The United States Intelligence Community - 1809 Words

Within the United States Intelligence Community (IC) there are a variety of sources and means with which intelligence information can be collected. Jeffrey T. Richelson, the author of The U.S. Intelligence Community states that ?Collection activity can take any of several overlapping forms: open source collection, clandestine collection, human source collection and interrogation, and technical collection.? 1 These areas that Richelson refers to can be broken down into the following disciplines: open source intelligence (OSINT), Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT). OSINT is the collection of intelligence readily available to the public, such as magazines, online databases, radio broadcasts and newspapers. HUMINT encompasses information gleaned from clandestine, human source and interrogation methods. And IMINT, SIGINT, and MASINT encapsulate the disciplines under technical col lection. With each intelligence collection method there are both positives and negatives to consider ? some come with great risks, but potentially yield great rewards and some come with low risks, but need to be collected as part of an overall, holistic campaign and then analyzed extensively to yield palatable results. The collection of open source intelligence (OSINT) involves the exploitation of materials that are readily available to the public. According to InfoSec Institute, traditionalShow MoreRelatedThe Intelligence Community Of The United States1091 Words   |  5 PagesThe intelligence community of the United States is a large, robust and bureaucratic system. From this community though, the national objectives of the United States are supported through their gathering and analytical capabilities. The following paper will highlight the intelligence agencies of the Federal government as well as state and local agencies that make up the intelligence community. Within these entities are programs that develop intelligence for use in protecting the homeland as wellRead MoreThe Intelligence Community Of The United States1619 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the years, the intelligence community in the United States have worked diligently to provide a sense of security for the millions of Ame ricans living in our great nation today. From the FBI to the CIA, these government agencies work around the clock to find and eliminate threats that maybe detrimental to our country. However, one event that took place 14 years ago reshaped not only the way Americans think of the intelligence community, it also reshaped the policies and procedures of institutionsRead MoreThe Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of sixteen separate United States government800 Words   |  4 PagesThe Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of sixteen separate United States government agencies that worked separately and together on matters of foreign relations and national security. One of these agencies is the Central Intelligence Agency which is to collect, analyze, evaluate, disseminate foreign intelligence to assist the President and senior US government policymakers in making decisions relating to national security. Therefore this paper will discuss Central Intelligence AgencyRead MoreAnalysis of Defense Intelligence Agency999 Words   |  4 Pagesorganizational structure of the DoD and U.S. foreign intelligence came to a new shape with the establishment of DIA. It was Robert McNamara, then Secretary of Defense, who came up with the concept of DIA in 1961. DIA gathers human source intelligence, analyzes technical intelligence, distributes intelligence/reports to the intelligence agencies, provides advice and support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff with foreign military intelligence, and provides military intelligence to combatant commands as its operationalRead MoreDifferences Between Non- State Actors And Nation- States1749 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper will be discussing the difference between non- state actors and nation- states. It will have detailed examples of each and in what ways they are different as well as similar. Through the examples you will have a better understanding and see them more clearly. The definition of a nation state is an organization that forms under one government and acts upon one government. The definition of a non- state actor is an individual or organization that’s actions are not allied to any nation orRead MoreHistory Of Intelligence During The United States1137 Words   |  5 Pages History of Intelligence in the United States The history of intelligence in the United States resulted from the Cold War period and also provided intelligence support to the United States military which helped develop policies and procedures of the United States toward other countries. The development of intelligence in the United States has ultimately provided higher security for our citizens. President George Washington took command over the Continental Army in 1775; he had agents devise secreteRead MoreIntelligence Failures: 9/11 and Pearl Harbor Essay542 Words   |  3 Pageshistory there are multiple intelligence failures such as 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. These failures are due to intelligence collected which was either delayed or misdirected to the rest of the intelligence community. Both events had catastrophic consequences and yet these tragic events has allowed the intelligence community to develop better security like warning signals and combat readiness to protect the United States. Pearl Harbor is still considered one of the worst intelligence failure in the historyRead MoreTerrorism : Terrorism And ISIS830 Words   |  4 PagesWhether one refers to the Terrorist organization as Islamic State(IS), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria(ISIS), Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant(ISIL). Terror is the main goal of this organization and inflicting fear and anquish has been the priority and objective since the birth of this group. Religous believes and political motives drives this group to bring pain and suffering not just to the United States, this pain knows no boundaries and reaches all depths and borders around the entire globeRead MoreThe United States Should Not Be A Complete Failure1358 Words   |  6 Pages The United States have been sending numerous military units to different parts of the world to sustain survivability of other nations that are American allies. Countries that are part of United Nations have been combined force that if there is a situation around the world, all the nations including the United States will meet up and decide what the corrective action to resolve the issue is. The United States military has been in so many conflicts with other countries that to the point that manyRead MoreHezbollah Attacks935 Words   |  4 PagesNow we all know there are sleeper cells living in the United States and have apprehend ed such members who have ties to Hezbollah so for the United States to prevent or reduce an attack from Hezbollah, the federal government will use multiple departments of the Intelligence Community. The management within certain contributors of the Intelligence community could be an arduous mission with regards to combating the war on terror here on the home front. As mentioned above about certain departments within

The Salem Witch Trials Started When “Two Girls Got A Strange

The Salem Witch trials started when â€Å"two girls got a strange illness. Their bodies twitched and shuddered. They spoke nonsense and seemed to be choking† (Holub, What Were the Salem Witch Trials?). This new illness has led to over a hundred of people being accused of witchcraft. Then started with an abundance of series of hearing and prosecutions of people accused of using witchcraft. The trials had taken place in Massachusetts between February 1692 and May of 1693. These trials resulted in the executions of approximately twenty people. Out of those twenty people, fourteen of them were women, and all were executed except one of them that was hung. Salem was not the beginning of witchcraft though. The starting of witchcraft experiences all†¦show more content†¦Straying off the path can lead you so far down another path that you may never have wanted to go down in the first place. Except there is no way back because once you plunge off you can’t expect to cli ng onto someone and expect them to have enough faith for the both of you. Especially if you are going against your beliefs. However, even though he knows leaving his wife is wrong, he still believes that he is still an elect that will go to heaven. [Goodman felt justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose (Hawthorne 3) either way.] It would seem like even though he really doesn’t want to leave his wife, this is something that he really needs to do in order to come back and be fully committed to his faith and his wife. Just as the forest is in some odd way calling out to him. Little does he know as soon as he enters that forest his world is going to be turned upside down forever. Second, how these witch trials correlate to Goodman walking into the woods that night. When Brown decides to follow his curiosity to a sinful journey instead of staying home with his wife, he is truly stepping into the dark side. As he starts to walk he says to himself, â€Å"What if the devil himself should be at my elbow† (Hawthorne 6). Then just like that, the devil happens to appear. Such as if Brown himself is the one that conjured him by thinking about the evil inside of him. That is the beginning of that darkness coming to surface. There is noShow MoreRelatedThe Salem Witch Trials : A Time Of Chaos And Panic Essay1676 Words   |  7 Pages The Salem Witch Trials were a time of chaos and panic. It began in 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. Three girls named Elizabeth (Betty) Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began acting strange. They uttered odd words and sounds, threw things and had trance-like states. People were terrified and they didn’t know what to do. The fact that the girls had been playing a fortune telling game before the strange behavior didn’t help the cause. After Reverend Parris (Elizabeth’s father) performedRead MoreEssay on Witchcraft in the Small Village of Salem1585 Words   |  7 Pagesgroup of girls (Kent 95). Witchcraft was considered a terrible crime throughout Europe; its punishment was death by hanging or burning (Dolan 8). Everyone in the village of Salem believed in witchcraft, and only a few had tried to use it (Kent 18). In 1692, Salem Village panic was a major event in United States history which will never be forgotten. The people of Salem were caught up in a hysteria of accusing many innocent woman of witchcraft, even though it started as just a couple young girls who hadRead MoreSalem Witch Trials Paranoia Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pageswas mass hysteria in New England over supposed witchcraft. The most famous outbreak was in Salem, Massachusetts, hence the name Salem Witch Trials. In Salem, there were young girls who started acting strangely, and they leveled accusations of witchcraft against some of the West Indian servants who were immersed in voodoo tradition. Most of the accusations were against women, and soon the accusations started to shift to the sub stantial and prominent women. Neighbors accused other neighbors, husbandsRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials Donnell Campbell Throughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial and, persecuted as witches. One would think that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices on humanity would have come to an end, but that was not so. In 1692 a major tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all began when a group of girls accused others, generally older women, of consorting with theRead More Salem Witch Trials Essay1622 Words   |  7 PagesSalem Witch Trials Throughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial and, persecuted as witches. One would think that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices on humanity would have come to an end, but that was not so. In 1692 a major tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all began when a group of girls accused others, generally older women, of consorting with the devil. The witchcraft hysteria in SalemRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials1297 Words   |  6 PagesYou re a liar! I m no more a witch than you are a wizard! If you take my life away, God will give you blood to drink! (Sarah Good). To this day, there is still so much speculation on what was the actual cause of the hysteria that was the Salem Witch Trials. Were any of the women accused, like Sarah Good, actually practicing witchcraft? Or were the accusations placed on these women placed out of spite or jealousy? What caused these young women to have these strange symptoms in the first place? ThereRead MoreWitches And The Puritan Society921 Words   |  4 Pages In the 17th century church was the foundation of the people of New England. The main religion of the time was Puritanism which carried over when most of the colonist moved to Massachusetts. The main reason that the colonist moved was to find religious tolerance away from the strict Puritan lifestyle. Puritans believed that the smallest sin could result in a huge misfortune. They were also frowned upon for expressing their feelings and opinions, and were expected to have no individual differencesRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials931 Words   |  4 Pagesbehind the Salem Witch Trials but I am only going to state the ones I feel most important to me like politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the imagination and fear of the people. With such a small town there is a lot of talk and conflict among others which begins causing hysteria and eventually got 20 people killed because of it, people who were not in fact guilty. The Salem town was separated into two parts which consisted of the people who wanted to separate from Salem and the thenRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials2309 Words   |  9 PagesThroughout history, there have been many cases of discriminatory accusations of people, including the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials were a string of trials, hearings and prosecutions of many people accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts between the dates of February 1692 and May 1693. The trials ended up leading to the execution of twenty people, men and women, but mainly women. The Salem Witch Trials that took place about three hundred years ago affected the lives of everyday civilians duringRead MoreThe Horror Of Salem Witch2591 Words   |  11 PagesImagine that you were a resident living in Salem Village in 1692. Everything was good in your life, and everyday you were doing same rituals. Cooking food, looking your children, working on the farm, reading the Bible, and attending to the churc h. Lately, everyone was whispering about the paranormal events that were happening the villagers’ daughters, but nobody knew what was happening to the girls. You were afraid of the supernatural because your religion taught you; it was something that would

Sickle Cell Disease ( Ocd ) - 939 Words

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited autosomal recessive condition that causes the red blood cells (RBCs) to be crescent shaped. Sickle cell disease occurs in 1 out of every 400 African Americans births (Field, et al 2009). And according to the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 1 out of 13 African American babies are born with the sickle cell trait (SCT). At the same time SCD is present in only 1 out of 300 Caucasian babies, thus it is considered to be one of the most prevalent genetic health disparities affecting people of African, Indian, Hispanic, and Mediterranean decent (Kotch, et al 2000). In order for a person to have this disease, both parents have to carry the Sickle Cell Trait. This trait is given to the parents by their parents in which one of them has the sickle cell gene â€Å"S â€Å"and the other has the normal â€Å"A† gene. Children are diagnosed with SCD as early as 4 months old and accurately diagnosed by the age of 6 months old. Normal RBCs are disc shaped in which they are able to easily travel throughout the body, especially through the tiniest blood vessels. However, with sickled shaped RBCs, they clump together while flowing through these particularly small vessels, which causes the loss of oxygen throughout the tissues and organs. This monogenetic disease is caused by a point mutation in the ÃŽ ²- globin gene that creates abnormal Hemoglobin S (HbS). There are five different haplotypes for SCD that are classified by their geographical regionShow MoreRelatedRed Blood Cell Is An Essential Treatment For Patients With The Sickle Cell Disease ( Ocd ) Essay1086 Words   |  5 Pages Red Blood Cell (RBC) transfusion is an essential treatment for patients with the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Alloimmunization to RBC antigens has remained a challenge due to the difference in antigen prevalence, such as in the case of people of African origin and those of white descendent do not have a similar antigen prevalence. The presence of RH heterogeneity leads to alteration of the representation of the Rh antigen on a patient s RBC hence increasing chances of alloimmunization. To be able

Theoretical Orientation - 1598 Words

Cognitive Behavior Therapy My personal theoretical orientation to counseling is Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy helps the client to uncover and alter distortions of thought or perceptions which may be causing or prolonging psychological distress. The theoretical foundations of CBT are essentially those of the behavioral and cognitive approaches. CBT leads to a clear, persuasive, and evidence-based description of how normal and abnormal behavior develops and changes (Kramer 293). The term â€Å"cognitive-behavioral therapy† or CBT is a term for therapies with many similarities. CBT is not used as a cure and often times used to help with anxiety or depression the most, and may be single or in group settings. There†¦show more content†¦Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered among the most rapid in terms of results obtained. The average number of sessions clients receive is only about 16. CBT is structured, directive, and time-limited in tha t clients are helped to understand at the very beginning of the therapy process that there will be a point when the formal therapy will end. The ending of the formal therapy is a decision made by the therapist and client. Therefore, CBT is not an open-ended, never-ending process. Many methods are used in CBT. One method is that called stoicism, which emerged from the Greek and Roman world and argued that the mind (or soul) must be something that obeys the laws of physics (Rubarth). Not all approaches to CBT emphasize stoicism though. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, and Rational Living Therapy emphasizes aspects of stoicism. Beck s Cognitive Therapy is not based on stoicism. Another method is the Socratic Method. This is when we as a therapist want to gain a very good understanding of our clients concerns and therefore ask many questions. Therapist also encourage their clients to ask questions of themselves as well. Yet another method used is an educati onal model. Most emotional and behavioral reactions areShow MoreRelatedReflection Of A Theoretical Orientation916 Words   |  4 PagesA theoretical orientation is the model used to describe a client’s behavior, tendencies and personality. Therapists can’t approach and find explanations of behavior or personality in the same manner due to the difference in client issues, diagnoses, and symptoms. Although different in nature each theoretical orientation consists of the general themes that can be seen and utilized universally. As a counselor, it is important to develop and have sense of which theoretical orientation works best forRead MoreTheoretical On Theoretical Orientation Paper1726 Words   |  7 Pages Theoretical Orientation Paper Malulani Antonio Walla Walla University December 12, 2014 Theoretical Orientation Paper My Theoretical Orientation I would describe myself as a very determined and highly motivated person. Although I do take everything that I do in a quite serious manner, I am also able to have fun and find joy in all that I do. Additionally, I am quite the optimist as well as a realist. When the going gets tough, I try to look at the positive of every experience and powerRead MoreA Theoretical Orientation As A Counselor848 Words   |  4 PagesHaving a theoretical orientation as a counselor is important in working with clients in social work career. Theoretical orientation helps us as a social worker to attend to different challenges facing the clients and deal with family problems, behaviors and emotions. As a novice student, having a theoretical framework serve as a â€Å"road map.† The purpose of this paper is to explain the important of having a theoretical framework and its important when dealing with families, individuals and treatmentRead MoreTheoretical Orientation : Cognitive And Humanistic Orie ntations1355 Words   |  6 PagesTheoretical Orientation Theoretical orientation has been a topic of great debate for this author, over the course of her graduate school experience. During the beginning of her graduate school journey, she was open minded, yet very set in her ways. The last four years have been an experience that has helped to shape her original rigid theory into a well-rounded, applicable theory. This case specifically, was chosen to show her growth in both her approach to treatment and diagnosis. This authorRead MorePsychological Theoretical Orientation2231 Words   |  9 PagesThe theoretical orientation that best suites my personal style is a combination of both client-centered and brief therapy. In the first part of the paper, I try and describe the importance of developing a good client/therapist relationship using a client-centered approach. I like this approach the best because it helps the client to be more open and truthful with the therapist. There are several techniques that I find important in developing this bond such as: genuineness, unconditional positiveRead MoreDifferent Types Of Theoretical Orientations1612 Words   |  7 PagesTheoretical Orientation There are several different types of theoretical orientations that a student may choose to identify him or herself with. Although students may choose a specific theoretical orientation they may change their orientation later on in their academic career depending on their perspective of the field. Each orientation is equal, neither orientation is better than the other. Just because a person picks a certain orientation doesn’t mean that their psychological assessment will beRead MoreDifferent Theoretical Concepts Of Orientations1120 Words   |  5 Pages different theoretical concepts of orientations in marketing followed by an attempt to compare and contrast the marketing orientations of two of the biggest companies in the world, namely Apple Inc., the number one most valuable brand in the world , valued at over $246 billion (BrandZ, 2015) and Foxconn Technology Group, a contract technology company producing the iPad and the iPhone for Apple (Wikipedia, 2015). Main Body Pickton (2014) highlights 6 different marketing orientations namely, productionRead MoreThe Theoretical Orientation Of Motivational Interviewing Essay1148 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theoretical Orientation of Motivational Interviewing Psychologists William Miller, PhD. and Stephen Rollnick, PhD. developed the counseling approach known as Motivational Interviewing (MI). Motivational Interviewing evolved out of experience in the treatment of persons who were problem drinkers, and was first described by Miller in 1983. In 1991 Miller and Rollnick provided these techniques as a method that promotes and engages intrinsic motivation within the client in order to change behaviorRead MoreThe Theoretical Orientation Of Cognitive Therapy Essay2272 Words   |  10 Pagesabout successful behavior change. This paper will provide a review of the theoretical orientation of cognitive therapy along with the personal viewpoint of counseling, change, and cognitive therapy from the author’s perspective. Additionally, an overview of depression is explained and how cognitive therapy can be utilized for treatment for depression. Cognitive Therapy as Applied to Depression Theoretical Orientation of Cognitive Therapy Cognitive therapy was established by Aaron Beck whoRead MoreFinding Your Personal Theoretical Orientation921 Words   |  4 PagesHalbur and Halbur suggested that there are ten strategies to finding your personal theoretical orientation. They are as follows find yourself, articulate your values, survey your preferences, use your personality, capture yourself, let others inspire your learning, read original works, get real, study with a master, broaden your experiences. As a professional social worker, the main goal is to help a client in a positive and respectful manner. Unfortunately, client experiences and behaviors can make

The Golden Age Of Greece Essay - 1603 Words

‘I entreat you, by your life, by your knees, by your parents, do not let the dogs feed on me by the ships of the Achaians†¦ give my body to be taken home again, so that the Trojans and the wives of the Trojans may give me in death my rite of burning’ (22.338-343). This heart wrenching plea represents nearly the final words uttered by Hektor upon his death at the hands of Achilles. Hektor, who recently boasted of his martial prowess, vowing just moments before to do ‘some big thing first, that men to come shall know of it’ (22.305), is reduced to begging before his killer for the basic privilege of an honorable burial. In this moment of his famous Iliad, Homer offers a cynical reflection on human life and the social constructs mortals establish, especially the idea of the ‘heroic code’ that was so prominent during the Golden Age of Greece. Demonstrably, he implies throughout the work that since all humans are destined to die and memories hav e limited effect after death, the entire concept of the ‘heroic code’- and to a certain extent, conviction in worldly systems instead of personal beliefs- are pointless given the natural chaos of the world and man’s ultimate fate. Throughout the Iliad, conviction in a heroic code, and perhaps conviction itself, are most firmly embodied by Hektor. The heroic code was a common belief system to which many of the ancient heroes subscribed that was fixated primarily upon the idea of kleos- glory. Glory in battle, and the accompanyingShow MoreRelatedThe Golden Age Of Greece1270 Words   |  6 PagesKevin S. Burton Sohn English II Honors 7 April 2015 Word Count: 1360 The Golden Age of Greece The golden age of Greece, especially the Periclean age of Athens, was considered to be the defining age of Greek history. The amount of cultural and intellectual innovation in Greece was at its height during the nearly 200 year period. From 500-300 BC, many great thinkers and philosophers rose and gave many a new perspective on life. As Matt Barrett explained, many philosopers, such as Socrates, dwelledRead MoreThe Golden Age Of Greece Essay1039 Words   |  5 Pagesin Greece which was marked by favored rationality, strict forms and restraint in philosophy, arts and architecture (Pollitt, 2012). Philosophy is the belief on how people should live. It involves investigating how people live, beliefs and their ethics. Art involves paintings and drawings. Architecture involves designing buildings and their environments taking into consideration of what makes up the surrounding soils and ground it is about to occupy. Classicism was proposed by Rome and Greece culturesRead MoreGreece : The Real Golden Age Of Greece2007 Words   |  9 PagesHellenistic period in Greece was the real golden age of Greece: There are many aspects that contribute to a classification of a golden age because of this, in this essay I want to focus on three aspects that can be analysed to discover whether the Hellenistic period of Greek history can be classified as a golden age. These three aspects I will be looking at are science, literature, and art since each form were influential and contributed to society. During the Hellenistic age, science, in particularRead MoreThe Golden Ages : Greece, Rome, and China Essay1360 Words   |  6 PagesThe Golden Ages : Greece, Rome, and China The Golden Ages of Greece, Rome, and China were periods when certain cultures reached many achievements in certain fields. These fields could include drama, poetry, sculpture, philosophy, architecture, math or science. Their achievements in education, technology, and government have greatly influenced modern society. The artistic and literal legacies of these periods continue to instruct and inspire people today (Beck 120). In Ancient Greece, theRead MoreAncient Greece And The Golden Age Of Hellenic Art1436 Words   |  6 Pagesart and history in the ancient world. However, what is significant about many of the art works is their connection to Ancient Greece and the the Golden age of Hellenic Art. So why this fascination for the ancient Greeks? It was a sign of sophistication to know about ancient Greece and it was fashionable especially amongst the wealthy class to replicate ancient Greece in their daily lives. It is important to remember that Pompeii and Herculaneum was at the time a seaside resort for the rich andRead MoreThe Topic Of Fate Of Ancient Greece During The Golden Age1136 Words   |  5 PagesThe Topic of Fate in Ancient Greece During the Golden Age The Golden Age of Athens started with the final defeat of Persia in 479 B.C. and the formation of the Delian League in 478 B.C. With the defeat of Persia came a period of prosperity for Athens, a time of great political advancements and many reforms to daily life. Around 461 B.C., a former general named Perikles became the dominant politician of Athens. During his reign (461-429 B.C.) he made Athens a strong and imperialistic city-stateRead MoreSpartan Women During The Era Of The Golden Age And Late Of Classical Age Of Ancient Greece1421 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the early era of the Golden age and late of Classical age of Ancient Greece, from the years 520-321 BC womens roles were significantly different between the two mainly Greek city state Athens and Sparta. These roles that the women presented had huge differences in a way women were portrayed in their societies. Both cities were very different in many ways, the females were raised very differently, and had different duties they had to perform. For example if you commit adultery by Spartan womenRead MoreEssay about Homer828 Words   |  4 Pagesone can read more than just the words written on the page. We can read the feeling and emotion the words represent. Homer’s tone in The Odyssey shows his feelings about the past, present, and future of Greece. He portrays Ancient Greece as being overly structured and rigid. He shows the Golden Age he lived in as being perfectly ideal, and balanced. His view of the future predicted chaos, slackness, and confusion. Through particular characters, objects, and settings, he symbolizes accurately theseRead MoreEssay on The Parthenon- A Culture in Itself1652 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most impressive accomplishments of Ancient Greece is the remarkable structure of the Parthenon on the Acropolis. The Parthenon is one of the most inspiring works of architecture known to mankind. The project of the extraordinary Acropolis was taken on by one of the mo st influential leaders of history, Pericles. Pericles influenced not only the building of one of the grandest works but the example of democracy displayed by the Greeks. The architecture was unique for its time, it featuredRead MoreEssay about The Golden Age of Athens532 Words   |  3 PagesIn 400 B.C, The Athenian civilization experienced a golden age. The Athens experienced a great amount of peace and prosperity due to their contact and trade with others, and rare warring. During this time, ideas and philosophies were produced. These ideas influenced western civilizations in the areas of politics, science, art and architecture. The Government of the Athenian people had a large impact on western civilizations. In document three, Pericles states his beliefs about democracy. Pericles

Case Analysis Apple Inc. Essay free essay sample

Executive Summary It is said that luck follows determination and courage in business. Apple Inc. is one of global giants that has proved this correct – it has completely taken a U-turn in the IT business. Renowned around the world for innovation and quality finishing of its products, Apple Inc.’s humble start as a computer manufacturer has not deterred it from ruling the world of technology and entertainment in a market where giant names like IBM and Microsoft also thrive.The financial position of Apple has become very strong over the past three years. Growing 15% from 2007 to 2008 and 20% from 2008 to 2009, Apple Inc. has maintained a steady and rapid pace that few other companies as innovative as Apple can match (Annual Report, 2009, p. 19). The launch of the iTunes music store, that later expanded into a comprehensive online store for videos, books and audios, was a different business model altogether that reaped success within the first week of its launch. However, the subsequent events that occurred in the market and the various risks that are associated with Apple Inc.’s strategy for iTunes are some of the reasons that warrant a revision of the operational strategy, partially, if not altogether. The issue of digital rights management (DRM) and software piracy propped up and Apple has ever since paid out to artists and record companies more than it has pocketed itself.There are several lessons that Apple can learn from the launch of iTunes. The decrease in music sales online is an important one that Apple should take into future consideration. This drop forces one to re-evaluate whether Apple’s strategies were really effective or not. A recommendation to Apple for its future strategies would be to re-evaluate its business models keeping into view all aspects of the market and related industries so that after the initial bloom of purchases, there are no immediate issues that spring up like the music crisis. Introduction Apple Inc. is one of global giants in the information technology, information and entertainment business. It has under its one roof, apart from a dynamic CEO, Steve Jobs, a variety of projects that are the result of intense innovation and clever launch strategies (Curtis Gobham, 2005, p.14). The company is involved in all round operations ranging from designing, manufacturing and retailing its products, expanding from its initial expertise of just selling personal computers the company has successfully explored markets of high quality portable computers, music players and recently launched cellular phones. The breakthrough launch of the iPod in 2001 and the iPhone in 2007 saw Apple going from a â€Å"quiet† firm to a giant of the industry seeking all media attention. The launch of iTunes in 2004 was another cap to its feather, which has led to Apple enjoying billions of dollars in revenues and millions in profits (Laudon Laudon, 2007, p.98). Though Apple Inc. has had great strategies in place for its product launches and follow-ups, there are some important lessons that should be learnt from the experiences of Apple and other companies in the market.The biggest breakthrough however, was with the advent of the iPod and the opening up of the iTunes store that really got Apple kicking off the ground. This report analyzes Apple’s success in these areas, taking a brief look at the things that went right. It will further discuss the things that could and did go wrong for Apple after the iPod market had taken a saturation stance and how music sales were affected by Apple’s strategies. This will be followed by a set of recommendations that Apple Inc. and its management could follow in order to undertake calculated risks and explore different areas in the consumer market.The Success of Apple According to Bulik (June 2008, p.9) Apple has had one of the highest streaks of innovation than any other company. Failing several times has not deterred it from taking further risks and testing newer ideas. It was not until 1998 that the iMac was finally a beaming product that transformed Apple’s status from an out-of-the-box faiure to a clever innovator that had the vision and people to thrive ahead and succeed on the basis of innovation. The success of Apple after a period of two decades exemplified the fact that once again, innovation and competitive breakthroughs are the keys to success and profitability in the technological industry (Russell Yilmaz, 2006). Apple achieved its iPod sales targets of six months in just six days. This signifies how important it is to innovate and come up with products and services that would be so simple for consumers and yet so important for the company.The iPod was one of the most innovative products of this decade and rightly so. Apple had the advantage of taking the market by surprise: there was no similar product in the market that provided a comprehensive music solution. Microsoft’s Zune was the next thing that came into the market but was unsuccessful in breaking the monopoly that Apple had procured so easily due to the timing and innovation it had long invested in (iPod and Zune fight for attention, 2008, p.1). What followed in the ensuing competition is all history and documented.With $1 billion in iPod sales and approximately $1 million from iTunes in just 6 days, there was nothing much that could go wrong for Apple, envisaged analysts. They were proved wrong, when there came a series of issues for online music sellers, album companies and when fresh numbers started coming in regarding music downloads and sales. However, it is important to realize the fact that a short-sighted strategy was used by Apple for its music sales model. The online setup of iTunes was a clever move, however, Apple’s success brought about the failure of many other firms. There are important lessons to learn from this and these should be taken into consideration for future strategies. Competitive Advantages Apple Inc. has been one of the most unique firms in the world: it has never focused on following others in the market. Almost 75% of Apple’s products and businesses are market leaders and innovative solutions that have been the first of their kind in the market – or at least the first in the global market. The iPod, iPhone, iTunes and iMac are some of the examples that corroborate for this fact.Thus, innovation and market leadership has always been a competitive edge for Apple. Being inherently running a culture of innovation that Apple Inc. has traditionally inherited from Steve Jobs, the employees at the company are paid to innovate, not work. Innovation has been the major reason behind Apple’s success as it has created breath-taking products and taken the market by storm more than four times in the past decade. It is Apple’s belief that high-quality purchases and adequate market knowledge is an important competitive edge that it can have over the independent small firms in the market selling at cheaper rates substitutes of Apple’s products. â€Å"The company sells many of its products and resells certain third-party products in most of its major markets directly to consumers and businesses through its retail and online stores (Annual Report, 2009, p.1)†. The Current Situation The net income of Apple Inc. for the year ended 2009 stood at $5.7 billion. This was a direct increase of approximately 20% over the previous year, 2008. The rise in net income was very much higher than the rise in revenues, which stood at roughly 10%. There was virtually no rise in the research and development costs and this was one major factor that contributed to the higher net operating income. There are various innovative projects currently in the pipeline at Apple Inc. which provides a source of speculation for investors wishing to buy the stocks of Apple Inc. (Annual Report, 2009, p.14). The current situation is very stable for Apple Inc. in terms of growth and revenues. It has gone over the stages of explosive growth and is now moving ahead at a fairly good and constant rate. Market Risks The global operations of Apple Inc. make it very possible for sales revenues to diminish in value and costs to rise. There is the element of financial risk and business risk inherent in the company’s operations. While the CFO, Peter Oppenheimer manages this section of the business taking care of the financial risks associated with the company, it is the responsibility of Steve Job and his set of analysts to analyze and manage the market risks associated with the company.Apple Inc. has contracts with third parties allowing it the right to offer digital content, such as music, to its customers. These contracts are all through the iTunes store and there is a significant portion of the revenues from iTunes sales that goes into these license purchases and contract arrangements. However, majority of these contracts are short-term and limited in scope. Renewal of contracts is not necessarily a guarantee – this is a significant business risk that could threaten the very existence of iTunes in future in case of any unexpected contractual issues. Further, most third parties require Apple to guarantee digital rights management (DRM) before they enter into a contract with Apple Inc. (Annual Report, 2009, p.17). This makes the game even more risky where a greater part of the revenues are spent on licensing and DRM solutions.The music CD industry is under siege – mainly by Apple’s iTunes. This creates a very valid reason for the third party contractors to open up businesses similar to There could be other third parties that would like to use their position to strike a higher bargain with Apple thus increasing the costs for Apple. â€Å"In addition, certain countries have passed or may propose legislation that would force the Company to license its DRM, reducing content protection and subjecting it to piracy and also could affect arrangements with Apple’s content providers (Annual Report, 2009, p.17)†. Market Challenges Apple has hit the mobile market recently with its launch of the iPhone in 2007. The mobile market has a dynamic competitive structure It can be remarked without any doubt that the competition Apple faces is stiff and experience-ridden. The work structure of Apple may be highly innovative, but it not necessarily may be low cost – the revenues of Apple offset the big costs involved. These high production and innovation costs can be an incentive for smaller firms, mainly the contractors and suppliers of Apple to get the innovation from Apple and emulate them through cheaper product development. Though the brand would be different, these companies can then target a large segment of the lower middle class. There could be infringement and piracy issues, but then those would all require a great deal of time and energy on the part of Apple to sort out and by the time any rulings would be finalized, the small companies would have had taken their share of the market and exited from the market. Reliance on the mobile entertainment industry is something that Apple is doing right at the moment in order to diversify its risks.Apple Inc. expects that in the near future, the mobile market will be one area that will present competitive challenges to the company – one reason for this is the growingly integrated structure of technology making it very easy to combine entertainment, communication, mobility and computing power into one gadget. Thus, there are huge market challenges for Apple Inc. in the near future that it needs to survive and overcome by intelligent market strategies and a cutting edge competitive edge. The Music Crisis The fall in music CD sales by 6.7% in the first half of 2005 was a big blow to the industry. Contraction of almost one-fifteenth of such a large industry in 6 months was definitely an eyebrow-raiser. Apple had envisaged that its iTune sales would reach 1 million songs in the first six months. Its estimates were well below the response of the market which saw the target being achieved in the first week. However, this also created a void for other music companies and CD companies selling music (Curtis Gobham, 2005, p.112).Market research shows that iTunes had introduced its songs for $0.99 initially and it used a pay-per-download model in the beginning. Though there were other models for song downloads introduced later, but that only meant that song downloads became cheaper and bulk downloads were only encouraged. The quick sales of songs from iTunes online stores only meant that the idea had taken off and it required only a little hindsight from the geniuses at Apple to introduce other products for sale online. Subsequently iTunes was loaded with books, videos, podcasts and audio books apart from songs which gave consumers a wider range of products to choose from. The key was to attract consumers for the product they were interested in. Apple realized that there were many people like Eneka Iriondo-Cyosh who did not purchase any downloadable songs online.The business strategy at the iTunes back office was to somehow get these people to visit iTunes and download other products (Chaffey Wood, 2005, p.97). Though iTunes was successful in luring a great number of visitors to its online portal, there were issues cropping up in the neighborhood that always needed to be addressed.The decline in CD music sales was repeatedly signifying warnings for the music CD industry. Since iTunes had entered the market without any competition, there were very few reasons why consumers should continue buying CDs when there were cheap downloads available from a reliable and quality store such as iTunes. The behavior of many iPod owners began to take a shift. iPod owners who had previously been enthusiastic about CD purchases of their favorite albums found it more convenient to stock songs in heir iPods which had capacities of up to 10,000 songs! This change in behavior meant that CD companies had already reached the beginning of their end in the global market and that singers and record companies were beginning to face low royalties for the same albums in comparison to a few years earlier (Laudon Laudon, 2007, p.16).It is fascinating to note the strategy that iTunes had inked with artists and their record companies. It dictated that for the sale of each song i.e. each download from iTunes, the singer would get almost 80% of the revenues through the records company. Apple’s share was mainly the customer loyalty that it generated and the quick sales that was part of the customer response.However, this resulted in a rise in software piracy and bootlegged CDs in the market. Listeners found their way to copying their downloaded songs onto CDs – it is said that there is virtually no security feature in the world of information technology that cannot be cracked or broken. All it takes is a couple of tech buffs to operate their technical tools to reveal the nuts and bolts of â€Å"security†. And this was all done with great zeal by music pirates so that there were thousands of bootlegged CDs running in the music market (Russel Yilmaz, 2006, p.56).The vision of iTunes to become the premier music company succeeded well, however, in the process led to several software piracy problems. Apart from bootlegged CDs, artists demanded a higher royalty from iTunes since the downloads were huge in number, but were stagnant after a while. This meant that once an iPod user had downloaded a song, they never needed to re-download it again as they had it saved in their iPods. A year or so earlier, the same artists had been able to make millions out of copyrights from record companies that made song CDs in millions. Today the same record companies were facing hard times to keep their CDs on the shelves of bookstores and music stores. DVDs had paved the way for their space and it was all a matter of time as to when music CDs would become history (Boddy Boonstra, 2005, p.118). Conclusion Apple’s strategy for an e-song store was a gigantic success; it reaped the company millions in revenues eventually translating into good profits from an online store business. However, Apple’s strategies were short-sighted. Though Apple supported technological innovations and as mentioned in the case, gave support to entrepreneurs like Jeff Robbin, the iTunes strategy had no plan â€Å"B† for the CD music industry – which was its direct competitor (Beynon-Davies, 2002).iTunes complete eroded the music CD industry by late 2007 and established itself as the premium music re-seller housing several payment and download options. It can be concluded from the actions of Apple that the strategy was short-sighted and was the death blow to the music CD industry that eventually collapsed under the pressure of low demand and staggering prices to remain in competition with the iTunes offers.owever, it would be safe to say that Apple learned from this strategy that its breakthrough innovations were not only as successful in the products it manufactured, but also in the business model and services it came up with. The iTunes idea was an innovative o ne that resulted in quick sales but lower margins for Apple in the beginning however resulted in sustainable sales for the future (Curtis Gobham, 2005, p.54). References Annual Report (2009). Apple Inc., p1-104.Beynon-Davies, P. (2002). Information Systems: An Introduction to informatics in  Organisations. Edinburgh: Palgrave MacMillan. Boddy, D., Boonstra, A., Kennedy, G. (2005). Managing Information Systems: An  Organisational Perspective. 2nd ed. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Bulik, B. S. (June 2008). Apples iPhone steals marketing thunder from iPod. Advertising Age, p.4-55, Retrieved on November 30, 2009.Chaffey, D. , ; Wood, S. (2005). Business Information Management, Improving Performance Using Information Systems. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.Curtis, G., ; Cobham, C. (2005). Business Information Systems. 5th ed. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.Lance, Whitney (2009). eBay launches holiday deals app for iPhone. CNet. Retrieved on November 29, 2009 from: http://news. cnet.com/digital-media/?keyword=iPodLaudon, K., ; Laudon, J. (2007). Essentials of Business Information Systems. 7th ed. London: Prentice Hall. Mazur, L. (2005). Holistic marketing for Long Run. Finance Week, Vol. 14, Issue 10.Russell, I., ; Yilmaz, J. (2006). Information Systems Management, Vol. 23 Issue 4, New York, Prentice Hall: p37-42, 6p.

My Heart Will Remain free essay sample

All the eyes were on me, as if I were a foreign creature from Mars or an underwater civilization. I felt I was literally under a magnifying glass—every move monitored and evaluated. In reality, I was intently watching them, their every move and attempting to decipher every word they say. â€Å"Where are you from?† asked one girl from the group of unfamiliar people. â€Å"Wisconsin, † I said with hesitation. A look of bewilderment and doubt spreads across her face as she said, in a doubtful strange voice, â€Å"Ohhh†¦yes, Wisconsin.† It was obvious they did not know where this state was. I could see disappointment that I hadn’t come from some other, well-known location. The teacher sat me at a desk with a chair. The wall behind me had a map of the world as to remind me of the great distance I am from my once called ‘home.’ The unknown girl sat next to me. We will write a custom essay sample on My Heart Will Remain or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was all too strange for one day. Soon as I sat everyone stood. Each individual watches me as they bustle towards the door; we left the room and entered a bus†¦one like I have never seen before. This was my first day in this alien place and I had to interpret a movie. Six more months†¦five more months†¦four more months†¦three more months†¦ After the third month the countdown stopped. Over the months, the stranger who had originally quizzed me—with her poor English skill—soon became my closest ally of all the foreign alien type people. She taught me the common knowledge of her home and I, in turn, taught her the ways of Wisconsin and of my country. Clarified the typical stereotypes, not all parties are like American Pie parties, not every 16 year old gets pregnant, and not every person is overly obese as often portrayed. Months passed from moist and cold to warm and humid. Through the vigorous classes, I was put in and the time spent on focusing on my new best friend, Dante Alighieri, I slowly learned the language of these foreign people. Slowly I became one of them. â€Å"Si, parlo l’italiano.† Stares shot in my direction from shop owners, school teachers, and most of all, my friends. All amazed I retained the knowledge of their language, in actuality I was also astonished by these words escaping my mouth. These foreign aliens became Italians; this strange girl in the desk next to me became my best friend, this country of Italy became my second home. I experienced something that many have not, I, in fact, was the foreign being that they made me seem. I was a foreign exchange student. I gained not only a new language and outlook on life, but also second family, close friends to last a life time, and weight to show where I had been for the entire semester I was gone. The country of Italy became a part of me and will always remain in my heart.