Same-sex marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Same-sex marriage - Essay Example The 1990s saw heated political discourses on same sex relationships particularly in relation to the rights of parenting and spousal benefits in the state of Massachusetts. This led to the recognition of same sex relationships and the provision of benefits (including health and insurance benefits) to individuals in same sex marriages. Nonetheless, this move led to a huge uproar especially among the Christians and clergymen who felt that a special interest group cannot get equal treatment and the recognition accorded to a family unit. They termed same sex partners as friends who decide to share the same house and other different responsibilities. From then, there have been unsuccessful attempts to pass a legislation that would provide guidelines on the same sex relationships. All along, the supporters of same sex relationships have been fighting not for the recognition of same sex relationship but for the accordance of equal benefits and fairness to the individuals belonging to same se x relationships. ... rt claimed that under the constitution of Massachusetts, it was illegal and highly unconstitutional to deny individuals in a same sex relationship the benefits of marriage. This opened the gates for Massachusetts to join other jurisdictions that have legalized same sex marriages including Belgium and Quebec, Canada. In the United States of America, the state of Massachusetts was the first state to recognize and legalize same sex marriages. The case â€Å"Goodridge v. Department of Public Health† provided Massachusetts with the basis for legalizing same sex marriages. The court claimed that it could not deny two individuals who are together because of a mutual agreement the benefits, obligations, and the protections of a civil marriage. The court further noted that the constitution of Massachusetts does not tolerate the establishment of second-class Massachusetts citizens under any cost. Instead, it argued that the constitution represents the rights as well as the dignity of al l people in Massachusetts. Following this decision, the court gave the state legislature a period of 180 days to take any appropriate action in line with its ruling. In the ruling, the majority opinion claimed that the court’s obligation was to provide an appropriate definition for liberty as opposed to imposing its own moral code. This opinion rubbished the perspective of the opponents of same sex marriage who claimed that the legalization of same sex marriage could not be a determination of four individuals. The majority opinion also had it that as opposed to the federal constitution, the constitution of Massachusetts protects personal liberty against any interference from the state or the national government. This is in line with the argument of LaFleur and Cristin (9) that if same sex

Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace Essay

Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace - Essay Example The employees, caught in the middle, depend on references to find gainful employment, but may jeopardize their eligibility if a reference portrays them in a negative light. The wider community (consumers, families, friends and acquaintances of employers and employees) may be equally affected when full disclosure does, and does not, occur. It is contended in this paper that it is vital that standardized national laws should be developed to protect past and future employers, the employees themselves, as well as the communities they work within. Firstly, the growing trend of litigation against former employers will be presented. Secondly, the laws across the states will be outlined in regards to former employer's disclosure of ex-employee information. Thirdly, reasons to standardize the laws will be provided. Finally, a conclusion shall synthesize the main points of the paper, and provide support for the adoption of a standardized national employment and labor policy in regards to termination disclosure. It is becoming more common for employees to ask their former employers for a written reason for their termination of employment, as well as a copy of their personnel record (Boisvert, 1999). It has been suggested that for previous employers, such a request is a cause for concern, as it is often a clear indication of discontent on behalf of the employee, and likely that the employee has consulted with a lawyer and is considering a lawsuit. As such, it is recommended to employers to assume they may be as risk of being sued, and to seek advice from their attorney immediately (Boisvert, 1999). When an employer terminates an employee they must be aware of the risk of being presented with a lawsuit, and have risk management policies in place to minimize such an event from occurring. The process of providing a reference for the employee will play a large part in determining if the employee can make a legal claim (Boisvert, 1999). For this reason, there has been an increasing tendency for e mployers not to provide comprehensive details of a former employees work practices. Many employers are heeding their lawyer's advice to tailor references to provide a neutral profile of the employee. In general, this involves confirming the employee's position, dates of employment and salary (Boisvert, 1999).There are numerous areas of potential liability for the former employer when providing a reference (Lovett & Potter, 2004). Most notably, is the risk of being sued for defamation or invasion of privacy. There is also the risk of liability for retaliation, such as when management takes revenge on an employee for a past non-compliance within the organization. Another liability risk is that of 'compelled self-publication' which occurs when an employee must repeat what they perceive to be false allegations as their reason from termination, so that the future employer does not hear it first from a previous employer (Lovett & Potter, 2004). In general, employers should implement polic y for the response to requests of a written reference, or for requests of information from future employers (Boisvert, 1999). It is recommended that such a policy prohibit employees from disseminating information about their co-workers, and that the policy direct all inquiries for information

Intelligent Agents Characteristics

Intelligent Agents Characteristics Report on Intelligent Agents Methodology The research for this report was done using the various books from the library, Internet sites and computer magazines. Introduction The uses of intelligent agents within the home and in businesses have increased dramatically over the years. Intelligent agents are a part of a program that carries out a task unsupervised and applies some degree of intelligence to the task. New and improved intelligent agents are constantly being designed and produced to carry out numerous repetitive and predictable tasks. One definition of an intelligent agent, as described by states â€Å"an intelligent agent perceives its environment via sensors and acts rationally upon that environment with its effectors. Hence, an intelligent agent gets percepts one at a time and maps this percept into actions† In his book, Essentials of Management Information Systems, Kenneth Laudon describes an intelligent agent as being â€Å"software programs that work in the background to carry out specific, repetitive and predictable tasks for an individual user business or software application†. The design and production of an intelligent agent has to take into consideration numerous factors. This report takes a look at these considerations and factors and provides and insight into how intelligent agents are influencing businesses and society as a whole. Findings Agent Characteristics Intelligent agents have four main characteristics: â€Å"An agent is a computer software system whose characteristics are situatedness, autonomy, adapitvity and sociability.† Situatedness When an Agent receives some form of sensory input from its environment, it then performs some actions that change its environment in some way. Autonomy This agent characteristic means that an agent is able to act without direct intervention from humans or other agents. This type of agent has almost complete control over it own actions and internal state. Adapitvity This agent characteristic means that it is capable of reacting flexibly to changes within its environment. It is able to accept goal directed initiatives when appropriate and is also capable of learning from its own experiences, environment and interaction with others. Sociability This type of characteristic means that the agent is capable of interacting in a peer-to-peer manner with other agents or humans. Design Considerations One of the most important aspects of intelligent agents is the design of the actual agent. The agent needs to be able to fulfil the tasks that are required from it, i.e. to achieve its goals. There are four main aspects that need to be taken into consideration when designing an intelligent agent. Percepts This is the information that the agent receives Actions This is what the agent needs to do or can do to achieve its objectives. Goals This is the factor that the agent is trying to achieve Environment The final aspect is the environment in which the agent will be working in. The environment in which the agent performs is probably the most important aspect that needs to be considered as this affects the outcome of the percepts, actions and goals. Different Approaches to Agent Design From the agent characteristics and design considerations come four different approaches to intelligent agent design. Simple Reflex Agents Simple reflex agents are the most basic form of intelligent agent. They are simple minded, direct connections between percepts and actions. Reflex Agents with Internal State Reflex agents with internal state are similar to the Simple reflex agents except they remember the state of the environment as contained in earlier percepts. As the agents sensors do not provide a detailed account of the environment at each input, a perception of the environment is captured over a period of time that provided further information to the agent and enables it to provide better results. Goal Based Agents For a goal based agent, the agent must know more than the current state of the environment, they must know the full requirements of the goal that they are required to perform. The goal based agent combines the information of the goal with possible actions that will achieve that goal. This may cause the agent to take longer sequences of possible actions before deciding on the right course of action and whether the goal has been achieved. Goal Based agents also take the future into consideration. 3.4 Utility Based Agents Utility-based agents are the ultimate form of intelligent agent and are an extension of the goal-based agent. Utility agents consider degrees of utility and try to maximise their own potential. Utility functions allow the agent to identify conflicting or alternative goals and decisions. The likelihood of success and importance of the goal can also be compared and evaluated by the utility agent; the agent would then execute appropriate action to ensure the best option was selected. Distinction between Environments Accessible Vs Inaccessible This environment is concerned with whether the agent is able to see the exact state of the environment. If the agents sensors are able to provide it with complete access to the state of the environment needed to choose an action, then the environment is accessible otherwise it is inaccessible. Deterministic Vs Nondeterministic In a deterministic environment, the use of the same actions will produce the same outcome every time the process or situation is repeated. But in a Nondeterministic environment the final outcome of the process or situation will be different every time. Episodic Vs Nonepisodic In an episodic environment, subsequent episodes do not depend on the actions that occurred in previous episodes, agents in this type of environment dont need to plan ahead. Agents in Nonepisodic environments do tend to depend on previous actions that occurred in previous episodes and do tend to have to plan ahead. 4.4 Static Vs Dynamic A static environment is an environment that doesnt change and the time taken for an agent to process an action doesnt matter, as the environment will remain the same. A dynamic environment changes continuously and an intelligent agent has to be able to process actions quickly before the environment changes. Discrete Vs Continuous In a discrete environment the number of distinct percepts and actions that an agent will receive is limited to a set amount, but in a continuous environment the percepts and actions are unlimited. Intelligent agents that are in an accessible or deterministic environment do not need to deal with uncertainty. Inaccessible, Nondeterministic, Nonepisodic, Dynamic, and Continuous environments are the most challenging, as these are unpredictable environments, the other environments are more stable and less volatile. The use of Intelligent Agents in Businesses The use of intelligent agents has increased dramatically over the past 5 year, though the majority of people wouldnt think twice about the process that they do that make their lives easier. During the1990s, A.D.Little, a management consultant, estimated that by the year 2000, 15 to 20 percent of all computer applications would contain intelligent agents. Though this figure has increased a substantial amount with the development of new technologies. The use of intelligent can agents can be seen in every industry sector within the UK and all over the world. The most common and widely used agents are found within two main areas. The first is within office type environments in which computers are used and the second is on the World Wide Web. In the first issue, computer software is the main reason for agents being used so widely: Operating systems use agents to add email and dial up networking account, do group management, add/remove programs and devices and monitor licences. Spreadsheet agents offer suggestions for improvement and can also tutor novice users. Software development agents assist in routine activities such as data filtering. The second and area and probably the largest is the Internet. The internet uses a variety of different types of agents to help the user find what they are looking for. They include: Search engines improve your information retrieval on the Internet Web mastering Agents these agents make it easy to manage a web site Web Agents These agents improve the users browsing experience. Monitoring Agents These agents monitor web sites or specific themes you are interested in. Shopbots These agents allow you to compare prices on Internet. Virtual Assistants these include virtual pets and desktop assistants. Intelligent agents can be seen in a wide variety of situations, the table in point 5.1 provides more examples of what agents are capable of. Though agents are making life easier, it is also reducing the amount of employees needed to do the job. An example of this would be a car-manufacturing factory. During the 1980s thousands of people were employed to make the vehicles but since the introduction of machinery that contains an intelligent agent to do the repetitive work, numerous people were made redundant and the positions in which 4 5 people did the job has been reduced to one or two men and the machine. An intelligent agent is something that perceives and acts in an environments. An ideal agent is one that always takes the action that is expected to maximise its performance. There are a variety of basic agent program designs. The designs vary in efficiency, compactness and flexibility. The appropriate design of the agent program depends on the percepts, actions, goals and environment. Some environments are more demanding than others. Reflex agents respond immediately to percepts, goal based agents act so that they can achieve their goals and utility-based agents try to maximise their own ‘happiness. The use of intelligence agents has increased beyond the expectations of experts within the management and information technology fields. The use of intelligent agents are being seen in a wide cross section of businesses whether it be in machinery and equipment or within the software programs that they have in their computers and networks. The most widely used forms of intelligent agents are found on the Internet, they are mainly used within search engines. Recommendations Intelligent agents are the basis of artificial intelligence; there are considerable ongoing researches into the field, with many exciting possibilities. â€Å"Agents are here to stay, not least because of their diversity, their wide range of applications and the broad spectrum of companies investing in them. As we move further and further into the information age, any information-based organisation which does not invest in agent technology may be committing commercial hara-kiri.† Bibliography Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig 1995,Artificial intelligence: A modern Approach, Prentice Hall www-cdr.Stanford.edu/nextlink/expert.html [Accessed 13 October 2002] Intelligent Agents on the internet: fact, Fiction and Forecast, Oren Etzioni and Daniel S. Weld www.computer.org/intelligent/ex1995/x4044abs.htm [Accessed 16th October 2002] www.hermans.org/agents/index.html [Accessed 16th October 2002] Intelligent agents likely to cut jobs, alter offices, Kile Martz www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/1998/08/03focus5.html [Accessed 16th October 2002] http://www.agentland.com/ http://sbm-connect.tees.ac.uk/ebuscon/Presentations%20(PPP%20%20PDF)%20Files/Chapter%2011%20Intelligent%20Systems%20in%20Business.pdf [Accessed 13th October 2002] Turban, McLean and Wetherbe, 1996, First Edition, Information technology for managers Improving Quality and Productivity Laudon K. Essentials of Management Information Systems, 2002, Fifth Edition, Prentice Hall

Essay --

The Seagull is a masterpiece written by Chekhov. It is a short play highlighting stories of characters who are preoccupied with themselves, what they want and what they do not have. However, these characters do not seem to listen, empathize or even initially understand anyone until Treplev commits suicide. Within the setup of the story, the author of the play uses various characters different from others. For instance the character of Treplev in the entire play differs to that of Trigorin in different ways. Treplev is a desperate writer and dramatist who live in the shadow of Arkadina. He is an independent person who wants to get out of Arkadina’s shadow. On the other hands, Trigorin is a compulsive and dependent writer who relies on Arkadina. In this section, the author will compare two characters of Treplev and Trigorin, explaining the superiority of one character over the other. Treplev is only son of Arkadina and the protagonist of the play. His perception about life is insecure as he struggles with the endeavors of being a famous dramatist like his mother who is a successful actress. He also focuses on his dreams of being successful in writing like Trigorin who is also a successful writer. Both Arkadina and Trigorin have membership of the elite Russian intelligentsia and the artistic community. They have a legacy in the community for over what they have done in terms of writing. In terms of character analysis, Treplev seems to be intolerant, self-defeating and juvenile. This is shown through how he behaves in the whole play. The desire that Treplev has for love torments him in a distinct way. He tries to develop a new form of writings that he wants to replicate the new upsurge of symbolist inscription that will reinvigorate ... ...think about form, because it’s pouring freely out of your soul† (pg 179) As Dorn advised Treplev in Act One, Treplev progressively realizes writing is all about their picturesque path with a well defined goal not a new forms and only to create new forms and being appreciated. In addition, Treplev is no longer jealous and starts yearning for Trigorin’s writing. He says â€Å"Trigorin has a perfected a technique for himself, it’s easy for him/ He has a shard of broken bottle glisten on the dam and a black shadow cast by the millwheel and there’s your moonlight night ready –made† (pg 179) There is a difference in the shade of meaning when Treplev explain about Trigorin between Act One and Act Four. Treplev respects the way of Trigorin’s writing and his formula. By the comparison Treplev and Trigorin, we can learn about the point of view with writing and their life style.

Coping Stressess in Problem-Focused Method

CLASS DISCUSSION It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. But you always have more control than you might think. Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. For example, in dealing with an exam as a stressor, different people will have a range of different coping responses.Problem-focused strategy has three steps-taking control, information seeking and evaluating the pros and cons. Comparing with the emotional-focused strategy, as a manger, I would personally prefer using the problem-focused strategy in coping with stress, since it can high effectively removes the stressor, and deals with the root cause of the specific problem. This way, it will provide a long-term solution.In contrast, emotional-focused stragety means the reduction of negative emotional responses associated with stresses, for example embarrassment and anxiety, is less effective than using a problem-focused strategy. Reasons are emotional-focused strategy are more focused on emotions, rather than the actual root cause of the problem therefore it cannot provide long-term solution.As a manager, I would ensure my employees are using the problem-focused strategy in the following way-figure out what is the root cause of the problem, and try to motivate employees to change the relationship between themselves and stressor, for example, escaping from the stress or removing the stress; Secondly, I will make sure if my employees really understand the situation for example using the internet, and help them solving the problem, so that to avoid having the same problem in the future.Finally, I will let my employees to analyze and evaluate the pros and cons of the problem and figure out different options in dealing with the stressor.

Life of pi personal essay

In Yawn Marten's Life of Pi, Piecing Molotov Patella's Journey explores many connections to my life. His life in India, along with his experience on water, allows Pi to recognize many attributes about himself. My life in three specific ways, mirrors the life of Pl. This is proven through hope, loss, and religion involved in both of our lives. Pip's ‘cup half full' outlook, along with his â€Å"fierce will to live†(Marten, 164) is what gives him hope throughout his Journey on water. This is seen when Pi absorbs that there is a tiger in his life boat and that they are stranded in the middle of the ocean.This makes him realize oncoming death, however he fails to accept it due to the voice he hears in his heart; â€Å"l will not die. I refuse it. I will not make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine (163). † This spark of light found in his heart in such a hopel ess situation, proves his amazing outlook on life and will to survive. Similarly, I try to view every situation in a positive light as well, no matter how hopeless the situation may be.This is usually seen when I may be in a bad situation with others, and instead of complaining, I will make the remark â€Å"Well, it could be worse. For instance†¦ † This attitude tends to create more positivist in everyone and every situation. In addition, Pip's loss of loved ones also connects to myself. When he can no longer deny the death of his Father, Mother and brother Rave, he grieves; â€Å"what a thing to acknowledge in your heart (141)! † This represents the love that he will forever cherish of his family. Loss is something that everyone lives with.In the case of God's Theodosius, people presume that evil, including loss, is existent due to possible reasons: to build character, to develop free will, pure revenge, etc. In the case of P', I believe that his loss establishes building of character, and in connection to my first point, creates motivation which brings him hope. The loss of my family members, including all four of my grandparents, has been bitter sweet. Of course, death is a tragedy in the case of loved ones, however, believing that they are looking down on e has given me hope and motivation, like P', to strive for success and make them proud.The major factor that Pi develops throughout the novel is the discovery of his identity. His religion(s), family, and self, all contribute to the way that he showcases himself when he is independent on the ocean. In his search for religion, Pi is not limited by the bounds of a single religion, but instead seeks guidance and meaning from many. His choices of following the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity are all able to contribute to his strong love for God/Allah.It is Pip's dignity and belief for God that he cares about; â€Å"To me, religion is about our dignity, not our depravity'( 79). Like Papua Gandhi, I agree that ‘All religions are true† (76) and that there are no rules for loving God as religion is an independent choice. After all, the point of spirituality is not to becoming limited by narrow thinking, but to find yourself in order to enhance your lives, and the lives of those around you. Unlike P', I was raised practicing the single religion of Judaism in my household.My mother (who inverted) along with my father, exposed me to the practices and beliefs of Judaism, which I still practice and abide by today. This goes along with my Bat Mitzvahs at the age of thirteen which identified me as a woman. My belief in God, like Pi, is strong, and thanks to religion, is a major part of my identity. When examined closer, Pip's hope in all situations, loss of loved ones, and identity which is seen through his religion, are all able to connect closely with myself. Works Cited Marten, Yawn. Life of Pi: a novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

DEMENTIA

DEMENTIA DEMENTIADementia diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), have a large impact on the everyday life of persons affected, their spouses, and the staff involved in their daily living (Borell, 1992). For example, the cognitive dysfunctions resulting from dementia diseases interfere largely with the performance of most activities of daily living (ADL) (BÂ ¤ckman, 1992). Consequently, an urgent need exists to develop programs supporting everyday occupation for persons with dementia. Occupational therapy can help persons with a dementia disease to regain and retain meaningful life skills (Rogers, 1986). Yet few such programs are documented; and few attempts have been made to evaluate the effects of such programs on the performance of ADL among individuals exhibiting dementia. Furthermore, it is unclear what the focus of such programs should be. Should the intervention seek to improve the cognitive constituents underlying performance of ADL (e.g., memory), or should it focus on environme ntal and social conditions supporting task performance (Fisher, 1992)?Several attempts have been made to enhance cognitive functions, like memory, in persons with dementia diseases (BÂ ¤ckman, 1990).English: Histopathogic image of senile plaques see...Throughout these stages a specific sequence of cognitive deterioration is observed (Lezak, 1993). The mild stage begins with memory, attention, speed dependent activities, and abstract reasoning dysfunction. Also mild language impairments begin to surface. In the moderate stage, language deficits such as aphasia and apraxia become prominent. Dysfluency, paraphasias, and bizzare word combinations are common midstage speech defects. In the severe stage the patient is gradually reduced to a vegetative state. Speech becomes nonfluent, repetitive, and largely non-communicative. Auditory comprehension is exceedingly limited, with many patients displaying partial or complete mutism. Late in the course of the disease many neuropsychological f unctions can no longer be measured. Also primitive reflexes such as grasp and suck emerge. Death usually results from a disease such as pneumonia which overwhelms the limited vegetative functions of the patient.Dementia is commonly differentiated along two dimensions: age and cortical level. The first dimension,

Why Saddam Hussein Must be Forcibly Removed from Power essays

Why Saddam Hussein Must be Forcibly Removed from Power essays Should Saddam Hussein be forcibly removed from power? Although many of Americas allies refuse to support military action against Saddam because of possible casualties, Saddam must be removed from power because of the thereat that he poses to the world. Saddam Hussein must be forcibly removed from power because he poses a thereat to countries neighboring Iraq. In 1991, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. In addition to causing the Persian Gulf War, this action caused the deaths of many civilians in Kuwait and disturbed the world economy. Therefore, Saddam Hussein must be removed from power: to relieve a terrorist threat, to stop his tyranny against the civilians in Iraq, and to free Iraq from dictatorship. One of the important reasons to remove Saddam Hussein from power is to reduce the terrorist threat that he poses to America and its allies. Saddam Hussein supports terrorists. Not only does Saddam Hussein harbor terrorists in Iraq, but he also offers financial support and weapons to terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda. Saddam Hussein also trains Al Qaeda warriors in secret training camps located in Iraq. In addition to supporting terrorists, Saddam Hussein also manufactures chemical and biological weapons in secret factories in Iraq. He also has access to nuclear weapons. Biological weapons are pathogens that are intentionally engineered, designed, and cultivated to be used to quickly terminate anyone who comes into contact with the pathogen. These pathogens are then delivered to their target using a ballistic missile or sprayed from an aircraft. Under Saddam Hussein Iraq has produced large quantities of biological weapons such as: anthrax, botulism, and aflatoxin. Anthrax is usually sprayed from a low flying aircraft onto a large concentration of people. Untreated, anthrax is almost always fatal within five days. Botulism is a form of food poisoning and is delivered using a ballistic missile. Botulism is a bacterium t...

A View of the Impact of Technology on the Participation of Eligible Voters in an Election

A View of the Impact of Technology on the Participation of Eligible Voters in an Election The Effect of Modern Technology and Voter Turnout Today’s generation has seen the massive increase in modern technology, specifically in the aspect of media. As television and the Internet become more impactful on society, the more attention paid to the radio and newspapers decrease. One of the prominent effects from media use is displayed in the campaign techniques of the United States’ presidential election candidates. The trend change among media outlets is due to the modernizing times. Less American people find it important listen to talk radio and to read a newspaper everyday. It is clear, however, the need to be attached to the computers in their pockets and have their eyes glued to TV screens. I will be testing the idea that the people of the United States of America have a higher inclination to vote if they pay more attention to politics through television and the Internet than they do to the radio and newspapers. This hypothesis contradicts the general thinking among political scientists, however. Commonly, the higher the socioeconomic status of individuals, the more inclination there is to vote (American Psychological Association, 2015). A higher SES indicates the more educated, who are generally more involved in the political process, are more likely to read newspapers. The older generation also tends to rely more on newspapers, as well as talk radio. In order to test my hypothesis, I will use the control variable of education level, separating it into three categories (high school diploma, college graduate and graduate degree). Alexandra Pelosi (2005) inquires about the corruption of the media during the election season, which supports the fact that Americans are trul y less informed about the happenings in politics, even though they have more access. Henry Brady and Richard Johnston (2006) also argue the fact that the increased use in media greatly effects voter turnout. To create the graphs used to explain my hypothesis, I used data sets from ICPSR. The row variable was set to show the different media outlets in which voters paid attention, using the codes C02, C04, C06 and C08. The column variable represented the people that voted in the 2012 presidential election (A01) and the control variable is education (R04). The figures (Figures 1-12) show that the majority of the American population did not vote in 2012 election, regardless of education level. All except the figures regarding attention paid to television news (Figures 4-6). This not only proves the fact that there is a higher voter turnout from those that turn to modern technology for information, but also that television is the favored source of all four mediums. I was most surprised to notice the difference in voted versus not voted when attention was paid to politics in the newspaper (Figures 1-3) because regardless of the education level, the majority did not vote. It was also interesting to see how the voters with just a high school diploma, paying attention to the Internet news (Figure7), voted: the majority did not pay attention to the Internet at all, whereas the college graduate and graduate degree levels had more people paying attention to it. When analyzing the effects of radio news on voter turnout (Figures 9-12), I notice the lack in relationship. Most of the people surveyed either did, or did not, vote regardless of paying attention to the radio. In recent elections, the ways presidential candidates campaign have changed with the modernizing technology. Although all continue to travel around the country building the personal connection with the voters, more ads are put out on television, the majority of it being negative. According to Dingfelder (2012), the American population responds more to negative ads than positive ones. These TV campaigns are frequently used due to the fact that nearly every American home has a television, and is watched on a daily basis. This fact allows a wide range of coverage with minimal effort. When analyzing the data, it can be understood that when it comes to paying attention to media for national politics, the voters with an education level of at least a high school diploma that rely on television news are the ones which have a higher voter turnout, with the Internet of a person with a graduate degree coming in second. The other media outlets, the newspaper and radio, generally have the same outcomes, minimal effects of media outlet on voter turnout. While I used one control variable, education level, there was still the problem of age when focusing on the common knowledge that an older generation pays more attention to newspaper and radio. Age poses a problem because a college graduate can range from 21 to 45 years old, since anyone can have a higher or lower level of education. To further the study, the control variable of age can be tested to see if and how the relationship would change. Splitting the category into two subcategories of 18 to 44 and 45 to 65 will allow a simplification of the data for a clearer result.

HRD #468 Definition Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HRD #468 Definition Assignment - Essay Example The TQM processes have four division; do, check, plan and act. As a current e-business focus, TQM base on quality management from the consumer’s point of view (Hoyle, 2007). According to Rawlins (2008), enhancing quality has become organization-wide effort as the business maximization globalization underscores the continuous improvement necessity. TQM is no longer the sole quality engineers, process engineers, product designers, and other specialists concern. The human resource management (HRM) role has a significant role to play in developing the entire organization’s quality (Hoyle, 2007). HRM can jumpstart TQM process through serving as a role model in the performance of two important tasks; contributing to the business processes and providing customer-oriented service. Thus, the human resource development (HRD) and TQM relate as HRD promotes organization’s quality through HR functions as training and development, recruitment and selection reward systems and performance evaluation. Hence, the human resource functions help to improve the product and services quality; hence linking to TQM aim of enhancing the quality of services and produ cts through ongoing

Argumentative Synthesis-Extreme Obedience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argumentative Synthesis-Extreme Obedience - Essay Example in addition, is the factor that led to the regime’s collapse and dissertation amidst stripping of anything that could be looted by the prisoners such as windows, doors and bricks. This paper describes the implications engulfed in the extreme obedience necessity. The open answer to the extreme obedience necessity is a no. Extreme obedience suppresses creativity and innovation, as people are afraid of giving their innate opinions to the relevant authorities. Morality and military obedience though necessary should allow for the exchange of liberal opinions between the junior military officers and senior ones. During the Vietnam era, divergent opinions in scholarly and secular writing predominantly was a sign of disobedience to authorities especially the military authority (Milgram & Zimbardo, 2009). Nonetheless, psychologically, the suppression of military groups in relation to their morality and obedience was the factor that led to the dysfunctional nature of the warfare activities in which the military personnel were undertaking. Currently, there have emerged change times in regard to morality and military obedience hence the emergence of ultimate shifts of attitude towards obedience as reflected on the dual military tension between autonomy and freedom of individual soldiers. In conclusion, in order for human beings to aptly maintain their social stability and individuality, a balance between insubordination and obedience must be achieved through a liberal collective bargain between the authorities and the individuals. Obedience is overly harmful especially in extreme cases where it appears to be the reason for all the individualistic physical and or mental anguish. Okinawa’s residential protest in Japan in commemoration of the Second World War postulates a situational cause of mental and physical anguish as a result of continues and forceful obedience into these residents. The American military was preeminently portrayed as the party charged with causing

Informal interview with immigrant from kenya Essay

Informal interview with immigrant from kenya - Essay Example When you came to USA, did you speak English? Response: The Americans and the people of my culture behave in quite different ways. For instance, in greetings, the people of my culture shake hands warmly and heartily; in American culture, however, although people shake hands in greetings, the shaking of the hands is not done in a warm and cheerful manner. Also, according to my culture, public expression of romantic feelings is discouraged; in fact, according to my culture, it sounds a bit odd to tell your lover publicly that you love her. For that reason therefore, dating in my culture is quite different from dating in the American culture- in my culture, rarely do the dating couple express their romantic feelings in public as is the case in American culture. Again, in socializing, the people of culture behave quite differently from the American people. This is because the people of my culture consider the community to be more important than the individual, for that reason, therefore, the people of my culture are quite united as a community, unlike the American people who are individualistic and who regard the individual to be more important than the community/society. Answer: There are two main situations in which I felt completely misunderstood when I arrived to America. In the first situation, on the first day of my arrival, I extended my hand in greetings to all the people I interacted with at the airport. To my surprise, many of the people I extended hands to in greetings looked at me suspiciously and they did not shake my hands; I really felt misunderstood by these people and ever since I wait for the people to first extend their hands in greetings before I extend my hand and shake them in greetings. In the second incident, on my second week in America, I held my friend’s hand, my compatriot Mr. Eric Odhiambo, as we were walking along the road; to our surprise, the people looked at us suspiciously. I later learnt that the people who looked at us

Using the I Can Problem Solve Program Research Proposal

Using the I Can Problem Solve Program - Research Proposal Example ICPS Program teaches the critical thinking skills children require to solve problems on their own. After receiving this program, children learn to generate solution and alternative solutions to problems. They learn to go one step ahead and think of the situation that will arise once the decision is taken. Ability to plan properly the steps to be taken to reach the main goal is developed on their own. How? Here, students are helped to solve problems on their own by using real life situations and using fun and exciting methods such as using colorful pictures, puppets etc. Discussions among groups of students and role plays are also done during the program to help them understand and come up with various solutions and alternative solutions to situational problems .They are then allowed to find out for themselves which would be the best solution to the problem considering the consequences. The program teaches students basic skills and problem solving language. They learn word concepts, how to identify problems, come up with solutions, find out factors behind problems, generate alternate solutions and also study consequences. Children learn to be sensitive. They recognize not only one’s own feelings but also others. Children tend to be empathetic and understand problems others face from their point of view. And hence they are able to respond to others problems and influence th eir responses in turn. Children become better decision makers. Many role plays are conducted during this program enacting problematic situations. They are requested to come up with solutions and alternative solutions to such situational problems. And they finally choose the best solution on their own after studying the consequences to their decisions. This enables them to manage and solve everyday problems more effectively. Relating lessons learned to other areas, extension activities, activity sheets and other interactive activities are included.

Literary Response #5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary Response #5 - Essay Example In Brooks’ poem ‘a song in the front yard’ she impressionistically compares her life and childhood as one of growing up the front yard. For Brooks, the front yard represents a conservative take on life, one that is in-direct opposition to the more daring backyard life experienced by other individuals, or members of her neighborhood. In her description one witnesses the subtle references to life as a member of a poor urban culture. Brooks writes, â€Å"I’d like to be a bad woman, too,/ And wear the brave stockings of night-black lace/ And strut down the streets with paint on my face† (Brooks, 18-20). While it’s definitively unclear if Brooks is referring to street hookers, one can reasonably assume this is the reference that is developed. In these regards, these concluding lines of the poem are effective in demonstrating black urban life; as such imagery is distinct to more cosmopolitan areas, and also poor urban life. Characteristic of Brooks poetry, the lines are simple and easily understood, contributing to their effectiveness in describing her particular milieu. Brooks’ advances her description of black urban life in a more concise and lyrical poem, ‘We Real Cool’. This poem adopts a structure that some might indicate is akin to beat poetry, or even jazz inspired. Through short, descriptive phrases, Brooks offers a satirical look at men who frequent a pool hall in her urban neighborhood. She writes, â€Å"We Sing sin./ We  Thin gin./ We Jazz June. We/ Die soon† (Brooks, 4-8). While the descriptive qualities of these lines and indeed the entire poem are sparse, their poetic and impressionistic quality are effective in creating a vision of the true reality of the poor urban landscape, and the perspectives contained therein, that traditional descriptive methods may not be as creatively successful in articulating. In the ‘Bean Eaters’ Brooks continues her exploration of the black urban landscape, this time examining what appears to

Informal interview with immigrant from kenya Essay

Informal interview with immigrant from kenya - Essay Example When you came to USA, did you speak English? Response: The Americans and the people of my culture behave in quite different ways. For instance, in greetings, the people of my culture shake hands warmly and heartily; in American culture, however, although people shake hands in greetings, the shaking of the hands is not done in a warm and cheerful manner. Also, according to my culture, public expression of romantic feelings is discouraged; in fact, according to my culture, it sounds a bit odd to tell your lover publicly that you love her. For that reason therefore, dating in my culture is quite different from dating in the American culture- in my culture, rarely do the dating couple express their romantic feelings in public as is the case in American culture. Again, in socializing, the people of culture behave quite differently from the American people. This is because the people of my culture consider the community to be more important than the individual, for that reason, therefore, the people of my culture are quite united as a community, unlike the American people who are individualistic and who regard the individual to be more important than the community/society. Answer: There are two main situations in which I felt completely misunderstood when I arrived to America. In the first situation, on the first day of my arrival, I extended my hand in greetings to all the people I interacted with at the airport. To my surprise, many of the people I extended hands to in greetings looked at me suspiciously and they did not shake my hands; I really felt misunderstood by these people and ever since I wait for the people to first extend their hands in greetings before I extend my hand and shake them in greetings. In the second incident, on my second week in America, I held my friend’s hand, my compatriot Mr. Eric Odhiambo, as we were walking along the road; to our surprise, the people looked at us suspiciously. I later learnt that the people who looked at us

Literary Response #5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary Response #5 - Essay Example In Brooks’ poem ‘a song in the front yard’ she impressionistically compares her life and childhood as one of growing up the front yard. For Brooks, the front yard represents a conservative take on life, one that is in-direct opposition to the more daring backyard life experienced by other individuals, or members of her neighborhood. In her description one witnesses the subtle references to life as a member of a poor urban culture. Brooks writes, â€Å"I’d like to be a bad woman, too,/ And wear the brave stockings of night-black lace/ And strut down the streets with paint on my face† (Brooks, 18-20). While it’s definitively unclear if Brooks is referring to street hookers, one can reasonably assume this is the reference that is developed. In these regards, these concluding lines of the poem are effective in demonstrating black urban life; as such imagery is distinct to more cosmopolitan areas, and also poor urban life. Characteristic of Brooks poetry, the lines are simple and easily understood, contributing to their effectiveness in describing her particular milieu. Brooks’ advances her description of black urban life in a more concise and lyrical poem, ‘We Real Cool’. This poem adopts a structure that some might indicate is akin to beat poetry, or even jazz inspired. Through short, descriptive phrases, Brooks offers a satirical look at men who frequent a pool hall in her urban neighborhood. She writes, â€Å"We Sing sin./ We  Thin gin./ We Jazz June. We/ Die soon† (Brooks, 4-8). While the descriptive qualities of these lines and indeed the entire poem are sparse, their poetic and impressionistic quality are effective in creating a vision of the true reality of the poor urban landscape, and the perspectives contained therein, that traditional descriptive methods may not be as creatively successful in articulating. In the ‘Bean Eaters’ Brooks continues her exploration of the black urban landscape, this time examining what appears to

Decision Making Stages Essay Example for Free

Decision Making Stages Essay Decision making (decision from Latin decidere to decide, determine, literally to cut off, from de- off and caedere to cut) can be regarded as the mental processes (cognitive process) resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice.[1] The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. * | Decision making stages Developed by B. Aubrey Fisher, there are four stages that should be involved in all group decision making. These stages, or sometimes called phases, are important for the decision making process to begin Orientation stage – This phase is where members meet for the first time and start to get to know each other. Conflict stage – Once group members become familiar with each other, disputes, little fights and arguments occur. Group members eventually work it out. Emergence stage – The group begins to clear up vague opinions by talking about them. Reinforcement stage – Members finally make a decision, while justifying themselves that it was the right decision. It is said that critical norms in a group improves the quality of decisions, while the majority of opinions (called consensus norms) do not. This is due to collaboration between one another, and when group members get used to, and familiar with, each other, they will tend to argue and create more of a dispute to agree upon one decision. This does not mean that all group members fully agree — they may not want argue further just to be liked by other group members or to fit in.[12] Q2 A management information system (MIS) is a system that provides information needed to manage organizations effectively. Management information systems are regarded to be a subset of the overall internal controls procedures in a business, which cover the application of people, documents, technologies, and procedures used by management accountants to solve business problems such as costing a product, service or a business-wide strategy. Applications of MIS With computers being as ubiquitous as they are today, theres hardly any large business that does not rely extensively on their IT systems. However, there are several specific fields in which MIS has become invaluable. Strategy Support While computers cannot create business strategies by themselves they can assist management in understanding the effects of their strategies, and help enable effective decision-making. ï  ¶ MIS systems can be used to transform data into information useful for decision making. Computers can provide fina ncial statements and performance reports to assist in the planning, monitoring and implementation of strategy. MIS systems provide a valuable function in that they can collate into coherent reports unmanageable volumes of data that would otherwise be broadly useless to decision makers. By studying these reports decision-makers can identify patterns and trends that would have remained unseen if the raw data were consulted manually. ï  ¶ MIS systems can also use these raw data to run simulations hypothetical scenarios that answer a range of ‘what if’ questions regarding alterations in strategy. For instance, MIS systems can provide predictions about the effect on sales that an alteration in price would have on a product. These Decision Support Systems (DSS) enable more informed decision making within an enterprise than would be possible without MIS systems. Q3 Information Resources Management (IRM) is an emerging discipline that helps managers assess and exploit their information assets for business development. It draws on the techniques of information science (libraries) and information systems (IT related). It an important foundation for knowledge management, in that deals systematically with explicit knowledge. Knowledge centres often play an important part in introducing IRM into an organization. Identification:- * Identifies gaps and duplication of information * Clarifies roles and responsibilities of owners and users of information * Provide costs saving in the procurement and handling of information * Identifies cost/benefits of different information resources * Actively supports management decision processes with quality information Development :- 1. Understand the role of Information. Information can add value to your products and services. Improved information flows can improve the quality of decision making and internal operations. Yet many managers do not fully understand the real impact of information the cost of a lost opportunity, of a poor product, of a strategic mistake all risks that can be reduced by using the appropriate information. 2. Assign Responsibility for Leading your IRM Initiative. Developing value from information resources is often a responsibility that falls between the cracks of several departments the user departments in different business units, and corporate planning, MIS units or librarians.. 3. Develop Clear Policies on Information Resources Policies for ascertaining information needs, acquiring and managing information throughout its life cycle. Pay particular attention to ownership, information integrity and sharing. Make the policies consistent with your organisational culture. 4. Conduct an Information Audit (Knowledge Inventory). Identify current knowledge and information resources (or entities), their users, usage and importance. Identify sources, cost and value. Classify information and knowledge by its key attributes. Develop knowledge maps. As knowledge management gains prominence, this is sometimes called a knowledge inventory knowing what you know. 5. Link to Management Processes. Make sure that key decision and business process are supported with high leverage information. Assess each process for its information needs. 6. Systematic scanning. Systematically scan your business environment. This includes the wider environment legal and regulatory, political, social, economic and technological as well as the inner environment of your industry, markets, customers and competitors. Provide selective and tailored dissemination of vital signs to key executives. This goes beyond the daily abstracting service provided by many suppliers. 7. Mix hard/soft, internal/external. True patterns and insights emerge when internal and external data is juxtaposed, when hard data is evaluated against qualitative analysis. Tweak your MkIS system to do these comparisons. 7. Optimize your information purchases. You dont have to control purchasing, but most organisations do not know how much they are really spending on external information. By treating consultancy, market research, library expenses, report and databases as separate categories, many organisations are confusing media with content. 8. Introduce mining and refining processes. Good information management involves data mining, information refining and knowledge editing. You can use technology such as intelligent agents, to help, but ultimately subject matter experts are needed to repackage relevant material in a user friendly format. One useful technique is content analysis, whose methods have been developed by Trend Monitor International in their Information Refinery, and are used in our analysis services. The classifying, synthesising and refining of information combines the crafts of the information scientist, librarian, business analyst and market researcher/analyst. Yet many organisations do not integrate these disciplines. 9. Develop Appropriate Technological Systems Continual advances in technology increase the opportunities available for competitive advantage through effective information management. In particular, intranets, groupware and other collaborative technologies make it possible for more widespread sharing and collaborative use of information. Advances in text retrieval, document management and a host of other trends in knowledge management technologies have all created new opportunities for providers and users alike. 10. Exploit technology convergence. Telecommunications, office systems, publishing, documentation are converging. Exploit this convergence through open networking, using facilities such as the World Wide Web, not just for external information dissemination but for sharing information internally. 11. Encourage a Sharing Culture Information acquires value when turned into intelligence. Market Intelligence Systems (MkIS) are human expert-centred. Raw information needs interpretation, discussing and analysing teams of experts, offering different perspectives. This know-how sharing is a hall-mark of successful organisations. Q4 Mis use in financial management: Management Information Systems (MIS) in Finance have been widely adopted both by corporations as well as governments. They are information systems with capacity to maintain large data bases enabling organizations to store, organize and access financial information easily. 1. General Ledger * The main use of a management information System (MIS) in finance is that it automatically updates all the transactions in the General Ledger. The General Ledger is the core component of all financial information systems. Financial transactions are simultaneously posted on the various accounts that comprise the organizations Chart of Accounts. Simultaneous updating of accounts such as sales, inventory and accounts receivable, reduces errors. It also provides an accurate and permanent record of all historical transactions. Cash Management * Cash flow management is an important use of MIS in Finance. Cash Management refers to the control, monitoring and forecasting of cash for financing needs. Use of MIS in Finance helps companies track the flow of cash through accounts receivable and accounts payable accurately. Accurate records also help in monitoring cost of goods sold. This can help pin point areas that eat up cash flow such as inventory costs, high raw material costs or unreliable sales. * Sponsored Links * CFP Certification course ICICIdirect experts help you become a Certified Financial Planner.Apply www.icicidirect.com/CFP Budget Planning * Financial budget planning uses proforma or projected financial statements that serve as as formal documents of managements expectations regarding sales, expenses and other financial transactions. Thus financial budgets are tools used both for planning as well as control. MIS in finance helps organizations evaluate what if scenarios. By modifying the financial ratios, management can foresee the effects of various scenarios on the financial statements. MIS thus serves as a decision making tool, helping in choosing appropriate financial goals. Financial Reporting * The use of MIS systems in Finance enables companies to generate multiple financial reports accurately and consistently. Generation of financial statements both for internal reports as well as for shareholder information takes less effort because of the automatic updating of the General Ledger. Compliance with Government regulations as well as auditing requirements is also easier because the records are accurate and provide a permanent historical map of transactions that can be verified. Financial Modeling * A financial model is a system that incorporates mathematics, logic and data in the form of a large database. The model is used to manipulate the financial variables that affect earnings thus enabling planners to view the implications of their planning decisions. MIS in Finance enables organizations to store a large amount of data. This helps managers develop accurate models of the external environment and thus incorporate realistic what if scenarios into their long-range planning goal. PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: Production means transformation of Raw materials into finished products for sale. According to E. L. Brech, â€Å" Production Management is the process of effective planning and regulating the operations of that section of an enterprise which is responsible for the actual transformation of materials into finished products†. 1.Statergic planning 2 tactical planning 3 operational procedure. Q5 computer programs that are derived from a branch of computer science research called Artificial Intelligence (AI). AIs scientific goal is to understand intelligence by building computer programs that exhibit intelligent behavior. It is concerned with the concepts and methods of symbolic inference, or reasoning, by a computer, and how the knowledge used to make those inferences will be represented inside the machine. Of course, the term intelligence covers many cognitive skills, including the ability to solve problems, learn, and understand language; AI addresses all of those. The Building Blocks of Expert Systems Every expert system consists of two principal parts: the knowledge base; and the reasoning, or inference, engine. The knowledge base of expert systems contains both factual and heuristic knowledge. Factual knowledge is that knowledge of the task domain that is widely shared, typically found in textbooks or journals, and commonly agreed upon by those knowledgeable in the particular field. Heuristic knowledge is the less rigorous, more experiential, more judgmental knowledge of performance. In contrast to factual knowledge, heuristic knowledge is rarely discussed, and is largely individualistic. It is the knowledge of good practice, good judgment, and plausible reasoning in the field. It is the knowledge that underlies the art of good guessing. Knowledge representation formalizes and organizes the knowledge. One widely used representation is the production rule, or simply rule. A rule consists of an IF part and a THEN part (also called a condition and an action). Example: Robotics Use of robots: for example, in industry, health, warfare, airlines, space, underwater exploration Q6 An integral part of any eBusiness system is its database. However, an advanced study of implementing databases is beyond the scope of this course. Here, for now, we are concerned with understanding the role that a database plays in an ebusiness system and in gaining an appreciation for the relational approach to managing data. A relational database turns raw data into persistent structured collections of information. In addition to managing information a database defines the relationships within an ebusiness system. The MIS is supported by database in its endeavor to support the management in decision making. The database models be it the NDBM, the HDBM or the RDBM, play the same role in the MIS. With the latest computer hardware and software capabilities the RDBMS have become popular. The concept of the end user computing can be implemented easily with the database approach to the information system. With the database approach, considerable data processing efforts, which were spent in the approach of the conventional system, are saved. The data is made independent of its application. The MIS designs have become more dependable due to the database and the SQL. The rigidity of the design is replaced by the flexibility of the design. It is now possible to review the applications more frequently from the point of view of utility and have them modified, if necessary. The database has strengthened the foundations of the MIS due to the following: * The database can be evolved to the new needs of the MIS. * The multiple needs can be met with easily. * The data design and the output design is flexible * Open system design of the MIS is possible. * The query handling becomes easier due to the Standard SQL. * User-friendly end user computing is possible. * The data is freed from its ownership and its use has become universal. * The Information Technology provides tools to handle distributed multiple databases making the MIS richer.

Mainstream Literature Does this Worsen the Text?

Mainstream Literature Does this Worsen the Text? How far does conceding to the popular mainstream strip a text of its literariness? (Explore the ways in which your chosen essay texts negotiate competing demands of literary and the popular) William Faulkner said of Ernest Hemingway: He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary (UOI, 1947) attempting to demean the literariness of his works. Hemingway responded; Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use. (Ross, 1950) His response to Faulkners elitism suggests that a text does not have to adhere to the implicit, often judgemental rules that define a piece of work as literary in order to be worthy of such a title. Using the poems of Linton Kwesi Johnson and The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, I will analyse how both authors navigate the fine line between what is popular and what is literary, and whether this affects the overall impact of their work or its integrity as literary fiction. I intend to argue that a text does not have to present itself in a literary fashion in order to be considered worthy of the te rm literary, and similarly, literary texts can exist without conforming to the demands of mainstream culture whilst still being appreciated by modern society. In its simplest definition, literature is simply a written work; it is only when we place the boundaries of what is considered intellectual, or art, upon it that there becomes any kind of speculation as to whether a writers work is literary or not. In contrast, popular culture is a term associated with primarily Western entertainment, news, technology and sports. In its initial conception, the idea of popular was one associated with the uneducated working class, in comparison to the literary culture of the upper classes. Pop culture was the culture of those outside the power establishment; it was entirely separate from scorned and excluded by those in power, who had their own official culture (Berrong, 1986). As a result, there is an ongoing elitism toward popular culture, with many labelling it trite or unintelligent, or suggesting that low culture stress substance, form and being totally subservient; there is no explicit concern with abstract ideas or even with fictional forms of contemporary social problems and issues content to depict traditional working class values. (Gans, 2008) As a result, creators and audiences of popular culture are by association considered to be superficial or lacking in intellect. Popular fiction is defined as plot-driven fictional works, written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre, (French, 2010) so as to appeal to mainstream readers who buy into the pre-existing format because it is familiar, recognisable and easily digested. These so-called conventions of popular fiction are specific settings, roles, events and values that define individual genres and their subgenres (McKee, 1997) and often, publishing houses are known to present obligatory guidelines for authors to follow in order to have their works considered for publication. Any literature in fitting with these conventions is usually considered separate from literary fiction by critics for being stereotypical and poorly written; those texts are created solely to provide escapism to its readership as opposed to meaningful, carefully crafted prose that might incite thought or action. Literary fiction refers to works that hold so-called literary merit, which here means that they compr ise of political commentary, comments on societal hegemonic ideologies and the human condition. Like its popular counterpart, literary fiction is written purposely with its own set of conventions in mind, with the difference being that the focus of the works involved lingers more on themes than on fast-paced plot progression or audience appeal. It is arguable that pop culture is the easiest way to appease the mainstream, an audience fundamentally made up of young people; technology has transformed culture, especially popular culture, into the primary educational site in which youth learn about themselves and the larger world (Giroux, 2000). There has always been contentious debate regarding the discrepancies between high art, a category into which literature falls, and popular culture. However, it is arguable that this debate is obsolete; the distinction between the two is blurred just because a piece of work is easily accessible and appeals to the masses, does not necessarily sacr ifice its credibility or deem it an unintelligent piece of work that is lacking in thought. A televised adaptation of Austens Pride and Prejudice, or Baz Luhrmans modern reimagining of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, for instance, could be considered literary in an intertextual manner, being as their origins hail from classic literature. For instance, author John Storey would argue that the quantitative definition of culture has the problem that much high culture is also popular (Storey, 2014), making the two difficult to separate into distinguishable categories. It also could be said that pop culture is more intrinsic to society than so called high art, because it wields so much influence over the general public and which media they do or do not consume; in the struggle over the symbolic order that characterizes our times, popular culture developed by name brands and various forms of media, including the Hollywood film industry is crucial in creating the identities and representat ions that our youth embrace (Reynolds 2006). Linton Kwesi Johnson is a Jamaican writer based in the United Kingdom the second living poet, and the only poet of colour, to be immortalised in the Penguin Modern Classics collection. Johnson is a dub poet a genre that is, according to him, overcompensation for deprecation and as a writer, refuses to conform to English standards of poetry; he uses Creole patois as a political statement, defying the expectations society holds for poets. This phonetic, unstandardized transcription of his own language is certainly not that of great literary figures Jane Austen, George Orwell or Charles Dickens, and yet, he has been awarded the Golden PEN award in 2012 for a Lifetimes Distinguished Service to Literature. His idea of poetry has been passed through generations, and did not simply consist of standard Received Pronunciation English or what was deemed publishable but included traditional slave songs. Johnsons poetry is heavily inspired by the Black Panther movement, a group in which he be came active during his school years; their belief being that violence in the face of constant racism is necessary, using militant revolutionary force against the racist police and segregation of 1960s London. He himself describes his writing as a political act [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] poetry was a cultural weapon (Wroe, 2008). It was during Johnsons childhood that the SAS law, or the 1824 vagrancy act, was reintroduced, which enabled the police to arrest someone they suspected had intentions of committing a crime, allowing police to exploit and arrest people of colour in London without any evidence. The subject matter of his poetry is usually political, depicting his experiences as an African-Carribean living in Britain, but has also focused on foreign policies and police brutality. Johnsons poem If I woz a tap natch poet serves not only as an example of his subversion from the conventions of literary work but simultaneously describes his rejection of the canon, and his interstitial position between musician and poet, between high art and popular culture, between politics and aesthetics (McGill 2003). For instance, he begins if I waz a tap-natch poet, like Chris Okigbo, Derek Walcot ar T.S Eliot (Johnson, 2004); the opening challenges any predispositions suggesting that canons operate according to transparent principles of coherency or homogeneity. Chris Okigbo signals an alternative to the Western Canon advocated by critics. In contrast, Derek Walcott is a Nobel laureate, and his appearance suggests a movement back towards conservative tastes. However, the inclusion of T.S. Eliot demonstrates that the canon Johnson is crafting is unfortunately one made up entirely of people of colour. He continues by saying if he were top-notch himself, he would write a poem so h dyam deep/dat it bittah-sweet (Johnson, 2004), implying that the works of Okigbo, Walcott and Eliot create work that is deep or poses intellectual questions, a prerequisite of literariness. Moreover, the poem appears to carry another irony when analysed more thoroughly in that T. S Eliot appears as a token white poet, which is reflective of the way in which right-wing institutions that anthologise the zeitgeist of the times, such as anthologies, are known for including very few people of colour, sometimes just a single person, to demonstrate supposed diversity and avoid criticism or backlash from minorities. On perhaps the other end of the literary spectrum to Johnson is Suzanne Collins, an American writer, renowned for her young adult dystopian trilogy The Hunger Games. She was born in Harvard, Connecticut but being the daughter of a military officer, consistently moved across America. Consequently, inspired by her fathers career in the Air Force, her work tackles themes of war and its effects on the world, including poverty, starvation and innocent civilian death. The Hunger Games is set in Panem, a post-apocalyptic America made up of the Capitol and 12 surrounding districts; every year, two children from each district, male and female, are chosen to take part in an obligatory, televised fight to the death, known as the Hunger Games. The staggering popularity of her work resulted in her being named one of Time magazines most influential people of 2010 and as of March 2012, became the best-selling Kindle author of all time. It is not unusual for creators of literature to use so called p op culture tropes and appropriate them into high culture works; with the blurred lines of literary and popular first identifiable in the Romantic period where romance fiction became a substantial influence on future literature, despite having been previously disparaged. More recent examples include Andy Warhols use of the Campbell soup can in his pop art, as well as artist Jeff Koons conceptualising kitsch and pornography, subject matters often vilified for lacking in culture or finesse, to create new work which is supposedly worthier of the label high art. This same technique of intertextuality and the idea that any one piece of literature is created by combining several others is arguably evidenced in Collins dystopian novel; on the surface, it is a young adult romance implementing the typical formulaic conventions and character archetypes evidenced in the majority of mainstream pop culture, arguably inspired by the critical success of Stephanie Meyers Twilight saga. However, when discussing the origin of The Hunger Games, Collins cites the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur as the most significant inspiration for her book a classic Greek tale wherein Minos forces the people of Athens to sacrifice 14 women and children to be slaughtered by the Minotaur in the never-ending labyrinth. She also interweaved the concept of the Roman gladiator games; an all-powerful and ruthless government, people forced to fight to the death, and the games role as a source of popular information (Scholastic, 2010) and in doing so, she successfully brings re nowned, classic Greek literature to the mainstream audiences, albeit in a more easily digestible fashion, by reimagining the stories in a fashion that appeals to pop culture fans. Contrastingly, Johnsons poetry focuses not on fabled morality tales, but on real life issues of racism, segregation and police brutality, particularly in London, where he grew up. It can be assumed that, as this is not a topic to which popular culture utilise for its audiences, he does not concern himself with the opinions of critics, or of his audience for that matter, on his work. It is my understanding that it is more important for Johnson to promote anti-racial messages and protest against the mistreatment of people of colour. Johnson himself said that writing anti-establishment poetry during the Race Riots could be considered an act of protest, an act that could have been to his great detriment as a result of the United Kingdoms fervent racism. This shows Johnson to have integrity he is writing about what he believes is important and worth saying; one way to perform a test of literary merit must be, first, the sincerity of the writer. I would be willing, I think, even to add t he seriousness of purpose of the writer (Peters, 2006). From this, one can argue that Johnsons sincerity in his writing of his experiences, and his determination to express anger and encourage reactions to political issues makes his work literary. In If I waz a tap-natch poet, he purposely distinguishes himself from any of the other writers he mentions; he seems to exist in a liminal space, and it is difficult to discern where he sees himself within the hierarchy of literary and popular. It is arguable that he doesnt consider himself a part of either category, because neither of them serve any importance to him. However, whether a text is deemed literary or popular is very rarely a decision made by its own creator; Johnson is simply distancing himself from the process, as he feels it is unnecessary. Although his work holds no evidence of popular culture references, it is certainly popular amongst a specific minority group; people of colour. They have experienced many of the atrociti es he writes of, and can relate to them in a way that the white Western mainstream cannot. As a result, I would argue that Johnsons writing is certainly popular amongst a niche audience, and that appealing to the mass market is not the only category that makes a text worthy of the title. Johnson first became active in the poet community in school, but he was not published until 1974, in the journal Race Today. In the same year, Harper Lees controversial bildungsroman To Kill a Mockingbird was also released. Both Johnson and Lee tackle the subject matter of racism, albeit in different areas of the world, and Lees novel is regarded as one of the greatest of our generation. The difference between Harper Lee and Linton Kwesi Johnson is that one is a privileged white woman, and the other a Jamaican man of working-class background, whose poetry is not isnt carefully pre-packaged in the standard Oxford Dictionary English, the mainstream being young white heterosexual teenagers, who of cour se, prefer to access literature in this way. Johnson is angry about his mistreatment, and that of so many other people of colour, at the hands of white policemen and politicians and civilians. When declaring a text worthy of literary merit, critics significantly consider the moral or messages the story is trying to create, usually through the medium of symbolism or allegory. The metonymic concept of bread and circuses becomes particularly apt when looking at The Hunger Games, as the Latin translation Panem et circenses served as inspiration for the name of the novels fictional setting, Panem. The phrase, first used by Juvenal, who was degrading the sheep-like nature of common people, their selfishness and obliviousness to wider concerns and civic duty, alludes to an appeasement with a lack of substance. It refers to the way in which supposedly democratic governments make use of superficial distractions to satisfy the immediate, shallow requirements of a populace in order to continue to manipulate them for hegemonic gain. Although this could make reference to the Capitols attempts to placate the districts so they cannot overthrow their regime and dismantle their hierarchy, it could also be an allegory for the way in which popular culture works in the real world. When taking a Marxist reading of the novel, it is arguable that Collins was inspired by the Industrial Revolution, most noticeably the living conditions in 19th century Europe. Katniss illustrates this by saying What must it be like, I wonder, to live in world where food appears at the press of a button? How would I spend the hours I now commit to combing the woods for sustenance if it were so easy to come by (Collins, 2008). Collins plot coincides with Marxs socialist philosophy; Panem is comprised of two groups, the proletariat, or the people of the districts, and the bourgeoisie, or the Capitol. This highlights what is a fundamentally unfair system wherein the majority of wealth is held by the minority whilst the general public struggle to maintain a living. This is further evidenced by President Snows hosting of the Hunger Games, themselves, wherein his government hold complete power over the Districts and their people, who have absolutely no hope of ascending to higher status. Katniss, the protagonist of the novel, lives in the district that is hardest hit by the Capitols regime. She represents the lowest of the proletariat, whereas the closer the districts are to the Capitol, the more advantageous; Its tempting, so tempting, when I see the bounty waiting there before me. And I know that if I dont get it, someone else will. That the Career Tributes who survive the bloodbath will divide up most of these life-sustaining spoils. (Collins, 2008) Here, Katniss describes the Career tributes are more likely to survive, having received training for their entire lives to prepare for the games. Whilst Districts One and Two still have to supply children for the games, this is a mere faà §ade, bread and circuses; Snow makes the districts think everything is equal, but in actuality, the Career tributes are much likelier to survive and win the Games, thus maintaining the bourgeo isie whilst slowly killing off the poor. However, Katniss follows the Marxist ideology and seizes the means of production. Collins writes Without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers faces. Theyd have failed the Capitol. Might possibly even be executed slowly and painfully, while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country (Collins, 2008) By refusing to conform, rejecting the role of victor and encouraging Peeta to do the same, this forces the Gamemakers to change the rules and allow both to win. Katniss is still aware, though, that the Capitol would have the power to make an example of the Gamemakers to restore order. These allusions to Marxism and communist theory imply that there is a lot more depth to Collins work than it at first seems; by incorporating themes of real life class issues, she is commenting on societal problems and posing a moral question regarding Americas modern class system. When asked how he would define literariness, critic Walter Van Tilburg Clark declared the final test of literary merit, is the power to endure obviously such a test cannot be applied to a new or recent work, and one cannot, I think, offer soundly an opinion on the probability of endurance (Peters, 2006). Here, he is arguing that the most significant criterion of the definition is that if a text can endure, it can be considered worthy of literary merit. It is not, then, necessary for a text to follow the other rules regarding context, connotations or conveying a higher meaning; if a text is popular, it is likely to endure. The Hunger Games Trilogy spent 50 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated to the screen as a multi-million dollar film series. Such a lengthy stay at the top of a highly-regarded rating system is suggestive of endurance, and therefore, regardless of the issues the trilogy presents in terms of stereotypical pop-culture tropes and character moulds, it can be defined as literary. In addition, the concept of literariness is one that is inherently subjective; particularly because aesthetic value is entirely based in personal preference. It is, according to critics, a relic of a scholarly elite.Similarly, the predispositions regarding popular texts and its dismissal as uncultured also seem to be outdated views stemming from old-fashioned beliefs. The examination and understanding of popular culture, therefore, is necessary to understanding ourselves, our identities and the world that surrounds us. A text that is considered brilliant by one, will be terrible to another; we each have different interests and tastes, and there is never going to be unanimity when defining literary and popular and the difference between them. The study of popular culture enables us to consider literature in a less judgemental, more open-minded fashion, voiding the inherent laws of what makes a text literary or fundamentally good. Popular cultur e does not exclusively lend itself only to companies to churn out poorly-written prose lacking in value and increase financial revenue, although it is manipulated by those in power to detract from real life issues; just because this is the case some of the time, it doesnt define all literature that falls into the category of popular as unworthy of also being literary. The two terms are not mutually exclusive, and a text does not give up its right to being one by adhering to some characteristics of the other. The spectrum of defining literary and popular categories, albeit arbitrary in nature, which are not binary opposites in terms of literature, is, in my opinion, one that is entirely personal, and each individual will hold opinion on where any given text falls; that does not make them true, as there are no correct answers. Word Count: 3496 _____________________________________________________________________ References Johnson, L. K (2002) If I Woz a Nap-Natch Poet, Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems London: Penguin Collins, Suzanne (2008) The Hunger Games New York, Scholastic University of Iowa (1967) An Interview With William Faulkner The Western Review: A Literary Quarterly, Volume 15, Number 4 Ross, Lillian (1950) Profiles: How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen? The New Yorker, F. R. Publishing Corporation, New York. Berrong, R.M (1986) Rabelais and Bakhtin: Popular Culture in Gargantua and Pantagruel University of Nebraska Press Gans, Herbert J (2008) Popular culture and high culture Basic Books. pp. 8-10 Storey, J (2014) From Popular Culture to Everyday Life Routledge French, C.T Literary Fiction vs Genre Fiction[online] http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=10id=18884 (accessed December 2016) McKee, R (1997) Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting New York: HarperCollins. p. 87 Giroux, Henry (2000) Stealing Innocence: Youth, Corporate Power and the Politics of Culture, New York, St. Martins Press Reynolds, W (2006) Cultural curriculum studies, multiplicity and cinematic-machines Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, Caddo Gap Press Wroe, N (2008) I did my own thing [online] https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/mar/08/featuresreviews.guardianreview11 (accessed December 2016) McGill, R (2003) Goon poets of the black Atlantic: Linton Kwesi Johnsons imagined canon Textual Practice, Vol. 17, Issue 3 Scholastic (2010) Video: Classical Inspiration, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins [online] http://ww(w.scholastic.com/thehungergames/videos/classical-inspiration.htm (accessed December 2016) Bill, M; Peters, N (2006) Howl on Trial: The Battle for Free Expression City Lights Books. p. 224. Poland as a Potential Market: Environmental Analysis Poland as a Potential Market: Environmental Analysis 1.  INTRODUCTION Servcorp is an Australian-owned services company that specialises in the provision of business solutions. Its main offerings include fully-serviced office packages (office space bundled with IT and communications infrastructure and accompanied by IT and administrative staff), virtual office products such as communications and address services, and meeting rooms for hire (Servcorp, n.d.). Servcorp has expanded its operations into New Zealand, the U.S., Asia, and Europe. While the company operates in the UK, Belgium, and France, it does not currently operate in Poland. In this report, I will analyse five environmental factors relevant to the consideration of Poland as a potential market for Servcorp. These are the country’s political and legal environment, economic environment, trade and financial environment, social and cultural environment, and infrastructure. The ensuing discussion will integrate these findings and provide an overall outlook for Poland. Finally, based on these analyses, a number of recommendations will be put forward regarding Servcorp’s potential expansion into Poland. 3.  ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 3.1.  Political and legal environment Poland has become one of the most politically stable European countries since it joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 (Bujnicki, 2013). In 2012, Poland ranked below the OECD average on the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (where a lower score indicates fewer restrictions on FDI) (OECD, 2012). Poland also has a number of state aid measures in place to attract foreign investment. For example, the country has 14 Special Economic Zones; these areas have relaxed income taxation rules and have the appropriate infrastructure in place for starting a business, though businesses require a license to operate in these zones (Lex Mundi, 2013). In Poland, then, Servcorp would find political environment that actively encourages FDI with the view that it is vital to developing the country’s economy. While Poland has few restrictions on FDI, its overall regulatory environment is somewhat complex. The World Bank (2013) ranked Poland 45 of 189 countries on the ease of doing business in 2013, though pointed out that the country’s tax system remains complex and outdated. It takes an average of 685 days to enforce contracts in Poland compared to the OECD average of 529 days, and a number of other bureaucratic hurdles remain (World Bank, 2013). For Servcorp, these factors mean that the company might have to do substantial research into Poland’s tax system, as it contains intricacies not present in Australia’s taxation laws. Property registration is a vital consideration for Servcorp, as the nature of the business means that they must acquire office space to hire out to clients as well as a building for their own use. The World Bank (2013) ranked Poland 54 on the ease of registering property. This is compared with a rank of 40 for Australia; however, there is only one more procedure involved in registering property in Poland than there is in Australia, so red tape in this arena is only slightly more pronounced. 3.2.  Economic environment Real GDP growth in Poland ranged from 1.6% to 6.8% during the period 2005-2012; Poland was the only country in the EU to experience a growth in GDP during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis (OECD, 2013). Real GDP in Poland is expected to grow by 2.7% in 2014 and 3.3% in 2015 (OECD, 2013). However, Poland experienced a small slump in economic growth in 2013; recent changes in fiscal policy have been aimed at encouraging economic growth through expanding the budget deficit and eliminating restrictions on fiscal stimulus measures (Onoszko Krasuski, 2013). Overall, demand for the modern services provided by Servcorp may increase as Poland’s citizens experience an increase in wealth and the economy continues to grow at a healthy rate as a result of these fiscal measures. The slight downturn in real GDP growth in 2013 has been accompanied by low inflation (Eglitis, 2013). This is promising for Servcorp, as it means that the business may be in a better position to make long-term plans with the knowledge that their purchasing power will not decline, and borrowing costs may be lower. With the Polish government’s planned relaxation of fiscal policy, however, Servcorp must continue to track changes in inflation given that these measures may work to raise inflation. 3.3.  Trade and financial environment Relevant bilateral agreements between Australia and Poland include the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Double Taxation Agreement (DFAT, 2013). These agreements ensure that the interests of foreign investors are protected in Poland, and in the case of the latter agreement, that foreign businesses do not have to pay taxes on their business profits in each of the two countries. In short, both agreements are conducive to Servcorp doing business in Poland. A discussion regarding tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in Poland will not take place here as Servcorp is not seeking to export to or import from Poland—rather, this report considers the risks and opportunities Servcorp faces in establishing operations in Poland. For similar reasons, free trade agreements that Poland has with other European countries will not be discussed here. In 2012, Poland ranked 37 on the Financial Development Index, which along with other factors, considers a country’s financial stability (World Economic Forum, 2012). Specifically, the WEF found that Poland performed particularly well in terms of the stability of its exchange rate and banking system. The leniency with which currency transactions are treated in Poland depends heavily upon the nature of the relationship between the transactor’s home country and Poland (Lex Mundi, 2013). Because Australia has a tax treaty with Poland (ATO, 2012), Australians can expect to face minimal problems when engaging in currency transactions in Poland. It appears that Servcorp would face little financial risk in the country. 3.4.  Social and cultural environment In Poland, 60.9% of the total population live in urban areas (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). This is compared to 80% in the UK, 97% in Belgium, and 85% in France. Poland’s comparatively low rate of urbanisation suggests that there may be less of a demand for the services that Servcorp offers (office space, IT and communications infrastructure for businesses) in Poland compared with the other European countries in which the company operates. Religion plays a prominent role in Poland, with 89.8% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Servcorp must recognise and close business on religious occasions that are not recognised as national holidays in Australia, such as Corpus Christi. Poland also tends to score highly on uncertainty avoidance, meaning that citizens may reject unorthodox or innovative ideas put forward by some businesses (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). This poses a small risk to Servcorp given that much of their product offering rests on their â€Å"virtual office† innovation; Poles may be wary of this unfamiliar idea. In terms of corruption, Poland’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2013 was 60 of a possible 100 (where 100 indicates no corruption whatsoever), above the world average (Transparency International, 2013). However, there is some concern that Poland does not have the appropriate frameworks in place to manage the growing risk of foreign bribery that comes with its expanding economy (OECD, 2013). Servcorp must be aware of this risk while simultaneously recognising that bribery is not an endemic part of Polish culture. 3.5.  Infrastructure Poland’s score on the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) in 2012 was 3.10 (where the maximum possible score is 5) (World Bank, 2012). This is substantially lower than the 2012 scores received by the European countries in which Servcorp currently operates (the UK, Belgium, and France, which received scores of 3.95, 4.12, and 3.96 respectively). The OECD (2013) remarked that the quality of Poland’s transport and communications infrastructure â€Å"are among the lowest in the OECD† (p. 217). A finding of particular concern is that Poland’s fixed broadband coverage is the lowest in the EU, at only 69.1% (Point Topic, 2012). Poland’s relatively low fixed broadband coverage may prove problematic for Servcorp given that a substantial portion of their business model rests on their provision of modern IT and communications infrastructure to organisations. When acquiring office space for company use as well as for hiring out to clients, a constant concern may be whether or not there is broadband access at that location. Though this is an issue, things may be set to improve: a joint venture between Hawe and TP Teltech is aimed at substantially improving Poland’s broadband infrastructure (van Blommestein, 2012). 5.  REFERENCES Australian Taxation Office. (2012). Countries that have a tax treaty with Australia. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.ato.gov.au/General/International-tax-agreements/In-detail/Tax-treaties/Countries-that-have-a-tax-treaty-with-Australia/ Bujnicki, P. (2013, February 23). Zloty climbs as Fitch revises Poland rating outlook to positive. Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-22/zloty-climbs-as-fitch-revises-poland-rating-outlook-to-positive.html Central Intelligence Agency (2013). The World Factbook: Poland. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html DFAT. (2013). Poland country brief. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/poland/poland_brief.html Eglitis, A. (2013, November 15). Polish October inflation rate drops to lowest in four months. Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-14/polish-october-inflation-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-four-months.html Lex Mundi. (2013). Doing business in Poland. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.lexmundi.com/lexmundi/Guides_To_Doing_Business.asp Ministry of Treasury (2012). Fast growth of business services sector in Poland and prospects of its continuation – business services centers are becoming Polish specialty. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://msp.gov.pl/en/polish-economy/economic-news/3641,Fast-growth-of-business-services-sector-in-Poland-and-prospects-of-its-continuat.html OECD (2012). FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/investment/fdiindex.htm OECD. (2013a). Country statistical profile: Poland. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/country-statistical-profile-poland_20752288-table-pol OECD. (2013b). Poland – Economic forecast summary. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/polandeconomicforecastsummary.htm OECD. (2013a). Poland needs strategy to meet growing risk of foreign bribery. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/daf/anti-bribery/polandneedsstrategytomeetgrowingriskofforeignbribery.htm OECD. (2013b). Economic policy reforms: Going for growth 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/inclusive-growth/Economic%20Policy%20Reforms%202013%20Going%20for%20Growth.pdf Onoszko, M., Krasuski, K. (2013, July 17). Poland to relax budget and fiscal rules to stimulate economy. Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-16/polish-government-relaxes-budget-fiscal-rules-to-boost-economy.html Point Topic. (2012). Broadband coverage in Europe in 2012: Mapping progress towards the coverage objectives of the Digital Agenda. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://point-topic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Point-Topic-Broadband-Coverage-in-Europe-in-2012-Final-Report-20130813.pdf Servcorp. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.servcorp.com.au/en/about-us/ The Hofstede Center. (n.d.). Poland. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://geert-hofstede.com/poland.html Transparency International. (2013). Corruption Perceptions Index 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/#myAnchor1 van Blommestein. (2012). Is Poland finally getting out of the broadband slow lane? Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.zdnet.com/is-poland-finally-getting-out-of-the-broadband-slow-lane-7000003129/ World Bank. (2012). Logistics performance index: Quality of trade and transport-related infrastructure [Data set]. Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/LP.LPI.INFR.XQ World Bank. (2013). Doing business 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/GIAWB/Doing%20Business/Documents/Annual-Reports/English/DB14-Full-Report.pdf World Economic Forum. (2012). The Financial Development Report 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FinancialDevelopmentReport_2012.pdf