Hypertension Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hypertension - Research Paper Example Should the blood pressure hit 140/90 and above, one is considered to have hypertension. The two major classifications of hypertension are secondary and essential hypertension. Whereas essential hypertension refers to a high blood pressure case whose cause is unknown, secondary hypertension refers to high blood pressure caused by tumors, kidney disease, and birth control pills (Falvo, 2009). The essential type of hypertension has been identified to cause about 95% of all hypertension cases. That is, among the about 73 million adults in the United States suffering from hypertension, 69.35% have the essential hypertension (Falvo, 2009). Although the exact causes of hypertension are generally unknown, several risk factors have been associated with hypertension. These factors include diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of physical activity, smoking, vitamin D deficiency, stress, aging, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, and medications such as birth control pills, obesity, and e xcessive consumption of salt. Others are chronic kidney disease and insufficient consumption of minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The symptoms of the condition are rather hard to identify and quite a big percentage of hypertension victims do not know that they have the condition. Because this ignorance about one’s hypertension status could last years and endanger lives, it is recommended that people continually go for screenings. Included in these symptoms are problems with vision, breathing problems severe headaches, fatigue or confusion, nausea, blood in the urine, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and chest pains (Falvo, 2009). This paper explores the subject of hypertension with regards to its statistics, prevalence, psycho-social challenges, lifestyles, treatment, researches, and community programs. Statistics on Hypertension That hypertension is a major health concern in the United States is evidenced by the statistics made available by federal, state, a nd local government agents as well as private citizens, community-based groups, and non-governmental organizations. For instance, that as many as one in three American adults are at risk of contracting chronic kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack/heart failure makes them highly likely to develop hypertension as well. Evidently, hypertension prevalence is rather alarming. It has also been noted that more than half of hypertension patients have not managed to put it under control, resulting in severe health and psycho-social problems, reduced control rates, and high prevalence across the population. According to the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), more should be done regarding the establishment of educational, prevention, treatment, management and research programs to address hypertension, which has been a national health concern for quite some tine. These programs should specifically target hypertension prevention, treatment, awareness, and the reduction of hypertensionâ €™s consequences. To meet these objectives, these programs will have to initiate

Synthesis and Purification of Acetylsalicylic Acid Essay Example for Free

Synthesis and Purification of Acetylsalicylic Acid Essay Synthesis and Purification of Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA or Aspirin) Background Salicylic acid is a phenol as well as a carboxylic acid. It can therefore undergo two different types of esterification reactions, creating an ester either with the hydroxyl or with the acid. In the presence of acetic anhydride, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin or ASA) is formed. Correspondingly, an excess of methanol will form methyl salicylate, which is also an analgesic. In this experiment, we shall use the former reaction to prepare aspirin. Salicylic acid will not react significantly with acetic acid to produce aspirin. Acetic acid anhydride, however, is more reactive than acetic acid because the acetoxy group (-O2CCH3) is a much better leaving group than the OH- of acetic acid. The reaction has one complication, however, in that an esterification can occur between the phenol and acid portion of adjacent salicylic acid molecules. Further, more molecules can bind to the remaining free substituents on these molecules to create a macromolecule, or polymer. The polymer is formed as a by-product. Acetylsalicylic acid will react with sodium bicarbonate to form a water-soluble sodium salt, whereas the polymer remains insoluble. This difference can be used to purify the aspirin product. The most likely impurity in the final product is salicylic acid, which can be either unconsumed reactant, or the result of hydrolysis of the aspirin product. Salicylic acid is removed during the purification steps as well. Salicylic acid, like most phenols, forms a highly colored complex with ferric chloride, and is easily detected. Aspirin does not form the colored complex because the hydroxyl has been acetylated. Provide tabulated and experimental MP’s for product. Report mass and moles for the reactant and product, and calculate yield % on a molar basis. Mechanism The mechanism is called nucleophilic acyl substitution. It is similar, but not identical, to the hydrolysis on pg 802. The entering nucleophile is salicylic acid, not water. On the resulting tetrahedral intermediate, the H from salicylic acid moves to the middle O on the anhydride. Finally, the leaving group is acetic acid, not chloride. No base is involved. Provide structures of all intermediates in your lab report.

Analysis of the E-brokerage Industry

Analysis of the E-brokerage Industry Executive Summary The financial brokerage industry has undergone dramatic changes worldwide in the last decade, due to the rise of the Internet. E-brokerage brought huge opportunity to the industry as it introduces enormous amount of on-line traders but at the same time posted serious threat as it open up the market to new competitors. In this thesis, we investigate past and current challenges the brokerage industry faced. From our literature review, we studied the impact of online trading to the brokerage industry and the online traders, and proposed solutions pinpointed to the facts we found. We studied the challenge the brokerage industry faced from the perspectives of strategy, marketing and technology and carried out strategic analysis using value chain and framework of five forces by Michael E. Porter. A small scale survey was conducted to collect local people attitude towards online/mobile trading and we used the data collected to justify the information we found during our literature review. F inally, we proposed a basket of suggestions for the brokerage industry in various aspects including product enhancement, customer education, partnership, differentiation, customer segmentation and more. An in-depth interview with a local broker firm was organized to value our suggestions, their feedback are positive. Introduction The tough challenge among e-brokerage industry is still going on and in fact, it is getting even more furious. The situation was more rigorous during bearish market after the burst of IT foams, SAR outbreak and the recent financial tsunami. The strategy the brokerage firms adopted to handle the challenges they faced determine who will survive the competition and stay in the market. Losers will soon be squeezed out of the market. This is especially true for small to median size local brokerage firms who are now facing new competitors like direct banks and oversea online trade provider like E-Trade. Confronted with growing competition, old-guard brokers are being forced to restructure and re-focus their market offerings. Various strategies were adopted, some brokerage firms seek to maintain their lead in value-added services through a focus on knowledge/advise more financial planning and investment advice rather than transactions -processing trades. Other firms attempted to comprehen d how to offer on-line services without alienating their brokers, to minimize channel conflict. The purpose of this article is to analysis the current e-brokerage practices and device new service directions and enhancement to existing products to increase competence of our local brokerage industry. We will first present the evolution of security trading in Hong Kong and characteristic of different types of brokerage firms and customers. From our literature review, we found that online trading exerted great impact on both brokerage industry and online traders. For brokerage firms, they faced vigorous competition due to new competitors, reduced customer loyalty and market fragmentation due to low entry barrier. While illusion of knowledge and control, lack of personal advice and overwhelmed by information were the hurdle online traders faced. We have presented the strategic challenge faced by the brokerage industry and analysis their strategy using value chain and framework of five forces algorithm. We have devised a basket of suggestions and discussed with a brokerage firm the f easibility to comprehend our research. Financial Broker Industry In Hong Kong Evolution of security trading in Hong Kong The ultimate goal of a well-functioning stock market is to bring together all possible buyers and sellers, so that the market price reflects the combined preferences of all participants. The history of securities trading in Hong Kong can be traced back to 1866. The present Sock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEx) was established as a result of the unification of four exchanges during the big market boom in 1986, while the first stock exchange began its operation in 1891. Exchange System Architecture Computerized trading system was first introduced on 2 April 1986 and in 1993 the exchange launched the Automatic Order Matching and Execution System (AMS), which was replaced by the third generation system (AMS/3) in October 2000. AMS/3 is the core system used to serve securities trading which has significant enhancements in central market functions, open connectivity and system capacity as compared with AMS/2. AMS/3 supports multiple trading facilities for market access. Most of the participants developed their own Broker Supplied System (BSS) which interfacing with AMS/3 via the Open Gateway (OG) facility for greater control to the front-end solutions instead of the Multi-workstation System (MWS) by HKEx. The open connectivity of OG has made possible the large-scale automation of Participants operations, enabling Participants to offer new investor services and experience efficiency gains. In 2002, a new generation of the system, CCASS/3, was launched for clearing and settlement. MD S (Market Data Feed System) is the key system used for delivery of securities price data to about 60 local and international information vendors. HKATS (Hong Kong Futures Automated Trading System) is the electronic order matching system operated for the derivatives market. Advancement in information technology, especially the Internet, is revolutionizing traditional commerce. Obviously the securities industry, and in particular the on-line brokerage, is at the forefront of this revolution. Here in Hong Kong, retail online trading as a proportion of total retail investor trading continued to grow in 2008/09, reaching 43 per cent from 39 per cent in 2007/08. Its contribution to total market turnover was 10 per cent, up from 7 per cent in 2007/08. For stock options, retail online trading contributed 23 per cent of total retail investor trading (up significantly from 15 per cent in 2007/08) and 2 per cent of product turnover (1 per cent in 2007/08). For other derivatives, retail online trading contributed 49 per cent of total retail investor trading and 18 per cent of total product turnover (up from 44 per cent and 15 per cent respectively in 2007/08). Types of Brokerage Firm The basic function of a brokerage firm is to execute buy and sell orders for clients. Traditionally these firms have offered the investigation of the quality and the possibilities of investing in a variety of investment products. It is still accustomed for brokerage firms to offer information about possible investments free of charge. This activity of bringing free of charge stock investment reports is one of the main tools that are utilized by brokerage houses to compete against other firms. To investors, it continues to be an important service. However, with the bloom of communication technology, especially the Internet, more and more investors rated that investment reports as less important service. Instead, those investors preferred other types of services that charged less commission and service fee, by forfeiting those investment reports. In order to capture this vast diverse clientele, the brokerage industry segmented itself. After the restrictions in commissions were eliminat ed, several brokerages began to open up their doors as discount brokerage firms. At that time, brokerage firms were classified into two types: full service brokers and discount brokers. Full service brokerage firms continued to offer informative stock reports and a level of service much higher than other brokerage houses. They looked for purchasing and selling opportunities for clients and offering more customer and portfolio advisory service than was available from discount brokers. Discount brokerage houses, on the other hand, only dedicated themselves to execute orders for clients with minimal services. These differences in services and philosophies led to great differences in commission costs. It was evident that these differences were an important factor in the return of an investment. Type of customers in brokerage industry In Hong Kong customers of brokerage firm can be divided into three typical categories: l Prestige Group: These are customers with large amount of capital put in to the brokerage firm for investment. They have granted total authority to the brokerage firm to execute trading decision on behalf of them. Although they are minority in terms of the customer base of brokerage firm, they contribute a great portion of revenue to the brokerage firm. l Middle Group: Customer of this group usually trade through account agent of the brokerage firm. They utilities financial information, report and analyzing tools provided by the brokerage firm to make trading decision. Account agent will also actively contact these customers whenever they see an investment opportunity fit for them. l Basic Group: Customer mostly uses service of brokerage firm to maintain account balance and execute trading order on the own. Although multiple channels are supplied to them, they mostly adopt on-line trading as their first choice of trading media. Although the first two groups of customers contribute quite a large portion of the revenue of brokerage firm, we will concentrate our research on the third group for two reasons. First, there is a clear trend that this group of customer is increasing in a fast pace. Second, by investing and improving the on-line system, the other group will also be benefited. Literature Review Online-Brokerage Simply put, â€Å"On-line brokerage† can be defined as selling of securities which encompasses equity like stocks and warrants and derivatives like bonds, mutual funds etc, on the Internet. Although traditional banks and brokers also provided online trading after year 2000, new entrants like direct banks and new brokers offered a genuine e-commerce business model. Direct banks are internet-only banks or virtual banks. These banks were designed without a traditional banking infrastructure with physical branches. This cost-saving advantage enabled many of them to offer savings accounts with higher interest rates, loans with lower interest rates and minimal management fee and commissions than most traditional banks. More and more customer joined in as online trade and a peak was hit on year 2000. At the same time, new competitors like traditional brokers and virtual banks joined in proactively by acquiring existing brokerage firm or using their own business model. At that time, t hen customer base and knowledge of the traditional institutions was still advantages for online trading enhancement. The strategy online brokers adopted was customers segmentation and directed their offer to the most preferred customer group, the active private investors, which allowed them to swiftly catch up the market. Compared with banks, absence of physical branches thus low overhead costs gave these internet brokers an advantageous in cost structure. They competed with each other rigorously to achieve the biggest market share in the shortest time frame to reach the break even point. The strategy to conquer and develop loyalty of new customers was invested massively in marketing. They also adopted a cut-throat commission rate to attract private individuals who were more sensitive to this cost of investment. The position of banks and traditional brokers in the brokerage business was deeply undermined by the pressure caused by these new entrants. Bloom of on-line trading For the first time ever, investors could, from the comfort of their own homes, accessed a wealth of financial information including breaking news developments and market data on the same terms as market professionals did. In addition, on-line brokerage provided investors with tools to analyze this information, such as research reports, calculators, and portfolio analyzers. Finally, on-line brokerage enables investors to act quickly on this information. The technological and regulatory barriers that gave traditional brokerage and securities companies edges were rapidly becoming extinct. First, new provider quickly gained access to the market by leveraged on the use of Internet technology. Without expensive branch networks and labor-intensive advisory services, new competitor like direct banks and new online brokerage firms were able to process retail clients orders in relatively low cost. Second, the bull markets in year 2000 attracted large number of new online customers. For example , lot of local residents became online investors and started to hold security when frequent and gigantic scale IPO activity were taking place during 2006. These new customers welcomed the new internet investment style that encompassed vast amount of free of charge real time information, enhanced market transparency, convenience and low commission. Together with the rising share prices in bull market atmosphere, these new customer, in particular, heavy traders quickly got accustomed to doing online trade. The Internet also made other comparisons easier. For example, it increased price competition for products for which price comparison was previously more difficult. New information applications enabled investors to compare the quality of trade execution provided by different brokerages and thus extend the trading costs that investors consider beyond commissions. Companies scrambled to create viable strategies that balance many priorities. Typical considerations included: Should they defend their existing customer base or enter into new customer segments? Grow their existing business or expand into new products? Acquire, partner or go alone? Basically, companies were competing not only to offer different and better products and services, but to design robust, lucrative business models that took advantage of emerging forms of electronic commerce. Electronic commerce the facilitation of exchange of value over computer networks fundamentally changed the brokerage business in part by increasing the velocity of financial services [1]. Impact of on-line brokerage Hurdle on brokerage firm Rigorous competition With the advancing Internet technology, investors had became less reliant on stockbrokers for trade execution or obtaining research information as such services were readily available on the Internet. In addition, the Internet was a convenient and efficient channel for doing stock trade transactions and for providing information support to investors. Indeed, the trend of self-investing led to the proliferation of Internet brokerages around 2000, offering trading services on the Internet at very low commission rates compared to using traditional brokerages. Reduced customer loyalty Lower transaction costs online led many investors to e-brokerages and away from traditional brokers to place their trades Another concern was that since investors feel that they can distinguish between the good and bad advice that they find on the Internet, they therefore were not be willing to continue to pay a financial planner solely for their expert opinion. This was in part due to the information illusion discussed in next section: illusion of knowledge and control, where investors feel that since they have access to so much information that they had no need to pay for such service and can do it better on their own. Reduced customer-broker cohesiveness Before on-line trading is prevalent, a single stock trade typically involves multiple telephone conversations between a customer and a broker. The broker may take the opportunity to reinforce the personal relationship with the customer by discussing pros and cons of the trade or offer tailor-made investment package. On the contrary, on-line traders are more on their own. Together with the convenience to switch broker, the loyalty of the customer to the brokerage firm is largely weakened. Although transactions are the bread and butter of brokerage companies, brokerage firms were also strived to developing client relationships in order to provide total solution to their customers. The income by providing strategic planning, advisory services, financial advices, margin loan and other client services are also vital to brokerage companies.. Market fragmentation Market fragmentation occurs when too many competitive suppliers enter an active or new market. It happened starting from 1998 and peaked around 2001, when online trading started to take off and attracted many different competitors. They all aimed attract on-line investors and to achieve the largest possible market shares by all means, for example, by giving them some extra bonuses. However, the sudden downturn of the market quickly turned a lot of these new investors to passive customers, if not entirely retired, due to lack of knowledge and experience. This phenomenon was even more obvious after market started to plunge beginning at 2001. As a matter of fact, it is too risky for e-brokers to over-rely on commission as the main source of revenue. After all, the demand for brokerage services highly depends on investment atmosphere of stock market. The number of on-line executed orders during bullish and bearish market varies significantly. These large variation experts high risk for those who base their income on commission. In order to safeguard possession of active traders during both bullish and bearish market, it is very important to educate them and foster a correct investment culture. Lower entry barrier The Internet changed how information is delivered to investors and the ways in which investors can act on that information. On-line brokerage provide a effective and convenient access media between customers and the brokerage firm, the unit cost of operations is much reduced. It had lowered both the fixed and marginal costs of producing financial services, thus enabling newer, smaller companies to challenge established providers of these services. On-line brokerage firms, such as E*Trade, are among the most vivid and successful financial service firms to provide on-line financial advice, research tools, and financial information that emerged in the last decade. These e-commerce firms transformed the way traditional services were delivered and offered a vast assortment of new services. Hurdle on customer Investors in general and on-line investors in particular now make decisions in a very different environment than investors in the past. They have access to far more data. They often act without personal intermediaries. They can conduct extensive searches and comparisons on a wide variety of criteria. Although the quantity they can produce may be large, it is the quality that matter. As a consequence, they trade more actively, more speculatively but less profitably than before. On-line trader stress heavily on commission and management cost when choosing broker firm to use. However, there are other unobservable costs that are unaware by them: information-processing costs, information illusion, illusion of control, frequent trading behavior, and the lack of personal advice. Information-processing costs Information-processing costs are the costs that online investors sustain before they actually make a transaction and it is defined by the time and energy that the investor expands trying to reach an investment decision. Because of the huge volume of information found on the Internet that it can take investors a lot of extra time to find, sort, and analyze all of the relevant information. This in turn can out-weigh the benefits of online trading for some investors because they might not be able to afford the opportunity. In fact, the overwhelmingly huge amount of information available on the Internet scales many investors away, let alone their validity or intentional hoax. Illusion of knowledge The proposition that more information leads to better decision-making is intuitively appealing. But the truth of the proposition depends on the relevance of the information to the decision and on how well-equipped the decision maker is to use the information .The vast amount of on-line investment data available will enable investors to confirm their prior beliefs and may lead them to become overconfident in their ability to pick stocks and other securities. Faster feedback may focus investors attention on recent performance. Psychology shows that when people who initially disagree on a topic are given arguments on either side of the issue, they become further polarized in their beliefs. They are impressed by the arguments with which they already agree and they discount opposing views. Not only are people more impressed by arguments they favor, but they actively seek out confirming evidence. For this reason, investors are more likely to visit chatrooms or forum of like-minded investor s. If controversies ensue, they are likely to be convinced by those with whom they already agree. Investors who believe that additional information makes them better investors are unlikely to seek out or attend to evidence that indicates otherwise. Thus, on-line investors are likely to become overconfident. They may believe that they have more ability to perform tasks such as stock-picking than they actually do. In theoretical models, overconfident individual investors trade more actively and more speculatively than they otherwise would, hold under diversified portfolios, have lower expected utilities, and contribute to increased market volatility. In an empirical study of investors at a large discount brokerage who switched from phone-based to personal computer-based trading by Barber and Odean, they find that after going on-line, investors tend to trade both more actively and more speculatively. Illusion of control This illusion results when investors think that because they have access to so much information via the Internet that they have an advantage over the entire market and this can lead them to make bad investment decisions. These investors then have an exaggerated sense of control over the outcomes of their investments. Frequent trading is another cost associated with online investing. Low transaction costs can encourage frequent trading and day-trade strategy according to Konana, Menon and Balasubramanian. As an example, in Singapore, 71.1 per cent of online investors say that they trade more frequently than they did prior to online trading (Teo, Tan, Peck, 2004). Researches show that most of the on-line traders adopt short term trading strategy: a risky strategy rather than the believed buy and hold strategy. The Internet also seems likely to change what information investors focus on, because it reduces the cost of some kinds of information more than others. For instance, the Intern et especially facilitates comparisons of real time data, and thus has changed investors focus by emphasizing the importance of speed and immediacy. While the serious individual investor of a decade ago may have checked stock positions once a day in the morning paper, casual investors now may check theirs several times an hour. Many more investors pay attention to short term-even intraday- return trends than ever before. Worse still, many firms advertise their ability to deliver real time data or to execute investors orders rapidly, making the situation even worse. Lack of personal advice The downside of investing online is the lack of personal advice from those in the financial field (Vakil Lu, 2005). According to Phelan (2001), the Web will never be able to substitute for the judgment and expertise of financial planners, nor will it be able to protect investors from all of the scams that are abundant on the Internet. In reality, the news and new information people found on the internet might not be as new as they think. Moreover, many online traders only focus on the here and now and do not look at the whole picture or at the future as financial advisors are trained to do, thus jeopardizing their investment. Challenge Our research examines the pressures for change over the past decade that was overcoming the inertia in the brokerage industry. We viewed the challenge from the perspectives of traditional brokerage firm and electronic brokerage firm. Traditional brokerage firm To provide online trading, traditional brokerage firms were forced to decide on which of the two approaches to go, either establishes new subsidiary with a new brand name or provide under its own name. For the first case, brokerage firm suffer from overlapped company structure and considerable marketing expenditure to build the new name, which prolonged the period to reach break even point. The later case, though easier to setup, brokerage firm is putting their reputation at stake when the service do not meet customers expectation. The strategy adopted was to have differentiated brands serve the younger, more tech-savvy investors that gravitated to on-line trading without nibbling full-commission business. With the advent of the World Wide Web, discount brokerage firms face a comparable disintermediation dilemma. Commissions were suddenly under pressure, customers wanted to trade directly, and competition is coming from non-traditional sources like direct banks. To address the competitive threat, some entrenched firms adopted the supermarket approach by providing other supplementary services like providing financial information and news. However, such approach was in fact a typical re-intermediation path that directly competed with full service brokerage firm which offered a wider portfolio of products and services. Nevertheless, creating a financial services supermarket was a misguided strategic choice for three reasons: First, many successful 1990s businesses have rediscovered the virtues of adhering to their core competencies and the power of strategic outsourcing in order to gain agility. Most of the conglomerates which attempted to enter the financial services arena learned the hard way that adding unfamiliar lines of business can dilute their ability to compete, weaken shareholder and customer loyalty and multiply management complexity. The reason for failure was economic. Risk and cost sharing in the production or delivery process can enable better time to market and make providing a product/service bundle more efficient than integrating everything in-house. Second, offering additional products to an existing customer base does not prevent customers from leaving. Also, the decision to add new products to an existing portfolio is complicated by an uncertain environment such as the Internet. In an uncertain techno-marketplace, a firm is often making an informed guess about what it thinks is best for a customer without fully knowing what that customers preferences and goals are. Third, technology-enabled firms like ETrade were taking the â€Å"re- intermediation† path in a new way by providing customers with interactive and personalized services at little or no cost. This branding and trust-building approach enables the service providers to learn directly and accurately from each customer whats actually important to him or her. Armed with this intimate customer knowledge, these companies are better positioned to build loyalty and increase profits for the long term. Clearly, re-intermediation was a difficult strategy as sustainable competitive advantage was becoming rare in the on-line environment. High performers today look for a series of short-term advantages over a long period of time instead of attempting to plot a far-sighted course in an environment with too many unpredictable variables. Innovative Internet-based intermediaries were the real threat to the entrenched players. These firms were adopting dramatically more effective means of forging interactive relationships with customers added value, which was essentially the incremental benefit that the new in the middle firm brings to the customer. They were looking to exploit synergism across different product lines. They innovated more frequently and organized to seize opportunities much faster than their competitors. The reason was: concentrated focus on traditional sources of competitive advantage such as cost, technology, and differentiation was inadequate because competitors were quick to replicate advantages. They seek to identify and rapidly responded to subtle changes to the finest ingredient: the individual customer. To sustain competitive advantage, it was important to embrace business practices that encourage deep customer insight and thinking about how to materially improved the customers value proposition. Electronic brokerage firm Online brokers rushed to pour money to increase their capacity to absorb the fast growing demand during dot.com boom in 2000. The only way considered effective to increase market share at that time was advantageous offers and promotions, combined with enormous marketing expenses exposing them to a very high costs. The development of the online brokerage market was highly dominated by such marketing approach. Absence of physical branches and thus reduced operation cost entitle internet brokers the advantageous cost structure. Instead, they allocated this saving and invested on massive marketing campaign in order to achieve the biggest market share as soon as possible. By attracting and developing the loyalty of new customers, these brokerage firms were expecting soon to reach the break-even point. The bull market during the dot.com boom had dusted the eye of these online brokers. They failed to anticipated adverse situation when significant downturn in capital investments occurred and stroke their over investment. The stock markets had proved its volatility in a year time, when the dot.com boom burst in 2001. The serious regression caused by global slump of economy and the later SAR outbreak during 2003 had made the situation even steeper for the industry. The depression lasted for a couple of years before reaching a rising track started on 2007. Stock market transaction was drastically dropped from hundreds of billion down to tens of billions and last for years. Investors were either scared away or suffered from great lost by the sudden market plunge and prolonged recession. The once admirable capacity had turned into the biggest burden for brokerage firm. Naturally, all of them suffered from great investment lost, if not bankrupted altogether. All the internet brokerage firms had paid a huge price for this costly experience. The lesson they learnt made them re-evaluated the challenges ahead and the goals to attain. They have learnt that low commission rates or excessive marketing expenses would not give them competitive advantages and made the break-even point harder to reach. Instead, they had to revise the services they offered and discover alternative source of revenue. Suffered from the great impact of market volatility, they were looking for a flexible enough business models that is able to cope with the huge capacity demand during a bull market while enable them to safely transit bearish market. We can classify the challenges facing online brokerage firms into three categories: strategy, marketing and technology. Strategic challenge The characteristic of online brokerage had fundamentally changed the brokerage industry. New competitors like insurance companies, banks and financial portal had entered the arena. With the competitive advantage in possessing technology, a large customer bases and knowledge of their customers, they posted great threat to traditional brokerage player who want to participant in online brokerage. The large customer bases not only significantly reduced marketing cost but also helped to minimize development and operation cost due to economy of scale. Coupled with the open standard characteristics, traditional brokerage players had an up hill battle to fight. The value chain of the brokerage was invaded by these new competitors, forcing traditional p

Ethical Controversies Involved in the Use of Germ-line and Somatic Gene

Ethical Controversies Involved in the Use of Germ-line and Somatic Gene Therapies Abstract There are many sides to the issue of using germ-line and somatic germ therapies. Many people argue that it should be stopped completely, whereas others argue that both germ therapies should continue for the benefit of all people. There are other arguments that lie somewhere in between. Most of the controversy is caused by germ-line gene therapy because it can be passed on through generations. Somatic gene therapy has more support and funding but is still considered untrustworthy by many who believe it may also affect the germ-line in some cases. These moral arguments have called the stop to many cases and experiments, more so after a patient treated with gene therapy dies. In the ongoing fight for the elimination or continuation of gene therapy, there are four main positions (Sadler et al., 2005). One position is to bring an end to both germ-line and somatic gene therapy practices. This group argues that using gene therapy on humans is dangerous and that changing genes to attempt to make improvements is wrong. It is seen as creating the possibility to design children before birth and change mental and physical characteristics of the next generation, bringing an end to diversity (Sadler et al., 2005). In 2000, the American Association for the Advancement of Science banned â€Å"inheritable genetic modification† (Fischer, 2000). They believed that risks from the gene therapy procedures might not cause genetic problems for a few generations after the patient is treated. The AAAS suggested that trials and experiments with gene therapy be stopped. Another position in the gene therapy ethical argument is to proceed with all gene therapy... ...rapy investigations proliferate. Nature Medicine [On-line serial]. Vol. 6. Retreived July 21, 2005 from the Internet: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v6/n3/full/nm0300_235a.html Nowak, R. (1995, March). Patent award stirs controversy. Science [On-line serial]. Vol. 267. Retreived July 21, 2005 from the Internet: http://web5.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/184/377/69240368w5/purl=rcl_EAIM_0 Sadler, T. & Zeidler, D. (2005). Negotiating Gene Therapy Controversies. The American Biology Teacher [On-line serial]. Vol. 66. Retreived July 21, 2005 from the Internet: http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=0002-7685&volume-66&pa Shannon, T. (1999, March). Ethical issues in genetics. Theological Studies [On-line studies]. Vol. 60. Retrieved July 21, 2005 from the Internet: http://web5.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/184/377/69240368w5/purl=rcl_EAIM_0

Nurture and nature affect the human growth and development Essay

The dictionary defines growth and development as the process by which human increase in size and mature in form and function. It can be influenced by nurture- the act of nurturing and the physical world or nature itself. Nurture affects growth when it comes to biological aspects- heredity for instance. If the parents are both tall, the possibility that the offspring be tall is high. Hence, it really affects growth. But, what about the development? Read more: Personal factors that affect child development essay For sure, heredity is again involved. However, nurture affects human growth especially development. It is a huge factor in both two. It affects growth in the sense that the nutrients needed by a child is dependent in nurturing ways of his family most especially the parents themselves. Parents are the agent for nurturing their child. Nurture, moreover, affects development in so many ways. If the social interpretation of an individual is bad, maybe the product is also bad and vise versa in good. In addition, here are some instances that nurture affects development: First, during the primary stage when the family is the immediate environment and the child is still not capable of thinking, the parents themselves influenced the identity of this child through the given name. whether we like it or not, we cannot choose what name we wanted others to call us because nurture dictates it. Second, during the secondary stage, our social concept is affected/influenced by the environment- church, school, peer group, social setting and mass media. If we are raised in a Christian family, maybe we tend to practice what has been indoctrinated to us. Hence, even Socio-Economic status(SOS) affects one’s social concept. Lastly, it is just to say that nurture dictates one’s personality. It should be normative enough and is accepted by the society.

Low Molecular Weight Heparin

Low Molecular Weight Heparin Paper Low molecular weight heparin is typically used for patients who need to be treated for deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep vein usually in the legs. These clots are dangerous because they can break loose, travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, and block blood flow in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). There are many reasons why clots form in a patient.Mainly when a patient is inactive or bedridden for long periods of time, surgery can damage a blood vessel so a clot can form, or even cancer can cause DVT to form. Treatments for DVT are drugs called anticoagulants that can prevent the blood from clotting thus preventing the adverse effects from a clot. Low molecular weight heparin works by binding to a substance called antithrombin III (which is the major inhibitor of thrombin in the blood). The overall effect of heparin is that it turns off the coagulation pathway and prevents clots from forming.I t can be used as a subcutaneous injection which can be given in an outpatient setting with no increased risk of recurrent thromboembolism or bleeding complications. Since most patients with DVT require one or more diagnostic tests, treatment with intravenous heparin and a three to seven day hospital stay thus making low molecular weight heparin a better alternative. (aafp. org1999) However, with low molecular weight heparin, being a subcutaneous injection makes the process easier for the patient since they do not have to spend all that extra time in the hospital.The ultimate consequence of a blood clot can be stroke or heart attack so prevention of these events is the consequence of this drug. Unfortunately, just like many other drugs there are some serious side effects to taking LMWHs. They are contraindicated with patients with an indwelling epidural catheter; they can be given two hours after the epidural is removed. If it is given before the epidural is taken out then they have found it to be associated with epidural hematoma. Bleeding is the main concern when taking anticoagulation therapy.Some of the other common adverse effects to heparin are hematoma, nausea, anemia, thrombocytopenia, fever, and edema. There is a low chance for side effects with monitoring and patient awareness. When evaluating a patient on anticoagulants the nurse needs to ensure patients know the side effects to be aware of and arrange follow up care. Cranberry juice should be avoided since it can affect the INR results. Patients should seek emergency medical care for injuries, particularly a head injury, due to the hemorrhage risk.As a nurse you need to monitor your patient while on these drugs because of the bleeding factor. (nursingtimes. net2012) References Gee, Emma. (2011) How to look after a patient on anticoagulant therapy. January 22, 2011 Retreived from www. nursingnet. net on July 2012 Lilley, Rainforth Collins, Harrington, Snyder. (2011) Pharmacology and the Nursing Proce ss Copyright 2011 Mosby Inc. Rydberg, J Eric MD. (1999) Low Molecular Weight Heparin in Prevention and Treating DVT Retrieved from www. aafp. org

Lewis Surname Meaning & Origin

Lewis Surname Meaning & Origin The Lewis surname is generally derived from the Germanic given name Lewis (Lowis, Lodovicus), meaning reknowned, famous battle, from the Germanic elements hlod ‘fame’ wig ‘war.’ In Wales, the Lewis surname may have derived from an Anglicized form of the personal name Llywelyn. As an Irish or Scottish surname, Lewis can be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Lughaidh, meaning son of Lughaidh, derived from Lugh brightness. Lewis is also a common Americanization of several similar sounding Jewish surnames, such as Levy and Lewin. Lewis is the 26th most popular surname in the United States and the 21st most common surname in England. Surname Origin: English Alternate Surname Spellings: LOUIS, LOUYS Famous People with the Surname LEWIS: Edna Lewis - Gourmet chef and cookbook authorEdmonia Lewis - African American and Native American female sculptorCarl Lewis - Olympic track and field athleteMeriwether Lewis - one half of the legendary Lewis Clark expedition to the Pacific Ocean, along with William Clark.C.S. Lewis - author of the popular Narnia series of childrens books. Genealogy Resources for the Surname LEWIS: 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? LEWIS Surname DNA ProjectExplore family histories and/or submit your DNA to help unravel the various Lewis family lines. Lewis Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Lewis surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Lewis query. FamilySearch - LEWIS GenealogyFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Lewis surname and its variations. LEWIS Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Lewis surname. Cousin Connect - LEWIS Genealogy QueriesRead or post genealogy queries for the surname Lewis, and sign up for free notification when new Lewis queries are added. DistantCousin.com - LEWIS Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Lewis. Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name Meanings Cant find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins. Source Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Essays (1244 words) - Free Essays

Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Essays (1244 words) - Free Essays Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Chapter 2, The Brain and Behavior Vocabulary, Key Terms Adrenal glands: Glands at the top of each kidney that are responsible for regulating moods, energy level, and the ability to cope with stress. Afferent nerves: Also called sensory nerves; nerves that carry information about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors. Agonist: A drug that mimics or increases a neurotransmitter's effects. Amygdala: An almond-shaped structure within the base of the temporal lobe that is involved in the discrimination of objects that are necessary for the organism's survival, such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals. Antagonist: A drug that blocks a neurotransmitter's effects. Association cortex: Sometimes called association areas, the region of the cerebral cortex that is the site of the highest intellectual functions, such as thinking and problem solving. Autonomic nervous system: The body system that takes messages to and from the body's internal organs, monitoring such processes as breathing, heart rate, and digestion. Axon: The part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body toward other cells. Basal ganglia: Large neuron clusters located above the thalamus and under the cerebral cortex that work with the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movements. Brain stem: The stemlike brain area that includes much of the hindbrain (excluding the cerebellum) and midbrain; connects with the spinal cord at its lower end and then extends upward to encase the reticular formation in the midbrain. Cell body: The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, which directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs for growth and maintenance. Central nervous system (CNS): The brain and spinal cord. Cerebral cortex: Part of the forebrain, the outer layer of the brain, responsible for the most complex mental functions such as thinking and planning. Chromosomes: In the human cell, threadlike structures that come in 23 pairs, one member of each pair originating from each parent, and that contain DNA. Corpus callosum: The large bundle of axons that connects the brain's two hemispheres, responsible for relaying information between the two sides. Dendrites: Treelike fibers projecting from a neuron which receives information and orient it toward the neuron's cell body. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): A complex molecule in the cell's chromosomes that carries genetic information. Dominant-recessive genes principle: The principle that if one gene of a pair is dominant and one is recessive, the dominant gene overrides the recessive gene. A recessive gene exerts its influence only if both genes of a pair are recessive. Efferent nerves: Also called motor nerves; nerves that carry information out of the brain and spinal cord to other areas of the body. Endocrine system: The body system consisting of a set of glands that regulate the activities of certain organs by releasing their chemical products into the bloodstream. Frontal lobes: The portion of the cerebral cortex behind the forehead involved in personality, intelligence, and the control of voluntary muscles. Gene x environment (g x e) interaction: The interaction of a specific measured variation in DNA and a specific measured aspect of the environment. Genes: The unit of hereditary information, consisting of short segments of chromosomes composed of DNA. Genotype: An individual's genetic heritage; his or her actual genetic material. Glands: Organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many bodily functions. Hindbrain: Located in the skull's rear, the lowest portion of the brain, consisting of the medulla, cerebellum, and pons. Hippocampus: The structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories. Hormones: Chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands and carried by the bloodstream to all parts of the body. Hypothalamus: A small forebrain structure, located just below the thalamus that monitors three pleasurable activitieseating, drinking, and sexas well as emotion, stress, and reward. Limbic system: A set of subcortical brain structures central to emotion, memory, and reward processing. Motor cortex: A region in the cerebral cortex, located just behind the frontal lobes, that processes information about voluntary movement. Myelin sheath: A layer of fat cells that encases and insulates most axons. Neocortex: The outermost part of the cerebral cortex, making up 80 percent of

An Effective Electoral system

An Effective Electoral system Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . An Effective Electoral system Electoral system or voting system is a system by which voters can make a choice between the options put forward before them. It is often used in an election or when passing a policy referendum. In a democratic state, the electoral process determines who will in charge of the political office. It is the electorate which confers the power to govern and calls government to account. A voting system contains rules for valid voting, and how votes are counted and aggregated to tally the final result   [ 1 ]   . According to Encyclopedia Britannica, electoral system, method and rules of counting votes is used to determine the outcome of elections. Winner may be determined by a plurality, a majority (more than 50% of the vote), an extraordinary majority (a percentage of votes greater than 50%), or unanimity. Candidates for public office may be elected directly or indirectly   [ 2 ]   . In this question, it was asked whether a proper electoral system wo uld be able to uphold rights. Well, first we shall look at what is a proper electoral system? A proper electoral system or also known as a proportional electoral system is a principle which attempts to ensure that the outcome of the election reflects the proportion of support gained by each competing parties. In easier words, a proportional electoral system occurs when there equal amount of votes and seats in the parliament. Proportional electoral system is totally different from the Majoritarian principle. In majoritarian system, party or candidates obtain a plurality of votes within that certain constituency wins that election. Examples of a proportional system are Single Transferrable Vote (STV) and Party List System. A single transferrable vote is a method of election where a voter ranks the candidates in order or preference. This system does not depend on the candidate being grouped into their political parties   [ 3 ]   . The votes would be transferred between candidates i n a manner similar to instant run off voting, but in addition to transferring votes from the candidates who have been eliminated to the next candidate on the list. This method is being applied in Australia, Ireland, Malta, New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, and Boulder.   [ 4 ]   This system is a good system as it prevents votes from being wasted; this is because all the votes given by the voters would be taken into account. And through this system, the citizens of that specific area would have more voice to voice out their opinion and problems in the Parliament, as they have not only one representative but a larger choice of representative. STV also protects the minorities. This is because the minority voters may split their votes across party lines. They can also exercise choice among candidates from the same party. However, STV has disadvantages. One of it is that this system is extremely complex, as it requires a large amount time and meticulous mathematical calculatio ns. Party List System on the other hand, is method in which the voters vote for the parties, rather that voting for the individual candidates   [ 5 ]   . For each of the quota of votes a certain party receives, one of their representatives wins a seat in Parliament. This system is being used in most European democracies and also in most newly democratized countries, like South Africa. This system is simple, easy to understand and it works in any uncomplicated manners. It does not require any complicated and time consuming calculations. This system is extremely fair and equitable from the whole distribution of seats. However, the disadvantage of this system is that no single party can secure an absolute majority in the Parliament. It also destroys the valuable local link between the MP and his constituents, as the constituents may not even know their representative. Party List System also places too much power in the hands of those at the top of the party hierarchy.

Odalisque, Harmony in Red Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Odalisque, Harmony in Red - Research Paper Example These paintings are infused with southern light, bright colors, and a profusion of decorative patterns. They emanate a hothouse atmosphere suggestive of a harem†.2 The painting’s dimension is noted as 15 1/8 x 21 5/8 in. (38.4 x 54.9cm). As exemplified through the title, the predominant colors seen in the painting are red, with other colors ranging from white, yellowish orange, lavender, shades of gray, pink, green, and brown. The focal image is the reclining figure of a woman, researched to be â€Å"Henriette Darricarrià ¨re (born 1901), a young woman skilled in the arts of ballet, piano, violin, and painting who lived near Matisses studio†. 3 Viewers are given a glimpse of the model’s exposed left breast; yet, the rest of her body as skimpily covered with a white thin overcoat. The model’s skin illuminates as she lounges in a peaceful stature with her eyes closed and her left arms raised where her hands are noted to rest just beneath her left cheeks. Both her ankles are adorned with foot anklets, one in green emerald color (right ankle) and the other in intermittent colors of yellow and brown. The background is predominantly red, with the walls seemingly covered in geometric triangular patterns. A gray side table rests beside the bed and another oval yellow table with similar decorative figure in the same shade positioned beside it. Matisse’s style in painting was noted to be diverse. As explicitly noted, â€Å"Matisses painting moves quite freely from one style to another, from an almost naturalist, contoured technique, in which the play of light and shade is translated into classic perspective, to a concept in which large flat areas of colour dispense with volume and offer themselves up for audacious ventures into geometric, even abstract, forms†. 4 The geometric patterns shown in the painting evidently proved the contoured technique and effectively manifested binges of naturalism and realism in

Do Animals Have Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Do Animals Have Rights - Essay Example These differences do not exclude a person's right to being treated with respect and dignity. Human equal and natural rights are granted merely because we are humans (Regan, 1). However, extending this thinking to animals requires that we examine why they are excluded from the rights that are afforded to human beings. It is not because we perceive them as different. Equality and the moral claim to rights rests not in our willingness to overlook differences, but in our acknowledgement that we have a commonality that unites us into a unique moral class. The sameness that unites the human race is not born out of physical appearance or mental abilities. We treasure our uniqueness and individuality, but they do not make us the same. The attribute that unites our species as unique is our awareness of our status, well being, and self. On the most basic level of awareness, we can measure our differences in our abilities at math or academic pursuits. Our sameness resides outside our mind's ability to calculate and exists in our unconscious. Equality is a moral ideal that eludes the ability to be stated as a simple fact (Singer, 197). We attribute our sameness to our concept of history, our realization of self-awareness, and the ability to feel the emotions of pleasure and pain. These are the qualities that are ascribed to being unique to the human race by those that would argue that animals do not have rights. The human concept of histor... The social structure and survival skills are passed down through generations of an animal society. This is the definition of history that is invoked and kept active by the use of memory. Displays of emotion, as it relates to history, are evident when we observe animal grieving at a family member's death. This is a sense of history as the animal recalls what their relationship meant, and what the coming times will be with the absence of the animal. The human race is not the only animal on the planet that has self-awareness. All animals are aware of their image, their ego, and the limits of their abilities. A dog will groom itself and have an understanding of what it is and what is not the dog. We do not simply treat our pets well out of a sense of obligation, but because of a common spiritual connection (Cohen, 95). All species of animals demonstrate their self-awareness as they display themselves and understand their role in reproduction. The audible and visual manifestations that an animal creates is an expression of that self-awareness. The wide range of emotions felt by animals can be illustrated by the grieving process felt at the time of death. Birds and elephants have complicated rituals they perform at the death of a member of their society. Disappointment and frustration is expressed when an animal is faced with obstacles that require problem solving. The close study of animals has revealed societies where kindness, sharing, guilt, grief, and anger are felt ands expressed on a routine basis. Pain and pleasure are often used as uniquely human qualities that are not shared by animals. However, there is obvious pain when an animal is tortured. Animals show obvious signs of appreciation and happiness

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Marketing Plan - Essay Example At the moment, it can be seen that the economic outlook of the US is dim with the FED Chairman announcing that the nation will be experiencing a recession due to the extended problems of trade and budget deficit coupled with the overvalued currency (Bernanke Warns of Possible US Recession 2008). Noting the capital intensive nature of the aircraft production and airline operation, technical expertise together with the ability to accurately price long term contracts become the key primary concerns. This makes large business organizations capitalize on economies of scale in design, manufacturing, and purchasing. On the other hand, smaller companies concentrate on the manufacture of smaller parts and focusing on small market niches. In order to differentiate themselves from the rapidly proliferating no-frills airlines, they are capitalizing in adding value-added services in order to attract and retain customers (Hoovers Database 2008). Airbus is a European aircraft manufacturer headquartered at Toulouse, France and has long been recognized as Boeing's toughest rival. The company is established in 1970 and currently employs 57,000 people in four European Union countries.

Career Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Career Development - Assignment Example l companies  choose  to search for candidates via their own  private  system  where each candidate  has been recognized  by a known source, and this can result to a high â€Å"hit rate† of productive hires for the procedure. The â€Å"push†Ã‚  factor  involves reaching out to the  possible  employers and  likely  co-workers. This should be done on a social basis as a student, colleague or a  mentor  and not as a job seeker. Through this, I am able to push through the job opportunity. Despite the reason, I must  recognize  the above reality, and the best method to handle the  unseen  job market is to reach out for it. To accomplish this, I must be able to  seek  out for  job  chances that might be present or will be  present, and those that do exist (Joyce, 2008). I  believe  that where there is smoke, there is  fire.  Therefore, as I look at  job  chances in  specific  companies, there is the probability that more opportunities  are not listed.  If at all they are hiring, then that indicates that there are other opportunities either available for  hire, or are soon-to-be approved (Joyce, 2008). I should not  submit  applications for incompatible jobs to try and  get  others. However, use the contact order to  commence  the networking into the company. In the course of my own  association, I  observe  who I can get in touch with to inquire about other chances that may be coming up at the company. It is  crucial  that I connect with friends and neighbors.  Because I  am unemployed  at the moment, I  keep  the  pride  away  and connect with friends and neighbors. Through this, I am able to  ask  everyone if they know â€Å"who is hiring?† This is another method to  begin  the exploratory  procedure  I must  utilize  to  dive  into the jobs that  are hidden. It is  significant  to  see  into the future. Appeal for informational or  casual  interview  is a  means  for  being considered  for  potential  opportunities. Various hiring directors love to  maintain  their

Performance management of IBM Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Performance management of IBM - Research Paper Example In the last part, the study will recommend a strategic plan which is expected to fill up the loopholes in existing performance management system in IBM. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Profile of IBM 4 Performance Management Processes 6 Performance Evaluation Criteria 8 Methods of Measuring Organization’s Performance 10 Rewards/Compensation 13 Poor Performance & Strategic Plan to Improve the Performance 15 Conclusion 18 Introduction Key purpose of report is to identify the existing performance management system in IBM or International Business Machines Corporation which is a renowned multinational technology and computer manufacturing organization. After identifying the existing performance management system in IBM, the study will try to analyze the system critically and based on the analysis, the researcher will prepare a strategic plan to improve the existing performance management system of the company. The researcher has no scope to apply quantitative research method due to unavailability of primary data hence the researcher has used qualitative research methodology accompanied by accessing data from peer reviewed printed journals, online articles, company website etc and then analyze the data. The researcher has divided this paper in different parts, Part 1- this section will try to shed light on business profile of IBM, Part 2- this section will discuss existing performance management system in IBM, Part 3- the section will try to understand the performance management techniques in the organization, Part 4- this section will critically analyze the efficiency of different performance management manner in generalized manner, Part 5- this section will try rationalize the non-linear and asymmetric relationship between reward system and performance, Part 6- this portion will try to diagnose the causes behind poor performance in IBM and recommend a strategic plan to improve it. Profile of IBM The researcher has selected IBM as the st udy organization in the paper and there are enough rationales behind the selection of IBM as the sample organization. International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is a multinational computing, technology and consulting company which has strong historical presence in the field of modern day computing and technology industry. The company is headquartered at Armonk, New York, U.S.A and established by Charles Ranlett Flint during the year 1911. Interesting fact is that, in the initial years, IBM was not a single company rather they were the merger of three companies such as tabulating machine company, computing Scale Company and international time recording company. However, in 1924, the trio companies have decided to change its name from CTR or Computing Tabulating Recording Company to IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, 2012). IBM maintains a broad range of product portfolio such as hardware, computer parts, software packages, statistical software packages, consult ing solution, business process outsourcing solutions, technology integration in tailor made fashion for clients. Major competitors for the company include industry heavyweights such as Hewlett Packard, Xerox, Microsoft, Toshiba, Accenture, Dell etc (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Tushman-O-Reilly Congruence Model can be used to understand the complexity of the business of IBM. Figure: Congruence Model

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Marketing Plan - Essay Example At the moment, it can be seen that the economic outlook of the US is dim with the FED Chairman announcing that the nation will be experiencing a recession due to the extended problems of trade and budget deficit coupled with the overvalued currency (Bernanke Warns of Possible US Recession 2008). Noting the capital intensive nature of the aircraft production and airline operation, technical expertise together with the ability to accurately price long term contracts become the key primary concerns. This makes large business organizations capitalize on economies of scale in design, manufacturing, and purchasing. On the other hand, smaller companies concentrate on the manufacture of smaller parts and focusing on small market niches. In order to differentiate themselves from the rapidly proliferating no-frills airlines, they are capitalizing in adding value-added services in order to attract and retain customers (Hoovers Database 2008). Airbus is a European aircraft manufacturer headquartered at Toulouse, France and has long been recognized as Boeing's toughest rival. The company is established in 1970 and currently employs 57,000 people in four European Union countries.

Performance management of IBM Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Performance management of IBM - Research Paper Example In the last part, the study will recommend a strategic plan which is expected to fill up the loopholes in existing performance management system in IBM. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Profile of IBM 4 Performance Management Processes 6 Performance Evaluation Criteria 8 Methods of Measuring Organization’s Performance 10 Rewards/Compensation 13 Poor Performance & Strategic Plan to Improve the Performance 15 Conclusion 18 Introduction Key purpose of report is to identify the existing performance management system in IBM or International Business Machines Corporation which is a renowned multinational technology and computer manufacturing organization. After identifying the existing performance management system in IBM, the study will try to analyze the system critically and based on the analysis, the researcher will prepare a strategic plan to improve the existing performance management system of the company. The researcher has no scope to apply quantitative research method due to unavailability of primary data hence the researcher has used qualitative research methodology accompanied by accessing data from peer reviewed printed journals, online articles, company website etc and then analyze the data. The researcher has divided this paper in different parts, Part 1- this section will try to shed light on business profile of IBM, Part 2- this section will discuss existing performance management system in IBM, Part 3- the section will try to understand the performance management techniques in the organization, Part 4- this section will critically analyze the efficiency of different performance management manner in generalized manner, Part 5- this section will try rationalize the non-linear and asymmetric relationship between reward system and performance, Part 6- this portion will try to diagnose the causes behind poor performance in IBM and recommend a strategic plan to improve it. Profile of IBM The researcher has selected IBM as the st udy organization in the paper and there are enough rationales behind the selection of IBM as the sample organization. International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is a multinational computing, technology and consulting company which has strong historical presence in the field of modern day computing and technology industry. The company is headquartered at Armonk, New York, U.S.A and established by Charles Ranlett Flint during the year 1911. Interesting fact is that, in the initial years, IBM was not a single company rather they were the merger of three companies such as tabulating machine company, computing Scale Company and international time recording company. However, in 1924, the trio companies have decided to change its name from CTR or Computing Tabulating Recording Company to IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, 2012). IBM maintains a broad range of product portfolio such as hardware, computer parts, software packages, statistical software packages, consult ing solution, business process outsourcing solutions, technology integration in tailor made fashion for clients. Major competitors for the company include industry heavyweights such as Hewlett Packard, Xerox, Microsoft, Toshiba, Accenture, Dell etc (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Tushman-O-Reilly Congruence Model can be used to understand the complexity of the business of IBM. Figure: Congruence Model

CanGo Essay Example for Free

CanGo Essay Issue 1: No clear strategy for expansion CanGo has had its success, and now they are looking into the future. Their question is, â€Å"What’s going to help them grow?† and as Liz said, â€Å"Turn them into a mighty oak.† CanGo recognizes that branching out and delving into new territory will be profitable and its popular with investors since they’re thinking of going for an IPO. The possibilities of adding e-books, streaming audio and video is hip but they also recognize that the online gaming industry is on the cutting edge for growth. With all of the brainstorming ideas CanGo has they do recognize there’s a scarcity of resources such as capital and people. Recommendation: The management team at CanGo is full of ideas related to expanding its product line. Liz has mentioned the possibility of E-books, music and video, and Andrew suggests online gaming. Expansion is just one topic, as the company is considering offering IPO (initial public offering). The brass is contemplating major decisions without professional guidance. The employees will soon be asked to juggle more responsibilities, without the appropriate resources. CanGo should seek additional consultation specific to the objectives it wants to achieve. In addition, the company must consider the risk and where to allocate resources to be maximize profit. Furthermore, there will have to be some degree of advertising and marketing to generate interests. CanGo feels that the best way to handle new ventures is to use in-house employees. Pulling employees from jobs they are already doing will no doubt take away from quality. We recommend that Warren and Liz take into consideration the opportunity cost of expanding at this time. Will the benefits outweigh the cost of expanding. Issue 2: No capital for expansion CanGo must consider how to combine its limited resources to produce the best mix of goods and services. A cost-benefit analysis will help them measure the cost and the benefits correctly. They will need to think about two types of analysis (1) Marginal Analysis and (2) Cost-Benefit Analysis. Recommendation: Performing a marginal analysis will examine how the costs and benefits change in response to their incremental changes in actions. Any additional action that CanGo does will bring about additional cost so, type of analysis will determine if the expected benefits of their actions exceed the added cost. It was mentioned casually that the only source of capital as an IPO. This point was expounded upon by the poor sandwiches being provided. I don’t think Warren made the comment to be rude, but to illustrate the point that financial capitol is limited – especially in terms of expansion. CanGo is generating interest in its industry and community. The time is ripe to offer an initial public offering. CanGo needs professional guidance in analyzing what is value and assess the possibilities of an IPO. It may consider taking advantage of its success in Japan. CanGo’s IPO does not have to be confined to its locality; it has to start thinking international in scope. Its popularity in Japan alone may generate the capitol necessary to expand in product, personnel, and infrastructure.

Relationship Between Music and Architecture

Relationship Between Music and Architecture CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Research Overview There have been some efforts that were made by a number of researcher vis-ÃÆ'  -vis looking at the parallels of architecture and music in terms of rhythm, harmony and the inherent ability to provoke emotional responses of each discipline; however, those researches have not covered all genres of music. One of the types of music that have not attracted a lot of architectural critics, cabaret music, has captured my interest. Given the limited research in the area, this study intends to achieve a better understanding of the relationship between cabaret music and architecture. Statement of the problem Towards the end of the 19th century, Romanticism reached its limits of expression. Consequently, diverse and experimental music forms began to emerge, which broke away from the mainstream of Romanticism. These included the impressionism of Debussy and Ravel, and the surrealism of Erik Satie. The emphasis on irregular rhythms within Stravinskis The Riot of Spring caused its first audience to riot in 1913. These followed the experimentation in scales and rhythms of BartÃÆ' ³k. In the performing arts, cabaret songs were intentionally naturalistic in language, theme while certain of its devices, such as the shadow play, were both decadent and symbolist in their use of light, colour and evocative suggestion. Simultaneously, in this period, architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier experimented with new approaches in composing architecture. Purpose and importance of the research This study is valuable in that it might contribute and add to the existing body of knowledge that has drawn out the parallels between architecture and music. Structure of the report The remaining of the report is organised into four chapters that will start from the known intersections between music and architecture to more specifically, the parallels between cabaret music and architecture. The report will then move to discuss the relationship between architecture and other related music disciplines like dance and Non-western musical. CHAPTER 2: INTERSECTIONS OF MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE The Chapter focuses on analysing selected architectural work that has used music as design inspirations as a way of introducing the topic. Alberti, Palladio and the application of music in architectural design Historically music was thought of as a mathematical science. The idea of harmonies sprung from the process of division. A string that produced a certain tone could be divided along exact proportions to create a note that would resonate in harmony with the first note, creating an overlapping of tones that could be considered beautiful both aesthetically and mathematically. These ideas were developed by the ancient Greeks, but brought into importance during the Renaissance. It was during this time that architecture was thought of as an art that needed a mathematical and therefore scientific basis to be considered objectively. Palladio often looked to musical proportions as a means to achieve ideal proportions in his designs. Basic harmonies such as octaves and fifths were applied to room sizing in all three dimensions, and were also often overlooked to as ornamental guides. The Palladian practice of applying basic harmonic ideas to basic room proportions is a starting point with what can be achieved by translating tonal ideas into the practice of architecture. Renaissance thinkers placed importance on the translation of audible proportions to the visual arts partly because they viewed musical composition as a mathematical science whereas architecture was thought of as a liberal art. In an attempt to give architecture a system of design method, it had to be referenced to a mathematical framework. Leonardo Da Vinci once said that music and painting are sisters, and both are used to convey harmonies. According to him, music achieved this through the use of chords and painting through the use of proportions. Palladio noted within his illustration ideal proportions for room dimensions and other architectural devices. The numbers within the ratios are carefully chosen and are the result of his attempt to fulfill Vitruvian principles. The principle in question has to do with achieving an ideal design. The artists of the Renaissance believed that it was possible to obtain an absolute beauty by following the proportional principles found in nature. In the practice of architecture, this was achieved by allowing specific geometries to define certain forms. These forms then would act as modules that would define and govern the development of the entire structure. Palladio even stated that it was possible to achieve a harmonic building through the use of proportional principles and that it would be possible to explain and evaluate the success of the building using the terms of musical theory. Leone Battista Alberti had taken the music scale and noted that musical theory is important to the practice of architecture because the numbers that are responsible for pleasing harmonies also evoke delight from mans eyes and mind. Palladio took this idea and used this harmonic scale as a proportioning system in his buildings. He focused on the relationship found between four strings with lengths in a ratio of 6:8:9:12. When these strings were placed under equal amounts of tension and then vibrated they produced wavelengths of consonant tones, most importantly an octave, fourth and fifth. These proportions are noted in his plans published in the Quattro Libri. Le Corbusier and the Phillipss Pavilion The growth of subjective judgment slowly did away with the Renaissance search for an absolute beauty, but this did not stop the intersection of musical and architectural ideas. It did change them, leading to new investigations and ideas. Of particular importance is the work of Le Corbusier on the Phillipss Pavilion. He investigated both the translation of musical proportions to built form, but also the use of acoustics and sound to generate and convey a sense of space. In 1958, Phillips Company, a producer of electronic speakers, hired Le Corbusier to design and build a pavilion for the Brussels World Fair. The Phillips Companys goal was to show off the capabilities of their latest speakers and filled the pavilion with three hundreds of them. Le Corbusier proposed to give the Phillips Company an electronic poem with which to showcase their work. He worked with a team of Phillips engineers and two modern composers: Iannis Xenakis and Edgard Varase. Xenakiss role in the Phillips Pavilion was focused on the exterior shell of the building. His task focused on translating the sketches and abstract ideas of Le Corbusier (mainly dealing with geometry and proportions) into a buildable, architectural form. The end result, a curved, hyperbolic not only fulfills the mathematical ideals of Le Corbusier, but also evokes the glissandi of Xenakiss 1953-1954 composition Metastasis. Steven Holl and the Stretto House Steven Holl took the investigation of a more complex musical idea that of stretto, as a departure point for a house built in Texas. This project focused on using both the compositional and experiential qualities of a particular piece of music as a means to solve the architectural problems presented by the site and the client. The Stretto House, a project by Steven Holl located in Dallas, Texas exemplifies a modern approach to marrying the ideas of architecture and music. While there is more to the project than just this aspect the ideas of music played an important part in the development and implementation of the design. The name of the house comes from the musical term stretto. Stretto is most commonly used in the fugue and in this context it refers to the theme of the piece being repeated and overlapped by different voices. The decision to explore this musical idea as a mode of design occurs during the initial sketching phase. This phase explored some of the vernacular materials of Texan architecture, specifically metal roofs and concrete blocks. This combined with the need to create shade and producing this via overlapping led to the exploration of the overlapping that occurs in stretto. Holl narrowed the study of stretto to one particular piece of music, Bela Bartoks Music for strings, percussions and Celeste. The feature of this work is the distinct separation between heavy and light by carefully dividing the percussion and string sections. Holl literally took the basic composition of the music and composed his building in the same way. Bartoks work is divided into four movements and its most compelling feature is the aforementioned division of instruments into two models. Holl designed his structure to have four distinct spatial sections and focused the work on two distinct elements: masonry, which mimicked the heavy role of the percussion and curved metal, which played the light nature of the spring section. The result is an overlapping and intersection of several elements. The curved metal roofs overlap with the heavy masonry structure, referred to as spatial dams. The different planes of the building, roof, floor and wall, pull space from each other to continue the overlapping effect. The materials of the building follow suit, as do the actual design drawings. The orthogonal plan of the main house drawing stands in contrast to the curvilinear section while the drawings of the guest house reverse this pattern, mimicking the inversion found in Bartoks composition. This project was designed around a cohesive idea that can organize and guide the experiential qualities of the space. Holl notes that the concept that drives a design like the Stretto House disappears completely in the phenomena of the physical reality and yet intuitively the abundance of the idea may be felt. By combining the ideas of music and architecture Holl was able to create an analogue between the two practices. By treating music as something that has a materiality, one gained from its instrumentation, he was able to synthesize it with architecture through his use of light and space. The equation that Holl himself writes to explain this is material multiplied by sound and divided by time equals material multiplied by light and divided by space. The key to success of this lies in the distinction that both architecture and music have a material aspect, and this common factor allows parallels to be drawn. To summarize, the practice of architecture and the practice of music have intersected and impacted each other in a variety of ways throughout their histories. These instances can be divided into two distinct categories. The first category involves architecture taking proportional and compositional principles directly from musical theory. Palladios villas ?t into this category as many of the proportions that guided the design were taken from their eras understanding of music and the nature of sound. The second category involves architecture learning from the experiential qualities of music and trying to replicate them in built form. CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW Writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe is famous for describing architecture as frozen music in the 19th century. Music and architecture also share similar experiential aspirations. Architectural historian Sir John Summerson notes in his essay The vision of J.M.Gandy that architecture is an art that is constantly attempting to realize in solid, stable form those effects which music is able to conjure up in an instant. He goes on to point out that music and architecture even use a similar vocabulary, specifically the use of mass, rhythm, texture and outline to achieve similar effects such as the colossal. It was Pythagoras who discovered that a vibrating string, stopped at its centre, produced the octave; at two thirds of its length the fifth, and at three quarters, the fourth. From this he developed the series of ratios that result in the twelve tone scale used in western music today. The ratio between the full length of the string and the length stopped, or the ratios between the lengths making different notes have their direct equivalents in the ratios between the sides of the rectangles that have made up much of western architecture in the intervening centuries. Numerous aspects of this relationship between the underlying ratios of music and architecture have been developed and discussed and in this chapter we shall consider the aspects of rhythm, improvisation and emotional response in the light of some of these discussions, and the architecture of Palladio, Le Corbusier, Schindler and Holl. Rhythm Many architects have developed theories of proportion with which to govern and explain their work. These have generated in their turn a significant body of critical analysis and comment. Palladio, like Alberti a century earlier, expounded theories which took up and developed those first proposed by Vitruvius in the 7th Century BC. These were particularly attractive to the spirit of the Renaissance. To the minds of the men of the Renaissance musical consonances were the audible tests of a universal harmony which had a binding force for all the arts. In the 1930s R M Schindler, developed the ideas of module used by Frank Lloyd Wright in his Usonian houses. Here not only the architectural plans, but also the concrete floor slabs were inscribed with grids derived from the sizes of the materials to be used. Schindler took this pragmatic idea and incorporated it into a system of proportion which he described as Reference Frames in Space. The appreciation of this relationship between the mathematics of the ratios and proportions that underlie both music and architecture is of course a purely intellectual exercise. The analogy with music simply amounts to the transference of an established convention in one art to the purposes of another It does not help explain or evaluate the emotional responses that these media can evoke, which is a factor of how the underlying principles are used and manipulated to create the final work. Stretto, the musical term for the overlapping of subjects, and the only strict rule in the formation of fugues, provided Steven Holl with the basis to explore the relationship beyond this intellectual analogy in his Stretto House. The house is directly inspired by Music for Percussion, Strings and Celesta by BÃÆ' ©la BartÃÆ' ³k, in which stretto is used extensively. It is a choice which is particularly apposite as the chief feature of his [BartÃÆ' ³ks] chromatic technique is obedience to the Golden Section in every element. Improvisation In music improvisation is the impromptu or in the moment creation and performance of music as well as spontaneous response to other musicians. It is distinct from untutored or casual composition, in that it requires discipline and a rigorous understanding of the forms and rules in order to be sufficiently coherent to evoke an emotional response. improvisation is a performative (sic) act and depends on instrumental technique, improvisation is a skill. Because the creation of a work of architecture requires rigorous planning and control of all its elements, improvisation is not usually associated with it. The usual view is that architecture cannot be impromptu, it must be planned, detailed and explained thoroughly if all those involved in its production are to collaborate effectively. In his BBC Proms lecture in 2002 Daniel Libeskind confirmed that it is difficult to have improvisation in architecture â€Å" to have rotating players, to have players interpret. He suggested, however, that if the spatiality and materiality is open, then the public can form its own operation on the building. This being, perhaps, the closest that architecture can come to improvisation. Certainly the villas of Palladio, with the proportions of their components controlled by a strict series of ratios, and their spaces assembled according to harmonic sequences, must be considered as careful exercises in composition rather than improvisations. Le Corbusiers villas too are compositions which follow a set of rules governing their proportions; Le Modulor. Within these cool, intellectual compositions, however, there are elements which are freer in form and which play off against, and highlight, the orthogonal correctness of the remainder. Coming finally to Schindler, Sarnitz observes that as his work evolved the great importance attached to proportion in his early work gradually receded; he never repeats the complexity of the Lovell Beach House. This move away from strict adherence to the system of proportion that he himself developed, to more lyrical or spiritual values, is directly analogous to that of a musician who has learnt the disciplines of his instrument and the rules of music to the highest level but feels able to express himself more fully and coherently through improvisation. Schindler, having developed and established his competence in his early work, chose to follow this route after recognising the limitations that a purely intellectual approach can bring to a potentially lyrical art. Most of the buildings which Corbusier and his followers offer us as machines to live in are crude contraptions to serve a purpose. Mere instruments of production can never serve as a frame for life. Emotional response The emotional impact of both music and architecture is generated not by the intellectual understanding and appreciation of the ratios and proportions that govern the relationships of their parts and overall composition. It is a response produced by the composer or architect or improviser by manipulating the material multiplied by sound divided by time and the material multiplied by light and divided by space which Holl proposes as the equivalent formulae for the creation of music and architecture respectively. The power of the piece to move the listener or viewer is in direct ratio to the skill of the creator. Both music and architecture are immediate rather than mediate forms of communication. That is they do not require the intermediation of language. They affect the listener and viewer respectively, of all backgrounds and languages, directly with no need for translation or interpretation. They also both have a physical element to their means of communication. Music can recall the serenity and grandeur of a seascape; so also, says Viollet, [le Duc] can architecture when it has occasion to give us long, unbroken, horizontal lines. Then he compares the emotional effect of a low broad crypt with that of a soaring knave; he notes the physical reactions of a man in these two settings, And both directly affect the emotions and understanding. The very same numbers that cause sounds to have that concinnitas [a certain harmony] pleasing to the ears, can also fill the eyes and mind with wondrous delight. The cool but powerful emotional response generated by the composed serenity and authority of Palladios villas is not simply the result of the principles of proportion that govern the elements of the elevations, but also the extension of these principles to the way that the spaces and volumes are arranged. the systematic linking of one room to the other by harmonic proportions was the fundamental novelty of Palladios architecture, At the other end of the architectural scale, Holls fugue in the Stretto House generates a similar response in the viewer to that, which stretto in music evokes in the listener, namely excitement, acceleration, fuller realization, a certain indescribable ecstasy with the sensation of heightened simultaneity. Another aspect of emotional impact, which may be more mundane but is nevertheless worthy of consideration, is the cumulative effect of the music and architecture that surrounds us as distinct from the impact of a particular work. Emily Thompson posits the importance that advances in sound engineering made to the aural perception of life in the early years of the century, giving rise to the phenomenon that is sometimes referred to as the soundtrack of our life. The idea of a parallel stage set of our lives has been hinted at by author Will Self, if Brutalism is heavy metal, then what was Modernism, Schoenbergs dodecaphony? Clearly the Little Englander Palladian nostalgia of the Prince of Wales, the Quinlan Terry partnership, and even Barratt Homes, is of a piece with light classical music: Viennese waltzes, frozen in red brick, Chapter 4: Improvisation after the Renaissance and after Modernism In the earlier chapter I have established that improvisation in architecture can be considered as the departure of a skilled practitioner from the rules he has mastered in order to express himself more fully or to give coherent expression to new or developing ideas. Albertis De Re Aedificatoria (written about 1450) may be seen as the theoretical foundation for the re-establishment of classical order and proportion in the Renaissance. A century or so later Palladios Quattro Libri (published in 1570), re stated these classical rules, and his buildings followed them strictly. At the same time, however, other architects were interpreting these established rules with varying degrees of freedom. In his two villas on the Capitoline Hill in Rome Michaelangelo took the conventional Corinthian order, enlarged it and ran it through two stories; something that the Romans had never done. Vignola, in his Castello Farnese at Caprarola, designed an entablature that, [I]s a departure from the strict grammar of the antique â€Å" a departure in the direction of inventive modelling, of designing a faÃÆ' §ade as a pattern in light and shade, a pattern through which runs a play of meaning rather than any precise series of statements. Giulio Romano was even freer in his interpretation of the rules of antiquity. His Palazzo del Te, with its affected dilapidation and dropped stones in the entablature and his Cortile della Cavallerizza with its extravagant rustication and twisted Doric finds its equivalent in the developing mannerism of the music of the time. In the late 16th century, as the Renaissance era closes, an extremely manneristic style develops. In secular music, especially in the madrigal, there was a trend towards complexity and even extreme chromaticism (as exemplified in madrigals of Luzzaschi, Marenzio, and Gesualdo). Chromaticism in particular is an essential characteristic of the mannerist style at this time. It demonstrates a departure from the rules regulating the fundamental ratios underlying musical theory which is directly equivalent to that executed by Romano upon the rules of classical architecture as restated by Alberti and Palladio. The Pythagorean tone, with a ratio of 9:8, consists of a minor and a major semi-tone; But only the minor semitone can be used in actual music. For this reason, progressions between Bb â€Å" B natural or F â€Å" F#, or any other equivalent intervals, are forbidden. When the chromatic madrigal begins to abound in such progressions, it raises a flurry of controversy. The relationship between mannerism in architecture and in music may be illustrated by comparing the use of chromaticism by Guesaldo with Romanos use of rustication in the Palazzo del TÃÆ' ¨. On the one hand, Guesaldos madrigals are, full of unresolved dissonances, illogical modulations, and chromatic progressions. These are used to powerful effect to create, disruptive and restless changes of mood, so that the end result is rather like eavesdropping on some unresolvable, private agony. On the other, Romanos use of rustication gives the impression that, Everything is a bit uneasy, a bit wrong. It also [R]ecalls ruins [and] ancient buildings left half-finished. But it has great power and this is very largely because of the dramatic use of rustication. Just as Schindler developed a more improvisational style in his later works as he became disillusioned or cynical about the ethos of the Machine Age,[38] so Le Corbusier may also be considered to have undergone a major shift following the Second World War. This is exemplified by the chapel at Ronchamp, the monastery at La Tourette and the Courts of Justice at Chandigarh, all of which may be considered to be improvisational, with regard to the strict principles of Le Modulor. Charles Jencks observes that this perceived change in direction was seen to condone a new turn for modern architecture. He lists a range of diverse range of architectural movements that drew inspiration from Le Corbusiers later works. CHAPTER 5: CABARET MUSIC and MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE Architecture and cabaret music are closely affiliated, not least because both focus on creating unique atmospheres for a variety of purposes. During the early to mid twentieth century American architecture and cabaret were born out of and represented similar cultural concerns. This chapter considers some of the ways in which architecture and cabaret interact and how cabaret uses principles of architecture, such as the utilisation of space, the division of stage space, the distinction between public and private space, and the use of synthesis in design. Examples of Modern architectural designs, including those of Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, built during the thirties and forties will be considered with the aim of identifying shared cultural affiliation between cabaret music and architecture during the mid twentieth century. Cabaret â€Å" the trend of combining music, dance, comedy, and theatre in a public place â€Å" was first established in France in 1881. Throughout both world wars and the Great Depression in America, Cabaret afforded a means of relaxation and the opportunity to celebrate, through shared performance, a variety of cultures, talents and tastes. Monmartre, in France, is recognised as the place where buildings were first constructed specifically for cabaret performance. The Moulin Rouge was built in Pigalle in 1889. At the time, the traditional Monmartre windmills were being pulled down at an alarming rate, which accounts for the construction of the large red windmill on the roof of the Moulin Rouge. The turn-of-the-century interior of Moulin rouge expresses the late Victorian Romantic sensibility, just before the introduction of the Modernist Art Nouveau movement. Elegantly and richly decorated, the cabaret setting was described in 1952 as possessing an atmosphere of tawdry luxury [. .] much like that of a bordello. At the time this would have befitted the styles of music which it was built to stage. Artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec recorded in paint various scenes from this early era of cabaret, such as music-hall singers, women dancers, and women preparing themselves to take to the stage. The flamboyance of early cabaret and the suggestiveness of dances, such as the can-can, paved the way for a relationship between the architectural setting and the music. In the late Victorian era, when more sensual forms of entertainment tended only to be considered as an underground activity, cabaret legitimised more diverse forms of theatre, music and dance, allowing men and women to mingle freely in a public space specifically designed for that purpose. At the time of the popularisation of Cabaret, the pursuit of pleasure had become a popular activity. During the twentieth century new dance halls were erected throughout Europe and in America in order to accommodate the rising popularity of the sociable and edgy form of cabaret entertainment. Cabaret music traditionally involves singing and orchestra, and American cabaret stars included artists such as Eartha Kitt, Nina Simone, and Bette Midler. However, as an art form cabaret declined in popularity during the sixties due to the rising popularity of alternative forms of music, such as rock. Due to the glamour of its beginnings the architectural setting of cabaret traditionally retained elements of luxury, wealth, and flamboyance. On the relationship between Romanticism â€Å" which the late-Victorian introduction of cabaret was celebrating â€Å" and the poetic sensibility, Geoffrey Scott observes that Romanticism may be said to consist in a high development of poetic sensibility t owards the remote, in that it idealises the distant, both of time and place and identifies beauty with strangeness. The elaborate dÃÆ' ©cor of cabaret stages, often including plush red or plum coloured velvet, idealise the sensual and were designed to encourage maximum comfort, pleasure and enjoyment of the entertainment. The designs of traditional cabaret stages were such that the audience area was only minimally lit, with the main focus being on the stage. In Modernist architecture there is suggestion that the culture of cabaret at least crossed over into and was in part incorporated into design. With the introduction of jazz and Broadway style music, cabaret became recognised as being seedier than during the years of its Victorian beginnings. We can explore the parallels between the responses of the two arts to the exigencies of the time by looking at three of the distinguishing qualities of cabaret music and architecture. The popular appeal of cabaret Cabaret deals with emotional or sentimental themes that easily evoke strong responses, rather than intellectual concepts that require esoteric knowledge to be fully appreciated. Frank Lloyd Wrights Usonian homes, built during the 1930s and 1940s, embody the cultural concerns and ideals of the Modern era, and reflect the complexities associated with the Great Depression of the thirties. During this time, many American families looked to cabaret and its music as the solution, albeit temporary, to the stresses of the quotidian drudge associated with the same economic, social and political forces. Usonian houses were intended to deal with the day to day living requirements of the average American family. A large living room for family life, with a big fireplace in It, a triplicate bathroom with sections for the man, the wife and the children and enough space for dressing rooms, closets and perhaps a couch in each, and airy bedrooms, all with easy access to a garden. A significant aspect of popular appeal is the recognition afforded to the performer; the phenomenon of stars. In this regard Wright, at this time, was actively marketing himself as the possessor of a unique, truly American architectural vision, and promoting his reputation as one of the great architects of the century. Variations in cabaret Cabaret offers variety. The subjects of its songs and dances range from tragedy to comedy and its forms from ballad to blues to jazz. It was popular for certain shows to be given to a select audience â€Å" part of the growing consumer culture in which greater emphasis was to be placed on the needs of the patron. In a similar way that cabaret performances were customised, Wright designed buildings with specific elements for patrons. Scholars have already drawn parallels between the designs of Lloyd Wright and music. For example, as expressed by Brooks Pfeiffer and Nordland, Wrights unit system was as an intrinsic part of the organic process of design and construction: just as the warp is discipline for a woven textile, and as the scale and notes are disciplines for the composer of music, so Wright used the unit system as a discipline for design. The modular unit system, based on rectangular and square units, unified and simplified the construction process, and involved the repetition of components such as doors and windows, with an emphasis on geometric pattern and symmetry. Wrights designs were remarkable for their unification of different component parts and ideas, whi