Energy, Water, And Food - 802 Words

1. Abstract Energy, water, and food are interdependent on one another. Water is the main contributor for the production of agriculture along with other food substances. The distribution of water is reliant on energy. Energy is used to pump water from the ground. Water is used in agricultural irrigation and energy is used to harvest the crops for food. All three sectors are indicators of a strong society. The relationships between these three sectors come with a cost. High amounts of energy are used to extract water. Extraction is both monetarily and environmentally costly. Using water in irrigation diverts river flows. Energy can be produced from rivers but diverting water to agriculture creates a lower flow. The balance of the trade-offs†¦show more content†¦Energy security is the concept that government should protect its citizens from crises that may arise between the availability and consumption of energy. Challenges are seen in the manipulation of power supplies because of uneven distribution to competition for energy resources. Food security is emphasized by the access to a supply of food. Throughout history, many different societies have struggled to maintain a sufficient supply of nutritious food for their citizens. The limited availability of food arose from factors such as droughts, war, energy shortages. Access to these three services is more about keeping a consistent supply to society, addressing supply fluctuations in times of extreme situation. Addressing these securities require collaboration among the sectors. Interdisciplinary communication in the politics of each sector can help plan for future potential conflict. 3. Interactions Among Security Sectors Energy, water, and food sectors work together in many ways. Water is used for the extraction of energy supplies such as fossil fuels. It is also used in mining and processing energy supplies. Energy is used in machinery for growing food and it is also used in the transportation of food supplies. Agriculturally, feedstock is grown to create biofuels which generate power and electricity. The cultivation of the amount of feedstock needed to create biofuel is

Ehmedi Xani s Mem U Zin - 1240 Words

Although Martin van Bruinessen in his essay â€Å"Ehmedi Xani’s Mem u Zin† concludes that that Xani himself was probably not a nationalist in the way academics understand it today, for his poem was written in the 1700s. Nevertheless, it does not dilute his importance to nationalist Kurds within the last hundred years (41). The Kurdish pride that Xani portrays in the poem through his writing it in Kurdish and its calls for Kurdish supremacy certainly aroused the religious and nationalist sentiments of those studying in the lodges and madrasas. In addition, other sources that circulated among these Kurdish schools including the 19th century Kurdish nationalist poet, Haji Qadri Koyi, who wrote poetry similar to that of Xani’s in the Sorani dialect, as well as the early writings of Said Nursi, a 20th century Kurdish rights activist who later abandoned his Kurdish roots and founded the very popular Nurcu Islamic movement in Turkey (Bruinessen, Mullas 48-9). For th e Muslim Kurds living in the rising era of nationalism, Islam and Kurdishness were fused, inseparable of one another. Besides the important function these lodges and madrasas had on Kurdish nationalism, the shaykhs attained immense power during the early 1800s, making them invested agents in an autonomous Kurdish state. Bruinessen postulates that because of the Ottoman Empires declining strength and lack of ability to formally control the Kurdistan regions, religious shaykhs became the intermediary, impartial forces

Foundation and Empire 5. The War Begins Free Essays

From the radiating point of Siwenna, the forces of the Empire reached out cautiously into the black unknown of the Periphery. Giant ships passed the vast distances that separated the vagrant stars at the Galaxy’s rim, and felt their way around the outermost edge of Foundation influence. Worlds isolated in their new barbarism of two centuries felt the sensation once again of Imperial overlords upon their soil. We will write a custom essay sample on Foundation and Empire 5. The War Begins or any similar topic only for you Order Now Allegiance was sworn in the face of the massive artillery covering capital cities. Garrisons were left; garrisons of men in Imperial uniform with the Spaceship-and-Sun insignia upon their shoulders. The old men took notice and remembered once again the forgotten tales of their grandfathers’ fathers of the times when the universe was big, and rich, and peaceful and that same Spaceship-and-Sun ruled all. Then the great ships passed on to weave their line of forward bases further around the Foundation. And as each world was knotted into its proper place in the fabric, the report went back to Bel Riose at the General Headquarters he had established on the rocky barrenness of a wandering sunless planet. Now Riose relaxed and smiled grimly at Ducem Barr. â€Å"Well, what do you think, patrician?† â€Å"I? Of what value are my thoughts? I am not a military man.† He took in with one wearily distasteful glance the crowded disorder of the rock-bound room which had been carved out of the wall of a cavern of artificial air, light, and heat which marked the single bubble of life in the vastness of a bleak world. â€Å"For the help I could give you,† he muttered, â€Å"or would want to give you, you might return me to Siwenna.† â€Å"Not yet. Not yet.† The general turned his chair to the comer which held the huge, brilliantly-transparent sphere that mapped the old Imperial prefect of Anacreon and its neighboring sectors. â€Å"Later, when this is over, you will go back to your books and to more. I’ll see to it that the estates of your family are restored to you and to your children for the rest of time.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Barr, with faint irony, â€Å"but I lack your faith in the happy outcome of all this.† Riose laughed harshly, â€Å"Don’t start your prophetic croakings again. This map speaks louder than all your woeful theories.† He caressed its curved invisible outline gently. â€Å"Can you read a map in radial projection? You can? Well, here, see for yourself. The stars in gold represent the Imperial territories. The red stars are those in subjection to the Foundation and the pink are those which are probably within the economic sphere of influence. Now watch-â€Å" Riose’s hand covered a rounded knob, and slowly an area of hard, white pinpoints changed into a deepening blue. Like an inverted cup they folded about the red and the pink. â€Å"Those blue stars have been taken over by my forces,† said Riose with quiet satisfaction, â€Å"and they still advance. No opposition has appeared anywhere. The barbarians are quiet. And particularly, no opposition has come from Foundation forces. They sleep peacefully and well.† â€Å"You spread your force thinly, don’t you?† asked Barr. â€Å"As a matter of fact,† said Riose, â€Å"despite appearances, I don’t. The key points which I garrison and fortify are relatively few, but they are carefully chosen. The result is that the force expended is small, but the strategic result great. There are many advantages, more than would ever appear to anyone who hasn’t made a careful study of spatial tactics, but it is apparent to anyone, for instance, that I can base an attack from any point in an inclosing sphere, and that when I am finished it will be impossible for the Foundation to attack at flank or rear. I shall have no flank or rear with respect to them. â€Å"This strategy of the Previous Enclosure has been tried before, notably in the campaigns of Loris VI, some two thousand years ago, but always imperfectly; always with the knowledge and attempted interference of the enemy. This is different.† â€Å"The ideal textbook case?† Barr’s voice was languid and indifferent. Riose was impatient, â€Å"You still think my forces will fail?† â€Å"They must.† â€Å"You understand that there is no case in military history where an Enclosure has been completed that the attacking forces have not eventually won, except where an outside Navy exists in sufficient force to break the Enclosure.† â€Å"If you say so.† â€Å"And you still adhere to your faith.† â€Å"Yes.† Riose shrugged. â€Å"Then do so.† Barr allowed the angry silence to continue for a moment, then asked quietly, â€Å"Have you received an answer from the Emperor?† Riose removed a cigarette from a wall container behind his head, placed a filter tip between his lips and puffed it aflame carefully. He said, â€Å"You mean my request for reinforcements? It came, but that’s all. Just the answer.† â€Å"No ships.† â€Å"None. I half-expected that. Frankly, patrician, I should never have allowed myself to be stampeded by your theories into requesting them in the first place. It puts me in a false light.† â€Å"Does it?† â€Å"Definitely. Ships are at a premium. The civil wars of the last two centuries have smashed up more than half of the Grand Fleet and what’s left is in pretty shaky condition. You know it isn’t as if the ships we build these days are worth anything. I don’t think there’s a man in the Galaxy today who can build a first-rate hypernuclear motor.† â€Å"I knew that,† said the Siwennian. His eyes were thoughtful and introspective. â€Å"I didn’t know that you knew it. So his Imperial Majesty can spare no ships. Psychohistory could have predicted that; in fact, it probably did. I should say that Hari Seldon’s dead hand wins the opening round.† Riose answered sharply, â€Å"I have enough ships as it is. Your Seldon wins nothing. Should the situation turn more serious, then more ships will be available. As yet, the Emperor does not know all the story.† â€Å"Indeed? What haven’t you told him?† â€Å"Obviously – your theories.† Riose looked sardonic. â€Å"The story is, with all respect to you, inherently improbable. If developments warrant; if events supply me with proof, then, but only then, would I make out the case of mortal danger. â€Å"And in addition,† Riose drove on, casually, â€Å"the story, unbolstered by fact, has a flavor of lese majeste that could scarcely be pleasant to His Imperial Majesty.† The old patrician smiled. â€Å"You mean that telling him his august throne is in danger of subversion by a parcel of ragged barbarians from the ends of the universe is not a warning to be believed or appreciated. Then you expect nothing from him.† â€Å"Unless you count a special envoy as something.† â€Å"And why a special envoy?† â€Å"It’s an old custom. A direct representative of the crown is present on every military campaign which is under government auspices.† â€Å"Really? Why?† â€Å"It’s a method of preserving the symbol of personal Imperial leadership in all campaigns. It’s gained a secondary function of insuring the fidelity of generals. It doesn’t always succeed in that respect.† â€Å"You’ll find that inconvenient, general. Extraneous authority, I mean.† â€Å"I don’t doubt that,† Riose reddened faintly, â€Å"but it can’t be helped-â€Å" The receiver at the general’s hand glowed warmly, and with an unobtrusive jar, the cylindered communication popped into its slot. Riose unrolled it, â€Å"Good! This is it!† Ducem Barr raised a mildly questioning eyebrow. Riose said, â€Å"You know we’ve captured one of these Trader people. Alive – and with his ship intact.† â€Å"I’ve heard talk of it.† â€Å"Well, they’ve just brought him in, and we’ll have him here in a minute. You keep your seat, patrician. I want you here when I’m questioning him. It’s why I asked you here today in the first place. You may understand him where I might miss important points.† The door signal sounded and a touch of the general’s toe swung the door wide. The man who stood on the threshold was tall and bearded, wore a short coat of a soft, leathery plastic, with an attached hood shoved back on his neck. His hands were free, and if he noticed the men about him were armed, he did not trouble to indicate it. He stepped in casually, and looked about with calculating eyes. He favored the general with a rudimentary wave of the hand and a half nod. â€Å"Your name?† demanded Riose, crisply. â€Å"Lathan Devers.† The trader hooked his thumbs into his wide and gaudy belt. â€Å"Are you the boss here?† â€Å"You are a trader of the Foundation?† â€Å"That’s right. Listen, if you’re the boss, you’d better tell your hired men here to lay off my cargo.† The general raised his head and regarded the prisoner coldly. â€Å"Answer questions. Do not volunteer orders.† â€Å"All right. I’m agreeable. But one of your boys blasted a two-foot hole in his chest already, by sticking his fingers where he wasn’t supposed to.† Riose shifted his gaze to the lieutenant in charge. â€Å"Is this man telling the truth? Your report, Vrank, had it that no lives were lost.† â€Å"None were, sir,† the lieutenant spoke stiffly, apprehensively, â€Å"at the time. There was later some disposition to search the ship, there having arisen a rumor that a woman was aboard. Instead, sir, many instruments of unknown nature were located, instruments which the prisoner claims to be his stock in trade. One of them flashed on handling, and the soldier holding it died.† The general turned back to the trader. â€Å"Does your ship carry nuclear explosives?† â€Å"Galaxy, no. What for? That fool grabbed a nuclear puncher, wrong end forward and set at maximum dispersion. You’re not supposed to do that. Might as well point a neut-gun at your head. I’d have stopped him, if five men weren’t sitting on my chest.† Riose gestured at the waiting guard, â€Å"You go. The captured ship is to he sealed against all intrusion. Sit down, Devers.† The trader did so, in the spot indicated, and withstood stolidly the hard scrutiny of the Imperial general and the curious glance of the Siwennian patrician. Riose said, â€Å"You’re a sensible man, Devers.† â€Å"Thank you. Are you impressed by my face, or do you want something? Tell you what, though. I’m a good business man.† â€Å"It’s about the same thing. You surrendered your ship when you might have decided to waste our ammunition and have yourself blown to electron-dust. It could result in good treatment for you, if you continue that sort of outlook on life.† â€Å"Good treatment is what I mostly crave, boss.† â€Å"Good, and co-operation is what I mostly crave.† Riose smiled, and said in a low aside to Ducem Barr, â€Å"I hope the word ‘crave’ means what I think it does. Did you ever hear such a barbarous jargon?† Devers said blandly, â€Å"Right. I check you. But what kind of co-operation are you talking about, boss? To tell you straight, I don’t know where I stand.† He looked about him, â€Å"Where’s this place, for instance, and – what’s the idea?† â€Å"Ah, I’ve neglected the other half of the introductions. I apologize.† Riose was in good humor. â€Å"That gentleman is Ducem Barr, Patrician of the Empire. I am Bel Riose, Peer of the Empire, and General of the Third Class in the armed forces of His Imperial Majesty.† The trader’s jaw slackened. Then, â€Å"The Empire? I mean the old Empire they taught us about at school? Huh! Funny! I always had the sort of notion that it didn’t exist any more.† â€Å"Look about you. It does,† said Riose grimly. â€Å"Might have known it though,† and Lathan Devers pointed his beard at the ceiling. â€Å"That was a mightily polished-looking set of craft that took my tub. No kingdom of the Periphery could have turned them out.† His brow furrowed. â€Å"So what’s the game, boss? Or do I call you general?† â€Å"Me game is war.† â€Å"Empire versus Foundation, that it?† â€Å"Right.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I think you know why.† The trader stared sharply and shook his head. Riose let the other deliberate, then said softly, â€Å"I’m sure you know why.† Lathan Devers muttered, â€Å"Warm here,† and stood up to remove his hooded jacket. Then he sat down again and stretched his legs out before him. â€Å"You know,† he said, comfortably, â€Å"I figure you’re thinking I ought to jump up with a whoop and lay about me. I can catch you before you could move if I choose my time, and this old fellow who sits there and doesn’t say anything couldn’t do much to stop me.† â€Å"But you won’t,† said Riose, confidently. â€Å"I won’t,† agreed Devers, amiably. â€Å"First off, killing you wouldn’t stop the war, I suppose. There are more generals where you came from.† â€Å"Very accurately calculated.† â€Å"Besides which, I’d probably be slammed down about two seconds after I got you, and killed fast, or maybe slow, depending. But I’d be killed, and I never like to count on that when I’m making plans. It doesn’t pay off.† â€Å"I said you were a sensible man.† â€Å"But there’s one thing I would like, boss. I’d like you to tell me what you mean when you say I know why you’re jumping us. I don’t; and guessing games bother me no end.† â€Å"Yes? Ever hear of Hari Seldon?† â€Å"No. I said I don’t like guessing games.† Riose flicked a side glance at Ducem Barr who smiled with a narrow gentleness and resumed his inwardly-dreaming expression. Riose said with a grimace, â€Å"Don’t you play games, Devers. There is a tradition, or a fable, or sober history – I don’t care what – upon your Foundation, that eventually you will found the Second Empire. I know quite a detailed version of Hari Seldon’s psychohistorical claptrap, and your eventual plans of aggression against the Empire.† â€Å"That so?† Devers nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"And who told you all that?† â€Å"Does that matter?† said Riose with dangerous smoothness. â€Å"You’re here to question nothing. I want what you know about the Seldon Fable.† â€Å"But if it’s a Fable-â€Å" â€Å"Don’t play with words, Devers.† â€Å"I’m not. In fact, I’ll give it to you straight. You know all I know about it. It’s silly stuff, half-baked. Every world has its yams; you can’t keep it away from them. Yes, I’ve heard that sort of talk; Seldon, Second Empire, and so on. They put kids to sleep at night with the stuff. The young squirts curl up in the spare rooms with their pocket projectors and suck up Seldon thrillers. But it’s strictly non-adult. Nonintelligent adult, anyway.† The trader shook his head. The Imperial general’s eyes were dark. â€Å"Is that really so? You waste your lies, man. I’ve been on the planet, Terminus. I know your Foundation. I’ve looked it in the face.† â€Å"And you ask me? Me, when I haven’t kept foot on it for two months at a piece in ten years. You are wasting your time. But go ahead with your war, if it’s fables you’re after.† And Barr spoke for the first time, mildly, â€Å"You are so confident then that the Foundation will win?† The trader turned. He flushed faintly and an old scar on one temple showed whitely, â€Å"Hm-m-m, the silent partner. How’d you squeeze that out of what I said, doc?† Riose nodded very slightly at Barr, and the Siwennian continued in a low voice, â€Å"Because the notion would bother you if you thought your world might lose this war, and suffer the bitter reapings of defeat, I know. My world once did, and still does.† Lathan Devers fumbled his beard, looked from one of his opponents to the other, then laughed shortly. â€Å"Does he always talk like that, boss? Listen,† he grew serious, â€Å"what’s defeat? I’ve seen wars and I’ve seen defeats. What if the winner does take over? Who’s bothered? Me? Guys like me?† He shook his head in derision. â€Å"Get this,† the trader spoke forcefully and earnestly, â€Å"there are five or six fat slobs who usually run an average planet. They get the rabbit punch, but I’m not losing peace of mind over them. See. The people? The ordinary run of guys? Sure, some get killed, and the rest pay extra taxes for a while. But it settles itself out; it runs itself down. And then it’s the old situation again with a different five or six.† Ducem Barr’s nostrils flared, and the tendons of his old right hand jerked; but he said nothing. Lathan Devers’ eyes were on him. They missed nothing. He said, â€Å"Look. I spend my life in space for my five-and-dime gadgets and my beer-and-pretzel kickback from the Combines. There’s fat fellows back there,† his thumb jerked over his shoulder and back, â€Å"that sit home and collect my year’s income every minute – out of skimmings from me and more like me. Suppose you run the Foundation. You’ll still need us. You’ll need us more than ever the Combines do – because you’d not know your way around, and we could bring in the hard cash. We’d make a better deal with the Empire. Yes, we would; and I’m a man of business. If it adds up to a plus mark, I’m for it.† And he stared at the two with sardonic belligerence. The silence remained unbroken for minutes, and then a cylinder rattled into its slot. The general flipped it open, glanced at the neat printing and in-circuited the visuals with a sweep. â€Å"Prepare plan indicating position of each ship in action. Await orders on full-armed defensive.† He reached for his cape. As he fastened it about his shoulders, he whispered in a stiff-lipped monotone to Barr, â€Å"I’m leaving this man to you. I’ll expect results. This is war and I can be cruel to failures. Remember!† He left, with a salute to both. Lathan Devers looked after him, â€Å"Well, something’s hit him where it hurts. What goes on?† â€Å"A battle, obviously,† said Barr, gruffly. â€Å"The forces of the Foundation are coming out for their first battle. You’d better come along.† There were armed soldiers in the room. Their bearing was respectful and their faces were hard. Devers followed the proud old Siwennian patriarch out of the room. The room to which they were led was smaller, barer. It contained two beds, a visi-screen, and shower and sanitary facilities. The soldiers marched out, and the thick door boomed hollowly shut. â€Å"Hmp?† Devers stared disapprovingly about. â€Å"This looks permanent.† â€Å"It is,† said Barr, shortly. The old Siwennian turned his back. The trader said irritably, â€Å"What’s your game, doc?† â€Å"I have no game. You’re in my charge, that’s all.† The trader rose and advanced. His bulk towered over the unmoving patrician. â€Å"Yes? But you’re in this cell with me and when you were marched here the guns were pointed just as hard at you as at me. Listen, you were all boiled up about my notions on the subject of war and peace.† He waited fruitlessly, â€Å"All fight, let me ask you something. You said your country was licked once. By whom? Comet people from the outer nebulae?† Barr looked up. â€Å"By the Empire.† â€Å"That so? Then what are you doing here?† Barr maintained an eloquent silence. The trader thrust out a lower lip and nodded his head slowly. He slipped off the flat-linked bracelet that hugged his fight wrist and held it out. â€Å"What do you think of that?† He wore the mate to it on his left. The Siwennian took the ornament. He responded slowly to the trader’s gesture and put it on. The odd tingling at the wrist passed away quickly. Devers’ voice changed at once. â€Å"Right, doc, you’ve got the action now. Just speak casually. If this room is wired, they won’t get a thing. That’s a Field Distorter you’ve got there; genuine Mallow design. Sells for twenty-five credits on any world from here to the outer rim. You get it free. Hold your lips still when you talk and take it easy. You’ve got to get the trick of it.† Ducem Barr was suddenly weary. The trader’s boring eyes were luminous and urging. He felt unequal to their demands. Barr said, â€Å"What do you want?† The words slurred from between unmoving lips. â€Å"I’ve told you. You make mouth noises like what we call a patriot. Yet your own world has been mashed up by the Empire, and here you are playing ball with the Empire’s fair-haired general. Doesn’t make sense, does it?† Barr said, â€Å"I have done my part. A conquering Imperial viceroy is dead because of me.† â€Å"That so? Recently?† â€Å"Forty years ago.† â€Å"Forty†¦ years†¦ ago!† The words seemed to have meaning to the trader. He frowned, â€Å"That’s a long time to live on memories. Does that young squirt in the general’s uniform know about it?† Barr nodded. Devers’ eyes were dark with thought. â€Å"You want the Empire to win?† And the old Siwennian patrician broke out in sudden deep anger, â€Å"May the Empire and all its works perish in universal catastrophe. All Siwenna prays that daily. I had brothers once, a sister, a father. But I have children now, grandchildren. The general knows where to find them.† Devers waited. Barr continued in a whisper, â€Å"But that would not stop me if the results in view warranted the risk. They would know how to die.† The trader said gently, â€Å"You killed a viceroy once, huh? You know, I recognize a few things. We once had a mayor, Hober Mallow his name was. He visited Siwenna; that’s your world, isn’t it? He met a man named Barr.† Ducem Barr stared hard, suspiciously. â€Å"What do you know of this?† â€Å"What every trader on the Foundation knows. You might be a smart old fellow put in here to get on my right side. Sure, they’d point guns at you, and you’d hate the Empire and be all-out for its smashing. Then I’d fall all over you and pour out my heart to you, and wouldn’t the general be pleased. There’s not much chance of that, doc. â€Å"But just the same I’d like to have you prove that you’re the son of Onum Barr of Siwenna – the sixth and youngest who escaped the massacre.† Ducem Barr’s hand shook as he opened the flat metal box in a wall recess. The metal object he withdrew clanked softly as he thrust it into the trader’s hands. â€Å"Look at that,† he said. Devers stared. He held the swollen central link of the chain close to his eyes and swore softly. â€Å"That’s Mallow’s monogram, or I’m a space-struck rookie, and the design is fifty years old if it’s a day.† He looked up and smiled. â€Å"Shake, doc. A man-sized nuclear shield is all the proof I need,† and he held out his large hand. How to cite Foundation and Empire 5. The War Begins, Essay examples

King Henry VI, Part II York monologue Essay Example For Students

King Henry VI, Part II York monologue Essay A monologue from the play by William Shakespeare YORK: Anjou and Maine are given to the French, Paris is lost; the state of Normandy Stands on a tickle point now they are gone. Suffolk concluded on the articles, The peers agreed, and Henry was well pleased To change two dukedoms for a duke\s fair daughter. I cannot blame them all. What is\t to them? \Tis thine they give away, and not their own. Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage, And purchase friends, and give to courtesans, Still revelling like lords till all be gone, While as the silly owner of the goods Weeps over them and wrings his hapless hands And shakes his head and trembling stands aloof While all is shared and all is borne away, Ready to starve and dare not touch his own. So York must sit and fret and bite his tongue While his own lands are bargained for and sold. Methinks the realms of England, France, and Ireland Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood As did the fatal brand Althaea burnt Unto the prince\s heart of Calydon. Anjou and Maine both given unto the French? Cold news for me! for I had hope of France, Even as I have of fertile England\s soil. A day will come when York shall claim his own; And therefore I will take the Nevils\ parts, And make a show of love to proud Duke Humphrey, And when I spy advantage, claim the crown, For that\s the golden mark I seek to hit. Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right, Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist, Nor wear the diadem upon his head, Whose churchlike humors fits not for a crown. Then, York, be still awhile, till time do serve. Watch thou and wake when others be asleep, To pry into the secrets of the state. Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love, With his new bride and England\s dear-bought queen, And Humphrey with the peers be fallen at jars. Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose, With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfumed, And in my standard bear the arms of York To grapple with the house of Lancaster; And force perforce I\ll make him yield the crown Whose bookish rule hath pulled fair England down.

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima free essay sample

the Miracle Of Our Lady Of Fatima is a feature film made in 1952. It was promoted as a fact-based treatment of the events surrounding the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. It starred Susan Whitney as Lucia dos Santos, Sammy Ogg as Francisco Marto, and Sherry Jackson, as Jacinta Marto, with Gilbert Roland as a fictional character named Hugo, a kindly but agnostic friend of the three children, who rediscovered his faith in God through the Solar Miracle of Fatima. The musical score by Max Steiner received an Academy Award nomination. The film was released on DVD on April 4, 2006. Story It is 1917, and Portugal is feeling the aftereffects of a storm of Masonic, anti-religious sentiment and the violent overthrow of the government by socialist forces in its October 5, 1910 revolution. Churches in Lisbon are boarded up. Many priests, monks and friars are shown being fingerprinted, photographed and registered as (possible) criminals before being jailed. We will write a custom essay sample on The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The rural town of Fatima is small enough to have escaped much of this persecution; their church remains open, and most of the people are reasonably devout. Watching their flocks and playing in a field outside town on May 16 (the actual date of the first apparition was May 13), Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto decide to pray their version of the Rosary by yelling out, Hail Mary! but not finishing the prayer. In the midst of this activity they hear a clap of thunder and see a flash of lightning. Thinking it is about to rainm, the children gather their sheep and head for home. Another flash of lightning causes them to run straight into an unusual cloud of light surrounding a little tree on which a lady stands. Speaking slowly and gently, the lady asks them to return on the 13th of each month and to offer their sufferings to God for the salvation of sinners. She entreats them to say the Rosary for world peace. Later, they encounter their agnostic friend Hugo who tells them it is best not to reveal the vision to anyone else, but of course on returning home, Jacinta immediately divulges her sightings. Jacinta and Franciscos parents believe the story, but Lucias mother reacts with disgust and subjects her daughter to emotional and physical abuse. She forbids Lucia to return to the Cova, but Lucia does so anyway on the next months appearance (June 13), and is told then that her cousins will die and go to heaven soon, while she will live a long life in holy service. The church father suggests the visions might be from Satan. The local authorities close the Fatima church until its father can convince the parishioners that no visions have or will happen. The next month, on July 13, the lady appears again, predicting another and worse war (WWII) will happen if the world doesnt stop sinning. She also predicts evil will come from Russia if that country is unconverted. Kidnapped by provincial administrator Arturo Santos, the children are threatened with death if they dont change their story. Trying to frighten them, he has first Jacinta, then Francisco dragged into another room. Jacintas terrified screams convince Lucia that her cousins are dead, but she refuses to deny what shes seen. Warning her that shes about to experience the full treatment, Santos reunites her with her cousins, who are very much alive, then throws them all in jail. There they find Hugo, who stands by them as they convince all the prisoners to join in the Rosary. Unable to find any prosecutable evidence, Arturo frees the children, who find that the entire population of Fatima has been standing outside waiting for them. On October 13, when the lady promised a sign that will make them believe, about forty thousand people arrive, waiting through a torrential downpour. At precisely noon the clouds part and the sun shines brightly upon all the people—then the sun shifts through a rainbow of colours and appears to drop toward the ground. Many people panic, some pray or watch calmly, and a few disabled people are healed. As the sun returns to normal we see Hugo standing in the middle of the kneeling crowd, his hat still on. Removing it, he says Only the fool sayeth there is no God. A short epilogue shows the huge basilica where the tree once stood. Inside, Lucia is a nun praying before the tomb where her cousins are buried, with the converted Hugo at her side.

A Tale of a War Between Two Cities essays

A Tale of a War Between Two Cities essays Government has been an essential part to our world for as long as we have existed. People who disagree with the government have been around for just as long. A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, takes place in England and France during the French Revolution. The novel shows the impact that the revolution had on citizens of England and France. The revolution and government's effect was shown in characters in the book, such as, the Defarges, the Marquis St. Evrmonde, and Sydney Carton. The outcome of A Tale of Two Cities is formed with the help of government and the revolution. The message that A Tale of Two Cities showed throughout the book, was how war and change in government can affect the people. The wine shop in Paris was the hot spot for French revolutionists, mostly because the wine shop owners, Ernest Defarge, and his wife, Madame Therese Defarge, were leaders and officials of the revolution. Every night, the men of the revolution living in Saint Antoine, met in the wine shop to discuss their plans of the revolution. Throughout the story, Mme. Defarge knits accounts of the meeting, which is similar to a hit list'. She is a very major character in the story and is very stubborn and unforgiving in her revenge against the Evrmonde family. The story shows the vengeance that the revolutionist, Mme. Defarge, had toward the government, " Well, well, but one must stop somewhere. After all, the question is where? At extermination,' said madame." (Dickens,351) Mme. Defarge had such hatred toward the Marquis, and his decedent, Charles Darney, that she would stop at nothing to destroy them, even if it came to the guillotine. Dickens putting Mme. Defarge in the book, may sh ow his displeasure with human nature and the way the revolutionist handled their problems. Although honorable to her family, Mme. Defarge's scheme against the Evrmonde family may have been too cold and h...

My Life In Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Life In Business - Essay Example I tend to build close relationships with a small group of associates, who together we make progress as we come up with ideas to make the business more productive. Before I make a decision, I conduct a thorough analysis so that I can save time and not repeat the same process again. I am good at analyzing situations, and I believe in situations whereby I can examine the facts. I believe in situations where I can observe a situation and come up with a solution. This attribute makes me an integral part of any team I am a part of. Acquiring my trust takes time because a person has to prove him or herself and know what is expected of them in regards to their duties and responsibilities. I have experience in problem solving, building good business and personal relationships. I also express my feelings good or bad regardless of the situation and if a task is too difficult, I enlist the help from other people to help me accomplish it. I am also empathetic and patient with other people and I indulge with fellow people who are service oriented. I prefer colleagues who when attending meetings, start with a personal comment or joke to break the ice and also provide a friendly environment for the meeting. I prefer that we find common ground and explain their situations with facts, figures and not wasting time in engaging in small talk. I prefer people who work first and then relax and socialize later. I also prefer to listen to everyone`s contribution while in a meeting instead of just proposing and imposing ideas on other people. I do not associate myself with individuals, who are dictatorial, make promises they cannot keep and the individuals who use their positions to t hreaten others. I have also learnt how to communicate with individuals with different characteristics and traits. For example, when dealing with an easily irritable person, I do not indulge in unnecessary dialogue, I stick to business and I am as brief and specific as possible. I am very

STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING IN SAUDI ARABIA HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN Literature review

STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING IN SAUDI ARABIA HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN GLOBAL CONTEXT - Literature review Example University decision-making processes are influenced by political, economic, cultural as well as technological factors (Elyas, & Picard, 2013, p. 31-41). The factors affect literally all aspects of the operations of universities and are global in nature. They therefore influence on the environment within which the universities operate, the expectations of the public in services to be offered in the future as well as the structure and sources of funds necessary for their management and running. Decision making process involves making conscious choices among many alternatives and requires critical thinking as well as sound reasoning in order to choose on the most appropriate alternative among the many (Rugh, 2002, p. 45-50). Strategic decision making therefore entails a number of attributes, which include definition, and identification of a problem, identification as well as analysis of alternatives, choosing and implementing an option as well as evaluation on the outcomes from the choi ce made for possible corrections. Besides, it is noted that decision-making and management of higher education in Saudi Arabia is not free from government influence (Onsman, 2011, p. 519). The higher education sector in Saudi have undergone through great structural and ideological change especially after the 9/11 global policy shift feature. To substantiate this, Elyas and Picard carried a study in critique of the system of higher education sector in Saudi while in perspective with global context (2013, p. 31-41). In among other findings, the effect of western economies (neoleberalism) was shown to have greatly influenced the system. Both learners as well as top management teams have embraced the policy paradigm shift in globalization as well as neoliberalism. However, in a critical view, authors have argued that adoption of ‘localized’ neoliberalism would be more effective in shaping the environment of

Write a proposal up to 4,000 words in length to start a business of Assignment

Write a proposal up to 4,000 words in length to start a business of your choice - Assignment Example The business will be located along the busy Oxford Street on the western end of London city. The location has been found to be favorable for the business because it is very busy and is frequented by visitors including tourists drawn from all over the world. London city has also been found to be the best for this type of business because it is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.K., and presently has a population of over 8 million people according to the latest population census. The number is also projected to grow in the near future thereby favoring a coffee industry. The premises where the business is to be located has been acquired by owners through a ten-year lease but with the possibility of extension. The analysis of the location established that the business major competitor is found half a mile way. However, the owners intend to provide quality prepared products, services, and fair prices in order to build customer loyalty and compete favorably in the industry. London Coffee will strive to establish a peculiar and comfortable place where its customers can freely meet and socialize as they enjoy the best-prepared coffee in London. The environment will be established in a manner that promotes relaxation by ensuring that the rooms are well equipped with soft music plays at the background, as well as rooms fitted with television where customers can watch their preferred programs as they socialize. In addition, the restaurant through its teams of experts will ensure that customers receive the best customer experience and products of high quality. The owners also understand that the key to better performance lies on satisfaction level of its employees and other stakeholders. In this regard, London Coffee intends to invest significant part of its profits in areas that improves satisfaction of its workers. London Coffee also intends to ensure that the environment is adequately protected and concerned through its

Innate Immune System Components

Innate Immune System Components There are individual systems of the immune system, innate immunity which we are born with and it is non-specific. It is genetically based and passed on to our offspring and adaptive immunity in which we acquire through humoral and cell mediated immunity. Innate and adaptive immune systems are distinct systems but act together at numerous levels to develop a complete defense against invading pathogens. Both systems have mechanisms for distinguishing self from non-self, therefore, under normal situations they are not directed against the hosts tissues and cells. Innate Immunity Elements of the innate immune system (figure 1.8) have been known for many years. However, in the past few years there has been a greater focus on innate immunity and its role in protection against infection and tissue injury and its role in tolerance to self-antigens. Innate immunity defines a collection of protective mechanisms the host uses to prevent or minimize infection. The innate immune system operates in the absence of the specific adaptive immune system but is tied to adaptive immunity in many ways. The innate immune system is characterized by a rapid response to an invading pathogen or foreign or effete cells. In addition to the rapid response, it is also non-specific and usually of a short duration. Innate immunity lacks immunological memory and there is no clonal expansion of lymphocytes as seen in the adaptive immune response. The innate immune response is also important in directing the specific, long-lived adaptive immune response. The host defense mechanisms associated with innate immunity consist of a number of physical barriers (intact skin) and secretions accompanied by a number of serum factors such as complement, certain cytokines, and natural immunoglobulins. The cellular components of innate immunity include a number of cell types, many of which are found at potential points of entry of pathogens. Examples of these cells include natural killer (NK) cells, (figure 1.2), polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), macrophages (figure 1.3), and dendritic cells (DCs), (figure 1.2). The intact skin and mucosal tissues provide considerable protection against invading infectious agents. However, once the agents pass through the skin a number of important events take place. This includes activation of the complement cascade that triggers the development of a number of substances to attract phagocytes to the area. A number of antimicrobial peptides are produced at epithelial cell surfaces. These antimicrobial peptides play an important role in local defense mechanisms, disrupt bacterial cell membranes, and probably play a role in preventing skin infections. Antimicrobial Peptides (figure 1.4) Human ÃŽÂ ²-defensins are produced by epithelial cells in the mucous membranes of the airways and intestinal tract. Defensins are small cationic peptides that have broad antimicrobial activities against a number of microbial agents including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. Defensins are non-glycosylated peptides containing approximately 35 amino acid residues, and ÃŽÂ ²-defensins have six cysteine residues that provide a distinct structure. Stimulation of the epithelium by certain cytokines can induce defensin production. The exact mode of action of defensins antimicrobial activity is unknown. There are three defensin subfamilies: ÃŽÂ ±-defensins, ÃŽÂ ²-defensins, and ÃŽÂ ¸-defensins The Complement System The complement system (figure 1.5) is another important component of innate immunity. The system consists of 30 proteins found in serum or on the surface of certain cells. Activation of the complement system results in a cascade of biochemical reactions that ultimately ends in lysis and disruption of foreign or effete cells. Without activation, the components of the complement system exist as pro-enzymes in body fluids. As a by-product of the activation of the cascade, a number of biologically reactive complement fragments are generated. The complement fragments can modulate other parts of the immune system by binding directly to T lymphocytes and bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B lymphocytes) of the adaptive immune system and also stimulate the synthesis and release of cytokines. Natural Antibodies Natural antibodies have been recognized for some time but recently they were described as a component of the innate immune system. Natural antibody is defined as an antibody that is found in normal, healthy individuals who have no evidence of exogenous antigenic stimulation. Natural antibodies are believed to develop in a highly regulated manner; they are usually found in low titer in serum and are low-affinity antibodies. A high percentage of the natural antibodies found in serum are of the IgM class. These antibodies are produced by a primitive B lymphocyte, called the B-1 lymphocytes. B-1 cells are usually CD5+ and considered to be long-lived and self-replicating. Natural antibodies play an important role as a first line of defense against pathogens and other types of cells, including precancerous, cancerous, cell debris, and some self-antigens. Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) TLRs (figure 1.6) are found on phagocytic cells, including mononuclear phagocytes, circulating monocytes, tissue macrophages, and endothelial cells, and are important components of the innate immune system. TLRs make up a family of cell surface protein receptors present on several cell types that function to recognize certain conserved molecular components of microorganisms and signal that microbes have breached the bodys barrier defences. TLRs serve as first responders in a mammalian host to recognize the presence of an invading pathogen. They also generate an inflammatory response to attempt to remove the invading agent. Phagocytosis (figure 1.7) Polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes have been well-known components of the innate immune system for many years. Detailed studies of PMN phagocytosis and intracellular killing of microorganisms have led to a better understanding of important defense mechanisms against invasion by pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. PMNs are attracted to the site of microbial invasion, recognize the microbe, become activated, kill the microorganisms, resolve the infection, undergo apoptosis, and are then ingested and removed by either macrophages or neighbouring endothelial cells to resolve the inflammatory response. PMNs arise as myeloid progenitors in the bone marrow. Specific growth factors and cytokines mediate the differentiation of myeloid precursors into mature PMNs. After entering the circulation, the PMNs have a half-life of about 8-12 h before undergoing a programmed cell death (apoptosis) and are reabsorbed through endothelial walls. The PMN turnover is about 1011 cells per day. Cytokines and Chemokines Cytokines and chemokines are small, secreted polypeptides that regulate essentially all functions of the immune system. Cytokines participate in determining the nature of the immune response by regulating or controlling cell growth, differentiation, activation, immune cell trafficking, and the location of immune cells within the lymphoid organs. Cytokines are a group of intercellular messengers that contribute to inflammatory responses through activation of the hosts immune cells. Cytokines are host-derived products that enhance the recruitment of circulating leukocytes as a response to the presence of pathogens. Cytokines also play important roles in leukocyte attraction by inducing the production of chemokines, which are known to be potent mediators of chemo-attractant activity for inflammatory cells. Chemokines and cytokines provide a complex network of signals that can either activate or suppress inflammatory responses Natural Killer Cells Initially, NK cells were referred to as non-specific lymphocytes because NK cells could kill certain virally infected and malignant cells without known prior sensitization. NK cells were known to resemble large lymphocytes morphologically and were referred to as large granular lymphocytes. Approximately, 10-15% of the lymphocytes circulating in peripheral blood are NK cells. NK cells are distinct from T- and B lymphocytes because they express neither immunoglobulin receptors nor T-cell antigen receptors. There are other distinctions including phenotype and function. NK cells have receptors that recognize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens. Because NK cells have cytotoxic properties, their function is highly regulated in their interactions in both the innate and adaptive immune systems. NK cells play important roles in innate immune responses and immune regulation. They communicate with other cells through a complex of both activation and inhibitory signals through cell surface receptors. Dendritic Cells The DCs develop in the bone marrow from hematopoietic pluripotential stem cells. Precursor DCs are constantly generated in the bone marrow and are released into the peripheral blood. After leaving the bone marrow, the precursor DCs home to a number of different tissues where they reside as sentinels waiting to interact with antigen. The precursor DCs express low-density MHC class II antigens and after encountering a proper stimulus differentiate into highly endocytic and phagocytic iDCs. Precursor DCs circulate in the environment and on contacting a pathogen produce cytokines, that is, ÃŽÂ ³-interferon, and undergo maturation to iDCs. The iDCs increased phagocytic and endocytic capabilities that lead to binding antigen by the iDCs and then maturation to mature DCs. Adaptive Immunity In contrast to innate immunity, adaptive immunity (figure 1.8) is flexible, specific, and has immunological memory, that is, it can respond more rapidly and vigorously on a second exposure to an antigen. Immunologic memory provides a more powerful response to a repeated exposure to the same foreign substance or antigen. Adaptive immunity is more complex because it provides the ability to respond very specifically. Innate and adaptive immunity responses interact effectively to enhance the bodys defense mechanisms against foreign or damaged host cells. Inherent in both innate and adaptive immune responses are the mechanisms to distinguish self from non-self. The primary blood cell elements of the adaptive immune system are T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. These T- and B-cells provide the unique specificity for their target antigens by virtue of the antigen-specific receptors expressed on their surfaces. The B- and T-lymphocyte antigen-specific receptors develop by somatic rearrangement of germline gene elements to form the TCR genes and the immunoglobulin receptor genes. This recombination mechanism provides unique antigen receptors capable of recognizing almost any antigen encountered, and provides the specific immunological memory for a rapid, vigorous, and specific response to a later exposure to the same antigen. It is estimated that millions of different antigen receptors may be formed from a collection of a few hundred germline-encoded gene elements. For many years, innate and adaptive immune responses were studied as separate systems because of their different mechanisms of action. However, it is now understood that synergy between the two systems is required to provide adequate immune reactivity against invading pathogens. Innate immune responses, through their barrier and relatively broad types of actions, represent the first line of defense against pathogens. At the time the innate system is getting activated, the adaptive system becomes activated also. The adaptive response becomes evident a few days later because it requires time for sufficient antigen-specific receptors to be generated through clonal expansion/proliferation. There are multiple interactions occurring between the two systems, which results in the co-amplification of each respective response and leads to the ultimate destruction and elimination of the invading pathogen. B lymphocytes The primary function of B lymphocytes is the production of antibodies that are specific for a given antigenic component of an invading pathogen. Antibodies are encoded by the heavy (H)- and light (L)-chain immunoglobulin genes. Antibodies may be secreted or cell surface-bound on B lymphocytes. There are five classes of immunoglobulins: IgM, IgG, IgA, IgD, and IgE; and the classification is based on the isotypes of the H chain. B lymphocytes represent roughly 10-15% of the peripheral blood lymphocyte population and free immunoglobulins make up a considerable proportion of serum proteins. After an encounter with a specific pathogen and an antibody response is generated, the level of specific antibodies to that antigen decreases in serum over a relatively short period of time. However, immunological memory persists in the B-cell population, which is capable of rapid clonal expansion upon re-exposure to that same antigen. T lymphocytes Whereas B lymphocyte products recognize extracellular pathogens, T lymphocytes are adept at identifying and destroying cells that have been infected by intracellular pathogens. For T cells to recognize antigenic peptides, the peptide must be presented in the context of cell surface MHC class I or class II proteins. In other words, T cells can only recognize molecular complexes consisting of the antigenic peptide and a self-structure, that is, the MHC. Depending on whether the antigenic peptide has been synthesized within the host cell or ingested by the cell and modified by proteolytic digestion, either MHC class I or class II proteins are required. Proteins of the MHC are intimately tied to T-lymphocyte responses and recognition of antigenic peptides. The MHC class I proteins consist of three HLA classes: HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C with hundreds of allelic variants of each. Structural studies have shown that class I molecules exist as cell surface heterodimers with a polytransmembrane ÃŽÂ ±-chain associated (noncovalently) with a nonpolymorphic ÃŽÂ ²2 microglobulin protein. The protein chains are folded in such a way as to form a physical groove capable of binding up to an 11 amino acid long peptide. Antigenic proteins are degraded by proteolytic enzymes to about this size for binding to th e MHC class I proteins for antigenic presentation. Antigenic peptides are bound in the groove of the HLA molecule and expressed to the cell surface for presentation to initiate a T-cell response. Humoral Immunity (figure 1.9) The human immunoglobulins are a family of proteins that confer humoral immunity and perform vital roles in promoting cellular immunity. Five distinct classes or isotypes of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE) have been identified in human serum on the basis of their structural, biological, and antigenic differences.1-4 IgG and IgA have been further subdivided into subclasses IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 or subclasses IgA1 and IgA2 on the basis of unique antigenic determinants. Multiple allotypic determinants in the constant region domains of human IgG and IgA molecules as well as kappa (ÃŽÂ º) light chains indicate inherited genetic markers. Finally, there are several immunoglobulin-associated polypeptides such as secretory component (SC) and J chain that have no structural homology with the immunoglobulins, but serve important functions in immunoglobulin polymerization and transport across membranes into a variety of secretions (e.g., saliva, sweat, nasal secretions, breast milk, and colostrum). This diversity of the immunoglobulin components of the humoral immune system provides a complex network of protective and surveillance functions. Human IgA Polymeric secretory IgA (figure 1.10) is composed of two four-chain basic units and one molecule each of SC and J chain (approximately 400,000 MW). It is the predominant immunoglobulin in colostrum, saliva, tears, bronchial secretions, nasal mucosa, prostatic fluid, vaginal secretions, and mucous secretions of the small intestine. In contrast, 10% of the circulating serum IgA is polymeric, whereas 90% is monomeric (160,000MW). Together, they constitute approximately 15% of the total serum immunoglobulins. Trimers and higher polymeric forms can exist, but in small amounts. Two subclasses of IgA have been identified (IgA1 and IgA2), which differ by 22 of the 365 amino acids. In terms of complement activation, IgA poorly activates the classical pathway. This process has been hypothesized as a host mechanism for attenuating inflammatory responses induced by IgG antibodies at the mucosal surface. In contrast, IgA reportedly activates the alternative pathway of complement to provide some direct protective functions. IgA, once bound to a bacterial or parasitic surface antigen, may bind CD89 (IgA receptor) on infl ammatory cells (monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils), leading to their destruction by means of antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Moreover, its binding to viral or microbial surface antigens may restrict the mobility of microorganisms and prevent their binding to mucosal epithelium. Finally, secretory IgA can play an important first line of defense in antigen clearance by binding to antigens that leak across an epithelium and transporting them back across to prevent their entry. To summarize,  IgAs unique structure resists proteolysis and it functions to block uptake of antigen, bacterial o r viral attachment, limit inflammation induced by classical pathway complement activation, and promote microbial destruction through ADCC by binding to leukocyte receptors. Human IgD IgD (figure 1.11) is a four-chain monomer of approximately 180,000 MW with a long hinge region that increases its susceptibility for proteolytic cleavage. Although IgD is normally present in serum in trace amounts (0.2% of total serum immunoglobulin), it predominantly serves as a membrane-bound antigen receptor on the surface of human B lymphocytes. Despite suggestions that IgD may be involved in B-cell differentiation, its principal function is as yet unknown. As such, IgD is rarely quantified in a general workup of an individual suspected of a humoral immune deficiency or a B-cell dyscrasia. Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with serum IgD levels >100 U/mL, however, has been noted in conjunction with periodic fever syndrome. This condition is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder that is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever accompanied by abdominal distress, lymphadenopathy, joint involvement, and skin lesions. It appears to be particularly responsive to anti-tumor necrosis factor ( TNF) treatment. Mutations that lead to this disease occur in the mevalonate kinase gene, which encodes an enzyme involved in cholesterol and nonsterol-isoprenoid biosynthesis. Human IgE IgE (190,000 MW) was identified in 1967 as a unique immunoglobulin that circulates in serum as a four-chain monomer. Although IgE constitutes only 0.004% of the total serum immunoglobulins, it possesses a clinically significant biological function by binding through its Fc region to the alpha chain on high-affinity receptors (FcÃŽÂ µR1) on mast cells and basophils. On subsequent exposure to relevant protein allergens from trees, grasses, weeds, pet dander, molds, foods, or insect venoms, IgE antibodies on mast cells become cross-linked. This process triggers the production and release of vasoactive mediators (e.g., histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes) that can induce mild to severe immediate type I hypersensitivity reactions in sensitized  atopic individuals. Human IgG In healthy adults, the four polypeptide chain IgG monomer (150,000 MW) constitutes approximately 75% of the total serum immunoglobulins. IgG is approximately equally distributed between intra- and extravascular serum pools. Moreover, IgG possesses the unique ability to cross the placenta, which provides protection for the fetus and newborn. Human IgG has been subdivided into four subclasses on the basis of unique antigenic determinants. IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4 possess an MW of approximately 150,000, whereas IgG3 is heavier (160,000 MW) as a result of an extended 62-amino acid hinge region that contains 11 interchain disulfide bonds. IgG3s highly rigid hinge region promotes accessibility of proteolytic enzymes to sensitive Fc cleavage sites, which results in an increased fractional catabolic rate and a shorter biological half-life (7-8 days) than has been observed for IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4 (21-24 days). In terms of complement activation, IgG1 and IgG3 are the most effective, whereas IgG4 due to its compact structure does not readily activate the classical pathway of complement. IgG4 antibodies are also unique in that they appear to be functionally monovalent due to in vivo exchange of IgG4 half-molecules. As such, thi s is believed to lead to the formation of small IgG4 immune complexes that have a low potential for inducing immune inflammation. Moreover, IgG4 antibodies have the ability to interfere with immune inflammation caused by the interaction of complement-fixing IgG subclasses with antigen. Researchers in the field of allergy have speculated that IgG4 antibodies also scavenge antigen that prevents mast cell-bound IgE antibody from being cross-linked by antigen, and thus blocking IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions in atopic individuals who have undergone immunotherapy. Other important structural and biological differences among the human IgG subclasses relate to their Fc receptor binding, and the different binding sites on the constant region domains for rheumatoid factors, complement components, and bacterial proteins (protein A and protein G). Human IgM IgM (figure 1.12) is a pentameric immunoglobulin of approximately 900,000 MW that is composed of a J chain and five IgM monomers. Pentameric IgM constitutes approximately 10% of serum immunoglobulins in healthy individuals. Along with IgD, monomeric IgM is also a major immunoglobulin that is expressed on the surface of B cells where it serves as an antigen receptor. The C-terminal portion of pentameric secreted IgM differs from that of its monomeric cell-bound form. Secreted IgM has a mu chain with a 20-amino acid hydrophilic tail and a penultimate cysteine that facilitates polymerization. Cell membrane-bound IgM has a 41-amino acid membrane tail that contains a hydrophobic 26-amino acid segment that anchors the IgM molecule in the B-cell membrane lipid bilayer. IgM antibodies are clinically important because they predominate as an antigen receptor in early immune responses to most antigens. With a functional valency of 10, IgM antibodies are highly efficient in activating the classi cal complement pathway. IgMs actual functional valency, however, is only 5 due to steric hindrance among its many antigen-binding sites. Cell Mediated Immunity Cell Mediated Immune response (CMIR) (figure 1.9) is the functional effectors pf the immune response for phagocytosis, cell killing by cytotoxic T cells, NK and K cells Macrophage Activation While the production of antibody through the humoral immune response can effectively lead to the elimination of a variety of pathogens, bacteria that have evolved to invade and multiply within phagocytic cells of the immune response pose a different threat. Cell Mediated Cytotoxicity Cell Mediated Cytotoxic immune response is implicated in refusal of foreign grafts and the exclusion of tumors and virus-infected cells. The cells involved in these methods are cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, NK-cells and K-cells. NK cells Also known as the large granular lymphocytes are normally non-specific, MHC-unrestricted cells involved mainly in the elimination of neoplastic or tumor cells.   Once the target cell is recognized, killing occurs. K cells K-cells contain immunoglobulin Fc receptors. They are involved in Antibody-dependent Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC). ADCC occurs as a result of an antibody being bound to a target cell surface via specific antigenic determinants expressed by the target cell. Once bound, the Fc portion of the immunoglobulin can be recognized by the K-cell. This type of CMIR can also result in  Type II hypersensitivities.

Supporting Womens Empowerment Essay -- essays research papers

Abstract Women empowerment is much talked about an issue by academicians, political thinkers and social scientists as regards to concepts like gender equality, financial independence, social inclusion, power etc. However there is a dire need of conceptual clarity of the term empowerment. This can be done by delineating it with the above overlapping concepts and suggesting inclusive approach towards enabling women themselves to critically review their own situation and participate in creating and shaping the society as agents of change themselves. Women themselves need to define the term empowerment which cannot be defined in terms of specific activities or end results because it involves a process whereby women can freely analyze, develop and voice their needs and interests, without them being pre-defined, or imposed from above. Masculinity Equality and Women?s Empowerment: There could be statistical evidence indicating improvements in indicators of gender equality, but unless the intervening process involved women as agents of that change, one cannot term it as empowerment. Gender equality or equity indicates the degree of equivalence in life outcomes for women and men, recognizing their different needs and interests and requiring a redistribution of power and resources. The women needs to build the conceptual framework of power for her and only then the concept of women empowerment and equality would hold relevance. This paper conceptualizes the issues of women empowerment through making her an agent of change for her own equivalence and studying the various domains where empowerment can be applied and discussed. 1. Economic participation 2. Economic opportunity 3. Political empowerment 4. Educational attainment .. ...olitical participation, and with relatively equal educational and economic opportunity and participation. Yet, as this study indicates, other countries show wide variation, lagging far behind in particular areas, some across all five dimensions. Aside from this general conclusion, and broad country comparisons, the data we have presented here shed light on the disparities within countries, in some cases either confirming formation gathered in other ways, or, in others, countering prevailing assumptions. By identifying and quantifying the gender gap, we hope to provide policy-makers with a tool offering direction and focus for the work of significantly Improving the economic, political and social potential of all their citizens.In addition, we hope that this work provides the impetus for policy-makers to strengthen their commitment to the idea of women?s empowerment. Supporting Women's Empowerment Essay -- essays research papers Abstract Women empowerment is much talked about an issue by academicians, political thinkers and social scientists as regards to concepts like gender equality, financial independence, social inclusion, power etc. However there is a dire need of conceptual clarity of the term empowerment. This can be done by delineating it with the above overlapping concepts and suggesting inclusive approach towards enabling women themselves to critically review their own situation and participate in creating and shaping the society as agents of change themselves. Women themselves need to define the term empowerment which cannot be defined in terms of specific activities or end results because it involves a process whereby women can freely analyze, develop and voice their needs and interests, without them being pre-defined, or imposed from above. Masculinity Equality and Women?s Empowerment: There could be statistical evidence indicating improvements in indicators of gender equality, but unless the intervening process involved women as agents of that change, one cannot term it as empowerment. Gender equality or equity indicates the degree of equivalence in life outcomes for women and men, recognizing their different needs and interests and requiring a redistribution of power and resources. The women needs to build the conceptual framework of power for her and only then the concept of women empowerment and equality would hold relevance. This paper conceptualizes the issues of women empowerment through making her an agent of change for her own equivalence and studying the various domains where empowerment can be applied and discussed. 1. Economic participation 2. Economic opportunity 3. Political empowerment 4. Educational attainment .. ...olitical participation, and with relatively equal educational and economic opportunity and participation. Yet, as this study indicates, other countries show wide variation, lagging far behind in particular areas, some across all five dimensions. Aside from this general conclusion, and broad country comparisons, the data we have presented here shed light on the disparities within countries, in some cases either confirming formation gathered in other ways, or, in others, countering prevailing assumptions. By identifying and quantifying the gender gap, we hope to provide policy-makers with a tool offering direction and focus for the work of significantly Improving the economic, political and social potential of all their citizens.In addition, we hope that this work provides the impetus for policy-makers to strengthen their commitment to the idea of women?s empowerment.

Operations Review on Supply Chain Management, Logistics, and Inventory

Operations Review on Waste Reduction, Cost Reduction and Process This memo will discuss the efficient ways that Supply Chain Management, Inventory, and Logistics have been successfully implemented in the Intermountain Healthcare Supply Chain Center. Peggy Lee, Card Program Manager at IHC led the tour in the Supply Chain Center. The goal of IHC distribution center is reduce waste, cost and centralized the high volume supplies in one location and distribute across all their facilities. This gives Intermountain better control of their inventories and negotiation advantages.Using these methods has had a great impact in waste reduction, quality and cost savings. Supply Chain infrastructure is an important process at Intermountain Healthcare (IHC). They have learned that building strong relationships with their suppliers is critical and can help eliminate costs as well as allow them to share their savings. How IHC has achieved this, is by supplier involvement. IHC provides a mockup room sp ecifically designed for their suppliers to show off new products and equipment allowing doctors and clinicians to test the equipment at a no cost to the supplier.Suppliers then receive immediate feedback on their products and the hospital can test products before purchase. This is a valuable approach for IHC to see results, make improvements, and negotiate effective distribution for both the supplier and the hospitals. This is gain for both parties, and in particular to Intermountain since supplies are one of the highest expenses they incur. The distribution facility was built with the purpose to manage inventories more efficiently.This facility only holds 6,000 items out of 81,000 products that can be ordered. Only those items that are housed in this facility are the high volume items, with a fill rate of 98% and accuracy of 99%. IHC has a great control on their inventories by assuring that cost of obsolescence, deterioration, and loss are managed properly. The warehouse is equippe d with big fans that move the air around the facility reducing temperature fluctuations allows less than a 4Â ° deference from top to bottom in the warehouse.This prolongs the longevity of the products they house by reducing deterioration. Also, all the shelves are set up on a slope allowing older inventory to shift to the front. This is also known as the FIFO method, which ensures the older products are not aging on the shelves. Another method they use is barcoding. Barcoding is not a new invention, but IHC has taken advantage of this technology in the way they fill their internal orders by implementing some of their own inventory system, VoicePic.VoicePic is a voice activated inventory process where barcodes are placed on the container that will carry the order from one place to another around their facility. As the container moves along the conveyor belt, the person with that order hears the amount of items to be picked up in the current position and repeats the number via his v oice. Another quality check used for their inventory system is that once the level is placed in the container the system knows the weight that is to be at the end of the order. This provides a quality control measure.If the weight is correct then process continues. If the weight is off, the order gets rejected. This lets the operator know that there is an item that does not belong. By combining these two systems in their inventory, IHC has increased their accuracy in their orders by 60%. Logistics is another important part of IHC’s business processes they are trying to refine. The facility was strategically placed in a centralized location to allow moving supplies to all of their facilities since 80% are within a 50-mile radius.They also use their own fleet to distribute their merchandise among the hospitals and clinics, with the exception of the southern part of the state of Utah. The reason for this is they rather use a vendor for this location since the vendor is able to r eturn with a full trailer. This would not be the case for IHC. Another important point in the way their logistics is setup is how they receive and pick up shipments. These activities have a time set when they can be performed.They have divided morning to receive delivery from 4am to 12pm; all deliveries are done on a schedule, as well as pickups, pick up activities begin at 12pm. This is to increase efficiency of the location and the use of resources, thus reducing the chance of error and process flows. In addition, order placement is another key process. All IHC facilities must have their entire orders placed by 11:00 am every day to ensure order fulfillment. One other advantage at the supply chain facility is that it is built to allow shipments to be cross-docking.So, instead of products being housed they are immediately moved to another truck to deliver to the final destination. Logistics processes in this facility are designed to make resources more efficient and allow them to e liminate costs. IHC has increased their success by implementing new strategies on supply chain management, logistics and inventory. They have been able to cut costs and increase efficiencies in inventory on internal orders. Along with inventory, IHC has an added savings by testing for effectiveness of new products when negotiating with suppliers in the mock up room.By having this kind of interaction with supplies, ensures that the products will meet their needs and will contribute to their efficiency. They have also modified their logistics by reducing the number of trips needed to facilities by consolidating all the orders, to transport all necessary supplies in one trip. These are some of the many operational activities implemented in this facility. IHC has identified areas for improvement and made the necessary changes. With all the new improvements within their supply chain center, the facility will pay itself off in 8 years.

Blue Beach and Like Water for Chocolate essays

Blue Beach and Like Water for Chocolate essays In both the play, Blue Beach by Victor Hugo Rascn Banda and the novel Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquirel symbolism plays a vital role throughout the central ideas. In both of these pieces of literature the symbolic objects are a hotel with everything in it and the use of cooking respectively. These objects reflect the families. In the play Blue Beach, the hotel portrays the breaking down of the Garza family, while in the novel Like Water for Chocolate, the use of cooking by Tita gives the reader the idea that the Tita is being held against living her own life, and instead living the life which her mother wishes to put upon her. Throughout the play Blue Beach, the reader gets the idea that the family is very broken down and is being held by a very thin string. The members of the family seem very bitter towards each other and very resentful toward each other. Within the play the author gives numerous examples of how the family is bitter and not caring. The Garza family is anything but normal. It seems that the son, Sergio and the mother, are the most unemotional out of the whole family. One example that shows how bitter Sergio can be is when he asks Matias to bring him a coconut. Matias gives Sergio the coconut drink and instead of Sergio being satisfied with it he says, Crazy Bastard. Whats this? (65). He spits out his drink because he believes it to be sour, but when he asks the others to drink it to prove himself right they see nothing wrong with it. I believe that this is showing that no matter what Sergio touches it seems foul and disgusting. This is due to what he went through when he was you nger. The author takes it upon himself to direct many of the symbolic objects within the play toward the mother. This includes when the mother asks Matias to bring her flowers, and when he does this she is anything but satisfied. Matias asks her how the flowers are, and she says that they...

Using Two Spanish Verbs for Cleaning, Lavar and Limpiar

Using Two Spanish Verbs for Cleaning, Lavar and Limpiar Lavar and limpiar are Spanish verbs meaning to clean, and while theyre sometimes interchangeable, theyre often used in different ways. How To Use Lavar When talking about the body or things associated with the body, particularly clothing, lavar is the verb of choice. One way to remember this is to notice that lavar comes from the same Latin root as does the English word lavatory, sometimes called a washroom. Indeed, one way of thinking about lavar is as a synonym for to wash. La forma en que lavas tu cabello es muy importante para mantenerlo sano. (The way in which you wash your hair is very important for keeping it healthy.)Los profesionales de salud piensan que se lavan las manos mejor y con ms frecuencia de lo que realmente hacen. (Health professionals believe they clean their hands better and more often than they really do.) ¡Odio cuando me lavo la cara y me entra agua por la manga! (I hate it when Im washing my face and water gets up my sleeve!)Si lava las camisas a mano, nunca escobille cuellos y puà ±os. (If you wash shirts by hand, never use a brush on the collars and cuffs.)Los vaqueros debemos lavarlos siempre al revà ©s. (Jeans should always be washed inside-out.)Lava (or limpia) tus dientes despuà ©s de cada comida. (Brush your teeth after each meal.) Because lavar is used when referring to the laundering of clothes, in an adaptation from English similar to a calque, the word also is used to refer to the laundering of money: Se acusa al ex presidente de ser el jefe de una asociacià ³n ilà ­cita que lava dinero. The former president is accused of being the head of an illegal group that launders money. Lavar is often used in situations where water is used in cleaning (although limpiar can sometimes be used too): Hoy a la tarde pensaba lavar el coche. (This afternoon I was thinking about washing my car.)Las verduras eran lavadas y sumergidas en agua muy frà ­a. (The vegetables were washed and placed in very cold water.)No cometas el error de usar jabà ³n de lavar platos. (Dont make the mistake of using dishwashing soap.) Lavar is sometimes used in references to the process of erosion: La erosià ³n lavà ³ la roca sedimentaria, exponiendo el granito. The erosion washed away the sedimentary rock, exposing the granite. Finally, the limpia form of limpiar can be used to form compound words: limpiabarros (boot cleaner), limpiabotas (shoe cleaner), limpiametales (metal polish), limpiamuebles (furniture polish), limpiavidrios (window cleaner). How To Use Limpiar Limpiar, which is derived from the adjective for clean, limpio, can be used in most other situations to mean to clean: Limpiamos absolutamente todo con este producto. (We clean absolutely everything with this product.)Te limpiamos tu casa en 15 minutes. (We clean your house for you in 15 minutes.)Ms de 30 estudiantes limpiaron la zona. (More than 30 students cleaned up the area.)Limpià © el ordenador y se fue el problema. (I cleaned the computer and the problem went away.) ¿Cà ³mo limpias el filtro de partà ­culas en tu Volkswagen? (How do you clean the particulate filter in your Volkswagen?) Limpar can be used to mean to clean or to clean up in a figurative sense: No es difà ­cil limpiar su PC de spyware y malware. (Its not difficult to rid your PC of spyware and malware.)El gobierno desea limpiar el deporte con una nueva ley. (The government wants to clean up the sport with a new law.) Limpiar is also used to refer to the removal of undesired parts from a fish: Limpiar el salmà ³n retirndole la piel, la grasa y las espinas. (Clean the salmon by removing the skin, the fat and the bones.) The lava form of lavar is used to form various compound words: lavacoches (car wash), lavamanos (sink for washing hands), lavapelo (a beauticians chair for washing hair), lavarropas (washing machine), lavavajillas (dishwasher, dishwashing soap). Other Verbs for Cleaning Lavar and limpiar are by far the most common verbs for to clean, at least two others are used in certain circumstances: Ordenar can be used when the emphasis in putting things in order. Cada abril ordeno el garaje. (Every April I clean the garage.)Purificar, a cognate of purify, is sometimes used when the emphasis is on removing impurities. Mi amiga usa la crema cara para purificar la cara. (My friend uses the expensive cream to clean her face.) Key Takeaways Lavar is often used when talking about cleaning the body or clothing, or when the cleaning involves washing with water.Limpiar is used for most other situations as the equivalent of to clean.The conjugated forms lava and limpia are frequently used to form compound words.

Applying the conceot of Positive Deviance Article

Applying the conceot of Positive Deviance - Article Example The patient developed septic shock after contracting an HAI called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Tragic demise of my friend’s relative was an event which was preventable, but it happened because more attention was laid on treatment and less on prevention. Lack of awareness regarding HIAs is also a big problem. The need of the time is to use a different approach to handle the growing problem of HIAs as current approaches have had poor success in terms of outcomes. We need to bring in the method of PD to identify those individuals or positive deviants who are present in every community and who use unconventional practices or behaviors to successfully solve even the most intractable problems (Bradley et al., 2009). Such individuals offer better solutions than their peers who remain unsuccessful even while having access to same kind of resources. This is why PD is popularized as â€Å"a refreshing theory for social change† (Pascale et al., cited in Sellnow & Seeger, 2013). In order to prevent HIAs and address this grave healthcare issue, strategic initiatives should be taken based on introducing and promoting new behaviors till they transform into permanent habits and creating sustainable change. Research claims that one of the biggest hurdles in the way of PD is to get large numbers of people to quickly embrace a desired behavioral change (Seidman & McCauley, 2009, p. 27). Any behavioral change should be slowly â€Å"communicated over time among members of a social system† (Rogers, cited in Dingfelder & Mandell, 2011). This is called the process of diffusion. In case of HIAs, we should especially remember the famous awareness iceberg according to which crisis in the form of untimely death occurs because there is lack of awareness regarding the intensity of the issue in hospitals. Only 4% problems are visible or known to top managers. Remaining problems remain hidden under the water (Gardam, 2009). Research identifies an established

The Long-Term Significance of the Vietnam War Essay

The Long-Term Significance of the Vietnam War - Essay Example The North Vietnamese Army, Vietnam people's army adopted a more traditional war at times using bigger units than the Viet Cong (Bedford/St Martin's 2009, 15). The United States and South Vietnamese armies depended on air control and overwhelming weapons to carry out search and destroy actions, involving artillery, ground forces, and airstrikes. This paper will discuss why the Vietnam War was significant and why America lost this battle. â€Å"Americans considered the Vietnam War as one of the most critical time of the United States history† (Hub Pages 2010, 1). It was an injury to the U.S spirit, which, regardless of the devastating Korean War, might still have brought a straightforward feeling of triumph in having met, as well as dominated, the opponent in the Second World War. The intransigency of general after general, president after president, and the hopeless extremes to which the United States army went to win in Vietnam can be illustrated in the harsh Operation Ranch H and. This was whereby thousands of gallons of herbicides, jointly known as Agent Orange, were applied in defoliating large binds of forest terrain that hid the rival’s armies. ... â€Å"The Vietnam War took the globe in an exceptional course† (Chambers 2011, 10). Those ten years, 1962 to 1972, which the United States battled in Vietnam acted like a pressure liberation valve. â€Å"The war allowed streams to bleed off making the world’s pressures ease, as well as preventing a much superior war from happening† (Chambers 2011, 10). The United States’ original tactic of fighting the enemy was at the border. The tactic worked most of the times. The War, however, bought the world time. The United States’ existence gave time required for a majority of severe leaders behind the warfare, such as USSR's Nikita Khrushchev, China's Mao, and some of U.S's old guard to lose their power. Time developed into the factor that tipped the stability of power all across the globe in favor of essential reformers like Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev, who supported democratic power. â€Å"Time also helped in moving the Soviet citizens from the o ld and severe rule of the socialist state† (Chambers 2011, 10). After six months, nearly half million East Germans brought down the Berlin Wall. This was followed by the end of every Eastern European communist government, one after the other. â€Å"The United States lost the Vietnam War due to its foreign policy† (Shrinkermd 2008, 1). Their foreign policy was to stop, instead of getting rid of Communism. America would have been capable of destroying Communism many different times such as during the Korean War. â€Å"However, the American leaders did not want to eradicate Communism since it would make the Americans look like an Empire again such as the Philippines of the Spanish American warfare† (Shrinkermd 2008, 1). America lost the battle due to forfeit.

How have you used reflection (during work experience at a preschool) Assignment

How have you used reflection (during work experience at a preschool) to enhance your own practice and how has this impacted upon your own learning and potential development - Assignment Example For example, when I joined the preschool for teaching, I have used reflective thinking in my relationship with the existing staff members of the school. The new environment of the school challenged me because I meet people from different backgrounds and having different personalities. The reflective analysis enabled me to determine which members of the staff were outgoing while some were reserved. Additionally, the reflection allowed me identify the status of one’s relationship with other staff members; that is if it is conflicting or healthy. Getting along well with other employees is a necessary idea. Therefore, reflection helped me improve my teamwork capabilities and developed positive interpersonal relationship that promotes harmonious existence at preschool (McCabe, 2006) Similarly, I used the reflective skills in examining the how effective I was in making the children enjoy their stay at the school, which I did by evaluating how the children behaved when I interacted with them. I reviewed the instances I have interacted with them; whether they were excited or bored during our meeting with them. Additionally, I considered on how they could look forward to our second meeting; whether they could enthusiastically wait for the meeting or just be disgusted at the thought of a possible meeting with them. Performance in a preschool teaching depends significantly on an individual’s ability to capture the attention of the kids and make them develop a liking towards the person interacting with them. Therefore, reflective thinking enabled me to improve my effectiveness in making the young learners develop a love for me as well as gain the knowledge at school. In other words, through reflection one learns the imperative factor that cements one’s s kills in the field of dealing with children. Nevertheless, I have employed the reflective thinking when evaluating my methods of imparting knowledge to the young children.

Nissan Report Essay Example for Free

Nissan Report Essay Company Overview Established in Yokohama, Kanagawa in 1933, Nissan Motors Co. Ltd currently manufactures vehicles in 20 countries and areas around the world, including Japan. Global unit sales in fiscal 2009 totalled 3.515 million vehicles. In addition to vehicles, Nissan also develops, manufactures and markets marine equipment. Nissan has a portfolio of two brands, NISSAN and INFINITI, worldwide. NISSAN vehicles are marketed in all major market worldwide. INFINITI was launched as a luxury car brand in North America in 1989. The INFINITI brand has since expanded to Middle East, Korea and Europe, and will continue to enter into new markets globally. Nissan builds high-quality cars that are safe and have the bold design and innovative technology to satisfy our customers’ needs. Vision Nissan: Enriching People’s Lives Mission statement Nissan provides unique and innovative automotive products and services that deliver superior measurable values to all stakeholders* in alliance with Renault. Long term goal Nissan wants to continue its quest to optimize product development and deliver highly innovative technology. Today, in various countries and regions around the world, they enjoy a stellar reputation for creating truly innovative vehicles and service programs. Short term goal The world is changing, and Nissan is adapting with it. Their short term goals are to harness the power thats inside Nissan to prepare solutions that their customers will want and value, now and in the years to come. Solutions such as: electric and fuel cell vehicles that are attractive, fun-to-drive cars with the appealing benefit of zero emissions; global entry cars that make mobility more accessible and affordable for all; and Innovative technological advances that are good for the environment, enhance safety, improve dynamic performance or provide greater life-on-board satisfaction. Organisational structure Nissan places high value on transparency, both internally and externally, in its corporate management. They focus consistently on the implementation of efficient management for the purpose of achieving clear and quantifiable commitments. In line with this principle, and in accordance with Japan’s Company Law and its related regulations, the Board of Directors has decided on the Internal Control Systems to pursue these goals and on its own basic policy. The board continually monitors the implementation status of these systems and the policy, making adjustments and improvements as necessary. One board member has also been assigned to oversee the Internal Control Systems as a whole. Nissan has adopted a system under which the Board of Statutory Auditors oversees the Board of Directors. The Statutory Auditors attend board and other key meetings, and also carry out interviews with board members to audit their activities. The Statutory Auditors regularly receive reports on the results of inspections and plans for future audits from independent accounting auditors, as well as exchange information to confirm these reports. The Statutory Auditors also receive regular reports from the Japan Internal Audit Office, making use of this information for their own audits. The organisational structure could also be explained with the help of the following diagram Here the Board of Directors overlooks the working of the CEO and President who is Carlos Ghosn. The CEO overlooks the working of the branch managers in various locations. Each branch manager handles a groups o VP marketing, VP production, VP finance, VP Public Relations, and VP Human Resource. Organisational Behaviour Nissan is deploying various activities under the banner of Blue Citizenship, which encapsulates their desire to preserve the blue Earth and to be a corporate citizen in harmonious coexistence with people and society. Those activities range from such global issues as the environment to contributing to communities, promoting diversity and making personal mobility available to as many people as possible. SUSTAINABILITY Nissan Green Program The history of Nissan taking environmental measures goes as far back as 1947. Since 1992, abiding to our environmental philosophy Symbiosis of People, Vehicle, and Nature, we have as an enterprise, been accelerating the activities pertaining to the said philosophy. At present we are promoting our mid-term environmental plan Nissan Green Program 2010, identifying the 3 crucial issues, and setting the ultimate goals of reducing CO2 emissions, cleaner (conservation of the atmosphere/water/earth) emissions, and resource circulation (the promoting of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle). We are furthering our measures to achieve these goals. The 4 optimums, Nissan’s Powertrain Road Map In order to steadily reduce CO2 emissions, Nissan sees the total contribution of providing truthfully effective technology at an affordable price to its clients, while at the same time swiftly propagating these technologies, as crucial. That said, we believe the 4 optimums Investment in the optimum technology that fits the market needs, at the opportune moment, at the best value for the clients, as the basis of technology investment. Based on these 4 optimums, we will not only ultimately heighten the engine efficiency of petrol motor vehicles, but also proceed with the development and  investment of electrical vehicles which are zero-emission vehicles. Measures for a zero-emission vehicle For vehicle manufacturers, the best long-term policy that both creates demand and protects the environment, is to created a zero-emission vehicle that has no negative effects toward the environment. The Renault-Nissan Alliance sees the propagation and investment in electrical vehicles, which are zero-emission vehicles, as central to the corporate strategy, and committed to become a leader through electrical vehicles. The electrical vehicles that are being developed in Nissan will be introduced in the United States, Europe as well as in Japan in FY2010. By FY2012, there are plans to globally merchandise them. Lithium-ion Batteries Nissan had, at an early stage, taken interest in the development of motors, batteries, and inverters which are key technologies for electrical vehicles. Aiming to achieve the goals set forth in the Nissan Green Program 2010, we are striving to strengthen the developmental measures we have been taking up to this point. Additionally, we are working to develop technology for further practicability, and taking efforts in reducing their costs. In 2007, we established the Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) that deals with the production and sales of compact lithium-ion batteries. The batteries that are to be developed will be used within electrical vehicles, as well as hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Quality At Nissan, we believe that the quality of our products allows us to build a relationship of mutual trust with our customers and is the foundation for continual growth. Product quality is far more than just the performance of Nissan vehicles. It means everything related to our car that brings satisfaction to our customers, from the moment of seeing and touching a Nissan car in the showroom to the support given by the sales staff and the post-purchase driving experience. Nissan quality also extends to after-sales inspections and repairs. We will continue to evaluate and improve all areas of our operations in order to provide the products and services that will constantly give satisfaction to our customers. Safety Shield Nissan aims to halve the number of fatal and serious injuries from accidents involving Nissan vehicles in Japan by 2015 compared with 1995. Based on analysis of real-world accidents, Nissan has been working progressively to design and engineer safer vehicles. Safety shield is an approach to provide continuous support against dangerous situations, by activating various barriers according to the circumstances, from normal driving to post-accident. We are advancing development based on even more sophisticated and proactive safety policy. PARTNERSHIP Yokohama mobility â€Å"Project ZERO† In March 2009, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Yokohama City saw an agreement over the 5-year -plan, the `Yokohama Mobility Project Zero, which aims to realize the environment model city that is promoted by Yokohama City. In order to reduce CO2 emissions, this partnership will see cooperation in disseminating eco-drive, in addition to testing guidance routes that will contribute to reducing traffic, as well as propagating electrical cars. Additionally, Nissan is in works with Tokyo University in developing a joint industry-university research concerning vehicle transport that aims for the symbiosis of urban space and nature. In terms of the evaluation and the release of information concerning this times planned items, we are, in cooperation with Tokyo University, also furthering them. Yokohama City is planned to be one of the first markets where Nissans electrical vehicles will be supplied, similarly to the various regions throughout the world that have similar partnership agreements with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Partnership regarding zero-emission mobility From January 2008, aiming for the realistic propagation of electrical vehicles, the Renault-Nissan Alliance concluded on the 40 cases (as of December 2009) of Partnership regarding zero-emission mobility along with governmental sectors, municipal sectors and other sectors. With this, we are working to prepare the social infrastructure such as by installing chargers, as well as taking into consideration benefit measures in times of purchasing the zero-emission vehicles. Through the cooperation with our partners throughout the world, we are contributing to a vehicle society that is both  people-friendly and considerate of the environment. Sky Project In Sky Project, which has been implemented since October 2006 in partnership with non-automobile industries and in cooperation with government agencies, Nissan, with the participation of customers, has been working to reduce the number of traffic accidents and alleviate traffic congestion by using intelligent transportation system (ITS). While providing information to cut the number of encounter head accidents and reduce driving speed in school zones and other areas, we investigate the potentiality for the alleviation of traffic congestion, realized through daily use of ITS, to improve effectiveness of energy use and reduce CO2 emissions. In Beijing, China, we have been implementing Star Wings, a project to develop new transportation information system, in cooperation with Beijing Traffic Information Center (BTIC), in order to alleviate traffic congestion and improve traffic conditions in Beijing and China. Wind power Beginning in 2007, Nissan became an active Y-green partner when it harnessed wind-power for use in its facilities in Japan. The company, through its Yokohma plant facility and the new Global Headquarters, seeks to utilize green energy in its facilities and implement local green energy for local consumption. Since November 2005, Nissan Motor Manufacturing Ltd. (UK) has been using a wind-power facility at its Sunderland plant. Addressing the key issues of Nissan Green Program 2010, the company is reducing C02 emissions by utilizing wind derived power in its facilities worldwide. ACCESSIBILITY BUI-2 (Best usability interior-2) BUI-2 (Best Usability Interior-2) is a concept car, whose interior has been created with a focus to design the way people feel so that all the elements can smoothly appeal to people as they engage in cars. For Nissan, three types of design interface design, colour and material design, and sensitivity quality design are broadly defined as interaction design. Through various research activities, we are making efforts to realize even more convenient and attractive interior designs. Lifecare vehicles (LVs) Nissan lifecare vehicles (LVs) help bring mobility to the elderly or those with physical disabilities. We regard LVs as an essential part of our line-up of cars rather than specialty vehicles, and we are enhancing the products and services available to them. As of the end of January 2009, in Japan there were 401 certified dealerships with LVs on display and advisory staff with expert knowledge of the vehicles, and a total of 5,520 LV advisors. There are dealerships in every prefecture of the country meeting the needs of customers and offering the chance to test-drive these vehicles. Since 2003, we have also been carrying out an annual campaign of LV trial rides for people who have only limited opportunities to get out and about, so that they too can experience the joy of mobility. COMMUNITY Corporate citizenship activities distinctive of Nissan Nissan endeavours to fulfil its role as a corporate citizen toward the realization of a sustainable society, while providing attractive products and services globally, under the vision of enriching peoples lives. We are thus advancing corporate citizenship activities in fields centered on three priority areas support for education, environmentally friendliness, and humanitarian assistance in order to contribute to the sustainability of society. We share our vision globally with Nissan employees around the world and strive to strengthen our relations with local communities by conducting activities responsive to the circumstances and needs of each country and region. Corporate citizenship in education field (Japan) Nissans corporate citizenship initiatives have been always focusing on Cultivating Future Generation. In education field, we have many programs such as Nissan Childrens Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix with its long history, and Nissan Joyful Picture Book and Storybook Exhibition, and in addition, we started the new programs such as Nissan Monozukuri Caravan and Nissan Design Waku-Waku Studio, which utilize Nissans strength for those original programs. Organisational culture The diversity of Nissan’s employees is the driving force enabling them to meet the varied needs of their customers and to maintain sustainable growth. The employees create greater value by sharing their knowledge, based on their individual experiences and different ways of thinking, in response to the various challenges they all face. For these reasons, Nissan have made diversity a corporate strategy and strive to create an environment where all their employees—who numbered 169,298 at Nissan and its affiliates as of March 2010—can extend their individual talents to the fullest. SUPPORTING CAREER DESIGN Continually Improving Human-Resource Systems A company’s employees are its most important resource. So that both Nissan and its employees can reach their full potential, they constantly work to improve our human-resource systems. The evaluation-based remuneration system used to accurately gauge employee contributions is structured in a way that motivates them to set and achieve high goals. An employee’s salary is determined through a combination of performance evaluations, which measure how well the employee achieved certain goals (commitments), and competency evaluations, which measure such intangible variables as technical skill, knowledge and attitude. Support for Self-Designed Careers Nissan believes that employees should â€Å"design their own careers† and actively assists their efforts to do so. Employees in Japan meet with their supervisors twice a year to discuss their performance and competency evaluations, as well as to express their ideas on how to proceed in their career path. Employees in Japan also have the chance to take on the challenge of a new position through the Shift Career System (SCS) and the Open Entry System (OES). The SCS enables employees to apply for positions in other departments and work areas that interest them regardless of whether there is a position immediately available. The OES allows them to apply for all openly advertised positions. Around 250 employees applied for approximately 100 open posts during fiscal 2009, and roughly 80 of them were successful in getting the positions they applied for. Fostering Specialized Skills Helping employees develop specialized skills over the medium to long term is vital for a company to achieve sustainable growth. They introduced the Nissan Expert Leader System as a means of strengthening and fostering further development of specialized skills in a wide range of technical and nontechnical areas like purchasing and accounting. In fiscal 2009, the system’s fourth year, they focused on 91 fields of specialization, designating 42 employees as Expert Leaders and 2 management-level employees as Nissan Fellows. The Expert Leaders and Fellows make use of their specialized knowledge to contribute to Nissan’s business endeavours overall. In addition to sharing their knowledge with others via our corporate intranet and other communication tools, they contribute to the fostering of the next generation of experts by passing on their specialized skills in seminars and training courses. CREATING A CULTURE FOR LEARNING A Variety of Learning Opportunities As an organization that continues to grow through constant learning, Nissan supports employees’ personal growth with a proactive, systematic approach to human-resource development. The act of learning is one in which people stretch themselves to develop skills that create value. They believe that a corporate culture of learning cannot exist without the motivation to take part in this value creation. The Learning Navigation system on their intranet is one means of providing employees with opportunities for learning. This system lets employees search for information whenever they wish to develop specialized skills, receive training in management techniques, participate in e-learning programs or take distance-learning courses. The site is updated regularly to provide information our employees need to increase their skills and build their careers, meeting their growing thirst for knowledge. Management Institute The Nissan Learning Center Management Institute in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, was established with the aim of cultivating human resources with  the specialized skills and leadership qualities needed for future development. The institute contributes to the ongoing creation of Nissan value through a number of programs, including human-resource development seminars, which provide leadership training to pass on the company’s accumulated experience and knowledge to the next generation; cultural diversity workshops; and our Consortium Program, in which they invite other global companies to take part in cross-industry exchange. Moreover, the leaders of our business activities around the world who have taken part in such programs as our Nissan Way Workshops are now active in educating fellow employees in the Nissan Way—the crystallization of experience and knowledge gained through our company’s revival—demonstrating our commitment to promoting a corporate cult ure of learning. Global Training Centers With the globalization of production systems, manufacturers must ensure that all of their manufacturing sites maintain consistent standards of quality. Nissan established Global Training Centers (GTCs) at its Oppama and Yokohama Plants in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and at its Sunderland Plant in the United Kingdom to educate trainers who share their knowledge at Nissan plants around the world. Trainees selected from among all employees at Nissan’s production facilities worldwide are brought to the GTCs to take part in the company’s Master Trainer Program. Upon finishing the program they are certified as Master Trainers and charged with instructing other employees at Regional Training Centers using a globally standardized curriculum and materials. As of the end of March 2010, 466 Master Trainers were hard at work passing on their technical skills to local employees at Nissan plants worldwide. Nissan’s accumulated know-how has been put into audio-visual form as an educational tool, available in five different languages, for global-standards training at GTCs. They also conduct â€Å"Nissan DNA† training seminars for all management-level employees at our production sites, working to strengthen skills that contribute to improved quality and lower costs and to foster the human resources that can carry out more efficient management of production operations. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Employee Surveys Nissan carries out surveys to get employee input and suggestions for improvements, using the results to help improve the company’s management quality and employee motivation. From the results of these surveys, they identify the strengths of the company as a whole and those of individual divisions, as well as areas for improvement. They then work to make improvements that will lead to the creation of a better work environment for our employees and to continued growth for the company. The results of these efforts are analyzed for the company as a whole and for each region and department. Based on these analyses, each level of management formulates and carries out action plans tailored to specific needs. Enhancing Communication Tools Nissan introduced a corporate intranet system called WIN (Workforce Integration @ Nissan) in 2005 as a tool to promote communication and information sharing. Since then they have continued to update the system with new technologies while encouraging employees to make active use of this tool for internal communication and collaborative activities. They have expanded the WIN network beyond Japan, North America and Europe to include other markets and our major business partners. They also use internal newsletters and in-house video broadcasts to provide a variety of information to be shared by all employees at Nissan production sites around the world with no difference in time. Employee-Executive Exchange Nissan holds opinion-exchange meetings involving executives and employees as a means of building trust through clear communication between these two groups, as well as among employees themselves. These meetings, held at Nissan’s corporate headquarters in Japan as well as the company’s business offices in China, North America and other parts of the world, give executives a venue for informing employees of the current situation of the company and delivering management messages. They also provide employees with opportunities to ask questions and voice their concerns in a direct and open manner. They plan to continue these meetings as an important channel for active communication. Ethical Issues Global Educational Activities to Promote Compliance As a means of fostering compliance awareness throughout the company, Nissan has established groups and placed officers in charge of promoting compliance policy in each region where it operates. We place special emphasis on education to ensure that all employees have a correct understanding of the Code of Conduct and, as a result, make fair, transparent judgments in the course of their duties. To ensure full understanding of the code in Japan, all employees, including executives, take an elearning or video training course based on the Japanese version of the Nissan Code of Conduct—â€Å"Our Promises,† instituted in April 2004—after which they sign an agreement to abide by it. The revised parts of the code in fiscal 2010 were in response to legal amendments and retained all employees since fiscal 2010 to further strengthen the spirit of compliance within the company. Education programs to promote compliance are held regularly for all employees in North America, and a set of universal guidelines has been drawn up for each country in Europe. Compliance-related training is also being carried out in the General Overseas Markets based on guidelines that take into account conditions in each of those countries. Moreover, all group-affiliated companies have introduced their own codes based on the Nissan Code of Conduct. Additionally, they have created sets of internal regulations covering the global prevention of insider trading and the management of personal information. Nissan seeks to heighten awareness of compliance companywide through such measures as well as various education and training programs. Our Stance against Discrimination and Harassment Item 6 of Nissan’s Global Code of Conduct, â€Å"Value Diversity and Provide Equal Opportunity,† is our requirement to accept value and respect the diversity  to be found among our employees, business partners, customers and communities where we do business, and to reject discrimination and harassment in all their forms, no matter how minor they may be. Nissan executives and employees must respect the human rights of others, and may not discriminate against nor harass others based on race, nationality, gender, religion, physical capability, age, and place of origin or other reason; nor may they allow such a situation to go unchecked if discovered. We also work to ensure that all employees, both male and female, can work in an environment free from sexual and other forms of harassment. PEST analysis PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. The use of PEST analysis can be seen effective for business and strategic planning, marketing planning, business and product development and research reports. PEST also ensures that company’s performance is aligned positively with the powerful forces of change that are affecting business environment. PEST is useful when a company decides to enter its business operation into new markets and new countries. The use of PEST, in this case helps to break free of unconscious assumptions, and help to effectively adapt to the realities of the new environment. Looking at the current condition of Japan, it is difficult to mention anything about its political, economical, technological or sociocultural since there is no stability in the country at the moment, due to the natural disaster crises they are facing. SWOT Analysis Strength: 1) Global Brand: According to business Week Global Brand Scorecard Nissan is the fastest growing automotive brand. Nissan’s brand equity was valued at $3,108 million in 2006. Some of the company’s passenger car models include Maxima, Sentra, Altima, Versa, Z Roadstar and Z Coupe. Some of its truck models are Quest, Armada, Pathfinder, Murand and Xterra. Brand strength provides competitive advantage that can offset the increasing competition. Over the last five years company has establish the global brand by focusing on the brand pyramid and dynamics that caters the silky design, the vibrant experience, the interplay between serenity and driving pleasure has reached a high level of alignment and consistency. That makes it easier to communicate about the brand and specific features of its model. 2) Renault-Nissan Alliance: The alliance has provided advantages to both companies. They can move into new markets faster and with lower costs because they dont have to build new plants. (Renault builds cars in Nissans Mexico plants and Nissan uses Renaults Brazil plant and distribution networks) The companies are collaborating on building common platforms, components and engines, and each company leads engine design in their area of expertiseRenault in diesel and Nissan in gasoline. And they have increased purchasing power because they buy components for six million cars not three as will be in the case of Nissan alone. The alliance has so far boosted the profitability, market capitalization and sales in 192 countries for both partners. CEO and president of Renault to his titles in 2005, says hell rely on the strengths of two distinct work forces: French innovation in concept stages and Japanese dedication to process in manufacturing. 3) Most fuel efficient car: Nissan is known to m ake the most fuel efficient cars over the years and this has become one of its major strengths in the competitive market. Due to its fuel efficient car, the demand for them has also increased over the past few years. Weakness: 1) Product Innovation time lag: Nissan launched two new or redesigned vehicles, in comparison to 14 in the three previous years. Nissan has misjudged its model strategy in the United States over the past few years. Like the other Japanese automakers, the company was a relative late-comer to the countrys high-profit margin and high-volume pick-up markets. Nissans late entry meant that it has suffered from the decline in the sector as a result of rising fuel prices in Japan, While Toyota and Nissan have been well placed to benefit from a shift in emphasis in Japan market towards compact sales as a result of the Scion and Civic models respectively, Nissan at the moment has no competitive offering in this segment. However, there  are a number of new models that should reinvigorate the companys fortunes in the United States, including the Sentra and Altima mid-size sedans, as well as its luxury-brand Infiniti G35 sedan. The company also desperately needs new offering in key segments in the European market. The Almera C-segment hatchback and Primera D-segment sedan are hopelessly outmoded and largely ignored by European buyers, although the new Note small multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) should provide Nissan with a sales success in Europe. 2) Lack of Diesel Technology: In the Japanese market, diesel accounts for only 0.4% of vehicles sold (Rowley, 2006). In contrast, diesel is very popular and its share in overall sales has been increasing. In the year ending 1st January 2006 the number of diesel cars sold increased by 7.5%. Some analysts believe that the diesel market will account for more than 80% of total vehicle sales in Europe by the end of 2008. Diesel technology has been improving significantly over the past decade reducing emissions, fuel consumption and cost. As Nissan’s home country has a low demand for diesel engines, Nissan lacks the technology and experience to produce diesel engines of comparative quality. Opportunity: 1) Asia market: Lower penetration coupled with strong rise in income levels, led to continuous jumps in car sales in markets like china and India. In fact china, followed by India is estimated to be major growth driver in the next decade. Hence it is necessary for global player to be present in these countries. Therefore all global players either have products for these markets or planning to develop products to enter into these markets. In India in year 2004-05 domestic sales of car and utility vehicles has crossed the 1 million mark. 2) Relocate its manufacturing unit to reduce cost: The Japanese car maker has stepped up their policy of producing where demand exists. Car making is an industry situated at a forefront of globalization and major player is accelerating their cross border activities. Manufacturing units in America and Europe have huge capacities in line with their vast domestic automobile  output. While this offered them the benefits of scale, the continuous sluggish growth in their local market and their inflationary increase in production cost, especially wage cost. Adoption of cost reduction measure became imperative for players to survive. China, India and Thailand have been regarded as the Low Cost Production bases with their unique offering to the outsourcers. Low cost country will provide them the global clientele and technology and also have synergetic operation. Area of opportunity for India lies in the products which have high level of design and engineering requirements, low level of auto mation and significant assembly requirement. 3) Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization (RNPO): The RNPO, which was established in 2001 in the early stages of the alliance, was one of the key ways in which Renault-Nissan would combine their resources to create a more efficient organization. Currently Nissan and Renault share 60% of the same part and raw material suppliers. This has led Nissan to achieve greater purchasing power and has served to reduce costs and reduce the bargaining power of suppliers. There still remains significant opportunity through the RNPO to decrease costs and provide increased competitive advantage. Threats: 1) Cross-Cultural Disharmony: As Nissan and Renault become further integrated with one another, the risk of cross-cultural disharmony increases. If disharmony occurs then, as occurred at DaimlerChrysler, overall company performance may be reduced and the current strengths that the Alliance provides may become instabilities. Nissan is currently working to reduce the likelihood through its Business Way program but corporate and national culture takes a long time to change. 2) Rising Commodity Prices: Due to the economic expansion of China, changes in commodity prices could affect the costs incurred by Nissan. Over the past 12 months, the price of steel used in car production has risen by nearly 30% (London Metal Exchange, 2006). Nissan has taken steps to reduce the effect of rising steel prices; in 2000, Nissan began using hot dip zinc coated steel and converted to less expensive steel in 2002, which saved about $16 million per year (Nissan Motor Co., 2004). This however, has done little to  reduce the upward pressure on vehicle costs and prices. As this increase in cost has been passed on to the consumer, demand for new vehicles has reduced. This threatens Nissans viability in the region. 3) Market saturation: With overall industry sales number stagnant, if not declining in key economies term, the overall automobile industry has been significantly impacted. Due to overall market saturation, the individual company new product development strategy towards market expansion is changing from iterative year on year model changes to drastic innovation. The emergence of SUV market few years back is an evidence of how product and market innovation has changed the very composition of US auto market. Marketing Strategies TARGET MARKET Nissan’s target market will be the low-level income group and middle class. Whereas Infiniti’s target market is people looking for luxury, great driving experience with unparallel appeal. With constant awareness and education about Nissan affordability and safety features, different type of group could be acquired resulting in increase of brand loyal consumers. People are more aware and therefore, they are constantly more particular when deciding which car to purchase. With strategic advertisement, consumers can be attracted with its latest features and a new image Nissan will provide to owners. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENT The major concern of Nissan is to capture all the district headquarters of the country resulting in its coverage of almost all over the country. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: PSYCHOGRAPHICS With new image Nissan will provide to its buyers, owners will feel more confident and proud considering that Nissan is an international organization with strong background resulting driving Nissan a status symbol. Also safety and comfort are big factors of considerations in a consumers mind so Nissan by focusing on these factors will attract safety and comfort conscious people. Seeing its potential, consumers will most likely shift to Nissan. NISSAN TARGET MARKET: DEMOGRAPHICS Primary Target market belongs to middle class, upper middle class and low earning income people in society, falling in income bracket of below $ 2500. Also the target will be people from 25 60year old who are major automobile buyers. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES Basically there are two types of distribution channels available: Direct distribution and In-direct distribution PROMOTION STRATEGIES Promotion is one of the most important factors of marketing; it is done to affect the consumer behaviour in order to achieve sales and increase product image. In promotion the major task is to make consumers aware of the product and to attract consumer towards the product by highlighting the advantages of the product. Also it keeps consumers aware and well informed about product’s features and improvements. ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH An extensive market research will be conducted to have better idea about consumers’ perception about Nissan and its competitors. For this purpose Nissan will acquire services of marketing and research agencies to better analyze market environment. This will enable Nissan to learn about the consumers’ behaviour, how they perceive us and compare with the competitor. The media of the advertising a product is always chosen after the market environment research to get knowledge that if the target audience is interested in that mode of advertisement or not. ADVERTISING To advertise the product better and create awareness about product; Nissan will use different advertisement methods to approach the consumers. The diversity of advertisement channels will help in reaching the masses of different mindsets. Following Advertisement methods will be used: †¢ Nisan will use print and electronic media to introduce the product to consumers. †¢ Special events will be sponsored by Nissan. †¢ Use of Billboards, flex signs etc for massive introduction of car’s launch. †¢ Special road shows and displays will be set at dealers outlets. †¢ Prize contest will be conducted to attract people towards the car. Financial Review Net sales For fiscal year 2009, consolidated net revenues decreased 10.9%, to  ¥7.517 trillion, which reflected the strong yen offsetting the increase in sales volume. Operating profit Consolidated operating profit totalled  ¥311.6 billion, compared to a negative  ¥137.9 billion in fiscal year 2008. Net income Net non-operating expenses increased  ¥69.1 billion to  ¥103.9 billion from  ¥34.8 billion in fiscal 2008. Net income reached  ¥42.4 billion, an increase of  ¥276.1 billion from fiscal year 2008. Major competitors In Asia the 3 big of the automobile industry is Nissan, Toyota and Honda. But Nissan Motors major competitor is Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota, much larger than Nissan and possessing deeper financial pockets, was better positioned to sustain the losses incurred from the global economic downturn. Consequently, Nissan entered its ninth decade of operation facing formidable obstacles. The first financial decline came in 1991, when the companys consolidated operating profit plummeted 64.3 percent to  ¥125 billion (US$886 million). Six months later, Nissan registered its first pretax loss since becoming a publicly traded company in 1951 ¥14.2 billion during the first half of 1992. The losses mounted in the next two years, growing to  ¥108.1 billion in 1993 and  ¥202.4 billion by 1994, or nearly US$2 billion. To arrest the precipitous drop in company profits, Nissans management introduced various cost-cutting measuressuch as reducing its materials and manufacturing costswhich sav ed the company roughly US$1.5 billion in 1993, with an additional US$1.2 billion savings realized in 1994. Nissan also became the first Japanese company to close a plant in Japan since World War II and cut nearly 12,000 workers in Japan, Spain, and the United States from its payroll. Nissan also was staggering under a debt load that reached as high as US$32 billion and threatened to bankrupt the company. Only intervention from Nissans lead lender, Industrial Bank of Japan, kept the company afloat. There were some positive signs in the early 1990s to inspire hope for the future. Nissans 1993 sales increased nearly 20 percent, vaulting the car maker past Honda Motor Co., Ltd. to reclaim the number two ranking in import sales to the all-important U.S. market. Much of this gain was attributable to robust sales of the Nissan Altima, a replacement for its Stanza model, which was introduced in 1992 and marketed in the United States as a small luxury sedan priced under $13,000. To the joy of Nissans management, however, the Altima typically was purchased with various options added on, giving the company an additional $2,000 to $3,000  per car. Nissan also was encouraged by strong sales of its Quest minivan, which was introduced in the United States in 1992 and had been developed jointly with Ford Motor, which marketed its own version, the Ford Windstar. Nissans losses continued through the fiscal year ending in March 1996, cumulating to US$3.2 billion over a four-year span. The companys return to profitability in fiscal 1997 came about in part because of the cost-cutting program and in part from the yens dramatic depreciation against the dollar. Despite the return to the black, Nissan remained a troubled company. From its 1972 peak of 34 percent, the companys share of the Japanese auto market had fallen to 20 percent by early 1997. Competition from the more financially stable Toyota and Honda played a factor in this decline, but Nissan also hurt itself by failing to keep pace with changing consumer tastes both in Japan and in overseas markets. For example, Nissan was behind its rivals in adding minivans and sport utility vehicles to its product line-up, having for years dismissed these sectors as passing fads. Meanwhile, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and station wagons accounted for half of all passenger car sales in Japan by early 1997, up from just more than ten percent in 1990. In the U.S. market, the Altima lost ground to two midsized rivals, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, because Nissans model was smaller and thus less desirable. In the luxury car sector, Toyotas Lexus line became the hot brand in the United States, triumphing over the Infiniti. Because of these and other factors, Nissan returned to the red for fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Although the losses were not as large as earlier in the decade, the companys continued sky-high debt loadwhich stood at US$19.7 billion in late 1998did not bode well for Nissans future. Business Strategies, Keeping Competitive Edge 1) Product Strategy To secure our profitability and sustainable growth based on our future product line up plan, in our product strategy developing process, we are monitoring the impacts of some different types of risk scenarios such as global market changes and demand deteriorations to our future profitability (COP) based on our plan. 1. Drastic decline of total global demand, past examples as reference case. 2. A demand shift between vehicle segments drastically faster than our assumptions in our mid-term planning. 3. A demand shift from the matured markets to the emerging markets drastically faster than our assumptions in our mid-term planning. We periodically monitor the impact of these scenarios to secure our future profitability and sustainable growth, and also update our future line-up plans periodically based on the results. To improve the robustness of our product line up against these risks, we take following countermeasures as our main direction when planning our product strategy. Expand availability of individual products across markets to mitigate the risk of single market demand fluctuations. Increase volume and efficiency per product through a consolidation and rationalization of the portfolio to lower the breakeven point and thereby reduce the profit risk of global Total Industry Volume declines. Prepare a more balanced product portfolio meeting needs in a broader range of markets and segments reducing reliance on specific large markets. 2) Quality of Products Services Nissan is working on the corporate task named â€Å"Quality Leadership† which aims for achieving top level quality by FY2012. In this project, actions are carried out with numerical targets for following 4 areas. 1. Perceived quality attractiveness: Customers’ impression on vehicle’s quality when customer looks it at a dealer’s show room 2. Product quality: Quality of product itself based on the experiences as an owner of the vehicle 3. Sales service quality: Quality related to behaviour or attitude of sales staff or quality of service when inspection and maintenance 4. Quality of management: internal management quality to improve employees’ motivation which supports above 3 qualities For example, target of â€Å"Product quality† is to become top level at Most Influential Indicator (MII) of each region. In order to achieve the target, it is broken down to internal indicators by model which correlate with MII. Progress of all quality improvement activities are monitored with those  internal indicators. All the actions are taken based on rotating PDCA cycle, such as, the progress of activities are monthly reviewed by â€Å"Quality Committee† chaired by EVP and necessary actions are decided. Total picture of â€Å"Quality Leadership† on global base is monitored and discussed at the Global Quality Meeting chaired by COO annually. 2 years passed since this project started and it is going well. We are confident that we can achieve the target by FY2012. With respect to new model project, in order to achieve the quality target of each project, milestone meetings set at each key process of design, preparation for production and production, confirm key check points, such as achievement of quality targets, adoption of measures to prevent recurrence of past problem, adoption of measures for potential risks related to new technology / new mechanism / design change. Commercial production can be started after confirmation at â€Å"SOP (Start of Production) Judgment Meeting†, which confirms all issues are solved and quality target can be achieved. Final decision that the model can be sold is made at â€Å"Delivery Judgment Meeting†, after confirmation of quality of commercial production and preparedness for service / maintenance. As described above, Nissan is implementing thorough quality check before new model launch. Nissan is progressing quality improvement activities also after launch by gathering quality information from markets and prompt deployment of countermeasures. In case of occurrence of safety or compliance issues, necessary actions such as recall are implemented with close cooperation with market side team based on the decision by independent process from management. Occurred incidents are deeply investigated, analyzed and feed backed to models on the way of production or development for prevention of recurrence In addition to above described activities, such as quality assurance at new model project and quality improvement activities on daily basis, the â€Å"Quality Risk Management† framework has been newly developed from FY2009.  This is the high level system to ensure successful quality management for on-going and future projects. This includes assessment of quality related risks, evaluation of risk level, assignment of responsible person based on the level and to clarify organization for follow up. These processes are implemented at â€Å"Quality Risk Management Committee† chaired by EVP twice a year. 3) Compliance and Reputation As described above, Nissan produced the Nissan Global Code of Conduct for all employees of the Nissan group worldwide. To ensure thorough understanding of the code, training and education program such as e-learning is improved and compliant situation is monitored by Global Compliance Committee. Nissan has also adopted the internal whistle blowing system (Easy Voice System). This allows any employees to submit opinions, questions, requests or suspected compliance issue directly to Nissan’s management. Additionally, Nissan created sets of internal regulations covering the Global Prevention of Insider Trading and the management of personal information. Nissan keeps effort to prevent reputation risk to the company by continuous implementation of such measures as various education and training programs. Conclusion As the automobile industry is booming, It is necessary to keep up with the competition. The only way to compete with the competitors is to come out with innovative technology, fuel efficient cars, and luxury looking yet affordable cars. Nissan has not only concentrated on making cars but also provided their support to various stakeholders. Its working has benefited the environment by taking many environmental initiatives such as starting the Nissan Green Program 2010. The company also has worked towards effectively and efficiently developing their employees in terms of specialisation, or giving them a work-life balance. In line with its vision of Enriching People’s Lives, Nissan’s desire is to provide attractive products and services to customers worldwide while at the same time fulfilling its responsibility as a corporate citizen to help realize a sustainable society.