Marketing Take-home Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Take-home Exam - Essay Example Information To conduct accurate and relevant marketing research, marketing intelligence plays a very crucial role by providing the necessary information. However, McDonald must determine what information it needs. There are two major questions relating to the sources of information i.e. (1) What are the internal information sources? and (2) what are the external information sources? External sources of information must include necessary data relating to the key competitors and target consumers. McDonald’s must access the relevant published sources to analysis the key strengths, weaknesses and market share of the competitors. This external information must indicate the recent developments taken place in the market and among the competitors. Consumers’ changing behavior also needs to be identified using the external information. On the other hand, internal sources of information are also very crucial. However, obtaining such information is an easy task for McDonaldâ€℠¢s as it needs coordination with cross-functional departments. Hence, McDonald’s must carry out data-base analysis to understand the up-sale and cross-sale opportunities and to identify the potential consumers. Communication Primary difference between market intelligence and marketing research is the basic communicational process. In market intelligence, there is better communication between the decision makers and market intelligence analysts. On the other hand, communication is necessary for gathering and disseminating external and internal information. However, in market intelligence, the two most important questions relating to communication are ‘how to develop better communication for gathering information?’ and ‘how to develop communication for decision making?’ For gathering external and internal information, better communication is necessary. McDonald’s must implement IT systems like RFID and SAP for developing interference-free data g athering. It helps to build a flawless and continuous communication system (Koster and Munoz, 2009, p.358). For better decision making process, using the market intelligence process ‘two-way communication’ is an effective method. To develop two-way communication, McDonald’s must focus on better cross-functional communication and superior interaction level with the employees and management. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the most suitable approach as IMC helps to build an effective internal and external communications. People and Processes Managing the people and processes are challenging tasks for producing accurate and relevant outcome from market intelligence process. The first criterion in marketing research is to identify and develop research question. Once this task is over, McDonald must synchronize and manage the entire process. Two primary questions in this area are â€Å"how to involve relevant people in marketing intelligence process? and ‘how to develop effective and accurate process?’ McDonald’s must identify key employees to involve them in market intelligence process. Motivation and transparency are the two vital factors in this process. McDonald

Discrimination Concerning African Americans Essay Example for Free

Discrimination Concerning African Americans Essay Differences in race lead to divergent levels of economic development within the United States. Analysts often try to explain this phenomenon by observing a specific ethnic groups tradition and cultural ideology. Economists expand their analysis on the economic behaviors of African Americans by taking into consideration personal histories and value systems of the group under study. American families measure economic status in terms of income, and factors associated with material security as a whole. These factors may consist of health care, college funds, and retirement plans. However, African American families lag well behind when conceptualizing economic development under these terms. The reason is due to numerous instances of discrimination that occur in the U. S. Many of Americas public policies aid in the underdevelopment of non-white families. Increased economic development within America is the key to upward political and social mobility. If minorities are denied inevitable rights to equality, access to economic development becomes a highly difficult process. Despite Americas idealized view on equal opportunity, it is valid to assume that economic security has been limited on the basis of race. Therefore, it is important to investigate why white American families are economically better-off than non-white American families. One must take into account aspects of political participation, education, and the number of children a family has in the home in order to understand this research question. Contemporary Viewpoints: The lack of political participation of minority groups is a prevalent issue within the United States, explaining why non-white American families are less economically developed when compared to white American families. According to Douglas S. Massey (1995), minority families increasingly speak languages and bear cultures quite different than the established norms within the U. S. regime. He has found that ethnic groups carry their customs into new generations, leading many non-white families to become displaced and impoverished. Brinck Kerr and Will Miller (1997) believe that it is necessary for non-white American families to participate in elections in order to obtain equal representation that they are now lacking. They go on to say that political representation is the key to higher employment levels, and is a significant determinant to the minority share of professional positions. William H. Frey (1996) finds that immigrants usually encounter highly stratified society characterized by high income inequality leaving little room for upward mobility. In addition, Paula D. Mcklain (1990) assumes that non-white American families will continue to reside in low economic subcultures that are institutionally incomplete if they are represented at much lower ratios relative to the population portions of whites. Susan Welch (1990) has found that minority groups have not even achieved half their population proportions in political elections. These numbers are even lower than what they were a decade ago. She states that other factors that lead to low political participation within minority groups is that a substantial number of non-white American families are not citizens, and therefore are not eligible to vote. Also, Massey has found that America enacts policies that hinder the socioeconomic status of immigrants for they are underrepresented at virtually all levels and institutions in United States government. Moreover, Friedberg and Hunt (1995) have found that non-white American families receive less benefits than white families because of geographic segregation within the community. The various dispersion of minority families in different low-income areas within the U. S. makes it difficult for these families to be represented proportionally. Consequently, Rodney E. Hero and Caroline J. Tolbert (1995) believe minority families can now be easily manipulated by government because they are not equally accounted for. Therefore, non-white American families are not able to take advantage of economically developed determinants such as health care and retirement funds. The inscription of the Statue of liberty expresses to the world to give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. America continuously contradicts itself on the validity of this concept due to the increasingly economic tension between Caucasian and non-white families. Friedberg and Hunt (1995) give the example of Proposition 187, which makes many non-white American families ineligible for certain services such as public health. Non-white American families are not given the opportunity to take advantage of benefactors the U. S. offers to white American families. Therefore, Non-white American families lack of political participation, and unequal representation in governmental institutions and legislative bodies, leads them to be less economically developed than white American families. Education is another obstacle to economic development that non-white families face. Education is a vital tool to economic security. However, Melissa Marschall (1997) has found that current policies demonstrate minorities have been denied equal access to education. She has found that assignment systems based on assessments of language deficiencies or other individual needs are used to separate non-whites from whites. According to Jeffrey J. Mondack and Diana C. Mutz (1997), inequitable school financing is equally detrimental to non-white students. Funding for public schools comes from property taxes. They go along to say that predomintly non-white schools tend to be in central inner city school districts which have a smaller property tax base. In addition, the Office of Civil Rights has identified practices that are termed second generation school discrimination. Practices such as ability grouping, suspensions, and tracking may appear on the surface to be normal educational practices. When examining these components closer, Brick Kerr and Will Miller (1997) have found they have a negative impact on minority students. Ability grouping is a form of segregation that separates minority students from whites. They have found that before even attempting to teach non-white students, they are diagnosed with having linguistic or intellectual problems. The students are therefore required to take special and bilingual classes, making it difficult for them to succeed. According to Robert E. England (1986), non-white students are many times pulled out of regular classes and placed into bilingual classes only on the basis of ethnicity rather than their understanding of English. Brick and Miller go on to explain that suspensions are a second tactic used to encourage the failure of minority students in school. Non-white students are given more harsh disciplinary sentences than white students. Moreover, studies show that the ratio of minority students kicked out of school is disproportionately higher than whites, making the students more likely to drop out. Marschall has found that schools also advocate differences in ability grouping and discipline, leading to distinctions in tracking between non-whites and whites. The majority white students in high ability groups are often counseled to choose college preparatory tracks. However, minorities in low ability groups are counseled into vocational or general tracks, making them less likely to attend post-secondary education. Mondack and Mutz believe that the overall pattern of racial inequality the school system has created makes non-whites less likely to receive a quality education than whites. This truth makes it difficult for economic development to occur within non-white American families. The number of children in a family lead to increased poverty levels and low economic development within non-white American families. M. Klitsch (1990) has found that minority women have children at an extensively higher rate than that of white women. Also, he states that non-white women represent a small percentage of the population, however they account for a greater number of births. Alejandro Portes and Cynthia Truelove (1987) go on to say that non-white families are generally poorer than white families because of the higher number of children in the home. This leads them to be more likely to live below the poverty line. In addition, Genevieve M. Kenney and Nancy E. Reichman (1998) have found the population of non-whites increases faster than whites every year due to high fertility rates. Similarly, the two have found that fertility rates of non-whites families living in impoverished communities is almost double compared to white families. Klitsch has found that non-white families have an estimated 5. 5 people to a household, while white families only 3. 8. Therefore, these high rates lead to low socioeconomic status, and limited opportunities to increase economic security. According to Kenney and Reichman, the high fertility rates are due to low percentages of minorities who use contraceptives. They have also found that non-white women are less likely to have an abortion than white women. One might view this as a positive aspect. However, Portes and Truelove believe that one must take into account the over a quarter of minority families who have an income below the federal poverty line, which is almost one half greater than those of white families. Therefore, the high number of children within non-white American families make them more likely to experience economic deprivation than white American families. There has been an abundance of scholarly research previously conducted on the economic differences between white and non-white American families. They usually consist of data sources such as the U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the U. S. bureau of the Census. The Foreign Born Population of the United States and Statistical Reports are used with the previously listed sources to compare ethnic groups (Friedberg and Hunt, pg. 5). These databases yield cross-sectional designs that develop into time series reports in order to make assumptions on variables dealing with GNP and income, proving distinct differences in the races under study. For instance, researchers assume that white families are more economically developed than non-whites. This is because the average white American family makes $44,000 a year, and the average non-white American family does not make half this amount (6-7). These figures are valid in drawing conclusions about correlative relationships, satisfying important ideological factors necessary to study when dealing with the dependent variable of race. A more effective method of analysis was a study derived from interviews in a low income Los Angeles county. The participants were white and non-white females. The study was conducted between January 1984 and May 1985 (M. Kitsch, 136-137). In addition, the sample consisted of a three-stage cluster of census tracks, blocks, and household addresses. This cross-sectional design embodied research dealing with fertility rates of different races. The minority women proved to have higher fertility rates in low income sectors, leading Klitsch to question the different ways non-white American families conceptualize economic development. Non-white American families have to deal with numerous accounts of racial discrimination. It is difficult for a non-white American family to become economically stable in terms of income and security plans. The reason is due to being a minority in a predominately white America. Therefore, non-white American families are less economically developed than white American families because: H1 non-white American families are less likely to participate in elections than white American families. H2 non-white Americans are more likely to be discriminated against in school than white Americans. H3 the more children in a household, the more likely a family will be economically deprived. Implications and Conclusion: Education, political participation, and the number of children a family has all affect the levels of economic development within the household for white American families. Even though education levels has a stronger affect toward higher levels of income, when the three variables are measured together, they are all highly statistically significant. In non-white American homes, education levels appears to be the key determinant of their economic status. Further test need to be measured in reference to how the number of children a family has and political participation affect the economic security of non-white American families. With this, the above hypotheses will prove to have more validity. However, in both cases it was important to measure education, the number of children a family has, and political participation together in order to understand the affect these variables have on each other, and how this affect leads to higher or lower levels of economic development within the family. These multivariate studies are also important in predicting the affect the independent variables will have on total family income in the future. It can be assumed that the highest year of school completed will continue to have a strong affect toward economic development in the future for both white and non-white American families. In addition, the number of children in a white American family and their political participation are significant variables to measure when determining their economic standpoint in future years to come. There are alternative approaches to identifying explanations to why non-white American families are less economically developed than white American families. One example is the difference in income between non-white and white American families who have single parents and ones that have two parents. Another alternative approach is identifying education as only an antecedent variable, and observing how it relates to occupation, the true independent variable under study. From here, one can observe how economic development is related to a persons occupation within the home. As anyone who walks the streets of Americas largest cities knows, there has been a profound transformation of different ethnic cultures within the United States. The rapidity of the change has led to growing competition of economic development between white and non-white American families. This competition has lead to ethnic prejudice and discrimination as the United States continues to assimilate into the melting pot for the American dream. Political participation, education, and the number of children within the home are variables that allow the transition to become a less arduous process for white American families. However, if non-white American families continue to do poorly in terms of economic development because of these variables, non-whites will continue to lag behind the income scale in comparison to whites. Research along these lines will lead to the study of relative differences between ethnic cultures. An example is the discovery of why almost half the number of minorities return to their country of origin after experiences of economic injustice. Previous research may also benefit other analysis in the field of economics by itemizing fertility rates in terms of the higher number of non-white American families who lack the finances to properly nourish their children. These new variables along with my research can in time become valid determinants in explaining why white American families are economically better off that non-white American families.

New England vs. the Chesapeake :: essays research papers

Hello my name is Alma Castro, I am 16 years old and I am now attending Skyline High School for the Child Care Cluster. I live with my mom, dad, 1 sister (Cynthia who is 14), and 2 brothers (Alfredo 12 and Eduardo 9) in a house in Oak Cliff. My house is about 5 minutes from downtown Dallas. My family and I enjoy going to the movies, the park, and going out to eat as a family. But this is only the beginning of what I am about to tell you about my life. I was born on October 25, 1988 in the Mexico in the City of Juarez. I only lived in Mexico for about 3 years but while I lived there my mom said I gave her the biggest scare of her life. She said that when I was about a year and six months I got out of the house and went to a neighbor’s house to play without her knowing. When she started to look for me and couldn’t find me she got scared, then all my uncles noticed and so they started to help her. She said that after looking for about an hour I came out from that house like nothing had happened. Then on June 20, 1991 my little sister was born. My mom said that when my little sister was born I became very responsible and helpful. She also said that I was very calm and happy all the time. Then in June 1992 we moved to Dallas with my aunt and 3 older cousins. Living with my aunt was all right we had our good and bad times; we were all bunched up in a small house in Duncanville. A couple of months later we moved to a bigger house in the same neighborhood. Our next-door neighbors were very nice they really made us feel welcomed. Living at this house I started preschool. I went to a school that was only 4 blocks from the house, so my mom use to take my 2 younger cousins, our 2 neighbors (who by the way are twins), and me to school walking. I remember that when we all go home from school we would all go outside and play in the backyard. Then in May 27, 1993 my brother Alfredo was born so my dad decided to get a house of our own.

Teaching and Education Philosophy :: Teaching Education Philosophy

Teaching and Education Philosophy My philosophy is that an educator is the most valuable resource our country has. Of all the jobs or careers in this world none of them would be possible without teachers. There are two main points to my philosophy, why teachers are important and who teachers are. Hopefully reading my philosophy will give you a better understanding of the importance of educators in this world. Teachers are very important in our society because we need them to provide our youth with the knowledge and social experiences they will need to improve their future and the future of the entire planet. As a teacher I hope to be able influence many lives and help students understand what education can do for them and their future. I can recall only one teacher from high school who actually talked about college and what we would need to do to be better prepared for college. Dr. Lawrence was my eleventh grade chemistry teacher. He had been a college professor at George Mason University for around 30 years before he decided to teach at my school. He brought a college like atmosphere into our classroom, which helped us, prepare for the way things would be in college. This is just a small example of what teachers are for, to educate students on more than just books or academics but on life. Teachers are more than just people who relay information about a certain subject . Who teachers are, they are anyone and everyone. Teachers are grandmothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. For anything to be learned it must be taught. I remember many times my mom and dad sitting me down to talk about some situations that might come about and telling me ways to deal with them. Classroom teachers especially in the early years are the people that those students will see most throughout the course of the day and will learn

The Use of Lasers in Esophageal Cancer Treatment

Esophageal cancer is a rare form of cancer, but its numbers are on the rise around the world (Staff, Mayo Clinic 1). This disease occurs when malignant or cancerous cells form in the tissues of the esophageal lining of the body’s gastrointestinal tract. The esophagus is responsible for moving swallowed food and liquids from the mouth into the stomach for digestion. It consists of several tissue layers, including the mucous membrane, muscle, and connective tissues.When cancer forms in the esophagus, it begins in the innermost layer of the tissue (the mucous membrane) and moves outward (towards the connective tissue layer) as it spreads (see Figure 1). It often goes undetected for many years, and in its later stages, this cancer is not easily treatable. Among those who develop esophageal cancer, their long-term survival rate is low, as it is estimated that only 12. 5% of patients live five years beyond the date of diagnosis (Triesschejin, Martijn 5).The standard treatment option used to combat esophageal cancer is called an esophagectomy, in which the cancerous area of the esophagus is removed via surgery, however this procedure is very invasive, complicated, and is often times fatal. However, with today’s technological advancements, safer, less-invasive methods are beginning to replace this option and are proving to be successful in helping to extend the lives of those patients with severe esophageal cancer and aid in improving their quality of life.One up-and-coming treatment option that is far more safe and practical than esophagectomy is the integration of lasers in photodynamic therapy, or PDT. Although it is still an experimental treatment, is ideal because it has no long-term side effects, is minimally invasive, can be done quickly with little recovery time, has the ability to precisely target the areas of the body where the cancer cells are present, and can be safely repeated multiple times until the desired results are achieved.Post-treatme nt, it has been known to cause sensitivity to light, particularly pertaining to the patient’s eyes and skin, however this has not been shown to be a significant issue among those treated with PDT. Photodynamic therapy uses special drugs, known as photosensitizing agents, along with laser light to kill cancer cells closer to the surface of the skin. The agents are injected into the body via and ‘switched on’ with light of the appropriate wavelength depending on the drug utilized. Chemical and molecular reactions within the ody from the drugs then destroy the cancer cells and work to rid the body of the esophageal disease. Although several sources of light are possibilities when performing photodynamic therapy, lasers are the most preferred. They are the most effective in emitting monochromatic light, or light that is of a single wavelength and color, corresponding to all of the different absorption maxima of photosensitizers’ compounds, and can be relativel y easily coupled to optical fibers from 200 to 600 microns’ core sizes.Specifically, the type of laser that is optimal for the treatment of esophageal cancer is a diode laser. These lasers are the most recent to be used in cancer treatment, and were developed just within the last fifteen years. Thus, they have higher quality beams, expanded ranges of wavelengths, and can be used on higher powers if desired. Diode lasers are ideal because they are simple to use, easy to transport, and do not require difficult installation like the gas (argon) and dye lasers used before them (Boucher 74).The diode laser currently approved by the FDA is manufactured by Angiodynamics, and has been successfully used, along with the correct application of photosensitizers, in esophageal cancer treatments. â€Å"A good photosensitizer is preferably a pure compound with a constant composition† (Nyman 3). And in esophageal cancer treatment via PDT, the best-proven photosensitizer is called porf imer sodium, also commercially known as Photofrin ®.In fact, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration has only approved the use of this photosensitizer in the treatment of esophageal cancer via PDT (â€Å"Photodynamic Therapy† 2). Porfimer sodium is injected intravenously, where it is then absorbed by all of the body’s cells, but only those cells that are normal and not cancerous are able to get rid of it. To allow for the body’s normal cells to rid themselves of the drug, two to three days are given between the drug’s administration and the activation of the drug by laser light.After being passed down the throat through a small flexible tube called an endoscope, a thin fiber optic glass strand is used to direct the laser light at the affected area. The optical fiber is made of fused silica, and uses a balloon catheter to distribute a defined, controlled amount of light to the treated esophagus organ. If the beam were not diffuse, a direct beam (even at a low power) could be damaging to the esophageal tissue. The light is operated at weaker power of around 2 Watts to ensure that it does not burn any tissue, and it is relatively pain-free.The treatment it is applied for no longer than an hour at a time and can often be done in an outpatient setting (reference all sources listed). Normally, the most common wavelength used is red light, as its specific wavelength of 630 nanometers has been shown to work best when attempting to create the most effective and potent malignant cancer cell-killing method possible. Atomically speaking, following its activation by laser light, â€Å"†¦the photosensitizer is elevated from a ground state to a long lasting excited triplet state†¦. and it] can then react with cell membranes to form radical ions [intermediates] which interact further with oxygen to produce cytotoxic oxygenated molecules† (Gray 1). More simply put, the excited photosensitizer activated by the laser light transfers its energy to other molecules before returning to its ground state, which generates a reactive oxygen species (intermediate) that is able to directly kill and destroy the esophageal tumor via oxidation, and later, indirectly, via inflammation.Research has shown a huge increase in the survival rate of PDT patients receiving this treatment. Treated patients’ survival rates improved 25% over a span of five years compared to those who never received any type of treatment (Li 2). And although doctors have seen great success with the use of photodynamic therapy and diode laser treatments, there is still much more to be researched and improved upon. Currently, new drugs, such as Photochlor ®, and others are being clinically tested to see if they can be used as photosensitizers in the treatment of esophageal cancer.This photosensitizer looks promising, as it has already been shown to last a much shorter time and is more easily removed from the body than Photofrin ® is. Also, scientists are looking at the possibility of using ointments containing ferrous or colbalt ions and hydrogen peroxide on the treated cancerous area to improve PDT outcomes along with laser light. And with the further advancement of technology, hopefully newer treatments will be able to not only improve the outcomes of patients with severe esophageal cancer, but be able to cure them of it once and for all.

Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay by BestEssay.Education

Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay by Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay If you are working on an exploratory essay, you are working on a task that is quite unusual. In fact, it is so unusual that as you learn how to write an exploratory essay you will need to momentarily discard much of what you know about writing essays. The reason for this that the approach to writing an exploratory essay is completely different. When writing these essays, your goal is not to prove your thesis or to argue a specific point. Instead, your job is to walk your readers through the things that you have experienced when attempting to solve a problem. What is an Exploratory Essay? It may seem strange to read this, but an exploratory essay is essentially an introspective retrospective. Essentially what you will be doing is examining your approach to defining and solving a problem. The purpose of this essay is to give yourself some good insight on the methods that you use to solve problems, the methods that you use to identify problems, and even your writing style. In many cases, you might write an exploratory essay after completing a research project. What can a Student Get from Writing an Exploratory Essay? In an ideal world, research is objective. People however, are not objective. Each one of us views the world with through the filter of our experiences. This impacts everything we do, including research. An exploratory essay is a way for a student to explore their processes, methodologies, and motivations. When a student completes this process, the goal is that they become a better student and better researcher because they are more aware of themselves. What Questions Should an Exploratory Essay Answer? Here are the questions that you should consider when you write your exploratory essay. Why did I identify this problem as one that I wanted to explore? Why did I select the sources that I did when researching the problem? What made me think that the solution that I applied was the best one? What factors impacted the methods I used to apply the solution? As I read my research notes, what stands out to me about my writing style? Did the solution I applied work? If the solution didn’t work, can I identify any biases or tendencies on my part that contributed to that? Getting Help with your Exploratory Essay Even though this is not a common essay to write, you can still count on to help you with these assignments. We will find the best writer to write an essay of this type or any other type, just for you. Our writers will help you go through your research notes and other information so that your approach and methodology can be identified and explored. When your exploratory essay is finished, you will have an excellent essay to turn in for a grade, and you will also have a great document to refer to when you are questioning the choices that you make when researching a problem or applying solutions.

Federalists vs Ant Federalists Essay Example

Federalists vs Ant Federalists Essay Example Federalists vs Ant Federalists Paper Federalists vs Ant Federalists Paper What is Federalism? Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. (The American Heritage Dictionary, 2005). The system is divided into levels: the national government, regional and local governments. Each of these levels has areas in which they have power. The levels however, by themselves cannot change the power that the constitution has given them. Each level operates through its own agencies and acts directly on the people through its own officials and laws. Overview of the Federalists The Federalists favored a strong central government, policies were favorable to trade, finance and business. The Federalists were also in favor of national bank and favored ratification of the Constitution. The first Federalist movement was distinguished by a belief that the national government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak and that a stronger federal government was needed. The Federalists were able to get the national government to sanction a convention to mend the Articles. Nelson and Lynn state, â€Å"Federalism enables positive cooperation between state and national governments in programs pertaining to education, interstate highway construction, environmental protection and health, unemployment and social security concerns. † Overview of the Anti-federalists The first Anti-federalist movement of the 18th century was against The Anti-federalists in the 1780s opposed the creation of a stronger national government under the Constitution. There were different reasons for this opposition; they believed that a stronger government would threaten the sovereignty of the states and individuals. : In addition, the Anti-federalist believed that the existing government was sufficient and getting a national government under the constitution would be too strong. The Anti-federalists believed in free trade, a government controlled by ordinary citizens, policies that were favorable to farmers, artisans, and skilled workers and wanted strong ties with France. Ratification of the Constitution The adoption or otherwise called ratification of the Constitution took place from September 1787 through July 1788. The controversy of the ratification had the supporter of the constitution (Federalists) against the Anti-federalists who did not support the Constitution. The Anti-federalist openly condemned the constitution as a centralizing legal form that would put an end to American freedom and lead away from the basic laws of the Revolution. The federalists on the other hand, had entreated strongly that the nation’s problems were a direct result of the weak incapable Confederation. They also believed only the Constitution would allow the people of America to maintain unchanged their freedom and independence, which was an outcome of the Revolution. The Federalists had some advantages; they presented a clear decree for the nation’s problems. The Federalists were organized and had money. The Federalists had the advantage of thinking nationally and working with the politicians from the states, in addition, the federalists were supported by Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, the only true political figures of the time. The advantages of the Anti-federalist were that they had the support of the state politicians and the fact that the people did not have any trust in the idea of a strong central government. Importantly, the Anti-federalist’s most powerful argument was that the constitution did not have a Bill of Rights. Conclusion The ratification of the Constitution struggle was a contest for votes and a moving argument about constitutional theory and politics. The ratification was also the first time that a nation’s people freely decided on the type of government they wanted. According to Bernstein (2007 â€Å"Ratification was a catalyst for the creation of a national political community. † Americans can now say that the ratification of the constitution was instrumental in the type of society that exists today. References Bernstein, Richard B. (2008). Ratification of the Constitution. Retrieved March 13, 2008 from answers. com/topic/ratification-of-the-constitution Drake, Frederick D. Nelson, Lynn R. (2002). Teaching about Federalism in the United States. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from ericdigests. org/2003-1/usa. htm The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (2005) Retrieved 13, 2008 from ask. com/reference/dictionary/ahdict/38776/federalism

Language Notes on the Use of Aint in English

Language Notes on the Use of Aint in English As far as I know, only one rule of English usage has ever made its way into a childrens jump-rope rhyme: Dont say aint or your mother will faint,Your father will fall in a bucket of paint,Your sister will cry, your brother will die,Your cat and dog will call the FBI. Though frequently heard in casual speech, aint has been described as the most stigmatized word in English. Dictionaries usually label it dialectal or nonstandard, while some purists even deny its right to exist, insisting that aint isnt a word. What is it about this simple negative contraction that agitates language mavens and spreads fear on the playground? As these notes demonstrate, the answer is surprisingly complex. Grammar and Usage[The] two meanings of grammarhow the language functions and how it ought to functionare easily confused. To clarify the distinction, consider the expression aint. Unless used intentionally to add colloquial flavor, aint is unacceptable because its use is considered nonstandard. Yet taken strictly as a part of speech, the term functions perfectly well as a verb. Whether it appears in a declarative sentence (I aint going) or an interrogative sentence (Aint I going?), it conforms to the normal pattern for all verbs in the English language. Although readers may not approve of its use, they cannot argue that it is ungrammatical in such sentences.(Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu, Handbook of Technical Writing, 10th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2012) A Brief History of AintAint has had an unusual history. Its a shortened form of several wordsam not, are not, is not, has not and have not. It appears in written English in the 18th century in various plays and novels, first as ant and then as aint. During the 19th century, it was widely used in representations of regional dialect, especially Cockney speech in the UK, and became a distinctive feature of colloquial American English. But when we look at who is using the form in 19th-century novels, such as those by Dickens and Trollope, we find that the characters are often professional and upper-class. Thats unusual: to find a form simultaneously used at both ends of the social spectrum. Even as recently as 1907, in a commentary on society called The Social Fetich, Lady Agnes Grove was defending aint I as respectable upper-class colloquial speechand condemning arent I!She was in a rapidly diminishing minority. Prescriptive grammarians had taken against aint, and it would soon become universally condemned as a leading marker of uneducated usage.(David Crystal, The Story of English in 100 Words. St. Martins Press, 2012) Collocational AintIn Present-Day English, aint is stigmatized even though linguistically it is formed by the same rule speakers use to form arent and other nonstigmatized contracted auxiliary verbs. . . . [T]here is nothing linguistically wrong with it; in fact, aint is used by many speakers in certain fixed expressions and to convey a certain rhetorical effect: It aint over yet! You aint seen nothing yet! If it aint broke, dont fix it.(Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone: An Introduction. Wadsworth, 2010 Prissy, Ridiculous, and Unpopular Alternatives to Aint I?As linguistic scholars have frequently pointed out, it is unfortunate that aint I? is unpopular in educated speech, for the phrase fills a long-felt need. Am I not? is too prissy for down-to-earth people; amnt I? is ridiculous; and arent I?, though popular in England, has never really caught on in America. With a sentence like the one under discussion [Im your best friend, aint I?] you are practically in a linguistic trapthere is no way out unless you are willing to choose between appearing illiterate, sounding prissy, or feeling ridiculous.(Norman Lewis, Word Power Made Easy. Simon Schuster, 1979) Class ActsA correlation exists between the use of aint and social class, i.e. it is more frequent in lower-class speech. In upper-class speech it is indicative of a personal relationship and an informal situation . . . and is employed when the other person knows that the speaker is using aint for stylistic effect, rather than from ignorance or lack of education (Feagin 1979: 217). Since the form is such a strong school-induced shibboleth, informants tend to suppress it in (more formal) interview situations.(Traute Ewers, The Origin of American Black English: Be-Forms in the Hoodoo Texts. Walter de Gruyter, 1995) Gender ActsThere is still in the American popular mind a notion that aint, for all its faults, is masculine, while arent is not simply feminine, but effeminate. In Thomas Bergers novel The Feud (1983), Tony, a high school student, finds that good grammar must take a back seat to his public sexual identity. Tony defends his use of the masculine aint against his girlfriend Eva s objection that it is a sign of ignorance: I dont like to talk like a girl. Somebody might think I was a pansy.(Dennis E. Baron, Grammar and Gender. Yale University Press, 1986) And that aint all. But for now well have to agree with the editors of The American Heritage Book of English Usage: Aint is a word that aint had it easy.

Privacy and Internet Policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Privacy and Internet Policy - Research Paper Example Everybody person has the right to privacy of personal information which is private in nature. George Reynolds, in his book â€Å"Ethics in Information Technology,† argues that â€Å"Privacy is the right to be left alone – the most comprehensive of rights, and the right most valued by a free people† (Reynolds, 2010). People prefer to keep their private information secret because they do not want it to be misused by others. So they safeguard it with the help of laws as also with the help of software etc. The concept of consumer profiling is also relevant in this context. It deals with sketching of important psycho-graphical and demographical information concerning the user of a product. Such data consists of details like gender, age group, education, place of living, profession, income scale, marital status etc. Some companies explicitly gather personal information about the users of internet when they register at their websites by way of making them fill certain forms. The threat in this case is that personal data is collected and certain companies sell this information to other firms without the consent of consumers. Thus, the internet exposes individuals to the threat of leaking their private information. Therefore, protecting consumer data is a significant concern while using the internet for various purposes. Though all companies have a privacy statement, explicitly given on their websites, one cannot rule out the possibility that â€Å"existing privacy enhancing technologies fail in the event of a vendor operating against their stated privacy policy†. , leading to loss of customer privacy and security† (Pearce & Bertok, 1999, para. 1). Personal information transacted through online can be misused, which will lead to failure in safeguarding customer privacy. There are some laws to prevent the misuse of personal data, but these are not sufficient to fully safeguard privacy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enhance or supplement the existing regulations to completely

This is for an intro to American lit class. My topic is-- How does Essay

This is for an intro to American lit class. My topic is-- How does Benjamin Franklin's autobiography begin to articulate a distinctively American conception of - Essay Example He is no other than Benjamin Franklin, the â€Å"First American†. He has been given this title since he was an early proponent of Colonial unity He owes his personal integrity, the respect of his fellowmen as well as foreigners, not to mention his financial success over the years to the thirteen virtues listed in his Autobiography and his strict adherence to them. They are as follows: When Franklin framed his 13 virtues, he meant them not for himself alone but also for others to follow, particularly his progeny. He is said to have stated: â€Å"Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity at which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world and having so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated.† (Franklin, 1791) Benjamin Franklin living out the 13 virtues, embodied the American identity. This is how he envisioned his compatriots to live out their lives. Today, for most Americans, most, if not all of the aforementioned character traits are lived out in their daily lives – whether or not they have patterned their actions on the example of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin who lived from January 17, 1706 to April 17, 1790, was possibly the most famous 18th century American, next only to George Washington. He authored Poor Richard’s Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders, which writing contained advice on how to get ahead in the world. Apparently, he followed his own advice and by 1757 made a small fortune for himself. His reports on electrical experiments and theories brought him fame among European scientific circles. It was about this time that he was starting a lengthy career as a politician. He became chief spokesman for the British colonies in their debates with the king’s ministers. In 1776, he was a member of the Committee of Five that

Coffee Shop Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Coffee Shop Retailing - Essay Example The Starbuck coffee still leads its competitor, Costa in the market share. A survey conducted on the market performance of the two brands showed that Starbucks commanded a market share of 27% compared to Costa which commands 15 % of the market while the rest of the market is being shared between the small companies. In rating the market of the coffee with the substitute beverages, coffee in general comes third behind tea and Juice. 70% of the adults in UK takes coffee, 81% take juice while 83 % of the adult population takes tea (Kolk 2012). 2011 is a year where coffee experienced more innovations in its brands. The culture of taking coffee has been entrenched among the UK consumers and it is considered as the luxury which is affordable to all users. The quality of the product has been greatly improved by innovation through product development. The leading manufacturer of coffee is Nestle UK. The company’s product enjoys a market share of 42%. Basically the presence of instant coffee is the major reason behind success of the Nestle Company in the manufacturing sector. The coffee pods also have contributed to the growth of coffee consumption in general (Kolk 2012). Findings A coffee shop serves not only coffee but also tea, light lunch and some deserts. A local coffee shop can attract a large market by ensuring the frequent customers remains loyal. Commitment is required in order to accomplish a successful marketing. Usually most of the marketing and is done through the interaction with customers. Existing customers invite new customers; coffee shops provide a good social experience among the customers thus it is ideal for interaction. Some common coffee brands in the UK markets includes, Maxwell House coffee, Nescafe, Lavazza, Starbucks, Melitta, Kenco coffee among others. The market of these brands has depended mainly on the marketing of the brand. Retailers benefit from brands which have already established in the market. The main coffee brands in the U K market are Starbucks and the Costa brand. The famously world brand (Starbucks) carries the larger coffee market as compared to the Costa brand. The brand has several outlets throughout the country (Kolk 2012). A part from the coffee business, the coffee offers food together with the coffee, in order to increase income and also increase convenience to the customers. Though selling of food stuffs have been expanding among the coffee shop, the challenge is competitions from the established bakers and other competitors in selling the foodstuffs. Research shows that selling of foodstuffs within the coffee shops has been on the increase in the UK market and therefore the trend in coffee shop development has changed the marketing strategies shops rendering the services Quality of services A successful marketing would start with the kind of products and services being offered. Development of a variety of services would beneficial to the coffee shops than sticking to just offering coffee. Variety of services that are customer friendly benefits in expansion since advertisements is more efficient when done orally. Some the benefits that would ensure more customer base is ensuring the customers comfort. Ensuring that every table has a supply of electricity enables the customers to have a comfortable cup of coffee while using the laptops. Other services which are essential in increasing the customers include introducing live entertainment and uniqueness in provision of services.

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy Essay

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy - Essay Example This book consists of more than 100 speeches which were made during Kennedy's political life. This book is not the collection of quotations only, but also his public career which is completely portrayed in statements and speeches. The pages of the book are the reminder of John Kennedy as lofty ideal, parochial politician and clever person. It was mentioned that "much of the value in this book lies not in what it tells of Kennedy, but what it tells about the country in which he lived". (Unique Day of Hope 18) So it is necessary to discuss four main speeches made by Kennedy in order to get clear idea about his vision of America. All these statements are given in his book. (Goldzwig 189) The most famous Kennedy's speech was connected with Inaugural Address. This speech provides with several wit lines, the most notable of which are the words: "Ask not what your country can do for you,-ask what you can do for your country".( Unique Day of Hope 18) During reading this speech it became clear that there were no words about social security, poverty, educational problems, health care problems, civil rights and domestic problems which were the central point of all political debates. This speech deals completely with problems and development of foreign policy. (Goldzwig 189) The second speech which is also worthy of paying attention is Kennedy's address to Houston Ministerial Alliance.

Economic business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic business - Essay Example Industrialization in Britain had paved up ways for both labour intensive and capital intensive methods of production. In addition, there had been constant technological changes thus enabling the augmentation of labour as well as capital productivities, so that higher quantities could be produced employing the same amounts of factors of production. But the manufacturing units that required the use of proportionally more labour than capital base were found to be performing worse than their capital intensive counterparts. This change was noticed since the latter part of the 20th century. The deterioration of the labour intensive units proved to be a serious drawback in the path of the economic growth potentials of UK, since these units had almost been like a bastion behind the nation’s industrial base. One such industry that used to be a stronghold for the nation’s secondary sector was the steel industry. The nation which used to be the largest manufacturer of steel in the world has been outstripped by China in total quantity of crude steel production. In fact, it has also fallen back from its initial status of the world’s largest exporter of steel – the nations that have outshone the British steel giant are China and Japan, accounting for 52 and 35 percent of the total steel exports, while the figure for England lingers around 32 percent. The losses that it had to face in recent years throw some light upon the pessimistic turn that lies ahead in the future for the industry. On account of this gradual slide of the British steel sector from the industrial forefront, UK, which happened to be the most powerful and strongest of all economies even a century back, is now lurking at number six among its contenders. The deteriorating position of the British manufacturing unit has forced in the opening up of newer avenues to keep the flow of income smooth within the nation. This is the reason behind the

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy Essay

Importance of the writings of John F Kennedy - Essay Example This book consists of more than 100 speeches which were made during Kennedy's political life. This book is not the collection of quotations only, but also his public career which is completely portrayed in statements and speeches. The pages of the book are the reminder of John Kennedy as lofty ideal, parochial politician and clever person. It was mentioned that "much of the value in this book lies not in what it tells of Kennedy, but what it tells about the country in which he lived". (Unique Day of Hope 18) So it is necessary to discuss four main speeches made by Kennedy in order to get clear idea about his vision of America. All these statements are given in his book. (Goldzwig 189) The most famous Kennedy's speech was connected with Inaugural Address. This speech provides with several wit lines, the most notable of which are the words: "Ask not what your country can do for you,-ask what you can do for your country".( Unique Day of Hope 18) During reading this speech it became clear that there were no words about social security, poverty, educational problems, health care problems, civil rights and domestic problems which were the central point of all political debates. This speech deals completely with problems and development of foreign policy. (Goldzwig 189) The second speech which is also worthy of paying attention is Kennedy's address to Houston Ministerial Alliance.

Hemingway's Personal Life and its Influence on his Short Story, Hills Research Paper

Hemingway's Personal Life and its Influence on his Short Story, Hills Like White Elephants - Research Paper Example ling to give them space and do not realize the damage they cause to their psyche due to over-protectiveness or outright suppression of their rights and individuality. Ernest Miller Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois and he was the second child of his parents Grace Hall and Clarence Edmonds Hemingway. After graduation, he shifted to Kansas City and joined as a cub reporter for the Star Newspaper. The ongoing World War excited him and he joined Red Cross as an ambulance driver. He was injured in the war and during the course of his recuperation, he met Agnes von Kurowsky. Hemingway took the relationship seriously but Agnes treated him as a kid. He returned to America to be honored as a war hero. With the termination of relationship with Agnes, Hemingway was heart-broken. In Chicago, when on freelance assignments, he met Hadley Richardson and they got married in 1921. Both of them moved to Paris, on the advice of a friend, to live in association with other writers. That move brought Hemingway to the limelight in the world of literature. In Paris he did some writing for the Toronto Star newspaper. Soon the marriage with Hadley ended, but Hemingway remarried Pauline Pfeiffer and they moved to Key West, Florida. His father committed suicide and his writing was interrupted. By then Hemingway had taken to heavy drinking. The marriage again was on the rocks and he went to Spain accompanied by his new love Martha Gellhorn. In 1940, he divorced Pauline. They jointly bought a house in Cuba and World War II broke out and Hemingway went to Europe to cover the war. Martha was already there to work. Their relationship however ended in 1945. He was in love again and he married Mary Welsh in the year 1946.They returned to Cuba and Hemingway was on his writing assignments again. The next phase in his life was full of tragedies. Ernest and Mary were enjoying a safari in Africa, and they were involved in a plane crash. The injuries were minor and the rescue

John Locke Biography Essay Example for Free

John Locke Biography Essay John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, Somerset, England. He went to the University of Oxford, where he studied medicine. After college he became a philosopher; writing and speaking on topics, such as political philosophy. His father was a country lawyer and was in the military, he served as a captain during the English civil war. John Locke was one of the Whig party founders, this party pushed for constitutional monarchism. He also wrote two books that were published in England; Two Treaties of Government and his Letter Concerning. Toleration while he was in exile in Holland, due to a failed assassination attempt on King Charles II and his brother. Two Treatises of Government showed his revolutionary ideas concerning the natural rights of man and the social contract. Both of these concepts stirred waves in England, and impacted the intellectual underpinnings that formed the later American and French revolutions. John Locke’s liberal politicalviews were verydifferent and were unheardof at the timein Great Britain. He believed that it was wrong for agovernment to force its subjects to conform to a particular religion. Locke said that religious beliefs are a private concern and that they are not a proper subject for government interference. Locke also believed in natural rights which he usually referred to as, â€Å"life, liberty, andproperty†. Hestated that these rights a person may surrender or forfeitby attacking others, but no one can simply take them away. If the government begins to violate these rights by depriving its subjects of life, liberty, and property, then the people have a right to overthrow the governmentand establish a new one. Lockealso believedthat people can consent to create and obey only a limited or constitutional government. Locke’s views on practicing religion freely later influenced the creation of the American Declaration of Independence. John Locke 3 Early in his medical studies, Locke met the Earl of Shaftsbury. The two became friends and Shaftsbury soon persuaded Locke to move to London and become his personal physician. As Shaftsburys power grew, so did Lockes responsibilities. He assisted in his business and political matters and eventually Locke became his secretary of presentations. Shaftsbury had a very heavy influence on Locke’s political career and many of his radical thoughts. Shaftsbury left an outlook on rule and government that stayed with Locke for the rest of his life. After reading about much of Locke’s life it is easy to see that he was very liberal and believed in the people having powers and freedoms that, at the time, were unheard of. John Locke’s philosophical political ideas and writings have greatly contributed to the freedoms we enjoy today in the Western part of the world. BIBLIOGRAPHY John Locke. (2014). The Biography. com website. Retrieved 01:12, Sep 21, 2014, fromhttp://www. biography. com/people/john-locke-9384544. Ball, Terence, and Richard Dagger. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. Print. John Locke 4 Table Of Contents Page 1: Title Page 2: Table of Contents Page 3: Biographical Background and Political Views Page 4: Connections and Conclusion John Locke 5 Page 5: Bibliography.

Factors Affecting The Reliability Of Audit Report Accounting Essay

Factors Affecting The Reliability Of Audit Report Accounting Essay Introduction The end of an independent audit closed with a written audit report. According to section 205 of the Companies Act 2001, the auditors shall make a report to the shareholders on the audited financial statement (FS). The objective of an audit is to render an opinion about the fairness of the clients financial statement. Audit report contains information value for users. Durendez Gà ³mez-Guillamà ³n (2003) states that audit report is found as an important element for making loan decision. Basically the audit report conveys whether the assertions made by management are credible or not. Types of audit report. Unmodified report According to ISA 700, an unmodified report should be issued when the auditors conclude that the FS are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework. Modified report. However if the auditors found that the FS are not free from material misstatement based on the evidence obtained or is unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence to make a conclusion, the auditors should issue a modified report in accordance with ISA 705. All qualification may arise from either disagreement or uncertainty in the scope of the audit. Uncertainty Uncertainty may arise from, firstly a constraint during the audit work i.e. not all records are made available to the auditors, the auditors have appointed after the inventory counts. Secondly, inability to gather evidence concerning a doubt for e.g. an accounting record that have been destroyed or lost or the directors are concealing information. Disagreements Disagreement is due from factual discrepancies, unsuitable accounting policies, inadequate or misleading disclosure or failure to comply with an accounting standard or legislation. Sometimes it can be resolved with the client depending on the fact. Furthermore it is important to calculate the effect of these circumstances and this could be grouped as: Having a material but not pervasive effect on the FS. Having a pervasive (fundamental) effect on the FS. Except for opinion. An except for opinion is given when the effect is material but not pervasive uncertainty or disagreement. An example of an uncertainty could be the part destruction of accounting record and disagreement could be the inappropriate application of depreciation policy to a particular class of fixed assets. Adverse opinion. An adverse opinion is given when the matter concerned is a fundamental disagreement such as failure by the client to recognize a provision which would convert a profit into loss. Disclaimer opinion. A disclaimer opinion is given in the presence of multiple fundamental uncertainties and it is impossible for the auditors to form an opinion. Factors affecting the reliability of audit report. Failure by auditors to issue a reliable audit report can arise from two main causes. Auditors may identify a material misstatement and fail to report it i.e. the auditors lack independence. Auditors may fail to detect an existing error or fraud in the financial statement. Lack of auditors independence Principles of auditors independence Independence is the main means by which the auditor demonstrates that he can perform his task in an objective manner (FEE 1995). Independence is fundamental to the reliability of auditors reports and an indispensable component for the auditing profession. Independence has been described as a position to take an unbiased view point in the performance of audit test, analysis of results and attestation in the audit report (Appah 2008). It simply means the auditors ability to express an honest and impartial conclusion and also the ability of reporting reality to users. In addition, independence also means the ability to resist managerial pressures that impair or are perceived to impair an auditors willingness to carry his work objectively and honestly. Without independence the auditors opinion is suspicious and the audit is considered to be worthless. If the auditors failed to maintain independence in their work, this can affect the reliability of audit report to the sense that the auditors may have discovered material misstatement during the audit test and may deliberately ignore it and issue an unmodified opinion. Independence: in fact and appearance Subject to Mautz and Sharaf (1964) there are two aspects of independence: Independence in fact (real independence) and independence in appearance (perceived independence). These two concepts are essential in maintaining independence. Real independence refers to the actual state of mind of the auditor. An auditor possessing the requisite state of mind will always react in the correct way as he has the ability to make independent audit decision in any compromising situation. More importantly, auditors should not only be independent in fact, but they should appear as independent in order to acquire the public trust on the auditors opinion. Auditors are expected to be seen as independent while examining the clients FS and collecting audit evidence which support their opinion (Stevenson 2002). Precisely, auditors are supposed to be independent while deciding on reporting strategies without any pressures from their clients management (Cullinan, 2004). Church and Zhang (2002) argue that independence in fact ensures the reliability of audited financial statements and independence in appearance helps to promote public confidence which will automatically increas e the trust of the users on audited FS. Factors affecting auditors independence Size of Audit Firm Various studies have proven that larger audit firms are more able to resist managerial pressures i.e. higher auditors independence (Gul 1989, Abu Bakar et al. 2005, Alleyne et al. 2006). Small audit firms may impair independence because they have a tendency to provide a more personalized service to their audit clients which will ultimately develop a close relationship between them (Shockley 1981). Since big firms have many clients, they are not affected by their clients fees so they have less incentive to report favorably to their clients. Moreover, DeAngelo (1981) reported that large audit firms are more likely to issue reliable report since they fear of losing their reputation if they are found to be associated with accounting scandals. However there is no assurance that larger firms are more able to resist pressures from their clients as pointed by Goldman Barlev (1974) due to the fact of the case which happened with Arthur Andersen and Enron. Level of Competition in the Audit Services Market Competition within the audit market is a major factor affecting auditors independence (Sucher and Bychkova 2001; Umar and Anandarajan 2004; MacLullich and Sucher 2005). High level competition compel the auditors to tolerate managerial pressures and ignore any material misstatement detected during the audit test and issue incorrect report as they fear of losing the clients due to the fact that the same services are easily available elsewhere. However, Gul (1989) argued that the level of competition do not cause auditors to be less independent. The existence of competition create a fear in the mind of the auditors as this same services are easily available in the market so they will strive to create a good image of themselves and increase their independency in order to maintain their clients and attract new ones. Tenure of an Audit Firm Serving the Needs of a Given Client An audit firms tenure is the length of time it has served the audit needs of a particular client. Most researchers have viewed tenure as a factor which affects the auditors independence negatively (Abu Bakar et al., 2005; Alleynes et al., 2006). Tenure may result into friendship with the audit client and make the auditor to ignore imperfections that have a significant material impact on the FS (Moore et al. 2006). Mautz Sharaf (1961) emphasized that a long tenure creates complacency, lack of innovation, less rigorous audit procedures and a learned confidence between the audit firm and the clients. It may happen that the audit client has changed the business activities but the auditors are still using the same old audit procedures. Ongoing relations make the auditors to rely upon last years auditing and prevent them from making new evaluation of the control system, thus affecting the reliability of audit report. Size of Audit Fees Received by Audit Firm (in relation to total percentage of audit revenue) Large size of audit fees caused a higher risk of losing auditors independence. The IFACs Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (1996, para 8.7) suggest that client size (measured from size of fees) could raise doubts as to independence. Since audit firms depend on fees for their survival, a step such as qualifying the audit report could be ignored so as not to displease the client and also for the fear of losing income. It is exclusively relevant if the audit firm receive a major proportion of its fee revenue from a particular client. Conversely Pany Reckers (1983) argued that the large size of the clients audit fee (measured as a percentage of office revenues to the audit firm) do not show any significant impacts on AI but it inclined the public to be less confidence in the auditors independence. Non-audit services (NAS) The provision of NAS such as book-keeping and financial statement preparation services, internal audit services, taxation and legal services to audit client is regarded as a potential factor which affects auditors independence drastically. Wines (1994) found out that auditors receiving NAS fees are less likely to qualify their opinion than auditors that dont receive such fees. The NAS fees make auditors financially dependent on their clients and less willing to restraint managerial pressure for the fear of losing their business. Brandon et al (2004) found that auditors would not perform their audit services objectively and joint provision would impair perceived independence. Joint provisions help the auditors to be in a better position in concealing any material facts since they will the same person who will prepare the FS and the same one who will perform the audit. Moreover as the level of clients pressures increased, the auditors became less concerned on the quality of internal co ntrol system (Muhamad and Karbhari, 2006), thus affecting the quality of audit report since these internal deficiencies will remain concealed. Failure by auditors to detect material misstatement in the financial statement. The second factors affecting the reliability of audit report is failure by auditors to detect an existing fraud or error in the FS. Very often, when material misstatement is discovered, the board members are surprised by the occurrence and even more surprised by the fact that the auditors did not detect it. Failure by auditors to detect an existing fraud or error during the audit is costly to their firms because they suffer damages for giving an incorrect audit opinion and at the same time affect the audit quality. Material misstatement has increased considerably over the recent years and professionals believe this trend is likely to continue. ISA 240 The Auditors Responsibilities relating to Fraud in an Audit of Financial Statement states that misstatements in the FS can arise from either fraud or error. Error is an unintentional misstatement in FS, compromising the omission of an amount or a disclosure, such as a mistake in gathering or processing data, an incorrect accounting estimate and a mistake in the application of accounting principles. The ISA 240 refers fraud as an intentional act by one or more individuals among management, those charged with governance, employees, or third parties, involving the use of deception to obtain an unjust or illegal advantage. Aderibigbe and Dada (2007) define fraud as a deliberate deceit planned and executed with the intent to deprive another person of his property or rights directly or indirectly, regardless of whether the perpetrator benefits from his/her actions. According to ISA 240, there are two types of fraud namely: misstatements resulting from fraudulent financial reporting (management fraud) and misstatements resulting from misappropriation of assets (employee fraud) Fraudulent financial reporting (FFR) involves intentional misstatements or omissions of amounts or disclosures in FS to deceive FS users. Some types of FFR include manipulation, falsification or alteration of accounting records, misrepresentation or intentional omission of events, transactions or other significant information and intentional misapplication of accounting principles relating to measurement, recognition, classification, presentation or disclosure. Misappropriation of assets involves the theft of an entitys assets such as embezzling receipts, stealing physical or intangible assets and making the organization to pay for goods and services not received. Such acts are often accompanied by false or misleading records or documents in order to conceal the fact. Responsibilities of the auditors Various studies that have been conducted in different countries showed that many users perceived that it is the responsibility of the auditors to detect irregularities (Leung and Chau. 2001 in Hong Kong; Dixon et al (2006) in Egypt; Fadzly and Ahmad. 2004 in Malaysia). Since the fall of Enron, Boynton et al (2005) argue that auditing standards have been revised to re consider the auditors responsibilities regarding fraud. Moreover ISA 315 requires the auditors to evaluate the effectiveness of the clients internal control system in detecting or preventing material misstatement occurring. Boynton et al (2005) emphasized that this condition was not previously needed, such an evaluation was only required if the auditors chose to rely on the internal control system in attempt to lessen the extent of the audit procedures. All staff members are required to communicate their result in order to combine the minor irregularities detected by each of them and required to consider the incentives and opportunities existed in the organization that induce the occurrence of fraud. An auditor who is conducting an audit in accordance with ISAs should obtain reasonable assurance that the FS taken as a whole are free from material misstatement whether from error and fraud. But an auditor cannot provide absolute assurance that the FS are free from material misstatement since some material misstatements of the FS may not be detected, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs. Furthermore frauds are more difficult to detect than errors since the former involve the use of sophisticated and well organized plan to conceal them. It should be noted that management fraud is more difficult to detect than employee fraud as management is often found on the higher position and is more able to directly or indirectly manipulate figures. Such attempts may be even more difficult to detect if they are accompanied with collusion because collusion may cause the auditor to believe that audit evidence is persuasive when in fact, it is false. It is worth to note that the ultimate responsibility in relation to fraud detection and prevention rest with those charged with the governance of the entity and management. It is their responsibility to implement appropriate internal control systems to prevent fraud in their companies. Factors affecting the ability of auditors to detect material misstatement. Poor audit planning Planning is critical to the effectiveness and efficiency of an audit engagement (Mock Wright, 1992). It can be concluded that information obtained in the planning stage have an impact on the subsequent audit procedures and the audit evidence to be evaluated (Joyce, 1976). The planning stage consists of materiality assessments, risk assessments and decision on the kind of evidence to be collected. If the initial risk assessment is wrong, the planned audit procedures may be incorrect or insufficient, thus reducing the reliability of the FS and increase the auditors exposure to lawsuit and unfavorable outcomes (Palmrose 1987). If the auditors fail to assess risk, a material error could arises in the raw data of an account balance (inherent risk (IR)), passes through the internal control system of the entity undetected (control risk (CR)) and escapes detection by the auditors tests and procedures (detection risk (DR)). The risk assessment stage is vital as it enables the auditors to identify areas where there is a high probation of material misstatement, plan audit work that address those errors and minimize the chance of giving an incorrect audit opinion. The risk assessment comprises of three important elements namely IR, CR and DR. If any of these three elements are wrongly assessed, it affects the subsequent procedures and many misstatements would go undetected. IR is important as it identifies risks which are inherent within the industry. CR enable auditors to assess whether the clients internal control system can identify or prevent any material misstatement occurring. The assessment of inherent and c ontrol risk will have an impact on detection risk as they will determine the extent of audit procedures. Furthermore, if the auditors fail to determine materiality level, this can cause many material misstatements or omissions go undetected. IASB defined materiality as information is material if its omission or misstatement could influence the economic decision of users taken on the basis of the financial statement. Determining materiality is a matter of professional judgment. It can be concluded that both materiality and risk assessment contribute to determine the nature, extent and timing of audit procedures. Inexperienced Auditors Although a successful audit depends on a good planning stage, the ultimate success depends on the auditors experience to conduct the audit. Experienced auditors have the appropriate and adequate skills required in order to achieve audit objectives to the satisfaction of the client. Very often, auditors fail to detect material misstatement despite having assessing a high initial risk assessment, the reason behind this failure is that they lack the required skill to perform the audit while simultaneously identifying relevant risk factor. Experienced auditors is regarded as an valuable asset to the audit firm since they have more practice and feedback on the types of material misstatement that could be existed in the FS and its rate of occurrence (Libby and Frederick, 1990), thus increasing the likelihood of detecting potential fraud more easily. Bedard and Graham (2002) concluded that auditors with more experience with a particular client industry have more ability to identify risk factors than auditors with little or no experience with that industry. Furthermore, Moeckel (1991) found that experienced auditors search for more evidence than less experienced auditors. It simply means that experienced auditor do not only rely upon the evidence produced by the client but they look for further relevant and reliable evidence outside the entity before reaching an opinion, thus increasing the chance of detecting irregularities. Libby and Trotman (1993) found that senior auditors have the ability to recognize evidences which are inconsistent with their judgment. Time budget Time budget is considered as a major problem faced by almost auditors. Time budget pressures affect the quality of an audit as it prevents the auditors from allocating adequate number of time to complete specified audit procedures (Margheim, Kelley Pattison, 2005) and limits auditors ability to expand the extent of audit test (Asare et al. 2000), thus affecting the ability of auditors to detect material misstatement in the FS. It is worth to note that when attainment of budget is considered as a major factor in performance evaluation, auditors are more likely to engage in dysfunctional behaviors such as reduction of follow-up procedures, underreporting of time, and overriding auditing procedures in the work program (Azad 1994). Time pressures create a stressful working environment among the audit team which is likely to affect the ability of auditors to detect material misstatement since the auditors tend to behave unprofessionally. This includes behavior such as superficial examination of documents, acceptance of weak explanations by the client, reduction of work on an audit step below acceptable levels. E.Cook and Kelley (1988) survey results showed that auditors are more likely to engage in reduced audit quality practices in order to attain the time set by the firms. It simply means as time budget pressure increased, the auditors performance decreased significantly (McDaniel, 1990). However, time budget make auditors work harder and charge all time properly (Kelley and Seiler1982, Cook and Kelley 1991, Otley and Pierce 1996a). Moreover time budget is likely to enhance audit judgment by encouraging auditors to emphasis more on relevant information thus preventing them from being influenced by irrelevant information (Glover 1997). Sampling error According to ISA 530 Audit Sampling and Other Sampling Testing Procedures, audit sampling involves the application of audit procedures to less than 100% of items within a population of audit relevance such that all sampling units have a chance of selection in order to provide the auditor with a reasonable basis on which to draw conclusions about the entire population. Every audit involves the use of sampling since it is costly for the auditors to examine 100% of all the transactions that took place during a period. The auditors use some form of audit sampling to test the internal control system, help them to reach a conclusion about whether or not material misstatement exist. But sampling always involves some risk, i.e. the auditors might not look at enough items or the sample result might not be representatives. This can have a drastic effect since the auditors might reach an incorrect conclusion. Sampling risk could occur in both test of control and substantive procedures. In test of control, there is the risk of assessing control risk too high or too low.  Ã‚  Assessing control risk too high result into audit inefficiency and assessing control risk too low makes the auditor rely on ineffective control procedures which increases detection risk. In substantive procedures, there is the risk of incorrect acceptance and risk of incorrect rejection. Incorrect acceptance is the risk that the conclusion drawn from the audit sample is that the account balance is not materially misstated, when in fact it is materially misstated. Incorrect rejection is the risk that the conclusion drawn from the audit sample is that the account balance is materially misstates, when in reality it is not. Inadequate audit fees There is limited empirical evidence on the linkage between low audit fees and audit quality. However we can say that audit fees have an impact in the performance of auditors. Numerous Accountancy members have noted that low fees are associated with inadequate audit work. For example, an auditor might use his judgment to the client rather than devote additional time to investigating an audit issue and search for reliable evidence. This would likely to make the auditors to fail in identifying a material misstatement in the FS and issue an incorrect opinion. It can be asserted that when audit fees are abnormally low, the concern is poor audit quality as the auditor might attempt to cut back on effort to design an appropriate audit procedure that fully identify and address material misstatement. Furthermore it can be concluded that if audit fees are low relative to the size of audit client and audit client complexity, this can cause a serious problem since the auditors would be demotivated as more time and effort would be required to perform the external audit work and to reach an unbiased conclusion, thus making the auditors to skip a lot of important audit procedures. On the other hand, inadequate fees do not pose any concern when there is severe competition among audit firms since all audit firms will tend to tender low fees for their services in order to maintain its clients and to attract new ones.

Natural Language Processing :: essays research papers

Natural Language Processing There have been high hopes for Natural Language Processing. Natural Language Processing, also known simply as NLP, is part of the broader field of Artificial Intelligence, the effort towards making machines think. Computers may appear intelligent as they crunch numbers and process information with blazing speed. In truth, computers are nothing but dumb slaves who only understand on or off and are limited to exact instructions. But since the invention of the computer, scientists have been attempting to make computers not only appear intelligent but be intelligent. A truly intelligent computer would not be limited to rigid computer language commands, but instead be able to process and understand the English language. This is the concept behind Natural Language Processing. The phases a message would go through during NLP would consist of message, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and intended meaning. (M. A. Fischer, 1987) Syntax is the grammatical structure. Semantics is the literal meaning. Pragmatics is world knowledge, knowledge of the context, and a model of the sender. When syntax, semantics, and pragmatics are applied, accurate Natural Language Processing will exist. Alan Turing predicted of NLP in 1950 (Daniel Crevier, 1994, page 9): "I believe that in about fifty years' time it will be possible to program computers .... to make them play the imitation game so well that an average interrogator will not have more than 70 per cent chance of making the right identification after five minutes of questioning." But in 1950, the current computer technology was limited. Because of these limitations, NLP programs of that day focused on exploiting the strengths the computers did have. For example, a program called SYNTHEX tried to determine the meaning of sentences by looking up each word in its encyclopedia. Another early approach was Noam Chomsky's at MIT. He believed that language could be analyzed without any reference to semantics or pragmatics, just by simply looking at the syntax. Both of these techniques did not work. Scientists realized that their Artificial Intelligence programs did not think like people do and since people are much more intelligent than those programs they decided to make their programs think more closely like a person would. So in the late 1950s, scientists shifted from trying to exploit the capabilities of computers to trying to emulate the human brain. (Daniel Crevier, 1994) Ross Quillian at Carnegie Mellon wanted to try to program the associative aspects of human memory to create better NLP programs. (Daniel Crevier, 1994) Quillian's idea was to determine the meaning of a word by the words around it. For example, look at these sentences: After the strike, the

Hack Me Once, Phreak Me Twice :: Computers Technology Hacking Hackers Papers

Hack Me Once, Phreak Me Twice There are a few elite in our technology-driven world that possess the unnatural ability to understand and wield the power of computers. To the media they are known as hackers, threats to computer security everywhere. To the underground they are known as "console cowboys", samurais, and the last defenders of free information. To the common man they are young teenage boys that break your computer and ruin your e-mail. Hackers are not criminals or mischievous kids with no purpose. They play an important role in our culture and are the fuel behind our technological revolution. Before we can fully understand the mind of a hacker, we need to look at the history of hacking. Hacking is usually broken up into three time periods: The Elder Days, The Golden Age, and Zero Tolerance. The Elder Days were the years from 1965-1979 when the "hackers" emerged from the computer labs of MIT, Cornell, and Harvard. These computer geeks of the 60's had an incurable thirst to know how machines worked, specifically computers. While professors were trying to teach structured, mathematical programming, students were staying up late nights "hacking" away at their programs until they found shorter and more elegant solutions to the problems. This process of "bumming code" contradicted the professors' methods, and so began the defiant and rebellious origins of hackers. This time period produced one of the best hacks of all time, when Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thomson of Bell Labs created the operating system UNIX in 1969. This primitive operating system was written by hackers, for hackers. There was now a standard to run programs on, although it required an enormous amount of knowledge of computers for even the simplest tasks. As a consequence of UNIX, the 1970's became all about exp loring and figuring out how the computer world worked. In 1971, a hacker found out how to get free calls from AT&T by emitting a 2600 MHz tone into the receiver. He called himself "Cap'n Crunch" because he used the free whistle that came in the cereal box to give off the 2600 MHz tone. From this, a new type of hacking gained popularity, one that did not deal specifically with computers but rather with telephones. Hackers like Cap'n Crunch were called "phreaks", for "phone freaks." So, fittingly, hacking phones is known as "phreaking." As more phreakers and hackers emerged, they needed a way to communicate with each other.

From dependence to independence Essay

â€Å"A Taste Of Honey† is a twentieth century play set in the 1950s. It is known as a â€Å"kitchen-sink† drama and was written by Shelagh Delaney at the age of 18 and was first performed in May 1958. A â€Å"kitchen-sink† drama originated in the literature in the 1950s and 1960s. Its aim is to create a true picture of the hard life and troubles of the working class life. In â€Å"A Taste Of Honey† the two main characters are always falling out with each other and the people around them. The conditions they live in are cramped and poor in bedsits or flats. An example of a â€Å"kitchen-sink† drama is in â€Å"Look Back In Anger† by John Osborne and â€Å"Saturday Night And Sunday Morning† by Alan Sillitoe. Plays and dramas in the fifties were performed for the middle and upper classes but then came the debut â€Å"kitchen-sink† drama; â€Å"Look Back In Anger†, which was aimed at the working class. A â€Å"kitchen-sink† drama play uses everyday common language to reflect the lives of the working class people portrayed. â€Å"A Taste Of Honey† is set in Salford, Manchester. It is about the life and relationship between a young girl, Jo, and her mother, Helen. They move around a lot, and have just moved into a shabby one-bedroomed flat in Salford. Helen is a semi-whore who lives off money which has been given to her by her men friends. Helen also drinks a lot. Jo is fifteen years old and she is very talented in an artistic way and enjoys drawing, but she blames her mother, who she refers to as Helen, for disrupting her education. Helen and Jo move into a shabby rented flat in Salford and it’s very cramped and small. Jo isn’t happy but Helen doesn’t mind. Jo tries to make the flat look and feel more liveable in by deciding to plant some bulbs. Helen’s not bothered though, and is happy that at least they have a roof over their heads. She has a â€Å"what you see is what you get† attitude towards life and lives by a day-to-day basis. Helen also uses a lot of sarcasm, for example, when Jo is complaining about the flat, Helen replies, â€Å"Everything in it is falling apart, it’s true, and we’ve no heating- but there’s a lovely view of the gasworks.† Helen is a single parent and there’s no mention of any relatives throughout the play. Single parent families were not accepted in the 1950s and if a couple wasn’t married, it was seen as â€Å"living in sin† and frowned upon. â€Å"A Taste Of Honey† is aimed at adults and older teenagers as there is a lot of crude and rude humour and bad language, reflecting their working class lives for example, Helen: â€Å"Take your bloody money and get out.† Peter: â€Å"Thank you.† Helen: â€Å"You dirty bastard.† Also, teenage pregnancies, race and sexuality were big issues in the fifties. Homosexuality was a criminal offence, even if the couple were of a consent age. Many homosexuals were locked up, and underage sex was strongly frowned upon, and abortions were very difficult to obtain. Women had to resort to back-street abortions, which were very dangerous and could be fatal, so that’s why there were a lot of teenage pregnancies. In the fifties, there were very few black people and they were given low paid jobs in the service industries and hospitals. These three issues are all part of the story. Jo has a teenage pregnancy, Jimmie is black, and Geof is homosexual. There were no equal opportunities, for example, men got paid more than women in exactly the same jobs. Housing conditions in Salford were poor. Most houses were small, cramped and dirty. Many rented bedsits or flats often shared amenities like bathrooms and toilets, and this is the case in â€Å"A Taste Of Honey†. â€Å"We share a bathroom with the community and this wallpaper’s contemporary. What more do you want?† In â€Å"A Taste Of Honey†, Jo doesn’t call her mother â€Å"mother†. She calls her Helen. This shows that she doesn’t have much respect for her mother and wishes to live her own life, and not to be ruled over by someone who is not a good mother figure. I think Jo is lonely, as she hasn’t settled down in a school yet so she hasn’t had the chance to make any friends. Helen also treats Jo as if she is just something that’s there. She refers to Jo as â€Å"she† and â€Å"her†. â€Å"Wouldn’t she get on your nerves?† Helen also drinks a lot, and even though Jo isn’t treated as a real person, she still wishes her mother would stop. â€Å"Drink, drink, drink, that’s all you’re fit for.† With Jo wanting Helen to stop drinking, I think this shows that Jo is scared, that if the drinking carries on and Helen gets ill or something happens to her, then Jo will be alone. Helen’s favourite past-times, which Jo disapproves of, are her drinking habits and sleeping around. Helen is not a good mother and she knows this herself, â€Å"Have I ever laid claim to being a proper mother?† Helen hardly knows her daughter. This is made obvious when Jo decides to have a bath in the morning because it’s dark outside, and Helen replies, â€Å"Are you afraid of the dark?† whereas in any normal family, the parent would know if their child was afraid of anything with living with them for fifteen years. Jo hates school. She has been moved from school to school and never settled in any of them, so she can’t be bothered with it, but she is very talented in drawing. When Helen finds some of Jo’s drawings, her only reply is, â€Å"I thought you weren’t good at anything.† Helen starts to encourage Jo by saying it’s very good, but then her sarcasm returns when she says, â€Å"I think I’ll hang this on the wall somewhere. Now, where will it be least noticeable?† When we meet Peter, he enters with a cigar in his mouth. He seems very â€Å"cocky† and seems the sort of person who doesn’t really care for other people, as he is self-centred. He keeps telling Jo to go away, and tells Helen to â€Å"get rid of her†, because he just wants Helen for sex. Jo doesn’t want to leave the two alone, and keeps interrupting because she is afraid that Peter will get the attention off Helen that Jo has always wanted. Also, Jo knows that Helen will abandon her and go off with new men she meets, as she has done it before. When Helen goes out the room and Jo is left alone with Peter, she starts to question him. Jo sees some photographs in Peter’s wallet and demands to know who they are of. â€Å"Can I see the other photos?† She then starts to ask why he’s marrying Helen and asks if he fancies her. â€Å"Do you fancy me?† I think she asks this because she knows that her mother is beautiful, and she gets lots of attention off men, so Jo wants to see if she could be just like her. Helen is somewhat an â€Å"idol† to Jo, because she always asks people if they think Helen is beautiful, and she wants to be just like her†¦ always getting attention from men. Jo, in a way, is jealous of Helen. I think Jo is fairly independent for her age, as she is certain about what she wants to do. She wants to leave school and start working as soon as she can. This shows that she acts older than she really is and is mature for her age. In scene 2, we are introduced to Jo’s boyfriend. In this part of the play, we know him as â€Å"Boy†, but later on we find out his name is Jimmie. He is a black sailor in the navy and he asks Jo to marry him. Boy is twenty-two, and Jo lies about her age and tells him she is eighteen. He questions her about what Helen will think about him because he’s a coloured boy. Boy: â€Å"She hasn’t seen me.† Jo: â€Å"And when she does?† Boy: â€Å"She’ll see a coloured boy.† I think Boy is worried about meeting Jo’s mother, as racial prejudice was a big issue in the fifties. Jo tells him, though, that her mother is not prejudice and will not mind, but at the end of the play when Helen finds out that the baby will be black, she starts to get mad. When she finds out, she says, â€Å"Oh don’t be silly Jo. You’ll be giving yourself nightmares.† She thinks Jo is pulling her leg but she is serious. When she finally realises that it is true, she doesn’t care what people will think of Jo, but what people will think of herself. â€Å"Can you see me wheeling a pram with a†¦ Oh my God, I’ll have to have a drink.† Boy has to go away for six months, and he reassures her he’ll be back. I think Jo ‘thinks’ she loves Boy, but doesn’t expect him to return, because when he says he is going, Jo says her â€Å"Heart’s broke†. Boy offers comfort by saying; â€Å"You can lie in bed at night and hear my ship passing down the old canal.† But when Boy starts to flirt with her in a naughty way, she says, â€Å"I may as well be naughty while I’ve got the chance. I’ll probably never see you again. I know it.† I don’t think that it’s true love between Jo and Boy, as Jo is young and every time they say they love each other, their replies to one another is always â€Å"how†, and â€Å"why.† Boy: â€Å"I love you.† Jo: â€Å"How do you know?† Whereas if they really did love each other, they wouldn’t ask for reasons why. Jo’s friend Geof, is very considerate and caring. We meet Geof in Act 2, Scene 1 after him and Jo have been to the fairground. Geof is a homosexual and he has been kicked out of his flat by the landlady because of this, so he’s been spending time at Jo’s. By this time, it is summer and Jo’s pregnancy is obvious. Helen has moved out after marrying Peter and left Jo alone. Geof comes into Jo’s flat after the fair and is about to go but Jo literally begs him to stay. â€Å"Geof, don’t go. Don’t go. Geof!† I think Jo is scared to be alone, that she doesn’t know what she would do alone with the birth getting nearer. Geof starts looking through Jo’s drawings and criticises them by saying he doesn’t like charcoal and that the drawings are exactly like Jo, with â€Å"no design, rhythm or purpose.† When Geof starts telling Jo that a lot of money will be needed for the baby, she tries to ignore the fact that she’s pregnant and tells Geof to â€Å"shut up†, but Geof isn’t saying this to worry her, but to get her prepared and face reality. He cares for her and because Helen doesn’t know about the pregnancy, Geof thinks she has a right to know that she’s going to be a grandmother but Jo objects. Jo’s relationship with Geof is a love similar to that of a brother and sister, as he is more into looking after her. I think Jo really cares for him too, as she begs him to stay over and she has a laugh with him as well as being flirty at the same time. Jo: â€Å"Do you like beer?† Geof: â€Å"Yes.† Jo: â€Å"Gin?† Geof: â€Å"Yes. Have you got some?† Jo: â€Å"No, but if I had, I’d give it all to you. I’d give everything I had to you.† When Jo and Geof go to bed, Geof questions Jo about Jimmie. Geof: â€Å"A black boy?† Jo: â€Å"From darkest Africa! A Prince.† She exaggerates as though it was a dream, or a fairytale. Just before they go to bed, Jo laughs and tells Geof, â€Å"You’re just like a big sister to me.† A few months later, Jo and Geof are getting ready for the arrival of the baby and Geof’s making a baby gown while Jo wanders about the room. It is not something that the audience would expect a man or brother to be doing. It would more likely be a sister. I think Jo is nervous because the birth is very near and she is restless. She is very excited when the baby kicks, and tells Geof. Jo always seems to flirt with Geof, playfully putting her arms around him, but when Geof is serious about him and Jo, she backs off. Geof: â€Å"Let me kiss you.† Jo: â€Å"Let go of me. Leave me alone.† I think this is where Jo becomes more mature and independent, as she knows what she wants. â€Å"I think I’ve had enough. I’m sick of love.† But then Jo realises that she can’t really cope, that the baby is perhaps more than she can handle and her hormones are getting the better of her. â€Å"I’ll bash its brains out. I’ll kill it. I don’t want this baby, Geof. I don’t want to be a mother.† She realises that she wants Jimmie back, she misses him so much, and she wants the real father to her baby. â€Å"Every Christmas Helen used to go off with some boyfriend or other and leave me all on my own in some sordid digs, but last Christmas I had him.† Geof thinks he is only welcome in Jo’s flat until she finds her next â€Å"Prince† and in my opinion, Geof is hurt. When Helen comes to see Jo with Peter, Peter is prejudiced against Geof and calls him a â€Å"fruit cake parcel.† He is drunk and wants to go to the pub with Helen, and so he starts making his own fun by calling the flat Jo lives in, and calling Jo a â€Å"slut.† Jo’s attitude towards Geof towards the end of the play changes for the better. From the way they both talk to each other you can see they have both grown up. Jo is more open to Geof about her relationship with Helen. â€Å"You know I used to try and hold my mothers hands but she always used to pull them away from me. She had so much love for everyone else but none for me.† When Jo says that, it actually makes the audience feel sorry for her, and disgusted with Helen, because Jo didn’t have a genuine mother figure. She also tells Geof about how Helen got pregnant with her. She tells him about how she was married to a Puritan, but wanted some fun so she had a â€Å"frolic in a hay loft† one afternoon with a â€Å"daft† man. This shows that she feels secure with Geof and more confident with him as she tells him everything that happened and wants him to feel sorry for her and to understand her because she didn’t have a good childhood. Jo starts to value Geof, as she realises he cares more than Helen. At the end of the play, Helen tries to hint that she wants Geof to leave so she can move back in. she thinks she could look after Jo better than Geof, even after the months she has missed. â€Å"There wouldn’t be much room for two of us on the couch, would there?† The only hint of love from Helen for Jo throughout the play is when Jo is having contractions and Helen strokes her hair, saying everything will be all right. This is the only time in the play when Helen is shown to be supportive of Jo. It shows Jo is independent and has matured, because when Helen doesn’t know how to use the stove, Jo tells her, whereas this time last year, it was the other way around. When Geof leaves, and Helen finds out about the baby being black, she says she’s going for a drink. This part reflects the beginning, when Helen abandons Jo at Christmas. Unfortunately just when Jo needs her mother the most, she leaves her yet again. When she’s out the door, Jo leans against the doorpost, remembering the good times with Geof and smiling to herself, as she recites a rhyme that Geof taught her. This shows that she is now dependant on herself, and knows she can cope by herself, because she was left alone the year before, and knows she can do it again. Jo’s â€Å"Taste Of Honey† was when she met Jimmie, but in my opinion, I think her â€Å"Taste Of Honey† was the time she spent with Geof, because he taught her a lot of things in life, and throughout the play you can see how she has matured, and adopted a more serious attitude towards life.