Study of Theatre’s -isms

The only form of theatre known before realism was romanticism so the world was very scared to accept the new, scary kind of plays. Especially considering that the new style was not always perfect and nice, but sometimes sad and disappointing. Realism didn't really catch on so only 20 years later, naturalism was formed. Unfortunately, naturalism did not do so well either. In the 18805-1 9005, symbolism started to appear. This was a very significant step in the life of theatre and is still very often used today. The creators of homeboys believed that reality can only be expressed indirectly and through symbols.They used many medieval symbols and religious paintings in their plays as well as allegorical signs. Around the same time period is when impressionism made it's short appearance. This movement was primarily seen in the set designs because it was believed that â€Å"artist is affected internally through external reality†. Oftentimes in plays today, you will notice a certain painting or color in the background of the set that looks random but always has a deeper, much more interesting reasoning. This all started in the asses with symbolisms and impressionism!In the years 1916-1924 is when theatre started to become more†¦ Artsy. This is when dada and surrealism became genres. Both of these focused on what was unusual and different to the audience. Dada started as a reaction to the First World War. The word â€Å"dada† itself is a made up word that means nothing. It was sought to outrage the audience into action. Sets and costumes often looked blurred together like a big mess – or they were just completely outrageous. Similarly, surrealism said that art must transcend reality by ding all arts into one single vision that suggests a harmony.Many times, there would be what seems like way too much on stage or on a costume but in surrealism, somehow it always blends together peacefully. Surrealism seems to be, in many ways, the most precedi ng of the -isms because of how prominent it still is in theatre and film. Through all of my research, have learned that theatre today is nowhere close to what is was when first created. Am sure that in the next years, theatre will continue to change even more and I cannot wait to see where it ends up when my children are my age!

How Has Technology Affected Global Business Essay

Before the arrival of the era of the technology, business was done very inside the four walls of the office. Technology advancement is responsible for today’s noticeable changes in the field of business, mainly in international business. Nowadays, almost every home and office is equipped with computers that are connected to the Internet. Most businesses are conducted over personal computers or other communication devices such as handheld devices. It has become easier to access information and learn about developing economic trends and problems as well as gather data on foreign exchange market, cultures and policies. The advancement of technology has also made it easier for businesses to deal with foreign investments. Furthermore, technology has changed the way we deal with business matters. The internet has become a very useful tool for international companies. Other than that, Schermerhorn, Davidson, Poole, Simon, Woods and Chau (2004) stated that â€Å"computers allow organizations of all types and sizes, locally and internationally, to speed transactions and improve decision making. Schermerhorn, Davidson, Poole, Simon, Woods and Chau (2004) also suggested that from small retailers to the big international firms, technology is an important tool for everyday operation whether it is for inventory checking, sales transaction making, ordering goods or analyzing customer preferences. With internet, video conferencing can be used by both parties to see each other virtually on TV or computer screen. For example, in Malaysia we can have a conversation with a raw material supplier in China and a manufacturer from Taiwan. By using the internet, companies across the world can perform research and socialize with partners and suppliers better. This will eventually lead us to having a better relationship with international suppliers and customers. Next, the existence of technology has also caused improvement in the field of the media in the means of communication. Anyone can easily access data of a specific foreign company with the help of media such as internet, radio, newspaper and magazines. Increased media capabilities can help international businesses improve their productivity through media’s various means of reaching out to public. Once a company’s productivity level increases, profits can also scale up. Other than that, with computers, we can now store dense databases, personal schedules and other important information in the computer without having to store the old and dusty piles of papers and files in the office. Accessibility of files also has become an easy task with series of password keys and shared folders. Cash transactions are easily made, delay in reduced hence giving liquidity to business. In order to save time and effort, we can also now use accounting software such as UBS to record and process accounting transactions. The shipment of raw materials and finished products is very important to any business, but mostly for those with an international scope. Technology of transportation enables a company on one continent to send its raw materials or products to another company in a different continent. Technological advancements in airplanes, cargo ships and railways allow for quicker, cheaper delivery, which impacts business by making global distribution more feasible. Technology has helped in customer service, huge corporations such as Apply and Microsoft attend to customer needs through email and chat services. Networking internal and external in organizations has improved the working of businesses. Staffs and clients likewise can get in touch with the managers for feedback, progress reports and extensions. It is definitely more convenient for customers as they do not need to trouble themselves to walk into a company that they want to complain or need help from.

History of Life Through Time Essay

1. The website shows the basic phylogeny of the three main lineages of life forms. They are â€Å"Archaea,† â€Å"Eubacteria,† and â€Å"Eukaryotes. † It also shows â€Å"Viruses† outside of the tree, with a question mark indicating that its place in the tree is undetermined, if it belongs in the tree at all. 2. This site attempts to show the two alternative phylogenies of the major lineages of life forms. The â€Å"archaea tree† distinguishes two variations of archaea, and shows that archaea are more closely related to eukaryotes than to eubacteria. In the â€Å"eocyte tree,† archaea are not specified at all, but eukaryotes are shown as most closely related to crenarchaeota-eocytes, which was a derivation of archaea in the previous tree. 3. Viruses are not listed in these two phylogenies because they are not proven to be actual life forms. Where archaea, eubacteria and eukaryotes are classified as â€Å"life forms† due to their ability to transfer genes, viruses have not been determined to be living. They are therefore not included on these two phylogenetic trees. At the other website, , a detailed phylogeny of the Eukaryotes is provided. From this it is evident that Fungi are more closely related to Animalia than to Plantae. 5. Both sites show that the major life classifications are â€Å"Bacteria,† â€Å"Eukaryotes,† and â€Å"Archaea. † The â€Å"Tree of Life† site shows the alternatives to how closely the lineages are related, giving two examples of how the three domains may be nested within each other instead of being derived equally. The University of California site breaks down the systematics of each domain separately and more specifically, leaving the three domains as separate entities entirely. Works Cited History of Life Through Time. 2009. University of California Museum of Paleontology. 3 June 2009 . Tree of Life Web Project. 1997. Life on Earth. Version 01 January 1997 (temporary). 3 June 2009 in The Tree of Life Web Project, .

Accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Accounting - Research Paper Example l not only affect the reporting style and responsibility of the public companies but will also affect the private companies of the United States since both the public and private companies relied upon the GAAP for the preparation of their financial statements. It is a notable fact that even today some of the US private companies apply the IFRS to meet their reporting requirements, particularly the companies that have foreign related parties or investors that use the IFRS. There has been a debate over the past few years that the extensive reporting requirements of US GAAP have increased the cost of reporting for both the public and private companies although some of the more composite requirements may not even apply on the private companies. The AICPA (American Institute of Chartered Public Accountants) has carried out certain studies to observe the relevance and fulfillment of requirements of the users of the financial statements of private companies as to whether the US GAAP compliance is beneficial to the users. The study has resulted in the fact that some of the more extensive and complex requirement of the US GAAP have more cost than benefit to the users. This may be because the users of financial statements of public company and the private company have different objectives as the public company financial statement users are mainly investors while the private company users are more concerned with management and short-term affairs of the company. This debate has also given rise to a further debate hat whether a standalone reporting standards be prepared to meet the requirements of the private companies as some countries have already put forward this point. In this regard, the IASB has already begun working on reporting standards for Medium and Small Enterprises which are known as the IFRS for Private Entities. These IFRS for private entities only cover those entities that are exempt from public accountability which has made it relevant for any entity that

World War II and the Holocaust Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World War II and the Holocaust - Assignment Example ine restrictions and conditions put upon them in the form of the indemnities and other penalties, the fact that Adolf Hitler considered Jews and the Austrians as the main agent and factor of brining about defeat to Germans in the First World War sow the seeds of evil and hatred within. Initially when Adolf Hitler and Nazi party came to power, they claimed to aim at restoring the pride, honor and power of the Germans, but the undertaking of the Jews under a formally approved program of genocide in the name of Holocaust caused havoc and ran counter to the initially set forth principles and doctrines under the banner of National Socialist function and mandate they had received. Historic as well as cultural factors were incorporated into the statement and actions against the Jews. On the historic front, they were being held as the guilty party for having brought about shame and defeat upon the Germans in the First War, on the social and societal front, the Jews were being termed as the inferior race that with their presence brought about downfall upon the other tribes and societies. Considering the Aryans as the superior tribe led to the creation of the concept of hatred for others (Blain, 2009, 79). An ultimate feeling of ethnocentric identity prevailed. The outcome and the future prospect were so horrific that it led to the utter hatred and annihilation of the Jews by the German Nazi party. They were to be eradicated step wise and the muzzling was so complete they their literature, their governmental occupational posts, their achievements, their identity all was removed step wise. Formally approved containment centers and Gas Chambers were introduced (Bre itman, 2013). Designated posts of Ministry of Propaganda and spread of hatred against Jews were formally established. Strategies were being devised in the early phases of regime empowerment; formal actions came about towards the start of the Second World War. By the end of the Second World War, the concept of

Case Study 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

2 - Case Study Example In case of an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction due to ABO incompatibility is specifically identified â€Å"a reviewable sentinel event for which a comprehensive analysis of cause, corrective action, preventive action† (2013) an reporting are required. Successful performances of these require the involvement of medical staffs and practice guidelines for ordering blood transfusion. Late 1970’s showed an increasing demand for blood and it’s products with rising cost and transfusion associated morbidity, thereby reviewing blood ordering and transfusion practices and these studies showed gross over-ordering of blood much in excess of anticipated needs. Surplus units of blood ordered by surgeons are not properly utilized resulting in the loss of shelf-life and wastage of blood. Eg: â€Å"In South Africa 7-10% of blood is wasted annually because of over ordering of blood† (Cable et al. 2002). â€Å"Blood ordering is a common practice in surgical field† (Pediatric Preoperative Blood Ordering: When is a Type and Screen or Crossmatch Really Needed?, 2014) where the average requirement for a particular procedure is usually based on subjective blood loss rather than on evidence based estimates. Over ordering with minimal utilization squanders technical time and impose extra expenses on patients.† Excessive cross-matching with minimal transfusion practice was observed in elective surgical patients†. Blood ordering pattern for elective procedures needs to be revised and over ordering should be avoided. The hospitals with blood transfusion committee should forcefully formulate maximum surgical blood ordering policies for elective surgical procedures and also follow up regular auditing. Blood management has also helped those refusing blood products for religious or other reasons. This has revolutionized and broadened the scope of clinical applications which inv olves â€Å"the functions of blood utilization,

Frist assay in helth an safety management Essay

Frist assay in helth an safety management - Essay Example It includes both large scale civic surroundings i.e. places of work, as well as personal places such as homes. The phrase, today, has been widely known and used to illustrate the interdisciplinary field of study which seeks to address various aspects of man – made surrounding such as its design, management, and safety issues in relation to human activities. The construction industry has a disturbingly low safety mechanism as compared to the other industries where accidents which involves temporary access systems, fitting of defective components, unauthorized modification of structures, omission of barriers as well as other more common factors arising on account of management failure such as failure to control and prevent risk, unsafe methods and practices, and inadequate training and supervision account for a large proportion of injuries in the construction industry worldwide1. Although the construction industry has been widely appreciated for making major contributions in accelerating development across the globe, its image has been tarnished by the number of accidents and health hazards that occur on an almost regular basis on the sites. This research paper deals with the various aspects involved in the workplace safety management practices with regard to the construction industry. It analyses and discusses the contemporary issues, current trends and strategies that could be used to improve the working conditions and reduce the health hazards which are faced by construction workers. According to HSE approximately 2.2 million3 people work in Britain’s construction industry, which is incidentally considered to be one of the most dangerous places to work, making it one of the largest industries in the country. Statistics suggest that nearly 2800 people have died as a result of accidents on construction sites in the past 25 years4. Most of the accidents occurring on

Answer the questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Answer the questions - Essay Example The Thirteenth Amendment, adopted on the 6th of December, 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except on a special scenario when such was done as punishment for criminal activities while the Fourteenth Amendment, adopted on the 9th of July, 1868, addressed rights of US citizens and protection of the laws at an equal level of the citizens (Linder). Justified by a 1890 state of Louisiana law of Separate Car Act under the US’s numerous state laws that championed racial segregation under a policy of â€Å"separate but equal†, Homer Plessy was arrested and tried for an act of violation of the stated law. Plessy’s act of defiance happened when he boarded a ‘whites only’ railroad car instead of the ‘blacks only’ railroad car. Plessy was of mixed race and was categorized as colored under the current state laws. The ruling made in 1892 in Orleans Parish under John Howard Ferguson, the presiding judge, upheld Plessy’s convictio n that violated Louisiana’s state laws and charged him with a $25 fine. Subsequent rulings after Plessy’s writ of prohibition by the Supreme Court of Louisiana and the United States Supreme Court upheld Ferguson’s ruling (Linder). Plessy vs. ... There was need then for the laws to be amended in order to ensure adherence to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendments that many violated, US citizens felt were disregarded. The state of Tennessee vs. John scopes The state of Tennessee vs. John scopes was a landmark case in the US that happened in 1925 in the state of Tennessee. The trial was of significance as it pointed out the right to liberty of association and knowledge, especially on matters concerning spirituality, after the enactment of the Butler Act in Tennessee that prohibited teaching of the evolution theory in educational institutions within the state (Linder). On the 7th of May, 1925, John scopes was arrested for defying Butler’s Act for teaching the theory of evolution. Given American Civil Liberties Union’s commitment to protect any person that would be brought to trial for defying Butler’s Act, it utilized the services of Clarence Darrow, an exceptional and experienced criminal defense attorney back then to defend Scope. Despite exemplary defense by the attorney and a weak performance by Bryan, the prosecutor, the obvious discrimination right from the religiously pious judge led to a charge of guilt to Scope, with a fine of $100. An appeal to the state supreme court reversed the previous charge and granted ACLU and Scope victory (Linder). The outcomes of the case after appeal was an offset of the liberties that US citizens gained in religious alignment. After the trial, it was reported that a total of 22 cases in different other states shared the same fate and the laws defining the Bible as the main book for truths for the US citizens were eased to accommodate more religious liberty and affiliation to either the scientific teachings

A Policy in Healthcare that was Implemented as a Result of Regulatory Research Paper

A Policy in Healthcare that was Implemented as a Result of Regulatory or Legislative Requirement - Research Paper Example This bill went into effect on January 1, 2007. This bill states that all acute, psychiatric and special hospitals must make patients aware of charity care, payment discounts, and government-sponsored health insurance. It also requires hospitals to standardize its billing and collection procedures (California Assembly Bill 774). Basically, this law requires transparency in hospital billing, as all hospitals must have detailed information about their charity policies, including who is eligible and what procedure must be taken for eligibility, and a written description of how the hospitals collect the debts. Also required is a written disclosure of the hospital billing practices and debt collection procedures for everybody (California Assembly Bill 774). Analysis The rationale for this particular change in the way California Sutter Health is doing business is rather simple – health care costs are spiraling out of control, and uninsured patients contribute much to the ever-burgeon ing cost of health care to this country. As of 2005, some $45 billion worth of medical care is not being paid by uninsured patients (Families USA, 2005). What this means is that those with insurance pick up the tab for the people who cannot pay in the form of higher premiums. Another rationale for implementing this scheme is to encourage uninsured patients to get the care that they need, when they need it. Prior to the California Sutter Health scheme, many individuals did not visit the doctor when it was necessary, for fear that they would be hit with high medical bills (Families USA, 2005). This is because there was a great deal of uncertainty going in how much a certain procedure or visit would cost. What California Sutter Health did was show the patient, up front, what the costs would be, and this greatly empowers patients. The reason why this empowers patients is that they can see how much they will pay for something in advance. Then, they could either decide to get the procedur e done, at that time, if they had the money for it, or they could decide to put the procedure off until they had the chance to save up the money that was needed. Therefore, everybody wins – the patient is allowed to know, up front, how much a procedure might cost, which helps the patient, and the hospital itself does not find itself stuck with uncollectible bills that makes the cost of health care higher for everybody. This scheme allowed CSH to reduced its account receivables by $78 million in just three months (Souza & McCarty, 2007). These are some of the benefits of the program. Which is not to say that the policy is without its costs. There were a few bugs that needed to be worked out before the policy was implemented. For instance, the patient financial services staff member, and the Central Business Office could not access real-time financial information and management could not generate detailed reports (Souza & McCarty, 2007). Moreover, there was the costs of properl y training the patient financial services (PFS) staff, for they had to be trained in spotting errors and correcting them, such as when the occurrence code is incorrectly filed or accident information is missing from the claim (Souza & McCarty, 2007). Further training had to be done with registration employees, who were never accustomed to asking for money; they had to be tr

Safety Management System in the Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Safety Management System in the Airline - Essay Example In this paper, the consequences of a poor safety culture on the effectiveness of an airline organisation namely Southwest Airlines will be taken into concern. Moreover, the procedures to detect or measure a poor safety operational culture along with setting effective plans in order to improve a safety culture in the organisation will also be portrayed in the discussion. Consequences of a Poor Safety Culture in the Airline The notion of safety culture is considered to be the ‘engine’ which drives the procedure towards the objective of preserving the utmost resistance in relation to any operational associated hazards in relation to airline industry. The consequences of a poor safety operational culture are the occurrence of individual as well as organisational accidents which in turn impose considerable impact upon the effectiveness of a particular airline organisation such as Southwest Airlines. ... In this context, it can be said that the chief kinds of human error include decision and skill-based faults. The pilot of a respective airline can make a rule-based mistake which ultimately results in the person to take a wrong decision that ultimately causes the crash. From the viewpoint of the skill-based errors, the accidents are duly caused due to the malfunction of the memory or the attention of the pilot about a particular operational function (Shappell & Wiegmann, 2004). The effect of the individual accidents leads to huge damage to the people. Along with the individual accidents, organisational linked accidents can take place in the systems of an organisation like Southwest Airlines. The chief reason for the occurrence of organisational accidents is the lack of technological innovations. It involves various people who work at different functioning levels within the organisation. The crucial effect of organisational accidents often disturbs the entire working procedure of the airline organisation such as Southwest Airlines which ultimately puts huge amount of people into danger (Reason, 1998). For instance, the cause of Lexington Plane Crash which occurred in the year 2006 was human error that can be considered as a type of individual accident. In this regard, it has been viewed that the pilot involved in the crash used the wrong pathway to take off the plane or flight which ultimately led towards the crash. The effect of this plane crash led to the death of 49 people and posed tremendous negative impact upon the business image as well as the customer service linked facilities of the organisation by a considerable level (ThinkReliability, 2011). Detection or

A brief of taxation case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A brief of taxation case - Essay Example In 1938, the property was sold a net sales of $2,500.00 (after deducting $500.00 sales expenses).The petitioner reported 50% of the net sales value ($1250.00) as taxable income (Bittker 277). Analysis: According to the petitioner, the property she had inherited was in the form of equity which according to the tax laws was zero tax based. The amount collected from the sales should have been treated as her net gain from the sales of equity (Yin 208). The IRS commissioner to the contrary argued that the petitioner had inherited land and building and not equity. He cited that before the selling, the petitioner was allowed depreciation deductions of $25,000 in excess on the premises. Likewise, the commissioner pointed out that the petitioner received money equivalent to the net sales on top of the debt amount transferred to the buyer of the property (Yin 214). First, the court addressed the meaning of the word ‘’property’’ and whether it was a synonym of ‘’Equity’’. The court agreed with the IRS commissioner in addressing how to treat inherited ’’property’’. In the ruling the court agreed that there was no evidence whatsoever to conclude that both words meant the same thing. Secondly, court said that by replacing the word ’’property’’ with ‘’equity’’ under the tax law would attract negative complications in the future cases. The major problem would have occurred while determining the value of depreciation to be subjected on a property. Subsequently, the action would undermine some of administrative rules in existence (Yin 250). The court secondly determined that the value the petitioner realized from selling the ‘’property’’ should be subject to the conclusion made under the first issue. The court maintained that there must exist actual money receipt or receipt of any other property on a transaction for it to be subjected to a taxable gain. Finally, the court ruled

The Ethics Of Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

The Ethics Of Gay Marriage Essay Obviously, there are several problems inherent to trying to conclude definitively whether or not God, the Bible, or religion in general has an absolute stance on the issue of whether or not homosexuality—and by extension, marriage between homosexuals—is a sin, and therefore, a violation of God’s ethics. The most significant problem is the fact that religion is a matter of faith, and faith need not be proven or supported to be deemed â€Å"true.†Ã‚   With this in mind, there remains a legitimate reason for those who are not necessarily religious to closely examine the Bible for evidence supporting the ethics of gay marriage because in at least one survey, â€Å"a 55% majority [of respondents] believes it is a sin to engage in homosexual behavior, and that view is much more prevalent among those who have a high level of religious commitment (76%) (Pew Forum).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since much of the debate over the ethics of gay marriage has resulted in laws being passed to prevent same-sex marriage by defining marriage as an act between one man and one woman, and these laws are passed by the majority—a majority that primarily turns to the Bible for ethical answers—proving the validity of same-sex marriage in the same arena seems an excellent place to begin, but absent a willingness to reevaluate one’s faith based on a new interpretation or a newly argued logic, other avenues must be explored by those who believe gay marriage is indeed ethical.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The U.S. Census Bureau began tracking Unmarried Partner Households in 1990, and the statistics collected during the 2000 Census revealed that of 165,449,101 total households, 59, 969,000 households identified as either Married-Couple Households or Unmarried Partner Households.   54,493,232 identified as Married-Couple Households (80.9% of total partnered households) and 594,391 identified as same-sex partner, Unmarried Partner Households (85% of total partnered households) (CITE). If these numbers are accurate, it appears that more coupled households are made up of homosexual partners than heterosexual partners, a statistic that flies in the face of a common argument against gay marriage: that it will undermine an already fragile institution and increase the rate of divorce.   It appears that more same-sex couples have formed a solid, living union than have opposite-sex couples, and that it’s not homosexuals who are falling apart at the married seams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Historically, those who have not fit the social majority have been denied equal rights.   An obvious parallel can be drawn between interracial and same-sex marriage.   It took the Supreme Court to declare â€Å"that the law against interracial marriages violated the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the 14th Amendment.†Ã‚   With its decision, â€Å"the court held that such a right is covered under the Fourteenth Amendment because such decisions are fundamental to our survival and our consciences.   As such, they must necessarily reside with the individual rather than with the state† (Cline).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many would argue that unlike racial heredity, homosexuality is a choice, but whether or not this is true is irrelevant.   The United States of America is built on a number of fundamental rights that are so obvious, that The Declaration of Independence deems them â€Å"unalienable.†Ã‚   Beyond the words of the Declaration, our country protects the freedom of choice with a passion verging on vengeance, which means one has to consider the freedom to have faith no more or less important than the freedom to love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The problem remains the circular relationship between religion, ethics, morality, and each individual’s interpretation of that circular relationship.   It is this degree of necessary interpretation that makes a concrete decision about the ethics of gay marriage so difficult. References Buehler, R.   Bridges Across the Divide.   Retrieved September 09, 2006, from http://www.gotquestions.org/about.html. Buehler, R.   Bridges Across the Divide.   â€Å"On bridge building and Bible reading.†Ã‚   Retrieved September 09, 2006, from http://www.gotquestions.org/about.html. Cline, A.   â€Å"Loving v. Virginia (1967): Race, Marriage, and Privacy.†Ã‚   About.Com. â€Å"Religion and Spirituality.   Retrieved September 09, 2006, from http://atheism.about.com/od/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   courtdecisions/a/LovingVirginia.htm. Elgin, D. (2003, July-August). The self-guiding evolution of civilizations.   Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 20, 323-337. Retrieved September 06, 2006, from Expanded Academic ASAP via Thomson Gale (A106143461). GotQuestions.Org.   â€Å"About GotQuestions.org.†Ã‚   Retrieved September 08, 2006, from http://www.gotquestions.org/about.html. GotQuestions.Org.   â€Å"What does the Bible say about gay marriage / same sex marriage?†Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved September 08, 2006, from http://www.gotquestions.org/gay-marriage.html. Pew Forum on Religion Public Life, The.   â€Å"Religious Beliefs Underpin Opposition to Homosexuality.†Ã‚   November 18, 2003.   Retrieved September 08, 2006, from http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=37 Robinson, B.A.   ReligiousTolerance.Org.   Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.   Retrieved September 07, 2006, from http:// www.religioustolerance.org/aboutus.htm. Townsley, J.   â€Å"Search for Gods heart and truth.†Ã‚   Bridges Across the Divide.   Retrieved September 09, 2006, from http://www.bridges-across.org/ba/faith/jt_sfgh.htm. Townsley, J.   â€Å"Search for Gods heart and truth.   Addendum 4: David and Jonathon.†Ã‚   Bridges Across the Divide.   Retrieved September 09, 2006, from http://www.bridges-across.org/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ba/faith/jt_add4.htm. U.S. Census Bureau.   Married- Couple and Unmarried Partner Households (2000).   (Table 1).   Table.   â€Å"Married and Unmarried-Partner Households by Metropolitan Residence Status: 2000.†Ã‚   February 2003.   http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/censr-5.pdf.

The 4 Gospels and their Themes

The 4 Gospels and their Themes The authors of the four gospels in the Bible had a specific group of people they wrote to and in this assignment I am going to look at those specific people and what the authors said about the life and work of Jesus. I am going to also going to look at the main themes of these four gospels, beginning from Matthew to John. The author of the book of Matthew is the Apostle Matthew who was one of Jesus` disciples. The gospel of Matthew was written in Greek. The author wrote to a particular group of people mainly Greek speaking Jews, even though the author wrote to certain group of people the writing does have a worldwide outlook. Matthew concentrated more on the fulfilment of the Old Testament than the writers of the other gospels. In Matthew Jesus teaching pointed to the blessings of the kingdom being extended to gentiles. MATTHEWS MAIN THEMES The main purpose of Matthew is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Messiah which means the anointed one. Jesus can also be interpreted as Joshua in Greek which means the Lord saves. Matthewss goal was to convince his readers that the King of kings has come, with this in mind he uses words and names that the Jews are familiar with. Also unique to Matthew is the expression, that it might be fulfilled which is spoken by various prophets.  [1]   THE MAIN PURPOSE AND FOCUS OF MARK The gospel of Mark was written by John Mark. Mark was a close associate of peter, it was from Peter that he received the tradition of things done and said by the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark has more of the preaching of Peter, put together by John Mark. According to early church tradition Mark was written in the region of Italy more specifically in Rome. In book of Mark John Mark explains Jewish customs and interprets Aramaic words John Mark seemed to have an interest in persecution and martyrdom. John Mark wrote that the suffering Jesus was also the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Christ and the Lord. MARK`MAIN THEMES Marks gospel is simple and holds an important account of the ministry of Jesus Christ, with an emphasis on more of what Jesus did than what he said. Mark moves quickly from one scene in Jesus` ministry to another. Even though Mark bases his emphasis on the humanity he does not neglect the deity of Christ. Mark wrote to strengthen and guide the Roman believers who were being persecuted by Nero. After the death of Peter and eyewitnesses to Jesus` life, this gospel message needed to be written down.  [2]   THE MAIN PURPOSE AND FOCUS IN LUKE The writers name is not mentioned but evidence points to Luke. The gospel of Luke was written to Theophilus and the message in this gospel was meant for his own instruction and also for those among whom the book would be distributed. Luke was probably written around A.D. 59-63. The book of Luke would have likely been written in Rome. Luke had an outstanding command of the Greek language. Lukes words in general seem to reveal geographical and cultural sensitivity. Lukes gospel centers on Gods plan to provide salvation to the world. LUKE`MAIN THEMES Luke was written to strengthen the faith of all believers and to give an answer to the unbelievers. It was written to displace and unveil the false reports about Jesus. This third gospel presents the works and teachings of Jesus that are especially vital for understanding the way of salvation. The first two chapters of Luke emphasize the Old Testament and its promises of a Messiah while the third and part of the fourth chapters show clearly that Jesus is the Messiah, who can fight against the evil one, Luke continues in the rest of the chapters to write about the life and works of Jesus and everything that had been revealed by the law, the prophets and the Psalms about Jesus had been fulfilled.  [3]   Luke often stressed the humanity and compassion of Jesus. Lukes favourite expression is the Son of Man. The disciples were witnesses of to this fact and their mission was to share this Good News with all nations. THE MAIN PURPOSE AND FOCUS IN JOHN Some translators have felt that Johns aim was to present a forth from a different view point the Christian message that would appeal to Greek thinkers. John would have been thinking of the Greek readers some of whom were being influenced by heresy. John` main purpose was evangelistic, to build up believers as well as to win new converts. John also focuses on Jesus` claim that He was God by including Christs seven I am statements. John records certain occasions when Jesus equals Himself with the Old Testament I AM. John 8:58 Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM. JOHN` MAIN THEMES The writer of John also said that These are written that you may believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God and that believing you may have life in His name John 20:31. John also speaks of Jesus as the pre-existent divine Word who became a human being so as to speak the words of God, reveal the glory of Gods grace and truth, to put a bridge between the children of light and the children of darkness, to bring judgment on the unbelieving world and to give eternal life through the gift of the Holy Spirit to all believe and abide in Jesus. John wrote that Jesus was and is the saviour of the world.  [4]   John reveals the Bibles most important message, believe and follow Jesus, because He is the way to eternal life. John speaks of Jesus as the light of the world and the bread of life, the way, the life and the good shepherd. CONCLUSION The four canonical gospels are very detailed and factual about the life and work of Christ. Matthew writing to prove to the Jews that Jesus is their Messiah, while Mark stressed the humanity of Jesus but he does not neglect His deity. Luke wanted to show that the place of the gentile Christian in Gods kingdom is based on the teachings of Jesus. Luke` main theme is the nature of Jesus Christ` messiah ship and mission. The gospel of Luke presents Jesus in ways that would appeal to an audience of high minded gentiles. The gospel of John is presented firstly with a prologue or introduction. John speaks of Jesus as one sent from God to reveal His love and grace to man. All the four gospels have unique story on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and they all speak of one person only Jesus who is the saviour of the Jews and the saviour of the world. All the resources I used are very helpful for doing a research like this one and I would recommend any theological student to use these book s when doing their essays or research work.  [5]  

Currency Exposure to Hedging Currency Risks

Currency Exposure to Hedging Currency Risks Hedging Currency Risks at AIFS, we shall now address the many stipulations regarding issues such as currency exposure and hedging decisions of the AIFS Company. Looking at the theory and practices of Archer-Lock within the company, with the information given we shall now analyze and interpret the report of AIFS. Using the financial Instruments of the foreign exchange market, the effect these instruments have on hedging will further be discussed, as well as the result of these instruments on the hedging decision. It is important to note that Becky Tabaczynski, CFO for the groups high school travel division ACIS, portrayed the idea a good hedging result is gained due to good relationships across the board. Whilst in some companies, hedging is considered a financial decision, independent of the business needs here; were trying to match the business needs. Now with the information provided in the case study, combined with knowledge of hedging options, the topic of currency exposure will be discussed. Q1. What gives rise to the currency exposure at AIFS? Currency exposure is the extent to which the future cash flows of an enterprise, arising from domestic and foreign currency denominated transactions involving assets and liabilities, and generating revenues and expenses are susceptible to variations in foreign currency exchange rates (International Federation of Accountants, 2010). Currency exposure at AIFS can be caused by 3 risks: the bottom-line risk, volume risk and competitive pricing risk. These 3 risks happen at AIFS because of the AIFSs hedging policies, so before analysing these 3 risks it is necessary to analyse AIFSs hedging policies. AIFSs Hedging Policies AIFS starts to hedge foreign currencies between 6 months and 2 years before the main pricing date, and uses forward contracts and currency options to hedge currency; the main hedging technique is forward contracts. Then AIFS uses these currencies to pay its customers expense abroad. AIFS charges USD by catalogue-based price from its customers, so no matter how the exchange rates change in the spot market, AIFS never changes its price in that period. AIFS uses forward contract to hedge before it has completed its sales cycle. So AIFS has to predict its business then hedge based on its prediction, but the situation that the number AIFS pays equals to the number AIFS buys is very hard to carry out. When the currencies that AIFS has bought are smaller than it has to pay, AIFS has to buy some more currencies by using currency options. When the currencies it has bought are greater than it has to pay, currency exposure happens. The Bottom- Line Risk Exchange rate is always fluctuant. EURO is one of the main currencies that AIFS needs to hedge. Looking at the graph, the exchange rate between USD and EURO in January was highest in 2010, which was 1.427$/à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, and the exchange rate in June was the lowest, which was only 1.221$/à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, the difference between highest and lowest is 0.206à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/$, so when purchasing large amounts of EURO by using USD, the large difference of price will appear. The main hedging technique of AIFS is forward contracts, so if the exchange rate at the contract date is higher than the exchange rate at the settlement date, AIFS is at a disadvantage (maybe AIFS can choose currency options at this time, but it needs to pay premium, so the cost may be not reduced so much). When this situation happens, AIFSs cost will be higher and it will lose profit. 2010- American Dollars to 1 EUR Average Rates January 1.42721 USD (20 days average) February 1.36857 USD (20 days average) March 1.35685 USD (23 days average) April 1.34095 USD (21 days average) May 1.25653 USD (21 days average) June 1.22085 USD (22 days average) July 1.277 USD (22 days average) August 1.29029 USD (21 days average) September 1.3067 USD (22 days average) October 1.38978 USD (21 days average) November 1.38806 USD (12 days average) From X- rate.com, 2010 The Volume Risk When AIFS uses forward contract to hedge currencies, it doesnt know the number of customers it will get in this period. AIFS has been doing culture and educational exchanges for more than 40 years and got a very good praise and has a large number of customers, every year many young people go abroad via AFIS. Because its so popular, its hard to say how many customers will be increased next time. Also, war, terrorism and policies and other uncertainties will affect peoples mind, these factors will make more people prefer to stay at home rather than go abroad, and in that case the number of customers will be decreased. So its hard to predict the number of customers, its hard to say whether the number of customers will increase or decrease. In negative situations where there will be a lack of customers, the foreign currencies that have been bought will not be used; this is when currency exposure is evident. The Competitive Pricing Risk When AIFS is purchasing and using currencies, its competitors are doing it as well. These companies may contract with banks in lower exchange rates, which makes their charges lower than AIFS and therefore makes AIFS less competitive. Customers may buy currencies from other companies, and so AIFSs currencies cant be sold up and currency exposure happens. The changes of transportation fees (like train, boat, plane ticket), living fees, hotel fees can also give rise to the currency exposure. When these fees reduced, AIFS will pay less and may not use all of the currencies it has bought. According to AIFSs hedging policies, it has to predict the exchange rate fluctuant, the number of customers, which may be different with the final exchange rate and the volume when selling currencies, so the currency exposure happens. The actions of AIFSs competitors may make AIFS less competitive resulting in minimum sales of the currencies bought, further resulting in currency exposure. So the bottom-line risk, the volume risk and the competitive pricing risk will give rise to the currency exposure at AIFS. Also, the changes of fees may cause currency exposure. Q2. What would happen if Archer-Lock and Tabaczynski did not hedge at all? According to the case, The American Institute for Foreign Students (AIFS) organizes students who study abroad and the cultural exchange programs. It has two major divisions which are Archer-Lock managed The Study Abroad College and the High School Travel division, whose finances Tabaczynski managed. The problem faced by AIFS is the revenues of the company are mainly in US dollars, but most of their costs are in British pounds and Euros. AIFS sets guaranteed prices for its exchanges before its final sales figures are known. Therefore, for AIFS, the foreign exchange hedging is the key important area. The managers use currency hedging to protect their bottom line and cope with changes in exchange rates. But if Archer-Lock and Tabaczynski did not hedge at all, it would mean full exposure to the currency risk, the company could lose a lot of money if USD depreciated. Maybe the company can produce good results and have a really good profit when the USD appreciated if they did not hedge at all, as there are no other losses to erase their total revenue. However, they cannot know what the future sales volume and future exchange rate are, and so they may need to face losing a tremendous amount of money if USD depreciated. The cost base of the company would increase, and the revenues in USD will remain the same, this means their profitability would be erased. Also, AIFS needs to preserve their price guarantee policy. If they did not hedge at all, the company may incur losses by following this policy. Moreover, there may be a difference between final sales volumes and projected sales volume, and this exposes the company to having either more or less of the foreign currency depending on the final sales volume. For instance, as we know from the case, every year AIFS expected 25,000 students in their project. If the currency exchange rate decreased to USD 1.01/EUR, the company could save USD 5.25 million, however, if the exchange rate increased to USD 1.48/EUR, the company lose USD 6.5 million. Q3. 100% hedge with option and 100% hedge with forward The data shows above, When 100% hedge with option, currency rate 1.01, and the outcome is higher than total cost, the company can gain the profit. Rate becomes to 1.22 and 1.48, the outcome is lower than total cost, and the company has risk and a loss of money. When 100% hedge with forward, the fixed rate is locked in 1.22, the outcome is 0. That is means no risk and no profit. Q4. Using the forecast final sales volume of 25,000, the following are the possible outcomes relative to the zero impact scenario described in the case. Zero impact happened with rate (1.22) when they use forward contract were the same as project costs. When dollar becomes weak (1.48) it would cause a negative impact by a loss of money. When dollar becomes strong (1.01) it would cause a positive impact through gain of profit. When the USD is strong (1.01), the more options there are to hedge, the lower the cost. When USD is weak (1.48) the more options there are to hedge, the more the cost. Q5) what hedging decision would you advocate? Should we not hedge at all? As AIFS guaranteed its prices would not change before the next catalogue, if the USD goes weak, AIFS need to more USD to pay for its overseas cost ¸ however the price cannot be changed, which means AIFS will lose money. To eliminate this risk, AIFS better hedge. What do you advocate? (Advantages and Disadvantages) The forward contract is a simple arrangement widely used by the companies to manage the exchange rate risk. It can guarantee the amount of currency AIFS would receive in the expiry date of the contract, so it can get larger profits with forward contracts if AIFS count on a favourable exchange rate. The company can also avoid the 5% option premium, but it is not easy to get the counter party who would agree to fix the time period and the future exchange rate which would result in illiquidity. Thus being bilateral private contracts, the forwards have to be executed. The option contract can eliminate the downside risk and being more flexible, it can be seen as a combination of covered interest arbitrage depending on the difference in currency options and interest rates; it gives the company the right to sell or purchase a currency at an agreed exchange rate, but not the obligation. With the option contracts AIFS can hold the currency until the favourable exchange rate arises, so it would be more secure for the company. However, the premium cost is the disadvantage of option, and it has to be paid up front. Both forward contract and option contact work if the company is tight on cash and cannot spend 5% option premium in this case the forwards contract is a better choice. However, if AIFS has sufficient funds and foresees changes in exchange rates, then it should use option. AIFS does not have to exercise the contract when currency moves to unfavourable exchange rates. What happens if sales volumes are lower (10000) or higher (30000) than expected (25000)? According to appendix 3 and 4: The sales volume increase to 30000, exchange rate is 1.01. AIFS Company can gain the profit. Exchange rate is 1.22 and 1.48, AIFS Company exist risk loss the money; but when use 100% forward to hedge Company can avoids risk and there is no profit. The sales volume is decrease to 10000, the total cost is 1000* 10000= à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10000000 There are 3 possible situations that will happen at this time. = 0.4 = 40% According to the calculation above, when AIFSs currency hedge is covered less than 40% of its prediction (it predicts 25000 sales volumes), AIFS needs to buy some more currency to reach à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10000000 by using spot trading rate; when AIFSs currency hedge is covered at 40%, the currency it buys is equal to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10000000; when the currency hedge covered over 40%, AIFS cant use all of the EUR it has bought, so AIFS has to sell the extra EUR or save them and use them in the next period. 1.48 1.01 10000 30000 Source: AIFS case There will be 4 outcomes with the in the money and out of money positions and high and low sales volume (30000 or 10000). Square 1 shows low sales volume (10000) with strong USD that when the company is out of money (1.01USD/EUR). AIFS has an excess of currency. In this case, if it locked into surplus forward contracts then it would lose money. So the option contract is more favourable. AIFS does not execute the contract, it just lets it expire. In square 2 shows low sales volume (10000) with weak USD, The requirement of the currency is below the projection (25000), and the exchange rate is high (1.48USD/EUR). If AIFS uses forward contract the gain is larger compared to when it uses options contract because the options contract costs 5% of the nominal USD strike price. In square 3 the exchange rate moved out of money (1.01USD/EUR) and the sales go higher (30000) than expected. So AIFS doesnt have to buy euro at higher rate, therefore, the Options contract is better, as the extra volume they need (5000), can be bought at the spot rate. The increase of the Spot and Fixed rates and the difference of the volume of sales are the reason for company loss. The tricky square 4 shows when the exchange rate moved in the money (1.48 USD/EUR) and AIFSs sales volume came in higher (30000) than projections, which means the company need more currency (5000), however, the exchange rate is high. In this case, Forward contracts should be used and the extra volume at the spot rates should be bought. The increase of sales may offset the downside. For companies that work with more than one currency, several hedging techniques are available to guard against foreign exchange fluctuations. After studying and addressing the case study of AIFS, it can be concluded that the changes in fees can be the cause to currency exposure. The fact that the companys revenues are in USD, and costs in GBP and Euros may result in a rise to currency exposure. After analyzing the affects of financial instruments such as forward and option contracts will have on the company, it has been decided that the company would be at a better advantage with Forward contract in order to prevent risks. AIFS charges USD by catalogue-based prices from its customer, and as the company guaranteed the prices will not change, if the rate of the USD decreases then the company will be at a loss as they will have to cover other expenses with the currency they have bought, and in order to prevent this risk, the company would be in a better position if they hedged. REFERENCES: International Federation of Accountants, 2010, http://www.mia.org.my/handbook/guide/imap/imap_3.htm#Business%20Implications [Accessed on 4/11/2010] X-rate.com, 2010, http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/EUR/hist2010.html [Accessed on 16/11/2010]

Cathedral by Raymond Carver Essay -- Papers Cathedral Raymond Carver E

Cathedral by Raymond Carver In Raymond Carver?s ?Cathedral?, the conventional ideas often associated with blindness and sight are challenged. By juxtaposing his two male characters, Carver is able to effectively explore sight and its seemingly simplistic relationship with learning and knowledge. As well, he addresses the barriers imposed by the human tendency to rely on vision as the sole means of experiencing the world. At the beginning of the story, the narrator?s perception on blind people as individuals who ?moved slowly and never laughed? reflect not only his but also the views generally shared by society (720). The uneasiness experienced by the narrator at the prospect of ?[a] blind man in [his] house? is a representation of the prejudices and fears that we often face when exposed and forced to deal with strange and foreign things (720). Blindness seems especially abnormal to us because vision plays such a heavy role in our everyday ?normal? lives; not seeing equates to not being able to truly understand and experience the beauties of life. Just knowing that the blind man had a wife who he ?lived, worked, slept [with]?had sex?and then bur[ied]. All without having ever seen what the goddamned woman looked like? baffles the narrator (722). ?It [is] beyond [his] understanding? how anyone can exist in such an incomplete existence and thus is much deserved of his pity (722). As the story prog resses the narrator finally meets the blind man who is introduced to him as Robert?before this, the speaker merely refers to Robert as ?the blind man?. The establishment of ?Robert? who ?didn?t use a cane and didn?t ware dark glasses? surprised him?going against the conventions that he had always believed; seeing this b... ..., only through his forced interaction with Robert and his blindness is he able to close his eye and open up his mind. This awakening reveals to him a form of communication, experience and expression that cannot just be seen. In the end it is ironic that even though the narrator was attempting to teach Robert something it was the he who seemed to gain the most from the experience. The blind man and their drawing of the Cathedral are able to defy his previous conceptions of life and thus open a vast array of new possibilities. We are left wondering how much more the narrator learned about himself and about human communication than the blind man has learnt about cathedrals. Bibliography: Carver, Raymond. Cathedral. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. Seventh Edition. New York: WW Norton 1998.

Courtly Love Essay -- History, Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, â€Å"A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved†. The stories of Marie de France and Chrà ©tien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love. According to Capellanus, â€Å"Good character alone makes any man worthy of love†. In Lanval, the fairy lover chooses Lanval because he is â€Å"worthy and courtly† (Lawall 1319). Lanval gladly accepts the fairy’s love. He promises to â€Å"abandon all others for [her]† (Lawall 1319). Capellanus also says that â€Å"a true lover does not desire to embrace in love anyone except his beloved†. Therefore, Lanval loves his fairy lover solely. When the Queen offers her love to Lanval, he rejects her because his heart is devoted to his fairy lover. His beloved is one whom he â€Å"prized above all others† (Lawall 1320). Lanval desires no one more than his fairy lover. She provides him with â€Å"great joy and pleasure† that he can forego the other pleasures of the world (Lawall 1320). The claim she has on him is like that of a king’s. A good, chivalric knight should hold ladies in esteem. He should do all in his power to serve and protect ladies. Perceval’s mother instructs him to never â€Å"withhold [his] aid† from a lady or a â€Å"maiden in distress† (Lawall 1333). She says that â€Å"he who does not yield honor to ladies, loses his honor† (Lawall 1333).... ...hat is secret. Lanval, likewise, enjoys a secret love. In fact, if he ever reveals his love, he would â€Å"lose [her] forever† (Lawall 1319). Indeed, when Lanval tells the Queen that he is loved by a lady more worthy than the Queen, Lanval loses his beloved. He calls â€Å"his beloved repeatedly, but to no avail† (Lawall 1321). She leaves him once their love is made public. Courtly love defined the romance between a knight and his lady love. A knight must be worthy of love. A knight must be sworn to complete devotion to his beloved. He must hold her in high esteem and do all he can to protect her. A knight must desire no one above his beloved and the thought of her must continually be in his mind. Furthermore, courtly love must be a secret love; it does not exist within marriage. The conventions of medieval courtly love directed a knight towards servitude to his beloved.

Sex Trafficking around the World Essay -- Worldwide Prostitution, Chil

A twenty-four year-old women living in Cambodia, Chantha, was forced into prostitution at the age of thirteen. After growing up, Chantha moved away trying to find a new way because her mother and father mistreated her very much; they starved and beat Chantha. She eventually traveled to the inner cities of Cambodia to start a new life. Once, while walking the streets, she was offered a place to stay and work by a mysterious, beautiful woman. This woman was a decoy to lure Chantha into a trap. However, Chantha was very excited to find out she would have work and a place to stay to start living her new life, but the job was not what Chantha expected. At this new job, a brothel used for trafficking women, Chantha was one of fifteen girls who were forced into prostitution. All fifteen girls were forced to have sex with at least fifteen men per day and to make a minimum amount of money per day; the girls were beaten and starved if they did not make their deterrence. Eventually, Chantha was diagnosed with AIDS at the age of twenty-four. With neither family nor friends to comfort her, she is dying slowly and very lonely. Chantha is just one of millions of sexually trafficked victims. According to the US State Department, between two and four million women and children will be sex trafficked annually (Chantha). Sex trafficking, a form of human trafficking, is the act of trafficking in women, children, and men and forcing them into sexual conduct or prostitution. Sex trafficking is increasing every year, and many hopeless, innocent victims are affected. The world is in a process of eliminating sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking by enforcing trafficking laws and other methods. However, the eradication of sex trafficking is... ...nce. Department of Public information, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. . United States. US Department of State. â€Å"Countries N-Z.† Trafficking in Persons Report 2011 Country Narratives. By Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Ed. Media and Public Affairs and Bureau of Public Affairs. 1-171. US Department of State. N.p., 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. . University of Michigan Law School. â€Å"United States v. Raul Santillan-Leon.† Human Trafficking Database. Ed. University of Michigan Law. 1-3. Michigan Law. Univeristy of Michigan , 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. . UN News Service. â€Å"Un agencies join forces to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling.† UN News Centre. By UN News Service. 1-2. United Nations. United Nations: Press Release, 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. .

Artificial Knowledge in the Truman Show Essay

In the movie â€Å"The Truman Show,† one epistemological problem that is being tackled is the problem of how man is able to become aware of things that he once had no idea about. Do we get to know things or do we acquire knowledge because of our mere experiences of things or does it involve something more than that? In order to have a better grasp of the question at hand, John Locke’s treatment of human knowledge and experience can provide us with a framework to begin with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Locke’s conception of the tabula rasa tells us that in the beginning we do not essentially have any ideas and knowledge. It is through experience that we are able to acquire ideas and, hence, knowledge of the world we live in. As Locke will tell us, the mind is initially presumed to be like that of a white paper, void of all characteristics and without any ideas. Perhaps one way to interpret Locke’s assumption is that it is through our interaction with the world and with others that we begin to gain knowledge piece by piece from the time that we gain consciousness from childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The movie â€Å"The Truman Show† is one which portrays the life of a man who appears to have been living in an artificial world all along—a television show. That is, everything around him is set-up, which includes the death of his father up to the time when he becomes an adult. All of his daily experience has been predetermined and that every other individual in that artificial society knows that Truman Burbank, the main character in the movie, is living in an artificial world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the course of his life, Truman acquires knowledge through his daily interactions with those around him. Apparently, these many things which surround him are essentially imitations or close to being an exact copy of the things in the real world. Since Truman’s world is a world of artificiality, one may argue that the knowledge that he is able to acquire is knowledge which is artificial or an imitation of the real knowledge in the real world. In general, it can be pointed out that the knowledge of Truman is artificial and, hence, not real precisely because the world where he lives and the world which he acquires his knowledge from is not the real world but one which has been specifically constructed for the purpose of a television show.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regard to the case of Truman, Locke will most likely tell us that even though Truman’s world is artificially constructed, Truman is nevertheless able to acquire knowledge which he makes use in his daily dealing with other people around him. But more to being able to acquire knowledge, it can be said that the knowledge that Truman is able to acquire is artificial. Living in an artificial world set-up for the primary purpose of creating a television show which is supposed to run throughout one’s lifetime, it is inevitable that what one knows are things which are solely based on what one has experienced in that artificial world. Indeed, it will be illogical to say that Truman’s knowledge is that of the real world simply because Truman hasn’t had any contact with the real world outside of his artificial society which might have given him real and true knowledge. As Truman becomes more and more acquainted with the artificial world he lives in, it is most likely the case that his awareness will reflect what he has been able to experience in his world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, Locke’s presupposition of the mind as initially devoid of any substance or of any ideas and that our minds would eventually have to acquire ideas through experience and interaction with the world explains the case of Truman growing up in an artificial world. Since Truman was born and grew up in the hypothetical world of Seahaven, Locke would presuppose that the knowledge of Truman as he grows would be strictly confined or limited to the knowledge that is available in that world. Hence, it would rather be quite impossible for Truman to arrive at any other knowledge other than the artificial ones in his artificial world. The ‘blank’ mind of Truman from his birth has been apparently filled and etched with artificial knowledge along his lifetime in that hypothetical realm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One interesting point, however, is the idea that even though for the people outside Seahaven, they may treat Truman’s knowledge as artificial while, on the other hand, the Truman may treat his knowledge as real knowledge because he is unaware of the external world that watches his every move. The basis for saying that Truman’s knowledge is artificial or is not real is that there is an external world which knows for a fact that Truman is living in an artificial society filled with people having artificial social connections and relationships. For the part of Truman, he may very well have no such idea and that all he may be aware of is that the way in which he understands his surrounding environment is as real as it can be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Locke may very well argue that, indeed, the only way for Truman to acquire knowledge, whether artificial or real, is through his experiences. If Truman gets to experience artificial things around him, then it must be the case that he gets to have artificial knowledge using the external world as the basis for the reality of knowledge. Locke’s thought that the mind is able to acquire ideas through experience has with it a certain form of disadvantage. That is, if one is keen to experiencing artificial things in an artificial world, the greatest danger is that one will be having artificial knowledge. Thus, to live in an artificial world and to experience the things in it is to obtain artificial knowledge. In the real world, the same also holds true and that experience is crucial to the formation of human knowledge. Reference Schwoerer, L. G. (1990). Locke, Lockean Ideas, and the Glorious Revolution. Journal of the History of Ideas, 51(4), 531-548.   

Public Reactions to the Qantas Grounding Crisis

Despite a outgrowth issue forth of studies on crisis communication, in that respect is genuinely sm any-scale enquiry that examines embodied crises from a consumer perspective, pauseicularly for crisis casing studies at bottom Australia. exploitation Yins (2002) framework for topic psychoanalyze inquiry methods, this inquiry meeting conducted a qualitative core psycho epitome of 1121 sense of hearing observes attached to three word obliges on the 2011 Qantas origination crisis.Using Weiners ascription opening (1986, 1995) and the qualitative national outline softw ar Leximancer, we use these chit chats to deconstruct auditory sense perceptions of the Qantas crisis and sequester remote feelingal, attitudinal and behavioral re movements. Our for the root time translate purpose indicated that the legal age of audition members attri excepted the perplex of the Qantas crisis to give sexrial decisions or labor fusion action. spirting Cond itions and authorities policy was everywherely piece to be secondlyary divisors to the crisis fuck off.We alike be these four causative ingredients to be strongly associated with consultations righteousness fancys. The four primordial trusty stakeholder groups that come out of the closetd from our compend were Alan Joyce (Qantas Management), junctions, Employees and the Labor authorities. An some otherwise important concenter of this hear examined auditory senses crisis perceptions. ire was undercoat to be the predominant emotion that emerged from our compendium and was tremendously directed towards vigilance and conjugation stakeholders.Sympathy alike emerged as a secondary emotion but was largely directed towards employees and focusing. Our final query finding discloseed a military issue of behavioral intentions at bottom the auditory modality notices. musical composition the legal age of these behavioural intentions centre most dodgin g and ostracise leverage intentions, a unexpressedly a(prenominal) increased investment intentions in whatsoever type emerged. Although our Leximancer synopsis was restricted by a way out of technical limitations, these investigate findings indicate that Weiners ascription Theory go off be successfully utilise to a satisfying vitality crisis causa interpret.Despite a growing emergence of studies on crisis communication, there is very little search that examines corporate crises from a consumer perspective, exceptional propositionly for crisis case studies within Australia. Using Yins (2002) framework for case try investigate methods, this enquiry group conducted a qualitative subject atomic number 18a abstract of 1121 consultation comments attached to three parole program articles on the 2011 Qantas nationing crisis. Using Weiners ascription Theory (1986, 1995) and the qualitative content synopsis softw atomic number 18 Leximancer, we used thes e omments to deconstruct hearing perceptions of the Qantas crisis and isolate varied randy, attitudinal and behavioural responses. Our rootage regard finding indicated that the studyity of earr to from each one angiotensin converting enzyme members imputed the take a leak of the Qantas crisis to managerial decisions or legal jointure action. workings Conditions and Government policy was to a fault put in to be secondary work outs to the crisis do. We in addition found these four causative factors to be strongly associated with auditions office judgments.The four rouge responsible stakeholder groups that emerged from our digest were Alan Joyce (Qantas Management), leagues, Employees and the Labor Government. Another important cerebrate of this theater of operations examined earshots crisis emotions. indignation was found to be the predominant emotion that emerged from our analysis and was largely directed towards worry and union stakeholders. Sympathy i n like manner emerged as a secondary emotion but was largely directed towards employees and precaution. Our final search finding show a number of behavioural intentions within the consultation comments. charm the majority of these behavioural intentions centre around escape and blackb either purchase intentions, a a few(prenominal) increased investment intentions besides emerged. Although our Leximancer analysis was restricted by a number of technical limitations, these research findings indicate that Weiners attribution Theory brush aside be successfully applied to a substantial bio interprety crisis case study. Abstract Tamara Dorrington (s4177314) Sarah Natasha Raziff (s4275762) Jasmine Soriano (s4272997) Kate Fitzpatrick (s4201686) Roxanne Lim (s4256084) supervisory program Lyn McDonald The University of Queensland, 2012Tamara Dorrington (s4177314) Sarah Natasha Raziff (s4275762) Jasmine Soriano (s4272997) Kate Fitzpatrick (s4201686) Roxanne Lim (s4256084) Su pervisor Lyn McDonald The University of Queensland, 2012 Public Reactions to The Qantas Grounding Crisis, A Qualitative Content Analysis A corporate crisis often poses an unpredict fit panic that smoke feature resounding preparation up on an organization and its stakeholders (Coombs, 1999, 2010). These personal effects be largely dependent on how in effect the crisis is managed (Coombs, 2010) and upon stakeholders perceptions of the crisis suit (McDonald, Sparks & Glendon, 2010).To date there has been very little research on consumer contradictions to corporate crises (McDonald, et al. 2010), especially for crises extraneous the coupled States (leeward, 2004). In army to understand the implications of this research undertaking on crisis communication, integrity must first master an understanding of the Qantas grounding crisis. As nonp atomic number 18il of Australias booster cable domesticated and inter home(a) skyway stations, Qantas has a well-established char acter for upholding excellence in safety, operative reliability, engineering, chief(prenominal)tenance and customer service (Qantas, 2012, pp. 2).On October 2011, the club faced one of the largest corporate crises in its 95 years of history, a crisis that had far-flung disallow come overs on its study. After months of failed negotiations in the midst of counselling and union representatives, around 4000 Qantas employees took part in an organized strike, demanding greater patronage security, better wages and fairer working conditions. Qantas wariness responded by grounding its entire domestic and international fleet, locking out lag directd in the action and stranding around 68,000 passengers worldwide (Sydney Morning advertise, 2011).The Federal Government too became involved in the dispute, impending to terminate strikes under the sporty Work Act if negotiations betwixt union members and management proved unsuccessful (new. com. au, 2011) Our case study analysis adds to existing crisis research by analyzing 1121 consultation comments attached to three tidings articles on the Qantas grounding crisis 734 comments from the Sydney Morning spread abroad article (Live FWA orders Qantas dispute terminated, 2011), 171 comments from the first principle article (Qantas cause its entire fleet, 2011) and 216 comments from the news. om. au article (Qantas crisis Who win and whos to blame). Using Weiners ascription Theory (1986, 1995) as a suppositious framework, we used the comments from these three articles to deconstructed interview perceptions of the Qantas crisis and isolate earreach members dis akin aflame, attitudinal and behavioral responses. While studies into crisis communication atomic number 18 a popular bea of research, overmuch of the existing research has used observational fleshs to examine the effectiveness of different types of crisis accounts or apologia.A case study analysis of interview reactions to the 2011 Qantas g rounding crisis has many wider implications for crisis management strategies in future. First, by evaluating auditory modality comments, this study adds an acumen into stakeholder crisis reactions that may pee-pee greater generalizability than experimental studies. Second, knowledge of earreachs attribution processes will help future normal transaction managers to mitigate negative crisis outcomes and manage brand reputation more than effectively. literary botch uproadions ReviewTo date, there has been very little research on consumer reactions to corporate crises (McDonald, et al. , 2010) curiously for crisis cases extraneous the United States (Lee, 2004). The majority of existing literary works has approached crisis communication from an schemeal perspective, using experimental design to examine the family between different types of crisis accounts and consumers purchase intentions (Lee, 2004). Very little research has taken a content analysis approach, examining auditory modality reactions to real life crises cases.In bridging this gap, it is pertinent to examine real life earshot perceptions of crisis cause their experience with different emotional, attitudinal and behavioral responses. agree to Lee (2004), pickings a consumer orientated approach should provide valuable incursions into how individuals understand and react to brassal crises. much(prenominal) knowledge would help reality relations managers to mitigate negative crisis outcomes and manage brand reputation more effectively.Theoretical Framework Weiners ascription Theory (1986, 1995) Our research was in the first place guided by Weiners (1986, 1995) attribution Theory (WAT), which examines the psychological process by which individuals understand and react to foreign occurrences. While WAT was originally used as a suppositious framework for examining social relationships, it has been successfully applied to the background of companionship crises (McDonald et al. , 2010). Adapting Weiners (1986, 1995) attribution Theory (WAT) listenings bserve and interpret casings, such(prenominal) as the Qantas crisis, making attributions about its cause on both causative dimensions locale (whether the cause was midland or outside(a) to the keep partnership) and Controllability (whether the cause was governable or difficult). The reading of crisis cause under these two constructs leads to a function judgement that, in turn, dissolvers in emotions, which then influences behaviors (McDonald et. al. , 2010).Weiner (1995) in any case suggests that mitigating circumstances or personal relevance may in any case match the individuals business judgement or the strength of their emotional reaction. The relationship between the assorted components of Weiners (1986, 1995) theoretical framework is depicted in the flow chart below. Mitigating chance Mitigating Circumstances In order to successfully keep Weiners (1986, 1195) Attribution Theory (WAT) to the con textual matter of the 2011 Qantas grounding crisis, we first examined the individual components of this theoretical framework.A) Attributions of Cause (locus and Controllability) As previously discussed, Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory (WAT) suggests that earshots evaluate an event and make attributions about its cause along two dimensions. The locus dimension refers to the posture of the crisis cause as creation any ingrained or out-of-door to the boldness (Lee, 2004). Controllability refers to whether the crisis cause is within the control of the organisation or not (Lee, 2004). According to Lee (2004) a crisis cause that is within the boundaries of an organisation ( knowledgeable locale) is also often comprehend as controllable.Likewise, a crisis cause that judged to be outside the organisation ( remote locus) is often viewed as boisterous (Lee, 2004). However Coombs (1995) and McDonald et. al. (2010) both hypothesised that crises could be inw rought and controllable (neglected principal(prenominal)tenance), internal and difficult (employee sabotage), outdoor(a) and controllable (failure to survey with political relation regulations) as well as external and mutinous (terrorism sabotage). The graph below represents the causative hyaloplasm summarized by McDonald et. al. (2010) Internal External controllable Neglected Maintenance Failure to comply with administration regulations Uncontrollable Employee Sabotage terrorism Sabotage In the mise en scene of the Qantas crisis, this leads us to the pastime research interrogatives look school principal 1 What are the listening perceptions of the draw contributing factors to the crisis cause? look into dubiety 2 Are these describe factors internal and controllable or external and disobedient? According to Coombs (1995) the causal dimensions of Locus and Controllability maintain a direct impact upon an auditions crisis response.A study by Folkes (1984) fou nd that locus and controllability had separate effects on customers certificate of indebtedness judgments, emotions and behavioral intentions. Lee (2004) also suggested that, in a crisis context, events that were perceived to be internal and controllable were viewed more negatively by audience members than those that were considered external and uncontrollable (Lee, 2004). Although separating these two constructs was challenging in analyzing audience comments, the following research questions aided us in functionping out ideas for our Leximancer selective entropy analysis.Research question 3 What crisis causes are associated with negative and affirmatory crisis reactions? B) Responsibility Judgment The adjacent step in Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory is the process by which individuals place accountability. Social psychologists Fincham and Jaspars (1980) noted that, in an interpersonal context, individuals would often go beyond the attributions of motive to make judgm ents about who should be held responsible for an observed outcome.Likewise, audiences will assign crisis responsibility after a causal attribution (Lee, 2004). The direction and degree of responsibility judgment will therefore depend upon the audiences attributions of crisis cause (Lee, 2004). Coombs and Holladay (1996, 2002) and Jorgensen (1994, 1996) both used Weiners (1986, 1995) causal dimensions of locus and controllability as the foundation for their studies into crisis communication. All found perceptions of crisis cause to be a major antigenic determinant of responsibility judgments and succeeding stakeholder reactions.Of particular relevance to our authoritative study, Lee (2004) found crises that were perceived to be internal (locus) and controllable (controllability) were more believably to bring about responsibility judgments aimed at the company and its managers. On the other hand, audiences tended to attribute less blame to the company in situations where the cris is cause was viewed as external and uncontrollable, instead reacting with kindness and live on (Lee, 2004).In analysing audience comments through the use of the Leximancer program, we aim to uncover public design and reveal what major stakeholder groups or individuals are held responsible for the 2011 Qantas crisis. This leads us to the following research question Research question 4 What stakeholder groups are perceived to be responsible for the crisis? C) Crisis Emotions According to Choi and Lin (2009) there is a strong need to explore a variety of crisis emotions, in particular the impact that crisis emotions drive upon military capabilitys toward the company and upon ensuant behavioral intentions (McDonald et. l. , 2010). Several studies (e. g. Coombs Holladay 1996, 2002, Jorgensen 1994, 1996 and Lee 2004) necessitate used Weiners causal dimensions of locus and controllability, finding causal attributions to be a major determinant of stakeholder crisis emotions. McDona ld et. al. (2010) found that crisis controllability was the individual strongest predictor of passion, kindness and negative attitude duration Lee (2004) found that in cases where crises were viewed as uncontrollable, pity was elicited.In McDonalds (2010) study, internal crises were found to correspond with fear and strike season external crises were more likely to result in a kind-hearted emotion response (McDonald et al. , 2010). These findings validate the purpose within Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory that causal attribution precedes responsibility judgment, which in turn affects crisis emotions. This leads us to the following research question for our Qantas crisis analysis Research question 5 What audience emotions have emerged? D) behavioural IntentionsWhile responsibility judgment affects emotions, emotions, in turn, impact upon behavioral intentions (Weiner, 1995). Several studies have investigated the relationship between crisis emotion (anger, fear, sadnes s, joy, surprise) and consumers behavioral intentions. A review of previous books by McDonald et at. (2010) found that anger influences punitiveness (Jorgensen, 1996), negative purchase intentions (Coombs Holladay, 2007), negative word of give tongue to (Coombs Holladay, 2007) and in without delay lowers investment intentions (Jorgensen, 1996).Sadness lead to a higher reliance on emotional support while fear was associated with vent intentions or avoidance (Jin, 2009). Coombs and Holladay (2007) also found that dissatisfied customers were more likely to fathom negative imaginations about a product or service than happy customers. This leads us to our final research question regarding the practise of Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory to audiences Qantas crisis response Research straits 6 What audience behavioral intentions have emerged?Based upon the review of existing literature, the on-going case study examined how Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory can be appl ied to a current crisis case in Australia using actual stakeholder comments. In particular, we demand to uncover standoffs between Weiners (1986, 1995) causal constructs (locus and controllability), judgments of responsibility, emotions and behavioral intentions within the context of audience comments. Methodology According to Yin (1994), case studies involve a methodical way of tone at an instance or event within its real-life context.It is a process of stash away in take formation, analyzing information, and reporting the results in order to gain a sharpened understanding of why a particular event occurred, and what efficiency be relevant to future research in the area (Yin, 1994). This research stick out involved the development of a case study analysis that followed a reputation crisis faced by the Australian national airline, Qantas, in October of 2011. By conducting a content analysis of 1121 audience comments, this group was able to deconstruct the crisis interpret and examine audiences attribution process during the 2011 Qantas crisis.Yin defined the research design as a sequence that links entropy to the studys research questions and findings. In order to address our research questions, this group take a variation of Yins (1994) case study design, collecting appropriate evidence, analysing the info and reporting on the findings. Step one of Yins (1994) case study research methods involved the collection of info for content analysis. Yin (1994) noted that data collection could confide on many sources of evidence, one of which includes backing such as media articles.Following Yins (1994) data collection guidelines, this group collected 1121 proofreader comments attached to three news articles on the Qantas crisis, including 734 comments from the Sydney Morning Herald online (Live FWA orders Qantas dispute terminated), 171 comments from the ABC web berth (Qantas grounds its entire fleet) and 216 comments from news. com. au (Qantas cri sis Who won and whos to blame). We then inputted the 1121 audience comments into an excel spreadsheet, organising them on the foot of media source and comment characteristics.The second step in Yins cases study research methods is data analysis. This involves examining and categorizing evidence that is relevant to the study (Yin, 1994). To achieve this, we conducted a content analysis, aided by the imagination connectedness software Leximancer. According to Hsieh and Shannon (2005) a qualitative content analysis is one of legion(predicate) research methods used to read text data. Qualitative content analyses go beyond a simple word association and instead involves an in learning categorization of language into an efficient number of categories with similar meanings (Weber, 1990).Leximancer is a software program intentional to perform this imaginationual analyses of text data in a largely self-employed person manner (Smith, 2003). It is able to analyse large volumes of comm ents and to statistically assess the association between words, identifying emergent themes in the body of text. The basis for Leximancers qualitative data analysis is a concept association intercellular substance that is built from relative frequency data (Rooney, 2005). The result is a optical map and shrewdness splasher that identifies the relational characteristics of disclose concepts (Middleton, Liesch & Steen, 2011).However this tippy Leximancer data requires barely human analysis. By further analysing these Leximancer results we were able to analyse audience reactions to the Qantas grounding crisis under the construct of Weiners (1986, 1995) attribution theory. The final phase of Yins cases study research methods involves reporting the results and checking their robustness. According to Yin (1994) content analyses involve a endangerment of committing what has been called the narrative phantasm.This fallacy consists of a proclivity to simplify data through a prefere nce for compact stories over heterogeneous data zeals (Yin, 1994). In case study research, the way to avoid the narrative fallacy is no different from any other error the usual pursuant(predicate) checks for validity and reliability in how data is collected, study and presented. Therefore it was important to conduct a thorough check of the Leximancer results, correlating Leximancer findings with contextual examples within the article comments and providing exemplar samples of audience statements. Research ResultsLeximancer is able to generate two types of sentiment analysis reports a visual concept map showing a exposit assembly of prominent concepts, and an discernment splashboard which provides quantitative rankings of concepts and their associated cost (Middleton, et al, 2011). The insight facia generates information about the data set by analysing the frequency, strength and bump of reoccurring monetary value within the text. It then organises these terms into categori es, which are groups of recurring sentiments, and concepts, which are ideas that bear a strong contextual link to these categories (Middleton, et al, 2011).Leximancer also automatically identifies compound concepts, which are two terms that are mentioned adjacent to one another within the context of a larger course (Middleton, et al, 2011). Leximancer analyses the data set using a default synonym finder which it uses to identify terms as positive evidence towards a certain sentiment or category. The user can also adjust the focus of the output results by controlling a number of manual settings within the program. By adjusting these settings, results in swear out to our research questions were analysed.Research Question 1 asked what are the audience perceptions of the key contributing factors to the crisis cause? In order to answer this research question, a precedent Leximancer analysis, examining key causal factors, was conducted. The concept map in aim 1 was generated by inp utting all 1121 audience comments into the Leximancer program and adjusting the thesaurus settings to recognise link up terms (such as Alan Joyce and AJ). The resulting concept map behavely illustrates the key causal categories and maps their association with surrounding terms.The main causal concepts that emerge from figure 1 are union action, managerial decisions, working conditions and industrial action. These four terms come to the fore as prominent categories from which punyer, link up concepts stem. encipher 1 Leximancer concept map The concept map in figure 1 forms the foundation for the subsequent graphs 2 and 3, where these key concepts are examined in more depth using link up data from the insight dashboard. Examining these four main causal categories and their related terms, we can begin to deconstruct the narrative surrounding the Qantas crisis.In particular, we can begin to analyse audience members attribution process in terms of Weiners theoretical framework. f lesh 2 (below) is a pie chart, isolating the four main causal categories and their associated terms. The terms surrounding each main category represent the associated concepts that appeared with relative frequency and strength under each main causal category. Terms such as pathetic, appalled and abominable were think strongly with Managerial Decisions, while Union Action was associated with concepts such as bloody(a) minded, bashing and dominated.Industrial Action was positioned within the context of government policy with related terms such as Gillard, reliable Work Act and Labor. Finally, Working Conditions can be seen positioned alongside key terms like employees, pay and unlogical haoma 2 Four key crisis factors and related terms strain 3 shows a further breakdown of each of the four main causal categories. individually pie chart was generated using the quantitative data in the insight dashboard, which outlines the strength, frequency and prominence of the four key catego ries and their related terms.The first of the four pie graphs explores the category of Managerial Decisions. hither we can see that the two major concepts associated with the managerial decisions category are MGMT (an acronym for management) and Alan Joyce. dent, restructures and failures are secondary concepts that also appeared in association with Managerial Decisions. The second pie graph depicts the breakdown of concepts associated with the category of Industrial Action. Here, industrial action is positioned closely with concepts such as Gillard, Fair Work Australia and Federal Government.Therefore it is evident that this causal category refers to the impact of government policy on the Qantas crisis. In the working conditions pie graph, the strong association between terms such as employees, submit to and earn with terms such as pay rise, wages, and salary indicate that one of the causes of this crisis involved current pay schemes and unjust working conditions. Finally, Union action is also set as a main contributing factor to the crisis cause. This pie graph explores this category by highlighting some of its key associated terms.In particular, one can see the clear association between unions, demands and striking. In the context of the Qantas crisis, union groups make a number of demands regarding current working conditions and this was responsible for a large majority of subsequent employee strikes. course 3 graphs exploring the compound categories of managerial decisions, working conditions, Industrial action, and union action Research Question 2 was interested with the application of Weiners (1986, 1995) causal dimensions of Locus and Controllability.It asked whether the key causal factors in the Qantas crisis (identified in figures 1 3) could be classified as internal and controllable or external and uncontrollable. As previously discussed in our literature review, past studies on crisis communication have shown that crises can be any be intern al and controllable (neglected maintenance), internal and uncontrollable (employee sabotage), external and controllable (failure to comply with government regulations) or external and uncontrollable (terrorist sabotage). If we admit our understanding of McDonald et al. 2010) we can apply the following attribution matrix to the current Qantas case study. Figure 4 Qantas attribution matrix . Research question 3 asks what crisis causes can be associated with negative and positive crisis reactions? Figure 5 addresses this research question by using Leximancer insights to compare the appearance of roaring and admonitory terms within the context of audience comments. To justify the results, Leximancers insight dashboard provides examples of each sentiment with comments directly from the data set.The graph below shows that audience comments carry both favourable and bad connotations towards the concepts of management, industrial action, and employees. The balance of favourable and un favourable terms for all four causal concepts (managerial decisions, union action, working conditions and industrial action) is consistent with our preliminary sample of audience comments. Figure 5 unfavourable vs favourable terms Figure 6 addresses research question 4 (What stakeholder groups are perceived to be responsible for the crisis? by using a Leximancer visual concept map portrayal the major stakeholder groups identified in the audience comments. The main stakeholder groups that are identified in this visual concept map are * Alan Joyce * Employees * Unions * Government * Qantas customers * Australians in general Figure 6 Responsible Stakeholder clusters Based on the information obtained in figure 4, we can take a step further and categorise these major stakeholder groups as either internal or external to the company. As the chief operating officer and head of the Qantas company, Alan Joyce is identified as largely responsible for managerial decisions.Baggage handlers, gro und staff and cabin mob are grouped under the stakeholder purpose of employees, while the Australian Licenced Engineers Union (ALAEA), the get off Workers Union (TWU) and the Australian and International Pilots Union (AIPA) are grouped under the stakeholder heading of unions. Finally, the government is also identified as a responsible stakeholder group, with many audience comments citing the role of Julia Gillard, the Labour government and the Fair Work Act in impuissance to mitigate the industrial dispute. Figure 7 Responsibility JudgementFigure 8 is a visual representation of the crisis emotion that have emerged from our anlaysis of audience comments. This graph is establish on the information taken from Leximancers insight dashboard about the strength, prominence and frequency of various sentiments. Anger was the predominant emotion that emerged from the data set and was directed toward all stakeholders, particularly unions and management. While sympathy emerged as another pri mary meotion, it was used to evidence empathy towards workers plights while Sorry was used in relation to customers, employees, and industrial action. Support was also a prodominant sentiment that emerged and was expressed toward all parties in relatively equal degrees. Figure 8 Audience emotions Due to the intimate nature of comments and the variation in denounce structure, it was challenging to isolate behavioural intentions from the data set using the Leximancer software. However, a preliminary manual analysis uncovered a number of trends in consumers behavioural intentions. Major findings indicated that of the 4% of comments that implied a behavioural intention, most were negative, while a small number showed positive purchase or investment intentions.Figure 9 shows a cross selection of comments extracted from the data in response to research question 6. This conceptual personation summarises the main behavioural intentions that emerged from the Qantas crisis. Figure 9 Behavi oural intentions Figure 10 is based on a manual analysis of comments over all three news sites, and shows the frequency of behavioural intentions that have emerged from the data set. The category miscellaneous intentions refers to behaviours such as buying shares, venting action, or fault carriers.Figure 10 Behavioural intentions frequency watchword This case study analysis uncovered a number of key findings that are relevant to crisis communication research. First, our research found that audiences perceived the key contributing factor to the Qantas crisis to be union action, managerial decisions, working conditions and industrial action with the majority of comments attributing the crisis to managerial decisions and union action.When analysing these key causal factors under Weiners dimensions of Locus and Controllability, managerial decisions can be interpreted as both internal and controllable to the company while Union Action can be seen as both external and uncontrollable. If we analyse working conditions in the context of its related terms, we can understand that this cause is about employees observations of their working conditions and the resulting strikes.In particular, this casual factor is about employees being unhappy with current circumstances and demanding better working conditions from Qantas management. While employees are internal to the company, their objections to their working conditions and the result strikes can be understood as relatively uncontrollable. Finally, industrial action in seen within the context of government policy and work place regulation. While the government is external to Qantas, the companys respectfulness with government regulations is certainly within managements control.Therefore we classify this causal concept as both external and controllable. These findings hit upon previous research by Coombs (1995) and McDonald et. al. (2010) that Locus and Controllability can have separate effects on audiences attribution process and that crises may not only be internal/controllable and external/uncontrollable but also internal /uncontrollable and external /controllable. The second major finding of this research project link causal attributions to audiences responsibility judgements.When audiences identified the major causal factor as managerial decisions they also tended to attribute blame to Qantas management, in particular to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. The resulting emotions that emerged from this attribution were anger towards Qantas management and support for unions and employees. This sentiment is exemplified in the audience comment As a QF F of 20+ years I wish to register my total support for the staff and crew at QF over their current legitimize and understandable attempts to prevent Management from destroying the airline which I hold so dear. This customer is sick and tired of being utilise by senior management and the board. (ABC. net. au, 2011). These findings are similar to those of Le es (2004) who express that crises that were perceived to be internal (locus) and controllable (controllability) would bring about responsibility judgements aimed towards the company and its managers. Another key trend in the data identified union action as the main cause of the crisis. These audience members tended to attribute blame to unions and employees involved in striking action.When union action, which we identified as external and uncontrollable, was attributed as the primary cause of the crisis, audience members tended to respond with anger towards unions and employees and sympathy towards the company and its managers. One example of this is conveyed in the audiences comment well up done Alan Joyce. Striking is the lowest form of human behaviour in my aspect. I hope all these ineffectual striking staff lose their jobs and are replaced by hardworking people, who unlike Qantas employees prise their jobs, rather than expect that they are their paragon given right (ABC. et. au, 2011). The third major finding in our case study uncovered a number of audience crisis emotions. While we anticipated finding negative audience emotions such as anger and helplessness, we also uncovered a number of positive emotions that expressed support and sympathy towards all stakeholder groups. One such comment that expressed empathy towards the Qantas brand was sourced from the Sydney Morning Herald (2011), Qantas made the right decision and any company which has a strong union presence should do the same if their future is threatened by them.The Australian dollar bill is strong and to breathe competitive globally, hard decision must be made. This leads us to our final major research finding. As could be expected, positive audience emotions were found to be associated with favourable behavioural intentions while negative emotions were found to predict negative purchase intentions. While 81% of behavioural intentions centred on avoidance, complaint and negative purcha se intentions, another 14% of the behavioural intentions indicated that the audience intended to continue piloting with Qantas, signifying the audiences loyalty to the brand.An example of such positive behavioural intentions is evident in the following audience comment from new. com. au I have eternally flown Qantas and always will, and to those who say they will never fly them again, you know you will let all those FF perks go to waste Good on you Mr Joyce. (News. com. au, 2011, pp. 8). Although the technical limitations of Leximancer restricted our study, our research project successfully applied Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory to audiences attribution process in a real life crisis case.These research findings provide valuable insights into how individuals understand and react to organizational crises in the real world. acquaintance of this type will assist public relations managers in creating effective reputation management strategies in the future. Limitations Altho ugh our case study can be considered largely effective, we did encounter several limitations that impeded the progress of our research. well-nigh of the limitations we encountered involved the technical capabilities of Leximancer.Of particular relevance to our content analysis was Leximancers softness to comprehend tone and colloquialisms. This meant that a comment that Leximancer identified as positive might actually be a black remark meant as a negative. We also found that the informal nature of comments was problematic, since there were multiple ways of expressing a particular sentiment. The data set too was special by the individual news sites comment system. The anonymity of contributors made it hard to clearly identify an audience members level of involvement, unless it was explicitly mentioned in the comment.The anonymity may have led to audience responses phrased more assertively and argumentatively than they would have been if they were named. The news sites also censo r the time frame of the comments. By identifying the time stamp attached to each comment, future studies could examine how audience crises responses changed over the crises lifecycle. This would be particularly important as it would reflect the dynamic nature of audiences crisis response (McDonald et. al, 2009) particularly in this study where the online commentary between the audiences is a highly interactive exchange.Conclusion Based on Yins (1994) case study research methods and the theoretical framework of Weiners (1986, 1995) Attribution Theory, this research project found that managerial decisions and union action were the two key contributing factors to the 2011 Qantas grounding crisis. We also identified the main responsible stakeholder groups to be Alan Joyce (Qantas management), employees, unions and the government. Our findings have shown that the primary crisis emotion that emerged was anger, and that this was targeted primarily towards the management and unions.This wa s followed by sympathy, which empathized with the workers plights, and regret which was used in relation to Qantas customers. However, contrary to expectations, support also emerged as a dominant emotion and was expressed towards all stakeholder parties involved in the crisis. These findings suggest that, in spite of the negative sentiment that has emerged from the grounding crisis, there is still an existing group of passengers who remain loyal to the Qantas brand. Qantas should also take a lesson from these findings in order to better safe-conduct the interests of their stakeholders in future.This may include being mindful of employee moral and considering the plight of the passengers onwards taking such drastic measures in the future. Acknowledgments Supervisor Lyn McDonald Course Coordinator Aparna Hebbani References ABC News. (2011, October 29). Qantas grounds entire fleet. ABC News. Retrieved from http//www. abc. net. au/news/2011-10-29/qantas-locking-out-staff/3608250 Acko ff, R. L. (1981). Creating the corporate future. New York John Wiley & Sons Colgan, Paul. (2011, October 31). Qantas Crisis Who won and whos to blame? News. com. au. Retrieved from