn to dusk, the Courtier filled his day with classes, discussi...

Computer Ethics essays

Computer Ethics essays CRITICAL POSITION PAPER ON ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO PRIVACY I decided to pick the Robert Morris case in chapter four for my scenario to discuss. I believe this case has several ethical problems that we need to deal with. First of all, there is the obvious act that Robert Morris intentionally created and distributed a virus, knowing that it was capable of severely damaging networks. However, he did say that once he realized what he had done he tried to stop it. And at a time when viruses were so new and uncommon he vary well may have made some mistakes. While trying decide different approaches to dealing with the problem I came across a line "viruses are bad". I thought to myself how is a virus bad. A virus is no worse than a steak knife. They both could be very useful tools very bettering our lives, and they could also both be tools of malicious misconduct. This virus that Morris made was indefinitely not going to be a useful tool. Therefore, I am left with only the conclusion that whether or not he intended on using it, it was created with one purpose in mind. Because of this, I believe that more action should have been taken against him. If he indeed purposefully infect systems with that virus that there was only one gliche. Without that it could've been much worse and he might not of gotten caught. I believe that he should have had a shot stay in jail and also longer probational period mixed with attempts for rehabilitation. I believe that as always your "white collar crimes" are dealt with with more leniency.! In fact, a virus could be destroying someone's personal property. I have seen vandalism get worse punishment. As in most crimes though, there are only two options we can scare them straight with punishment. Or we can attempt to rehabilitate them and teach that doing harm upon others is not right. In either of these cases it is always a hard decision. It needs to be based on the past history an...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Building Restoration

Advantages and Disadvantages of Building Restoration Using examples explore the advantages and disadvantages of allowing redevelopment and reconstruction of historic buildings. For the purposes of this discussion it is primarily important to determine what is meant by historic and to rationalize the terms redevelopment and reconstruction. The terms will be used in the context of preserving and conserving buildings. This includes maintaining their predominant features and characteristics, whilst enhancing new features in keeping with the style and building constraints relating to traditional use of materials and resources. According to English Heritage buildings exist across the UK that span over a thousand years. They also work with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and local authorities to allocate buildings such as these according to their criteria for listing – or categorizing for the purposes of their historic importance. These are identified using the following criteria: Those having architectural interest: bu ildings which are nationally important for the interest of their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; also important examples of particular building types and techniques. Those deemed of historic interest: this includes buildings which illustrate important aspects of the nation’s social, economic, cultural or military history. A variety of places that have a close historical association with nationally important buildings or events. Places which have group value, especially where buildings are part of an important architectural or historic group or are a fine example of planning (such as squares, terraces and model villages) [1] English Heritage define historic in relation to a number of factors. All buildings constructed before 1700 are automatically listed. Similarly this is the case with most properties up to 1840. A number of post 1945 buildings are also included in these terms. A comprehensive breakdown of listed buildings statistics across the UK is illustrated below: 38% are domestic dwellings 15% date from before 1600 nearly 20% date from the 17th century 31% from the 18th century 32% from the 19th century 3% from 1900-1944 0.2% from 1945 or later [2] Introducing conventional features can have negative consequences on properties such as those defined above. Not only for cosmetic or domestic purposes but also in relation to implementing safety measures into a property. and accessibility by way of lifts and hand rails etc for the benefit of people with disabilities. There is also a trend for interpreting properties of historical interest into entertainment or ‘edutainment’ orientated experiences which can be argued devalues the historic importance and often encourages historical inaccuracy from the learning perspective. The final consideration to be made in relation to this essay question is the notion of whether old buildings should remain preserved exactly as they are without any enhancement, improvements, additions or restorations. That they should reflect the period they were constructed in and be immortalized as a historical or scientific study. This paper will seek to exemplify many of these issues relating to the redevelopment and reconstruction of historic buildings which covers a broad argument for discussion. The English Tourist Board published a paper in 1991 entitled ‘Maintaining the Balance’ which proposed new schemes designed to ensure that historic town environments worked in sync with their communities whilst providing the visitor with a traditional experience. Visitor Management Plans were adopted and Town Centre Managers were recruited as means of taking these initiatives forward. The conservation and preservation of built heritage often involves maintaining tight restrictions and limited planning opportunities which is not conducive to new housing projects or business opportunities which could generate enterprise and economic benefits. Inste ad many of the UK’s classified historic towns remain stagnant and non progressive. [3] Similarly there are currently plans to renovate and restore the city centre of Amsterdam in keeping with its cultural heritage. The city centre is divided by two groups of residents. One enjoys the aesthetic benefits of living in this area, while the second are simply living centrally for the purposes of work and being close to amenities. This second group is unconcerned with the historical importance of the city and is not prepared to invest in maintaining or developing it as such. Often when areas such as this are under preservation orders high costs are incurred for maintenance and renovation in the style accustomed to the period. This in turn raises the rents of properties which become too high for existing residents to afford, eventually forcing them out of their homes, as is feared in Amsterdam. [4]

Diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Diabetes - Essay Example In order to reach stern measures, a well thought-out primary and community care is required. 15 years ago responsibility for care of the people living with diabetes has moved away from hospitals to primary care (Goyder, McNally, Drucquer, Spiers & Botha, 1998). Throughout this period, general tests have been established that when regular analysis of patients is ascertained, the quality of primary care can be as good as the hospital or can even surpass hospital outpatient care in the short-range of time. There are a number of outlines and diabetes management plans that have been formulated globally to advance diabetes care in the community. In contrast, empirical information indicates that conformity with diabetes clinical practice suggestions is insufficient in primary care and a huge population of patients living with diabetes remains at high risk (Goyder et al., 1998). As a result, a diverse range of involvements targeted at advancing the provision of diabetes care and acquiring a better metabolic management for patients living with diabetes have been put into practice. ... This is for the reason of trying to advance the management of patients living with diabetes in primary care, outpatient and community situations. The media is seen as an advocate of this trending issue, diabetes. The media strives to create awareness of the disease and fosters on lifestyle change. Above all, the media enforces the need to come up with a decisive primary and community health care for the patients living with diabetes. This is clear by the extent which heath care policies are mentioned in the articles and further the way nurses are mentioned in the quest to point out effective health care programs. It is evident that the media can influence the public’s opinion on a public health problem like diabetes. The media as seen in the chosen four articles published in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post and The New York Daily News, influencing the opinions of the members of the public on the significance of diabetes as a problem and provides room for find ing what should be done about diabetes. In an article published on New York Times, In Diabetes, a Complex of Causes (2012) Amanda Schaffer states that, â€Å"Early on in type 2 diabetes you may be able to reverse the disease with lifestyle changes.† In the USA Today, Worried about type 2 diabetes? Walk after every meal (2013) Nanci Hellmich indicates that, â€Å"If you're at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, then take a 15-minute walk after every meal.† In an article published on New York Daily News, â€Å"Now you've got even more good reason to eat a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. A new study finds that middle-aged women who do so may live a healthier, longer life.† (2013). In an article published on The Washington Post, â€Å"Yes, the nutrition advice

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Statistics - Essay Example Find your name in the list and make a note of your dataset number. You will use this to access your own datasets for the questions in section B. This project is worth 100% of the final mark Section A: Statistics Quiz Answers to questions in this section require no more than one or two sentences each! 1. Quantitative variables can be discrete or continuous. Explain the difference between discrete data and continuous data, and give one example of each. Answer: A discrete variable can assume only a countable number of values such as number of persons in a family, whereas a continuous variable can assume any numerical value over a certain interval or intervals (uncountable number of values) such as height of a person. 2. A measure of location is a quantity which is ‘typical’ of the data. Give the names of three such measures, and explain (in words, not formulae) how each is found. Answer: The most common measures of central tendency or location used to describe data are; Mod e: This is the most commonly occurring value. Median: The middle value when all the data are placed in order. Mean (Arithmetic Mean): It is the ratio of the sum of the scores to the number of the scores. 3. What is a measure of spread? Give the names of three such measures. ... in figure 1 suggests that median would be a suitable measure of location and interquartile range would be a suitable measure of spread for these data. 5. The probability that a ship has a defective radar is 0.05. The probability that a ship has a defective echo is 0.06. Three in one hundred ships have both a defective echo and a defective radar. Find the probability that a randomly chosen ship has either a defective echo or a defective radar. Answer: P(def. radar) = 0.05 P(def. echo) = 0.06 P(def. radar and def. echo) = 3/100 = 0.03 P (def. radar or def. echo) = P(def. radar) + P(def. echo) – P(def. radar and def. echo) P (def. radar or def. echo) = 0.05 + 0.06 – 0.03 = 0.08 6. Under what conditions might we use a binomial distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: We use a binomial distribution when following four conditions are satisfied; The number of trials ‘n’ is fixed. Each trial is independent. Each trial represents one of two outcomes ("success" or "failure"). The probability of success ‘p’ is the same for each trial. 7. Under what conditions might we use a normal distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: The mean, median and mode are equal The graph is symmetrical about the mean (50% above and 50% below) Because 100% of the distribution lies below the curve, the total area below the curve is 100% or 1.  ± 68% of the sample lies within one standard deviation of the mean; 34% above and 34% below  ± 96% within two standard deviations: 48% above and 48% below  ± 99.7% within three standard deviations: 49.85% above and 49.85% below The two ends are asymptotic to the horizontal axis. 8. In hypothesis testing, the p-value can be thought of as the chance of obtaining the observed results, or more extreme results, if the

Ethnography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethnography - Essay Example The Bible study groups set their main biblical topic to be studied during these study times. The major purpose of Bible study is to collectively grasp an understanding of God’s word, even though there is some existence some form of worship and prayer. There exists a traditional belief that mothers ought to stay at home at home and look after their children. The Bible, for example in Titus 2: 4-6 and Timothy 5:14, focuses on the role of women role as ‘house keepers’, who ought to bear children and raise them in a manner that the Lord wants. In Proverbs 31: 28-31 women generally are given praise for the successful raising of children and home. In that respect, women have biblical roles that can be enhanced through bible study groups to be well behaved and more righteous. This has led to the formation of cell groups that mainly comprises of women either married or single. Therefore, even cultures degrade, distort and debase women, the Bible exalts them. The women have numerous challenges which they need to address as women alone. It was observed that the cell groups which comprised of both single and married women commences by taking off their shoes, greeting each other, having refreshments, taking of the prayer request, an opening prayer, getting of the bible study session, and finally it ends in prayer again The interviewees reported that Bible study brings unity for women who are not used to fellowshipping with each other. They also reported that they meet at Theresa Burns house so women can feel more comfortable being in a home setting verse in a church, so they are not discriminating against any faith. Outside the group, some of these women are coworkers. Others attend the same church thus fellowshipping together fellowship together. They also reported that their group was non-denominational group. The cell group consists of all kinds of women. The Bible study is led by Theresa Burns because she is regarded as a mediator, although they are no

Professional Accountant assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Professional Accountant assignment - Essay Example The method is highly structured, punitive and paternal. The intention of the Act is to ascertain that the process of financial reporting is done effectively. It also seeks to reorient accountants back to ethical ways. Furthermore, the approach focuses on maintaining corporate governance at the top. A principles-based approach is the domain of the UK. The Cadbury report defines the UK’s method of corporate governance. It states that corporate governance is a mechanism for directing and controlling companies (Cadbury, 1992). This document was later followed by others like the Combined Code. In essence, all these reports seek to place corporate governance responsibilities in the hands of company boards. An institution must alter corporate governance issues in accordance with their context. Furthermore, individuals are expected to make their choices known to their shareholders. Therefore, in the rules-based approach, as practiced in the United States, parties answer to external bo dies while in the principles-based approach, institutions answer to their shareholders (Tricker, 2008). While the United Kingdom places the responsibility of oversight on individual firms, the United States has an accounting oversight board which acts independently and ensures compliance. The US even has rules governing how the external auditor needs to behave. Conflict of interest is prohibited while appointment of new auditors is done under strict rules. The manner in which those audit reports are reported is also stipulated in law. Financial reporting is strictly enforced in the rules-based approach. Here, almost all parties have responsibilities under the law. Executive members must ensure accuracy and promptness of financial reports. Managers need to create internal controls for reporting while accountants must act honestly when reporting. Cases of alteration, falsification or concealment of information are all severely punished. In certain respects, punishment may be instituti on-wide. Here companies that do not ascribe to rules laid down by the Securities Exchange Commission will be delisted (SEC, 2003). Conversely in the United Kingdom, after a board has settled on a particular principle, it must comply with it or explain to its shareholders why it has not done so. Usually, the principles selected may emanate from the Cadbury Report, the Combined Code or general governance practice. The main reasoning behind this strategy is that corporate governance is not something to be policed. Instead, it should be done proactively by businesses. This demonstrates faith in organisations and their ability to practice these principles. The most glaring difference between these two systems is that in one punishment is clear. It is handled by specific bodies and the process by which oversight authorities come up with those punishments is well documented. These consequences also happen speedily, especially after non compliance in the US. Conversely, the effects of poor corporate governance are ambiguous in the principles-based approach. It is assumed that exposure of these unhealthy practices would damage the credibility of an organisation and hence its long term viability. Therefore, results may manifest after relatively long periods of time, and may not always be predictable. One key failure in the rules-based system is the tendency to establish very low standards of practice (McNamara & Banff, 2012). In order to ensure that members of the corporate community abide by rules in the US governance system, members have to agree on certain standards. In an effort to obtain consensus, these standards may be too low for concerned

Answsering law quesiton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answsering law quesiton - Essay Example Jaime owed Simon and Davina a duty of care, being the owner of a restaurant which serves food to the public for a fee. Hence, he has the duty and obligation to see to it that clients are served well because he is engaged in the food business, and attached to this is the quality of service to his clients. Based on the facts of the case, there is clearly a breach of duty on the part of Jaime, the moment he forget to inform the chef that Simon and his guest only requested for vegetarian dishes. It was due to the fact that there were several guests that same night that kept him pre-occupied that he totally forgot to inform the chef of Simon’s request. As a restaurant owner, he owed a duty of care to all the clients and guests who enter and dine in his restaurant. In the case at bar, the fact that Simon informed Jaime only to serve them vegetarian dishes is an indication that Simon has already foreseen the damage or harm that will be inflicted upon Davina in case a different food, and not vegetarian dishes will be served to her. This act done by Simon in order to protect Davina is also known as the ‘neighbor principle’. He took the necessary steps to exert reasonable amount of care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure his guest, Davina. It is thereof without a doubt that a duty of care was expected of Jaime to Simon and Lavina There is also a proximity between the parties, as Jaime is the seller and Lavina and Simon are the buyers of his services. Under the law, is it fair, just and reasonable in all the circumstances to impose a duty of care in the case of Jamie. Here, Jamie is liable for the tort of negligence due to his failure to exercise reasonable care which caused a damage to Davina. His failure to inform the chef that only vegetarian dishes should be served is tantamount to negligence or omission on the part of Jamie. Therefore, he is liable to pay consequential damages to Davina because th ere is a strong connection between the cause of his failure to take reasonable care and that damages that Davina has suffered. Verily, there is a clear showing that Davina would not have been injured â€Å" but for† the Jamie’s act or omission. Hence, Davina entitled to an award of consequential damage because aside from the violent illnsess, she also suffered from consequential economic loss when she cancelled a photo shoot costs of the damage for a beauty campaign, which could have been an opportunity for her to receive economic gain. 2.) Jamie can raise the defense of contributory negligence on the part of Davina. This means that any award of damages may be reduced to the extent that the Davina, the claimant was to blame for the injury or loss inflicted to herslf. It is entirely Davina’s fault if she had too many glasses of champagne prior to her meeting with Simon and totally forgot to inform him about her allergic food reaction. This act shall hold her liab le for contributory negligence. The fault shall be shared by Jamie and Davina. There was also a mistake committed by Davina by coming to the restaurant in a sober mood, and totally disregarding to report to Simon about the allergic food reaction that she possesses. This act redounds to inaction, omission and oversight on the part of Divina. The Law Reform Act 1945(Contributory Negligence) provides for apportionment of blame between the

Ethnography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethnography - Essay Example The Bible study groups set their main biblical topic to be studied during these study times. The major purpose of Bible study is to collectively grasp an understanding of God’s word, even though there is some existence some form of worship and prayer. There exists a traditional belief that mothers ought to stay at home at home and look after their children. The Bible, for example in Titus 2: 4-6 and Timothy 5:14, focuses on the role of women role as ‘house keepers’, who ought to bear children and raise them in a manner that the Lord wants. In Proverbs 31: 28-31 women generally are given praise for the successful raising of children and home. In that respect, women have biblical roles that can be enhanced through bible study groups to be well behaved and more righteous. This has led to the formation of cell groups that mainly comprises of women either married or single. Therefore, even cultures degrade, distort and debase women, the Bible exalts them. The women have numerous challenges which they need to address as women alone. It was observed that the cell groups which comprised of both single and married women commences by taking off their shoes, greeting each other, having refreshments, taking of the prayer request, an opening prayer, getting of the bible study session, and finally it ends in prayer again The interviewees reported that Bible study brings unity for women who are not used to fellowshipping with each other. They also reported that they meet at Theresa Burns house so women can feel more comfortable being in a home setting verse in a church, so they are not discriminating against any faith. Outside the group, some of these women are coworkers. Others attend the same church thus fellowshipping together fellowship together. They also reported that their group was non-denominational group. The cell group consists of all kinds of women. The Bible study is led by Theresa Burns because she is regarded as a mediator, although they are no

Answsering law quesiton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answsering law quesiton - Essay Example Jaime owed Simon and Davina a duty of care, being the owner of a restaurant which serves food to the public for a fee. Hence, he has the duty and obligation to see to it that clients are served well because he is engaged in the food business, and attached to this is the quality of service to his clients. Based on the facts of the case, there is clearly a breach of duty on the part of Jaime, the moment he forget to inform the chef that Simon and his guest only requested for vegetarian dishes. It was due to the fact that there were several guests that same night that kept him pre-occupied that he totally forgot to inform the chef of Simon’s request. As a restaurant owner, he owed a duty of care to all the clients and guests who enter and dine in his restaurant. In the case at bar, the fact that Simon informed Jaime only to serve them vegetarian dishes is an indication that Simon has already foreseen the damage or harm that will be inflicted upon Davina in case a different food, and not vegetarian dishes will be served to her. This act done by Simon in order to protect Davina is also known as the ‘neighbor principle’. He took the necessary steps to exert reasonable amount of care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure his guest, Davina. It is thereof without a doubt that a duty of care was expected of Jaime to Simon and Lavina There is also a proximity between the parties, as Jaime is the seller and Lavina and Simon are the buyers of his services. Under the law, is it fair, just and reasonable in all the circumstances to impose a duty of care in the case of Jamie. Here, Jamie is liable for the tort of negligence due to his failure to exercise reasonable care which caused a damage to Davina. His failure to inform the chef that only vegetarian dishes should be served is tantamount to negligence or omission on the part of Jamie. Therefore, he is liable to pay consequential damages to Davina because th ere is a strong connection between the cause of his failure to take reasonable care and that damages that Davina has suffered. Verily, there is a clear showing that Davina would not have been injured â€Å" but for† the Jamie’s act or omission. Hence, Davina entitled to an award of consequential damage because aside from the violent illnsess, she also suffered from consequential economic loss when she cancelled a photo shoot costs of the damage for a beauty campaign, which could have been an opportunity for her to receive economic gain. 2.) Jamie can raise the defense of contributory negligence on the part of Davina. This means that any award of damages may be reduced to the extent that the Davina, the claimant was to blame for the injury or loss inflicted to herslf. It is entirely Davina’s fault if she had too many glasses of champagne prior to her meeting with Simon and totally forgot to inform him about her allergic food reaction. This act shall hold her liab le for contributory negligence. The fault shall be shared by Jamie and Davina. There was also a mistake committed by Davina by coming to the restaurant in a sober mood, and totally disregarding to report to Simon about the allergic food reaction that she possesses. This act redounds to inaction, omission and oversight on the part of Divina. The Law Reform Act 1945(Contributory Negligence) provides for apportionment of blame between the

Love Triangles and Betrayal in Carmen Essay Example for Free

Love Triangles and Betrayal in Carmen Essay The creation of operas from pre-existing literary texts is a complex process implicating the original author, the librettists, the opera directors, the publishers, and the composer. In the process of transformation, the involved parties consider prevailing cultural values as well as their own artistic ideals. These considerations weigh all the more heavily on the process when the literary text involves complex romantic relationships. Georges Bizet’s Carmen (1875), Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello (1887), and Claude Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande (1902) provide examples of this transformation process. In all three of these works, love triangles figure prominently. These love triangles, though they share some superficial similarities, are extraordinarily different in terms of their composition and the ultimate fate of the characters. Carmen When the directors of the Opera-Comique, a venue with repertoire typically geared towards an extremely conservative, family-oriented, bourgeois audience (McClary, 1992, p. 15-16), commissioned Bizet to write an opera in 1872, Bizet suggested Prosper Merimee’s novel Carmen as a possible subject (Macdonald, 2010). The directors of the Opera-Comique were divided in their support of this work as a subject for an opera. De Leuven, in particular, was against this choice, citing the scandalous nature of the story and the conservative nature of the venue’s target audience as reasons behind his disapproval: â€Å"Carmen! The Carmen of Merimee? Wasn’t she murdered by her lover? At the Opera-Comique, the theatre of families, of wedding parties? You would put the public to flight. No, no, impossible. † (as cited in Jenkins, 2003). Indeed, it appears that the on-stage death was of particular consternation for the director: â€Å"Death on the stage of the Opera-Comique! Such a thing has never been seen! Never! † (as cited in Nowinski, 1970, p. 895). The choice of Carmen ultimately played a role in de Leuven’s resignation from his post in 1874 (McClary, 1992, p. 23). The source text for Carmen is a novella by Prosper Merimee. The author originally published this work in 1845 in the Revue des deux mondes, a non-fiction journal. The author had previously published travelogues in the same journal, and this work contained no indication that it was a work of fiction (Boynton, 2003). Instead, the work reads as a â€Å"true† story of Merimee’s voyage to Spain in 1830. In the midst of his travels, the author-narrator encounters Don Jose, the man who, after succumbing to Carmen’s seductive powers, kills her in a jealous rage following her confession of a love affair with Lucas. The librettists for Carmen, Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy, at the time that they were commissioned to write this work for the Opera-Comique had already successfully worked together as a team on a number of works (including Offenbach’s La Belle Helene and La Vie parisienne) for the Parisian boulevard theatres (McClary, 1992, p. 18). In their previous librettos, the team had split the work: Meilhac wrote the prose dialogue, and Halevy supplied the verse (McClary, 1992, p. 18). In operatic settings, the prose would typically be left as spoken dialogue (for the Opera-Comique) or set as recitative. In transforming Merimee’s novella into a libretto, Meilhac and Halevy made numerous changes. Unfortunately, there is a lack of primary source evidence detailing the minutiae of the collaborative process which would shed further light upon the reasons behind these changes (Jenkins, 2003). These changes include minimizing Carmen’s criminal activities, adding the character of Micaela, and eliminating Merimee’s framing device. The removal of Merimee’s framing device (accomplished by not including a narrator) and the introduction of Don Jose before his downfall make Carmen, and not Don Jose, the focus of the story (Jenkins, 2003). Indeed, the Carmen of the libretto, with her voice not being interrupted by the narrator’s commentary, speaks directly to the audience (McClary, 1992, p. 21). Carmen was composed as a four-act opera comique, originally with spoken dialogue (as opposed to recitative). The dialogue was transformed into recitative by Guiraud for a production in Vienna, and it was performed this way for many years before producers reverted to Bizet’s original spoken text (Macdonald, 2010). Further changes to Merimee’s original resulted from Guiraud’s involvement. Meilhac’s original dialogues at times quoted directly from Merimee’s Carmen, and these instances of direct quotation were largely eliminated in Guiraud’s version (McClary, 1992, p. 45). With the addition of Micaela, the librettists created a moralizing character, the polar opposite of Carmen, with whom the Opera-Comique audiences could readily identify (McClary, 1992, p. 21). The addition of Micaela complicates the love triangle. In Merimee’s original, the love triangle included the characters of Carmen, Don Jose, and Lucas. In the operatic version, both Don Jose and Escamillo are in love with Carmen, and both Carmen and Micaela are in love with Don Jose. The librettists also substantially changed Carmen’s character. Though they downplayed Carmen’s involvement in criminal activities (she is no longer the leader of the smugglers as Merimee portrayed her) arguably in order to make her more sympathetic, they focus almost exclusively on her sexuality (to the exclusion of her healing powers and intelligence as presented in the original) (McClary, 1992, p. 22). Bizet’s music underlines the differences in characters and underlines the complex nature of the interlocking love triangles in the opera. Micaela is presented as a sweet, pure, innocent woman. Her entrance is conventional, and her music is marked by neither intense chromaticism nor indications of exoticism (McClary, 1997, p. 120). Carmen’s entrance, in contrast, disrupts the formal procedures Bizet set up from the beginning of the opera, and her music is largely chromatic and marked with features typically associated with the exotic (McClary, 1997, p. 120). Her music, like her body and personality, is irresistible to any man she sets her sights on. Don Jose’s music is different from that of both of his female admirers. His melodic lines are long, irregularly phrased, and lacking in regular cadences (McClary, 1997, p. 124). Additionally, he, unlike Escamillo, lacks a signature melodic line (McClary, 1997, p. 127). McClary points to the incompatibility of Carmen’s and Don Jose’s musical styles as evidence of the ultimate failure of their relationship. In contrast, Carmen’s brief duet with Escamillo in act four seems sincere because their musical styles are compatible (McClary, 1997, p. 125). Ultimately, Don Jose kills Carmen in a fit of jealousy over her relationship with Escamillo, and Micaela is deprived of her true love as he gives himself up to the police following his murder of Carmen. Otello Though the two Shakespeare aficionados Giuseppe Verdi and Arrigo Boito met as early as 1862, it was not until 1879 that the events leading to the composition of Otello were set in motion (Aycock, 1972, p. 594). The four-act Otello received its premiere on February 5, 1887 in Milan. In transforming the play into opera libretto, Boito eliminated six of the fourteen characters and cut the entire first act (Aycock, 1972, p. 595). Boito also cut Othello’s statement of self-defence following his murder of Desdemona from the end of the play (Aycock, 1972, p. 596). This last cut serves to keep the opera’s focus on the tragic love story. This love story principally revolves around the actions of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago. When the opera opens, Desdemona and Othello are newly married. However, Roderigo (Iago’s friend) still loves Desdemona. Iago, upset with Cassio who has been promoted over him, fabricates proof of Desdemona’s infidelity with Cassio in order to play on Othello’s jealous nature. The proof of this infidelity, in both the play and the opera, is a handkerchief. Othello murders Desdemona, and when he learns that his belief in his wife’s infidelity was mistaken, he kills himself. In this story, both Roderigo and Othello are in love with Desdemona. Given Roderigo’s minimal role in the opera, however, Iago takes his place in the dramatic situation of the love triangle. It is his betrayal and deception that leads to the demise of the two main characters. The end of the first act contains a conventional love duet between Othello and Desdemona. As Aycock (1972, p. 595) remarks, the love between these two principal characters is mature and predicated on confidence in each other’s fidelity. The climax of this love duet, on the words â€Å"un bacio†¦Otello! un bacio,† features a new melody in the orchestra. This melody reappears only in the last act, most notably when Othello commits suicide (Lawton, 1978, p. 211). The character of Iago in the opera is much more the creation of Verdi and Boito than of Shakespeare. Iago’s Credo, where he proclaims his devotion to a cruel God and admits that he is unquestionably evil, was entirely the invention of Boito (Aycock, 1972, p. 600). For Verdi, the emphasis on this character allowed him to confirm to Italian operatic tradition, which called for a baritone villain role (Aycock, 1972, p. 601). Pelleas et Melisande Maurice Maeterlinck’s play Pelleas et Melisande received its Parisian premiere at the Theatre des Bouffes-Parisiens on May 17, 1893, and Claude Debussy was in attendance (Grayson, 1985, p. 35, 37). By the fall of the same year, he had already begun composing what would later become Act IV scene 4 (Grayson, 1985, p. 37). In the case of this operatic transformation, there was no librettist acting as a middle-man. Instead, Debussy constructed the libretto himself, from Maeterlinck’s original text. The composer remained true to the original play, changing nary a word. He did, however, cut some scenes, and these cuts were made with the Maeterlinck’s authorization. In November 1893, the composer travelled to Ghent to meet with the author, and the two men discussed several possible cuts. Debussy reported to Ernest Chausson that Maeterlinck had given him â€Å"complete authorization to make cuts and even indicated some which were very important, even very useful† (as cited in Grayson, 1985, p. 37). From Maeterlinck’s original play, there were only four scenes that Debussy did not set: Act I scene 1, Act II scene 4, Act III scene 1, and Act V scene 1 (Grayson, 1985, p. 38). These scenes appear to have been cut because they are unrelated to the central narrative, leading to the demise of both Pelleas and Melisande. While Debussy used Maeterlinck’s original text, he did, in some instances, cut some of the text to make the libretto more concise. Act III scene 3, for example, was cut so heavily so that only one third of the original text remained (Grayson, 1985, p. 40). Two further cuts came in 1902. During Pelleas et Melisande’s first season at the Opera-Comique, Debussy was forced to cut one scene from the performances: Act IV scene 3 (Grayson, 1985, p. 39). This almost purely symbolic scene features Yniold (Golaud’s son from a previous marriage). At the end of the scene, Yniold, wishing to share his experiences with Melisande, unwittingly reveals to Golaud that she is not in her room (Grayson, 2003, p. 76) – in essence, he signals her disloyalty to her husband. The scene was reinserted in its second season. Also, at the dress rehearsal, the Director of Fine Arts, censored the work, calling for the suppression of Act III scene 4, a scene where Yniold is forced, by his violent father, to spy on the suspected lovers (Grayson, 2003, p. 80). Pelleas et Melisande begins with Golaud discovering Melisande by a fountain in a forest. She seems to be lost and confused, and she follows Golaud on his wanderings. The two get married in secret and return to the castle of Golaud’s father. There, Melisande meets Golaud’s brother Pelleas, and these two fall in love. In one scene, Golaud happens upon Pelleas caressing Melisande’s hair streaming out from a tower window, and he realizes that his brother has betrayed him. Golaud, blind with jealousy, kills his brother in Act III. At the end of the opera, Melisande also dies, but not before giving birth to a daughter. The plot, then, revolves around the love triangle of Melisande, Golaud, and Pelleas. The unquestioning inclusion of on-stage deaths demonstrates how much the Opera-Comique had changed since the 1875 premiere of Carmen. From the time of Debussy’s first draft of Act IV scene 4 in the fall of 1893, it took almost a decade for the opera to reach the stage of the Opera-Comique. Debussy worked intensely on the opera in 1895 and completed a short score of the opera in August of that year (Grayson, 2003, p. 78). Though he had a completed opera, he had major difficulties finding a suitable venue for the performance of the work. Albert Carre, the director of the Opera-Comique, accepted Pelleas â€Å"in principal† in 1898, but he did not give Debussy written confirmation of the deal until 1901 (Grayson, 2003, p. 79). Though Debussy was ambivalent about Wagnerian leitmotive techniques, he does employ leitmotivs in Pelleas. While most of these leitmotivs are connected to ideas, each major character has his or her own leitmotiv (Nichols and Smith, 1989, p. 81). Melisande’s motive, for example, is comparatively lyrical, wandering, and typically played by oboes or flutes while Golaud’s motive consists of two notes in alteration with a more pronounced rhythmic emphasis. These motives are typically associated with different harmonic fields. Melisande’s melody is pentatonic but is typically harmonized with a half diminished seventh chord (Nichold and Smith, 1989, p. 91). Golaud’s motive, because of its sparse melodic line consisting of only two notes, is more harmonically flexible. Debussy uses it in a variety of harmonic contexts including whole-tone, dorian, and minor. Comparison of Works These three works present a widely diverse picture of operatic life in late nineteenth century France and Italy. In terms of source texts, there is a novella (Carmen), a play in verse (Otello), and a play in prose (Pelleas et Melisande). In two of the cases (Carmen and Otello), neither the composer nor the librettist knew the author of the original literary work. In the case of Pelleas, the composer had direct contact with the original author and constructed the libretto himself. These three operas were then composed in different forms: an opera comique in versions with both spoken dialogue and sung recitative (Carmen), a hybrid of continuous action with set pieces (Otello), and a largely through-composed work with one aria (Pelleas). In each instance, the transformation process reveals that it was not only the librettist and composer who were involved in the opera’s ultimate form: opera directors, publishers, and censors also had some hand in the final product. One shared trait amongst these three works was the need for the librettist to cut considerable amounts of literary material from the original text. This phenomenon is understandable given that it takes a considerably longer period of time to sing a text rather than say it. In choosing sections of texts to cut, the librettists were faced with the challenge of leaving enough of the narrative design so that it would remain comprehensible to the audience. The composer could then use musical devices to fill in some of the gaps that this missing text created. For example, Bizet could use different musical styles to highlight differences in race and class (McClary, 1997). Similarly, Debussy could use different harmonic languages (whole tone, pentatonic, modal) to indicate subtly differences in the quality of light (Nichols and Smith, 1989). A second shared trait is that two of the composers appear to have made decisions based on operatic convention in their composition of the opera. Bizet’s concession to operatic convention takes the form of the introduction of the character of Micaela, a character absent from Merimee’s original but whose presence, as mentioned above, was deemed necessary to make the work suitable for the conservative Opera-Comique audience. Verdi’s concessions are evident in the finale to Act 3, where he asked Boito to alter the libretto to make room for a traditional grand concertato finale (Parker, 2010) as well as in the changes to Iago’s character mentioned above. A third shared trait is that these three works focus on love triangles, with an act of betrayal or jealousy leading to the deaths of one or more of the principal characters. In Carmen, the primary love triangle revolves around Carmen, Don Jose, and Escamillo. In the end, Carmen dies. In Otello, the love triangle of Othello, Desdemona, and Roderigo has a tragic ending with the death of both Othello and Desdemona. Similarly, the Pelleas-Melisande-Golaud triangle results in the death of two of the characters: Pelleas and Melisande. In each case, the composer highlights one of the romantic relationships as being more viable or more sincere than the others. Bizet, as noted, employs different musical styles for each of the characters, with only Escamillo’s language being compatible with Carmen’s. Verdi wrote a traditional love duet for Othello and Desdemona, the sincerity of which is highlighted with its aforementioned reappearance in the final act. Debussy employs a technique similar to that of Bizet: he has Pelleas and Melisande sing together in octaves in Act IV scene 4). The similarities between the presentations of the love triangles stops with this characteristic, for the relationship dynamics within the central triangles are quite different in these works. In Carmen, the title character is both the primary female love interest and the character responsible for the betrayal. She betrays Don Jose’s love for her, however ill-founded it may be, by confessing her love for Escamillo. In contrast to the other operatic heroines studied here, Carmen is a femme-fatale. In Verdi’s Otello, the love between Othello and Desdemona is sincere, and neither one carries on an affair with someone else. The primary reason behind their deaths is Iago’s treachery. However, Othello does, in a sense, betray Desdemona by believing Iago’s lies. His acknowledgment of this betrayal can be seen in his committing suicide. In Debussy’s Pelleas, the guilty party is less clearly identified. Melisande, though she betrays her marriage by falling in love with Pelleas, is not depicted as a femme fatale. Instead, she is presented as an innocent, idealized woman (Smith, 1981, p. 105). Pelleas betrays his brother by having an affair with his wife. Though Debussy, as mentioned above, sympathizes with their love and highlights the love Pelleas and Melisande have for each other by having them sing together in octaves. It appears that these characters are not to be held accountable for their actions because their love was inevitable, foretold in advance by fate. ? References Aycock, R. E. (1972). Shakespeare, Boito, and Verdi. The Musical Quarterly, 58 (4), 588-604. Boynton, S. (2003) Prosper Merimee’s novella Carmen. New York City Opera Project: Carmen. Retrieved from http://www. columbia. edu/itc/music/NYCO/carmen/merimee. html Grayson, D. (1985). The Libretto of Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande. Music and Letters, 66 (1), 35-50. Grayson, D. (2003). Debussy on stage. In The Cambridge Companion to Debussy. Ed. Simon Trezise. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 61-83. Jenkins, C. (2003). Carmen: The Librettists. New York City Opera Project: Carmen. Retrieved from http://www. columbia. edu/itc/music/NYCO/carmen/librettists. html Lawton, D. (1978). On the ‘Bacio’ theme in Otello. 19th-Century Music, 1 (3), 211-220. Macdonald, H. (2010). Carmen (ii). Grove Online. Retrieved from http://www. oxfordmusiconline. com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O008315? q=carmensearch=quickpos=22_start=1#firsthit McClary, S. (1992). Georges Bizet, Carmen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McClary, S. (1997). Structures of identity and difference in Bizet’s Carmen. In The Work of Opera: Genre, Nationhood, and Sexual Difference. Ed. Richard Dellamora and Daniel Fischlin. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 115-130. Nichols, R. Smith, R. L. (1989). Claude Debussy, Pelleas et Melisande. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Nowinski, J. (1970). Sense and sound in George Bizet’s Carmen. The French Review, 43 (6), 891-900. Parker, R. (2010). Otello (ii). Grove Music Online. Retrieved from http://www. oxfordmusiconline. com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O003882. Smith, R. L. (1981).